I get this question a lot from users, so here is the rundown on our products and what is happening here:

PolarCOM is not the entire product, rather it is a GPS instrumentation and NMEA communication application. To get chart/live GPS/ship view you need both PolarCOM and PolarView, as well as “Core Navigation License” – all together they comprise real time navigation application (known as PolarIS).

PolarCOM is a “kind of” a service. As such, when you run it – it starts in system tray (on Windows)  where you should see a small “blue globe” icon. On Mac it will be activated in launcher. You can reach PolarCOM options by right-clicking (or cmd-clicking) on the icon in system tray or launcher respectively. The suggested use is to launch PolarCOM once and just keep it there, in tray, for as long as computer is up. The chart/ship viewer can be started and shut down as convenient, to save power, increase battery life and free up CPU and screen for other things.

If user exits chart viewer, PolarCOM will keep currently navigated route and all the related information. When user launches PolarView again, this information will be restored and the navigated route will become visible again.

To All of our Friends, Family and Followers;

May You All Have a Very Blessed Thanksgiving!!!

Remember, If You are Lucky enough to have a POOL, then You are Lucky Enough!!

Many Blessings to You All

From all of us at POOLSIDE

Mining services group Mineral Resources has confirmed it is undertaking a major capital raising to fund its aggressive growth strategy in parallel with a partial sell-down by management to boost its free float and qualify for the ASX 200 index.

The company’s shares have been in a trading halt since Tuesday to enable the raising and sell down to be completed.

WA Business News understands the company is seeking to raise around $55 million from institutional investors.

At the same time, around 12 million shares – or 8 per cent of its shares – held by management and directors will be sold down to boost the company’s share liquidity and gain admittance to the Australian Securities Exchange’s premier ASX-200 index.

The shares being sold down are expected to fetch over $90 million for the current holders. On completion, Mineral Resources management and directors will still own around 50 per cent of the company.

Most of the management stake being offered is held by founding director Chris Ellison, who is understood to be offering around 9 million shares worth around $64 million at Mineral Resources last traded price of $7.15.

Managing director Peter Wade declined to comment on speculation that Mr Ellison was the mystery bidder for the Mosman Park mansion of iron ore heiress Angela Bennett. The property is reported to have been sold for $57.5 million, making it the largest residential property sale in Australia.

The stake represents about a fifth of Mr Ellison’s holding, who currently holds over 31 per cent of the stock.

Mr Wade told WA Business News that the raising would provide funds for a range of major spending initiatives, while the selldown would meet longstanding investor requests for greater stock liquidity.

“The existing shareholders have bowed to institutional and market pressure to sell down and create more of a free float,” he said.

“They are also doing it to provide sufficient free float to target acceptance into the ASX 200, which we would see as being great recognition for another West Australian company.”

Membership of the ASX 200 also brings substantial other benefits, as it allows a broader range of large institutional investors to buy the stock.

I love to make long exposures of star trails, particularly star trails that feature Polaris – the North Star* – so you get nice circular trails. But there are some gotchas when doing this the traditional way.

Back in the film days, long exposures opened you up to reciprocity failure. And that meant if it was a cold night you were going to be colder then usual.

Reciprocity, and its failing, is not an issue with digital sensors, but noise is. If you want to do a one-hour exposure, for example, you really open yourself up to fixed-pattern noise – something we covered a few weeks ago. Now you can deal rather easily with that noise by using your camera’s long-exposure noise reduction turned on – but the trade off is that this requires an additional exposure at the same length as your first exposure. So a one-hour exposure turns into a two-hour exposure and once again you’re goinna be colder then usual.

I presented a technique just over a year ago that got into stacking – the idea of taking many shots over the same time period instead of just one. This has a number of advantages to it in terms of how long you spend in the field but means a little more work on the computer after the fact. I’m perfectly at home with that idea on a cold night actually. But to make it even better, I found a tutorial about star trails on the Interwebs this morning from Reno, NV-based photographer Dan Newton that absolutely rocks. Dan meticuously outlines his in-camera and post-processing techniques so that anyone can pull this off. It’s so good that I plan to abandon all previous techniques and just use his method. In fact I think if you make a nice “long-exposure” image with his technique you should post a link to the image in the comments of this post. The nice thing about Dan technique is the fact that it doesn’t rely on long-exposure NR at all – at least in camera. Instead of doing your one-hour exposure and then one-hour of noise reduction, imaging doing 120 30-second exposures (one hour) and then ONE 30-second exposure (30 seconds) for all of you noise-reduction. Yeah – I can dig that. Dude.

If you spend a little time on Dan’s Portfolio site, you can see plenty of examples on star trails. It’s some nice work – and some of it was just featured on the cover of the UK’s Practical Photography magazine. Also, here’s some additional background on long-exposure/star trails from photographer Dan Heller that focuses more on the traditional one-shot technique.

* – you noticed the asterik at the top of the article? Hooray. There’s a little mystery over the North Star. It is not the brightest star in the sky – in fact it’s a little on the dim side (but fortunately surrounded by even dimmer stars making it a little easier to find). The magic is – in the Northern Hemisphere – is that it is the pole star. If you stood exactly on the north pole, this star would be almost perfectly overhead. Imagine then, as the earth rotates, that the North Star would stay perfectly still while all other stars rotate around it. The bonus is you still get that effect if you put the North Star in your shot – all other stars appear to rotate around it as the earth spins beneath you – it just takes a little time to see the effect. So it would probably be helpful if you knew how to find the North Star (also called Polaris), doncha think?

UPDATE: I was reading more old posts on Dan Newton’s site, and I came across this update to his technique post. He’s started using an intervalometer to overcome the buffer limitations on his camera. Some cameras have an intervalometer built in (lucky me and my D300). Some require a cable-release with a built-in intervalometer. His original technique is still king, but requires a little higher ISO because of the 30-second limitation in shutter speed. And most cameras, on continuous, eventually fill up their buffers before very long. With the intervalometer, the file is written out after every shot and you can shoot until you fill the card. And you can shoot slightly longer at a better ISO.

Resources: 25-November-09 by John Phaceas

A consortium led by aggressive Perth-based mining services group Mineral Resources will revive the stalled Windimurra Vanadium project near Mt Magnet, after striking a deal with administrators and receivers.

The consortium will take a majority shareholding in the Windimurra project by recapitalising the still incomplete mine, 600km north east of Perth.

The proposal has the support of Windimurra’s secured lenders, who were owed $US125 million when the miner collapsed in February after it was unable to raise an extra $80 million needed to complete reconstruction of the operation. The lenders will take a minor equity position in the company.

Under the recapitalisation plan agreed with Brian McMaster and Martin Madden, the receiver and managers of the asset, the consortium will provide the necessary debt funding to complete development and resume production.

Mineral Resources will also contruct and operate the project’s crushing and processing plants in line with its original contract with Windimurra Vanadium.

The original 10 year build-own-operate contract was previously valued by Windimurra Vanadium at $300 million.

Mineral Resources, which is also currently seeking to wrap up a $143 million friendly bid for aspiring iron ore miner Polaris Metals, said it hoped to complete the Windimurra deal in February and resume production at the mine in the third quarter of next year.

Executive chairman Peter Wade said: “this is a world class vanadium project that can produce significant shareholder value as the world economy improves.”

Windimurra is one of the largest and highest grade vanadium deposits in the world but has proven a graveyard for virtually everybody involved with it over the last decade.

Originally developed by Roderick Smith’s Precious Metals Australia with the backing of Swiss metals trader Glencore in 1999, it was dogged by technical problems, falling vanadium prices and weak cashflows from the outset, meaning PMA’s interest was progressively whittled down to a 10 per cent royalty stream.

In 2003, Glencore offshoot Xstrata shut the operation down citing weak vanadium prices and sent demolition crews in the following year, despite PMA’s claims the operation could be operated profitably.

The matter ended up in the courts and was also the subject of a West Australian parliamentary enquiry. The parliamentary committee was scathing of Xstrata’s actions and was a major factor in the Swiss group’s subsequent decision to walk away from the project and settle with PMA for $21 million in 2005.

PMA then began redeveloping the operation, but again became embroiled in controversy when it was revealed in 2007 that the committee’s confidential draft report had been leaked to outcast lobbyist Julian Grill, who was advising PMA.

Despite the controversy, PMA continued on with its redevelopment plans and changed its name to Windimurra Vanadium in late 2007.

By mid 2008 it had invested over $200 million in the redevelopment but was forced into administration in February when the global financial crisis stymied efforts to raise an extra $81 million needed to complete construction.

Nov. 23 (Bloomberg) — The Australian Securities and Investments Commission declined to waive the 50.1 percent minimum acceptance condition for Lion-Asia Resources Ltd.’s offer for all of the shares of Polaris Metals NL.

Lion-Asia is “disappointed” and has asked the Takeovers Panel to review the decision, it said in a statement distributed through the Australian Stock Exchange today. Lion-Asia also increased its offer to 74 Australian cents for each Polaris share, according to the filing.

Mineral Res, Lion-Asia lift Polaris bids
Resources: 23-November-09 by AAP

The takeover battle for aspiring iron ore producer Polaris Metals has stepped up, with rival predators upping their bids for the iron ore explorer after the close of trade today.

Singapore-based Lion-Asia Resources Pte has increased its bid to 74 cents cash for each Polaris share held, valuing the target at about $130.6 million, from the previous offer of 70 cents cash per Polaris share.

Lion-Asia’s latest bid came moments after Perth-based mining services group Mineral Resources upped its offer to one of its own shares for every 10 Polaris shares held, plus 10 cents cash per Polaris share, valuing the target at 81.3 cents per share or about $143.49 million.

MRL had previously offered one of MRL share for every 10 Polaris share plus five cents cash per Polaris share held.

Polaris shares closed steady on Monday at 76.5 cents, giving it a market capitalisation of $135.01 million, while MRL shares finished up 2.81 per cent at $7.33.

Lion-Asia also said that it was moving to overturn the Australian Securities & Investments Commission decision to refuse relief in respect of its application to waive the 50.1 per cent minimum acceptance condition.

“Lion is disappointed with the decision and has today lodged an application with the Takeovers Panel to review the decision,” it said in a statement.

“If … successful, Lion will immediately declare the Lion share offer unconditional.”

The waiver that was rejected by ASIC would have seen Lion-Asia able to keep shares sold to it even if the takeover was unsuccessful.

MRL also on Monday extended the period of its offer to December 9 and said it would apply to ASIC to approve an increase in the consideration under its bid for Polaris’ options.

MRL and Lion-Asia have battled to win the support of the Polaris board in recent weeks and at different times, both have been successful at times.

The Polaris board was yet to comment on Monday about the latest bids,

But prior to the improved offers, it had said that the MRL offer would deliver significant synergies.

When MRL made its first offer for the company on August 14 Polaris shares were trading at 30 cents.

Both MRL and Lion Asia or associated entities already control large portions of shares in Polaris.

The Amsoil Duluth National at Spirit Mountain scheduled for this weekend have been rescheduled for December 11-13 due to unseasonably warm temps.

On a totally different note we just received this awesome ad from one of our riders overseas. Straight from Sweden! Sweet.

Lion-Asia this morning announced that it has applied to the Australian Securities (ASIC) and Investment Commission for relief to waive the 50.1% minimum acceptance condition in relation to its offer for Polaris Metals.

The move is believed to be an attempt to by Lion to make its $123 million cash bid for Polaris declared unconditional before Mineral Resources’ opposing mostly scrip bid closes on Wednesday.

Lion said it expects a response from ASIC by the end of today, with industry speculation suggesting the relief will be granted, enabling Polaris shareholders a more certain choice between the two bids.

Lion is offering 70 cents a share for Polaris, while mining contractor Mineral Resources is offering 5 cents cash and one-tenth of one of its shares for every Polaris share, which amounts to a bid valued at 76.3 cents based on Friday’s closing share price.

In a protracted sale period, Polaris has recommended the Mineral Resources bid and Heron Resources has agreed already to sell its 19.9 per cent stake in Polaris into that bid.

If ASIC waives the 50.1% minimum, both bids will be unconditional.

Here’s a very nice edit from the crazy jump Bodin attempted at the end of last winter. I had made an article at back then but I just recently found this quality video. It’s worth the watch!

“Swedish FSX rider and Winter X Game finalist Daniel Bodin about his dream: pulling the world’s longest backflip on a snowmobile, over 150 feet.”

…..but it burned up on November 6.  We were at the cottage. After using the Ranger to cart away all the leaves, Tracey and Nathan decided to take it for a spin. At the last moment, mom convinced them to take the cell phone. We got a call from them, “The Ranger is on fire!”  Opa, Dad and I rushed to the scene of the fire in Opa’s truck.  Opa tried to put out the fire with a fire extinguisher but it didn’t work.  All the things that could burn did, as you can see on the photos. Here are some pictures of the event.  The pictures were taken on a cell phone and my mom’s camera.

Before- Using the Ranger to clean up our leaves

Quite the blaze

Tons of smoke- half our Ranger is in the atmosphere

Putting out the fire

A tanker, pumber, fire ambulance, and a pick-up truck that first arrived on the scene, came to our rescue. The OPP also paid a visit.

Not much left

Polaris was informed about the fire.....they didn't even care or do anything. So much for customer service.

You owe it to yourself to ensure your pool reflects your personality and style, and is designed and built to the highest quality. With a solidly built, attractive pool, you and your family will enjoy the benefits of pool ownership for many years to come.

There are several factors to consider when adding a pool to your home, including:

• Cost
• Design and features, including landscaping
• Location

As a home owner considering installing a pool or spa, you’re sure to have many questions. Following are some common questions we’ve heard. And as always, if you don’t see your particular question, let us know.

Varying cost estimates

Many factors should be considered when tailoring your pool or spa and getting the most for your money. Price is determined by factors other than the size and shape of your pool or spa. When talking to your builder or retailer, consider:

•  Quality of materials - professional, experienced craftsmanship
•  Design
•  Time required for construction and installation
•  Design
•  Durability 
•  Outstanding customer service
•  Warranties

A multitude of designs
A professional dealer will meet with you to discuss your needs and desires. Pools and spas come in a variety of designs, shapes and sizes, and with many optional features. How will you and your family use your pool? Will it be for exercise, relaxation, entertaining or a combination of these? Where will your pool be located? Our professionals are trained to ask the right questions to ensure that your pool is designed to meet your specific needs.

Features abound
In addition to an almost endless variety of design and construction choices, today’s pool owners now have options like water treatments, fiber-optic lighting, decking, gazebos, landscaping, fencing and more. Your imagination is the only limit in creating the perfect atmosphere.

Location, Location, Location
One of the first and most important decisions you’ll have to make is where to install your new pool or spa. An experienced professional will be able to help you look at the overall design of your yard and house and decide on the best spot. The builder may take photographs, make sketches or even videotape your yard to customize your project to meet your needs and budget.

One of the unexpected delights of the 2010 Festival as it shapes up is the discovery that many of this year’s participants are creating work at the intersection of dance and theater… including Whitebird’s world premiere Minh Tran/Tere Mathern piece, Artists Rep’s Hillsboro Story, Many Hats’ Truth and Beauty, and Shaking-the-Tree’s Memory Water (check out one of their amazing images of Chisao Hata below).

Our newest Festival participant, Polaris Dance, is cooking up an event that will blend visual art, world premiere dance and live music into a cocktail that will invite festival-goers to reconsider their relationship to dance…is it something that THEY do? Or something that I do? Is it something to witness or to experience? Or both?

With that in mind, Bernadette Doolan from Polaris has shared with me an extraordinary new manifesto, drawn from her own experience of her irish heritage- towards dance, not as a rarified twice yearly excursion into the exotics of the human body, but as an everyday essential human experience. Check it out:

When I was younger (in Ireland) I asked my parents what they did for fun when they were my age. Their answer surprised me. Not only because I was a typical narcissistic 19-year–old and couldn’t believe my parents had a life before I came along, but because the concept was a little alien in today’s society….
Their tales told of spending every weekend and sometimes mid-week travelling to dances…

When I say travelling I mean a time in Ireland when teenagers had no cars! (America was sooo advanced in the 50s/60s!).

They remembered a wondrous night when they cycled 60 miles (and back!) for a dance that was the 1950’s equivalent of uber-hot!
Though I was already slack-jawed, they proceeded to tell me of all their escapades to do with dance. (A lot!). How everyone dreaded being a wallflower (had to be explained to me first…) and how if someone was a good dancer they never had a problem finding dates, even if they had been hit with a giant ugly stick!

How a new outfit was dreamed of, begged for, borrowed and sometimes stolen so you could complete your look for that important dance. How everyone thought, dreamed, and felt dance all day, every day. It was your reason for living; it was intrinsically what made everyone tick.

How times have changed. Where once dance was part of everyone’s daily life, and a life without seemed bereft, now we have Dance relegated to a part of life that only a few get to experience. To dance is to be human. Anthropologists would agree! Our ancestors were differentiated from animals because we wanted to dance! No reason to do it to get food, but we couldn’t help gathering around the family fire-pit and cutting a move for all to share. We all hear a song on the radio and can’t prevent our hips from moving, or our heads from bopping, or both! Let’s face it; if no one is looking, our whole body gets involved! Sadly most of us now just nod at each other in seedy nightclubs or shake our bon bons at a family wedding.
We watch celebrity dancing, MTV videos and admire choreographers on talent shows on T.V., but never think to attend a local dance event or class. We’re happy to run on a dreary conveyer belt for an hour but would never think to put on our favorite music and dance off the calories.

Something else we have forgotten is that it is incredibly hard to be depressed when you dance, yet we are constantly searching for other ways to make us happy. What has happened to our humanity that we have to tamp down something that is so natural, and an integral part of our make-up?

Isn’t it time that dance stopped being relegated to the dusty corners of our community and brought forth into the spotlight it deserves? Even if our shyness wins out, can’t we still support those who have stepped up and made dance a priority in their lives, and whose efforts are ensuring the survival of dance?

We will always be moved by performance in some fashion. If it is not in our body, it can be in our experiences and memories. Such as the time when after our conversation, my Father swept me up in his arms and truly showed me what it was like to be human and fly on the arms of a good dancer.

Please support the Dance companies exploring new work with amazing music and dancers at the many events lined up for Fertile Ground fest 2010, and you will surely re-discover a little more of your humanity.

Bernadette Doolan-
Polaris Dance Theatre
“Through dance, we awaken the heart and enhance our humanity”

What is your experience of everyday dance- has there been a moment in your life where dancing lifted you up out of the every day? Changed your world? Reframed your relationship to it? Do tell.

CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR IN STYLE

Welcome in 2010 and celebrate in style, stay at the InterContinental Mar Menor Golf Resort and Spa, or the InterContinental La Torre Golf Resort for a truly sophisticated New Year.

Located in the heart of Murcia, these 5 star gems have an incredibly lavish offering you simply can’t refuse. From just 219€, indulge in 5 star luxury; this price includes a double room, buffet breakfast, access to the spa and a sensational five-course gala meal fit for a king.

Celebrating gourmet Spanish cuisine at it’s finest; choose from the freshest seafood, the most succulent meat and the richest deserts. If lobster salad or fillet steak takes your fancy, then a stay at the InterContinental Mar Menor Golf Resort and Spa. However, if Tobago chocolate covered biscuit, bathed in whisky and served with citrus truffle tantalises your taste buds, then book to stay at the InterContinental La Torre Golf Resort Murcia. With delicious canapés being served throughout the evening, and Moet champagne flowing, this will undoubtedly be one banquet you surely won’t want to miss.

With your stay you will also have full access and special green fee rates on the hotels’ golf courses designed by golfing legend, Jack Nicklaus. If you are looking for somewhere to unwind, then why not visit Mar Menor’s ESPA spa or the newly opened Thai Room Spa at InterContinental La Torre. Treatments can be tailored to suit your bodies every need and are perfect for infusing a little luxury into any busy lifestyle.

Prices for New Years Eve accommodation including gala meal start from 219€ at the InterContinental La Torre Golf Resort Murcia and from 239€ at the InterContinental Mar Menor Golf Resort & Spa. For more information and details of accommodation rates please visit www.polarisworld.com or call Reservations on +34 968 031 973.

Invented

1. The oldest known pool dates back more than 4,000 years to the Mohenjo-Daro archeological site of the Indus Valley Civilization. At this archeological site, a pool was unearthed that measured 12 meters long and came complete with an advanced tar-based sealant. Innumerable remnants of swimming pools can also be found in the ruins of ancient Greek and Roman cities. Reportedly, the Greeks and Romans used pools to train athletes and soldiers, in addition to their serving as social gathering spaces. The first heated swimming pool was built by Gaius Maecenas of 1st century B.C .Rome.
   

   Evolution

2. Many ancient pools were created simply as bath houses for the wealthy, often featuring elaborate marble sculpting and open-air designs. In the modern era, however, the British in the 19th century began to pioneer the use of pools for competitive and recreational swimming. As such, the 1896 Olympic Games were the first to include competitive swimming. In 1907, above-ground swimming pools were developed and the first oceanliner to sail with swimming pools followed shortly thereafter. With the end of World War II, private backyard swimming pools began to become more widespread.
   

   Type

3. Swimming pools come in a variety of forms. Private pools probably constitute the most widespread type and can be found anywhere from Manhattan rooftops to suburban neighborhoods. Public pools–usually larger than private ones–are also common and can be found in local gyms, neighborhood associations and water parks. Competition pools such as the international Olympic pool have strict design regulations and are employed in the field of competitive swimming. Hot tubs and spa pools are also sometimes included in the pool category. Ocean pools, mostly found in Australia, are not common in other parts of the world.
   

   Features

4. Pools have different features based on their differing purposes. Some pools are shallower than others for competition or recreational purposes, while deeper pools feature diving capabilities. Other features include heated water for comfort and relaxation, artificial waves to help in athletic training and lane lines for competition. Pool water everywhere around the world must have filters and be treated with chemicals such as chlorine, bromine or mineral sanitizers in order to prevent algae, bacteria, viruses and even insect larvae.
   

   Significance

5. Swimming pools can be found in almost every country throughout the world, even some of the smallest. New Zealand, for instance, boasts almost 200,000 total swimming pools for its approximately 4 million people, making it the leader in pools per capita. The social significance of swimming pools has, since ancient times, been central to their reason for being. As promoters of social harmony through competition, public socializing and recreation, swimming pools are an oft-unnoticed facet of a successful civilization.

Before I owned a pool I always thought that pool maintenance was going to be a real pain and troublesome. I had heard many horror stories from friends and acquaintances about all the problems they had in keeping their pools clean and balanced

Well, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that after our inground pool was installed, that maintenance of it really wasn’t a problem. How did I achieve this? I don’t know — but this is what I do.

First we never invested in a pool cover. Since we live in SC we have a few months of ‘cold’ temperatures but the remainder of the winter isn’t too bad. We don’t swim much from October to March but we don’t cover it either. We simply leave the pump and filter running. If the temperature drops below about 40 deg F, the pump automatically comes on to keep things from freezing. So, the first thing we don’t have to do is to cover the pool.

By not covering the pool, you save hundreds of dollars by not having to buy a pool cover every couple of years. But, in the long run, you might potentially pay more for electricity to run the pump all year than a new cover would have cost.

By not covering the pool you also save the hassle of ‘opening the pool’ every spring. First, you don’t have to mess with the debris of leaves and the murky water that accumulates on the top of the cover. (On the flip side, if you do cover the pool, do yourself a favor and skim the debris off the cover every so often.)

To combat the problem of debris (in an uncovered pool), we have a Polaris automatic pool cleaner which runs at least 2 to 3 hours a day. This keeps the pool clean of leaves, worms, bugs, and other similar yuck.

By not covering the pool but running the pump all winter long, you don’t have to contend with the stagnant green algae infested water that develops when it sits idle for months at a time. Thankfully this is not a problem when you run the pump throughout the winter.

By not covering the pool, you can take a quick dip anytime you please since the water is always pretty darn clean. While few people would ever take a quick dip in the winter, the point here is that the cleanliness and clarity of the pool stays so good that you could swim in it, but more importantly, getting it balanced is as simple as taking a sample to be tested and learning what chemicals to add. In other words you can be swimming in a day without any serious effort or exhaustion.

The only other things that I do are 1.) Keep the chlorine reservoir full (or nearly full) with chlorine sticks and 2.) Clean the Polaris and filter trap every week. 3.) Watch the water level. If it gets too high, the skimmer does not work properly

Please keep in mind that we live in South Carolina. This type of pool care may not be appropriate for much colder climates. If you live in the north and have an inground pool, please contact your local pool company and they will be able to recommend something appropriate for your colder climate.

Honey, can we move to Alaska?

Polaris Rush | Uncrate.

What the heck is with this world? The person you really like has gone MIA on you and the person you want to ’shake off’ gently is constantly at your back! C’mon now, can’t guys get the hint when they see one? Either it’s yes I like you let’s take this further or hey I better nick off, she doesn’t like me.

Sheesh  -_-”

On another note, the semester ends for another year and oh how the holidays are comin! What to do now, that is the question? Hopefully he calls and things can be arranged, ya know what I’m sayin hahh…if only. Though I do sound like a stupid little school girl waiting for things to be…realised, hahah maybe I need to get the hint too: “he’s just not that into you”. Yeah I have, just haven’t let it go yet. It’ll pass. I need that to be in neons with flashing lights hanging on my wall hahha. Awesome movie though, unique angle.

Anyway, hopefully this time NEXT year, I’m planning my trip round the globe. YES! Globetrotting and working and hangin. Ya feel? lol The other day, I was surprisingly offended when I was told I couldn’t ‘act ghetto!’. Well yeah I ain’t got the flow. Meh

The stars are coming out again, awesome views, that’s where I’ll be this summer, soaking up the stars. Ciao!

watching the stars

Australian goods and services supplier to the resource sector Mineral Resources Ltd (MRL)(ASX:MIN) has increased its takeover offer to Polaris Metals NL (ASX:POL) shareholders.

Mineral Resources is now offering one of its shares for every 10 Polaris shares and five cents cash for every one Polaris share, valuing each Polaris share at 74.7 cents a share.

Mineral Resources says the offer and option offer will now be unconditional.

The company’s increased offer represents a premium of 147 per cent to the 30 cents closing price of Polaris shares on August 14 2009.

Mineral Resources initial offer was one of its shares for every 12.5 Polaris shares as well as a separate offer made for all of Polaris options on issue.

The Largest Powersports Dealership Group In Texas Takes On The Tough Economy By Setting Up Shop On Their Facebook Page.

San Angelo, TX – November 11, 2009 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – The motorcycle and powersports markets have been hit especially hard by the recent economic downturn. Manufactures are announcing record losses and dealerships all over the country are closing up shop.

Bucking this downward trend however is a powerhouse dealership group out of Texas: Family PowerSports.

Family PowerSports, the largest motorcycle, powersports, and boat dealership group in Texas, is not letting a down economy keep them from pursuing progressive and exciting new ways to reach out to customers across the country.

While there’s currently no shortage of sites online to shop for parts, accessories, and gear; Family PowerSports is the only retailer to move into the space of selling to new customers directly on their Facebook “page.”

“Facebook has become one of the single most visited sites on the internet” says Todd Shafer, Family PowerSport’s Multi-channel Sales and Marketing Director. “It’s so large, and so engaging, that it’s almost become an internet unto itself. As a premier retailer of powersports vehicles, accessories and apparel, it just makes sense that Family PowerSports creates a way to serve our customers where they are hanging out online. More and more, that’s on Facebook.”

Launched a little over a month ago, Family PowerSports’ page already has close to 500 fans that use Facebook as a way to keep up to date with what’s going on at Family PowerSports. The recent addition of the storefront to the page just adds one more compelling reason for customers to interact with Family PowerSports online.

Wade Hoak, Family PowerSports’ Vice President concludes by saying: “This Facebook Storefront is just a small initial step in terms of what we’ve got coming online in the next few months. We see the web as offering almost unlimited growth potential for our dealership. We’re committed to doing everything we can to make it easier for people all over the US to be Family PowerSports customers.”

About Family PowerSports Inc.
Family PowerSports is an award winning dealership group located in Texas with retail locations in San Angelo, Weatherford, McKinney, Lubbock, Odessa and corporate offices in San Angelo. Family PowerSports is a leading retailer of vehicles from manufacturers such as Axis Boats, Bayliner, Can-am, Club Car UTV’s, Crownline, Glastron, Honda, Honda Power Equipment, Kawasaki, KTM, Lehman Trikes, Malibu, Polaris, Premier, Sea-Doo PWC, Spyder, Stratos, Suzuki, Victory, Yamaha, Yamaha Boats, and Yamaha PWC

Media Contact:
Todd Shafer
916-412-2200
www.familypowersports.com

####

Lately, my dormant interest in RPGs has had a violent resurgence. This is mainly to blaim on a few games and a lot of podcasts. So… This will be a post directed towards gamers and others interested. If you’re not a gamer and thus don’t understand what I’m talking about here, I just don’t think I give a shit.

I’ve been a dedicated gamer (and we’re talking non-electronic games here, folks!) since I was around twelve years old. My first game was a kind of low-on-rules fantasy game my mom got for me. This was before she knew that RPG’s were Satan’s games.  I played it with my new classmates and we did what any normal bunch of twelve-year-olds would have done with a tabletop RPG: some fucked up shit.
That old guy stuck under a tree? Pretend to help him so he tells us where his magic sword is hidden and then kill him. Another PC not following your lead? Curse him to attack himself until death occurs and let the looting commence! Come up with skills and make a huge hassle of being thorough in it, as long as the skill is not pertinent to what you’re playing… at all.

Of course, we can do this now, but it would be done with a motive or as some kind of tongue-in-cheek thing. Back then, we were twelve and that just makes it weird.

Later I, of course, moved on to D&D and Swedish equivalents. But growing out of these games I found myself drawn towards the more free-form kinds of games. The ones where the exploration of the character and the group was the focus got my attention and still do.

This summer, at a con, I got a hold of a copy of Luke Crane’s ‘Mouse Guard’, an RPG based on the comics by David Petersen. I had been told that it was unlike most of the games you’ll find on the Swedish RPG scene and that many Swedes would have trouble playing it. I know a challenge when I hear one (even though it might just be in my head) and I checked it out.

Since I’m a podcast/audiobook/lecture junkie I gathered together some RPG podcasts, primarily those featuring Luke Crane talking about Mouse Guard (and those podcasts nominated for an Ennie), and started walking, started listening. The last few years I’ve had some trouble with broken rules and broken groups sometimes taking the fun out of playing, but with these shows I came to remember what I actually like about RPGs. The exploration, the investigation, the questioning, the social aspect (RPGs are, after all, a social acticity and just because we don’t want to play with YOU doesn’t mean they’re anti-social as has been claimed in the past). They also opened my eyes to some stuff I’ve never even bothered thinking about before; RPG theory, social dynamics, play styles, agency and how the story comes about.

Before I give you some links I’d like to thank these podcasters for this pleasant curse of addiction they’ve put on me.

The following links are written in no particular order so just feel free to check out all of them according to your own strange systems, follow the tide, count the days until the next full moon, use kabbalah… I don’t care.

I’ll only bother writing about the three shows I’ve been listening to the most and find most enjoyable. The other ones will just be links. Ok? Go!

Theory From The Closet – Clyde L. Rhoer

A podcast focusing on the theoretical parts in RPGs. Clyde walks us through GNS (Gamist, Narrativist, Simulationist) theory and things related to the Big Model. Mixed with a lot of interviews and a relaxed punk attitude this makes for a great show. At first I was put off by the slow pace of the host, but that does not bother me at all anymore and I kinda like the almost cautious and humble tone Clyde uses.

Master Plan – Ryan Macklin

A very hands-on podcast on game design. Ryan talks a lot about designing his own games and also does some great interviews.

Have Games, Will Travel – Paul Tevis

HGWT does not only revolve around theory, but also includes reviews, general thoughts on RPGs and, of course, interviews (No waaaay? Way.).

Narrative Control
The Independent Insurgency
The Voice Of The Revolution
The Walking Eye

For an extensive directory of RPG podcasts check out: RPGpodcasts.com

Some games I’ve come into contact with because of all these shows:

Dogs In The Vineyard
Kill Puppies For Satan
Polaris
The Drifter’s Escape
Mouse Guard
Burning Wheel
Burning Empires
Don’t Rest Your Head
Death’s Door
Prime Time Adventures
My Life With Master
Zombie Cinema
Breaking The Ice
Shooting The Moon
Under My Skin
The Mountain Witch
A Penny For My Thoughts
Silence Keeps Me A Victim

Lastly, If anyone writes “TLDNR” as a comment, I’ll find ya, and I’ll kill ya…

We followed the Blue Ridge Parkway down through North Carolina then into Tennesse for a few miles, then to Blue Ridge,  Georgia, where Shannon’s Gran lives up in hills, away from everything. Within ten minutes of being there we saw a black bear in their garden, which we found completely crazy. Shannon’s Gran and Aunt live on a 15 acre property which had all sorts of fun things to see and explore, including a river with a beaver dam, various meadows and woods, barns and sheds. We explored all these on the Polaris, which is basically a souped-up, petrol powered, four wheel drive golf cart. Lots of fun!

We took the polaris out into the mountains, driving for 45 minutes up a dirt track. I was pretty nervous because we had been told to watch out for the local madman, who has been known to shoot at people. As we got further and further away from all signs of civilisation this nervous feeling grew and grew, especially as we were driving behind a random guy on a tractor who stopped every ten minutes to dig holes in the track. We stopped at a very, very old civil war graveyard and this guy started chatting. It (obviously!) turned out he was the hillbilly we had been told to avoid – Steve Sisson. We realised this within minutes of talking to him and tried our best to leave, but not before he rambled alot of stuff we didn’t understand, told us the U.S president is called Osama Hussein and informed us that whole generations of his family were buried in front of us in said graveyard. Nice. I’ve never experienced an accent like it, nor met a person that is so obviously crackers. We got out of there quick!

After a gorgeous day spent lazing at the above natural swimming hole, we started the long drive down through the whole of Georgia back into Florida, to go and stay with Shannon’s friends Nicole and Ryan in Gainesville. We spent a couple of really nice days there, drinking, playing with Nicole’s dog, Hoagie (who I loved!), and admiring all the fixed-gear bikes that were everywhere. Big thanks goes to Nicole and Ryan who were great hosts!

“beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art”.

Realised…things are simple, funny. Blogging brings out the intellectual of a person in a unique way. I believe that a writer, whether amateur or what not, if they can express a part of themselves in their writing, it’s so powerfully amazing. Things don’t have to be complicated. A simple word here and there and it can characterise the whole person in a few lines. That’s why I love reading blogs. It’s not a matter of invading space or anything like that but they’re so fascinating. You don’t see their innermost thoughts when you ‘hang out’ so seeing them in a world online, no aesthetics, it’s just themself and the possibilities of ideas their minds take them to. It’s so sexy.

—

Putting off writing the previous draft. I have a question, it’s heavy but thing is…how do people cope with loss? When you know you have to let that person go and it hurts like crazy, what can you do if that was what was best for them..and you too. Nothing happened but these feelings claw at the untangling wound wanting to expose the pain again. Nothing happened, but I so much wished something did.

—

I guess it’s true what they say that ‘time heals all wounds’ but it don’t lessen the pain. The wound leaves a scar, but the feelings remain. They say give it up, I say no! It’s my rebellious nature. I gotta stop pining for that person who will never reciprocate as I’d hoped for. Gotta stop saying I’d do something and then don’t end up doing it at all. The evils of procrastination. Oh well, random thoughts at weird times of the hour, til next time. Au revoir.