How Firan is better then Video Gaming

by: Patricia Robertson

A friend recently asked me "What’s the point in playing a game that has no winner and doesn’t ever end?” Now, what brought about this conversation was that he had seen me playing on a text based game for several months. My friend had been mildly interested to the point of just asking what it was and then rolling his nose when I told him he had to actually think and read the whole time.

See, my friend is heavily into gaming - video gaming. He loves games, but he wants the graphics and his options laid out for him. Now, do no get me wrong, I like video games too. I grew up on video games and I still play games to this day, but I am drawn more to the freedom of a text based gamed. Until recently, video games were very structured and laid out. My first video game was the Atari System with a cassette of Pack-Man and I would sit and gobble up the little white dots and chase ghosts all day. I remember the first Mario Brothers game that was the classic side scrolling movement and there was no way to turn back. You just went level by level until you got to the end and then you started the game all over again. When Mario Brothers II hit the stands, you could move back and forth on the screen, but it was still a very structured game that made you move level by level. Mario Brothers III was the first game that I saw that you could actually go back and replay different levels instead of being forced forward all the time. Your choices in the game were very limited, there was only one method to do something or one path to take and that was it. There was no 'creative' solution to the early generation of video games. Even the latest generation of video games, even though they allow more exploration within 'the level' they are still very structured and you are only allowed to follow a predestined path. Even the most sophisticated games today still have to be laid out on a predestined path that has to be followed. He is content with his predestined paths and realistic graphics.

However, I need something different.

I found text based gaming in the mid 1990's when my gaming circle had broken up after several members graduated from high school and left to go to college. I had taken a liking to role playing, since it something very creative and you had to think and look at all the clues that were laid out in front of you in order to find the solution. And of course, this meant that you had to try several different methods. After my circle had broken up, another friend told me to try online gaming. She said there were places on the internet were people could go to play. I was intrigued and went to a place she recommended, Dark Metal. I had primarily been playing White Wolf in the form of Vampires and Werewolves and Dark Metal was built around the White Wolf game. I spent nearly five years on Dark Metal, falling instantly in love with online gaming. Here was a community of players that all shared the same interest and could be accessed at anytime of day. The game was just like sitting around with friends, but you could visualize the text more, sit and think for a bit about what your character was going to do. Plus, you got to interact with people from all over the country and in some instances the world. I've met people all the way from Australia to in my home town. But I also got to see different perspectives on the same game. Two people with the same style character and style mission will approach it from different angles just based on the interpretation of the game. This is what makes text based games so much fun, working outside of the box.

Dark Metal started to fail, as is the natural course of the online game. Players drift in and drift out, the games surge and then die off. What starts out as a good idea is lost in the shuffle of real life. A friend lead me to another game, telling me it was different then the World of Darkness games that I had been playing. He said it still had dark themes at times, but overall it was a more upbeat game. He said it had a huge player base who was friend, staff that was interesting and a well laid and thought out plot that was a huge success.

I was introduced to Firan.

The basis of Firan is rather simple, a Greek/Roman based game but it is set on another planet so to speak. The history of the game is well written and complex, giving a host of possibilities. Plus, what I like is that the characters are pre-made, that you do not have to worry about getting into role-play (rp) groups. This was one thing I had struggled with on Dark Metal and other games, was that a character came onto the grid without any ties and you had to work hard to get them involved in things, to be found and adopted. With Firan, you could step into a family and assume a role, starting with a circle and they helped you learn the game. Yes, this is different then video games where you are not given the choice of a character to play or you are only given body styles or armor color to select from.

The game is packed with many things that give it its flare; religious, social, economic, nationalist and even sexual themes. There is the constant struggle between the pagans and the true believes the upper versus the lower class, clans versus clans, etc. The list goes on and on. Instead of a standard few races that were eligible on other games, here you had the choice between playing a noble priestess from a warlike clan to a common tailor from clan that represses its women. The possibilities are endless on a game like this, unlike the assumed role you would pick in a video game. Your imagination is the only limiting factor. I have personally played a whore that was an outcast of a noble family, a young princess that did her duty, a tailor that is opinionated and well past her prime but she still keeps the men noticing her, a grandmother that is bipolar in her moods, and a young girl from a clan that value their women less then horses. I could never get all this from a single video game.

The Wonders of Titanium

by: Hommer Titaniue

Titanium Jewelry

Jewelry designers and wears prefer Titanium due to it's strength and brilliant sheen. Because of the strength, designers are able to create delicate designs never before thought possible with other metals.

The future concept of aesthetics lies in the use of Titanium, the material that has been proven to be the solution to future technology as well. Titanium is totally hypoallergenic, non-destructible, non-tarnishing and lightweight, while generating a richness of color that allows it to be combined with the traditional jewelry metals for exciting and subtle effects.

Titanium, isolated over two hundred years ago is the versatile metal widely used in aerospace industry. It was named for the Titans, the mighty race that inhabited the earth before the creation of man. Today titanium has been adapted to other uses. Its luxurious texture and look make it an innovative and eternal medium for today's jewelry. Titanium rings, titanium bands and titanium bracelets in unique and classic design are a definition of precision.

A luxurious effect can be made by combining titanium with silver. Many wedding and engagement rings are combined in this manner.

Titanium jewelry presents a look of tomorrow with the strength of eternity. Polished titanium resembles platinum with only a quarter of its weight and twice the strength of the hardest steel. Beautiful wedding bands can be created by combing titanium with precious metals such as gold, silver and platinum. Many couples have chosen to strengthen their wedding bands with titanium rings. Inspired by the Greek god of love these rings are lovingly made with sentiments engraved in the ring. Bracelets weaved with titanium display the rhythm and flow to the joining strands.

Titanium is especially popular among men. It's a symbol of strength and masculinity. It is not only extremely strong, but it's also very lightweight. And titanium looks fabulous! Titanium can be easily crafted and molded into different shapes. Color can also be added to titanium to give titanium jewelry an even broader range of designs and styles. Black titanium men's wedding bands are all the rage right now--and black titanium is simply stunning. Wedding rings fashioned from titanium can also come in a variety of finishes, from satin to matte to polished. Gems can easily be added to titanium to expand its design capabilities even more.

However, titanium is a costly metal. Be prepared to pay a premium on titanium jewelry because titanium is harder to mine than gold. But titanium jewelry is well worth the price for both its luscious beauty and endless style. Jewelry made from titanium will last a lifetime with minimal care.

Pictures Of Landscaping - Using Other Peoples Ideas To Design Your Landscape.

by: Steve Boulden

One of the most common searches on my site is for pictures of landscaping. So I know that a lot of folks rely on photos of other peoples designs to get ideas. But at the same time, while I do have a large picture directory of other peoples projects on my site, the most common questions I receive are still related to specific shapes and design ideas.

It would seem that with as many pictures of landscaping there are to look at online, just about everyone could find a close match to their own property that could be copied. It would seem so.....if every yard was square or rectangular. However, the fact is that most yards aren’t square or rectangular. So even with the endless landscaping ideas and examples out there, it’s still highly unlikely that you’ll find an exact match to the shape of your property.

Don’t tell anyone... but even as a professional, I still use pictures of other peoples landscaping as an educational tool and to get new ideas. However, unlike most people, I don’t search for an exact idea to copy. I look for unique, creative, and new ideas and pieces of the puzzle.

Now here’s a piece of advice and the point to this entire article.

When looking at pictures of landscaping, pay attention to the details, ideas, and principles that are universal to most designs. Look for the things that are common and repeated often by different designers. These are the elements that look good because they are generally based on basic principles of art. These are the things that will probably incorporate well into your own design project regardless of shape.

Other peoples landscaping pictures are a great design tool to help you get your project done. However, instead of hopelessly searching for your exact layout, borrow several ideas from several different designs. You’ll save yourself a lot of frustration and have a much better chance of creating something unique to your own property.

How To Apply A Wood Finish

by: Megan Cherry

When you finish a woodworking project, you should try to stain your wood as soon as possible to get the best finish you can. If you wait, your piece has a larger chance to become damaged by scratches or stains, and it may accumulate dirt and oils. If you find that you do need to wait before applying a stain, re-sand your piece with some fine-grit sandpaper before you apply your finish. No matter whether your project is a frame or a chest of drawers, you use the same steps to apply the stain.

Make sure the surface of your piece is clean and free of dust before you apply any stain. If you choose to finish the gluing after you finish the piece, be sure to use masking tape to cover all glue surfaces. When using any type of stain or finish, always do so in an area that is well ventilated, has plenty of light and space, and is clean.

There are several different techniques you can use to apply stain to your project. You can use a brush or a rag with most stains on the market. Some even are packaged so you can spray them on. Absorbent rags made of natural fibers like cotton work really well to apply stain. Use a cut up old T-shirt or other piece of fabric. Alternatively, you can also use a heavy-duty paper towel. If you prefer to use a brush, it doesn't matter if you use a synthetic or a natural bristle brush. Foam brushes may not be your best choice... they can sometimes disintegrate from the solvents used in some stains. If you are spraying your stain onto your project, set the paint gun up for a light viscosity. If the stain you have chosen is a thick pigment type, you'll also need to thin it before putting it in the paint gun so it will spray properly.

If you choose to use a pigment stain, make sure it is mixed thoroughly before you use it by shaking it vigorously or stirring it. Pigments tend to settle at the bottom of the container. If you are using a dye stain, while they don't need to be stirred, you may want to strain it first to remove any lumps of dye that did not fully dissolve. If you need a lot of stain, and you have several small cans of the same color, you may want to put them into one larger container and mix them up to make sure your color is uniform and not streaked.

You may want to start by taking your project apart, so the stain covers every bit of the wood and doesn't gather around the hardware. Plan what pieces you're going to do first... and if you have a large piece, figure out ahead of time how you're going to approach it. You want to create small workable areas. Once this has been figured out, use your brush, your spray gun or your rag and apply the stain in the direction you want. If you have trouble getting the stain into small crevices, it pays to have a small brush handy to help force the stain in. If you are working on a piece of wood that is already installed in a high place over your head, say, like a piece of crown molding, you may have a more pleasant experience if you use a gel stain that won't drip on top of you. Apply the stain to small areas, allowing the stain to dry for a few moments before wiping the excess off with a clean rag. Be sure to wipe off the excess in the same direction as the grain of the wood.

GARDEN LANDSCAPE RESTORATION

Making the most of your old garden plants

Don't even think about trashing all of your overgrown landscaping! Yes it would be nice to know there's a house behind those shrubs, but let's not be too hasty about it.

Take a hard look at those plants you paid good money for and stretch those landscape dollars by re-using key existing plants in a new restored landscape. When the old landscape was installed, the plants were smaller; it looked great and was the right scale for the property or home. But now, years later, it has become over grown and the plants overpower the garden space or structure it once complimented. This is a common occurrence, but it doesn't mean you can't re-use some of the plants and shrubs. In fact, when transplanted properly to a more ideal spot for growth and planting aesthetics, you would be surprised at how well those old plants will look incorporated into the newer landscape. As an added benefit, having established plant materials in and among newer younger plantings adds visual weight to the landscape and can make the landscape look more established.

Other common plant performance issues are that some plants may be suffering through less than ideal growing conditions due to poor plant placement (too sunny or shady, too wet or too dry), others may have just either outlived their span or just withered.

Whatever the existing conditions or locations, you can save money in a landscape renovation by rejuvenating some of those plants that still have life, by planting them in more ideal growing conditions, where their size and form are complimentary to the surrounding plants and your home.
Understanding individual plant growth habits, as well as their sun / shade tolerances is one of the secrets to a truly successful landscape planting.

When care is taken to place plants where they best perform and where their growth habits are given ample space, the planting results can be spectacular. Furthermore, once the landscape matures there will not be a need to replace plants in the future, because the plants will already be in their ideal locations with plenty of room to grow! Here are a few online sources to better understand individual plant identification and ideal growing conditions for each. Source : Gardendesigner.com

Bleaches In Wood Finishing: The Good And The Bad

by: Megan Cherry

Another way to change the color of your wood besides staining it is to bleach it. As you can imagine, stains add color, while bleaches take color away. In fact, it can take all of the color away so that the wood appears to have no color. If you choose to bleach your woodworking project, read on for a few basic finishing techniques that can save you a lot of headaches. When you finish a wood, you can use bleach for many things. A bleach can lighten a wood's natural color or even remove it altogether. A bleach can also remove some stains from the wood, either intentional or accidental. In fact, they can be very useful because they can fix minor problems before they become major ones. There are three basic types of bleach to choose from, and you'll need to know which one to use for each situation, because each of these is pretty specific and not all will work in every situation. The first kind, alkali peroxide bleaches, are usually sold in paint stores as a two-part liquid known as A/B bleaches. This type of bleach is usually used to remove wood's natural color. It will leave the wood with a very natural looking, even, off-white color base. This, in turn, can produce highly desirable results, depending on the finish you use. You can use these bleaches also to narrow the color differences between two very different types of wood so that they appear to match more closely. The next type of bleach you can use in your woodworking project is chlorine bleach. This is very useful to remove dye stains or other stains that have occurred, such as coffee spills or grape juice spills on bare wood. As you probably know, chlorine bleach is used in laundry detergent applications and for swimming pools. Any laundry bleach will work, because it's concentration is actually quite weak. You might need to apply it several times to get the desired effect and remove the stain completely. You might also want to use chlorine bleach specifically formulated for pools. This is also known as "pool chlorine." A third main type of bleach is oxalic acid. This is great because it's very selective in the colors it removes. For example, it does an excellent job at cleaning up iron-based stains, such as those that occur around nail holes. It also does a very good job removing dark water stains and other stains, but does not alter the natural color of the wood itself. Oxalic acid is usually found as a dry powder. It can then be mixed with water and applied to wood. After you have bleached your wood, you need to neutralize the bleach when the cleansing or color removal is complete. There are different neutralizing processes depending on the type of bleach you've used. For example, with an alkali peroxide bleach, you'll want to rinse with water and then white vinegar. You need one part vinegar to two parts water. For chlorine bleach, rinse with two to three applications of distilled water. If you've used oxalic acid, use two to three applications of distilled water and then a solution of baking soda and hot water. The baking soda solution should be comprised of two tablespoon baking soda to one half pint of hot water.

Remote Control Car Drifting in SINGAPORE, SGDRIFTERS

First Video of RC Drifting in Singapore. Done by the Team from
SGDRIFTERS ... rc remote control car drifting ...



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