Step back into the beautiful and unforgettable world of Rapture in BioShock 2, the next installment in the franchise that has won more than 50 Game of the Year Awards and has sold more than 2.5 million units worldwide. Developed by 2K Marin and 2K Australia, BioShock 2 provides players with the perfect blend of explosive first person shooter combat and compelling storytelling to form one of 2009’s most highly anticipated titles.
Set approximately 10 years after the events of the original BioShock, the halls of Rapture once again echo with sins of the past. All along the Atlantic coastline, a monster has been snatching little girls and bringing them back to Rapture. You will play as the first Big Daddy as you travel through the decrepit and beautiful fallen city, chasing an unseen foe in search of answers and your own survival. New enemies, new dangers and all-new mysteries combine to form a must-have sequel to the 2007 game of the year.
A trio of new screens taking us back to the world of Rapture.
BioShock 2 Screenshots
(author unknown)
Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:42:16 GMT
Technorati Tags: Video Games,Xbox 360
All-conference honors, individual awards and the Heisman Trophy are among the most prestigious honors a college football player can receive. Yet there is one honor that is treasured above even those – having your jersey number retired.
That distinction means that you have been so outstanding – either on the playing field, in the community or both – that no other player who comes after should ever wear the number most closely associated with you.
Only 33 players are members of that ultra-exclusive club in the Big Ten. Eight active conference schools have retired at least two numbers while Ohio State has retired the highest number with seven. Meanwhile, four schools – Penn State, Purdue, Northwestern and former conference member Chicago – have never retired jersey numbers.
In the first part of this entry, we dealt with the first half of a list of the players whose numbers have been retired by the various conference schools along with their accomplishments. Here is the second half of that list, going alphabetically by school.
MINNESOTA
10, Paul Giel – Speaking of guys who did it all, Giel certainly fits the bill. He was a two-time All-American, two-time Big Ten football MVP, a major-league pitcher for five different teams and athletic director at his alma mater from 1971-89. His main claim to fame, however, came on the gridiron in the early 1950s. Giel was a dual-threat quarterback for the Gophers, ending his career with 2,188 yards rushing and 1,922 yards passing. He finished second in the 1953 Heisman Trophy voting, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1975 and had his number officially retired by Minnesota in 1991.
15, Sandy Stephens – The first African-American to play quarterback for the Gophers, Stephens remains the only QB in program history to lead the Gophers to the Rose Bowl when he did it in back-to-back seasons. In 1960, he helped Minnesota to an 8-2 record and the national championship and finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy balloting. The following season, Stephens was named most valuable player of the Big Ten after leading the Gophers to an 8-2 record, which included a 21-3 Rose Bowl win over UCLA, and a sixth-place finish in the national polls. Stephens had a brief pro career in Canada and earned distinction in later life as a civic leader. He was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1997, and just five months after his death in June 2000, Minnesota retired his jersey number.
54, Bruce Smith – Nicknamed “Boo” because he used to scare the bejesus out of many opponents, Smith is Minnesota’s only Heisman Trophy winner. He captured the 1941 award, culmination of a career that included leading the Gophers to back-to-back national titles in 1940 and ’41. During World War II, Smith became a fighter pilot in the U.S. Navy, and then had a four-year NFL career with Green Bay and Los Angeles. He died of cancer in 1967 at the age of 47 and didn’t get to enjoy the accolades that would come his way. Smith was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1972 and, in June 1977, became the first Minnesota player to have his number retired.
79, Bronislau “Bronko” Nagurski – If ever a name perfectly fit a football player, it would be Bronko Nagurski. At a time when 5-10, 170-pound players were considered for line positions, Nagurski was a bruising 6-2 and 226 pounds. He used that bulk to his advantage, playing tackle on defense and fullback on offense. Nagurski was so good that he made some All-America teams on defense and others on offense. During his three seasons with the Gophers from 1927-29, the team posted a record of 18-4-2 and won the conference title in ’27. Nagurski went on to star for eight seasons in the NFL with the Chicago Bears, and he is a charter member of both the College and Pro Football halls of fame.
OHIO STATE
22, Les Horvath – Ohio State’s first-ever Heisman Trophy winner, Horvath was supposed to have been done with college football when he was coaxed into playing the 1944 season. Because of World War II, fourth-year players were allowed to compete in intercollegiate sports and Horvath took advantage, helping the Buckeyes to an undefeated season and second-place finish in the national polls. He later had a brief NFL career with the Rams and Browns before becoming a practicing dentist in California. Horvath, who died in 1995, was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1969. Ohio State retired his jersey number in 2001.
27, Eddie George – Style, grace and power were George’s calling cards and he shattered Ohio State’s single-season rushing mark on the way to the 1995 Heisman. That year, he gained 1,927 yards and averaged 5.9 yards per carry and 25.2 carries per game. George was a first-round selection by the Houston Oilers in the 1996 NFL draft and enjoyed a nine-year career with Houston (which later became the Tennessee Titans) and Dallas. He accounted for 10,441 career yards and 78 touchdowns. George, who is now a successful entrepreneur with such diverse business interests as broadcasting, acting, landscaping and restaurants, was honored by OSU in November 2001 when the university retired his number.
31, Vic Janowicz – There was virtually nothing Janowicz couldn’t do on a football field. He was a slashing halfback, a hard-hitting defensive back, a sure-toed kicker and a booming punter for the Buckeyes during the late 1940s and early 1950s. During an 81-23 win over Iowa in 1950, he scored three touchdowns – two rushing and a 61-yard punt return – threw for four scores, recovered two fumbles on defense and kicked 10 extra points. After that season was over, Janowicz won a landslide vote for the Heisman Trophy. A coaching change from Wes Fesler to Woody Hayes in his senior season forced Janowicz to play out of position, but his legacy was already cemented. On Sept. 23, 2000, he became only the second OSU player to have his number retired.
40, Howard “Hopalong” Cassady – Nicknamed after the fictional cowboy of comic books and movies of the 1930s and ’40s, Cassady scored three touchdowns as a freshman in his first college game and never looked back. In 1955, he won one of the most lopsided Heisman votes in history, polling 2,219 points, nearly three times the total of the second-place finisher. Additionally, he set the school’s career scoring record, a mark that held up for more than 30 years. Cassady later enjoyed eight productive years in the NFL with Detroit, Cleveland and Philadelphia, and his son Craig was a starting defensive back for the Buckeyes in 1975. Cassady was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1979 and returned to Columbus from his Florida home in 2000 for ceremonies to retire his number.
45, Archie Griffin – College football’s only two-time Heisman Trophy was fittingly the first Buckeye to have his number retired when athletic director Andy Geiger surprised Griffin at halftime of the Iowa game in 1999. Griffin still holds many of the Ohio State career rushing records more than 30 years after he last donned the Scarlet and Gray. Perhaps the most impressive – four straight seasons leading the team in rushing, 31 consecutive games of 100 yards or more, and 5,589 yards on the ground. George ranks second in all-time rushing more than 1,800 yards behind Griffin. After graduation, Griffin was a first-round draft pick of the Cincinnati Bengals, played seven years in the NFL and then returned to Ohio State to serve in the university’s athletic department for several years. For the past 4½ years, he has been president and CEO of the Ohio State Alumni Association.
47, Chic Harley – If it hadn’t been for Harley, you might never have heard of Archie Griffin … or the Horseshoe … or Woody Hayes. Harley was Ohio State’s first big-time football star, a do-everything performer who took the Buckeyes from a glorified club team to one of the most storied programs in the sport. He burst on the scene as a sophomore in 1916 and spurred OSU to its first conference championship. Three years later – after a year away while serving in World War I – Harley sparked a 13-3 victory over Michigan, the first win for the Buckeyes over their archrivals from the north. After graduating from Ohio State, Harley had a checkered life. He played briefly in the fledgling National Football League and dabbled in other businesses before struggling with bouts of severe depression. He lived most of his later years in an assisted care facility until his death in 1974. Thirty years later, Harley was honored in Ohio Stadium – once known as “The House That Harley Built” – when jersey No. 47 was retired in his honor.
99, Bill Willis – The Columbus native was one of the first African-American stars at Ohio State and later in the NFL. Willis was also one of the first linemen to use quickness and agility to his advantage rather than power and brute strength. He started as a sophomore in 1942 and helped the Buckeyes win the first national championship in their history. Two years later, OSU went undefeated and finished second in the national polls to Army as Willis earned All-America honors blocking for Heisman winner Horvath. After his college career ended, Willis joined the Cleveland Browns and was named All-Pro in each of his eight seasons from 1946-53. In 1971, he was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame and six years later was enshrined in Canton at the Pro Football of Fame. Last November, Willis was the latest to be honored by the university when his jersey number was officially retired. He died 24 days later at the age of 86.
WISCONSIN
33, Ron Dayne – Dayne was a running back in a offensive lineman’s body. With 260 pounds packed onto a 5-10 frame, he was a nightmare to try to bring down and wound up his career with the Badgers as the all-time leading rusher in NCAA history at the Division I-A level. His 7,125 yards between 1996 and ’99 shattered Griffin’s previous Big Ten mark of 5,589 and his 71 career rushing TDs is also a conference record. Dayne topped off his senior season with the 1999 Heisman Trophy and his second consecutive Rose Bowl MVP award. He was the 11th overall pick of the 2000 NFL draft and has rushed for 3,722 yards and 28 touchdowns in 96 career games with the Giants, Broncos and Texans.
35, Alan Ameche – Ameche’s nickname was “The Horse” for a good reason. He exploded through holes in the line with a gallop, and simply ran over defenders when they got in his way. Ameche had a superlative senior year by earning a third All-America honor, leading Wisconsin to a Big Ten championship and Rose Bowl berth and capturing the 1954 Heisman Trophy. By the time he had finished his career with the Badgers, he was also the NCAA’s all-time leading rusher. Ameche later made four Pro Bowls in six seasons with the Baltimore Colts, and scored the winning touchdown in the 1958 NFL Championship Game, usually referred to as “The Greatest Game Ever Played.”
40, Elroy “Crazylegs” Hirsch – Hirsch played only one season at Wisconsin but it was quite a season. In 1942, he rushed for 786 yards to lead the Badgers to an 8-1-1 record. Along the way, Chicago Daily News sportswriter Francis Powers wrote that Hirsch’s “crazy legs were gyrating in six different directions all at the same time.” The nickname stuck. Hirsch joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1943, necessitating a transfer to the University of Michigan. But he returned to Madison a quarter-century later when he became director of athletics at Wisconsin. In between, he enjoyed a Hall of Fame career in the NFL as a receiver for the Los Angeles Rams.
80, Dave Schreiner – A threat on both sides of the ball, Schreiner played for the Badgers from 1940-42 and was the program’s first two-time All-American. He once caught three touchdown passes in a single quarter – still a school record – and after his senior year, Schreiner was named Big Ten most valuable player. He likely had a future in professional football, but joined the U.S. Marine Corps in World War II and was killed in action in June 1945 during the Battle of Okinawa. He was only 24. In a letter written to his parents, commanding officer Col. Alan Shapley wrote that Schreiner “was not just one of my lieutenants, he was one of my very good friends. We all used to say that Dave was not just an All-American football player, but an All-American in all respects.” Schreiner was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955.
83, Allan Shafer – Shafer was a Madison native who was so popular with his teammates that he was elected team captain as a 17-year-old freshman in 1944. He also earned the starting quarterback job for the Badgers, leading the team to wins in their first two games that season. That was followed by four straight losses before the streak ended Nov. 11 with a 26-7 win over Iowa. But the victory was a bitter one. Shafer, who had been sidelined three weeks earlier with what was described as a head injury, pitched out on the game’s first play and then looked for someone to block. When the play was over, Shafer lay motionless on the ground. He was helped to the sideline and rushed to a hospital where he died later than night. His jersey number was retired in 2006 and the university awards its “Living Memorial Scholarship” each year in Shafer’s honor.
88, Pat Richter – An All-American on the field and in the classroom, Richter was an excellent tight end and punter for the Badgers in the early 1960s. His 11 receptions for 163 yards against USC in the 1963 Rose Bowl remain game records. He finished his college career with nine varsity letters – three each in football, basketball and baseball – and went on to an eight-year NFL career with Washington. Richter spent 17 years as vice president of personnel at Oscar Mayer Foods Corp., and then returned to Madison to become athletic director at his alma mater. He retired in April 2004, and is a member of College Football Hall of Fame, the Academic All-America Hall of Fame, the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame and the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame.
ALL OTHERS
Penn State, Purdue and Northwestern, not to mention former conference member Chicago, each have former players worthy of jersey retirement.
The Nittany Lions have had more than their share of star players over the years, including running back Lydell Mitchell (23), linebacker Jack Ham (33), defensive tackle Mike Reid (68), tight end Ted Kwalick (82) and 1973 Heisman Trophy winner John Cappelletti (22). Each of those players is in the College Football Hall of Fame, but none of those jersey numbers have been retired. In fact, every one of them was in use last season.
Likewise, the Boilermakers have a rich history and tradition, especially at the quarterback position with the likes of such famous alumni as Bob Griese (12), Mike Phipps and Drew Brees (both wore 15), Len Dawson (16) and Mark Herrmann (9). Purdue also produced such stars as end Paul Moss (80, the school’s first two-time All-American in 1931 and ’32); guard Alex Agase (59); running back Leroy Keyes (23), defensive back Rod Woodson (26) and fullback Mike Alstott (40), but again, each of those jersey numbers was worn by a member of the Purdue football team in 2007.
Northwestern and Chicago are no different. Junior linebacker Rejaie Johnson wore No. 48 last season for the Wildcats, the same jersey number once occupied by College Football Hall of Famer Otto Graham, arguably the finest player in the history of the NU program.
Chicago left the Big Ten following the 1939 season and dropped the football program at the intercollegiate level for 30 years. It returned in 1969 and now plays at the Division III level, but that still doesn’t seem to be much of an excuse for not having some sort of formal ceremony to retire jersey No. 99 in honor of Jay Berwanger, the first-ever winner of the Heisman Trophy. At least the Maroons have seen fit not to issue that jersey number in the recent past.
HAPPY! HAPPY!
Among the worldwide luminaries celebrating birthdays today: TV actress Katherine Helmond (“Soap,” “Who’s The Boss,” “Everybody Loves Raymond”); rock guitar virtuoso Jaime Robert Klegerman (lots better known as Robbie Robertson); pop singer Huey Lewis; freshly minted Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Rich “Goose” Gossage; Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Marc Cohn (husband of ABC News correspondent Elizabeth Vargas); Emmy-winning actress Edie Falco (“The Sopranos”); Calvin and Hobbes creator Bill Watterson; actress Kathryn Erbe (Detective Alexandra Eames on “Law and Order: Criminal Intent”); French actress Eva Green (“Casino Royale”); and former Wimbledon champion Amélie Mauresmo.
Also a happy belated birthday to former Ohio State and current New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith, who turned 27 yesterday.
AND FINALLY
** Here is the answer to the trivia question from Thursday. There were actually two correct answers to the Cleveland Browns portion of the question. Head coach Paul Brown and quarterback George Ratterman were the first members of the Browns to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated. An artist’s rendering of the duo huddling on the sidelines graced the cover of the Oct. 8, 1956 issue. As for the first Cincinnati Bengals on the cover of SI, Brown also holds that distinction. His return to pro football as head man of the Bengals organization was trumpeted on the Aug. 12, 1968 cover.
** Some athletes will do anything to gain an edge, but this is ridiculous. It seems that some have resorted to using Viagra to improve their performance – athletic performance, that is. Viagra increases the effects of nitric oxide, a common gas in the body. The reasoning is that if the little blue pill can relax muscles and improve blood flow in one part of the body, what not in the rest of the body? The World Anti-Doping Agency is looking into it. And I’m not making this up.
** In a recent blog, CBSSportsline.com college football writer Dennis Dodd referred to Terry Porter, the official who threw the infamous pass interference flag against Miami (Fla.) in 2003 Fiesta Bowl.
More than five years later, Miami fans are still holding a grudge as evidenced by one of the responses to the entry: “I will not forgive Terry Porter, and Dodd has no right to tell me otherwise. I am a disgruntled Miami fan, and I will never forget that unwarranted flag. Why did he even have to bring up such an incidence? No reason to make the outrage return…” Forget for a moment that replays clearly show Porter made the right call. Even if you can’t accept that fact, understand that pass interference is often a spur-of-the-moment judgment call. And then, by all means, get over it.
** Dodd’s blog deals with a test for football officials. You can take it for yourself and see how you do by following this link: USA Football Officiating Test.
** I leave you with this thought as we celebrate the Fourth of July weekend: “This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.” To all of the U.S. troops throughout the world serving in harm’s way, stay safe and thank you.
While most of the contests in the 2009 elections are local , the most focus and attention is on 
statewide elections, a special election and the nation’s largest city.
Philadelphia Phillies Clinch the N.L. East
It’s hopeless. Just when you think you’ll get a few minutes to eat, or work, or have a life, more cars on the train wreck that is the McCain-Palin ticket derail.
The latest story the National Enquirer is working on is that Palin had an affair with Todd’s ex-business partner in an Anchorage Car Wash venture. This was an interesting twist because it was also rumored that Todd Palin had an “Edwards problem”. Maybe he has an Elizabeth Edwards problem. I generally try to resist getting too caught up in the smarminess, unless it becomes impossible. It just did.
Two days ago, Todd’s ex-business partner filed an emergency motion to have his divorce papers sealed. Yesterday the motion was DENIED.
Buckle up. I’ll post updates and links…unless the entire intertube network collapses first.
The NYC Half-Marathon will take place in 2010 on March 21. Look for the application on. Use the Race Day Tracker to view splits and results. [More] .
nyc marathon results 2009 – Google Blog Search
Canadian-American singer-songwriter, Alanis Morissette has completed her second race at the NYC Marathon, only a few weeks after running her first marathon. Alanis Morissette completed the New York City Marathon today with a unofficial
The ING New York City Marathon
Page 2/2 New York Marathon 2009 Results and Information New York Marathon 2008 Results Men (Full marathon) 2008 1: Marilson Gomes dos Santos – 2:08:43 -.
Alanis Morissette's Time: NYC Marathon Results 2009 : In Entertainment
Yesterday saw the 2009 New York City Marathon take place and according to examiner.com, it was American Meb Keflezighi that was crowned the winner, making him the first American man to win since 1982. On the women's side it was Derartu
New York Marathon Results and Information
1 Nov 2009. 30 Oct 2009 . American Meb Keflezighi wins NYC Marathon – Taiwan News OnlineDanish Football Results 2009-11-02..
NYC Marathon Results 2009: Meb Keflezighi wins : In Entertainment
From: The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com; ING New York City (NYC) Marathon 2009 Results: Keflezighi makes This blog shares my experiences of running marathons, and updates news and results from running events in India and around.
Nyc Marathon Results 2009
30 Oct 2009. American Meb Keflezighi wins NYC Marathon – Taiwan News OnlineDanish Football Results 2009-11-02. WTA Tour says player withdrawals down by 1.
NYC Marathon Results 2009 | The Unreality Show
Radcliffe Didn't Reach Podium in New York City Marathon: Results 2009. Nov 02, 2009 | By: Peter Holness | Comments 0. Radcliffe Didn't Reach Podium in New York City Marathon: Results 2009
NYC MARATHON RESULTS 2009
2008: Josh's plan: 2009 results: 1:57:36 1:47:11 1:49:05. M1 – 8:56 M1 – 8:50 M1 – 8:42. Stay tuned for the final chapter, Nov 1st : the NYC Marathon!.
Radcliffe Didn't Reach Podium in New York City Marathon: Results
This blog shares my experiences of running marathons, and updates news and results from running events in India and around.
My road to the 2009 NYC Marathon
2 Nov 2009. Alanis Morissette's Time: NYC Marathon Results 2009. Nov 02, 2009, By: Tony Lambert, Comments 0. Alanis Morissette's Time: NYC Marathon.
ING New York City (NYC) Marathon 2009 Results: Keflezighi makes
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Alanis Morissette’s Time: NYC Marathon Results 2009 : In Entertainment
1 Nov 2009. 2009 NYC Marathon: Women's results. bullet. Marathon Madness dashboard. bullet. 2009 NYC Marathon: Men's results.
NYC Marathon | Meb Keflezighi | New York City Marathon | Ing Nyc
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2009 NYC Marathon: Men’s results – Universal Sports
2 Nov 2008. in Sports, New York Marathon, NYC Marathon, 2008 nyc marathon results, nyc marathon 2008 results, new york city marathon route, new york.
NYC Marathon | Meb Keflezighi | New York City Marathon | Ing Nyc
2009 new york city marathon: results and photos. the 2009 nyc marathon (its 40th anniversary) is in the books. it was my 8th time running that fantastic point to point course from staten island to central park – and it's my favorite
NYC Marathon Results: Paula Radcliffe and Marilson Gomes Dos.
New York Marathon Live 2009, Rinzin Dorji, 34, will take part in the ING New York. Chicago Marathon 2009 Race Results, Chicago Marathon 2009 – Chicago.
rundangerously: 2009 new york city marathon: results and photos
NY Marathon: Results. by pribut on November 1, 2009. The winners are in for the 2010 New York Marathon . Another exciting and great race with some surprises. Paula Radcliffe placed 4th in the race and suffered from ongoing injuries.
New York Marathon Live 2009
A fierce debate has been raging within the WoWenomics team for the past few weeks. This debate has centered around the simple question, are we witnessing the decline of World of Warcraft?
The Opinions
It was initially an insightful article on Spinksville that got us talking about this subject. In that post, Spinks mentions the age of WoW and ponders if MMOs might suffer the same marked decline as the author observed with MUDs. The argument about the connection between MUDs and MMOs aside, it did serve to get us thinking of the life of WoW more in terms of an arc as opposed to a straight timeline. If we accept that the life of WoW is an arc we are then prompted to ask the question, just where in this arc are we currently? Is WoW in a state of increasing or decreasing popularity and success?
As we mentioned, the WoWenomics team is torn on the state WoW. One of our members insists that WoW will live on (with continual content patches and support) even if subscriber numbers dwindle. In this way, says he, the game will never die so long as the endeavor remains profitable. Others argue that the game has already passed the plateau of the lifespan arc and is now in a state of deterioration. A few of us are of the belief that WoW is at the very top of the arc of the game’s lifespan and Blizzard is at the top of their game. Of course, this implies that there is an inevitable decline ahead. Tellingly, none of our number took the stance that the game is still on the upswing.
For their own part, Blizzard states that there is no firm deadline upon which they will shut off WoW. As business people, however, we argue that there is. Certainly they’ve already decided upon a certain threshold where the business becomes unprofitable and will be discontinued.
The Evidence
So, about that arc… Is there some way to definitively identify where we are in the WoW lifecycle? The evidence of decline is easy to measure but, perhaps, difficult to quantify. Wolfshead presents a well-thought out and comprehensive analysis of the web statistics for the official WoW domain. In the same post, the author presents a graph, charting Blizzard’s announced subscriber statistics. Seeing the data presented in this visual format makes it easy to identify a flattening of the upward curve that previously represented player growth.
But there is other evidence of decreasing popularity as well:
- Many big-name WoW blogs have recently closed up shop.
- Players from all servers are reporting more trouble finding groups, declining interest in guild activities and friends leaving the game.
- Departure of key development personnel to other projects.
- An apparent shift in design philosophy.
What is most evocative about this culmination of data is that we have been in the money-making business long enough to know that it often takes several factors culminating in a cohesive timeframe to force cataclysmic change. Is this what we are seeing now?
The combination of decaying web stats, leveling off of subscriber numbers, anecdotal user experience reports on players taking extended breaks and closure of high-profile community sites all seem to point towards a shift in popularity. So if WoW is not in decline, it certainly seems to be at a plateau. Were this an investment we were trading, we’d argue that now’s the time to sell.
The Economy
Which brings us to the point of the in-game economy and WoW wealth-generation. We assert that the effects of a decline in the popularity the game will be felt very early in the economy. Perhaps just after players report exodus of friends and guildies to other games or non-gaming activities. We are split as to what that market activity will be, however. Will we see mass inflation as no one is farming anymore and prices are driven up by supply shortages? Or will it be the opposite and that the markets will deflate massively given a lack of demanding customers. Will Blizzard take any form of corrective market action to stabilize the game economy?
As traders in the various WoW markets we also have to ponder what we should do with our wealth and when to do it. Do we start selling our stockpiles of goods now, while we can still get maximum value? Or do we do it later when we may get less but can be surer of a state of decline. Should we be spending like crazy now just to have fun with it while we can? One thing we are fairly certain of is that, just like real life, you can’t take it with you.
The Future
Blizzard has already stated that their next MMO will not be WoW 2. That said, we do predict that they will pick up the WoW franchise again at some point (even if this is some years out) as they’d be mad not to.
We highly doubt that, regardless of the theme of Blizzard’s next MMO, you will be able to take any of your virtual property with you into the next game. This is understandable. Although we think it would be a pretty nice touch if you could reserve your character and perhaps even guild name, based on your WoW equivalent.
In the mean time, there will still be a few content patches and perhaps even another expansion cycle to go through before Blizzard pulls the plug. And even if they stop developing new content they may still keep the game going indefinitely so long as it is profitable.
The End
So if WoW is losing its appeal, we are forced to examine why we are amassing wealth in the game and if it is time to spend more than we save. Obviously, the answer to this question depends largely on your personal goals as a WoW player and trader so we can’t answer for you. When it comes down to it, whether or not the game is in a state of decline or growth is irrelevant if you’re still having fun playing it. So long as playing still feels like a fun way to spend your leisure time and building in-game wealth is part of that fun, by all means continue trading away even if the ship happens to be sinking around you.
That said, given recent events and the aforementioned data, perhaps it is time to- at the very least- start thinking about just what you mean to do with all that gold.
You’ve probably heard it all week and you’ll here it all day today. But, just in case someone stumbles across this page and has yet to here, or has forgotten, daylight saving time ends tonight at 2:00 AM for most of the U.S. (Arizona being the lone exception, if my memory is correct.) Enjoy the extra hour of whatever.
This brings me to another point. Why does everyone say an extra hour of sleep? Don’t misunderstand… I love sleeping, but why waste that extra hour on sleep when it could be an extra hour of something fun and enjoyable? This has always struck me as odd.
Also, remember, it’s daylight saving time. There is no “s” on the end of the word “saving.” Daylight is not being deposited into a bank account. It’s saved for later in the day to help reduce energy consumption around the country. Of course, this hasn’t necessarily worked. You may wait later to turn your lights on at home, but you may also spend more energy cooling your home. I’m guessing this is why Arizona doesn’t participate in DST. The last thing they need is another hour of sunlight during Summer.
So, enjoy the 25 hour day tomorrow. The weather seems as if it will be nice across most of the country, so go outside and enjoy. Just don’t get too down when the sun sets an hour earlier than today – it’s a sign of Winter and the holiday season! (That’s exciting, right?)
Channel Set Max for Indian viewers :-
Sony Entertainment television Network won the ICC rights for cricket telecast during the Cricket World Cup in 2003 and thus, they have broadcasting rights of all the cricket tournaments which will be played under ICC’s tags. They won this honour at a price of USD 255 million whereas the previous World Cup’s telecast rights were sold at just 2 million dollars. This includes
the coming ICC Champions Trophy and also the ICC Cricket World Cup in West Indies in March 2007.
The Hindi films and cricket channel of Sony, called as “Set Max” or “Sony Max” will do the telecast as they have been doing during the last two Champions trophies.
Commentary both in English and Hindi .
Well yes, its true. Set Max will telecasting the matches in Champions trophy in English while the other channel of Sony – Sab TV will telecast the cricket matches in Hindi. But Sab Tv will only show 6 matches – 3 matches of India, the two semi-finals and the final on 5th November. Here’s the schedule of 2006 Champions trophy.
The Commantators :-
As I said that Champions trophy matches will be shown both in Hindi and English, the commentators are bound to be different. To me, it matters a lot to whom I’ll be hearing during those tense moments in cricket matches and if you do care about them – here’s the list.
English Commentary
John Wright (New Zealand), Tony Greig (England/Australia), Geoffrey Boycott (England), Novjot Singh Sidhu (India), Ian Chappel (Australia), Barry Richards (South Africa), Sanjay Manjrekar (India), Arun Lal (India) and Donna Symonds – The female Commentator from West Indies.
Hindi Commentary
Atul Wassan, Maninder Singh, Saba Karim and Nikhil Chopra – Of Course, all from India.
What they will be showing :-
Remember Mandira Bedi. From a soap opera called “Shanti” on DD1, and a “not so lucky” actress in Bollywood, Mandira Bedi finally made a name for herself by sitting among cricket analysts during the World Cup in 2003. It was the first time a lady was involved 
in a game which is driven by gentlemen for so many years… and this trend is not breaking during ICC Champions Trophy as well.
She will be supported by Charu Sharma – a well know cricket presenter who never played the game and together they will be presenting a show called “Extraa Innings”, which will be starting 2 hours earlier to every match and will run through the Innings interval to an hour from the match’s end.
So the show “Extra Innings” on Setmax will be starting at 12.30 every match day while the actual match in Champions trophy will start at 14.20 IST.
Prizes to be won though Set Max.
Set Max will be hosting plenty of contests for its viewers during this ICC Cricket tournament and if you are interested in it, read this.
How to get Set Max on my television :-
Set Max is one of the channel that you get through OneAlliance if you are using Dish Tv or Tata Sky satellite network. In fact, Set Max is a very popular channel through local cable operators in India, provided you are not living in Indian cities like Chennai and few others because Set Max is not available in those parts of our country.
You will have Set Max though “direct to home” methods anywhere in India but though local cable operators – you better check it out first.
For Cricket lovers living outside India, the offer for Set max might a little costly but here are the options – Set Max is available in USA, UK and Europe, South Africa, Middle east, Australia and New Zealand. I have found the following contact methods which might be able to help you find ways to get Set Max in your home –
The Contact address :
Sony Pictures Europe house,
25 Golden Square,
London,
W1F 9LU.
The email to contact Set Max :
Mr. Rajan Singh : rajan_singh@spe.sony.com
Alternatively :
Bharti Kabre
Tel : +912267081323
Mob : +919820346384.
Email : bhartia@setindia.com
Will Doordarshan show these matches :-
Cricket is in veins of India people. And now when festival season on Dussera, Diwali and Eid has come, cricket might be the answer for people who will be spending little bit more time at home than office.
Although Cable Tv has penetrated into 48 million Indian homes, and over 65 million world Wide, The question of DD National showing the matches remains very important. The news is half good for cricket viewers in rural area’s of India, or at the places where Set Max doesn’t reach because DD1 – the national channel of our country will be showing the matches in ICC Champions
trophy but only those involving India, the semi-finals and the final.
This means that you can watch India vs England on 15th October, India vs Wet Indies/Sri Lanka on 26th October and India vs Australia on 29th October on Doordarshan along with the Semi-finals on 1st and 2nd November 2007 and the final on 5th.
What about All India Radio :-
News is again good for people who like listening to the runniing commentary on Radio as AIR (all india radio) will be bradcasting the commentary for all the matches in ICC champions trophy.
Important notes :-
1. There will be two “Combination matches” which will be played between two teams formed among all the international players who will be here in India for ICC champions trophy. These two matches will be played in Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur and will be scheduled sometime after the ICC champions trophy final on 5th of November.
Here’s how you can buy the tickets for Champions Trophy and also for these two combination matches.
2. Doordarshan will “live telecast” the four day Nissar Mohammad Trophy cricket match between the winner of domestic championships in India and Pakistan. that is – between Ranji Trophy champions Uttar Pradesh and Pakistan’s national champions – Sialkot from 27th of September.
This Four day match will be played in India at Dharamsala. HPCA Cricket Stadium at be precise. Cricketers like Mohammad Kaif, Suresh Raina and Naved ul Hasan has already agreed to play the match between the national champions of the rival countries and school children will have a free entry into this match.
3. The above informtion is very much limited to cricket lovers living in India.
Source:- It’s Only Cricket
does it have to be pure silver to kill a werewolf
the fastest way to be a werewolf
I’m going to lump those two search terms together, because they can be addressed by the same reply.
What is it with people asking werewolf-related questions as if werewolves actually roamed the streets and forests, folks? They’re fictional creatures, and as such, they’re subject to any rules you can make up when you write about them. Want to be able to become a werewolf by listening to Warren Zevon while drinking a pina colada at Trader Vic’s under a full moon? Write a short story with that idea at the center, and it is so. Want to make it so that werewolves can only be killed by the exact silver content ratio of old tooth fillings? Get out the pen or keyboard, write it down, and done. That’s the awesome thing about writing fiction: you can make shit up on the spot, and as long as you have some internal consistency in your fictional world, people will believe it for a half hour while they read your story.
zombie proof home
You can zombie-proof a home by removing the main food source for zombies, which is brains. I know entire neighborhoods and counties that are practically impervious to zombie attack.
do fantasy authors need a military background
A writer doesn’t need a background in something to write about it. Most of the time, a combination of research and imagination can make up for lacking experience. I have no experience as an EMT or police officer, but if I wanted to write about a character who’s a cop or paramedic, I’d get in touch with some of my friends who are pros in those fields, and I’m pretty sure that I could write a pretty convincing cop or EMT after some interviews and research.
A military background is helpful for writing about the military, since personal experience often lends a certain authentic flavor to a narrative. Prior service would be helpful for fantasy authors if they write Military Fantasy, a genre that doesn’t exist yet, but totally should. The closest thing to MilF (heh heh) you can find on the shelves at present are Elizabeth Moon’s Paksenarrion books, Naomi Novik’s Temeraire series, or John Marco’s Jackal of Nar series. Of those writers, only Elizabeth Moon has military experience, AFAIK. (She was a First Lieutenant in the Marine Corps.)
i’m loking for iligal porn
There’s so much wrong with that little query that I hardly know where to start. Suffice it to say that I often weep for the days when you had to have some mental wattage to successfully get online, instead of just $300 in your checking account and someone who can give you a ride to Wal-Mart.
10mm as wilderness defence caliber
I’m a big fan of the 10mm, but most handgun calibers are a bit light for wilderness defense, particularly in areas where that wilderness includes ursine species. Ideally, you want to carry a revolver in a caliber that starts with “.4” and ends with “Magnum” or “Casull”, and stuff the cylinder full of hard-cast hunting loads. If you’re limited to an autoloader, 10mm would probably be my first choice. In the hotter loads, it does a fair job of imitating the lower-end .41 Magnum, slinging fairly heavy bullets of the same diameter at respectable speeds. 10mm shoots flat, hits hard (for an autoloader round), and has great sectional density in the heavier bullet weights, which makes for decent penetration. It wouldn’t be my first pick, but it’s far from being a terrible one.
"line over the u" cursive
Some people put a line over their cursive U, so other people can tell it apart from the cursive N. I used to do that, too, until I went back to fountain pens, which prettified my handwriting to the point where the N and U look distinctly different again.
free healthcare is a human right
First of all, “free healthcare” isn’t free. Somebody pays for it, and it’s usually the beneficiaries themselves. (Germany, for example, takes almost 20% of gross income just for the mandatory public health insurance from the paychecks of every working person in the country, to finance “free” health care.) People who use the word “free” when it comes to a good or service either don’t understand economics, or really mean “free to me.”
Secondly, you can’t have a “human right” to a service or good that needs to be provided by others, or you claim the right to make those providers your slaves. This should be pretty easy to understand, which is why I’m amazed at how many of my otherwise highly intelligent liberal-leaning friends nod their heads in agreement when they see that bumper sticker.
us army ranger preferred hk p7 pistol
The Army’s Ranger units carry what most people in the service carry: the U.S. pistol 9mm, M9, known to civilian shooters as the Beretta 92FS. That said, few MOSs are saddled with just a sidearm as personal armament these days, as a pistol is pretty useless in modern infantry combat. Generally, a Ranger will carry a long gun as primary weapon—either an M4 carbine, a M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, or an M240 machine gun, depending on task and assignment in the chalk.
And there’s your third-rate Monday morning entertainment, friends and neighbors! I’ll be here all week. (Try the veal.)
