What You Must Discover Relating To Rocket French Review

Rocket French: This really is an outstanding method to discover a completely new language. There are lots of those who desire to discover how to speak this romantic language. There are several different reasons for this. It may be for a company trip or just to discover a brand new language prior to going to the country. This is a language course that teaches quickly how to speak and understand French.

The immersion method is a confirmed technique for effectively teaching of a new language. This is a good, interactive way to increase language and vocabulary skills and they do so in a fun and entertaining way. Students master the language very quickly. Numerous students agree that the immersion course would be the most all-natural technique for learning conversational methods. The benefits of this program can all be found by visiting 7 Dogs & A Baby.

This language program offers over thirty varying conversational settings. There are many different topics covered in the course work. They focus on forming your first conversations and this helps build fluency very quickly. The methods used are very effective. The course is in six parts and offers training from beginners to advanced levels.

This plan can be ordered on-line or down loaded from the web for your computer. It can also be purchased and delivered by mail. The quickest and simplest technique to get the plan is on the internet. It’s an extremely fun program that also enables you to hear native speakers. This will assist in the way you pronounce the words and can be very valuable when conversation ability is required during a short period of time.

The very first lesson will go into the culture and tradition of the individuals. This is often extremely crucial for anyone who will travel to France. You’ll find thirty-three interactive courses that are close to twenty minutes each.

Students will learn how to introduce themselves when they meet someone for the first time. They will also learn how to order from a menu and will be taken through real life situations.

This program will teach students sentence structure and proper pronunciation of words. These skills will be taught through the context of discussions. Students will be in a position to break up these conversations and begin new ones. It is a very well-structured program that focuses on the art of conversation.

The program also consists of verb conjugation that can be crucial in understanding a brand new vocabulary. You’ll also find sound immersion courses incorporated within the plan. It is an extremely extensive program. The coursework is organized properly and is extremely structured. This will suit a number of distinct learning styles. This really is an outstanding approach for understanding this particular language within an appropriate timeframe. People find the course to be entertaining and easy to use.

Rocket French: this really is an excellent language-learning program. It is very complete and teaches students how to speak fluently in a short period of time. This is a product that is easy to use and the coursework is fun and interactive. There was a lot of work and thought put into creating this program. It is a full immersion course that will have students speaking the language in no time. More information regarding this language program can be found using the review site.

 
 

Young Adult Drug Rehabilitation

There are a number of reasons why young adult rehabilitation need to be targeted to a specific age group. This population is generally defined as young men and women between the ages of 18 and 25. The human brain does not become fully developed before the age of 30.

Permanent Damage

Becoming addicted to alcohol or drugs while the brain is still developing can lead to irreversible damage. The scale of the problem is massive. In the United States at the beginning of the 21st Century, 115,000 young adults were enrolled into rehabilitation programs. The actual number of young addicts would have been considerably higher, given that only a small proportion of them have access to rehabilitation facilities.

The Three Priorities

Psychologists describe three key tasks that an individual completes during their formative years. These are to find a mate, to become independent from their parents and to identify their life’s work. Being distracted by an addiction or other mental health problem interferes with this natural progression.

12 Steps

Some programs are centered around the 12 Steps, originally proposed to help alcoholics to overcome their addiction. The process starts by admitting they have no control over their compulsions. They are encouraged to recognize that there is a higher power from whom they can draw strength and making amends to those who have been hurt or damaged as a result of their addiction.

Gender

Young women have very different needs from those of men and their rehabilitation must be structured accordingly. Their treatment needs to be planned with their age and gender in mind. Women are more easily addicted. Alcohol or drug dependence can force them into harmful relationships with people who manipulate them for their own gain.Men, too, have needs that are specific to their gender. These are the years when they establish their own identity. They require understanding as they metamorphose from adolescence to becoming an adult.

Religious Convictions

Many intensive outpatient services are based on the Twelve Steps. At the heart of this philosophy is the recognition of a higher power. Where does this leave the atheists? This group does not acknowledge the presence of a deity and, even if they did, they would choose not to blame him for their addictive behavior. They do not need the burden of feeling like a failure because they do not recognize a deity. Atheists respond well to methods that are based on hard scientific facts. Techniques such as Behavior Therapy, Motivation Enhancement therapy and Cognitive Behavior Therapy have all shown promising results with this population.

 
 

iPhone Appidemic: Crystal War: BloodField

class="aligncenter" title="Appidemic" src="http://admintell.napco.com/ee/images/uploads/appletell/appidemic-640.jpg" alt="Appidemic" width="640" height="130" />Digitalfrog can’t be mistaken in any way for the vitamin and supplement store that shares the same acronym. No, Digitalfrog isn’t helping me at all with my New Year’s Resolution to hit the gym more often. It was bad enough that I found the original Crystal War so addictive, and now they’ve unleashed a sequel/expansion right in the midst of lose-that-holiday-weight time. But even that, I could push through (okay, I’m giving myself too much credit probably). They had to go and add real-time online multiplayer modes.

style="text-align: center"> class="alignnone size-full wp-image-88880" title="crystal_war_blood_field_1" src="http://www.technologytell.com/apple/files/2012/01/crystal_war_blood_field_1.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="320" />

What is it?

If you’re not familiar with Crystal War, the original, here’s the breakdown: Humans and goblins are in direct (and I mean direct) competition over “crystals,” apparently the most critical natural resource in this particular universe. Mining crystal has become an act of war, practically speaking. So what are you going to do? Mine crystal, of course. You choose your tribe: human or goblin. Then you go mining. With an army. And a general. Your opponent always wants to mine in exactly the same field as you, hence the blood. It’s not enough to make it out alive with a bag of rocks; you have to kill the other army’s head honcho to successfully pass a level. In this sense, Crystal War: Blood Field echoes tower defense, except in this case, you and the enemy are both on offense. class="size-full wp-image-88881 aligncenter" title="Crystal War Blood Field" src="http://www.technologytell.com/apple/files/2012/01/crystal_war_blood_field_3.jpg" alt="Crystal War Blood Field" width="480" height="320" />

How does it work?

Tower defense and similar sim strategy games will have you prepared for the control set-up of Crystal War: Blood Field. As the leader of your army, you basically sit on a horse and call the shots. That entails sending out miners to get to the crystal, protecting said miners, and massing enough force to take down the other leader (he’s the boss for each stage). To do so, you deploy various mining and combat units. It costs dough to do it, so balancing your rock digging capabilities against your ass-kicking capabilities is paramount. To deploy, you just tap the unit type, then either indicate you want to deploy it singly, or add it to the group icon for that unit. It’s highly advisable to send these guys out en force if you don’t want to get creamed. They’re greater than the sum of their parts when grouped.

style="text-align: center"> class="aligncenter" title="Crystal War Blood Field" src="http://www.technologytell.com/apple/files/2012/01/Crystal-War-Blood-Field-2.jpg" alt="Crystal War Blood Field" width="480" height="320" />

Most of this sounds like old hat to fans of the original, but as I said, they slipped something very special into this sequel—the ability to pit your skills against real players, in real-time, online. There are two multiplayer modes: unlimited, and rival. Unlimited is basically a fight to the death, rivalry allows you to set objectives and challenge another opponent to meet them first or pay the penalty. Being able to play against another human being (albeit one that may be pretending to be a goblin) makes this game immeasurably more fun than the original, because it has infinite replay potential. Dozens of character types (outlined beautifully in the help section in app), as well as an RPG-esque upgrade and inventory system give the game even more heft.

Is it contagious?

Visually, you won’t get your socks knocked off; Crystal War: Blood Field is no graphics stunner. It’s respectable, and that’s about it. The audio is very nicely executed, with great sound effects and a nice martial war drum back beat to keep you in the mood. For under a buck, this substantial, online, multiplayer, real-time strategy war game is an unbelievable bargain. You can pick it up for .99 in iTunes right now, get a little practice playing, and then head into network mode and (try to!) smash the competition. Do it.

Category: Castle defense / RTS /> Developer: href="http://www.digitalfrog.co.kr/">Digitalfrog /> Cost: .99 (also available as  href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/crystal-war-blood-field-limit/id479729215?mt=8">free lite version) /> Download: href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/crystalwar-bloodfield/id455937115?mt=8">Crystal War: BloodField


AppleTell

 
 

Where To Find Advice

Hello Stuffer Shack, it’s been a while hasn’t it? No, I don’t have any excuses. Life got hectic, and I just kind of curled up in a ball and cried. Oh sure… you called, you wrote, you even invited me out to dinner last Tuesday night. But I didn’t show, did I? So now I’m back, and looking for your forgiveness. You’ll take me back, right?

Alright, with that out of the way, let’s get down to business. I’m Anthony, and it’s been a while since my last post here. Nothing personal, but life is life. Anyhow, I wanted to get back into the swing of things here, and I figured what better way to do that than to talk about where you can find advice. Crazy, I know, right? See, lots of places give advice (hint, the Shack gives awesome advice) but do you know where to find more? Very few places really do that, and there are mediums out there that many of us have yet to actually try. So, let’s talk about that today, shall we?

The Shack, and Sites Like It
First off, you’ve already found a great resource. The Stuffer Shack is an awesome example of a site with a lot of different blog authors coming at you with different bits of advice. There are other sites like this too, but the key point here is the variety of authors. Why? Because everyone games differently, and everyone has a different view point on gaming itself. Something that I might think is impossible is very likely something that Tourq does every other game with the greatest of ease. How? I dunno, you’d have to ask him. However, the inverse is also true, which means that I have some words of wisdom to help do things I can pull off that some others can’t. You don’t get that at a blog with only one author, because they can’t teach you how to do what they don’t know.

So, first and foremost, find some sites you like that are like the Shack here. They have lots of good stuff for you.

Other Blogs
After the sites with lots of authors, you have the dedicated author. Some blogs, like Reality Refracted (disclosure: this is my gaming blog) are more focused on the theory behind how you do things, and looking a bit deeper into mechanics. Others, like “Life and Times of a Philippine Gamer” will delve a bit more into system specifics, examples of play, and other topics. Yes, everyone will cover more than one type of thing over time, but having a variety in primary topics will help to keep you well-grounded. It can also be fun to find the blogs of a few of your favorite designers. Often they’ll give you tips and insight into how things should work (vs how they do work) that can blow your mind.

Podcasts
Podcasts are a growing medium, and one that has gotten big enough that you’ll likely be seeing several podcast sites in the Shack’s Site Of The Year contest (SOTY!). These are kind of like blogs, only you listen to them and they often are a bit more focused in each episode. Bonus points here because you can hear a conversation, sometimes they have guest speakers, and you’ll get multiple sides of an argument in a quick and easily understood chunk. Podcasts are one of the areas I’m hoping to find more on, and start listening to. The ones I have heard have been amazing, and are often very insightful into the topics at hand.

Gaming Books
That’s right, the books you use for playing your game can teach you a whole lot about how to run a game. Look at the system and ask yourself why things are presented the way they are. The game wants to be played a certain way, and the mechanics are set up to encourage that method of play. Find that, and you can find out a lot about how the designer and project leads feel about gaming and what works or doesn’t work. D&D can teach you a lot about going with a tactical RPG, while a game like Burning Wheel can teach a lot about making a spanning epic master piece. The advice is there in the books, you just have to find it.

The Point?
The point of all this is to keep you interested in learning. Odds are if you’re reading this website, you are interested in improving as a GM and/or a player. Never stop doing that. There is always something more you can learn, more you can do, and you won’t find out how – or what – if you don’t go looking for it. Keep those eyes open, and find advice where you can take it. It just might be easier to start in the places I’ve listed here.




STUFFER SHACK

 
 

Stolen U S Online Passport – How To Handle It

Passports are legal government issued documents that are necessary for traveling abroad. If you have experienced a stolen U.S. online passport, a legal procedure must be followed immediately in order to have the item replaced. The legal requirement includes the completion of designated forms in alerting relevant authorities of its disappearance.

Step 1

The very first requirement in a case where the document has gone missing is to report the incident to relevant authorities. If the document was taken while in the United States, you are advised to contact the Department of Services in the United States for passports to invalidate the item. Individuals who are out of the country must seek the services of the Embassy or Consulate.

DS-64

The item must be reported as missing which requires the completion of the DS-64 form. The application will require details surrounding the event in which the item was taken from you. When phoning the relevant authorities to complete a report, the travel document will be categorized as invalid and will no longer be able to be used for travel purposes.

Invalid

Once these agencies have been contacted and the document has been invalidated, it is considered no longer usable and cannot be re-validated. For those who are in international borders, you must visit the U. S. Embassy and Consulate in person. The State Department must be notified of your loss immediately and completion of the DS-64 form should be posted.

Accuracy

Always proof read the forms to ensure that all items have been correctly answered which is important for processing the particular application. Often a police report is required to be submitted with the particular documentation that states the situation in which the specific item was taken from you. Once all details have been documented, the forms may be posted to the Passport Services of the United States Department.

Loss of a Valid Passport

In most cases, the DS-64 and DS-11 forms are required to be submitted but one should always consult with an agent in determining the procedure that best applies to your situation. The document that is missing is invalid and a replacement will be required. This is the reason for completion of DS-11 submitted together with all relevant documentation.

Identification

These documents include presentation of a certified birth certificate or Certificate of Naturalization. For proof of identification one may include copies of driver license and government or state issued identification card including 2 passport size pictures. Charges apply to the application for a new document and if the travel item is needed in a short period of time, extra fees apply to expedited damaged United States passport services.

 
 

Salistone “Stonie” Andronus, the Tomb-Raiding Wizard – Steal this Character

What do Indiana Jones, Tintin, and a wizard all have in common?

Saliston “Stonie” Andronus.  That’s what.

Salistone “Stonie” Andronus is not your typical wizard.  In fact, if it weren’t for his trusty wand, you wouldn’t know that he was a spellcaster at all.  Perhaps it’s his leather armor, his short sword, or his unavoidable knack for getting into trouble that pegs him as a wild and aloof adventurer.  Whatever it is, being a wizard is only part of the package.

Growing up, Stonie had a severe case of A.D.D. – he simply couldn’t sit still.  His curious mind just wandered all over.  He’s no elf, but if it weren’t for the magical gift passed down from his elven great-great-great-great-great grandfather, he never would have been accepted into Emberspire’s School of Wizardry.  Of course, his family donating the funds to build the school’s northwest wing didn’t hurt, either.  Unfortunately (fortunately?) for the school, Stonie left after only his first year, as he simply lost interest in his studies.   There was always something else that seemed more fascinating, more exciting – and that draw finally won him over.

Leaving the school was a breath of fresh air, as it freed him to pursue all the things that he found interesting (not to mention that he wasn’t ready to face his family).  He spent the next few years traveling and working, going wherever and doing whatever interested him.  He took all kinds of odd jobs and went all kinds of weird places.  Really, whatever seemed new and exotic, he was all over it.  It wasn’t until  his great uncle went missing that he returned home.

Havlock, his great uncle, had been obsessed with something called “The Well of Night.”  When Stonie returned home and started flipping through his great uncle’s journal, he instantly found his calling without even realizing it.  Stonie took the journal and went looking for his great uncle – his first great adventure.

For the past five years, Stonie has followed many leads and gone on several adventures.  His great uncle has since been presumed dead, but that hasn’t stopped Stonie from trying to figure out this mystery.  Searching for Havlock has put him through many adventures, putting to use all of Stonie’s skills.  This has resulted in him making a name for himself as an investigator, adventurer,  historian, and archaeologist.  Because of that, he’s taken a position on the Assembly of Advisers, not because he wished to be a “hero” (as most others do), but because it opens up doors and resources that can help him solve the mystery of his great uncle, as well as all of the other mysteries he is destined to take on.

As an adventurer, he often gets into all kinds of trouble, though he rarely fights his way out.  Instead, he relies on his skills, his smarts, and his luck to save his butt.  He knows some spells, but he really only considers those to be  tools to help him as an investigating tomb-raider.  He’s curious, loyal, selfless, heroic, and perhaps a little overconfident – really, though, an all-around, fun and thrill-seeking guy.  The glass is always half full, never half empty.  He’s not in it for the money or the treasure, and doesn’t consider himself to be an “adventurer,” but he certainly does live for it.

Artwork from Greywulf, by special request.




STUFFER SHACK

 
 

MLB 12 The Show Trailer Features Move Support

MLB 12 The ShowGet into the swing of things…yeah, that happened.


CraveOnline Pebblebed

 
 

Ludacris on his new Headphones from Soul Electronics

Ludacris at CESWe talk to Ludacris about the Soul by Ludacris Premium Headphone Line.


CraveOnline Pebblebed

 
 

SOPA, PIPA, and the forces of creative destruction

class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-88653" title="Wikipedia Blackout" src="http://www.technologytell.com/apple/files/2012/01/wikiblack.jpg" alt="Wikipedia Blackout" width="600" height="400" />

Much was made last week as large swathes of the Internet went dark in protest of the proposed SOPA and PIPA anti-piracy bills in both houses of the U.S. Congress. Lobbyists representing the MPAA and RIAA made dramatic claims about the dire need for online piracy to be squashed, with the backing of major Hollywood studios, television networks, and record labels. They even went so far as to make what some have interpreted as href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/22/idUS217169227120120122">veiled blackmail threats against the President and members of Congress who reneged on their support.

Emerging from the dust, Y Combinator, a Silicon Valley venture capital firm that provides seed funding for startups, has href="http://ycombinator.com/rfs9.html">declared all-out war on Hollywood, calling for tech entrepreneurs to put forward ideas on what will be entertaining us 20 years from now (think iTunes/YouTube in 2032). The proposal’s ominous title, “Kill Hollywood,” has certainly generated a great deal of discussion and proportionate backlash, including one particularly pacifistic response by Ben Parr, in which he declares Y Combinator’s declaration “ href="http://benparr.com/2012/01/lets-work-together/">Short-sighted and Irresponsible.”  The trouble is, Parr’s let’s-all-work-together ethos simply is not possible, and the points he makes, while admirable, run counter to the very nature of the technological change that is eroding the MPAA/RIAA member’s traditional business models.

Counterpoint

Parr makes three points in support of his theory that war is an inappropriate response to the SOPA/PIPA effort, and these points summarize his views on why fighting back will ultimately backfire. Each presents a worthy superficial argument, but upon closer examination it becomes apparent that technological progress invalidates them.

  1. class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;line-height: 26px">“The heart of Hollywood is in its aspiring stars, not its execs.” This is, in fact, quite true. Equally true is the fact that most members of Hollywood make normal wages and are more impacted by piracy-related losses—think of all the film crew, set designers, drivers, etc. Unfortunately, Hollywood is no longer the sole provider of entertainment nor the steward of all talent.  While YouTube contains its fair share of dreck, rising stars are increasingly self-promoting and skipping the same old story of the starving actor moving to LA.  Look at Darren Criss emerging from  href="http://www.teamstarkid.com/">Team Starkid’s  href="http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC76BE906C9D83A3A&feature=plcp">Very Potter Musical, or (love or hate her) href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfVsfOSbJY0">Rebecca Black.  class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;line-height: 26px">MPAA members may be losing money, but not all of it is attributable to piracy. New forms of media are taking eyes and ears away from their traditional revenue streams.
  2. class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;line-height: 26px">“War is rarely the solution.” In this point, Parr posits that a new generation of Hollywood execs is making good faith efforts like Hulu or Verve, and that war will hamper this progress. Here, again, the problem is that progress is not coming fast enough. Apple had to drag record companies into the 21st century with iTunes 10 years after the MP3 standard was published. Media consumption and consumer electronics are inextricably intertwined, and in a world of iPads and AppleTVs, 10 years is simply too long to wait for any generation of execs to adapt. By the time those newcomers have learned the ropes, the entire game will have changed.
  3. class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;line-height: 26px">“Entertainment and art are relative.” Parr takes issue with Y Combinator’s impossible dream that “It would be great if what people did instead of watching shows was exercise more and spend more time with their friends and families.”  He urges us to remember that we are dealing with the industry that gave us Schindler’s List and Planet Earth. What he fails to mention is that these companies are also the ones who gave us Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Bambi 2 (why, Disney!?), and musical acts like Milli Vanilli and an endless stream of boy bands. Does it ever occur to Hollywood that people are not willing to pay for—if you can pardon the vernacular—crap?

And The Beat Goes On

Y Combinator’s declaration was not so much about open hostility and war as it was about the simple, natural progression of industry. Call it technological innovation, call it the human condition; whatever term you use it is simply unavoidable. Ask companies like Nokia, Eastman Kodak, or Pan Am that have seen their business models eclipsed by new upstarts that did things differently and provided cheaper, more desirable alternatives to customers. Heck, look at each generation taking over from the last, with the accompanying fall of dictators, outmoded fashions, and prejudices. Change is the very nature of life itself, and no amount of lobbying money can change that. Piracy certainly accounts for a loss of money by MPAA/RIAA member companies ( href="http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2012/01/internet-regulation-and-the-economics-of-piracy.ars">though it is likely much less than they led members of Congress to believe), but there are myriad technological changes that threaten them with irrelevance more damaging than any amount of piracy:

  • class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;line-height: 26px">New forms of entertainment form a zero-sum game: Every hour spent playing a Zynga game is an hour not spent playing another game from a traditional publisher. Ad-supported games like Words with Friends bring in less revenue per game than a console game like Halo, so with a set number of hours in a day, the mix of media being consumed matters. Ten minutes spent watching cat videos on YouTube means less time to go to a theater and pay the exorbitant ticket price for the latest installment of the Transformers franchise. Which leads to a second point:
  • class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;line-height: 26px">New forms of entertainment will be initially less profitable: Apple, the poster child for creative destruction, likely made slightly less profit on each flash-based iPod nano than the older hard disk-based iPod mini. Preserving the company cash cow at the expense of adapting for the future is a good short-term balance sheet activity that has disastrous long-term consequences. Kodak invented digital imaging in 1975, but remained paralyzed for fear of disrupting their existing film business and ended up in bankruptcy last week. New ventures are often less profitable in the short term, but change is nonetheless necessary to stay relevant. Despite some disastrous PR blunders, Netflix successfully managed to increase its profit on streaming services during 2011 by effectively converting free streaming service into an -per month standalone product. At launch, the service was not worth that price, but through careful enhancement it has grown to be worth that much to millions of subscribers.
  • class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;line-height: 26px">Technology changes have broken many old profit-generating assumptions: The MP3 format available from Amazon’s music store and the AAC format available from Apple’s iTunes mean that music purchases are a once-and-done deal for the foreseeable future. Music and movie companies relied on a steady profit stream from physical media sales that were refreshed every so often, necessitating new purchases. Vinyl records wore out and needed replacing, then cassette tapes necessitated the repurchase of music; music companies’ greed reached its zenith with the advent of the CD, which was a href="http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2002-09-30-cd-settlement_x.htm">vehicle for price fixing that artificially drove profit margins up. Physical media could also be lost, which required a consumer to repurchase it, but digital files can be backed up, synced, and duplicated indefinitely. MP3/AAC backwards-compatibly is insanely simple, so music companies are facing the prospect of selling a song exactly one time per consumer.  Music subscription services like Pandora or Spotify also mean a lower, fixed revenue stream for media companies’ products.  Instead of paying to see one movie you may hate in theaters, many busy folks are content to wait for it to come in the mail from Netflix, which costs only per month.  These new distribution channels challenge existing business models, which leads to point #3:
  • class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;line-height: 26px">Power to the People: Self-publishing tools like Garageband, WordPress, and HD-capable prosumer DSLRs—coupled with new Internet-based distribution models—have lowered demand for many of the services provided by large media companies. Lewis CK’s recent self-distributed standup show href="http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2011/12/diy-video-pays-off-huge-for-louis-ck-are-you-listening-google-amazon/">earned him more money than traditional DVD sales through HBO; if aspiring stars truly are the group to be protected, surely diverting revenue straight to them is a positive change? Surely a video’s viral nature is a better indicator of its future success than the word of some studio exec who green lighted flops like Green Latern or the Tayler Lautner vehicle Abduction. In a business where risk aversion leads execs to turn down a movie like Star Wars, why would there be resistance to technology tools that can help pick surefire winners? Technology has a habit of decentralizing things, so there is no longer a need for all the elements of a film to be based in or controlled by Hollywood.

MPAA and RIAA member companies would have us believe that the free and open nature of the Internet poses so grave a risk that legislation altering its very fundamental functioning is vital to protect their industry. Companies like Walt Disney, Paramount, Universal, EMI, Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group wanted to put the brakes on technological change to protect their existing business models in the name of “stopping piracy.” While piracy may be a source of lost revenue for these companies, vast revolution in the form of media creation, distribution, and consumption are the real threats to their industry.

These threats represent creative destruction, and the death of the old to make way for the new stops for no man.  Nobody can win a fight against it, nor can any company or trade group lobby hard enough to reverse it. Y Combinator’s declaration of war is not so much a new call to arms as a statement of simple fact: The world is changing, and will always continue to do so. To fight against it is foolish. To embrace it, as we have seen, could just make your company the most valuable in the world.


AppleTell

 
 

30 ROCK 6.02 ‘Idiots Are People, Two!’

Liz can't keep Jack out of her head, and the show handles Tracy Morgan's outburst from last year with admirable wit & tact.


CraveOnline Pebblebed

 
 

Fix Up Your Ride With Some Unique Customized XD Series Wheels

New rims, such as the XD Series rims, can spruce up your ride instantly. Rims may last forever but sometimes sticking with the manufacturer’s standard and boring selections just ruin the look of a good ride. Besides looks, another reason to choose aluminum alloy rims is to improve the performance of your vehicle.

When you customize your SUV or lifted truck, one of the first things you think of is updating with some new chrome alloy wheels. These enhance the appearance and the style of your vehicle with a clean, uncluttered look. Some people really want the rim design to stand out so they choose to plus-size. This is done by upsizing the rim’s size and adding low-profile tires which catches the eye of many and causes a few jealous stares.

Besides allowing the design of the rims to stand out, plus-sizing also improves the overall performance and handling of your vehicle. A plus-sized rim helps the low-profile tire keep its shape, which prevents the sides from bulging when going around turns. This allows for better handling when taking tight turns as the steering response is better, which is needed with high performance tires or if a lot of aggressive driving is involved.

The better comfort and performance is achieved because alloy rims are lighter than steel ones whether they are plus-sized or not. This relieves the suspension of weight which in turn allows for a better road grip and better steering response. The lightness of the overall vehicle can also provide better gas mileage which can save you a considerable amount in gasoline.

These also can increase the lifespan of the brakes and reduces the risk of brake failure and fading. Alloy rims are better at conducting heat than steel ones. Their design allows for more airflow over the brakes which reduces the risk of overheating. That will improve the overall performance of the brakes, providing a safer ride and quicker braking time.

Not only does their construction allow them to dissipate heat better, it creates a stronger rim. That strength makes them more resistant to bending than steel and it minimizes cracking of the metal. They are also rust-resistant and easy to keep clean so they always look good. Another aspect of their construction is the low-pressure casting technique which allows them to be more adaptable and flexible. This is how they are able to have such unique designs.

These rims look so good that their popularity has grown tremendously. Because of that popularity, manufacturers have created an extremely large selection in choices. This can make it easier or harder in deciding which will enhance your ride better. Just keep in mind to check your bolt pattern. Unusual patterns have limited choices in these rims.

It is not easy deciding which XD Series chrome wheel to choose today because not all rims are created alike. That is why you need to think about performance and handling in addition to how the wheel & tire packages over steel is a popular choice. Even manufacturers are fitting cars with them before they leave the factory. The XD series wheels do not only complement your ride’s appearance, they provide better driving of any vehicle they are fitted on.