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Advertisement -- Learn more about ads on this site. Message Boards FORUM:   Diet and Nutrition 3:30 slump? Click here to read our frequently asked Diet and Nutrition questions. Search the Message Boards: Advertisement -- Learn more about ads on this site. Author: Message: Sort First Post on Top Posts: 78 2/28/13 10:15 A My mid-afternoon snack is 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, fruit, and 10 almonds SparkPoints: (720) Fitness Minutes: (150) Posts: 13 2/27/13 6:59 P I usually have fruit (apple, pear, grapes) along with yogurt. Posts: 338 2/27/13 6:38 P For your 3:00 slump, bring a couple clementines to work with you, or an apple or pear, or a handful of pitted dates (these are my candy.) Walk PAST the CVS store and continue to breathe the fresh air- skip the candy aisle. The candy is only going to give you a temporary fix and a crash later. Posts: 380 2/27/13 6:37 P My favorite 3 pm pick me ups are: apple, cheese stick, almonds. Any type of fresh fruit would do. Can you also extend the walk to a 15 minute one? Sometimes getting some exercise can be the best way to wake up :) SparkPoints: (53,927) Fitness Minutes: (14,129) Posts: 9,448 2/27/13 6:06 P By eating. :) I eat healthy snacks a few hours after lunch to compensate for that energy crash. If you're crashing, you also might want to look at your nutrition in the first half of the day to ensure that you're getting adequate fuel for your needs. Looking at your trackers (Thanks for that, by the way, that helps make answering these questions a LOT easier) you aren't getting a lot of protein. For that matter, your evening meals are too light, and include a lot (300-400 calories or more) of alcohol on top of light nutrition, leaving your body wanting. For example, look at your meals on the 24th... more than half of your daily calories are coming from drinks, and 400+ of those are the alcohol, leaving you with barely over 1000 calories of actual nutrition. That's not enough fuel for your body. I t hink the problem is that your body is inadequately fueled overall. You tend to make healthy choices, but they're all mostly low in protein, and you overindulge in liquids/alcohol or candies. As another example, look at your day on the 16th; you burned 400 calories running, but only got 893 calories of actual nutrition. That's simply not adequate, and it's no wonder you're running out of steam! Edited by: DRAGONCHILDE at: 2/27/2013 (18:08) Posts: 26 2/27/13 5:32 P I work an office job, and everyday, between 3 and 4pm, I get really low energy. In the past, I have always used this opportunity to walk to the CVS next door and buy myself a pick-me-up snack--usually candy. Obviously I'm trying to break that habit, but I still get that lull around 3:30. Any suggestions on a snack that might be a good high-energy choice? How do you deal with the low energy that can hit mid-afternoon? Page: 1 of (1)   Diet Resources: tea tree oil allergy symptoms | black tea allergy symptoms | blood glucose

http://www.sparkpeople.com/ma/3:30-slump?/7/1/30302268

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Hogan Knows Best Summary Share your opinion Hulk Hogan and his wife Linda raise their 16-year old daughter, Brooke, who isn't allowed to date and his 14-year old son, Nick, who has aspirations of becoming a race car driver on the family's 20,000 square foot estate in suburban Florida. Browse More Television:

http://www.starpulse.com/Television/Hogan_Knows_Best/Summary/

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Welcome to SP!  - Horseshoe Peak Horseshoe Peak Horseshoe Peak Page Type: Mountain/Rock Location: Washington, United States, North America Lat/Lon: 48.49420°N / 121.008°W Object Title: Horseshoe Peak Elevation: 8480 ft / 2585 m Page By: Klenke Created/Edited: Sep 15, 2004 / Nov 11, 2005 Object ID: 153090 Hits: 7068  Page Score: 81.18%  - 13 Votes  Vote: Log in to vote I think the Bulgers must have cast a shoe riding their Top 100 horse when they decided to add this peak to the list. I have contemplated many scenarios as to why they decided to do so. But until I get the definitive answer from one of them, I will have to be content with conjecture. The peak has very little prominence (80 ft), and, to be fair to actual peaks, isn't even a peak. Instead, it is merely a crag--the highest point on the aptly named Ripsaw Ridge. The peak, er crag, is a quarter-mile west of Mt. Buckner's summit. Both summits can be done in the same day. Horseshoe requires a little bit of roped climbing (half-a-pitch). Buckner is a walk-up (Class 3). Also, the crag that is known as Horseshoe Peak isn't actually the historical Horseshoe Peak. The historical one (what I will call the "True Horeshoe" or "Real Horseshoe") is the twin-spired formation with a U-shaped notch at the center of Ripsaw Ridge. The "Bulger Horseshoe" only came into existence when a cartography mistake erroneously placed the Horseshoe Peak label at the Bulger location. For more info, see this picture and the responses beneath it, this picture, and specifically this picture. Unless you're a Bulger Top 100 enthusiast there's not much reason to climb this peak. However, since I have some good representative photos, I thought I'd add it here. Never has this crag been so lucky. Getting There There are two standard approaches to this peak. It can be done in a very long day but it is better served as a two-day jaunt. The first approach is by way of Sahale Arm. The second, which is more direct but requires more elevation loss and regain, is by way of Lower Horseshoe Basin. To get to the trailhead (Cascade Pass Trail), drive to the town of Marblemount via Hwy-20 and refuel and/or pick-up any last minute supplies at the convenience store. From the main corner in town, drive east on Cascade River Road for 22 miles to the trailhead (3,600 ft). Approach 1: Sahale Arm Make the standard approach to Sahale Arm (on Sahale Peak). Since that page's description for that approach is woefully inadequate, I will elaborate here. Hike the interminable and way too low-grade Cascade Pass Trail for 3.7 miles to the 5,400-ft pass. Cuss at will at the fact that the trail takes so long to go nowhere. From the pass, find a trail (look for a sign) that leads northward up onto Sahale Arm. In about 2 more miles the well-worn trail arrives at ample campsites near the toe of the Sahale Glacier (c. 7,600 ft). Read below and also see this picture. From camp, hike eastward until the terrain begins dropping down into an obvious drainage of the SE toe of the glacier. Turn right before the drainage and hike southward on its western fringe for a couple hundred yards, passing a snowfield (if late season) on its west. You will drop down a couple hundred feet or so to do this. Once at the level of the bottom of the snowfield (c. 7,200 ft), turn left (east) again to walk below it on nice slabs. Continue westward down a slabby ramp until it is feasible to turn right again so you are facing SE. DO NOT CROSS THE PROMINENT STREAM. Descend easy slabs for several hundred more feet until the slabs give way to talus. There may be some routefinding down these slabs but it should be no harder than Class 3 with minor Class 4 steps. The talus starts at 6,800 ft. At about 6,700 ft or where most feasible between the waterfalls above and below, cross the stream. But before you do so, look at the rocky rib on the other (east) side. Notice how it comes to an end at some trees and a notch. A little farther down (maybe 200 ft to the right), there are some scrub evergreens just before the rib cliffs out even with the lower waterfall. HEAD FOR THOSE SCRUB EVERGREENS. There is a hidden gully/ramp there which greatly reduces the amount of downclimbing necessary to get into Horseshoe Basin. The gully/ramp is a narrow dike (approximately 8 feet wide) that drops about 100 feet on the Horseshoe Basin side. The dike starrts out Class 3. A short downward Class-4 step then gets one to an alcove with mining equipment stashed in it. The remainder of the dike is Class 3 but somewhat exposed and loose. Once in the basin at 6,600 ft, contour northeastward then eastward on slabs below the Davenport Glacier. Pass an old mine just beyond the east end of the glacier. A 6,900-ft rock promontory in the middle of the basin (good camping) should be passed on its high side. Basically, you want to hug the rock wall of Ripsaw Ridge as best as possible. When the rock wall ends at an ice-filled depression just before Mt. Buckner (c. 8,000 ft), you are now near the foot of Horseshoe Peak. But which crag is Horseshoe? The answer is given on the route page. Approach 2: Lower Horseshoe Basin From the Cascade Pass Trailhead, hike 3.7 miles to the 5,400-ft pass and continue east down into Pelton Basin. From the pass, descend the trail 3 miles to a junction at 3,600 ft. Take the left fork which turns a corner and heads north into Lower Horseshoe Basin. In high run-off situations, like after rainfall, the last portion of trail can become a stream course that's not too easy to travel. But it's not impossible. The brush ends at approximately 4,400 ft. Now what? How does one get up the cliffs to the upper basin? At far left (NW) is a feasible route. It's not as direct but it has the least steepness between ledges and ramps. I have no other information other than having viewed it from afar. Right up the middle where the major streamcourse plunges down is another possibility. You will still have to deal with cliffs but there may be less of them. Farther to the right near where a minor buttress forms right of a streamcourse there is a cable hanging down from the cliff. A route up to the right of this cable is feasible (that's teh way we went) but it involves some Class 4 climbing on loose dirt and rocks. Unpleasant but doable. Even farther right there are a series of left-trending ledges. The lowest of these leads to the hanging cable. The upper one has an exposed portion for its first half. It's second half involves some brush and a stream crossing. The upper one--even with the exposed section--is probably better than the cable route. Either way on the right will involve some amount of vegetated Class 4 for 100-200 vertical feet. The terrain backs off but remains steep for a few hundred more feet. Also, the brush above the cliffs can be a hassle. The farther you gee the less the brush, or so it seemed. However, there are more cliffs over that way, so you don't want to go too far right. Eventually, at about 6,000 ft, the brush ends and the basin opens up to grass, heather, and rocks. Camping in the basin can be hard to come by. However, there is ample camping atop the 6,900-ft rock promontory at the center of the basin. From the rock promontory (if camped there), climb up and right on talus or heather to below the rock wall of Ripsaw Ridge to about 8,000 ft where the rock wall ends at an ice-filled depression. You are now near the foot of Horseshoe Peak. But which crag is Horseshoe? The answer is given on the route page. Red Tape The peak lies within North Cascades National Park. Permits are required to camp within various zones. Sahale Arm is a different zone to Horseshoe Basin. Permits can be picked up at the ranger station in Marblemount. Blue bags (for your poop) are the standard. Also, you'll need that pesky Trail Park Pass to park. Well, you can still park but you risk a ticket. The lot is heavily patrolled...both by rangers and by thieves. When To Climb A winter ascent is not impossible but late spring to early fall is the best time. Early season snow-cover may make the traverse over to the peak more pleasant. Later on, the snow is gone and talus dominates. If you abhor talus, suggest you go earlier than later. Camping is available at 7,600 ft on Sahale Arm and at 6,900 ft on the rock promontory in the middle of Horseshoe Basin. Some form of campsite could also be fashioned in Lower Horseshoe Basin (c. 4,400 ft). All of these will require a permit. Permits can be picked up at the Marblemount Ranger Station. Mountain Conditions Localized Forecast The peak is just slight east of the crest. Sometimes thunderstorms east of the crest can be a problem. Marblemount Weather Forecast (nearest town). Views from the Summit

http://www.summitpost.org/horseshoe-peak/153090

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Sun Sentinel 2012 Hyundai Veloster: Hatchback with style By Joe Wiesenfelder October 12, 2011 On the heels of redesigned Elantra compact and Accent subcompact, the new 2012 Veloster adds a coupe to Hyundai's burgeoning small-car offering. The distinctive Veloster is a true three-door hatchback: It has a liftgate, two front doors and a single rear door on the curb side for easier backseat access. By Hyundai's estimation, the Veloster competes with the likes of Honda's CR-Z hybrid and the Scion tC, and might be cross-shopped with the Fiat 500, Mini Cooper and Volkswagen Beetle.The 2012 Hyundai Veloster is a distinctive, high-mileage sport coupe that hints at the excitement to come in future variants. Hyundai simplifies things by offering just one Veloster trim level starting at $17,300, distinguished only by three interior color schemes, which include gray, black and a red-and-black combination. The interior choices depend on the exterior color chosen. Options include an automatic transmission for $1,250 and two feature-filled packages. With currently known options, the Veloster tops out at $23,310. I drove the Veloster with both manual and automatic transmissions. Exterior & styling Somehow Hyundai has managed to design another car that looks unique and stylish without being overly polarizing or just plain ugly. Available in seven colors, including bold yellow, orange and green, the Veloster stands out as something entirely new. Seventeen-inch alloy wheels are standard. The optional Style Package, for $2,000, includes 18-inch wheels, fog lights and a chrome grille surround with piano-black highlights, along with interior feature upgrades. Different 18-inch alloy wheels with body-colored spokes join additional features in the Tech Package, which requires the Style package, adding another $2,000 (for $4,000 total). The Veloster also introduces Hyundai's first exterior graphics options, which include stripes and other designs. They're available when ordering or at the dealership. Ride & handling I've called out handling as an area in which Hyundai needs improvement overall. For example, though the new Elantra is more than capable enough, it doesn't match the athletic Ford Focus or Mazda3, or maybe even the Chevrolet Cruze. I also find the Genesis Coupe too skittish. The Veloster's dynamics and roadholding are among the best Hyundai offers when equipped with the optional 18-inch wheels. My chief complaint about the Veloster is its steering, which feels numb on-center and tends to wander at low and medium speeds, improving somewhat on the highway. Beyond the steering issue, the Veloster is exceptionally light, starting at 2,584 with a manual transmission ? and it feels that way. As important, it manages its weight well, with admirable balance for a front-wheel-drive car, and minimal body roll. The optional 18-inch tires showed no evidence of the automaker's quest for fuel efficiency, as some low-rolling-resistance (a.k.a. traction-resistant) tires on small cars do. The Kumho Solus KH25 all-season tires, rated P215/40R18, are well matched to the Veloster. Note that I didn't drive the standard 17-inch tires, which are Nexen Classe Premiere CP671s rated P215/45R17. Though they're ostensibly all-season tires, these give me pause. The same models proved inferior in the cold and snow earlier this year on a 2011 Kia Optima, on which they were also standard equipment. Pay extra attention to these tires if you test drive the Veloster, even if it's not cold out, and consider the 18-inchers if you have any concerns. Handling can't be divorced entirely from engine power, because there has to be enough oomph to pull the car out of a corner, and here the Veloster's modest power comes into play. Shared with the Accent is a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that generates 138 horsepower at 6,300 rpm and 123 pounds-feet of torque at 4,850 rpm. Thanks to direct injection and variable valve timing, the little 4-cylinder offers pretty broad torque delivery across the rev range. The six-speed transmissions make the most of it, launching the Veloster quickly when needed. Taking on hills and powering out of sharp turns demands lower gears, keeping the driver or the automatic busy. The manual is a competent player with a forgiving clutch and a relatively short shifter equipped with a foolproof button for entering Reverse gear, to the left of 1st. (Why don't more automakers use this design?) The more impressive choice is the automatic, a six-speed EcoShift DCT, standing for dual-clutch transmission, Hyundai's first. The dual-clutch automated-manual design means little to the average driver but can feel different to the more attuned operator. While DCTs are usually touted for their fast shifts, the overriding goal is lower weight and greater efficiency, and Hyundai's version takes it a step further by using a dry clutch system rather than a hydraulic design. So far the only dry-clutch DCTs we've experienced come in the Ford Fiesta and 2012 Focus, which have their detractors. When in Drive mode, the DCT behaves like any other automatic transmission. You can also slide the lever to the right and then shift up and down sequentially, or use the standard shift paddles on the steering wheel. I'm impressed with the DCT. It performed nicely over a couple of miles of stop-and-go city driving. When I let off the brake at a stop, it would begin to inch forward after minimal delay. I noticed none of the balkiness or vibration we experienced just a week ago with the 2012 Ford Focus SFE. The transmission shifts up through the gears smoothly and without drama, and it doesn't downshift too conspicuously as you slow to a stop. It also downshifts reasonably quickly when it's time to pass. Hyundai engineers erred on the side of comfort, opting for smoother shifts rather than quick, hard transitions ? a wise decision. They say it shifts faster when in manual mode, but I found the difference to be minimal. There's no automatic sport mode, but there's an Active ECO button on the dashboard that intrigues me more than similar modes from other brands. Rather than change the shift behavior directly, it affects the accelerator pedal ? not making it less sensitive but instead damping out sharp changes in position, smoothing the engine response and improving efficiency, Hyundai says, by up to 7 percent. What this does is make the regular Drive mode more responsive than some cars' are, because of their manufacturers' pursuit of higher mileage. The transmission also reacts quickly to sharp jabs of the accelerator pedal, kicking down one or more gears for passing power. The Veloster is no rocket, but thankfully it pays off in EPA-estimated mileage: 28/40 mpg city/highway for the manual and 29/38 mpg for the automatic. Both have a combined rating of 32 mpg. Some shoppers are sure to conclude that the Veloster's styling makes promises the drive trains don't keep. Perhaps they just need to wait for a more powerful version, perhaps a turbocharged one. The most Hyundai officials will say is there's no technical reason the car couldn't get a turbocharger. Beyond that, industry publications predict a turbo version for the 2013 model year, and unmistakable wide-mouthed-Veloster test mules have been spied on several occasions. I'd count on it; Hyundai established a risky direction with the midsize Sonata, maximizing efficiency with a platform that supports smaller engines rather than high cylinder counts, relying on charging to eke out more power. The Veloster, which shares elements of the Accent and Elantra platforms, could follow the same approach. For now, the base Veloster should satisfy many buyers. The transmissions make the best of the available power if you don't mind frequent shifting or the noise that sometimes accompanies it. There's a substantial ratio difference between 2nd and 3rd gears, so when you drop down, especially with the DCT, you hear a lot of engine noise. Hyundai says it targeted its noise treatments at high-frequency sounds, and here they've done pretty well. Even at high speeds, a front passenger and I were able to converse with without raising our voices. The overwhelming sound was a constant rumble from the tires, which might stem from the exceptionally coarse pavement around Portland, where Hyundai held the Veloster's national introduction. I'm withholding judgment because the tires went silent, if only for a moment, every time we crossed a short patch of smooth blacktop or concrete, and also because a ride in a Lexus LS460 L featured the same soundtrack on Interstate 84. The low-profile tires provided reasonable ride comfort for a car of this type, even after a full day of driving. Ditto for the Veloster's seats and cabin overall, which features contemporary cloth upholstery and nice enough materials. The Style Package adds a panoramic moonroof, leather on the steering wheel and shift knob, faux leather seat bolsters and door trim, alloy pedals and a one-touch feature for the driver's power window. The package also includes a stereo upgrade, but the standard Veloster has loads of connectivity: Bluetooth cellular and streaming audio, an auxiliary input, an iPod/USB port and an RCA cable that lets you play video on the dashboard screen when the car is parked. The Tech Package adds keyless access and pushbutton start, a 115-volt outlet, automatic headlights, sonar backup sensors, a backup camera and a navigation system. Even without the system, turn-by-turn navigation is available through the standard Blue Link, which is similar to OnStar. Through the third door Unlike the Mini Cooper Clubman, Saturn ION coupe and a few other recent models, the Veloster's single rear door is forward-hinged, so it can be opened via a handle without first opening the front door. It's executed so nicely, people tend to see it as a big plus ... rather than focus on the fact that the car shorts you one door on the other side. For ease of entry on that side, the driver's seat has a swing-away shoulder-belt guide and an additional lever to tilt the seat forward. Points for going the extra mile, Hyundai. Once inside, I found the backseat surprisingly workable, at least for a short trip. Legroom comes at the generosity of front occupants, who typically have some to spare. At 6 feet tall, my head just cleared the ceiling ? though it's not the ceiling so much as the rear window, and that's likely to be more of a problem if you run over a bump. As an all-new model, the Veloster hasn't been crash-tested as of this writing. It includes six airbags: the frontal pair, front-seat side-impact airbags and side curtains that cover all the side windows. As federally mandated of all 2012 models, the Veloster has antilock brakes and an electronic stability system. Equipped with Blue Link, the Veloster carries a GPS receiver and cellular telephony, which provides additional safety features, including Automatic Crash Notification when an airbag is deployed, along with operator supported one-touch SOS and roadside assistance. Subscription fees apply. Veloster in the market When I saw the Veloster introduced last year, I suspected it would serve as a coupe version of the Elantra, which currently comes only as a sedan. However, we now expect a proper Elantra Coupe to debut this November 2011 at the Los Angeles auto show. So what does that make the Veloster? It's a separate model; a sporty car that can serve as a foundation for more serious performance cars, akin to the Volkswagen GTI, Mazdaspeed3 and other so-called pocket rockets. While I'd question the move from another automaker, many of which are attempting to consolidate and pare down their product offering, Hyundai has been storming the U.S. market for years, snatching market share and putting the competition on notice. Economy be damned, as one of the few growing automakers, Hyundai is wise to take advantage of the instability and strike now.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/chi-2012-hyundai-veloster-review-20111012,0,3183747,print.story

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On one such night, he accompanies a couple in 1920s dress to what he assumes is a costume party. Instead, he's transported back in time to Paris during the Jazz Age. It was a time when Gertrude Stein reigned over her famous salon and Cole Porter threw lavish soirees at his palatial mansion near Les Invalides; when Picasso and Dali sat for hours in Left Bank cafes discussing art; Josephine Baker lit up the stage of the Folies Bergere, and F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald knocked back martinis with Hemingway at the Ritz Hotel's bar. I've always thought that if I could go back in time to any era, it would be this one. So, in the spirit of Allen, on my most recent trip to Paris in December, I spent a lot of time walking (in the rain, as it turned out) seeking places that have inspired me. I visited some old favorites and discovered a few new ones. After a particularly turbulent trans-Atlantic flight, I found myself happy to be in Shangri-La. It wasn't the mythical kingdom of James Hilton's novel, but the 1896 townhouse of Prince Roland Bonaparte, Napoleon's grand-nephew, in the fashionable 16th arrondissement, with the river Seine at the back door. Prince Roland is long gone, but his elegance and love of luxury lives on in his home's reincarnation as the first Shangri-La hotel in Europe (another will open next year in Istanbul, and one in London is planned for 2013). If you're looking for inspiration in Paris, where better to start than with its incomparable museums? If the vast corridors of the Louvre seem a bit daunting, but you want the best art the city has to offer, opt instead for the Musee d'Orsay. Housed in the former Orsay railway station, just across from the Tuileries Garden, the building itself has been called the museum's first work of art. Arranged over three floors, it has the look of a Beaux Arts palace, with a central dome and large windows offering exquisite views across the city. My favorite is the view through the giant clock face, which offers a vista of Montmartre and the Basilique du Sacre-Coeur. What's inside is equally spectacular, especially the galleries devoted to what is said to be the world's largest collections of Impressionist and post-Impressionist paintings. Room after room is filled with the most famous works of Manet, Monet, Degas, Cezanne, Renoir, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Sisley and Seurat. It's enough to make an art lover's head spin, and the 2009 renovation made the spaces even more appealing. At the Musee d'Orsay, unlike the Louvre, you may walk right up to the art. The museum has more than 1,850 paintings, sculptures, photographs and other works, but don't leave without visiting the marvelous decorative-arts galleries. Le Train Bleu could be your big splurge. Located in the Gare de Lyon train station, it is named after the Blue Train, which in the 1920s and '30s left the station en route to the French Riviera. The restaurant is a monument to Belle Epoque splendor, with wood paneling, polished parquet floors, plush velvet draperies, massive chandeliers and 41 paintings on the walls and ceilings. When I first came here 20 years ago, I could barely concentrate on my omelette aux herbes and green salad for rubbernecking at the glamorous setting. Having a meal at Le Train Bleu was a bit like dining in the Sistine Chapel. For a complete contrast, spend an evening in one of Paris' bistros, which are becoming increasingly harder to find. You'll have to venture off the usual tourist route to get to Astier in the 11th arrondissement, but it's well worth the detour. With its red-and-white checkered table linen and menus printed on the chalkboard, Astier is the personification of an intimate Parisian bistro. Owners Frederic and Claudia Hubig-Schall are gracious hosts and offer a prix-fixe menu that at 35 euros (about $55) is a good value, particularly considering it includes the expansive cheese platter, with more than 15 varieties. What is Paris without nightlife? Before heading off to shows at the Moulin Rouge (Toulouse-Lautrec's favorite) or the rollicking Crazy Horse Cabaret, stop for a drink at the Hemingway Bar at the Ritz Hotel on the fashionable Place Vendome. The bar's name perhaps results less from Hemingway's fame as a scribe than from the ruckus he created here Aug. 25, 1944. That was the night Ernest and a group of Allied soldiers, armed with machine guns, decided to "liberate" the Ritz from the Nazis.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/travel/vs-travel-paris-france-20120109,0,7789672.story

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Page 4 of 6 FirstFirst ... 23456 LastLast Results 31 to 40 of 52 1. #31 Quote Originally Posted by WeekendWarriorMdVaNc View Post My toughest paddle out/most memorable, would have to be down in Rodanthe a few years back. There was a huge south swell, with a good 8 mph south to north current. I didn't want to paddle out, but I let my two crazy friends talk me into it. We paddle out just north of the pier and by the time I made it out, I was just passing S Turns (around 2 miles down the beach). The waves were just freight training rights, a couple feet overhead and more rectangles than round, just throwing out thiiiick barrels. I kept missing waves, half because they were impossible, half because I couldn't bring my self to jump over the ledge. Finally I realized that I couldn't see Rodanthe anymore and that I was going to have to make it to shore at some point. I paddle as far in as a I could and caught a medium sized one, and it was by far the fastest wave I've ever caught. I was so stoked I paddled out for one more and in the process, took the heaviest lip to the head during a duckdive that I saw stars. My head almost got smashed into my board and I was immediately sucked back over the falls upside down and throughly thrashed, but I didn't let go of my board, even though it was way oversized for me/conditions (6'2 Santa Cruz fish, I only weighed in around 145). Anyways, I finally made it to hwy 12 and started the 5 mile walk back to Rodanthe with my thumb out, trying to hitch a ride. I must have seen 20 empty pickup trucks drive by (fishermen hate surfers I guess) before a chick in a tacoma with only room on the tailgate to sit, gave me a ride back to town. It took me a couple nervous hours to find my other to buddies by driving down HWY 12 and running across the dunes looking for them up and down the beach. That's intense man. Had a similar experience in RI during pre-hurricane swell. I tend to agree with Lee that the right coast is self-regulating, but everyone has those moments where the force of the ocean shocks them, and one of the craziest for me was during Irene last year. I was watching the path predictions early, so I went into angry broad deterrence mode. I planned a "getaway weekend" with the girl near the beach (that is generally clean during solid E/SE swell) before she heard about the storm and subsequently wanted to spend the weekend watching point break and listening to the rain... I’ve digressed. The point I was going to make was I believe it was Sunday right at the end of August, and you could tell the hurricane was passing. The barometer was still all screwed up , winds were ~30mph NNW, it still wasn’t friendly out. I was parked on a bluff overlooking a NE facing beachbreak w/ miles of beach north and south. The ocean was still looking a bit discourteous, and after an hour of convincing myself the waves were shaping into a-frames, although uncomfortably large and most likely unmakeable, I considered suiting up. At this point an SUV driven by a once-hot soccer mom pulled up. Immediately two kids, maybe 17, jump out with bodyboards, sprint down the cliff just frothing and jump in. I’m not kidding when I say within one minute, the sideshore had swept them so far north they were gone - couldn't see them from the cliff. Until then I never thought someone was going to literally get taken into the Atlantic. It must have hit the mom all of a sudden because she stopped smiling, then she started losing her sh*t. I told her to follow me to the next beach, about 2 miles north, because there was no way they were making it back there. Some guys used to intentionally drift the beaches, but not like this. She followed me to the next beach and we just watched. After about 20 mins of waiting we were about to make some calls. Finally two black dots came into view on the beach… from the north. They were panicked and said they tried coming as soon as they got in but they had absolutely no control – they went north and then got pulled into a rip and they were fortunate to hang onto their boards and caught some lucky waves which eventually deposited them on the beach...3 miles from where they went in. Hurricanes carry a lot of power. Anyway I'm sure that would have been my worst paddle out had I made it in haha. Sorry for carrying on and a lack of paragraph separation but thanks for the good stories. 2. #32 DOH plus at Hermosa. It was brutal. Nobody was out except a couple of guys towing. My friends and i were going out nor matter what being that we just got off the plane and were so stoked to surf... After 45 min of duckdiving I made it out. Took 1 wave, got the barrel of my life along with 2 of the best turns. I should have kicked out after the barrel but I was too stoked. A 2 story wall of water crashed on my head and I got thrashed for what I felt was 2 minutes, probably closer to 20 sec.. But, when I tell people it's 2 minutes. The black sand made it so dark. I washed up in to water I can stand in, got my **** together and walked outto applause on the beach. I thought they saw my barrel and I felt like Slater. Then I pulled my leash to grab my board and realized why they were clapping. My shorts were on the other end of my leash. Thank god it didn't snap or my walk up the beach a lot more embarressing. 3. #33 Join Date Jul 2009 when it gets big on north costa beachies its about a 1/2 mile paddle out. went at it for a half hour just to have a clean up set come through and break my leash. lucky my buddy was headed back out when it happened to assist. still pretty scary great stories/thread 4. #34 Join Date Jul 2009 Eastern Shore Hurricane Bill in Buxton, NC. 5. #35 Like two weeks ago I decided to go surf first street (...VB). Almost got run over by a pontoon boat and two jet ski's. It was 2-3ft. 6. #36 Join Date Oct 2009 Seattle, WA Agree with the Ocean Beach/Moss Landing guys. It gets crazy out there! My scariest *moments* were all in Hawaii paddle-outs, but more because of huge freak sets than the setup's themselves. I usually found the paddle-outs to be quite comfortable, even on the big days, so long as I scouted the terrain before getting in the water. That was actually a curse in some ways, because it was easy to get in WAY over my head at a time when my false confidence often surpassed the skillz. All in all, however, it's still those Jan-March days in good ole MD, when the waves are barely overhead but the water frigid, the air even colder, and the winds howling. I get so cold duck-diving that I literally feel my sanity leaving the body. Sometimes I'll start screaming profanity because it's just so damn agonizingly cold and I don't know what else to do about it...probably really funny for those watching, but whatever. 7. #37 8. #38 Join Date Aug 2009 Monmouth Beach, NJ Try tipping it over on it's side and driving the rail down and under with like a scooping motion. That gets the nose down... then use your foot to sink the tail as best you can. This technique works best when approaching the oncoming wave at an angle. 9. #39 This is a fun thread, I've never had the pleasure of an Ocean Beach thrashing but as a long boarder, have had a few days where you can't believe how far and long you have to paddle. I can recall several days at Boca Barranca where if you don't find the right gap, you are thrashing through some very push long-period swell. The bigger it is the farther out it breaks, so you're talking about quite the ridiculous paddle. Probably 1,000 paddle strokes on a longboard to get outside. It is a point break so you have the alternative of paddling around the break, but that can be 1/2 mile. For me, my most memorable paddle out was an October day at Assateague, MD. It was a hurricane swell and I stood on the beach with a couple of buddies intimidated by the walls of whitewater pushing across the trough and then re-forming to create some incredible shore pound. After watching for a while we decided to suit up and head out. I was a relative newby, had been surfing a lot that year, but not for a long time. I saw what I thought was a gap and started to head out and suddenly I went from being in thigh deep water to being on dry sand and looked up to a huge shorebreak wave that detonated on top of me flinging me and my board up onto the beach. I've always been a bit hard-headed (ask my wife) so I picked up my board and chose another gap and started paddling. When the first wall of whitewater hit me, I couldn't believe the power in the water and how it thrashed my body as I tried to fight through it. I kept digging hard to get outside as my heart pounded. I was almost completely out of gas and almost outside, when my buddy Hank looks over and yells that a cleanup set was coming. I dug deep and put my chin down and gave it everything I had left to scratch for the horizon. I made the first two waves of the set but the third wave loomed large and looked like I was a goner. I was totally spent yet found a way to keep paddling and just as I was cresting the top I felt as if my leash was tugging me backwards. With two last strokes I broke loose from the grasp and was outside. I was completely exhausted and wound up sitting outside for an hour before I had the gumption to try catching some waves. I wound up getting some nice rides before I broke my board and had to swim the two pieces in. My buddy Hank graciously offered to loan me a board, but I declined and went birding the rest of the afternoon. 10. #40 Join Date Aug 2011 Duppies, Barbados @ 10+ feet. The currents are weird out there even when its smaller, this was insane with waves breaking through the channel and a constant current trying to draw you back into the cliffs of death. I even got knocked back on my ass in the keyhole trying to punch through the 6' Waimea shorebreak-esque craziness. If you've seen it that big out there, you know what I'm talking about.

http://www.swellinfo.com/forum/showthread.php?17528-Worst-paddle-out&p=148144

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skip navigation The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend(1949) FOR The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend (1949) YOU CAN TCM Messageboards Post your comments here Remind Me TCMDb Archive MaterialsView all archives (0) The Beautiful... - NOT AVAILABLE Crying Boy 1. Total votes: vote now! 2. Rank: (why vote?) powered by AFI When Winifred "Freddie" Jones, a fiery saloon singer in the Old West city of Rimpau, catches her gambler boyfriend, Blackie Jobero, flirting with lovely French "entertainer" Roulette, she chases him into an upstairs bedroom at the saloon and accidentally shoots Judge Alfalfa J. O'Toole in the behind while aiming at Roulette. Freddie, a sharp-shooter since childhood, is arrested but convinces Sheriff Ambrose to let her return to the saloon and apologize to O'Toole, who is trying to explain to his shrewish wife Elvira why he was in one of the bedrooms. Just as she has almost charmed O'Toole into believing in her innocence, Blackie and Roulette enter, causing Freddie to grab Sheriff Ambrose's gun and, in a jealous rage, shoot the judge in the behind once again. In the confusion, she grabs her Mexican friend Conchita and runs to the train station, where Conchita steals some clothes and bags from a coffin. They board the train and assume the identities of the bag's owners, schoolteacher Hilda Swandumper and her Indian maid, Flat Feet. They soon reach Hilda's destination, Snake City, where Freddie, dressed in Hilda's conservative garb, is welcomed by the townspeople, including Julius Hingleman and his wife, their wealthy engineer son Charles, U.S. Marshal Jorgensen and the town troublemakers, led by Gus Basserman and his two sons. Later that day, Charlie takes Freddie sightseeing and kisses her in the church. The next day, back in Rimpau City, Blackie, who honestly loves Freddie despite his womanizing, begins to search for her. After overhearing a train conductor comment on the resemblance between his previous day's passengers and the two women described in a new wanted poster, Blackie buys a ticket to Snake City. Meanwhile, Freddie nervously begins her teaching duties, and, with aid of some fancy shooting, scares the Basserman boys into worshipful submission. When Blackie arrives in town, he questions Conchita and arranges to meet Freddie at the schoolroom that night. She arrives early to surprise him with a gun, but is surprised herself by Marshal Jorgensen, who wants her to prove that she is not escaped convict Freddie Jones. She convinces him that she cannot shoot, but as soon as Jorgensen leaves, Blackie emerges from the closet and declares that he will reveal her true identity if she refuses to leave with him. Freddie, who believes Blackie only wants the reward money, signals out the window to the Basserman boys, who knock him unconscious and hide him under Freddie's desk. Just then, Charlie enters, and after Freddie hustles him outside so that he cannot meet Blackie, they hear gunshots and run back to find the Basserman boys lying in a heap. Believing that the boys are dead, Freddie and Charlie call a meeting of the townspeople at the Hinglemans' house. They are mystified, however, by the disappearance of the boys's "corpses," and are at a loss when Gus demands to reclaim his boys and learn the identity of their killer. Furious at the snobbish treatment they receive, Gus and his men start a shootout with the townspeople. As Freddie shoots out a window, she is greeted by the Basserman boys, who reveal that Blackie forced them to fake their deaths. Meanwhile, Blackie joins Gus's forces until he learns that Freddie is on the opposing side. Gus then orders his men to hang Blackie and Charlie, who has been captured, in the barn loft. Freddie foils his plan, however, by expertly shooting her way to the barn, taking the boys to Gus and shooting the hanging ropes. Despite their fall to earth, Charlie and Blackie are not seriously injured, although Freddie is arrested by Jorgensen. At Freddie's subsequent trial in Rimpau City, Blackie begs O'Toole to marry them before sentencing her, and the judge seems moved by their love. When it becomes obvious that Blackie spent the previous evening dancing with Frenchwoman La Belle Bergere, however, the infuriated Freddie grabs Ambrose's gun and again shoots O'Toole in the behind.

http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/68289/The-Beautiful-Blonde-from-Bashful-Bend/full-synopsis.html

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TED Conversations This conversation is closed. Start a new conversation or join one » Where did atoms originally form? I am studying the Big Bang and trying to make sense of it. Is there research or ideas on how atoms initially formed? Has there been experiments done starting with basic subatomic particles to create a Hydrogen atom, for example? I know we can take existing atoms and smash them together to form higher-order atoms. The question is: Is there an existing level of research addressing (new) Atomic Synthesis? Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation. • Oct 28 2013: Bumping my previous reply to the top as it expounds on my question.. 6 days ago: Stars form heavier atoms by smashing together EXISTING atoms. The (new) in my question obviously refers to the simplest atom, hydrogen. My understanding is that the protons and neutrons make up the nucleus, with the electron currently thought to exist not in a planed orbit, but in a cloud. The electron is moving very fast in it's orbit, and it's angular momentum is what stops it from falling into the nucleus. My question relates more to how the atom forms. Let's say the universe is cooling down and the quarks form the protons and the neutrons, electrons materialize, etc..,,, At this point, there is a real problem, at least in my mind. There is no angular momentum to stop the electron from ramming into the proton at this point, and there is no reason that the electron should prefer to organize versus follow the easy path of electromagnetism. I cannot rationalize this step from particles to atoms. Everything I've read just says the atoms formed once the particles came together. Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation.

http://www.ted.com/conversations/20984/where_did_atoms_originally_for.html?c=765932

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TED Conversations Andrea Pauri owner of "Tartufi da Pauri", This conversation is closed. Start a new conversation or join one » What kind of job would you do if you were not worried about the income? With a Basic Income and so with a economic-freedom, which job do u do? Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation. • Mar 18 2011: I would get whichever job allowed me to make as much money as possible while increasing my talent. Then, I would have the means to invest in worthy causes. Simple physics teaches that force is equal to mass multiplied by velocity (F=MxV2). As I see it, our ability to be a force for good is dependent on our means (our mass) and our talent, passion, etc. (our velocity). If this is true, our force is at least somewhat dependant on our wealth. Obviously, increasing either factor (mass or velocity) will produce an increase in force, but why not try to increase both factors simultaneously? • thumb Mar 19 2011: An excellent metaphor, relating in increase of a good cause to an increase of a good effect. But, as a concerned physicist, its acceleration. F=ma, not mv. mv is momentum. As a parallel you could say that nothing increases momentum quite like an increase in velocity which in your case, I suspect, would be an increase in participation. • Mar 21 2011: If only I could vote "+1" twice... • K JAI • 0 Mar 19 2011: I love your way of thinking ' to make as much money as possible while increasing your talent thus investing in noble causes 'sounds terrific to me " hope everyone understands this is the future 'it's a quadruplicate win. You win doing what you love doing you make the money the cause gets the money 'everyone is happy 'love love love it • Mar 22 2011: Making money is rarely fun though. It seems mostly ruthless - you have to take it from SOMEone! (or someone else takes it on your behalf if you are employed). I just read a book on the Harvard MBA course and the grads it produces. They all leave with this aspiration to make money to enable a big personal contributions to good causes, and as the author saw, it almost never happens. When you become as famous as Billy Gates I suspect there's no choice. I don't know why its like that, and I don't want to find out, I just think its naieve to say these things. Sorry if this is not in the fluffy spirit of the question! • May 10 2011: Close, but not necessarily so. At CorruptionManagemenet.com we don't have to be ruthless about anyone honest. And even the dishonest end up on balance benefiting from our system. So, if you find a social cause that can produce income and you can use/join it - full speed ahead! And I'm sorry about the Harvard kids not finding good social causes to join. If it's true - they're simply not looking hard enough or can't see the obvious... Or perhaps they aren't serious about their social causes to begin with, and simply jump on the most promising money-making opportunity that pays off big bucks right away... Few people really mean what they say about doing good. We've had many people trying to join our firm claiming they want to rid the world of corruption. Alas, most of the time they want a paycheck first and then the glory that comes with the badge of "corruption fighter." It doesn't work this way. Well, maybe in government and government-supported organizations, but in the end all too often they end up hurting, not helping the real work. I presume you won't be surprised that we find many anti-corruption agencies that are, ahem, corrupt to one degree or another. • Mar 21 2011: or [Force] ( true experience of the complete NOW)=[MASS]self aware(see our own thoughts-all of them) and[Velocity] the release (into freedom from thought / judgment / labeling) • Mar 23 2011: In Newtonian physics, force can only exist if a mass is changing it's velocity. It is some times non intuitive to many people, that bodies moving at constant velocity (and without any external force) do not require any force to keep on doing so. This is probably the case for most of us humans, we tend to maintain our inertia, and quite strongly resist any changes to our lifestyle. Most of our decisions are half chance, but once in orbit, we sort of stay there Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation.

http://www.ted.com/conversations/840/what_kind_of_job_would_you_do.html?c=242656

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American Idol Thanks For Scaring! Episode Report Card Shack: B- | Grade It Now! You Don't Have To Go Home, But You Can't Fame-Whore Here Randy tells us that he's amused by all the contestants who tell us how they've made friends with everybody here, and how they're all "family" now, and he doesn't believe them because it's a competition and all. Yeah, but maybe they're referring to the cameramen? Ryan reminds us that we actually do have part of a family here -- brothers Jesus and Noel Roman. Although, in separate interviews, they come off more as Cain and Abel as they promise to do whatever they have to do beat each other. Jesus even suggests he might "cut [Noel's] throat." Figuratively speaking. I hope. Prior to the start of the group auditions, Simon has some words of advice: "Don't forget the words." Heh. He reiterates it. Randy repeats it. For some reason, Ryan declares this advice to be "sarcastic" and intended to "psych them out." Granted, Simon does have his sarcastic moments of psyching people out, but I kind of think he really, really doesn't want them to forget the words. And where the hell is Paula? Hmmm...we haven't seen Alan yet this morning, either. Suspicious, I tell you! The first group is the three guys from Hawaii -- Sonny, Jonah, and Clifford -- singing "Up on the Roof." They're okay. They have really nice harmonies, but whoever is singing doesn't stand out much. It sounds like they're auditioning to be back-up singers. Clifford still sounds like Michael Jackson -- when he was ten years old. It's so creepy and wrong, like he's possessed by the spirit of a dead child who can't be laid to rest until he fulfills his dreams of being a young celebrity. And of course, they end with that harmonized singing of "Honolulu" that they probably spent hours on. I'm getting really tired of that crap. Yes, you live in paradise. And I don't. Quit rubbing it in my face. Bastards. Randy likes it, but points out that the harmonies were better than the lead singing. Paula says that the harmonies were beautiful and fun. Simon thinks they were all "reasonable" and "okay." Jonah declares that this is a compliment from Simon. They all say "Mahalo" a lot, which I think is Hawaiian for "milking it." Oh, let's all bask in the reality-altering glow of Michael Keown's self-love. He and his group say they wish they could have gone first in order to "set the pace." His eyebrows migrate around his forehead as he tells us that if he doesn't win, he's sure he'll still be in the "top three." In some other interviews, he marvels at how nice his own name is, and how it looks and sounds so good. He looks at us and stage-whispers his own name, spreading his hands expansively, imagining it in lights. I have a feeling that people laugh a lot when they're trying to have conversations with Michael, from which he probably incorrectly concludes that people think he's funny. We cut to the group sing, where Michael sounds boring and smarmy, and then forgets the words. Ha ha! There's my old friend, Schadenfreude. The other two guys in the group are named John Praetor (he's the balding guy in his thirties) and Matthew Metzger (who is young and pretty). They're all terribly bland and dull. The judges are bored. Randy says it was terrible. He says it was like a bad cruise-ship performance, and he's drunk and doesn't know what's going on. Paula's about to chime in, but then Michael interrupts to say that they've seen him "a lot better." Yes, but you suck now. And you really weren't that good before. Paula says they weren't great. Coming from Paula, that's the equivalent of what Simon says, which is that they were "Ghastly. With a capital 'G.'" He says that there was no star quality or "edge," and adds, "I expected you to end with a wink." Ha! He totally nailed them. Simon concludes his comments, but Michael doesn't want to let it go, because he doesn't want them to forget for a moment that they thought he was good before. He tells them that he doesn't want to be judged solely on that song. See, he only wants to be judged when people like him, but not when people don't like him. That's perfectly reasonable, isn't it? Simon says that Michael probably won't be alone in hoping he's not judged solely on his group performance today. Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8Next American Idol Get the most of your experience. Share the Snark! The Latest Activity On TwOP

http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/show/american-idol/thanks-for-scaring/2/

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The Earth as seen from space Winds of change. A difference in temperatures between the Arctic and areas to the south is usually the main driver of the wave flows, which typically stretch 2,500 and 4,000 km (1,550-2,500 miles) from crest to crest. But a build-up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, blamed on human activities led by use of fossil fuels, is heating the Arctic faster than other regions and slowing the mechanism that drives the waves, the study suggested. Russia, Pakistan Weather extremes in the past decade include a European heatwave in 2003 that may have killed 70,000 people, a Russian heatwave and flooding in Pakistan in 2010 and a 2011 heatwave in the United States, the authors added. "Here, we propose a common mechanism" for the generation of waves linked to climate change, they wrote. Past studies have linked such extremes to global warming but did not identify an underlying mechanism, said Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, director of the Potsdam Institute and a co-author. "This is quite a breakthrough," he wrote. The scientists added that the 32-year-period studied was too short to predict future climate change and that natural variations in the climate had not been ruled out completely as a cause. The study only considered the northern part of the globe, in summertime. Petoukhov led another study in 2010 suggesting that cold snaps in some recent winters in Europe were linked to low amounts of ice in the Arctic Ocean. Almost 200 governments have agreed to work out by the end of 2015 a deal to combat rising global greenhouse gas emissions that will enter into force from 2020.

http://www.theage.com.au/environment/climate-change/extremes-more-likely-as-warming-slows-planetary-air-flows-report-20130226-2f2lf.html

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Feeder time March 11, 2005 Showing their depth, from left: Mark Richardson, Taka Hirose and Grant Nicholas. Photo: Supplied Three years after the death of his band's drummer, Feeder frontman Grant Nicholas feels ready to take on the world again. By Andrew Murfett. On January 7, 2002,  Feeder drummer Jon Lee called his band's frontman and guitarist Grant Nicholas from his Miami home. Nicholas was screening calls and when the caller ID displayed an unidentifiable number, he ignored the call. Lee called again a few minutes later and Nicholas once more ignored it. Only 20 minutes later, Lee had hanged himself. Three years later, Nicholas, 37, is at home in North London preparing for a world tour to promote Feeder's fifth album, Pushing the Senses. Unlike the aptly titled collection of cleansing songs preceding it, Comfort In Sound, the new record has more universal themes, Nicholas believes. Yet he remains acutely aware that trainspotters will be looking for macabre references on any Feeder release. The story of Lee and Nicholas is a long one. They first met as teenagers growing up in Wales and crossed paths through several bands. Nicholas had the idea for Feeder just before he moved from Wales to London, where he landed a job in a recording studio. "I did it for three years and realised I was missing playing live too much," he says. He kept in touch with Lee, regularly sending him songs and demos, until Lee moved to London and the two began Feeder in 1991. The swift departure of their first bass player prompted a parade of auditions, none of whom impressed Nicholas. But an ad placed in free-listings mag Loot by Japanese bassist Taka Hirose caught Nicholas' eye. After meeting in Camden for drinks, the two immediately clicked and Hirose has been Feeder's bassist ever since. An alternative rock band built around heavy guitars and strong pop melodies, Feeder were out of sync with the Britpop-obsessed scene and had trouble getting a record deal. However, when US bands such as Smashing Pumpkins began to appear, Feeder found their fortunes improved, touring consistently most of England's fleapit venues and garnering a cult following. "It was a difficult time, because it was very much about image and fashion and we didn't fit into that. When the whole American thing exploded, we began to get a little bit of rock press on our side and we eventually signed to an indie label (Echo)," Nicholas says. An EP, Swim, was followed by a debut album, Polythene, in 1997. With US college radio reaching out and the single High making the soundtrack of a Jennifer Love Hewitt film, the band headed to the US for a nine-month tour. The band produced another middling album, Yesterday Went Too Soon, before their breakthrough Echo Park, with its irresistible single Buck Rogers. Feeder finally had a certified hit and Nicholas noticed the media's change of attitude. "It's three minutes of music that really helped the band crash into a massive audience," he says. "I don't think it's the best thing I've ever written but it needed to happen. We'd been bubbling for ages with a cult following - suddenly it was blown open." Nicholas still vividly recalls the night Jon Lee met his wife-to-be, Brazilian model Tatiana Englehart, in Miami. The band were touring with now-defunct US rockers Everclear. Nicholas recalls: "He decided to stay behind after the show and went on the Everclear crew bus. The next morning when I saw him, he said he'd met this girl and she was the one." Lee became engaged to Englehart and the couple settled in her south Florida home. He continued to commute to Britain for recording and tour obligations. Nicholas insists it was a viable option. "I knew how committed to it Jon was. I mean, we started it together, it was his life, he loved it. He did worry about things being difficult when he was away. Obviously, he worried about the travel too." Both Nicholas and Hirose went to ground after Lee's death. "It was an horrendous time," Nicholas says. "It was so out of the blue. Jon was so full of life, he was the last person you'd expect to do that." Hirose went home to Japan; Nicholas, who found he was unable to relax, headed to the studio. "We hadn't decided whether we were going to carry on again, we didn't know whether it was the right thing to do, whether we'd even be able to or whether people would accept us. So I went into a studio with an engineer, the same way I usually work, locking myself away for about a month and found the songs came in a short time." "It sounds odd but I think that the whole shock of it worked for me in a quite positive way. It made me really try things and do the music I really wanted to make. Even though I was very low at the time, I felt quite free because there were no ties. "I've always made music that I hope people will like but I seemed to be focusing on making sure we were really happy before we put it to anybody else. "We felt it was worth trying to continue after all we had put in, and honestly, he'd have expected us to. It was a difficult time because he was such a big personality." Gil Norton (Foo Fighters, Pixies) returned as producer, along with Nicholas' usual engineer Matt Syme, noted for his percussion programming. Nicholas says Syme's knowledge of Lee's technique and style made it possible to electronically recreate some of his playing style, and they also enlisted the talents of former Skunk Anansie drummer Mark Richardson. The poignant Comfort In Sound was a huge success in Britain, selling 600,000 copies. "I always worried about the sympathy factor," Nicholas says. "But people's sympathy only goes so far, people have to like what they hear." He acknowledges that some reviewers held their fire. "Look, some went a little easier than normal. But we still had some bad reviews." Nicholas is something of a control freak. He reads all the band's press and regularly visits eBay, where he found a rare copy of Feeder's first demo EP, Two Colours, going for £200. "It's about the music for me but at the end of the day it's still a business and I want to know if people are doing their job, otherwise we can't achieve what we need to achieve. "I know I shouldn't read reviews," he says, "but I'm curious about the songs people like and what they think of them. I don't take it too personally. You can tell if people have really listened to the album or not by the way it's written." He resents the common perception that he is Feeder. "We do talk, no matter what people may see on the outside," he says. But can the other members contribute to songs? "Sometimes," Nicholas says. "We're a band and it's important to have ideas. But you can't force them to come in with tunes. On the last two albums, I know there haven't been as much of that as there used to be. Everybody brings something to a song and the future's open. It may work differently on the next album, I don't know." As Nicholas heads off to rehearsals, I ask him how different the songs would be if Jon Lee was still alive. "We've moved on as much as we can," he says. "It's sad but at the same time I feel that if Jon was around, maybe the songs would be about different things, but we'd still be making these kind of records." Nick Duerden, a senior writer for Q magazine, has followed the band's progress from its infancy. "Occasional attention-grabbing singles aside, they were always fairly faceless," he says. "Ironically, Jon's death made them less so." Duerden believes Nicholas was more than entitled to continue the band. "Suicide is a tragedy," he says. "But should everybody else's life be abruptly curtailed also? Grant's life had been Feeder, for well over a decade at the point of Jon's death. To walk away would have been terrible and, more importantly, pointless. He has more to say now, through music, than ever. "Jon's death gave them an edge, a certain cachet, and I suppose it is true that this latest album wouldn't be as good, as profound, had the tragedy not occurred," Duerden says. The next day, Nicholas has a spring in his step. Rehearsals are nearly over and, with the help of a couple of samples, the band can play every track from Pushing the Senses live. Comfort In Sound was haunting, thanks to the instruments and the candour of Nicholas' lyrics. Led by anthemic single Stumble and Fall, this new album is something of a watershed for Nicholas, whose writing subconsciously gravitates towards Lee. "You don't even realise you're doing it sometimes but I've learnt a bit and accepted everything now - this album's more positive about moving on. Yeah, there's some melancholic songs but it's also a lot of really optimistic tracks." The song Frequency is a case in point. "There's a little bit of the past there. Obviously losing something, you know there's Jon, but to me, it's something that isn't there, almost wishing you could go back and say some things you don't have a chance to say." Yet one of the album's more moving moments, Tender, is not directly about Lee but about a friend who lost a child. "It's a healing song. Losing Jon helped me realise about healing and how important friends are. It's about anyone who's lost anybody and come through it." The unexpected revelation about the subject of Tender is as candid as the guarded troubadour gets. "Look, it's something where people can listen to the words and find out what I was trying to say and also, if you get a different idea from it, that's great too because that's all part of the freedom of music." Following Lee's death, Nicholas realised he was married to the band. Although he is in a serious relationship, he admits he's difficult to live with because of the time he invests in his craft. Feeder manager Matt Page told Q last month that Nicholas "finds reason to complain about everything. He's a constant worrier". "Everyone's different," Nicholas says with a shrug. "I do like to be busy, even though I moan about it a bit. I need to be active and creative. This was a dream, then suddenly it's my career. It's hard, you have to make big sacrifices. It doesn't stop when you go home, there's always something." Still, three years on, Nicholas feels that much more relaxed and his band are ready to take on the world, with Richardson on board as a full-time member. Curiously, the workman-like Richardson was friends with the flamboyant Lee. "Look, he must've felt weird," Nicholas says of the transition. "It will take time for us to get to know each other but I think it's the right thing. He's powerful and versatile, which is what you need in a band like Feeder. As long as we can get on well, this should continue for a while." He pauses. "I'm hoping for a long time." Tellingly, none of the bands Feeder toured the US with in their early days have survived. What gives Nicholas hope is that Feeder's record sales haven't peaked. Duerden believes they have reached another level. "Feeder have stopped being unremarkable," he says. "They've developed as a band and musically they are more interesting than ever. They've got depth." Nicholas says: "We've always felt we could be a big, worldwide band. We may not have always been the next new, big thing but we've always grown our following with each album. I wouldn't be doing it if I didn't think we could go further. "We've achieved a lot but it feels like a halfway point. It's almost like we have a new lease on life." Pushing the Senses is out now through Liberation/Warners. Our Advertisers

http://www.theage.com.au/news/Music/Feeder-time/2005/03/10/1110316107210.html

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The Dorm Suite Aaronthewolf on April 30, 2011 Cameron sees his dorm for the first time. Living away from home is always an interesting experience, from what I've seen and heard it isn't always a pretty scene. Especially when you mistakenly have high expectations for your living quarters, only to have them quickly deflated by reality. My Good friend Anthony is helping me co-write this, taking from his college experiences as well as my own. I personally was not really a dormer per-say, but I've seen enough of them and from what he's told me they can be pretty heinous, especially if you have high expectations. Anywho, by this point your most likely wondering why these strips are not in color…well…it's complicated to explain, but it will be rectified eventually. At the time it was a bit easier to do the strip gray scale…but…it's become arbitrary. I'll have to go back and update these at some other point. Also, I know I did two strips this week. I'll be doing this every Tuesday until I catch up with my deviant art posts. Then it will return to one strip a week Tuesdays barring certain problems and the like…

http://www.theduckwebcomics.com/Cartoon_U/5330419/

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The Fresh Loaf News & Information for Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts California state legislators to enact a Cottage Foods bill • Pin It cookingwithdenay's picture California state legislators to enact a Cottage Foods bill California bakers asked California state legislators to enact a Cottage Foods bill authorizing the Department of Health and Senior Services and/or the Department of Agriculture to issue customized "Home Bakery" licenses to residential kitchens for the purpose of selling non-potentially-hazardous bakery products, such as, but not necessarily limited to: breads, cakes, doughnuts, pastries, buns, rolls, cookies, biscuits, and pies (except meat or cream pies). Visit: to sign the petition. chefnxion's picture I have passed on this link  to my friends and encouraged them to sign the petition. Thank you for sharing this valuable information.  Home Chef in SD Yerffej's picture I have recently begun contacting my state senator in Wisconsin over this very issue.  Here are the states that allegedly already have such laws. I see this as an opportunity for the TFL group to potentially make some impact on this issue...if the interest is there. Matt H's picture Matt H This would at least put the law in connection with reality. The whole part-time home cook that sells informally and advertises on Twitter thing is not going away. Better to focus attention where it is needed. The vast majority of food-borne illnesses come from meat and dairy. Peldyn's picture I really miss bake sales! If it passes  schools and clubs could potentially have them again. SylviaH's picture gave it my vote. BDGoats's picture Ohio allows Cottage Foods and you are allowed to bake in your own kitchen. Basically you can make anything that doesn't include dairy - cheesecakes, puddings, etc. If you want to make and sell those items, you can get a home bakery license, but your kitchen needs to be "inspected" - basically no carpeting and pets in the kitchen. The biggest stipulation is labeling and Ohio is getting more strict on that. Labeling must include ALL ingredients. For example, you just can't say "chocolate chips", you have to write the ingredients for the chocolate chips. Several of the bakers joked about handing out books listing all the ingredients for a cookie. Additionally, you need to put somewhere on the label "This product is home produced". And the label must have your complete address and phone number/email address. The Ohio Cottage Industry also includes candies and jams/jellies - basically anything non-hazardous. Relishes, salsas, and pickles are not allowed. For that you need to get a Commercial Cannery license, a commercial kitchen, plus a whole bunch of regulations. The great thing about the Cottage Food industry in Ohio is that I can sell to restaurants and retail stores. I would definitely push for this in California. DeborahH's picture This would be so great. There are so many people out there who would just like to make a little money selling their baked goods, but can't afford to rent licensed commercial kitchen space just to bake a few loaves or make a special cake to sell. I didn't realize what had happened to the local school bake sales until I read this article. No wonder room mothers can't bring home-baked goods to school anymore, but they are allowed to bring in those sub-par cupcakes from the local grocery store bakery! California laws have tied up small businesses into knots with regulations or exhorbitant fees, or restricted them completely. Let's boost the economy and get the mom-and-pops going again with Cottage Industry laws that let the little guys make a buck. If I'm okay with buying cookies that Grandma made in her home oven, why shouldn't I be able to buy them, and why shouldn't grandma be able to sell them to me? Everyone who is for this, please, PLEASE, sign the petition or let your lawmakers know where you stand. minisquid's picture Has there been any update or status report on the Cottage Law legislation?  Has the petition done anything?  cookingwithdenay's picture I took a look at the current House Bills and there is nothing on the development of a cottage food law or home food processing. I have a call into the "House" but with all the economic issues, and no one from the House spearheading this, I don't think anything is being done, however I won't know for sure until I speak with someone. I'll be in touch if I hear something positive. I can share that the state of Arizona will soon have a "cottage food law" the Senate Bill is sitting on the Governor's desk and just needs to be signed. Even when signed it may take another 90 days before it is implemented, but the Bill passed both the House and the Senate...again...I'll post when it is actually signed into law. Happy Baking all! minisquid's picture Thanks!  Is there a bill # I can look for?  Also, how do we get someone to sprearheading this? Thanks again! flournwater's picture I got the impression that the petition was intended to convince the legislature to draft a bill. But I find that there is a bill (SB303) in the works that may accomplish this objective. cookingwithdenay's picture You are correct the petition is intended to encourage a member of the Califronia House and Senate (you will need the support of both) to create a Bill that would allow home food processing or the manufacturing of non-hazardous food products with limitations. This bill is quite limited and not like many cottage food bills currently before state legislators. I am familiar with this Bill, unfortunately it does not specifically mention home food processing and the sales of those products either at state sponsored farmers markets or to the general public. I am not familiar with any cottage food legislation out of California at this time and if someone else knows of a Bill allow home food processing please contact me. cookingwithdenay's picture I am not aware of any House Bill specific to Calif. Home Food Processing at this time. I am aware there is an open petition and a baker has gathered a number of signatures, but until a member of the House comes on board, well the idea will linger in the wind, so to speak. You may visit HBB for ideas on how you can build some momentum around this issue and of course email me any time and I will do what I can to contact bakers to support the creation of a cottage law. Yerffej's picture Do you know which states currently have the most favorable cottage laws.  For example I would consider Ohio to be most favorable based on the comments in this thread. cookingwithdenay's picture Hi Jeff, Sorry for not answering this sooner. I can't tell you which state has the "most favorable" cottage law. Remember a lot of laws are created based not just on rules and regulations that beneficial to the food processors but also the state has to be able to handle the number of individuals who participate and if a state has compliance officers or regulators, that may also impact their restrictions. As much as we would all love zero government regulation, when it comes to food that is not going to happen and shouldn't since the consequences can be deadly, to say the least. I am in North Carolina and their cottage food law, offers many opportunities to sell to the consumer. Every cottage food program has its advantages and disadvantages; some allowing a variety of ways to sell products (online, farmers markets, retail, wholesale etc) and some with limitations so restricted only farmers are allow to sell products they produce at local farmers markets (farmers who grow grapes, peaches, berries can sell canned jars of jams and jellies). Here is a link to the states that have some type of cottage food regulation. Urchina's picture Just a short note on Matt H's comment that the main cause of foodborne illness is meat and dairy.  The main cause of foodborne illness in the United States is Norovirus, which does not grow in food but is passed through contaminated food and water, usually by food handlers.  While meat and dairy can support the growth of pathogenic bacteria when not properly refrigerated or cooked (as can cooked vegetables, grains, legumes and fruits), they're not the main cause of foodborne illness in the U.S.  Just an FYI. I'm interested in seeing how the cottage food laws progress and what the results are for the states that enact them.  gary.turner's picture Texas has two bills in the lege. Both are in the House, with minor differences. Neither allows sales to any but end consumers.  So, one couldn't bake cakes, pies or bread, for example, for resale at a restaurant or grocer.  Now that's a damned shame since the largest bakery in Texas got its start in just that way, Mrs Baird's Bread. CindyY's picture I opened my bakery just 9 months ago and how I wish I could be doing this from my clean home kitchen instead!  The hoops I had to jump through with the LA County Dept of Public Health are obscenely rigid and need to be revamped to current food development methods.   I pay a huge amount to lease "restaurant" space and it's hard enough to keep things going with other start up costs.  If the legistators in CA are really interested in improving our economy, they should support what built this country in the first place - cottage industry!  Thank you for pushing this forward. minisquid's picture Hi, I do have a question though....what is the purpose of the online petition...will it get pushed to the House after a number of signatures?  Or, does it just sit there?  cookingwithdenay's picture If the organizer is honest they should have a privacy policy accompanying the petition. The petition is used to accompany a letter to the legislator or senator sponsoring the bill to let there know there is support. Now with that said, before you sign a petition, beware, the reason some organizations get you to sign is to capture your email address to re-use; so if there is no privacy policy posted, ask the petitioner how they plan to use your signature before signing. Remember you can also contact your representative directly, instead of signing a petition. The message to advocacy organizations is to be honest. uhezay's picture This is now being pursued by the Sustainable Economies Law Center. See and sign the petition here: wmtimm627's picture With all that's happening with the food police actions in this country, what makes anyone think that baking bread would be any different than someone selling lemonade on the corner? There are even places in this country that have decided they know better than parents what is best for their children's lunches. I'm not against anything that you're proposing here, but until we get rid of the control freaks in government (VOTE!), good causes like this are bound to fail.

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/comment/166320

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Et cetera Random fluctuations Steven Poole on Programming the Universe | In Praise of Athletic Beauty | Bathers, Bodies, Beauty Programming the Universe: A Quantum Computer Scientist Takes on the Cosmos by Seth Lloyd (Cape, £18.99) The universe, it seems, is a computer. What is it computing? Why, "its own behaviour". What is the input on which it is performing its calculations? Random quantum fluctuations: in other words, gibberish, like the typing of monkeys. But the universe interprets this gibberish as a programming language. Thus occasionally, portions of it make sense and allow complexity to arise. In the author's slogan, "its" arise from "bits". So here we all are. As a scientist who has helped to build real quantum computers, Seth Lloyd is an authoritative and often funny guide to this head-bending stuff. His retelling of cosmological stories can be startlingly novel, as in an account of the Big Bang, in terms of complexity and logical depth. But is it really allowable to say that, since a quantum simulation of the universe would be indistinguishable from the universe itself, then the universe itself must be such a simulation: a simulation of itself? What if it's just the universe? Such carping may melt in the heat of Lloyd's enthusiasm, and in the end, his ultramodern theory may lead us down some old paths. This week, I have mostly been reminded of Marcus Aurelius's Meditations: "The universe is truly in love with its task of fashioning whatever is next to be." In Praise of Athletic Beauty by Hans Ulrich Gumbrecht (Harvard, £14.95) Ice-hockey players, Sumo wrestlers, footballers, boxers, skiers, divers: what constitutes their "athletic beauty", and why do we enjoy watching it? The question is approached in a roundabout way, by discussions of being a fan, or a brief history of organised games (the ancient Olympics, Roman gladiators, medieval jousting, the modern Olympics), or the "tragic myth" of the Red Sox, and so on. Much can be learned, Hans Gumbrecht suggests in tones of only slight condescension , from "unheralded everyday sportswriting". What he adds to the work of unheralded everyday sportswriters (and let us not forget novelists) amounts to, erm, some initial throat-clearing about Kant, and a refined familiarity with classical poetry. The style is cosy and readable, but in the end the author's triumphant taxonomy of "sport fascinations" - bodies, suffering, grace, tools, forms, plays and timing - does not seem all that revelatory. Also, he is lamentably grouchy about Bruce Springsteen playing concerts in sports stadia, and thinks that fencing, swimming, and wrestling are "based on very elementary body movements", which is plain bizarre. Bathers, Bodies, Beauty: The Visceral Eye by Linda Nochlin (Harvard, £22.95) Not much the wiser as to why we like to watch sportspeople, let us turn to this book to figure out why we like looking at paintings of naked women in baths or forest glades. No doubt, when I look at a Renoir, I am luxuriating in "the dominance of the male gaze" etc. But Linda Nochlin is quick to deepen and complicate such notes of complaint, finding an illuminating set of rhymes and cunning reworkings of the theme in paintings of the latter 19th century (an epoch she christens "bath time"), as when she reads Manet's Déjeuner sur l'Herbe as a sly inversion of Titian's Three Ages of Man. Thence she moves on to paintings of dead males (such as Picasso's Le Meurtre), and 20th-century jeux such as a series of warped sinks by Robert Gober, which forces the crucial question: "When does a sink-representation leave the realm of the sink and tremble on the brink of turning into something else?" Perhaps, the reader may answer two pages later, just at the moment when it turns into a pair of spread female thighs from which a hairy male foot and leg is emerging. I fear it is too late to suggest a swap with the preceding book, but it would have been intriguing. Maybe in a parallel computational universe. Today's best video Today in pictures

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2006/apr/22/featuresreviews.guardianreview32

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China's citizen journalists finding the mouse is mightier than the pen Chinese cyber-investigators find exposure on social media can protect them from the corrupt officials they seek to uncover • Guardian Weekly, • Jump to comments () weibo screen shot Zhou Lubao used the Chinese micro-blogging site Weibo to draw attention to corruption claims. Photograph: Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images Days into his new mandate as Communist party chief and before his ratification as the new president of the People's Republic, Xi Jinping declared that one of his key concerns would be the fight against corruption "under the people's supervision". Neither the "tigers" (bigwig party leaders) or the "flies" (low-ranking cadres) would be spared. Citizen journalists have taken the lead in tracking down corruption and posting their findings on the internet and on Weibo, the Chinese microblogging site. Zhou Lubao, 28, is an active cyber-investigator. When not tracking down corruption he is a household appliance sales rep in a coastal city of China. Zhou became interested in the mayor of Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu province in the summer of 2012. At the time Zhou was protesting about the sentencing of Chen Pingfu, a Lanzhou blogger accused of "inciting subversion" – a serious charge in China. Chen was finally released in December in a rare victory for free speech. Trawling through the internet, Zhou observed that in official photographs the mayor could be seen wearing five different luxury watches. Using a technique that had already led to the demotion of an official in Shaanxi, Zhou posted his discovery on Weibo and other online forums. The scandal was picked up by the media. The official Chinese news agency, Xinhua, even published an article entitled, "China's craze for online anti-corruption". Meanwhile Zhou had obtained other information about the mayor's conduct, including the loan of a substantial amount of public money to a female student when he was the director of the university, and contracts awarded to a construction owned by his wife as part of the massive New Lanzhou Area development project. Yet despite the public outcry, nothing was done. In February, Zhou went to Lanzhou himself to submit a petition to the provincial public prosecutor. The prosecutor was forewarned and Zhou narrowly escaped arrest. He fled to Xining, in the neighbouring province of Qinghai. But during Chinese New Year he tweeted "We must eliminate that old cancer, Zhou Yongkang", referring to a former member of the party's standing committee in charge of security. Zhou's Weibo accounts were promptly closed and the internet buzzed with rumours that he had been sent to a labour camp for re-education. On 22 February, Zhou resurfaced, describing what had happened to him in his blog before returning to Lanzhou to continue his investigations: "I don't think they'll dare to arrest me because of the all the internet mobilisation," he said in a telephone interview. "They would have to prove that I've committed a crime, but I'm out in the open. They are the ones working in the shadows. But who knows, they may catch me right after this call!" And he added, "When young people like me fight corruption, we are also claiming our rights and showing there is still hope in our society." That faith is shared by another anti-corruption fighter, 43-year-old Zhu Ruifeng, who set up a website called renmin jiandu wang (the people's supervision network). Ever since the sensational "sex videogate" affair in Chongqing made Zhu famous in the autumn of 2012, he has given many interviews to both foreign and Chinese media to protect himself. That scandal concerned a video of Lei Zhengfu, a district party secretary, having sex with an 18-year-old woman; it led to him being sacked along with a dozen other local cadres. The event was filmed secretly in 2007 by a blackmailer who paid young women to seduce officials and obtained lucrative public construction contracts in return for his silence. Lei Zhengfu finally went to Chongqing's police chief, Wang Lijun, for help. Wang promptly put the blackmailer behind bars and recovered 50 more compromising videos. Zhu had obtained the tape from a Chongqing police officer who was disgusted that the affair was hushed up despite Wang Lijun's fall last year, when he took refuge in the US consulate after being implicated in another, far bigger scandal involving his superior, Chongqing party secretary Bo Xilai. Zhu acquired six more videos from the same policeman. Last January, he prevented the Chongqing police from confiscating them at his home in Beijing by calling the press. He claims to have copies in safe places. "It's the first time in history that 11 cadres have fallen in one go. I want to let things calm down and see if the authorities do their job," he said in the north Beijing bookstore he uses as headquarters. The question is, will the new Chinese president keep his word or will this populist "opening up" end in widespread repression, as has so often happened in the past? "Intellectuals and civil society demand meaningful political reforms, not just little amendments," explained Teng Biao, a lawyer and major player in the Chinese civil society movement, who was imprisoned and tortured in 2011. "But change won't come from the top leadership. They have no intention of giving up their privileges and immense power. Only pressure from civil society will make them change." Meanwhile, the cyber-investigators continue their work. "Sometimes I wonder how they will have me killed. Perhaps a car accident or a murder … But I'm not afraid. We have to fight this, even if I pay the price," said Gao Qinrong after posting revelations about a family of crooked cadres in Yuncheng, a town in Shanxi province. This 57-year-old former journalist knows what he's talking about. In 1998 his paper, the Shanxi Youth Daily, exposed a fake irrigation project in Yuncheng that had siphoned off millions in public money. He was kidnapped in Beijing by the Yuncheng police and jailed on a trumped-up charge. His informer, a Shanxi cadre based in Beijing, was also imprisoned. When he was released seven years later he was beaten up now uses a wheel chair. Gao continues to fight and he believes that the climate has changed: "The Chinese media are freer now and their reports support mine, which proves that they have not been censored." And he concluded, "Perhaps the Chinese people have finally found their weapon: the computer mouse!" Today's best video Today in pictures

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/apr/16/china-anti-corruption-blogging-weibo-citizen-journalism

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Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz share some weed February 26th, 2007 // 93 Comments Did I miss something or is weed totally legal now? Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz were spotted in their bikinis getting high in what appears to be a public park. Although I can’t tell if that’s from the impaired judgement or because they’re just stupid as hell. They could be doing this in the produce aisle of a supermarket and they still probably wouldn’t realize where they were. 1. irshliquor 2. TheColombian drew must feel most comfortable around cameron due to the inexplicable comparisons to that one person she shared the screen with once…oh yes, E.T. 3. irshliquor Does anyone else wish the headline read “Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz share irshliquor’s penis”? Just me? 4. GooniesNeverSayDie What? No Lucy Liu? 5. JungleRed What’s wrong with getting high? It’s probably the only way anyone can stand hanging out with Cameron Diaz for any length of time. 6. GooniesNeverSayDie Did drugs at age 8 Married Tom Green: Who knows why? Next up: Playboy spread 7. GooniesNeverSayDie A Cameron Diaz Haiku: Dumped by JTL Skin looks like sun dried leather Next: Hang with Paris 8. BarbadoSlim Well if it isn’t the two bad-ass whitestafarians. What a fucking joke. Boy how I would love to go all The Shield all up and down their asses. 9. islandgirl what the hell is this weed week 10. pana1718 ha ha ha ha ha ha ha sad biatches! HA! 11. karifarrell It’s high to get illegal 12. illkarate Seriously… Cameron Diaz looks like a f’ing ghoul 13. biatcho a ghoul! That’s great. But seriously who hasn’t rolled a fattie in a park and shared it amongst friends? That hat that she’s wearing, on the other hand, should be illegal, unless you’re 80. 14. sweetsassymoleassy why do cameron and that random third chick have matching bikinis in the second set of photos? they look like junior high “best friends” (in other words, the pretty girl and the fatter girl she keeps around to feel better about herself) 15. thestraightshooter I cannot believe they are actually paid to appear ON screen! Cameron Diaz looks like Paul Newman in Slap Shot. I am finally convinced Drew Barrymore is a Sea Monkey. 16. thestraightshooter #13 She needs that hat to protect her face from, er, sun damage…too late huh? 17. WTFiswrongwithUppl LOL good choice of words #1! Be careful, lest some feral cunt comes along & complains about the “first” thing!:D 18. Some people actually do roll their own cigarettes ya know. … 19. Who taking bets on which one shaves their head and goes into rehab first? And why are they not using a pipe? They could be saving up the resin! And what did they do with the roach? 20. biatcho #15 – I will strictly refer to her as Reggie Dunlop moving forward. Fantastic! 21. princess373 The irony is all of these actors concerned about global warning are actually causing it with their massive weed consumption. 22. Carol Oh come on, I saw another pics and Drew looks just great! And I think she’s beautiful. Cameron’s ugly and I don’t like her skin. 23. fame is funny well THAT would explain Camerons Oscar dress… 24. fame is funny #18, congratulations, you are the one millionth person to say that in a thread about someone smoking pot. People roll their own cigarettes? REALLY? Tell me this, poindexter, do rich people usually roll their own cig, pass it around to everyone, and then smoke it to the roach? No, because thats what homeless people do. 25. jFp There should be Natonal Smoke Weed days to protest those stupid laws. 26. Tremfan Hey, I’m a chick and I roll my own smokes! But I don’t pass them off as if they’re joints.. 27. Defcon Everyone smokes weed in the park. Hell people smoke it in public everywhere in this town. They should legalize pot, for it’s uses… 28. Ah, must be nice to be a celebrity and be above the law. btw, Drew Barrymore’s tattoos look really tacky. 29. fame is funny If drew barrymore shaves her head on a whim, she’ll look just like that guy from the Cher movie ‘mask’. Just a ‘heads up’ if you will.. 30. But they didn’t inhale… 31. karifarrell @#23 & 24 You took the thoughts right out of my head 32. juicylips They live a good life. I gotta find a weed connect. 33. licklick When will these soft-leather trashettes get a clue about tattoos? 34. karifarrell Well, it was 4:20! What were they SUPPOSED to do? Make a martini?!? 35. 4DPants @23: And not just the dress! Look, I know “In Her Shoes” was a big hit for Cameron, but the girl needs to quit showing up at events looking like she just got banged in the men’s room. 36. Bambi.xo #6 is a retard because Drew Barrymore has already done a spread in Playboy. #25 there already are days were people parade around, smoking up and protesting against the law about weed. I honestly don’t care that they are smoking up let them have their trippy fun. 37. Carol I love Drews tattoos. 38. Stink Damn. Half nekkid high hotties and I’m not there. 39. EgoManiac I think Cameron has a nice ass. 40. cameron is starting to look like the 90-year-old overtanned hag from “something about mary” 41. Scubasteve very nice 42. sharpei dude #8 – LOL…”The Shield”. Pull a Vic Mackey on both those bitches! 43. thedrunkensailor why are they swimming in a dirty pond or something in the middle of winter? why would they be swimming in a dirty public pond anyway even in summer, they are multi millionaires? 44. andrewthezeppo I totally love that Drew isn’t one of those “I can’t drink I’m in recovery” former addicts. Smoking pot and the beach just go hand in hand…some of my best fuzzy memories of summer are being high at the beach. 45. dafeedil I always come to this site to read all of your witty comments, and thought “hey, I’ll sign up”. Anyway, did anyone else notice that in the doobie pic, Cameron has on a green and white bikini, and the pics of her in the water she has on a red one? What’s up with that? 46. fame is funny looks like different days… or different time of day at least 47. whatthe Where did Drew’s boobs go? Fat n’ flat is not hot (second picture). 48. Spetsnaz #47, I was just thinking the same thing. Today’s been all about boobs – Jennifer Butterface Hewitt has big ones, Pink has small manly ones and Drew Barrymore has misplaced ones…what’s going on? 49. nicole haha you guys are funny. no pinks look like they belong to a 10 year old girl, jennifers are perfect (with tape) and now drew barrymore’s look like their non exsistent. i just dont know how she could have a healthy looking body but no chest.. hmm.. oh and by the way shes not fat i think she looks fine. the part that turns me off is why is she so pale!!? ughhh 50. rrd I thought Drew was supposed to be sober? or clean? whatever you want to call it… Leave A Comment

http://www.thesuperficial.com/drew_barrymore_and_cameron_diaz_share_some_weed-02-2007

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Much could change with Supreme Court decision on health care law WASHINGTON _ The Supreme Court's historic health care decision, expected in June, has strong potential to jolt consumers, Congress, this year's political campaigns and the nation's health care industry. Depending on the outcome, young adults who recently gained coverage could be dropped from their parents' plans. The insurance industry might have to jack up premiums. Political candidates will gain new talking points, and, in the most dramatic possibility _ a repeal of the law _ legislators would have to start over in fixing the broken health care system. "All that has been done would have to be undone," said Len Nichols, the director of the Center for Health Policy Research and Ethics at George Mason University in Virginia. After three days of Supreme Court oral arguments that concluded Wednesday, almost anything seems possible. While any decision is likely to be close, the justices sounded as if they could strike down the law's "individual mandate," which requires nearly everyone to obtain coverage by 2014 or pay a fine, as well as the directive that states expand Medicaid coverage. Although perhaps less likely, they could even kill the entire 2,700-page health care law and let Congress start over. "My approach would say, if you take the heart out of the statute, the statute's gone," Justice Antonin Scalia said during the arguments. Should the court strike down the entire Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as Florida and 25 other states urge, the immediate impact would be the sudden demise of dozens of provisions that already are in effect. A temporary program that bars insurers from considering pre-existing conditions would be gone. So would the requirement that young adults up to age 26 be allowed to stay on their parents' policies, as well as certain breaks for Medicare prescription-drug beneficiaries. Those provisions are popular, even with many Republicans, but the Democrats who wrote the health care bill have no precise strategy for reinstating them quickly. "There (are) discussions quietly among some people about the what-ifs," said Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, which has a key role in writing such legislation. The most closely watched what-if involves the fate of the individual mandate. This provision is clearly vulnerable. "This is unprecedented. This is a step beyond what our cases have allowed, the affirmative duty to act to go into commerce," Justice Anthony Kennedy, who's considered a pivotal voice, suggested at one point this week. Despite the uproar, most might not notice the mandate's disappearance. Ninety-four percent of the population wouldn't have to purchase new insurance coverage or face the penalty, according to a study by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for Washington's Urban Institute, an independent research group. Older people already are covered through Medicare. Others would be exempt from the mandate or have insurance through employers or other programs. But there are benefits to keeping the law intact, said the Urban Institute's Linda Blumberg, who led the analysis. "While a small number of people would be directly affected by the individual responsibility requirement, the overall benefit to the population would be large," she said. The insurance industry is concerned that the high court will overturn the mandate but keep other requirements intact. The industry and the Obama administration say that if the mandate is struck down, the court also should remove the requirement that insurers offer coverage to people who have pre-existing conditions. Eight states tried to revamp insurance laws without a mandate in the 1990s. "These reforms resulted in a rise in insurance premiums, a reduction of individual insurance enrollment and no significant decrease in the number of uninsured," said Karen Ignagni, the president and chief executive officer of America's Health Insurance Plans, the industry's trade association. Independent studies have found that imposing new requirements without retaining the mandate could mean a dramatic rise in premiums. That could trigger an increase in the uninsured population, since fewer people are likely to buy coverage. "You'd have fewer healthy people and more unhealthy people in the insurance pool," said Timothy Jost, a professor of law at Washington and Lee University. "Health insurance will become more expensive." The Obama administration thinks that other elements of the bill, though, should be retained if the individual mandate goes down. The Supreme Court justices sounded split over the idea during oral argument this week. Legally, then, there's a thicket of truly complicated options. Politically, operatives from both sides are trying to carve away the complexities for a simple election-year message. "I promise you if the Supreme Court doesn't protect our liberties, the American people will do so in November, when you see the biggest turnout of people of faith you've ever seen," said Ralph Reed, founder of the Faith and Freedom Coalition. Bring it on, countered Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. "Republicans were the father of the individual mandate, and now they want to give it up for adoption on the steps of the Supreme Court," said Schumer, noting that as the governor of Massachusetts, GOP presidential contender Mitt Romney signed a state health care measure into law that's considered the model for the federal law. "If Mitt Romney is the nominee, in effect health care will be off the table as an issue," Schumer said. The case also is going to be made loudly in Congress. If the court upholds the law, Republicans probably will try to repeal all or part of it. They already have tried. A week ago, an effort in the House of Representatives to knock out the 15-member panel that will review _ and possibly create policies _ to lower Medicare costs won on a party-line vote. But that vote also showed the limitations of any repeal efforts. The proposal is going nowhere in the Senate, where it takes 60 votes to cut off debate and Democrats control 53 of the 100 seats. Bottom line: Nothing's getting repealed in this Congress, and it's going to be hard to effect changes. (c)2012 the McClatchy Washington Bureau Visit the McClatchy Washington Bureau at Distributed by MCT Information Services Topics: t000002827,t000002863,t000003813,t000002953,t000138231,t000047681,t000047680,t000002537,t000023148,t000023139,t000002458,t000002482 • Discuss • Print Comments » 0 Be the first to post a comment!

http://www.timesrecordnews.com/news/2012/mar/30/much-could-change-supreme-court-decision-health-ca/

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May 14 2012 1:00pm Right on Track: Railsea by China Miéville A review of Railsea by China MievilleWhen my sister and I were much younger and shared a bedroom, we would often play a game of “Don’t Step in the Lava,” jumping from one piece of furniture to the next like little spider monkeys, careful to not touch the floor. We were very good at it until the day I wasn’t and I fell short of the bed. My bare feet landed on the carpet and almost instantly I began to scream. The imaginary lava shouldn’t have burned for real. When I lifted my right foot off the carpet, a crushed yellowjacket was lodged between my toes. The stakes were definitely raised for the next time my sister and I played. Now imagine this common childhood game writ large across an entire world where the oceans are instead poisonous soil, teeming with dangerous life, and a network of railroad tracks connect one land mass to the next. Observe this unusual world through a prism of Moby Dick, adventure fantasy, and metaphysical musings, and you have China Miéville’s new YA novel Railsea. Sham Yes ap Soorap is at the center of Railsea, a young boy serving as a doctor’s assistant aboard the moletrain Medes. It is no regular moldywarpe Captain Naphi hunts. Her quarry is the giant ivory-furred beast Mockerjack, the creature that stole her arm and gave her life a philosophy, a purpose. Every captain has his or her counterpoint in a near-mythical creature of the rails. Sham is merely along for the ride, dreaming instead of a life unearthing lost treasures in the business of salvage. When the Medes happens across a wrecked train, the secret contained within provides Sham with something so impossible that even the knowledge of it could make him rich. And valuable to dangerous enemies. Miéville is a master of disorientation. What world is the world of Railsea, where there are many countries, many people, but no water to be seen? Why is arche-salvage suspiciously similar to tech from modern times but the characters live much like those in a 19th century novel, give or take some dieselpunk bells and whistles? Where did the railsea come from? That last question is at the heart of Sham’s quest, especially when the secret of the wrecked train leads him to a pair of enigmatic siblings.  Up until Sham meets the Shroakes, Railsea is a rollicking tour of the tracks, the passing islands, the dangerous animal encounters and the hierarchy aboard the Medes itself.  But the wrecked train’s secret provides Sham with a burgeoning philosophy of his own and the plot gains even more momentum. No longer just an observer, Sham goes headlong into adventure, complete with pirates and boobytraps. There are many wonders to be catalogued along the railsea. Sham, at the center of it all, is a likable character with real hopes and dreams, still discovering what he wants to do with his life. Moler? Salvor? Perhaps learning that getting what you want isn’t always the best thing for you is his most important lesson. That, and it pays to have friends in high places. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Sham’s first piece of found treasure: a plucky daybat named Daybe. (Yeah, Sham named it on the spot and even he admits that it shows.) Cutest fuzzy sidekick in ages. Mention should also be made of Miéville’s use of ampersands instead of the word “and.” There’s a perfectly acceptable reason for this stylistic choice, one learns many, many pages in. Additionally, each section of the novel features an illustration of railsea wildlife penned by Miéville himself. It’s a cool little bonus that also adds to the overall feel of the book. While the first two-thirds of Railsea are fantastic, the ending left me torn. While not disappointing, my expectations weren’t toyed with quite as much as the preceding dramatic twists would have led me to believe. Yet, it was a satisfying and natural conclusion to Sham’s story. There was just enough left open for this to be a series, if Miéville ever wanted to go that route. But, Miéville doesn’t really write that way. Which is why his writing can be somewhat divisive among genre fans. I certainly wouldn’t complain if there was another standalone novel set in the upsky, the poisonous clouds above the railsea teeming with unimaginable Lovecraftian horrors. (Things tend to teem with other things in Miéville novels.) I confess: I didn’t care for Miéville’s first trip into YA, Un Lun Dun. His latest novel is more self-assured, more fun. Writing for a younger audience can be a challenge, which is why many authors never even attempt it. While Un Lun Dun was a more traditional kid-discovers-alternate-world story, Railsea, for all of its nods to Moby Dick, Robert Lewis Stevenson, and Joan Aiken, feels much more fresh. This is what I’d imagined Miéville’s first YA novel would feel like. An original world, seen through the eyes of a young boy and a clever narrator offering interesting asides with Miéville’s trademark panache. Railsea is ultimately a fun and quick read, the kind of book that younger readers will love for its rollicking high-sea adventure while more mature fans of Miéville will appreciate the incisive observations on power, ambition, and philosophies of all kinds. Railsea is available in hardcover from Tor U.K. and Del Rey. Read an excerpt here. Rajan Khanna 1. rajanyk That sounds pretty cool. I, too, wasn't too wowed by Un Lun Dun, so I'm glad to hear that you liked this. I just love the concept (and I'm a sucker for trains). Of course, I'm still making my way through Iron Council, and haven't even got to Kraken or Embassytown. But I need to read this. Theresa DeLucci 2. theresa_delucci I think you'd get a big kick out of it, especially if you like the train elements of Iron Council. I liked Embassytown more for its overall ambition. Kraken was just plain silly. (Which I loved.) Subscribe to this thread Post a comment

http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/05/right-on-track-railsea-by-china-mieville

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For anyone who started their week off with news of a dancing pony ad going viral, you'll be glad to hear that this smart viral marketing campaign by British phone network 3 has come full circle. The Internet moves in fast and mysterious ways, so a large amount of people having seen this adorable Shetland pony dancing in the Scottish highlands. The network acted quickly by launching a customizable video application in response to this global reaction. Visit the YouTube site 'The Pony Mixer' and you'll be able to customize your very own Shetland pony to dance to any song you desire, from Bollywood to hip-hop and R Kelly. This is an example of a perfectly executed viral marketing campaign from the popular British mobile network that has combined the golden mix of cute animals and the essence of procrastination into one highly marketable campaign.

http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dancing-pony-ad

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The country that consumes the most alcohol per capita is (drum roll please…) UGANDA!  It may come as a shock, but the impoverished African country of Uganda loves their liquor. There is more pure alcohol consumed per occupant a year there then anywhere else - nearly 20 liters. The second place prize goes to Luxembourg and the bronze is awarded to Czech. Shamefully, the luck (and the drink) of the Irish falls a little short at the number four spot while the US ranks at 43rd. For the complete list, visit here.

http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/liquor-uganda-drink-the-most-per-capita

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If you plan on flying into Holland, you have two different airports to chose from. The first and smaller airport is Park Township Airport . This airport is more of a recreational airport, and though you can connect to different airports with it, most people don't. The second and larger airport is Tulip City Airport . This airport serves corporate, chartered, and private jets. Unfortunately, there are no scheduled flights that leave to and from Holland on a regular basis. You will need to call a company ahead of time and arrange for a flight. This could end up costing you a lot of money because private flights are often quite expensive. Flying isn't the only way to get to Holland though. You can take Amtrak to get to Holland. The next big stops from Holland are Grand Rapids to the east, and Chicago to the west. From there you can make a number of connections as well. You can also take a bus to get to Holland. Buses leave from different points in Michigan and other surrounding states several times a day, so you should check the listings before planning a trip. Generally, there are a good number of buses leaving every day.

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Travel-g42310-s301/Holland:Michigan:Arriving.And.Departing.html

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We support the following browsers: Ishigaki Yaima Village 967-1 Motonagura, Ishigaki, Okinawa Prefecture 907-0021, Japan +81 980-82-8798 Update attraction details Ranked #8 of 43 attractions in Ishigaki Type: Historic Sites 37 visitor photos Write a Review 76 reviews from our community Visitor rating Date Rating Travelers who viewed Ishigaki Yaima Village also viewed Ishigaki, Okinawa Prefecture Ishigaki, Okinawa Prefecture Ishigaki, Okinawa Prefecture Been to Ishigaki Yaima Village? Share your experiences! Write a Review Add Photos & Videos Owners: What's your side of the story? If you own or manage Ishigaki Yaima Village, register now for free tools to enhance your listing, attract new reviews, and respond to reviewers. Manage your listing

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We support the following browsers: Cafe Shieto 3382-3 Sawarai, Katori, Chiba Prefecture, Japan +81 478-55-8808 Update restaurant details Got a photo? Add it. Cafe Shieto is ready for reviews. Cuisines: Café Restaurant details Been to Cafe Shieto? Share your experiences! Write a Review Add Photos & Videos Owners: What's your side of the story? If you own or manage Cafe Shieto, register now for free tools to enhance your listing, attract new reviews, and respond to reviewers. Manage your listing

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Mehcad Brooks, Kate Miner Move over Tom and Gisele, there's a new football star and model combo about to heat up the tabloids: New York Hawks wide receiver Terrence "TK" King and model Sheera Kane. "There seems to be love in the air," Necessary Roughness star Mehcad Brooks tells After their meet-cute at V3, things will quickly start to heat up between TK (Brooks) and Sheera (Kate Miner) on Wednesday's episode (10/9c, USA). "He's met his match almost. She doesn't need him. She has her own stock. She doesn't really put up with the stuff that most women would put with when it comes to TK," Brooks says. "I like it because it brings out a different side of TK where he isn't trying so hard and he is able to trust someone other than Dr. D." Returning summer shows: Where we left off But will Sheera also bring out TK's rebellious side? Although he has managed to stay on the straight and narrow so far this season, their growing relationship could spell disaster. "She's a mirror for him in a lot of ways. Just as wild, just as crazy and just as unpredictable, and he loves it," Brooks says. "It's problematic once you get a partner in crime. They can either calm you down or make you worse, and I think a little bit of both happens." However, TK and Sheera have some major differences as well. While he's always been known to speak his mind, usually without solicitation, Sheera plays it much closer to the vest. "She's different. She projects an image of herself that's easygoing and supportive and it turns out that she's someone who may not live up to all of these things. As much as she doesn't admit it at first, she's very preoccupied with his status," he says. "Her true colors come out a little later than most of us think they do, just like in real relationships." Characters we lost this season Shades of the real Sheera will surface especially when the two famous faces go into business together, creating a lingerie line called "CK." Now that they've officially teamed up and put their respective brands at stake, look for V3 boss Connor McClane (John Stamos) to get involved in their romantic entanglement. "TK looks up to Connor and goes to him for certain advice, whether it's professional advice or personal advice or relationship advice as this CK thing goes along," Brooks says. "He's also dating Sheera, so there's this supplemental interest that Connor has in managing both of them and keeping them both happy. It becomes a bonding point for Connor and TK, and I love the scenes that Stamos and I have together." TK's star power will continue to rise this season as the campaigns and other business ventures keep to rolling in, such as the reality show pitch TK is working on with Dani's assistant, Paloma (Karissa Lee Staples), in the web series TK Gets Real. "We actually discussed it two years ago when it was being thrown around as a plot point for our actual series," he says. "It's a lot of fun. I get to just do whatever I want and say whatever I want and break the third wall when we start to shoot this reality show for TK. He's insane, so it's fun to just let all of my little idiosyncrasies and politically incorrect thoughts just fly out." TV stars go to the movies TK's focus on his life and career off the field has been a big shift from the first two seasons of Necessary Roughness, but a welcome one for Brooks. "The less running I have to do fully-padded, I'm all for it. It's fun to live out your touchdown dreams for a little while, but then I've gotten hit a couple times and it's not fun," he says with a laugh. "I think it's an interesting transitional period in a sports star's life when they get towards the end of their career. Maybe their old injuries are catching up with them or age is catching up with them — there's just certain issues. That transition from being a star to being a sports commentator or some sort of industry mogul I think is very pressing to TK, and I'm curious to see where it goes." Necessary Roughness airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on USA.

http://www.tvguide.com/news/necessary-roughness-mehcad-brooks-1067627.aspx?rss=keywords&profileid=celebs

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Login or register Rebuilding a Toilet Tank; Lawn Watering; Building a Simple Bookcase - Recap <-- Previous EpisodeNext Episode --> This episode opens with Rich Trethewey, discussing the most used plumbing fixture in the house: the toilet. Inside the toilet must flush water from the storage tank, which causes it to drain into the flush rim and then into the bowl. It must also eject waste from the bowl through a “P” trap formed from the ceramic of the bowl and into the waste plumbing. When the storage tank finishes draining, a valve must close and a regulator must operate to properly refill the tank for the next flush. Richard walks down the table, and through history, showing a copper float (one of the first he worked on), a plastic float on an arm, and finally the modern integral arrangement, where the float rides up and down the fill column, and operates a lever that opens or closes the fill valve. The most common problem people have is the constantly running toilet. This happens when the flapper doesn't quite drop properly, or when the fill valve is worn or misadjusted. Sometimes this can lead to a “leak” on the outside of the tank: cold water constantly entering the storage tank causes condensation to form on the outside of the tank, leading to drips and apparent leaks. Rich next moves on to leaks between the tank and the bowl. These require more work. First, he shuts off the water and the angle stop – the valve that allows water to enter the toilet tank. Next, he flushes the toilet, which removes most of the water from the tank. He removes the connection between the angle stop and the tank – more water may drain here, so have a rag handy. A turkey baster or a wet vacuum helps remove any remaining water from the tank. Next, he uses a large blade screwdriver and a ½” open end wrench to loosen the bolts (on most tanks there are two, but some have three) that hold the tank to the bowl. Sometimes these are hard to remove, if corrosion has affected them. Removing the tank to the workbench, Richard shows the possible leak locations – around the water outlet controlled by the flapper, around each bolt, or around the fill valve inlet. Because removing the tank is a big job, he'll replace all the necessary seals. With a large slip-joint wrench, he removes the large nut around the outflow, then removes that nut and the rubber gasket. Next, he removes the fill valve. Finally, he removes the bolts. For about $20, Richard has purchased a complete rebuild kit. At that price, it makes sense to do a complete rebuild. These kits are generally universal; they may require minor adjustment for some tanks. First, he puts in the new fill valve in place – a single plastic nut secures this. Then he puts the new flapper in place, also secured with a plastic nut. He hand tightens that nut and then uses a wrench to give it about another half turn. A spud gasket goes over that; this will form the seal between the tank outflow and the bowl inflow. Finally, he pushes three brass bolts with rubber washers through, and secures them to the tank with brass washers and nuts. That takes care of the internal tank parts. He secures each bolt to the bowl using a rubber washer, a brass washer, and a wing nut, taking care not to overtighten, as this could crack the tank. Both (or all three) bolts should be tightened at the same time to ensure the tank sits properly on the bowl instead of at a slight angle. Back inside the tank, Rich puts the refill tube from the fill valve into the overflow pipe, and checks the height of the overflow – it should be below the height of the flush lever (if it is not, water will leak around the hole where the flush lever passes through into the tank). The overflow pipe is commonly plastic and may be easily cut down if needed. Once he turns the water back on, Rich will adjust the fill valve so the tank fills to the correct height. Kevin goes outside the loft to speak with Roger. He takes with him a sheaf of viewer questions about watering lawns. Roger explains that proper summer care of lawns includes watering them deeply and infrequently. Roger's rule of thumb is one inch of water per week. He measures the water using a range gauge set near the sprinkler, and waters until he sees that one inch has accumulated. By taking care to note how long this takes, he can water by time in the future. But the gauge can help when natural rain falls: by looking at how much rain fell, the homeowner can determine whether he must water and if so, how much. Roger spreads his watering out – he prefers two waterings a week, ½” each time. That keeps the lawn well-watered but at the same time lets it dry between waterings. Roger discusses sprinklers. The oscillating type creates a large rectangle of water, and is excellent for lawns of that shape. He also mentions a sprinkler with a small fan shaped deflector that creates a square pattern, and a sprinkler with several arms for round lawns. Finally, there's the arc sprinkler. It has a spike that may be driven into the ground, and it may be adjusted to water in a large circle, or by setting the stops the homeowner may select any angle of arc he needs. Roger also mentions quick connect fittings that make moving the hose from sprinkler to sprinkler very easy. It is important to water at the right time. Roger recommends against watering at night, as this encourages fungus disease. Watering when the sun is high leads to excessive evaporation, which is wasteful. Roger recommends watering 4am to 5am! But most folks aren't awake then, so Roger has an answer to that problem: a timer. One timer has a spring dial. Turn it to the amount of time desired, and it will slowly wind down until it shuts off the flow. A more sophisticated timer permits the user to program the day and times for watering with a keypad. An electronic circuit opens and closes a valve automatically. A “manifold” can split the water supply into several independently controlled paths. It has separate small valves permitting each “zone” to be operated independently. Finally, for viewers who saw it on a project, Roger shows a semi-permanent sprinkler installation. One digs a shallow hole and buries it. To operate it, Roger lifts on lid and connects a hose to the revealed quick connect, then turns on the water. The sprinkler pops up out of the other side; it is the arc variety and the angle it waters may be adjusted. Viewers have sent in many emails about furniture projects. Tom decides to help them with a simple bookcase. He starts with cabinet grade birch veneer ¾” plywood. This may be painted or finished as desired. Tom's bookcase design is 32” wide, 42” high, 12” deep and has a pair of adjustable shelves. He'll use a sheet of ¼” birch veneer for the back, but before he does that, he'll use it as a straight edge to guide his saw. A pair of spring clamps hold the panels together at the correct position. Tom cuts the sides first. He doesn't want to see the edge of the back panel, so he'll next cut a rabbit into the back edge of the side panels. To make the rabbit he'll use a router with a rabbiting bit. This bit has a ball bearing that rides along the edge of the piece and keeps the bit properly positioned. Measuring from the front to the start of the rabbit, Tom reads 12 1/8”, so that is the size he'll cut the top and bottom pieces. Once again, he uses the back as a straight edge. Once he's cut that piece, he cuts the shelves about ¼” shorter to they are slightly inset. With all the pieces properly ripped to width, Tom crosscuts them to the correct length, using a square to guide the saw for each cut. Next, Tom sets a piece of stock on the sawhorses. This will become the arched toe kick. He measures in a bit from each edge to define some legs, and drives a nail into each sawhorse at that mark. To create an arched base, he measures to the desired height of the middle of the arch, then lays a piece of Masonite against the nails and presses it against the arch. By tracing this, he defines the arch. He picks a side for the front (based on the quality of the veneer) and then cuts the arch from the backside (to minimize chipping) using a jigsaw. Finally, he rips the toe kick to the correct width. Using the same technique, he creates arches in the bottom of the side panels. To make the holes for the shelf pins, Tom first makes a jig by carefully drilling several 5/8” holes in a scrap piece of pine. These accommodate a 5/8” collar that fits around a smaller cutting bit on Tom's plunge router. This arrangement, with proper clamps, ensures that the shelf pin holes are properly positioned. Flipping the template over allows Tom to make the holes for the back of the shelf. To cover the edges of the shelves, Tom uses heat activated edge banding. He cuts and trims this to fit the shelf's edge, and then irons it on with an ordinary clothes iron. He finishes by rolling it in place with a “J” roller, and then trimming the overhang off with a special tool. A few passes with some sandpaper touches it up. To attach the toe kick to the side piece, Tom uses a pocket screw system: a special jig helps him drill the pockets, and special coarse-threaded, self-tapping pan-head screws attach the pieces. This unit is small enough that Tom does not use glue. While Kevin holds each piece in place, Tom carefully drives the screws. In this way, he assembles the carcass. He finishes by cutting a piece of the ¼” plywood and securing it to the carcass with a few nails. Finally, he adds a top made from the same plywood, securing it with the same self-tapping screws. This top adds structure and conceals the pocket screws that help hold the carcass together. It's overhang adds some visual interest, which Tom complements by wrapping the underside of it with some molding. Plumbing or carpentry in the loft, or lawn tips outside the barn – whatever the question, Ask This Old House can help. Share this article with your friends

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It's little known outside the food and beverage community that when the "Surly Bill," which allows breweries to sell pints of their beer on site, became law in 2011, a companion bill dramatically lowered the fee for opening a distillery in Minnesota. The fee dropped from $30,000 to around $1,000. What does that mean for you, dear reader? That the craft-spirits boom that has been sweeping the rest of the nation is coming here, and fast. A few distilleries are already in the works, and more are sure to follow. Unfortunately, current laws don't allow distilleries to offer more than a half-ounce sample of their products. They also can't sell bottles of their liquor on site. Distillers are pushing for the ability to sell drinks and bottles of their alcohol (similar to what wineries and breweries do), but for now, liquor stores will be the only places to purchase local craft spirits. Here we profile all the startups we could find in Minnesota. Sure looks like craft spirits are off to a solid start. Details: 300 E. Pike St., Osakis, Minn.; Spirits: White Water (unaged) whiskey, apple liqueur, gin, eventually aged whiskey and bourbon Background: Colorado businessman Adrian Panther started the first distillery in the state last year after noticing the lack of craft spirits in Minnesota, despite a booming industry elsewhere in the country. His distillery is ahead of the game; it has nearly 800 barrels of whiskey and bourbon aging. Master distiller Brett Grinager worked with a master distiller at Maker's Mark before coming to Panther. The site of the future 11 Wells distillery at the old Hamm&#8217;s Brewery on St. Paul&#8217;s East Side. (Pioneer Press: John Autey) The site of the future 11 Wells distillery at the old Hamm's Brewery on St. Paul's East Side. (Pioneer Press: John Autey) Details: 704 E. Minnehaha Ave., St. Paul; Spirits: Gin, whiskey, rum Background: When partners Lee Egbert and Bob McManus met, each was already planning to start a distillery. The men merged visions and teamed up to create 11 Wells. Egbert is an avid mixologist who has his own line of bitters, tinctures and cocktail salts called Dashfire. McManus is the science nerd. He has a degree in microbiology and an interest in the history of distilling in Minnesota that borders on obsession. The pair are busy gutting the old blacksmith and pipe shop at the Hamm's Brewery site on the East Side and hope to begin distilling in a few months. The name of the distillery is a nod to its location -- apparently, there are 11 wells beneath the site that supplied Hamm's. Egbert and McManus also will make Minnesota 13 whiskey, based on moonshine that kept parts of the state fed during Prohibition. The moonshine is named for the type of corn used to make it, and the first crop is harvested and now drying. Location: Likely Roseville (TBD); When he opens Bent Brewstillery in the Twin Cities, Bartley Blume plans to make spirits that are based on grains used in beer. (Pioneer Press: John Doman) Spirits: Whiskey, bourbon Background: Bartley Blume, a home-brewer and former aerospace engineer, quit his desk job to do what he loves. He is brewing and bottling beers out of the Pour Decisions brewery while he looks for a space of his own. He'll add spirits to the mix when he gets the proper permits. He'll be making spirits that are based on grains used in beer, like a smoked pure malt whiskey that's unaged but will be filtered through a charred oak barrel to give it more depth than a white whiskey. He also promises a gin that's full of botanicals and aromatics and a bourbon "like no one's ever seen before." Blume says using craft-brewery-quality grains will improve the taste of his spirits and drastically reduce aging time. Location: Twin Cities (location TBD); Spirits: Gin, vodka Background: Jon Bohlinger and Jesse Griffin are childhood friends who used to joke about starting a company. Bohlinger is a business-school grad; Griffin went to law school. When the fee for distilling was reduced in 2011, Bohlinger -- who says he's "the kind of nerd who reads through those things" -- saw the change and thought distilling would be "fantastic to do for a living." The pair are in negotiations for a lease on a building in the Twin Cities and are busy studying (they are scholars, after all) how to make "diverse gins" and a vodka. Location: 2045 220th Ave., Hallock, Minn.; Spirits: Gin, spiced rum, rye whiskey Background: Husband-and-wife team Michael Swanson and Cheri Reese are self-described "corporate refugees" who moved back to Swanson's family farm to start a distillery. The grains are grown on the farm, and every step -- milling, mashing, fermenting, distilling, packaging -- will be done on the farm. The idea started when Swanson was getting an MBA at St. Thomas and wrote a paper about a craft distillery. Swanson, who has a minor in chemistry and will be the head distiller, has trained with distilleries around the country, including 45th Parallel in Wisconsin. Reese has a marketing background. They are farther along than some others on the list -- their gin will be available for sale next month and they'll have a spiced rum ready in time for Christmas. Location: 4242 285th Ave., Isanti, Minn.; Spirits: Rye whiskey, bourbon, gin Background: Rick Schneider is a college art professor (he teaches glass blowing) who grew up in Rochester, Minn., but lived in Virginia, Maryland and Alabama before coming back to the state to start living his dream -- distilling. He and his wife looked at 70 hobby farms before settling on one just outside Isanti. Their distillery will be located on the property. Originally, Schneider wanted to grow the grain for his whiskey, but it turns out he doesn't have enough acreage. No matter, he has organic farmers growing for him "within two miles" of his future distillery. "You can't get much greener than that," Schneider said. Schneider might be the most well-trained of the state's startup distillers. He attended a weeklong hands-on workshop at Dry Fly Distillery in Spokane, Wash., and also worked as an intern in Michigan State University's distiller program -- the only collegiate alcoholic beverages program in the country. When he was there, he created a rye whiskey that is now aging in barrels, ready to be sold as soon as he opens. Location: 525 Lake Ave. S., Suite 102, Duluth, Minn.; Spirits: Aquavit, gin, a "peaty single malt," rye whiskey and bourbon Background: Emily and Joel Vikre were living in Boston and working at desk-based jobs when they made a trip to Duluth for a visit. Emily's parents, who live in Duluth where she grew up, had just attended a Swedish whiskey tasting. The four of them started thinking: If the Swedes can make whiskey, why not Minnesotans? "If anyone in the world has great grain, peat and water, it's Minnesota," Emily Vikre said. "It just kind of stuck." She describes their gin line as "boreal" -- based on forest and terroir -- with juniper, spruce and cedar as the bases. Some traditional aquavit ages in barrels that travel in ships from Norway to Australia and back, and the Vikres hope to send some of their barrels out in ships on Lake Superior. Emily Vikre is working on a Ph.D. in food policy and nutrition and has a cooking blog ( Joel Vikre has helped start several nonprofits and is versed in the business end of things. Location: 2610 E. 32nd St., Minneapolis; Spirits: Gin, vodka, apple whiskey, eventually bourbon Background: Chris Montana is a longtime home-brewer, and when the law changed, he and his wife, Shanelle Montana, began planning a distillery. Grains will be sourced from Shanelle's family farm in Cold Spring, Minn., and other farms in the area. The Montanas believe, like many other local start-ups, that Minnesota is the perfect place to have a distillery because of the climate and agricultural and freshwater resources. Location: 1101 Stinson Blvd., Minneapolis; Spirits: Vodka, gin, eventually whiskey and rum Background: Scott Ervin was a St. Paul architect when his brother-in-law convinced him to tour 45th Parallel Spirits in Wisconsin.  He was hesitant to go, but when he saw the process, he was instantly hooked. “A few months ago, I quit my job to do this full time,” Ervin said. Ervin toured some distilleries in Oregon, which he says is “a different world,” before starting his operation in Northeast Minneapolis Norseman Distillery is fully licensed and already making spirits and should have vodka and gin on local shelves sometime in November. Its vodka and gin are grain-based. The gin will be flavored with juniper, coriander, mint and rhubarb. Ervin is testing batches of whiskey right now and will eventually make rum from a special Jamaican sugar. Location: 1325 Armstrong Road, Northfield; Spirits: Loonshine white whiskey, MetropoliGin, eventually an aged whiskey Background: High-school pals Mark Schiller and Simeon Rossi started thinking about making their own liquor after a white Russian party during which Rossi, a bar manager at Harriet Brasserie in Minneapolis, made his own version of Kahlua. Both men live in the Twin Cities, but since start-up costs would be lower in Northfield, they settled on a building there. That location is also closer to the farmers, which fits with the pair's vision of keeping their carbon footprint small. They'll be using locally foraged and grown botanicals -- such as spearmint, wintergreen and sarsaparilla -- in their gin. The base of their gin will be a white whiskey that has been distilled a second time, and they envision having a line of gins in different styles. Rossi is a bar man who has an organic chemistry background. Schiller, who works at Best Buy, will be the business manager and marketing guru.

http://www.twincities.com/restaurants/ci_24372814/minnesota-distilleries-high-spirits?source=hottopics

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Subscribe English look up any word, like poopsterbate: The last resort for removing people on facebook. While it has been possible to reach a 5,000 friend limit, the excuse is usually used to get rid of the annoying 'friends' you added or accepted to build up your friend count, or those who are no longer friends. Can also be used to explain trimming your 'friends' down to just your real ones, not the myriad of acquaintances or suggested friends that build up. Bob; 'Hey, Mike was asking why you deleted him on fb last night? Was it something to do with you walking in on him and your sister...' John; 'Oh, no, tell him too many friends.' Bob; 'The hell, you have like 200 friends?' John; 'Exactly.' Facebook status; 'Hey, sorry guys, too many friends. If I delete you, don't add me, cheers.' by Jimdawg2 June 30, 2010 2 1 Words related to Too many friends:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Too%20many%20friends

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Subscribe English look up any word, like lumpatious: When you use "LOL" to the point of someone wanting to beat you with a hammer until your last breath leaves your body. Emily was lolverloading the whole screen! FUCk her. by TyrannosaurusJon December 12, 2008 6 0 when you laugh so hard that you can't breathe and sometimes you stop making noise and you pretty much feel like your heart is going to explode "Short guys are fun-size" by yeahwhat November 12, 2006 6 10

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First:   Mid:   Last:  City:  State: Damian Althoff Get the most current info on Damian Althoff when you use USA-People-Search.com. Here, you'll have access billions of public records data that is trustworthy and reliable. Our search results include info such as age, recent addresses, phone numbers, and more. Find out more about Damian Althoff right away! The fastest way to find Damian Althoff is by including as much info as possible, even an old address or nickname, into the search fields. If you still don't see the Damian you want , don't worry! You can also browse a complete list of everyone named Damian Althoff registed in our database. Once you find Damian, sign up to gain full access to their contact information and public records. USA People Search arranges its search results into specific data points, including name/aliases, age, location, and possible relatives, making it more convenient to find the exact Damian Althoff you're searching for. To explore even further, click on the details link to access additional information and public records on Damian or anyone you're hoping to find.  Name/AKAsAgeLocationPossible Relatives 1. Althoff, Damian  Yankton, SD ALTHOFF, MARY E (age 63) View Details

http://www.usa-people-search.com/names/p/Damian-Althoff

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Jerry Buss and George Steinbrenner were winning owners -- and the similarity ended there Here's what I used to love about covering an NBA Finals game at Jerry Buss' place. Among the Los Angeles Lakers pre-game notes and cold, hard statistics would be a glittering list of the Hollywood types scheduled to be in attendance that night. A starting lineup of stardom. Jack Nicholson, et. al. Showtime. Pat Riley directed it. Magic Johnson led it. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored for it. Oscar winners paid through their noses to watch it. But Buss owned it, lock, stock and limos parked outside. That's Dr. Jerry Buss, and we can start right there with how unique this man was, because how many other team owners can you name with a doctorate in chemistry? But there was more that set him apart. "The greatest owner in the world," Magic Johnson called him in 2010 after the Lakers finished off the Boston Celtics. Greatest? That's a tricky one. How do you measure, by sheer trophy tonnage? In that case, it's a rout. His teams won 10 championships in three decades, and no need to look for anyone else in any sport who did as much during that time, because there isn't. MORE: Lakers lose their Showtime owner STORY: Magic Johnson calls Buss his 'second father' Or by fame? Well, there was always George Steinbrenner to rival that on the other coast. Buss and the Boss. But Buss was Steinbrenner without the off-with-their-heads atmosphere or temperamental bluster. He won more titles, and had less need of an overcoat. Alike in hunger to win and a habit of doing it, they seemed as different in ambience as Laker Girls and pinstripes. Let's just agree Buss was one of the greatest, without any burdensome argument. And more importantly, nobody was more right for the sensation he created, or traveled a more interesting road to get there. He was a child of the Great Depression who ended up captivating the super-rich. He was the risk taker who began with next to nothing, and wound up with nearly every dream. He catered to the celebrities at courtside, and the blue collars in the cheap seats, and seemed to know how to appreciate both. He charmed a city famous for its fashion obsession on the red carpet, and did it wearing blue jeans. He was perfect for the Lakers, and they for him. He understood that sport is show business and show business is sport, and since you can make a lot of money from each, imagine what might happen if you put them together. Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, but do you mean the players or the customers? PHOTOS: Most iconic team owners ever Show Thumbnails Show Captions This was great chemistry from the old chemist. Out-win winners, and entertain entertainers. Build not just a dynasty but a glitzy, ritzy, must-see blockbuster. Buss was good at what he did, and lucky. He needed just the right charismatic floor general to woo the masses and lead the troops, and there was Johnson. Later, Kobe Bryant. He needed a man savvy with the ways of winning and the ways of the world, and there was Riley to hire. Later, Phil Jackson. He needed a basketball brain to do the true team building. Jerry West. TWITTER: Six moving tributes to Buss Had he been blessed with less able help, had the Lakers failed, heaven knows where Buss might have landed. Maybe working somewhere along Hollywood's Walk of Fame, instead of having a star on it. But every epic needs a moment of truth, or several of them. As an owner, he came – to borrow the cliché of his filmmakers/season ticket holders – from central casting. Bold, daring, dashing. Charming any time he could be, ruthless any time he had to be. Generally loved by the working hands. And in the end, a monumental winner. I don't know if he participated in all the Lakers victory celebrations, but if he did, he was in more parades than the Budweiser Clydesdales. "I think we want it more,'' he said in 2010, upon the Lakers giving him his 10th NBA championship, and as it turned out, his last. He was an example of how you can get what you want if you know what you're after, and there is no house limit on success if you're visionary enough. In that regard, he was indeed the greatest owner out there. Come to think of it, Magic Johnson might have been right. PHOTOS: Remembering Jerry Buss' grand life Show Thumbnails Show Captions

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/lopresti/2013/02/18/lakers-buss--hollywood/1928899/

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Redevelopment Projects Give Historical Icons a Second Life Relics of a previous era, historic factories and buildings around the country are getting a facelift. American Tobacco The restoration of Durham's Historic American Tobacco campus--now the center of downtown entertainment and nightlife--was North Carolina’s largest historic renovation project. For decades, the skeleton of the once great American Tobacco Company sat vacant in downtown Durham, N.C., a nostalgic but sometimes painful reminder of the institution that was once the nucleus of a thriving southern city and the icon of a multibillion-dollar industry. A "sleeping giant," the million square foot campus established in the 1800s would become home to the largest tobacco company in the world producing familiar and iconic brands such as Lucky Strike and Pall Mall. An institution so embedded in Durham, it was difficult to find someone who wasn't somehow connected to the American Tobacco empire, according to locals. But by the 1980s the tobacco industry's star had faded. American Tobacco packed up and closed its sprawling Durham campus in August 1987, with thousands of jobs following close after, ushering in a period of economic malaise in the area. "People attribute that [to] a lot of the downfall of downtown Durham," says Michael Goodmon, vice president of real estate at Raleigh, N.C.-based Capitol Broadcasting Company. "The banks started leaving, businesses left. Other than the SWAT team doing some training in there, it was vacant from [1987] on." [See a photo gallery of historical redevelopments across the country.] Almost two decades passed as the brick monolith transformed from a vibrant hub into a crumbling shadow of its former greatness. Though it was considered an eyesore, Goodmon saw potential in the old American Tobacco campus. Past the broken windows and unruly grounds, he envisioned the re-emergence of a bustling center of commerce and the possibility for American Tobacco to once again be the nucleus of the surrounding community. "We did American Tobacco because no one else would," Goodmon says. "We would see this huge factory next to the ballpark that had razor wire, the windows were blacked in—we just wanted to give it a go." A National Trend Goodmon isn't the only real estate developer who's seen the potential to give an old, rundown part of town a second life. Communities around the country with historical gems have launched efforts to revamp and rediscover a lost part of their town's identity. Some of these revivals are the product of unique partnerships between developers, local governments, and community organizers. Others are thanks to the efforts of history lovers and lifelong neighborhood residents. But the goals are the same: reestablish community centers, charge up the local economy, and preserve a defining piece of history. "When the building went up for sale, people were like, 'Oh my god, we're not going to lose the sign, right?'" says Kevin Lykens, owner of Lykens Companies. Lykens and his team recently undertook a project renovating the old Wonder Bread factory in Columbus, Ohio's Italian Village neighborhood, a part of the city residents associated with the factory's bright red neon Wonder Bread sign. And of course, the smell of freshly baked bread. "We won't have that smell," Lykens concedes. "But knowing that the building is still there, the sign is still there—everyone is ecstatic the building is not going anywhere." The heart of the project centers on maintaining key architectural and functional elements of the Wonder Bread factory while converting the 70,000 square foot space into 56 residential units, a restaurant, and a reception hall. Lykens hopes to unveil the new Wonder Bread factory in 2013. "[Historical preservation] was a huge part of the project," Lykens says, adding that Wonder Bread used to be one of the main employers in the area. "Over the years the employment has gone down but it was one of the things that was just defining for this neighborhood." Local residents are glad the old Wonder Bread factory is getting a second life, too. Franklin County Commissioner Marilyn Brown, who lives in a nearby condominium with her husband, calls the building and its famed sign a landmark. After another redevelopment project intending to convert the space into lofts for artists fell through, Brown and others wondered what would become of the old Wonder Bread factory.

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2012/06/29/redevelopment-projects-give-historical-icons-a-second-life

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European Nations Exchange Blame Over Crisis Response French officials fault Britain and Germany for obstructing a Europe-wide bailout plan. French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrives to address reporters in the courtyard of the Elysee Palace prior to a meeting with the country's top bankers and insurers. French President Nicolas Sarkozy prior to a meeting with the country's top bankers and insurers. PARIS—French President Nicolas Sarkozy received a harsh lesson about European realities when he convened an emergency meeting of leaders representing the Continent's four biggest economies—France, Britain, Germany, and Italy—last week to deal with the financial-markets crisis. On the table was a Dutch proposal to establish a Europe-wide bailout plan modeled on the one approved in the United States. "What is of the essence is that Europe should exist and respond with one voice," Sarkozy, who currently holds the rotating European Union presidency, said after the emergency meeting in Paris last Saturday. The response from Germany and Britain: no way. Instead, even as stock markets plummeted and governments intervened in a number of failing major financial institutions, European leaders preferred to take a distinctly nationalistic approach. Referring to Germany and Britain, a French official was quoted by the daily Le Monde as saying, "You cannot have coordination when Europe's leading economy and its major financial market are not involved." Today, the European Central Bank and the Bank of England stepped into the vacuum by joining the U.S. Federal Reserve in cutting interest rates by half a percentage point. Until the coordinated action, which was also joined by the Canadian and Swedish central banks, the Europeans had refused to cut their rates out of concerns about inflation. The cut brings the European Central Bank's main rate down to 3.75 percent from 4.25 percent, still much higher than the Fed's 1.5 percent benchmark rate. It is unlikely that the rate cut will lead to a Europe-wide bailout plan similar to the one passed by the U.S. Congress. "Individual states are very reticent to react jointly because the banking system remains very different from one country to another," Philippe Moreau Defarges, an expert on the European Union at the French Institute of International Relations, said in an interview. "The countries that have a solid banking system don't want to pay for those that don't." At the time of its introduction in January 2002, backers of the newly created euro argued that it would allow European states to better coordinate economic policy and act as a rampart against economic downturns and volatility in the currency and stock markets. But in creating the European Central Bank to manage the currency, EU members refused to give the institution jurisdiction over the banking system, unlike in the United States. The European Central Bank's priority, at German insistence, is to contain inflation. The current crisis has manifestly pointed out that despite the establishment of a common currency utilized by 15 EU countries and the progressive integration of its major economies, the European Union, already unable to establish common political and defense policies, also has a long way to go before it can speak with one voice on financial and monetary matters. As if to prove the point, Ireland began a series of European one-man shows on September 30 with its decision to guarantee the total debt of the country's six major financial institutions and of all individual deposits. Despite complaints about Ireland's going it alone, other countries, including Germany, were forced to follow just days later in an effort to restore sagging confidence. Berlin was also constrained to save Hypo Real Estate, the country's leading mortgage bank, by approving a 50 billion euro credit line to the institution over the weekend. Nevertheless, German officials remained adamant against a broad European salvage plan despite growing calls from economists to inject more capital into the banking system as a whole instead of coming to its rescue on a case-by-case basis. "We refuse a European umbrella in which, as Germans, we would have to contribute to a common pot without having control and without knowing what would become of Germany's money," German Finance Minister Peer Steinbruck declared yesterday. With European stock markets in a deeper freefall than Wall Street's and growing doubts about the solvency of major banks, the only measures the EU finance ministers from 27 member states could agree on at a meeting in Luxembourg Monday were to raise minimum guarantees for bank deposits to $68,000 (50,000 euros) from $27,000 (20,000 euros) and to issue a set of common guidelines to be followed in case of intervention to save a financial institution.

http://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2008/10/08/european-nations-exchange-blame-over-crisis-response

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Captain on trial in Italy wants tests on shipwreck Associated Press SHARE GROSSETO, Italy (AP) — The captain of the capsized Costa Concordia on Thursday asked the judge at his manslaughter trial to order tests on the cruise liner's wreckage to determine why electrical and other systems failed after the vessel struck a reef off an Italian island in 2012, killing 32 people. The outcome of the request from Francesco Schettino, the sole defendant, won't be known until at least September. After only two full days of hearings, Judge Giovanni Puliatti on Thursday adjourned the trial until Sept. 23 for summer's break. Schettino is also charged with causing the shipwreck and abandoning ship before all aboard had been evacuated. His defense claims that no one died in the collision itself, but that the failure of a backup generator and supposedly water-tight compartments that were flooded created problems during the evacuation, when the deaths occurred. The court needs "to understand what happened after the collision," Domenico Pepe, one of Schettino's lawyers, said outside the trial, which is being held in a theater in Grosseto to accommodate all the survivors or victims' families who might want to attend. As one example, Pepe cited the failure of an emergency generator to work. Had it functioned after the cruise ship's hull was pierced by the rocky reef, "there would have been power to run elevators" to facilitate the evacuation of the 4,200 passengers and crew members who were aboard, Pepe told reporters. Salvage crews working on an ambitious project to try to right the ship, which is lying on one side just outside Giglio's port, and then float it to the Italian mainland for demolition, hope to pull up the Concordia in mid-September. But if Italian authorities decide to wait until Judge Puliatti rules on the defense request for experts to expert the ship, that timetable be delayed. Engineers have said the ship might not survive another winter of stormy seas intact enough to be righted and then floated away. They said earlier this week that the ship is slowing compressing under its own weight atop a granite ledge of seabed where it came to rest. However, extensive monitoring indicates the Concordia hasn't budged from its perch. Just off the rock ledge is a steep drop into the sea. If the Concordia starts sliding off the ledge, it could plunge too deeply to be removed. Survivors described a chaotic and delayed evacuation and were shocked to see Schettino safely reach the Tuscan island of Giglio before many others made it to shore. Seawater rushed through the 70-meter (230-foot) long gash in the hull, invading what was supposed to be water-tight compartments, including one housing the engine room. The ship started listing badly almost immediately, and many lifeboats on one side of the ship couldn't be launched. Schettino claimed the tilt of the ship made him fall off, ending up in a launched lifeboat, and contends he is a scapegoat since five other defendants were allowed to plea bargain for relatively lenient sentences. If convicted, Schettino could receive up to 20 years in prison. Those five defendants face a hearing in Grosseto that could bring a verdict in their case. Some survivors have expressed anger or puzzlement that only Schettino was left to stand trial. Coming to court Thursday was Robert Feher, whose brother, a Hungarian violinist among the crew members, was among the 32 who died. "There is a responsibility by Costa" Crociere SpA, the Italian cruise company, Feher said. The cruise company was given an administration fine of 1 million euros ($1.3 million) earlier this year, under a law in which companies whose employees commit crimes can be sanctioned. It has put the blame for the collision on Schettino. Frances D'Emilio reported from Rome.

http://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2013/07/18/captain-on-trial-in-italy-wants-tests-on-shipwreck?s_cid=related-links:TOP

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How well do unborn babies hear? Q: Can you predict how well a child will perform in school by the input he/she gets in that first crucial year or two? A: At this point, we can make such predictions only in very general terms. What I mean by this is that we can make the prediction if we average. Over a large number of children, the group that hears more input will probably also do better in school later. But note that this is a very weak kind of prediction. We cannot (yet) make the same prediction for any specific child. That is something that we very much want to do, and which will move this finding from being interesting to really important. A: Surprisingly, yes: Increased language simulation during early childhood not only predicts later language skills (in 2nd or 3rd grade) but also math skills. This is an intriguing finding and although there are some speculations about what the connection might be, we don't really know yet what's going on.

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/Sep/23/babies-unborn-sound/3/

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Life at a Premium Harlemites Discover Decades of Insurance Redlining Naomi Kelly has kept up her life insurance, paying $26 and change every year since she bought the policy in 1953. The 81-year-old mother of three never guessed that the premiums she started paying in her early thirties were higher than normal because she is black. That is, not until a check for under a dollar arrived in the mail just over two years ago, an "adjustment" to correct a badly calculated rate. "A review of our records," the letter accompanying the check said, "indicates that the premium you are paying was priced using race as one criterion." Kelly was similarly unaware that just a month after the Unity Mutual Life Insurance Company of Syracuse, New York, mailed her the check for 76 cents, it was sued in a class action representing over 40,000 policyholders, furious that the company had continued to charge premiums on the basis of race even though the practice violates various laws, including the Civil Rights Act. A proposed settlement to the suit will be heard in New York's Southern District Court on September 23, some two years after the complaint was filed. Lilly Kelly, Naomi's daughter, also was angered, and launched a letter-writing campaign to recover all the money her mother is owed. Letters were sent to the head of Unity Mutual, the New York State Insurance Department, U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White, even John Ashcroft. She received letters back from Unity Mutual, assuring her that "management is working closely with the New York Insurance Department to develop a corrective action plan for those who were charged premiums based on racial underwriting guidelines." But there were never any details, no hint of the lawsuit, no proposed time frame for compensation. It is safe to say that thousands of New Yorkers who bought the higher race-based premiums also don't know that they were misled, and that they are owed money. In fact, before the Voice started making inquiries, the Kellys had no idea their claims were being heard in court. "It's really not the money," says Lilly Kelly, sitting in a Cuban café on the Upper West Side near her home. "It's the principle. They should have to tell us what's going on. It was a disgraceful practice." And though the amount of money owed in her mother's case is probably small, Kelly points out, "My mother's 81 now. How long do you think she should have to wait to claim what's hers?" They called it burial insurance, she says, because the policies paid just enough to get someone a decent funeral. As she sips iced tea, she remembers the poverty on 134th Street, where she grew up, and the friendliness of the local insurance broker, who was also black. "What about all the other people who bought policies in my neighborhood at the same time?" she asks. That generation, says Edwin Barnes, funeral director of Benta's Funeral Home on 141st Street, is cashing in life insurance policies from companies like Unity Mutual to pay the Harlem funeral home's fees. "More than half the policies I see are from Unity or Columbian Mutual," says Barnes, referring to another New York insurer that is also under investigation by the state, and also faces a class-action suit. "Actually, my parents bought us Unity policies when we were kids," he says. Barnes was unaware, he says, that the company charged blacks higher premiums. "But I can believe it," he adds. He saw the same insurance policies during his 18 years at a funeral home in Brooklyn, which also mostly served African Americans. Timothy Blood, lead counsel in the Unity case, says the investigations into domestic insurers and race-based underwriting started almost by accident. While his firm pursued another case involving American General Life and Accident Insurance Company just over two years ago, former company employees told the lawyers about the race-based policies. "We realized it was an industry-wide practice, and had been since the late 1800s," says Blood. Soon afterward, in June 2000, the New York State Insurance Department circulated a letter to its licensees, ordering them to report on the extent of the practice at their firms (40 insurers operating in New York are still under investigation by the department). American General finally agreed to pay $206 million to settle some 9.1 million cases nationwide, most of them in the rural South. And just a few weeks ago, industry giant MetLife announced a settlement in its litigation, one that would affect some 1.8 million policies dating back to 1901. Unity Mutual claims that just under 12 percent of all its policies were priced according to race. Company vice president Joseph Masella estimates that the rates it charged "non-Caucasians" were anywhere between 1 and 37 percent higher than the rates it charged whites, with an average he estimates "between 15 and 20 percent." "Like hell," says one insurance broker who has sold life insurance in Harlem for over 50 years. "Black people were charged more like 25 to 35 percent more than Euros, and as high as 60 percent. All the companies were overcharging," says the broker, who has asked that his name not be used because he is still in the business. "Unity and Columbian and MetLife all had two price books, a higher one for blacks. And the other big companies didn't even want to sell to us." When told that Columbian Mutual denies it ever charged different rates, the broker says "Maybe they charged just one rate, but all the other companies based their rates on three presumptions: First, that black people don't make as much money. Two, that they weren't as careful healthwise, and were more likely to get sick. And three, that their life expectancy was about 10 years less than whites." The discrimination against minority policyholders is most easily seen in so-called "industrial policies," whose premiums were often paid on a weekly or monthly basis. Industrial policies seemed cheap to low-income consumers, with frequent payments that were often under a dollar. In most cases, though, the policies would ultimately pay out much less than they cost—especially when minorities screwed up the insurance industry's actuarial tables by living long, healthy lives. "Basically, the industrial policies were a way to prey on poor people," says Timothy Blood. The suit against Unity Mutual claims the company also trained its agents to develop relationships with customers to sell "burial protection," manipulating the emotions of customers "by instilling in, or playing to, a sense of shame in leaving their loved ones without funds to pay for a funeral at the time of their death." Unity's Masella responds by saying that life insurance provides everyone, not just the poor, "with a dignified way to bury loved ones." But Blood concedes that by industry standards, Unity Mutual has been cooperative in the investigation into its discriminatory practices. A source at Unity claims that company executives once discussed paying back Naomi Kelly's overcharged premiums, but because of a "miscommunication" with the lawyers bringing the lawsuit, they never followed through. Naomi Kelly's policy will in all probability (and by Unity Mutual's own admission) pay her only a few hundred dollars more than she paid for it. When asked what she will do with her extra cash, Lilly begs her mom not to say she'd take it to Atlantic City; besides, she reminds, it's the principle of the thing. Naomi Kelly smiles, saying, "Back when I bought it, anything was a lot of money. But now, a couple of hundred dollars, it's not really much, is it?" Show Pages My Voice Nation Help Sort: Newest | Oldest

http://www.villagevoice.com/2002-09-17/news/life-at-a-premium/full/

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Mel Gibson's Jesus Christ Pose The Passion of the Christ Marks the Latest Chapter in the Making of a Hollywood Martyr Generations ago, film exhibitors used to dread the springtime "Lenten slump," when many Catholics atoned for their sins by giving up the movies. If Hollywood's most famous Catholic has his way, though, the pious will kick off Lent at their local movie house. On February 25, Ash Wednesday, Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ will finally arrive in theaters, more than a year after the project first began fomenting controversy for its brutal, exhaustive depiction of Jesus Christ's last 12 hours as a mortal man. Alternately praised as a "miracle" and condemned as anti-Semitic medievalism by the few who have seen it, the film might prove a must-see rumpus or a cross to bear for independent distributor Newmarket Films, which recently scored a decidedly more low-profile success with the art-house sleeper Whale Rider. "The Holy Ghost," Gibson has claimed, "was working through me on this film"—and perhaps not for the first time. His canon may heavily favor jokey action thrillers and grandiose war pics, but closer scrutiny reveals that Gibson (who does not appear in The Passion of the Christ) has long been in piecemeal rehearsals for his divisive passion play. As his clout and asking price have increased over the decades, so has the degree of Christian overtones and iconography in his films. (Passionmarks only the third time Gibson has taken the director's chair, but his oeuvre presents an excellent argument for the actor-as-auteur.) Lethal Weapon (1987) (photo: Staci Schwartz) Gibson belongs to the fringe Traditionalist wing of Catholicism, a movement that rejects the 1962-65 Second Vatican Council. Among other reforms, Vatican II replaced Latin mass with local-language services and issued the grievously belated Nostra Aetate, which absolved Jews from collective guilt in Christ's death. In Passion(on which Gibson and his production company Icon have spent some $25 million), the actors ahistorically converse in Latin (as well as Aramaic and Hebrew), and Gibson originally planned to eschew subtitles—perhaps to rekindle the wonder, or at least the bemusement, felt by the millions of Catholics who couldn't understand much of mass pre-Vatican II. Whether Gibson acknowledges the Nostra Aetate in his Passionremains to be seen; early signs look very dismal indeed, according to findings by an interfaith group of scholars who examined a draft of the script. (Newmarket has not yet screened the film for critics and did not respond to requests for comment.) Braveheart (1995) photo: Staci Schwartz Braveheart (1995) Conservative if not Traditionalist, Gibson's typical onscreen persona might suggest a stoic priest surrogate, a complex martyr, even a Christ figure. In last year's Revelation rewrite, Signs, perhaps his most overtly devotional film pre-Passion, a former reverend played by Gibson discovers—after an alien invasion, naturally—that both his wife's horrific death and his son's near-fatal asthma are cogs in the divine wheel: God working in mysterious ways. Aside from near-constant bereavement (the actor also portrays a widower in the Mad Maxand Lethal Weaponseries, Braveheart, and The Patriot), movie after movie finds him variously tortured, scarred, smeared in his own blood—at the end of Ransom he looks like the post-prom Carrie—and, yes, resurrected. Is The Passion of the Christ an autobiopic? Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) (photo: Staci Schwartz) Such endurance tests apparently extend off-screen as well: "I just know I'm going to get crucified," Gibson said before the release of his previous directing effort. Braveheart is the grisly creation-mythos of medieval Scottish freedom fighter William Wallace—embodied by, who else, Gibson—and possibly the urtext for The Passion of the Christ. (In his first go-round as actor-director, The Man Without a Face, Gibson played a loner disfigured by burns and suspected of a crime lately associated with the Catholic priesthood: pedophilia.) Charges of homophobia and rabid Brit-baiting indeed flew at Braveheart, which nonetheless won Oscars in 1996 for Best Picture and Director. Braveheart's ample impalings, throat-slicings, spearings, and hatchetings, not to mention its close acquaintance with arrows snagged in human flesh, may provide a warm-up for Passion's already well-documented barbarities. There's even a run-through for the crucifixion. When Wallace refuses to confess to treason—like Christ, remaining mostly silent before his judge—he endures his own stations of the cross: pelted with rotten produce by a screaming mob, hung until barely conscious, put on the rack, laid out on a cross to be disemboweled, and at last decapitated. Unlike Jesus, hardass Wallace doesn't ask why God has forsaken him. Instead he sounds a Dubyan blanket battle cry: "FREEDOM!" The Patriot (2000) (photo: Anna Barny-Jester) Audiences might be inclined to chalk up Gibson as just another celluloid violence-monger, but his fundamentalist Catholic faith thickens the plot. Amid the squibs and squishing bayonets of The Patriot, starring Gibson as an American Revolutionary, note too the Caspar David Friedrich-like cutaways to a cross half-submerged in a swamp. In Braveheart, the unrepentant Wallace suffers protracted torture because, according to the English judge, the renegade must be "purified by pain." Any practicing Catholic believes he, too, has been so salvaged, through Jesus' Good Friday ordeal—his kenosis, or emptying-out, in which the almighty Christ is debased and dehumanized by those he seeks to save. Even approving viewers of Passion have recoiled at the savagery of the film, in which Jesus (played by James Caviezel, himself a devout Catholic) is endlessly beaten, scourged, and thrown about like a rag doll. In the most widely circulated publicity still, the Man of Sorrows is pictured stooped under a massive cross, drenched in blood and howling in agony. And that's before the nails come out. As Nigel Spivey recounts in his superb 2001 study of art and pain, Enduring Creation, it was in 692 in Constantinople that a meeting of Eastern bishops agreed to a new emphasis on "the human figure of Christ," chiefly manifested in the cross as a universal Christian symbol. "Through this figure we realize the height of the humiliation of God the Word and are led to remember His life in the flesh, His suffering and His saving death and the redemption ensuing from it for the world," the bishops stated. Early medieval saints, as the art historian Gabriele Finaldi writes, "encouraged an 'affective' spirituality which concentrated on the Passion." Francis of Assisi and Catherine of Siena both prayed that they might feel the same woes as Christ did during the passion, and duly received the stigmata. "For the sake of Christ crucified, be a glutton for abuse," urged Catherine, who licks Christ's wounds in a Francesco Vanni painting. Conspiracy Theory (1997) (photo: Anna Barny-Jester) Artists, of course, largely opted for representation over imitation. In Matthias Grünewald's The Crucifixion (1510-15), the impaled Christ is emaciated and pocked with countless wounds, his neck slumped as if broken, his arms grotesquely stretched as if on the rack. Petrus Christus's The Man of Sorrows (1450) finds Jesus in more confrontational mode, facing the viewer and cupping a mouthlike wound below his right breast, presenting a visceral challenge to the ungrateful sinner. Finaldi writes that "in certain 15th-century representations of the 'Way to Calvary,' Christ is shown with spike blocks attached to a belt around his waist to make every stumbling fall unspeakably painful." Reportedly, a leather strap festooned with similar spikes enjoys an important supporting role in the Gibson gospel. The Passion of the Christ undoubtedly falls into an art-historical tradition; any of its violence will have, prima facie, a context lacking in, say, Lethal Weapon 4. But history is not on the new film's side. The earliest passion plays, medieval pageants that brandished repulsive caricatures of homicidal Jews, fanned anti-Semitism and encouraged mob violence against so-called "Christ-killers." The most famous passion production, the seven-hour Oberammergau Passion Play in Bavaria (first home of the Nazi party), won Adolf Hitler's admiration after he attended its 300th anniversary in 1934; he later called the play a "precious tool" in the fight against Judaism and reserved special plaudits for its Pontius Pilate, who "stands out like a firm, clean rock in the middle of the whole muck and mire of Jewry." (The play is still performed every 10 years, having undergone substantial revisions in 1990 and 2000.) More recent renditions of the passion have fallen into the same deformed mold. After the film version of Jesus Christ Superstardebuted in 1973—featuring a slo-mo whipping of Christ—Samuel L. Gaber, the Philadelphia regional director of the Anti-Defamation League of the B'nai B'rith, wrote, "[D]irector Norman Jewison helped perpetuate the lie that slandered the people in [Jewison's previous film] Fiddler on the Roof: the charge that the Jews, collectively, killed Christ. From an anti-Semitic stage production of Jesus Christ Superstar, an even more anti-Semitic film was created." Payback (1999) (photo: Anna Barny-Jester) Gibson has boasted that The Passion of the Christ is literally based on the Gospels, which emphasize ethnic blame over what Garry Wills calls "the orthodox teaching that Jesus was killed by human sin. . . . In that sense, every sinning Christian must accept responsibility for betraying Jesus." Rabbi Eugene Korn, director of interfaith affairs for the ADL and one of a tiny handful of prominent Jews who have been allowed to see the film, wrote in a letter to the online magazine Slate, "The film fails to depict even one Jew who is not a proto-Christian as opposing the execution, or having any compassion for a brutalized and mutilated victim. Quite the contrary, it graphically depicts a huge Jewish mob and all Jewish authorities forcing an unwilling Pilate to execute Jesus." In recent years, a favored role for Gibson has been the solitary shepherd tending to his flock, firm but kind, whether as a single parent to seven children in The Patriot or the devoutly Catholic colonel in We Were Soldiers, who is thoughtful enough even in the confusion of nighttime siege to give his men encouraging pats on their helmets and a "Keep it up, son." In Signs, though, Gibson's sorrowing Graham is a strayed lamb of God; his minister's collar has been gathering dust for six months, and yet the whole town stubbornly persists in calling him "Father." When Graham refuses to say a prayer over what could be the family's last meal, son Morgan blurts out, "I hate you," and Graham spits the same words at God when Morgan later suffers a severe asthma attack. The implication is thumpingly clear: A man who's lost his faith in God is as a petulant child who hasn't gotten his way. Graham's fleeting weltschmerz amounts to a temper tantrum. In its finished form, The Passion of the Christ may prove to be a spectacularly misjudged tantrum—against Jews, the Vatican, lapsed Catholics, or ancient Romans. It may instigate violence, stir religious awe, or inspire indifference. If it strings up Gibson for the crucifixion of well-founded ridicule, he will only have himself to blame—or thank, for that matter. Like Saint Catherine, Gibson's métier is gluttony for abuse. As a Payback baddie prophesied, "He just wants to get himself beat up, that's all." Related Articles: J. Hoberman's review of The Passion of the Christ "The Backlash Passion: a Messianic Meller for Our Time" by Richard Goldstein Show Pages My Voice Nation Help

http://www.villagevoice.com/2003-11-04/news/mel-gibson-s-jesus-christ-pose/full/

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Mets and Yankees: If Neither One Wins It's a Shame Peering into the dugouts of the hometown heroes I've heard Shea Stadium described as "a DMV without the atmosphere," and its impending destruction has provoked remarkably little outcry from fans or locals, despite its location in a historic district of run-down auto body repair shops (if you enjoy the sound of hearty laughter, ask a group of Mets beat reporters to recommend a good restaurant in the neighborhood). But in the days following the Mets' NL East win, it was an awfully fun DMV. I am, thanks to my father and my upbringing, a lifelong Yankees fan, and it's far too late to change now—but I defy anyone, aside from perhaps Braves fans, to actually dislike this year's Mets. If you can't see that Jose Reyes stealing second base is a thing of beauty, you don't like baseball. The Met locker room, at least in the few becalmed post-clinching days, typically featured outfielder Shawn Green quietly working on a crossword puzzle; Reyes (fondly referred to by Cliff Floyd one day, in passing, as "King Ding-a-Ling") stretching and chirping away in animated Spanish to anyone in the area while wearing his omnipresent grin; Paul Lo Duca and David Wright talking fantasy football and cheerfully giving each other shit; and Jose Valentin sprawled on a couch watching Soul Food. They're a friendly group, visibly proud of their team and apparently happy to see each other even for the 155th time since April 1. Whether their obvious chemistry has helped them win, or whether, as Joe Torre is fond of saying, winning itself creates chemistry, is a chicken-or-egg-style conundrum. "I think it helps," said Tom Glavine of the team's pleasant vibe, "but that's not to say you can't win if you don't have everybody getting along." Forty years old and a lock for the Hall of Fame, Glavine, who has deep laugh lines around his eyes and a seemingly inexhaustible supply of patience with needy reporters, resembles a friendly, unusually fit suburban father more than an ace pitcher. He struggled in his first years with the Mets, and acknowledges that the mood then was different—"not to say we didn't have a good group of guys in years past, but . . . when you're winning, I think everybody tends to get along better and everybody tends to have more fun." Closer Billy Wagner, in his first and very effective if occasionally heart-stopping season, thinks that the influx of new players helped the team bond and cope: "We were all new to the organization, new to New York. . . . Everyone was able to lean on somebody because we knew we were all new to the situations and the crowds and the expectations." Even the Mets' resident eccentric, Pedro Martinez, seems fundamentally well-meaning, albeit mercurial—when Martinez enters the clubhouse, reporters eye him warily, attempting to evaluate his mood, and the mistrust is mutual. Before the penultimate home game of the season at Shea, tired of questions about his health (and just five days before the Mets announced that a calf injury would keep him out of the playoffs altogether), Martinez replied to one reporter's innocuous query with "We're like a skinny piece of meat, and you're like 50 vultures . . . 50 vultures on a dead raccoon." Then he headed for the training room, smiling broadly. I got the feeling that Rick Peterson, the Mets' voluble pitching coach, gets the opportunity to put his psychology degree to good use. Kelly Stinnett, who served as the Yankees' back-up catcher this year until they acquired Sal Fasano (who boasts a little more power and vastly superior facial hair) and was then picked up by the Mets, firmly maintained that there is "no difference" between the atmosphere of the two teams, a statement so manifestly untrue that I can only assume someone in the Bronx is holding some type of incriminating photographs over his head. That's not to say that the common perception of the Yankees as businesslike, buttoned-down, and boring is accurate; judging by the multilingual hollering wafting from the back rooms of their clubhouse, they have their fun too—it's just that they have it out of sight of the media hordes. You can't blame them. There were roughly twice as many reporters in the Yankee locker room as at Shea last week; at any given moment they might outnumber the players five to one. Given the long lines of questioners hovering around their lockers, most of the Yankees' star players, while uniformly polite and often friendly, understandably don't spend much time in the clubhouse. Bernie Williams—my favorite player as a kid because, like me, he seemed shy and wore big dorky glasses (though sadly the similarities between us ended there, as he also had staggering athletic ability, blossomed into a superstar, and was embraced by millions, whereas I am still saving up for Lasik surgery)—responded to each reporter's questions courteously and thoughtfully, with his trademark gentle smile, but as he did so, he was slowly and somewhat desperately backing towards the door. I'm sure that if I'd been more assertive, he would have talked to me too, but I just didn't have the heart. Derek Jeter, taking his role as captain seriously in this as in all things, is an exception. But although he makes a point of being available, he's also savvy enough to avoid saying anything at all that might conceivably be twisted into any sort of controversy. Which is why, despite being affable and well-spoken, he hasn't had a truly interesting quote since roughly 1997. If a dozen streaking midgets ran through the clubhouse followed by Ted Williams's frozen head riding a fire-breathing unicorn, the captain would simply blink and then politely say that it's all about winning, and he's just focused on helping this team get another championship. If Yankee Stadium security weren't so tight, I would try to test this hypothesis. Next Page » My Voice Nation Help Around The Web

http://www.villagevoice.com/2006-09-26/nyc-life/mets-and-yankees-if-neither-one-wins-it-s-a-shame/

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English-Only Bosses Just Don't Understand Dear Mexican: Where I recently started working, Latinos make up about 95 percent of the workforce. We are, however, prohibited from speaking Spanish. Our supervisor tells us that if we can speak so much as one word of English, then we cannot speak in Spanish. We are constantly being threatened about it. My manager constantly makes racial remarks about all cultures and always says that we live in America and should only speak English. Is this illegal? Is it against the law for employers to prohibit employees from speaking Spanish? If so, then what can be done about it? —Spanish-Speaking and Proud Dear Wabette: The racial remarks are illegal; the ban on Spanish isn't—with a caveat. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has consistently filed lawsuits over the past 15 years against companies that require workers to speak only English, saying that such a policy violates Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race and national origin. The strategy hasn't always worked—in 1994, the Supreme Court declined to hear Garcia et al. v. Spun Steak Co., a case in which the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled a company could ban employees from speaking their native tongues at work. What you can do is contact the EEOC and file a complaint, but why bother with that? Let your employer keep such ridiculous rules—I betcha they don't allow Casual Fridays either, huh? Have a Spanish speak-in with your fellow wabby workers. Since you say that the vast majority of your co-drones are Mexicans, they'll probably join in solidarity. And since your employer hires so many of your kind, I'll make the easy assumption that you're either living in Aztlán, or homeboy likes to pay cheaply and probably illegally. Either way, he's chingado. Dear Gabacho: Before I delve into a short history of Mexican comics, let's get your references straight. Memín Pinguín is the character in a comic-book series about a noble negrito who unfortunately looks like a gorilla; Tijuana bibles—cheap pre-television-era porno comics skewering celebrities—had nothing to do with Mexico except as an easy repository for perverted American fantasies. "How perfect, expected, and fortuitous (not to mention profitable) that 'Tijuana Bible' evolved as the go-to moniker for pornographic mod-texts," says Dr. William Nericcio, the muy loco, muy smart head of the English department at San Diego State University, who blogs at textmex.blogspot.com. "Not that you need catchy names to move porn, but anything sexual with the name 'Tijuana' attached to it assured that the consumer would be confronted with some beastly, swarthy, over-the-top sexual witnessing that would leave them ready to empty their gonadic 'profits' onto sheets, tissues, sheep, or worse!" As to your pregunta: Mexican historietas started with the Aztecs and Mayans, both of whom used pictographic writing systems for their codices. You can see this legacy in the popularity of epic, largely wordless murals in both Mexico and American barrios, and in the continued popularity of comics. My Voice Nation Help Around The Web

http://www.villagevoice.com/2008-08-05/columns/english-only-bosses-just-don-t-understand/

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The best sentences we read today - "'I got white hair,' he says. 'It sticks out of my baseball cap. If you're old, why would you be pretending to be someone else who's old? Using their picture?'" - "Minimizing cheating is a terrible top priority. The top priority should be teaching students better." - "If you’re conceding—and it sounds like you are—that your fears are built atop academic prototypes and long-term tech projections, then it follows that your case is as thin as any other futurist’s." Also on Wonkblog

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/04/03/the-best-sentences-we-read-today-30/?tid=pm_business_pop

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Special Nonexistent Furniture Unfortunately, we no longer carry the Bordeaux Single Handle Kitchen Faucet with Side Spray from Danze® (SKU#: DNZ5005), but here are some Kitchen Faucets you might like: Kitchen Faucets   Your Search Faucet Spread refers to how wide the faucet is from handle to handle.   Faucet Spread 1 in.24 in.    to  GO  0 in.28 in.    to  GO  Spout Height refers to how high the faucet spout is from the base to the top.   Spout Height 1 in.31 in.    to  GO  Spout Reach refers to how far the faucet spout comes out over the sink.   Spout Reach 1 in.28 in.    to  GO  × × × × × × × × × × × ×

http://www.wayfair.com/Kitchen-Faucets-C215764.html?redir_sku=DNZ5005

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Dead to Rights Zombie flick 28 Days Later gets back to ghoulish basics. Oh, we humored those wacky vegan extremists when they threw paint at rich bitches in hideously overpriced fur coats. We laughed when they'd come on conservative talk-radio shows every Thanksgiving to get mocked for comparing turkey farming to the Holocaust. But, ya know, when they freed all those chimps infected with zombie virus from a biological warfare lab, heedless of Peter Jackson's cautionary warnings about the consequences of similar actions in the movie Dead Alive, that was a bit much. Now England's a deserted wasteland, except at night, when the zombies run around in digitally enhanced fast-motion, vomiting semi-clotted blood on things and making rats run away in terror. And all because some health nuts couldn't persuade more people to eat tofu. Okay, so we don't know for a fact that it's PETA portrayed in the new zombie horror flick 28 Days Later. But, hey, PETA members didn't know for a fact that Rudy Giuliani's prostate cancer was caused by drinking milk, either, and it didn't stop them from proclaiming such on a billboard. Just so we're clear, giving viruses to helpless apes is, well, bad. Letting 'em loose, worse. That's the film's prologue. Fade to black, roll title -- then open on London four weeks subsequent. Our hero is a package-delivery guy by the name of Jim (Cillian Murphy), who has been in a coma just long enough to miss the whole breakdown-of-civilization thing. Given his profession, the film's title actually takes on an extra significance for Britons: Much like "six to eight weeks" here, 28 days is the standard amount of time U.K. mail-order companies tell consumers to allow for their products to arrive. Jim awakens in a hospital and finds it bereft of human life. He has been locked in his room, which is presumably the only reason he remained alive, but fortunately, the key is right under the door. After chugging a Pepsi (the joy of life he needs, at any cost), he emerges onto the streets of London...and finds no one there, either. Message boards are overladen with handmade "Have you seen this person?" signs, and the nearest church is filled with dead bodies. Or are they? One or two are in fact extremely mobile and clearly malevolent. Technically, they're not "old-school" living dead -- like the zombies of Resident Evil, they're living humans infected with a virus and can be killed by normal means. Unlike most of their cinematic predecessors, however, they move like wild animals on speed, while still boasting the standard living-dead contagion factor in their saliva and blood. Jim encounters a few other survivors, notably hard-edged survivalist Selena (Naomie Harris) and a middle-aged taxi driver (Brendan Gleeson) with a teenage daughter (Megan Burns). When they come upon a radio message telling them that the answer to the infection has been found, they head off in the still-operational taxi to find the source, but it's hardly the salvation they were hoping for. Without spoiling too much, let's just say that times of trouble can bring out the worst in mankind -- which can be as frightening as any monster. Director Danny Boyle (Trainspotting) opted for digital video for practicality's sake, mainly because it's very difficult to evacuate whole sections of London for the time it would take to shoot on film. Thus the movie mostly has a low-res look, save for the final scene, which is shot in broad daylight in a manner that could have been done on film. Abetting him in the cinematography department is veteran Dogme director of photography Anthony Dod Mantle (The Celebration, julien donkey-boy, Mifune), whose cinematography has traditionally been the weakest part of the projects he's been involved with, but unbound by ersatz "purity" vows, he probably had the freedom to use artificial light this time. Some scenes are too underlit -- the sight gag of graffiti on a church wall that reads "Repent, the end is extremely fucking nigh" is not as clear as it should be to gain full audience appreciation -- but in general, the film looks decent blown up on a big screen, and certainly better than the low-grade trailer shown before X2 implied. The cheap camera also does for Boyle what it did for Joel Schumacher in Tigerland; both men had become bogged down in silly visual excess in their previous films (The Beach and A Life Less Ordinary for Boyle, that one with the capes and rubber nipples for Schumacher), and they needed to get back to the basics of story and character. For Boyle, this means a movie more like Shallow Grave than any he's done since, and not just because Christopher Eccleston returns to play the most morally ambiguous character. That dark wit is back: Gleeson gets to be positively Homer Simpson-esque in a supermarket scene wherein he discovers the sole batch of apples that has not yet spoiled and goes, "Mmmm...irradiated!" And the instinctive use of music, so well placed in both Shallow Grave and Trainspotting, is back as well: Choral selections and contemporary pop blend seamlessly to emphasize the bleak new world. One can nitpick about certain details. How, for instance, does a package-delivery man suddenly become a deadly assassin capable of taking on trained soldiers? Why, when you know zombies favor darkness, would you opt to go down an unlit tunnel rather than take the long way around? And why, once you've done that, would you stop to change a flat tire in the dark tunnel rather than maybe driving on the rim for a little while longer? On the last two questions, Jim does offer a rebuttal of sorts: "This is a shit idea. You know why? Because it's really obviously a shit idea!" In the first instance, though, it seems that Boyle is making some sort of point about human rage, because the virus is also called Rage. They are us, and we are them, you know. Whatever. The deep thematic concerns are never fully developed, but the characters are, and the story compels. Also, the movie's pretty scary. That's what counts. Show Pages My Voice Nation Help Now Showing powered by VOICE PLaces Box Office Scores provided by Rotten Tomatoes

http://www.westword.com/2003-06-26/film/dead-to-rights/full/

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Say Hello to the Goodbye Weapon David Hambling Email 12.05.06 Historically, one of the big problems with nonlethal weapons is that they can be misused. Rubber bullets are generally safe when fired at the torso, but head impacts can be dangerous, particularly at close range. Tasers can become dangerous if they are used on subjects who have previously been doused with flammable pepper spray. In the heat of the moment, soldiers or police can forget their safety training. Steve Wright of Praxis, the Center for the Study of Information and Technology in Peace, Conflict Resolution and Human Rights, notes that there are occasions when this has happened in the past. He cites British soldiers, who increased the weight of baton rounds in Northern Ireland. "Soldiers flouted the rules of engagement, doctoring the bullets by inserting batteries (to increase the weight) and firing at closer ranges than allowed," says Wright. There may also be technical issues. Wright cites a recent report on CS gas sprays which turned out to be more dangerous in the field than expected. "No one had bothered to check how the sprays actually performed in practice, and they yielded much more irritant than was calculated in the weapon specification. This underlines the need for independent checking of any manufacturers' specifications. Here secrecy is the enemy of safety." The risk of cancer is also often mentioned in connection with the ADS system, despite the shallow penetration of radiation into the skin. But the Air Force is adamant that after years of study, exposure to MMW has not been demonstrated to promote cancer. During some tests, subjects were exposed to 20 times the permitted dose under the relevant Air Force radiation standard. The Air Force claims the exposure was justified by demonstrating the safety of the ADS system. The beam penetrates clothing, but not stone or metal. Blocking it is harder than you might think. Wearing a tinfoil shirt is not enough -- you would have to be wrapped like a turkey to be completely protected. The experimenters found that even a small exposed area was enough to produce the Goodbye effect, so any gaps would negate protection. Holding up a sheet of metal won't work either, unless it covers your whole body and you can keep the tips of your fingers out of sight. Wet clothing might sound like a good defense, but tests showed that contact with damp cloth actually intensified the effects of the beam. System 1, the operational prototype, is mounted on a Hummer and produces a beam with a 2-meter diameter. Effective range is at least 500 meters, which is further than rubber bullets, tear gas or water cannons. The ammunition supply is effectively unlimited. The military's tests went beyond safety, exploring how well the ADS works in practice. In one war game, an assault team staged a mock raid on a building. The ADS was used to remove civilians from the battlefield, separating what the military calls "tourists from terrorists." It was also used in a Black Hawk Down scenario, and maritime tests, which saw the ADS deployed against small boats. It might also be used on the battlefield. One war game deployed the ADS in support of an assault, suppressing incoming fire and obstructing a counterattack. "ADS has the same compelling nonlethal effect on all targets, regardless of size, age and gender," says Capt. Jay Delarosa, spokesman for the Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate, which decides where and how the ADS might be deployed. "It can be used to deny an area to individuals or groups, to control access, to prevent an individual or individuals from carrying out an undesirable activity, and to delay or disrupt adversary activity." The precise results of the military's war games are classified, but Capt. Delarosa insists that the ADS has proven "both safe and effective in all these roles." The ADS comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. As well as System 1, a smaller version has been fitted to a Stryker armored vehicle -- along with other lethal and nonlethal weapons -- for urban security operations. Sandia National Labs is looking at a small tripod-mounted version for defending nuclear installations, and there is even a portable ADS. And there are bigger versions too. "Key technologies to enable this capability from an airborne platform -- such as a C-130 -- are being developed at several Air Force Research Laboratory technology directorates," says Diana Loree, program manager for the Airborne ADS. The airborne ADS would supplement the formidable firepower of Special Forces AC-130 gunships, which currently includes a 105-mm howitzer and 25-mm Gatling guns. The flying gunboats typically engage targets at a range of two miles or more, which implies an ADS far more powerful than System 1 has been developed. But details of the exact power levels, range and diameter of the beam are classified. Related Topics: Science , Culture , Politics , Discoveries , Lifestyle , Law

http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2006/12/72134?currentPage=2

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Round 10: Will the Undefeated Fall? • Print Author Image The letter C!oming into this round Rasmus Sibast of Denmark is still undefeated, having run three consecutive tables so far to find himself at a very comfortable 9-0 with just two drafts left. Right behind him is Olivier Ruel of France, at 8-1. Game 1 Big Oots was still undefeated at the start of Round 10. Olivier took the roll and opted for the play. As the players shuffled up they reminisced on their decks from previous drafts this weekend, the kind of decks you get to reminisce about when you're at 9-0 and 8-1. Both players looked loose, and the atmosphere of the match was casual and laid back. The unmistakable message? It's good to be at the top! Olivier chose to keep his first seven, consisting of Swamp, Dimir Aqueduct, Selesnya Signet, and four spells. Rasmus sent back his opener but stayed on six. For this one, with a little help from the top of his deck, Ruel's draw transformed from somewhat clunky to streamlined beatdown machine. Turn-two Signet allowed Skyknight Legionnaire and Orzhov Basilica, followed by a devastating Belfry Spirit. Stuck on two Forests and a Signet with his GRU deck full of giant monsters, Rasmus was little more than a spectator for this one. In fact, once the Belfry Spirit hit, he checked his next card and conceded immediately, getting only one spell onto the board before throwing in the towel. Game 2 Rakdos Pit Dragon While Game 1 was a quick and brutal affair, this one was a titanic struggle that swung wildly back and forth. In the opening it looked like Rasmus was in control, powering out an Assault Zeppelid off a Signet followed by a bloodthirsted Burning-Tree Bloodscale. Meanwhile Ruel wasn't getting much done other than a Surveilling Sprite while he developed his mana with several different karoo lands. Finally Ruel got his defense going, playing a Helium Squirter to trade with the Bloodscale. Surveilling Sprite stepped in front of the Zeppelid to cycle a card, but Rasmus continued the pressure with a Tin-Street Hooligan plus a Gnat Alley Creeper. Olivier thought a bit and opted for a Rakdos Pit Dragon. "Thanks for opening this!" Rasmus laughed, and Ruel followed up by fanning out his hand of six after laying karoo No. 3: "Almost Hellbent!" Beastmaster's Magemark hit the Hooligan, which swing in with the team and traded with the dragon, dealing 6 to Ruel and dropping him to 9. Thundersong Trumpeter and Petrahydrox came to shore up Ruel's defense. A Gnat Alley Creeper traded with the Petrahydrox, with Olivier dropping to a precarious 6 life, but now the Trumpeter was online and the French player's large hand continued to drop creatures into play as Rasmus' side began slowing down. At this point the game began swinging wildly back and forth as each player strove to get more creatures in play than the other, with each turn forcing Ruel to continue his precarious high-wire act of staying alive. With slightly more creatures in play, Ruel got a Belfry Sprit going with a Demon's Jester, at which point the game hit a notable inflection point. Now the Trumpeter was playing offence, keeping the Silhana Starfletcher from blocking while most of his fliers went in, leaving the Belfry Spirit back to block and potentially generate more bats down the road. During all this Rasmus occasionally got more creatures into play, but always seemed just one creature short of sending in the team for the win. Get to the point, Olivier. A critical play happened a few turns later. A +1/+1 Bloodscale Prowler for Rasmus swung in with Sporeback Troll to watch its back. Absolver Thrull blocked, Rasmus used both his green to regenerate, and Ruel cast a devastating Reroute to make the troll regenerate itself instead, sending the Prowler to the dumper and drawing the French player a card in the process! Despite the swing Rasmus looked okay with a Gruul Guildmage to end the turn, threatening to win the game next turn by pitching three land to Ruel's face, but a Wrecking Ball from Ruel put an end to that immediately. Next was Streetbreaker Wurm, which Ruel answered with Court Hussar and Galvanic Arc attached to the Demon's Jester, sending a Zeppelid to the bin. Streetbreaker had to stay home, so a Gruul Nodorog joined the team as well. With one card in hand, Olivier sent in the Jester plus both bats. Withstand saved the bat from the Starfletcher, putting another card in Olivier's hand, which turned out to be star of the show Guardian of the Guildpact. Rasmus played Thrive on everyone but the Elf, but could only send with Nodorog, activating its ability. Guardian and Belfry Spirit blocked, haunting the Court Hussar, making it Rasmus 11, Olivier 6. Olivier used Trumpeter on the Elf and sent in with a bat and the Demon's Jester for 3, with still just one card in hand. With only a bat, Court Hussar, and Guardian of the Guildpact left back to block (and the Trumpeter tapped) Olivier looked vulnerable, but Rasmus cleared feared that last card in Ruel's hand. He thought a long time on this one, so long in fact that Ruel joked at one point "You're not slowrolling me, are you?" Ruel had a big smile and was leaning comfortably back in his chair, while Rasmus clearly struggled with his decision, an undefeated record hanging in the balance. The call turned out to be Golgari Brownscale, and just go. It turned out to be the last chance he would get. For the last few turns Rasmus was only able to draw mana while his opponent continued sending in with the fliers. On the final turn, Ruel finally managed to get hellbent, allowing him to deal exactly the final amount needed to put the game away. Oli shows off a most valuable Belfry Spirit. Checking the next card since he'd had so much trouble getting Hellbent, he flipped over a Culling Sun and laughed. "I would have been dead immediately if I played this!" He consoled Rasmus a bit as they packed up their cards and signed the results slip. "You were very unlucky to have the guildmage that specific turn, since it let me use the Reroute and let me kill the guildmage without you hurting me any." A clearly disappointed Rasmus could only nod. "There just wasn't anything I could do once the Trumpeter was there. You just had too many creatures." He was right, and it ended up being the difference between a win and a loss, as for any of those final turns Rasmus could have swung in with the team to drop Ruel to 1, so had any other damage gotten through the result would have been reversed. But sometimes, particularly at this level, that one point can make all the difference. Fortunately for Rasmus, he hasn't had to take his first loss until Round 10. Losing is never fun, but when it has to come, it's a little easier to take when it still leaves you tied for first! Final Result Olivier Ruel 2, Rasmus Sibast 0 • Planeswalker Points • Facebook Twitter • Gatherer: The Magic Card Database • Forums: Connect with the Magic Community • Magic Locator

http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Events.aspx?x=mtgevent/ptpra06/fm10

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911 tapes released in Hart City Laundromat fire Audio has been released from the 911 call a woman made as she was trapped inside her burning apartment above an Elkhart Laundromat. Tenants above the Hart City Laundromat, near Franklin and Union Streets, say they woke-up to an argument in a downstairs unit. Minutes later, they saw smoke and flames and a man running away from the building with an unknown object in his hands. Fearing for her life, one of the female tenants called 911; click on the video attached to this story to hear a portion of that 911 call. The woman did make it out safely along with her pet cat. Police are calling the fire "suspicious", but have yet to pinpoint an exact cause. powered by Disqus

http://www.wndu.com/home/headlines/911-tapes-released-in-Hart-City-fire--172989971.html?site=mobile

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School is right around the corner, but there is still time to enjoy summer and all its traditions, and that includes grilling out. Call it a grill for those on the go. It is called the "EZ Grill." And unlike other portable grills, this is a "one use" grill that you can take pretty much anywhere: the beach, the park, tailgaters or your own backyard. But would the EZ Grill get burned in our As Seen on TV test? Obviously, my big grill will not fit on my patio table and the EZ Grill comes in one easy, compact container. You open it up and then it comes out of its box and, underneath the box, is the stand. If you look inside you have these tissue papers that are actually soaked in some type of lighter fluid. You just light the ends of those. And underneath are these bags filled with environmentally friendly coal of some sort. The manufacturer said it takes about 15 minutes for the flames to die down and the coals to get that charred looked to them, so you can start cooking your food. It has been more than 15 minutes. I have four burgers and four brats. That is probably enough to feed a family of four or five. The only downside is, unlike a Hibachi or a Webber or a gas grill, you have a top to close so the heat circulates. After about ten minutes, we have some brats that are awfully close to being done. They are cooking nicely. After 45 minutes, we have some nicely done brats and burgers, just like if you were sitting at a tailgater. The EZ Grill is really easy to use and I had a fairly decent sized meal put on here of four burgers and four brats. It would be great for the beach or the tailgater, or just going to the park. With EZ Grill, you are cooking and it gets the thumbs up. I paid $13 for my EZ Grill at CVS. You can find them in a lot of stores and on the internet. powered by Disqus

http://www.wndu.com/news/specialreports/headlines/ASOTV_EZ_Grill_127261968.html

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Goose and Gander by Christina Boufis | Comments Fatigue, depression, sweating, weight gain, foggy memory, loss of libido, sleep disturbances. Sound familiar? Those are the symptoms of male menopause. And this week marks the first-ever andropause awareness week in Britain. What's more, new research shows that there is a safe cure for male menopause — TRT or testosterone replacement therapy. For years it was believed that testosterone caused prostate cancer, and thus it was rarely prescribed. But the new research involving 1500 men from the Institute of Urology, at University College Hospital, London found that contrary to belief, testosterone is safe and may actually improve conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and osteoporosis. So for the 2 million men in Britain who have the condition, there is new hope for what is being labeled testosterone deficiency syndrome to distinguish it from its female counterpart. 'It is extremely gratifying to know we can finally remove one of the obstacles that have seemingly prevented he medical profession from treating this common hormonal disturbance in men, which can wreck their lives, loves and health," Paul Pennington, of the Andropause Society, told the British press. I don't doubt that male menopause is very real, and for many men, and their partners, it's a relief that there is a seemingly simple and safe option. Apparently, the belief linking testosterone to cancer was done on very limited studies in the 1940s, but that has colored treatment ever since. Now here's another scenario: what if hormones were routinely prescribed when men hit andropause? What if, rather than waiting decades for research, they were given TRT just as a matter of course to get over the uncomfortable side effects and prevent disease? Then what if research found that TRT actually did cause cancer, heart disease, stroke? But what if the results were murky because the people prescribed TRT were largely past the age when they should be for starting treatment and perhaps had underlying heart disease to boot? Ring a bell? I thought so.

http://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/the-big-m/goose-gander-14851

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skip to content The giver by Lois Lowry  Book : Fiction : Juvenile audience 7 of 18 people found this review helpful. The Giver   (2006-07-10) Very Good User profile avatar by angeldevilami This book is about the main characters, Jonas and the Giver, who had the memories of the past, the beauty of the earth, those are the memories that the people in the commumity didn't want it. In every generation, the community would choose a person to be the new receiver. Jonas, the new receiver, received the memories from the Giver. He thoguht, these memories are beautiful, why the people didn't want them. I don't know either, those memories are beautiful, I couldn't think of a reason why they reject to have those memories. In the book, people would get release when they got old. "Release", this word didn't mean those people would go away fromt he community. It mean Was this review helpful to you?      Flag as Inappropriate; Flag as Inappropriate Close Window Please sign in to WorldCat 

http://www.worldcat.org/title/giver/oclc/25872578?page=allitemreviews&collection=localReviews

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DESTROY all humans. That is the simple, loving message of Red Robot #C-63, a character in Diesel Sweeties, a web comic with 12 years under its belt, and over 3,000 instalments. The comic details the not-always-safe-for-work intimate relationships and bon mots of a cast of robots, humans, animals and malevolent inanimate objects, including an espresso machine. The strip's creator, Rich Stevens, works alone for many hours a day in a large, empty building. He likes it that way. Nonetheless, when Mr Stevens wanted to buy himself the time to catalogue and produce electronic books of his strips, he turned to the community of readers who have supported him over the years, by buying T-shirts and stickers, and spreading the word of his oeuvre. Like so many artists and creators, he turned to Kickstarter. As a one-man operation, even handling his own shipping, time is money and money is time. He set a goal of $3,000, which he felt had a neat symmetry with his 3,000 strips. He raised that amount in under 45 minutes after posting a link on Twitter, and exceeded $60,000 by the end of the 30-day project period. (Kickstarter disburses funds only if a goal set by a project creator is met. It keeps 5% and about 3% is retained to cover payment-processing fees.) As more money flooded in during the project, he set intermediate goals. For instance, he wound up committing to eat two pounds of bacon, despite being a vegetarian (two donations of $666 each), and to produce hundreds of USB memory sticks that resemble his Red Robot character. He also pledged to drive a vintage Pac-Man arcade console from his western Massachusetts home to Wil Wheaton, an actor and writer living in California. (Mr Wheaton, best-known for playing a young starship crew member on "Star Trek: Next Generation", is a friend of Mr Stevens's.) The strip's odd plot lines may seem mystifyingly opaque to many. A recent sequence involved a character faking her murder and pinning it on a cat, for instance. The style, too, is impenetrable to most non-geeks. Diesel Sweeties is drawn to resemble early colour video games, with stairstepped edges instead of curves, and a limited range of hues. Mr Stevens says his inspiration came, of all things, from the Macintosh's Users & Group control panel (way back in the 1990s). They also used "weird profiles" of generic faces as icons. Mr Stevens's T-shirts are more widely recognisable. Michael Cera even wears one in a scene in the movie "Scott Pilgrim vs the World". Each week a handful of Scott Pilgrim buffs purchase the garment for "cosplay", where fans dress as characters in comics and movies. Mr Stevens is using the money he has raised to add colour to older black-and-white strips, fix errors and build a detailed database, prompted in part by some Kickstarter backers' request to allow them to create their own custom collections. Electronic collections of his works will be available to donors using Apple's iBooks Author, which creates titles in a special format that can for now only be read on an iPad. He eventually plans to produce the books in standard PDF format, as well, though he does not deny enjoying the iPad-only books' being perfect paginated representations of his work. There are other hermetic web comics for geeks. Some boast a huge and devoted following. Xkcd is a favourite among maths and programming types. The Order of the Stick raised a staggering $1.25m in a Kickstarter campaign to produce an e-book and print collections. Penny Arcade has spawned conferences, a children's charity (which raised $3.5m in 2011) and an internet reality-television series. Mr Stevens is not quite there yet, and his success with this project has already heartened him and transformed his working life. But web users' seemingly insatiable appetite for vicious espresso machines give him something to strive for.

http://www7.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2012/05/web-comics/email

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Higher education The college-cost calamity Many American universities are in financial trouble See article Readers' comments Very good article. Four year universities have out lived their usefulness. Online universities are much more capable f handling the task of education. They provide the most up to date learning experiences for this world. Senator Harkins bad mouthed the for profit institutions in an article that he published mush to the favor of brick and mortar non for profit institution. The $100,000 plus dollar tuition payment is outrageous. simon says In 2009 at an honors student dinner at Clarkson University (a private tech school in NY) which my son was attending, I happened to be seated at the same table as the university provost. I asked him how much longer colleges could continue to increase tuition and fees faster than inflation before it would simply be better of kids to just learn a trade and use the money their parents and/or they would shell out to capitalize their own self-employment. He went on to spew the usual education industry talking points about how I just didn't understand the situation. The summary was that even if future students did what I suggested, it would simply over suppy the market with tradesmen, thus reducing their value and making college a better bargain. So the basis of his argument seemed to be that colleges can keep the relative value of a college eductation high because by charging higher real prices they will force more people out of college and thus drive wages for the great unwashed masses down. Of course, this argument comes from people who, as employees of colleges, typically have a benefit where they and their children can attend the university at which they are employed or any of several others with reciprocating agreements at a cost 50% to 100% below that charged to those of us who work for living. Well, as with nature, in economics you can sometimes stretch a law pretty far, but you cannot break it. When the cost of college outweighs the benefits, alternative solutions will be found. You would think that if the people heading colleges really are our best and brightest, they could figure that out. But there's no end to the human ability to place desire ahead of fact. Proud 49er If the college bubble is to burst, can it please do so before 2028, when my first will graduate from high school? While the discussion is both informed and interesting, in my opinion it misses a critical point: the reason that university education in the United States became so essential for advancement was the long term decline (from sometime in the 60s, at a guess) in the quality of secondary education. The Federal government doesn't pour anything like the sort of money into high school education, which, by law, impacts ALL citizens, as it does to higher education, that, by definition only impacts a subset of the population. Rather than creating an education "bubble" in the 22-25 year old demographic, the goal should be every student at the age of 18 should be educated to the level necessary to be a) self supporting and b) an informed voter/member of the public. Federal money and national education standards are an appropriate way to address the secondary education gap. That money should come out of the money being thrown, often carelessly, at higher education. If that means fewer university students, but better educated high schoolers, that seems a tradeoff well worth making. Rob S in reply to micol Many employers use a college degree as a screening test for entry level jobs. Why bother interviewing HS grads, who might be entirely capable of working as a bank teller, shoe salesman,... when there is a pretty good chance that he/she will need remedial training, and there is a college grad available that (usually) will have an adequate education? And they will work for the same salary? The unlucky college grad has paid $100K (+/-) to take a screening test. The pitch that college grads make more money than HS grads is a self-fulfilling prophesy What is usually missing from discussions of the rising cost of tuition at public universities is reference to the decrease in support from the state. Where 2/3 of the cost of a college education in Missouri used to be absorbed by Missouri taxpayers, now the portion is 1/3. The difference is made up through increased tuition. This pattern has been repeated across the country. Rob S in reply to JennyRobins No, Jenny, What is missing is a discussion of continued growth in the total cost of a college education, public and private. These costs have outstripped the ability of taxpayers to cover them, in the case of public universities. Costs will continue to climb as long is more money is made available. Richard Michael Abraham TOP Not-For-Profit Colleges Only Accept 12%-30% of The Applicants "Since top tier, second and third tier colleges and universities only accept 12%-30% of the applicants, these colleges rightly believe enough wealthy U.S. parents and wealthy foreigners exist. So far, they've been right." Richard Michael Abraham www.redii.org Colleges are a dying concept. There is no use for libraries with robots that fetch books when an entire library can fit on a regular hard drive. Other than a few good professors that are really passionate about teaching, most professors just deliver content. These days content is free and going into debt to have access to free information is insane. Within the next 10-20 most of the colleges that are around today will either go bankrupt or close down due to lack of funding / interest. The only universities remaining will be top brand names such as Harvard, Yale and major research instituions. Did you know… "Higher education has not delivered extra value to match the extra costs, he says." I graduated in 1980 with roughly $13,000 in loans. I was making about $16,000 my first job. My son (if he goes to private school) will come out with about $125,000 of debt and will be lucky to start at $25,000. It's almost like credit card debt. Goldman Sachs is making a killing on this... no wonder because they bribed Congress for federal guarantees on student loans/fees and of course the 'no default on student loans' thing Congress passed. The Vampire Squid is sucking all the money out. The Higher education calamity is that many students have to prostitute themselves or endure a life-long poverty to pay off the student loans. CnKQ7pSia6 in reply to happyfish18 The average student debt when out of college in the US is around $21,000. That's it. Its about the amount required to buy a decent car. The difference in value between those two in the long run cannot be overstated. Life long poverty? - Most students in the hard sciences pay that off in a matter of two years. But right out of college, if you want to buy a fancy car, iPad, live in a cool neighborhood and all, as many young people do, then its a different matter. People have forgotten what it is to have patience to earn their way to life's material luxuries. Maggoty in reply to CnKQ7pSia6 Three questions for you sir, 1. Are you taking into account interest paid while paying down the loan(s)? 2. Does this statistic include students who did not for whatever reason need a loan? 3. How is any one student supposed to pay off debt when we have the highest unemployment for college graduates in recent history? I think people graduating college would be happy with a job in their chosen field, an apartment, and if public transportation is not available, a sensible low cost vehicle. I might know something about wanting fancy things right out of college, as I'm a college student somewhat near to graduating. Loans aside, one of the most frustrating things I've seen is bright students being forced out of college by rising tuition costs while rich kids party in frat houses. There is a very real social and economic price we will pay in the next few generations because of this. Bugs10 in reply to CnKQ7pSia6 That's the average. The average is brought down by the students who just need a small amount to supplement parental funding. The college I went to now costs $54K/year. Even if you only needed to finance half of it, you'd owe over $100K plus interest. Yeah, don't forget the interest! Then there's also graduate/professional school. If you're not in a PhD program, this is really expensive. Most graduate students don't have parental funding. And you now also have to finance living expenses if you're not working full time. Seven years ago, my 2-year program cost $50K, I had $12K in a research fellowship and took out a total of over $75K to pay tuition and living costs. I had a (low) paying internship over the summer, but my program didn't allow students to work off campus during the academic year. I was in my late 20s at the time and I'm paying off my loans just for these 2 years over a 30 year period (I think, I actually don't even know) and my monthly payment is $625-for two years. I know that students weigh the costs and benefits of choosing the most respected program they can get into vs. financing options, I'm just saying student loan payments ain't cheap. And for many 20-something students, it's just a part of life. You want and need to go to school, you want to make the most of it and go to the best program you can, and you figure everyone you know has student debt--it's just something you do. In addition, the government and SallieMae and any of these other student creditors make understanding the financing virtually impossible. They use langauge that doesn't even exist outside of the realm of student loans. Nobody understands it fully, it's worse than mortgages. My younger brother, in his late 20s with a challenging job, starting a top-notch science program, graduated from an Ivy League school-- he calls me up and says, "Do you understand any of this student loan stuff?" Rob S in reply to happyfish18 They do not "have" to do anything. College debt is discretionary. In a large fraction of the cases, it is clearly a bad investment, up front. If you borrow money to spend on a college education that will never provide you with the tools to make it possible to pay it back, go ahead. But quit whining about the cost. Cool Beans The thing that will keep many of these universities afloat, and hence keep pushing costs up are rich kids from emerging economies whose parents are able to afford such exorbitant prices and the numbers only seem to be growing. Good universities are popping up in their home countries too, but the best still tend to be in the US, UK etc. so it may very well be the case that the proportion of foreign students rises as fast as the costs of tuition In the long run in reply to Cool Beans It's already happening. Univ. of WA has one of the highest proportion of international students (18% of last year's Freshman class are foreign, half are from China). In-state residents pay $12k a year in tuition and fees, out-of-state and international students pay $30k a year, plus another $10k a year for Room & Board. Even our community colleges are now increasingly filled by foreign students, their tuition costs $9k/yr, about 3x more than in-state residents. With the state budget cuts, UW is increasingly turning to foreign students to help plug the budget shortfall. Admissions for native Washingtonians has become so competitive that in-state parents are starting to offer to pay the UW out-of-state tuition to fight for a spot! I think that's just wrong. State universities are largely funded by taxpayers. They need to figure out how to cut cost rather than offering ever more spots to foreign students while leaving our own students out in the cold. Let the foreign students go to the private universities, or at least charge them 5x more than in-state students! I find the cost of universities in America to be outrages, and it's not surprising that they're debt ridden. Here in Canada, the provinces support the univserities and as for the universities there isn't excess spending in unneeded areas, just upgrading. I go to U of T and the cost is only around 6-7K/year compared to America's ivy league schools which apparently go up to 50K/year. Of course there is the difference between provinces' support, a Quebec student only have to pay 2-3K. As for which degrees are useful, STEM vs. liberal arts. STEM subjects are about solid facts i.e. 2+3=5, where as liberal arts is more about forming your own views with solid facts to back them up. You can't really say that one's more useful, it's more of what's more in demand. Not every degree has a solid career path, I have to disagree since it's what you do with your degree. Although some like philosophy or gender study could only stay in academia. But the mentality of one kind of degree is better than another, engineering vs. sociology maybe true to an extent, but then again not everyone's engineering material. Sentinelese in reply to Lotus_Maiden Mingze Xi and Guagua Bo can afford to go to Harvard but I don't think they are studying STEM (although Mingze's dad Jinping was trained as an engineer, no?). People who have money, don't have to talk about money and it seems that a lot of Universities in the US are trying hard to recruit "rich" students from China just to make a quick buck. Canada might be doing that too. The market for foreign students, especially from India an China, is pretty large (there are almost 3 billion Indians and Chinese altogether on planet earth), so American and Canadian Universities might tap into that potential. They are actually also setting up campuses in India and China, I heard (are Canadian tax-payers supporting that too?). MONEY is the METRIC. Who cares about what students learn or whether they get jobs or pay back their loans. Once they graduate with a degree the University is no longer responsible for them. Let the MARKET FORCES determine their fate. Long Live the True Spirit of Capitalism in Universities! Down with Evil Socialism! Up with Tuition Fees! acadso in reply to Sentinelese "Who cares about what students learn or whether they get jobs or pay back their loans." Do you really think it's healthy for the economy to have an entire generation that is poorly educated and crippled by debt? Who cares about market forces if the quality of society is sacrificed? Rob S in reply to Lotus_Maiden "useful" is a subjective concept, Lotus, and difficult to quantify. However, the burden of a student loan and the ability to repay it is quantifiable. Your justification for studying liberal arts is a familiar one. The latest buzz phrase that covers this pitch is "critical thinking". I really have not seen evidence of this skill any more evident among those trained in liberal arts than in physics or engineering -those fields also demand skills in critical thinking. The focus here on the financial aspects of an education should force us to consider the finances when we make a choice for an education major. And if we choose to follow a path with a poor financial return, so be it. And accept the consequences. The "bubble" is due to easy credit, like all the other bubbles, and a few being allowed to treat education as a money maker. That will have to be fixed. The other critical issue is the severe cutback in state-funding for state universities, which is a travesty. LexHumana in reply to longvie.ws The bubble may indeed be due, in part, to the ease of obtaining student loans. However, we asked for it -- the public demanded that the government provide such public assistance, and the democracy responded by giving such public assistance on very generous terms. The consequences are of our own making. Lets shatter some perceptions and misconeptions shall we. Something that The Economist should've done? According to this: http://blogs-images.forbes.com/troyonink/files/2012/01/collegechart.jpg Yes, Liberal Arts majors are at 9% unemployment but far less than Architects, and BARELY better than that Computers and Mathematics at 8.20%. Or more interesting: Education seems to be in the greatest demand and suffering the least unemployment. FAR less than Engineers, Law, and the Sciences combined. CnKQ7pSia6 in reply to GSamsa A couple of things worth pondering - Firstly liberal arts majors make less than computers, math or engineering majors. Way way less. Which brings one to the second point - how is employment defined here? Several liberal arts majors may accept jobs as waiters or shop assistants, for example. That would count as employment, wouldn't it? But its not really related to their major at all. CnKQ7pSia6 in reply to Gregor Samsa Your point is partly valid. One cannot ignore the massive difference in salary between the hard and soft sciences. If a substantial number of liberal arts majors were in business fields, the average salary wouldn't be so low. Given the fact that there are only so many liberal arts jobs on the market, the majority of these majors are clearly getting employed in low paying jobs. "Transferable skills" are honestly speaking, a euphemism for "less in demand" skills. Think about it - the highest paying jobs are those that require a very high degree of specialization and have low transferable skills. What are the top paying jobs ? - at least 5 of the ten top ones are those in medicine or surgery. Now what transferable skills does a radiologist earning $400K a year have? How about a corporate attorney, physicist or a computer scientist? Heck, what transferable skills does even a top sportsman or actor have? Specialization is king. You do something that the market demands and you do it really really well. Jobs with a high "transferable skills" index are generally never at the top of the food chain. Gregor Samsa in reply to CnKQ7pSia6 True, but business majors often have fairly broad (transferable) skill sets. In terms of economic value, specialization has higher returns, but I wouldn't assign liberal arts majors zero economic value. In fact, there are certainly corporate attorneys and CEOs with liberal arts backgrounds. And the cultural value is certainly important, wouldn't you agree? The problem with taking a purely economic stance on education is that arts and humanities degrees would naturally be limited to the economic elite. Excluding the middle class from cultural discourse in academia would seem to widen cultural barriers. Not everyone is cut out to be a doctor or engineer, but I would rather see more people with liberal arts degrees than fewer. I think the heart of the problem has been that the proportion of financial aid available in the form of grants versus loans has gone down. With all of the freely available student loan money available, schools have gone on a spending spree, driving the cost of education through the roof. The result is that, as you note, the price for a liberal arts degree is no longer economically worth the cost. If you are middle class, the cost is even greater because you don't have the benefit of grants. Add to that the fact that your parents are on the hook for your education, (i.e., you can't be considered independent for aid purposes until you are 24, yet there is no corresponding tax break for you as a dependent), and the middle class is all but completely priced out of liberal arts. And then there is that old chestnut, that you need a college degree to get a job. Now that the market is flooded with people with degrees, it doesn't seem to provide an edge unless it is specialized, as you say. But what is the alternative? You still have a better shot at an entry level job at most corporations with a degree than without, unless you go into food service or the like. In the long run in reply to CnKQ7pSia6 They can always go work at Starbucks or drive a UPS truck, which makes their skills as "trasferrable" as LibTard majors. Just because most of them don't choose to ask "Do you want fries with that?" doesn't mean they don't have the "skills" to do so. In the long run in reply to Gregor Samsa "In fact, there are certainly corporate attorneys and CEOs with liberal arts backgrounds." -- I think most only became corporate attorneys or CEOs after going on to grad school to get a JD or MBA. There may be some without a technical degree or MBA, but they are few and far between. I don't count undergrad business degree as LibArt, Harvard does not offer undergrad Business as a major. Of course there are values in liberal arts classes. However, taking a broad range of classes in LibArt to expand one's horizon and complement a technical degree is different from majoring in LibArt. LibArt majors tend to be generalists, expert of nothing, the blank slates. Corporations used to hire them as trainees to do low level office jobs from admin to bank tellers, HR assistants, claims adjusters...but the combination of automation and outsourcing has done away with a large chunk of these jobs. So now you either have to study computer science to automate more of these jobs, or you can go work at Starbucks with a libart degree. This modern economy has turned Liberal Arts into a degree for the idle rich. More people need to recognize this new reality. Gregor Samsa in reply to In the long run My reference to business majors was about transferable (read "general") skills, in regards to the argument that specialization is always more lucrative than generalization. I was pointing out that many business skills learned in school are general skills. As far as the attorneys and CEOs with liberal arts backgrounds, yes - it's their undergrad degrees I was referring to. Attorneys often have philosophy, for example, as their undergrad degree, which is one of those esoteric degrees that people like you seem to feel is useless. Your point about the liberal arts being a degree for the idle rich was a point that I'd made, but in a negative way. Liberal arts degrees can confer education more as it used to be, i.e. classical education that included art, literature, etc. The purpose of an education versus professional training is to teach people how to think. We no longer get that in school, and without liberal arts in college, even majors, God forbid, would be a huge loss to our culture. CnKQ7pSia6 in reply to Gregor Samsa Gregor - You make several good points there and I agree with many. Paradoxically enough, one of the reasons I'd rather have fewer students graduating in subjects like philosophy or art than the practical sciences is the amount of intellectual rigor, creativity and natural talent required to succeed in these subjects. A mediocre engineer or doctor still has much productivity for society. Yes a brilliant engineer will invent new machines but an ordinary one will at least build bridges. Same with a mediocre accountant or doctor. But an intellectually mediocre philosophy or art major is virtual deadweight. He certainly won't make any significant contribution to his field, he can't even produce anything of everyday value to society in his field. In my opinion it is only the truly gifted who should go for these fields. Now this does not mean that students should not take courses in them. Far from it. I think the liberal arts are a vital part of a good all round education. But there is a difference between studying history in high school versus choosing to major in it. In an ideal world we'd all get to study as much of everything that we liked but there are a limited number of years in a man's life, a limited number of funds and citizens in a state. The more liberal arts majors you produce, the lower the proportion of engineers and hard science graduates you're going to have. That is simply plain math. The question is striking the right balance. I personally don't think the government should make judgments on how many biochemists vs. artists to produce except in funding basic research. The market determines that best of all. This does not however mean that some kid who could've been a great artist will not make it because he's from a poor family. If he is confident enough about his talent and that society will appreciate and buy what he produces, he can take a loan and fund his studies. But you simply cannot fund too many students for too long in the hope of preventing one potential Mozart or Rembrandt from falling through the cracks in the system. Because you will then be letting even more Edisons and Einsteins fall through. Its always about trade offs since there is no perfect solution in a world with limited resources. Analyticity in reply to CnKQ7pSia6 I agree with everything you said, CnKQ7. Unlike accountants or engineers, there are very few mediocre philosophers employed as philosophers. A four year degree in the liberal arts is fairly useless by itself as far as procuring good employment goes. The only specialized jobs available for most liberal arts degrees are jobs in academia, which are extremely difficult to obtain. I am currently wrapping up an MA in philosophy at program ranked in the mid-20s among American universities. 300 people with philosophy BAs and/or MAs will apply for five funded positions at my program this fall (myself among them). Those who are admitted and earn their PhD 5-7 years later will have something like a 25% chance of finding a tenure-track job in academia. The employment prospects improve with higher ranked programs, but even at these schools a PhD is no guarantee of employment. It was not for nothing that some of my conscientious professors in undergrad gently cautioned me away from the academic track. So, unless you are prepared to chase academic excellence for at least 5 years of graduate school (the MA by itself is fairly useless) a four year degree in the liberal arts is a terrible investment. A minor in the liberal arts, or a double major paired with a more marketable degree might be worth pursuing, but if you can't hack the high-risk, long-haul academia route, stay away from the four year degree. Gregor Samsa in reply to CnKQ7pSia6 I agree for the most part, but as the market is deciding it now, there are too many mediocre students of all types, thanks to student loans. Perhaps vetting students better by having qualifying exams in high school beyond the SAT/ACT exams, like they do in Europe would help. It would be more like GRE exams, where you have to qualify in specific content areas. But then that would be government limiting the liberal arts degrees. Also,limiting liberal arts degrees would be limiting degrees. An English major might not have the math or spatial abilities to become even a mediocre engineer, so excluding him from a English degree because he is not the best of the best might prevent him from getting any degree. In short, striking a balance might be difficult without government intervention, unless we do away with student loans altogether. Of course, that might not be a bad idea, since lower demand would drive tuition prices down. Remember when junior college was free? Rob S in reply to Gregor Samsa Liberal Arts was once before a degree for the idle rich. Those who were looking for upward mobility entered fields such as pharmacy, animal husbandry,.. It will come as a shock, I suspect, Gregor, but students who study fields not related to the liberal arts also learn how to think critically, and how to apply their thinking to problems in a effective manner. That training in application of critical thinking to real problems that have measurable consequences (will an airplane crash?)is what is missing from a Liberal Arts degree. The article fails to account for how much education is provided for the price. There's more and more material/knowledge that has to be taught/learned. Whatever some studied 40 years ago in 2 years for $500 (hope the sum is in the ballpark for 12 cr. hrs.) is now condensed to 1 semester for roughly $300 (assuming $100 per credit hour for a 3 cr. hrs. course). In my opinion Uncle Sam should cut its costs of defence and put more into higher education. What really maks one conquer the world is not military force ,it is its education thoughts. And the US should mind its own business,not that of the world. CnKQ7pSia6 in reply to zmjh Uncle Sam already spends more than any other developed nation on education (both in aggregate as well as on a per capita basis). In higher eduation, even the top state university (UCal Berkeley) which has substantially lower fees than private universities has a much higher drop out rate. So money is clearly not the issue. It is precisely the government largesse accompanied by little to no accountability that has led to such poor results despite such high spending. So cut out the "put more into higher education" mantra. I can understand if you feel the need to rant against unnecessary military adventurism, but please try and not forcibly inject that into discussions where it has little to no relevance. As for the US minding its own business, I bet whichever country you live in, you'd feel very differently if Iran blocked the Straits or Hormuz or China blocked the South China seaway tomorrow. Or for that matter, if you were a West German during the cold war or a South Korean next to a maniacally murderous regime today. If people think so much that the US should mind its own business, why then this bipolar behavior where they keep calling on it to solve problems? The latest one is Syria, before that it was Libya, before that Egypt, and before that the protests in Iran. Don't want the US to get involved? Fine. Just be ready to lose the good along with the bad. There won't be any more unnecessary wars like Iraq but there will also be nobody to rescue defenseless women from being raped or men from being butchered in places like Bosnia. Rob S in reply to JM3 Countries that provide free higher education (usually to a smaller fraction of their population) still spend far less per student than the US does. Why do you suppose this is the case? IMHO all the best professors - the ones that actually want to educate - are starting to teach classes online anyways. The university system is as outdated as the textbooks they use to teach with. Dinosaurs trying to preserve the nest egg. I'm an engineering major myself, and I look forward to continued industry disruption. 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Symbiosis in marine microorganisms fertilises ocean: Study Symbiosis in marine microorganisms fertilises ocean: Study Washington: Scientists have discovered an unusual symbiosis between tiny single-celled algae and nitrogen-fixing bacteria that helps fertilise the oceans. Researchers led by University of California, Santa Cruz found that tiny single-celled algae and highly specialised bacteria exchange carbon and nitrogen in a mutually beneficial relationship. This partnership plays an important role in marine ecosystems, fertilising the oceans by taking nitrogen from the atmosphere and "fixing" it into a form that other organisms can use. The discovery emerged after investigation of a mysterious nitrogen-fixing microbe with a drastically reduced genome. First detected in 1998 by Jonathan Zehr, a professor of ocean sciences at UC, Santa Cruz, it now appears to be the most widespread nitrogen-fixing organism in the oceans. The microbe belongs to a group of photosynthetic bacteria known as cyanobacteria, but it lacks the genes needed to carry out photosynthesis and other essential metabolic pathways. Apparently, its association with a photosynthetic host cell makes those genes unnecessary. "The cyanobacterium is a nitrogen-fixer, so it provides nitrogen to the host cell, and the host cell provides carbon to the cyanobacterium, which is lacking the metabolic machinery to get its own carbon," said lead author, Anne Thompson. Although the partners in the symbiosis have not been grown in the laboratory, the researchers were able to characterize both partners using cell sorting, gene sequencing, and other techniques. The host cell is a type of single-celled algae in a class known as "prymnesiophytes," which are found throughout the world's oceans. In seawater samples sorted by flow cytometry, which separates cells by size and colour, the host cells were discovered among the "photosynthetic picoeukaryotes," a mixed population of tiny single-celled algae in the 1- to 3-micron size range. "Aside from the importance of nitrogen fixation in marine ecosystems, this is such an interesting symbiosis from an evolutionary perspective, because it can be seen as analogous to an early stage in the endosymbiosis that led to chloroplasts," Zehr said in a statement. Chloroplasts, which carry out photosynthesis in all plants, evolved from symbiotic cyanobacteria that eventually became incorporated into their host cells in a process known as endosymbiosis. The study was published in the journal Science.

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x humana English 10 Set Clip Length: foundations of what made us great and that's belief in god. it doesn't matter necessarily religion, but a belief in god and they're brilliant because what they try to do is pit different religions against each other, no nativity scene because you're offending the muslim and-- >> carol roth? >> i don't see this as a religious issue and i'm jewish and can speak on the issue, i love the christmas holiday, what are you going to do take santa out of the mall? as americans we embrace the season as a season of cheer and that the atheists here should-- first of all, if they took it away they'd be so sad, they'd have nothing to argue against. stuart: and what i object to one atheist objects and everybody has to accommodate them. tough. and president obama is sending the treasury secretary to argue about the fiscal cliff. and we talk to a reasonable democrat, why the president doesn't just lead. plus, a major incentive to buying the house, the mortgage interest deduction, it costs the federal government a lot of money, that deduction is on the table in those talks, got it? next. you know how . the constitution promises freedom of religion. not freedom from religion. when we heard about santa monica, 59 consecutive years, we said we had to get involved. we have this project called the nativity project. we encourage individual citizens to get a permit. we found a loophole, incredible loophole in santa monica and there is going to be a nativity display there for year 60. the federal judge banned unattended displays. not live nativities like you see here. so december 8, christians and people of good will from all across southern california are coming to passion sides park and there will be a nativity scene. i have here our permit. we had this in front of the united states supreme court yesterday. this is our permit. i would encourage anyone who is having a problem in their community, with nativity scenes, if we are allowed to have a display in front of the united states supreme court and the united states capitol, then any citizen can display the beauty of christmas, the power of christmas, the wonderful message of hope and we're work with pastor dole right now. >> gretchen: so pastor d a live one. >> the constitution promises freedom of religion not freedom from religion. >> you have 100 mosques in new york city, you could build it three blocks away. >> it's 30 degrees but that baby is wrapped in a electric baseball. >> i want to let in this country 200 gramy irish mep a year. >> "wall street journamarijuana. >> some republicans are so bummed they don't want to live in america anymore. >> the race between barack obama and -- >> romney lost. >> damn it. >> the silver tour teaches seniors the benefits of medical marijuana. >> watch cheech & chong travel to mexico to watch them pick up the first van made entirely of marijuana. >> they are so daysed and confused they haven't been able to decide. >> take a toke, baby, eat a magic brow ni. it just fits so well into the seen area lifestyle. >> three, two, one. >> some of that last segment i thought maybe they had to liven everything up for me. >> 51% now favor the legalization of marijuana. >> okay. >> is it one hump or two humps? >> it's a two humper. >> let's get right to our panel now. goldie taylor is an msnbc contributo from religion and society of free thinkers who represent a small percentage of the population get airtime? >> bob: if you have this setting and has blackberry on it disrupts. somebody does. and listen, free thinkers. think about the name, free thinkers. the free thinking here, they send a letter from the teachers home to everybody's parents and said you can go. you don't to go if you don't want to go. we'd like to have the opportunity to go and see a production. who are the people doing. get a life. go buy a barge. >> brian: everybody at the table agrees. i'm given a layup. >> dana: nothing unites americans like charlie brown. >> brian: no kidding. get the table fractured like it belongs going to scene of bill o'reilly's show based on true story. involving the governor of rhode island lincoln chaffey who decides to call at it holiday tree not a christmas tree. here is a little interaction. >> the polls show 90% of americans celebrate christmas, and they want to call at it christmas tree. you are in the minority. you are imposing your will. >> i don't make anybody happy. >> i know. of every race, creed and religion is an insat i can't believe government spending machine. they are not tackling so much what we heard in the campaign. i believe that political venge is a terrible way to leave the country and good policy and setting goals and taking bold action. anyone elected to office has a responsibility to weigh the evidence and we must hold them to the standard worthy of their office. in 2004, it was the democrats that wrung their hands. george bush had won reelection with a higher popular vote . increased republican majority in the house and senate. first time a president did that since fdr. yet the democrats won the house in 2006, presidency and house and senate in 2008. there are wild swings from one election to the next and will be again. so don't go wobbly instead go boldly forward to explain why you are right. because i believe you are. [ applause ] all right. instead of working with congress face to face to save the economy. president obama is trying to gets had way by doing what he does best. campaigning and making speeches about the fiscal cl . >> the romney campaign made two mistakes in terms of polling. the one was they had this almost religion thought that the young voters, minority voters would not turn out. one thing we didn't talk about enough during the election is a lot of people really like barack obama, particularly among the youth and minority voters and a lot of white voters as well really like barack obama. so they missed that. they seemed to think voting in '08 was an aberration and a fluke. that was a wrong assumption. the second thing they missed was a lot of polls, even some of the polls nbc did showed republican enthusiasm was a little higher than democratic enthusiasm in some states. the campaign took that to mean the democrats weren't going to turn out. some tea partiers were really excited but a lot of democrats were just as excited. >> right. karen, into today's "new york times" timothy egan writes, if you believe in climate change, finding a path to citizenship for millions of hard working hispanics, and the right to marry the person you love, there is no place in the republican party of 2012 for you. when you t religion you make of the situation in egypt and the dangers it could turn into an islamist state? >> the bottom line in egypt is it's bad for the egyptian in their political future. probably not as bad for the long-term interests of the united states. anytime a leader like morsi puts himself above the judiciary, that's not a good sign to democracy. anytime you put that language in there, it's not good for their democracy. it's troubling not only for egypt but for the long-term events in syria where things are more polarised because of the violence there and the possibility of an islamist state there. but the more encouraging news is the brotherhood has shown they can behave a little more. >> the brotherhood of which morsi was a member of. >> and when he first came in they called to ban alcohol but they didn't because of tourist dollars. and to segregate beaches and they didn't do it bus they were concerned about the economic realities. they need western aid. and the the gaza conflict. they behaved responsibly and tried to bring things to a conclusion. there is evidence that while , creed and religion is an insatiable government spending machine whose leaders aren't tack-- and the leaders aren't tackling the hard truth that we heard so much about in the campaign. i believe that political revenge is a terrible way to lead the country. good policy is made by dealing in fact, setting goals, and taking gold action. anyone elected to office has a way to weigh the evidence and explain the votes and hold them to the standard worthy of their offices. remember n2004, the democrats were wringing their hands and george w. bush won with a higher popular vote total than in 2000 and he had increased the republican majorities in the house, and the senate. the first time a president had done that since fdr. and yet, the democrats came back to win the house in 2006. the presidency, the house and the senate in 2008. and there have been wild swings from one election to the next and there will be again, but don't go wobbly now, instead, go boldly forward to explain why you are right because i believe you are (applause) >> thanks, all right. instead of working with congr Excerpts 0 to 9 of about 10 results. (Some duplicates have been removed) Terms of Use (10 Mar 2001)

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Last updated May 21, 2010. Created by Francewhoa on July 1, 2009. Log in to edit this page. What about when you reboot your Apache Solr server? Are you going to type in that java -jar start.jar after each reboot? There's an easier way. We are now going to create a startup script to automatically start Apache Solr when you reboot your Ubuntu Server 8.04.x LTS. This how-to handbook is - For beginners. - Using 'java -jar start.jar' method. Type in the following command in TERMINAL to install nano text editor. sudo apt-get install nano Type in the following command in TERMINAL to add a new script. sudo nano /etc/init.d/solr TERMINAL will display a new page title “GNU nano 2.0.x”. Paste the below script in this TERMINAL window. #!/bin/sh -e # Starts, stops, and restarts solr case $1 in         echo "Starting Solr"         cd $SOLR_DIR         echo "Stopping Solr"         cd $SOLR_DIR         $JAVA $JAVA_OPTIONS --stop         $0 stop         sleep 1         $0 start         exit 1 • Note: In above script you might have to replace /apache-solr-1.4.0/example with appropriate directory name. Press CTRL-X keys. Type in Y When ask File Name to Write press ENTER key. You're now back to TERMINAL command line. Type in the following command in TERMINAL to create all the links to the script. sudo update-rc.d solr defaults Type in the following command in TERMINAL to make the script executable. sudo chmod a+rx /etc/init.d/solr To test. Reboot your Ubuntu Server. Wait until Ubuntu Server reboot is completed. Wait 2 minutes for Apache Solr to startup. Using your internet browser go to your website and try a Solr search. That's it. You have successfully created a startup script to automatically start Apache Solr when you reboot your Ubuntu Server. Enjoy. Everything works fine on Ubuntu 9.10 and apache-solr-1.5-dev Thank you for the article. Very useful post, thank you! I was briefly thrown when following the instructions on using Solr with Drupal. I kept getting "Error occurred during initialization" when using the /etc/init.d/solr command to start/restart, yet starting from the command line was fine. Google didn't initially help much, because it made it seem like there was insufficient memory, yet this was on a Debian VM with 1GB. The problem is cut 'n' paste without looking at what I was doing. The key for anyone who doesn't use Java much seems to be in the command line, where the sample above requests 1GB of RAM ( -Xmx1024m). Not realistic when that is the entire RAM available on the machine. This parameter specifies the maximum RAM for the Java heap (it is also possible to specify the starting, and the minimum), but it looks like Java tries to get (or at least check for) that much RAM on startup whether it needs it right away or not, and if it's not there, it fails. So is that much RAM really necessary? I don't yet have much experience with Solr, but some web posts seem to say for a small installation it should run on a box with 512MB *total* RAM, maybe even 384 (though not 256). Another post talks about 1.4GB of RAM being unrealistically small, though that is for a larger installation (millions of articles) In any event, changing the JAVA_OPTIONS to be -Xmx256m eliminated the error for me, and Solr appears to run. At the least, the maximum Java heap plus the rest of Java plus the rest of RAM usage on the server (i.e. the Apache instances) should be less than the physical RAM available. For testing on a small site, RAM of 256 appeared to work just fine. I can confirm this works for Debian 6 (on a Dreamhost VPS), Solr 3.4. I get the warning "insserv: warning: script 'solr' missing LSB tags and overrides" when i run update.rc.d, but it seems to work fine.

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Template:Image requestedEdit This Page From FamilySearch Wiki Revision as of 06:59, 13 October 2011 by Cottrells (Talk | contribs) This template is used to request that someone take a photograph for an article or add an image (from another source) to an article. It is not a general-purpose "no image present" indicator. Editors placing this template on a talk page should provide information about what photographs are wanted. Categorize your request Although it is possible to add just the template {{image requested}} to a talk page it is strongly advised that you add at least one category parameter. If you don't categorize your request, it will be lost in a large list, Category:Articles needing images, and may not receive attention from subject/regional photographers, and it is more likely to be deleted by other editors. For example, if a picture of a specific car is required then the following should be added to the talk page: {{image requested|cars}} - this will then be added to Category:Requested photographs of cars. Picture of places are sorted by location, for example {{image requested|in=Norway}} Adding more than one subject to the list of parameters will bring it to the attention of more people. If, for example, the subject is found in a location (or predominantly is in one country) then you can add more additional categories like so: {{image requested|computer equipment|in=Russia}} If you are requiring a specific image of the article subject, it is possible to add detailed text. For example, in the talk page of a specific building: {{image requested|architecture|in=London|of=main entrance hall}} For a full list of categories in use, go to Category:Articles needing images. When selecting a category please click down to the most relevant sub-category and select the most appropriate to the topic of the article requiring a photograph. Adding more than one subject category in the template is recommended. Explain your request If the subject matter isn't perfectly obvious (such as an article about a physical object), please explain your request on the talk page. It is very helpful to give photographers your ideas, particularly for abstract ideas, such as legal and philosophical concepts. If you have a specific idea for another image, then use the |of= parameter to name the specific picture that you would like. This is particularly helpful if there are already images in the article. Unexplained and uncategorized templates may be deleted by any editor. The template employs several optional data field parameters as described below. {{Image requested Parameters legend • 1=: may be passed to indicate an appropriate topic subcategory. The positional parameter alternatively may be unnamed (e.g., instead of "|1=xxx", the string "|xxx" would have the same results as "|1=xxx"). Up to three positional parameters (e.g., 1=, 2=, 3=) may be used to specify appropriate subcategories. For example, use {{image requested|1=sportspeople|2=musicians}} or {{image requested|sportspeople|musicians}} to add the page to Category:Requested photographs of sportspeople and Category:Requested photographs of musicians. • of=: may be passed to indicate what the subject of the photograph should be. • in=: specifies where the photograph may best be taken, and adds the article to the appropriate location subcategory (e.g. {{image requested|in=England}} adds the article to Category:England articles needing images) Additional in2=, in3=, ... up to in20= parameters may be used to specify up to twenty location categories (such as for roads that cross multiple counties or celebrities and others who may frequent multiple locations). • collapsed=: may be set to collapsed=yes to close up the template message box. If more than six locations are specified (e.g., in=, in2=, in3=, in4=, in5=, in6=, in7= ... are used), the template message box will collapse automatically without using the collapsed= parameter. Specifying collapsed=no will keep the template message box expanded no matter how many in= parameters are specified (e.g., no matter how many locations are specified). • small=: toggles the message box from standard size to small, if small=yes. • category=: suppresses the automatic categorization if category=no. • free=: if free=yes, the substituted text will explicitly request a freely-licensed photograph. • If no category or location parameters are present, this template adds the article to Category:Articles needing images. {{image requested| |of=|in=|in2=|in3=}} Alternatives to this template As an alternative, some talk page WikiProject banners can also list an article as needing a photograph. However, where the talk page banners do not highlight a need for a photograph in an article or where photographs for the article are requested in more than three locations, this template may be placed on the talk (discussion) page of the article, instead. Another alternative is to find existing photographs that might meet the needs.

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No encontramos iTunes en este ordenador. Para usar vista previa y comprar música de I've Suffered a Head Injury de The Verve Pipe, descarga iTunes ya. Yo tengo iTunes Descarga gratis iTunes para Mac y PC I've Suffered a Head Injury The Verve Pipe Abre iTunes para escuchar un fragmento, comprar y descargar música. Reseña de álbum I've Suffered a Head Injury, released only months after the band formed, collects some of the stronger material from the members' previous bands (Johnny With An Eye and Water 4 the Pool), with each member contributing songs. While it's clearly a flawed debut, there is no shortage of great songs, and the album shows a great deal of promise, incorporating a competent blend of quirky pop reminiscent of XTC crossed with the rocking side of R.E.M. and a brooding introspection obviously influenced by Bob Mould. [Upon signing to RCA, the album was reissued in a slightly modified form, dropping three songs including "The Freshmen," the stark, emotional closer and easily the high point of the album. A re-recorded version of "The Freshmen" would later appear on the RCA debut. The song was re-recorded again for the single release and became the band's first national hit.] Se formó en: 1992 en Lansing, MI Género: Rock Años de actividad: '90s, '00s, '10s Primarily known for their post-grunge blockbuster hit "The Freshmen," the Verve Pipe formed in 1992 in Lansing, Michigan, where frontman Brian Vander Ark pieced his group together from the ashes of two local bands. He and his brother, bassist Brad Vander Ark, had previously played in Johnny with an Eye, while drummer Donny Brown and guitarist Brian Stout were veterans of Water 4 the Pool. Both bands had been local... Biografía completa I've Suffered a Head Injury, The Verve Pipe Ver en iTunes Valoraciones de clientes

https://itunes.apple.com/hn/album/ive-suffered-a-head-injury/id268535267

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Re: Password file with over 3000 users. Roberto C. Sánchez wrote: So, you would rather that things stay the same rather than improve (and potentially break)? There is an operating system targeted at just that crowd. It is called MS Windows. You are more than welcome to go use An improvement by who's standards? The devs or the users? Craig's comments about breaking user's local stuff on the whims of the devs, pretty much covers the rest of my thoughts on the topic. Someone pointed out that Debian has release cycles. Yep, I've known that since 1995 or so, thanks. It's why I use Debian, and another "duh" moment... But I've seen the devs get themselves all wound up in a tizzy over silly crap like this before, make changes, break things for end-users without need, and then wonder why users think Debian with it's "uber-great goals" is just as insane as say, the RedHat/Fedora/RHEL fiasco. We should strive for that lovely and much lauded goal... "The principal of least surprise." Some users have now used, and expect bash as the default shell on their Debian systems, for longer than some of the devs have been old enough to code, now. Folks that KNOW why they need/want ash, dash, Bob's Big Boy Shell, or even... shudder... tcsh... know how to change it, easily. Leave the average Joe alone, leave his defaults alone. Be sane. Reply to:

https://lists.debian.org/debian-isp/2007/09/msg00137.html

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Andrew Sackville-West put forth on 6/14/2010 7:25 PM: > enough to hold the data. > .02 tar and parallel bzip2 would cover most of the journey for the OP, assuming he's got at minimum a dual core CPU or an older SMP box, available scratch space, a DVD burner, and enough acumen to figure out how to use these together to achieve his backup goals (which he should already be forming given his recent experience). Reply to:

https://lists.debian.org/debian-user/2010/06/msg01002.html

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Splitting on a regex w/o consuming delimiter Lemniscate d_blade8 at hotmail.com Mon Nov 12 06:39:59 CET 2001 Nadav Horesh <Nadavh at envision.co.il> wrote in message news:<mailman.1005469891.21795.python-list at python.org>... > Whats about: > >>> st = 'This @is a @modul@ ar trr' > >>> re.split(".(?=@)", st) > ['This', '@is a', '@modu', '@ ar trr'] > Nadav. Actually, I like this one, and you can do it an infinite number of ways (take a look at <i> Mastering Regular Expressions </i> by O'Reilly for a better idea of why using regular expressions can be tricky (like trying to split something and losing what you split). Personally, I would go like the above, but let's try something else, like maybe (and you can hide this in a function, I just do it here xl = [] while st.find('@') != -1: st = st[:st.rfind('@')] print xl ['This ', '@is a ', '@modul', '@ ar trr'] Put something like it into a function/class (depending on what you need to do with the results, I guess). Maybe pass in two parameters, a string and a seperator. Then you just call the fucntion to get your result. Maybe something like: def StringSep(YourString, sep): newlist = [] while YourString.find(sep) != -1: YourString = YourString[:YourString.rfind(sep)] return xl Keep in mind, I've kept it simple but you can feed in seps that are bigger than one digit, you would just have to do some initial coding, then you would be home free. More information about the Python-list mailing list

https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-list/2001-November/066809.html

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The old gods A pantheon of lesser gods by scratchmark Many millennia ago, there was a war. However, this was no ordinary war. This war threatened the very existence of the planes. The primordials had awoken, and wanted revenge on the deities who had imprisoned them. The war raged through the heavens and on Greyhawk, and no one was spared. The primordials sought to weaken the gods by siphoning off the souls of mortals that traveled to their realms after they passed from the prime. Thus the deities created The Maelstrom of Souls, a place barred to deities, through divine law. This place was created as a conduit for the souls of mortals to safely pass through to their final resting places among the gods. However, that is another story. What is important is that Imradi was the architect of The Maelstrom. You see, he was one of the lesser gods and was tired of warring over who controlled what in the multiverse. It was his duty to construct the demi-plane that would act as the bastion known as The Malstrom of Souls. He did as was required of him, but unbeknownst to the other gods, he stole a small part of the Maelstrom. It was infinitesimal in the grand scheme of things, so surely – he thought – no one would notice. And notice they did not. They were far too busy preventing the destruction of the multiverse. After the dust had settled and the gods had defeated the primordials once again, Imradi secretly began work on a plane of his own. Using the piece of The Maelstrom that he stole, he used it’s power to shield this plane from the other gods. After he created this floating disk in the far reaches of the astral sea, Imradi entered the world and sealed the gap behind him, forever encasing himself in his own little world. Thus, Melekar was born. Imradi new that he would need help managing this new world. He created the demi-gods Phaedon and Sarakis. He created the others who has become known as the Old Gods. He gave them dominion over the elements and the earth. Over the lives and souls he would bring here. To Rurik he gave the task of forging this new world into a beautiful and wondrous place. Imradi created the Earthforge, upon which Rurik was to do his work. When his task was complete, Rurik was to smash his forge, and became known as the Anvilsmasher. When Rurik was done, and Melekar was complete, it was time to bring life to the wilderness. Slowly, Imradi began to populate the world, much like the prime that he was from. He understood the need for balance in all things, so as he created the creatures of light, so to did he create the creatures of darkness. Imradi made one mistake. He should have known that the one thing that all beings with power have in common. The desire for more power. As the world was beginning the beings that Imradi created began to walk the earth, among the mortals. They had different methods, but the same goals, to find followers, gain worshippers to increase their power. Some sought to coerce, others to protects, and still others by force. Imradi recognized this, but after the toll of creation his own powers were diminished, and he could do nothing but watch as his creations became as powerful as he. Chronicler’s Note: Recently in Melekar, the masses have begun to worship a new pantheon. Over the past 200 years these new gods have been growing in power and strength as the Old Gods begin to fade. There are still worshipers of the Old Gods, and they are not forgotten, but the new deities are here to stay (the new gods are the 4th edition pantheon). Portfolio: Death Alignment: True Neutral Favored Weapon: Scythe Dhaal is the neutral god of Death. He has reigns over the souls that pass from this world. Known as the Soulguide, he is the judge, jury and executioner for those who pass on. It is his right to pass judgement on the souls of mortals who have left this world and decide where their eternity lies. Domains: Death, Knowledge, Travel Known As: The Grey One, The Soulguide, The Judge Portfolio: Love Alignment: Chaotic Good Favored Weapon: Shortbow The goddess of love, Valenda is a little known goddess. She presides over marriage, infatuation, lust, desire, and any other form of love and affection. Her worshippers are few at best, but those few are devoted like no others. Domains: Healing, Trickery, Good Known As: The Maiden, The Matchmaker Portfolio: Earth, the Elves Alignment: True Neutral Favored Weapon: Club or Sickle Gaea is the mother of the earth, and the creator of the eldest race, the Elves. She favors the elves above the other races, and makes precious the natural world. She frowns upon the industriousness of humans and dwarves, and her vengeance is swift against the destructive goblinoids. Her worshippers are most commonly druids. Domains: Earth, Animals, Plants Known As: The Earth Mother, The Eldest, Nature’s Voice Portfolio: Water, Chaos Alignment: Chaotic Neutral Favored Weapon: Trident The God of Seas and Lakes, Quidios, is well known for his ever-changing nature and his brute strength. Sailors invariably pay himhomage, lest they incur his wrath on the seas. Domains: Water, Chaos, Strength Known As: The Tidelord, The Sea’s Whim Portfolio: Fire, Tricksters, Rogues Alignment: Chaotic Neutral Favored Weapon: Daggers The most capricious and unpredictable of the gods, The Lord of Flames is a very unpredictable deity. Few worship him, but illsuionist, tricksters, and well, arsonist, often pay him homage. Domains: Fire, Trickery, Chaos Known As: The Trickster, the Lord of Flame Portfolio: Air, Weather Alignment: Lawful Neutral Favored Weapon: Longsword Lectros represents the inexorable tide of the storm. Even mighty mountains eventually bow down to his power. Lawful druids often follow Lectros, upholding the laws of nature. Domains: Air, Strength, Destruction Known As: The Stormlord, Mighty Wind Portfolio: Evil, Tyranny Alignment: Lawful Evil Favored Weapon: Crossbows Sarakis and her twin Phaedon were the first of the Lesser Gods. Utter opposites to each other, Sarakis embodies all that is evil, and wretched and wrong. Most evil humanoid races at least revere, if not woship Sarakis. Domains: Evil, Death, Destruction, Law Known As: Queen of Darkness, The Profound Darkness Rurik Anvilsmasher Portfolio: Dwarves, Metalwork, Creation Alignment: Lawful Good Favored Weapon: Warhammer Rurik Anvilsmasher is the patron deity of the dwarves, and revered by craftsman everywhere. When Imradi created the gods, Rurik was given the task of forging the world of Melekar. After he created the world, he smashed his anvil, so that it couldn’t be used to destroy what he created. Domains: Good, Strength, Knowledge, Protection Known As: Forger of the World, The Mastersmith Portfolio: Hate, Anger, Jealousy Alignment: Chaotic Evil Favored Weapon: Daggers Strife is the god of negative emotions. Most assassins pay homage to him. Strife works closely with Sarakis (of course, always this his own agenda) and was the second to find out about the Abandoning of Imradi. Domains: Evil, Chaos, Destruction, Chaos Known As: Hatemonger, The Backstabber Portfolio: War, Strength, Warrior Alignment: True Neutral Favored Weapon: Greatsword Nerihil is the god of war and honorable combat. During times of war Nerihil is among the most revered of the gods. Warriors of all types often say a prayer to him before going into battle. Domains: Strength, War, Protection Known As: The Invincible Warrior Portfolio: Good, Justice, Compassion Alignment: Lawful Good Favored Weapon: Halberd Phaedon is Sarakis’s brother, and is the oldests of the gods created by Imradi. He is worshipped and revered by good aligned creatures everywhere. During the events that took place at the Godspike, Sarakis was able to gain the upper hand against him, but the actions of several brave mortals were able to restore balance to Melekar. Domains: Good, Law, Strength, Protection Known As: The Supreme Justice, The Compassionate Lord Portfolio: Magic, Knowledge, Magic Users Alignment: True Neutral Favored Weapon: Quarterstaff Magus is the undisputed master of magic. When Krilgore aspired to godhood, Magus was the one who finally destroyed him. Within Magus’s library is all the collected knowledge of the Multiverse. Domains: Magic, Knowledge, Protection Known As: The Scribe, The Archmage Portfolio: The Sun, Growth, The Harvest Alignment: Neutral Good Favored Weapon: Javelin The Sun God is the most worshipped of farmers and laborers. Luminos’s Watchful Eye travels across the sky during the day, providing light, warmth and energy to all. Domains: Sun, Healing, Plant, Animal Known As: The Watchful Eye, The Dawnlord Portfolio: Disease, Poison, Corruption Alignment: Chaotic Evil Favored Weapon: Short Sword If Luminos is the god of life and growth, Talos is the god of death and decay. Talos seeks to spread her corruption to all the corners of Melekar. In her name, her followers created a devestating plague that would’ve swept all of Melekar but for the intervention of a few brave heroes. Domains: Death, Evil, Destruction Known As: Corruption, Plaguebearer Portfolio: The Moon, Song, Pleasure Alignment: Chaotic Good Favored Weapon: Sap Mielle is the goddess of pleasure and revelry. Her followers are pacifists, seeking to bring Mielle’s love to all creatures Domains: Good, Healing, Protection Known As: The Songstress, Moonsong Portfolio: God of the Gods Alignment: N/A Favored Weapon: N/A Little is know about the Supreme Being known as Imradi. It is believed that he long ago turned away from his creation, leaving it in the hands of the gods. His very few and far between worshipers’ prayers fall on deaf ears. Domains: N/A Known As: Gods of Gods, The All-Father, The Supreme Being, The Creator New bottom Card catalog 01 Card catalog 02 Card catalog 03 Card catalog 04 Card catalog 05 Card catalog 06 Card catalog 07 Card catalog 08 The Melekar Chronicles gaaran

https://melekar.obsidianportal.com/wikis/religion

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Shared publicly  -  According to feng shui, stagnant water should be replaced with moving water. This hedgehog knows what's up! Liza Baylis's profile photoSarah McFarlane's profile photoMicah Alsobrooks's profile photoKyndall Thompson's profile photo Much better than some stupid hamster wheel...he's got bubbles... Aww poor little guy just wants out . They just invented the hedgehog powered Jacuzzi.  Sonic! He can really move! Sonic! He's got attitude! Em B. Running through hedgehogs mind: This is plain frustrating! I think I've made it out - what's that splashing noise? It follows me... Plain mean if you ask me, he's cold, scared and confused. Someone pick him up and wrap him in a warm towel! While I was occupied putting the lime in the coconut, the hedge hogs were putting the feng in the shui. Oh my gosh...I giggled at first, but now I just feel bad for him.  I just wanted him to get out and be cuddled. why can I not stop watching? too cute. hehe, " I really hate you right now." Says the Hedgehog. That is just plain mean! What purpose did that serve! Piccachu errr hedgehog I choose you. Damn where did that hedge hog go.  I didn't know that hedgehogs were domesticated.  And, indeed, the internets tell me that it is illegal to have a hedgehog pet in California, so don't get any ideas! hes all like wat d hell is goimg on! get me outta here The horizon is much further away than it seems. But then again, Feng Shui is nonsense. Kass iE the poor thing is trying to escape the torturous bath l < Feng Shui is awesome. Don't knock it if you don't do it or we will make you run in the little sink of soapy water :P +Blade Lefusyn it's awesome, for it's practitioners want to make money, not much else. If it works they can go take the James Randi challenge and make themselves an easy million dollars. +Cat MacKinnon ok that is harder to argue with in this case, thought would have to come up with an objective scale of cuteness, maybe international 'SQUEE' units? :) Lol workout while bathing XD Kinda like swimming! lol Add a comment...

https://plus.google.com/+GeekandSundry/posts/YjfghmBSDAU

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Deep Impact Charges to Japan Cup Victory; Ouija Board Third Deep Impact Charges to Japan Cup Victory; Ouija Board Third Photo: Bill Selwyn Deep Impact overtakes entire field to win the Japan Cup. Reigning Japanese Horse of the Year Deep Impact got the redemption his connections desperately wanted--following a defeat and medication violation in France--when the 4-year-old son of Sunday Silence rallied from last to win the 26th running of the $4.6-million Japan Cup (Jpn-I) at Tokyo Race Course on Sunday. Dream Passport finished second, a half-length ahead of the globe-trotting mare Ouija Board, who recently was named the Cartier Horse of the Year for the second time. Favored at odds of 3-10, Deep Impact broke last in the field of 11, and jockey Yutake Take kept him in that position for the opening mile, tracking just behind Ouija Board and Frankie Dettori as Cosmo Bulk set the pace. At the top of the stretch, Take swung Deep Impact to the outside while Dettori split horses to make Ouija Board's run. Dream Passport got the first jump on the pacesetter, but Deep Impact had dead aim and took command in the final furlong. He completed the 2,400 meters (about 1 ½ miles) on firm turf in 2:25.10. Cosmo Bulk, Fusaichi Pandora, Meisho Samson, Freedonia, Swift Current, Tosen Shana O, Heart's Cry, and Yukino Sun Royal completed the order of finish. "I had a good view of the field, particularly Ouija Board," Take said in a post-race press conference. "I kept my eyes on her. As we turned for home, Frankie moved her to the inside, and that was a moment that really worked out because I had decided to go outside." "I was watching him all the way, too," Dettori said of Deep Impact. The jockey could be seen taking a peek to his rear several times during the race in anticipation of a big run from the Japanese champion. For the filly's owner, Lord Derby, there was no disappointment in defeat. "She ran a brilliant race," he said. "She certainly didn't let us down. She's an absolute superstar." "The winner is a monster," said Ouija Board's trainer, Ed Dunlop. Deep Impact improved his record to 11 wins from 13 starts, and he has one race left in his career, the Arima Kinen (Jpn-I) at Nakayama Race Course Dec. 24. After winning his first three starts of 2006, Deep Impact was shipped to France by trainer Yasuo Ikee, where he finished third as the betting favorite in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe Lucien Barriere (Fr-I) but was subsequently disqualified when testing positive for a prohibited medication to treat a respiratory problem. The victory was vindication for Deep Impact's trainer, who has carried the burden of the French defeat and disqualification. "These past two months have been a very testing time for me," an emotional Ikee said. "One day could feel like a year. However, Deep Impact himself was innocent. He didn't know what happened. He's been his usual self and recovered well from the trip. He gave me the energy to carry on and to be here today. He has brought me so much and has taught me that there are ups and downs in this game. Even if you are at your lowest there are times that you just carry on. But the win does not mean that I can just feel free from everything that has happened. I will do my utmost. I will study more to prevent any kind of incident like what happened (with the disqualification), and do my utmost as a trainer from now on." Take also felt emotionally charged because of the disappointment in France. "I did have a lot of feelings before this race, and I was overwhelmed by the crowd's cheering afterwards," he said. "This was a day of resurrection." Owned by Kaneko Makoto Holdings Co. Ltd., Deep Impact will retire to Shadai Stallion Station for stud duty beginning in 2007. He was bred by Katsumi Yoshida's Northern Farm. The Japan Cup attracted an on-track crowd of 120,182. The track is in its final year of a multi-year rebuilding project. A significant portion of the grandstand was closed because of construction. Most Popular Stories

https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/36532/deep-impact-charges-to-japan-cup-victory-ouija-board-third

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Reviews for HP: Chaos of the Phoenix rb2312 chapter 7 . 9/29/2012 Came to the story late, i read all 7 chapters back to back. I am hooked. In sumation. Remus now manifests the wolf an an animagus and he andctonks are together. Hint that she may have picked some traits up too. Harry hermione and luna are soul bonded and likely to throw the plots of dumbles into chaos Guessing molly's love potion will not work on harry anymore. Hope fred and ginny recover, and that she is just an inocent pawn. Arthur an unspeakable. That's new. Not sure how hermione will take the fact that her mum is the world class nutjob belletrix love the bit with magonagal and flintwick. Can not wait for the reaction of dumbles. Hope harry's new position as lord potter can help clear sirius Anime Princess chapter 7 . 9/28/2012 Well then, that's a cliched surprise for Arthur to be in the Unspeakables, but I do like the idea! Always have! I can't wait to read more! VizeerLord chapter 7 . 9/28/2012 make it quick please more please Katzztar chapter 7 . 9/28/2012 "...It's ten galleons… Wait. Forgot to whom I was speaking with," she finished with a sigh." LOL Nice touch, many mearly state Flitwick is either A- a half-goblin, or B-has golbin ancestry, and thats it. They merely state it, some may give Filius contact and/or understanding of Goblin customs, but this is first time I've seen a fic that showed Filius ACT with some sort of Goblin traits. I believe that is due to his usually very upbeat behavior, so they think "goblinsurly so no to Filius acting like goblins" but you've found a way around that. Minerva's comment gives me the impression that while Filius is upbeat, he has a goblin outlook on money LOL the following scene of them making more bets solidified showing this fic has him as half-golbin. I loved the bit with them betting on Dumbles reactions. I wonder are either in the Order in this fic? In books Minerva is and Filius isn't. I used to think that Minnie wasn't since we rarely saw her at Headquarters ... at least I don't remmber a scene with her there. Since the is non-canon (love,LOVE, the scene of Artur being an unspeakable!) then it could go either way esp if Minerva is more ...concerned...about some of Dumbles actions. I'm curios since I really like fics where she is an independant woman...even when it concerns her boss. So many fics have her trust blindly in Dumbles and far few have her question (or work against) Dumbles shenagigans. Have I mentioned about how I Love the twist of Arthur being an unspeakable? I've seen one or two fics that had Arthur having a history of being a hit wizard in previous war, before his kids came along, but not seen a fic where he still holds a high postion. Thoguh this brings out a good question... In some fics have that no one is suppose to know who is an unspeakable, not even their spouse. Though at the campsite in GoF, Arthur is naming people he knows from the Ministry, one is an Unspeakable. So in canon its possible to know who is an Unspeakable, though not what they do. By Kingsley's reation to Arthur showing his badge, I'm assuming this fic is where their identies stay secret, so I'm assuming Molly doesn't know about it. That would be nice twist. Molly complaining about money and Arthur having no desire to climb higher when in fact he is in the most exclusive dept of the Ministry, Dept of Mysteries. I'm hoping thats true along with Dumbles not knowing either!LOL I've seen some fics where Moody is in the spy on Dumbles for the DMLE. I've not seen a fic where someone else is watching Dumbles. makes sense the Unspeakables would, esp since Dumbles doesn't share info on Voldie or Harry or his thoery of what happened at Godric's Hollow. No matter what,this changes things. Earlier we read that Harry was warned not to trust the Weasleys. But with Artur being an Unspeakable, we wonder if its just a few of the Weasleys they can't trust ...or if this means the Weasley parent that presents the most danger to Harry isnt' Molly but Arthur. Part of me hopes not, that Arthur would be a strong ally, but I can't deny that would be a twist..well either way 'Arthur as enemy' or 'Arthur as strong ally' will still be different from other fics, they tend to downplay Arthur alot starboy454 chapter 7 . 9/28/2012 excellent update Forgotten Silver Angel chapter 7 . 9/28/2012 I can not wait to read the next chapter! Dr Stranger chapter 7 . 9/28/2012 Okay, that was unexpected. But unexpected good. shugokage chapter 7 . 9/28/2012 Great chapter and good job! Red Phoenix Dragon chapter 7 . 9/28/2012 A good chapter with everyone coming to terms with the changes. Surprised that Minerva and Filius have not been notified of the change in status of Ronald and are more concern about bets and not wondering how the MoF had allowed the union to happen. My 5 galleons are on the headmaster's head exploding when he finds out. Great your Arthur has a secret unspeakable id. No one would believe that. He is too good of an actor. With the sharing of the memories from last chapter would they see the actual memory and then the obliviated changed memory. Was Ronald even there for the troll? So what has happen to everyone else after that night? Thanks for sharing your story. Please update soon. Loki's List chapter 1 . 9/28/2012 maybe I missed it but you seem to completely fail to mention just how Harry knows Luna. He did not meet Luna in canon until later. Even if you say that your story is an AU you should at least include a short passage mentioning just how or at least that the two have met. Otherwise the story seems to be a combination of several other fanfiction ideas with little original content so far. jkarr chapter 7 . 9/28/2012 Looking forward to who wins that bet. alix33 chapter 7 . 9/28/2012 "Tonks was a bit vocal at seeing the small inner world. Stumbling, Tonks' mouth was on a run. "Cor and Blimey! Did the Lovegoods stumble down the rabbit hole or something? This place looks straight out of a fairy tale!" She was closer to the truth than she knew." - Funny as Hades, though, even if close to the truth. "After small meal of bread, cheese and a bit of wine," - Not too fond of wine, but yum! for the bread and cheese. With how fond I am of that combination, it is a complete and utter miracle I am not the size of a yellow US school bus like those they show in TV shows. "Looking about the room, she noted Kreacher stuck to the wall with a bit of amusement." - Stuck-to-the-wall Kreacher IS funny (even as a mental pic), I agree with Luna. "The Lady's have bonded with their Lord," - "The Ladies have bonded". "that little voice in the back of her head was being petulant about seeing him first." - Cheer up, little voice, Harry KNOWS that. "Luna tilted her head. "Did you know there's a blank spot in your head? Keep it buried and it can only hurt you." - How can it be it and blank at the same time? Anybody less dotty that Minerva McGonagall I have yet to encounter. That thick tome sounds ever so intriguing... "However, I do believe our bet has been thoroughly thwarted," he stated with a scowl." - Sneaky Hogwarts teachers, betting on the love lives of their students, though. Serves you right! "Startled, Minerva started chuckling. "Of all the things to worry about. It's ten galleons… Wait. Forgot to whom I was speaking with," she finished with a sigh. Their wager, of course, was whether or not Harry Potter would marry Hermione Granger or Luna Lovegood, the star pupils of their respective houses. With the both of them, all they could do is swap an equal amount of money. Pointless and depressing for the half goblin. However… "On the other hand," he said with a gleam in his eye, "our other proviso still stands, so pay up." He grinned at her scowl and held his hand out, wiggling his fingers. "Oh, very well," she harrumphed, digging five gold coins from her money purse. "Honestly, the thought of them getting married before graduating." "A bet is a bet, Minerva," Flitwick stated happily. She eyed him critically, before pursing her lips. "You don't have to be so damned smug about it." His response was a rather toothy smile. Minerva then took the mickey out of him, and stomped all over his happy place at the same time. "I would guess that this means you lose your top Raven to the Lions Den?" The rapid scowl that descended had her chuckling as she handed the coins over. "Fair price, five galleons," she teased." - Hehehe. "Minerva paused, smirking. "Five galleons says Albus will faint." Grinning, Fillius countered. "Five says he blows his stack." Chortling, they shook on their bet and awaited next September with a sense of anticipation. Whatever happened would be quite the spectacle, and they couldn't wait to see it." - If I HAD galleons I would have bet five of them on the blowing his stack thingy. Snoring George made me smile. "As a relative simple man to everyone," - "relatively simple man"? RobC chapter 7 . 9/28/2012 I like this so far. Kalelfex chapter 1 . 9/25/2012 I like your story, she continues, the trio is great. Butterflysparkle1012 chapter 6 . 9/23/2012 omg this is amazing so please corminue with it 521 | « Prev Page 1 .. 14 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 34 .. Last Next »

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Boys and girls… This is… The last chapter of New World. I have decided to make the sequel, with an ending and all. But I hope how you like I'm going to end it, well Its not an ending its like a new beginning of an ending Yeah? Lol Enjoy please. The two silently walked through the roads, slowly a huge gate appearing. A symbol stood in the middle of the 2 huge doors. Isamu grabbed Jenna's hand and jumped over the gate and into Mist. It was fogged, no one seemed to be walking around, they seemed to be the only ones out at the moment. He continued to walk calmly, and she just followed gazing at him from afar. There once was a girl named Amaya, she loved life and cared for everyone. She wasn't weak nor strong, yet she believed, she brought Riku enough strength to get to where she is today. "Isamu…" Jenna mouthed She never doubted anyone or looked down on them, even if they were bullies. He brother, loved and cherished her, she was all he had left in life. "Jenna…eh?" He said The chunnin exam was like none other but a setup to kill Riku, one of the last holders of the damned Sharingan eyes. No one expected it to end that way, no one wanted it to end that way. But it did. "Yeah?" She smiled at him He couldn't take it, his rage built up and his future changed roads. He seeked for avengence and power, that was all he had left in life now. She was gone, and it was her fault. "Thanks…" He slowly pulled a grin smile. He hunted her down, he seeked on killing her. He raged and pushed his chakra to the limit surpassing death. "Lets grow stronger, together!" She ran up to him smiling And now he is running. She held her scythe high, standing guard. Protecting her cherished friends. She looked at them, lying on the ground sleeping forever. The wind howled through the field, the grass dancing together with various flowers and plants. "Reosin… Actii… Im sorry." "Ow!" A little girl whined "Why do you guys always play ninjas! Its unfair because I'm a girl!" "Because we need to train so that when we grow up, we'll be very strong ninjas that everyone will be afraid of!" Reosin jerked "Yeah, what he said" Actii yawned. "I'm so sorry…" Tears slowly forming" "Dad! Can you help me become stronger! I want to be the strongest so I can become a chunnin!" Reosin begged his dad with Actii by his side "Very well." His father replied The three would spend hours near the lake training, leaving Zareka out. She hated being left out, just because she was weak. "I'm still weak… I can't protect anyone!" She cried She ran across the field, jumping in the air, punching and kicking. Her determination was at its peak, she became competitive, wishing to be more them just a girl. Soon reaching top in her classes and classified as a Chunnin in her 2nd year, before her friends. She truly grew strong. "Ugh…" Reosin slightly coughed "Reosin! Actii! Lets go together, lets be together forever and never separate! Lets runaway!" She suggested They all nodded and ran with her. And now they are here, lying on the grass half dead. "I love you all… So very much…" She whispered And now they are running She sat on the grass, her eyes dazed off on the free peaceful clouds floating across the blue sky. She loved to just sit back and relax, nothing to do, no worries it seemed to be the way of life. Her sister never complained about her laziness, but sometimes she felt guilty that she would get off her ass and help around the house. "Rini! You ok?" Myah wondered We were abandoned, we sat on the bridge all day long. All month and all year, until it came, until a burst of rage consumed me, he willingly took us in and cared for us we admired him. He saved us from death. "Yeah I'm fine, oh yeah dinner will be up in 30" Rini smiled, slowly faded Yet it still happened, she thought she calmed it down, she thought it wouldn't show up again but blood, but blood just appeared everywhere and he was gone. "Rini! What did you do?" Myah yelled panicing trying to wipe the blood off her. She just stood there. "How is Riku?" Myah asked "She is getting better I guess!" Rini yelled from the kitchen "You killed him! Just like you did to our family! You monster!" Myah yelled running away from Rini, covered in his blood. She cried, she was alone once again. "I see…" Myah smiled Rini walked through the snow, the ice, alone wearing red torn up clothes. She hated being alone, people walking pass not even bothering to look at her innocent eyes starring up at them. "Dinners Ready!" Deep within her she still felt like she was running, running away from everyone and everything. She was scared. She smiled. The two sat in the room quietly, filling out their white sheets of paper full of blank inked writing. They signed and signed continuously as more stacks came in, this was any other day. No one would tank all they would do is work and no more. "Indara…-sama…" She said quietly looking up at her She ran, she ran away from the group of possessed girls chasing after her. She hated them, everyday after school they would pick on her for her amethyst eyes. Then suddenly she appearing, throwing little blobs of mud at them, they screamed and ran away crying. "Yes Kaede?" She answered still signing "Are you ok?" She smiled at kaede, "Yes… I'm fine thank you" She stood up trying to run away "Wait up! Whats your name" "Kaede…" She replied "Mine is Indara!" She gave a hand to Kaede who was on the floor "Thank you." "Yeah! Lets go, we're going to apply for ninja academy!" "But… Those girls go there…" "Don't worry, I'll protect you!" she smiled "For what…?" Indara looked up from her papers She did nothing but merely smiled "Lets stay together, because if you left me I couldn't live Kaede, you're my other half. If you go, I'm gone to." Indara stated "If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be here. Indara." Kaede smiled then faced back down at her work Indara looked around confused, slowly pulling a confused smile out. Soon after getting back to work. She laid there on the white bed stiff, her body wrapped in bandages. She felt numb, her head ached and her eyes blurred. She certainly wasn't well, her mind only set on one thing and this one thing only. Riku. "Amaya, There you are, and who is this?" Chiko questioned looking at Riku hiding behind Amaya "This is Riku Hitomi, she is my new friend!" Amaya smiled "Oh, you're the girl Amaya has been bugging me about. Right?" Chiko smiled "You were so innocent." "Pleased to meet you…" Riku said softly "Heh, Amaya lets go train! I needa get strong to become a genin!" Chiko demanded "Riku lets go!" Amaya smiled The three of them ran down the orange glowing road, they continuously did that until they grew older like 12. "Of only Amaya didn't die…" "Riku your getting stronger," Amaya complemented "You to, I'm nothing." "Hey How about me!" Chiko butted in "Haha you two" They both jerked "Amaya… Riku…" "Lets go," He gripped his hand holding his side that was covered in dry blood, green chakra burst out around the room, flowing through the air. He coughed a couple of times, the 4 medics around the square worked extensively concentrating their chakra on closing up open flesh wounds. His eyes slowly opened a bit, seeing nothing but a dark black room with a slight green to it. He felt the sudden rush of pain through his body and worried slightly, he forced his eyes to close. "Riku…" His lips formed the word, There once lived a noble family in Konoha, their clan was called the 'Uchiha' they were strong, having one of the worlds most seeked bloodline. 'Sharingan'. "Ugh…" he passed out from pain. And she has them, those dreaded blood covered pupils stared at him with no heart. Every part of her was different, she had every intension in killing him, to see his blood trickle down his body. To see him suffer. "What am I…" Riku chanted lying on the bed. Her eyes looked up to the ceiling thinking. But deep within her she cried and ran, deep inside her she was scared of everything just like she was before. Deep within his he loved and cared for her, he risked his damned like for her, and now he is dying. "Riku, you need to rest. Please don't push yourself…" Rini said calmly All she wanted was power to protect and all he wanted was her. Well… That is that. :D I hope you liked New World, Please read the sequel. PLEASE! The title will be I'm not sure but go under my name and you should see another story, Yeah and you get the Rest:D Its so great getting all these reviews SO GLAD you all enjoyed this I hope… Wells Special thanks to Jenvaati for saving the Story! Thanks for Reading and Reviewing: Fire spirit reduced to nothingness Lord MHB unknown commander raiden no onna Hikari Girl bzzz soho.Shortii Raixal Uchiha Kage no Anhai Michiyo Blue Punjabi Patipees

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/2923709/31/New-World

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Titans Forever by Blue Ten When the Titans defeat a mysterious assassin targeting Starfire, they are thrust into a journey to possibly save an entire system from destruction. Can the Titans' friendships and bonds survive in the harsh environment of war? RobxStar, BBxRae I do not claim any ownership of the TV series 'Teen Titans', or any of its counterparts. Contains major spoilers for 'Trouble in Tokyo'. Episode One: Hunted - - - Act One: Cheers, Plays, and Showoffs A feeling of laziness drifted about with the warm breeze on this sunny day in Jump City. As was typical on such a day, the denizens of the metropolis – at least, those fond of the outdoors – would flock to the rolling green hills and shady trees of the park. None had come to satisfy vocational responsibilities or obligations of that nature; all had come to forget about such things, for as long as the good weather would allow. Even the city's five most notorious workaholics could not ignore the call of leisure time. Running alongside the coast, the park's green acres stretched on, covered in many places by populations of short yet leafy trees. The hills looked out upon the brilliant blue of the sea, leading downward to the white sands of the beach, where many more people had undoubtedly taken the day off. However, the upper portions, where clearings in the trees created large open spaces, seemed to be among the favored spots. Here, in a clear patch of green beside a lengthy dirt walkway, a tense battle was in recess. The two opposing forces were both but a field's run from victory. Cyborg stared forward at his opponents, fierce determination in his human eye. "Maybe y'all should just give up," he cracked, smirking confidently. "It might spare you the embarrassment of all-out defeat," he finished with a well-placed incentive. Beast Boy, with no less confidence on his smiling, green face, stood a few feet to the left of Cyborg's tall form, ready for the deciding match to take place. "Heh," chuckled Robin, looking out across the open field, his back to the view of the ocean. "Funny, I was just about to say the same thing," he said, lowering one eyebrow under his mask as he gave a sporting grin. Starfire, though having lived on Earth for a long enough time, had always found herself unable to engage in 'the trash-talking', and so intended to simply wait until it was over. She stood at Robin's right side, ever supportive, though in slight confusion over strange Earth customs such as this. Without further ado, Robin clenched the plate-sized, circular orange object in his hand and took a step back. Leaping forward, he threw his arm to the right and sent the disk flying across the field. "A splendid kick off, Robin!" cheered Starfire, leaping into the air as well, an immense smile on her face as the Frisbee cut through the air. Watching carefully as the saucer made its way over, Cyborg bent low to the ground and launched himself upward, his arm stretched high to make the catch. The spirit of competition abound in his expression as he caught the wayward object, Cyborg made an easy landing on the grass and stood up to point across the field. "Let's finish this in one shot," he said, peering over his shoulder at Beast Boy. "BB, go long!" Nodding, the changeling took off toward Robin and Starfire's end of the field without restraint. Entirely focused on his goal as he continued, he had a simple strategy planned: run far, leap high. Grinning widely, he took several more quick steps until something abruptly snatched his attention away. "WAIT!" shouted Cyborg as loud as he could... which, apparently, was more than enough. Almost as though Cyborg's speech had become a physical obstruction in front of him, Beast Boy found his upper body halted. Unable to keep his feet from moving, he tripped over the grass and landed flat on his back. Groaning, about to stand up and protest, he turned to see what Cyborg had called a time-out for and immediately decided to join in. A figure was stationed across the field from the dirt pathway, under a nice, shady tree. Sitting atop a flat, gray stone at the trunk of said tree, Raven remained still, a hard-cover novel held close to her face. Quietly, she flipped aside another page, paying little noticeable attention to the goings-on around her. Cyborg and Beast Boy now stood under the shadow of the tree, staring with narrowed eyes... something which Raven found excruciatingly impossible to ignore. "...What?" questioned the empath after a long pause. She looked up from the pages of her book at the two, the extent of her vexation made visible by the sudden appearance of a vein on her temple. Finally getting the response he was looking for, Cyborg's face grew a smile. "Hey, didn't Raven say she would 'root for us' since she's not playing?" he questioned, crossing his arms about his chest and looking over to Beast Boy, who stood at Raven's other side. "It was a figure of speech," replied Raven, hoping to clarify things for Cyborg, at least. The next sentence, however, was intended for Beast Boy. "And, I only said it because, at the time, I was physically closer to--" "Yeah," Beast Boy cut in, responding to Cyborg's question, apparently without knowledge of Raven's words. "And I don't hear any 'rooting'," he finished, cupping a hand beside his ear and leaning toward Raven expectantly. Letting out a low sigh, Raven set the book down on her lap and stared off at nothing with a blank look on her face. "W-o-o-o," she cheered, with about as much enthusiasm as her expression displayed. "Go, team..." she continued listlessly. "Beat 'em..." she added more, reveling inwardly at the bewildered expressions Beast Boy and Cyborg now displayed. "Kick their collective a--" "Okay already..." Cyborg suddenly broke in, shaking his head with narrowed eyes, his arms now hanging limply at his sides. "'Figure of speech'..." quoted Beast Boy, shoulders slumped forward, eyes looking off to the side. "We get it." As Cyborg and Beast Boy walked away, defeated and dispirited, Raven picked her book up and smirked. One more victory... and surely more to come. Hardly a day went by when she couldn't find some form of amusement in this manner. As soon as Cyborg and Beast Boy made it back to the open space of the playing field, they stood still for a moment in silence. A slight wind rushed, rustling the grass beneath the two and whistling through the trees. Feet tapping on the ground, a runner in red and black made his way across the adjacent pathway... A group of birds chirped in the distance, their song filling up the relative silence. "So... uh," started Cyborg, lifting the object in his hand and tapping the side of his head with it. "What were we doing again?" he queried. In response, Beast Boy simply brought a hand up to his face and scratched his chin thoughtfully, eyes closed in concentration. Unable to believe what was going on before them, Robin and Starfire remained in place, faces catering to looks of utter confusion. After a moment of examining the situation, however, they soon caught scent of what might be going on. Their expressions soon shifted to ones of annoyance. "THROW THE FRISBEE!!" shouted Robin and Starfire in unison, fists held low and clenched tightly. Caught off guard, Beast Boy and Cyborg nearly fell over in response to the explosion that erupted from across the way. Repositioning themselves, the two chuckled sheepishly. Considering they had actually managed to get that reaction out of Starfire... and not just Robin, they figured they had done enough damage. "Heh..." Cyborg held up a hand in defense, a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead. "Just messin' with ya," he said, closing his eyes. Finally getting into the game again, he looked back to Beast Boy. "All right. How 'bout we try for the 'Parallel Play'" he suggested in a sly tone of voice. Beast Boy took a moment to grin back. "Gotcha," he replied with a secretive understanding. Readying themselves, Cyborg grasped the Frisbee, looking across the open field, and Beast Boy slid one foot back, preparing for a mad dash. Quickly, Beast Boy took off, kicking up blades of grass with the sheer amount of force he applied to his steps. Waiting a moment for Beast Boy to gain some distance, Cyborg poured all his strength into throwing the Frisbee, sending it high to follow behind the changeling. "They're going for the 'Parallel Play'," said Robin, watching closely as Beast Boy headed their way from his end of the field. "Nice try. But we won't fall for that again," he added, smiling competitively. "No we will not," agreed Starfire with a joyous expression, implying that they had already come up with a countermeasure. Moving closer to Robin, she reached out and took hold of his hand. The two stood almost like a barricade as Beast Boy, in the distance, could be seen shifting his form. As a cheetah, Beast Boy tore his way onward, keeping up with the speed of the Frisbee behind him. As soon as he met a critical distance with Robin and Starfire, he bounded forward, changing form once again. Landing on the ground as a kangaroo, he wasted no time and sent himself soaring with a powerful leap, morphing back into human form to grin at Robin and Starfire as he passed them by. The two had made no attempt to get past him, or even move at all. Ignoring that odd fact, he looked back to see the Frisbee still coming his way; deciding he had some time, Beast Boy simply looked forward and stretched his arms out at his sides. As soon as Beast Boy's attention was away, Starfire made her move. Taking her free hand and grasping Robin's upper arm, she turned around to face Beast Boy and launched the Boy Wonder into the air with one quick motion. She smiled, watching Robin close in on Beast Boy and the Frisbee. The rest of the game was now up to him. 'Hehe. Couldn't get past my block,' thought Beast Boy with a chuckle as he flew along, unaware of what had just occurred behind him. 'Just like last time...' he trailed off, suddenly sensing something wasn't quite right. Slowly, he turned to look over his shoulder. Robin held his arms back and his knees forward to gain speed. His cape flapped furiously behind him as he flew closer, a confident look on his face. "Hey, Beast Boy," he called, causing the changeling to shift his weight and face him, shocked, of course. Robin decided to gloat a little. After all, they had found a good way around Cyborg and Beast Boy's... 'invincible play'. "Got anything to say before this is over?" he questioned. Beast Boy paused for a moment, unsure of what he could do. Suddenly, though, the Frisbee caught his eye; spinning through the air above their heads, it seemed to have gained some height since he last looked. "Yeah," he responded, trading his shocked expression for one of smug sureness. "Thanks for the lift," he said, making sure to give Robin a nice, big grin. "...Huh?" wondered Robin, his facial expression contorting as confusion set in. Before anything more could be said, Robin's face was met by the underside of a large, green frog. In an attempt to remove the amphibian, he moved his arms forward and reached for his face... which caused him to lose some of his forward momentum. With surprising force, the frog's legs pushed away from his face. As Robin's flight slowed, he could see Beast Boy morphing back into human form and reaching for the Frisbee... smiling appropriately. Taking his mind off of his slight frustration, Robin braced himself, realizing, with his current rate of descent, he would soon come in contact with the ground. Seeing Robin falling out of the sky, Starfire quickly took off in his direction, looking up and holding out her arms as she ran. Just before the Boy Wonder could hit the ground, Starfire leaped forward and made a quick catch. The two suddenly found themselves tumbling across the grass due to the speed at which they met, as well as the hill's slight slope. Finally coming to a stop on her back, dizzy eyes facing the sky, Starfire sat up straight and turned to Robin... who was on his hands and knees, in the process of pulling his face away from the ground. "You are okay?" she asked, finding it hard not to smile as he wiped a few blades of grass from his face. "Yeah..." replied Robin, remaining close to the ground as his lightheadedness from the spin wore off. "Just remind me never to try frog legs..." he said, smiling with a slight cringe as he remembered the frog falling right on his open mouth. Seeing the Frisbee coming his way, Beast Boy knew victory wasn't far. All he had to do was make a catch, and land safely in the 'end zone'. Reaching up high, he opened his palm and waited for the object to glide right into it. However, a pair of... intriguing voices soon turned his eyes away from his goal. "Wow, look at that guy," said one of two girls who had been walking along the path beside the field. She tugged at her friend's elbow and pointed up to the sky. Blocking their eyes from the sun, the two girls watched in awe as Beast Boy flew along. Short, blonde hair pushed away from her eyes, the first girl simply smiled and stared up through sparkling blue eyes, looking thoroughly starstruck. Mouth agape, the second girl, a brunette with long, wavy locks, appeared truly impressed. Though a little surprised at first, Beast Boy's ego quickly grew several notches in response to the extra attention. Finding it hard to resist showing off a little, he placed his hands behind his head and took a relaxed pose, as though flying through the air was nothing to him. "Hey, ladies," he spoke over the wind, sending a wink their way with a large grin on his face. The two girls responded by giggling. Watching from his side of the field, Cyborg shook his head and slapped a hand over his face, hoping against hope that the little showoff could still make the catch. Raven, though still sitting under the tree, had her attention grabbed by the events... but mostly, the giggling; looking down the field with one eyebrow raised, she nonchalantly flipped aside a page of her book. In the process of helping each other up, Robin and Starfire took notice of Beast Boy and wondered if they had been given another chance to win. Deciding to show off again by making the catch in some outlandish manner, Beast Boy morphed into a small dog with big, bright eyes, and opened his jaw wide. As the Frisbee came close enough, he closed his eyes and quickly snapped his mouth shut. 'It's in the bag,' he thought, smiling inwardly as he reached the peak of his arc and began moving toward the ground. Quickly, though, he realized something was missing. Opening his eyes, Beast Boy felt nothing but air in his mouth and looked up to see the Frisbee flying away above him. His expression faltered as he felt himself gaining speed, closing in on the ground. Morphing back into a human, he flailed his arms about wildly, neglecting to try another animal form due to his state of panic. Face colliding rather painfully with the ground, Beast Boy slid across the field a good distance. Sitting up and spitting out chunks of dirt and grass from his mouth, the changeling looked up through squinted eyes to see the Frisbee continuing its flight down the hill. He chuckled nervously with an embarrassed grin as the orange disc disappeared behind a grouping of trees. 'Wow... that flew pretty far...' thought Beast Boy, massaging the pain from his forehead. "You just had to turn into a dog," commented Cyborg, now standing just behind Beast Boy, who flinched in response to his words. Beast Boy turned around to see Cyborg staring down at him seriously. Though he knew the fault was entirely his, he felt the need to defend himself in some way. "Tch... You're the one who issued that 'no flying' rule," he started, making sure not to look Cyborg in the eye as he spoke. "Plus... everyone knows chicks love puppies," he finished, crossing his arms defiantly. After a long silence, Beast Boy opened his eyes to a squint, seeing Cyborg's unchanged expression... though his eyebrows seemed much lower than before. "'I'll go find the Frisbee'?" Beast Boy spoke for Cyborg, finally giving up his useless defense as he pointed off to where the aforementioned object had gone. "That's more like it," said Cyborg, expression still set in stone, watching as Beast Boy guiltily made his way down the hill. As soon as Beast Boy disappeared, Cyborg let his shoulders fall forward. 'We were so close!' he thought, eyes practically tearing up at the thought of losing in such an embarrassing way. However, he knew it was only karma, losing when he expected so much to win. "I guess there's no such thing as an invincible play..." he admitted to himself reluctantly. "So..." started Starfire, looking away from the far end of the field, her attention back on Robin as they walked to where Cyborg and Beast Boy's starting point had been. "This is a good thing?" she asked, smiling hopefully with a hint of blush in her cheeks. "Well," replied Robin, coming to a stop as he thought back to the events during that final round, "it was a tie-breaker, and Cyborg overthrew, so I guess that means..." he trailed off, crossing his arms in thought. "We are victorious?" Starfire clapped her hands together happily. She had been hoping for this, because it gave her an opportunity to once again try one of her new favorite Earth traditions. Stretching out her arms, Starfire locked Robin in a strong embrace and administered a nice, big smooch to his cheek. Though, considering they were together now, and he had gotten mostly used to that kind of thing, Robin found himself caught completely off guard by the kiss. Entering into a stupefied daze, a ridiculous smile on his face, Robin swayed back and forth as Starfire let him go – happily standing aside, currently unaware of her affect on the boy. Most likely due to a combination of flying through the air at high speed, falling, tumbling across the grass, and receiving a kiss, Robin suddenly lost his balance and fell to the ground. Placing a hand over her mouth and gasping, Starfire immediately knelt down to help her boyfriend up. A small sound of amusement could be heard to the side of Robin and Starfire. "Still can't handle those victory kisses, huh?" asked Raven without looking away from her book, a tiny smirk on her face as she flipped aside another page. - - - Act Two: Killer Smile Having taken the form of a bloodhound, Beast Boy sniffed away at the ground, sensitive nose passing over each blade of grass as he meticulously searched for the scent of the Frisbee. Coming upon the distinct smell, he began to pick up his pace, snout still pressed firmly against the ground. All the while, his mind was brimming with various grumblings... 'Why do I have to search for it...? He's the one that overthrew,' thought Beast Boy with contempt, paying little mind to the flurry of footsteps suddenly passing him by. 'Well... I guess it was partly my fault,' he admitted to himself. 'Wouldn't have happened if I didn't show off like that,' he continued as another set of footsteps thumped against the grass at his sides and quickly faded out of earshot. 'Then again... Cyborg probably would have done the same, maybe worse.' Beast Boy chuckled inwardly at the thought. Though his mind was focused mostly on smell and his own thoughts, leaving sound at a distant third, he couldn't dismiss yet more footsteps crossing by his person. Lifting his head from the ground, Beast Boy looked back only to see a young boy running up the hill... rather frantically. Shrugging his canine shoulders, he ignored the oddity and turned back to the ground, resuming his search. Nose bumping into a bit of orange in the grass, Beast Boy barked happily upon recognition of the Frisbee and quickly resumed human form. Reaching forward, he began to pull at the saucer, only to find it stuck to something. Practically pressing the object into the ground, at the other end of the disc was the toe of someone's black boot. "Uh, hey..." started Beast Boy, tilting his eyes up toward the owner of the foot, "you're standing on my--" Beast Boy cut himself off with a surprised gasp as his sight took in the rest of the figure. The man's getup was mostly pitch black, except for heavy silver bands adorning his wrists and ankles, and a thick belt of the same color at his waist. Behind the figure, though hard to see in the bright light, a long object swayed back and forth... a tail? Spanning his chest was a peculiar gray design, oblong in shape with three evenly-parted, vertical points at its base, the longest in the middle. However, peculiar uniform and tail aside, what caused Beast Boy the most alarm about the... creature... was currently staring down at him in a decidedly unsettling manner. Upper half almost made a silhouette by the sun behind it, the figure's facial features were hard to make out. Stretched across a gray faceplate was a wide and terrifying grin, above which were a pair of eyes, narrowed to thin white slits. It was obviously a mask of some sort, but that fact made it no less frightening to Beast Boy. Merely the look on the monster's face seemed to adequately describe itself as 'blissfully psychotic'. "Um..." started Beast Boy, finally choking back a bit of his initial fear. However, before he could mutter anything else, he found his collar grasped tightly by the creature's... gloved, claw-like, three-fingered hands. - - - - - - "Hm... That's weird," started Cyborg, having joined the others by Raven's tree. He looked down in slight confusion at the time displayed on his arm's computer screen. "Usually doesn't take Beast Boy this long to find something like that," he said, looking to Robin and Starfire. "Perhaps he has located his female fans, and has decided to initiate the small-talking?" queried Starfire, remembering the two girls who had since disappeared. Robin and Cyborg's slightly amused expressions seemed to imply they agreed. Seeming a little annoyed by what Starfire had pointed out, Raven set her book aside and looked to the others with a twitching eyebrow. "If that's the case, then I wouldn't be surprised if he's getting his face shoved into the side of a nice, big tree right about now." - - - - - - "Oof!" coughed Beast Boy as his cheek was slammed harshly against the bark of an oak. Held in place by the creature's hands, he stared back beyond the fingers, feeling worn out. He had put up a good fight, but the tall and lanky creature was surprisingly strong. For the last several minutes, Beast Boy had been fighting back against the mysterious enemy, given no time to contact his friends, while being constantly questioned about the whereabouts of... an alien girl. Now, face pressed firmly against the side of a tree, feeling the soreness of being jabbed, kicked, and whacked in one too many places, he decided to wait as long as he could to regain some energy. Grabbed by the collar once again, Beast Boy was pulled away from the tree and quickly slammed back against it, now face to... face with the monster. "We know it is lying," the creature started in his odd, shrill voice, the grin on his mask remaining still even as he spoke... more evidence that it was simply for purposes of intimidation. Pushing Beast Boy harder against the tree, he began to sniff the air sharply, causing the changeling to cringe. "That wretched scent is unmistakable. This one has surely been in contact with the foul being." For a moment, the masked attacker simply stared at Beast Boy, narrowing his featureless eyes, his frozen smile becoming all the more unnerving. "We will ask it once again. Where is the filthy Troq?" the creature questioned, his high, crackling voice grating on the green Titan's ears. Beast Boy lowered his eyebrows and glared as the question registered in his mind. Troq... He knew what that term meant... and he wouldn't stand for someone insulting his friend like that. Beast Boy huffed and turned his head to the side, coming up with a good plan for escape. "Where's the Troq?" Beast Boy restated the question, still looking away. "Funny, I coulda sworn he was holding me up by the collar just now," he grinned, chuckling appropriately. However, he quickly found himself slammed back against the tree once again. "Twisting Zoka's words. It is clever, this one," spoke the creature in a deceivingly amused tone, revealing his name. Releasing one hand from Beast Boy's collar, Zoka continued to hold the boy up and swung his free arm backward through the air; a scraping metal noise sounded as he did so. Zoka brought his hand back up to Beast Boy's face, brandishing the thin, sharp blade he had extended from his wristband. "Perhaps we shall see how clever it is in the absence of its head..." he threatened, holding the weapon close to Beast Boy's neck. Beast Boy suddenly took a deathly seriously expression and stared Zoka directly in the eyes. "Dude, you are threatening the wrong people," he said, voice shifting to an almost low growl. Zoka's eyes showed signs of confusion as Beast Boy seemed to gain mass, gradually losing his humanoid form. In little time, the masked creature found himself high above the ground, grasping the neck skin of an enormous lizard. Beast Boy, in Tyrannosaurus form, looked down at the pitiful creature still attached to him. Deciding to take his revenge, he let out a deafening roar, causing Zoka to flail wildly like a flag in a hurricane. - - - - - - The four Titans remained in the shade of the tree, taking a break as they waited for Beast Boy's return. Robin and Starfire, sitting back on the grass together, were simply looking up at the leaves as the sun broke through various apertures, engrossed in their own quiet conversation. Raven, still perched on her rock, had leaned back against the tree; eyes closed and book set aside, she appeared to be resting peacefully. Taking a note from the others, Cyborg had reclined back against the grass under the tree; arms behind his head, he watched the thin clouds drift about in the midday sky. At this point, they had decided to let Beast Boy do whatever he wanted... it was a day off, after all. Hearing what he interpreted as a loud car horn, Cyborg quickly sat up and looked around, feeling the ground rumble a little. "What was that?" he asked, looking over his shoulder to the others. Robin and Starfire had already gotten up, both looking alert, though they shrugged to imply they didn't know what caused the sound. Raven cracked one eye open and scanned the area. "It sounded like a roar to me..." she stated, having recognized the tone as one of Beast Boy's ancient lizard forms. Nodding in agreement, Robin decided to take action. "Could be trouble," he said, turning around to look down the hill in the distance. "Let's--" Robin stopped, finding himself staring into two green and jittery eyes, whose pupils were severely dilated. "Big," started Beast Boy, sounding out of breath as he stared eerily at Robin. Jumping over to Starfire, who reacted instinctively by guarding with her arms, the shaken changeling continued his peculiar behavior. "Ugly," he added, quickly moving over to Cyborg, whom he had to climb in order to get face-to-face with. "Smiley-guy," said Beast Boy as the others simply listened and watched in confusion. Speedily moving on to Raven, still in a great deal of panic, Beast Boy took hold of her cloak and pulled her forward. "Trying to KILL me!" he shouted, pointing back down the hill without looking away. Reacting calmly, Raven stared forward through lazy eyelids. Pushing Beast Boy's hand away from her cloak, she dusted herself off and looked to him inquisitively. "What are you talking about--" she started, eyes suddenly widening. "Get down!" she shouted, pulling Beast Boy away from the tree. As Beast Boy and Raven fell to the ground, the Titans witnessed a quick, black blur rush across the area. Several splinters of wood broke away from the tree as a result. As the blur came to a stop, it revealed itself to be a tall, thin figure with a tail, clad in black and silver, a strange looking, round mask covering the entirety of his head. An odd length of gray tubing extended from the back of his mask to an area between his shoulders. The creature's right arm was fully extended; a blade attached to his wristband had created a large gash in the tree. Zoka cocked his head to the left and looked down at Beast Boy and Raven. "The green one has friends... How peculiar," he said, turning to face them and pulling back his bladed arm. Thrusting the blade forward, he found it blocked by a wall of black energy. Raven held her hand up and focused her energy as Zoka continuously struck her shield to no avail. "Most peculiar indeed..." added Zoka. "Big, ugly, and smiley... You weren't kidding," Raven spoke over her shoulder as she examined the creature beyond her shield, standing up fully to parry more attacks. Still feeling sore, Beast Boy made no comment and stood up, clutching one of his arms tightly and staying close behind Raven. "Well, this guy doesn't waste any time," said Cyborg, recovering from his initial surprise. He turned his face to Robin with a semi-serious expression. "Were you gonna say 'Titans go', or is that just implied?" he asked, charging up his sonic cannon. Robin shook his head, still wondering what in the world was going on. "Come on!" he said, rushing forward and waving for the others to follow. Starfire, at the back of the group, hesitated a bit as she looked upon the attacker... something about his form was frighteningly familiar. Shaking away her suspicions, she quickly followed after Robin and Cyborg, who now held their weapons ready. "Hey!" shouted Robin, swiping his staff through the air to get the creature's attention. "You're probably new here, so I'll say this once..." he paused, narrowing his eyes, "we're the last people you'll be picking a fight with today," he said, holding his weapon defensively as the strange face turned to look his way. Paying no attention to Robin, Zoka's eyes widened as he noticed the girl standing behind the two humans. Quickly extending another blade from his left wristband, he turned away from his prior focus and bolted forward. Thinking the attack was coming his way, Robin rushed into the battle and swung his staff. However, to his surprise, the enemy quickly dodged. Knocking Robin aside with a strong shoulder, Zoka simply moved on. "Goin' somewhere?" questioned Cyborg, moving in front of Zoka with his arm aimed forward. Before Cyborg could fire, Zoka stabbed one of his blades into the bottom of the cannon and pushed upward, directing the blast harmlessly into the sky. Tearing his blade away, he delivered a powerful sideways kick to Cyborg's abdomen, sending him to crash against the tree. Starfire stood ready, eyes glowing, both hands imbued with bright green energy. The tall figure dashed her way, blades held back. As Zoka executed a high horizontal slash with his right blade, Starfire ducked and sent a strong punch to his stomach in retaliation. The creature could be heard letting out a pained breath as he tilted forward over Starfire's arm. Using the punch to his advantage, Zoka flipped forward and landed on the ground behind Starfire; wasting no time, he swept his tail across the ground, knocking Starfire over. Kneeling low, Zoka hovered over Starfire and pulled a blade back. Seeing her chance, Starfire quickly threw an arm forward, firing a starbolt at the attacker's chest. Her blast had a strange affect, though... its light and energy seemingly absorbed right into Zoka's uniform. Tightly grasping Starfire's wrist with a claw, Zoka narrowed his eyes menacingly at the frustrated Tamaranean. "Long have we awaited this day. Does it think us so foolish that we would not prepare?" he asked, pulling his free arm back. Gritting her teeth, Starfire growled and tilted backward on her shoulders. Pulling her legs back, she quickly slammed her feet against the creature's chest, launching him away and into the air. Standing up, she watched as Zoka struck the ground in the distance and rolled to a stop, slowly recovering. Breathing hard, she looked furiously at the creature, calming down as she felt a familiar hand grasp her shoulder. "Are you okay?" asked Robin, who had come to Starfire's aid along with the others. Turning to Robin, Starfire nodded... though she was sure her eyes had already told him different. Zoka's strange words were now hanging on her every thought... "He's after Starfire," Beast Boy spoke up, standing at the back of the group, still tightly clutching his right arm. "Kept asking about her... Tried to beat the answers out of me, but I didn't say anything," he explained with a pained grin. "Looks like it didn't matter, though... he found you anyway..." he added regretfully, looking to Starfire who had turned a sympathetic eye his way. Seeing Zoka beginning to stand up, Beast Boy, along with the others, began to rush forward... however, with his injuries impeding him, the changeling only made it a few feet before falling to his knees and cradling his ribs with a groan. Stopping and kneeling down to hold Beast Boy up, Raven looked him over carefully. Bruises were starting to form across his face – and the rest of his body as well, she could only assume... He looked much worse than before. She wouldn't admit it, but she felt rather proud of him for being so noble. "They can handle him for now," said Raven in her usual, calm voice, letting the others go after Zoka. "Just... tell me what's broken, and I'll see what I can do." Pushing his hands against the ground to help himself up, Zoka was about to rush back into the fray, unwilling to let his target escape. However, as soon as his face turned away from the grass, it was met with a powerful strike which sent him tumbling across the ground again and onto a dirt pathway. Quickly regaining his balance, he stood up to find himself surrounded. Robin slowly retracted his fist, looking angrily at the masked creature. Cyborg, no less furiousness in his expression, stood behind Zoka, ready to attack on a moment's notice. Still unsure of the nature of this assassin, Starfire was ready to fight nonetheless, knowing now she had to keep to physical attacks. Looking from opponent to opponent, Zoka let out a loud growl and dashed in Starfire's direction, having only one thing on his mind. Nodding at each other, Robin and Cyborg rushed up behind Zoka and grasped his arms tightly, holding him in place. However, both had to put all their strength into keeping him still as the tall creature thrashed about with an astonishing amount of force, whipping his tail back and forth. Ignoring Robin and Cyborg, Zoka looked straight ahead at Starfire. "It will perish by our hands. And if its friends continue to fight, they will meet the same fate." Tearing his arms away, Zoka elbowed Robin and Cyborg in their stomachs, causing them to tilt forward. Taking advantage of the Titans' momentary weakness, he grasped their heads and forcefully slammed them together, sending both falling to the ground as a result. "Robin, Cyborg!" shouted Starfire, rushing forward. However, she halted as the creature stepped away from her friends and moved in her direction, reptilian tail scraping against the dirt. Retracting one of his blades, Zoka reached down to his belt and removed from it a short, tubular object – which appeared to be some sort of projectile weapon. Fastening it to his free wristband, he aimed it toward Starfire. "As we stated before, we are not foolish," said Zoka mysteriously. Soon after, an explosion of smoke erupted from the weapon and a length of glowing white rope with weights on its ends was propelled toward Starfire. With such little distance between her and the attacker, Starfire couldn't see her way to moving in time. Immediately, the strange rope had wrapped itself tightly around her waist, tying her arms to her sides. Suddenly feeling all her energy disappearing, Starfire's eyes widened as she tilted toward the ground, falling flat against the dirt path. She couldn't move... not only because the rope was constricting her, but because it seemed to be draining the life from her body as well. She struggled, but could only find shallow breaths escaping her mouth as Zoka's footsteps approached. "Four years planning..." started Zoka, slowly closing in on Starfire as he placed the weapon back in his belt and unsheathed his blade once again, "twenty-five light years traveled..." he continued, bending down beside her, "nine planets in this pathetic system searched..." he said, reaching down and pulling her up by the hair to face him, "and we find it here, in the open, mingling with the animals," he finished, staring her in the eyes. Starfire felt her body quaking as she helplessly watched Zoka pull his blade back. "We would have appreciated a more challenging hunt." Swinging his blade downward, Zoka was infuriated to hear it clash against metal. Rushing in between Zoka and Starfire, Robin had blocked the blade with his staff and now held it safely at bay. "Appreciate this," said Robin, glaring upward at the smiling assassin. "Meddlesome primate!" growled Zoka, pressing harder against the staff. Eyes twitching and narrowed, he breathed angrily as he stared down at Robin. The Boy Wonder made no response and simply held his position. Suddenly, as the assassin lessened his push against the staff and looked over his shoulder to see the other Titans recovering, a small chuckle could be heard behind his smiling mask. "Another time, then..." he said. In an instant, Zoka pushed away from Robin, slashing harshly at the staff in the process. Sprinting around Robin, Zoka speedily disappeared into the trees beside the path, kicking up dust with his speed. He could be heard rustling away through the flora until the sounds faded out. Letting out a breath, Robin squinted and felt a sharp pain on his cheek. Reaching a hand up to his face, he ran his fingers across the area and looked at them to see a small amount of blood. Ignoring it, Robin dropped his staff, immediately turning to kneel down beside Starfire, the terrified look in her glassy eyes sending a chill through his body. Finding the weights on the strange rope, Robin began to unravel it and finally tossed it aside. Holding Starfire up in his arms, he watched worriedly as she slowly seemed to regain her energy. Life finally back in her eyes, Starfire looked up at Robin without saying a word. Robin couldn't stand seeing her this way... it scared him more than anything ever had. "Star... are you--" he started, immediately finding her arms draped over his shoulders, holding him tightly. It was not the kind of embrace he had become accustomed to from her. Starfire's body shivered relentlessly as she sobbed into his shoulder without restraint. Robin felt his heart sink as her heavy tears began to tap against him. He wanted only to comfort her, to tell her everything would be all right. Wrapping his arms around her back, Robin returned the embrace, slightly quelling Starfire's trembling. "Don't worry, we'll make sure nothing happens. I promise," he said, glad to feel Starfire's breathing settle. Hearing Robin, Starfire attempted to calm herself in spite of the nightmarish thoughts running through her mind. No matter what was going on, she knew she could trust his words and that was enough comfort for her. "...Thank you," she responded without moving, a small smile appearing on her face. By this time, the others had gathered next to Robin and Starfire, almost glad they had missed the horror leading up to this point... but more than a little guilty that they seemed powerless to prevent it. Cyborg scanned the trees with his robotic eye, making sure the enemy had actually left the area; he sighed with relief, seeing the only life signs were small creatures. Raven held Beast Boy's arm over her shoulder, helping him over to the scene; she had managed to heal a few of his injuries, but there was only so much her powers could do all at once. "Thanks," said Beast Boy, letting go of Raven to look at Robin and Starfire. It was a gloomy moment, to say the least. However, he had seen a smile appear on Starfire's face and so thought it appropriate to lighten the mood a little. "This may not be the best time to say it... but, Cyborg, I think I lost your Frisbee." - - - Act Three: Plan Versus Plan A bright, quarter moon loomed in the night sky over Jump City's bay area. Due to a slight cover of wispy, dark clouds, the heavenly body shone a parted glow upon the calm water. The waves reflected also the bright lights of the city itself, whose many buildings were lit up, streets still bustling with traffic. However, there was one building outside the multitude which was as dark as the night surrounding it. On its island in the bay, Titans Tower stood tall below the moon, all interior lights extinguished. The three panes of the tower's common room windows invited the moonlight in. In the large floor's central sunken area, the arc-like, gray couch faced the windows, casting a heavy shadow where the red carpets from the main doorway and opposing halls met. The tables in the dining area and yellow counter tops in the kitchen cast shadows of their own in the quiet night. All was perfectly silent – which was typical at this time of night, when the Titans usually retreated to their rooms. However, every now and again, a quiet metallic thumping, only noticeable to the most astute of ear, could be heard, interrupting the dead silence. As time passed by, the sound gradually... patiently traveled from the ceiling to the hallways. In the corridors outside the Titans' rooms, the sound continued on. A dark figure slowly shuffled through the air ducts, pulling himself along with his arms in the tight space. In the pitch darkness, the image of a grin on his mask was all but invisible. Every so often, his reptilian tail would strike the metal interior of the ducts, causing a soft thump. It was these moments that Zoka took to slow down and listen carefully to make sure he had remained undetected. He followed a scent he recognized, his intention to carry out his plan in a silent and efficient manner. No need to alert the Tamaranean's friends; they were not targets... they were not even factored in. Coming to a stop over a grate in the ducts, Zoka inhaled sharply through his nose, finding the scent to be a bit stronger in this area. Looking down, he peered through the horizontal blinds in the grate only to see darkness. Reaching up, he tapped at the side of his head and activated his mask's heat sensors, which caused the eye holes on his faceplate to glow red. Though only strong enough to see through the grate, his sensors showed no heat signs, even near the bed in the immaculate room. Grunting under his breath, Zoka looked away from the grate and moved along, feeling the scent become stronger as he progressed. Further down the duct, the smiling assassin came to a halt as he heard the sleeping breaths of a female. The sound became more pronounced as he approached a grate in the duct. Looking down beyond the grate, Zoka took notice of a presence in the room below. Described through his sensors as a bit of red and yellow in an otherwise blue area, he could see his target under the blankets of a large, circular bed. The sound of breathing was clearly coming from that position, and the Tamaranean scent was even stronger. Unmistakable. Deactivating his mask's heat sensors, Zoka focused on the grate. There was a bolt on each of its four corners. Knowing his mission would soon be complete, Zoka carefully removed each of the bolts with his sharp fingers and set them aside in the duct. As quietly as he could, he pushed down at the grate until it came loose, about to fall onto the floor. Realizing his mistake, Zoka reached out fast and caught the grate. Pulling it back into the duct, he set the piece of metal further ahead with the bolts. Slowly, he took hold of the opening in the duct and lowered himself into the room, landing silently on the floor beside the bed. Zoka could see nothing in the dark, the room's drapes shut tight, but the sound and scent were enough to identify his target's position. Moving closer to the bed, he slowly extended a blade from his right wristband. Making no sound, he lifted his arm up high. 'No interruptions,' he thought, quickly slashing his arm downward. The force of his attack shattered the bed into two pieces, after which a warm liquid splashed back up at him. The breathing had come to a stop. However... something didn't seem quite right. "It slices," came a boisterous male voice from the shadows. "It dices," added a younger, higher voice. Suddenly, the room's bright lights switched on all at once, causing Zoka to guard himself as he turned around to face the voices. "But it's none too sharp, now, is it?" said Cyborg, grinning widely as he stood by the door, a hand pressed against the light switch. Eyes widening, Zoka looked at the mechanical human's side of the room to see three others accompanying him, lining the wall to his right. The caped child stared at him through furious masked eyes. The green one, hands behind his back, had an extremely amused expression. And the one in the blue cloak simply stared forward, eyes visible behind the shadow of her hood. Zoka grunted, looking over his shoulder to examine the bed. He growled furiously as his eyes caught sight of it. Sitting between the sections of shattered bed, in a puddle of water, were many pieces of multicolored plastic. Beside the mess was a mechanical device which appeared broken, soaked by the water. Breathing angrily, he turned around to face the Titans, only to find their expressions unchanged. "Y'know... it's amazing what you can do with a voice recording and a bunch of hot water balloons," said Cyborg, taking his hand away from the switch to aim it at Zoka in cannon form. Removing his hands from behind his back, Beast Boy tossed a yellow water balloon up and caught it. "And you wanted me to throw them out," he said, leaning toward Raven with a grin. The empath rolled her eyes in response. Chuckling, Beast Boy pulled his arm back and hurled the balloon at Zoka, where it popped against the creature's face. Zoka could be heard constantly muttering under his mask with indistinct grievances as he glared, unmoving, letting the plastic and water slide down his face. Stepping forward, Robin extended his staff and let a small smirk show on his face. "I'd say 'we were expecting you'..." he started, leaning forward to get a better look at Zoka, "but you've probably figured that out by now." - - - - - - Several lights and monitors illuminated an otherwise dark room with their multicolored glow. The room was a simple, box-like area, with computer panels lining three of its walls, and a strong, reinforced door taking up its fourth. Well hidden and highly protected, the security room was where all of the tower's camera feeds could be viewed across the various monitor screens that lined the forward wall. Sitting at the main computer console's chair, Starfire stared forward at one of the screens, watching warily as a fight spilled out from her room and into the tower halls. As advised by the others, she stayed in place to remain safe. However, the more she saw, the more she felt like leaving to help them. Keeping a close eye on the events unfolding before her, Starfire thought back to the fight in the park. They had nearly been defeated... by a single opponent. How could they hope to stop him now? 'Long have we awaited this day. Does it think us so foolish that we would not prepare?' Zoka's words ran through Starfire's thoughts. 'Four years planning...' she repeated his speech in her mind.Eyes widening, Starfire stood up and turned to face the security room's heavy door. - - - - - - A loud explosion erupted in the hall beyond the main doors in the common room; as a result, its two sliding pieces were sent flying across the floor and crashing into the couch. Cyborg lowered his cannon as he looked out through the newly opened doorway at the clearing smoke beside the couch. The others stood just behind him, watching cautiously as well. As the smoke dissipated, it revealed Zoka, bringing himself to his feet atop one of the dented pieces of metal. He glared off toward the Titans. "Where is it?" Zoka demanded loudly, referring to Starfire. "We must complete our mission. This does not concern foolish, Terran children," he said as the Titans approached him. "Trying to assassinate our Starfire?" questioned Cyborg as he and the others came to a stop at a safe distance. "Yeah, that concerns us a little," he said, charging up his cannon once again. "They do not need to die as well. Had we carried out our mission without interruption--" Zoka stopped to slash at an object suddenly thrown his way. Cut into two pieces, Robin's birdarang detonated in midair, sending Zoka tumbling backward over the couch. Fallen on his stomach, about to stand up, he found himself grasped by the end of his tail. He looked back to see Robin as the culprit. "You're about to get a lot more than interrupted," said Robin with a glare, pulling backward, managing to lift the lightweight Zoka from the ground. Turning in place, he began to swing his enemy around by the tail, while the others simply watched in wide-eyed astonishment. With a growl, Robin finally released Zoka, sending him in the direction of the farthest window pane on the right. Seeing the window coming up, Zoka rotated himself in the air and pointed his feet directly at the glass. In an instant, the masked man shattered the window pane, flying outward through the hole he created. Chuckling as he passed through the window, Zoka reached out his hands and took hold of the vertical separator between the adjacent panes, using it to redirect himself toward the tower. Crashing through the center window, Zoka entered the common room once again, feet first, with a target chosen. Guarding himself from the inward-flying glass, Robin was too preoccupied to guard the incoming attack. As soon as he dropped his cape, he found his face met by Zoka's boots. Robin tumbled back over the couch, slowly recovering as the others came to help. "We will rend this building to the ground if we must," said Zoka, removing an object from his belt as Cyborg stepped forward with his weapon ready. Whipping his arm through the air, Zoka launched a small circular object across the room. Almost like talons, four sharp objects extended from the rim of the object, latching themselves onto the barrel of Cyborg's cannon. "What the--" said Cyborg, stopping as he watched strings of electricity surge about on his arm. Unsure of what would happen, Cyborg quickly stepped aside, deciding to let the others handle the lizard while he focused on removing the foreign object. He knelt down behind the couch where Robin was recovering. Cyborg watched from the corner of his eye as Zoka moved toward Beast Boy – who had gone to defend the hallway threshold by the kitchen. "No way. You're not getting in there!" said Beast Boy, guarding the hall entrance with his arms spread out. Morphing into a gorilla, he took off toward Zoka with a roar. Reaching out, he attempted to grasp his enemy, but found the lizard too quick for his heavy form. Zoka easily dodged, ducking under Beast Boy's arms and moving around to his back. With a high kick to the left, he sent Beast Boy flying toward the kitchen counters, reverting back to human form. Though the boy was out of the way, now resting against the outside of the counter, Zoka continued after him. Massaging his forehead, Beast Boy opened his eyes to see one of Zoka's blades coming down at him from the front. Blocking with his arms, he watched it cut into the counter at his right. Rolling to the left, Beast Boy found himself blocked by the other blade, which Zoka quickly sliced into the counter. The changeling began to morph, deciding to turn into a small animal to escape this predicament. However, before Beast Boy had a chance to change completely, Zoka snaked his tail forward and wrapped it around the boy's neck. "We have unfinished dealings with this one," said Zoka in a creepy tone, bringing his face up close to the choking Beast Boy. Suddenly, though, Zoka released Beast Boy's neck as something more urgent came to his attention. A knife, propelled at high speed from the kitchen... had implanted itself in the front of his mask, avoiding his face by minuscule distance. He looked forward to see the telekinetic one acquiring several new weapons from the various drawers in the kitchen with her powers. "Step away from the imp," said Raven, turning as many pointed objects as she could to face Zoka. Beast Boy's facial expression showed he was both appreciative... and insulted. In a manner quite different from his attitude so far, Zoka's eyes widened. Quickly, he pulled his blades from the counter and leaped back as the entire kitchen's arsenal came flying his way. Dodging all the sharp objects – though being struck by the blunt ones – Zoka took refuge behind one of the tables in the dining area and plucked the kitchen knife from the front of his mask, tossing it aside on the ground. 'They are becoming a greater problem than anticipated...' thought Zoka, scanning the Titans in the room around him. All were now closing in on his location. Reaching to his belt, Zoka removed a spherical metal object from the front compartment and pressed a button on its surface; a red light on the device began to blink. Narrowing his eyes, he stood up to face the Titans, concealing the object from sight. Leaping over the table, he positioned himself near the center of the room. Oddly enough, the Titans all came to a stop, seeming to stare through him at something. Zoka peered over his shoulder to see, in the main doorway, his target standing in plain sight. "Starfire," started Raven, more than a little surprised at this turn of events, "what are you--" "I could not let you fight him alone. He is here for me..." said Starfire, looking down toward Zoka, whose eyes had already begun to dig into her. She didn't allow his stare to affect her, keeping her brave expression steady. "If anything were to happen, I would rather it happen while I am here to help." "But, Star..." Robin trailed off, looking across the room in a distressed manner. "Don't worry about us! You've got to get out of here. We'll handle him." "Yes, we will," said Starfire, starting to move down the steps. "He came here prepared to fight me alone. He was not expecting 'us'." Hearing Starfire's words, the others looked toward Zoka and suddenly saw him in a slightly different light. The assassin had been prepared for a one-on-one battle, but found himself facing a team instead... it explained why he had retreated in the park. He was afraid. "That is why you attempted a stealth attack, is it not?" questioned Starfire. Zoka was already showing signs of distress, looking around himself frantically, his body language saying more than his hidden facial expression ever could. "You knew you could not defeat us as a whole, so you tried to avoid my friends at all costs. Together, we are too strong for you." Starfire looked forward through sure eyes. Growling behind his mask, Zoka turned to fully face Starfire. "A problem we mean to rectify..." he started, displaying the spherical device he held, the sight of which caused Starfire's eyes to widen, "right now!" Spinning around, Zoka hurled the object in Cyborg and Robin's direction. Along its course, the device emitted a quick, continuous beeping sound. Though the device was surely alien in origin... the Titans could easily understand what it was. Both Beast Boy and Raven were too far from the action to do anything, thinking whatever they could try would either be too late... or prematurely destructive. Starfire stood in place, leaning forward, about to fly off toward the object, planning to snatch it and take it to a safe distance outside the tower; however, seeing a recognizable look on Robin's face, she halted, hoping he had come up with a plan. All this took place in less than a second. Watching carefully, Robin focused on the wayward sphere as time seemed to slow down around him. Already halfway across the room, its beeping became more frequent as it approached. Robin swallowed hard, finding himself nearly frozen in place, gripping his staff tightly. Acting on instinct, the Boy Wonder ducked low and rolled forward as the bomb came close enough. Now on the other side of the device, he quickly swung his staff through the air and struck the object, increasing its velocity. Looking surprised as they creaked their necks to face each other, Robin and Cyborg immediately rolled away as the blinking metal sphere made its way out through the broken window. Suddenly, a blinding flash of light scorched the area as the object detonated loudly. Each Titan ducked low, guarding themselves from the explosion and sudden luminosity. As a sound of rushing air in the tower became more prominent, the bright light slowly began to fade away. Vision returning to them, the Titans gave off a collective gasp, each witnessing the result of the explosion. Part of an immense, perfect sphere had been cut away from the tower, completely obliterating the windows... and most everything else on that side of the room, including part of the sofa. Wind from the outside now rushed freely into the tower, a view of the night sky, bay, and the floor below the common room now visible through the vast, gaping wound. Finding themselves standing right at the fringe of the damage, Robin and Cyborg quickly stepped back, both feeling cold sweat on their foreheads. "No..." growled Zoka bitterly, seeing the two had survived. Gaping at the hole as his shock gradually wore off, Cyborg began to clench his teeth and fists tightly. "That's it..." he started, slowly turning around, shoulders tightened. "That's the last... and I mean LAST time anyone..." Cyborg paused for a moment, sending a murderous glare Zoka's way, "ever takes a chunk outta MY TOWER!" he shouted, motioning a hand at the disaster. Cannon freed of any foreign objects, the robotic Titan aimed his arm at Zoka once again. Too frustrated to have paid any attention to what Cyborg had said, Zoka began to turn around. Even if it meant his own demise... he would complete his mission. However, one Titan had already decided to take tactical advantage of the previous explosive distraction. Before he could turn around fully, Zoka was met by the horn of a charging green rhino. Vision flashing white from the impact, Zoka was propelled across the room in a daze toward Cyborg, who immediately took decisive action. Stepping aside, Cyborg faced the opposite wall and held his cannon forward, waiting for Zoka to enter his sights. Robin responded by retreating several steps to avoid the blast – as well as prepare for his part in the chain. As soon as the lizard entered his view, Cyborg fired off a sonic burst. Struck in the back by the blast, Zoka grunted as his direction was shifted in midair; he continued his flight, now heading toward Robin. Narrowing his masked eyes, Robin wasted no time and tossed his staff aside as the reptilian flew his way. He felt like inflicting some damage in a more personal manner. Ducking low, Robin swept his leg vertically through the air to his left, striking Zoka across the face and sending him in an arc toward the kitchen. Seeing her turn had arrived, Raven held up a hand, focusing her energy on the stunned, airborne opponent. She felt no need to delay things by being flashy. As soon as Zoka was engulfed in her dark force, Raven whipped her hand to the left, sending him toward Starfire in an instant. Seeing Zoka coming her way, face-first, Starfire focused energy in the palm of her right hand. Examining him closely, she knew of one point on the enemy that surely wouldn't absorb a starbolt. Eyes glowing, she pulled her arm back, waiting for the right moment to strike. Deciding the critical distance was met, Starfire threw her open palm forward, slamming it directly into Zoka's mask. Just as she had predicted, the mask could not absorb the energy. In a bright green explosion, Zoka was sent backward into the center of the room, where he rolled across the floor, the front of his mask leaving a trail of smoke behind. Zoka released labored breaths as he pushed against the ground with his hands, barely managing to lift himself with his shaky, weakened arms. The front of his mask had gained a clearly visible crack, which stretched diagonally across its surface, passing between the eye holes. "Our... years of planning..." he groaned, eyes squinting as he looked through blurry vision at the children encircling him. "Our training... waiting for this day... preparing for every possible encounter... It should not have ended like this." Finally giving up, Zoka let out a single breath and collapsed on the floor with a thud. "You can't win 'em all," said Cyborg, still holding his cannon forward cautiously, looking down at the defeated creature. Seeing no more movement from the lizard, he sighed in relief and relinquished his aim. Relaxing their fighting stances, the Titans all gathered around the center of the room, where Zoka remained, sprawled out like a swatted insect. All simply looked down at him, their many questions still unanswered. Kneeling down to examine the fallen enemy, Beast Boy's mind dwelt on the mysterious man's features for a moment. "Well... he's kinda skinny for a..." he began, scratching the back of his head, looking toward Starfire inquisitively, "Gordanian?" he questioned. - - - Act Four: Setting Off Zoka took in a sharp breath and forced his eyes open. A blinding white light flooded his vision, causing the lizard to squint. Attempting to move, he found his arms, legs, and tail constricted as he sat forward in a chair. What little he could see revealed to him that his hands were held in place at the wrists against a metal tabletop by two thick braces. He could feel his tail and feet were constricted by similar implements. Even more alarming to him... his weapons were missing; his belt, his wristbands, everything. The only relief he found was in the fact that his mask had remained in place. Looking up from the table, Zoka saw two silhouettes – a large and small one – beyond the intense light from above. They whispered indistinctly, sounding as though they had taken notice of his awakening. The large one stepped forward into the light, followed by the other. Upon sight of the two children, the assassin now knew he had been taken captive... his main mission effectively failed. Cyborg dropped several silvery metal objects onto the table. Zoka's belt and wristbands shimmered under the light in the interrogation room. "Have a nice nap?" questioned Cyborg, leaning forward over the table to look Zoka in the eyes. The assassin made no response. Robin stood to the robotic Titan's left, no clear expression on his face, arms crossed strongly about his chest. For a moment, he glanced over his shoulder to the room's two-way mirror, on the other side of which were Starfire, Raven, and Beast Boy. He couldn't see the others with the intense light on his side of the room reflecting off the mirror, but he gave them the signal that Zoka had woken up. Turning back to the table, he decided to let Cyborg do most of the talking, knowing himself to get... somewhat worked up when enemies affected him on a personal level such as this. On the other side of the mirror, in a much darker area, Starfire, Raven, and Beast Boy stood side by side in front of the glass, watching intently as Cyborg and Robin proceeded with the interrogation. They were each eager to know more about Zoka's so-called 'mission', Starfire especially. With Cyborg and Robin's combined interrogation tactics... they were sure they would know soon enough. Cyborg noticed Zoka eyeing the objects he had placed on the table. Reaching out, Cyborg patted them with a hand. "Some impressive stuff here," he started, remembering his examination of the belt; not since Robin's equipment had he seen so many things stored away in such a small amount of space. "Mind telling me where a guy like you gets a hold of tech like this? Seems too high-end for you. Heck, I couldn't figure out what half of it was supposed to do." Zoka seemed disturbingly unaffected by his predicament, merely looking up at Cyborg from his seat. "Return them to us and we will show you," he said defiantly, clenching his fists and sitting up as far as he could. "Not in a cooperative mood?" responded Cyborg, taking his hand away from the table and standing up straight. "We've got an expert here who can help us trace this stuff back to its source. So whether you're in a talking mood or not... we'll find out," he finished seriously. This seemed to get Zoka's attention, the lizard-like man turning his head to the left for a moment. Before long, he looked back, switching his attention to Robin. "And what of this one?" he questioned. "Still bitter that we scarred its face?" Robin chuckled once through his nose, keeping a sedated expression. Stepping further into the light, he placed both hands on the table and looked at Zoka. "Believe me... if this had ended up on anyone else, you'd be in far worse condition right now," he threatened, pointing to the small slash mark still on his cheek. Cyborg moved to Zoka's side and leaned forward as the staring contest continued. "Robin here doesn't like it when someone tries to assassinate his girl," he spoke quietly, hoping to intimidate the lizard with his next words. "He's already on the edge. If you push him further, I can't be held responsible for what he does," he warned, standing up and shrugging as he stepped out of the light and rested his back against the wall. "It'd be smart to answer his questions." Robin felt like shaking his head... Cyborg had seen way too many cop movies. Stifling his reaction, he backed away from the table and continued to stare down the alien. "We're going to give you one chance to cooperate..." said Robin, crossing his arms. "Who sent you? And why are you after Starfire?" he questioned. Zoka made no movement, simply staring out through his grinning mask. "...Privileged information," he responded dryly after a moment. Robin let out an exasperated sigh and looked to his right... pausing to think about how he could get the information out of the guy without going too far. He remembered Starfire explaining what she could about Zoka. He was a Gordanian... but one who had been raised outside of the homeworld, trained in space as an assassin. His suit, though Starfire did not recognize its design, appeared to imply that he had developed an intolerance to certain atmospheric pressures and compositions. Though the other Gordanians who had visited Earth were not in need of such devices, this one was. It was a good place to start when looking for valid threats. "Starfire..." called Robin, looking over his shoulder to the mirror. "Does he need the suit to survive?" he asked, waiting as a long silence followed. "No, he does not," Starfire's voice sounded over the speakers. Robin seemed satisfied with the answer, moving away from the table and slowly walking around to Zoka's side. Seeing this, the alien began to struggle, writhing in his chair to no avail. As Robin came to his side, Zoka, panicking a little more, turned to look at Cyborg. "You think I care?" asked Cyborg, chuckling under his breath. "Hate to break it to ya, but there ain't no 'good cop' here, man." Coming to a stop, Robin examined the back of Zoka's suit. A short length of metal tubing extended from the back of the mask and plugged into a port between the shoulders. As Zoka continued to thrash about in his chair, Robin reached out and took hold of the tube. "Wait!" shouted Zoka, scratching his claws against the table to get Robin's attention as he felt the tube being tugged at. Still keeping hold of the tube, Robin glared at Zoka from the side. "Tell us why you came here!" he shouted, threateningly pulling at the lifeline. Glaring angrily, Zoka looked forward at the mirror. "...Several years ago, the Troq was handed over as a peace treaty between our people," he began, speaking as though he knew Starfire was standing just beyond the glass. "But it did not deal well with its place in life, did it? It tried to escape." Generally confused by this information, Raven, who stood at Starfire's right, turned to look at her friend. The Tamaranean's eyes were wide with recognition. She obviously knew just what Zoka was talking about... and was now piecing things together in her mind. Raven turned back to the glass and eyed the alien on the other side with curiosity. The time when she had switched bodies with Starfire suddenly came to mind. Even though she and Starfire had shared much information about their lives with each other... Raven had no knowledge of the things Zoka spoke of. But then... Raven knew she hadn't exactly shared everything either on that day. Apparently, even Starfire had skeletons in her closet. "We could not have that. There would be no peace without a means to maintain it," Zoka continued, still staring off at the mirror. "Our General Trogar followed and captured it in this system... but was defeated, yes. Its people had gone back on their word... Unforgivable. We are its punishment. We are Citadel. And Citadel demands retribution!" he shouted, sitting up as far as he could. "No..." Starfire began to back away from the glass, trembling slightly. Zoka seemed to be staring directly at her. "If not in the end of this one's life, retribution will come in another form. We failed in our mission... this information has reached our system by now. If we cannot destroy it, its entire planet will take its place, its people no longer a threat. That is our judgment," he spoke in a frighteningly serious manner. "It is only a matter of hours now. Vega will be witness to a destruction not seen in a thousand years!" he shouted before entering into low laughter. "Did it think it could hide? Did it think we would simply forget what was done?" Robin cringed at the words which had escaped the creature's mouth. But it didn't take long for his shock to turn into anger. Gripping the tube tightly, he quickly tore it from the back of Zoka's mask, tossing it aside to the ground. As he did this, pressurized air began to pour from the hole, flying out in a thick white fog. Suddenly gasping wildly for breath, Zoka began to make the only major movement he could... slamming his face against the table as he wheezed. "Get used to it," said Robin, getting his face up close to Zoka, who continued to thrash about, creating dents in the table as he continuously threw the front of his mask at it. "You'll be breathing that air for a long time." - - - - - - "Ugh," coughed Zoka, falling flat on the asphalt, arms, legs, and tail restrained tightly by specialized cuffs. Like a fish torn from the water and tossed to the dirt, he weakly gasped for air as he looked around at his current location. The moon loomed above him in the clear night. To his left was a large facility with high stone walls, and a thick metal gate which he currently rested in front of. To his right... the Titans, suspended in the air by the telekinetic one's powers. Zoka had been taken to the high-security prison, which resided near a patch of forest, safely outside the city limits. From within Raven's bubble of dark energy, the Titans each looked down at Zoka as several prison guards scrambled to the gate to apprehend him. He certainly did look weakened now... but they had warned the prison to be extra cautious with him anyway. "Say hi to Cinderblock for us," said Beast Boy, making light of the situation with a serious tone. Zoka used what little strength he had to glare bitterly as the Titans floated away to the west. However, he quickly cringed as he heard the gate beside him slowly sliding open, thick metal grinding against the ground. Weapons being removed from their holsters could be heard as well. Five fully armored guards stepped out into the open... gasping in surprise at the large creature on the ground. One of the officers, presumably the squad leader, stepped forward to examine Zoka closer. The creature's lizard-like features were the subject of his awestruck attention. "When I heard the term 'illegal alien'... this is not what I envisioned." - - - - - - "This is terrible," said Starfire as Raven dropped everyone off on the roof of Titans Tower. "If I am to believe what he has said..." she trailed off, trying to hold back her despair at the thought presented to her. She stepped away from the others and looked to them helplessly. "...What do you mean?" Beast Boy chimed in, stepping forward with a bit of hope in his eyes. "It hasn't happened yet. There's still time, so we can just get in the T-Ship and--" "We appreciate the enthusiasm, but..." started Raven, hanging her head forward a bit, "Tamaran is over twenty-five light years away... it would take more than a few hours to get there." Robin remained silent; for once, he had nothing to say... nothing he could say. Starfire, the one person in the world he always wanted to protect, would lose her home... the most important thing to her. And there was nothing conceivable they could do about it. Robin looked across the rooftop at Starfire... He had never seen her in such a state of sadness. He wanted to comfort her... but he felt like he would only be making things worse. Cyborg examined each of his friends. Everyone was looking perfectly at the ground, their eyes blank and void of any hope. With a small smile forming on his face, he figured this was as good a time as any to tell them. "Guys... don't give up just yet." - - - - - - A single, collective gasp echoed in the immense, open room as the Titans gazed upon the object before them. All eyes were wide, most with astonishment, and a pair with pride. Necks tilted back to take in the full scene, Cyborg's teammates were awe-struck, to say the least. "When did..." started Robin, trailing off as he looked at the practically building-sized object. "She's been my project ever since we went to Tamaran the first time. Sorry for keeping it a secret all this time. I wanted to surprise you guys with it," said Cyborg, grinning as he looked up at his creation. "Ladies and gentlemen... the T-Ship," he said, motioning a hand up at the immense vehicle. The cavernous metal room was located directly under the island's outdoor training course. Until now, the other Titans were completely unaware of its existence. Hugging the four walls was a strip of metal flooring, the railing of which looked out upon the T-Ship and its supporting platform. Above, the ceiling seemed to be split lengthwise into two separate parts. The T-Ship itself was a sight to behold. With a shining blue and silver outer shell, its sleek, aerodynamic form nearly filled the entire room, illuminated by the lights that lined the floor. The vehicle's short, glider-like wings loomed over the outer platform, holding up a pair of large, fighter jet style thrusters at their ends. At its aft was a large, bulbous looking engine... just looking at it, the Titans could only guess the immense amount of speed it could kick out. Windows were located at the front of the ship, where Cyborg would most likely be piloting; the Titans also noticed windows in an area just over the engine. The Titans saw it as reminiscent of a NASA spacecraft... but much... cooler. "Sweet!" said Beast Boy, eyes sparkling with wonderment. Suddenly, his expression faltered as he thought about the vehicle's name. "Wait... T-Ship?" he questioned, leaning over to Cyborg. "Don't we already have one of those?" Cyborg leaned over to Beast Boy in response. "Actually, that was just the T-Sub with a pair of escape rockets strapped to it. It wasn't really designed for space flight, or even anything above the water," he explained, whispering behind his hand so as not to disturb the others. "This will get us to Tamaran in time?" questioned Starfire hopefully. Cyborg nodded happily, chuckling a little. "With time to spare," he replied confidently. "Remember when Starfire told us all about the physics of space travel?" "Yes," came a collective reply: three exasperated voices and a single elated one. "Well, I took what she said, applied it to this ship, and came across a new engine design which can reduce travel time exponentially. We should even have time to pack," he explained proudly. Cyborg looked over to Starfire, seeing she still seemed a little worried. Wanting to be as reassuring as he could, he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and looked back to the ship with everyone. "Don't worry, Star. We got your back." - - - End Episode One - - - Author's Note: I'm loving this :). I haven't felt this good about a fic since 10 Leisurely Days. Nor have I had one so planned out since then. Forget Me Not was sort of a 'write-as-you-go' fic, which is okay, but I ended up feeling like I could have done a lot more with it. This originally started as a fan comic for my Deviant Art gallery, but I'm glad I decided to do it this way, because I think it could be my biggest fic yet. It's a story I really want to tell, and now I'm convinced that this is the best format for it. I was a little rusty with writing after taking such a lengthy break, which is why it took me so long to get this first episode out. Hehe, I'm sure I'll get back into the swing of things eventually, though XD. Still, this format (writing chapters in acts, episode style) has given me a lot more freedom with the story, allowing me to try a lot of different things. I'm looking forward to the future episodes, whose stories will be able to take advantage of this as well. Also, I should mention that this will be probably be my last Titans fic. I know I spoke of a sequel to TLD, but I think it's better if I left it alone; I don't want to ruin my most successful fic by making a follow-up that doesn't compare to the first. I also don't want to run this fandom into the ground. If I carried on any longer with it, I fear my writing will start to lose its quality. The truth is, I feel like I'm slowly growing apart from writing Teen Titans stuff. I'm no longer the overly enthusiastic, easily inspired kid I used to be when this started. So, anyway... I hope I can bring you something worthwhile as my farewell Titans fic. I may come back to writing fics if my other current obsessions inspire me so (Avatar or Naruto). Next Episode Preview: Starfire arrives on Tamaran with the Titans, but she may be in for the worst welcome home imaginable. A strange message tells of disaster on the horizon, but is there any truth to it? "Episode Two: Home".

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/3354655/1/Titans-Forever

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en

Title: Princess and the Dragon Pairing: Harry/Draco Rating: R Summary: Draco enjoyed the chase and would search London high and low for his Princess. Warnings: Cross-dressing, D/s, slight SM, language. Author's notes: Thanks to my betas KF and megyal and lbewarethesmirk . You are all wonderfully helpful and inspiring! Thanks for the quick turn around and wonderful suggestions. EWE. Written for hpwintersmut . This story has a rough history. It is my very first cross-dressing, D/s kind of work and then my original recipient dropped out and the poor story was floating in the ether, then I was assigned someone new, so I tried to mod it for that person, but that fell through as well. So this story now sits as it is after a few mods. Also note that this is an edited version. Unedited versions fount on my LJ site. Original request: First-time (with each other), cross-dressing, D/s, rimming, some anger and perhaps a bit of hitting. "Hey there, honey; buy ya a drink?" Bright green eyes turned to look over at the American bloke who'd stumbled into the bar. He leaned forward and grinned, showing perfectly straight teeth and a face covered in rough stubble. The man was obviously a tourist: he wore an "I Love London" t-shirt and a pin that stated that one should "Mind the Gap." "Sure," came the quiet voice. The American beamed like he'd unexpectedly won the jackpot. "Hey there," the man called out to the bartender, "another Stella and," the man turned back to his prize, "What're ya having?" he asked. "Whisky sour." "And a whisky sour, please," he called out. He landed sharply on the neighboring stool and brushed his brown hair out of his eyes. "I've been in London for a week, and I just love it here." "Really? How long are you here?" The American grinned with pleasure at the inquiry. "Just another few days. Me and my buddies--we're from California--we just up and decided to visit London. Never been to England before. It's great. Kinda spontaneous too. Dave, his girlfriend just dumped him. I'm Stephen, by the way." He offered his hand and they shook. "Nice name." "I think so," Lily said warmly. Stephen continued to talk about himself as the drinks slowly disappeared. His traveling hands covered Lily's each time he finished a story as if assuring himself she was really there. Lily commented once or twice, but had few words to say and seemed content to just listen to the American talk about his home and his job. Stephen's constant petting and touches were gently brushed aside, but he didn't seem to take the hint. Finally, after Stephen finished his second drink—Lily was still sipping on that first whisky sour—another man approached him, and with an odd look at Lily, leaned close and whispered something in Stephen's ear. "What!" he burst out. Lily sighed. Here it was. The man's eyes ran up and down Lily's body then rested on her throat. Her Adam's apple. No, his Adam's apple. "You're a man?" he asked, sounding more than a little disappointed. Lily shrugged; it wasn't like Stephen was his type either. "Does it matter?" "Yeah! Of course! I thought I was chatting up some gorgeous Brit, but I was hitting on a dude!" Lily flinched and then rose to leave. The bartender caught Lily's eye and the silent communication offered enough assurance that he sat again. "Dude, let's just go," said the new arrival, tugging on his friend's arm. "Yeah, definitely. And Lily, or whatever your name is, that's really crappy. Hanging out here, leading guys on. Fucked up." Stephen stood up and walked away. Lily, who wasn't really Lily, looked into the mirrored backing of the bar and caught his own eyes floating amongst the back sides of countless liquor bottles; green and full of a hollow loneliness. He'd gotten quite good at the feminine disguise, wrapped up in soft silks and an even softer nature, but his Adam's apple was left noticeable for those who knew what to look for. Not that he would have gone home with that guy anyway. Getting his arse kicked once was a valuable lesson, so he became very sure of his bloke before he ever made a move. Needless to say, he'd never been a one-night stand kind of cross-dresser, and to his own frustration he had been alone for a very long time. He examined his eyes in the mirror. His eyes. He had left his eyes the same: bright green and full of something pure from his mother—a sense of what's right and a willingness to follow through with hard choices. His hair was still black, a symbol of his brave father. But that scar, only a shadow now that Voldemort was gone, he buried beneath a layer of foundation, burying that reminder of everything that had broken within him the day he saved the world. Harry walked down the street towards the Ministry of Magic, dodging in between other early morning commuters. The air had a harsh chill this close to the New Year. In one gloved hand he carried a double tall latte while theLondon Times was clutched in the other. He found it very important to keep apprised of the Muggle goings-on. His mind wandered back to The Moon and Mars, something he tried very hard not to do when at work. "Well," he mumbled to himself, "at least I'm not at work yet." It had rained the night before and the air smelt clean, if you discounted the smoking tailpipes from the traffic jam to his right. The sky was a hundred different shades of gray; a thick layer of clouds covered the skyline as lower cotton puffs snagged onto some of the taller buildings. It was a typical London winter. He found he couldn't take his mind off of The Moon and Mars, though it broke his usual strict 'separation of night life and normal life' rule. The American bloke had been nice, if a talker. And he'd been attractive, though obviously very conservative and totally oblivious. He grunted disdainfully. Who was he kidding; the guy was a complete idiot. Harry could do better. Plus, Harry didn't want to deal with someone that was going to be here today and disappear tomorrow. The real bent bristle in his broom was that he knew he wasn't going to find the love of his life—however cheesy that sounded—at The Moon and Mars. He longed for someone who understood him and accepted his odd… requirements. But that was something he didn't like to dwell upon. He was who he was, nothing would change that. The seedy bar haunted the end of London and apparently only drunk tourists frequented it. Harry often questioned why he continued to go there. There were probably more… open, friendly places he could go where the guys weren't going to freak out once he dropped skirt and his extra equipment was revealed. He stepped across a puddle in the broken pavement and bumped into someone, muttering a quick apology. Maybe he should find somewhere else to go… Harry lifted his contemplative gaze from the ground and saw Hermione waving, crossing the street to meet him. "Hey Hermione!" he said, waving in return. He waited at the corner and then they continued to walk down the pavement together. "We missed you at Percy's. You should have seen Luna. She brought a few manoko. They were climbing all over her, but she didn't have a care about it." Hermione chuckled, shaking her head. "Manoko?" Harry asked, half-listening, half-watching the gum riddled ground pass beneath his feet. A flock of pigeons flew by as they passed a park, cooing at the hopes of a handful of seed. They looked soggy and unhappy at the weather. "Yes, don't you remember, Harry? The grant she got to study them for Hogwarts?" A moment of silence passed between the two. "Harry, are you even listening to me?" She jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow. He oofed in response. "Of course. Sorry. I just don't remember." He didn't really remember much about his social life lately. Since he had so little of it, he thought the detail should have been etched into his memory. If Harry were honest with himself he would admit that he just didn't care. "She'd discovered them in southern Italy during one of her 'walk-abouts.' They're pretty cute little things. Scaly, like a lizard, but round and floppy like a kitten. I bet they will be the new pet craze, assuming they'd be safe as pets and Luna wouldn't be affronted at the notion." Harry grunted in shock. "I'm surprised you aren't affronted at the notion," Harry said. "Why would I be?" she asked, her tone a little edgy. "House-elves, goblins, centaurs…" "Those are sentient beings, Harry, not some lower life form." Though Harry wasn't looking at her, he was certain she'd just rolled her eyes at him. "You would think after all your work redesigning the Ministry that you would at least have a grasp between the Beast Division and the Being Division." "Yeah, yeah. I know. Sorry, my mind's just somewhere else," he rushed to derail a Hermione blow-up. "So, where were you?" she asked. "Huh?" he asked, caught off guard. "Where were you Saturday, when we were all at Percy's? You said you would be there." She leveled her gaze on him and he could feel her noticing and cataloging his every reaction. Harry sighed. Even after all these years, Hermione really hadn't changed much. "Did you have a date?" "Whaat?" Harry asked, drawing the word out as he searched for something quick to say. He turned a scandalized look on Hermione; she couldn't know about his extracurricular activities. Nobody could know. He had been so careful. Someone walking close behind bumped into him as he lost his stride. "Sorry," the woman apologized as she brushed past him. "'tsokay," he murmured as he and Hermione continued their walk. "Well, it has been awhile, Harry. You can't still be pining over Ginny, can you?" she asked, her tone suggesting he still wore his first year set of snitch pajamas to bed at night. She seemed… disappointed. "What? No! Of course not. We went our ways on good terms, you know that." He lifted his hands to shield off the next volley of questions. "So, that isn't why you weren't at Percy's?" she asked again. "No, I mean… No. I just didn't feel like it. I was tired from work and I just wanted to relax." He flinched at the defeated tone of his words and almost flinched again as he noticed Hermione registering his first flinch. She didn't need any more fodder for her ever needling interrogation. "Harry," she stopped in the middle of the rush hour crowd--the flow effortlessly parted around her like the river around a stone--and touched his arm. Someone bumped into him again. Harry groaned internally. He'd failed in steering her away from her concerned mode. "Maybe you're working too hard. It's been five years. You've reformed the Ministry. It's done. There isn't much else you can do; now, don't you think it's time to step back and see if it can truly run on its own?" "You don't think it can?" he asked in alarm. He'd put the last five years of his life into establishing an honest and stable form of government for the wizarding world. He had lost his childhood to abuse, his adolescence to Voldemort, and then the prime of his life to the ungrateful masses surrounding him. Sacrifice played a major supporting role in his life; he didn't want that sacrifice to be for naught. "That isn't what I was saying, Harry. I think it can, and I think it will. There will always be obstacles, but we've set up a good system. But seriously, maybe it's time for a vacation. Get away. Have some fun." Her eyes were full of love and Harry swallowed against a lump in his throat. Fun. What an odd concept, alien in its carefreeness. "I can't. I've got this meeting with the French ambassador, and the Committee for Werewolf Rights is still being stubborn; I couldn't leave it right now." There was so much to do. Harry couldn't just leave it all. That would be irresponsible. "Okay, fine," she huffed. "Just think about it. Eventually, you will explode if you don't give up this work, work, work lifestyle. I don't want to see you burn out like Neville did," she said and turned to once again join the flow. "I won't, Hermione." They'd reached the Ministry's south entrance and walked through the pet shop to the hidden room lined with a battery of Floos. Screeches and caws filled the air as they passed the aviary. Harry stopped, fishing around in his pocket for some cheese, and fed his favorite mina bird. It nipped at his finger when it'd eaten Harry's entire offering. "Vicious bugger," he mumbled to the bird affectionately. Hermione fed a small parrot a bit of fruit she'd had wrapped up in cellophane. "Are you available for lunch?" she asked, sounding resigned. "Can't, I've got to finish the third quarter report on the Department of Mysteries redevelopment." He turned from the bird and stepped up to his Floo. Hermione huffed. "Fine. Take care, Harry." "Yeah, okay. Bye," he said to her back as she Flooed to her office. With his own sigh, he grabbed some Powder and called out his own address: "Assistant Minister's Office." They had wanted him to be the Minister of Magic, but he had refused the position. Three times. After Harry had used his power to oust Scrimgeour--angering many people--Kingsley Shacklebolt was offered the position along with Harry. Harry eagerly stepped aside, soothing some officials' ire who were under the impression that Harry pushed for Scrimgeour's dismissal so that he could attain the position himself. Nobody seemed to accept that Harry never wanted to be Minster and never would. Nothing could get done from the Minister's seat. Harry sat in the real cradle of power; where he could affect the government and get rid of the rampant potential for corruption that had infested the Ministry during Voldemort's short reign of power; that had existed since Fudge and probably even earlier, if he were to be honest with himself. Here, as the Assistant, he could develop the government without having the people's eyes on him. His influence infiltrated every office, touched every law. From rooting out existing corruption to limiting red tape, he knew he'd formed a better governing body. He was the shadow lord of the Ministry. However, it was constant and it was draining: day after day of meetings, always putting on his public face, always thinking ten years ahead. The deals, the late night planning sessions, the heavy burden that it might not work; it seemed to suck out his light, his humor, and his optimism. Sometimes, Harry thought, he should have just been a Quidditch star. It drained him even as it invigorated his existence. Eventually, he knew, it would pull him apart, just like Hermione had diagnosed. The meeting had lasted for four hours. And then he had another emergency session with the Magical Games section. At nine that evening he finally walked through his front door, exhausted. Hermione always insisted that he needed a vacation, but a few weeks on the Riviera still meant returning to life most regular. It wasn't that he wasn't happy… it just seemed that something was lacking in his life. He had such control at work that Harry wished he could give that up, that he had someone to take care of him for a change. Sometimes he just wanted to relinquish himself to the hands of another master. That desire drove him to visit The Moon and Mars even later that night, secretly hoping that tonight he would find someone, anyone, who wouldn't mind that he's really a man and take him home and touch him and whisk away his burdens. If only for one night. The bar was adorned in mistletoe and garland in celebration of the winter season and while everyone seemed jolly at the new decorations, Harry looked on in sadness. The holidays always made him feel lonelier. Scolding himself for such thoughts, he took his seat and caught his reflection in the mirrored wall behind the bar. Bacardi, Blavod, Glendarroch, and a pair of green eyes. He watched the crowd's reflection behind him as the patrons came and went, drinking his whisky and wishing he weren't alone. As the night tumbled past its zenith, Harry paid his bill with a resigned air and gathered his things to leave the bar, annoyed with himself. He didn't mind the time it took him to get presentable--the make-up, the coifed hair, the charms-- he was just frustrated with another solitary night. Frustrated with his love life. Frustrated with life in general. He gave the crowd, thinning now at this early hour, one last glance and his heart nearly stopped as the last person he ever expected to see at The Moon and Mars walked through the door. It'd taken him a good forty-five minutes to shake off his tail and Draco ducked into the first bar he came across. Really, his father had become far too watchful of him since he was released from Azkaban and placed on house arrest, and Draco didn't even want to dwell on the hints and suggestions that he should take a wife and settle down. He knew the family patiently waited for him to find a wife to bear the next heir, but he wasn't about to just settle for anyone. Plus, he would have to find a wife who didn't mind him straying on a perpetual basis. Women just weren't his slice of cake. The bar certainly catered to a lower class than he was used to, but at this moment Draco didn't care. Even with the stale scent of cigarette smoke and beer infiltrating the air, it was still the air of freedom and he breathed deep. The crowd certainly registered low on the scale of human dignity, but even through the mass of tourists and journeymen, he still had hopes of finding someone to help him relieve a little stress for the night. He shook off the damp from his wool coat and hung it on a rack, then turned to survey his choices. Unfortunately, after a thirty-second scan of the people seated at the tables, Draco began to wonder if he wouldn't be better off with his "bodyguards"—as his father liked to call them—until his eyes stopped on a beautiful woman sitting at the bar. Not only was the woman beautiful, and usually he didn't bother with women, but his attuned senses picked up magic: she was also a witch. But unlike any other witch he'd ever sensed. As he studied her from the entry of the bar--her dark skirt, slim legs, long black hair--she grabbed her purse and twisted on the stool to leave. She looked up towards the exit and caught his eye. With a look of unmistakable recognition, she dropped back down on the stool in shock. He didn't know how this woman knew him and he couldn't for the life of him place her. Maybe his name and face preceded him, as it often did. He was damned unforgettable. Smiling as he descended the steps into the bar, he approached her and said: "Hello there, Princess." "Umm, hello," she said with a soft voice. Almost too soft, and as Draco watched her swallow with what appeared to be nervousness, he noticed it. The Adam's apple, and then he looked at her arms, the breadth of her shoulders. This wasn't a woman, but a man in drag. Draco couldn't believe his luck and blessed The Moon and Mars. The woman's… no, theman's hair was black as night and his eyes seemed to glow like a cat's, green and almost phosphorescent. Such beauty. Draco would win him. "Would you please share a drink with me?" Draco asked, turning on his allure. He rarely bothered trying anymore, but something about this man just drew him in. Maybe it was the situation, being out on the run, trying to live up his youth before he'd be tied down by the balls. Maybe it was the magical flux that wafted off of him, something Draco has only recently learned to sense. "I was actually just leaving," his Princess said to him, clutching his handbag with delicate hands. Draco wondered why he glamoured so much of his appearance to be feminine but still left that Adam's apple, like he wished to announce to the world that he was male. Well… maybe he was only announcing it to those who knew where to look. Draco smiled even brighter. "Hello, I'm Draco. And you are?" he asked ignoring the man's attempt to leave, determined to find out more about this person, as if he were some mystery totally devised for Draco's own entertainment. "Lily," and he reached out to shake Draco's hand. "Come here often?" he asked, realizing it sounded lame even as the words emerged. Lily laughed, rolling his eyes. "Oh, come now. I'm sure you can come up with something better than that." "You. Me. My apartment. A night you won't forget." As Draco delivered his proposition, he leaned close enough that their noses nearly touched. Lily smelled soft and fruity, but Draco also caught the scent of something underlying that cried out masculinity. Lily jerked back in shock. "Wha…?" "I know you're a man," Draco whispered. "I like that. What do you say?" "But…" Lily seemed to lose his train of thought as he examined Draco. Those piercingly eyes drilled into him and Draco suddenly felt uncomfortable. Did he know this man? But then the gaze softened and those lips smiled and Lily nodded at him. "Okay." "Yeah?" Draco asked. "Yeah. Shall we?" he asked. As Draco offered his arm, Lily stood and took it, and then they walked out of the building. "Shall we Apparate?" Draco asked after they'd left The Moon and Mars. The smaller frame of the man next to him stiffened again. "It appears," he said in those soft and sultry tones, "that I have no secrets from you… Draco." Draco chuckled at Lily's words, though noted the odd way Lily pronounced his name, like he was almost … shy of it. "Don't worry, Princess. I'll let you keep the rest of your mystery about you," he said as he nuzzled Lily's neck. Lily blinked, then nodded and suddenly they swirled away to appear in Draco's manor. With alarming alacrity, Lily left his arms and seemed adamant about avoiding Draco's gaze. Then Lily began to wander through the parlor. Draco watched as he looked around, wondering what thoughts were going through his mind. The more and more he watched him study the manor's decorations—looking at portraits, examining antiques, watching the flicker of candle flames, reviewing book titles—something nudged at Draco telling him that this person was familiar. But try as he might, he couldn't untangle what it was about Lily. While he promised Lily he would let him keep his mystery, he secretly vowed to himself that he would figure this man out. "This is quite the home you have here, Draco." Lily finally turned his back on the marble Floo to face Draco, arms hanging loosely at his sides. Waiting. "Thank you," he said. "It's my ancestral home. Could I get you something to drink?" He began walking towards the bar. "No, thank you," Lily said. "Oh, well…" Draco usually used alcohol to relax himself and his partner. Going into this sober would be an entirely new experience. He redirected himself from the bar to the man standing there. The man dressed in three-inch heals with ruby red lips. Just looking at those lips stirred something within him. "Hmm, can I kiss you then?" He stood directly before his Princess, running a finger up and down his arm. Lily laughed, a pink flush spreading across his cheeks. "Yes, you may." And he did. Their lips met with all the tentative concern of two innocents, light and gentle. Then Draco wrapped his hands around the man's waist and pulled him close, pressing their bodies against each other, feeling the shaking anticipation in Lily's frame. The pressure of Lily's lips against his own sparked a fire in his belly, tingling its way down to his toes. He opened his eyes, for one quick glance at this beautiful person in his arms, and saw those eyes flutter, as if the tremor affected his every part. Draco enticed Lily's tongue to play, to tango with his own and with delight he saw that there was no fight for dominance, no struggle for who was going to lead this encounter. Lily was all his. He pulled Lily even closer to him, pressing his groin to Lily's hip and felt an answering erection firm against his own thigh. Tearing his lips away, Draco leaned forward to taste Lily's smooth cheek, dropping kisses down his jaw, along his throat. Merlin, Lily tasted divine. "What do you like, Lily?" Draco asked, his words peppered between dainty pecks along that unmarred expanse of skin. Tiny goose bumps sprouted along his route of passage and he retraced ever inch of skin with his tongue. "Everything," he said breathily, "anything… just…" Before the words could escape Lily's lips, Draco swept in and kissed him again. Everything. Anything. The kiss demanded and Lily gave and Draco's nerves sparked with pure want. Deft fingers trailed down Lily's shirt, swiftly plucking buttons and finally revealing skin. Lily's breasts were modest, but they were there, soft and generally in the way. "I have one request," Lily said, one shoulder bare as the shirt slipped off of his frame. Draco nodded in encouragement. He was offered everything and anything; he certainly could answer one request. "Please keep the lights off, I don't want you to see me… what I really look like." Demurely, Lily looked away from Draco's face, trailing his eyes down Draco's front. Long lashes framed those brilliant eyes. Again, Draco felt a surge of familiarity. He couldn't help but wonder if Lily had some terrible scarring or other disfigurement and that cooled his libido to think that he stood on the precipice of sex with an ugly person. But as he focused on the man in his arms, he felt that more important than appearance was that something between them. He felt drawn to this unknown man, to the mystery, to his magic. He couldn't name it or even fully describe it, but there was something here, and Draco was determined to uncover what this was all about. "As you wish, Lily," Draco said, planting a kiss on his forehead. Lily flinched. Draco wondered at the reaction and tucked it away for further study; small things told long tales if you were willing to listen. But now other things were far more central to his mental processes; he pushed off Lily's shirt, letting it fall to the ground and wrapped his arms around him, unsnapped the bra and let that too drop to the floor. He leaned back to look at the shorter, compact body, still holding on with one arm. Draco chuckled and ran his fingers over the curves and planes of Lily's body. This was a man, he reminded himself. "Do you want to keep a woman's form all evening?" he asked, hoping that wasn't the case. Draco spread his hand out on Lily's belly, which felt firm yet soft and curvy as no man's could be. The candlelight seemed to mute everything, erase all harsh features. His fingers were pale and thin against Lily's darker skin and he knew that this man would go topless in the sun and Draco felt sure that he did so with pride and an arrogance that the Lily persona would never possess. Who he was Draco swore he would discover. "Would you prefer I wasn't?" Lily asked, sounding unsure, a little apprehensive. "I prefer fucking men," he ground out through his lust, dragging his fingers into the soft flesh, leaving red lines in their wake. He didn't want breasts and a pussy, he wanted a firm cock and a tight arse and a willing lover. "Remember your promise…" The words were more a question, more a tentative plea. "Of course, now drop it. Be who you are." The words were harsh and edged with command and even as Lily tensed, eyes wide with a little fear, Draco knew he would comply. Draco traced the edge of his jaw line--so feminine in this guise--with his finger, drew the nail of his pinky along those full lips. Sometimes a simple touch can reassure the most skittish of prey. Lily pressed his hands on Draco's chest and gently pushed him away. Softly, Lily said, "Nox," and the candles puffed out, one by one, filling the air with their musky smoke. Blind, Draco's heart beat desperately in excitement. "Lily?" he asked the blackness. "I'm here," said the deeper voice, as the definitely male body stepped up to him. He was taller than he was as Lily, though still shorter than Draco, and he was fit and defined, just like Draco had hoped. "How shall I fuck you?" Draco asked, surprised at the hitch in his voice. Lily released a groan, rich and so sexy that Draco's cock grew painfully full, making his jeans tight and pinching. That eager noise was the best offer Draco had in years and raw hunger raced straight to his cock. "To your knees," he demanded. A nervous swallow echoed through the oddly quiet room and then Draco heard his Princess kneel to the floor. He reached down and grabbed Lily's head, forcing his face into Draco's groin. Another soft gasp urged him on. "Suck me," he ordered. Questing fingers reached up and undid his pants, popping the button, slowly pulling down the zip. Draco's knees jerked when strong hands, a man's hands, pulled him out, aching and ready. It hurt it was so hard. Draco released his clenched fingers, lightly laying his hand on the back of Lily's head as his Princess leaned forward to dance his tongue along his length and then slowly swallowed him whole. Lily was eager and skilled and Draco didn't think he would last long, so after endless pleasure, he desperately tugged him off. "Stop. Stop," he begged, panting to catch his breath. The suction stopped and Draco slipped from Lily's soft lips. At the speed of thought, Draco shucked his jeans and stared down into the darkness where he could see a vague shape. "On your hands and knees," and again Lily raced to answer Draco's demand. He stared at the shape, butt tilted into the air, head down on the ground with mid-length hair fanned around him like a dark halo; his mouth watered at the sight. He sank to the floor next to the wanton man and ran his hand through Lily's hair, then trailed his fingers along his spine, dancing across each vertebra. He could feel scars crossing the soft skin and wondered at Lily's past. Then Draco's fingers ran into the waistband of Lily's skirt and he bunched it up around his waist. Lily wasn't wearing a stitch under his skirt. Draco chuckled and licked at his skin. He squatted behind his Princess and leaned over his back, pinning him to the floor. Nuzzling his neck, he sank his teeth in, not enough to break the skin, but enough to bruise and show the world that Lily was his and nobody else better lay to claim what he owned. Lily groaned at the bite, and pressed up into him. Draco ran his hand up Lily's side, feeling the muscles flex and tense, and then wove his fingers through that beautiful hair; he couldn't get enough of that hair. He gripped and pulled. Lily released a licentious groan, the kind that drove away things like thought and restraint. "Oh Merlin. Draco, please, make me yours, please." The incoherent stream of words raced from his lips. "You're mine," Draco panted, and he pressed into the body below him, his voice cracking as he tried to memorize and analyze everything he felt, the touches, the heat, the utter welcome and acceptance by this total stranger. "Lily," he groaned, pulling tight on those thick tresses, and as he thrust again everything became mindless and terrible and so utterly overwhelming. After timeless, pulsing moments, he collapsed, trapping that sexy man below him. Slowly, as the daze lifted, he nuzzled and kissed and licked his way over Lily's back, who flinched when Draco kissed an already marked spot. He felt no guilt, only a sense of self-pride. "Shall we retire to the bedroom," Draco asked, his voice husky and sated, but promising more for the very near future. "Yeah, a bed would be preferable to the floor," Lily said, chuckling. Draco was pleased that Lily didn't sound shagged out, but his voice was definitely laced with satiation. Draco stood and drew Lily to his feet, and as they walked to his room, the lights snuffing out before them. Harry looked at Draco, lying there, asleep and totally unguarded. Examining those features, he saw something that eased the tension he'd been suppressing inside. There was a softness there and Harry had to admit to himself that things had moved on, this was not the past and "Lily" was no enemy to Draco Malfoy. He about cried as he gathered his things to leave. He found his skirt over in a corner and somehow his other clothing had migrated to a nearby table, neatly folded. Every time he crossed the room he caught sight of Draco, contentedly sleeping. This was something Harry wanted and knew he could never have. Draco wanted Lily, not Harry and Harry couldn't be what Draco wanted without his veil of Lily. With a jumble of his things in his arms—he'd have to transfigure them into something that would suit his male body—Harry stood in the doorway of the bedroom, watching the sleeping man. He could love him, he knew this: he could love and cherish him and submit to him in every way. Just the thought, that glimmer of a future warmed Harry, but then that warmth was dashed as he turned and fled the Manor. Draco, by choice, was not an optimist. He was a realist and though he often hated to admit it, he learned quite thoroughly that some battles, some challenges, he would just never succeed at. Even more so, he learned sometimes it was best if one didn't succeed. Fortunately, he also forgot some of these lessons when deliriously happy, which was his current state of affair. Draco wasn't the kind of man to sit by in heartache. He lay sprawled across his grand bed; one arm seeking out the warm spot that he knew would be empty. This knowledge came not only from a sense of expectation—Lily did seem a skittish thing at times—but also some innate ability to sense his absence, absence of self and absence of that magical spark that Draco had so easily become familiar, and comfortable with. But the lack of warm body next to him did not perturb him, or send him into a melancholy. In fact he welcomed the challenge and knew he would find his Princess. No, while this would have set any other suitor back, Draco saw it as a welcome and expected sign. He enjoyed the chase. Through the window sunbeams brightened his room and Draco lay there and stared at the dust motes hovering in the air, dancing in the light. Weightless. His arm remained in that empty spot, grown cold by Lily's absence. That night, rather desperate, he returned to The Moon and Mars. After five glasses of wine he had to admit to himself that Lily would not return that day. "Hey, barkeep," he called to the bartender. The man walked over, one towel tossed over his shoulder and nodded at him. A pencil was tucked behind his left ear and he reached for the bottle of zinfandel. "Another glass?" he asked, ready to pour. "No, but I have a question for you," Draco said, sliding a large bill across the bar to the man. The man's eyes opened in surprise and appreciation. "Whatsit?" he asked. "That woman I met here last night—dark hair, green eyes, couldn't miss her—how often does she come in?" The bartender took a step back and shrugged, eyes easily leaving the rolled up bill on the counter. "Sorry, buddy, can't help you." He walked away leaving Draco and his money behind. Though Draco knew he should be annoyed, he was actually pleased that Lily had people looking out for him. He'd just have to win over his guardian's trust. "Fine," he called out to the man's back. "I get it. I don't give up easily. I'll just keep coming by… Everyday!" The bartender continued talking to another customer. "'Cause she's worth it." A satisfied smirk danced upon Draco's lips as the bartender turned towards him and watched him walk out. And he kept that promise and returned every evening to The Moon and Mars until nine days later he met his Princess once more. "You sure you wanna be here today, Lily?" Samuel asked, as he began mixing Harry's usual whisky sour. "Why do you ask?" Harry peered at the bartender. He'd been coming here long enough he'd developed a friendly rapport with the bartender. He knew that Samuel recognized he was a man, but he still held up the mirage and Harry appreciated that. "A bloke's been coming 'round, every night, looking for you. That blond fella you left with last week." He didn't judge; Harry knew how valuable friends were who didn't judge. "What? Really?" Harry asked, shocked. He didn't think Draco would hunt him down like this. Every night? "Yeah, usually shows up around 10 p.m. You got about forty-five minutes of peace if you wanna avoid him." He wiped off the bar surface before Harry and set the drink down on a coaster for a local ale. "Enjoy," he said and then he turned away to help another customer demanding a rum and coke. Harry'd been trolling other establishments on the outskirts of London but hadn't been as comfortable as he was at The Moon and Mars, and Samuel was part of that. He'd even gone to cross-dressing clubs, but they were too aggressive and Harry didn't want control from someone he didn't trust. Thus the conundrum with Draco Malfoy. He knew Draco. Strangely, he felt comfortable with his old school rival. Harry had no worries about letting Draco take over, and in that game Draco seemed to be quite sure of himself. Harry snorted. This was Draco Malfoy he was thinking about, of course he was sure of himself. While musing over his current circumstances, a man sat next to Harry at the bar. "Hi, is this seat taken?" he asked, and then abruptly sat down with a shit-eating grin, like he thought he was cute with his rudeness. "Actually, I'm meeting someone," Harry said, turning his body away from the newcomer. "Oh, don't be that way, sweetheart. Don't snuff a bloke before ya get to know him," he said, right into Harry's ear. Harry swiveled around on the barstool and was face to face with bad breath and a set of leering eyes. "Hi," he said again, and the he leaned forward for a kiss. Shocked, Harry reached out to slap the bastard, but his hand was caught and held. "Now, now, none of that," he said as Harry tried to pull away. "I don't think the lady appreciates your handling her that way," came the calm, droll words from behind Harry. Harry twisted his head around to see Draco standing there, hands relaxed at his sides, posture perfect, sneer and haughty demeanor right in place. Instantly, Harry recognized that Draco has his wand positioned up his sleeve and that Draco would free him from this vexing letch. Relief flooded throughout Harry. "I was here first, buddy. Go find your own trollop." He began running his hand up Harry's thigh. "Trollop!" Harry said, tone shrill even to his own ears. "Unhand me, now." He yanked his arm again and the bloke finally let him go. Scrambling from the stool, Harry darted behind Draco, more than willing to let the "men" deal with this. "I suggest you leave, before the police are brought in to take out the unwanted trash of this dubious establishment," Draco said, his voice full of command and Harry found himself inching towards him. Almost on their own accord, his hands rested on Draco's shoulders and Harry relaxed his head against that sturdy back. "Whatever, idiots," the man sneered and walked away. Draco spun around and wrapped his arm around Harry. "You okay?" he said, burying his face in Harry's hair, nuzzling him in public. "Yeah. Yeah, I am. Thank you." Harry leaned into Draco, gripping him in relief. He hated guys like that. A shiver shook his body and Draco squeezed him. "Shall we go to my place?" Draco asked, his voice thick and the tone of it sent tingles along Harry's skin. He just nodded against Draco's chest and then followed him out of the bar, hanging onto his arm. They Apparated away when it was safe and immediately fell to kissing and petting and divesting of clothing. The lights went out and Harry dropped his disguise, marveling at the way Draco worshipped his body, treating him like the Princess Draco called him over and over. "My Princess, my beautiful Princess. Merlin, you're marvelous. Don't ever leave me again." As Draco entered him, nipping him the entire time and keeping a tight hold on his hair--that drove Harry crazy--the two men called out to each other and the gods and promised forever in a moment's breath. Afterwards as the night grew quiet and the two men lay in each other's arms, warm and protected, Harry tried to forget his other life out there and snuggled into that warm embrace until they both fell asleep. And as before, before morning dawned, Harry slipped out, heart breaking, leaving Draco cold in the morning's first light. After that second night with Lily, Draco admitted to himself that he could settle for no one else. His Princess had affected him in ways that seemed only hypothetical, if not silly, just a few days ago. He couldn't define exactly what it was, but his life seemed hollower, definitely less satisfying, without Lily around. Though they had shared only two nights and a handful of words, he couldn't help seeing something, like a bright flower or a beautiful painting, and wish he could tell his lover about it. His lover… Were they lovers after only two nights? Draco wasn't fool enough to lie to himself; he knew that he would never be satisfied with another. So, he began to put together Lily's profile and tried to find out who he might be. He was a wizard who liked to dress like a woman and play the submissive role in bed. He probably held a high position in whatever company he belonged to. Draco had never actually seen him use much magic, but the man was powerful; he could sense it every time they were together. And he knew Draco; he'd recognized him when they first met. Maybe they'd even gone to school together; they seemed about the same age, though it was hard to tell with the glamour. Lily's body didn't feel old, anyway. Above all else, Lily seemed familiar to him. Something in the voice, or maybe the way he carried himself. It was like trying to remember a word and it was not only on the tip of your tongue, but the back of your brain and if you thought about it directly, it would dissolve into the ether. You had to distract it, make it think you were looking for something else, then bring your mind back to it and catch it before it fluttered away. He was certain he would recognize Lily if they ever met in person, positive that connection would flare up like dragon flame if he ever met Lily's true self face to face. So Draco made it his goal to begin haunting all of the local wizarding establishments, to attend all of the parties and presentations. He still continued to meet with Lily: find him at The Moon and Mars. They would go home and fuck and God, Draco didn't know if he could handle another morning alone, but he kept coming back and kept taking Lily to his bed and kept begging him not to leave, though they both knew he would. And they would talk. Not, Draco noticed, about anything personal enough to allow Draco to find out who Lily was, but they would talk about the world and the war and things that made them happy or caused them endless frustration. They began to know each other on these serendipitous meetings. However, every morning without Lily left Draco more and more desperate. More and more cold. Hermione strode into his office and smirked. "What?" Harry demanded, immediately turning red, though he wasn't quite sure why. She planted her butt on the edge of his desk. "You've been seeing someone," she stated. "How would you know?" Harry asked, more than a little annoyed. Last thing he needed was Hermione nosing about. She'd figured out he was gay—that had been a fun conversation… but he didn't think she would understand the whole cross-dressing thing… or the Draco Malfoy thing. Or the fact that Draco Malfoy wasn't aware he was shagging Harry into the carpet. Casually, he lifted his hand to the back of his neck and brushed against the bruise he'd hidden away behind magic. Harry flinched, he'd just broken rule #1--thinking about his alter identity at work. Crap, he was slipping. "Ha! You are seeing someone. So, tell me all about it," she demanded, sounding pleased. "Who is she… or he?" she said in that nosy tone. As if he would tell her. "None of your business, and no, I'm not seeing anyone." He dropped his gaze and stared at the report on his desk. The lines blurred together. Damn it, he could smack himself in the head. He might as well wear a sandwich board saying "Hi, I'm In Love." "Well, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, Harry." She reached out and patted his shoulder. Harry shook it off and glared. With a smirk she moved on. "Anyway, we have a ribbon cutting for the new Severus Snape Clinic and Research Labs. You're going, aren't you?" Since she decided to drop her interrogation, Harry relaxed. "Yeah, yeah. Let me grab my robes. Just… I'm not seeing anyone and I don't want to talk about my sad and lonely life, okay?" he whined. "Sure, whatever. Good luck with that," she said with a wink. The two friends left the Ministry for the newly established Severus Snape Clinic and Research Labs, specializing in curing and supporting those with curses such as lycanthropy and vampirism. The Clinic's establishment proved to be one of Harry's more trying achievements, due to the community's prejudice against both Severus Snape and cursed partial humans. Because of that, it was also one of his more proud accomplishments. The air was crisp in the winter's evening, and Harry and Hermione were bundled up as they marched through the wet streets. He wore a Weasley wool scarf and hat as well as his outer cloak, trying for a good impression of a toddler overly dressed by an over protective mother. They reached the door and Harry held it open for Hermione and then followed her in. A large crowd was milling about as they filed into the hall. Ministry events were always well attended in these peaceful years. Even if the people didn't care about the Clinic, it was an opportunity to see what the other witches and wizards were up to. It became a chance to see and be seen. "It's you," Harry heard from his right and his blood froze. He recognized that voice. Deny it. He would deny everything. "Is it you?" Part of Harry longed to acknowledge those words, turn to the man who spoke them and offer himself up, but that strong, in-control part that faced the world scoffed. Slowly, Harry turned to face Draco Malfoy. His heart broke as he plastered on an indifferent expression. "Malfoy," Harry said with a slight nod. "Are you talking to me?" Draco looked dumbstruck; his usual quick sneer not even making an appearance as he stared at Harry like he'd been betrayed. "What? You're not…" "Hello, Malfoy," Hermione said, butting in like the prying friend that she was. Harry loved her even as he cursed her. "Are you here for the dedication?" she asked. Draco tore his eyes away from examining Harry's every feature and then stared at Hermione with a lost look. Finally he seemed to recognize her and smiled his politician smile. It was all so fake, nothing like the Draco Harry had gotten to know. He had to get out of there. "Why yes. I was excited to hear that Professor Snape wouldn't go unnoticed in history." He turned his gaze back to Harry, who continued to stare in return. Hermione looked from one man to the other. "What's going on?" she asked. "Move!" Harry thought to himself. If he didn't move he wouldn't be able to break this spell Draco seemed to have cast upon him. "Nothing," he told Hermione, nodded once at Draco and turned to walk away. "Potter! Don't leave. I need to talk to you. I know it's you. Please!" he pleaded, but Harry disappeared into the crowd. Lily was Harry Potter. Holy Fuck. He'd been sleeping with Harry bloody Potter. His heart thudded in his chest, banging against his sternum as if trying to break loose. How had he not figured that out? As Draco watched Harry run from him, a confused Hermione trailing behind, Draco remembered things like his hair, the jerk whenever he touched his forehead, his magic. Those eyes. Harry Potter, Assistant Minister, the man who practically rebuilt the Ministry of Magic, was a closet submissive cross-dresser. And Draco was certain he was in love with him. Draco tried to make sense of the twisted humor of the universe. He'd obviously been a very evil man in a past life. It was pure art how Harry had transformed himself into Lily. Not only with spells, but with personality and mannerisms. The voice. Draco was completely flummoxed. His heart continued to race and he ran his damp palms together. Lily was Harry. Lily was Harry. Did this change things? Did he want to maintain this weird relationship of masks and lies? Was Harry Potter worth it? Lily was worth it, Draco knew that in his very core. And what were a few masks and lies to a Slytherin; really, he thrived on subreption. Draco entered the dedication hall decked in holiday splendor, mindlessly grabbed a mug of mulled wine and stalked Harry from afar. The Assistant Minister was mingling, talking to all of the important people in attendance. They all gathered to shake his hand. It was obvious that Harry knew Draco was watching him. Even if Draco wasn't certain from thatfeeling he got when he saw Harry, Harry's downright avoidance and guilt was a good enough indication that he was Lily. Harry stood before the huge crowd and delivered his speech like a master, so confident and sure, unlike the shy Lily. The crowd cheered him on and he waved a bit before he descended the stage steps and disappeared into the masses, letting Kingsley have his turn to speak. Draco ran to where he last saw Harry, excusing himself as he bumped and jostled the merry supporters of the Clinic. Unfortunately, when he arrived at the stairs, there was no Harry around. He turned in place, searching. "Malfoy." Draco jumped as he heard his name and whirled around to see Hermione. "Granger," he said. "What's going on between you and Harry?" she asked. The nosy know-it-all still needed to know it all. "Why," he found himself asking, "Did he say something?" "Well, no… but he was certainly acting oddly from the moment you called out to him. You seemed shocked to see him as well. What's going on?" She crossed her arms and adopted that determined air that had annoyed Draco to no end back at Hogwarts. "I don't see how it is any of your business," he said in reaction to her query. She peered at him and Draco was certain she wasn't only reading his thoughts but also his soul. "Well, I'm sure if you did have any business with the Assistant Minister, you could find him in his office. After hours his secretary is gone and he always forgets to ward his door." Draco's eyes grew wide, staring at her as she spoke the words so nonchalantly. "Of course, I will be up soon myself to talk to him about the ceremony. In about a half-hour. Have a nice day, Malfoy," she said and walked back towards the crowd, her sensible heels clicking on the floor. Holy shite. Hermione Granger just gave Draco the keys to the kingdom and all he had to do was turn the knob. Maybe she wasn't so bad after all. With focused determination he darted back through the crowd to the exit and Apparated to the Ministry's offices. The halls were empty but the thin carpeting helped dampen his foot falls. It didn't take him very long to find the Assistant's office and Granger had been right; there was no secretary and the door stood ajar. Quietly, walking in slow, exaggerated movements, Draco crept up to the door and peeked in. There he saw Harry leaning forward on his desk. His elbows propped up his arms; his hands cradled his head. Fingers massaged his skull through his mop of a hairstyle and he was slowly shaking his head. This was Lily. The man he loved. He swallowed hard and then reaching out a finger, he poked at the door and it slowly swung open. Harry's head shot up and his wand was in his hand before Draco had a chance to say hello. "Hello," he said tentatively and took a step in the office. "What the hell are you doing here, Malfoy," Harry said with a disdain that did not reflect in his eyes. His eyes told a completely different story of sorrow and loss. "Harry, can we talk?" Clicking the door closed behind him, Draco walked into the room, halting before Harry's desk. Two stacks of papers sat on the surface as well as a jar of ink and tin of quills. It was all very neat. Draco could see the back of one silver framed photo propped up, but couldn't see who was in it. He wondered to himself if it was Harry's dead parents, or a reminisce of the Golden Trio. He knew so little about Harry. "Talk? About what? We've nothing to talk about. Leave." Cold, hard words. "I don't want to leave. I miss you. I want you." Harry's eyes grew wide, reflecting a myriad of emotions. The wand tip dipped a little. "Whether you're Lily or Harry, I want you," Draco said softly. "Don't call me that!" Harry screamed; spit flying from his lips as he jumped to his feet, his wand as sturdy as ever in his fury. "You bastard. Think you can just come into my ordered life and fuck everything up, take over? Well, I don't need you. I don't need anyone. Don't you think if I wanted you, I would have kept you?" With two long strides Harry was on the other side of the desk, yelling in Draco's face. They were chest to chest and Draco realized that this body was the body he dreamed of at night, this voice was the one that moaned out his name. "Harry," Draco said softly, letting his love support the word. Cautiously, he reached out a hand. "You don't own me! You mean nothing!" Harry pushed Draco hard, sending the taller man across the room. Racing after him, Harry grabbed the front of Draco's shirt, his face inches away, anger and an aching sadness roiling in his green eyes. These were Lily's eyes; there could be no others that vibrant and alive. Gripping the collar of Draco's shirt, Harry slammed him against the wall. Draco grunted at the impact and clutched at Harry's strong arms, trying to pull them off. Rough portions of brick wall dug into his back and head and he growled under his breath. "Fuck, Potter. Why are you doing this? It's me. You like me." Draco was certain there was a connection here, was certain that Harry wanted Draco as much as Draco wanted him. "Not like this, Malfoy. I'm not that person. Don't you get it?" Harry yelled, and then he released one hand from Draco's clothing and brought the fist right smack into Draco's jaw. "What the hell!" Draco screeched as Harry hit him again. "I'm not that person!" Harry continued to yell, pummeling Draco, his athletic frame adding momentum to his barrage of punches. "I'm not!" Draco brought up one hand to cover his face, then wrapped his leg around Harry's and tugged, causing Harry to fall hard to the floor, dragging Draco down with him as Harry continued to clutch at his collar. "Potter, what the fuck…" he said, grabbing for Harry, but then his words were cut short by a sharp knee to his groin. "Getoffme!" Harry cried, struggling under Draco's larger frame and his grip on Harry's arms. As the stars faded away, Draco realized he'd had enough of this shite. He released his grip on Harry's arms and aimed for his hair instead. Once he got a handful he pulled tight and whispered in a commanding way, authoritative and sure: "Stop fighting me, Harry." And Harry did. He went limp underneath Draco, his eyes glistening as Draco pulled on his hair. Draco leaned forward and breathed him in, taking in the male pheromones, the cologne, the fight and arousal. Burying his nose in Harry's ear he nuzzled and licked and bit down on the soft portion of his neck. Harry whimpered. "Draco, don't do this," he begged. Draco was sure Harry was as hard as he was, aching and leaking and just wanting to fuck like they had before. To love like they had before. Draco pulled harder on Harry's hair causing him to whimper again. Draco's cock jumped. He climbed off of Harry, sitting back on his heals to examine the man sprawled on the floor. He wiped at his lip, shocked at the blood that came away on the back of his hand. "Get up. On your knees, Harry," he ordered, and Harry rose to his knees, head hanging forward, shoulders slouched in defeat. Draco's heart grew tight at this surrender. This isn't what he wanted. He didn't want Harry defeated, he wanted him willing and totally his. "Nox," Draco said, casting the room in darkness. Reaching out he touched Harry; carding his fingers through his thick hair, caressing his cheek. Finally, he wrapped his arms around the other man and drew him close. A tremble rippled through Harry's body, but Draco held tight until all of that stress slipped away. A clock ticked the minutes away; the only other sound was the quick, shallow breaths from Harry that eventually slowed from their frantic pace. "Draco," Harry sighed. "Lily?" Draco questioned… were there really two people here? "Harry. Please, just call me Harry," Harry said and brushed his cheek against Draco's, tilting back his head to expose his neck and chest and offer himself up to Draco. "Harry, my Princess," Draco called him, and then leaned in to kiss away the pain. Draco stood at the entrance to The Moon and Mars and watched the beautiful man with black hair wrapped like a present in a long skirt and silk blouse. To everyone else, he was a woman, but Draco knew the truth; had known for some time. He loved watching him as he sat and sipped at his drink, leaving red lipstick on the rim. Sometimes he would glance up at Draco through long lashes, his bright green eyes stroking him as they roamed over his body. His breath hitched, he couldn't stand it any longer. He descended the steps from the entrance of the bar and walked over to him. "Hey Princess," he said. "Buy you a drink?" The bartender rolled his eyes at Draco and moved the bottles as he begin mixing a drink. "Of course," his Princess said with a smile. Finally, Draco leaned down and kissed him and that ache of separation drifted away. "How was work, Lily?" he asked. Lily shrugged, "Same old, same old. I think I might be ready to retire. Maybe take a little vacation." Draco smiled, he'd been waiting for this. "Need any company?" he asked Lily stood and wrapped his arms around Draco's waist and leaned against him. Draco buried his nose in that black hair and took comfort in the scent. Lily felt right in his arms, as a woman or a man, they just fit. "Of course," he said. "I need somebody to carry my bags." He chuckled and Draco squeezed him tight. "Anything for you, my Princess, anything for you."

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/4026036/1/Princess-and-the-Dragon

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I would just like to say that this is a copy of my story that was written, well... a long time ago and that my writing has (hopefully) somewhat improved since then. I would also like to thank all the authors at Shirley Holmes Central and especially Damon and MacGyvermagic. The Last Dance The dress flowed and sparkled in the low sunlight as she twirled in front of the mirror, "I don't know Alicia, I'm just not in the mood- " "Nonsense, Shirley. You look wonderful! Hey Bart, hmm?" "Oh uh yes, Shirley you look real nice". But her face remained stony with sadness wallowing in her deep blue eyes, Alicia just sighed and shook her head in defeat. Bart came over and sat on the desk, "Shirley, come on, relax, you can't be miserable for the rest of your life!" His voice softened, "I know you miss Bo - we all do; a lot but you're gonna have to accept he's gone". "I know," Shirley choked, "But I miss him... I know I should be happy for him going to the Ukraine but I just... miss him". "Oh snap out of it Shirley" Alicia retorted, "He won't be gone for long - just a few years! Come on, the disco will take your mind off him; lighten up! Anyway Bo wasn't anything more than a friend was he?" Shirley was startled, picking up her bag, she gulped back the tears, which were threatening to fall and walked out saying, "Okay - let me just feed Watson". As Shirley walked out, Alicia groaned, "Got they have it so bad!" Bart turned to Alicia, fury masking his face, "Great one Alicia! You know how much Shirley misses Bo, and vice versa. You KNOW how they are in love, even though they don't see it, I think that was pretty mean!" "Shut up, Bart. What do you know about match-making?!" "A great deal more than you it seems!" Alicia just sent him a death stare. Bart dropped his temper and mused, "Who would ever have thought that Bo's leaving would have made such an impact on everyone - especially Shirley". "Yeah well - I knew from the start that they were perfect for each other..." "Yeah, yeah, that was why you ignored him completely to begin with??? But everything has gone quiet, there's no one around to joke with or have a decent discussion, Stink has completely gone out of character, Ms Stratmann has completely gone off her trolley, even Molly has become more peaceful then there's Shirley who's constantly depressed". "Yeah, the Quasar Café has gone quiet, it's no fun and everyone leaves lousy tips". "For the lousy service..." Bart muttered. "Anyway hopefully everything will change tonight". "They had better," Bart looked at the door, "Or Shirley's gonna fail the year". "Oh Bo... Bo what have you gone and done? God Bart, if Bo saw us just now he'd fall over laughing". "Well we had better hurry up or he will see us and we'll be late". Shirley hurried up the stair, "Shall we go?" Shirley moped in the car, thinking about the past she felt a pang of utter sorrow settle in her stomach. How could she have told him how much he had come to mean to her. Bo had always been there and Shirley had come to depend on him. No! This is Bo's chance, why should I spoil his chances? I wonder if he misses me as much as I miss him? Nobody's there to help me, or save my butt anymore. There's an absence of fun and humour, which only Bo had, Shirley sighed, I felt lonely back then, when my mother first disappeared but I had to learn to deal with it, I felt the need to become more independent and I shut myself off to the rest of the world. But Bo, he just got shoved into my life, on the case, where I met him he saved my life even though he didn't know me well. His past had been bad, although waist deep in trouble he still helped me, and everyday since then. I suppose if I look back I learn that he taught me how to enjoy life again, live it to the full. Always there for me, watching my back and I took it all for granted. I was really enjoying life but the day he told me about the Ukraine, I don't know... everything seemed to collapse. I miss him so much, Bo is part of me and I'm not letting it go. But is that the whole truth? Shirley was startled by the question her own mind asked, what? Of course it's the truth...well...maybe I did form a bond with him... Maybe that's why his departure is so painful. I suppose I thought he would always be here beside me - working with me but...who am I trying to kid? I care for Bo as much as I care for my family and friends and maybe even more. Bo was always more than any brother could be. Alicia put the radio on; since her cousin was driving they had a few deliveries to make before going to the school for the Christmas disco. It's been seven months since the day he left; I wonder what he's like? I mean we write but it's not like knowing someone from sight and physical being. But does Bo like me as much as I like him? The most cutting part is that I never got the chance to say goodbye properly. He got a phone call saying that his flight was being cancelled and that the only flight available was the one that day. The last time I saw him was a week before he was due to leave... Alicia turned the volume up and the soft, sad music reached into the depths of her mind. Baby I know you're hurting... From the first day that I saw your smiling face, Honey I knew that we would be together forever... Shirley felt her eyes well up with tears, shakily she tried to wipe them away but Bart saw her out the corner of his eye. I deserve a try honey, just a moment, Give me a chance and I'll prove this all wrong... Of course Bo likes me, he was my best friend for four years... He must know how much I miss him! He must miss me too, he says he does and when he gave me that last hug on his last day of school... he didn't have to look at me for me to know he was trying so hard not to cry. I'll never break your heart, I'll never make you cry, I'd rather die than live without you... Would you? As time moves by for you to get to know me... Are you still the same? Oh please let you be. And I know your afraid, to let your feelings show, And I understand but girl it's time to let go... Um... please let that thought be linked only with the song. Maybe I don't understand what I feel for Bo. I don't want to lose him over anything petty, I'm sure he would understand me - probably even help...But I don't think, I, Shirley Holmes, could tell it to him eye to eye - or ear to ear over the phone. But honey there's nothing like me darling why can't you see... That's true, there's no one like, Francis, and Shirley choked on a sob, remembering the humour of Bo's real name. I'd rather die than live without you... I'll never break your heart, I'll never make you, make you cry, I'd rather die than live without, can't live without you... I'd rather die than live without you -I'll give you the world. You gave me the world of mysteries. I miss you, I want you, I need you... The song stopped abruptly, Shirley jumped back into reality, "Earth to Shirley? Hello? You've been in a world of your own all through the journey - come on we're here". Shirley looked out at the vibrant school ground. Although very cold, the disco was being held outside under some transparent tents because the school itself was under construction. To Shirley's disproval the school had Molly to thank for hiring and setting up the disco, without her persuasive attitude it would be a dull Christmas for Sussex. Taking a deep breath, Shirley got out the car to join the excited throng of pupils. Everyone seems to have made a go of things tonight; even Mrs Stratmann seems to look nice. Lord I'm bored already; this is going to be a long night. "So are you going to tell me where we're going?" Bo asked. "Nope, it's a surprise". "Come on man - do I have to wear a blindfold all the time?" "Yes" Yans and Christie chorused. "Fine" Bo sunk back in the comfy chair. Well from what I can deduce I'm sitting in an aeroplane, roughly the middle portion as a kid was panicking about some flaps that open and close, they are on the wings. The sun is beaming on the left side of my face and the time is roughly noon so the sun should be in the south so that means I'm travelling... West? Why are we travelling west? What lies West of the Ukraine? Um... maybe I should have paid attention in Geography, uh there's Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, further is Britain, Ireland, then there's South America. North America and... Canada - Redington. God I sound just like Shirley, uh oh, Bo don't start thinking about her, you'll only get yourself in a mood. Out of everyone (except my parents) I miss Shirley the most, if anyone was in trouble Shirley would have all the facts straight in seconds, but she stuck her nose in where it shouldn't have been too often. A battle formed between two parts of Bo's brain. Yeah but that often saved your butt! Like the first time you met, you were being nailed for arson but she caught the guys and got you off the hook, there was the time when those people were using an impostor horse and you had a bet on - that was close and don't forget the time where Shirley got you out of being charged for vandalising the local paper, she did not just because of the mystery but because she cared for you. You know you saw the look on her face when they caught you, Shirley wouldn't let you take all the blame even though it had nothing to do with her. Yeah but how many times has she got you into trouble and herself? How many times have you had to save her neck? Lost count. She stuck her nose in where it didn't belong too many times! Stubborn, arrogant, annoying, nosey, persistent - friendly, clever, fun, intriguing, cool and I would be lying if I said she wasn't pretty. Hey Bo snap out of it! But I might as well admit it to myself if no one else, I miss her tremendously, we had a special bond that I'll never forget. I don't know about Shirley but I cared a lot for her, she was more than just a sister - wait what are you saying? No... no, no, no! Do not even think that, no matter how much sense it makes. She's there every night in my head, when I wake up, during the day, every moment. I have to hide the diary under my bed or it'll keep me awake all night. I miss Redington like hell, it's home and I'm homesick, I even miss the Sussex Academy. Help me, I miss the mysteries Shirley and I would land us in. I wonder if she thinks about me as much as I do her? I wonder if Shirley misses me at all? Of course she does you hear her choke up at the end of a phone call, we spend at least three hours on the phone at the odd weekend when we have time to ring each other, then find it all so hard to say goodbye - and it gets harder every time. The worst thing was I never got to say goodbye to her properly when I left. There was no time to say goodbye, all I wanted was to give her a hug and tell her that I would miss her but even that was taken away by the fate of aeroplane timetables. But it would be a long time till I will be able to go back to Redington; I can't afford to go back yet. I desperately want to see my parents and a lot of other people; maybe in while I will have saved enough money to visit them again but by then Shirley probably would have moved. That reminds me I wonder where these guys are taking me? Bo had woke up last weekend to find his friends talking excitedly; they had permission to go abroad for three weeks. They said that he was coming with them whether he liked it or not but they kept the location top-secret. To add to his utter confusion, yesterday when they all left they were very insistent that he wore a blindfold, so Bo had decided to humour them and didn't hold up any fight. With his headphones on loudly, Bo missed the landing announcement but felt the planes' descent. Finally! Shirley sat by herself on the vacant array of seats, everyone around her was having a great time but Shirley just felt utterly depressed, bored and rather stiff she decided to have a walk around. Her mind was clouded with memories of the good times in the past, her eyes were itchy and her throat sore from choking back the tears that threatened to engulf her. Four hours later in Bo's time: "Okay Bo we're here!" Someone took his blindfold off; the light hurt his eyes and squinting he made out some sights that seemed a little too familiar. Rubbing his eyes, disbelievingly he gasped, "I'm home!" Yans and his girlfriend (who were both pals of Bo's) laughed as they watched him run around jumping in the air and squealing in delight, caught unawares they found themselves in a vice grip hug, "Thank you ever so much, you don't know how much I missed this place!" "I think we do - otherwise we wouldn't have brought you back" Yans grinned placing a hand on Bo's shoulder while rejoicing in the utter content look on his friend's face. "I've missed this place so much, I never thought it was home..." Bo said quietly, "I yearned so much to see my parents again, Mutt, the school and Shirley..." A puzzled frown creased Yans brow, "How did you know about that?" Bo turned to him with the cute inquisitive look, "I can't believe this!" Yans smiled at Bo, "Believe me, this is really happening". "How can I repay you guys?" Christie grinned while brushing her long blond hair, "Just enjoy yourself - that's the main thing". "I wish I knew if my friends will be there, anyway how did you know about this disco?" "That's for us to know and you to find out, now come on, the disco's been on for an hour already. If we don't hurry up we'll miss the whole thing". I just can't believe this is happening! I'm going to see my old school again. My old teachers, people I know, I'll see Redington, my parents - oh wow! Someone pinch me, this is impossible. God someone must really like me up there! Thank you! "Oh Shirley, lighten up, come and dance!" "Sorry Alicia, I just don't feel like it". "No... please. I'll be fine on my own here, you go and enjoy yourself". "Fine, okay..." Alicia hopped down off the table and joined a group of people dancing their hearts out. Shirley shook her head, why can't I be happy? Why can't I just get over Bo and enjoy myself. Alicia's right I should lighten up. Bo always encouraged us to get up and dance - it was real fun! That's what I really miss... Bo watched through the window in wonderment, "Look there's the old abbey! And the Quasar Café! There's the park and over there is the docks". Bo had been pointing out landmarks all through the journey, Yans and Christie sat back and listened to him in amusement. He drew quiet as they reached the woods surrounding the school, "Man have I missed this place..." Slowly the school loomed up ahead, "Bo we've arranged to meet some people around the back so we'll park there -okay?" Bo nodded still looking around in awe. "Where are they?" Alicia shrieked, "It's almost nine o'clock!" "Calm down Alicia, they'll be here - anyway isn't that them coming now?" The car came to a halt smoothly, as the doors opened the people got out and stretched, Bo looked up in surprise, a huge grin spread over his face as a small black haired person launched herself into his arms, "Hey Alicia! How you doing?" "I'm doing very well, it's great to see you. Everyone's really missed you!" "Hey man". Bo stood up and patted the boy on his back, "Bart, it's great to see you!" "It's great to see you! You're looking well". "Yeah, being back here's really great". "Yo, man!" "Stink! How you doing?' "Great, got some great jokes to tell you!" Alicia and Bart groaned in unison, "Believe me Bo, they haven't got any better! Anyway come let's go and dance". Something twigged in Bo's mind, "Hold it! You all seem very happy to see me yet you're not surprised. Were you in on this?" Alicia, Stink and Bart looked at each other for a moment then smirked, "You caught us red handed". Bo shook his head and smiled at the ground, "Come on Bo, let's go in". With a feeling of walking on air Bo followed them under the beautifully decorated tents. Alicia seemed to know where she was going. Shirley was still sitting on the table alone, the first slow dance started and she watched virtually everyone grab a partner. Why can't I just get up and dance with someone? This is not me! Feeling the tranquillity of everyone around her hit her face like tidal waves she opened her mind and let the words sink in. The last dance, might be your last chance, Over your shoulder you turn and glance, They walk past still no one is there, Feeling much older, the evening has crashed. No one else is interested with me; Bo was the only one who understood me; now I'm lost and alone. But don't surrender, don't you cry, Another lonely night you've had enough, Another lonely night is one too much, Another lonely night you might just give up, I wish I could fit in as easily as he could, but I find it hard to make friends. Matt was really nice but we just don't have enough in common. The last dance you hide empty hands, No one comes near you, The noise of the band, You can't talk so you get up and walk, And all that you've been through, It's not like you thought. Really, it's just the song that makes me want to cry, isn't it? Why do I feel like crying? I have hardly ever done it in my life so why now? Oh please let me feel content for a few minutes. Don't surrender, don't you cry, Another lonely night you've had enough, Another lonely night, is one too much, Another lonely night you might just give up, Oh, oh, oooohhhh! Oh what it wrong with me? No one has ever affected me like this apart from my mum. The last dance. The song was slowly drawing to a close, "Hey Shirley" Shirley spun around in the direction of Alicia's voice, Bo turned around too. Everything seemed to move in slow motion, They seemed to just stare at each other for eternity letting everything sink in, then before anyone blinked they threw themselves into a powerful hug. Bo gripped Shirley tightly to him, reassuring himself that it was really she; Shirley touched him delicately in case this was a figment of her imagination. He's here! He's home! This is Bo! He's back with me! He's all right! Shirley let her guard down and her tears flowed freely down her rosy cheeks, Bo felt her shake slightly under him and pulled her back to discover in surprise the tears that masked her face. "Oh, Shirley, what's wrong?" Bo asked softly, running his fingers gently over her forehead, "Not... nothing... I've just missed you so much!" "You have?" Shirley nodded and Bo smiled and pulled her back into a hug, "I've missed you too so much". Shirley smiled into his shoulder, "What are you doing here anyway?" Bo pulled back and gave her a sheepish look, "I don't really know, I was really homesick and somehow I managed to get back. But anyway we can talk about that later, let's enjoy ourselves. You look like you need cheering up". Another slow dance started up, everyone found a partner, even Alicia and Stink partnered together. Bo turned to Shirley, "Seen as we're here do you want to dance?" Shirley grinned at his awkwardness, "Sure, come on". Taking her hand gently Bo pulled Shirley onto the dance floor, with both his hands on her waist and her arms around his neck they slowly moved to the music. I said too much, went way too far It's only now, now we're apart That I can see I was wrong And you're where I belong So please don't make me cry I know you believe it But I really didn't mean When I said goodbye Bo dipped down; they both rested their foreheads' against the other and closed their eyes. I was a fool, now I'm alone Would you have stayed? Stayed if you had known That every thought is of you Hurt is all I can do Without you in my life I know you don't believe it But I really didn't mean it When I said goodbye Everything slipped from their consciousness', the closeness between them was almost tangible as they drew closer together, "I really missed you Shirley" Bo whispered mindlessly. I can't bear to watch you fly I need you in my life Don't say goodbye, let's give love another try Used to be that you and I was all we needed to know I can't believe you're leaving And I can't live my life alone "And I missed you like hell, too. Don't ever leave me alone like that again with out saying goodbye properly". "I won't... promise!" We've changed so much And still love remains Let's work it out There's no need to turn the page Your love is everything Don't let go, we can win If we would only try I know you don't believe it But I really didn't mean it When I said goodbye (goodbye) When I said goodbye. In the heat of the moment Shirley reached up and pulled Bo's head down placing a sweet and gentle kiss on his lips then... Beep, beep, beep, beep, bee- Shirley hit the buzzer with a groan. Opening her eyes slowly the realisation sunk in, it had only been a dream. But at least I got to say goodbye this time. With that she got dressed and glided down to breakfast, her spirits soaring. "Morning dad, morning mum, morning Gran!" Mr Holmes looked up from his newspaper and watched his daughter skip to the fridge; he looked at his wife with a puzzled expression but she hushed him with a grin. Whatever brought Shirley out of her darkened mood was little short of a miracle and it should be let alone in peace. Gran turned on the radio, "Next up here's a sad little number that'll get you emotions up and running this fine morning. It's Magnum and `The Last Dance'". Bo and Shirley both now felt more alive and longed for the day that Bo would return but now they had the satisfaction that they hadn't lost each other. Shirley smiled as the song started and sang along and not realising at the time that the only time she had heard that song was in her dream and how can a song that you've never heard be in you dream? Well they do say that God works in mysterious ways, The Last Dance.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/599939/1/The-Last-Dance

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en

Author's Note: I still have Breakaway to finish rewriting, Galactic Treasure to update someday, and my first SW fic to continue. So I'm definitely crazy for doing this, especially when my 'Net is down at home and I have no idea when it'll come back up again. But the idea latched on and would not let go. What's a penumbra? It's the darkest point of a shadow. Aria Saralyn, a wonderful SW fanfic author, once wrote a fic called Darker than Darkness. This fic is inspired by it, although I'd say this one is more intense. The rating for now is T, though depending on how bad it gets, I may actually have to jump it up to M. *cue gasp from readers* I know, I know, I've never done anything worthy of the M before. But this fic… just might warrant it. This is much, much darker than the vast majority of BLoSC fanfiction out there. And despite that, I'll do my best to stay true to the characters. He has a carefully-constructed routine for a carefully-constructed universe. In the morning, he wakes up, has his coffee, drives up to work, meets up with his team, blasts off to protect the galaxy (usually from a certain Evil Emperor), has at least one meal with his team at their favorite restaurant, comes home in the evening and racks out on the couch to sleep the sleep of the justified. That's his routine. His universe is very black and white, with Good on one side (his job) and Evil on the other (his arch-nemesis). He has his copilot, a sometimes-spitfire princess who's not afraid to give him a piece of her mind (or take a piece of his); his gunner, a kindhearted but rather gullible farmboy who idolizes him; and his scanner, a smart-mouthed robot who has more vices than any hero should ever have. A plethora of identical, miniature astrophysicists; a short-tempered but goodhearted commanding officer; and a load of fellow Rangers complete the part of the Good Side that forms his job. On the other side, he has his archenemy, an Evil Emperor who never stops trying to take over the galaxy; his former-partner-turned-bad-guy, an erstwhile best friend who can be really wicked or sort-of good, depending on the situation; and his target-practice, a never-ending supply of easily-destroyed combat 'bots. That's his universe, and, despite the millions of times he's come close to meeting his Maker, it's a pretty good universe. But for some reason, the routine is a little off today. He's sitting in the Control Room, sipping coffee and listening to the morning bustle around him. Nearby, XR's already back in sleep mode and snoring, and one LGM has found a very attentive audience in Booster. That leaves Mira unaccounted for—hence, the routine being off. Sighing, he decides to try to comm her again. Chirp-chirp! Chirp-chirp! Oh, that must be her now! "Hey, you're—" He stops short, blinks, makes sure that he's not just seeing things. "Zurg?" "Nice to see you, too, Lightyear!" Zurg retorts on the comm screen, scowling. Okay, this is weird—Zurg never calls Buzz on his communicator. "Zurg, what do you—" "Actually, what I want is what's best for everyone in this case," Zurg interrupts. "Even Evil Emperors have standards, you know." Buzz's eyebrows draw together. Best for everyone. Standards. Yeah, right. "What are you talking about?" Zurg's face abruptly turns serious. "Do you remember Parik Trelme?" Buzz feels his own face harden. He needs only one hand to count the number of criminals for whom he's pushed to take the death penalty, and Trelme is one of them. "I remember." "He's out of PC-7." "What? How do you know?" "He did some work for me two weeks ago, but I didn't know that it was him until last night." "Okay, thanks for the heads-up," Buzz tells the Evil Emperor, all business now. They have to hurry to catch Trelme before he ravages more lives. "We'll put out an APB for him—" "Not so fast, Captain Galaxy!" Zurg interjects again. That's getting annoying. "There's one more thing you need to know. Trelme wouldn't accept cash—only a devious piece of technology." "What—" Buzz catches the croak in his voice, pauses, starts over. "What devious piece of technology?" "An implant that can be inserted into a person's arm with very little risk—the catch is, the person would be Tangean Royal. The implant is designed to have a negating effect on their ghosting ability, similar to a Royal/Grounder power cancelation." For a moment, Buzz could swear his heart stops beating. When he can speak again, his mouth is paper-dry. "Mira." For once, Zurg's expression is regretful, and it's a look so completely alien to him that it's almost frightening. "'Fraid so. Sorry, Lightyear." No, he doesn't have to say that, he doesn't have to be sorry, because Mira will be just fine. She will be. "We'll take precautionary—" "Captain Lightyear?" calls a Rhizomian cadet. "Have a call for you!" "You can hold that thought," Zurg tells Buzz dryly. "Yeeeah, hold on." Buzz hurries over to the Rhizomian boy's console—this had better be good. "Who is it, Cadet?" But he recognizes the face right away, a man from the Capital City Police Force. "Woody!" "Hi, Buzz," the other man says. There's an indefinable something in his voice, in his face. "I've got bad news for you." Buzz's stomach tightens with apprehension. "What bad news?" "We found a note that was addressed to you," Woody informs him. "It was found in a broken-in apartment—a neighbor phoned us just fifteen minutes ago." He knows. He just knows. But he doesn't want to believe it, not yet, because that will shatter his universe—and Mira. "And?" "And the note says, Got her, Lightyear—it's signed by a man called Parik Trelme." Buzz's stomach knots so tightly that it hurts and he almost stops breathing. He feels cold, pale, lightheaded, and this can't be happening not Mira no please not her no this can't be happening… "Buzz, the apartment was Mira's. She's gone." With those words, his carefully-constructed universe shatters.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6115878/1/Penumbra

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en

Disclaimer: Glee doesn't belong to me, and if it did...I would treat the characters better. Pale hands grasped at army issue clothes, pulling, pushing, tugging, trying to unwrap their prize; needing, wanting to feel the touch of skin on skin. His skin felt like it was fire, burning to touch, to feel the other man's skin against his own. Hips, chests, and mouths fused together, neither knowing where one began and the other ended. Fumbling hands, legs parted, fingers seeking, questing for their ultimate goal. A small hiss, a murmured word, a soul-wrenching kiss as hands trailed across sweat-slick skin, memorizing dips and curves, scars and blemishes. One finger, then two and he was ready. A gentle push…a gentle slide, foreign hands tugging, pushing thighs higher, urging him to wrap his pale legs around his lover's waist. Finally, a hardness, unyielding, burning slightly, but the pleasure outweigh the pain. A quick jab and he was seeing stars, his lover thrusting into the hot, slick heat of his channel, hitting his special spot with every other thrust. He needed more, gripping shoulders tight, leaving bruises in his wake, urging his lover with whispered words, with moans of need. Thrusts increased, the sound of skin slapping against skin joined the moans and pants of desire in the air. Then whine filled the air, he was close, he needed a little more. Reaching down, he grabbed himself, stroking in time with his lover's thrusts…so very close. With one last stroke, he came, breathing his lover's name into the night air, shooting ribbons of cum across his belly as he clinch hard around his lover. Two quick thrusts and his lover was coming, he watched as the man came apart, filling his body with warmth. Hands reaching, he grabbed the man, pulling him down, cradling him with his legs and arms before he had the chance to collapse. As their hearts slowed, and sleep began to over take them, the man whispered, "I love you, my husband, my Finn." "I love you too, Kurt." The soldier breathed out as he settled around his new husband. Chapter One Summer 1943 When he stepped off the steamship in Victoria's harbor, Kurt felt as though he was still moving, swaying with movement of the railcar as it ate the miles between Halifax and Vancouver. But at last he was almost at the end of his journey; in the span of two weeks, Kurt had said goodbye to his life, to his father in England and traveled almost six thousand miles to live with a complete stranger. Most would call it crazy, and one war bride did; she swore that she wasn't living England until her husband was home and he could take her to Canada himself. But Kurt knew that this opportunity wasn't one he was going let go; after all, it wasn't every day a government would voluntarily pay for the relocation of military spouses to their country. Sighing to himself, Kurt retrieved his luggage from a bench before slowly walking through the crowded port, hoping to see a face that look familiar in someway. The dock was fairly large and reminded Kurt of the docks at Southampton, where his journey to Canada had begun. As Kurt walked along the platform, he stopped at the sound of voice calling his name. Turning slightly on his heel, Kurt looked around him as he tried to place the direction the voice was coming from. After having decided that it was coming from the left of him, Kurt began to walk in that general direction, hoping he wasn't wrong and lucky he wasn't. As he rounded the corner of the covered boat dock, Kurt saw an older woman with short brown hair and he just knew that it was Finn's mother; they both had the same soft brown eyes and Kurt could see the makings of Finn's crooked smile on her lips. Kurt took his steps slowly; he didn't really know how to approach this virtual stranger, who was now his mother-in-law. Fortunately for him, Finn's mother saved him the trouble. Once he was in arms reach of the older woman, Carole Hudson pulled him into a tight embrace. The young Englishman paused, taken back by the display of affection from the mother; but as Carole continued to hold him, Kurt slowly sunk into the embrace, returning it with one of his own, for it had been far too long since he had felt a mother's hug. Carole was the first to let go, but left one hand on the small of Kurt's back where it had come to rest during their hug. Smiling to the young man, she grabbed Kurt's neglected luggage from the dock before he could stop her. Carole shook her head at Kurt, as she led him through the crowded dock. "You've had a long journey; your case isn't that heavy, plus the car isn't that far. And neither is home." Carole smiled. "How far is not far?" Kurt asked, even he could hear the weariness in his voice. "A few miles, we live about a mile and a half outside of Victoria." Carole explain, "So not far at all, but I can image that even those few miles sounds like a lifetime to you." She finished, grinning to herself as though she had told a joke. Kurt gave his mother-in-law a weak smile, tired from his long journey and a little frazzled from just being in her presence. This is not how he dreamed he would meet his mother-in-law, but then again he hadn't dreamed that he would meet the man he wanted to grow old with and marry all within the short period of six weeks. But it had happened, and Kurt wasn't going to change it for anything in the world. As the pair reached the car, Carole gave a light tap on the small of Kurt's back before removing her hand. Kurt watched silently, shifting slightly on his tired legs, as Carole stowed his luggage in the backseat before moving to open the driver side door. Leaning across the bench seat, Carole pushed the door open for Kurt, indicating for him to get in. As he grasped the door handle, Kurt could feel the heat in his cheeks, slightly embarrassed at appearing to be dim in front of Carole. But once in the car, it seemed that Carole hadn't paid the small moment any notice and within minutes, the dark forest green saloon car was speeding down the street as fast as its engines would go. The drive from the harbor to the house was silent; Kurt watching through the window as the city blocks sped by, before giving way to tree-lined streets and densely populated homes. It was so much different than the death and devastation that Kurt had left behind in London, but even the wide open spaces and safety of being thousands of miles from the war didn't soothe Kurt's troubled mind. He was worried about Finn fighting in Europe; he was worried about his father, who had tried to continue business even with the dropping of German bombs. Shaking his head to clear these thoughts, Kurt turned his attention back to the scenery as it passed, because he knew that dwelling on those thoughts wasn't going to changed anything. When the car got closer to its final destination, Carole began talking, her voice pulling Kurt from his thoughts and back into the present. "I know it isn't much, but I do understand what it's like to be a stranger in a strange land. Did Finn ever tell you how I meet his father?" With a shake of his head, Kurt prompted her to continue. "I was a nurse at a military hospital in Halifax when I met him. It was a few months after the end of the Great War, and Christopher was one the lucky few. He had come home, uninjured and with his sanity. He was visiting a friend in the ward, and when I saw him my heart stopped. It was then that I knew I wanted to marry this man. And I did…a month later." Kurt giggled, his heart lightening at hearing that Carole's story was almost like his. "But how did you end up in British Columbia?" "This is where he was from, and let's just say that my in-laws didn't like me very well, bordering on a strong dislike, especially from his mother, if I'm completely honest. But I followed Christopher back here," Carole said, "and he built this house with his own hands." Concluded just as the car stopped in front a quaint medium size bungalow painted a cheery yellow color. Exiting the car, the young husband let his eyes wonder across the home and its features, with is slanted roofed porch and rock foundation. Kurt grabbed his case from the backseat before Carole could, which earned him a raised eyebrow from the smaller woman. Shrugging his shoulders in reply, Kurt followed the woman into the house, watching his step as he ascended the front stairs. Once inside, Kurt took a moment, spinning in a slow arch as he took in the interior of the quaint home. Motioning for Kurt to set down his case, Carole led him through the home, pointing out the various rooms on the ground floor before returning to the living area and his suitcase. With Kurt's case in hand, Carole mounted the stairs, sure that her son-in-law would follow. "The back bedroom is Finn's so I thought you might like to stay in that room." Carole told Kurt, but paused at the unreadable expression on the man's face. "Or you can the small guest room off the kitchen if that is better. Whatever you are comfortable with." "Finn's room is fine. I'm sorry for seeming so ungrateful, but I'm still a frazzled by my journey." Carole smiled kindly at the young man, "I understand, dear…all to well. Now there's the bathroom; I'm sure that you really want a bath after such a long journey. I'll be downstairs if you need me, so I'm going to let you get settled, and dinner is at six." Kurt watched as Carole left, before kicking his case over and falling onto the bed. All he wanted to do was have a nice hot bath and sleep for the next sixty years. Rolling on his back, Kurt stared at the room's ceiling; he was feeling a little more at ease in this foreign house just by the intimacy of knowing that his husband once slept in this bed. With a sigh, Kurt hauled his tired body into a sitting position, before swinging his legs to the floor. Crouching next to his toppled luggage, Kurt clicked it opened, rummaging for his toiletries and his bathrobe. Once both were in hand, Kurt left the fairly good size bedroom, taking an immediate right into the bathroom with its claw-foot tub. Forty minutes later, Kurt exited the bath, feeling clean and almost human again. Dropping his toiletries on the dresser by the door, Kurt shuffled toward the bed, falling onto its soft mattress once more. As he pulled the blankets around him, Kurt took a minute just nuzzling the pillow…Finn's pillow. It might not smell like the other man, but Kurt liked the idea that once the war was over, he would be sharing this pillow with Finn. Smiling to himself, Kurt drifted off to sleep for a well deserved nap. It was half passed five when Kurt awoke to the sound of voices drifting up from the downstairs; throwing back the blankets, the young Englishman began to dress, picking out his best clothes of dark grey slacks, a white dress shirt, bluish-grey tie, and topped it all off with a navy blue jumper. After checking his reflection in the small mirror hanging above the dresser, Kurt left the bedroom, making his way down the stairs and into the living area. But at finding no one, Kurt followed the sound of voices coming from the direction of the kitchen. Pushing the door open slightly, Kurt paused in the doorway, taking in the two young woman seated at the large kitchen table. One was dark where the other was light, but both women were dressed in the latest fashions, which Kurt was envious of. At seeing the man, Carole waved him into the kitchen, motioning for him to take a seat in an open chair. The young Englishman smiled at the welcoming manner of his mother-in-law as he slid behind the table. "Did you have a good nap?" Carole asked, as she worked on kneading the dough to make biscuits for dinner. "Yes, thank you." Kurt replied, although he wasn't looking in their direction, he could feel their eyes as the two young women sized him up. Kurt had met their type before, they saw him as competition; but Kurt wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of seeing him flinch at the scrutiny of their gaze. "Oh, sorry, where are my manners. Kurt, let me introduce you to Rachel Berry and Quinn Fabray," Carole said, indicating to each woman in turn. "They went to school with Finn." Kurt smiled as he held out his hand for each of the girls to shake. Rachel Berry, the darker haired woman, grasped his hand politely; as for Quinn Fabray though, she looked at the hand as though it belonged to a leper, but shook it anyway. Flipping her hair to the side, Quinn turned her attention back to Carole. "Do you need any help, Mrs. Hudson?" The blonde asked. Kurt raised an eyebrow at the sound of the sugary sweet voice she used when talking to the older woman, and had to stifle a chuckle at Rachel rolling her eyes in response to the voice. "No dear. I wouldn't want to ruin your pretty nail polish." "Quinn, since when do you know how to bake?" Rachel questioned, earning herself a sharp glare from the blonde. "I thought your cook did all of that. After all, your mother made it point to let everyone in town know that her daughter was the prefect well-bred lady, who didn't know the meaning of the word 'manual labor'." Carole cleared her throat, letting both girls know that they behavior wasn't wanted or needed…Ever. Quinn smiled sweetly at Carole before focusing her attention on Kurt. "So, Kurt was it?" Quinn asked, not waiting for his reply before continuing with, "Were the bombings as bad as the papers are claiming?" Kurt looked at her, flinching slightly at the question; she had hit a nerve and it hurt. Just as he opened his mouth to reply, Carole cut him off with a sharp reprimand leveled at the young blonde. "You're out of line, Quinn. And I do believe its time for you to be getting home to your mother." Pushing back her chair, Quinn stood, murmuring a quick 'goodbye' as she fled the kitchen. Carole Hudson was not a woman to cross—she was fiercely loyal to her family, even if that family was a virtual stranger to her. Waiting a moment, Rachel stood as well, gathering her purse as she did so. "It was wonderful to meet you, Kurt. But I must be on my way as well; my grandmother is in town for the weekend, and dad said I needed to be home in time for dinner." Sighing to herself once the kitchen was cleared of her guests; she sank into the nearest chair and grasped Kurt's hand in her own. "I had no idea that either one of them would show up, or that Quinn would act like that; but I should have expected it. Those girls have been chasing and vying for Finn's attention and affection since grammar school. Finn has always had a soft spot for them, it's his nature; but as they got older, their affection for him grew while his had diminished and he just never had the heart to them 'no, he didn't love them in that way'. Finn had honestly hoped that when he volunteered for service, the girls would back off and realize they would be spending their youth waiting on him. Unfortunately, he was wrong, and each one had fully expected a marriage proposal and a wedding before Finn had left for England. And now they see you as competition for Finn's affections…a thief, really. And if there is one thing I know about both of those girls, they have always gotten their way…their parents have seen to it." "But not this time," Kurt remarked with a smile at Carole, "Finn married me, so I've won the war—a war which I didn't even know I was fighting." Carole laughed at Kurt's comment; the more she spoke with the young man, the more she understood why her son had married him. He was beautiful (and if she had been twenty years younger, she might have been tempted to try for him), smart, witty and had a wonderful sense of humor. "That you have, and I couldn't be happier. Now, do you know how to bake?" Carole asked, rising from her seat to finish kneading the dough. "Yes. And I know how to cook, sew, and repair automobiles." Kurt answered proudly. At seeing Carole's shocked face, he explained. "My mother was ill for a lot of my childhood and she taught me cooking, baking and sewing, so that my dad and I would be alright, once she was gone. As for the auto repair, my dad makes his living as a mechanic. He owns a small garage in London, and we lived in a flat not far from it." "I'm sorry for your loss, it must have been hard loosing your mother so young," Carole said, squeezing Kurt's shoulder in sympathy. "If you ever feel the need to sew, though, we have a machine in the spare bedroom behind the dining room." She added, steering the conversation away from the sad memories. Kurt nodded his head, before deciding to join Carole in baking. As the pair worked, they talked, trading stories back and forth—about each other, about Finn and about the differences between living in Canada and England. Eventually dinner was ready and as they sat down to eat, a knocked sounded at the backdoor. Rolling her eyes as she pushed her chair back from the table, Carole stood up to answer it. "Blaine, you do know what time it is? A time when normal people usually sit down to eat." The man, apparently known as Blaine, grinned at Carole, clearly unfazed by the tone of her voice. "Sorry, Mrs. Hudson, I just wanted to drop off your grocery order." "Uh huh." Carole replied; her face showing that she didn't believe his story in the slightest. "Are you sure that you didn't drive out here to meet Finn's husband, for I'm sure that Rachel and Quinn have already told the town everything." Blaine bit his lip, "Rachel might have come into the store and I might have overheard her talking to my cousin, Brittany." Sighing to herself, she opened the door wider to let the younger man in. "Well, you're here now. Come in, I can't really send you away without dinner." Upon entering the warm kitchen with his box of goods, Blaine smiled at the sight of Kurt sitting at the food covered tabletop. After placing his burden on the counter, he joined the other young man at the table; but not before grabbing a plate from an overhead cabinet, a task which Kurt thought looked very natural, almost as though this man had done it countless times before. "Oh this looks great, Mrs. Hudson." Blaine commented, shoveling food on his plate as if he hadn't been feed in years. Carole affectionately rolled her eyes at the boy, retaking her seat at the table. "Actually, Kurt helped with some of dinner. He's a very good baker." Kurt blushed lightly at the praise from his mother-in-law. "Kurt, this is Blaine Anderson. His father owns the general store in town, and doubles as an attorney as needed. If you can't tell, Blaine is almost like another son, practically raised him along side of Finn, well along with Noah too." "Puckerman?" Kurt prompted. "Yes," Carole responded, "did you meet him?" "Yes, I had the pleasure, if you could call it that." Kurt said, frowning at Carole. Carole laughed at the statement, "Sounds about right then." "So, Rachel says you're from London." Blaine broke in, wanting to know as much as he could about this man. Just from his looks, Blaine could see why Finn had married the other man. And even if Kurt was a married man, there was nothing wrong with being friendly to a friend's husband, providing an ear or a shoulder if needed. "Yes. Hammersmith, actually, it's a borough of London." Blaine nodded at Kurt's clarification, before voicing his next question. "How was your trip here?" "Uneventful and long…very long; but I'm here now and happy to be." Kurt replied, giving Carole a warm smile as he finished. Carole returned the smile with one of her own, as she motioned for the pair to eat. The dinner continued, with Blaine asking twenty questions, and Kurt answering them as best he could, while Carole interrupted every so often—scolding Blaine about letting Kurt breathe and eat his dinner in peace. Kurt smiled good-naturally at Blaine, thinking the other man was charming in his enthusiasm to know him; but even that charm would never hold a candle to Finn. Eventually, dinner ended with Carole all but throwing Blaine out of the house—with the tip of his imaginary hat, Blaine left the way he came, through the backdoor. Kurt helped Carole clear the table before giving her a light kiss on the cheek as he left the kitchen. They both froze, and Kurt's cheeks heated slightly, worried that he might have overstepped his bounds. After a few seconds of frozen silence, Carole broke the awkwardness by pulling the young man into a hug and laying a kiss upon his flushed cheek. Kurt chuckled as he returned the hug, before releasing the mother, who began shooing Kurt towards the living room and up the stairs—mumbling about it being late and them both needing rest after such a long day of traveling and surprise visitors.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7313228/1/War-Husband

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en

AN: A quick one-shot about what a possible future might be for the toys. Happy for most, but a tragedy for two. Disclaimer: I do not own Toy Story. Pixar does. Watching as the sun rose from her perch in the rafters, the early morning light peering in through the small window that had been added long before the Anderson family had moved into the old house, Jessie let out a soft sigh as she mentally prepared herself to meet another day. Dropping to the floor, she hurriedly swept away the daily concern over being seen by the few inhabitants of the house that still remained, for the slight thud her boots had made when they had hit the rough wooden floors of the attic was nowhere near enough to draw attention to the activities of the unknow house guests. Besides, on a weekend morning, Bonnie would still be sleeping until she had to head on out to work, cutting out the dangers of one human, while Mrs. Anderson had begun to lose her hearing to old age a few months ago, nullifying the second threat she posed to their little community. Nodding a greeting to Hamm, who had signed for morning watch when they had first gotten things set up, she quickly made her way back towards the deepest corner of the attic, her sense of pride growing with each step as her home, a settlement that would make any pioneer proud, came into sight. Placed under the west facing window, at first glance the corner looked like any other part of the attic: a random assortment of boxes and containers that someone had stacked around an old black and white t.v. that was still connected to an old game system that probably should have been thrown out a long time ago. Facing a scene so average, so normal within an attic that had constantly had boxes shifted around as old decorations were uncovered and reburied for discovery again at a later date, no one would ever think twice about it, most likely forgetting about its existence as soon as they had moved on to find whatever it was they were searching for. It wasn't until a closer look was taken at the clearing, however, that someone would notice that, instead of being packed to the tearing point with knick knacks and trinkets that the family below had still wanted but had needed out of the way, each and every box had been opened and closed, its contents carefully distributed amongst other boxes on the other side of the room. It wasn't until a closer inspection was performed that someone would recognize the ragged holes that littered the sides of the boxes as doors and windows instead of the initial mouse holes they would first be mistaken for. But the real kicker would have come, if there had been anyone around to be kicked, had the person actually peaked into one of these holes and found the multitude of miniature furniture that littered the different sections of the boxes, with cloth partitions hung from the top to create a semblance of privacy from one 'room' to the next. If anyone had bothered to look, they would have found an entire civilization of just toys. But lucky for them, the creators of this little piece of paradise, humans were an incredibly unobservant species, so it had never happened. After the first few months the toys had been stuck in storage, it had soon become a fact known to the inhabitants of the little town that they were safe there, that the few humans they ever saw would never again disturb them until they were finally needed by another child. They had all been unnerved by this revelation, for although they had all understood that Bonnie, now a grown woman who was working her way through college and planning her wedding to none other then their old owner Andy, had grown up and no longer needed them, the idea that they were free agents, that they could now come and go as they pleased without regards to how a human would react, had been a jolt, an uncertainty in which a new fear began to grow: the fear of possibilities. Being a toy, the world was open to them through a child's imagination, allowing them to be anything they child willed them to be at the moment. But only as the child willed it. With their children grown and gone, at least for the meantime, they no longer had that comforting restriction. Pausing to wave at Mrs. Potatohead as she pushed aside the purple scrape paper window covering she had added to the house to give it that extra homey feeling, Jessie couldn't help but smile as she maneuvered through the assortment of villas and townhouses, nodding and greeting her friends as they began their preparations for the day. Glancing between the buildings into the parallel pathway to her right, her eyes lit up with mischief as she spotted Woody, the old cowboy doll meandering down towards the village square with a roll of paper in his hands, probably the notes for the meeting that would take place later that day after Mrs. Anderson had finally left for work. Sneaking through the alley, Jessie softly began stalking her prey as he continued on his way through the town, vaguely acknowledging the toys he encountered as he reviewed the notes, his eyes glued to the roll of sticky notes he clutched in his hands. Frowning, she quickly scoured the area, her face swiftly lifting in a grin as she spotted the three young peas racing towards her. Placing a finger over her lips to signal for silence, she motioned for the children to gather around her, her voice low as she explained the help she would need from them. After just a few moments the group once more broke up into its two separate parties, the gathering too fast for anyone to confirm whether it had actually been there or not. But even if the huddle of toys had just been a coincidence, there was no question to the fact that the events that followed soon after were the hard work of short term conspirators. His mind so fixed upon the papers he clutched in his hands, Woody had allowed his shield to fall, opening him to any attacks that the cowgirl and children had managed to plan so quickly. He had been planning this meeting for weeks now, constantly reviewing and revising the plan he had been waiting to bring before the board that had formed in the last few years that his vision still swam with marks and calculations, all of which would eventually lead to the success they had been craving for so long. Pushing his tongue against his cheek as he mentally ran through a series of measurements once more, it was with a slight say of relief that his numbers had come up the same that he walked right into their trap. "Got yah!" Letting out a cry of surprise as the three peas barreled into him, Woody winced as he hit the floor, his papers flying from his hand as the children settled themselves onto his chest. Taking a moment to catch his breathe, pretending that the surprise tackle had left him more winded than it had, it was less than a minute later that Woody shot into a standing position, the peas rolling to the floor in a giggling heap. Bending down, his fingers spread wide as he prepared his own tickle-based counterattack, it was only because of her sudden movement and shocked gasp that he realized that Jessie had found his roll of notes. Wincing at the look on her face, Woody twisted away from the peas to tear the papers from her hands, an action she did nothing to stop, and prepare to explain himself. "Jessie, I can exp-" "Don't bother Woody," Jessie cut him off softly, her head bowed as she refused to meet his gaze, instead studying the old scuff-marks that had long since been the main characteristics of her boots. "Don't bother. One of these days, you'll see that I was right and that there was nothing we could have done. Maybe then you'll stop risking the others to fix a toy that was broken long ago." Twisting on her heels, the promised play date with the peas long forgotten, Jessie quickly hurried on her way to the duty that had been hers to perform for years. The sight that met her did nothing to lighten her mood. The house, if that was what the others still insisted on calling it, had been tucked away into the farthest corner of their little town, as if distance could actually ease the pain the sight of it shot through all of them. The windows and door had long been covered with scraps of cloth that Slinky had found in one of the boxes, completely blocking out the damaging sun that would have only insulted him more. Ducking her head so that she could fit through the entrance, its height and width custom made for someone much smaller and wider than herself, it was with that same wiry, saddened smile that Jessie greeted the toy she had come to see. "Hey Buzz." Of course, there was no answer, nothing to indicate that the astronaut had heard her voice or recognized his own name. Instead, he remained silent, his brilliantly blue eyes closed despite the many projects that awaited and the people that needed him. He was beyond caring, beyond anything, really, and so continued to sleep. What else was there for a corpse to do? Settling herself into the warn chair that had been placed by his side, Jessie's smile slowly faded into a frown as she examined his face, his every feature a familiar setting in the overall scene that she had observed so many times, she was comfortable. There was a sense of home in his features, a feeling she rarely felt outside of this cardboard tomb, and for a single, wild moment, she wanted nothing more then to climb onto the platform he was lying on, lay down, and be held by the toy she loved once more. Wishful thinking, for batteries hadn't been made in a long, long time. In a world ever everything plugged into a wall and held its own charge, extra batteries had become obsolete, an necessity that Bonnie and her mother had decided to cut from their budget since they had become a commodity, an oddity. There was no need of them, and so what had once been the driving force behind a great machine was now nothing more then a waste of money, something neither of the Anderson women could afford. Without them, Buzz had faded until, one day, he had just never awoken. Grabbing the rag that she had placed into the corner for just this purpose, Jessie went about her daily task of wiping away the dust that had gathered on the spaceman, her hand swift to return the shine to his armor and clear the shield that protected his face. Finding her chore done quicker then she had expected, it was only moments later that Jessie allowed herself to relax once more, her fingers gently reaching out to trace the lines of the plastic that made up his hand. For one delusional second, she could have sworn that he twitched, that he had reacted to her touch and the sound of her voice, but just as quickly she forced herself to reface the reality she had been living with for the past five years. The love of her life had died long ago, and no matter how much she wished it different, there was nothing she could do to help him. Bending so that her head was resting against his chest, her eyes stinging with tears she was unable to shed, it was with a sinking heart and heartbreaking sigh that the last of her hope that, one day, things could return to the way they had once been died as well.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8242020/1/

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en

When Nezumi awoke, it took him a few moments to remember where he was. He opened his eyes to see a pair of bright eyes staring right at him. A smile crept onto his face as he stretched a bit in the small bed. The boy laying beside him smiled back and snuggled into Nezumi's arms, all the while keeping eye contact with him. "Good morning," Shion whispered to Nezumi, burying his face into the others chest. Nezumi responded by kissing Shion's forehead and pulling the smaller man closer to him. He brought his hand up to Shion's face and cupped his chin. Shion didn't need prompting and quickly brought his lips up to Nezumi's. All of their previously shared kisses had been simple, a light brushing of the lips together. This kiss was different. The two men began to move their lips against each others, enjoying in the different reactions they received. Nezumi's hand found it's way to the back of Shion's head and was keeping him pressed firmly against himself. Shion's hands were pressed flat against the taller man's chest, he could feel Nezumi's heartbeat underneath his left hand. Nezumi felt Shion's tongue pressing against his bottom lip, asking for entrance into the others mouth. He was surprised at the boldness Shion was showing but automatically parted his lips, allowing the two of them to explore new territories. A grumbling noise interrupted their progress and Nezumi pulled back, a light blush covering his face. "When was the last time you had something to eat, Nezumi?" Shion asked, suddenly concerned for the other man. "Well, I was in a bit of a hurry to make it in time for your birthday.. I didn't get a chance to have dinner last night," Nezumi sheepishly responded, avoiding Shion's eyes. "You put off eating just to come see me?" Nezumi swatted half-heartedly at the other man for this question but didn't give an answer. The truth was, Nezumi hadn't had anything to eat the previous day except a packet of crackers that he was offered on one of his train rides. His stomach was now protesting loudly to it's lack of food. Nezumi however wasn't quite ready to remove himself from the arms of the white haired birthday boy in front of him. He moved himself so he was hovering over Shion, the smaller boy trapped underneath him. His lips moved to Shion's neck, lightly brushing over the red snake that wrapped itself around Shion's body. Not used to this sort of affection from anyone, Shion involuntarily shuddered at Nezumi's touch. Shion felt a hand move to the edge of his shirt he had fallen asleep in. It wasn't cold but the feel of Nezumi's hand on his skin caused a shiver to go down Shion's spine. He felt Nezumi's lips curl into a grin against his neck as Shion's body reacted in ways he could not control. "I think this will be enough to satisfy my hunger," Nezumi muttered against Shion's throat. The taller man ran his fingers up and down Shion's stomach, feeling the other boy's skin reacting to the touch. He hungered for Shion in ways he couldn't even understand. He had never felt this way towards anyone before and found himself wanting to claim every part of the man underneath him as his own. He lifted Shion's shirt off of him and threw it to the ground. He could feel Shion taking deep breaths to try to steady himself as Nezumi's fingers danced across the thin boy's skin. Nezumi's lips traced Shion's jaw before sliding back down to his neck and across his collarbone. He glanced at Shion's face and the white haired boy's eyes were shut, a look of pure bliss across his face. Nezumi continued on his path, slowly claiming Shion with his lips. He followed the snake that curved across his chest, kissing it as he went. He boldly licked Shion's nipple and heard a sharp intake of breath. Shion's eyes shot open and he looked down to see Nezumi. Grey eyes met red and Nezumi pushed himself back to Shion's face, catching his lips with his own. This time it was Shion's hands which roamed along Nezumi's body. When his hand reached Nezumi's shoulder, Nezumi cringed as Shion felt the scars from the other man's past underneath his fingers. Nezumi tried to pull back from Shion slightly but the smaller man simply shook his head and brought their lips crashing together once more. Hands explored as their breathing became more labored than before, each of them needing to break for air more often. Soon, Nezumi's shirt was laying on the floor as well and he slowly lowered himself onto Shion so their chests were flush together. They pulled apart and looked into each others eyes. Nezumi brought his hands together over Shion's chest and laid his chin on top of them. Shion smiled up at him before leaning towards Nezumi for another kiss. Nezumi pulled back, teasing Shion and forcing the smaller boy to lay his head back on his pillow. "But Nezumi..." Shion whined. "Let's not get too carried away now, your majesty," Nezumi replied, a smirk on his face. He rolled off of Shion and sat up, truly taking in his surroundings for the first time since entering the bedroom. The room was small. It had a bed, a nightstand, a dresser, and a lamp. In one corner, Nezumi saw what looked like crates stacked on top of each other. Nezumi moved to the corner to investigate what was in these crates. When he looked down into the first one, his breath caught in his throat. He turned back to the white haired boy, now sitting on the side of his bed with a sheepish grin. "Are these my books?" Nezumi asked him. "Uh, well, they're some of them.. I didn't know how long you were going to be gone for.. I just didn't want to lose them and, uh, I was in the middle of reading some of them too.." Shion trailed off, his hand reaching up to scratch the back of his head. Nezumi was speechless. He knew Shion had taken a liking to his books but he never thought that the airheaded boy would actually take care of his stuff in such a way. He felt extremely thankful to Shion for thinking of his collection. He turned back to look through the crates, finding book after book that he considered to be his favorites. He felt a presence beside him and found that Shion had moved off the bed. He still had a sheepish look on his face but there was also a hint of pride, knowing now that he had done something Nezumi had appreciated. The dark haired boy put the copy of Macbeth that he had loved so dearly back into the crate and tossed an arm around Shion, pulling him close. "Thank you. Thank you for this, Shion. Thank you for saving my books," Nezumi whispered into the white hair as he planted kisses on top of Shion's head. He could never express his gratitude to the other man for all that he had done for him. Shion didn't know what to say and remained in Nezumi's arms until he once again heard the sound of a grumble coming from the other man. After a quick peck on the lips, Shion took Nezumi's hand and lead him to the bakery where he could smell his mother's creations coming from the oven. When they reached the end of the hallway, Shion reached for the door but then jumped back, his face suddenly turning bright red. Nezumi turned to look at him, wondering what caused this reaction. "We forgot our shirts! We can't go in there half naked, there might be customers or even worse, my mother!" Shion turned around quickly, pulling Nezumi along with him. They were merely steps away from Shion's bedroom when the two men heard the bakery door open and froze in their tracks. Shion was going over explanation after explanation as to why he and Nezumi were both standing in the middle of the hallway, shirtless. Before he could even think of one plausible excuse, he remembered that there was also the fact that Nezumi was in his house and his mother didn't know. The two men glanced at each other before turning back to the door. A teenaged girl was standing in the entryway, a look of surprise on her face as she stared at the two shirtless men in front of her. Shion shyly waved and turned even darker red than he was before. Nezumi merely cocked his head to the side and wondered who this girl was. "Oh, hi there Lili!" Shion said brightly, crossing his arms over his bare chest. Lili's eyes were as wide as saucers as she looked at the two men. "Shion, who is this?" Lili questioned, pointing to Nezumi. "And where is your shirt?" "Um, well, you see.." Shion stumbled over his words and avoided the girl's eyes. "I'm Nezumi." the dark haired man said, stepping towards the small girl with his hand out. Lili grasped his hand and her mouth fell open. She had heard this name before. She knew Nezumi was responsible for keeping Shion alive years ago after the boy disappeared from Lost Town. She had heard Karan speaking highly of this Nezumi character and couldn't believe that this person was now standing in front of her. Coming out of her slight trance, Lili shook her head and stepped back from the man. She looked between Shion and Nezumi as a new expression came to her face. She suddenly understood why Shion had been so offhand with her whenever she tried to flirt with the white haired boy. A faint blush crept up her neck as she bowed her head and looked to the floor. "Oh.. I get it now.." Lili said, more to herself than anyone else. She quickly composed herself, forcing a smile onto her face and grinning at Shion. "Happy birthday, Shion!" she said in a hurry before pushing past the two men and bounding down the hall. Shion and Nezumi watched as she threw herself into the room across from Shion's and slammed the door. They heard a small sob and looked to each other. Shion shrugged his shoulders at the taller man as if to say he didn't know what was going on. Nezumi however felt a small tug at his heart as he realized that the shorter boy was still the same airhead he had always been. They returned to Shion's room and gathered their shirts from the floor. As Nezumi pulled his over his head, he caught eyes with Shion and gave him a sly grin. The effect was automatic as Shion's face turned red and he broke eye contact, choosing instead to look at the floor. Nezumi closed the distance between the two men and put his hand underneath Shion's chin, forcing him to look up. The dark haired man laughed at the reaction Shion had shown and bent his head to swiftly plant a kiss on the smaller man's lips. "You still get flustered so easily, Shion," Nezumi chuckled, still holding Shion's face. "It's okay though, I think it's quite charming when you blush," he added with a wink. Shion's face became even darker and he couldn't keep eye contact with Nezumi. He pushed himself closer and buried his face against the other man's broad chest. Shion wrapped his arms around Nezumi's waist as Nezumi brought his own arms together across the shorter man's shoulders. Shion mumbled something into the fabric of Nezumi's shirt. "Hmm? What was that?" Nezumi asked, unable to hear what the other man had said. Shion pulled away but kept a hold on Nezumi's waist. He looked into the face of the person who had saved his life more times than he could count but had also left him with a promise of return. Shion had waited patiently for this day to come and at times had felt like he was wasting his time on something that was impossible. The days when he felt the most alone, the days when he just wanted someone to talk to, the days when he woke up in a cold sweat from the night terrors that constantly plagued him, those were the times when he worried that Nezumi would never return to him. Yet here he was, standing within Shion's arms. He took a moment and truly looked at the tall man who had given up so much to help Shion survive. His dark hair was still short, now even shorter than Shion's own. His face had filled out a small amount in the years he had been away. His eyes, however, remained the same. Shion found himself staring into the gray eyes he could recognize from across a crowded room and smiled up at the man. "Nothing. It's nothing, Nezumi. I'm just glad you're here," Shion responded. Once again, Nezumi's stomach growled in hunger and the two men laughed. Hand in hand, they made their way out of the small bedroom and toward the bakery door. Shion placed a hand on the knob but didn't turn it just yet. Instead, he tugged Nezumi to him for a short kiss, running his thumb across the top of the other man's hand and in that moment, felt as though everything was right in his world.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/8597993/3/The-Return

<urn:uuid:af73a961-c6af-4759-b744-fec08cc6ce46>

en

hide bio PM . Follow . Favorite Joined 07-09-12, id: 855447, Profile Updated: 02-10-13 Author has written 1 story for Action. Hi, my name is chapellefan and I've been writing on for about 6 years now. The current project I'm working on is "Crazy World". It's a superhero original work that's a cross between X-men: Evolution, Watchmen and any other superhero sources I can think of at the moment. It stars in an alternate future where mutants were alive during the industrial revolution and have been a part of American bigotry and acceptance until they are serving as police-aids today. Updates are weekly, if not mentioned otherwise and I hope you enjoy. Crazy World reviews In an alternate future, New York is the city of superheroes. However, psychics are met with heavy scrutiny and prejudice. 15 year-old Jimmy Donovan is not your average psychic. Preferring to beat criminals with his fists rather than talking them down gently, he faces other psychics all while serving the law (unwillingly). He'll meet with friends, enemies and every mutant in-between Fiction: Action - Rated: T - English - Adventure/Sci-Fi - Chapters: 28 - Words: 112,247 - Reviews: 5 - Favs: 3 - Follows: 2 - Updated: 3/5 - Published: 2/10/2013

https://www.fictionpress.com/u/855447/chapellefan

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Merchant Affiliate Network Itegration Job Description Hi all, I am looking for developer who has hands on experience in the following MAN API ( Merchant affiliate network) 1. PepperJam Network 2. Link Share 3. ShareAsale 4. AvantLink 5. Commission Junction 6. Google Affiliate Network You need to provide me the manual or guidance on how to make these API calls automated in my portal or let us know what calls are possible to make automated 1. Store id 2. Category 3. Coupon code 4. Coupon code deals 5. Store promotion deals 6. Commsion cash 7. Commission cash terms & condition 8. Cash tiers 9. Store Logo 10. Store Description Please note developer who shows existing portal that works on these API and reference from that portal owner will be selected and this process is mandatory. Please don’t apply if you cant show proof of your previous MAN API work.

https://www.odesk.com/o/jobs/job/Merchant-Affiliate-Network-Itegration_~01978dec9ab3781322/

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Testing/QA for iOS 7 app Job Description We have an iOS 7 that we need to be thoroughly tested. The app is for both iPhone and iPad--we're interested in hiring people who can test for either or both. We'd like you to spend 3 hours trying to find every possible bug in the app. This includes functional bugs, but also includes UI bugs (e.g. text being misaligned by a pixel). If those first 3 hours go well, we will allocate additional time for you to spend testing. We are looking for people able to test Friday-Sunday. When applying, please say when you will be able to do the testing and what device(s) you will use.

https://www.odesk.com/o/jobs/job/_~0173601e3408a738df/

<urn:uuid:a0adc3ce-7e05-4bc1-ae72-6ba962f1328e>

en

Can Obama Afford Not to Bomb Syria? The White House seems to be confusing the least bad option with a strategic necessity. Sep 10, 2013 Last week, I wrote that if President Obama didn't bomb Syria, you might as well hang a "Closed for the season" sign on his credibility -- and America's -- for the remainder of his second term. Administration officials have been even more forceful. Indeed, if you listen to some members of the administration's national security team -- notably the eloquent and forceful secretary of state, John Kerry -- you might conclude that Syria has become the fulcrum of Western civilization and that failure to act will bring the barbarians to the gates. But how strong is the administration's case? How damaging would a failure to act really be on U.S. influence and interests? That's pretty tough to game out. But before Congress votes on whether to authorize the president to use force, let's try. The proponents of military action base their arguments on four core assumptions. 1. Iran will be emboldened: Proponents of military action argue that failure to strike Syria for violating the president's red line on chemical weapons will encourage Iran to violate the American red line on nuclear weapons. Show U.S. weakness on one prohibition, and America's lack of resolve will be assumed on the other, too. I understand the connection, particularly if Congress tortures itself to death and doesn't grant the president authorization to use force, or if one house does and the other doesn't. But is failure to act against Syria really the key or even a key variable in Iran's nuclear program? You could argue that striking Assad might accelerate Iran's search for a nuclear weapon. And should Assad be truly weakened or fall, Tehran could feel encircled by a Western-Sunni arc and seek the protection of a nuclear deterrent. For Iran, the nuclear issue is an enduring one. Had the shah not been overthrown in 1979, Iran would likely already be a nuclear power. The mullahs' calculations about the bomb -- yes or no, why or why not, today or tomorrow -- involve issues much broader than whether the United States launches cruise missile strikes against Syria for using chemicals. The economic, social, and political cost of sanctions, the incentives the United States is prepared to provide as part of a negotiated deal, and of course the likelihood of a U.S. or Israeli military strike on Iran are far more determinative. But wouldn't Obama's failure to use military force against Syria mean he'd be less likely to act against Iran? I'm not sure that logic really applies, or that Tehran would automatically accept it, either. The dithering, indecision, and angst over Syria reflect the reality that attacking Assad really isn't a vital U.S. interest. If it were, and if it were perceived that way, it's likely the president would have acted without going to Congress, and the current debate wouldn't be as muddled. By contrast, preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons has been the policy of three American administrations. The factors that would impel a U.S. president to attack Iran would be fundamentally different, as would the domestic and international environments in which a debate about the use of force would be conducted -- particularly if the administration tried serious diplomacy first and laid out the case effectively. The idea that if you respond forcefully to less egregious criminal acts, you can prevent more serious crimes -- the "broken-windows" approach -- may apply to cities, but it isn't necessarily germane to deterrence in the Middle East, particularly when you have two different perpetrators. 2. Assad will be emboldened, too: Proponents of military action maintain that failure to use force will strengthen the regime and persuade Assad that he can act with impunity. This is a stronger argument. There's no doubt that Assad will be emboldened and much of the opposition demoralized if the Obama administration fails to act. But -- putting aside for a moment the question of how destructive a U.S. strike might be -- would failure to act raise the odds significantly that Assad would deploy chemical weapons again? Alternatively, could striking really guarantee Syria would never use them again? Cleary, we cannot be sure. Those in favor of military action, however, seem all but convinced that, although striking cannot ensure a stop to chemical weapons attacks, not acting will virtually guarantee that Assad will use such weapons more routinely. The administration believes this is one of its most compelling arguments -- that if the international community doesn't act, it will establish a horrible new norm whereby dictators have a green light to use chemical weapons -- but it is an extremely difficult proposition to prove. And there's more than a little hypocrisy on the part of the United States given its own acquiescence in -- even support for -- Saddam Hussein's use of chemical weapons against the Iranians. I take and accept the general point that, while you can't stop war, you want to make it a little less barbarous and that enforcing international norms against the use of chemical weapons would help do that. But would it deter Assad? Maybe for now. But Assad and his murderous cohort are fighting for their survival, and if pressed, they will deploy chemical weapons again and again. Given the virtual certainty that the Syrian conflict will persist with many more regime and rebel ups and downs, a "one and we're done" set of strikes almost certainly cannot dissuade Assad from using chemical weapons again. Nor is it a foregone conclusion that a limited strike will forestall Dictator X or Y from using chemicals in the future, particularly if the U.S. action doesn't truly hurt the Assad regime. 3. Israel will be weakened: American supporters of military action against Syria -- and many Israelis, too -- take the position that failure to act will weaken the United States and thereby undermine Israel's security as well. This is presumably why AIPAC has been so active in supporting the administration's case on Capitol Hill. There is some logic to the notion that when the United States appears ineffective and weak in the region, so does Israel. And that deterring bad guys in the Middle East is a critical component of both countries' policies. But Israel is hardly a potted plant. It has demonstrated a consistent capacity to act even when the United States won't (see Iraq, 1981; Syria 2007, 2013). By now it should be pretty clear that, when it comes to security matters, the Israelis are pretty good at attending to their own business. They don't have a stake in seeing Assad or the opposition triumph in a definitive way, and they will continue to enforce their own red lines -- e.g., maintaining quiet in the Golan Heights and blocking weapons transfers to Hezbollah and other unfriendlies -- while the Syrian civil war continues. So I don't find the argument that U.S. inaction on Syria fundamentally weakens Israel all that compelling. It is, however, a stunning demonstration of Israel's centrality in congressional debate that critics of U.S. military action contend the country might be harmed by a strike on Syria and that supporters argue a failure to strike would hurt its interests. 4. Failure to act will undermine U.S. credibility: Absent a strike against Syria, supporters of military action argue, U.S. credibility will be badly damaged. There's a legitimate fear here, related to the gap between words and deeds, rhetoric and action. Presidents should say what they mean and mean what they say. Indeed, credibility really means believability, and when friends and foes don't believe a president's commitment, bad things can happen. But we know that presidents don't always mean what they say, let alone act on their words. When Barack Obama calls for a settlements freeze, proclaims Assad must go, or promises consequences if the Chinese and the Russians don't cooperate on Edward Snowden and nothing happens, it hurts American street cred. And these days, most everyone says "no" to the United States without much cost or consequence. In other words, U.S. credibility is already very low. An attack without a strategic underpinning won't make it much better. Still, the United States isn't doing all that badly in protecting its core interests in the challenging, angry, and dysfunctional Middle East. We're out of Iraq and getting out of Afghanistan; we're reducing our dependence on Arab hydrocarbons; we've prevented another major attack on the United States; and we're managing the U.S.-Israeli relationship. John Kerry has even managed to re-launch Israeli-Palestinian negotiations (and by the degree of radio silence attending the talks, he may even be making progress). And everyone's favorite Iranian president, Hasan Rouhani, is making the right noises about a more moderate course. The fact is that, given the odds against success in this region, we're not doing badly on tangible and concrete things, even as we're not doing that well on the more amorphous matter of our credibility. Credibility can be a much overrated commodity, particularly if its pursuit leads to actions that make matters worse, or if it becomes a substitute for clear and realizable goals. The real problem Let's face it. Obama's in a real box. He's got bad options on Syria, he doesn't have a lot of support, and he faces the very real prospect that this situation won't end happily for him. Even the least bad option -- the one that falls in the middle between not acting and acting too expansively -- is a dog's lunch. A limited military strike -- even one that falls on the tougher end of the limited continuum -- isn't likely to have much of an impact. And that raises the very real possibility that not acting won't make all that much difference. Having supported the president's willful and wise decision to avoid militarizing the U.S. role in Syria for the past two years, I find myself struggling with bad options now. Doing nothing is unacceptable in the face of the largest single deployment of chemical weapons since Saddam gassed the Kurds; doing everything to change the battlefield balance is reckless and will ensure too much ownership of a Syrian problem we can't fix. And that leaves the muddle in the middle. If I were in government -- a land where "doing something" is a built-in part of the job description -- I'd be tempted to go with the limited strike option. But I have no illusions. When you're selling the least bad option as a strategic and consequential move, you know you have a problem. The international community knows that the kind of military action the United States is contemplating is no solution and could make matters worse; the American people know it; much of Congress knows it; and I suspect Barack Obama knows it, too. If the president ends up acting militarily against Syria, he knows that, more than likely, it will make a point rather than a significant difference. And when U.S. military power is deployed and American lives put in harm's way, that is never a good outcome. This article first appeared on ForeignPolicy.com.

http://[email protected]/article/can-obama-afford-not-to-bomb-syria

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Any Winter Games? The first modern Winter Olympic games were held in 1924 in Chamonix, France. There was no winter Olympic festival in ancient times. Separate Winter Games were first authorized in 1911 to be held in 1916, but due to World War I they didn’t occur until 1924, in Chamonix. Starting with Lillehammer in 1994, it was decided that every other year will be an Olympic year (with Summer and Winter Games alternating), rather than holding Summer and Winter Games every 4th year. This was done to accommodate TV networks and audiences.

http://ancientolympicgames.org/games/winter-games/

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Skip navigation. The Critic's Resource on AntiEvolution Line Numbered Transcripts Index - P600-633 1 Q (Continuing) this." Was he correct in his 2 assertion that you have a direct interest in creation 3 science being shown to be incorrect? 4 A It has not been a very major interest of mine. 5 Q Is it a direct interest of yours, as Doctor 6 Patterson describes it? 7 A Could you define what "direct interest" means? 8 Q As opposed to an indirect interest? 9 A I don't want to be facetious, but it seems to me 10 major and minor interests are much more descriptive. It 11 is a very minor interest. 12 Q I have here a note, a copy of a note that you sent 13 to a gentleman at the law firm Skadden and Arps, where you 14 say in the third paragraph, "This is a case of great 15 importance and I stand willing to help in any way." Does 16 that indicate a minor interest in your life regarding 17 creation science? 18 A It indicates a major interest with respect to this 19 case. 20 Q Is your theory that— Let me start over. Do you 21 know how life formed on the surface of the earth? 22 A I have a theory of how life formed on the surface 23 of the earth. 24 Q Have you been able to take that theory and create 25 life in the laboratory? 1 A No. 2 Q Let me repeat my question. Do you know how life 3 evolved on the surface of the earth? 4 THE COURT: He just answered that. 5 MR. CHILDS: I think he said he had a theory. 6 THE COURT: I think that is the answer. I think he 7 has a theory. He doesn't know for a fact. 8 MR. CHILDS: I think there has been a blurring in 9 the distinction between a theory and a fact in this 10 lawsuit, and that is the point I am attempting to make, 11 your Honor. 12 THE COURT: I don't know how it's blurred, but it 13 doesn't seem to me like that answer blurred it. 14 MR. CHILDS: I will move on, your Honor. 15 MR. CHILDS: (Continuing) 16 Q Is it your position— Let me start over again. 17 Have you attempted to apply the theory of thermodynamics 18 to post-life evolution? 19 A No. 20 Q In your opinion, is the case to be made for 21 post-life evolution less clear thermodynamically? 22 A Yes. 23 Q As I understand your concept of earth and sun, is 24 that thermodynamically in relation to the sun and earth 25 relation is in a state of unbalanced equilibrium? 1 A That's a fair statement. 2 Q And that when we use the phrase "an open system", 3 that can be translated into a non-equilibrium state? 4 A An open system is necessarily a non-equilibrium 5 state. A non-equilibrium system is not necessarily open. 6 Q And it's your position that the relationship of the 7 earth and the sun, is that it is a non-equilibrium state? 8 A The surface of the earth is in a non-equilibrium 9 state, yes. 10 Q What is your position as to whether or not the solar 11 system, the planets around our sun, is an 12 equilibrium or non-equilibrium state? 13 A The solar system is in a non-equilibrium state. 14 Q And what about the universe? 15 A That is a question in astrophysics that goes beyond 16 my area of expertise. That has to do with whether the 17 universe is closed or open. 18 Q Are there legitimate reputable scientist who 19 believe the universe is a closed system? 20 A That goes beyond my area of expertise. 21 Q I am not asking you to testify within your area of 22 expertise. I am asking you if you know of your own 23 personal knowledge whether there are reputable scientists 24 in the field who postulate that the universe is a closed 25 system. 1 A I am not really equipped to evaluate astro- 2 physicists with respect to their competence. 3 Q Is there controversy in that field in that area? 4 A I believe there are astrophysicists who hold the 5 view that the universe is open, and there are astro- 6 physicists who hold the view that it is a closed universe, 7 yes. 8 Q Of the astrophysicists who hold the view the 9 universe is the closed system, do you know whether or not 10 they are creation scientists? 11 A I do not. 12 Q As I understood your direct testimony, there would 13 be a transmittal of either energy or matter between the 14 earth and the sun? 15 A That is correct. 16 Q Can you tell me what matter is transmitted between 17 the earth and the sun? 18 A There is some small flux of particulate matter from 19 the sun. It's really quite negligible compared to the 20 flow of energy in sunlight. 21 Q Is it possible to calculate the amount of energy 22 that the earth receives from the sun? 23 A Yes. One can do a quite accurate calculation of 24 that. 25 Q Is it possible to accurately figure the amount of 1 Q (Continuing) radiation that the earth gives off? 2 A With somewhat less accuracy, but it can be 3 calculated. 4 Q With what degree of accuracy can, what you referred 5 to last night as infrared radiation, be calculated? 6 A Again, that would be generally an area that comes 7 from the field of atmospheric physics, which I am also not 8 an expert in, but my guess is that the flux of energy from 9 the earth can be calculated to within a couple of percents. 10 Q I believe in your direct testimony you said that 11 the concept of creation was not in scientific literature. 12 Did I hear your testimony correctly? 13 A I believe it was that the phrase "creation science" 14 does not occur in the scientific literature. 15 Q Could it possibly have been that sudden creation is 16 not in the scientific literature? 17 A That certainly is possible. 18 Q In your article, "Biology of Cosmological Science", 19 there is a paragraph that talks about creation. I'd like 20 you to read that paragraph yourself and tell me in what 21 sense you were using it? 22 A I believe the sense you have in mind is that this 23 view has two rather profound consequences. First, that the 24 universe has an origin, or as some would rather term it, a 25 creation, meaning that the universe has an origin as 1 A (Continuing) scientists would state it or a 2 creation as others, namely, theologians, would state it. 3 Q You weren't referring to scientists? 4 A No. That is not an article from scientific 5 literature. That is an article of a broader philosophical 6 nature. 7 Q It is the only one I could understand, Doctor 8 Morowitz. 9 MR. CHILDS: Your Honor, could I have a few minutes? 10 THE COURT: Yes. We will take ten minutes. 11 Right (Thereupon, Court was in 12 Right recess from 2:30 p.m. 13 Right until 2:40 p.m.) 14 MR. CHILDS: (Continuing) 15 Q Doctor Morowitz, I want to return to the statements 16 last night about what public school teachers teach. 17 That's on page 56, if you want to refer back to that. 18 My question was, "Should the public school science 19 teachers teach what is accepted in the scientific 20 community?" 21 What is your feeling about that? 22 A I believe that that constitutes their subject 23 matter. 24 Q Do you think that high school or public school 25 science teachers should teach what is accepted in the 1 Q (Continuing) scientific community? 2 A I think the subject matter of science is defined by 3 what is accepted in the scientific community, yes. 4 Q I'm going to pass a book to you called The World of 5 Biology, published, copyrighted in 1974 by McGraw-Hill— 6 MR. CHILDS: May I approach the witness, your Honor? 7 THE COURT: Yes, sir. By the way, you all needn't 8 ask my permission to do that. 9 MR. CHILDS: Thank you, your Honor. 10 Q Would you please read that yourself? 11 A "Education, you know, means broadening, advancing, 12 and if you limit a teacher to only one side of anything, 13 the whole country will eventually have one thought, be one 14 individual. I believe in teaching every aspect of every 15 problem or theory." 16 Q Does the line directly above that quote indicate 17 the source of that quote? 18 A Yes, it does. 19 Q Who is the source of that quote? 20 A John Thomas Scopes. 21 Q Who is John Thomas Scopes? 22 A Of the famous Scopes monkey trial. 23 Q Would you please read that one more time into the 24 record? 25 A "Education, you know, means broadening, advancing, 607. Page is missing. 1 A It means there is a difference of opinion about 2 matters within the scientific community. 3 Q And the mere fact that somebody had articles 4 refused for publication would not indicate on its face or 5 by itself that they were an incompetent scientist? 6 A That's true. 7 Q One thing that I thought I heard during your direct 8 testimony was that the evolution of life itself is not 9 properly considered within the area of evolution? 10 A Within the area of the theory of evolution. 11 Q Okay. Do you find it personally offensive that 12 chemical evolution would be treated in the same context as 13 biological evolution? 14 A I don't find it offensive, I just don't feel that 15 they are of necessity lumped together because of different 16 methods by which we studied them. 17 Q And that was in reference to Act 590, was it not? 18 A Right. 19 Q Did I understand your testimony correctly, that you 20 thought it inappropriate that chemical evolution, or what 21 would commonly be called chemical evolution, be included 22 within the definition of evolution science in Act 590? 23 A I said that was not the usual usage. 24 Q Is it not customary in textbooks in the public 25 schools for the origins of life to be considered in the 1 Q (Continuing) same textbooks as biological 2 evolution? 3 A Yes. 4 Q And did I also understand during your direct 5 testimony that a criticism that you have of Act 590 is 6 that it does not teach all origins of life? 7 A No. I was criticizing the dual model point of view 8 which arises in the creation science literature. And Act 9 590 seems to follow through that dual model point of view, 10 indicating that there are only two models. 11 Q Did I understand you to say that Act 590 in some 12 way prohibits the teaching of an additional theory in the 13 public schools? 14 A I said it presents a two-model, a dual model point 15 of view. 16 Q Okay. In your reading of Act 590, did you see any 17 indication in itself which said this theory of panspermia 18 couldn't be called? 19 A No, I did not say that. 20 Q Would you very briefly tell Judge Overton what the 21 panspermia theory is? 22 A That is the theory that life on earth was 23 transported here from some other distant planet, galaxy, 24 or some other astral object. 25 Q Is that view held by reputable scientists within 1 Q (Continuing) what you consider to be the academic 2 community, the scientific community? 3 A Yes, sir. 4 Q Who is someone that we might have already heard 5 about that holds that view? 6 A The most recent advocate of that book, I would 7 gather, from having read a review of a recent book of his, 8 is Frances Crick. 9 Q What about Sir Fred Hoyle? 10 A Again, I have not personally read Hoyle's work on 11 this, but I am told he accepts the point of view that the 12 earth passed through some rather prebiotic or biogenetic 13 material in space and was seeded from that source. 14 Q Is Sir Fred Hoyle a reputable scientist? 15 A He's a well known astrophysicist. 16 Q Well, is he reputable? 17 A That, again, you're going to be asking me to 18 evaluate people in astrophysics. I'm in no position to do 19 that. 20 Q Well, before when you were telling about the 21 scientific community, I thought you were talking about a 22 broad mainstream of science. 23 A Yes. But the evaluations of people in astrophysics 24 is done by people in astrophysics. 25 Q Well, is he published in reputable journals? 1 A Yes. 2 Q Are his articles subject to peer review? 3 A Yes. 4 Q Do his publications meet the criteria that are 5 ordinarily assigned to those who you would consider 6 reputable? 7 A Yes. I'm not in any way trying to attack Fred 8 Hoyle. I'm simply stating that evaluating people in 9 astrophysics in not my field. 10 Q Okay. 11 MR. CHILDS: I have nothing further, your Honor. 12 THE COURT: Any redirect? 13 MR. NOVIK: No redirect. 14 THE COURT: May Doctor Morowitz be excused? 15 MR. CHILDS: Yes, your Honor. 16 THE COURT: You may be excused. Thank you, sir. 17 Thereupon, 19 having been previously sworn, was examined and testified 20 as follows: 24 Q Would you agree that a theory is a structure of an 25 idea that explains and interprets the facts? 1 A Yes, I think that's a statement from my article in 2 Discover magazine. 3 Q So that would be your own personal definition of a 4 theory? 5 A Yes. 6 Q Are you a member of the Society for the Study of 7 Evolution? 8 A Yes, I am. 9 Q How long have you been a member of that 10 organization? 11 A I think since I was in graduate school. I'm not 12 sure. Probably about 1965. 13 Q Are you a member of the Education Committee of that 14 organization? 15 A Yes, I am. 16 Q And that was appointed by Doctor Ayala, or you were 17 requested to serve by him? 18 A Yes, I was requested to serve, and I'm not sure of 19 the chairman. 20 Q The chairman that Doctor Ayala appointed; is that 21 correct? 22 A Yes. Doctor Ayala sent the letter. 23 Q And one of the charges of that committee, in 24 essence, is to try to meet creation science and oppose it; 25 is it not? 1 A Yes. 2 Q Have you also been active in other efforts, or at least 3 involved in other efforts to oppose the teaching of 4 creation science? 5 A Mostly in my personal writings and studies, though 6 there was a brief committee, a committee of brief life set 7 up by the American Society of Naturalists, which is 8 another organization of professional evolutionists., I was 9 president pro tem through the death of the president and, 10 therefore, it fell my lot to appoint that committee. 11 Q And you are motivated to oppose creation science in 12 your professional concern as a scientist, is that correct, 13 Doctor Gould? 14 A Yes. 15 Q Do you have any political motivation in opposition 16 creation science? 17 A As Aristotle said, man is a political animal. I think 18 everything one does is partly in the context of one's 19 larger views. 20 Q Are you aware that one of plaintiffs' other 21 witnesses, Doctor Ruse, has termed you a Marxist biologist 22 whose theory does not qualify as, quote, science, close 23 quote? 24 A I've heard rumors to the effect about the first 25 statement. I don't know if the second one is juxtaposed 1 A (Continuing) or not. It doesn't sound like 2 something Michael would say, but then I wasn't here when 3 he said it. 4 Q Have you ever written an article for Science for 5 the People about creationism? 6 A Yes. 7 Q And what is Science for the People? 8 A Science for the People is a magazine published in 9 Boston by scientists concerned with social issues, with 10 views to the left of center. 11 Q Their political views are to the left of center? 12 A Yes. 13 Q Did you not say in that article that creationism is 14 part of a program of the evangelical right in America, and 15 this movement considered peripheral a decade ago has 16 become central in Reaganland? 17 A Yes, I think that's correct. A somewhat 18 abbreviated assessment of what's happening in this nation 19 today. 20 Q And did you not also state in this article and at 21 least one other that the Arkansas law requires equal time 22 for creation science in science classrooms? 23 A We discussed that in the deposition, Mr. Williams, 24 and I think I agreed at that time that the law says 25 balanced treatment and that perhaps I was incorrect in 1 A (Continuing) calling it equal time. Although I 2 don't really know what balanced treatment means. But 3 perhaps I did misstate that. And I think I also added I 4 have been wrong many times before. 5 Q And you relate creation science, do you not, to be 6 a link with anti-ERA, anti-abortion, and militant 7 anti-Communism? 8 A Yes, I think that it's programmed for various 9 evangelical groups that are part of the creation science 10 movement who support it. There are aspects of their 11 political program that include those. 12 I don't, by any means, think that's the entire story, 13 nor is it in any sense the only reasons for my opposition 14 to creation science. Indeed, the primary motivation in my 15 opposition, which by far predates ever hearing the name of 16 Jerry Falwell and others, is the lack of scientific nature 17 for it with respect to my profession, which is 18 evolutionary biologist. 19 Q Could you identify— Well, let me have this 20 marked, if I might, as Defendants' Exhibit Two. 21 Can you identify the article I'm showing you? 22 A This is the one. 23 Q Which one is that? 24 A The one from Science for the People. 25 MR. WILLIAMS: Your Honor, we'd like to have this 1 MR. WILLIAMS: (Continuing) submitted as Defendants' 2 Exhibit Two. 3 THE COURT: It will be received. 4 Q You have called or termed evolution to be a fact, 5 have you not? 6 A I have. It is also a theory. 7 Q But in your writing at the conclusion, that 8 evolution is a fact, the evidence that you rely on is 9 largely inference; is it not? 10 A I said in the Discovery article in which I made 11 that claim that there were three primary ways whereby 12 scientists are confident that evolution is a fact. Two of 13 them were direct, and only one indirect. I do think the 14 indirect category has the most persuasive evidence. 15 First, the direct evidence is that small scale evolution 16 as we've observed for over a hundred years. Secondly, the 17 direct evidence, that fossils, when, despite the 18 imperfections of the record, we have transitional forms. 19 And third, the very large class of indirect evidence which 20 encompasses such subjects as biogeography, vestigal 21 organs, homologies, embryologies, et cetera. 22 Q And in talking about the evolution that we have 23 observed, as you termed it, evolution in action, in the 24 last one hundred years, how much evolution have we 25 observed in the last one hundred years? 1 A About as much as one could reasonably hope to 2 observe in such a short space of time. 3 Q And in your deposition did you not tell me that was 4 literally nothing? 5 A I certainly didn't. Literally nothing? I don't 6 quite understand the context. I mean, it doesn't produce 7 new orders of animals. But you wouldn't expect that. 8 It's not nothing; it's the amount of steady change. 9 Do we have a corrected copy of the deposition? 10 Q I have never received a correct copy. 11 A Given my breakneck speed of talking, to which the 12 court reporter has so correctly objected, many things in 13 the original deposition do not come across correctly. 14 MR. ENNIS: Your Honor, the only copy of Doctor 15 Gould's deposition that I have in my possession is a copy 16 of it that has not yet been corrected by the witness. 17 I believe that the only copy that was corrected by the 18 witness was delivered directly to the Attorney General's 19 office. 20 MR. WILLIAMS: We have yet to receive it, your 21 Honor. It was to be delivered, but we have yet to receive 22 it, unfortunately. 23 THE COURT: Let's move on. 24 MR. WILLIAMS: (Continuing) 25 Q On page 106 of your deposition I asked you this 1 Q (Continuing) question: "How much do you think 2 we've been able to observe about evolution?" And you gave 3 this answer, "As much as we can really be expected to in 4 the time scale of a hundred years, which is nothing, since 5 the publication of The Origin of the Species. 6 A I'm sorry. I mean, which is very little time. 7 That's clearly an incorrect statement. Indeed, what 8 you're quoting is, of course, inconsistent with the first 9 statement. It's unlikely that that's what I really 10 meant. I said, as much as we can expect to observe. 11 If I said, "which is nothing", I meant that a hundred 12 years is so little time it doesn't amount to very much. 13 It's remarkable we've observed as much as we have. But 14 that would be corrected in the corrected copy when you get 15 it. I'm sorry. 16 Q In terms of the evidence, the physical evidence we 17 have observed, you do mention in this article The Peppered 18 Moths, which has been referred to before in this 19 courtroom. Now I want to see if I understand how you view 20 this. Did these moths change color? 21 A Evolution changes gene frequencies within 22 populations. What happened in the case of the peppered 23 moths is that before industrial soot blackened the trees 24 around Manchester, that the moths which exist in two 25 different forms, depending on which state of the gene they 1 A (Continuing) have, basically peppered and black, 2 with very few black ones, almost all the moths in the 3 population were peppered, when industrial soot blackened 4 the trees in England, there was very strong selection for 5 the first time against peppered moths, which had been 6 virtually invisible against the lighter trees. 7 And there was then for the first time an advantage to 8 the black moths, as we call them, black moths, a few of 9 them. And within fifty years the population consisted 10 almost entirely of black moths, and that's natural 11 selection. 12 Q But did the peppered moths reproduce into black 13 moths? 14 A No. What happened was what the theory of natural 15 selection predicts would happen, namely, that from a 16 spectrum of variability, which included the peppered moths 17 and black moths, the gene frequencies changed, indeed, the 18 gene from black moths — the gene that produces black 19 colors, excuse me, increased markedly and frequently 20 within the population until virtually all moths were black. 21 Q And in 1850, we had two types of moths, black and 22 peppered? 23 A Yes. Very, very deep black. Almost all- 24 Q And today we have two types of moths, black and 25 peppered? 1 A Almost all black. That's what evolution is, 2 natural selection of change of gene frequency. 3 Q Were there any new species generated through this 4 process? 5 A Not in the case of the peppered moths. There are 6 species that have been generated in other ways. 7 Q I think you stated earlier that your second and 8 third reasons, besides evolution in action, in which your 9 primary example was the peppered moths— 10 A No, I had other examples, the evolution of the 11 D.D.T. resistance, which is the incorporation of new 12 mutation in various forms and the production of new 13 species of plants due to conflict. 14 Q All right. 15 A But yes, I mentioned the peppered moths as a 16 prominent— 17 Q But your second and third reasons do rely on 18 inference, do they not? 19 A The second reason I regard as reasonably direct, 20 mainly temporal sequences of fossils. I guess insofar as 21 we don't have a time machine that would take us back two 22 hundred million years, it's not direct visual observation. 23 But to me we are often seeing pretty largely the 24 evolutionary sequences that develop. I think the second 25 category is somewhere in between the direct, visual 1 A (Continuing) observation and the more inferential 2 character. But the third, I might say, the inference is 3 as good a method in science as direct observation. It's 4 not very often that, in fact, we reject conclusions merely 5 through direct vision or sight. 6 Nobody has ever seen an atom or an electron or gravity, 7 for that matter. 8 Q But inference is a process of essentially logic, is 9 it not, of looking at what we have now and trying to— 10 A And drawing out what conclusions we can from it 11 after inference is as inescapable as visual observations. 12 Q Is there any subjectivity in arriving at an 13 inference? 14 A We do see subjectivity, and lack of certainty is, 15 indeed, never certainty in science. I think it's 16 notorious how often even eye witness testimony can be 17 fallible. There just is no certainty in science. I don't 18 think that well documented inferences necessarily is any 19 way secure in certain forms of eye— 20 THE COURT: Excuse me. Do you mind speaking into 21 the microphone. Some of us are having a problem— 22 A Yes. Sorry. 23 Q You've been offered as an expert also, Doctor 24 Gould, on the history of evolutionary theory or 25 evolutionary thought, I think. 1 A Yes. 2 Q As an expert on that area, would you want to be 3 aware of any challenges to evolutionary theory? 4 A Sure. 5 Q Have you read and studied, for example, a book 6 an individual named Kirka called The Implications of 7 Evolution? 8 A Since you called it to my attention, I have indeed 9 read it. I've got it right here. 10 Q Does Kirka develop a general theory of evolution? 11 A He developed something he calls a general theory of 12 evolution. He is not an anti-evolutionist. 13 Q He is not an anti-evolutionist? 14 A No. 15 Q Could I perhaps borrow that for a moment? 16 A Sure. 17 Q Kirka says there are seven basic assumptions in the 18 theory of evolution, does he not? 19 A Yes. That may be six or seven. I remember that 20 list. 21 Q Does he find any of those assumptions to be beyond 22 question? 23 A The book is primarily a critique of the notion that 24 all- 25 Q I'm sorry. I- 1 A You'll have to show me the list. I gave you the 2 one copy I had. 3 Q I'll be glad to show you the book. I asked you did 4 he find any proof for any of those assumptions? 5 A Let me review the list of assumptions. What page 6 are you on? Do you remember where they were? 7 Q I think they're throughout the book. 8 A I see the assumptions. Shall I read them? 9 Q Yes. 10 A The assumptions all have to do with a particular 11 path of history, along with nonliving things that gave 12 rise to living material. Two, spontaneous generation 13 occurred only once. Three, the viruses, bacteria, plants 14 and animals are all interrelated. Four, the protozoa gave 15 rise to metazoa, from single cell to multi-cell creatures. 16 Fifth, that various invertebrate following are 17 interrelated. Sixth, that invertebrates gave rise to 18 vertebrates. And seventh, that invertebrate fish gave 19 rise to amphibian, amphibian to reptiles, and reptiles to 20 birds and mammals. 21 So you see, the set of statements is about the actual 22 path for the history of life. His book calls into 23 question particularly the second one. His main argument 24 appears that is quite consistent with the evidence as we 25 have it, that life might have originated more than one 1 A (Continuing) time on earth. But it's not a 2 critique of whether or not evolution is the mechanism 3 whereby changes in the history of life have occurred. 4 It is disputing the particular pathways. At one point 5 he argues, for example, that it may be true that the 6 metazoa, that is the multi-cellular animals, arose not 7 from protozoa, single-celled animals, but perhaps from 8 single-celled creatures that we call plants, which by the 9 way is an outmoded system of classification. 10 Q Would you say that Kirka is not an 11 anti-evolutionist, in your opinion? 12 A He is not an anti-evolutionist. He says in the 13 last page that he accepts, he calls it a special theory of 14 evolution, namely the mechanics of the process of change 15 is evolutionary. 16 He is disputing, and I don't agree with him in all 17 cases, he is disputing our assurance in knowing the actual 18 pathways of change. 19 Q Does he also talk about that there are certain 20 misconceptions and half truths in evolutionary theory? 21 A Oh, there are, yes. We feel like it is important 22 for scientists to analyze them and be critical. 23 Q Would you recognize this book as being something 24 of, to the degree that it talks about it, an authority or 25 authoritative work on evolution? 1 A It was written in 1960, and I would say much of it 2 is now outdated. I think even in the context of 1960 it's 3 not a book that I regard as particularly strong of the 4 book that were made different assessments of. I would 5 certainly include it within the traditions of science. 6 Q Doctor Gould, if you would, I would like for you 8 A Sure. The whole thing? 9 Q Yes. 10 A That's a lot. "Most students become acquainted with 11 many of the current concepts of biology while still 12 at school, and at an age when most people are, on the 13 whole, uncritical. Then, when they come to study the 14 subject in more detail, they have in their minds several 15 half-truths and misconceptions which tend to prevent them 16 from coming to a fresh appraisal of the situation." 17 I might say I don't agree with that. I think we teach a 18 lot of pap, and having taught is one of the reasons why my 19 associates and I developed punctuated equilibrium as an 20 alternative to the gradualism that I can have no 21 justification is a universal incident. 22 To continue with Kirka, "In addition, with the uniform 23 pattern of education, most students tend to have the same 24 sort of educational background, and so in conversation and 25 discussion they accept common fallacies and agree on 1 A (Continuing) matters based on these fallacies. It 2 would seem good principle to encourage the study of 3 scientific heresies. There is always the danger-" I 4 might say I agree with that, too. 5 "There is always the danger that a reader might be 6 seduced by one of these heresies, but the danger is 7 neither as great nor as serious as the danger of having 8 scientists brought up in a tight mental straight jacket, 9 or taking them so quickly through a subject that they have 10 no time to analyze and digest the material and study it. 11 "Careful perusal of the heresies will also indicate the 12 facts in favor of the currently accepted doctrines, and if 13 the evidence against a theory is overwhelming and that 14 there is no other satisfactory theory to take its place, 15 we should just have to say that we do not yet know the 16 answer." 17 My interpretation of that paragraph is— 18 Q You have now finished reading that part now, have 19 you not? 20 A I have. 21 Q I don't want to cut you off. 22 A That's fine. I'm sorry. You only asked me to read 23 it, not give you an exegesis. 24 Q Do you think it would good, then— I think you 25 said you agree with that portion where it said to 1 Q (Continuing) encourage the study of scientific 2 heresy? It would be a good idea? 3 A Yes. But note the phrase "scientific heresies". 4 Q Yes. Well, would it heresy to propose, perhaps, a 5 new idea of what is science? 6 A A new idea of what is science? It's almost a 7 definitional matter, isn't it? It isn't an argument about 8 substance, it's an argument about words and their 9 meanings. No, I wouldn't call that part of an heretical 10 framework. 11 Q Isn't what Kirka is saying there, as you understand 12 it, that if you have these scientific heresies to be 13 studied, even though they may be terribly minority 14 opinions, that through this clash of ideas, opposing 15 ideas, that the students can better understand the 16 predominate scientific thought, and when they do work 17 themselves, they can come to it with a fresh appraisal and 18 a fresh outlook? 19 A Yes, and I agree with that. Remember the 20 scientific heresy he is teaching in this book is the 21 notion that life may have arisen from non-life on earth 22 more than once. It's a scientific heresy. I repeat, not 23 one that is outside science. 24 Q There is nothing which insulates scientists from 25 being dogmatic and elitist, is there? 1 A Nothing— I didn't understand the question. 2 Q Are scientists not at times dogmatic and elitist? 3 A Scientists are human beings. Some people are 4 dogmatic and elitist. And it is my regret that sometimes 5 scientists are, too, some individuals. I think that among 6 folks I've known, scientists as a group are generally more 7 free from those attitudes than some people, but they are 8 human beings. 9 Q Have you not also described science or scientists 10 as perhaps to appear, at least, as, quote, the new 11 priesthood, close quote? 12 A You'd have to read me the quotation. There is that 13 tendency sometimes. As in the television ads where a 14 scientist comes on in a white coat and says, `drink this 15 brand of orange juice because it's better for you.' 16 Q I think you earlier stated that as far as you know, 17 there is no new evidence and no new idea for creation 18 science in the past one hundred years; is that true? 19 A I think I said since William Jennings Bryan and the 20 Scopes trial I have seen no new arguments from the 21 creationists. 22 Q The metaphor that I think you used earlier this 23 morning on the fossil record, that it's like a book where 24 you have only certain pages, and of the pages you have, 25 you have only certain words, and of the words you have, 1 Q (Continuing) you have only certain letters- 2 A Yes. 3 Q If you had a book like that, do you think you could 4 read it coherently if it were as sparse as that in its 5 outline? 6 A It depends on what criteria and inference I had 7 before me for filling in bits and pieces. 8 Q But if you have that criteria, you have to fill in, 9 do you not, in order to make sense, to make a coherent 10 whole out of the book? 11 A There are different ways that scientists fill in. 12 What I was referring to in the metaphor of the book is the 13 geological record in any one spot. 14 Now, suppose you had a thousand copies of the Iliad and 15 each one only had a few letters, but it was a different 16 few letters in each copy. You could, by gathering 17 together the thousand copies, piece together a more 18 coherent version that you might even be able to read 19 completely. You might not still have every letter. 20 That's pretty much what you do in geology. In any one 21 spot the record is as poor, as Lyell describes it, but by 22 bringing together the evidence from many spots, you can 23 get a much more complete story. 24 Q Were you not describing this book to be the entire 25 fossil record? 1 A I meant to describe it as the record of only one 2 place. 3 Q I'm sorry. I didn't hear you. 4 A I meant to describe it as the record of only one 5 person. Realize, please, that many fossils are 6 geographically very limited in their extent, and so, 7 therefore, there is a limited number of places. The 8 record of any particular fossil is likely to be that way. 9 But the entire larger scale record of the history of life 10 would be pieced together much better. 11 Q Do you consider the use of the word `creator' to be 12 an inherently religious word or religious concept? 13 A It's a word that has so many different vernacular 14 meanings that it's not inherently so. Indeed Darwin uses 15 it himself once or twice, in a metaphorical sense, not to 16 mean supernatural disruption of natural law. Einstein 17 used it in metaphorical senses. 18 Q You wrote a part of a biology textbook, did you not? 19 A Yes, I did. It's called A View of Life. 20 Q A View of Life? 21 A Yes. 22 Q What part did you write? 23 A I wrote the concluding chapters, five or six of 24 them, on evolutionary theory and its implications. 25 Q Do you— First of all let me ask you, do you 1 Q (Continuing) consider the origins of life to be 2 part of the theory of evolution? 3 A It's not part of the theory of evolution as studied by— 5 Q Is it part of evolutionary biology? 6 A It's part of biology. It happened to come into 7 chapters that I wrote, and I think you'll see four pages I 8 wrote on the subject of the history and the treatment of 9 that subject in recent biology textbooks. 10 Q But in treating evolutionary biology, you treated 11 the origin of the first life, did you not? 12 A I would say those chapters are about evolutionary 13 biology and about the whole field we call whole animal 14 biology. There are other subjects treated in those 15 chapters, particularly in the last chapter on the ecology, 16 that are not themselves part of evolutionary biology. 17 Q And in this book, you state at page 689, "Two broad 18 and fascinating questions arise from this scenario for the 19 origin of life. First, given a primordial soup was a 20 complex joining together of organic molecules to form life 21 an inevitable result or a lucky accident." 22 A Yes. 23 Q Do you consider those two parts of that question to 24 be scientific theories or to be testable of scientific 25 theories? 1 A Yes. Those are two alternate views that have been 2 proposed. Again, I disclaim— That is a very short 3 section or a few pages on something I don't know a lot 4 about. I'm sure Mr. Morris will come back and give much 5 more— 6 Q Did you write this? 7 A Oh, yes. Because I'm aware that any textbook 8 writer, of course, is compelled in treating an entire 9 field to deal, at least, summarily with subjects that are 10 not directly within the realm of their expertise. And in 11 so doing, you summarize what the prevailing opinions in 12 the scientific community are. And those, if I understand 13 the literature, are the two major views. 14 One, that the origin of life was virtually chemically 15 inevitable, and one that each step in the sequence is 16 fairly chancy, but given the immense age of the earth, it 17 was bound to happen. 18 Q You further asked the question, "Is life on our 19 planet the product of a single origin?" 20 A Yes. That's Kirka's question. 21 Q Is that testable? 22 A Yes. By inference. It's going to be very 23 difficult to get a— 24 Q By inference? 25 A Most of science's testables are by inference. 1 A (Continuing) There is no way we can go back and 2 look, but what you do is you study the detail of nature 3 biochemical similarities in all forms of life. And from 4 our knowledge of chemistry, which mine is so meager I 5 wouldn't dare to go further, you make assessments of the 6 probability that such great similarities could arise 7 independently more than once. 8 But it is, again, not— 9 Q But using those similarities, are they not subject 10 to more than one interpretation, Doctor Gould? 11 A I gave both interpretations in the book. 12 Q Right. 13 So it's an either/or question? 14 A I guess so, as a matter of definition, either it 15 arose once or it arose more than once, or didn't arise 16 at all. 17 Q And there's no way we can really accurately know 18 how if it arose once or more than once, is there? 19 A Well, I really don't know. You'd have to ask my 20 chemical friends. There may be ways of obtaining pretty 21 fair certainty based on biochemical similarities, but I 22 really don't know that subject. That's why, as I said, 23 I've listed both possibilities. 24 Q This textbook was written for what level? 25 A Introductory college.

http://antievolution.org/cs/mclean_line_numbered_600-633

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Register Log in Scientific Method / Science & Exploration National security driving a Helium-3 shortage, hurting physics Helium-3 is a rare isotope of the noble gas with applications in quantum … The annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science just took place in Washington, DC, located in a convention center just opposite my favourite bar. I'm going to start off my coverage with news of a resource shortage you may not have heard of, but one with some wide-ranging implications for national security, supercool physics, and pulmonary research. What do these three quite different fields have in common? The answer is helium-3, or 3He, and the problem is there's just not much of it left. Regular 4He, the kind that makes your voice sound funny and your kid's balloons float, is the first of the noble gases. It has two protons, two neutrons, and two electrons. 3He, however, has two protons but only one neutron, which gives it several interesting properties. First, it can be used as a neutron detector, since 3He has a large collision cross-section for neutrons. When a neutron meets an 3He atom, they react to form tritium (3H, an isotope of hydrogen with one proton, one electron, and two neutrons), and a hydrogen atom (1H, one proton and one electron), giving off energy in the process. There are several applications for sensing neutrons, the main being nuclear threat detection. Secondly, 3He can be supercooled to temperatures very close to absolute zero, at which point it becomes a superfluid capable of being measured in microKelvins (µKs). With zero viscosity, superfluid 3He will actually climb up and over the walls of its container, which is a neat party trick, but also gives physicists insights into fundamental quantum behaviors. Both the 1996 and 2003 Nobel Prizes in Physics were awarded for research on superfluid 3He. Many refrigeration systems also use the gas to bring other substances down to near absolute zero. Finally, 3He is a nontoxic gas with a high diffusion coefficient, so it's proven to be quite useful in lung imaging studies. Using MRI machines, it's possible to use 3He to quantify ventilation in different regions of the lung, allowing researchers to detect differences in lung function (say, between normal, asthmatic, and COPD lungs) with far greater spatial and temporal resolution than other methods. It's even possible to measure the microstructures of individual alveoli, the smallest compartments in the lung. If this were August 2001, there'd be one less Nobel prize to talk about, but more importantly this post wouldn't have needed to be written at all. Although the only source of 3He its appearance as a by-product of nuclear weapons maintenance, there was more than enough of the stuff being stockpiled, and the Department of Energy was hard pressed to sell it for more than $100 per liter. In September of 2001, however, a number of people did something wicked over the skies of America, and all that changed.  The demand for nuclear detectors exploded (if you'll pardon the expression) from 8,000l/year to ten times that in 2008. A once-large stockpile rapidly dwindled and, to make matters worse, the reduction in the US nuclear weapons inventory and half-lives doing their thing have meant that production has been utterly outstripped by demand. So what can be done about the problem? Luckily, quite a few efforts are underway. Although the national security applications account for 95 percent of US 3He use, there are other ways to achieve the same end. Joe Glaser, from the National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA), spoke about how this shortage has led to new science. NNSA has a number of different requirements for neutron detectors, from large portal monitors that are being installed in border crossings, seaports, and airports as part of the Second Line of Defense Program, to rugged portable units that can be used in the field. Truck weigh-and-inspection station with radiation portal monitor. Oak Ridge National Laboratory For the static radiation portal monitors, like the one pictured at right, a number of solutions present themselves. Instead of 3He-filled tubes, BF3 can be used, if the boron has been enriched to around 90 percent 10B. These tubes are less sensitive than 3He; you need three tubes of BF3 to do the same work as a single 3He tube, and BF3 is a rather nasty gas, but it's readily available. Lining the detector tubes with a thin film of 10B allows you to avoid working with BF3, again relatively cheaply, although again these detectors are less sensitive than 3He. Moving away from 10B, glass fibers doped with 6Li have a number of cool features. When neutrons meet the 6Li atoms, the resulting energy gets transferred into the fibers, which we can detect as light (just like the optical fibers that pipe sound between your hi-fi components). They detect both neutrons and gamma rays, and can be made in a range of shapes and sizes, including backpack systems.  Other interesting technologies that are further away from the market include new organic materials that can detect high-energy neutrons. Additionally, NNSA has caught the recycling bug, and believe that it can meet up to 20 percent of its needs by recycling old 3He tubes. Sadly, unlike neutron detection, the nonsecurity applications of 3He don't have any replacements as Jason Woods of Washington University mentioned as he discussed the impact of the shortage on both low-temperature physics and MRI work. When the supplies of 3He ran out, it essentially put a stop to new science in some areas of low-temperature physics. The US government is rationing out its supplies of 3He, and groups with existing refrigerators are ahead of the threat detection people in the line, but work in this area will be slow going for a while. For the medical imaging uses, alternatives like 129Xe have been tried with unsatisfactory results. But, happily, it turns out that exhaled 3He is quite easy to recover and recycle. Exhaled 3He is temporarily stored in a He-proof bag—the atoms are so small you can't use just any storage—and then purified cryogenically at 77K. As for solving the shortage, a number of options exist, but almost none are economically viable. The nearest, most abundant source of 3He is our very own moon, but we'll have more than a little wait before regular shipments start flowing. Expand full story You must to comment. You May Also Like Need to register for a new account? If you don't have an account yet it's free and easy.

http://arstechnica.com/science/2011/02/national-security-driving-a-helium-3-shortage-hurting-physics/

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Register Log in Scientific Method / Science & Exploration Higgs week starts with Fermilab updates, strong evidence expected Latest analysis of Tevatron's data leaves large window open for the LHC. A four-lepton decay, one option that the Standard Model provides for getting rid of a Higgs. This week, the European physics lab CERN will be hosting an announcement (scheduled for early on July 4th). It's expected that strong evidence for the Higgs boson will be presented. Rumors about exactly what will be announced are swirling, but most informed expectations indicate a very strong signal that falls just short of the standard for discovery. To set the stage for that announcement, Fermilab hosted two seminars today that gave an update on the search for the Higgs performed at the Tevatron, its now-defunct particle collider. The Higgs is the last undiscovered particle predicted by the Standard Model; it mediates the interactions that give particles mass. Although its existence was proposed decades ago, direct evidence for the particle has been hard to come by. This is because it is very heavy, and because other processes produce very similar signals. (See this for an explanation about how we find a signal in the background noise). When we last checked in on the search back in March, the Tevatron had left the door open in a broad region around 115-135GeV, while the LHC's detectors had seen hints of a signal around 125GeV. With the Tevatron having been shut down, there was no new data for the folks from Fermilab to discuss. What they have done in the mean time, however, is improve their analysis of the data they do have. Many of the decay processes that look like the Higgs can be partly distinguished from background events based on the specific details of the spray of particles produced. Scientists at Fermi have been developing neural networks that are better at separating out the different types of collisions. For the D0 detector alone, the improved analysis got them a 20 to 30 percent boost in sensitivity using the same data. The net result is that, with 10 inverse femtobarns of data, the window is still open in the 115-135GeV range, but the signal has gone up to nearly 2.5 standard deviations from background (3.0 if you specifically focus on the region at 125GeV). For decays into bottom quark/antiquark pairs (which the Tevatron is especially sensitive to), the numbers went up to 2.9 and 3.2 respectively. These numbers are quite similar to those produced by the LHC using last year's data. Discovery in particle physics requires a signal that is five standard deviations above background. It's clear the Tevatron was still a long way off that, but the results are very suggestive. Still, the fact that separate hardware found a signal where the LHC's detectors have found an indication of the Higgs provides an important validation of those results. Nevertheless, the talk made it fairly obvious why the Tevatron had been shut down once the LHC was up and running successfully. The Tevatron's Run II had taken a decade to gather data from 10 inverse femtobarns of collisions. The LHC is on target to get that much data in this year alone, and had already gathered half that last year. Plus the collisions are taking place at a higher energy, which increases the chances they'll produce a Higgs. To put numbers on this, one of the speakers indicated that Wednesday's LHC announcement will include all of last year's five inverse femtobarns of data, as well as five of the six inverse femtobarns gathered so far this year. That means the LHC and Tevatron are working with similar amounts of raw data. But for one type of Higgs decay (via two W's), a detector at the Tevatron should expect to see about 170 of these events, while a detector at the LHC should see 2,700. One of the Fermi speakers suggested that they'll be able to squeak another 5 to 10 percent out of their data. This may sound a bit pointless given the numbers above, but an important transition will probably take place if rumors about the LHC data are right. Scientists will undoubtedly continue to push the numbers until they pass the threshold for discovery, but the focus will shift from seeing whether the Higgs is there to determining how it behaves. Most indications are that the Higgs is behaving a lot like the Standard Model would predict, but there are a few puzzling exceptions. Some decay pathways aren't appearing in the numbers we would predict. Since the Tevatron produces and detects the Higgs through different means, it can provide a slightly different picture of these potential anomalies. If they appear in both detectors, then it may be an indication that the Higgs we've found based on the Standard Model behaves just differently enough to end up breaking the Standard Model. Expand full story You must to comment. You May Also Like Need to register for a new account? If you don't have an account yet it's free and easy.

http://arstechnica.com/science/2012/07/higgs-week-starts-off-with-an-update-from-fermilab/

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Register Log in Scientific Method / Science & Exploration A magnetic quantum ratchet made of graphene turns AC to DC Graphene's orbitals shift to allow current to flow in only one direction. A ratcheting socket wrench happily turns one way, but resists rotation in the opposite direction. A magnetic quantum ratchet allows flow of electrons one way, but not the other. In a common type of mechanical ratchet, back and forth motion provided by a human arm gets converted to rotating motion that acts to tighten a screw or bolt. The role of the ratchet is to convert a force that changes direction into a torque acting in one direction only. That principle is generalized in many other systems that convert fluctuations (some of which may be random) into usable work. Many types of ratchets exist, in mechanical, quantum, and biological systems. Researchers have now fabricated a magnetic quantum ratchet out of graphene, a two-dimensional hexagonal lattice of carbon atoms. C. Drexler and colleagues introduced asymmetries in the electronic structure by disrupting graphene's structure with hydrogen and modifying the substrate on which the carbon sat. When they exposed the modified graphene to an alternating electric current and a strong magnetic field, its electrons preferentially moved in one direction, setting up a directed current. So the modified graphene acted as an AC/DC converter. Although it's not practically useful, the behavior may tell us more about the rules that govern graphene-like materials. Under ordinary circumstances, graphene is a symmetrical hexagonal lattice of carbon atoms. When exposed to an alternating electric current, the electrons oscillate, producing no direct current on average. Similarly, imposing a steady magnetic field in the presence of the alternating current alters the electronic properties of the graphene slightly, but doesn't tend to make the electrons move preferentially in one direction. However, the researchers found that introducing even a relatively small number of hydrogen atoms on top of the graphene changed the situation. The same oscillating electric current and steady magnetic field produced a regular flow of electrons. They found a similar effect by modifying the substrate—the material underlying the graphene lattice. The reason for this striking change in behavior is due to what's called a structure inversion asymmetry in graphene. In the presence of an external influence—in this case, the introduction of hydrogen atoms and a strong magnetic field—the shape of the electron orbits in the carbon atoms gets distorted in one direction. When exposed to the oscillating electric field, the electrons felt a strong resistive force in one direction (which the authors liken to friction), but increased mobility in the opposite direction. In the analogy used in the research paper, the alternating current acts like the wheel of the ratchet, while the distorted electron orbits act like the pawl, which stops the ratchet from rotating in one direction but not the other. Due to its source and character, in graphene this is known as a magnetic quantum ratchet. Given how simple it is as a substance, the existence of a structure inversion asymmetry is potentially interesting for understanding graphene's novel electronic and magnetic properties. Other systems exhibiting such behavior are three-dimensional lattices, while graphene is two-dimensional. The authors proposed examining other graphene-like two-dimensional structures, such as boron nitride. As a practical means of making direct current out of oscillating electric currents, this experiment leaves much to be desired. The electric current was from a 3.34 terahertz (3.34 THz, or 3.34 × 1012 Hz) electromagnetic wave, which falls at the border between microwave and infrared light; household alternating current in the US is 60 Hz. Similarly, the magnetic field the researchers used was 7 teslas, more than twice the strength of a powerful MRI magnet. However, the purpose of this experiment was the exploration of the electronic properties of graphene, not direct application. Nevertheless, the hidden structure inversion symmetry could help us understand some of the material's behavior, and pave the way to improved magnetic and electron-spin technology that uses graphene and graphene-like substances. Nature Nanotechnology, 2013. DOI: 10.1038/nnano.2012.231  (About DOIs).Imp Expand full story You must to comment. You May Also Like Need to register for a new account? If you don't have an account yet it's free and easy.

http://arstechnica.com/science/2013/01/a-magnetic-quantum-ratchet-made-of-graphene-turns-ac-to-dc/

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NFL draft: Rating the cornerbacks In the 12th of a series previewing the April 22-24 NFL draft, Chicago Tribune reporter Dan Pompei things value will be found in late rounds April 20, 2010|By Dan Pompei | On the NFL 12th in a series exploring the April 22-24 NFL draft. This cornerback class is very deep, which is very unusual. About 11 corners have third-round grades. That could mean teams drafting corners in the fourth and fifth rounds will get exceptional values. 1. Joe Haden, Florida, 5-11, 193: He looked like a top 15 pick until he ran a 4.52 in the 40-yard dash at the combine. He recovered with a 4.43 at Florida's pro day, and his play speed seems good enough. But he now is seen as something less than an elite athlete and he might not be drafted quite as high as the original projection. Haden has pretty good cover skills — he is aware in zone and has quickness to stay with receivers in man. He can play the ball in the air. He is a willing tackler. Haden was a high school quarterback and was very productive at corner for Florida. He is not a tall corner. His best spot might be on a Cover Two team. 2. Kyle Wilson, Boise State, 5-10, 194: His stock has been on the rise since he performed well at the Senior Bowl. He also has proven he has speed and athleticism. He shows the body control, smooth hips and quick feet it takes to press and cover man to man. Wilson seems to be at his best in the clutch. He needs some technique work, and can improve on playing the deep ball. He isn't a killer against the run, but he is not afraid to tackle and is very competitive. Wilson also can contribute as a return man. He is a little smaller than ideal. 3. Kareem Jackson, Alabama, 5-10, 196: He's a good zone corner with ball skills and awareness. Jackson isn't huge, but he is strong, tough and physical. He covers aggressively. He is fundamentally sound and has a feel for the game. A junior who left college early, he helped himself with his workouts. 4. Devin McCourty, Rutgers, 5-11, 193: In addition to being arguably the best special teams player in the draft, McCourty also has the athleticism, toughness and instincts to be a fine cornerback, especially in a zone scheme. He can fly, as evidenced by his 4.38 40-yard dash at the combine. McCourty uses that speed to cover kicks and return them on special teams. He also is an very efficient kick blocker. While he has not been a true shutdown corner, the sum of his package is pretty impressive. His twin brother Jason was a sixth-round pick of the Titans last season. 5. Patrick Robinson, Florida State, 5-11. 190: He has as much cover skill as any corner in the draft, but his instincts are off and he subsequently is an inconsistent performer who makes big plays but also gets beat for big plays. His feet are exceptionally quick, and he is an outstanding athlete. He can play bump and run. Robinson is not much of a hitter, and is not a great finisher. He does not play confidently. He can be a very good special teams player. 6. Dominique Franks, Oklahoma, 5-11, 194: He has a nice combination of athleticism, ball skills and size. Franks is a fluid cover man with pretty good speed. He is at his best with the ball in front of him, which makes him an ideal candidate for zone. He doesn't always cover the deep ball ideally. He is not a very physical player. Franks also is a pretty good punt returner. 7. Kevin Thomas, Southern Cal, 6-0, 192: This is a long, lean cover man with nice hips and feet. Thomas has the body control, speed and athleticism to press and turn and run with a wide receiver. He can go get the football in the air. He is just OK in run support. Thomas has had problems staying healthy so durability is a concern. 8. Jerome Murphy, South Florida, 6-0, 196: He has the height, arm length and jumping ability (38-inch vertical at the combine) to match up with bigger receivers. Murphy also has speed and cover skills. He is an aggressive player who is not afraid to throw his body around. He sometimes makes mental mistakes, especially on downfield throws. 9. Joshua Moore, Kansas State, 5-11, 188: Moore is a very good athlete with the foot quickness and change of direction ability to cover man to man. He is quicker than fast, but fast enough. He is not a very physical tackler and could improve his strength. 10. Myron Lewis, Vanderbilt, 6-1, 203: This big, long-armed cornerback would fit in perfectly in a bump and run scheme. Lewis has good athleticism and speed for his size. He has a knack for coming up with big plays at opportune times. He is a solid run defender and good tackler, and some teams are projecting him to safety. 11. Chris Cook, Virginia, 6-2, 212: He is the most gifted cornerback in this class. Physically, he is similar to former Raven Chris McAlister. Cook has size and speed and is an explosive player. He can press or play off. Cook struggled with injuries and academics at Virginia. He also has potential as a safety.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-04-20/sports/ct-spt-0421-web-cornerbacks-nfl-draft--20100420_1_nfl-draft-corner-cover

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There was lot to like in Bears beating of Eagles Though there still were weak areas, they won with toughness and solid coaching November 08, 2011|Dan Pompei | On the NFL Let's hold off on doing cartwheels and backflips down the hallway over what happened Monday night in Philadelphia. The Bears really didn't shove it down the Eagles' throats. Don't forget the Eagles' punter underthrew a fourth quarter pass that could have been a touchdown. Or that the Eagles committed three backbreaking penalties. Or that they had a receiver slip and fall one yard shy of a first down on a last ditch fourth down play late in the game. But a couple of aspects of the game were highly encouraging for the Bears. The first is the physical game they played. They won the battle on both lines of scrimmage. They punished Eagles defenders in the run game. They lit up Eagles receivers with hits you could hear down the street at the Wells Fargo Center. The other encouraging aspect is this probably was the Bears' best coached game of the year. Rod Marinelli changed up the defensive game plan, using more man-to-man and single high safety than usual. Mike Martz continued to give his passing game a chance by helping the offensive line. Jay Cutler was not sacked, and what's more he didn't even get knocked down on a play in which a penalty was not called. This is partly because the coaching staff smartly has lowered their expectations for the passing game. On Cutler's 32 passes, the Bears used a five-man protection with no help from tight ends or backs only three times. And on one of those plays, they scored the game-winning touchdown. So while cartwheels and backflips would be overreacting, a somersault or two seems to be an appropriate reaction. Here is what else we learned upon further review. Offensive line Grade: 7.5 The line now is stringing together good games. As a result, we saw something we haven't seen yet this year — confidence. That manifested itself in Eagles defenders on the backs all over the field. In particular, RT Lance Louis played violently and aggressively. You could say he played like a man who is intent on keeping his job. Louis still struggled a little bit with footwork and balance in pass protection, but it wasn't for lack of effort. He matched the intensity of madman Jason Babin and kept him in check the whole game. The Bears gave J'Marcus Webb the most help against Eagles end Trent Cole, but Webb played at a pretty high level even when he had no help. Guards Chris Williams and Chris Spencer had some nice pulls in the run game, which was most effective off tackle. Both players cleared the path for Matt Forte on his 25-yard first quarter run, picking off the middle linebacker and strong safety. Tight ends Grade: 7.5 They were asked to do a lot in pass protection, and both Kellen Davis and Matt Spaeth made strong contributions. Both also were pretty good sealing the edge in the run game. Spaeth had a holding penalty, but he also scored on a 5-yard touchdown. Running backs Grade: 7.5 Forte, Marion Barber and Tyler Clutts all get high marks for their contributions to the pass protection, which were frequent. Forte made something from nothing a few times. He showed exceptional vision and used his blockers well to avoid defenders. On one first quarter play that was designed to go right, Forte didn't like what he saw so he cut back across the formation to his left. He evaded Cole and made it a 14 yard gain. His two fumbles would have lost some games. Barber gave the Bears a nice physical changeup. He was effective in short yardage situations and on seven of nine plays he was in during a third quarter scoring drive after Forte had fumbled on the previous possession. Grade: 7.5 Lots of really nice throws from Cutler. Good decision making for the most part, too. He was avoiding pressure, making the right read and getting the ball out. At times, the Bears coaches called for a moving pocket, which plays to Cutler's strengths. Other times, he moved himself. The game-winning touchdown pass to Earl Bennett was right on the money. Not every pass was perfect though. He underthrew Devin Hester on a second quarter bomb attempt that should have been a touchdown but instead was an incompletion. He threw another pass that cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha came close to intercepting. And he missed two third down passes late in the game that could have come back to haunt the Bears. Wide receivers Grade: 4.5 Earl Bennett gave the Bears a dimension that had been missing. In Bennett's return to the field, he led the wide receivers in playing time and was in on 74 percent of the snaps. Despite being covered by the highly regarded Asomugha most of the game, Bennett ran crisp routes, created separation, caught every ball thrown to him and didn't go down easily. Unfortunately, the other receivers did not follow his lead. Johnny Knox, Devin Hester and Dane Sanzenbacher all but disappeared. Roy Williams dropped Cutler's best throw of the night, a third quarter play that should have been at least a 55-yard gain.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-11-08/sports/ct-spt-1109-bears-pompei-film-session--20111109_1_eagles-defenders-trent-cole-j-marcus-webb

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YOU ARE HERE: LAT HomeCollections The Crossroads of Europe and Asia November 05, 1989|BEVERLY BEYER and ED RABEY | Beyer and Rabey are Los Angeles travel writers . ISTANBUL, Turkey — Once described as a comely bride adorned enticingly for her husband, this color-splashed city is more than that, being a fetching combination of earth mother, saucy soubrette, harridan and grand dame at the doorway of Asia Minor. With one foot in Europe and the other in Asia, Istanbul's setting at the confluence of the Sea of Marmara, Golden Horn and Bosporus, is unrivaled by any other city--Rio de Janeiro, San Francisco and Naples included. Istanbul's checkered history and changing fate began as a fishing village about 1000 BC. It became the Greek Byzantium a few centuries later and, after accepting Rome's influence and fighting wars between the empire's various factions, it fell to Constantine the Great and Christianity in AD 330. He proclaimed it "New Rome," renamed it Constantinople and made it capital of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire until conquered by Ottoman Turks in 1453. Understanding Istanbul's past helps to appreciate the city's attractions today: bits of Greek statuary; Roman forums, hippodrome and aqueduct; majestic Ottoman palaces, the great Christian church-Muslim mosque of St. Sophia. These and other priceless legacies from Hellenic, Christian and Muslim eras have made the city an exciting first step into a country that yearly lures great numbers of visitors from around the world. Getting here: Fly British Airways, Pan Am, Lufthansa, KLM or SAS. How long/how much? Four days will keep you hopping, what with a day's cruise up the Bosporus for lunch near the Black Sea and perhaps another day over to Bursa for a look at the Asian side. Lodging costs are expensive, but great Turkish food is a huge bargain. A few fast facts: The Turkish lira recently sold at 2,200 to the dollar, about .00045 each. Visit any time from spring through November. Cabs are reasonable and the town has 17,000 of them, but make sure you get one with a meter. And stick to bottled water, even in the best hotels. Getting settled in: Hotel Gezi (Mete Caddesi 42; $74 to $97 double B&B) has a wonderful location, with fine views of the city and Bosporus. Bedrooms are contemporary in decor, and there are sparkling marble baths, mini-bars and TV. The Hotel Riva (Aydede Caddesi 8; $95 B&B double), like most hotels, is on the "newer" Beyoglu side of the Golden Horn. It's modern, with a restaurant cantilevered over the lobby on a balcony. Bedrooms are neat, basic and on the small side. The cellar breakfast room serves as the Riva Pub in the evening. Hotel Eresin (Topcu Caddesi 34; $100 B&B double), at the heart of Beyoglu, has a pleasant marble lobby. While the bedrooms are also small, they're pretty, bright and have all the big hotel amenities. Buffet breakfasts there are more like a hearty brunch. Regional food and drink: You'll find plenty of lamb and fresh seafood, but some of the more interesting specialties never make it out of the country. Try the \o7 pedici--\f7 a flat, pita-like bread topped with cheese, ground meat or eggs, then baked. \o7 Lahmacun\f7 also uses pita bread as a base for a soft pizza delight that's inexpensive. Turks have at least 150 ways of preparing eggplant and all are colorful and delicious, like most of their fresh vegetable dishes. Cankaya is a good white wine from the Ankara region. Doluca Akik Beyoz also is excellent. Dining well: Pandeli (above the Spice Market by the Galata Bridge) has achieved a worldwide reputation for authentic Turkish food in a romantic setting overlooking the Bosporus. Everything we had was luscious: fried mussels, kebabs on eggplant, lamb shish kebab and \o7 koftes \f7 (a spicy lamb patty). Menus have English translations, and most main dishes are $3-$5. Akvaryum (Capariz Sok. 39) is one of about 35 small fish places in the Kumkapi area of the old part of town, southwest of the Golden Horn. Just look for the word \o7 balik\f7 , which means "fish," over the door, then go in for the very best seafood. Try Akvaryum's swordfish kebab skewered with fresh bay leaf. At night the area comes alive with street musicians, which you invite inside to play, and then tip. Some groups even bring along their own belly dancer. Palet No. 3 (Tarabaya village on Bosporus) is about a 20-mile cab ride from Istanbul. Or take a ferry from the Galata Bridge, but make sure you get Palet No. 3. It's on a small marina, open to the street, offering music in the evenings. The \o7 mezes \f7 (hors d'oeuvres) are numerous, the main dishes superb. Going first-class: In the last three decades the Hilton (Cumhuriyet Caddesi; $145-$170 double) has become a showplace and social center, with probably the finest view in the city. Its lobby is also the best people-watching spot in town: women in purdah, sheiks in flowing robes, European industrialists meeting for drinks. Los Angeles Times Articles

http://articles.latimes.com/1989-11-05/travel/tr-1204_1_asia-minor

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Take the 2-minute tour × Possible Duplicate: Best way to cache apt downloads on a LAN? maybe this will be a duplicate post, but I've found nothing. I work at a school, in the Computer Lab we have 8 computers and I installed Ubuntu on them. We have classes each wednesday, so the problem that we have is that each week all the computers have updates to install. If I update all the computers, the internet goes terribly slow, because the use of bandwidth (we have a 5MB connection only). Is there a way to download the pakages once in a computer and the rest of the computers grab the files from it? Also, if a file is not in the principal computer, it can be downloaded from the Internet. I've seen that is possible to use aptproxy, but the idea is not to have all the repositories in the computer, only the ones we use (when we run updates or install programs) Thank you share|improve this question add comment marked as duplicate by Anwar Shah, Gilles, Bruno Pereira Oct 3 '12 at 19:45 2 Answers 1st you have download APTonCD package. this package will help you to create .iso image file of which you have download from internet. after creating image file,image file content or packages are ready to install other machine. share|improve this answer add comment apt-proxy does what you're asking for. It doesn't get files you don't need, as you seem to think. From the description: "It builds up a partial Debian mirror, containing those files which have been requested by clients." I used to run it, when I needed that service, and was very happy with it. It did its job, and I didn't have to think about it much, as I remember. However, it looks unmaintained now; it isn't in current Ubuntu or Debian. The packages apt-cacher and approx are replacements. I haven't used them myself. It's not a terribly difficult job, and it sounds like they have replaced apt-proxy satisfactorily. This article from Linux Weekly News covers the topic, but is three years old. You could check that out, though it probably goes into more alternatives than you need. I think the odds are good that if you try apt-cacher and/or approx you'll get what you want. share|improve this answer add comment

http://askubuntu.com/questions/196031/how-to-download-once-and-update-all-computers?answertab=votes

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Take the 2-minute tour × Possible Duplicate: How do I get and install more themes, icons, and pointers? I often find myself seeing new icons but I am unable to install them. How do you install icons on Ubuntu? Can someone break down the process for me? share|improve this question Icons for what? Do you mean icons used in themes? Or application icons? Which flavor of desktop? –  txwikinger Aug 12 '10 at 16:48 icons used for themes, gnome desktop :) –  myusuf3 Aug 12 '10 at 18:58 add comment marked as duplicate by Bruno Pereira Oct 3 '12 at 18:51 3 Answers up vote 7 down vote accepted Drag and drop the theme package in the Appearance Preferences window (System->Preferences->Appearance) Theme tab. alt text alt text share|improve this answer +1 Nice answer. I had look trough other threads here and finally found this one. It was helpful for me –  Justas Aug 4 '11 at 6:43 add comment To add a new icon theme, copy them into the hidden directory (control+h in nautilus to show hidden files) .icons in your home directory. You should then be able to select them from Appearance Preferences. If you don't have a ~/.icons directory, just create one. share|improve this answer add comment If you just want to change an individual icon you should do the following: • Download a .png image • Right click the icon you want to change • Go to Preferences and then click on the little image window on the upper left. It will open a dialog where you can select the icon you wish to substitute for the old one. share|improve this answer Welcome to Ask Ubuntu! It would be great if you could add some screenshots to make it easier to follow your instructions. –  Octavian Damiean Feb 8 '12 at 16:15 add comment

http://askubuntu.com/questions/2057/how-can-i-install-different-icons

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Take the 2-minute tour × Is there a Ubuntu variant that comes with flash pre-installed? I used to use Lubuntu, as chromium used to have it, but now it doesn't work. The reason I want it pre-installed is that I use it a lot as a live CD. Thanks share|improve this question Yes, but that's the same as trying to install flash. –  CalvT Feb 1 '13 at 6:52 Ubuntu errh.. Canonical can't included Flash on the Ubuntu Live CD because it's proprietary software by Adobe, the same goes for MP3 decoding. You may just want to redo the LiveCD with persistence active and just install flash or install Chrome. –  Uri Herrera Feb 1 '13 at 6:58 add comment 1 Answer There is a way to make changes persist that are made in a live session. It relies on a mechanism that searches all drives for a filesystem with the label "casper-rw". It will mount that filesystem as a writeable overlay over the non-persistant filesystem (this is called a union mount). There are multiple ways on how to go about this. If you want to continue booting from a CD, then you can plug in a USB stick (before booting the live session, not after -- it must be present while the live session is booting). Or you could make the USB stick contain two partitions, one with the bootable live system and a second partition with the "casper-rw" filesystem. The details can be found here (read them in this order, the first article seems more to the point): share|improve this answer Or.. or use Unetbootin, add space for persistence and save yourself of messing with file systems ;) –  Uri Herrera Feb 1 '13 at 7:00 Unetbootin is one of the options in the second URL. It might be the preferred option for many. So it's a good point. –  holmb Feb 1 '13 at 7:01 add comment Your Answer

http://askubuntu.com/questions/250126/ubuntu-variant-with-flash/250131

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Take the 2-minute tour × Can someone tell me how to compile linux 3.7 kernel for amd athlon-xp in a 64 bit intel environment through chroot? I tried setting up a chroot environment but compilation gives me error. Thanks to all. P.S: Compiling kernel in a virtual machine takes too long. share|improve this question Please post some compiler output or more info on how did you set up your chroot. –  Attila O. Feb 13 '13 at 11:15 add comment 1 Answer Compile 32bit kernel on 64bit machine I followed this thread and tuned march and tuned gcc flags to athlon-xp. share|improve this answer add comment Your Answer

http://askubuntu.com/questions/254560/compile-amd-athlon-xp-32-bit-kernel-in-intel-64-bit-machine

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Take the 2-minute tour × I'm actually having an issue with the Wireless on the an HP DV5000 lspci 06:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4311 802.11b/g WLAN (rev 01) sudo lshw -C network description: Network controller product: BCM4311 802.11b/g WLAN vendor: Broadcom Corporation physical id: 0 bus info: pci@0000:06:00.0 version: 01 width: 32 bits clock: 33MHz capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list configuration: **driver=wl** latency=0 resources: irq:18 memory:40800000-40803fff > *-network description: ***Ethernet interface*** product: PRO/100 VE Network Connection vendor: Intel Corporation physical id: 8 bus info: pci@0000:08:08.0 ***logical name: eth0*** version: 01 serial: 00:16:d4:0c:50:e8 size: 10Mbit/s capacity: 100Mbit/s width: 32 bits clock: 33MHz configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=e100 driverversion=3.5.24-k2-NAPI duplex=half latency=66 link=no maxlatency=56 mingnt=8 multicast=yes port=MII speed=10Mbit/s resources: irq:20 memory:d0100000-d0100fff ioport:2000(size=64 sudo iwconfig lo no wireless extensions. eth0 no wireless extensions. sudo lsmod Module Size Used by bnep 17791 2 rfcomm 38104 0 bluetooth 189585 10 bnep,rfcomm parport_pc 32115 0 ppdev 12850 0 snd_hda_codec_conexant 52560 1 **wl 3032548 1** rfkill list all 0: hp-wifi: Wireless LAN Soft blocked: no Hard blocked: no when looking at everything(meaninng every forum i could find) it seems that the drivers are there and are installed, although no interface is attached to the card. ifconfig is also not detecting the interface and it was working fine on windows. Please help... OS: Ubuntu 12.04 share|improve this question Please see here. Same device, same problem and same answer. askubuntu.com/questions/298593/… –  chili555 May 24 '13 at 1:03 add comment Your Answer Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.

http://askubuntu.com/questions/299287/hp-dv5000-wireless-not-detecting-wireless-network?answertab=oldest

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Take the 2-minute tour × If I want to start the boot process, what file do I point to? I have Ubuntu 11.10 installed on a separate disk from openSuse 12.1 and windows 7. When I installed Ubuntu, I had to reinstall the OpenSuse to boot it and windows. Using OpenSuse boot loader, I can't seem to get the boot menu configured to start Ubuntu. I understand my problem is with the OpenSuse boot loader not being configured correctly. As a newbie I don't really understand the boot process of a linux system. share|improve this question add comment 1 Answer OpenSuse uses the Grub BootLoader. (A Boot Loader is a program that the BIOS looks for when the computer turns on, it is always located in the first 446 bytes of the hard drive). Grub then makes the filesystems of Ubuntu, OpenSuse, and Windows 7 available and looks to a file called /boot/grub/grub.cfg which tells it what operating systems are on the computer and how to boot them. The Complex answer Here is and example of a grub.cfg file. This is what an entry for Ubuntu looks like: ### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/12_os-prober ### menuentry "Ubuntu 11.10 (11.10) (on /dev/sda2)" --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os { insmod part_msdos insmod ext2 set root='(hd0,msdos1)' search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 3582d70f-f4a5-484c-b14c-45cd740346b9 linux /vmlinuz-3.0.0-12-generic root=/dev/sda2 initrd /initrd.img-3.0.0-12-generic The insmod part_msdos line tells grub to learn how to read MBR partition tables The insmod ext2 line tells grub to learn how to read ext2/3/4 filesystems The set root='(hd0,msdos1)' line tells grub that /boot is located on HDD #0, Partition 1 The search ... line tells grub to look at Ubuntu's partition for files The linux /vmlinuz-3.... line tells grub that the Ubuntu Kernel is named that, on /dev/sda2 The initrd ... line tells grub where to look for the boot image. The Simple Answer Boot into OpenSuse and run the following: sudo find / -name "grub.cfg" sudo grub-mkconfig -o /file/found/in/above/command/grub.cfg The first command will find the grub.cfg on your drive, probably at /boot. The second tells grub to look around for new operating systems and install them to the file you found above. share|improve this answer add comment Your Answer

http://askubuntu.com/questions/99041/boot-files-ubuntu-11-10

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Take the 2-minute tour × There are claims often made that, eg, "An ounce of weight at the rims is like adding 7 ounces of frame weight." This is "common knowledge", but a few of us are skeptical, and our crude attempts at working out the math seem to support that skepticism. So, let's assume a standard 700C bicycle tire, which has an outside radius of about 36cm, a bike weighing 90Kg with bike and rider, and a tire+tube+rim weighting 950g. With the simplifying assumption that all the wheel mass is at the outer diameter, how much effect does adding a gram of additional weight at the outer diameter have on acceleration, vs adding a gram of weight to the frame+rider? I asked this question over in the physics Stack Exchange. share|improve this question add comment 1 Answer up vote 7 down vote accepted The answer I got was 2x -- adding one ounce (or gram) to the wheel at the outer diameter (ie, the tread) is equivalent, in terms of force/energy needed to accelerate, to adding twice that amount to the bike frame. The answer was a bit involved and takes careful reading to fully understand, but the answer can also be explained with this thought experiment: If you have a theoretical weightless wheel, fixed to a stationary axle (ie, not rolling on the ground), and you add a mass to its outer diameter, the energy needed to accelerate that added mass to some tangential velocity is the same as the energy that would be needed to accelerate the mass to the same linear velocity (ie, as if it were attached to a weightless bike frame). But if our theoretical weightless wheel is not fixed on a stationary axle, but is instead attached to our theoretical weightless bike, we are accelerating the mass both tangentially AND linearly so we add the two energy requirements together, meaning it takes 2x the force to achieve the same acceleration and 2x the energy to accelerate to a given speed. So the answer is 2x (and not 7x or 10x or whatever is often quoted). share|improve this answer My favorite theoretical tangent is that the earth is just a big circle (it was proven round some time ago) and at any point you are just riding along a tangent... Since the tangent is FLAT... There are no hills when cycling :) => Just gravity. Thanks for sharing this. –  Glenn Gervais Dec 27 '11 at 3:42 add comment Your Answer

http://bicycles.stackexchange.com/questions/7428/what-is-the-effect-of-adding-weight-to-a-wheel-vs-adding-it-to-the-frame

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Take the 2-minute tour × In regards to cancer why do cells replicate themselves? If it's a mutation, what kind of mutation would this be classified as? share|improve this question I would rephrase the beginning of the question, if you agree. Right now it seems a bit "backwards". Cancer is defined as an uncontrolled growth of cells, so there is no specific reason (finality) for cancerous cells to grow. When a mutation causes cells to grow in an uncontrolled manner then you have cancer. –  nico Aug 17 '12 at 9:12 add comment 1 Answer This article covers some of the key issues of cancer in layman's terms. Essential, cancer is caused by multiple mutations in key regulatory genes which function in maintaining the cell cycle. This provokes uncontrollably rapid cell division, with only furthers the problem with genetic mutation. Here are some quotes from the article to strengthen your understanding in cancer cell mutations. The cell cycle: Wikimedia Commons Image source The cells become progressively more abnormal as more genes become damaged. Often, the genes that are in control of DNA repair become damaged themselves, rendering the cells even more susceptible to ever-increasing levels of genetic mayhem. [...] Most cancers are thought to arise from a single mutant precursor cell. As that cell divides, the resulting 'daughter' cells may acquire different mutations and different behaviors over a period of time. Those cells that gain an advantage in division or resistance to cell death will tend to take over the population. In this way, the tumor cells are able to gain a wide range of capabilities that are not normally seen in the healthy version of the cell type represented. [...] Mutations in key regulatory genes (tumor suppressors and proto-oncogenes) alter the behavior of cells and can potentially lead to the unregulated growth seen in cancer. share|improve this answer add comment Your Answer

http://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/3205/in-cancer-why-do-cells-duplicate-themselves/3206

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Cleveland Cavaliers and Shaq: Just Shut Up and Stop Complaining Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse more stories Cleveland Cavaliers and Shaq: Just Shut Up and Stop Complaining According to the law of numbers, there are simply more people who will root against the Cleveland Cavaliers, as opposed to those who will root for LeBron James and company. Still, many people on B/R couldn't have made that fact anymore obvious.  As if somehow bringing in Shaq would hurt the Cavaliers, time and time again people have been doing everything and anything to bash the biggest offseason trade thus far. For all those nitpickers, Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic were the ones who were hurting the Cavaliers. Both combined for three PPG and three RPG, contributing nothing on the scoreboard while becoming a tremendous liability on the defensive end. Wallace and Pavlovic needed to be dumped regardless, even if for nothing in return. Nevertheless, exchanging two garbage players for the most physically dominating player of the past decade, is simply a win-win situation. Once again, all the bandwagoners will reference how Shaquille O'Neal is not a championship caliber player that he once was. How he's too old, he's too slow, bla bla bla. O'Neal is still an All Star caliber player, something that 90 percent of teams don'thave at the center position. It doesn't even matter what he once was, Shaq as of now is better than nearly every other center in basketball. As of today, Shaquille O'Neal is only surpassed by one other man at the center position. During the 2009 playoffs, Superman Dwight Howard solidified himself as the best center in basketball. Howard played a large part in the destruction of King James, but that accomplishment will be very difficult to repeat with O'Neal's presence. 18 PPG and 8.5 RPG will give James the biggest help of his entire career. Is there supposed to be something wrong with that? Oh right, Shaquille O'Neal will somehow taint LeBron James' legacy? Listen, it's very doubtful that anyone of LeBron's caliber really cares about what the general public thinks. Obviously LeBron doesn't want to be the next Isiah Thomas, but who is he to need validation from the media? LeBron would easily love to win an NBA Title, even if it means that James "can't win an NBA Championship by himself". In fact, does that concept really even matter? Kobe Bryant couldn't have cared less about the negative connotations involving O'Neal, at least not as much as the general public/media make it out to be. Sure it was "annoying", but Bryant wasn't loosing any sleep because of what other people thought. The bottom line is that winning is winning, and championships are championships.  It's really simple as that.   All the little story lines and talks of "who's legacy is bigger" are just things that excite the fans, things that don't carry any real weight with the actual superstars. Shaquille O'Neal has undergone a renaissance this past season, reviving his career from what seemed like certain retirement. Make no mistake, the Big Man has plenty of gas left in the tank. He'll essentially share minutes with Zydrunas Ilgauskas, always leaving the Cavs with a fresh big man. O'Neal will constantly punish and wear down opposing defenses, oftentimes commanding double teams down low. LeBron James will always draw double and triple teams on the perimeter, stretching any team's defense to the limit. Mo Williams and Delonte West will have clear jumpers all day long, while always having a ton of room to penetrate to the rim. The only missing piece last year was a dominant big man. Someone who could do constant damage down low, someone who could carry the team when James was off the court. Every other position from the one through four were solid, while the bench was decent. Are the Cavs the clear cut favorites to win it all? No, but Cleveland has as good a chance as anyone else. At the end of the day, that's all any franchise can ask for. (And who just happens to be that third guy in the picture? Hmmm, doesn't seem very happy about Bron and Shaq teaming up. For all those that love to create storylines...) Load More Stories Follow Cleveland Cavaliers from B/R on Facebook Cleveland Cavaliers Subscribe Now We will never share your email address Thanks for signing up.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/207786-cleveland-cavaliers-and-shaq-just-shut-up-and-stop-complaining

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Tracking Every Signing Grading Biggest Deals How Long before the Parcells Regime Puts a Gag on Dolphin Tweeters? Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse more stories Twitter. By now, you have likely heard of it. By the name of it, you would think it was a hot new toy for toddlers, or a new female pop group. However, names can be deceiving. In actuality, Twitter is a communication platform so powerful that it has the potential to topple kingdoms. Twitter has been gaining steam for months as a popular way for marketers to reach and interact with their customers, and for news outlets to get an instant pulse on the events of the day, the hour, the second, and the millisecond. Twitter is the world's largest focus group, chat room, news desk, and water cooler wrapped into one incredibly simplistic web platform. Recently, the power of Twitter has even been harnessed for the first time to support an underground movement to defeat fascism and defend Democracy. Iranians have been using Twitter as a means to show the world the injustices they are facing in their land, even after the oppressive government has tried to shut down all communication pathways to the outside world. When Twitter isn't functioning as the Web 2.0 version of the Underground Railroad, it is often being used by fans to contact and interact with the subject of their fanatical idolatry. It seems that anyone that is anyone is twittering, tweeting, or twitting these days. Ashton Kutcher (@aplusk for the cool kids!) has set up a micro virtual kingdom on Twitter, being one of the first celebrities to truly use the platform to its potential. When he isn't busy posting pictures of his MILF wife's hindquarters for his adoring fans to see, he is re-tweeting messages concerning social causes, updating fans on his latest projects, and communicating with his fan base. In recent weeks, we have seen an influx of sports stars enter the world of Twitter. Taking a cue from those who cover them, several well known sports stars have begun using Twitter as a means to reach their fans and further quench their indomitable egos. From Shaq (@The_Real_Shaq) to the NFL's chirpiest WRs Terrell Owens(@TerrellOwens81) and Chad Ochocinco (@OGOchoCinco), Twitter has become a virtual field for trash talking and excessive celebrations. And best of all, there are no refs to take their fun away. However, this wild west mentality might soon change. Social networking sites have already landed several athletes from the sports world into steaming tar pits. A player at the University of Texas got busted for some racist remarks he made on his Facebook status last year. A little-known cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles also got in a bit of a bind when a photo of himself chortling next to what he would have us believe was a tobacco bong and a line of sugar was posted on Facebook. Just prior to the NFL draft, there was a stir regarding an apparently racist Facebook group that several USC stars joined, but was since deemed to be an inside joke within the team. While several players managed to free themselves from the scorching social tar they found themselves in, others were buried under the pressure. Twitter, unlike Facebook, poses an even bigger potential pitfall for players since their tweets are not only limited to their close friends. The entire world can read their tweets. From the embarrassing "Bout 2 take a dump." to the "I'm in the OC. Hit me up y'all!", its all there for every fan, reporter, and coach to see. Be careful what you tweet, or it will be twittering its way onto the next SportsCenter broadcast. Twitter is one little birdie that can't be subdued. While freedom of speech is the foundation of our Democracy and the right of every free human on the planet, it also poses a dilemma for coaches and organizations that hope to keep their secrets, issues, and strategies in-house. The Miami Dolphins, under the stewardship of Bill Parcells, has been known for their less-than-democratic policies on the media. Loose lips sink ships, and the Tuna isn't too fond of the water, despite his namesake. Parcells, Ireland, and Sparano do their best to control the messages and communications coming out of their complex. In the recent war of words between LB Channing Crowder and Rex Ryan, someone made it known that it was time to drop it because the usually talkative Crowder became mute as a mouse within days. Now, the twittering menace is seeping into their complex like a bad infestation of termites—threatening to take down the restrictive media structure they have so painstakingly built. Yes, some Miami Dolphins have discovered Twitter and now have a direct line to the masses. While rookie Sean Smith (@SeanSmith4) has mostly just been updating fans on how he is adjusting to the NFL and Miami, WR Davone Bess (@Lambo_Weezy) has taken a far different approach. [UPDATE: Lambo_Weezy has been confirmed to be a Davone Bess Twitter impostor. Check here for all the details regarding the Davone Bess Twittergate.] Davone pounced on the Twitter scene like he was orchestrating the Wildcat in Foxborough—pulling no punches. Yesterday, Lambo challenged Titans RB Chris Johnson (@ChrisJohnson28) to a foot race. The Dash of the duo formerly known as Smash and Dash took offense to this challenge, stating, and I RT (RT = ReTweeting which basically means Quote) "Feel insulted because somebody want to race me who ran a 4.64 i ran 4.24 do the math kill me." Since this exchange, Lambo (Davone) has upped the stakes, saying that they should broadcast the race and the loser must shave their dreads off for charity. OGOchoCinco, the reigning king of NFL Twitterland, appeared to reach out to the NFL Network to air the duel. But Davone took the social networking thing to the next level when he posted a link to a Ustream feed so that fans and twitter followers could hear him live. While Ustream generally allows video to stream as well, Davone for whatever reason did not make use of this feature, as only his voice could be heard during the broadcast. Many Dolphin fans took to the message boards to debate whether Lambo_Weezy was the real Davone or not, since some of his antics seemed out of character for the reserved nature of his public persona. However, OGOchoCinco (the verified REAL Chad Ochocinco) seemed to confirm that @LamboWeezy was indeed the real Davone Bess. A man has every right to spend their free time however they see fit as long as it falls within the realm of legality and social mores, but they must also act in a responsible way if they don't want the authority of their employer to whack them upside the head. It is for this reason that platforms such as Twitter are so dangerous for young athletes and so threatening to tight-lipped organizations such as the Dolphins. As an organization, the Miami Dolphins regulate the amount of interaction their players have with the media and with fans. However, Twitter bypasses this control. Through Twitter, players can communicate directly with local reporters, rival players, and fans in Ohio with the click of a button. How long will the Parcells Regime continue to live with this social infestation in their house before they begin to clean it up? They will likely try to reign it in soon before more players start jumping on the Twitter-wagon. On a broader note, does an organization have the right or the power to control how their employees leverage these new social technologies? Or is it their duty as leaders of their organization to keep things like Twitter from toppling their kingdom too? Until we tweet again, this is @Finstache signing off. Load More Stories Follow Miami Dolphins from B/R on Facebook Miami Dolphins Subscribe Now We will never share your email address Thanks for signing up.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/207939-how-long-before-the-parcells-regime-puts-a-gag-on-dolphin-tweeters

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Gary Matthews, Jr.: Should He Stay or Should He Go? Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse more stories Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images Hardly a week had gone by since the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim were eliminated from the playoffs before they hit their first offseason obstacle. His name is Gary Matthews Jr. In what will likely be an emotional and turbulent offseason for the Angels, who saw no less than three star players and several more reserves filing for free agency already, the team's chief concern has become a bench player who is still under contract for two more years. Perhaps, though, that is why Matthews chose to make his irritating move now. The starting outfield for the Angels is already set, but the team did have three outfielders enter the free agent market this week in Vladimir Guerrero, Robb Quinlan, and Reggie Willits.  Guerrero may be offered a contract, but it likely won't amount to much and expectations are that he'll be flailing away for a new club next season. Quinlan has been a fine reserve off the bench, but his defensive abilities are somewhat limited and the Angels have plenty of young talent coming down the outfield and infield pipes—where Quinlan serves as a backup. As for Willits, he is out of minor league options this year. That means that, if the Angels were to re-sign him, he would have to make the Major League squad out of Spring Training or else be released.  Given the circumstances, and the number of prospects waiting in the Angels' wings (too easy), we've probably seen the last of “Three-and-Two” Willits at the Big A. It's possible Matthews has taken a look at all of this and decided to strike while the iron was lukewarm, figuring he can force the Angels' hand before the ink is dry on any new contracts. Juan Rivera, Torii Hunter, and the newly re-signed Bobby Abreu occupy the starting spots in the outfield, but the Angels have often forsaken a traditional designated hitter in favor of rotating a fourth outfielder in and out of the DH position, giving the starters a break on defensive. If Matthews could accept that kind of a role, instead of a traditional starting spot in the field, the Angels could be sitting pretty come 2010. His numbers weren't stellar on offense, but many of his 50 RBI came in critical, late-inning situations where they either tied the score or put the Angels ahead. For a .250 hitter, he proved the difference in several tight games. Unfortunately, ol' GMJ seems to think himself too good for a rotating outfield role. He has been demanding a starting job since Spring Training of last season and it looks like he won't settle for anything less. But Matthews fails to understand that baseball is not a democracy, it's more like indentured servitude with a little capitalism thrown in for good measure. He has no more right to demand playing time from the Angels than I do. His offensive production doesn't support this prima donna attitude either. Matthews had just 316 at-bats this year, but managed to strike out nearly 100 times while popping only four home runs, and while he did have some timely hits with runners in scoring position, it's hardly enough to justify his incredulity. Not to mention,  if he does indeed want to be traded, all of the whining and crying can only serve to hurt his image. Teams will put up with a certain level of immaturity from players, as long as they produce. Jose Guillen and Milton Bradley are unconscionable pains wherever they play, but they still manage to play because they drive in runs. Matthews doesn't share that same level of talent with a bat and thus does not enjoy that same level of forgiveness from front offices. Teams are also less likely to make a decent offer if they know a trade is coming out of necessity rather than desire. If Matthews keeps running his mouth to the press about how unfair life is, the Angels will have fewer and ultimately less appealing trade options, and may ultimately be forced to keep him. Considering the uncertainty of the future of the Angels' bench and outfield in the years to come, it might behoove them to keep Matthews around for the duration of his contract. He has big league experience, is still an adequate defender, and runs the bases well—when he gets on. However, if the Angels choose to trade him they need to do it quickly, and one destination stands out above the rest: Toronto. Everyone and their mother's agent knows the Toronto Blue Jays are going to entertain offers for ace right-hander Roy Halladay this offseason. The team brass was clearly upset about not moving him at the trade deadline last season, and showed it by firing the general manager. The Angels were involved in those trade talks in July, and now they may be in need of another starting pitcher if John Lackey signs elsewhere. They could offer Matthews, who would replace Alex Rios in left field, along with any two pitching prospects in the minors. If that's not good enough, toss in Brandon Wood to replace Marco Scutaro at shortstop. The Jays would be crazy not to take that deal, but if they decline, so what? The Angels can only stand to gain from making that offer, and lose nothing if it doesn't work out.  Matthews doesn't have to be moved the way Guillen did after the 2004 season. He can easily be worked into the Angels' plans for next season, and since he is still under contract for two more years, the team isn't worried about trading him to get some value before he becomes a free agent. About the only thing they can't do is bench him for another season. He is making far too much money to just rot away in the dugout. Either play him in some sort of four-outfielder package, or trade him and unload that salary. Load More Stories Follow Los Angeles Angels from B/R on Facebook Los Angeles Angels Subscribe Now We will never share your email address Thanks for signing up.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/286005-gary-matthews-jr-should-he-stay-or-should-he-go

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Shiftwork Bites: Pasta Carbonara Categories: Recipes Thumbnail image for StationSetup.jpg The station set-up. I am a shift-worker. I spend half my life working 12 hours overnight, stuck staring at a bank of computer monitors near the top of a downtown office building. To most, the concept of working long hours and flipping constantly between day and night schedules sounds awful. It is. Most of my colleagues would agree that one of the worst aspects of shift-work is the effect it has on diet. Most shift-workers, especially in my particular industry, eat a lot like college freshmen, partially out of habit and the tendency toward listless snacking that accompanies the long stretches of tedium inherent in a lot of shift-work positions. There are, of course, other reasons that many of us could cull most of our meals from the isles of any decent convenience store. Given the relative preciousness of sleep when your lifestyle demands that you constantly screw with your Circadian Rhythm, few of us are willing to wake even an hour early to prepare something worthwhile to take to work. Life typically consists of wake-commute-work-commute-sleep-repeat while in the middle of a five week rotation. Eating is just something we wedge in between those basic functions. Couple that with the fact that downtown Houston looks an awful lot like Chernobyl by about 7 p.m., and we're left to eat whatever we manage to grab from the pantry, the grocery store, or the drive-thru on the way in to work. Then, I had a revelation. It occurred to me one day, while dwelling on this vicious cycle, that one of shift-work's most troublesome aspects - long hours with few people around - could help me improve the way I eat on shift. Not bad, not bad at all... Despite having no kitchen, just a small room with a refrigerator and a sink, I decided to begin preparing meals at work, using the downtime to my advantage. We're there for 12 hours, after all, certainly enough time to be able to make something decent. The other guys on my shift, all too eager to eat a bit better themselves, agreed to shoulder a bit more of the workload when I'd throw together dinner. With one small electric hot-plate, one electric skillet, and a convection oven/microwave combo, the possibilities aren't exactly endless, but I've managed to make some pretty decent dinners. I try to keep things relatively simple, because, well, I'm still at work. Twenty-course menus pulled from The French Laundry Cookbook are probably out. I recently made one of my all-time favorites, Pasta Carbonara, along with some asparagus slathered with tarragon butter and thrown under the broiler element in the micro-vection thing. I used every piece of equipment in the house, rendering bacon (guy who cries foul at the substitution for guanciale, screw you) in the skillet while a pot of water boiled for pasta on the dinky electric coil. For those of you who aren't familiar, Carbonara couldn't be easier. It's basically pasta tossed with bacon, parm, and beaten eggs. Toss it quickly, so the heat of the pasta cooks the eggs, thickening into a silky sauce. Top with more parm and plenty of black pepper. Everyone loves it; it's bacon and eggs, as pasta. It's also easily doable, even in a tiny non-kitchen. As for what's on the menu next, I'm open to suggestion. Feel free to leave some ideas in the comments. My Voice Nation Help Sort: Newest | Oldest Around The Web From the Vault

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/2010/10/shiftwork_bites_pasta_carbonar.php

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CSN Houston, Bankruptcy and Why the Rockets Aren't Just Innocent Victims Don't expect the Rockets or Astros on your TV anytime soon Odds are that if you've flown an airline in the past decade, you've flown on an airline going through Chapter 11 bankruptcy. This is the popular bankruptcy, the one that lets the airline stay in business and keep flying while attempting to come up with a profitable business plan. You're also probably well aware of the awful customer service from the employees who are worried about layoffs, furloughs, pay cuts and loss of pension benefits while the execs who caused the bankruptcy get golden parachutes. The result is a generally crappy airline that you keep flying because you have no choice while hoping that the company that emerges from bankruptcy has better management, a better plan and happier employees. And that's where CSN Houston is right now. The employees are worried about jobs, original programming might get cut and the executives who made this all happen are figuring out how they can profit. Looking back, it was easy to tell that the network was doomed. Comcast wasn't exactly popular in Houston. The partner with the biggest ownership interest (Astros) was fielding an awful product that had destroyed fan interest throughout the viewing region. The required viewing footprint for the Astros and Rockets was different (the Astros wanting five states, the Rockets stuck in a sliver of Texas). And the operating structure was set up so that all parties had to agree to any contract, meaning that the Rockets could work out a deal to get the network carried on Direct TV only to have the Astros kill the deal if they didn't think the terms were good enough. Then Drayton McLane and Comcast allegedly oversold the value of the network to Jim Crane (thus resulting in the fraud suit filed against them by Crane), which was a big deal since the network accounted for a large part of Crane's cost to buy the Astros. At the same time the non-Comcast satellite and cable providers seemed intent on gutting the network as part of some stand against rising RSN carriage fees. With no other carriage deals than the one with Comcast worked out, the network could not make money. With the Astros threatening to reclaim their media rights from the network due to the network's inability to pay the media rights fees, the network was pushed into bankruptcy court, where for several months the parties have been fighting with each other over whether the network would actually be declared bankrupt. Throughout this process the Houston Rockets have generally been seen as the innocent party, working hard to make deals happen only to have them vetoed by the greedy Astros (for what it's worth, the Astros told the court that only one carriage deal had been presented for approval, and that was in April of 2013). And it's the Rockets who have taken the lead since November, doing everything possible to work out some kind of deal to get the Astros and Rockets on TV. But briefs filed late last week by the Astros and Comcast make the Rockets out to be anything but innocent victims. My Voice Nation Help Sterling Meeks Sterling Meeks Good ole greed. The pro sports industry continues to rip consumers off at the box office and on the TV screen. Not surprising considering Les Alexanders high handed way he controls Toyota Center....hockey anyone? OK but only if Les gets all advertising on the dasher boards, concessions, parking, who knows what else. And concert fans enjoying all those concerts Les has brought to Toyota since the Aeros departure to Iowa. Quite frankly I think Les is really Drayton's brother separated at birth. From the Vault

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2014/02/csn_houston_rockets_bankruptcy.php

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I just finished writing last month's Extreme XML column* entitled The XML Litmus Test: Understanding When and Why to Use XML. The article is a more formal write up from my weblog post The XML Litmus Test expanded to contain examples of appropriate and inappropriate uses of XML as well as with some of the criteria for choosing XML fleshed out. Below is an excerpt from the article which contains the core bits that I hope everyone who reads it remembers   XML is the appropriate tool for the job if the following criteria are satisfied by choosing XML as the data representation format for a given application. 1.      there is a need to interoperate across multiple software platforms 2.      one or more of the off-the-shelf tools for dealing with XML can be leveraged when producing or consuming the data 3.      parsing performance is not critical 4.      the content is not primarily binary content such as a music or image file 5.      the content does not contain control characters or any other characters that are illegal in XML If the expected usage scenario does not satisfy most or all of the above criteria then it doesn't make much sense to use XML as the data representation format for the situation in question. As the program manager responsible for XML programming models and schema validation in the .NET Framework I've seen lots and lots of inappropriate usage of XML both from internal teams and our customers. Hopefully once this article is published I can stop repeating myself and just send people links to it next time I see someone asking how to escape control characters in XML or see another online discussion of "binary" XML. * Yes, it's late

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/dareobasanjo/archive/2004/10/10/240544.aspx

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Join a Discussion on Multilateral Diplomacy and U.S. Global Leadership Posted by DipNote Bloggers September 9, 2011 Live: Conversations With America: Multilateral Diplomacy and U.S. Global Leadership Update: Watch the broadcast here. On Thursday, September 15, 2011, Esther Brimmer, Assistant Secretary for International Organization Affairs, will hold a conversation with Ellen Laipson, President and CEO of the Stimson Center, on "Multilateral Diplomacy and U.S. Global Leadership." The discussion will be moderated by Cheryl Benton, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, and streamed live on DipNote, the Department of State's official blog, at 2:45 p.m. (EDT). You are invited to participate by submitting questions, some of which will be selected for response during the live broadcast. Submit your questions below on DipNote. Assistant Secretary Brimmer and Ms. Laipson will discuss "Multilateral Diplomacy and U.S. Global Leadership" in preparation for the 60th annual United Nations General Assembly. Given the transnational nature of current international threats and challenges, multilateral cooperation has become essential to U.S. foreign policy. As the world increasingly turns to the UN to address trans-border issues, U.S. participation in the UN is key. Ashim C. September 10, 2011 Ashim C. in India writes: South Asian countries like India and Pakistan have been suffering from terrorist violence at an escalated scale recently. What are the possibilities of a strengthened SAARC system as a multilateral regional institution to check further escalation of internationally funded tewrrorism and roll it back as much as possible as a multilateral response mechanism under the auspices of UN as US prepares to withdraw from Afpak region? This is an important question because it is doubtful that Afghan governannce mechanisms by themselves would be adequate post US withdrawal and two flourishing economies abutting Afghanistan, Iran and China, which are incidentally both authoritarian states, which are likely to be more interested in entrenching their short and long term commercial and strategic interests rather than promotion of democracy and democratic institutions building in Afghanistan... Problem also is SAARC has a great deal of potential, which matches and can possibly exceed that of ASEAN... but as of now SAARC is far short of it's potential and needs as much support of international community with US in forefront as ASEAN has got. One's sense is that there indeed is need for a strong multilateral regional institution to tackle and take on terrorism if needed in South Asia. And what happens here can be a model for other hot beds of terrorism North Carolina, USA September 11, 2011 Matt in North Carolina writes: With the success of the rebels in Libya and the key role played by the US and our NATO allies; Do the results of our efforts with our allies in Europe and on the ground signal a new turn for US policy for intervention on behalf of democracy? New Mexico, USA September 11, 2011 Eric in New Mexico writes: @ Esther Brimmer, Ellen Laipson, It seems to me that the international community, working within its various fora and mechanisms; is burdened by paradox of its own manifestation as many current engagements would indicate. The paradox between national agendas and the human agenda and the lack of practice of the philosphical underpinnings of civilization creating paralysis in moving humanity forward in social, economic, and political evolution "in greater freedom". Let's just accept the given that such status quo mindset that seeks to block resolution that are put in blue to resolve crisis generally are party to this conundrum. I know I may stand on the far side of US foreign policy in saying this, but if Palestinians wish to create a state; First they have as much right in asking the UN to help them create their own as the Jewish nation had in asking the UN to create their's back in '48. Fair's fair..and compromise is the basis for peace and fair lasting diplomatic success, generally speaking. Mideast peace then becomes based on mutual recognition of the state's right to exist, and the people's right to govern the actions of their governments. So I'm going to pose resolution to the sticky wicket, and ask that in this conversation with America folks consider whether Israel's recognition of, and support in, creating a Palestinian state as they petition to do so in the UN; would in turn bring about universal general recognition of Israel as a state (with every right to exist) by all the nations in the region and beyond that currently do not. And that a political will to compromise can make it so, if human interests be honored in the process. Thus creating a climate for the parties to return to the table to hammer out the details, with this mutual understanding as the basis. Why the US gov. can't turn what we oppose because of hypothetical negaive results of the parties getting back to the table and finding agreement; into something that works to get folks to a point of proper attitude going into it is a bit of a mystery to me. I don't pretend to have all the answers, but as the failure to recognise may be the initial basis for conflict from the start, then mutual recognition may be the only path to peace the parties have at present. And so I have to ask why my government seeks to block Palestinian statehood when a "two state solution" has been US policy for quite some time now? I mean it's one thing to tell Abbas that there's "no free lunch"...but 'cmon folks, you guys must be creative enough to turn your perceptions of a negative into something positive...if "diplomacy is the art of the possible". Convince me please. Saul B. Virginia, USA September 12, 2011 Saul B. in Virginia writes: Based on the latest developments in regards to Bolivia and the clear involvement of Bolivian Gov with drug traffic to the United States I want to know why we have not imposed sanctions and why Obama is so condecendent with George Soros pro-drug legalization in South America? Prem M. September 12, 2011 Prem M. in Pakistan writes: United Nation has launched many welfare projects ( Marshal Plans) for Pakistan but due to poor monitoring system they were not successful what do you say about it? Donna F. United States September 12, 2011 Donna F. in the U.S.A. writes: What is the most common barrier in your attempts in mediation and conflict resolution? Connor N. Pennsylvania, USA September 12, 2011 Connor N. in Pennsylvania writes: Seth D. Jones's "in the Graveyards of Empires" addresses the US's war in Afghanistan and Iraq as wars that we should have finished off, but due to a lack of resources and our transfer of military and diplomatic resources from Afghanistan to Iraq we still fight in Afghanistan today among disgruntled Arab youth nationalists. Obviously Europe has become accustomed to the US's regional Hegemony and will simply pass the buck as the US does all the brunt work. As Foreign Affairs has pointed out: Europe's defense spending continues to be nearly negligible compared to the US's. How much longer will the US be willing to act "unilaterally" and if a war with Pakistan is in the future as Seth Jones predicts, will the US be able to sidestep congress and the American people (yet again) in the US's seemingly endless and unilateral bout against terror? September 12, 2011 Khalil in Afghanistan writes: Who is the main competitor with USA in world in ten years ... will be that China, Russia, India, Germany, Brazil? hedi b. September 12, 2011 Hedi B. in Spain writes: The aproach of the US in handling the Arab Spring is successfull. Will it carry on by giving chance to moderate Islamic political parties in sharing power in Arab countries? Martie W. Oklahoma, USA September 12, 2011 Martie W. in Oklahoma writes: Two questions: How does or, in your opinion, should the concept of 'responsibility to protect' play in mutlilateral diplomacy? What is the role of international development aid in sustaining such diplomacy? Does such aid make for a safer world? Matthew K. Indiana, USA September 13, 2011 Matthew K. in Indiana writes: How will the US balance regional relationships in the Middle East; with the prospects of Palestinian statehood? Stephen D. Washington, USA September 13, 2011 Stephen D. in Washington writes: Please could you predict how America's relations with the arab and muslim world would change by supporting Palistinian statehood for Palestinians without first asking permission from Israel? frederick k. Illinois, USA September 14, 2011 Frederick K. in Illinois writes: Disaster Relief, Sports competitions, Human rights and voting assistance/monitoring, military exercises &interventions;, fancy State dinners, what gives US the most bang for the buck? Arizona, USA September 14, 2011 Dr. H. in Arizona writes: As sure as we dropped bombs in Libya to topple a terrorist leadership in support for rebels we still know little about, it is clear our efforts backed factions comprised of The Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas and Al Qaeda. Is this strategy designed to ultimately strengthen Israel's enemies to quicken their demise or was it just mean-spirited ignorance? We are not fooled by wars started by presidents that spend our treasure without the approval of congress. Its hideous. Israel used to be our friend. Our only friend in the Middle East. What is it about Obama that we must now live with embarrassment for his disdain of our allegiance to them? The Bizzaro world where our enemies now fight our foreign policies for us and we build up our enemies to kill off our friends is alive and well. Will we continue to allow this administration to stay in power with such misguided plans or do we stand up and rid the world of this kind of leadership? Lynda Y. Missouri, USA September 14, 2011 L.M. in Missouri writes: There are many concerns regarding a Palestinian statehood, while most countries around the world, and humanitarian agencies talk of Israel with distain. Why is it that no one ever discusses The Hamas Charter? It begins with an introduction followed by 35 Articles, referring to the 36th Article as an Epilogue titled, "The Hamas Are Soldiers." Every Article discusses Nonbelievers, which includes anyone who does not share their specific beliefs, including support of this Jihad. They proudly declare that the Jihad will continue until all Nonbelievers no longer stand on holy ground. Article 13 should be of particular interest to every country, organization and person who does not trust Israel; There they explain that the "so-called peaceful solutions and the international conferences to resolve the Palestinian problem, are all contrary to the beliefs of the Islamic Resistance Movement." Please explain why The Hamas Charter, which appears to be a terrorist manifesto much like Mein Kampf was Hitler's, is not questioned or publicly discussed among the leaders of media? September 14, 2011 John in Canada writes: @ EJ in new mexico - Well said - If the past 50 years has shown us anything is that policies everywhere from around the world have been a failure. Continuing failed policies are not going to cut it anymore.(if we collectively around the world want a better future.) Not all Palestinians support Hamas the way many try to spin it - Just like many Israelis do not support BN. In some respects the failings to deal with the Palestinian issue for so long has given birth to Hamas. What will continued failed policies produce in the future? (think Hamas is bad?) The Palestinians are often painted as the fundamentalist. However the state of Israel is completely religious. What kind of person moves from the relative safety of western nations, to what is a front line of a war? A fundamentalist. While some bang on about Muslim fundamentalist - we have exported our own fundamentalists to Israel (they cause problems for other Jews not just Palestinians) What kind of peace can we have when we export fundamentalists to such an area? Seems to me, the best way of preventing settlement building is to disallow these people from traveling from America, Europe, Russia and if they do - strip them of citizenship and put them on a no fly list. Israel has supreme responsibility in this and should not welcome such fundamentalism if they truly care about peace and security for Israel. Fundamentalists of all types are a danger to peace and security of every nation. Not all fundamentalists are Muslim. New Mexico, USA September 14, 2011 Eric in New Mexico writes: @ John in Canada, Thanks for thoughts, I kind of look at this Palestinian/Israeli cluster...(*) as more like a really dysfunctional long-term marraige and another annaversary has come; "We've been married since time immemorial and it's amazing we've had only one fight this whole time we've been together, and even mora amazing it's still going on." Ah, but for a lack of "get a grip".... The US has perpetually been like a good friend to both, trying to bust up a domestic dispute whenever they threaten to burn each other's house down, and urban renual will come, one way or another, squatter's rights or no. Folks either learn to share the land or "forgettaboutit". The world toaday has been demarked in national boundaries in such a way that the past tends to catch up with the international community as folks deal with long term conflict and dispute (the Durand line between Pakistan. and Afghanistan as one example), from lines on a map drawn up in a previous century in diplomatic compromise and the leftovers from the colonial era. Granted, most folks just want a place they can call home and not be messed with, and I doubt that Kurdish aspirations will cease to exist until the nations of the region give them the space to create one, having donated it to create contiguity to resolve a problem long present in the region. I'm drawing loose comparison with an equally long struggle for unless Israeli's have forggoten thier history, they would have the least grounds to object upon to a people creating a homeland next to them. And likewise no Palestinian has grounds they may stand on to deny Israel's right to life, liberty and country while they seek to create and build a nation of their own, in their own image. This shouldn't be a big freekin' deal...knowing it's a given for successful negotiations between the parties. But whether folks can apply the logic of this is another question entirely, and that's what I'm hoping folks will discuss tommorrow. Lee A. Pennsylvania, USA September 14, 2011 Lee Ann in Pennsylvania writes: International colleagues and friends have heard frequent anti-Obama rhetoric via international newspapers and TV, and have expressed concern that the American people do not seem to support our own president. How does the left/right split in our country, and the accompanying negative rhetoric and absence of a centrist perspective impact our ability to be a global leader? Maryland, USA September 14, 2011 Melissa in Maryland writes: I hear U.S. officials say the UN is an essential but flawed organization. If it is flawed, why is it still essential? What is being done to address its flaws? Latest Stories

http://blogs.state.gov/stories/2011/09/09/join-discussion-multilateral-diplomacy-and-us-global-leadership?page=0%2C1609

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5:25 pm Sep 9, 2011 Hungary’s Government Seen Cementing Its Power • In 2010 Fidesz won the elections without any campaign promises. The previous Gyurcsany government was so unpopular that it was obvious Orban would win, and even the two-thirds victory seemed quite likely. In opposition, Mr Orban kept criticising the Gyurcsany government for not lowering the VAT on gas at the peak of the crisis, and seemed to favor the poor in general. Now, in the specter of a double-dip recession, Fidesz is planning to levy a “luxury tax” on gas, which is the exact opposite of what he said in opposition. The flat income tax may make the tax system simpler, but most Hungarians don’t really gain much, if anything. Imposing a “crisis tax” on banks is popular among Hungarians, but in the long run it may backfire. Mr Orban was lucky in 2010, because he got to power without a campaign. But if he does the exact opposite of what he stood for in opposition, his luck may run out in the next election. • This is a very good description of what is happening Hungary. Viktor Orban rules Hungary autocratically. Not only is it perfectly legal, but the Hungarians seem love it. The only opponent Mr. Orban has is the EU. Should they decided to penalize Hungary (for whatever reason) by withholding public projects funds, unemployment would sky rocket and then the people might turn on Fidesz. • It is precisely a democratic system and democratic elections that gave the Hungarian government power to do what it’s doing. Just because someone is not in agreement, it does not mean that it is at the expense of democracy. Those are unfounded statements that claim the Hungarian government is working against democracy. They are making changes (which are liked by some and disliked by others) empowered by and within a democratic framework. • The two-third house majority rule required to make changes is not Fidesz doing. This law was implemented by those in the past by shrewed Socialist politicians in the hope that no party can make any changes to their outdated and discreditable constitution shaped by the old guard under Soviet occupatiion. However, those politicians underestimated the Hungarian people looking for changes. They had enough of the past and they chose Fidesz to make the necessary changes required to their fundemental priciples and they charged Viktor Orban with that mandate. Probably Hungary is the only country on this planet where the government enjoy more than two-third majority. Consequentl, those foreign negative comments made about Orban is perhaps partly based on lack of knowledge of Hungarian history, or themselves are left wing socialists, or they are just simply jealous of Orban’s huge majority. • As we can see in a history Hitler made changes empowered by and within a democratic framework in 1933 , too. • When the socialists (for the record: whom I do not favour) had 2/3 majority about a decade ago, the first thing they did was to promise not to misuse their power and not the change the consitution in their favour. They kept that promise. Being democratic is not about acting within the legal framework (like if you are allowed to drice 50 km/h but there are children playing at the side of the road, would you go with 50?) but to do things that help the country in the long run. Fidesz is doing just the opposite. • Henka, are you serious? You compare Orban to Hitler; his next move will probably be to start the Hungarian struggle for world domination :) That could be scary news for the US… Perhaps anyone who earns too many votes is a danger to democracy then, except, of course, if he is a liberal. Don’t you think Hungarian voters’ decision should be respected now just as much as after previous elections? • Hungarians made their choice so now they have to live with it. Maybe they learn something for a change after they have nothing left but debts and a theocratic laughable constitution. • If you do not know the background of this story, if you do not see the effects of his politics every day, you might likely misunderstand this article. During the last 8 years of left-wing struggle, (2 terms of MSZP) Fidesz did nothing to help the country, they just helped ruining MSZP’s remaining bits of supporters, for the sole purpose of winning the 2010 elections with such a majority (By the way, 2/3 in the parliament doesn’t mean they got 2/3 of the votes – as far as I know, they received 54% support, but they calculated 2/3 out of it..) Orbán is a populist, not a democrat. When MSZP made changes to the health system during its term, requiring non-regular visitors of hospitals to pay about 1.50 dollars worth of HUF per visit, the healthcare has never been better, but of course, some people were grumbling about it. So Fidesz started fighting against this little change (not against much bigger problems) and eventually, “won” so this little thing (which most people only paid about 2-3 times) stopped, and healthcare became crap again. When the 2010 elections started, they put up billboards saying “We’ll make healthcare great again!”. Another thing: They were flexing their muscles and shaking the iron-gloved fist, saying “We’ll restore order in two weeks!”, talking about the horrible crime rates which they will supposedly fix. After a year of Fidesz, the crime rates increased by 150% (!) and yet they claim nothing is wrong. And they are once again making tax changes benefitting the rich and they are making terrible decision after terrible decision. Currently, Hungary has no good choice between MSZP and Fidesz, as in the last 20 or so years, they learned both of those bigger powers are no good for the country. Meanwhile, the nationalist party Jobbik is gaining popularity as it is currently the only party which is actually ATTENDING the parliament regularly and making sensible ideas, and the only party that is addressing the gypsy-crime issue (while other parties banned the word altogether…) which is becoming more and more pressing. Jobbik is also pressing an early election – as the same requirements the Fidesz claimed to have happened during the MSZP reign happened again during the Fidesz reign: The governing party is not doing the politics they were promising and doing irresponsible decisions that are leading the country to bankrupcy. Fidesz claimed the same things a few years ago, now Jobbik is doing the same. It’s a stormy period in Hungary, so don’t comment if you do not know what you are talking about! • This article clearly shows how little you know about the big picture. What Orban is doing at the moment is trying to save the country form the international bankers who consider it to be nothing else but a junkyard of their own. Once totally exploited, they can move on. Who else wants to erease Hungarians from the planet? Our dear neighbours: Slovakia (a non exsistent nation created from North Hungary), Romania (whose half polulation and territory has been the very heart of historical Hungary, actually for about 12,000 years as archeological evidences show), Serbia (again, big part of it inhabited by the rest of Hungarians who survived the 1944 mass massacre by Tito), and Ukraine (again significant part of it is Hungarian land). It is clear that these countries obtained Hungarian territories in a completely illegitime way after the 1920 Paris war contract, and they are afraid of losing what is not their own. But there are other factors too: In the process of building their world empire, the masters of the global financial kingdom dislike anybody who tries to become indipendent. With Orban as a leader, Hungary tries to seize independence again. Obviously a diffcult job, as enemies of Hungary are everywhere inside and outside. It’s stomac turning to read about “democracy defficiency” in Hungary, while we have the strongest democracy in Europe with about 60% votes. You critisise a nation which was the only one trying to fight for democracy in 1956 (and was left alone to bleed out by the western world). You are lying, as all of your liberal media soulmates do. You are all pathetic lyers… You do nothing but harm to this planet. Add a Comment About Emerging Europe • Emerging Europe Real Time on Twitter • Emerging Europe Real Time on Facebook

http://blogs.wsj.com/emergingeurope/2011/09/09/hungary-government-seen-cementing-its-power/tab/comments/

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New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav: Dipping chocolate post #1 of 2 Thread Starter  Hi Everybody, I hope there is someone out there who can answer this for me.  I have a recipe that is my hubby's favorite cookie, well he calls them cookies, they are really more of a candy.  Chocolate covered peanut butter balls.  His sister in law gave me the recipe but don't know where it originated.  I've played with this recipe to make it diabetic friendly and got it working so well that some members of his family have told me that mine are better than the original.  Don't know how there are only a couple of ingredients, Anyway, back to my question.  The recipe call for a chunk of paraffin to be melted in he chocolate for dipping.  I think the purpose of this is to make the chocolate thinner so it flows better and give it  little more shine and it also makes it a little harder, it doesn't melt in your hand as easily.  Not sure I'm actually guessing at the purpose.  So here's my question, has anybody ever used this in chocolate and does anyone know what I can use as a substitute.  I tried using butter but the end result was too soft.  icon_rolleyes.gif post #2 of 2 I have a similar recipe and I have always used butter instead of wax... I get a smooth and shiny chocolate covering. New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:   Return Home

http://cakecentral.com/t/753894/dipping-chocolate

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Take the 2-minute tour × In other words, how do the brains of those with BPD differ from those who don't have BPD? The Wikipedia article doesn't even contain any possible explanations whatsoever. share|improve this question add comment 1 Answer The Neurobiology and Genetics of Borderline Personality Disorder indicates that a good deal of research has been done but a specific mechanism causing it has not been pinned down. It appears to be largely genetic which would strongly suggest a neurobiological/nature basis as opposed to a "nurture" related cause. (emphasis mine) In summary, the neurobiological research that has been the most useful in shedding light on the physiology underlying borderline personality disorder has examined this multifaceted disorder by examining simpler dimensions of behavior separately, including impulsive aggression and affective instability. Evidence suggests that impulsive aggression involves a deficit in serotonergic activity. However, the specific mechanism underlying this remains unknown. It is clear that this component of behavior is substantially genetically encoded, and so new research has focused on elucidating the specific receptors underlying impulsive aggression through the examination of genes coding for specific receptors. share|improve this answer add comment Your Answer

http://cogsci.stackexchange.com/questions/37/what-is-a-neurobiological-explanation-of-borderline-personality-disorder?answertab=votes

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