Grę zakupiłem już dosyć dawno temu za 12zł, a za kolejne 10 – dodatek SpecForce. Początkowo gra mnie raczej nie zachwyciła: dubbing lekko irytował jak również ogromna ilość terenu do przemierzania. Zdziwił mnie również duży rozrzut broni, co zmusza gracza do bardziej taktycznego myślenia. Wtedy to po jakimś czasie przypomniałem sobie, że gram w grę sprzed 2005 roku.

W grze przeszedłem 2 misje po czym odłożyłem na półkę. Wróciłem do niej kilka dni temu, z powodu zamiaru kupna nowego, większego monitora, a co za tym idzie pracującego na wyższych rozdzielczościach. Cóż mogę powiedzieć: im głębiej w grę tym lepiej. Zgłębiając fabułę coraz chętniej wystrzeliwujemy kolejnych przeciwników.

Gra posiada miłą dla oka oprawę wizualną i duże przestrzenie do pokonywania, co na początku mnie irytowało lecz z biegiem czasu stawało się plusem. Ze strony wizualnej straszą jedynie animacje, które są często niepłynne i… brzydkie po prostu. Do tego dołączona jest również dosyć klimatyczna muzyczka, która “przenosi” nas w przyszłość. Warto również napomnieć o różnorodności poziomów, bo pogramy w dżungli, na pustyni, w śnieżnych klimatach oraz w wielu kompleksach.

Walka wymaga odrobiny myślenia, bo “na rambo” szturmować się nie da. Dużą pomocą są tutaj implanty, które znacznie ułatwiają rozgrywkę. Właściwie to korzystałem głównie z dwóch: spowolnienia czasu i zmniejszonego rozrzutu – poza misjami skradankowymi, gdzie zmuszeni byliśmy korzystać z niewidzialności. Jesteśmy zmuszeni często się kryć za zasłonami, jako iż wrogowie są bardzo celni, lecz poza chwilką myślenia, walka nie sprawia żadnych problemów – amunicji jak i apteczek jest pod dostatkiem, mimo iż nasz ekwipunek jest ograniczony. Szkoda, że nie wykorzystano dobrze potencjału bossów i poza zwiększoną liczbą obrażeń jakie zadają i implantami nie wyróżniają się sposobem walki ani niczym innym. Walka z nimi wygląda jak z 20 zwykłymi żołnierzami w jednej osobie. Chciałbym zaznaczyć, że grałem na normalnym poziomie trudności.

Cieszy pojawienie się w grze pojazdów, jednak model jazdy jest niedopracowany. Pojazdy terenowe strasznie słabo trzymają się podłoża i często zacinają się na niewidzialnych teksturach. Ścigacze również często dziwnie zachowują się przy spotkaniu z różnymi przeszkodami terenu. Walkerami steruje się zaś dosyć niewygodnie.

Fabuła być może nie bije na głowę, lecz stoi na wysokim poziomie. Już na samym początku gry mamy konkretny zwrot akcji i kilka w dalszej części gry. Cieszy też możliwość podjęcia wyboru w jednej sytuacji na końcu gry. Dubbing jak i sposób narracji stoi na bardzo przeciętnym poziomie. Spodobała mi się natomiast mini-gierka hackowania terminali. Nie jest ona zbytnio wymagająca, lecz urozmaica rozgrywkę, a przypomina grę w Piotrusia samemu.

Do dyspozycji zostało nam oddane 14 broni, w tym: shotguny, karabiny snajperskie, szturmowe, bronie energetyczne oraz wyrzutnia rakiet. Nie jest to zbyt dużo, nie jest to również drastycznie mało – po prostu przeciętnie. Ważne, że bronie są dosyć rozbudowane i prócz oprawy wizualnej różnią się różnymi parametrami, jak chociażby zasięg, rozrzut czy też pojemność magazynka.

Chrome może spodobać się starszym graczom, lecz osobom, które zachwycają się jedynie efekciarskimi scenami, uruchamiać gry nie zalecam, bo nie znajdą wiele dla siebie. Produkcja Techlandu spodoba się jednak osobom, które lubią taktyczne FPSy wsparte miłą fabułą i dużymi połaciami terenu do zwiedzania.

Co w grze mi się podoba to:
- fabuła i klimat
- pojazdy
- implanty
- walka i odpowiedni poziom trudności
- różnorodność lokacji

W grze nie podoba mi się:
- animacja
- niewykorzystany potencjał bossów
- model jazdy

Osobiście grę oceniam na 7,8/10 i z niecierpliwością oczekuję drugiej części.

Sometimes it’s so much easier to coddle his “injuries” than it is to explain that bumping one’s arm against the couch hardly warrants an ER visit.

I’ve just done an exclusive mix for beatfactor.ro.
Check out the article and mix here.

Tracklisting:

DJ Enne – “Ciao Georgio”
Nang (2009)

Mike Burns – “Kuss Im Jahr 3000″
Phoenix Project (2007)

Good Guy Mikesh & Filbert – “Cleaning Up (Mark E Remix)”
MIrau (2009)

Anton Zap – “Mon 16:46″
Uzuri (2009)

New Grooves – “2AM”
Nu Groove  (1991)

Altair Nouveau – “Space Fortress”
SolarDisco (2009)

Mark Grusane & Mike Cole – “Time and Space”
Rush Hour (2009)

Hot Natured – “Electric Jones”
Wolf + Lamb (2009)

Jackmate – “Back that Bitch”
Morris Audio (2002)

Pancake – “See the stars”
Work Records (1993)

A Made Up Sound – “Wire”
Clone (2009)

San Soda – “Doorsnee“
We Play House (2009)

Pitch & Hold – “Twins”
Love Triangle Music (2009)

First of all I want to mention that today in a month’s time, Logan will be four years old!  Not quite a baby any more and yet he will always be my baby!  

The Rum Tum Tugger

I love Cats the Musical.  Since I was introduced to the musical at the age of 11, it has been my favourite musical of all times.  I purchased the dvd in the UK for an arm and a leg.  I purchased it in South Africa again (when my UK friend never returned it to me).  I own the Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, the actual poems written by TC Elliot – the basis of the musical.  I have the songbook of the musical even though I cannot read music nor play kind of instrument.  I would have watched the musical in London, if I could, if it was still showing on West-End.  Instead I saw Elaine Page ( Made famous by the song “Memory“) live.   

Somehow, in some way, I have passed the love for Cats the Musical on to my son!  

Without force.  Without watching it every day for a month, the magic of the musical enchanted Logan.  We watched the musical a couple of times over the past couple of years - and let’s be honest with the memory of a fish and the attention span of a monkey there is no way he watched more than a half an hour at a time!   

On Sunday morning while I was lying in bed, regaining conscious from a good night’s rest I heard the music in the background.  As I walked into the lounge my little boy was following the cats’ every move, ten seconds late as best he can.  Yet having a ball!  

Later during the day, he mentioned that Rum Tum Tugger is his favourite cat!  The Rum Tum Tugger was my favourite cat while growing up.  The Rum Tum Tugger is a charming cat, a little bit rebellious and by far similar to the kind of teenager Logan will be!  

From the film - John Partridge

 Here is a detailed character sketch of the cat.  How very relevant!

 RUM TUM TUGGER AKA The Tugger
is a sexy prankster and a master when it comes to getting attention. He’s clowny fun cat, more of a teenager than an adult. But that is probably the reason so many love him! He loves to make fun of his older half-brother Munkustrap. And to tell you the truth, Munkustrap IS a bit jealous at Tugger’s wild life… This cat will do a lot of things but gets away with it thanks to darling Daddy Old Deuteronomy.

 Found here!
Photo Credit:  Picture 1 and Picture 2

So you’ve heard a lot more than you wanted to about my obession with Cats, are you a fan of musicals?  Have your kids followed in your footsteps?  What is your all time favourite musical?

Logan had a great time at the K9 Rescue Me fundraising event – it was a great success & we thank everyone who came out to support a wonderful cause.

Logan

Rogue buries her finger in Wolvie's chest.

I told you we’re back. Another Superhero Throwdown regular, Rachael W., weighs in this week’s challenge with this sweet submission.

Rachael:

An experiment with four Copic Markers and more of an outlined style, then edited in Photoshop. I often have to restrain myself from saying this phrase on a daily basis to the important people in my life.

Make sure you check her own design site, RachaelWDesign. You won’t be disappointed.

Logan is 6 today

So I know I haven’t written in a while… can i blame it on being a busy college student?  Or the truth is, I haven’t been able to sort out anything I want to say.   I came to the conclusion a few months ago that inability to believe  had a lot to do with my anger towards God.   I was hurt really bad by a person who made a complete 180 to believe in God, and I was pissed. I didn’t want to believe in a God who accepted such a shitty person, all the while I was reaching out but could not find any solid answers. As I got over this anger, I began to see that there is at least something else out there. I’ve wanted so bad to give up my search for God, but haven’t been able to because of the people around me. Not because they force me to, but because I see this crazy love in them and for me.  Last year I treated my closest friends like crap. Lied to them, bailed on them, avoided them, ignored them time and time again. But they put up with it and never once got angry at me, and they were even there for me when I needed them. It’s their love that keeps me in this search. Its their strong belief that keeps me in it. It’s nice to finally realize all of this.

So I’ve gotten that much figured out, but it doesn’t do much. I can’t find the exact quote but I read it in Donald Miller’s Blue Like Jazz and it something along the lines of him giving up trying to explain God and just accepting him.  I think I’m getting there. Slowly, but at least its somewhere. Here’s a comical explanation of God that comes from a YouTube video. The video is long so I just typed out part of it, but feel free to watch it if you want.

“The thing that made the things for which there is no known maker, and causes and directs the events that we can’t otherwise explain, and doesn’t need to have been made, and is the one thing from which you can ask for things that no other human can give, and without whom we can’t be fully happy, and is unlimited by all the laws of physics, and never began and will never finish, and is invisible but actually everywhere at once, and who is so perfect that even if he killed millions of people including babies he’d still be perfectm and who’s so powerful and magical he could even make a virgin pregnant if he wanted to…wants to be thanked for being what he is.”  (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVbnciQYMiM)

So yeah, that makes God sound utterly ridiculous, and I think that’s what I’m getting stuck on. It doesn’t make sense yet. I’m sure it never will, but I’m hoping I’ll just eventually become ok with it. Maybe that’s what is supposed to happen? Who knows.

As I was writing this a Grateful Dead song came on my Pandora, (it’s a Grateful Dead station so imagine that. There’s also incense burning in my room. I like to feed stereotypes… but no I’m not high.) but I took a minute to listen to this one. It was Saint of Circumstance and here’s a verse from it

Holes in what’s left of my reason, holes in the knees of my blues.
Odds against me been increasin’, but I’ll pull through.
I never could read no road map, I don’t know what the weather might do.
But when that rich wind whines and I see the dark star shine,
I got a feeling there’s no time to lose, no time to lose.

It just seem to fit… at least in my head. Nobody knows the right way to God, but we each have to keep pushing to find our own way. I’m down with that as long as everyone else is right in saying it’ll be worth it in the end.

I’ll be back with more later on a more specific topic, less broad, less about me. Peace!

by Jason Aaron (writer), Yanick Paquette (pencils), Michel Lacombe (inks), Nathan Fairbairn (colors), and Cory Petit (letters)

The Story: Dr. Rot attempts to release the animal inside Logan.

What’s Good: Last month’s issue was fantastic and this month is basically just more of a good thing.  Aaron’s “Insane in the Brain” arc continues to be a fantastic horror comic; it’s twisted, creepy, and shockingly gory for a mainstream Marvel comic.

Dr. Rot continues to be an incredibly strong character.  This month, his gleeful insanity is all the more enjoyable, as he has a run-in with some ordinary Mafia thugs.  What ensues is a delightful collision of worlds, where contact with the more mundane criminal only makes Rot appear all the more outrageous.  Also, if that female mask Rot wore last month wasn’t bad enough, this time Rot actually has it adopt its own personality, as he talks to himself in a mirror.  I couldn’t figure out whether I wanted to laugh or take a shower after reading that.

I suppose that that’s really indicative of how this issue’s build upon last month’s groundwork: it just seems that little bit more outrageous.  Where last month saw a bloody sack of brains, this one sees Rot running around with cleavers, a man with his hands removed, and an all-out chainsaw massacre.  Where last month had more of a “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” feel, this month continues that, but adds a strong dash of grindhouse, splatter-horror into the mix.  Indeed, when we enter Rot’s mad scientist lab and he goes plucking brains, it certainly feels like something out of a thirty year old horror flick.  It’s sensationalist, bloody, and delightfully campy.

On art, Yanick Paquette continues to put out incredibly pleasing work.  His character models remain fantastic.  I also enjoyed how most of the frames featuring Rot have his eyes shaded in.  The character’s only having shadowy black pits for eyes is definitely disquieting.  Paquette also extends his range a bit this month, drawing Wolverine’s nightmares in a completely different style, one that’s more blurred, painted, and hellish.  It’s a perfect juxtaposition to the rest of the comic and is suitably horrifying.  Colorist Nathan Fairbairn also continues to have a great effect on Paquette’s work, giving Wolverine’s “treatment” scenes in particular a very well-lit, even fluorescent, clinical feel.

All told, the book hits all the same right notes it hit last month.  While it shows more this month, using the suspense of the page-turn to the maximum, it still also plays up what we can’t see.  Certain areas remain cordoned off, and as demonstrated by the bandaged nurse this month, that’s often the worst part.

What’s Not So Good: Admittedly, much of the ground covered plot-wise is the same stuff we went over last month.  For instance, Wolverine repeats that he doesn’t know where he is or what his name is.  He stated those same lines through monologue a bit last month, but when he does so a few more times this month, it does become noticeable.   At one point, Wolverine’s continued restating of this existential dilemma made me wonder whether some of the internal monologue was even necessary, if it’s only there to echo what we’ve heard several times already.

The big ending this month does help, but there is a slight sense of water treading through some parts of this issue.  That said, I don’t suspect it will greatly bother anyone with a decent attention span.

Conclusion: Still incredibly experimental and creative, with a cool grindhouse flavor added in, this one’s a keeper.

Grade: A-

-Alex Evans

مدیر ارشد کیفیت رنو، روز گذشته در شرایطی خبر از واگذاری حق تولید وانت تندر-90 به پارس‌خودرو را داد، که پيش‌بينی می‌شود این موضوع با واکنش‌هایی روبه‌رو خواهد بود؛ چراکه بنابر گفته یک منبع آگاه از ایران خودرو، طبق توافق‌های اولیه با شرکت رنو، حق تولید وانت تندر با نام اختصاری U90 و همچنین ون R90، برای ایران خودرو محفوظ است.

به گفته این منبع آگاه، در ابتدای عقد قرارداد «پلت‌فرم مشترک X90» که سواری تندر یکی از محصولات آن به حساب می‌آید، مقرر شده تا برندهای عمومی و تجاری سبک این پلت‌فرم ( U90 و R90)، در ایران خودرو و محصولات سواری آن مانند B90 (ساندرو)، در پارس‌خودرو به تولید برسد.

این موضوع در شرایطی است که مدیر ارشد کیفیت رنو، روز گذشته عنوان کرده که با توجه به کیفیت بالای محصولات پارس‌خودرو، رنو خواستار تولید وانت تندر-90 در این شرکت، بدون هیچ‌تردیدی است. فیلیپ مارتین در تایید گفته‌های خود مبنی‌بر کیفیت تولید در پارس‌خودرو، تندر-90 این شرکت را مثال زده و عنوان کرده که نمره منفی محصولات تولیدی پارس‌خودرو، از استاندارد جهانی رنو نیز پایین‌تر است.

اما واگذاری حق تولید وانت تندر-90 به پارس‌خودرو، جدای از آنکه از دید ایران خودرویی‌ها، خلاف توافقات اولیه به حساب می‌آید، شاید از جنبه‌ای دیگر باعث نگرانی نیز باشد، بدین معنی که اگر پارس‌خودرو U90 را با قیمتی زیر 10‌میلیون تومان تولید و عرضه کند، قطعا سهم قابل‌توجهی از بازار وانت پیکان پر فروش ایران خودرو نصیب U90 خواهد شد؛ چراکه پلت‌فرم تندر، هم از ایمنی بالا و مناسبی برخوردار است و هم مصرف سوخت پایین‌تری در مقایسه با وانت پیکان دارد.

در این زمینه البته برخی کارشناسان معتقدند، پارس‌خودرو به احتمال فراوان و با توجه به حذف وانت نیسان زامیاد از چرخه تولید و همچنین ضررده بودن تولید سواری‌های تندر، نرخ کارخانه‌ای U90 را بالای 10‌میلیون تومان در نظر می‌گیرد و از آن سو با حذف تدریجی نیسان پیکاپ خود، بازار وانت‌های تجاری سبک در محدوده قیمتی بالای 10‌میلیون تومان را به تنهایی در دست خواهد گرفت. واگذاری U90 به پارس‌خودرو در شرایطی است که این شرکت به احتمال فراوان، چندی دیگر ساندرو را نیز به عنوان یکی دیگر از برندهای پلت‌فرم X90 میهمان خط تولید خود می‌کند.

© دنیای اقتصاد

Quite the suhweeeet performance by the Sharks in their 6-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. The Sharks withstood the punches and counterpunches, both figuratively and literally, and sealed the win.

The man of the match was Dany Heatley who notched his ninth career hat trick and second with the Sharks. Winning co-man of the match was Joe Thornton who received the primary assist on all three Heater goals and added a fourth assist.

It was just an unbelievable game all around. The Flyers haven’t beaten the Sharks since 2000, but the games are always entertaining. They bring out the best in both teams, and I hope this is a Stanley Cup Finals preview.

Everything for the Sharks worked tonight: the even strength forecheck, the power play, the penalty kill. All exceptional. Well, I may be wrong about everything working. The defensive zone giveaways were enough to give fans and coach Todd McClellan migraines. If it weren’t for those, it would be a 6-0 victory.

Philly sure didn’t like Sharks ice. They saw it as a slip-and-slide, with public enemy #1 Chris Pronger as the main slip-and-slider. One of his slips ended up being a Heater goal. It really was home-ice advantage tonight.

Heatley’s hat trick was the EPS Trifecta (trademark pending). Even strength, power play and shorthanded goals. Two were carbon-copies. Joe would receive the puck in what looked like a perfect shooting opportunity, but it he would stop right to the side of the crease, wait, wait, wait for the defenseman to make a move, then BAM! Pass to Heater’s stick and it’s as easy as an Ovechkin toothless smile.

Dany Heatley notched his second hat trick as a Shark (From SJSHARKS.com)

San Jose now has its top two lines set in stone for at least the next month. McClellan saw some great play between Heatley-Thornton-Marleau last game and decided to start them tonight. That choice proved epic as every time they took the ice, something good happened. Remember when everyone shook in fear from the Marleau-Thornton-Cheechoo line? Multiply that by 10,000.

The second line was Malhotra-Pavelski-Clowe and they meshed talent with will. This line will probably be broken up since Devin Setoguchi will come back from injury. Move Clowe to left wing and put Seto on the right. While Malhotra did net a goal tonight, he also netted a goal for the Flyers; for some reason he tried to handle the puck in the crease during a scramble, and instead of just knocking it out, he thought it best to backhand it first — bad idea.

The Sharks still haven’t lost in regulation at home either. Oh, how sweet the confines of HP Pavillion are.

Friday Night Fights

Frazer McLaren, up from Worcester took on Daniel Carcillo and McMan-handled him. I this kid is better than Staubitz and should get a few more looks. And he will because Staubitz is out for a couple weeks with an injury. I wish it were under better circumstances, but whatever the situation, cease your opportunity F-Mac.

Wait…Who? And he’s fighting who?

That’s right, my friends. Marc-Edouard Vlasic showed a nasty side tonight. Don’t know if someone stole this pickles from the pickle jar, but he was angry tonight. He dropped the gloves for the first time in his career with Daniel Briere and earned the win. Vlasic was the only one to throw a punch, and he also took Briere down. Vlasic also was featured in some scrums. I really hope this continues; I don’t want another Thornton situation where a guy plays better angry, but chooses to be angry once every leap year.

Other Notes

Hit-O-Meter: SJ 25  PHI 26; Jed Ortmeyer (6) and Douglas Murray (5) led the team.

With the amazing play of the top two lines, the fourth line saw as much action as a young Bill Gates. McLaren played for two minutes, Benn Ferriero played four and Logan Couture played six. That’s fine with me if I can get first-line production like this every game.

The Sharks travel to Anaheim to face the Ducks. In their first meeting, the second game of the Sharks’ season, San Jose pummeled Anaheim 4-1.

–Ray

Admittedly, I have actually had these pictures in my possession for over a month now. But better late than never, right? Here are some of my favorites.

Mechelle and Derek Carlin with daughter Miya

 

By Andrea McCallum

A YOUNG mum has spoken of her disgust after her three-year-old daughter returned home from nursery with a bag of dirty nappies.

Mechelle Carlin, 26, discovered the soiled plastic bag next her daughter’s lunchbox when Miya was brought home from Dunbar Primary School Nursery by her dad Derek.

The mum of four has since removed little Miya from the council owned childcare centre after what the local authority called an “honest, unfortunate mistake”.

“Don’t have a clue”

She said: “My husband assumed she had got wet or something and they had changed her, and that’s what the bag was.

“I don’t know if it’s worse that they have been cheeky sending home nappies or that they don’t have a clue what a nappy is.

“We were prepared for some kind of explanation but we thought it would be better than that.

“It’s just ridiculous to get a three-year-old girl, who is trying to make friends, to sit with dirty nappies – it’s not right.

“And Miya said a couple of time that she had been told to tell her daddy that she needs to start wearing pants.

“I think it’s a bad that they have got her to come and tell her dad about it.”

Change their own children

The family, who live in Dunbar, East Lothian, filed a complaint against the nursery through East Lothian Council, who investigated the incident.

The couple had previously received a letter from headteacher Helen Gillanders, saying that the nursery was spending “an enormous time changing children” and that parents were being urged to “look” at their children’s toilet changing arrangements.

It also said that parents should provide a phone number for them to be contacted so they could come down and change their own children.

Dad Derek, 29, said that only days prior to the incident staff at the nursery had asked him how Miya was doing with her potty training and he explained she was struggling.

And he told staff that he didn’t think she was ready for pants.

“Hammer home”

He said: “I saw the bag with her and opened it up thinking it was clothes but I discovered it was two dirty nappies.

“I just couldn’t believe it that they had just sent me a bag of dirty nappies and thought ‘why would they do that’.

“I think they were trying to hammer home the point about Miya wearing nappies.

“To me it was them having a wee dig”

While investigations were underway Mechelle and Derek – who have three other children – spoke to the nursery’s head teacher, who apologised.

“Sorry”

Mechelle said: “They said they were profusely sorry and that the nursery teacher was very upset by it.

“They asked if Miya would be staying there, but we’ve moved her to a different nursery.

“It’s not great as it takes up more time, but the new place have been great with Miya and have not made any issue, with her not being toilet trained.”

Mechelle had asked for advice on Miya’s progress as she was born prematurely and has taken longer to become potty trained.

Her two-year-old son Logan suffers from cerebral palsy and is worried if he had gone to the nursery he would have been treated the same.

“Worried”

She added: “The nursery needs to reassess its practices and check out individuals’ circumstances.

“I can imagine parents sitting at home now who are worried they will have to go up to the nursery and change their children.

“It’s not fair to put people through that.”

A spokesperson for East Lothian council said: “While we cannot comment on individual cases, I can confirm that we are aware of the incident and are looking into it.

“East Lothian Council nursery staff and staff in our partnership nurseries support children with a wide range of personal needs.

“We would always advocate dealing with each case on its own merits.

“Both our training programmes and policies try to ensure that nursery staff work sensitively with parents to ensure that each child’s needs and best interests are met.”

See more of our pictures at our Flickr site and videos at our dedicated channel,  Deadline TV.

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Old Man Logan es una miniserie que consta de 8 números y fue creada por el guionista Mark Millar e ilustrada por el dibujante Steve McNiven, su publicación se inicio en Junio del año 2008 y finalizo en Septiembre de 2009 como siempre de la mano de Marvel Comics, que la disfruten =).

Wolverine: Old Man Logan

La historia se desarrolla en un futuro lejano en donde todos los superhéroes han sido derrotados o muertos y los villanos se convirtieron en los nuevos dueños del planeta, en este escenario Logan se ha convertido en un hombre diferente que vive con su familia en una granja y que no sacado sus garras en los últimos 50 años. Pero todo cambia cuando por no poder saldar una deuda con la pandilla Banner y se ve obligado a tomar un trabajo temporal que consiste en llevar una carga de un extremo a otro de los Estados Unidos, es así como Logan, junto con su viejo amigo Hawkeye, se embarca en un viaje difícil pero necesario para mantener el bienestar de su familia.

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Wolverine: Old Man Logan - #01  [MU]

Wolverine: Old Man Logan - #02  [MU]

Wolverine: Old Man Logan - #03  [MU]

Wolverine: Old Man Logan - #04  [MU]

Wolverine: Old Man Logan - #05  [MU]

Wolverine: Old Man Logan - #06  [MU]

Wolverine: Old Man Logan - #07  [MU]

Wolverine: Old Man Logan - Giant Size – #01  [MU]

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Saludos =).

Сергей Воскресенский и Сергей Канунников, фото Александра Батыру.

За рулем 2009/11

Популярный в России автомобиль подвергли небольшой, но важной модернизации, вызвавшей у покупателей вопросы и даже подозрения. Расследование вели Сергей Воскресенский и Сергей Канунников. Фото Александра Батыру.

Внешне «Рено-Логан» не изменился. Кстати, точной даты рестайлинга пока не называют, хотя она, видимо, не за горами. Но пока покупателям куда важнее, что все ныне продающиеся в России машины получили новую подвеску – без переднего стабилизатора поперечной устойчивости. Именно это вызвало поток писем и звонков (часто возмущенных: обделили!) в редакцию.

ДВАЖДЫ ДВА
Фирма «Рено» делит теперь шасси «логанов» на два поколения. Первое включало в себя две версии: на машинах с 8-клапанными моторами 1,4 и 1,6 л без усилителя руля (в России подобной модификации с мотором 1,6 л нет) передняя подвеска не имела стабилизатора, а на автомобилях с усилителем он был.
У шасси второго поколения есть вариант без стабилизатора для всех машин с 8-клапанными моторами и версия со стабилизатором, укомплектованная 16-клапанным агрегатом 1,6 л мощностью 110 л.с. (вот-вот появится и в России) или дизелем 1,5 dCi (машины с таким мотором к нам поставлять не планируют).
Модернизация обусловлена в первую очередь желанием максимально унифицировать близкие по характеристикам «логаны» с более коротким и вертким хэтчбеком «Сандеро», производство которого в Москве планируют начать в 2010-м. Вторая задача доработки – снизить металлоемкость и массу автомобиля. Сегодня, когда инженеры борются буквально за каждый грамм, дабы сократить расход топлива и, как следствие, вредные выбросы, несколько сброшенных килограммов – совсем не мелочь, тем более для относительно компактного авто.
Конечно, дело не свелось к отказу от стабилизатора: изменили характеристики передних и задних амортизаторов. На сжатие они жестче на 20%, на отбой – на 60%. Жестче стали и резинометаллические втулки подвески (сайлент-блоки).
Прежде чем сравнивать автомобили первого и второго поколений вживую, послушаем инженеров «Рено». Они признают: машина на нынешнем шасси несколько больше склонна к кренам в поворотах. Но не настолько, чтобы нарушить нормальное сцепление шин с дорогой. А небольшая недостаточная поворачиваемость позволяет тормозить в виражах без плачевных последствий. Строго говоря, такое вождение – ошибка, но нередкая, особенно у начинающих водителей, которых немало среди владельцев недорогих семейных авто.
Тем же, кто намерен обслуживать и ремонтировать «Логан» самостоятельно, важно знать: детали шасси первого и второго поколений невзаимозаменяемы.
ИСПЫТАНИЯ ЧУВСТВ
Первый этап знакомства – на французском полигоне «Обевуа» и прилегающих к нему дорогах общего пользования. Для начала короткие заезды по извилистой трассе и упражнение «лосиный тест» – выезд на левую полосу и возвращение на свою с удержанием автомобиля в заданных коридорах и фиксацией скорости безошибочного выполнения маневра.

«Логан» на шасси первого поколения (со стабилизатором) демонстрирует на переставке сравнительно небольшие крены. Скорость выполнения маневра – 90,2 км/ч.

 

Действительно, автомобиль на шасси второго поколения отличают чуть большие крены. Показалось также, что в скоростных поворотах машина на старом шасси для удержания на траектории требует большего поворота руля. Впрочем, и то и другое заметно лишь в критической для дорог общего пользования ситуации, фактически предаварийной. Но даже в этом случае «логаны» управляются очень неплохо.
На провинциальных дорожках Франции хватает мелких ямок и щелей в асфальте. Они-то и позволили заключить: отличия в комфорте машин с разными подвесками минимальны. Пожалуй, «Логан» на шасси второго поколения чуть пожестче.
Но вернемся к управляемости. Тягаться в «лосином тесте» с испытателями «Рено», имея всего три попытки на машину, бессмысленно. Французские водители утверждают: оба автомобиля прошли испытания с предельной скоростью 69 км/ч. Доверяем, конечно… Но решили проверить дома, в спокойной обстановке. Заодно более плотно займемся экспертной оценкой.
ПО РОДНОЙ СТРАНЕ
Вместо «лосиного теста» мы тестируем автомобили на переставке: смена полосы без возвращения в свой ряд. Нам важны не абсолютные показатели, а сравнение автомобилей разной конструкции.

Машина с подвеской без стабилизатора чуть больше кренится, но удерживать ее в коридоре не сложнее. А скорость даже чуть выше – 90,8 км/ч.

 

Взяв на тест два «логана», мы намеренно не поинтересовались, у какого подвеска со стабилизатором, а у какого новая. Машины отличаются друг от друга цветом, зато у них одинаковые моторы и шины. Итак, попробуем отгадать, что скрывают кузова.
Голубой «Логан» комфортен, удобен, понятен в управлении и очень похож на редакционный, который еще в 2005-м участвовал в тесте «60 часов за рулем». Понравилась отменная плавность хода, благодаря которой незаметны швы, стыки и сколы асфальта. Да и дорожные волны не докучают. Здорово!
По управляемости этот «Логан» тоже выглядит молодцом. Он отнюдь не стремится поразить быстротой и точностью реакций на руление, тем более агрессией, зато берет свое честным и понятным поведением. Автомобиль надежен и даже игрив в виражах. Он отзывчив на руление, скольжения легко прогнозируемы. Отсюда безопасное поведение на переставке, вплоть до достижения предельной скорости выполнения маневра – 90,2 км/ч. Очень недурной показатель для вместительного семейного автомобиля!
Ну а теперь пересядем в черную машину. Она чуть подробнее повторяет профиль дороги, отчетливее передаются на кузов мелкие неровности. Похоже, амортизаторы этого «Логана» настроены по-другому. Машина тоже адекватно, но все же немного спокойнее, рассудительнее реагирует на повороты руля, активнее потряхивает на волнообразных неровностях. Вот таких дорог в коротком французском тесте не было. А на российских волнах с ростом скорости до 100–120 км/ч подвески машины словно приобретают монолитность.
На переставке немного возросли крены кузова, а вместе с ними и углы поворота руля. Но едет этот «Логан» стабильнее, склонность к заносу задней оси при тех же скоростях ниже, чем у голубой машины. Да, автомобиль показался чуть менее ярким и азартным в управлении, однако он надежнее, понятнее, послушнее. Крены кузова не пугающие, взаимопонимание с водителем хорошее. Подтверждением тому скорость на переставке – 90,8 км/ч.
Наверное, вы уже догадались: голубой автомобиль на шасси первого поколения – со стабилизатором, черный – без него.
Итак, управляемость «Логана» на шасси второго поколения как минимум не ухудшилась. Лишь тонкий гурман, доведя дело до нештатной ситуации, поймает нюансы в кренах кузова и углах поворота руля. А рядовой водитель почувствует собранность, отзывчивость, безопасность машины. За это, правда, придется заплатить очень небольшим ухудшением комфорта. Проявится оно, впрочем, на скоростях, превышающих дозволенные на наших дорогах. А ведь любому автомобилю в качестве элементов базовой комплектации необходимы рассудительность и здравый смысл водителя. Тогда ни один лось, как и в нашем тесте, не пострадает.

The weekends Logan goes to his dad, he drinks Milo, often.  I don’t mind buying Milo, I don’t mind making Logan Milo – the problem is, I quite like the taste of it, which means it wouldn’t last very long.

On Sunday while grocery shopping, the little boy spotted the Milo in the shop.  Needles to say, we left our local supermarket with Milo in hand.  From the moment we arrived home,  I was informed I needed to make the Milo like his Aunty K (dad’s girlfriend) – from all ingredients needed to perform such a task to the cup that is needed, pretty time-consuming!  Slight understatement – it was the topic of conversation for the whole afternoon.  After a little bribery I manage to have him eat his supper, bath and do the odd household chore – IN order for me to be able to make the Milo. 

Then I topped the if off by making the best Milo he has ever tasted – marshmallow on top, with an extra sprinkle of Milo powder!

[photo credit]

Dacia va participa la circuitele pe gheaţă din cadrul Trofeului Andros, ediţia 2009-2010, la categoria Silhouette. Fiabilitatea vehiculelor va fi pusă la grea încercare, iar Dacia va avea ocazia să demonstreze că robusteţea este înscrisă în genele sale de marcă. Regulamentul concursului nu permite echiparea vehiculelor din competiţie cu elemente de tehnologie foarte sofisticate sau costisitoare. Astfel, conform regulamentului de concurs, care impune utilizarea un anumit tip de şasiu, de cutii de viteze şi de pneuri, concurenţii vor apela la soluţii simple şi ingenioase, două trăsături care definesc spiritul Dacia…(mai mult)

Várias vezes flagrado na Europa, o Dacia Duster enfim foi apresentado no Velho Continente. O modelo teve suas linhas definitivas reveladas em um veículo preparado para competições. A versão será pilotada por Alain Prost no Trophee Andros, um campeonato disputado em pistas com neve. A plataforma é a mesma do Logan e, ao que tudo indica, será a base para um modelo semelhante a ser produzido no Brasil.

O Duster definitivo é praticamente igual ao que por muitas vezes foi visto sem camuflagens. A carroceria do modelo preparado, no entanto, é de fibra de vidro, montada sobre um chassis tubular. O motor é o Renault-Nissan 3.0 V6 de 350 cv (7.500 rpm). Seu torque é de 36,7 kgfm (5.500 rpm). A tração entrega a força às quatro rodas, com o câmbio sequencial de seis velocidades.

A versão comercial do Duster chega à Europa no ano que vem, com opção de tração nas quatro rodas. O mesmo deve ocorrer no Brasil a partir do final de 2010. Ele chega para enfrentar, principalmente, o Ford EcoSport.

GALERIA

Dacă vă imaginaţi că se poate pune fizic un motor V8 sau V10 pe o Dacia Logan, atunci aţi greşit clasa, nu avem lecţii despre alchimie. Dar vă putem spune cum se poate face Logan-ul să murmure ca un supercar, aducându-şi şoferul în pragul extazului. Este o metodă foarte simplă, gadgetul din imaginea din dreapta se inserează în locaşul brichetei şi în rest face toate treaba. De fapt “minunea” este un modulator FM, care emite către aparatul radio sunetul unui motor V8 sau V10, la alegere.

Cei care au produs acest gadget spun însă că are un modul de detectare a turaţiilor şi că va “cânta” doar după cum îi dictează pedala de acceleraţie. Dacă merge însă pentru acest VW Polo, evidenţiat în clipul ataşat, atunci cu siguranţă merge şi pe un Logan 1.6 16v. Iar partea cu adevărat senzaţională este că această invenţie costă doar 39.99$. Probabil cel care o va aduce în Vitan va da lovitura anului!

sursa: www.promotor.ro

Google Image search for Weekend brings up this.

I remember way back when I was in college how glorious Saturdays seemed. They were the day after Friday, which was an awesome day in and of itself because it meant that tomorrow was Saturday, which meant there was nothing to do but sleep in and eat and nap and watch TV and eat some more. (Unless it was the spring, when we had games every weekend, or the fall, when we had practice every weekend.)

Well, here’s basically what my day’s been like today.

(Be warned, it’s boring, so don’t read it.)

This Saturday technically started yesterday, when Dan, the excellent sports editor for the Wilmington Star-News, called and emailed asking if I could cover something today. I didn’t really want to, but then, I’d bailed out of covering a UNCW soccer game Friday night, which cost me some cash, and in all good economic sense I couldn’t turn down two assignments on one weekend. Plus this one paid extra because I got to take the picture to run with the story, too.

The Saturday started fairly normal. We slept until 11, which was awesome. And really, really lazy, but it was still awesome. Then I woke up and transcribed part of an interview I really shouldn’t have spent so much time transcribing. I won’t tell you what story it was for, but it was one of the more boring interviews I can recall ever having done.

I did that for 20 minutes or so, then I got hungry so I woke Katie up and we ordered Andy’s. It probably wasn’t really in that order, but I’m hungry now, too, so I’m starting to rush through this so I can go eat leftover Andy’s.

On the way to and from Andy’s I got to talk to best friend Brandon, with whom I haven’t talked in too long. Then Katie called and needed brownie mix from the grocery store, so I stopped to pick that up. No, wait, that’s not right. That’s not until later.

Anyway, I got home and we ate our Andy’s — I had the Andy’s cheeseburger, she the chicken philly or whatever it’s called and however it’s spelled, plus fries and Mountain Dews for both of us — while watching Family Guy.

I swear, every time I watch that show I lose brain cells, and every time, I wonder why in the world I put myself through that.

Anyway, then I called this guy who wanted to buy that surfboard I blogged about a couple weeks ago. I lost some money on it but it’s finally out of the house, which automatically made this day a 9. On the way home, Katie called, needing brownie mix for her small group dinner thing tonight.

Then I got home and showered because I had to go cover this thing, which would actually be kinda cool. It was an autograph session for the Willie Stargell Foundation charity golf tournament. There were about two dozen celebrities there and I recognized like, half of them. The story will be in Sunday’s StarNews.

I was at that thing for about an hour and a half, interviewing people and taking pictures. I met some characters, there, let me tell you. It was very saddening, seeing guys walk through there with backpacks stuffed with memorabilia and no wedding rings on their fingers. Good thing there were a bunch of kids there too. I remember meeting BJ Surhoff at a thing once. I don’t remember what the thing was or how old I was, but I was young enough to be completely wowed by the guy and I didn’t even know quite who he was, except that he was sometimes a catcher and sometimes an outfielder and I really liked playing catcher in our backyard baseball games. Thus, I made him my hero for an hour.

I saw that look on plenty of those kids, that lo

Gator Rivers. A long time ago.

ok that I must have had. They’re frozen, getting hit in the face by no-look passes from “Gator” Rivers, a former Harlem Globetrotter. It was great.

Anyway, then I came home around 4, but on the way Katie calls again, needing eggs to make the brownies. She thought she was being a horrible wife but I just thought she was being cute and whatnot, especially how she kept promising to make it up to me. I didn’t argue with that.

Thus far the day’s about an 8, knocked down a notch by the knowledge that I’m going to spend the next hour or two figuring out how to make the guys with the backpacks and the celebrities and the kids all mesh into one interesting story.

Then I get home and give Katie the eggs, then spend the next couple of hours — give or take a few minutes here or there for various reasons ! — languishing over this story. I think that anguish came in part because of the recent comments I’ve been getting on the blog by people informing me of how bad I am at writing about proving God’s existence based on writing about demons or something like that. Which is weird because that’s not what I was really after, anyway, but I let things get under my skin sometimes that I shouldn’t.

Man this post is getting long.

OK, so eventually I’m like, dude, it’s a recap of an autograph session, not an epic story that will ring through the ages. An autograph session, with ringless guys developing scoliosis because of their camping sized backpacks filled with baseball cards and pictures. (OK, that’s a slight exaggeration….it was just a normal backpack filled with cards and pictures. And bats.)

So I crank it out, read over it, send it along, then edit a couple pictures I took and send those along too. Mostly of Gator Rivers playing with the kids since he was the only guy there who actually moved around. Cool guy.

Then I finished transcribing the long, boring interview. Somewhere during that time Katie left. I don’t really remember when.

Then I finished the interview and came here to blog about my day instead of studying more for the GRE, because I am a loser. Although now I need to go do that studying thing. And some pushups. Kramer — my older younger brother — was punching me last night while we were at Logan’s — the younger younger brother — first game with Greenfield. Kramer called me flabby. I am getting flabby.

Hence, I’m off to do pushups.

Co-Branding, as defined by Philip Kotler, is “Two or more well-known brands combined in an offer”. Co-Branding refers to a situation where a product or service offering holds the brand names of both the participants to influence brand preference and incentivise purchase of the product or service in concern by delivering a perception of the existence of the brand values of both the brands involved to the consumer of the product or service. This essentially tries to incorporate the advantages or brand associations of both the brands involved into one product or service offering.

Co-Branding carries a strong list of advantages, partly relating to brand associations and values, and partly with the product or service offering itself. The former is done to enhance customer experience and influence behaviour, the latter is done to incorporate usage of technology or brand attributes like design, aesthetics et al in the product or service in order to offer an enhanced or augmented product or service. New product launches often depend on Co-Branding for establishing market position by having customer identify new brands and their offerings through an already existing brand. This can often be combined with Synergies offered by particular brands. An example of this would be, although in its nascent stage, the Mahindra-Renault partnership where Mahindra’s expertise in the Indian market was used to develop distribution and service channels, and Renault’s product portfolio is used to produce and design cars. Mahindra benefits through Renault’s expertise in producing sedans and hatchbacks for their future portfolios, and Renault benefits in saving huge dealer development costs and having its current mid-size offering, the Logan, being identified as a cheap to run, frugal and reliable automobile, all values housed by Mahindra brands such as the Scorpio and the Bolero. Image re-enforcement has become another common trend in the marketplace where two complementary brands come together and market their offerings together. A very apt example of this would be Jack Daniel’s and Coca-Cola, or as they call it, ‘Jack & Coke’. When this campaign was carried out in pubs and bars across the United States, Jack Daniel’s was perceived more as a rugged brand or rednecks, and coke has a wider appeal to the youth. The middle ground was the newly legal adults who had experienced Coke for decades, but hadn’t experienced Jack Daniel’s whiskey. This Co-Branding exercise was carried out to appeal to the market in between the typical Coke and Jack Daniel’s markets, i.e., 21 to 35 year olds. It became such a success that Jack & Coke has become a favourite amongst not only the targeted segments of the market, but also with older, more mature audiences. In a nutshell, Co-Branding essentially has to take into consideration the brand partnership that the customer perceives (purpose, advantages), the common values the brands and its customers share and what the co-branding offering means to the target audiences.

Brand Loyalty, when it comes to Co-Branding, is a tricky business. When a service or product offering is similar to the brand value or image offered by the Co-Branded offering, success is often witnessed. An example of this would be the limited edition Tonino Lamborghini Espresso Machine. Only 1000 units were produced, priced at about $1750. Since the offering appealed directly to the Lamborghini target market, it was sold-out within a matter of days. The buyers were not just Lamborghini car owners, they were also people who admired the Lamborghini brand and couldn’t own the car, so the association created with the espresso machine goes a long way in delivering customer delight, even without owning a Lamborghini is truly astounding. However, this can be often fatal to the image of brands as well. The formerly GM owned SUV cult brand Hummer had launched a mobile phone with a company named ‘Fly’. The product was, for lack of a better phrase, inadequate. Where the Hummer brand stood for rugged looks and go-anywhere attitude, the Fly Hummer phone stood for neither. The phone was perceived by the market as flimsy and basic, whereas the Hummer brand stood for all else. The Co-Branding was a failure where even Hummer car owners were also turned off by the entire exercise.

Famous examples of fairly successful Co-Branding include ICICI and Hindustan Petroleum Credit Cards, Lease-Plan and Mondial assistance, Intel with major computer manufacturers like Hewellet-Packard, Dell etc., Acer-Ferrari Laptops, Asus-Lamborghini Laptops, Puma-Ferrari merchandise, Fiat-Mattel Barbie Fiat 500, TataSky digital Dish TV, The Global Fund (Red) with various brands like Apple, American Express, Dell, Starbucks, Hallmark, Converse etc., Jack Daniel’s and TGI Friday’s with multiple Jack Daniel dishes, and the list goes on and on. However, failures have included British Telecom and AT&T, Mahindra-Renault, Braun-Gillette Body Shavers, Fly Hummer Mobile Phones, and many more.

Co-Branding, hence, is a double edged sword, with each side being sharp enough to cut through titanium. Organisations have to be very careful while co-branding and aiming for success simply because of the fact that a wrong move can result in stupendous disasters that may plague the brands involved for a long period of time where the organisation may end up spending millions to revive the brand.