Ci sono storie, addirittura saghe, che nell’immenso universo fumettistico rischiano di andare perse.
Ultimamente, in casa Marvel, alcune delle storie migliori riguardano gli Inumani.
Nonostante la qualità superiore di queste storie, gli Inumani vengono considerati personaggi di serie B e quindi poco pubblicizzati. Fidatevi se dico che negli ultimi anni valgono molto più di Spiderman o IronMan.

Parliamo del loro tie-in di Secret Invasion.

Lo scrittore Joe Pokaski viene da Hollywood, dove ha scritto le sceneggiature per Heroes; ed è già passato su Ultimate Fantastic Four .

In questa miniserie lancia dei massi nello stagno del cosmo Marvel lasciandoli, però, irrisolti:

• Crystal dovrà sposare, contro volere,  Ronan L’Accusatore, ora re dei Kree;
• Come andrà a finire l’alleanza con i kree, suggellata con questo matrimonio?
• Da ora Freccia Nera e Maximus governeranno insieme Attilan. Viene rivalutato Maximus, il pazzo fratello di Freccia Nera. Le sue paranoie su una minaccia esterna erano vere. (Merita, quindi, una rilettura anche la serie Silent War dove la riabilitazione di Maximus ha inizio).

Tutto ciò, evidentemente, non finisce qui; ma è destinato a sfociare a breve, nel crossover galattico War of Kings.

Ottimi i disegni di Tom Raney. Anche se non innovativi danno un impatto grafico più che adeguato

Il personaggio migliore in questa serie è Medusa. Regina tutta d’un pezzo, risoluta quasi monolitica e poco incline a rivelare i suoi piani. E’ in guerra ed è sola e si vede.

Francamente evitabile il passaggio in cui lo scienziato skrull rivela a Freccia Nera che sua moglie è stata a letto con una copia del marito.

Un po’ stucchevole e degno del pathos a stelle e strisce il continuo richiamo degli  Inumani ad essere un’unica grande famiglia, dove il singolo mette da parte le proprie questioni personali e si pone al servizio per contrastare l’invasione.

We made the best of the gorgeous weather on Sunday by taking a trip to “Sparky’s Park” with Huck, Erin, and Max. Sparky’s Park is actually my Uncle Bill’s place outside of Big Springs. He’s made many trails through his acres. Perfecto for some 4-wheelin’ fun!!

Here’s Sparky and Isabella…

Here we goooooooooooo……….

Then you KNOW the boys had to head out alone (with helmets) for their fun.

While the boys loaded up the 4-wheeler’s Isabella got in her bye-bye kisses to Grandma Rose and Grandma D.

We had SO much fun.  Thank you Uncle Bill!!

On March 18-20 The Histronic Presents the first annual RIOT OF SPRING FESTIVAL at the beautiful Lutsen Ski Resort in Minnesota.  The 3 day festival will feature jam-tronica acts including Minneapolis’ own Histronic, DJ Mike Moilanen, Steez, Sovereign Sect, Apollo Cobra, and Friends Of Friends.

Maximus will be providing live video projection (VJ MAXIMUS) all three nights.

Tickets will be for sale at the venue, at a price TBA.  This festival will be 18+.

More info to be released soon!  visit www.thehistronic.com for more info.  Maximus will also be launching the RIOT OF SPRING website by December 1st… stay tuned…

What we do in life will echo through eternity. – Maximus

For me, at leat today, that would be a booming D.N.F.

Blech!

The courses at St. Mary’s are always challenging for me. For some reason, I can’t carry speed across the rough terrain. And the course today, despite being a really fun, fast layout, was bone-jarring rough. During warm ups, I played with tire pressure and was able to find a happy medium: smoothed out the bumps a bit without bobbing up the pave hill. I also had a little fun and aired it out over the little hump after the fast downhill. wOOt! wOOt!.

After riding the course a few times, I watched a few laps of the Open race and then set out to warm up. Everything seeemd fine–plenty of zip during sprints and no complaints from the engine room during tempo efforts. I thought I was in for a good race. But…whistle. bang. pop.

I’m not sure what happened today other than I didn’t have any fight in me and a serious headache set in during the second lap. I tried to ride though it, but, as Chris said to me as I walked through the second barrier setrt on the fourth lap,” Sometimes you just gotta say f* it!” And I did. I rode the rest of the lap, and as I cross the line, I notified the officials that I was out. I rolled straight to the car, changed clothes and drove home.

The headache persists…

Gladiator (2000)

La sfârşitul unei campanii care a durat 12 ani, împăratul Romei, Marcus Aurelius, ajuns la vârsta senectuţii, vrea să lase conducerea imperiului generalului Maximus, un om recunoscut de soldaţi pentru meritele sale. Fiul împăratului, Commodus, furios pentru că nu este el cel ales să conducă imperiul, îşi ucide tatăl şi ordonă omorârea lui Maximus. Maximus reuşeşte să fugă, dar este capturat şi apoi vândut ca sclav. În scurt timp ajunge gladiator şi se întoarce la Roma pentru a se razbuna pe Commodus care îi omorâse soţia şi copilul. El trebuie să lupte în arena Colosseum-ului, unde se remarcă şi obţine simpatia poporului. Lupta finală este chiar cu Commodus, sub privirile a zeci de mii de oameni.

Ridley Scott este un regizor de excepţie iar interpretarea lui Russel Crowe este magnifică.

„Gladiator”-un film care nu trebuie să lipsească din colecţie.

Did you sign up for the 5k walk on Saturday? It will drizzle and we might be a little cool- but think of it as refreshing!

I will be there with my awesome coworkers and their children – walking, showing our support in the quest to end homelessness, and mingling with fantastic folks just like YOU! To find me: text me at 6267558015.

Donate to our team fund or join our team: tiny.cc.maximushomewalk !

Russell as Maximus in Gladiator is featured on one of the ten different “Icons of the Decade” covers of Empire Magazine.  The other covers featured are:

Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn in “Lord of the Rings”
Daniel Craig as James Bond
Matt Damon as Jason Bourne
Uma Thurman from “Kill Bill Vols 1 & 2″
Heath Ledger as the Joker from “The Dark Knight”
Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter
Simon Pegg from “Shaun of the Dead”
Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow
Hugh Jackman as Wolverine

Os Aspectos cobrem uma vasta gama de elementos e devem traçar um quadro claro sobre quem o personagem é, ao quê ele está ligado, e o quê é importante para ele. Por contraste, os Atributos traçam um quadro parecido, mas no que diz respeito ao que o personagem pode fazer. Assim, Aspectos podem ser relacionamentos, crenças, frases características, descrições, termos, ítens ou praticamente qualquer coisa que expresse de forma criativa um personagem.

Cenas também podem ter Aspectos, que são as expressões usadas para compor o ambiente, como “Ambiente Escuro”, ou “Grande Multidão”. Jogadores astutos podem usar estes “aspectos” ao seu favor, ou até mesmo contra seus adversários.

A cada Etapa da criação de um personagem, o jogador precisa escolher um Aspecto (campanhas mais heróicas podem permitir 2 Aspectso por Etapa). Estas características podem ser usadas durante o jogo de 3 maneiras: Ativando, Marcando ou Compelindo. Desde que o teor de um Aspecto seja de alguma forma relevante para a ação em questão, ele poderá ser trazido à tona e afetar direta ou indiretamente as estratégias do jogador.

Ativar um Aspecto confere uma vantagem no teste, mas custa 1 Ponto de Carma. Neste contexto, o Aspecto torna o personagem melhor no que quer que ele estiver fazendo. Esta vantagem pode assumir 3 formas: (1) refazer o teste, (2) adicionar +2 ao NA, ou (3) obter algum benefício não-relacionado com testes ou o uso de Atributos, como por exemplo, quando um jogador ativa seu Aspecto “Organização Secreta” para declarar que seu grupo possui uma capela naquela cidade. Pode-se ativar mais de um Aspecto para um mesmo teste, mas nunca um mesmo Aspecto poderá ser ativado mais de uma vez num mesmo teste ou ação. Relançar os dados pode ser traiçoeiro, já que o resultado pode acabar piorando a situação, mas quando a quantidade de dados jogados é alta, um relançamento pode ser uma boa opção pedida.

Marcar se refere ao ato de ativar um Aspecto que não seja seu, o que poderia ser Aspectos de uma cena e até mesmo Aspectos de outros personagens. Em termos de jogo, Marcar funciona exatamente como Ativar (gaste Carma e decida se vai usar o bônus de +2 ou relançar os dados). Às vezes, será possível ganhar Aspectos temporários como resultado de ações muito bem (ou muito mal) feitas, mas estes Aspectos estão limitados a serem usados apenas imediatamente após terem sido manifestados. Há 3 tipos de Marcação: Marcar Aspecto de Cena (que pode ser feito por qualquer personagem como se estivesse em sua própria ficha e estivesse sendo Ativado), Marcar Aspecto de Outro ‘Para Bônus’ (poderia ser tanto uma Aspecto positivo de uma aliado, quanto um Aspecto negativo de um rival), ou Marcar Aspecto de Outro ‘Para Efeito’ (basicamente, pagar ao Narrador para forçar um efeito de Compelir em um alvo).

E por falar nisso, Compelir permite a um jogador recuperar Pontos de Carma, ao trazer complicações e circunstâncias problemáticas para a vida de seu personagem. É sempre o Narrador quem Compele; quando ele o faz, ele está indicando que um personagem está numa posição em que um Aspecto em específico pode lhe criar problemas. Contudo, os jogadores também podem induzir o Narrador a Compelir Aspectos de outros personagens (via Marcação). O alvo cujo Aspecto está sendo Compelido geralmente tem a opção de gastar 1 Ponto de Carma e ignorar o tal Aspecto, ou aceitar as consequências e limitações em suas escolhas e ganhar 1 Ponto de Carma. Quando o alvo aceita este Ponto de Carma, o Aspecto se torna oficialmente Compelido. Dentre as maneiras em que um Aspecto pode complicar a vida de um personagem, temos: limitar ações e escolhas; ditar um tipo de ação; complicar uma situação (ao invés de diretamente as escolhas do personagem); sugerir que certas consequências são inevitáveis; adicionar complicações nos “bastidores” (como usar algo importante para o personagem como combustível para a trama). 

Quanto a própria elaboração dos Aspectos, as dicas são as seguintes:

• seja interessante
• seja evocativo; transmita uma imagem rica; use comparativos se preciso
• seja claro sobre o que o Aspecto cobre; não seja abrangente ou vago demais
• descreva algo que também possa ser usado contra você (é a única maneira de recuperar Carma)

Ou seja, escrever “Forte” é desinteressante e pouco evocativo, enquanto “Forte Como Um Touro” já é um pouco melhor, e “Montanha de Músculos Ambulante” ainda melhor.

Esse é o projeto atual, aquele que vem me tirando o sono, de tantas idéias fervilhantes, pelo menos por enquanto…

Eu venho lendo muitas coisas diferentes (pra variar), sobre diversos estilos e abordagens, e “old schools” e “retro clones”, e uma nova tendência saltou aos meus olhos: o reaproveitamento de uma idéia bacana num dado sistema sob uma configuração diferente. A bola da vez são os Aspectos, oriundos do FATE (que por sua vez é uma releitura do Fudge). Pois bem, tenho andado nesta fase meio revolucionária, buscando mesmo representações mais conceituais para personagens, ao mesmo tempo mantendo o pézinho no tradicional.

Eis que resolvi fazer uma experiência com dois sistemas que curto bastante: GURPS e FATE. Aparentemente incompatíveis, pois um é totalmente simulacionista, sendo famoso por ter as regras mais exóticas possíveis (regras pra cavar buraco??!), enquanto o outro é quase que totalmente coneitual, abstrato. Pois bem, peguei uma fatia que curto muito no GURPS, outra fatia do FATE, adicionei meus pitacos, e cheguei a este monstrinho simples que começo a apresentar agora.

Com vocês, o Maximus.

COMO AS COISAS FUNCIONAM?

Que bom que perguntou. As diretrizes básicas do sistema são:

• role 3D6 e some seus resultados
• compare o total com o NA (número-alvo), que será sempre 10 + Atributo (+Aspectos)
• caso o total seja menor ou igual ao NA, Sucesso
• caso o total seja maior que o NA, é uma Falha, e um resultado acima de 16 (17+) é sempre uma Falha
• um resultado com 10 pontos de margem é considerado Excepcional, seja Sucesso ou Falha

Simples, não? Há alguns complicadores, mas estes serão intoduzidos no devido tempo. Por hora, saiba que nem sempre os jogadores lançarão 3D. Embora esta seja a pilha de dados mais frequente, digamos até “padrão”, a quantidade de dados lançadas estará sempre ligada ao grau de Dificuldade da ação. Logo, o jogador poderá estar jogando entre 1D (tarefas mais rotineiras) e 6D (tarefas mais críticas).

COMO COMPOR UM PERSONAGEM?

Há 4 coisas importantes sobre qualquer personagem:

• seus Aspectos: são declarações curtas e evocativas que descrevem um lado bem pessoal do personagem, de modo guiar certas escolhas do personagem, e que dependendo da situação podem ser vantajosas ou desvantajosas.
• seus Atributos: são áreas de atuação nas quais a performance do personagem é medida pela sua experiência e afinidade, geralmente representando talentos inatos e perícias aprendidas.
• suas Façanhas: são circuntâncias especiais, coisas que o personagem pode fazer e que driblam as regras normais.
• seus Condicionamentos: são os indicadores de quão fadigado um personagem está fisica e mentalmente.

Os 3 primeiros elementos são diretamente definidos pelos jogadores, ao distribuírem graduações e elaborando alguns termos que ajudam a definir um personagem. O último elemento, Condicionamentos, dependem diretamente dos Aspectos e Atributos do personagem.

Há algumas Etapas na elaboração dos personagens, que funcionam simultaneamente como o histórico do personagem até o ponto inicial da crônica, sua personalidade e a origem de todos os seus Aspectos. Idealmente, um personagem precisa de 5 Etapas, mas o que cada Etapa representa fica por conta do grupo. Etapas devem definir algum fator essencial aos personagens, e você poderia utilizar as fases da vida (criação, adolescência, carreira, evento marcante e gatilho pro momento atual) como enbasamento. Eu prefiro estabelecer algumas categorias e os jogadores decidem quais quer priorizar. 

O importante é que cada Etapa confere um Aspecto ligado a ela. As opções para Etapas são: Origem, Ocupação, Pessoas, Posses, Objetivos, Crenças e Ambições. Origem representa heranças culturais ou raciais. Então, se seu personagem não é humano, seu Aspecto deve expressar isso. Caso a ambientação não envolva não-humanos, assuma uma herança cultural ou nacionalidade que represente algo marcante em sua família ou infância. Ocupação mostra o ramo de atividade do personagem, seu estilo de vida, e também sua fonte de renda. Pessoas são aliados, mentores, parentes ou qualquer outra pessoa relevante na vida do personagem. Posses são artigos e equipamentos que praticamente definem quem o personagem é. Objetivos representam as metas de um personagem, sua força condutora, enquanto Crenças podem expressar um ponto de vista marcante, e Ambições sejam planos mais paupáveis.  

Escolha 5 categorias e as descreva. Desta descrição, escolha uma passagem para adotar como Aspecto.

O próximo passo é estipular no que o personagem é bom em fazer. Analise a lista de Atributos sugerida, e selecione:

• 5 Atributos para conferir grau +1
• 4 Atributos para conferir grau +2
• 3 Atributos para conferir grau +3
• 2 Atributos para conferir grau +4
• 1 Atributos para conferir grau +5
• Alternativamente, distribua 35 pontos entre os Atributos, sendo que cada +1 custa 1 ponto.
• Este será o modificador somado ao NA 10 para testes.

O último passo é elaborar as Façanhas do personagem, que representam manobras e técnicas especiais, ou algum outro tipo de aperfeiçoamento sobre a utilização de um Atributo.

No próximo post, uma apresentação para os Atributos.

Here is my personal list, one at a time, of the top ten movie characters ever. However, feel free to agree or offer better choices and argument. SPOILER CAUTION! The content below may give away some of the plot of the film(s) concerned.

<<< No.4 – Juror #8 ————————————————- No.2 – Indiana Jones >>>

#3 – MAXIMUS DECIMUS MERIDIUS

“My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next. “

“What we do in life echoes in eternity … At my signal, unleash hell.”

‘The general who became a slave. The slave who became a gladiator. The gladiator who defied an emperor.’

A warrior, a leader and a man of honour, Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe) is the hero of Ridley Scott’s 2000 film Gladiator. A very successful General in the Roman Army and loyal servant and friend to the ageing emperor, Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris), Maximus has his world destroyed when Aurelius is murdered by his own son, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) who is upset that his father has chosen Maximus rather than he to succeed him. When Maximus refuses to pledge allegiance to Commodus, he is ordered to be executed along with his wife and child.

He manages to escape, but not in time to save his family. Having lost everything, dehydrated and suffering from has an untreated wound to the arm, he passes out and is captured and sold as a slave to Proximo (Oliver Reed) to fight for his life as a gladiator. He has suffered as much as any man and so no longer values his life and refuses to partake in the gladiator training.

All this changes when he enters the gladiator arena. Fighting allows him to unleash the anger inside but also gains the respect of his fellow gladiators and his boss and former gladiator himself, Proximo. He does not disclose who he is, just known as ‘the Spaniard’, but his leadership abilities cannot help but come to the fore. To win favour with the mob in Rome, the new emperor Commodus puts on gladiator shows and Proximo and his slaves are invited to participate.

“Listen to me. Learn from me. I was not the best because I killed quickly. I was the best because the crowd loved me. Win the crowd and you will win your freedom”, Proximo

He also knows that if he is a champion gladiator he may get the chance to come face to face with Commodus which may offer a chance for revenge, but he also knows if someone recognises him before then he may be killed.

Maximus’s own struggle is at time when many fear for the future of Rome under Commodus’s leadership. At the beginning of the film Marcus Aurelius tells Maximus of his vision for Rome, to be a republic again ruled by the senate, and that he wants Maximus to take over from him to see that it happens. Marcus believes that Maximus will be able to save Rome and restore it to its former glory.

Marcus Aurelius: Won’t you accept this great honour that I have offered you?
Maximus: With all my heart, no.
Marcus Aurelius: Maximus, that is why it must be you.

Maximus does not think he is the right man for the job as he not a politician and misses his family, but that is exactly why Marcus thinks he is perfect for the job.

Marcus Aurelius: When was the last time you were home?
Maximus: Two years, two hundred and sixty-four days and this morning.

Although Maximus wants to go home desperately, he knows Marcus would not ask and push him to do this if he did not think it was very important and so he reluctantly agrees. When Commodus hears from his father of this news he is distraught and suffocates him, claiming he died during his sleep. Maximus can see what has happened and wants nothing to do with Commodus and as a result his family is murdered.

As the gladiator games begin, Maximus shows, using his abilities as a General, how if the other gladiators work with him when fighting in the coliseum, they have a much better chance of surviving. Wearing a mask that disguises his identity, he demonstrates this is to be true in their first fight and the other gladiators begin to believe in him. The reputation of ‘the Spaniard’ grows and Commodus wants to meet him in the arena. Although surrounded by guards, Maximus sees this as an opportunity to get revenge. Unfortunately, Commodus’s young nephew, Lucius (the son of former flame Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), Commodus’s sister) joins him and so he cannot risk the move.

Commodus praises his skill in the arena and asks his name. He replies “My name is Gladiator” and he turns his back on the emperor, who is outraged, and is forced to reveal himself. Commodus is aghast and has the opportunity to kill or save him, showing his mercy by raising his thumb up or lowering it to condemn him. The whole coliseum is chanting to save Maximus and Commodus is forced to do as they wish to keep them on side. This event sets the politicking of Rome into overdrive, with republicans seeing an opportunity to replace Commodus.

“Today I saw a slave become more powerful than the Emperor of Rome.” Lucilla

Lucilla plots with Gracchus (Derek Jacobi) to free Maximus and help overthrow Commodus who is trying to find a way to kill Maximus without making a martyr of him. The plot fails and Maximus is captured and to try and re-establish his position Commodus sets up a fight with him in the coliseum. They meet before just entering the arena.

Maximus: I knew a man once who said, “Death smiles at us all. All a man can do is smile back.”
Commodus: I wonder, did your friend smile at his own death?
Maximus: You must know. He was your father.
Commodus: You loved my father, I know. But so did I. That makes us brothers, doesn’t it? Smile for me now, brother.
[Commodus stabs Maximus]

Despite being mortally wounded and barely conscious, Maximus kills Commodus before collapsing on the ground and giving his final order. He can now join his family.

“Quintus! Release my men. Senator Gracchus is to be reinstated. There was a dream that was Rome. It shall be realized. These are the wishes of Marcus Aurelius.”

Maximus fully deserves his place here in my top ten as a courageous man full of honour and virtue. Every man walks a little taller after seeing the film. We all want to be as tough as Maximus.

<<< No.4 – Juror #8 ————————————————- No.2 – Indiana Jones >>>

This quote, from the movie Gladiator, is from a son to a father but for a long time, I identified with it and could have said it my wife. Things are actually getting much better and we’ve had a great few days. I named my son Maximus after the main character in this film.

“I searched the faces of the gods … for ways to please you, to make you proud. One kind word, one full hug… where you pressed me to your chest and held me tight would have been like the sun on my heart for a thousand years. What is it in me that you hate so much? …  I would butcher the whole world … if you would only love me!”

For the past five days, I’ve done something that I haven’t done since high school — was up by 7am — to make sure that the darn doggies go potty.

This dogsitting gig was more of a favor for a neighbor whose dogs are Maximus’ playmates.  It was okay mostly because I knew Maximus was having a blast and I got the run of her house by the lake.

The dogs though were purebred cocker spaniels and well, although they weren’t much trouble, they didn’t grow on me.  For one thing, they were voracious eaters.  As in they would eat anything that seemed edible.  I didn’t like that.  It’s not like they weren’t being fed or anything but they had the typical obesity vice of starving themselves during proper meals and then gorging on the snacks.

My dog  gets fed more per meal but he’s in pretty good shape.  Then again, maybe it’s because we take long walks and he gets his exercise.

Speaking of walking, it was a hoot trying, to walk three dogs at the same time.  Mx was great because he knew how to walk properly.  No tugging on the leash, and he’d be by my side or would fall back when the other two dogs plowed ahead. 

Yes, PLOWED.  Like carabaos (water oxen).  They tugged on the leash and just  bombarded their way around with no sense of direction.  So, yes, on more than one occasion, I had cause to refer to them as stupid cows out of annoyance.   I have very little patience for dogs who have behavior issues and lack intelligence or a spring in their step.  There’s got to be more than just the cute factor, ya know. 

But really, look at Mx — when it was their feeding time, he had the good sense not to swoop in on their food while they were eating.  They were like vultures hounding a carcass whenever food was around. 

Their  owner was nice but oddly enough, whenever I try to picture her, I see Mrs. McKlusky of Desperate Housewives in my head.  So if both of them were in a line-up, I’d have one helluva time picking either of them out.

Anyway, the whole 7am thing threw me for a  loop and I just feel icky about it.  No, I just simply don’t do mornings.  Sigh.

On another front, i think I know how it  feels to be with someone.  I’m excited and I can feel that I’m ready.  Like two peas in a pod.  Like the other half of you staring at you in the face.  Being on the same wavelength and knowing that someone else has got your back.

Sweet.

I hope he’s looking forward to me too.

I just uploaded to my server some photos of Maximus users test, the users test toke place in Darmstadt at Fraunhofer IGD.

Photo Gallery

In the tests we receive good feedback regarding the use of the multi-toutch and the sequeezy-ball I’ll try to resume the feedback and present it here.

Some photos:

Apparently, my dog is eating better than I am.  He gets top of the line, all natural, holistic dog food (a.k.a. Blue Buffalo with lifesource bits) which costs double than your run off the mill dog food.

No fillers, no gluten, no wheat, no soy and the results are visible too.  For one thing, his poo is dense and small and easier to pick up. 

Actually, I had been rethinking of switching him back to substandard dog food which was less pricier but it was the poop-argument that had me sold, LOL.

Well, Blue’s got a halloween pet costume contest going on and at stake is one year’s supply of Blue Buffalo dog food.  Woohoo!!!  I didn’t waste any more time and got my pooch all geared up in his giraffe costume for an impromptu photo shoot. 

He looked pretty cute, the fattest giraffe I’ve seen so far but he behaved while posing with his stuffed posse – ”Rabbit” and “Elephant”.

Sure hope he wins!  If this were a voting thing, I’d rally up my 400 plus Facebook friends to vote, LOL.  

Dang.  Maximus needs this win.  REALLY.

Due to a malfunction in the Doghouse of Justice, I have found myself in ancient Rome, unwitting thrust into the role of gladiator. Now I must entertain the crowd and stay alive long enough to escape and return to the present time, while, in the meantime, I instigate a slave revolt.  In other words, it’s just another typical day in the office.

As the bloody gladiatorial combat rages, I attempt to bring these crazed humans to their senses. Why should we fight and hack and pinch each other, when there are so many other ways we could entertain the crowd instead? Why should we pander to the debased nature of the spectators, instead of trying to uplift them?

To my surprise, the leader of the gladiators hears my words, and considers them! Could I be changing the barbaric course of ancient Rome? And if so, what will it mean to the present that I knew?

Unfortunately, the crowd will not be denied its bloodsport.

And then, the crowd falls silent, as the Emperor himself comes out into the arena to challenge us:

It seems that my efforts to counteract the barbarity of the ring has brought down the ire of the most powerful man in the world upon us. I can only imagine what punishment now awaits! But I will endure it somehow, because I am Dennis the Vizsla, and I never give up!

New image in the fish head photoshop contest

Russell Crowe was lucky he never ran into this bad boy! …
Coddius Maximus photoshop picture

New image in the helmets 3D contest

A tribute to the Mark Anthony helmet entry by ***

I wanted to make something looking like the helmet/mask in the movie Gladiator, (Ridley Scott …
Maximus Decimus Helmet 3D picture

VII. EIGHT RULES TO USE IN MEETING THE CHALLENGE OF CHANGING TIMES A. EIGHT RULES

1. Don’t try to solve everything by yourself; even superheroes have sidekicks.

As Michael Jordan observed, “There is no “I” in team but there is in win” So “we” should find the best practical solution to “our” challenge.

The Boston Consulting Group stated this proposition this way: “You re not alone as a leader. As much as possible, bring in your broader leadership group to understand the challenges, participate in the planning, and cascade changes throughout the organization. There is power in numbers. The members of a broader team will provide complementary skills and multiply the manpower and brainpower available to tackle critical issues.”

2. Remember, everyone has to obsessively work for the customer today, tomorrow is too late.

“The fact that every employee works for the customer is a simple notion, but surprisingly difficult for some people to completely grasp. There are some workers who believe they work for a union. Wrong! They belong to a union but work for the customer who is paying their company. Some public sector employees believe they work for the motor vehicle department, or for the police department, or for the government, or for the teacher’s federation. Wrong! These people work for the citizens whose taxes fund their paychecks. The citizens, the subway riders, the students, and the students’ parents are the paying customers. Some people believe they work for the marketing department, for XYZ, Inc., for the charismatic boss, for themselves, for a charity, for the church. But no customers, no money. No money, no mission. No money, no ministry. No money, no military. No money, no managers (no bosses).The customer is the real boss. And the dissatisfied customer fires employees every day.”

3. Stay accountable

 “Accountable individuals… make solid agreements and take 100% responsibility for their experiences and commitments. They look inside themselves, wondering about their contribution to problems, rather than making them somebody else’s fault. They communicate frequently with updates, they’re reliable on tight deadlines, and they rarely drop the ball. If they must change an agreement, they let those who will be affected know and renegotiate that agreement.”

One way to stay accountable is to demonstrate leadership in conserving cash, reducing costs and expenses, preserving assets, by not making it another project but rather making it an ongoing heroes or heroines primary quest to meet the challenge of changing times.

4. Review your value proposition and competitive strategy Determine how you can create new value for your customers, perhaps through product or service innovations in “uncontested market space” .

5. Take advantage of change

Change can be a disguised opportunity, but you may need the perspective of someone else to see it, and you may need more than one perspective to go from seeing to visioning. Visioning is expressed and ends in one thing: day to day operations.

“A leader always has to be looking beyond the next horizon. He or she has to be aware of the old Chinese proverb, Be careful what you wish for; you may get it. He or she has to be asking, constantly, ‘what happens if, against all these long odds, I succeed? ”

“While there is nothing that builds confidence more than winning against the odds, believe it or not, losing against great odds builds it as well.

 Most great companies love people who take big swings even if they have to walk back to the dugout on occasion and sit down.”

A powerful image has the ability to capture our imaginations, inspire our spirits, and energize us to go beyond normal limitations. Simply put, such an image can be transformative. For example, in the film Men of Honor, Carl Brashear (Cuba Gooding, Jr.), has his leg partially amputated, and wearing his prosthesis is faced with the challenge of having to take 12 steps wearing a diving suit weighing 290 pounds. Despite the impossible odds and the enormity of the challenge, Master Chief Petty Officer Brasher, with Master Diver Billy Sunday (Robert DeNiro) providing verbal support —“The Navy diver is not a fighting man. He is a salvage expert. If it’s lost underwater, he finds it. If it’s sunk, he brings it up; if it’s in the way, he moves it— pushes the principle of perseverance and practices the discipline of determination to complete the twelve steps, triumphantly salvaging his career. This is the type of vision you need in your business to meet the challenge of changing times.

6. Keep your eye on the fundamentals of entrepreneurial economics and your quantitative diagnostic indicators.

7. Face fear of failure and have the courage to step out of your business boat onto the deeper waters, even fail faster if necessary, but never forget what it takes to be a water-walker.

Failure has a value if you can learn a lesson from it and if it reinforces an unshakeable determination to succeed the next time. When failure is not an option, make it a transforming opportunity. But if you must fail, then, as Maximus (Russell Crow) in the movie “Gladiator” might advise, do so with “strength and honor”, meaning with dignity and character meeting the highest ethical standards.

Reflect on these words of an Inc. Magazine 500 company CEO when asked to name his biggest mistake in business: “Not being ethical. I paid a very high price for it and will never make that mistake again. Unfortunately, I cannot reveal the details due to an out of court settlement.”

“At first, your rarely succeed. Hence you need to…fail, fail again. Consider my mantra: No failures…no successes. No fast failures…no fast successes. No big failures…no big successes. No big, fast failures…no big, fast successes.”

“Water-walkers must master fear management. Walking on water means facing your fears and choosing not to let fear have the last word”. “When Winston Churchill was asked if he had failed a year in grade school, Churchill replied “I never failed anything in my life. I was given a second opportunity to get it right“.

“In losing streaks, it seems as though talent has disappeared and decline is inevitable —or else why would the workers, the managers, the politicians, the players let the situation continue to deteriorate? The opposite appears to be at work in winning streaks—that individuals can perform miracles, that they do indeed walk on water. But every water walker needs the stones to make it possible to move across the water. Knowing that what’s underneath will hold you up and help you rise to victory is the essence of confidence.

Even athletes, whose height, and talents can make them seem like giants, are standing on the shoulders of others—the team that surrounds them, the organization that guides the team, the leaders who define the context, and the extraordinary network of all those other people who cheer them one, invest in their success, and indeed make the game itself possible. We can applaud remarkable achievements of individuals, while remembering that they are not succeeding, or fumbling, alone.”

8. Learn everything you can, from every source you can, at the lowest cost you can You never know when that so called esoteric or arcane bit of knowledge will be transformative, leading you to ask an “I wonder”, or “Why not” type question and to see a way “how to”.

 “Using the phone as a way of getting paid suggests a radical remake of the phone’s functionality. The phone is the best micropayment device that exists today. Phone companies have developed systems that are very well suited to tracking and billing penny-level transactions. Why not use the cell phone as the primary payment device? At the end of a meal, the restaurant would give you a number to call. You’d type the number, confirm the amount, input your code, and transfer the money from your account to the restaurant’s. This concept is being test-marketed with vending machines—dial 888-THIRSTY for a soda. The phone company has taken too narrow a view of its business. It could well be the preferred financial payment option.”

 “You really have to open your eyes to see existing solutions in a new light. Take the telephone keypad, for example. Can you think of some new applications? David Pogue, Mac maven and gadget guru, has a startlingly simple proposal. ‘PUNCH-IT-UP ALARM CLOCK: The modern clock radio can play CDs, wake up two people at different times, and even beam the current time onto the ceiling. So why do we have to set the time using the same controls cavemen used in the Stone Age? You still have to hold down slow, imprecise buttons that on most models go only forward in time…Haven’t those companies ever heard of a phone-style number keypad? We should be able to set the alarm for 8:45 just by tapping the 8, 4, and 5 keys in sequence. You’d save to minutes a night which you could use for any number of activities, like sleeping.”

 “[W]e may end up spending just as much on pharmaceuticals as we do on doctors. These medicines do not have to be pills or injections…They could be part of the food you eat every day, your soap or cosmetics…Perhaps you will inhale them or simply put various patches on your skin. This is why Proctor & Gamble is thinking of merging with a pharmaceutical company, why L’Oreal is hiring molecular biologists, and why Campbell’s is selling soups designed for hospital patients with specific diseases.”

“Mosquitoes are flying hypodermic needles. They can infect you with malaria, dengue, and other awful things. They do so by transferring a little bit of genetic code through their saliva… Into your bloodstream…Which then reprograms part of the way your cells operate…Bu changing your genetic code ever so slightly…In ways that can make you very sick. So why not engineer mosquito genes so that they have the opposite effect? If mosquito saliva contained antibodies…Or if you made it hard for malaria to mutate inside a mosquito body…You could immunize people and animals…By making sure they were bitten.”

 In the same vein but in a very different venue, Arthur ‘Dooley’ Wilson, otherwise known as the piano playing singer “Sam” in the 1942 film “Casablanca” had it right, the fundamental things do apply as time goes by. Sam’s singing observation that the fundamental things apply could also be translated into the way Stephen Covey expressed the idea in First Things First: the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” In real life, Wilson was a drummer and a singer who led his own band in London and Paris in the 1920’s. In the film Wilson pretends to play the piano which was actually played by an off-screen African-American pianist whose hand movements Wilson imitated on-screen. This exemplifies another lesson: learn from anywhere and anyone you can in order to produce the required performance.

[1]     Each of the quotes in this section are from Why Not?: How to Use Everyday Ingenuity to Solve Problems Big and Small by Barry Nafebuff and Ian Ayres.

[1]    The quotes from this section are from As The Future Catches Youz’ by Juan Enriquez. 

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Images taken from site- funny how seeing children with the name makes you think hmm actually I do like that especially with some older names.

Stephen

Tulip Grace

Triplets- Lachlan, Harvey & Oliver.

Boys- Keidis, Jordan, Isaac, Tyson, Marley, Eamon, Elliott, Beau Regan, Macca, Jakoby, Zidane, Cruz-antonio, Jasper, Benny, Jay, Baxter James, Dash, Rorey, Dante, Lewis, Preston, Xavion, Jonah, Cullen, Eden Dominic, Jamerson, Victor, Clay, Dar-Rel, Talon, Roman, Julian, Ronan, Rowan, Kaneel, Theodore, Edward, Noa Diesel, Lucian, Oscar, River, Milo Michael, Angus, Kenny, Heath, Dominic, Benji, Suad, Klay, Albion, Truce, Rebel, Maximus, Stephen, Alfonso.