Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Formats Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 Developer Ubisoft Publisher Ubisoft Released Out now

Ironically for a series fixated with speedily bounding across rooftops, Assassins Creed often struggles with pacing. Assassins Creed III was too sedate, taking an age to let you don the assassins hood, while Assassins Creed IV: Black Flag was hampered by recurring tailing missions. Assassins Creed Rogue - sandwiched between them in the series chronology - instead sprints to conclusion. But its haste often leaves it feeling incomplete. At one point, you are so gravely injured you can barely walk. Two minutes later you are buying up properties and taking over gang hideouts.

The optional stuff, like the city renovation, is essential for stretching the game out - sailing around North America and completing the hundreds of optional activities dotted among the various archipelagos and nustled between the buildings of its cities - and it is here the game is at its best. Rogue is essentially an expansion to the largely excellent Black Flag, so expect more of the same. The two games share many of the same assets, including the protagonists fighting style, which is usually different for each lead. Theres even an animation for flicking up your hood upon entering a restricted area, except the new, hoodless protagonist pops his collar up like a stabby Elvis tribute.

Rogue follows directly on from Black Flag and sees key characters return. This isnt so much a lesson in humanitys history as it is the history of the series itself: You witness Achilles (AC IIIs protagonists mentor) as an Assassin, Edward Kenways first mate, Adewale, plays a pivotal role, and the games climax has a surprising link to Ubisofts other 2014 sequel, Unity. You witness all this through the eyes of Shay Patrick Cormac, an Irish initiate of the Assassins. The prologue takes place during Cormacs brief time in the Brotherhood, before events force him to enlist to the Templars. Here he reports to Haytham Kenway, father of AC IIIs protagonist.

This fascination with its own history makes the story impenetrable for newcomers. Though fans of the series will get a lot out of Rogue, especially in seeing the ancient conflict from a new perspective. This shift in allegiances also influences the gameplay - you are now hunter and prey. You can be air assassinated from a nearby roof, attacked from a bale of hay, or struck by a blade in a crowd. The whispers and direction indicator from the series multiplayer (absent in this entry) inform you of lurking Assassins, so you have to approach things more cautiously.

Elsewhere, the game gives you some new toys in the form of a silenced air rifle and a grenade launcher. These dont add much, however, as theyre just alternative ways to tranquilise, send enemies berserk, or kill. At sea, your ship can now be boarded, and The Atlantics icebergs add a new challenge to maneuverability in combat. You can also shoot these icebergs, sending a wave cascading out as the ice sinks and melts into the sea, damaging small vessels. Additionally, your ship is fitted with automatic puckle guns that can quickly trace across an enemy ships weakpoints. Another new trick is to leave a trail of oil behind your ship and ignite it, creating a barrier of fire.

The additions are welcome, bolstering Black Flags excellent formula. The only thing that stops Rogue from reaching the heights of of that game is how its lack of new ideas isnt replaced by a fresh setting. Two of the storys main locations are Assassins Creed IIIs version of New York and its Davenport Homestead, the myriad forts are identical to Black Flags, and the present-day sequences take place in the same beanbag-filled Abstergo offices - even the UI and fonts are the same. The seemingly cut corners and reused assets arent the games biggest sin, though. On paper, Cormac is the most interesting protagonist the series has had. In reality, hes a bland mess of bad voice acting and Irish stereotype. He even has a catchphrase: I create my own luck. Just in case his name wasnt Irish enough for you.

Killing the main Assassins is also disappointing - once spotted, they become near invulnerable to all but firearms and start running laps around the area while you try shoot them. These aspects of the game will likely leave you as cold at the Atlantic, but theres still a lot to enjoy outside of this. The closing missions are enough to put the wind back in your sails alone. Besides that, sailing around North America, creating your own objectives as the sun sets on the horizon, its easy to forgive the game its lack of ambition. Theres nothing out there that quite matches the sense of freedom you get from the open sea, and Rogue is a great excuse to rekindle that feeling.

Read the original post:
Assassin's Creed: Rogue review

Home | Back

November 19th, 2014 1:42 pm by Editorial Board

The black mold news out of Indian Springs Elementary School has turned out to be much better than it could have been. But the story is a cautionary tale about the need for roof maintenance hanging over the head of local governments.

The moral is that keeping roofs in good repair can save money and avoid potential black mold health issues.

The first- and second-grade pod of the school was cleared after maintenance workers found what was later confirmed to be black mold that grew in moist conditions created by a roof lake in the circa 1970 building. Black mold can cause and aggravate respiratory conditions.

Classes were called off at the whole school for a day to give maintenance workers a chance to move the first-grade classrooms to elsewhere on campus and the second-graders to the neighboring Indian Springs Baptist Church West.

Hats off to the church for allowing students a temporary location in the building.

Maintenance workers were at the school and doing repair work on the pod roof, the latest in a long series of what Director of Schools Jubal Yennie called "band aid" work.

After the leaks were fixed, workers found the mold growing on wet wood that supported the roof.

Air tests indicated the mold wasn't airborne, so instead of having to bring in a professional remediation firm, the county maintenance crews handled the work.

Read the rest here:
Neglected school roofs teach some hard lessons

It costs $50,000 to make a claim, half of which must be returned along with the player if he does not spend the entire ensuing season in the Major Leagues.

Assistant GM Gord Ash said earlier this week that the Brewers had all but finalized Thursday's additions. As of Wednesday afternoon, the Brewers had four openings on their 40-man roster, though it's possible they could free additional space before the deadline.

In all, 43 Brewers prospects are Rule 5 eligible, including one -- right-hander John Ely -- who signed a Minor League contract with the club Wednesday. He made 18 starts for the Dodgers in 2010 but has switched to relief since then and has not pitched in the Majors in the past two seasons.

Here's a look at some of the notables among the other 42:

RHP Jungmann: The 24-year-old (he turns 25 next month) tops the list of prospects who are locks to be added to Milwaukee's roster. Drafted 12th overall in 2011, Jungmann made it to Triple-A Nashville for the first time in 2014 and held his own, going 8-6 with a 3.98 ERA in 18 starts and one relief appearance. He has a 3.79 ERA in three Minor League seasons and is 10th on MLB.com's latest list of the Top 20 Brewers prospects.

RHP Goforth: Ranked No. 17 on MLB.com's Brewers prospect list, the 26-year-old logged 27 saves for Double-A Huntsville last season and could reprise the role next year in Nashville if he doesn't make Milwaukee's roster.

MLBPipeline.com's Bernie Pleskoff discusses David Goforth, a right-handed reliever who could transition into a closing role for the Brewers

SS Rivera: A polished defender who is only 22 years old, Rivera is among a trio of top young Brewers shortstops along with Jean Segura (who is coming off his second full Major League season) and Orlando Arcia (who is second on MLB.com's list of Brewers prospects and tops one just released this week by Baseball Prospectus). Rivera split last season between Class A Advanced Brevard County and Huntsville.

More:
Brewers face roster moves for Rule 5 eligible players

Kitchen Remodeling Hampton New Hampshire | 603-964-8939
http://www.nhkitchens.com | 603-964-8939 Kitchen Gallery 69 Lafayette Road North Hampton, NH 03862 This video is a kitchen remodel we did several years ago u...

By: Gary Stevens

See the original post here:
Kitchen Remodeling Hampton New Hampshire | 603-964-8939 - Video

Best Home Remodeling Company Dover 302-462-5329
Best Home Remodeling Company Dover Take advantage of our internet only special by calling us T M Construction @ 302-462-5329 for the Best Home Remodeling Company in Dover Delaware.

By: Bombora Local Community

Read more:
Best Home Remodeling Company Dover 302-462-5329 - Video

Monmouth County, NJ (PRWEB) November 19, 2014

Total customer satisfaction is something that few NJ kitchen remodeling companies are known for, but World Class Kitchen & Bath Design Center in Monmouth County, has consistently received accolades in 2014 for exactly that.

World Class Kitchen & Bath put together a great design for my kitchen. The crew was on schedule, did a beautiful job and finished sooner than expected. I highly recommend World Class Kitchen & Bath. Kathy B., Matawan, NJ

From clients to local builders, World Class is reviewed as being one of the most efficient and customer-centric remodeling companies in the Tri-State area. With 24/7 e-mail response, direct and personal attention from the owners, and a proven project management system, World Classs service stands tall and above their competitors. More information and appointments can be made at http://www.worldclasskitchens.com.

Every customer, no matter how large or small their project is, receives our (the owners) individual attention. Over the years, we have been extremely successful with a system that coordinates our time, double checks every step of the process, and ensures that we have our hands on your project from start to finish. We dont simply take your money and hope that the subcontractor does the job right. We are there every step of the way. We even make ourselves available through text messages and email to answer questions and deal with concerns. Donna Vitale, Owner, World Class Kitchen & Bath Designs

The effectiveness of their process is unmatched. First, the clients experience begins with a visit to the multi-level showroom where you will meet with their extraordinary design team. The showroom has full displays including Kitchens, Bathrooms, Tile, Granite, Vanities & Hardwood Floors. A team of designers will present directions for the new kitchen or bathroom and complete a no obligation, introductory overview. Next, Joe will visit the clients home, measure the space, learn the desires and functional needs, and begin to select options. Then, the client is invited back to the World Class Showroom, where Joe is able to show them digital designs of their space and make decisions on the styles and placement of every aspect of their project.

As a follow up, Joe Vitale will return the clients home and pre-measure the space to ensure that every piece of the project is precisely correct for the customers kitchen renovation.

The installation was timely and very professionally handled. Every step from the design, including assistance with color and options from the staff, helped complete the kitchen. Updates were provided throughout the entire project to keep us informed. A+! Frank & Debbie L., Morganville, NJ

Donna Vitale alongside the internal team will place orders for every part of the project. From the hardware, to the builders, to the delivery dates, she ensures that everything needed for the job is ready and in place on the first day of construction. From there, everyone stays involved through the process, with Donna exclusively managing the on-site construction team. Accessibility is key and World Class understands that schedules may change and clients might need special accommodations. Additionally, there are measures of quality control at each step during construction, so World Class takes full accountability and manages any potential issues.

Joe Vitale returns to the home during and after the project to make sure that the client is happy and that everything is 100% precise and satisfactory.

Read the original here:
World Class Kitchen & Bath Design Center has been recognized as one of the Top New Jersey Kitchen Remodeling Companies ...

BURLINGTON, N.C. (WTVD) --

We first heard Frances and Paul Tausch's story in June after they paid more than $12,000 for American Kitchen to build their dream kitchen. But before any work could be completed, American Kitchen shut down with no notice.

The Tausch's were left with an incomplete kitchen and nowhere to turn.

"I guess now the only thing we got to go forward somehow, got to move cabinets back in and just forget about it," Frances Tausch said.

But Tausch didn't have to forget about her dream kitchen thanks to some generous Triangle businesses.

"After watching your story, my wife and I were sitting there, we were saying, 'We've been blessed this year,'" owner of Witcraft Painting & Decorative Concrete Coatings Robert Witcraft said.

Witcraft also got several other businesses on board.

"We're really sorry that this happened, and you know, not all contractors are bad," he said.

Witcraft coordinated with Paragon Building Group to complete the project.

"It was important for us to make sure they got what they intended to get for the best price possible and it was a team effort," owner of Paragon Building Group Josh Mauney said.

More:
Troubleshooter: ABC11 viewer helps homeowner after kitchen remodeler closes

Research in solar photovoltaics is alive and well, as many government and university labs around the country are investing resources and pushing the envelope. A sampling of labs shows theyre working on both thin-film and crystalline, with nanotechnology playing a big part, as expected. But some labs are exploring angles you wouldnt normally think about.

NREL post-doc scientist, Rene Rivero, operates a Solar/Wafer Screening Tool for PV Industry. This tool tests a pre-selection of wafers of high fracture strength, improving the yield of Si solar cells by preventing their breakage during cell fabrication. Courtesy NREL.

NREL

Greg Wilson, director of the National Center for Photovoltaicsat the National Renewable Energy Laboratoryin Golden, CO, reports that his facility has is conducting research in three major areas. For starters, researchers are working in the III-Vs, which refers to semiconductors made from atoms in columns III and V of the periodic table, the most common one being gallium arsenide.

Another part of its research is in conventional single-crystal silicon. Nearly all of our work at NREL right now is focused on silicon tandems. This involves taking the best cell made and adding a top cell that will harvest another portion of the light spectrum in a two-junction cell, Wilson says. Many groups around the world are working on this concept, which poses a challenge in getting the cell joined cost effectively, whether you use epitaxy or bonding. NREL is exploring both routes and says the top cell will likely be a III-V.

If done correctly, Wilson says, this has the potential to add about ten points of efficiency to an already high-efficiency silicon part itself. This approach could produce silicon tandems and have an efficiency of greater than 30 percent.

The third area is thin-film, which NREL has been exploring for 35 years. Researchers are investigating different materials, including cadmium telluride (the semiconductor that First Solar technology is based on), CIGS (copper indium gallium selenium), and a GIGS substitute known as CZTS, an earth-abundant potential replacement.

Thin-film offers advantages over conventional cells made with crystalline semiconductor material, mainly lower manufacturing costs because it uses a low-temperature process similar to printing instead of the high-temperature vacuum deposition process. It also has the advantage of lighter weight and the ability to be integrated into building materials such as siding, roofing, and tent fabrics.

But as Wilson says, Silicon isnt going anywhere. There are a lot of reasons silicon dominates the market today. Thin-film hasnt achieved the efficiency silicon has. Theres another problem with thin-films thats always out there, and thats long-term reliability. Silicon has the best, most well-understood degradation behavior over 30 years in the field. Polycrystalline thin-films degrade faster than silicon, but Wilson thinks that can be solved with more research.

Here is the original post:
A Look Inside Four Solar Labs Offers a Glimpse of What's New in PV R&D

By Amit Singh CRN, Nov 17, 2014

The enterprise networking market is expected to reach $1,054 million by 2017 with a major chunk accounted for by SDN

Wider acceptance of social networking, mobility, big data, analytics and the cloud (SMAC) is driving the networking market. According to Gartner, the enterprise networking market will touch $887 million in 2014 and reach $1,054 million by 2017.

Today, the point of discussion with customers is around technologies such as SDN, data center network upgradation, and the convergence of network and wireless. We believe these solutions and services will drive business in the next 12-18 months, says Umesh Shah, Director, Orient Technologies, Mumbai.

SDN Indian businesses are now accepting SDN as a serious investment option. Says Amandeep Singh Dang, Country Manager, Dell Networking, In India, we expect 30-40 percent of the enterprise networking market to move to SDN by 2017. This means an opportunity worth $350 million-$400 million by 2017.

Today, the point of discussion with customers is around SDN, data center network upgradation, and convergence of network and wireless

Umesh Shah, Director, Orient Technologies

Adds Neel Shah, Managing Director, Insight Business Machines, Mumbai, Although most customers are still testing the waters with partial implementation, the momentum will accelerate in the next 1-2 years. Greenfield projects will be more inclined to opt for full-fledged SDN.

Customers now understand that SDN will be the future and are readying the base for SDN transformation, he remarks. We have seen increased acceptance and executed several networking projects where customers have deployed SDN-ready products.

Revamp in data centers Another big transformation is taking place inside data centers. With cloud computing emerging as a widespread practice, the demands on network switches and routers inside data centers have increased.

Here is the original post:
Partners: DC Networking Ugradation, SDN Will Drive Networking Market

When New York City emergency crews rescued two window cleaners dangling from broken scaffolding last week, some in Gresham took note.

Rescue workers had to cut through the glass wall of the 68th floor of One World Trade Center to bring the two men to safety. Thirteen thousand of those windows had been assembled and glazed at the Benson Industries Inc. factory on Northeast Halsey Street and Northeast 181st Avenue. The factory no longer exists.

They had to grind out an opening big enough for a guy to walk through, said Jeremy Mucha, vice president of engineering for Portland-based Benson. Mucha explained that crews used a diamond-tipped grinder on a half-inch thick interior pane then broke out the thinner outer window.

The two men on the maintenance crew were subcontracted from Benson to Uptown Services Window Cleaning, but Mucha noted that the company that supplied the faulty rigging was separate.

The port authority owns the maintenance equipment and are going to find out what was wrong with it, Mucha said. He noted that the emergency safety lines and emergency crews all worked as they should have to prevent tragedy.

The Guardian newspaper reports that the scaffolding was supplied by U.K.-based Tactel Group, who has had two other similar malfunctions in recent years.

The workers were uninjured and rescued around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12, after 90 minutes spent clinging to the rigging over the New York skyline, CNN reported.

The hole is now boarded up and a Benson crew will install a new window this week. Once the silicone caulking cures, Mucha said, the crew will need to go back out on a swing-stage scaffold to finish replacing the glass.

Begun in 2009, it was a four-year process for Benson to install the curtain wall the outer skin of the skyscraper. The 1,776-foot-tall One World Trade Center officially opened Nov. 3, according to CNN.

Mucha said when the story hit the national news, everybody called wondering if they knew that our building was on TV.

See original here:
Gresham-made windows featured in death-defying New York rescue