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Stepping off the Treadmill: Alternatives to Gear
Category Archives: End Game
Honesty time: I have had enough of gear. The concept of continually acquiring new and better equipment lies at the heart of virtually all MMORPGs, but I'm just sick of it. It's an easy way for developers to provide a carrot for players to chase, but I don't think it's healthy for the genre in the long run, and I for one am simply bored with the whole concept.
Gear as a vertical progression system works well in single-player games because eventually you'll have the best gear and be done with it. In an MMO, that can never happen. Regular gear resets are a necessity, so gearing becomes a treadmill where you never really get anywhere. Today's best in slot will be tomorrow's vendor trash.
It's also a terribly binary form of progression. Either the item you want drops, or it doesn't, and your time feels wasted. This can be mitigated with currency systems, where if gear doesn't drop a currency that can eventually be spent on gear does, but even that only lessens the problem, rather than solving it entirely.
And of course it creates terrible inequality between players. There is inevitably a large power gap between those with the best gear and those without, fostering elitism and excluding many people from content.
It doesn't have to be this way. There are other alternative progressions systems out there, and while none are perfect, many can avoid the pitfalls of the gear treadmill.
Continued Leveling
In most MMOs, leveling is little more than a time-gate. It's something you work through before getting to the "real" game, which is usually where the gear treadmill kicks in.
But it doesn't necessarily need to be that way. Leveling is something that can continue indefinitely, providing players constant, incremental power increases. You can see examples of this in Diablo III's paragon levels and Elder Scrolls Online's champion points.
There are some disadvantages to such a scheme. In the long run the constant small stat boosts can add up and begin to create balance issues or other strange behaviors, and as with gear, you risk creating a large divide between the haves and the have-nots, though that can be mitigated with catch-up mechanics.
Endless leveling does have some major positives, though. Because pretty much anything can give XP, leveling is a progression system that offers incredible freedom to the player. Any playstyle can be therefore be meaningfully rewarded. Add global level-scaling as seen in Guild Wars 2 or ESO, and your options become almost limitless.
You can also say goodbye to play sessions where nothing is accomplished because what you wanted didn't drop. You're always going to be earning at least some XP. And while it's still vertical progression, it's not a treadmill, because the levels you've already earned are never made irrelevant. You're always moving forward.
Non-combat Skills
Not all progression needs to be about helping you kill stuff faster. Progression can instead take the form of various non-combat abilities and buffs. Perhaps players can gain new movement skills, or learn new languages to access quests from isolated NPC races, or gain more incremental buffs to things like movement speed or gold find.
The masteries introduced in Guild Wars 2's Heart of Thorns expansion are one example of this, and some of ESO's champion points and Diablo's paragon levels also offer non-combat improvements.
Horizontal progression such as this is good because it side-steps nearly all of the problems with gear. The gap between veteran and newcomer is largely irrelevant, since both groups maintain roughly the same power level where it most counts. There is no treadmill, as the bonuses you've earned are always relevant. Like endless leveling, it's also a good opportunity to reward all playstyles and make every session rewarding.
The downsides are that non-combat bonuses don't always have the same "sex appeal" as doing more damage or having more health, and it can be difficult to design non-combat boosts that are useful enough to be appealing but optional enough to not break the game.
Non-combat progression likely works best as a supplement to other systems rather than the core progression model of a game. It can be something to help you achieve your other goals, since not everyone will find it a worthy goal unto itself.
Progression doesn't even necessarily need to be about gameplay. It can also just be about bringing the flair. There are already plenty of people throughout the MMO community who will pursue gear purely for its looks, rather than its stats. Some wily developer could capitalize on this and put cosmetic progression front and center.
In theory, cosmetic progression was supposed to a key part of Guild Wars 2's design, though it never seemed to quite work out that way. I don't think it had enough different looks to choose from, at least at launch, and limiting the transmutation charges needed to a change an item's appearance was a mistake. If you want to make appearance items a core progression system, it needs to be easy to create, save, and swap outfits at will. Otherwise you encourage people to find one look they like and stick with it forever after.
Star Wars: The Old Republic has a very good outfit system that allows you to save multiple looks and swap between them whenever, wherever. It's certainly encouraged me to horde a massive amount of cosmetic gear. Also, while it's not an MMO, Overwatch seems to be doing quite well with a purely cosmetic progression model, so I definitely think it can work.
I think the trick to a really strong cosmetic progression system is to have a wealth of options. Not just the usual gear slots we're used to, but also visible jewelry, dyes and accessories to modify your clothes, and perhaps unlockable hairstyles or idle animations.
Make it so no two characters ever look alike, so each avatar is a visual record of that player's accomplishments. Then move it beyond avatars to also include non-combat pets and mount skins. Even spells and abilities could potentially be reskinned, with more unusual effects reserved for the greatest in-game accomplishments.
With some creativity, the potential for cosmetic progression is almost limitless. The only real downside is that, like gear with stats, cosmetics don't lend themselves to incremental progress very well. You either get the item you want, or you don't.
Earning Abilities
Another option for horizontal progression is to continually earn new abilities. These abilities are not necessarily more powerful than what you already have, but simply add new options. This is a more niche option, but for me personally, it's the most appealing form of progression.
The main example of this I can think of was the late, lamented ability wheel of The Secret World, wherein players constantly earned ability points that could then be spent unlocking hundreds of active and passive abilities. Only a few of these abilities could be equipped at a time, making for careful strategic decision-making and allowing for true horizontal progression. Leveling up different jobs on the same character in Final Fantasy XIV could also be considered a version of this progression model, though a very watered down one.
There are a lot of obvious advantages to this. It greatly narrows the gap between the haves and the have-nots because veteran players simply have more options rather than being directly more powerful.
It also eliminates the treadmill issue. Your old abilities are never invalidated. They will always have uses, even if they're niche.
The downsides are the potential balance issues caused by endlessly adding new abilities and the design challenge in keeping the new abilities meaningful and interesting, but I don't think those are necessarily unsolvable. TSW may have had cookie cutter builds for certain situations, but there were no builds that dominated every aspect of the game, and almost every ability was useful in at least one or two circumstances.
These new abilities could be earned through traditional XP farming as in TSW and FFXIV, but developers could also get more creative. There could be lengthy quest chains where one learns new abilities from a master, or defeating a powerful boss could grant the player permanent use of one of the boss's powers.
Ultimately, no one single alternative to gear will work for everyone. It would be best to combine a few to achieve a broad appeal and add depth to the experience.
But really, that's to be expected. Even games that do rely on gear for vertical progression often include at least some elements of other systems.
What is clear is that the gear treadmill is not the be all and end all of MMORPG progression. Developers like it because it's easy to design, and players like it because we've been conditioned to, but the genre can and should do better. There are alternatives out there. All we need is a developer with the courage to try.
This entry was posted in End Game, General MMOs, MMO Game Design, MMO Opinions and tagged Diablo III, Elder Scrolls Online, Final Fantasy XIV, Guild Wars 2, Overwatch, Star Wars: The Old Republic, The Secret World on August 24, 2017 by Tyler Bro.
BlizzCon's WoW Announcements Are Very Encouraging
Back in September, I discussed how I was worried about WoW's future direction, despite a relatively strong start to the Legion expansion. Now BlizzCon has given us a glimpse of what the future holds for WoW — at least over the next several months — and while my worries haven't been entirely dispelled, the road ahead is looking quite promising.
BlizzCon offered all sorts of juicy details on Legion's next major content patch, 7.2, but in addition to the wealth of new content you'd expect from a large WoW patch, there are a few particular changes and additions that stand out as indicative of a change for direction for the better.
Dungeons for all:
One of my biggest complaints about Legion to date is how it's handled five-man content. Blizzard sold this as an expansion that would finally give dungeons their due after being neglected for years, that they would be a viable alternative to raiding.
Instead, what we've gotten is a situation where dungeons are pretty much turning into raids, only with fewer people. Two of the dungeons released at launch, the Arcway and Court of Stars, were limited to mythic difficulty and locked out of the dungeon finder.
Matters escalated with the announcement of the new five-man version of Burning Crusade's Karazhan, a massive nine-boss mythic-only dungeon. In Karazhan the apparent effort to make dungeons exactly like raids reached its peak. Long, difficult, inaccessible, and time-consuming, Karazhan was intended to be progressed through over many days, and it was essentially out of reach for the sort of casual players who tend to be dungeon fans.
In patch 7.2, however, all this will change. Karazhan will no longer be mythic only, but gain a heroic mode that can be queued for via the dungeon finder. To make it more manageable for those with limited schedules, the dungeon's heroic version will be divided into two wings that players can tackle separately.
Karazhan isn't the only dungeon getting love, either. Both Arcway and Court of Stars will become join the dungeon finder, allowing players to queue for groups normally rather than relying on pre-established groups or endure the often toxic environment of player-made PUGs. While I haven't heard it said in so many words, I assume this means Arcway and Court of Stars will gain heroic modes, while the mythic versions remain non-queue content.
I haven't heard any news about the attunement quests for Karazhan and the others, but I would assume they'll no longer be a requirement come 7.2, at least for the heroic modes. It wouldn't make any sense to make these things so much more accessible in every other way but maintain one major barrier to entry.
There's also a new dungeon coming in 7.2, the Cathedral of Eternal Night within the Tomb of Sargeras, and it's stated to be launching with normal, heroic, and mythic difficulties, making it a good choice for players of all stripes.
This is a huge course correction for Blizzard's dungeon design in Legion, and it's very encouraging to see. I had despaired of Blizzard's ability to learn from their mistakes, but here they clearly have, and quickly, too. Of course, 7.2 likely won't launch for several months yet, but by Blizzard's glacial standards, this is a remarkably fast change.
Taking flight:
The issue of player flight has been a storm cloud hanging over World of Warcraft since Warlords of Draenor. This endless source of drama has not been entirely resolved by the announcements for 7.2 , but at least progress is being made.
Flight has been confirmed to return in 7.2 for those who have completed both the currently available Broken Isles Pathfinder achievement, and its second half, which will arrive with 7.2.
We don't know exactly what the second Pathfinder achievement will entail, but it will focus on 7.2's new outdoor content. I'm expecting it to center on a great deal of rep grinding for the patch's new faction, Legionfall. Having been pretty burnt out by the Suramar grind, I'm not really looking forward to that.
But at least we now have a clear picture of when we're getting flying back. They're not going to just string us along endlessly with vague non-answers as they did back in Warlords of Draenor.
It's also heartening to know they won't be waiting until the end of the expansion to give us the use of our flying mounts back — 7.2 has already been confirmed not to be the final major patch.
I still think restricting flight in the first place is a spectacularly wrong-headed move, and I still resent the grind needed to unlock it, but all things considered, things could have been much worse. Blizzard has at least learned there are limits to how far they can stretch our patience.
Solo love:
It's a small thing, but one other thing I found heartening in the announcements was the news that the new artifact appearances in 7.2 will come not from the group content or even from the new reputation grind, but from challenging solo scenarios tailored to your specialization.
I feel strongly that rewards should be based more on skill than on grinding, so having a prestige reward that is purely skill-based is good news, but what's even more encouraging is that some love is being shown for solo players.
Soloists have generally not gotten a lot of attention from Blizzard, and even when they do, it's usually in the form of mindless grinding with poor rewards. That they're getting something challenging with meaningful rewards is a welcome change of pace.
This further strengthens the impression that the developers are trying to offer something for all playstyles in 7.2, something they've traditionally done a very poor job of.
A few months ago I was saying that Blizzard hadn't learned from their mistakes, that they were still relying on faulty philosophies that would likely lead to another disaster like Warlords of Draenor sooner or later.
Now it's looking like they might be turning things around after all — at least a little. Their course change on dungeons is very encouraging, and bringing flight back sooner rather than later is… better than the alternative, anyway.
This isn't quite the mea culpa I'd like to see, but it does show humility and a willingness to change. That's encouraging.
This entry was posted in End Game, General MMOs, MMO Opinions and tagged World of Warcraft on November 7, 2016 by Tyler Bro.
Crafting Deserves Center Stage Attention
All too many MMORPGs are quick to list crafting and gathering as a key feature, when it's really little more than an afterthought. Weaponsmithing, armorsmithing, alchemy, fletcher, engineering, cabinet making, pottery, flower picking, ant farming, whatever. These crafting (and gathering) skills are rarely used for more than a stopgap in equipment, some quirky fun items, or for a handful of actually useful consumables. They are secondary minigame for players to indulge in but can almost always be safely ignored. Even more rare is the MMORPG that allows crafting players to devote their entire character to the role. Ultimately, crafting vastly underwhelms players for a variety of reasons.
It's pretty rare that MMOs integrate crafting so that in order to wear the best equipment, interaction with crafting in some manner is necessary. The problem is that people going out to instanced dungeons or questing expect top tier loot. Even most crafting MMOs cater more towards the adventuring type than those who "stay at home" to build something. And it's understandable that developers appeal to these types. We as MMO players want the instant gratification of improving our character's equipment when we successfully dismantle a dungeon's inhabitants. There's a few solutions I can think of where crafting can take center stage without ruining the fun of rare and exotic drops. And it would be good for the community as well, something that's become sorely lacking in recent MMORPG releases.
Here are some thoughts on what developers could do to change the typical MMO anti-crafting mold.
1. Instead of top tier gear as equipment, players receive top tier crafting materials. This gets us away from the bind on equip/pickup in MMORPGs. It encourages players to interact, through the auction house if nothing else. But for the most rare materials to craft the most rare weapons and armor, adventurers would seek out a crafter. That rare piece of adamantium requires a master blacksmith to fully utilize, and that blacksmith might be willing to lower his price to work with such a rare specimen.
Crafting types will also be free in this instance to play a pure crafting role. Adventurers can now provide crafters with rare materials to make their fancy equipment. The crafter buys the raw goods for a price, produces the improved equipment for the masses, and then sells it for some level of profit. It would simulate adventurers risking their lives for smiths and enchanters, who would be compensated fairly. A real economy then develops as players settle into their roles of supply and demand.
2. To maximize gear, crafters are needed to perform upgrades or customize equipment. This allows adventurers to still have their fun in finding fancy loot. They will need to seek out crafters directly rather than playing an auction house game, but I'm a fan of increased interaction in multiplayer games. Certain crafters could be skilled at different types of upgrades or customization. For example, perhaps one path for enhancing equipment is devoted to survivability. That player could add hit points or defense to weapons and armor that players discover. Perhaps the stats people look for is the ability for items to be customized in certain ways, rather than having the stats inherently. The big downside is it might be a pain to find someone to maximize an adventurer's gear every time new loot drops.
I suppose one solution is that players could sell enhancement kits on the auction house. But where do the resources come from to create these? In that case, I think we end up back with how MMORPGs currently handle things. Crafting would become a secondary profession because there's not enough of a focus on integrating crafting with the economy that it could stand alone.
3. Equipment degrades over time, but adventurers can find enhancements which can be swapped between equipment. This is sort of a twist on the above two ideas. First, equipment degrades meaning that crafters will also be needed to outfit players. Players could potentially repair weapons and armor, but the durability would still degrade over time. This means that equipment is less special. Otherwise people would get pretty testy over what would feel like "renting" items. That's not to say that all crafted equipment will be created equally. Rare resources that adventurers could seek out for smiths could still play a part (such as in suggestion #1). However, enhancements that players find would fulfill the primary desire for "phat loot".
These enhancements could be something like runes that can be swapped between weapons and armor at will. They would have no degradation and would comprise a large portion of the strength of equipment. With these runes, even more customization options are opened up as more than just the base weapon/armor must be taken into account. I think this is probably my favorite option as it builds a healthy dynamic economy where players must interact to optimize results. But while crafting becomes a central cog in the economic engine here, adventuring still has it's place to reward dungeon delving.
More Than Gear
So far all of the examples I've listed deal with equipment – weapons and armor. I think that's the biggest problem that needs to be fixed with crafting. However, consumables like scrolls and potions need their place too. This is a bit simpler though as I feel there's no reason not to make them crafted only. Most MMORPGs sell potions or offer them as quest rewards. There's little reason to interact with others in the case. In my opinion, alchemy and the like should be handled by players and not the game.
Crafting Matters
Crafting creates community, something that I feel is being stripped away from MMOs piece by piece. We keep moving towards a solo oriented world, and I find that not healthy. We need more interaction with people and creating a living, breathing economy is one means towards that end. Yes, this forces interaction between players. Yes, this makes us reliant on others. But symbiosis is a beautiful thing. It's not something we should be afraid of. On the contrary, it's something that we should embrace.
Crafting should take center stage instead of being the afterthought it currently is.
This entry was posted in End Game, MMO Opinions, State of MMOs and tagged Crafting on March 4, 2016 by The Bro.
Black Desert Online's PvP and PvE Cognitive Dissonance
Black Desert Online is set to launch on March 3rd. Considering how many people are tuned into Twitch just to watch other people play, it's pretty clear the game has some hype. And on paper a lot of it sounds really good. There's a sandbox element for players to level up via "life skills" like fishing and more typical crafting skills. The open world has no fast travel elements and is set up in a way so cities will always be crowded by new and veteran players alike. There's not even a level cap so theoretically one could constantly progress and level up in Black Desert Online forever.
It has come under fire somewhat for the lack of a typical end game. I don't like that end game has become synonymous with high level raids. In all honesty, I don't like the term end game at all. MMORPGs (like any game) should be fun regardless of where one is in progression. Perhaps the heralded MMORPG action combat in Black Desert Online will truly make for an exciting leveling experience regardless of the activity. But the end game right now is squarely designed around guild vs. guild warfare, castle sieges, and territory conquest. And there seems to be some cognitive dissonance when it comes to that end game because grinding PvE is the only way to get there.
Step 1: Grind all the mobs (PvE)
I have not played Black Desert Online yet, but as I've read more about it I was struck by this strange design decision. In order to PvP effectively, one most PvE. And when one is "done" with PvE, primarily PvP remains. And the potentially infinite leveling only compounds this level of cognitive dissonance. Black Desert Online employs a soft level cap of 50, which can be reached in about 20 hours if desired. No problems there. 20 hours is a lengthy tutorial, but there are a lot of skills to pickup and master. After that though, each level will take between 25 to 100+ hours. And the way to get that EXP is through grinding mobs in PvE, even though level 50 is when the heralded PvP is supposed to begin. And it's important to keep up in levels and gear because otherwise players can become nigh unkillable with too much of a gap. So players who want to legitimately compete in PvP have to engage in an activity other than PvP to do so effectively. It doesn't really make any sense.
People who enjoy PvE and grinding in Black Desert will be treated to a different problem. While many people may find the combat and leveling experience fun, there is very little to test one's PvE mettle once the 50 level "tutorial" is finished. Here's a game where players initially get treated to a care bear experience of an MMORPG with a focus on killing mobs as quickly as possible. And the continuation of that isn't raids or challenging content as expected, but a handful of world bosses to down from time to time and… lots of PvP. This level of cognitive dissonance in an MMORPG is especially strange because of how hyped up gamers are for Black Desert Online. People who want PvP have to PvE and people who want PvE will eventually run out of combat content without turning to PvP.
Because of the heavy grinding nature of leveling up past 50 and the impact that those levels and silver gains have, it seems like there is a limited long term audience for Black Desert Online. Players need to be dedicated enough to repetitively grind monsters and mobs and in doing so, their reward is to wipe the floor with opponents without reprieve. That's a recipe for disaster for casual players, the lifeblood of any multiplayer game, as they will find they have no real chance to compete individually. There's safety in numbers though and one's choice of guild (which seems almost necessary to join to progress) will certainly play a large role in Black Desert Online. Still, an arms race of those who can grind the most likely won't be appealing to the masses.
Step 2: PvP – your second life
And this mentality of forcing players to engage in both PvE and PvP is fairly unique to Black Desert Online. Other MMORPGs with both PvP and PvE content allow players to focus on either PvE or PvP exclusively. For example, in Wildstar players can gain EXP solely through arena and warzone PvP. And there's end game challenges for PvE fans to engage in after leveling up.
Mandating players to engage in both PvE and PvP activities as Black Desert Online is doing could be a recipe for disaster. But even if it is a problem, the game still has a lot going for it with top notch combat and a wealth of non-combat activities to engage in. I don't know that this mix is really going to cause a major issue. But it will take some adjustment because there is going to be a sense of confusion over the relationship between PvE grinding and PvP end game in Black Desert. Regardless, it will be fascinating to watch as casual PvE fans reach the level 50 soft cap and discover what awaits them.
Almost as fascinating as the PvPers who thought they were done grinding after dinging 50.
This entry was posted in End Game, General MMOs and tagged Black Desert Online, PvE, PvP on February 29, 2016 by The Bro.


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Q: Checked CheckBox not showing up in ActionResult FormsCollection MVC 6 My code has undergone an incredible change in order to make mutlitple checkboxes work. I did away with the formsCollection I was trying to use to loop through checked checkboxes on the View. I am using a lot of loops inside of loops both in Controller and in View and I don't care anymore about "separation of concerns" or anything modern about MVC. In MS Access you can lump a whole bunch of functions into one line which makes it unreadable but works. I always spread out the logic in order to understand it and step through it. I am probably using a sophomoric approach to this new modern world of MVC 6 but I don't care. I can move on out of the Roles crap into actually doing something with CRUD. I also don't want to piss  Stephen Muecke off at all since most of my MVC knowledge is a compilation of his attention to my questions. After Googling it with Bing I found this link about checkboxes that was very simple and helpful. And most of my view was already set up. My time was spent on displaying the user's roles that were already checked. So now, I have a View and an Edit form that allows adding or removing Roles for selected user via checkboxes. Not pretty but very tasty IMHO. ("MVC6" is the name of my project, not a built in name). I did not have to use Owin dependencies. Only dependentcy I had to add was to enable session so I could send TempData["Status"] message. Everything else is right out of the "box".
View:
    @using MVC6.Models
    @using Microsoft.AspNet.Http
    @model Microsoft.AspNet.Identity.EntityFramework.IdentityUser

    @{
        ViewBag.Title = "Edit User";

        var roles = new MVC6Context().Roles.ToList();
        var usersroles = new MVC6Context().UserRoles.ToList();

    }

@Html.ActionLink("Administration", "Index", "Admin")

@Html.ActionLink("Users", "Index", "UserManagement")

Edit User

    @using (Html.BeginForm())
    {
        @Html.AntiForgeryToken()
        @Html.ValidationSummary()

        @Html.HiddenFor(model => model.Id)
        @Html.HiddenFor(model => model.Email)

Username:

            @Model.Email

Roles:

        if (roles.Any())
        {

                @foreach (var role in roles)
                {
                    bool isinrole = false;

                    @foreach (var ur in usersroles)
                    {
                      @if (Model.Id == ur.UserId) //usersroles returns all roles for all users
                     {
                        @if(ur.RoleId == role.Id)
                        {
                            isinrole = true;
                        }
                      }
                    }

                    @if (isinrole)
                    {
                        <input type="checkbox" name="checkRoles" value="@role.Name" checked />
                        @Html.Label(role.Name)
                    }
                    else
                    {

                        <input type="checkbox" name="checkRoles" value="@role.Name"/>
                        @Html.Label(role.Name)

                    }

                }

            <button type="submit" class="btn btn-default">Save</button> @if (@TempData["Status"] != null){@TempData["Status"]}
        }
        else
        {

                No roles available

        }

Controller
        [HttpGet]
        public ActionResult Edit(string userId)
        {
            return View(context.Users.FirstOrDefault(u => u.Id == userId));
        }

        [HttpPost]
        public async Task<ActionResult> Edit(string[] checkRoles, string userID)
        {

            var UserManager = _serviceProvider.GetRequiredService<UserManager<ApplicationUser>>();
            var RoleManager = _serviceProvider.GetRequiredService<RoleManager<IdentityRole>>();
            var allRoles = RoleManager.Roles.ToList();
            var user = await UserManager.FindByIdAsync(userID);
            var usersRoles = await UserManager.GetRolesAsync(user);

            //LOOP THROUGH ROLES
            foreach (var item in allRoles)
            {
                bool wasChecked = false;
                //ALL CHECKBOXES THAT WERE CHECKED
                foreach (var roleChecked in checkRoles)
                {
                    if (item.Name == roleChecked)
                    {
                        wasChecked = true;
                    }
                }

                //ALL CHECKBOXES THAT WERE NOT CHECKED
                if (wasChecked == false)
                {
                    //IF USER HAS ROLE, REMOVE IT
                    if (await UserManager.IsInRoleAsync(user, item.Name))
                    {
                        await UserManager.RemoveFromRoleAsync(user, item.Name);
                    }
                }
                else     //IF CHECK BOX CHECKED THEN ADD ROLE TO USER
                {
                    await UserManager.AddToRoleAsync(user, item.Name);
                }

            }

            TempData["Status"] = "Roles are updated as of " + DateTime.Now.ToShortTimeString() + "";

            return View(user);

        }

What might help another newbie like me is that the AspNetUserRoles table has 2 columns, UserId and RuleId. This is a "many-to-many" relationship. In my code above once I get all the info about the user I want to edit, and get all the user's roles from this many-to-many, then I can iterate through it to add or delete a row. Kinda same thing for the View. I know this stuff could be refactored but it is doing business as we talk. I would gladly give accepted answer to someone who even slightly refactors this (but doesn't turn it into mad scientist gobbly gook, all due respect).

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Ch the reasoned level, I concluded that the General's claim that the
Jewish lobby's influence was not only pervasive, but indead inexorable flatly
impugned the integrity of the Congress of the United States.
Joseph Califano put it another way.   He said, "Does the General believe
that collective Congressional motivations are so simple-minded?"    Anyone who has
dealt with the Congress must recognize how demeaning General Brown's remarks are to
Senate and House members."
Califano is right.    But there's more to it than that.    Of course, there
is a pro-Israel lobby.    And it's strong.    But it's strong because it reflects not
only the will of the majority of Jewish-Americans, it reflects the will of a strong
majority of all Americans.
I am going to return to that point, but for now let me make one additional
observation from the viewpoint of someone who appreciates the real irony in General
Brown's alleged awe and fear of the Jewish lobby.
As a Senator who has long been involved in fighting the "politics of oil"
I can tell you that the influence of Big Oil is far more insidious, and far more
pervasive, than the influence of the Jewish lobby, for oil and influence seep
across ideological as well as party lines without public approval or support.
And as a veteran member of the Armed Services Committee, I can also tell
you that when it comes to clout with the Congress, the Jewish lobby isn't in the
same league with General Brown's own lobby -- the Pentagon and the Defense establishment.    I make that flat assertion, my friends, without fear that anyone can
stick Tom Mclntyre with being anti-military or anti-strong national defense.
The power of the Pentagon lobby is simply, and unhappily, a demonstrable
fact of life, colorfully -- but accurately -- described by Frank Getlein in the
Washington Star of November 22.
"It was, Getlein wrote, 'the sheerchutzpah -- if he'll pardon the word --
of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff complaining about the influence of
anyone at all on Congress.    It was as if the National Education Association had
warned against the lobbying of the AFL-CIO.
"In the history of the institution," Getlein went on, "no one has had
such an influence upon Congress as have the Joint Chiefs in the last quarter-century.
Regularly, they march ip the Hill, terrify Congressmen with visions of what
diabolical engines the Russians may very well be contemplating the creation of,
and march back down the Hill, the key to the Treasury secure still, once more and
forever in their old kit bag."
Dates 1946; 1947; 1948; 1949; 1950; 1951; 1952; 1953; 1954; 1955; 1956; 1957; 1958; 1959; 1960; 1961; 1962; 1963; 1964; 1965; 1966; 1967; 1968; 1969; 1970; 1971; 1972; 1973; 1974
Description Activities
Politicians and Government Officials
Transcript -3- Ch the reasoned level, I concluded that the General's claim that the Jewish lobby's influence was not only pervasive, but indead inexorable flatly impugned the integrity of the Congress of the United States. Joseph Califano put it another way. He said, "Does the General believe that collective Congressional motivations are so simple-minded?" Anyone who has dealt with the Congress must recognize how demeaning General Brown's remarks are to Senate and House members." Califano is right. But there's more to it than that. Of course, there is a pro-Israel lobby. And it's strong. But it's strong because it reflects not only the will of the majority of Jewish-Americans, it reflects the will of a strong majority of all Americans. I am going to return to that point, but for now let me make one additional observation from the viewpoint of someone who appreciates the real irony in General Brown's alleged awe and fear of the Jewish lobby. As a Senator who has long been involved in fighting the "politics of oil" I can tell you that the influence of Big Oil is far more insidious, and far more pervasive, than the influence of the Jewish lobby, for oil and influence seep across ideological as well as party lines without public approval or support. And as a veteran member of the Armed Services Committee, I can also tell you that when it comes to clout with the Congress, the Jewish lobby isn't in the same league with General Brown's own lobby -- the Pentagon and the Defense establishment. I make that flat assertion, my friends, without fear that anyone can stick Tom Mclntyre with being anti-military or anti-strong national defense. The power of the Pentagon lobby is simply, and unhappily, a demonstrable fact of life, colorfully -- but accurately -- described by Frank Getlein in the Washington Star of November 22. "It was, Getlein wrote, 'the sheerchutzpah -- if he'll pardon the word -- of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff complaining about the influence of anyone at all on Congress. It was as if the National Education Association had warned against the lobbying of the AFL-CIO. "In the history of the institution," Getlein went on, "no one has had such an influence upon Congress as have the Joint Chiefs in the last quarter-century. Regularly, they march ip the Hill, terrify Congressmen with visions of what diabolical engines the Russians may very well be contemplating the creation of, and march back down the Hill, the key to the Treasury secure still, once more and forever in their old kit bag."

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Welcome again to my dear friend Tresca who clarifies the difference for us. Tresca deals with the issue as it relates to our children. But if you are like me, you will also learn about healthy helping in other relationships in your life.
Letting Go means to entrust into the hands of the Lord, to surrender control of, to relinquish power over, and to trust the Lord with.
Only in Letting Go will our minds, emotions, wills, find rest and cease to struggle.
In our last three blogs, we have discussed the importance of "Letting Go" of others in order to experience peace, rest, and grace for our souls. We understand it isn't easy because we were trying to get our needs met through these relationships, but our Lord desires to fill ALL of our NEEDS and LONGINGS within our souls, which others can't and won't. ... This brings us to another challenge we struggle with, that is to know when we are enabling our children or when we are really helping them.
Firstly, let's look at what it means to enable. This definition came from a parent who learned this lesson the hard way. She enabled her son over and over again until he couldn't make his own decisions without her. So he drank and drugged his life away, eventually ending up in prison without her.
"You are not capable or smart enough to make this decision, figure out the right answer, do this task correctly without my input, so you need me to do it for you or tell you what to do. In other words, I am rejecting you and your abilities because you aren't as capable as I am."
I don't want them to suffer.
I don't want them to go through what I went through.
I don't want them to lack in anything.
I want them to grow up to be what I feel they are capable of.
What will people think about me if my child doesn't succeed or be what I think they should be?
"Well Tresca," you say, "if I have been enabling my child and not helping them, then what does it mean to help my child?"
To help means to do something for a person who doesn't have the ability, capacity, or has severe limitations and so they can't do something for themselves, even if you taught them.
Secondly, there is a word that comes to mind that our Father asks us to do with His children and that is the word, train. Train means, 'to instruct, discipline, guide, teach a person.' One of my favorite models of parenting I taught parents to use was Love and Logic (online resources). It helps children learn from their choices. Using Love and Logic skills, parents are empathetic and lovingly guiding their children and teenagers through the challenges of life.
Our Father uses this technique on us all the time. He lays out choices before us: life or death, flesh or spirit, Christ or the Evil One, sin or peace, fear or faith. We get to choose. He also explains the consequences so we know ahead of time what will happen if we make wrong choices. When or if we do, He talks to us about the choice we made, and we talk about whether another choice should have been considered. Then we face the consequences of our actions, without condemnation, only repentance. What an Amazing Father He is!
... The gift every parent must give to their children is the freedom to choose. A parent's job is to teach, instruct, and tenderly chasten them, but never manipulate, speak harshly, make them feel worthless, or bribe them… [That is] to control them.
Please remember, EVERY SOUL BELONGS TO THE LORD. ALL OF US WERE CREATED FOR OUR LORD'S PURPOSE. Many of our children are hindered from fulfilling the purposes of our Father's heart because of our Good Intentions and Enabling them. HE CAME TO BEAR WITH THEM, HOLD THEM, AND CARRY THEM THROUGH LIFE THROUGH US… THAT'S HIS JOB, NOT OURS… if we would LET HIM… please LET GO AND LET HIM.


Every essay has its structure and usually consists of several parts. The importance of each one is undeniable. Though, some students tend to underestimate the essence of the introduction and conclusion within their texts. This attitude is definitely wrong. The introduction is aimed at dragging the reader into the process of reading of the given text, while conclusion operates as the logical ending of the whole work. One can't create a perfect essay without paying attention to such details. So, how can one find out how to write a conclusion paragraph?
Writing an excellent essay can be a challenging task for any student, regardless of how bright they may be in general. No matter how experienced you are, there can be certain cases when even the biggest luggage of knowledge can't save you from creating a bad essay. One of the main reasons for this is that you might not know how to write a conclusion paragraph for an essay. Each part of an essay is critical. You cannot go without having a clear idea of how to write a conclusion paragraph for a research paper, as it has nuances of its own. There are specific rules aimed at helping the writer to create a brilliant piece of text. The more dedicated you are in following them, the more chances you have to get enough experience in writing a conclusion paragraph for a research paper or an essay.
Why is it necessary to master the skills of writing a conclusion paragraph for an essay? The conclusion is an essential part of an essay. Don't forget that this is the last part of your text that your reader will deal with. After finishing it, your readers will be left with their thoughts imposed by your work. As you start planning how to write a good conclusion paragraph, pay attention to the way you should write it and follow the tips that have been collected below for you.
When you deal with the process of mastering the art of writing a conclusion paragraph for a research paper, one of the most important things for you is to keep in mind the stylistics of your work. None of your paragraphs should be an odd one within the text. They all have to be organically sewn into a solid piece of writing. Don't switch to a different style of writing even if it seems to you that this can be a right turn and you know how to write a conclusion paragraph for an essay. Such a twist rarely appears to be a good one even for an experienced essay writer who is good at writing a conclusion paragraph example.
How Important Is It To Have A Good Idea About How To Write A Conclusion Paragraph Example?
It is a reasonable step to improve your skills in how to write a good conclusion paragraph when all other parts of your essay are ready. In this case, you will have a clear view of what it is going to be like, especially if you have a good idea how to write a conclusion paragraph example. Read all the parts of your essay that you have already written. Are they finished? Do they present a clear view of the problem you have dealt with in your essay? Are there any places in it which can be extended or shortened? Are you ready to show how to write a conclusion paragraph? Think over these moments and get them done right before you start writing the conclusion. It is impossible to create a proper conclusion in case all other parts of an essay are less than well-done, even if you are a professional essay writer. Remember that the introduction and conclusion bear great importance. They are the first and the last words that your reader will see while reading the essay of yours. So, don't hurry and pay attention to a solid conclusion paragraph example or two.
When your introduction and your body paragraphs are ready, it seems that there is almost nothing left to do. At least nothing can spoil your paper. Peculiarly enough, this is when most students face problems, as they don't know how to write a conclusion right. If you think of how to write a good conclusion paragraph, trying to cut it down to a simple summary of your text, you will never succeed. A conclusion should bear all the traces of your research summed in one paragraph. It is generally accepted that any essay is to have a "circle" form. It means that the introduction of your essay and its conclusion may coincide in mentioning the same ideas. Moreover, the conclusion of your essay should be tied to the main body of your text. This is the reason behind the importance of knowing how to write a conclusion.
When you come to the understanding of how to write a conclusion paragraph example, your text will already contain some genuine thoughts and ideas, as well as explanations why you stick to them. You may have the abundance of these throughout the text, but remember that they all should be collected together in the form of a concluding paragraph. If you know how to write a conclusion paragraph for a research paper, you also have to know that it shouldn't be too large. Work on the technique of writing a conclusion paragraph for an essay and you will create a logic final of your text.
There are numerous ways to make your conclusion exciting and insightful. One of them is to address the reader with a rhetorical question. It is one of the most attractive ideas in writing an essay. Think about which ideas mentioned in your essay are suitable for creating such kind of a question. Using this technique will surely show that you understand how to write a good conclusion paragraph.
The main aim of your essay is to bring particular ideas to your reader's mind. One can strongly influence other people by writing, so think about how you can appeal to your readers and keep it in mind when writing a conclusion paragraph example. Don't forget that the ultimate goal of your appeal should be persuasive enough to make people follow your ideas. It should be reasonable, objective, and helpful in working on a conclusion paragraph for an essay.
Another conventional way to make your conclusion paragraph better is to include various quotes into it. Be careful and don't overload your text with these, as it may create an impression that the author of an essay lacks their ideas and doesn't know how to write a good conclusion paragraph. Moreover, quotes should suit the overall context of the text. You can achieve this by quoting the authors of the books you have used as the source material for the essay. It is an excellent strategy to follow, as you have little chance to fail at getting a suitable quotation for your essay. It will show you as a writer who knows how to write a conclusion.
Try to make your conclusion positive to fill your readers' hearts with hope for the better. Even if you describe something dark and grim, try not to make your conclusion written in the same mood. If you write about problems, try to express your ideas as to how they may be solved. Suggesting solutions is a perfect when you come to dealing with a conclusion paragraph for an essay. If you write about Particular tragic events in the past, express your hope that they will never happen again. Your reader is to be inspired by your work. This is a sure way to influence the positive perception of your text and give your reader a sense that you know how to write a conclusion paragraph for a research paper.
To sum it all up, one can't underestimate the importance of such parts of the text as the introduction and conclusion. Keep in mind that a conclusion paragraph is in its own way your farewell to your reader. So, it needs to be memorable and meaningful. The main ideas and thoughts that you present in your work have to be shaped into the most digestible form to let your reader point out the subjects matter of your essay.


This site last updated February 10, 2004.
Welcome! These offerings are various bits and pieces of my collections, accumulated over 50 years. Failing health forces me to start parting with them. My desire is to make them available to other collectors at reasonable prices as opposed to placing them in auctions. This is a net price list, ordering info here. Hope you'll find something for your collection.
Please remember to use your reload button as items move in and out of here frequently.


text:
Australian government demands police-state powers over protests and exclusions of citizens
Mike Head
With the Labor Party's help, the Liberal-National Coalition government is this week pushing through parliament "national security" bills that expand the powers of the government and the police-intelligence apparatus to outlaw dissent.
The bills are being rushed through just weeks after Australian Federal Police raids on Australian Broadcasting Corporation and News Corp journalists, a direct threat to media freedom. Ministers have confirmed that the journalists face prosecution for publishing leaked reports on Australian war crimes in Afghanistan and plans for mass domestic surveillance.
Building on police-state measures imposed over the past two decades, the bills would, among other things:
jail people for up to five years for using the internet to promote protests against agribusinesses
allow the home affairs minister to exclude Australian citizens from re-entering the country for at least two years if the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) deems them likely to participate in "politically motivated violence"
extend ASIO's powers to secretly detain and interrogate people.
Together with the laws already passed since 2001, mainly on the pretext of the "war on terrorism," these bills would hand governments and ASIO, the political spy agency, the most authoritarian powers since the repressive measures imposed during both world wars.
The corporate media depicted the rush by Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton to pass the bills as a plot to "wedge" the new Labor Party leadership of Anthony Albanese on "security" issues. In reality, Labor declared its in-principle support for the bills, pledging to retain Labor's record of bipartisanship on every such piece of legislation.
The truth is that the bills are a further preparation by the corporate and parliamentary establishment as a whole to suppress political and social unrest amid the growing danger of involvement in catastrophic US-led wars, worsening social conditions and inequality, and signs of economic slump.
Around the world, governments are increasingly turning to dictatorial methods of rule in the face of the resurgence of working class struggles, from France to Ecuador and Hong Kong.
Labor's only reservation was that some measures could prove "ineffective" because they are unconstitutional. In particular, permitting a minister to bar citizens from returning to Australia strips them of their constitutional "right to abode." Outlawing internet promotion of protests violates the implied constitutional freedom of political communication.
In a display of indifference to constitutional rights, the government brushed aside recommendations by a bipartisan parliamentary security and intelligence committee for modifications to ensure that the measures could survive a High Court challenge.
Each bill goes far beyond its official justification, whether it be to punish animal welfare demonstrators, stop the return of "foreign fighters" or foil "terrorist plots."
The Criminal Code Amendment (Agricultural Protection) Bill outlaws online political opinion that "incites" protests that trespass on, or cause damage to, "primary production" premises. It covers a wide range of industries, including abattoirs, forestry, fishing and farming, setting a precedent that could be extended to other corporate activities.
The government is simultaneously working with state and territory governments, Labor and Coalition alike, to impose harsher jail terms on people physically participating in protests. The bill extends that criminality to anyone who even advertises such political activity via social media, on-line chats, emails or phone calls. Morrison declared that "cowardly keyboard warriors" would "be classed as criminals as well."
For "inciting" trespass, the penalty would be one year's imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $12,600. For "inciting" property damage, the punishment would be five year's jail and/or a fine of up to $63,000.
The bill also threatens whistleblowers, journalists and anyone else reporting on such protests. There is a narrow defence for reporters, but only if their coverage is "in the public interest" and they are employed as "professional journalists."
This is another move to censor the internet, block access to dissenting sites and imprison whistleblowers and journalists, following the lead set by the Trump administration's persecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and whistleblower Chelsea Manning.
Likewise, the Counter-Terrorism (Temporary Exclusion Orders) Bill has a misleading title. The government and the media are presenting it as an urgent measure to stop the return of pro-ISIS "foreign fighters." Last weekend, the government suddenly claimed, without any details, that 40 such individuals had returned to Australia already.
Sunday, January 17, 2pm AEDT
A tribute to Barry Jobson—Australian Trotskyist
The Socialist Equality Party will hold an online public meeting to commemorate the life of Barry Jobson, a longstanding comrade.
That is to disguise the fact that the bill would hand arbitrary power to ASIO and the home affairs minister to bar citizens from Australia on political grounds. Without any judicial hearing or procedural fairness (the right to a fair and unbiased hearing), the minister could issue two-year "exclusion orders."
The minister would only have to assert a "reasonable suspicion" that an exclusion order would "substantially assist" the prevention of a terrorist-related act, or that ASIO had classified the citizen as likely to support "politically motivated violence." The definition of "politically motivated violence" includes acts directed to "assisting in the overthrow" of a government, which could mean voicing anti-government or socialist views.
The home affairs minister, who is in charge of ASIO, the federal police and the Australian Border Force, could extend such orders beyond two years by refusing to grant "return permits." Those permits also could be issued subject to extensive conditions, requiring constant reporting to ASIO on places of residence, employment and internet usage.
Labor proposed that these powers be exercised by a government-appointed judge, retired judge or tribunal member. But that was only to remove constitutional doubts, not out of concern for the basic political and legal rights of citizens.
This bill sets a far-reaching precedent. No government is known to have tried to block a citizen from returning to the country since the Menzies Coalition government refused to issue an Australian passport to Wilfred Burchett, a journalist who had reported on the lies and crimes of the US and its allies in the Korean and Vietnam wars.
In 2015, the Coalition government, backed by Labor, took an earlier step down this road by introducing powers to strip Australian citizenship from dual nationals convicted of a terrorist or espionage-related offence carrying a sentence of six or more years in prison. A new bill would allow the home affairs minister to revoke citizenship from people convicted of lesser such offences, if the minister was merely "reasonably satisfied" they were entitled to another citizenship.
Another bill would extend ASIO's power to secretly detain people for up to seven days, without charge, and question them for periods adding up to 24 hours. The powers were due to expire in September. The bill proposes a further 12-month extension to enable the government to draw up new interrogation and detention powers.
In key aspects, the latest bills go beyond parallel measures in Britain, keeping Australia in the forefront of the worldwide attacks on basic democratic rights. These bills are not simply the product of Morrison's government. They are part of a US-led global offensive. As the federal police chief revealed last month, the raids on journalists were conducted to assure the US-led "Five Eyes" spy network—which is integral to mass surveillance and war preparations—of the reliability of Australia's police-intelligence apparatus.
Internet CensorshipAustraliaWorld NewsDemocratic rightsAsia and the Pacific


Each year, from 2013 until Coralville's 150th birthday in 2023, Coralville unveils a special limited edition, individually-numbered commemorative button. The annual button highlights a location, event, or person significant to Coralville's history.
Proceeds support Coralville Festivals including 4thFest, FRYfest, BrrrFest, and Aisle of Lights.
The Coralville Fire Department celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2019. Established in 1929, the department's first "fire truck" was a two-wheeled cart with 1,000 feet of hose, hitched to a vehicle or pulled by hand.
In 1937, a fire truck was purchased to replace the hose cart. The 2019 button, with its vintage design and antique fire truck artwork, is reminiscent of the department's early years.
Following expansive growth of restaurants and places to stay along Highway 6 and 1st Avenue, Coralville became known as "the hub of hospitality" following a 1967 city slogan contest. It's a moniker that remains true today, as Coralville's restaurants, hotels, shopping, and local attractions have continued to grow and remain strong over the decades.
Near the intersection of 12th Avenue and 5th Street—just a stone's throw from where the Coralville Public Library now stands—once stood a towering screen at 1301 5th Street that peppers the memories of many long-time Coralvillians.
The fan shape of the Coralville Drive-In Theatre lot can be seen in aerial photos from the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. When the theater came to town, as the story goes, investors named it the Iowa City Drive-In Theatre, and later it was known as the Coralville Drive-In.
Investors included Myron Blank of Central States Theatre Corporation, the largest operator of drive-in theaters in the country in the 1950s (Blank, who was credited with introducing popcorn as a movie theater snack in the 1930s, is known for his philanthropic efforts in Iowa including Blank Children's Hospital and the Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines, and the Belin-Blank Center at the University of Iowa). Local lore about the theater includes showings of Patton, John Wayne movies, beach party genre flicks, and 1960s sci-fi—along with a memorable 4th of July fireworks display and specials including dusk-to-dawn night, hot dog night, dollar night, and carload night.
The theater closed in the early 1980s.
Aisle of Lights is Coralville's annual tradition of lighting luminarias on a designated night in December. Thousands of white paper sacks, each filled with sand and a votive candle, create a magical scene on a winter evening, and area organizations and businesses host a merry weekend of festive events.
The Coralville Public Library celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2015. The Library opened its doors in September 1965 in the northeast corner of the basement of Old Town Hall. It quickly outgrew its space and, in 1967, moved into its first permanent space at 806 5th Street, where it operated for 20 years. In 1987, the Library moved to its home at 1401 5th Street, and the building underwent an addition and renovation completed in 2008.
The Big Slide was located at Highway 6 and 12th Avenue from 1968 until the early 1970s.
The slide was a unique landmark that helped passing travelers driving on Highway 6 identify Coralville.
During the late 1960s, slides drew children and families together at neighborhood playgrounds; the Big Slide typified a nostalgic sense of community on a larger scale.
The 40-foot high structure was unlike any area landmark at the time. The slide featured 12 lanes and riders could reach speeds up to 25 miles per hour.
The 2013 commemorative button includes an image of Coralville's iconic 1876 schoolhouse, with its native limestone foundation and cast iron star claps, built on 5th Street just three years after Coralville was incorporated.
The schoolhouse is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The schoolhouse was the symbol of Coralville's centennial celebration in 1973.
An image of the schoolhouse appeared on a collector's button in 1983 when the building was dedicated as the Johnson County Heritage Museum.


In drafting this plan the Scottish Government sought a series of quotes on parental involvement and parental engagement - short lines that encapsulate what the terms actually mean. Many of the quotes are contained in the main body of the plan. This appendix provides further quotes. The Scottish Government and CoSLA would like to thank the parent organisations, headteachers and individual parents who their suggestions. We would like to extend a particular note of thanks to Parent Network Scotland for providing a large number of the quotes.
"communicating with my children and my children's teacher about everything that might affect my children"
"parents' participation in any activity related to their children or any activity related to them as parents"
"getting involved in parenting activities at home, at school, in the community …"
"including parents at every stage of decision making and review to ensure they are fully involved in the process."
"respecting and taking on board parents' thoughts and feelings whilst providing feedback and reasoning for any alternative options considered.
"working in partnership and reducing the power differential between facilitator/practitioners and parents."
"partnerships that forge the future"
"active engagement in children's learning and daily life"
"making sure children are supported to engage in activities they are interested in doing"
" ensuring that parents understand their crucial role in their children's learning"
"developing the skills, tools and confidence I need to help my children learn"
"being committed to my role as a parent"
"being present as a parent"
"family time, playing games and having fun together."
"having good relationships with my children"
"talking to and listening to your children. Understanding their needs and encouraging them to grow and develop by being the best role model you can be"
"taking time to be with your children. Playing with them and being aware of their needs as well as your own"


I think I'm going to start out this week with one of our reader's suggestions: The Treehouse Gang. This is a script that sold last year for a ton of money described as: What if the Goonies grew up and went on another adventure? Very cool premise. And since the writer wrote one of my favorite movies from last year, the undiscovered gem "Outsourced," I have to say I'm going in with high expectations. Another spec that a lot of people have been talking about is "Broken Amber," about a witness protection program that hides people in the past. Great premise. Would like to know if they executed it. I have a few other ideas but you guys are welcome to send in your suggestions. Also, please continue to check out my "Scripts I'm Looking For" section under my Top 25 List. At the top are "Orbit", about a civilian who gets a chance to go up in the space shuttle only to have all the other astronauts die (Castaway in Space?) and "Aaron and Sara", about a nerd and a popular girl trying to survive 4 years of high school. I know it sounds cliche but I promise you it won't be. David O' Russel (Three Kings, Spanking The Monkey, I Heart Huckabees, the infamous outtake from I Heart Huckabees) is directing. So I know the script will be odd.
And of course if you get your hands on something hot, send it my way. If the buzz is strong, I'll do a FedEx review. That's all for now. See everybody Monday.
EDIT: A couple of corrections. Aaron and Sara is actually the new title of a script from last year called BFF. Also, the writer of The Treehouse Gang did not write the version of Outsourced I was referring to. Regardless, go rent this movie now. I promise you'll laugh. :) Outsourced.


text:
Q: Rails 3: Create seed data from development database Is there a gem or a easy way to take the data from my Development DB and populate the seed.rb file in Rails 3?

A: There is also seed_dumper which creates a seed file for you.

A: In the past I successfully used YamlDb.

A: seed_dump is working fine with Rails 4.
Example:
rake db:seed:dump MODELS=User APPEND=true
cat db/seeds.rb

A: If you are using MongoDB this is not currently supported for seed_dump.


text:
The Mystics of Mile End and No. 4 Imperial Lane: Two Books That Reminded Me of Other Books
Judith Basya
Is there anything new under the sun? Of course not. But my reading's been particularly plagued by déjà vu recently, and I don't know if it's me, my choice of books, or something in the Halloween air conjuring narrative ghosts. Fortunately two occurrences is still a coincidence, not yet a trend. Novels remind us of other novels, and acute flashbacks are part of the normal ebb and flow, probably. I'll worry about temporal instability if they persist.
The Mystics of Mile End by Sigal Samuel
Remember Bee Season by Myla Goldberg, circa 2001? The mother's crazy, the father ignores the kids, the brother falls in with the Moonies (or are they called something else nowadays?) and the sister garners her father's attention by studying kabbalah with him in the service of winning spelling bees. Until kabbalah threatens her sanity, just like the sages warn you it will, and she matures and asserts her independence.
In The Mystics of Mile End, the mother is dead but the neighbors are crazy instead, the father ignores the kids (while having affairs with his students), the brother falls in with ultra-Orthodox Jews, then the father dies because his academic kabbalah research gives him a heart attack, so the sister picks up where he left off, treading into dangerous kabbalistic territory for the story's climax.
The Mystics of Mile End languished on my desk for months because the summary on the back flap (of my advance reviewer's copy—not necessarily the final form) utterly failed to entice me. (In the half-Hasidic, half-hipster Montreal neighborhood of Mile End, eleven-year-old Lev Meyer is discovering that there may be a place for Judaism in his life…. Years later, the children's widowed father, David, a professor of Jewish mysticism, delves into the complexities of the kabbalah…. The neighbors of Mile End have been there all along, but only one of them can catch her when she falls…. I can't even type this without my eyes rolling). Fortunately I flipped this debut novel open and gave it a chance before it got lost in my shelves. Samuel—as did Goldberg—approaches kabbalah sensually; the magic is visceral and plausible, with occasional atmospheric abstractions such as a library arranged geographically (see also: Bee Season, the mother's storage facility). And in the wider realm of contemporary fiction, a twenty-something character finding herself spiritually rather than sexually is refreshing.
No. 4 Imperial Lane by Jonathan Weisman
Minor gripes first: I loved eighty-percent this veteran reporter's debut novel, while the other twenty-percent irked me by wrapping a perfectly good wartime tragedy in a tiresome boy-gets-girl-he-thought-was-out-of-his-league fantasy. Also Weisman is prone to name-dropping eighties bands and showing off his Shakespeare. That said, No. 4 Imperial Lane's central tale about a sheltered British heiress running off to 1970's colonial Africa with a Portuguese doctor she meets on vacation is terrific, and I don't recommend such screenplay-friendly fare lightly. If Guinean warlords aren't your usual genre you might have trouble keeping track of them, but that shouldn't hamper your enjoyment of the entitled, doomed couple at the story's core.
Now for my major gripe: why is this book narrated by a young man hired to care for the dying, bedridden brother of the heroine? To add texture and clarify themes, sure. The Portuguese empire fell, the British clan's fortunes are falling. A simple metaphor demands more complex character growth, though, than figuring out how to charm the beautiful niece/daughter.
I'll admit that barely-adult men taking jobs nursing invalid men as a literary device confuzzles me, to borrow a fun coinage from the tweens. Especially from the pens of middle-aged, Y-chromosomed authors, the odd-pair caregiving motif strikes me as wishful nostalgia. So call me cynical, jaded, a feminazi, whatever: while reading No. 4 Imperial Lane I was plagued by intrusive thoughts of Sayed Kashua's Second Person Singular, which is half about a young Arab health aide assuming the identity of his Jewish patient, yet which rewarded my suspension of disbelief by ultimately tying its dueling halves together. Whereas No. 4 Imperial Lane answers an important question in its final pages only to soften the impact with a too-easy happy ending.
Nevertheless, I mostly liked the book, and if you don't reactively scoff at a good guy seducing the bad girl, you might like it thoroughly.
Bee SeasonJonathan WeismanMyla GoldbergNo. 4 Imperial LaneSayed KashuaSecond Person SingularSigal SamuelThe Mystics of Mile End
Wait, Is "Japanese Klezmer" a Thing Now?
Finally! A Hanukkah Anthem That Doesn't Suck
Judith Basya is Heeb's Literary Editor. She writes an advice column (and an advice blog: www.asktinymom.com) so her psychology degree doesn't go to waste. If your problem can be solved in <140 characters, she's on Twitter. If it's complicated, please email Judith @ Heebmagazine.com.


Don't make it too obvious that you pulled an all-nighter!
When you have undereye troubles to cover, your concealer shouldn't just be good at, well, concealing. It has to come in the perfect shade, too, because the wrong color will only make your dark circles look worse than they are—and nobody wants that.
Following the color theory, the warmth of orange and peach shades will correct the bluish tint of your veins and purplish hues. To use these shades properly, start by applying an orange concealer first and then layer it with a shade that matches your skin tone. For a quick fix, swipe on a concealer with a slightly peachy undertone.
Redness under the eyes is common among those who have pink undertones, particularly those with fair skin. For this, it's recommended to use concealers with a yellow undertone that will cancel out the pink hues while brightening the area at the same time.
When your undereyes are looking dull, pale, or sallow, use concealer shades with a pink or salmon undertone to make your peepers look brighter and healthier. Think of it as blush, but for your eye bags!
Going for a concealer that's a shade lighter than your skin tone can instantly make you look more well-rested. That said, make sure you don't go too light and use something with full coverage, as this can make your concealer seem too obvious, making very dark circles look more apparent.


I often hear people, mainly coworkers or classmates, saying things like, "ugh I'm so tired of this diet, it's not working!" I overhear people talking about these new diets they are trying and how its helped so many people lose weight. I see these new diet ideas on pinterest and it bothers me so much! People will follow these new trends and fads because everyone else is doing it and go on and on about, but is it actually healthy and beneficial to your health? In most cases it is not.
Most of these people are not even doing any exercise and are still expecting dramatic results. News flash, it takes four to eight weeks with the right foods and exercise for you to see an actual improvement in your body, health, and mental strength. That means all these trendy diets that guarantee you lose 10 pounds in the first week are wrong factually and could also be hard on your health. Same thing with exercise programs, it is not likely for a person to lose so much weight in the first few weeks, unless they are severely overweight, and in that case it is all water weight. When you see commercials like nutrisystem and diets that people like Dr. Oz promotes, just know it is all about the money and business. They are not worried about helping you live a healthier lifestyle, they just want your money.
I also want to point out that it is impossible to make a program that is supposed to benefit a large amount of people with the same guidelines for everyone. Every one has a different body type and every ones body works differently so how are these companies and programs going to help you personally lose the weight the way you need to.
Although I focus heavily on nutrition, results will not be as stunning as without exercise. Get moving. Exercise is important for you physical and mental health. Relieve the stress and find workout routines that you will enjoy, you do not always have to go to the gym! Take your dog for a walk, go for a hike, just get the blood flowing and the heart rate up for a change!
Please, please, please do not buy into these programs and schemes, seek profession help from certified nutritionists and exercise trainers. These people are experts in their field and will cater to the needs for you individually. If you are serious about making a change it takes motivation and dedication, and trust me I am aware of the hardships it takes to make the change and stick to it. Just think about the outcomes of a healthier and longer lifestyle if you do decide to make that change.


Mortals hold seashells to their ears to hear the sounds of the seas and imagine life in the deep waters below.
Perhaps a mermaid would look into a seashell to see and hear the sights and sounds of the earth above. All of us can embark on a magical voyage through the universe using our imagination to carry us along.


This paper examines the determinants of technology transfer between parent firms and their international affiliates, and of knowledge spillovers from those affiliates to host-country firms. Using a unique data set of foreign multinational enterprise (MNE) affiliates based in Italy, we find that affiliate investment in R&D and investment in capital-embodied technology plays a significant role in determining the nature of intra-firm technology flows. However, the basis for any spillovers arising from MNE affiliates does not originate from codified knowledge associated with R&D, but rather from the productivity of the affiliate.


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Anniversary of National Heritage listing of Wet Tropics cultural values
Six years ago, on 9 November 2012, the Australian Government formally recognised the Indigenous heritage values of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, incorporating these values into the Area's National Heritage Listing. This was a significant action from the Regional Agreement and acknowledges that Rainforest Aboriginal heritage is unique to the Wet Tropics and is a remarkable and continuous Indigenous connection with a tropical rainforest environment.
The Wet Tropics is a living cultural landscape. It is the only place in Australia where Aboriginal people have permanently inhabited a tropical rainforest environment, and have continuously done so for millennia.
Rainforest Aboriginal people continue to maintain their connection to country, which is crucial to their evolving cultural identity. As well as providing food, shelter and medicine, the ancient forests of the Wet Tropics are essential to traditional identity, spirituality and social order.
Rainforest Aboriginal peoples' use and management of the landscape has shaped the Wet Tropics region, and they continue to look after country through land and sea ranger programs, Indigenous Protected Areas, the Regional Agreement for cooperative management of the World Heritage Area, and Cooperative Management Agreements.
Today there are at least 20 tribal groups, 120 clans and 8 language groups (over 20,000 people) with ongoing traditional connections to land in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. Empowering Rainforest Aboriginal people as the traditional custodians of the Area's natural and cultural values is an important part of protecting these assets now and for future generations.
Published: 27th Nov 2018


slavery and human trafficking in our operations and supply chain. We have and will continue to be committed to implementing systems and controls aimed at ensuring that modern slavery is not taking place anywhere within our organisation or in any of our supply chains. We expect that our suppliers will hold their own suppliers to the same high standards.
We require all our suppliers to make a number of contractual commitments to us as part of the supplier terms and conditions that they sign. These include that they will adhere to all applicable laws regulating child working and bonded labour, that they will not under any circumstances engage on any basis any person under the legal working age, and that they will maintain appropriate workplace health, safety and welfare conditions. Breach of these commitments is one of the grounds for termination of the supplier relationship. Our suppliers also agree to assist and cooperate with us on any due diligence checks, audits and inspections that we may undertake to verify their compliance with these commitments.
We request all suppliers to provide us with copies of any third party audit reports they have regarding their business processes and internal quality systems. Our sourcing team reviews all reports submitted, and works with the suppliers to agree and implement appropriate actions to correct any issues identified in such reports.
We have evaluated the personnel practices and working conditions of our existing suppliers through a combination of written questionnaires, oral discussions and site visits.
Our sourcing and quality team, who are based in the UK, China, India and Vietnam, carry out periodic visits to, and inspections of our suppliers. They also work with our suppliers to resolve any issues that are identified through such visits and inspections, such as through improvements to factory processes, within a reasonable timeframe. On occasion, visits and inspections may be unannounced, particularly if there is a history of previous non-compliance.
We recognize that our commitment to a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery is a continual journey, and we will continue to review and, where necessary, modify our processes on a regular basis.


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THE FIGHT JOURNAL
FOLLOW OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL AT https://www.youtube.com/c/TheFightJournalBoxing
Cuban Star & WBA Super Welterweight Champion Erislandy Lara Takes on Thomas LaManna For WBA Middleweight Championship Headlining FOX PBC Fight Night & on FOX Deportes Saturday, May 1 from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California
TFJ BOXING 24 Mar 2021 Professional Boxing
Top Mexican Featherweight Contenders Eduardo Ramírez &
Isaac Avelar Clash For Interim WBA Featherweight Title Live on FOX in Co-Main Event Kicking Off The Broadcast at
7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT
Primetime Action on FOX Precedes FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Event Headlined By Andy Ruiz Jr. vs. Chris Arreola Heavyweight Showdown
CARSON, CALIF. (March 24, 2021) – Cuban star and WBA Super Welterweight Champion Erislandy "The American Dream" Lara will seek a third world title in a second weight class when he faces veteran contender Thomas "Cornflake" LaManna for the WBA Middleweight Title in the main event of FOX PBC Fight Night and on FOX Deportes Saturday, May 1 as part of a stacked night of boxing from Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
The broadcast begins at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT and precedes the FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View event headlined by former unified heavyweight world champion Andy "The Destroyer" Ruiz Jr. battling all-action heavyweight Chris "The Nightmare" Arreola, which tops a stellar boxing extravaganza all taking place at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
The FOX PBC Fight Night co-main event will see top featherweight contender Eduardo Ramírez take on hard-hitting Isaac Avelar in a 12-round fight for the vacant interim WBA Featherweight Title.
The event is promoted by TGB Promotions. Tickets go on sale Friday, March 26 at 10 a.m. PT and can be purchased at AXS.com for the event that includes an action-packed lineup of FOX PBC Fight Night and FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View fights. Dignity Health Sports Park will be open to fans in a limited capacity, with all guests remaining socially distanced and subject to local and state health guidelines throughout the event.
"Erislandy Lara has had a long reign as an elite 154-pounder and now has his sights set on a new challenge in the star-studded middleweight division," said Tom Brown, President of TGB Promotions. "He will bring his renowned skills and style to this tough matchup against the young and rangy Thomas LaManna. With fast-rising Mexican contender Eduardo Ramírez squaring off against the young exciting Mexican brawler Isaac Avelar in the co-main event, this primetime lineup is an ideal way to load up an already stacked night of boxing at Dignity Health Sports Park, leading up to the return of Andy Ruiz Jr. against Chris Arreola live on pay-per-view."
Lara (27-3-3, 15 KOs) was the longest reigning 154-pound world champion before he lost a tough split-decision to Jarrett Hurd in a title unification match in 2018 that was the unanimous "Fight of the Year". Lara returned from that fight and battled current 154-pound world titleholder Brian Castano to an exciting draw in another narrow fight that could have gone Lara's way. Lara has since scored back-to-back triumphs with a knockout of Ramon Alvarez in 2019 to capture his current title, and a decision over Greg Vendetti in August 2020. Lara has faced a slew of the top 154-pounders in the sport, including Canelo Alvarez, ahead of his middleweight debut.
"I'm excited to be making my 2021 debut on a huge platform live on FOX," said Lara, who was born in Guantanamo, Cuba and now trains in Las Vegas. "Thomas LaManna is a tall middleweight with a lot of experience and I'm taking this fight very seriously, like always. I arrived weeks ago for training camp and Ismael Salas immediately got me working on the fundamentals of boxing. At this stage in my career, I'm all-action, fighting on the inside, and letting my hands fly. I'm going to make a statement in this fight with a knockout."
The Belleville, New Jersey-native LaManna (30-4-1, 12 KOs) was riding an eight-fight unbeaten streak, which included seven wins plus a draw against Gabriel Bracero, before losing to Jorge Cota in January 2020. He won back-to-back middleweight fights in January and October entering this showdown, knocking out Jorge Pimentel and Juan de Jesus Gonzalez. Prior to his two most recent knockouts, LaManna dropped a narrow decision to Brian Mendoza in August 2020.
"It's been a long time coming and now I'm finally getting my chance to accomplish my ultimate dream of becoming a champion," said the 29-year-old LaManna. "This is the land of opportunity and I'm getting mine on May 1. I've put my heart, blood and soul into this game. I'm the definition of the 'American dream'. People can write me off if they want, because at the end of the day, there's no doubt that I'm coming to win. This is my time."
Fighting out of Sinaloa, Mexico, Ramírez (24-2-3, 11 KOs) has risen up the featherweight rankings with back-to-back sensational knockout victories, stopping Leduan Barthelemy in November 2019 before most recently blasting out Miguel Flores in December 2020. The 28-year-old is currently riding a streak of wins in four of his last five fights since losing to then 126-pound champion Lee Selby in 2017. He's won 15 of his last 18 fights overall, with his only other blemishes coming in a draw against Barthelemy that was later avenged, and a decision loss to
Claudio Marrero.
"This fight is very important for my career because it puts me one step closer to fighting for a world title again," said Ramírez. "But I will not be looking past Avelar, who is coming off a big win and will be coming to fight like a proud Mexican, just like I do. I will be in top shape and ready to achieve this step toward my dream of getting another chance at a world title. No disrespect to my opponent, but I will win, no matter what it takes."
The 23-year-old Avelar (17-2, 10 KOs) most recently won a wide unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Sakaria Lukas in December 2020, stopping a two-fight skid that included a loss to super bantamweight world champion Stephen Fulton. The Aguascalientes, Mexico native was unbeaten in his first 16 pro fights, including a 2019 triumph over Juan Antonio Lopez in his U.S. debut.
"I'm coming into this fight strongly believing that I'm going to stop Eduardo Ramírez," said Avelar. "I've been hurting and stopping sparring partners during camp, so I'm fully prepared for a war. This is going to be a spectacular fight like Rafael Marquez vs. Israel Vazquez. I've been improving my game quite a bit in the last year. I asked for this fight, and I'm going to make Ramírez regret accepting it."
Viewers can live stream the PBC shows on the FOX Sports and FOX NOW apps or at FOXSports.com. In addition, all programs are available on FOX Sports on SiriusXM channel 83 on satellite radios and on the SiriusXM app.
For more information: visit www.premierboxingchampions.com, http://www.foxsports.com/presspass/homepage and www.foxdeportes.com, follow on Twitter @PremierBoxing, @PBConFOX, @FOXSports, @FOXDeportes and @TGBPromotions become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/PremierBoxingChampions, www.facebook.com/foxsports & www.facebook.com/foxdeportes.
Alan Haymon, Chip Mitchell, Eduardo Ramirez, Erislandy Lara, Isaac Avelar, TheFightJournal.com, Thomas "Cornflake" LaManna
Previous Oscar "Kaboom" Rivas on special mission to become heavyweight & bridgerweight World ChampionImportant announcement
Next Former Unified Heavyweight World Champion Andy Ruiz, Jr. Returns Against Chris Arreola in Main Event of FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View Saturday, May 1
Published by TFJ BOXING
Professional Boxing Journalist View all posts by TFJ BOXING


This document contains a combined ASX Group and ASX Compliance monthly activity report. It replaces the separate monthly reports provided previously.
The value of ASX-listed stocks, as measured by the All Ordinaries Index, rose 6.3% in July 2016. This performance was comparable with major markets including Germany up 6.8% and Japan up 6.4%, and stronger than Hong Kong up 5.3%, the US up 3.6%, the UK up 3.4% and Singapore up 1.0%.
• Volatility (as measured by the average daily movement in the All Ordinaries Index) was 0.5% in July, down on the previous month (0.8%).


The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad is an animated feature produced by Walt Disney and released to theaters on October 5, 1949 by RKO Radio Pictures.
It is the eleventh animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, and the final of the six package films produced by Disney, following Saludos Amigos, The Three Caballeros, Make Mine Music, Fun and Fancy Free, and Melody Time.
During the 1940s, much of Disney's feature output was made up of so-called "package films." Beginning with Saludos Amigos in 1943, Disney ceased making feature films with a single narrative, due to the higher costs for such films, as well as the drain on the studios resources caused by World War II, even though almost all of these package films were fairly successful. Instead, Disney features would have two or more stories linked together through a variety of means. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad was the last of these "package" films, and Disney returned to single narrative features with 1950's Cinderella.


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EdBlogs
India and Southeast Asia
Western/Central Asia
Tenth to Fourteenth Centuries
The Fifteenth to the Eighteenth Century
19th to 21st centuries
Transcribed in Twentieth and Twenty-first Century
World Epics
This collaborative website is devoted to epics from across the globe, including epic narratives in theatrical dramatizations, puppetry arts, music, art, and film. It aims likewise to showcase websites and teaching resources developed by colleagues that feature both literary and oral epics, from the ancient world to today.
By location By time period
Sirat Bani Hilal Digital Archive
The Sirat Bani Hilal Digital Archive is devoted to preserving and making accessible to scholars and the general public original recordings and other documentation concerning the Arabic oral epic poem Sirat Bani Hilal.
African Epics
The website "African Poems" has a section featuring several epic poems, with introductions, written excerpts, and oral performances.
Japanese Performing Arts Research Consortium
JPARC is a consortium of scholars supporting the research and promotion of Japanese performing arts in Japan and abroad.
eBOIARDO
The site's main focus is on theatrical, musical, and artistic representations based on Boiardo's Orlando Innamorato, Ariosto's Orlando Furioso, and other Italian Renaissance romance epics.
Films, Events, Book Series, and Journals
Feathers of Fire: A Persian Epic
May 1, 2020 | Films
Feathers of Fire: A Persian Epic is a visually breathtaking cinematic shadow play for all ages, created and directed by Hamid Rahmanian, a 2014 Guggenheim fellowship-winning filmmaker/visual artist. The play unfolds an action-packed magical tale of star-crossed...
Apr 7, 2020 | Films
Sita Sings the Blues This English-language animated film was written, directed, produced and animated by Nina Paley in 2008. It revisits the principle episodes of the Ramayana from Sita's perspective and weaves together Indian and American culture.
Symposium: Music and Epics
Dec 8, 2021 | Events
From 2 to 4 November 2022, a symposium will be held in Geneva on the theme of the Epic, focusing more specifically on the role of music in its interpretation. Based on an idea of the Ateliers d'ethnomusicologie (ADEM), in collaboration with the Haute Ecole de Musique...
World Epics in Puppet Theater: India, Iran, Japan, Italy
Nov 8, 2021 | Events
A mini-symposium dedicated to World Epics in Puppet Theater: India, Iran, Japan, Italy was held online through the Museo Internazionale delle Marionette "Antonio Pasqualino" (Palermo) on Friday, November 12, 2021. A video recording of the event is available on both...
Puppetry International: The Epic Issue (2021)
Nov 1, 2021 | Book Series and Journals
Puppetry International: The Epic Issue Fall and Winter, 2021 Issue #50 contains: Editorials by Andrew Periale and Dassia Posner Unbounded in Time: Puppets and Epics by John Bell Agrippino Manteo and His "Irreplaceable Scripts" by Jo Ann Cavallo Puppetry in The Ring...
Anthem World Epic and Romance
Feb 5, 2021 | Book Series and Journals
The Anthem World Epic and Romance series publishes rigorous, innovative scholarly studies dealing with epics and chivalric romances from across the globe, both written and oral, in poetry and prose, as well as adaptations in theater and cinema. The series seeks to...


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Rumor: Gen Urobuchi's Next Project Might be a Trigger Anime
By GJ Corban
First of all please keep in mind that this is solely a rumor at this point, but it's pretty exciting.
Gen Urobuchi is by far anime's most famous writer, with works like Psycho-Pass, Madoka Magica, and Fate/Zero under his belt.
Trigger is the new Gainax-born studio that has taken the world by storm, with shows like hugely successful Kill la Kill and the wonderful Little Witch Acadamia.
Rumors claim that these two figures are working together on an upcoming project.
This may correlate with Trigger's announcement of a new project.
What makes this interesting, is considering the parallels of these two.
Gen Urobuchi is known for hugely popular series (Think Madoka), and lately seems to be in a slump, having his name stamped on terrible shows like Aldnoah Zero, Gunslinger Stratos: The Animation, and Chaos Dragon, while Expelled from Paradise's reception was… 'meh'. However, his latest project, The Psycho-Pass Movie, has fared far better than his other recent works.
Trigger's first project, Kill la Kill, is hugely popular (Often claimed as the 'Savior of anime), but lately seems to be in a slump, with Ninja Slayer From Animation ending up pretty terrible, and When Supernatural Battles Become Commonplace only getting a 'meh' reaction. But their latest project, Little Witch Acadamia: The Enchanted Parade is simply wonderful.
Another thing to consider is that Gen Urobuchi, known as the 'Urobutcher' by fans, has only written dark and violent series, with Suisei no Gargantia being his lightest. Trigger, on the other hand, is known for more wacky and fun series, like Kill la Kill.
That said, as a fan of both creative forces, I am very much looking forward to what could come out of it, and hoping the rumors true.
GJ Corban
Hi there, I'm GJ Corban, that stands for Gregory Jr., but I've been accidentally called CJ, DJ, JJ, and even Jesus... thrice. Other than that I'm just a guy obsessed with storytelling and the culture and news that surround it.


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