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Take the 2-minute tour × I am attempting to filter every notification through espeak. However, I can't seem to find a way to get the notification body from a python script, or even what signal_name to listen to. Trying to google for this only seems to yield results involving creating new notifications, so I am completely lost now. Anyone can help me with this? In short, what I want is to listen for incoming notifications using python, and obtaining the "body" attribute of the notification. share|improve this question It seems a notification doesn't produce a signal i.e., dbus-monitor "type='signal',interface='org.freedesktop.Notifications'" shows nothing but dbus-monitor "interface='org.freedesktop.Notifications'" shows notifications (type is 'method_call' not 'signal'). –  J.F. Sebastian Sep 7 '12 at 21:34 add comment 1 Answer By notifications you mean the "OSD bubbles" that some software sends, like changing volume, IM chat, etc? You want to create a python program to capture those? Well, Ask Ubuntu is not a programmer's QA, and software development is a bit beyond the scope, but here is a little code I did do capture notification bubbles: import glib import dbus from dbus.mainloop.glib import DBusGMainLoop def notifications(bus, message): if message.get_member() == "Notify": print [arg for arg in message.get_args_list()] bus = dbus.SessionBus() mainloop = glib.MainLoop() Leave this running in a terminal, then open another terminal window and test it: notify-send --icon=/usr/share/pixmaps/debian-logo.png "My Title" "Some text body" And the program will output this: [dbus.String(u'notify-send'), dbus.UInt32(0L), dbus.String(u'/usr/share/pixmaps/debian-logo.png'), dbus.String(u'My Title'), dbus.String(u'Some text body'),... As you may have guessed, message.get_args_list()[0] is the sender, [2] for icon, [3] for summary and [4] for body text. For the meaning of the other fields, check the official specification docs share|improve this answer add comment Your Answer

http://askubuntu.com/questions/89279/listening-to-incoming-libnotify-notifications-using-dbus

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The Motley Fool Discussion Boards Previous Page Financial Planning / Tax Strategies Subject:  Re: private loan - details, details... Date:  8/4/2004  2:16 AM Author:  JAFO31 Number:  72734 of 120439 Foolferlove: "I'd like to take a loan out at the first bank of Lorenzo too. 4 percent sounds real good to me! Where should I send the application? Actually, I do have a real question...Can I loan money to a family member and charge zero interest with an indefinite repayment period? Or is this kind of loan somehow a no-no since it can be used to get around gift taxes?" IIRC, it can create phantom income for the lender (and potential gift tax issues if the loan is relatively large). My recollection is a bit hazy, but a believe that there is a de minimis exception for loan below a certain size (mayber 10k?); but in any event, if the loan is has a below market rate --- by reference to some applicable "federal funds" rate --- then the IRS will impute additional interest until the rate is at the "federal funds" rate the the lender needs to recognize phantom income (as if the interest were paid and then gifted). For example (all numbers hypothetical) if Daddy Warbucks loans Warbucks Junior $800k at zero interest when the applicable rate should be 4%, then Daddy Warbucks is deemed to have 32k in phantom interest income (800k * [4% - 0% charged]) on which income tax is due and is also deemed to have made a gift of the 32k interest not collected, which is larger than the 11k annual exemption (or 22k if Daddy Warbucks is married), so a gift tax return would also be due, unless Warbucks, Jr. is married, too - because 32k less than 44k available from a married couple to another married couple. One fo the resident pros will need to add the exact details and citation. Regards, JAFO

http://boards.fool.com/MessagePrint.aspx?mid=21110987

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It's 7 a.m. at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone. Chef John Difilippo is in front of his baking and pastry class, explaining the difference between a pie and a tart. “This is not a pie, it’s a tart,” he tells the students, who are surprisingly alert and maybe even a little hyper for so early in the morning. They lean forward in their seats. “A tart is more refined than a pie, while a pie is more rustic,” he tells them. RECIPE: Pear ... Register to view this Article Why Register for FREE? Already registered? here.

http://food-management.com/print/chefs/chef-demo-art-tart

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WASHINGTON—The federal government's foreclosure-prevention effort continued to sputter, as the number of homeowners leaving the program exceeded those who received new loan modifications for the second straight month. More than 91,000 homeowners cancelled their government loan modifications in June, while just 38,728 received new modifications, according to data released Tuesday. Almost 530,000 of the nearly 1.3 million government modifications have been cancelled since the program began last March. Dropouts climbed as homeowners missed payments on their modified loans or failed to turn in required paperwork. Nearly half of the homeowners who cancelled their trial modifications have found mortgage relief outside the program, the administration said, while less than 2% of cancellations have resulted in foreclosure. The Obama administration said the effort would help up to 4 million people hold onto their homes. But critics say the program isn't on track to meeting its goals as foreclosures continue to mount. Under the program, homeowners who qualify can have their mortgage payments cut to 31% of their monthly income by extending their loan term to 40 years or slashing their interest rate to as low as 2% for five years. Participants must make three monthly payments during a trial period before they receive a permanent modification. Write to Jessica Holzer at [email protected]

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052748704723604575379532787403368?mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052748704723604575379532787403368.html

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• cell adhesion; • fibrin sealants; • fibrin structure; • fibrin(ogen); • wound healing Summary  Fibrinogen and fibrin play an important role in blood clotting, fibrinolysis, cellular and matrix interactions, inflammation, wound healing, angiogenesis, and neoplasia. The contribution of fibrin(ogen) to these processes largely depends not only on the characteristics of the fibrin(ogen) itself, but also on interactions between specific-binding sites on fibrin(ogen), pro-enzymes, clotting factors, enzyme inhibitors, and cell receptors. In this review, the molecular and cellular biology of fibrin(ogen) is reviewed in the context of cutaneous wound repair. The outcome of wound healing depends largely on the fibrin structure, such as the thickness of the fibers, the number of branch points, the porosity, and the permeability. The binding of fibrin(ogen) to hemostasis proteins and platelets as well as to several different cells such as endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, fibroblasts, leukocytes, and keratinocytes is indispensable during the process of wound repair. High-molecular-weight and low-molecular-weight fibrinogen, two naturally occurring variants of fibrin, are important determinants of angiogenesis and differ in their cell growth stimulation, clotting rate, and fibrin polymerization characteristics. Fibrin sealants have been investigated as matrices to promote wound healing. These sealants may also be an ideal delivery vehicle to deliver extra cells for the treatment of chronic wounds.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1538-7836.2006.01861.x/abstract

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Take the 2-minute tour × I'll preface this with I don't know if anyone else who's been programming as long as I have actually has this problem, but at the very least, the answer might help someone with less xp. I just stared at this code for 5 minutes, thinking I was losing my mind that it didn't work: var usedNames = new HashSet<string>(); Func<string, string> l = (s) => for (int i = 0; ; i++) var next = (s + i).TrimEnd('0'); if (!usedNames.Contains(next)) return next; Finally I noticed I forgot to add the used name to the hash set. Similarly, I've spent minutes upon minutes over omitting context.SaveChanges(). I think I get so distracted by the details that I'm thinking about that some really small details become invisible to me - it's almost at the level of mental block. Are there tactics to prevent this? update: a side effect of asking this was fixing the error it would have for i > 9 (Thanks!) var usedNames = new HashSet<string>(); Func<string, string> name = (s) => string result = s; for (int i = 1; ; result = s + i++) if (!usedNames.Contains(result)) return result; share|improve this question Why are you calling .TrimEnd('0')? What happens when you get up to 10? –  SLaks Oct 31 '11 at 17:28 Kind of like asking: Is a way to prevent me from doing subtraction when I meant to do addition? –  mikerobi Oct 31 '11 at 17:28 I find explaining the algorithm to someone else, will quickly make me realise where I've gone wrong. –  Ray Oct 31 '11 at 17:31 @Slaks - good point - its so the first iteration doesn't doesn't append a number - it won't make it to 10 :) –  Aaron Anodide Oct 31 '11 at 17:31 add comment migrated from stackoverflow.com Nov 25 '11 at 6:31 This question came from our site for professional and enthusiast programmers. 4 Answers up vote 6 down vote accepted A unit test likely would've / should've caught this omission. Assert.AreEqual("NEXT", obj.GetNextName("NEXT")); Assert.AreEqual("NEXT1", obj.GetNextName("NEXT")); It would also catch the likely bug you'll have when i = 10. Assert.AreEqual("NEXT9", obj.GetNextName("NEXT")); /* your TrimEnd call could be a bug */ Assert.AreEqual("NEXT10", obj.GetNextName("NEXT")); Test-driven development is proactive by its definition. In your example, you would immediately see that it wasn't working as designed and you would get feedback as to what it was returning. share|improve this answer add comment You could ask someone else to look over your code. share|improve this answer add comment Experience is the best defense here. Over time, you should become more adept at spotting these omissions from the observed behavior. (You should also become more adept at not making them in the first place) Stepping through the code line-by-line in the debugger should also highlight what's missing. share|improve this answer add comment I personally find it helpful to describe my methods in comments before writing the implementation code. That way, if I forget something, or if someone else picks it up in two weeks time, they will know what was 'supposed' to happen and should be able to implement it themselves without needing to some and ask me! MyMethod() { //setup vars //perform complex function //set flag for something or other //save changes It won't prevent the 'I've made an error in the algorithm' type issues, unless you really go low level with the commenting, but it should prevent the 'forgotten to save changes' type errors. share|improve this answer its funny, i stopped doing that when i got wind that hip developers don't comment every line - but it's probably something that would help me to go back to –  Aaron Anodide Oct 31 '11 at 17:49 There is a fine line between commenting things for the sake of it and adding useful annotation, but I try to think of it like a comment interface, if you will! That way when I satisfy my comment contracts I may remove them, but sometime they are useful for others to see what was going through my mind at the time! –  dougajmcdonald Oct 31 '11 at 18:12 @Gabriel Also, nothing personal as I'm aware you're not making this statement. But from a personal perspective I resent the arrogance of certain developers who make comments like 'A good developer should just 'understand the code'' and the such like, in my opinion, anything which makes code easier to understand when you come back to it in say 2 years time, is worth adding in. It should save time/money in the long run. This is especially true in team environments when experience levels in certain areas may vary vastly. –  dougajmcdonald Oct 31 '11 at 18:15 You picked up on the undercurrent of my comment - I jokingly think to myself that "EDD", ego driven development, will be the next big thing :) –  Aaron Anodide Oct 31 '11 at 18:23 add comment Your Answer

http://programmers.stackexchange.com/questions/121657/how-do-you-proactively-guard-against-errors-of-omission

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Take the 2-minute tour × share|improve this question "Java object creation is the most expensive operation you could perform". Mind sharing the source of that claim? –  Songo May 22 '12 at 9:23 And - most expensive operation as compared to what? Compared to calculating pi to 900 digits or compared to incrementing an int? –  jasonk May 22 '12 at 9:55 Most expensive (primitive) operation is actually creating a very large array... –  Mehrdad May 23 '12 at 6:20 This is one of the most funny things I've ever heard about programming .) –  Mert May 24 '12 at 8:58 show 1 more comment 11 Answers up vote 210 down vote accepted Your colleague has no idea what they are talking about. Your most expensive operation would be listening to them, they wasted your time mis-directing you to information at least a decade out of date as well as you having to spend time posting here and researching the Internet for the truth. Hopefully they are just ignorantly regurgitating something they heard or read from a decade ago and don't know any better. I would take anything else they say as suspect as well, this should be a well known fallacy by anyone that keeps up to date either way. Current GC algorithms are actually optimized for creating many many small objects that are short lived, that is basically the 99% heuristic for Java objects in every program. Object Pooling will actually make the JVM preform worse in most cases. The only Objects that need pooling today are Objects that refer to finite resources that are external to the JVM; Sockets, Files, Database Connections, etc. share|improve this answer +1: "Your most expensive operation would be listening to them ...". Best I've heard for some time. –  Cwan May 22 '12 at 8:16 @DeadMG, even with the cumulative GC overhead, Java can be faster than C++ (e.g., due to the heap compaction, minimising cache misses for certain data structures). –  SK-logic May 22 '12 at 8:43 @DeadMG, what are you talking about? There are no extra indirections. And no, you cannot match the proper GC performance with the custom allocators, pools and all that. Please do not come back to this topic unless you're able to prove that you can infer a region-based memory management scheme for any possible program in, say, simple lambda calculus. You cannot compactify manually a custom binary tree coming from runtime-dependant data. –  SK-logic May 22 '12 at 8:52 @Matsemann that is exactly the false information that the OP is referring to. It hasn't been accurate for a decade. Object polling is relevant for resources external to the JVM and that are finite, like DB Connections/Network Sockets. All that old mumbo jumbo about Object pooling in any other context is voodoo now. –  Jarrod Roberson May 22 '12 at 18:06 show 12 more comments share|improve this answer +1 Even though the garbage collector "just works", every Java programmer should learn about the generational garbage collector. –  benzado May 22 '12 at 13:16 An the next step for escape analysis is to "allocate" memory for small object purely in registers (for example a Point object could fit in 2 general purpose registers). –  Joachim Sauer May 23 '12 at 5:34 @Joachim Sauer: That's kind of what is done in the newer implementations of the HotSpot VM. It's called scalar replacement. –  someguy May 24 '12 at 15:02 @someguy: I've read about it some time ago as the next thing, but didn't follow up to check if it's already done. It's excellent news to hear that we already have this. –  Joachim Sauer May 24 '12 at 19:31 show 1 more comment share|improve this answer Wow! 20+ MB to process 50 rows of data? Sounds crazy. In any case, are those objects long-lived? Because that's the case that would matter for GC. If on the other hand you're merely discussing memory requirements, that's unrelated to garbage collection or object creation efficiency... –  Andres F. May 22 '12 at 23:52 Objects are short-lived (less than 0.5sec in the general case). That volume of garbage still affects performance. –  jasonk May 23 '12 at 23:17 add comment share|improve this answer Its worth noting that escape analysis will allow short lived (bounded life) objects to be stored on the stack, these objects can be deallocated for free ibm.com/developerworks/java/library/j-jtp09275/index.html –  Richard Tingle Jun 27 '13 at 10:36 @Richard: great point - escape analysis provides some very good optimisations. You have to be careful about relying on it though: it isn't guaranteed to happen in all Java implementations and in all circumstances. So you often need to benchmark to be sure. –  mikera Jun 27 '13 at 11:43 add comment share|improve this answer Most modern JVM's support better garbage collection algorithms than "stop the world". The amortized time spent in garbage collection is frequently less than what is spent explicitly calling malloc/free. Also does C++ memory management run in a separate thread? –  user1249 May 22 '12 at 6:59 I don't think any of the standard garbage collectors shipped with the JVM support pauseless GC yet - the pause is shorter but not gone. Some are working on pauseless GC: infoq.com/news/2010/09/bigmemory en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azul_Systems Also here's a StackOverlow thread that mentions the deallocation method I referred to: stackoverflow.com/questions/390102/… –  greg May 22 '12 at 12:05 Depends on which JVM you use. We use a non-x86 IBM JVM for production, which can do pauseless gc. –  user1249 May 22 '12 at 12:07 The newer Java versions from Oracle can do escape analysis, which means that objects that don't escape a method are allocated on the stack, which makes cleaning them up free - they are automatically deallocated when the method returns. –  Jesper May 22 '12 at 14:37 @Mehrdad - it runs in parallel without pausing the JVM. It does - however - stop the world if the gc cannot keep up (a gc is requested before the previous gc has finished). This usually happens only when swapping badly. –  user1249 May 23 '12 at 7:48 show 9 more comments Other than that, the above answers hold true. share|improve this answer Read the question again. It does not specify JVM anywhere including the tags. It only mentions Java. –  Peter Kelly May 22 '12 at 15:08 add comment share|improve this answer add comment the GC is tuned for many short lived object that said if you can trivially reduce object allocation you should String str = ""; str+= appendingString; you can easily rewrite this into: StringBuilder strB = new StringBuilder(); String str = strB.toString(); share|improve this answer the biggest advantage in this StringBuilder approach is the pre-size the StringBuilder so that it never has to reallocate the underlying array with the StringBuilder(int) constructor. This makes it a single allocation, rather than a 1+N allocations. –  Jarrod Roberson May 22 '12 at 18:11 @JarrodRoberson StringBuilder will at least double the current capacity or in other words the capacity will grow exponentially for only log(n) allocations –  ratchet freak May 22 '12 at 19:09 add comment share|improve this answer If the additional cost is moved to the 'if (firstTime)', than recreating class in a loop is still more expensive than reusing the class. –  Alex May 24 '12 at 14:19 add comment share|improve this answer It would be very constructive if people put comment also while down voting any answer. After all we are all here to share knowledge, and simply passing judgment without proper reason is not going to serve any purpose. –  AKS Aug 2 '13 at 11:33 Stack exchange should have some mechanism to notify users who down vote any answer, when comment is posted on that answer. –  AKS Aug 2 '13 at 16:46 add comment share|improve this answer add comment protected by Yannis Rizos Aug 2 '13 at 5:39

http://programmers.stackexchange.com/questions/149563/should-we-avoid-object-creation-in-java/149573

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How to Shop a Sample Sale: 8 Tips to Know Before You Go By Perrie Samotin, StyleCaster Sample SaleWhen it comes to sample sales, your goal is presumably simple: Get the best stuff at the absolute best prices. However, pretty much every other girl attending that same sample sale has the same goal, making for some stiff competition. The good news is that there are ways to triage your way to the front of the line, and score killer merchandise. Read on for 8 tips on how to shop a sample sale. Related Article: See Marilyn Manson's Shocking Make-Under 1. Know about the sample sales. The first step to scoring the best merchandise? You have to actually know about the sample sales. Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to be enmeshed in the fashion industry to get wind of top sales, as you can sign up for various alerts, invites, and newsletters via sites like,, Clothingline, 260 Sample Sales, or Got a pal who works in fashion? Ask them to keep you posted on private invites. Related Article: 50 Fashion Rules to Break Right Now 2. Know the exact address. Some sample sales aren't held in easy-to-spot storefronts-many are are in office buildings, so knowing cross streets isn't enough. Make sure you know the exact address and floor number. 3. Know currency rules. Worst scenario ever: You're on line waiting to pay for those seriously jaw-dropping [insert brand name here] heels, only to throw down your AmeEx and hear "sorry, cash only." What's worse: There's no guarantee that sale staffers will hold your goods while you run to the ATM. 4. Get up early for big sales, and go back at the end. It's common knowledge that the frist day of certain sample sales (ahem, Alexander Wang and Manolo Blahnik) draw insane crowds-we're talking Thanksgiving Day Parade insane-so being at the back of the line won't do you any good. In order to get first pick at the good stuff, its imperative to arrive way before the sale starts. Odds are, there will always be some maniacal shoppers ahead of you, but better to be the fourth person in line, than the 94th. That said, if it's a brand you adore, it might pay to go back during the last day of the sample sale, as most things left will be discounted heavily (sometimes up to 75%) The big-ticket or coveted items will probably have sold out (bags at Wang, boots at Rag & Bone) but you can bet there will be plenty of other items left. 5. Leave vanity at home. Most sample sales don't have formal dressing rooms, and those that do are communal with a capital C. Meaning, you'll be stripping down in front of a lot of ladies, so leave vanity at home (do not, however, leave you underwear at home.) You also might want to wear thin layers like tank tops and leggings that allow for easy try-ons. Also: many sample sales require you to check your bag, so choose clothing with pockets to store you cell phone and your wallet. 6. Understand the difference between samples and overstock. Some brands will sell actual samples, but most sell overstock. The difference: Samples are items that the designers made strictly for sample purposes or items that never made it into production, and are usually made in sizes 2-4, if it's clothing. Samples often feature no labels inside, and could feel a bit flimsier than the version you've felt in the store (for Example, silk shirt brand Equipment will often sell samples of their shirts at sales but they're not all rendered in silk.) Overstock is actual merchandise that was produced but didn't sell. 7. See an imperfection? Speak up. If you notice a tiny hole, missing button, or busted zipper, it pays to ask the sales associate for a bigger reduction. Try something like: "Hi, I just noticed there's a missing button on this blouse, but I'd like to buy it anyway. Is there anything you can do on the price?" They might say no, but it can't hurt to ask. 8. Don't love stuff? Walk away. If you don't see anything you're really loving, walk away. Yeah, items cost less than they do at retail, but in most designer sales' cases, they're still not cheap. Even if you waited for two hours to get into that Phillip Lim sale and nothing catches your eye or looks on you, walk away. And remember that there's a reason why most sales have so much overstock-there's not much demand. More from StyleCaster: 8 Weird Things You Never Knew About Your Eyebrows How to Wear Thigh-High Boots: 5 Tips for Looking Totally Chic, Not Totally Cheap Test-Drive a Different Hair Color Before Committing

http://shine.yahoo.com/fashion/shop-sample-sale-8-tips-know-225000867.html?.tsrc=sun?_devicefull

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Walker Ryan Pacific Drive Party Photos Pacific Drive, the San Diego-based shop that Walker Ryan rides for, threw a small party to celebrate Organika‘s newest pro. All the SD locals rolled by, crushed pizzas and beer supplied by the ever-generous Kayo Corp, and partied the night away, all while Walker’s 11-1-11 part played on repeat. Good times! (image 9 of 12) Remind Insoles' John Makens. I was tellin' him that since skating's 90% mental, and 10% in the feet, he should look into making radioactive hats. He wasn't havin' it.

http://skateboarding.transworld.net/1000147506/news/walker-ryan-pacific-drive-pro-party-photos/?pid=34942

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Forgot your password? Comment: Re:Can a bitcoin advocate explain.... (Score 1) 149 by Richy_T (#46203345) Attached to: Florida Arrests High-Dollar Bitcoin Exchangers For Money Laundering As a Bitcoin advocate, I think it's more likely that people fear what they don't understand. There's this new thing out so people (news services) are looking for the scary stories. Criminal activity in Bitcoin usage is dwarfed by that in the USD, even proportionally

http://slashdot.org/~Richy_T/

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Forgot your password? Comment: Re:Why? (Score 1) 766 by executioner (#46397759) Attached to: The Next Keurig Will Make Your Coffee With a Dash of "DRM" I think the hate is for the unnecessary and repugnant DRM they are going to force on their consumers in the next incarnation of the product. Personally the DRM guarantees I will not be upgrading, I like my Dunkin Donuts coffee and i'm sure they will be considered a knock off as there are limited places to purchase them. They must be feeling the pain of the K-cups being made by everyone. Although I'm not sure as a company that implementing DRM is the best way for them to go, I see lots of customer complaints happening after release.. (what do you mean I can only use green mountain coffee brands?) then they will go and my the mister coffee k-cup machine that doesn't have DRM in it. Comment: Re: I hope it explodes and kills him (Score 1) 336 by executioner (#44497997) Attached to: Version 2.0 of 3D-Printed Rifle Successfully Fires 14 Rounds " These guns are made specifically to make dodging regulations easier. This shows a disdain for the will of people. If you don't like the gun control laws then go and change them. If your political system is corrupt - go and change it." dodging which regulation exactly, it is perfectly legal for a citizen to create/make their own guns as long as they don't sell it. The will of the people ? People want access to firearms for many reasons this just makes it easier for someone with the available cash to purchase a printer and materials to create something for themselves. Comment: Re:1 2 3 4 I declare flame war (Score 1) 976 after it being out only a couple days there was a uninstall/comment that her mother was tagged as owning a SKS (she didn't) Lots of room for incorrect tags on this add to it the potential for criminal abuse (theft) hope he has a 5 star legal defense team. Comment: Re:Whoosh (Score 1) 547 by executioner (#44060493) Attached to: Microsoft Kills Xbox One Phone-Home DRM The graphic specs have a noticeable difference in their capabilities. the PS4 is far superior in the graphics department then the XB1. I found the Kinect to decent (at least for the games I have played with it) but I do not like the always listening part of the new connect. The DRM was just plain stupid as the backlash started over a year ago when the rumors first came out that they were going to tank the used games on the system. Why the expected it to get better once they announced it I'll never understand. It just allowed Sony and the PS4 to severely spank them at E3 this year by being that stupid. Comment: Re:BS (Score 1) 953 by executioner (#43525645) Attached to: Some Windows XP Users Can't Afford To Upgrade I disagree being lazy has nothing to do with it. I have found many specialized software applications while appealing because they are designed for the niche market are too costly a) to purchase and b) to costly to maintain. some users wish they hadn't spent that much on it. I had an incident many years ago with a building company they asked me to sit in as a technical consultant on some presentations on job costing software. I knew his current setup for software. Both companies provided great pitches but cost wise one was $15,000 and $5-8,000 in maintenance fees per year and the other one was in the same realm but more expensive. After they left I told him technically both solutions would do the job he was looking for but require him to tie himself to their companies to continue using the software as once he stopped paying the maintenance fees the software would shut down. I suggested he wait a month and purchase the job costing software from quicken (would have tied nicely with his accounting software) and spend $99 a little additional customizing and it would do the same job. with no fees. He choose to go with the $15,000 solution and exactly a month later he received a postcard with the job costing software for $99 in the mail. Comment: Re:They don't have to be (just generate a GUID) (Score 1) 327 by executioner (#41231401) Attached to: Networked Cars: Good For Safety, Bad For Privacy yes but you miss the point the cars will not think it is as unimportant as we do and will log all activity (car connection) then they will add a bluetooth module that either interrupts the radio with a targeted ad for wal-mart that you are driving by based on the fact you stopped my the local pet store last week. unfortunately it is a slippery slope when it starts being added without protections from the start. Comment: verizon (Score 1) 294 by executioner (#39147867) Attached to: Ask Slashdot: Best Mobile Phone Solution With No Data Plan? I use the LG Cosmos it is considered a basic phone (no data plan required) but can use it for email, web, has a built in music player and camera. and think it has been moved to the free category now (was 99 when i got it) I use it for texting, phone and music mostly so it handles what i need it to. Comment: Re:Technology could be so cool (Score 1) 150 by executioner (#38876543) Attached to: Tenative Ruling Against Kaleidescape in DVD CCA Case -Embrace streaming. The infrastructure is there. The technology is mature. Drive-in theaters died a long time ago, and so will megaplexes. Deal with it. Stop fighting Netflix. Stop trying to cling onto your antiquated distribution platform.. I couldn't agree more the antiquated distribution platform needs a rewrite for the 21st century. Although Drive-in theaters are not completely dead yet. We have one locally where I am at that shows double features every night during the summer showing current movies or sometimes ones that have been out a few months. I can get myself and my two boys in for less then $10 and about the same for snacks. so for $20 I get three people into see 2 movies. go to a traditional movie theatre and that has just ballooned to $50 or $60 dollars for the 3 of us to see 1 movie. I'll continue to go to the Drive-in as long as it is around 78th year this coming season I believe. I also have to agree with the person who said that Money (or some sort of Graft) had to have changed hands for the judge to change so radically from 2007 to now. It is a sad commentary on were we are heading when judges and politicians cannot be bothered to do what is right and actually try to learn about what they are making laws about. the content laws and changes from the content industries that they are trying to make like, Game companies trying to kill the used game market, (you know resale of movies and cds will be next), SOPA (lets not forget C-11 in Canada, ACTA in Europe etc. they are trying to get the provisions passed outside the US and then will come back and say they have these laws lets be equals), DCMA, RIAA/MPAA biting the hand that feeds it by suing customers. I forsee a day when my consumption of media companies content will be at zero, i have already made my decision if the new Xbox 720 comes out with used game restrictions I will stay on the current systems and continue to purchase the games that do not have these restrictions. What ever happened to the days of fair use it seems like it is slowly dying a painful death at the hands of media companies that would rather we pay for media each time we listen to it. Comment: Re:Oh, Canada (Score 1) 231 by executioner (#38825307) Attached to: Canadian SOPA Could Target YouTube yeah that whole freedom of speech is a pesky problem for the MPAA/RIAA. Though I think its high time to start taking that freedom of speech and walk away from consuming the stuff that they produce. I haven't had cable TV in over a year, If I go to the movies it is the local drive in that I get to see 2 movies for me and my 2 boys for $10 and popcorn and drinks for a extra $10. There are so many other ways to spend time without helping to fill their coffers to buy politicians and further their agenda. Comment: Did you plug it in (Score 1) 181 by executioner (#38794435) Attached to: Tales of IT Idiocy I worked for a company that had the contract for all the state computers. I had one office call me one day with the our printer is not working. Asking the all important question "is it plugged in?" i got a rather quick response so I asked a couple other routine questions and asked again if someone got under the table and verified the printer was plugged in. I got a yes we did that. After the 90 minute drive out to the location I walked in crawled under the table plugged in the printer, wrote out the bill for my drive time and went back to the shop. At least it was a Nice summer day out :) Loose bits sink chips.

http://slashdot.org/~executioner

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Daniel Holmes Aptify is a PHP Framework comprising of several different open source scripts that combined create a very versatile system. It is a new Hybrid MVC Framework which leverages the power of the browser and the data of the server. Project Members:

http://sourceforge.net/p/mccv/wiki/Home/

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Take the 2-minute tour × I have the following situation: 1. I have a User Control with just a single Grid inside. 2. The Grid has its first column as a checkbox column, which is bound to the IsSelected property of CustomerModel 3. ItemsSource for the Grid is bound to List< CustomerModel> 4. When the user checks any of the CheckBoxes the corresponding IsSelected property of CustomerModel is getting updated 1. I added a dependency property to the UserControl named "SelectedCustomerItems", and I want it to return a List< CustomerModel> (Only for IsSelected = true) 2. This UserControl is placed on another Window 3. The Dependency Property "SelectedCustomerItems" is bound to "SelectedCustomers" property inside the WindowViewModel But I am not getting the SelectedCustomer Items through this dependency property. Breakpoint is not hitting in Get{} Please suggest.... share|improve this question Just wrap the CustomerModel in a CustomerViewModel which contains the IsSelected property. You don't need to put DependencyProperties in the UI to hold your data. –  HighCore Mar 26 '13 at 20:45 Thanks HiCore, I already have it. The issue i am facing is: When i give this User Control to another User, how can he get SelectedCustmerItems from the UserControl into his ViewModel –  user1386121 Mar 26 '13 at 21:00 "Selected / Non Selected" is not a responsibility of the View (IMO). Rather, have a CheckBox bound to the IsSelected property of the thing. Then it's a matter of .Where(x => X.IsSelected). –  HighCore Mar 26 '13 at 21:07 I am agree. I just want another User to read all Selected data from my user control. How to do it. –  user1386121 Mar 26 '13 at 21:18 Sorry, you don't seem to understand. Please post your current code and XAML, so I can tell you how to fix it. –  HighCore Mar 26 '13 at 21:20 show 1 more comment 1 Answer Implement your DPs this way: #region SomeProperty /// <summary> /// The <see cref="DependencyProperty"/> for <see cref="SomeProperty"/>. /// </summary> public static readonly DependencyProperty SomePropertyProperty = // other types here may be appropriate for your situ new FrameworkPropertyMetadata(null, OnSomePropertyPropertyChanged)); /// <summary> /// Called when the value of <see cref="SomePropertyProperty"/> changes on a given instance of <see cref="SomeType"/>. /// </summary> /// <param name="d">The instance on which the property changed.</param> private static void OnSomePropertyPropertyChanged(DependencyObject d, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e) (d as SomeType).OnSomePropertyChanged(e.OldValue as object, e.NewValue as object); /// <summary> /// Called when <see cref="SomeProperty"/> changes. /// </summary> /// <param name="oldValue">The old value</param> /// <param name="newValue">The new value</param> private void OnSomePropertyChanged(object oldValue, object newValue) /// <summary> /// The name of the <see cref="SomeProperty"/> <see cref="DependencyProperty"/>. /// </summary> public const string SomePropertyPropertyName = "SomeProperty"; /// <summary> /// </summary> public object SomeProperty get { return (object)GetValue(SomePropertyProperty); } set { SetValue(SomePropertyProperty, value); } You must understand that a DependencyProperty isn't just a property with a bunch of junk added, its a hook into the WPF Binding system. This is a vast, complex system that lives below the sea level upon which your DP daintily floats. It behaves in ways that you will not expect, unless you actually learn it. You are experiencing the first revelation all of us had with DPs: Bindings do NOT access DependencyProperty values via the property accessors (i.e., get and set methods). These property accessors are convenience methods for you to use from code only. You could dispense with them and use DependencyObject.GetValue and DependencyObject.SetValue, which are the actual hooks into the system (see the implementation of the getters/setters in my example above). If you want to listen for change notification, you should do what I have done above in my example. You can add a change notification listener when registering your DependencyProperty. You can also override the "Metadata" of inherited DependencyProperties (I do this all the time for DataContext) in order to add change notification (some use the DependencyPropertyDescriptor for this, but I've found them to be lacking). But, whatever you do, do NOT add code to the get and set methods of your DependencyProperties! They won't be executed by binding operations. For more information about how DependencyProperties work, I highly suggest reading this great overview on MSDN. share|improve this answer add comment Your Answer

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/15646766/wpf-mvvm-dependency-properties

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Take the 2-minute tour × I am working with a Rails 3RC app and using Phusion Passenger for the first time. It takes about 30 seconds to start up the app on the first request and here is the typical memory consumption for each ruby process in my app: PID     VMSize     Private   Name 18161 263.5 MB 75.4 MB Rack: /rails_apps/my_app/current Is that typical memory consumption? My app is about 11MB ( < 4MB if you dont include my /public assets). It runs fine after the first request if there is one user, but I run into problems when I run some of my custom stress testing scripts, and also when I use my search suggestion feature which makes a bunch of quick ajax calls(which I expected, because the next request comes thru before the first one finishes). Here is what I find odd.. the server starts spawning Ruby threads which take an additional 30 seconds to load, but no other requests can go thru while the spawning is taking place. Just to double check, I tested with browsers on other networks while the processes were spawning just to make sure it was not something specific to my local machine (like all requests being served from one process). These browser requests had to wait until all the new spawns were complete. So my question is.. is this the typical behaviour of Passenger? Waiting on spawning before any other request can come thru? From looking at the documentation I would think that the other request would be handled by idle ruby processes while the spawning was happening. Here are the versions I am using in case you guys are aware of any incompatabilities. Thanks in advance! I really don't want to go back to Mongrel ;-) my setup Quarter slice Rackspace Cloud (4GB RAM & 1/4 of dual quad core) CentOS 5.4 Rails 3.0RC ruby 1.9.2dev (2010-05-31 revision 28117) [x86_64-linux] Passenger 2.2.15 with mongrel nginx config options: passenger_max_pool_size 30; passenger_enabled on; #in / location block.. I tried conservative spawning and I am seeing the same behavior. share|improve this question I guess this is the expected behavior of Passenger. According to the Passenger blog: "Previously, when application processes are being spawned, Phusion Passenger is unable to handle HTTP requests until the processes are done spawning, because Phusion Passenger is holding the lock on the application pool while this is happening." I find it hard to believe that Passenger could be used on an app that has a high traffic. It could take 5 minutes for an app to respond after a restart. Aside from that Passenger looks good.. looking forward to v3. guess I have to stick w/ mongrel for now. –  cowboycoded Aug 14 '10 at 2:07 add comment 1 Answer up vote 2 down vote accepted Passenger 3 is out with asynchronous spawning. You can even set a minimum number of processes to keep around. Even with the old behavior, most high-traffic sites don't experience this problem because: 1. Spawning the first process is usually much faster. For me, Rails apps typically take 5 seconds to spawn. 2. The smart spawning method makes spawning additional processes much faster, typically requiring only 10% of the original time. 3. People with high-traffic websites typically set their pool idle times to higher values so that processes don't get shut down during the day and only clean themselves up during the night. Your memory usage is a bit high. Most Rails apps I've seen require 20-50 MB of private memory. share|improve this answer Hongli, thanks for the resonse and thanks for the work you guys have done on Passenger! Passenger 3 looks amazing.. especially the new spawning and zero-downtime restarts. With these new features, the problems I described in my question are not an issue. As for the memory consumption and the process startup time, after using mongrel and thin for the same application, I believe this to be a problem with Rails 3 apps that have many dependencies. Looks like alot of overhead was added to Rails 3 startup time (Bundler, etc..) –  cowboycoded Sep 19 '10 at 14:45 add comment Your Answer

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3480478/phusion-passenger-spawning-problems/3743467

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Take the 2-minute tour × I have an iphone app, and I need to capture some data right as the app is about to close... Is it possible to associate a method call with the clicking of the iphone home button? So that I can get the most recent and current data of a particular type that I can? share|improve this question add comment 2 Answers up vote 3 down vote accepted There's a few callbacks that get sent to the application delegate depending on the type of "close". - (void)applicationWillResignActive:(UIApplication *)application; - (void)applicationDidEnterBackground:(UIApplication *)application; Use this method to release shared resources, save user data, invalidate timers, and store enough application state information to restore your application to its current state in case it is terminated later. If your application supports background execution, called instead of applicationWillTerminate: when the user quits. - (void)applicationWillTerminate:(UIApplication *)application; Called when the application is about to terminate. share|improve this answer Additional Note - these can all be registered for at NSNotificationCenter if you need to be alerted in something other than the appDelegate –  Jbonniwell Oct 29 '10 at 2:30 add comment The applicationWillResignActive delegate is a good place to save data before an app closes, but may be called when the app is only going to be temporarily interrupted, or stored in the background for an indeterminate period. Under iOS 4.0 and later, applicationWillTerminate is not called, even if the app is about to be killed while in the background. So it's really only useful for some added iOS 3.x support. share|improve this answer add comment Your Answer

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4048522/is-there-a-built-in-method-that-is-call-able-as-the-app-is-about-to-close

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View Single Post Career Officer Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 1,263 Because def/acc/crit is poorly balanced and allocated to begin with. And so they should go bye bye! Poof! Gone! We don't even need to consider how nonsensical it is that the enemy using crippling fire to destroy your ship is somehow invisible! Placate on landing a Crit. Why is this garbage? Well it's garbage because it favors ships that do two things well. Hit, and crit! If you have a ship that can do those things often, you're in! It is particularly useful against targets that are easy to hit and crit! It is not very useful against targets that are hard to hit and crit. Poopy! Placate on being hit. Why is this garbage? Well its garbage because it indiscriminately activates regardless of the source of the damage. Sci abilities were never balanced on having to 'hit' the target. Not that many tac abilites are, but lets not visit that just yet. So you have a long duration low damage but very useful hold being broken due to this. Because it happens to pulse a small bit of damage. Or your turret plink plink plink set off the placate. It just doesn't make sense. On the one hand, this is VERY nice for those larger type of ships. They could use some sort of avoidance. NOT a great way to put it in the game though. Giving this to small fast wittle ships is almost criminal. Yah. Cause they NEEDED more defense, they were running out. I'd like to say, that if this placate could be tweaked to only proc off of incoming energy weapons damage it would be better. And then if we could limit it to cruisers and sci's..... but I digress. It is similar to defense in that it ignores facets of the incoming damage. If any damage can cause a placate...well....ok. But not all damage was required to hit before....sooo. Jam sensors, ams, ss, are boff abilites or console. Yah I know we all love ams. Still they are a little bit higher on the cost scale, and they have a bit of a CD and an immunity that sorta works. And yes, as has been pointed out, only firing once to kill someone works, but I don't see that becoming a universally adopted strategy. Cheers happy flying!! Last edited by thissler; 01-22-2013 at 06:47 AM.

http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/showpost.php?p=7586591&postcount=1

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What does this mean....X-Fit for over- or under-ear fit options? This is in the product description, but I don't know what it means. Can you provide a photo of the 2 different fits? X-Fit for over- or under-ear fit options JayBird's patent pending X-Fit design lets you use the headphones either in the traditional under-ear wearing style for music and calls or over-ear—completely free of any cord on your neck—so it feels like you don't have any headphones on. JayBird BlueBuds X Premium Wireless Headphones Back To Product Follow this Question 1 Answer from the Community • Answer It allows you to run the headphone cable that connects the two buds over the top of your ear and behind your head or under your ear lobe and behind your head. Was this useful? Answer 1 1 of 1 people found this useful Related Questions

http://store.apple.com/uk/question/answers/product/HB234VC/A/what-does-this-meanxfit-for-over-or-underear-fit-options/QJJ9FFUJHCAPDUCJ4?fnode=3d

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Why We Need To Increase The Minimum Wage With rising gas prices and American workers losing their jobs to illegal aliens it's imperative we do all we can to fight for the American worker and ensure them a fair minimum wage. That's why I was pleased to vote this week to instruct House conferees to include language in Senate bill S250 to increase the minimum wage to no less than $7.25 an hour. I'm also proud to be the co-sponsor of House bill, H.R. 3413, which would increase the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.15 by 2007. I know increasing the minimum wage will be a fight, but it's one worth fighting for. Congress has not raised the federal minimum wage in almost ten years and every day the minimum wage is not increased, it loses value to inflation. I encourage the Senate and House conferees to quickly come to a consensus on SR250 and include in it an increase in the federal minimum wage.

http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/politics/30115-why-we-need-to-increase-the-minimum-wage

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In response to: Palestine Officially Recognized by the UN American_in_Europe Wrote: Dec 02, 2012 7:31 AM Not only that.. but has advantages for those pursuing both the one-state (apartheid) and two-state solutions (ethnic cleansing). Why do we still support the UN?

http://townhall.com/social/american_in_europe-577908/palestine_officially_recognized_by_the_un_cmt_5930486

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Ready to get started?Download WordPress Plugin Directory Website Rank Tracker 1. Sign-up for your API Key here: http://www.WebsiteRankTracker.com 2. Log-in to WebsiteRankTracker.com to get your API Key 3. Unzip this plugin in your wp-content/plugins directory 4. Log-in to your WordPress admin area and activate the plug-in 5. Configure the "Website Rank Tracker" near the bottom of your left menu !!! You must set the API Key in the Settings !!! Last Updated: 2011-5-16 Downloads: 2,165 3 stars 3 out of 5 stars Got something to say? Need help? Not enough data 0 people say it works. 0 people say it's broken.

http://wordpress.org/plugins/website-rank-tracker/installation/

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RSS 2.0 Feed » Welcome Guest Log In :: Register Posts: 182 Joined: June 2006 (Permalink) Posted: June 21 2006,07:01    Quote (Glen Davidson @ June 21 2006,10:56) I’m an autodidact... He writes and thinks like one. Yes, it explains a lot.  There's nothing wrong with being self-taught, but declaring one's knowledge to be superior when it's never been tested in an academic or peer-review environment is beyond presumptuous. There's a world of difference between working one's way through a science curriculum and reading Scientific American.  I think a semester in an advanced physics course would provide Dave with some much-needed humility.  Maybe I'll dig up an old textbook and let him try his hand at solving some problems. Oh, wait, I already posed a problem back in March: Given a 700 nm photon, assuming it came from a black body, what is the probability that the temperature of the black body is between 4139 K and 4141 K? How you coming on that, Dave? Track this topic Email this topic Print this topic

http://www.antievolution.org/cgi-bin/ikonboard/ikonboard.cgi?act=SP&f=14&t=1274&p=22000

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If you get a chance to see how Ilfords plate coating line works you'd understand why it's expensive and I'd guess the Belgian facility's not far different. Production volumes are so low these are small lines, in Ilford's case taking up the same sort of floor space as their test/pilot coating line which is used for test coatings of film and paper and also things like filters. All emulsions are test coated and checked before final coating on the main coating line. A short glass plate run is relatively labour intensive needing two people one loading the plates the other almost catching at the end of the line. However when glass plates were the norm different coating lines were in use and plates were cut to size after coating in many cases. Commercial plates are now used because of their high dimensionable stability, their major use is in nuclear research facilities. It's actually slightly ironic that in fact Governments have propped up and helped many emulsion manufactureers, from Ferrania in Italy, Agfa in Germany etc.

http://www.apug.org/forums/viewpost.php?p=1266738

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Things Couples Can Do Together? There are many things couples can do together. Couples can plan a day at the beach, play kids games together, have a dance contest, play adult games together, go to a fair or amusement park, have a sleepover in the living room, or a pillow fight. 1 Additional Answer Answer for: things couples can do together Things Couples Can Do Together Couples often have different interests and partake in separate hobbies. Although this is perfectly fine, it's also important for them to spend time together bonding over a shared experience. There are a wide variety of things a couple can do together,... More » Difficulty: Easy Q&A Related to "Things Couples Can Do Together?" Some couples want to try living together to see how they get on together before committing to marriage. Other times, they simply don't have the option to get married. For example, Things you could do with your partner include: going to the According to wikipedia a couple is Two items of a type. Can only be used for two or more items. A couple certainly includes two. For example, you and your wife are a couple. Personally both lay on their side, facing the same way E.g. both looking at the wall, so her backside is on the males front side. Explore this Topic Coupling is the joining together of two ends of something that fit together. This enables two or more things to work together. The best example I can think of ... Some things to talk about to your girlfriend include things that you two want do together during the next couple of weeks. It is always a good idea to talk to ... The answer differs for all couples. A couple should move in together when they both feel they are ready and that it is the right thing to do. ...

http://www.ask.com/question/things-couples-can-do-together

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Human Backbone? Human back bone is a column consisting of 24 vertebrae and nine fused vertebrae in the sacrum and the coccyx. It is separated by intervertebral discs and is located in the torso. It protects and houses the spinal cord in its spinal canal. 1 Additional Answer Answer for: what is a human backbone Vertebral Column The spinal cord links the brain to the body. Without it, the brain would not be able to receive sensory data or communicate commands to the body. More » Q&A Related to "Human Backbone?" It depends on how tall the person is. The spinal column varies widely depending on a person's height (specifically how long the person's torso is) The vertebral column consists of 24 vertebrae. Regions of the column Education. In other words, doing whatever is possible to provide large numbers of individuals with the tools to discover the truth about the world for themselves, thereby promoting The spine is divided into four parts (going from the head to the low back) Cervical: 7 vertebrae Thoracic: 12 vertebrae Lumbar: 5 vertebrae Sacrum: 5 vertebrae, fused There are newer Explore this Topic There are 33 vertebrae in the human backbone. These vertebrae are irregularly shaped bones. There are five categories of vertebrae in the backbone, divided by ... The human spine, also known as backbone, is made up of components called vertebrae. The spine contains 33 of these components and is used as a messaging system ... The human back bone, which is also known as the spine is strong as well as flexible, and it plays a major role as part of the human skeleton that protects the ...

http://www.ask.com/question/what-is-a-human-backbone

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or Connect New Posts  All Forums: Posts by 5mark I completely agree with this reasoning. I would also add that 1080p lets you comfortably sit much closer than 1.5x SW (in fact most think it's necessary to take full advantage of the resolution/detail). That makes 1080p and CIH an ideal combination. It would be tougher to appreciate Rob's excellent dry humor (oops...probably shouldn't encourage him!) LOL!! (But of course I AM on the pre-order list...) Anyone who already has a projector and is thinking of getting a 2.35:1 screen and using the zoom method should try this experiment: First calculate the height of the screen you are considering and then project a 2.35:1 image on your current screen (or a wall) at that height. I'd recommend aligning the bottom edge of the image with the bottom of the screen so at least one black bar disappears. Obviously it won't fit correctly, but it will show you exactly what the... I completely agree with Thunder as far as the most important reason to do CIH (if the room will allow it). I'm not afraid to admit that I'll be using the "uncool" zoom method with the RS1. I'm actually limited to using around minimum throw in a small room, so I don't really have a choice. However, I'm anticipating fantastic results, as my Panny 900 already looks very good on my 8ft wide 2.35:1 screen. Using the zoom method definitely requires having light absorbing material on the screen wall (and frame). I personally have Duvetyne on mine. Using my current Panny 900, on the VERY darkest scenes(think The Descent), I can detect a slight brightening on the wall due to the black bars. Otherwise it looks perfect. I'm almost positive that the blacker blacks of the RS1 will completely eliminate this minor problem. The zoom method does demand some sacrifices. It's highly... I agree that 1080p should make using a lens less necessary from almost all reasonable seating distances (as long as brightness is adequate on the given screen size). At the very least it should be even more important to use a quality lens and set it up correctly. It seems to me that since 1080p projectors inherently have very high quality lenses to fully resolve all the resolution, it's even more likely that adding a low to mid-level lens would do more harm than good. It's simply like watching a 16:9 screen that is the same height as, and centered on your 2.35:1 screen. Should be easy to calculate. I find that the side bars distract very little as they are more in the peripheral and almost "feel" like curtains (which I might add someday). Here's a real-world example that convinced me to go CIH. When I decided to upgrade to 1080p I started experimenting and realized that 2.35 movies would likely look amazing at around 1.0 SW. From experience, however, I knew that 1.0 SW was WAY too big for most 16:9 material (too much height). I now have a 2.35:1 screen viewed from about 1 SW which effectively gives me a 16:9 screen viewed from just under 1.4 SW. It feels like the best of both worlds and so far the "black... I'm right there with you. My excitement over the recent shootout isn't diminished at all. New Posts  All Forums:

http://www.avsforum.com/forums/posts/by_user/id/7653025/page/420

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Now I'm obsessed. I know there was an Avon fragrance that I liked when I was a kid in the '70's that is not in the basenotes listing. I think I had a cologne and a talc of it at some point and I seem to remember red in the packaging. I know this isn't much to go on, but does this ring any bells with anyone?

http://www.basenotes.net/threads/221304-70-s-Avon?p=1397878&mode=threaded

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The brouhaha surrounding “Blue Is the Warmest Color”—the epic drama of a young woman’s coming of age that won the top prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival—has to do with three lengthy and explicit sex scenes between the young heroine (Adèle Exarchopoulos) and her older art-student girlfriend Emma (Léa Seydoux). Despite the scandale, Abdellatif Kechiche’s movie is more properly about our appetites—for love, connection, life fully and vibrantly lived—and how, at the end of the day, we still end up hungry. The early sequences swooningly convey the pleasures of new love, but the sex scenes are problematic, not because they’re “shocking” (which they’re not, really) or overlong (which they are) but because they’re an aestheticized male fantasy. Full story for subscribers. Get Access Now

http://www.boston.com/ae/movies/2013/10/31/blue-young-woman-comes-age/0ViTnrURg6Gvi5TFrUQcuI/story.html

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My Community Profile I met my other half at work just after I left a long term boyfriend and just wanted a bit of fun, turns out so did he, but we ciicked and just celebrated our 3 year anniversary I'm having my wedding ceremony, breakfast and evening reception all in the same place, it's a hotel so people can check in and get changed before the event, saves me money on transport and saves the hassle of wondering where everyone is! The theme is pink and it's next May Thank You for Signing Up! Check your e-mail inbox for the latest updates from Give a Subscription to Brides Magazine as a Gift Subscribe to Brides magazine

http://www.brides.com/forums/profile.jspa?userID=226814967&start=0

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Dismiss notification Find Fitchburg State University Scholarships Looking for financial help? Sign up for an account to find scholarships for Fitchburg State University! It's free and it's fun! Create Account Sign up with Facebook. How it works: 1. Tell Us About Yourself 2. Colleges Apply to You 3. Meet only the colleges you like 4. Find your fit

http://www.cappex.com/page/account/createStudent.jsp?brand=rvSch&collegeID=165820

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CRN's Data Center 100: Part 1: Page 48 of 51 Woburn, Mass. Stephen Orenberg Americas President Kaspersky claims to be the world's largest privately held antimalware company, with both residential and business products. The company is focused specifically on malware protection from the desktop to the cloud, including smartphones, and provides software to protect both internal corporate communications and interactions with the outside world.

http://www.crn.com/slide-shows/data-center/229001012/crns-data-center-100-part-1.htm/pgno/0/47

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Nov 262008 Sponsored Link Preparing your system apt-get install subversion build-essential libpango1.0-dev libglib2.0-dev libcairo2-dev libimlib2-dev libx11-dev x-dev Now run the following command svn checkout ttm cd ttm/src you can install system wide by issuing make install or just run it out of the current directory. Next copy config_sample within the ttm directory into ~/.config/tint/tintrc and edit it to your liking. You can simply download .deb package using the following command Now you need to install .deb package dpkg -i ttm_20070725-1_i386.deb Sponsored Link  Posted by at 12:07 am

http://www.debianadmin.com/how-to-install-tint-task-manager-in-debian.html

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Link Details Link 961327 thumbnail User 225256 avatar By mswatcher Submitted: Apr 27 2013 / 10:59 Issue: System.Net.HttpWebRequest uses a socket that is closed in some special scenarios. (In this case it is due to some custom applications implement SSL not fully following RFC and so SSL alert caused socket to be closed forceily) In this case, to workaround the issue, we can set System.Net.HttpWebRequest.KeepAlive = false • 1 • 0 • 246 • 75 Add your comment Voters For This Link (1) Voters Against This Link (0) Spring Integration Written by: Soby Chacko Featured Refcardz: Top Refcardz: 1. Search Patterns 2. Python 3. C++ 4. Design Patterns 5. OO JS 1. PhoneGap 2. Spring Integration 3. Regex 4. Git 5. Java

http://www.dzone.com/links/set_httpwebrequestkeepalive_false_to_workaround_i.html?ref=up-details

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War and peace in Syria Where are the good guys? See article Readers' comments Alzheimer's disease starts off with a loss of short-term term memory. And the Economist seems to suffering from Alzheimer's; it seems to have forgotten its series of warmongering articles of a few months ago exhorting military intervention in Syria. Stavros Saripanidis I wonder where all those agencies that hire and employ international mercenaries are hiding. Are they too afraid to offer military contracts for time served fighting in Syria? Are they capable only to offer military protection to rich environmentalists in Africa? Sirs, some months you published a cover with Assad's head demanding "hit him hard", claiming that he bears sole responsibility for the horrible gas attacks. It reminded me of your coverage of Gulf War I and II. At the time I was wondering on which intelligence and facts your conclusion was based on to demand swift war....in the meantime many insights including those presented by Seymour Heish emerged that are undermining the credibility of your sources. The new claim that a war would have prevented the rise of the Islamists is for me also not very credible . Based on events in Afghanistan, Iraq or Libya, Islamists tend not to turn away when the West rages war against a Muslim country... I wish that such an outstanding paper as The Economist would be more humble in their assessments. No Way, Best thing Putin ever did is make it difficult for the US to get involved with Syria. Now the USA is ecstatic they did not get involved in Syria and have oodles of reasons to back away further. The Middle East is responsible for developing, implementing and maintaining a solution. NOT the USA. Like you said, if the Middle Eastern plan is to support the selected 'bad guys' - so be it! Another article that vindicates those who opposed military intervention. U.S. FP needs to refocus on diplomacy, instead of seeing every problem as a military problem. PIIGS can´t fly Syria is not in Hollywood Life can be so disappointing! Wouldn´t it be nice if for every bad guy there was also a good guy, and a beautiful maiden, and a happy ending, like in Hollywood movies. Okay, Assad is a bad guy. But that does not mean that whoever is fighting him must be a good guy. Hitler´s Germany was defeated by Russia more than any other country, which does not prove that Stalin was any better than Hitler. Recently TE has been arguing for military involvement in Syria, just like some American politicians. You don´t learn from experience: Fools rush in ... and can make a bad situation worse. Remember Iraq? neillwa . in reply to Abdussamad Yes. Let him go back to Aleppo and fight with the Jihadists. Perhaps he will be martyred and end up in heaven with all those virgins. I have been to Damascus and seen a LOT of support for President Assad. I'm sure not all Syrians like him, but he does have many many people who back him. It's way too late to support the good guys. We should've done something immediately after Assad fired on peaceful protesters. That was our window and we blew it. There are no good options left. Syria would become another Afghanistan (pre-war) if the Islamists win; Salafists are hardline fundamentalists and they are usually sympathetic to al Qaeda (who are also Salafist) if they're not openly supporting them. After the jihadists are done in Syria they'll move on to toppling the Iraqi government too (they kind of are already starting on that) and they will have been hardened by the Syrian conflict. This can't be allowed to happen because they will have a safe base of operations to train more jihadists and to carry out attacks on Israel, Lebanon, the U.S., etc.. It will throw the whole region out of whack and would probably warrant military action from the Western powers at some point. As horrible as it is, we probably need to back Assad at this point. The Free Syrian Army isn't an effective fighting force and there is no one else we should be supporting amongst the rebels. A jihadist government is just not going to be better than a ruthless dictator in terms of the threat posed to the West. They are equally ruthless, perhaps moreso. Those people need to lose this war. But if Assad wins, he's going to murder the moderate and civilian elements of the resistance too and we don't want that either. So I think part of an agreement would be to allow those people to leave the country (if they want) and go to, I don't know, somewhere. Or divide the country between them (though that might not solve the conflict). These options suck. The other option is to lean on Turkey and the Saudis to stop supporting Al-Qaeda elements in Syria. Why is that okay again? We should probably do that either way. The Metaphysician The UK is a disgrace as a sovereign state. The FCO has been led by the nose by US foreign policy idiots. Assad, like it or not, has been the best bet in Syria since the beginning of this tragic conflict. Why would any country follow the US's appalling ignorance-leadership? It's not as if the West - and I mean the US and its toady states - has made even one seriously good foreign policy decision since 9/11. The worst thing is that it was all foreseeable. Amid Yousef Saudi Arabian Bandar and his brother Sleiman are financing the attack on Syria. The SULTAN BROTHERS are a 2 man crime wave across the planet and somehow they avoid arrest and prosecution by BLACKMAIL with Saudi flow of Oil. BANDAR is the real leader of AlQeda and mastermind behind 9/11 attack. This makes Saudi Governemnt liable to USA for war reparations... and now we know he may have been the main support of every major regional war since 1971. l I urge all to call their Senator (USA) demanding arrest of these 2 international thugs *Call Senate 202-224-3121*! Saudis have financed EVERY war and conflict since 1971... Because we (USA) had cut a deal with the DEVIL in 1971 and here is how: (Source: Thomas L. Friedman's book, Hot Flat & Crowded) Here is my summation, including personal observation: 1- 1971 Nixon lost of confidence of the world so they started pulling out the GOLD from USA. 2- France asked for its GOLD BACK, Nixon refused to give it and gave them PAPER instead. 3- To back the paper he cut a deal with Saudis King Faisal to sell Oil for dollars only, making Oil & dollars = Gold in value. In return USA pledged to protect SAUDI ARABIA. The Deal With The DEVIL! USA told Saudis, do whatever you want, you will be protected 4- This arrangement was clever and created 2 countries with ability to print unlimited money. This WAS a mistake and a FRAUD on all nations and USA has been paying the price for it because the Monstrous Saudi Kings proved to be an ugly bunch... Real Ugly. 5- 1973, Saudi Kings led the Oil Embargo of 1973 to test America's sincerity. USA was brought down to its knees with long GAS lines. 6- 1979 internal strife bring a young man Named Usama Bin Laden to Grand Mosque where he demand the King steps down. They settle with Usama by promising him UNLIMITED money to go JIHAD so long as hee keeps it OUTSIDE Saudi Arabia. 7- 1982 1st country the Islamic Brotherhood (AlQaeda was just starting) attacked was Syria1st and soon Assad had Hama put down. (The world never let him live down the Hama Experience, but it seems he was suffering a Saudi Arabian Bin Laden just cutting his teeth on TERROR. 8- 1982-1989 after getting chased out of Syria, Afghanistan was next. Bin Laden was funded by Hit-men of Saudi Arabian Monarchy and went to fight Russia in Afghanistan... Not for the Americans but for the SAUDIS. 9- 1992 Saudi Monarchy had its sight higher and soon Bin Laden's Ahmad Yousef (No Relation - Yousef is like Smith in USA, Jews, Christians and Muslims use that name) Ahmad tried to bring down the World Trade Center. 10- 2001- on 9-11 that day, 15 Saudis committed the worst TERROR attack in history on USA and to date. To make the insult bigger Bandar Bin Kharah(Now Hold important position in that thuggish country) was in the Whitehouse while the planes were on their way to hit the Pentagon… 11- Today (literally today) AlQuaeda Saudi Thugs under direction of Saudi Arabian Monarchy Bandar (Baboon) are shooting Missiles into Unarmed Christian Village called Malula, here LIVE VIDEO:  معلولا تحرقها نار الارهاب  ********Saudi Arabian Monarchs Are Monsters, who've paid and financed every regional war, Saudi Kings are theTRUE OBSTACLE TO PEACE***** Connect The Dots Give free one way tickets to Syria for all Radical Muslim Jihadists and then cut them off. Syria may prove to be the solution to world terror: Gladiator-Style Guerilla fight-to-the-death. It is the World's Biggest Graveyard for Jihad. ***By the way, have you noticed Worldwide Terror outside of Islam is dramatically down? Syria has solved world terror. The "West" botched this beyond belief. They thought they could topple Assad, the same way they did in Libya. DIFFERENCE, Assad was one of the more pro-west leaders. He is highly intelligent (not a despot). The West and it's cronies turned Syria into the mess it is today and if Assad manages to survive, do you think he will forget what was done to his country? Fahim Carim Of course there are no good guys. There never are good guys. Only national interests. Right now for the US the national interest is to aid Israel an ally by keeping Syria in a civil war for 2-3 more years. This will probably cause the deaths of another 100,000 Syrians. The war is not because Muslims enjoy fighting or Shites and Sunnis just don't get along or any other wild oversimplification that washes everybodies hands. It isn't because Bashar brutally suppressed pro-democracy protestors (nobody there wants western democracy). The wars is in the US and their allies national interest for Syria and it's allies (Iran/Hezbollah) to be occupied with a war. It is not in the US interest for an outright victory by al-Qaeda. The US perfect solution is a long brutal war 2-5 more yrs with about 250-400k casualties 5mil displaced. Then a coalition gov with a weak "moderate" Hamid Karazai type Sunni leader in about 2 yr. this will neutralize Syria as a threat to Israel for 20 to 30yrs and Iran will lose a vital Arab ally. Are there good guys in the Arab World? Of course there are! The terrified millions of secular Arabs who cower under the authoritarianism of Islam or the authoritarianism of the military regimes. Those millions who would have willingly made peace with Israel so that the Middle East might have prospered in secular democratic states. But Islam and the Generals would NEVER prosper under these conditions so they made Israel the devil and the reason for all the Arab woes. But things have got out of control and the Arab World is imploding from all its lies and viciousness. Could you imagine if they had the atomic bomb as well? Slow down cowboy! WE didn't foment these uprisings let alone choose their direction … as if WE controlled everything! You said: "Muslim's are just as good as us if not better." AND You said: "Like most countries their citizens are for the most part …" YOU are either a Muslim apologist or a 'weak-minded' lefty liberal … the jury is still OUT! No amount of coddling their miscreants will make them anything except what they are … you sound like you're singing the 'Coca-Cola Song' … LOL You said: "How many more displaced Syrians in refugee camps do you want?" That's entirely up to the 'thugs' on both sides … the vile genocidal Assad backed by HEZBOLLAH, RUSSIA, AND IRAN or the vile jihadi Islamists backed by QATAR/SAUDI ARABIA/TURKEY … wash your hands after you've picked … the stench will REFUSE TO GO AWAY! Bluhorizon in reply to guest-wslmojs Your comment makes me envision the marines storming ashore to Save Syria from itself. Maybe President Obama knew more than the general public at that time and was advised early-on that this was a sectarian war. It's easy to look back with perfect hindsight and make excellent decisions. Blaming stuff on the president seems to be something with which certain people are obsessed. Latest blog posts - All times are GMT Book clubs: Reading "Capital": Chapter 1 Free exchange 50 mins ago Culture in Iran: Change the key, Rohani Pomegranate 1 hrs 59 mins ago The Q&A: Jonathan Glazer: Under his skin Prospero 1 hrs 39 mins ago GM's recall woes: Much old in the new Schumpeter 2 hrs 53 mins ago Daily chart: Who pays as America greys? Graphic detail 2 hrs 4 mins ago Products & events

http://www.economist.com/node/21591868/comments

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Core Memory Newer Older Core Memory Board overlay Here is the CDC 6600 computer from that era that I saw in the Computer History Museum... And a wonderful overview of the CDC memory system. NihonGoose, asol, Tomi Tapio, and 5 other people added this photo to their favorites. 1. Sam Scholes 110 months ago | reply Is that photograph really on the chip? If so, why? 2. jurvetson 107 months ago | reply just a ghost in the machine.... =) 3. jurvetson 98 months ago | reply it's a great book.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jurvetson/52599/

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Dump Cake By lthrgirl03 on May 12, 2005 25 Characters Max Enter Time: You can create up to five timers 1. 1 (18 ounce) boxes white cake mix 2. 12 ounces frozen raspberries 3. 12 ounces frozen blueberries 4. 2 cups diet 7-Up 1. Put fruit in sprayed 9x13 baking pan and cover with dry cake mix (DO NOT STIR!). 2. Pour 7Up over whole pan (again, do not stir). 3. Cover and bake for 20 minutes at 350°F, then uncover and bake for another 20-30 minutes. 4. Makes 12 servings. 5. Can also be cut in half. 6. I used a 9x9 in pan and a box of Jiffy cake mix, small skinny blue and white box, and one cup of diet 7-up.

http://www.food.com/recipefullpage.do?rid=121806&scaleto=12.0

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Lyon players fined for deliberate bookings NYON, Switzerland - UEFA fined Olympique Lyon players Cris and Juninho 15,000 euros ($19,790) and 10,000 euros ($13,190) respectively on Thursday for getting deliberately booked during a Champions League match last month. UEFA's disciplinary panel decided that the pair had committed deliberate fouls during the November 25 Group F match against Fiorentina in order to serve a one-match suspension during their team's meaningless final group stage match against Bayern Munich. Aside from the fine, the tactic appears to have paid off for the two Brazilians who can now compete in the tournament's first knockout round with their disciplinary record wiped clean. Cris and Juninho had each picked up two yellow cards in early Champions League matches going into the Fiorentina match and would have been ruled out of the first knockout round game if their third booking had come during the Bayern match. UEFA said the two players would have three days in which to appeal against Thursday's decision.

http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/lyon-players-fined-deliberate-bookings

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Medical giant Stryker cuts 1,170 jobs, citing ObamaCare Stryker Corp. heir Jon StrykerAP Medical supply giant Stryker is the latest company to announce job cuts in anticipation of coming costs associated with ObamaCare, even though the man who inherited a fortune from the company's founder is a fan. Positions within the company were eliminated altogether after the announcement and have since contracted out many of their current roster of employees to keep costs down, an employee with Stryker, who spoke to under the condition of anonymity, said. “They really trimmed the fat with the last layoffs in 2009 and the year after which is probably why we are finally on budget for the first time since 1999,” the employee added. Jon Stryker has been active in politics before the recent election; he contributing millions to help Democratic candidates in his home state of Michigan. He also has given nearly $250 million of his personal wealth to groups supporting gay rights and the conservation of apes, which led to a newly found species being named after him. In 2010, the discovered Myanmar Snub-nosed monkey was named Rhinopithecus strykeri by the research teams that were funded by Stryker’s Arcus Foundation. The Associated Press contributed to this story.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/11/16/medical-supply-giant-stryker-corp-makes-pre-emptive-strike-against-pending/?intcmp=obnetwork

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iOS app Android app More SUZETTE LABOY   |   August 17, 2013   12:03 AM ET ISLAMORADA, Fla. -- Sharks abound in the waters off Florida. But not on this day at this particular spot off the Keys as some `young scientists' are on watch for them. About a dozen high school students – guests of the University of Miami's marine research program – went aboard the vessel Curt-A-Sea. Their mission: to help scientists capture sharks, measure them, take blood and conduct other tests before tagging them so they can be tracked. The sharks would then be released back into the ocean. Shark Series Part 2 SidneyAnne Stone   |   July 31, 2013   10:21 AM ET If you are not familiar with shark finning, it is a brutal process in which the shark's fin is removed for the purpose of making shark fin soup. The shark is then thrown back into the water where he/she is unable to swim and drowns to death. For a graphic clip of an actual occurrence of shark finning, click here. It is my hope that after viewing this clip you will want to join the fight to protect sharks. Many in the ocean conservation community know what a problem shark finning is and what a threat it poses to the environment. Further, any major disruption to our ecosystem stands to threaten our entire existence. Much like the butterfly effect, when you kill a shark, you just don't know what kind of impact that can have on our environment. By eliminating an apex predator, you set off a chain of dominoes and there is no telling where they may stop. The amount of gross overfishing that has occurred in recent years may have already caused enough damage to cause certain species to become extinct in our lifetime. Organizations like Oceana allow you to log on and make your opinions known about the practice of shark finning. Just last week, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a bill banning the trade of shark fins in the state of New York. While shark finning was already illegal in waters off New York, this also makes it illegal to trade shark fins in the state -- further enforcing New York's intolerance for the practice. Governor Cuomo stated, "Not only is the process inhumane, but it also affects the natural balance of the oceanic ecosystem." As my readers know, I am always a proud New Yorker but particularly at moments like these. Unfortunately, New York is in the minority on this issue so speak up and write to your local representatives, senators, Congress and governor and advocate for the environment that we all share! Matt Rutherford's Mission to Make Ocean Research Affordable Lesleyann Coker   |   May 21, 2013    2:27 PM ET In 2012, Matt Rutherford became the first person to solo circumnavigate North and South America. He completed the non-stop 27,000 mile journey in 10 months in a tiny, old sailboat. During the course of his epic journey, the then 31-year-old capsized in the Arctic battling waves, avoided being smashed by a tanker and navigated a maze of icebergs large and small. In South America, he experienced Cape Horn's famous beauty and cruel winds. He also faced the literal doldrums - areas near the equator without any wind. And all while spending more than 300 days in complete solitude. Politicians monitored his progress, and a documentary for the Sundance Film Festival is in the works. Now the ambitious sailor has launched a non-profit company, Ocean Research Project, which aims to identify new, lower-cost methods of conducting ocean research. At the beginning of May, he set sail on his latest adventure in the Atlantic. Before his departure from St. Katharine docks in London, he spoke to Lesleyann Coker. In 2012, you became the first person to solo circumnavigate the Americas and the Northwest Passage. What motivated you to attempt such a journey? It all started as a fundraiser for a local Annapolis-based non-profit called C.R.A.B [Chesapeake Regional Assessable Boating]. At this point I've raised over $120,000 for the non-profit by doing the trip. I'm also a great admirer of [Ernest] Shackleton, and his story inspired me to try something that most people thought was impossible. How did you get started in sailing? I bought a little 25-foot boat from the '60s back in 2004 and sailed it from the Chesapeake Bay to the Florida Keys. I knew nothing about sailing when I left. I made every mistake possible, but over time I taught myself the skills necessary to cross oceans, and eventually, sail around the Americas. What's your connection to Senator Tom Harkin and Governor Martin O'Malley? Martin's wife, Katie, saw me off the dock the day before I left and I've been invited to their house several times since my return. Tom spoke about me on the floor of the Senate after I passed Cape Horn. He has shown an avid interest in my story. Tom Harkin is an old school Democrat who understands how important it is to reach across the aisle. He will be missed [after he retires next year], especially on environmental issues. 2013-05-20-IMG_1766.JPGThe Sailing Channel has produced a documentary about you, Red Dot in the Ocean. What's its status? It looks like we may get into Sundance if it's done in time. Nothing is guaranteed. They approached me to make a documentary, and after a month of "contract negotiations'" we started the film. Here's the trailer. You recently founded a new 501c non-profit called Ocean Research, which aims to dramatically lower the cost of conducting ocean research. What are the typical costs of ocean research, and what will be your costs? How will you approach the problem differently? The typical running costs for scientific research in the open ocean is between $6,000 and $15,000 a day, depending on the organization. With Ocean Research Project, for our first expedition we have a daily running cost of $73 a day. We're living in a changing economic environment; you can no longer think big boats, big crew, big budget. Instead, a non-profit should think small boat, small crew, small budget. By doing this, you not only reduce the cost of the expedition, but also the overhead. All too often when $100 is donated to a non-profit, $90 goes to salary, renting office space, paying the electric bill, etc. With Ocean Research Project, the majority of the funds raised go to the mission. What will be the implication of reducing the cost of ocean research? More research? Why is ocean research important? Once you have reduced the cost of the expeditions, you can travel farther for longer and collect more data. There's still a prehistoric way of thinking within much of the general scientific community. Too many scientists think the organization that spends the most money or has the biggest research vessel somehow collects the best data. The reality of the matter is that by working with universities and bringing along one or two scientists who bring their own equipment and are trained to use them properly, you can collect a wide variety of important data about our changing oceans. It's true, we cannot have submarines and helicopters, but most research is done by equipment that can be installed or carried onboard a 40-50 foot sailboat. Ocean research is important because we are all affected by the ocean no matter where you live. The ocean not only produces food for 25 percent of the world's population, but also produces between 50-75 percent of the world's oxygen through Phytoplankton, which lives in the ocean. The problem is the ocean is not part of any country, and it's out of sight out of mind. There has not been enough research done within the open ocean because in the past scientists have tried to collect important data with big boats and big budgets. I sailed 27,000 miles, over the top of Canada and around Cape Horn on a 27-foot boat without stopping. I can tell you from experience you do not need a 150-foot, two million dollar boat to cross an ocean or do good research. You're about to embark on a research mission [he embarked the first week of May]. Where are you going, what are you researching, and what do you expect to learn? MR: During our first expedition we will be at sea for 75 days collecting data, while sailing 6,500 miles of the Atlantic Ocean. The Atlantic Ocean is home to the Atlantic Garbage Patch and coincides with one of the five major oceanic gyres. The Sargasso Sea Gyre is a huge spiral of seawater formed by colliding currents. Most offshore sailors have seen floating junk on the high seas, but it's a problem that has not been thoroughly explored in the mid-Atlantic. It's the poster child for one of the worldwide ocean problems: plastic that's initially created with human hands, then ends up in the ocean, often found inside animals' stomachs. We have several objectives for this expedition: We'll conduct a Sargasso Sea marine debris reconnaissance survey using standardized data collection methods. This study will add to the global understanding of quantity of marine debris in the gyre and will stimulate awareness of the consequences of manmade debris. This project is run in collaboration with our Partner 5 Gyres. We'll conduct ocean acidification data collection to supplement existing efforts to portray the acidity condition within a gyre in an open ocean marine debris laden environment. This data may reveal a significant concentration of high acidic marine water that may jeopardize the livelihood of critical marine life. The vessel will act as a mobile observing platform reporting atmospheric and oceanic observations to NOAA [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]. It serves as a voluntary observing ship to feed international atmospheric and oceanic modeling databases that depict global weather forecasts, climate studies, and support mariners' safety at sea. Work will be in cooperation with our partners which include NOAA's Voluntary Observing Ship, the Ship of Opportunity Program and the Atlantic Oceanic and Meteorological Laboratory. What are the dangers involved in this research project? There is always danger in the vast open ocean. That said, reward lives in the house of risk. I can teach a person the skills necessary to cross an ocean alone, but I can't teach the mentality a person needs to sail alone across an ocean. Either you've got it or you don't. If you don't learn to control fear, fear will control you. Exploration is the physical expression of intellectual passion. How can people follow the progress of your journey, or support your non-profit? You can follow the expedition at There will be a tracking device on the boat so you can see our position, and a weekly blog so you can hear the story as it's happening. You can also donate on the website. Photo Credit; Matt Rutherford Want to Save Starving Sea Lion Pups? Here's How Megan Pincus Kajitani   |   March 18, 2013   11:26 AM ET Tears streamed down my 7-year-old daughter's face this cloudy, March morning, as we watched the plight of a lone female California sea lion pup, clearly exhausted, struggling to keep her head above water and get herself to our local beach's jetty. The Sea Lions' Struggle In our city of Carlsbad, Calif., just up the coast from downtown San Diego, at least 40 malnourished, young California sea lions have been rescued since January. According to a local news story, about 150 malnourished or injured sea lions are typically rescued in our region each year -- but this year, from Jan. 1 to not even mid-March, there have already been 130 rescued. This morning when we called the local sea animal rescue center about the stranded pup, their voicemail said they are extremely busy. A spokesperson from there told the local news that there's "something going on out in the ocean" in relation to our sea lions' food supply. Clearly. The Bigger Picture But here's the thing: This isn't just a local issue, and it isn't just about this specific group of sea lions' food supply. Something is going on with all marine mammals' food supply. Something major is happening with all of our ocean ecosystems. These malnourished pups are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Dr. Bruce Monger, an oceanographer at Cornell University, told my class in eCornell's Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate Program that we as a society have "maxed out the ocean." Many marine scientists believe that, at the rate we're going, the seas will be barren by 2048. (Did you get that? No sea life in 35 years!) Like the roaming plains buffalo shot by humans to extinction, Dr. Monger says, we can extract every single animal out of the ocean. And with commercial fisheries not just taking all the fish but also seabirds, sharks, dolphins, turtles and every other kind of sea animal (most thrown out by the trawlers, dead, as "bycatch"), we are doing just that. The sea lions of the Pacific Rim and Alaska are now endangered because, Dr. Monger explains, fishing "took away all their food, and they are starving to death." I contacted Dr. Monger this week and asked him about the California sea lions: Are they next? He told me scientists are studying two main factors likely causing the crisis with this species: overfishing and climate issues. But, clearly, he said, "the sea lion pups are probably starving because their mothers are starving." Clearly. You Can Help Save Them So, here's the other thing: You can actually do something to stop this ocean crisis, whether you live here on the coast, in the middle of farmland or on a mountaintop. We all can. I get that it's hard, I'm a former sushi lover myself, but we must stop eating fish. There simply are not enough fish left to keep them on our plates, and still leave enough to keep our ocean animals alive. Period. I've heard all the justifications, and my replies go something like this: • You can still do your sushi ritual, just do it with veggies instead of fish (as my half-Japanese, sushi-loving husband and I now happily do). • Farmed fisheries are no better, with incredibly high rates of disease, which is unhealthy, inhumane and harms wild fish as well. • Eating land animal meat is also harming the oceans, by the way. An amazing fifty percent of the world's fish catch is fed to industrial farm animals, not to people (as Dr. Will Tuttle explains in The World Peace Diet). And nitrogen runoff from those factory farms is creating huge "dead zones" where no sea life can survive. The good news is that pleasurable, healthy, social eating is possible with plant-based food. It just takes making the choice -- to help animals rather than eat them. Actually, Dr. Monger believes it's both personal choice and political will that will save or destroy our oceans: Beyond urging us to avoid eating fish and other meat, he urges us to speak out against the government subsidies that fuel overfishing. "The fish in the ocean are as much yours as the fishing industries', and if you would rather see your fish left in the ocean, you have the right to speak up and ask your leaders to help," he says. "If you remain silent about it, someone is going to step in and take [your ocean life] away from you for their own profit." The Next Generations This morning, my sniffling 7-year-old asked me why the malnourished sea lion we watched could not find food. As fishing boats trawled closer to shore than I've ever seen them, I wanted to tell her that the sea lion and her brothers and sisters will find food. That they have plenty of food to find. That the ocean is ripe with life. But, the truth is, I can't tell her that, because as each day passes, it is becoming less true. I told my daughter instead that we can make a difference for that sea lion by calling the rescue center to help her. And on a bigger scale, we can make a difference for all sea lions, by not eating their food and by educating others about their dwindling food supply. Through her tears, my daughter asked me if I could educate more people today. So, I'm writing this piece today for my daughter, for the sea lions and all the animals, and for the future. Before it's too late -- at the very least -- please do your part to save our ocean animals by letting the fish be food for them, and not for you. Janie Campbell   |   December 15, 2012    7:55 AM ET Some people say -- and they make a good case -- that to understand Miami you have to understand the forces and influences of the drug trade, money, and Cuban immigration. Or you can look at the corals, according to Colin Foord and Jared McKay, the UM-trained marine biologist and experimental musician who form the scientific artist duo Coral Morphologic. The pair tie their work, which involves not only growing but filming and soundtracking corals in their glowing Overtown aquaculture lab, to Miami's distinction as the only mainland U.S. city on a coral reef, with corals even growing inside the city limits. You might even blame the tropical polyps for those vibrant "I'm In Miami, Bitch" tank tops. "There aren't any other life forms on the planet that are as natural fluorescent as living corals; this is something that wasn't even really observable by mankind until 50 years ago," Foord told HuffPost. "The colors of Miami -- these bright neon colors -- have always been the essence of the city before the city was even here. The cement in the buildings is made from the ground-up skeletons of fossilized coral. The colorful essence is literally built into the city." Colonies of corals, Foord says, also reflect who we are as a 21st century metro. It's a concept he and McKay have highlighted by projecting them onto South Beach buildings during Art Basel, onto AmericanAirlines Arena, and during festivals in Britain, Sundance, and Miami's own Borscht Film Festival. Saturday night at Borscht 8, they'll debut a new work called "Fungia." Their "scientific and artistic exploration of living coral reef organisms... radiated the most beautiful and unexpected work I saw," wrote curator Patterson Sims, the man behind four Whitney Biennial exhibitions, after an arts tour of Miami in April. (Story continues below.) By using their carefully tended, DIY aquariums to both create and fund their art -- a side business selling cloned corals to aquarium owners helps keep the lab lights on and the artists and animals in constant symbiosis -- the pair not only highlight the Magic City's incredibly rich and unique makeup, but draw multiple parallels between reefs and humanity. "We really see corals as futuristic organisms," Foord explains. "They're very modern. We live in a time when the world that you're born into is totally different than you die in; it necessitates that you're constantly adapting to technology. It's a changing world and the actual biosphere is also now changing more than ever. Being that they're cemented in place, [adapting] is just what corals have been doing for millions and millions of years." But our corals point not only to Miami's past and present, but future. "If given the chance -- if sea levels are to rise -- the corals will happily move back into the city and start growing on our infrastructure," Foord said. "We already know they're growing inside the city limits on our trash. This is the flip side of projecting onto buildings. Miami has always been an ephemeral place: it's underwater, it's out of the water, it's underwater, it's out of the water. "Anyone who thinks the sea level rising washing South Beach back into the ocean is a terrible environmental catastrophe is misinformed about the very nature of South Beach as a real estate scheme to begin with. It's another side of the story of climate change and human interactions with the planet that every time there's a catastrophe there's an opportunity for life to take advantage of new real estate to colonize." How is it possible two middle school best friends from New Hampshire know Miami better than most Miamians do? Foord moved to the Magic City to study marine biology at UM, then McKay came down to start Coral Morphologic in 2007. Relative newness didn't stop them both from becoming instrumental in pushing Miami culture forward. They've helped nurture Wynwood's arts scene, started a record label, and discovered four new species of zoanthids, confirmed by DNA testing and published in the Journal of Marine Biology. Next year, they'll install a Knight Foundation-funded aquascape video project at Miami International Airport and plan to start on a full-length Imax-style film. "Coming in as outsiders, we maybe have a more objective perception of what's really happening here, what has happened, and what is likely to continue to happen in the future," Foord said. "At the same time, our whole perception of Miami has been shaped by our friends, artists and musicians who have grown up here that have really tuned us into a lot of things that someone from outside Miami would have a very hard time engaging with as far as a 'real' Miami. "Without the arts scene and without all these artists and amazing people that Miami is blessed with, I don't think we'd have ended up on this track. We're definitely a product of our environment here." What Happens Underwater During a Hurricane? Janie Campbell   |   November 2, 2012   11:38 AM ET By Brian McNoldy, University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science We think we’re pretty familiar with hurricanes – strong winds, storm surge, flooding rains, ominous satellite images from space, and radar loops when they get near land. But what goes on at and below the ocean’s surface when a hurricane passes overhead? Quite a lot, actually! Effects on the ocean properties The upper levels of the ocean are typically strongly stratified by temperature and by salinity. That is, colder, saltier water lies below the warmer, fresher water near the surface. When a hurricane comes by, it mixes everything up, resulting in a muddled and more homogeneous upper ocean. That means the surface water is cooler and saltier than it was previously was, and deeper water is warmer and less salty than it previously was. However, in very shallow coastal areas, the copious amount of fresh cold rain water from the hurricane can actually reduce the temperature and salinity of the near-surface water. Time series of the vertical profile of temperature and salinity from the ocean’s surface down to 200m, and spanning one day prior to the hurricane’s passage through 2.5 days after the passage. The dramatic mixing down to approximately 150m is evident. Time in days relative to the passage is listed along the horizontal axis. This particular case is from Hurricane Frances (2004) on 1 September. (Sanford et al., 2007) The colder surface water upwelled by the hurricane can actually be a fairly significant player in controlling the hurricane’s intensity. A strong slow-moving hurricane will upwell cold water much more effectively than a weaker and/or fast-moving hurricane. And since hurricanes require warm ocean water to fuel their “engine”, that upwelling can end up weakening the storm. The trail of upwelled cooler water left behind a storm is called a “cold wake”, and shows up clearly on maps of sea surface temperature. Map of sea surface temperature before (left) and after (right) Hurricane Isabel in 2003. Isabel’s track from the eastern Atlantic all the way into the mid-Atlantic coast is evident by the cold wake left behind. (NASA/GSFC) Intense hurricanes can generate 60′+ waves, and at the ocean surface, the boundary between the water and the air becomes nebulous. Amidst the formidable waves, sea spray and foam streak horizontally across the surface at high speed, blurring the view of the ocean’s surface in this photo from an aircraft flying through a hurricane. Photo of the sea state under Category 4 Hurricane Isabel taken from 400 feet above the surface. Note that the aircraft was not in or near the eyewall at this time or altitude. (Will Drennan, RSMAS) But below the ocean’s surface, the currents and turbulence beneath those waves can also be quite destructive. Unlike places above the surface, the ocean doesn’t “forget” about the storm very quickly… strong currents and turbulence have been known to exist up to a week after the storm passes overhead. Damaging currents can extend down to at least 300 feet below the surface, capable of dismantling coral reefs, relocating ship wrecks, breaking oil pipelines, and displacing huge volumes of sand on the seabed. Simplified schematic showing the parts of an ocean wave. At the surface, there are crests and troughs. Crests are separated by a wavelength. The depth to which a wave’s effects can be felt depends on the wavelength and wave height. Effects on marine life Some studies conducted in the Caribbean Sea have shown that in the year following a hurricane, coral cover is reduced by 15-20 percent (more or less, depending on the intensity of the hurricane) in the affected areas. There are several factors that go into the negative effect on coral: 1) the turbulent water breaks it, 2) the days of muddied water reduces the amount of sunlight reaching the algae in coral tissue, 3) the fine suspended particles clog the pores, and 4) the tremendous amount of rain reduces the salinity of the shallow ocean in the immediate area which can stress coral. Large self-propelled marine animals such as sharks seem to be minimally affected, since they can detect tiny changes in pressure as larger waves at the surface approach, as well as the reduced surface pressure associated with the storm itself, and go deeper or leave the area. However, hurricanes have been known to result in tremendous numbers of dead fish, crabs, sea turtles, oysters, etc due to reduced amounts of dissolved oxygen in the water, rapid salinity changes, and violent surf. Just like us up here on the surface, marine life suffers for months to several years from the death and destruction following a hurricane. Brian McNoldy Senior Research Associate University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science Author of Tropical Atlantic Update Follow Brian on Twitter: @BMcNoldy (Flickr photo via Surf Cabo) What Does A Coral Reef Sound Like? Janie Campbell   |   October 26, 2012   12:17 PM ET What does a coral reef sound like? Perhaps surprisingly, it isn't a cacophony of indie-band boings and wriggles. In fact, thanks to University of Miami PhD candidate Erica Staaterman, you can hear a Florida coral reef in the video above, which documents her research into the behavior of pelagic fish larvae. Billions of such "baby fish" are born every year, but must find their way to a coral reef to survive -- a needle in a haystack journey, as Staaterman describes it. For her research at UM's Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science, she set out to determine whether larval fish use the soundscape of the reef as a navigational tool. The project, which in video form is a finalist in the National Science Foundation's "Creating the Future" contest, involves playing the reef back to fish larvae in a special underwater chamber and then documenting their behavior. (To us it sounds like frying bacon, but maybe we're just typing hungry.) "Coral reefs comprise less than 1 percent of the ocean, but they are one of the most important areas on the planet both ecologically and economically," Staaterman says in her video. "Due to human impacts like overfishing and climate change, they're also one of the most threatened marine habitats. We need to discover how fish larvae find their way home, because the replenishment of reef fish populations depends upon the success of this next generation." Click above to hear the abiotic and biological symphony of a Florida coral reef, and vote here for Staaterman's video. RISE: Climate Change and Coastal Communities Stephanie J. Stiavetti   |   July 24, 2012   10:38 AM ET This month yet another new study about climate change* was released. But this one is different. Unlike many previous studies in which scientists are hesitant to draw causal connections between global warming and specific weather events, this study comes out and says it: "Global warming makes heat waves more likely." The study also found that global warming is making other weather extremes more likely, such as droughts and heavy rains. Higher global temperatures heat up the oceans, as well. When the water in the seas heats up, it expands -- this is called thermal expansion. Thermal expansion is one of the biggest causes of sea level rise. Throw in melting glaciers adding more volume to the rising waters and more frequent heavy rains, and we've got a big problem for the more than 600 million people around the world who live in coastal areas that are less than 30 feet above sea level. And it's not just those people whose homes are right beside the water. Many others are at risk as floodwaters inundate sewage treatment plants, airports, freeways, and farmland. RISE: Climate Change and Coastal Communities explores this international issue through the lens of a single place: the San Francisco Bay Area. Six multimedia web stories take a look at the personal lives of men and women living along the water who are facing a rising tide. Save the Polar Bears, Save Ourselves Sylvia Earle   |   April 20, 2012    3:06 PM ET Spill Cleanup? Just a Cost of Doing Business? Jackie Savitz   |   January 31, 2012    9:41 PM ET Here's a new item to add to the long list of expenses that are putting our country into deficit spending: cleaning up oil spills. While we keep hearing that companies like BP are on the hook for the costs of cleanup, in truth, much of the cleanup will be paid for by the U.S. Treasury itself. As it turns out, BP and other oil companies can write off the costs of cleanup, forcing about a third of the billion dollar cleanup tab to come out of the Treasury. So, besides the normal billions of dollars that we already forego each year by giving tax breaks to some of the richest companies in the world, now we have billions more that those who spill oil into our oceans can get from our bank account even after committing one of the most heinous environmental crimes imaginable. Thankfully, Congress is taking notice, but will it have the political will to end this ridiculous giveaway? So far, Big Oil and its allies have been all too effective at preventing any legislation whatsoever from passing in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon Spill. Today, Congressman Alcee Hastings (D-FL) introduced the "Oil Spill Tax Fairness Act" to end the practice of allowing oil companies to take tax breaks after they've caused an oil spill. The Joint Committee on Taxation estimates that the bill could save the Treasury more than a billion dollars a year by placing cleanup costs squarely on the laps of those that made the mess. Remember, these are companies making record profits. Today, Exxon announced that it earned $41 billion in 2011, up 35% from 2010. Yet there seems to be no end in sight for the broader slate of tax gimmicks that result in billions of dollars lost to the Treasury each year. At the very least, these bad actors should pay to clean up their own messes. I have nothing against writing off business expenses, but a major oil spill is not, and never has been considered a normal "cost of doing business." Nor should it be. Killing workers, devastating marine life, including dolphins, corals and endangered sea turtles, shutting down fisheries, making people sick, and destroying the cultural fabric of coastal communities should never be considered just a cost of doing business. And companies like BP that take tremendous risks with our resources certainly should not be rewarded for doing so. Congress and the Administration should be doing much more in response to the Gulf Spill, like imposing real safety requirements, lifting the horrendously low liability cap, ending tax handouts to oil companies, and ultimately moving us away from offshore drilling. But at the very least passing the "Oil Spill Tax Fairness Act" would be a good first step. Wallace J Nichols   |   October 4, 2011   10:23 AM ET The ocean is the single biggest feature of our planet. Phytoplankton in the ocean provide more than half of our oxygen and provides the basis of the primary protein for more than a billion people. Humans have derived unmeasurable inspiration, joy, recreation and relaxation from the ocean for millennia. But we have treated the ocean poorly, and its decline in recent decades has been catastrophic for our planet and its people. We have put too much into the ocean, in the form of oil, sewage, fertilizers and pesticides, antibiotics, plastic pollution, noise and increasing levels of CO2. We have taken too much out of the ocean by subsidizing and encouraging inefficient and destructive overfishing, bottom trawling, long-lining, purse seining, dynamite fishing, irresponsible aquaculture and illegal hunting. We need an Ocean Revolution. It is our coast and our ocean. The time is now to Occupy The Ocean. [Repost this anywhere you like, adding to it as you will.]   |   September 19, 2011    5:42 PM ET By David Biello (Click here for original article.) Jellyfishes rely on drifting to eat. They take their luck with currents, and create tiny eddies to guide food toward their tendrils. Yet in waters from the Sea of Japan (aka East Sea) to the Black Sea, jellies today are thriving as many of their marine vertebrate and invertebrate competitors are eliminated by overfishing, dead zones and other human impacts. How have these drifters of the sea reversed millions of years of fish dominance, seemingly overnight? Biologist José Luis Acuña of the University of Oviedo in Spain and his colleagues now suggest that jellyfishes are just as effective at mealtime as fishes when judged by the right measures. "Jellyfishes are ancient organisms, which use a primitive predation mechanism based on generating feeding currents to bring the prey into contact with their bodies," Acuña explains. "In spite of this primitivism, jellies are as effective as fishes in catching prey and in transforming the energy acquired [into] body growth and reproduction." So where fishes use their eyes to spot planktonic prey, jellyfishes rely on body size—like the lion's mane jellyfish's 37-meter-long tentacles—to maximize their success. To achieve that size gain, predatory jellyfishes have relied on water incorporated into their tissues—the refrigerator-size Nomura's jellyfish from the Sea of Japan comprises mostly water. A larger body requires more energy to move, so jellies let the surrounding water do the work for them, which makes them some of the slowest swimmers in the sea. And measured by the amount of carbon in their bodies—rather than total weight—jellies consume and incorporate as much prey as fishes do, Acuña's team found. The results are detailed in the September 16 issue of Science. "It is very neat work," says ecologist Kylie Pitt of Griffith University in Australia, who is working on similar research. When combined with overfishing, climate change, fertilizer runoff–induced dead zones and other human impacts on ocean fishes, a watery evolutionary stage has been set for a jellyfish takeover—dubbed the "gelatinous ocean" by some scientists. There are exceptions to this rule: The cannonball jellyfish—a seafood delicacy in Asia—shoots through the water at 15 centimeters per second, a decent clip. And the return to ocean conditions last seen in the Ediacaran period more than 540 million years ago—when jellies last ruled the seas—has been a boon for certain fishes in habitats like the Benguela Current in the South Atlantic off Namibia in Africa, where jellyfish-eating gobies have replaced sardines in the food chain. The growing abundance of these jelly-feeding gobies now serves to provide sustenance to the predators that formerly feasted on the sardines, such as seabirds, larger fishes and, ultimately, humans. "We need research to be sure of what new ecological scenarios are arising," Acuña says. "It is time to take [jellyfishes] seriously," Acuña adds, both as a marine predator and a future seafood source. BP's Bad Timing Jackie Savitz   |   September 8, 2011    4:51 PM ET If you were BP, wouldn't you wait for the right time to go back to the U.S. government to ask for more permits to drill? What would seem like a good time to do that? Surely, it wouldn't be when oil is gushing uncontrollably from a BP site on the cold, dark ocean floor, or a day when oiled birds were washing up on beaches. Certainly fisheries closures wouldn't still be keeping Gulf fishermen from working, and people wouldn't still be rebuilding their lives, after losing jobs, and even loved ones following the explosion. I picture BP coming back for more drilling rights on a bright, sunny day, with clear blue skies, birds chirping and butterflies fluttering around. Flowers would be blooming, and green marsh grasses would be swaying with the fresh breeze. The kind of day when it seems as if there is not a care in the world. Sadly, that's not how the Gulf looked yesterday, or today. BP's announcement that it wants more drilling permits came on a day when the Gulf still looks more like a traumatized post-disaster site than the pretty picture of recovery we so hope for. Everywhere we look we see reminders that the oil is not gone and people and wildlife are still suffering. Just two weeks ago there was a large oil sheen spotted in the Gulf, not the first since the Deepwater Horizon of course, but one which was tracked back to an area near two abandoned wells. There are about 27,000 such wells in the Gulf with the potential to leak at any time, and oftentimes do so unnoticed since they are neither monitored nor adequately inspected. Then, just last week, a new oil sheen was found near the site of the Deepwater Horizon. BP's initial response was less than helpful, but independent chemical analysis showed that the oil looks an awful lot like theirs. The sheen can't really be explained by a passing boat, or a leaking rig. A natural seep is a very low odds possibility, not to mention a convenient theory for BP. But many believe this oil may be coming from the well, either from the abandoned riser, or from a leak springing from a fracture caused by the blowout. BP has no good explanation. They say they don't see the sheen. But it's bad timing to be asking for more drilling. Maybe they couldn't see the sheen because far from being a clear, sunny day, the ocean is stirred up thanks to Hurricane Lee. Lee isn't the first hurricane to hit the area since the spill, and it won't be the last. It's a reminder that more permits for drilling in the Gulf may not be such a good idea. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita famously led to numerous spills in Hurricane Alley. When there's a hurricane threatening the existing Gulf rigs, it may be a bad time to ask for more permits. And finally, anyone who did think it might be a nice beach day may have been disappointed to be greeted by a fresh new batch of tar balls on the shoreline. BP oil? Authorities are not yet sure. But one thing is for sure: it wasn't the first set of tar balls to wash up, and it won't be the last. Especially not if BP and other oil companies continue to insist that their right to drill trumps everything else in the Gulf. Oh, and one other thing: It's probably not a good day to ask for more drilling rights.   |   June 23, 2011    6:13 PM ET In case you needed any reminder of the awe-inspiring wonders in nature, this video will do just that. We don't know how we missed this incredible footage from last year, but we weren't the only ones, and it's definitely worth posting no matter how old. YouTube user Seainggreen documents the hatchings of a giant Pacific octopus, which can lay up to 100,000 eggs, according to Wikipedia. From the video's description: A giant pacific octopus mother who lived just across from downtown Seattle had her hatch right under the noses of local divers. Her den was sequestered in Cove Two in West Seattle, in a location that spared her from predators and over-visitation by humans. On September 4 (aka early, early on September 5), 2010, the eggs began hatching. It's a time of mixed emotion; joy at the hatch, and sadness at the knowledge that this event means the mother's life will end. The hatch lasted a full week, after which the mother died. Sit back, and prepare to be blown away by mother nature -- jump to 3:24 if you want to get right to it. WATCH (via Digiphile):

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/our-oceans/

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Skillet French Bread Recipes Enjoy our collection of skillet french bread recipes submitted, reviewed and rated by community. Meet people who are looking for skillet french bread recipes. CC - SEF: 753 French Toast 1. Mix eggs, salt, and milk in pie pan. 2. Melt margarine in skillet. 3. Dip bread quickly in egg mixture to coat. 4. Brown one side in skillet. Sprinkle top side with cinnamon. Turn; brown second side. - 24.0964 Frozen French Toast Beat together eggs, milk, sugar, and salt. Dip bread in egg mixture, coating both sides. Brown on both sides on hot, greased griddle or skillet. - 25.6059 Skillet French Toast 1. In pie plate, with wire whisk, beat eggs, milk, and salt until well blended. In nonstick 12-inch skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. 2. Dip 4 bread slices, one at a time, in beaten egg mixture to coat both sides well. Place in skillet... - 26.7356 Hawaiian French Toast Enjoy the rare combo of the Hawaiian and French cuisines in the Hawaiian French Toast ! Enjoy the Hawaiian French Toast as a party appetizer! Tell me how you like this dish! - 40.5855 French Raisin Toast Combine sugar and cinnamon in wide shallow bowl. Beat in eggs and milk. Add bread; let stand to coat, then turn to coat other side. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in large skillet over medium-low heat. Add bread slices; cook until brown. Turn and cook other... - 38.2799 Banana French Toast Cinnamon French Toast Try this Cinammon French Toast for your breakfast today ! I love my Cinammon French Toast with a generous spread of orange marmalade! How about you? - 38.5056 Orange French Toast In shallow bowl beat together the water, 3 tablespoons orange juice concentrate, and eggs. Dip French bread slices into juice mixture, then into bread crumbs, coating evenly on both sides. In skillet cook French bread slices in a small amount of hot cooking... - 37.7295 Cheesy Grilled French Bread In a medium skillet combine margarine or butter, parsley, garlic, and, if desired, red pepper. Heat over medium heat until margarine is melted. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Cut French bread in half lengthwise. Place bread, cut side down, on an uncovered grill... - 39.0055 Hot French Toast This French Toast makes a yummy breakfast ! I 'm pretty used to savory French toast for breakfast and something sweet, just happens to be a dessert favorite ! But this sweet French Toast makes an incredible breakfast ! you can try it out for a snack too. Just... - 30.9426 Maple French Toast In medium bowl, combine syrup, milk and eggs. Dip bread into egg mixture. In large greased skillet, cook bread in butter until golden brown on both sides. - 27.9316 Tempting Triangles Fabulous French Bread Melt butter in skillet. Saute the onions, parsley,celery and garlic until limp. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, olives and Parmesan cheese. Stir until well-combined. Slice bread horizontally in half. Spread each half with half of the vegetable... - 41.096 Skillet Potatoes Au Gratin Skillet Baked Flounder Provencale 1. In a large ovenproof skillet (preferably not cast iron), warm 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture begins to brown, about 5 minutes. 2. Add the tomato sauce, red wine,... - 39.869 Company Skillet Ragout 1. Mix sausage, veal, eggs, bread crumbs, parsley and the 1/2 tea spoon salt in medium-size bowl. Shape lightly into 48 small balls. 2. Brown slowly, turning several times, in a large skillet, or an electric frying pan. 3. Remove meatballs; set aside for Step... - 37.9534 Onion Soup With French Bread Melt butter in heavy skillet. Add onions and cook gently until soft but not brown. Add flour and stir to blend. Stir in beef stock and simmer 10 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary (amount will depend on seasoning in stock). Heat oven to 450... - 36.031 French Bread Pizza In a medium skillet, brown beef; drain. Stir in pizza sauce and mushrooms; set aside. Cut bread in half lengthwise, then into eight pieces. Spread meat sauce on bread; place on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 10... - 27.914 Crepes is a recipe which you will simply love. An effortlessly prepared breakfast recipe; the Crepes is a dish that you would love to serve to your family! - 36.3534 Easy French Toast In medium bowl, beat eggs with a fork until blended. Add milk, sugar, salt and nutmeg and beat with a fork to combine. In a skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Dip bread slices in egg mixture and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 1 to 2 minutes... - 25.9736 Italian French Bread Special Combine tomato paste, water, Parmesan, onion, olives and seasonings. Preheat browning skillet 4 1/2 minutes. Crumble ground chuck into skillet. Microwave 4 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Drain grease. Add tomato mixture. Slice French bread in half... - 40.62 French Toast –  In a bowl, combine eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and cocoa. –  Soak bread slices in mixture. Drain. Melt butter in a skillet and toast each slice of bread on both sides until golden. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. - 24.486 Sausage Stuffed French Loaves GETTING READY 1) Preheat oven to 400°F. 2) Trim off the ends of the loaves, and reserve the ends. 3) Using the fingers hollow out the loaves. MAKING 4) In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, process the soft bread to coarse crumbs. 5) In a heavy... - 47.5207 Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake French Toast If you are looking for a decadent French toast recipe that everyone will drool over, then try out this Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake French Toast recipe from Anne Colagioia. This is definitely one of the tastiest breakfast French toast recipes you will ever... - 98.9861 Sausage Stuffed French Bread GETTING READY 1) Set the oven to preheat 375°. MAKING 2) In a 10-inch skillet, add sausage to cook. 3) Discard the liquid and set aside. 4) Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel. 5) In the same skillet, add onion, green pepper, celery, and garlic in... - 42.412 French Bread Pizzas GETTING READY 1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. 2. Slice the French bread lengthwise into half and cut each half crosswise into half again. MAKING 3. Place breads, cut side up, on a baking sheet and brush them with oil. 4. Toast them for about 4 minutes.... - 41.5112 Turkey French Bread Pizzas Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray, and place over medium-high heat until hot. Add turkey and next 3 ingredients. Cook until turkey is browned, stirring until it crumbles. Drain, if necessary. Stir in pizza sauce and salt; cook until thoroughly... - 44.4979 French Bread Combine warm water and sugar in mixing bowl and stir to dissolve sugar. Sprinkle yeast over water and let stand 10 minutes. Stir well. Add salt, shortening and about half of the flour. Beat well with a wooden spoon. Add remaining flour and mix with hand until... - 44.689 French Bread Farci Halve rolls lengthwise. Using fork or fingers carefully remove soft centers, leaving shells about 1/4 inch thick. Let centers dry a bit. Place dried bread in batches in blender or food processor (or simply use hands) and reduce to finer consistency. Transfer... - 42.3577 Strata With Dried Plum, Bacon And French Bread Leftover bread can never be a pain with recipes that make good use of them. Chef Dave shows how to make Dried Plum and Bacon Strata using leftover French bread, plum and bacon along with some simple seasonings. Ideal for breakfast or brunch! - 104.755 French Bread Chicken Melts 1. Preheat broiler. 2. Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray, place over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion and bell pepper,- saute 8 minutes or until very tender, adding water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent scorching. Remove from heat, stir in... - 31.8104 Tomato French Bread Lasagna In a skillet, brown beef, onion, celery and garlic; drain and set aside. Toast bread; line the bottom of an ungreased 13-in.x 9-in.x 2-in.baking dish with 10 slices. Top with half of the meat mixture and half of the tomatoes. Combine seasonings; sprinkle half... - 46.2422 Ratatouille French Bread Pizzas MAKING 1. In a skillet add olive oil and warm it. 2. Add garlic and onions. Saute for 5 minutes till they are completely soft. 3. Combine eggplant, bell pepper and zucchini. Saute 5 minutes. 4. Simmer the vegetables for 10 minutes till they are tender. 5. Add... - 49.8639 Challah Bread French Toast Stuffed French Toast - Baked This is a dish you can serve as a treat to yourself or others. - 120.083 Baked French Toast 1.Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 2.Combine milk, egg whites, vanilla, and nutmeg in a shallow bowl. 3.Dip the bread in the milk mixture, coating both sides. 4.Spray a baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray or line with a nonstick baking liner. Arrange bread... - 41.1758 Mandarin Orange French Toast Drain syrup from oranges into saucepan. Stir in orange peel and juice, brown sugar, cornstarch, vanilla and nutmeg. Cook over low heat, stirring, until sauce thickens slightly and turns clear. Remove from heat; add orange segments. In pie plate, combine eggs... - 40.607 French Crepes Crepes has a fine taste. The eggs with milk gives the Crepes a divine taste. - 35.8744 Breakfast French Toast Place egg whites in a medium pie plate. Place two slices of bread into pie plate and let soak 5 to 10 seconds; turn bread over and let soak another 5 to 10 seconds. Remove from plate and set aside. Repeat with remaining slices of bread. Coat a nonstick... - 35.3452 Slender French Toast Combine egg whites, orange juice concentrate, flavorings, and spices in a shallow bowl, beat well. Coat a large skillet with vegetable cooking spray, place over medium heat until hot. Dip bread, one slice at a time, into egg white mixture, coating... - 33.3813 Orange French Toast Orange french toast is a fruited frnch toast recipe. Coated with an egg and milk mixture, the wheat breads are skilet cooked in margerine. Served for breakfast, they make a light and lovely start to the day! - 31.7422 Strawberry Buttered French Toast Drain strawberries; measure 1/3 cup syrup. Prepare Strawberry Butter, using the berries and any remaining syrup. Combine in a shallow bowl the eggs, sugar, lemon peel, and extract. Mix well and stir in the cream and the 1/3 cup strawberry syrup. Put bread... - 40.5067 French Toast MAKING 1. In a medium sized bowl, combine milk, eggs and salt. Mix well and keep aside. 2. In a medium sized skillet, heat shortening. 3. Dip bread slices in egg mixture and place on skillet. 4. Brown evenly on both sides. SERVING 5. Transfer on to... - 35.9648 French Toast Beat the eggs lightly in a small bowl. Pour the milk into another small bowl. In a heavy skillet, melt the butter until hot. Dip the bread slices first into the milk, then into the beaten eggs. Saute, turning once, until both sides are golden brown. Sprinkle... - 33.0903 French Toast With Cranberry Apple Topping MAKING 1.Take a quart saucepan and melt some margarine in it. 2. Add in apple, cranberries, sugar, vanilla, apple juice and bring to boil over high heat. 3. Once boiled, let simmer over medium to loe heat for about 10 minutes until mixture attains a syrupy... - 50.3554 Cinnamon Raisin French Toast In shallow bowl or pie plate combine eggs, milk, sugar, and cinnamon. Dip each slice bread on both sides into egg mixture. In heavy skillet melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-hot coals. Fry bread on both sides till golden brown, about 3 minutes per... - 31.9231 French Toast French Toast is my families favorite breakfast. This yummy bread is delicious and its soft and at the same time crisp texture coupled with its addictive flavor is gonn amake you go crazy about it!! Try this French Toast! - 29.1685 Nutella French Toast Gourmet Style French Toast Apple French Toast 1 Beat eggs slightly in deep pie dish with fork or wire whip; add milk, sugar, vanilla and salt and beat until well blended and fluffy. 2 Dip bread, a slice at a time, into milk mixture, turning to coat both sides; set dipped slices on plate. 3 Spray large... - 33.3239 French Toast Strips French Toast Strips is a yummy recipe that will definitely be a winner at the next party you host. I served these unique French Toast Strips last week for my friends and they loved it. Don't miss this one out. - 38.4848 Delicious French Toast MAKING 1) In a bowl, combine the milk and lemon juice. Mix well. 2) To this, add beaten eggs. 3) In the mixture, dip each slice of bread. Let the slices soak in the liquid thoroughly, on all sides. 4) In a large skillet, heat the butter or margarine. 5) In... - 40.5415 French Toast Raisin French Toast In a shallow bowl, combine egg, milk, vanilla, and salt. Soak bread in mixture, turning at least once. Let stand until as much liquid as possible is absorbed. Place in preheated nonstick skillet or on griddle treated with a release agent. Pour any remaining... - 34.7039 French Toast Combine eggs with milk, sugar, and salt in a shallow dish or pie pan. Dip bread slices one at a time into egg mixture, coating each side well. Transfer to a skillet which has been preheated with some of the butter. Brown slices over medium heat, turning... - 30.3872 Hawaiian French Toast Hawaiian French Toast is a tasty bread preparation that my children having for breakfast. Try this wonderful Hawaiian French Toast recipe. - 35.134 French Onion Loaves Orange Oatmeal French Toast MAKING 1) Take a small saucepan and combine together brown sugar with cornstarch. Mix nicely. 2) Stir in all the remaining sauce ingredients. Cook over medium heat until the mixture begins to thicken and boil, stirring repeatedly. Set aside and keep warm. 3)... - 47.373 Sugar Crusted French Toast 1 In a small bowl beat together eggs, milk, the 2 tablespoons sugar, and vanilla. Place bread in a 2-quart baking dish. Pour egg mixture over bread; turn bread to coat. Refrigerate 20 to 30 minutes or until egg mixture is absorbed. 2 In a large skillet or on... - 28.4451 French Toast Stuffed With Pumpkin Cream Cheese Spanish French Toast MAKING 1) Take a large bowl (large enough to hold the bread) and beat together milk, eggs, granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in it. 2) In this batter, dip the bread so that it is coated well. 3) In a small bowl, mix together remaining teaspoon of... - 41.8867 French Toast MAKING 1.In a pie pan, combine egg and milk. 2.Dip the bread in egg mixture. 3.Heat an oiled skillet and cook the dipped bread from both sides in it. SERVING 4.Serve French toast with honey butter. - 29.5765 Orange French Toast Combine eggs and orange juice, beat well with a whisk. Quickly dip each slice of raisin bread into egg mixture, and coat bread on all sides with vanilla wafer crumbs. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet, arrange 3 or 4 slices bread in a single layer... - 28.4853 Spicy French Toast This Spicy French Toast dish is a breakfast recipe. Enjoy this deadly combination of eggs and bread in your breakfast and share your feelings for this recipe! - 35.5191 Cinnamon French Toast Combine first 3 ingredients in a shallow bowl, stirring well with a wire whisk. Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Add 1 teaspoon margarine; place over medium heat until margarine melts. Dip 1 bread slice into egg substitute mixture. Place coated... - 30.1685 Orange French Toast 1. Spread 4 bread slices with marmalade. Top with remaining bread slices. 2. In shallow dish, combine eggs, milk and sugar until well blended. Dip sandwiches, one at a time, in egg mixture, coating well. 3. Then fry in hot butter, in small skillet, until... - 35.7094 Orange Pecan French Toast 1. Using a fork, in medium mixing bowl beat together egg substitute, vanilla, orange peel, and cinnamon; set aside. 2. Spray 10-inch nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray; add margarine and melt. Dip bread slices into egg mixture, coating both sides;... - 33.7251 Cinnamon French Toast Break eggs into a pie plate; stir in sugar, cinnamon, salt, and milk. Dip each bread slice into this mixture as you are ready to put it in the skillet. Be sure bread absorbs on both sides. Heat butter in medium skillet. Put in 1 slice of soaked bread. When... - 33.3045 Orange French Toast In a small bowl combine eggs, juice, and sugar. Beat with a rotary beater till well combined. For easier dipping, transfer the mixture to a 9-inch pie plate. Dip bread into egg mixture, turning to coat both sides. Let bread stand in egg mixture about 30... - 42.9495 French Toast Recipe A great recipe to make really delicious, restaurant-style french toast. Super easy to throw together! - 120.647 Whole Wheat French Toast With Florida Orange Slices Whole Wheat French Toast With Florida Orange Slices is an irresistible recipe that you will surely love to try. A recipe prepared with wheat toast and oranges; I am sure you will enjoy this Whole Wheat French Toast With Florida Orange Slices!. - 36.924 Simple French Toast French toast is a dish made by dipping bread into beaten eggs and then frying them in oil on a skillet or in a frying pan. The dish is also known as gypsy bread or eggy bread. - 0 Souffle French Toast 1. In a food processor or blender, process the orange sections for 1 minute. Add the eggs, egg whites, milk, sugar, liqueur, orange rind, vanilla, and salt; process 1 minute longer. 2. In a shallow dish, arrange all the bread in a single layer. Pour over the... - 36.3199 Sweet French Toast With Honey French Onion Soup This french onion soup is prepared with au jus gravy mix. Cooked with butter to taste, the rich gravy mix and cheese goes to make this french onion soup memorable. Topped with bread slices with cheese, the french onion soup is broiled and served up toasty and... - 39.0068 Stuffed French Toast Cut a slit through top of each slice of bread to form a pocket. Set aside. Combine 1 tablespoon dried apricots, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl; stir well. Stuff 2 tablespoons cheese mixture into pocket of each slice of bread;... - 42.7842 Big-wheel Burger Skillet Soak onion in milk 5 minutes; mix in ground beef, egg, rolled oats, salt, and pepper. Mound in 10 inch skillet. With wooden spoon handle, score in 5 or 6 wedges. Brush top lightly with kitchen bouquet. Combine spaghetti sauce and kidney beans (with... - 40.3027 Chocolate French Toast 1. Crack the eggs into the mixing bowl. Beat with the eggbeater or fork till the yolks and whites are mixed. Add the chocolate-flavored milk. Beat till well mixed. Pour the egg mixture into the pie plate. 2. Put half of the margarine or butter in the skillet.... - 27.9252 French Toast Process first 6 ingredients in a blender or food processor. Add additional milk, if needed, 1 tablespoonful at a time, until mixture has the consistency of pancake batter. Pour into a wide shallow bowl. Melt a small amount of butter or margarine over low heat... - 31.0111 Fluffy French Toast Beat flour, sugar, salt, milk and eggs with rotary beater until smooth. Soak bread in batter until saturated. Heat butter in skillet. Carefully transfer each bread slice to skillet; do not overcrowd. Cook bread over medium heat 12 minutes on each side or... - 28.7659 Classic French Toast If you like your french toast to have a sweeter taste, you would go for this video recipe. It's almost same as the regular recipe, only you add certain special spices which makes it unique. Go through the video and enjoy a fabulous breakfast. - 118.884 French Toast MAKING 1) In a mixing bowl, crack eggs and beat with the fork. Add salt and milk to make a batter. 2) In a skillet, melt butter and spread it evenly with a spatula. 3) Dip a bread slice into the egg batter and put it on the hot skillet. 4) Cook until the... - 36.5293 Spiced French Toast Combine first 6 ingredients in a shallow dish, stirring well. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray, and place over medium heat until hot. Dip bread slices, 1 at a time, into egg mixture, coating well. Place 2 bread slices in skillet, and cook 4... - 34.8739 Dessert French Toast In mixing bowl, beat eggs, milk and vanilla until frothy. In skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Dip cake slices into egg mixture, then quickly fry in melted butter, turning slices as they brown. Remove from skillet and dust lightly with icing... - 32.5852 French Toasted Chicken Sandwiches Combine chicken, celery, mayonnaise, pickle relish, onion, salt, and pepper. Spread 6 slices of bread with about 1/3 cup of the mixture; cover with remaining bread. Combine eggs and milk in pie plate. Dip sandwiches on both sides, then coat with potato... - 40.9944 Grandma's French Toast 1. In a large bowl, combine the milk, sugar, vanilla, lemon rind, and nutmeg. Soak the bread in the mixture for 10 minutes, or until all the mixture is absorbed. 2. Meanwhile, heat the butter with the oil in a heavy 12- or 14-inch skillet over moderately high... - 32.2918 Custard French Toast Arrange bread in baking dish, 13 1/2x9x2 inches. Beat eggs, milk, sugar and salt until fluffy. Pour over bread; turn each slice to coat well. Cover; refrigerate overnight. Heat butter in skillet. Carefully transfer each bread slice to skillet. Cook over... - 31.9421 French Toast MAKING 1) In a shallow bowl beat egg and egg whites together with a whisk or a fork. 2) Stir in milk, vanilla and cinnamon. 3) Grease a skillet with oil and heat thoroughly. 4) Dredge bread slices in egg mixture. Dredge both sides in it. 5) Add in a skillet,... - 38.9255 Simple French Toast Beat egg with milk and salt just to blend and place in a piepan. Melt about 1/4 the butter in a large, heavy skillet. Quickly dip bread in egg mixture, turning to coat both sides well, then brown on each side in butter (add more butter to skillet as... - 28.0019 Peachy French Toast Combine first 5 ingredients in a shallow dish, stirring mixture well. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; place over medium heat until hot. Dip bread slices, one at a time, into egg mixture, coating well. Place 4 bread slices in skillet, and... - 43.6213 Hawaiian French Toast The night before, cut the bread into slices about 3/4" to 1" thick. Spread the slices in a single layer to slightly dry them at room temperature overnight. (This will prevent the toast from becoming soggy.) In the morning, in a shallow bowl, use a wire whisk... - 36.9961 French Toast Supreme In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla. Spread -1 tablespoon cream cheese on six slices of bread; top;with remaining slices to make six sandwiches. Dip sandwiches in egg mixture. Fry on a lightly greased skillet until golden brown on both... - 29.9277 Sweet French Toast Beat eggs thoroughly, add milk, sugar, and salt and beat until well mixed. Dip each piece of bread into this mixture for a few seconds; then lift into a heavy skillet in which the bacon drippings or butter have been heated, and cook until golden brown on... - 25.5715 Tony Roberts's French Toast In a medium, shallow bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon, eggs, and milk well. Dip the slices of bread in the mixture to coat lightly. In a large skillet, melt the butter and oil over high heat. Fry the coated bread until golden brown and crispy, turning... - 25.9848 French Toast Muffins 1. Place eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl and beat together. Add cinnamon and nutmeg and mix until well incorporated. 2. Melt butter in a skillet over low heat. 3. Dip the muffin slices into the egg mixture and fry until golden brown. 4. Place on a servi - 28.6805 French Toast Sticks In shallow bowl, combine Egg Beaters, milk, cinnamon and vanilla. In large nonstick griddle or skillet, over medium-high heat, melt 2 teaspoons margarine. Dip bread sticks in egg mixture to coat; transfer to griddle. Cook sticks on each side until golden,... - 35.1725 Different French Toast Place all ingredients except the bread in a blender and blend completely. Pour the mixture into a small baking pan and soak the bread in it until all the liquid is absorbed, turning the bread once. Preheat a heavy 10-inch skillet, preferably nonstick, to... - 37.5009 Cinnamon French Toast Banana & Walnut Stuffed French Toast 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly spray a cast iron or other ovenproof skillet with cooking spray and then heat over medium heat. 2. Spread mashed banana on top of 4 slices of bread.Sprinkle some chopped walnut on top. Place... - 30.1528 French Toast 1) In a large mixing bowl, combine Splenda,egg, vanilla extract and cinnamon. 2) Soak bread one slice at a time until saturated with liquid. 3) Cook on a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium/high heat until lightly browned, approximately 2-3 minutes on... - 34.6936 Simple Hawaiian French Toast Beat eggs until light; add salt, cinnamon, sugar, and pineapple juice, and beat thoroughly. Soak bread well in this mixture. Melt butter in a heavy skillet, lay in bread and brown nicely on both sides. Serve hot with a hot thin-slice of pineapple (cut... - 28.1507

http://www.ifood.tv/network/skillet_french_bread/recipes

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Lee v Drake - Cash Money Records, Inc. Complaint for Music Publishing Royalty Accounting The first 30 seconds of the song is a recording of a phone conversation with the ex-girlfriend and plaintiff, Erika Lee. Lee asserts that she and Drake had every intention to write the song together and that her contributions were intended to be incorporated into the final song. Lee contends the intro "phone message" is key to the underlying song. Lee's complaint is somewhat confusing as issues of ownership of the sound recording are intermingled with claims asserting ownership in the underlying song. The most interesting thing in the complaint to me is a cause of action for Breach of Fiduciary Duty. Really, songwriters have a fiduciary duty to one another? If a record label doesn't have a fiduciary duty to an artist, do we really think that one songwriter would owe the highest duty of utmost care to a co-writer? Reference Info:Pleadings | State, 9th Circuit, California | United States

http://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/complaint-for-music-publishing-royalty-a-60674/

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OSFI Publishes Advisory Regarding Ownership Interests in Commodities Taken by Federally Regulated Financial Institutions Explore:  Commodities OSFI Swaps In response to inquiries from federally regulated financial institutions (“FRFIs”), the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (“OSFI”) has published Advisory 2013-01, Business and Powers – Ownership Interest in Commodities. The Advisory sets out principles relevant to determining whether a transaction that involves an FRFI taking an ownership interest in commodities generally appertains to the business of providing financial services and would, therefore, be permitted by FRFI statutes. The Advisory also lists minimum prudential standards for FRFIs engaging in activities involving such ownership interests. FRFI statutes generally prohibit a FRFI from dealing in goods such as commodities. This includes a prohibition on buying and selling commodities for a commercial purpose. However, the prohibition would not apply where the FRFI takes an ownership interest in commodities in connection with activities otherwise authorized by the applicable FRFI statute. For example, in the case of the Bank Act, a federally regulated bank may take an ownership interest in commodities where it does so in the context of the “business of banking” (which includes the provision of any financial service) or business which generally appertains to such business of banking. In 2004, OSFI ruled on a commodity swap arrangement involving natural gas entered into by a federally regulated foreign bank. In the ruling, OSFI concluded that an FRFI that engages in physically settled commodity trading is providing a “financial service” (and, therefore, is engaged in the business of banking), provided that the FRFI: • enters into such transactions only with customers who are producers or end users in the context of financial risk management services to those customers, or with other market intermediaries to manage its exposure to the relevant commodity; and • takes title to the commodity only on a “transitory” basis and only in connection with, or for the purpose of facilitating, the settlement of such transaction. In the new Advisory, OSFI acknowledges that the scope of transactions in which an FRFI might take an ownership interest in a commodity extends beyond transactions entered into for credit enhancement purposes, as was the case transaction considered in the 2004 ruling. For example, OSFI noted that the transactions might include an ownership interest in a commodity for time periods that extend beyond “transitory” periods or transactions in the nature of inventory financing. As a result, OSFI has set out the following principles for determining whether a transaction in which an FRFI takes an ownership interest in commodities generally appertains to the business of providing a financial service: • Purpose of transaction: The ownership interest in commodities should arise from a transaction that the FRFI has entered into as an alternative to providing a traditional financial service to the customer (e.g., inventory financing, guarantee, letter of credit or risk management service). • Duration of ownership: The FRFI should only retain ownership interests in commodities for a commercially reasonable period of time, having regard to the nature of the financial service that the transaction is intended to provide. • Exposure: The FRFI should not, in the normal course of its business, be exposed to fluctuations in the price of the commodity as a result of the transaction. The FRFI’s exposure in this regard should not be fundamentally different in nature and degree from such exposures that arise from the provision of comparable traditional forms of financial services. On this basis, OSFI expects FRFIs to enter into an agreement to dispose of their ownership interest in commodities promptly after agreeing to acquire that ownership interest. • Return: The return that is generated by a transaction that is an alternative to a traditional financial service and that involves a FRFI taking an ownership interest in commodities should not be based on fluctuations in the price of commodities but should rather have a close correlation to the return that would normally be generated by the comparable traditional financial service. These principles would not apply to ownership interests in precious metals (which OSFI has acknowledged should be considered in a different light given the historical special status afforded to precious metals) or ownership interests resulting from realization of a security interest in collateral under a secured financing arrangement (which ownership interest, OSFI has noted, is incidental to the provision of the financial service). OSFI has also set out minimum prudential standards for FRFIs engaging in activities that fall within the scope of the Advisory.

http://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/osfi-publishes-advisory-regarding-owners-09446/

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already a subscriber? Register me Subscribe now See my options School Zone The Journal Sentinel education reporters offer news and notes from their beat • We reserve the right to close commenting on specific stories. Discussion guidelines | Privacy policy | Terms of use Limit of 2000 characters, 2000 characters remaining Sort by Comment threads per page: 10 | 20 | 50 1. Who is this group...really. And who funds the group? There is already an accrediting's quite stringent! This does seem to be politically motivated...perhaps the organization would like to be more open and then it might receive the cooperation it deems necessary?? Hide replies 2. "the content of the associated courses in connection with a national evaluation of schools of education" As a retired scientist and former university professor, I can testify that there is absolutely no link between the content of a syllabus and the QUALITY of the teaching and learning curve of the students. Teacher quality should be measured by the achievements of their students in the real world! Students pay a lot of money for their education and access to a syllabus, if the NCTQ and U.S. News and World Report want access to my syllabus, they should pay for it too! Soon such research bodies will want to have FREE access to sit and evalutate lectures! Hide replies • As a University professor, what would you think of a syllabus from a chemistry course that taught that atoms are the smallest units of matter? What about a math syllabus that taught that multiplication and division are unrelated and shouldn't be taught as related? They're going to find the ed-school equivalent of those kinds of errors. That's what they're looking for and there is a lot of it to find. Until recently, a major guide to early reading for the state said CAT and TEN had three syllables. That was just one of litteraly dozens of similar errors in that guide. That guide was written by a team that included several education professors and other university experts. It took years to find the errors (no one in the colleges ever caught them) and DPI had to go outside Wisconsin to get them fixed. That's what this is all about. That's the scale of error to be uncovered. • had 3 "syllables"? You mean "syllabi." I prepared mo than a few syllabi in my years as a UW prof. Syllabi normally do not include the kinds of information that 360guy claims. They do include prof's name, office hours, course policies (exams and dates, attendance policies, policies of late work, etc.). They also include dates material is to be covered, reading assignments, and numerous other course administration issues. Never, in all my years of teaching, did any of my course syllabi contain any of the things that 360guy claims are "taught" on a syllabus. • No. I meant syllables. Wisconsin's standards for early learning described CAT and TEN as 3 syllable words. They made many other errors, as well. • As for other material, many course syllabi in schools of education contain factually false information. Even more fail to include important topics which should be there. 3. I agree completely with kingludwig. No relationship. However why wont UW release them? Many at UWM are already online for public access in the public access class listing as well as I dont by this copyright garbage at all. Perhaps NCTQ wants to see how students are graded: lab work, tests, papers, or just simply showing up to class! Hide replies 4. I think the Universities are more afraid of people finding out some little known facts. For example back when I was an undergraduate student and UW-Stevens Point it was a proven fact that statistically students enrolling in early educational majors had the worst act/sat/other test scores. Yet upon graduation it was statistically proven that Early Education majors had the highest GPA within their major out of any program in the university. This is only in my experience and this can be proven by looking at open records if desired. You can look at this and come to your own conclusions. I already know what my own belief is. Hide replies 5. It's so difficult to find it isn't it: Hide replies 6. how dare a conservative group use the open records law...don't they know that only the democrats can use it! once again, hypocrites. and now how much is THIS going to cost the taxpayer? i'm sure they'll have to hire a lawyer or 2 (at taxpayers expense), sound familiar? 7. Touchy. Touchy. How dare anyone question UW's School of Education. What are they afraid of? 8. I can tell you exactly what the schools are worried about. They will see syllabi for courses that are wildly substandard. They will see the syllabus from UW-Stout that teaches phonics doesn't work and children should be taught to use it only as a last resort. They'll see syllabi for many courses that teach that, and much worse. They'll find courses that have taught the educational equivalent of "the Earth is flat" because professors hide behind academic freedom and are too lazy to keep up with their own fields. They're trying to hide their dirty laundry because they're the main perpetrators in the collapse of public education. When that becomes clear, they're vulnerable to a massive class action lawsuit to force them to provide teachers and districts with retraining to make up for what they should have done in the first place. When teachers realize how badly these colleges ripped them off, things are going to get ugly. The colleges are trying to hold that day off as long as possible. That's what this is about. 9. NCTQ, partially funded by the Bradley Foundation,among others.'Nuff said. Part of the dumbing down of our college age students. 10. It really doesn’t matter what the syllabi contains or what group wants it for whatever reason, it is another example of the UW system placing itself above the law. They think they are a kingdom onto themselves. Back to School See all Journal Sentinel Twitter feeds

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/138133693.html?page=1&_escaped_fragment_=page=1%26pageSize=10%26sort=oldestfirst%26comment=80452179

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Click photo to enlarge TO GO WITH AFP STORY US-TECHNOLOGY-IMFORMATION This image obtained August 18, 2011 courtesy of IBM shows a Cognitive Computing Chip. IBM researchers on August 18, 2011 unveiled a new generation of experimental computer chips designed to emulate the brainâ s abilities for perception, action and cognition. The technology could yield many orders of magnitude less power consumption and space than used in todayâ s computers. AFP PHOTO/IBM/HANDOUT/RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT " AFP PHOTO / - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS/NO SALES (Photo credit should read HO/AFP/Getty Images) SAN FRANCISCO -- Computers, like humans, can learn. But when Google (GOOG) tries to fill in your search box based only on a few keystrokes, or your iPhone predicts words as you type a text message, it's only a narrow mimicry of what the human brain is capable. The challenge in training a computer to behave like a human brain is technological and physiological, testing the limits of computer and brain science. But IBM researchers say they've made a key step toward combining the two worlds. Technologists have long imagined computers that learn like humans. Your iPhone or Google's servers can be programmed to predict certain behavior based on past events. But the techniques being explored by IBM and other companies and research labs around "cognitive computing" could lead to chips that are better able to adapt to unexpected information.

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_18708520?source=rss

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Display Settings: Send to: Choose Destination Jpn J Ophthalmol. 2007 Sep-Oct;51(5):347-52. Epub 2007 Oct 5. Changes in contrast sensitivity function and ocular higher order aberration by conventional myopic photorefractive keratectomy. Author information • 1Department of Ophthalmology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. To evaluate the relation between induced changes in ocular higher order aberrations and changes in the contrast sensitivity function in patients undergoing excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). Myopic PRK using excimer laser was performed in 31 patients (56 eyes). The preoperative refractive error was -6.2 +/- 2.9 diopters. Before and 1 month after surgery, we measured the ocular higher order aberrations for a 4-mm pupil, and three indices of contrast sensitivity function. From the data collected, the area under the log contrast sensitivity function (AULCSF) was calculated. PRK significantly reduced AULCSF (P = 0.004), low-contrast visual acuity (P = 0.004), and letter-contrast sensitivity (P = 0.013). Coma-like (P < 0.001) and spherical-like (P < 0.001) aberrations were significantly increased by surgery. The change in AULCSF by surgery significantly correlated with the change in coma-like (r = -0.468, P < 0.001) and spherical-like (r = -0.291, P = 0.033) aberrations. The change in low-contrast visual acuity by PRK significantly correlated with the change in coma-like aberration (r = 0.599, P < 0.007), but not with change in spherical-like aberrations (r = 0.136, P = 0.326). There were significant correlations between changes in letter-contrast sensitivity and changes in coma-like (r = -0.450, P < 0.001) and spherical-like (r = -0.255, P = 0.048) aberrations. PRK significantly increases ocular higher order aberrations, which compromise contrast sensitivity function after surgery. [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] PubMed Commons home PubMed Commons How to join PubMed Commons Supplemental Content Icon for Springer Loading ... Write to the Help Desk

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17926111

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Staten Island, New York Military Divorce Lawyers and Law Firms Describe Your Case Provda Law Firm One of the leading divorce and family law attorneys in New York City. 40 Wall St 11 Floor - New York, NY 10005 Nolo Contributor

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One Supreme Court justice has been playing a prominent role in these hearings, and he died 17 years ago. NPR's Ari Shapiro reports on Kagan's mentor, Thurgood Marshall. ARI SHAPIRO: Thurgood Marshall is having a moment in the spotlight. On Broadway, Laurence Fishburne recently played the civil rights pioneer in a one-man play. (Soundbite of play, "Thurgood") Mr. LAURENCE FISHBURNE (Actor): (as Thurgood Marshall) As a boy, I came to understand two things marked my family: distinctive names and extreme stubbornness. SHAPIRO: On Capitol Hill, Marshall's name came up more than 30 times in the first day of confirmation hearings for his former law clerk Elena Kagan. Most of the name-dropping came from Republicans, who did not describe Marshall favorably. Here was Senator John Cornyn of Texas. Senator JOHN CORNYN (Republican, Texas; Member, Senate Judiciary Committee): It's clear that he considered himself a judicial activist and was unapologetic about it. He described his judicial philosophy as, quote, "Do what you think is right and let the law catch up." SHAPIRO: Thurgood Marshall occupies a rarefied place in American history. He made his name as a lawyer successfully arguing Brown versus the Board of Education in the Supreme Court. That's the case that desegregated American schools. Later, he became the first African-American Supreme Court justice. David Bositis of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies is an expert on African-American voters and politicians. Mr. DAVID BOSITIS (Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies): To many of them, they probably think of Thurgood Marshall as being an even more important figure than the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. SHAPIRO: So Bositis has a hard time understanding why Republicans would paint Marshall as the enemy. Even some conservatives share this view. Mr. MICHAEL GREVE (American Enterprise Institute): I cannot imagine who mobilized this. SHAPIRO: Michael Greve is a scholar with the American Enterprise Institute. Mr. GREVE: It makes your jaw drop - at least mine. SHAPIRO: Greve says Kagan has such a slim record that Republicans are going after her mentors instead. It's just bad luck for the Republicans that the man Kagan clerked for 25 years ago was a civil rights legend. Robert Alt of the conservative Heritage Foundation agrees. Mr. ROBERT ALT (Senior Legal Fellow, Heritage Foundation): I don't think it makes sense to attack Thurgood Marshall, but I think that Thurgood Marshall weighs heavily on these hearings. SHAPIRO: Alt says it's appropriate for senators to ask what Kagan meant when she described Marshall's view of the law as a thing of glory. Mr. ALT: You can laud his accomplishments both personally and professionally but still question whether or not he approached the law in an objective fashion. SHAPIRO: It may be a risky strategy, and Democrats think Republicans have already crossed a line. Representative MEL WATT (Democrat, North Carolina; Member, Congressional Black Caucus): I think it's going to backfire on them, to be honest with you. SHAPIRO: Democrat Mel Watt of North Carolina is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus. Rep. WATT: I don't think it does the Republican Party any good to, out of one side of their mouth, say that they're trying to cultivate a more pluralistic party and then go all the way to the other extreme and take just the opposite tack in this confirmation process. SHAPIRO: But Republicans did not change their strategy from day one to day two. This afternoon, Republican Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona asked Kagan about Marshall again. Senator JON KYL (Republican, Arizona; Member, Senate Judiciary Committee): Do you believe then that he would have agreed with Justice Roberts that if the big guy has the law on his side, the big guy wins, if the little guy does, then the little guy wins? Or would he have expressed it more along the lines that there's too much agreement with the corporate interests and big business, as one of my colleagues put it? SHAPIRO: Kagan replied: I don't want to spend a whole lot of time figuring out what Justice Marshall would have said. If you confirm me, you'll get Justice Kagan, not Justice Marshall. Ari Shapiro, NPR News, Washington. Support comes from:

http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=128195737

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Find better matches with our advanced matching system —% Match —% Friend —% Enemy 41 / M / Straight / Single Berkeley, CA My Details Last Online Feb 7 6′ 0″ (1.83m) Body Type Mostly anything Graduated from university Entertainment / Media Relationship Type Doesn’t have kids, but wants them Likes dogs and likes cats English (Fluently), Spanish (Fluently) Similar Users My self-summary *Age Disclaimer* After careful consideration, I changed the age listed in my profile. (I was getting far too many replies from women out of my range.-Some with grandchildren-so I dropped it to skew the algorithm and i hopes of meeting someone below my age by a few years. Here's my real age: I turend 46 in August So there's that. Read on if you like. Thanks for getting me on that, Homes. Here's a key thing about me: anyone under the age of ten or over the age of seventy gets my unconditional love; those in between have to I just went for a bike ride in my 'hood. There's an old lady I see every day, we wave and say hello. She gives me a big smile and I smile back. On a crap day that's a miracle, but on a good day It makes life even better. And yeah, I'm a handful: an intrepid traveller, a polyglot, a creative-yet-left-brained individual. A man of strong opinions, but ultimately teachable. Outgoing and socially adept, I can integrate myself into most situations with dexterity and ease. I'm constantly percolating with ideas and words but I downshift into quiet reflection. What attracts me to a woman? Of course, the physical; what keeps me engaged is the mental, and what is keeps me around is the mystery and awe. I like a woman who generates laughter and bilateral conversation. I don't get on with complainers, gossips, and negative Nancies. Teach me something. Groundedness, curiosity, humility and an abiding sense of compassion are appreciated. I like it all from wide-open spaces to concrete canyons: the beach and warm sunlight, city walks, coffee, books, ideas and road trips, staying in to cook. I’m really good at Telling story, connecting with people, cooking, languages, yoga, surfing, The first things people usually notice about me The primer-colored van I drive, or the cardboard duct-taped over its windows. That I live with my parents and how great Mom dresses me. My small, clammy hands that feel like sad oatmeal in your palms as we walk through Toys-Are-Us* (ideal first date) As for what people really notice...that depends on them. *Not to be a DB, but please don't bother asking me if I'm serious about this imagery. We probably wouldn't click. Favorite books, movies, shows, music, and food Hawker stalls in Singapore...Choripan and a cold bottle of Quilmes at that little porqueria asador next to Estacion Once in Buenos Aires; Asado Mixto at El Obrador, Birria in Pico-Union, bootleg Mandu joints deep in K-Town, etc. Books: The Godfather, The Odyssey, Moby Dick, Hucklebe Finn, Blood Meriidian,The Master and Margarita, A Confederacy of Dunces, The Unusual Life of Tristan Smith, Ham on Rye, Paul Bowles, Anything by: Junot Diaz, Nathaniel Philbrick, Whitman, Baudelaire, Emerson, Neruda, Rilke, Rumi, e.e. Cummings, Ogden Nash. Movies by: Coen Brothers, Wes Anderson, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, David Lynch, Stanley Kubrick, Hitchcock, Kurasawa, Tarantino, Polanski, Nuevo Latino, Korean Horror/Paranormal. Anything, almost anything, just keep brining it. I'm currently digging Radio/Podcasts/Web: I'm a full-fledged member of Ira's Army. The Moth, TAL, Car Talk, Wait-Wait, Morneing Becomes Eclectic, Your Mighty KAL-X, T.E.D., etc., all the Prius-driving urbanist liberal fare Tunes? let it rock and let it be loud, let it be classical and let it be soothing. let it be everything between, and let it be what suits the moment. The six things I could never do without My pesto sauce every sunday Beaches/waves/ surfing People I love kindness exchanged between strangers A fast bicycle I spend a lot of time thinking about Saying "Rats!" instead of "Fuck!". That Skype is giving and twitter is taking. Blurting out stuff. Putting the greater good ahead of my wants. Balancing the irreverent and the serious. How a giant heart and epic brain can get stymied by a big mouth. The next country, it's people, and their food. Why I don't have a dog. What love feels like and what to make for dinner and wouldn't it be nice to have a woman around to cook for. On a typical Friday night I am Out talking with great people. at home watching flix or gettin' my Skype on. Hello Auckland, Warsaw and Buenos Aires. Most anything but filling out questions posed by a dating site 'bot The most private thing I’m willing to admit I sing background vocals for Hall and Oates when they're on tour in my car. I’m looking for • Girls who like guys • Ages 30–46 • Located anywhere You should message me if you're intelligent, funny, easy-going, humble, compassionate, trusting and grounded. If you don't need to be chased, but courted instead, If you're an Artist, Designer, Writer, Filmmaker, Chef, Gardener, or a Ninja. If you can teach me something you got me, and if you smile easily then bring it. And bring your dog. My DQ List (let's all fess up and own that we have 'em) If you need to ask if the shoplifting/living-with-my-folks thing is real... If you smoke, or drink a lot... If you prefer Vegas to Vientiane... ...then we're prolly not going to click. Just sayin'

http://www.okcupid.com/profile/ElTanito99?cf=profile_similar

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Permalink for comment 343866 Member since: Teach students skills not brand names. The current aproach is to teach a brand name. Students don't learn computers and office programs, they learn Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office. This is like teaching all the shop kids to use a hammer but only if it's a B&D #4 hammer with B&D #4 nails. Students come out of school and sit infront of a machine that isn't Office and they have a panic attack; "but this isn't Word, how can it possible write words?" Stick them infront of anything but WindowsXP desktop and they can't even figure out how to reach out and touch the bloody mouse. Teach students how to use word processors not Word. They should use two or three at least during the yer they do word processing, spreadsheets and basic databases (this was Grade10 around here). If a file format can not be opened in multiple word processors; it's not accepted within the schools; sort of like all those government offices deciding that documents to and from constituents should be accessible on more than just Windows/Office crippled systems. Reply Parent Score: 8

http://www.osnews.com/permalink?343866

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Permalink for comment 446745 Richard Dale Member since: Just $0.02 from an old engineer... I think it is a characteristic of the Python community in that they will say that everyone should use Python and be rude about other languages. Whereas Ruby guys will say use Ruby if it suits you, but feel free to use something else like Python if it doesn't suit you, and we won't hold it against you. In fact we will be interested to hear how you get on. The is a current C#/.NET Qt bindings project called Qyoto. When KDE moves from svn to git Qyoto will be re-engineered somewhat. Instead of generating the C# classes from the Qt header sources, it will generate the bindings directly from the language independent 'Smoke' libraries that various Qt/KDE language bindings projects use. This should make it much easier to maintain, and easier to add new libraries to the bindings. Reply Parent Score: 3

http://www.osnews.com/permalink?446745

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PeopleFinders > People Directory > J Detroit, MI Address: **** Oak Dr, Ferndale, MI 48220  View Phone: (313)-531-xxxx  View Known Residences: Ferndale, MI Relatives of Lauren: People with Last Name of Jammurphy in Detroit, MI Don't see the right Lauren Jammurphy? Add more information and search. Looking for Lauren Jammurphy? You've found the right place! has all the info about Lauren Jammurphy such as age or phone numbers, you could need. A far-reaching access to public records information and our exclusive DataTsunami™ logic can help you track down anyone with ease. In order to locate the Lauren Jammurphy you are looking for, we provide some details we have available such as relatives, and previous residences. This data allows our users to find the exact Lauren they are looking for. If the Lauren on this page is not the correct Lauren you were intending, we included a list of people with the last name Jammurphy along with it. You are also able to refine your search by adding new data into the search fields above. By providing more us more information, we are able to generate more relevant results for your search of Lauren Jammurphy. Once you have found the correct Lauren Jammurphy you are looking for, you can search through all of the public records of Lauren we have available.

http://www.peoplefinders.com/d/Lauren+Jammurphy/1-1218206020

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previous next "Hephaistos," said Poseidon, "if Ares goes away without paying his damages, I will pay you myself." So Hephaistos answered, "In this case I cannot and must not refuse you." Thereon he loosed the bonds that bound them, and as soon as they were free they scampered off, Ares to Thrace and laughter-loving Aphrodite to Cyprus and to Paphos, where is her grove and her altar fragrant with burnt offerings. Here the Graces bathed her, and anointed her with oil of ambrosia such as the immortal gods make use of, and they clothed her in raiment of the most enchanting beauty. Thus sang the bard, and both Odysseus and the seafaring Phaeacians were charmed as they heard him. Then Alkinoos told Laodamas and Halios to dance alone, for there was no one to compete with them. So they took a red ball which Polybos had made for them, and one of them bent himself backwards and threw it up towards the clouds, while the other jumped from off the ground and caught it with ease before it came down again. When they had done throwing the ball straight up into the air they began to dance, and at the same time kept on throwing it backwards and forwards to one another, while all the young men in the ring applauded and made a great stamping with their feet. Then Odysseus said: Creative Commons License hide Places (automatically extracted) Click on a place to search for it in this document. Thrace (Greece) (1) Paphos (Cyprus) (1) Cyprus (Cyprus) (1) Visualize the most frequently mentioned Pleiades ancient places in this text. Download Pleiades ancient places geospacial dataset for this text. hide References (3 total) • Commentary references to this page (2): • Thomas D. Seymour, Commentary on Homer's Iliad, Books I-III, 2.280 • Cross-references to this page (1): • A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (1890), DISCUS hide Display Preferences Greek Display: Arabic Display: View by Default: Browse Bar:

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%253Atext%253A1999.01.0218%253Abook%253D8%253Acard%253D8

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previous next [10] Now, behold, I have brought the first of the fruit of the ground, which you, Yahweh, have given me. You shall set it down before Yahweh your God, and worship before Yahweh your God: Creative Commons License hide Places (automatically extracted) Visualize the most frequently mentioned Pleiades ancient places in this text. Download Pleiades ancient places geospacial dataset for this text. hide References (1 total) hide Display Preferences Greek Display: Arabic Display: View by Default: Browse Bar:

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0156%3Abook%3DDeuteronomy%3Achapter%3D26%3Averse%3D10

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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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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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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

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g1021275-d3779202-Reviews-Cafe_Shieto-Katori_Chiba_Prefecture_Kanto.html

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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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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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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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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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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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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.

http://zeenews.india.com/print.aspx?nid=801090

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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)

https://archive.org/details/tv?time=20121129-20121207&q=religion&fq=topic:%22humana%22

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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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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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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 »

https://www.fanfiction.net/r/8417153/0/24/

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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

dclm-gs1-003640000

<urn:uuid:0e4d675d-e506-492a-be6d-1fb7adac5b2b>

en

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/

dclm-gs1-003710000

<urn:uuid:8f8f0167-f1a8-4338-9427-550dd02be0b3>

en

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

dclm-gs1-003940000

<urn:uuid:e300d871-163e-4c34-a8ec-28663ab47322>

en

Don&#39;t Forget To Feed The PhoneS If I told you there's a website that posted pictures of people feeding food to inanimate objects, what would you say? Yeah, I'd want to see it too. There's something awesome about a balloon drinking coffee and a girl eating door. I can't be the only one who now wishes they could feed their iPhone to charge it. [Feeding Objects via BoingBoing]

http://gizmodo.com/5612949/dont-forget-to-feed-the-phone?tag=fuel

dclm-gs1-004230000

<urn:uuid:4977ceaa-ec29-451a-b4ac-a759a93e5405>

en

smallstring-0.1.0: A string type optimized for size in memory The SmallString type is for storing small identifiers. We do not provide fast operations on strings - what we offer is low memory overhead. The Ord instance is not guaranteed to be the same as that of the corresponding string. data SmallString Source A space efficient representation of text. This is like a strict ByteString, but with fewer features, and UTF preserving. Fow ASCII data, we're slightly smaller than ByteStrings for small strings. fromString :: String -> SmallStringSource Convert a String into a SmallString. toString :: SmallString -> StringSource Convert a SmallString into a String.

http://hackage.haskell.org/package/smallstring-0.1.0/docs/Data-SmallString.html

dclm-gs1-004280000

<urn:uuid:ede6ce35-aae4-489d-86c2-143f9a5a1afa>

en

, Volume 56, Issue 3, pp 261-274 Applied model for the growth of the daytime mixed layer Purchase on Springer.com $39.95 / €34.95 / £29.95* Rent the article at a discount Rent now * Final gross prices may vary according to local VAT. Get Access A slab model is proposed for developing the height of the mixed layer capped by stable air aloft. The model equations are closed by relating the consumption of energy (potential and kinetic) at the top of the mixed layer to the production of convective and mechanical turbulent kinetic energy within the mixed layer. By assuming that the temperature difference at the top of the mixed layer instantaneously adjusts to the actual meteorological conditions without regard to the initial temperature difference that prevailed, the model is reduced to a single differential equation which easily can be solved numerically. When the mixed layer is shallow or the atmosphere nearly neutrally stratified, the growth is controlled mainly by mechanical turbulence. When the layer is deep, its growth is controlled mainly by convective turbulence. The model is applied on a data set of the evolution of the height of the mixed layer in the morning hours, when both mechanical and convective turbulence contribute to the growth process. Realistic mixed-layer developments are obtained.

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2FBF00120423

dclm-gs1-004420000

<urn:uuid:9a4848f1-aea2-4167-b97b-0ac916c7a5c2>

en

Subject: GENERIC and ALPHA configurations To: None <> From: Pavel Cahyna <> List: port-alpha Date: 09/28/2006 15:13:52 there are GENERIC and ALPHA configurations in sys/arch/alpha/conf. A comment in GENERIC says: "The generic kernel on NetBSD/alpha does enough to get booted, etc., but not much more. For a more complete kernel see the ALPHA machine description file." "If you add stuff to this, please add it to the ALPHA configuration, too." This seem strange. Shouldn't GENERIC itself be a reasonably complete Also, the request to add stuff to ALPHA was ignored several times, leading to a situation whre ALPHA is no longer a superset of GENERIC. Could I just merge the two and remove ALPHA?

http://mail-index.netbsd.org/port-alpha/2006/09/28/0000.html

dclm-gs1-004510000

<urn:uuid:609af005-2873-45e5-a5e1-ce908f205871>

en

Golden Bear pencils are made in the USA out of Genuine Incense-cedar and feature high-quality graphite cores that resist breakage, making them perfect for teachers, students and everyday users. In a market flooded with low-quality, imported pencils that sharpen unevenly, break and waste precious class time, you can never underestimate the value of a quality pencil.

http://pencils.com/product-category/all-brands/golden-bear/

dclm-gs1-004690000

<urn:uuid:06b908be-bb87-42e2-95de-c8024cbc0565>

en

Local Doctor Explains Duchess Kate’s Morning Sickness Condition While Britain is celebrating the news that Will and Kate are expecting, there are also concerns that the Duchess of Cambridge - born a commoner - is suffering a relatively uncommon complication with her pregnancy. In short, it's the mother of all morning sickness; KDKA's Mary Robb Jackson reports.

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/video/8031235-local-doctor-explains-duchess-kates-morning-sickness-condition/

dclm-gs1-004710000

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Skip to content Video: Jimmy Kimmel has ideas to fill time on NBA TV Nov 19, 2011, 12:30 PM EDT Jimmy Kimmel has some ideas to fill all that air time, and we thought we’d pass them along. They should go with them, we’ll watch anything Jack Nicholson does. Featured video How much can Andrew Bynum help Pacers? Top 10 NBA Player Searches 1. D. Williams (9839) 2. B. Lopez (5120) 3. A. Bargnani (4941) 4. J. Calderon (4854) 5. E. Gordon (4397) 1. N. Batum (4297) 2. J. Crawford (4191) 3. E. Bledsoe (4080) 4. K. Bryant (3854) 5. S. Curry (3613)

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/11/19/video-jimmy-kimmel-has-ideas-to-fill-time-on-nba-tv/

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Forgot your password? Comment: What is a "vocational school?" (Score 1) 141 by westlake (#46475171) Attached to: Is the New "Common Core SAT" Bill Gates' Doing? Many of the most successful countries with test results, have a school system where only the best continue on to more schooling the rest go to vocational schools. I am not sure what a "vocational school" is in a post-industrial environment. I am not even sure any more what "best" means in this context. Comment: Re:Becuz (Score 3, Interesting) 141 by Marxist Hacker 42 (#46475129) Attached to: Is the New "Common Core SAT" Bill Gates' Doing? Where to begin? Denial of reading the classics. The elimination of poetry and Shakespeare. Replacement with texts designed to limit vocabulary and more importantly, limit thinking. The almost assured dropout rate of at least 34% as the kids too stupid to achieve common core drop out from frustration and the kids too smart for common core drop out from boredom. It's likely great for the 68% of the kids in the middle of the bell curve, but universal literacy is not going to be accomplished under it anymore. Comment: Re:I went back to corporate America because Obamac (Score 1) 400 by operagost (#46473953) Attached to: White House: Get ACA Insurance Coverage, Launch Start-Ups Because $6,700 is real chump change. I know families where both parents work for at least 40 hours a week, and they have outstanding medical bills of just a few thousand dollars that they can't pay. Racking up $6,700 a year, plus the few hundred a month, is only going to make things worse. This is absolutely NOT helping the people who the administration claimed it would.

http://slashdot.org/~DAldredge/firehose

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Forgot your password? + - Universities Hold Transcripts Hostage Over Loans Submitted by Hugh Pickens writes Comment: Re:It can be a blurry line (Score 1) 129 by omgwtfroflbbqwasd (#31604488) Attached to: Who Should Own Your Smartphone? First things first. Is "company data" - email, contacts, files - accessible from your phone? If so, they have a vested interest in making sure that data is not compromised when your phone is lost or stolen. As a result, PIN/password requirements, encryption, antivirus, and remote wipe capabilities are generally required. In some cases where devices have a tunnel to the corporate network (Blackberry), they will possibly want to control what apps you install to prevent malicious ones from accessing the corporate network via your BES server. Most laypeople don't have any clue about protecting company data on a regular basis, they just want their data instantly and aren't concerned with what happens in a worst-case scenario. "Oops, it got stolen. Guess I need to get the latest model now!" Comment: Still not protected. (Score 2, Informative) 129 by gillbates (#31604338) Attached to: Who Should Own Your Smartphone? Anything of yours can be subpoenaed in a lawsuit. Northwest Airlines subpoenaed the *personal* computers of their employees when they suspected their employees were getting too uppity^H^H^H^H^H^H, I mean, striking by calling in sick. It hardly matters if you use encryption, etc... the legal discovery process can violate whatever privacy you thought you had. It only takes a credible allegation of wrongdoing - not even "beyond a reasonable doubt" - to discover all of your personal files, etc... and, because only money is involved, the plaintiff needs only show guilt by a "preponderance of the evidence", or more succinctly, that it is likely that you did it. If you think you can get smart by encrypting your files, it's likely you'll be held in contempt of court, and have a summary judgment entered against you. The only thing paying for the hardware means is that you'll eventually get it back, usually. Comment: Re:GPL freaks (Score 1) 131 by misiu_mp (#31604288) Attached to: DarkPlaces Dev Forest Hale Corrects <em>Nexuiz</em> GPL Stance So they should give all their rights up in return for a promise? How about you sign a job contract binding you to work 80 hours a week for 5$ an hour in return for a promise of really big bonuses. Promises dont count. Contracts and licenses do. Besides, llfonic's representative clearly stated they had no plans to contribute anything back. Operating Systems + - Adobe to move all its apps to run on the web-> Submitted by Link to Original Source + - The 150 mpg Toyota Prius Submitted by Anonymous Coward Data Storage + - Hard drive imports may be banned-> Submitted by Link to Original Source

http://slashdot.org/~jason.stover/tags/insightful

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Take the 2-minute tour × I m developing a c program using libcurl. when I build my program I can use different version of libcurl. When I change from version to other (of libcurl) I have to change some blocks in my source code to adapt it to the libcurl version. I'm looking to add macro in my code which will check the libcurl version and then determine which block of source code to use automatically Are there a macro function or constant in libcurl which return the libcurl version? share|improve this question add comment 2 Answers up vote 1 down vote accepted See curl/curlver.h (which is included when you #include <curl/curl.h>). You have the following numbers to play. #define LIBCURL_VERSION_NUM 0x071a00 share|improve this answer I would not recommend using that, I recommend curl_version_info() instead as in my separate answer. –  Daniel Stenberg Jun 3 '12 at 11:36 add comment Even better is to use curl_version_info() since it will return information about the library actually (dynamically) in use and not the version number that was available when your application was compiled. libcurl gets updated fairly often and after a couple of months/years it is likely or at least possible that your application might run with a later version than what it was compiled against. share|improve this answer add comment Your Answer

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/10820428/macro-function-in-libcurl-which-return-the-libcurl-version

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Take the 2-minute tour × So this is how I set up my project: git init --bare Later I learned that if you want to work on a project with multiple users this is how I should have done it: git init --bare --shared Now I tried to work like that and luckily we are in the beginning so I could set up git again. I still wonder though when you're in the middle of a project you can't do that. Is there a way that i can change a bare repo to a shared one? share|improve this question add comment 4 Answers up vote 17 down vote accepted Since the --shared option just sets the permissions on everything in the repository to group-writable you could do this manually later: $ chmod -R g+w the/repo/path Plus, add sharedrepository = 1 under the [core] section in .git/config. Shared repos also have the following receive option defined by default (which you may or may not want): denyNonFastforwards = true share|improve this answer Aha ok! Good to know, wish I had asked this before. Thanks! –  bottleboot Jan 16 '12 at 16:46 Ok, I see! I just read the @jørgensen answer which confirms that. Stackoverflow should have a combined answer button :D! Thank you all a lot that was very enlightening! –  bottleboot Jan 16 '12 at 16:53 Didn't work for me. It required chmod -R g+s .... A fresh git init --bare --shared will have the group rights "rws". (Ubuntu 12.04) –  Unapiedra Jan 29 at 15:11 add comment Besides chmod -R g+w, you also need to edit (.git/)config and set core.sharedRepository = .... For ..., there are a handful of values, described in git-init(1). share|improve this answer Ok! That seems to completes my suspicion that I also needed to change the config. Thanks! –  bottleboot Jan 16 '12 at 16:49 add comment Probably if you try to share an existent repository, you may have lots of different users commits. 1.If you have super user permission, you can go forward and change all permissions by yourself using the step two, in any-other case you will need to ask all users with objects created with their users, use the following command to know who they are: $ ls -la | awk '{print $3}' | sort -u <your user_name> <his user_name> 2.Now you and all file's owner users will have to change those files permission, doing: $ chmod -R 774 . 3.After that you will need to add a new property that is equivalent to --shared=group done for the new repository, according to the documentation, this make the repository group-writable, do it executing: $ git config core.sharedRepository group share|improve this answer add comment If you're trying to share the repository off of the the host it is on, there are additional configuration steps you have to make (ssh stuff). share|improve this answer I don't think that is what we're doing for this current repo. Thanks though! –  bottleboot Jan 16 '12 at 16:46 add comment Your Answer

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/8883081/git-how-to-change-a-bare-to-a-shared-repo

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Send to a Friend Long-sleeve camo print shirt with tie front detail. Functional front pockets and button tabs transform long sleeves to a shorter length. * Indicates a required field To: From: * Name * Name * Email * Email Enter your message here: (max. 500 characters)

http://store.delias.com/product/camo+tie+front+shirt+307909/TellAFriendSubmit.do?sortby=newArrivals

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Take the 2-minute tour × How can I hide my network connections (the PC with the red X icon on the task bar) when I'm not using a that connection. Typically, I switch back and forth between wireless and wide connections depending on my location, so I don't want to just simply disable the network device. share|improve this question Which version of windows are you using? –  BloodPhilia Jun 14 '10 at 16:01 XP, but I imagine the answer should be relatively the same for anything from 2K3, and beyond. –  CodeSlave Jun 14 '10 at 17:49 add comment 5 Answers Go to 'Network Connections' or 'Network and Sharing Center', right click on the connection you want to hide and click on Properties. Then uncheck 'Notify me when this connection..'. share|improve this answer add comment Does unchecking the box in the properties that says "Notify me when this connection has little or no connectivity" do what you want? share|improve this answer Nope. The icon remains in either mode. –  CodeSlave Jun 14 '10 at 20:55 add comment Since Tofystedeth's suggestion didn't work, can you convince XP to still "diplay" the icon, but just hide it out of sight instead? 1. Right-click the Start button and choose properties 2. Switch to the Taskbar tab at the top. 3. Tick "Hide Inactive Icons" if it isn't already ticked. 4. Click the "Customise..." button 5. Set the relevant icon to "Always Hide". share|improve this answer Oddly enough, it doesn't hide that icon (a couple others, but not the network one :-/ ). –  CodeSlave Jun 15 '10 at 14:46 To return to Tofystedeth's suggestion again - have you got the corresponding "Show icon in notification area when connected" ticked? If you've got it ticked - what happens if you untick it? (I'm thinking it could be that Windows treats that as some type of override on the other suggested options?) –  DMA57361 Jun 15 '10 at 15:12 add comment Goto 'Network Connections' right click on the connections not in use and click 'disable'. That will turn off the hardware for the connection and make the taskbar icon disappear. I typically turn off all of the connections that are not in use because it also has the added benefit of saving power. Note: If you want to add 'Network Connections' to the 'Start Menu', right click on the 'Start' button, goto 'Properties', and find the option in the menu to add a link to the 'Network Connections' folder in the 'Start Menu'. SideNote: You can also turn off your cd drive in Control Panel->System->Hardware find it in the menu, right click and disable. It's especially nice if you have a cd drive that is unnecessarily loud/obnoxious. share|improve this answer As I said; because I switch back and forth between wire and wireless, depending on where I am working, don't want to disable and enable network connections all the time. –  CodeSlave Jun 15 '10 at 14:49 Oops, I read your question completely wrong... You could try to check the network properties. Instead of right-clicking and disabling right click and hit properties. Somewhere under the settings menu there should be a checkbox along the lines of 'hide inactive icon'. I'd check myself but I'm on Linux right now. –  Evan Plaice Jun 15 '10 at 20:59 add comment Check out my screenshot in my answer to a different question here. Click the show the tray icon in your case. Hope this helps. share|improve this answer add comment Your Answer

http://superuser.com/questions/152336/how-can-i-hide-my-network-connections-in-the-task-bar-when-im-not-connected

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Economy & Budget US politicians overestimate America's stability Food stamp cuts a crime against the poor by politicians This Friday, Nov. 1, America will learn the latest monthly jobs report news, which will not be good due to the Republican-caused government shutdown. This Friday, the poorest Americans will learn that their hunger will worsen because their food stamps will be cut unless Congress and the president act. Bipartisan debt deal should include a major jobs bill Bipartisan talks to set short- and long-term spending limits should include a substantial job program that would be effective immediately. The immediate crisis in America is jobs, not deficits, which are declining. Power to tax and destroy Tax reform is likely to be one of the hot-button topics in the months ahead as politicians on both sides of the aisle grapple with how to make the federal income tax system flatter, fairer and less complicated. The tax code itself has been altered, fixed, reformed, flattened, expanded and criticized since it was created in 1913 by constitutional amendment. Now it just may be time to get rid of the income tax altogether as a failed, progressive experiment. Pope Francis, Hillary Clinton, and the Tea Party victory in the shutdown battle Ernest Hemingway said write one true sentence. Here I write two.  The first is widely known. The recent fiasco increases the odds Democrats can win back control of the House and keep control of the Senate.  The second true sentence is the big secret which you read here first: the Tea Party won a great economic victory in the shutdown battle by forcing President Obama and Democrats to accept more than $70 billion of spending cuts and forcing them to accept continuation of the budget cuts of the sequester. Financial terrorism continues from House GOP; shutdown must end The latest offer from those I have called Banana Republicans would keep the government shut down and threaten again to default the nation and crash world markets in a few weeks unless Republicans get their way. This is financial terrorism, pure and simple.  The deadbeat president The circular logic of President Obama’s press conference performance on the debt ceiling would be funny if it wasn’t so tragic. Obama proclaimed he would not negotiate with Congress on raising the debt ceiling, while at the same time explaining that, “There comes a point in which if the Treasury cannot hold auctions to sell Treasury bills, we do not have enough money coming in to pay all our bills on time. It’s very straightforward." So it seems that Obama by refusing to negotiate is willing to allow this very occurrence if he doesn’t get his way. Yet he attacks his political opponents, who have actually proposed a path forward for both ending the government shutdown and raising the debt ceiling, as holding the nation hostage. Default debacle: Epic crisis or epic opportunity Congress would be well-advised to solve the crisis that has driven its popularity down to levels of defective dog food. There is a real prospect of a U.S. default that would crash the markets and the economy. If default happens, the people of an angry nation would surround both houses of Congress waving pitchforks and lifting a finger that would not be a thumb pointed upward for victory. In preparation for my column on Thursday I have been privately canvassing opinion on both sides of the aisle and suggesting my own version of a deal, which will be detailed in my column if and only if I believe there is some prospect of success. Shutdown and debt-ceiling crises: Tea Party Republicans could crash the world economy Because of the extremism of their policies and tactics in threatening to shut down the U.S. government within the day and destroy the full faith and credit of the U.S. by denying a debt ceiling increase in mid-October, Republicans in the House of Representatives, dominated by Tea Party fanatics, could crash financial markets around the world this month. Many of the great financial crashes have historically occurred during October. It could happen again. Let's understand the interplay between the shutdown crisis over spending, which reaches a crescendo today, and the debt-ceiling crisis, which reaches a crash point in mid-October.  Today the House GOP fanaticism would close the Statue of Liberty and undermine the ability to government to function. And then, the debt-ceiling crisis would be a direct attack on the financial integrity of the U.S. The shutdown crisis further erodes what little credibility remains for the Congress. The debt-ceiling crisis would destroy the good faith and credit of the U.S. itself, shattering confidence throughout global markets and probably causing a financial crash.

http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/economy-a-budget?page=1

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I'd say hc 110 or tmax developer. If you want to try a staining developer, wd2d+ keeps forever in two bottles. You just mix a bit from each with water when you're ready. Very easy, great results. All of these produce differing curves and degrees of ability to compensate etc., you'll just have to try them.

http://www.apug.org/forums/viewpost.php?p=1249190

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Speeding Physician Gets Arrested for DUI William C. Head Case Conclusion Date:January 12, 2009 Practice Area:DUI / DWI Outcome:Case Called for Trial, Pre-Trial Motions Conducted Description:After dinner with another couple, a local physican and his spouse were driving back to their Buckhead area condominium when he was stopped for driving 59 in a 35 mph zone. The State trooper smelled alcohol and and asked him to "exit the vehicle". When field tests were started, the physician started talking about the fact that their condo was 300 yards away, and asked the trooper to let them go home. The trooper declined to allow that, and continued trying to conduct his roadside sobriety evaluations. A video showed the manner of administering the horizontal gaze nystagmus evaluation (eye test) to the suspect, and the evaluation was done incorrectly by the trooper. In addition, the wife tried to step out to see what was happening, because she could hear conversation between the two men and that the trooper was raising his voice to Mr. Head's Client. This "threat" of the wife becoming involved in this investigation led to the trooper calling for back-up, and another trooper soon arrived for purposes of controlling the wife's actions, if she became agitated or tried to interfere. This trooper left his blue lights on during the entire HGN (eye exam), likely affecting this evaluation's reliability. The video also captured the trooper threatening to arrest the physician who was asking questions about the tests being offered, and about his right to call an attorney. Soon, the cuffs were placed on the doctor's wrists and the arrest was made. The suppression motion just prior to trial focused on one issue: the sufficiency of evidence obtained by the trooper prior to making a custodial arrest for DUI. As part of the hearing, the prosecutor conceded that the field sobriety tests would have to be excluded due to the fact that the trooper's wording that threatened arrest constituted "custody" under the holding of a Georgia case, State v. O'Donnell from 1997. When such custody has already been "announced" or started, Georgia case law requires that no voluntary field tests can be administered UNLESS Miranda advisements are given (right to legal counsel, right to remain silent, etc.) Mr. Head only asked 6 questions of the trooper after that point in time before asking the judge to dismiss the entire DUI charge due to lack of sufficient evidence to support the arrest decision. Mr. Head cited several similar appellate cases from the Georgia Court of Appeals, including Handley v. State from 2008, Sanders v. State from 2005 and State v. Gray from 2004. The judge agreed, and granted the suppression motion. That ended the DUI prosecution the same as if the jury had acquitted Client. Then, Mr. Head agreed to enter a guilty plea to the speeding offense, except for a speed lower that the "cutoff" for the case being reported to the Department of Driver Services (no points and no record being posted). The Client paid $100 fine plus $35 in surcharges, which ended the case.

http://www.avvo.com/attorneys/30350-ga-william-head-478108/legal_cases/8801

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Mickey's - Miller Brewing Co. Displayed for educational use only; do not reuse. 819 Ratings (view ratings) Ratings: 819 Reviews: 292 rAvg: 2.53 pDev: 30.83% Brewed by: Miller Brewing Co. visit their website Wisconsin, United States Style | ABV American Malt Liquor |  5.60% ABV Availability: Year-round Notes/Commercial Description: No notes at this time. (Beer added by: pezoids on 07-03-2001) View: Beers (26) |  Events Beer: Ratings & Reviews Sort by:  Latest | High | Low | Top Reviewers | Read the Alström Bros Beer Reviews and Beer Ratings of Mickey's Alström Bros Ratings: 819 | Reviews: 292 | Show All Ratings: Photo of UCLABrewN84 3.08/5  rDev +21.7% Serving type: can 07-30-2011 03:45:45 | More by UCLABrewN84 Photo of BuckeyeNation 2.13/5  rDev -15.8% "one night frank was on his way home from work, stopped at the liquor store, picked up a couple of mickey's big mouths, drank 'em in the car on his way to the shell station; he got a gallon of gas in a can. drove home, doused everything in the the house, torched it. parked across the street laughing, watching it burn, all halloween orange and chimney red". That's from the classic song 'Frank's Wild Years' which is on the classic (aren't they all?) Tom Waits album Swordfishtrombones. It was the first time I'd ever heard of Mickey's Big Mouth Malt Liquor. My only regret is that this review will come from a 24 oz. can, not a Big Mouth bottle. Crystal clear straw yellow beneath a voluminous cap of dirty white froth that displays impressive persistance and lays down a surprising, though still underwhelming, amount of lace. The sweet, corny, grainy nose manages to avoid offending. It ain't much, but then anyone drinking this beer is unlikely to give a shit (I'm conducting research and 'horizon expansion' and wish to be excluded from that group). It's difficult to distinguish this beer from other macro lagers. Yeah, I know that it's a malt liquor, but it doesn't strike me as that much different from the lower octane beer; maybe because of the low ABV. It's tastes of sweet grain, bitter grain and sour grain (the trifecta!) with a light, verging on watery, body. The beer is slightly skunky, but that seems to be part of its... ahem... charm. At least there's no deterioration with warming. That's an admirable quality, right? Of course, it wouldn't have far to go in a downward direction. Maybe Mickey's is better from a big mouth bottle (or a chalis?). Maybe it was better before Miller began brewing it. Who knows? Who cares? Don't expect much and I promise you, that's exactly what you'll get. Serving type: can 09-24-2004 21:48:23 | More by BuckeyeNation Photo of mikesgroove South Carolina 2.9/5  rDev +14.6% huge thanks to the kind trader who realized i was working on this list and sent me this as a great extra. 40oz bottle poured into a tall pilsner glass, this one was consumed on 08/24/2010. the pour was much better then i am used to coming out of a 40 for sure, dark amber color with a nice head of a finger and a half that lay on top of the glass throughout the session, aroma of wet cardboard, earthy malts, hay, corn, lots of grain, basically the standard here that i was pretty much expecting. nice medium feel was a welcome treat as it did not come across as overally thick, but not too light either. clean taste, although terribly malt heavy with a bit of a sting in the finish. still it was easy to polish off and i would not argue it against some of the others i have had lately. overall not bad at all, i have had much, much worse an might do this one again on a whim. Serving type: bottle 08-25-2010 10:53:39 | More by mikesgroove Photo of womencantsail 2.58/5  rDev +2% A: The pour is a crystal clear golden yellow color with a fizzy white head. S: A fair amount of metal and vegetables. Lots of sweet corn and apple juice. There is a bit of grain and skunk in there as well. T: This is actually quite similar (flavor-wise) to your average adjunct lager (probably why I used to drink it). Sweet grain and corn with a mild skunk. M: Light in body with a fair amount of fizzy carbonation. D: Eh, not as easy to drink as it used to be ("back in the day"). Still, there are definitely worse malt liquors out there. Serving type: bottle 10-16-2010 07:58:08 | More by womencantsail Photo of ChainGangGuy 2.13/5  rDev -15.8% Appearance: From out of the glass hand grenade pours a clear, bright gold body with a thinnish, white head. Smell: Sweetish, basic, bland malts and adjuncts with some faint hints of garden-variety flowers. Taste: Same with the nose - sweetish, basic, bland malts and adjuncts. There are some faint floral qualities, but there's almost nil when it comes to hop bitterness. Watery, though clean finish. Mouthfeel: Thin-bodied. Medium-low carbonation. Drinkability: No thanks. It's a shame they redesigned the container, getting cut by those peel-back metal tabs was part of the fun. Serving type: bottle 03-20-2009 17:50:03 | More by ChainGangGuy Photo of TMoney2591 2.48/5  rDev -2% Served in a snifter. And, thus, following the good stuff, Swill Fest 1.5 kicks off, complete with a viewing of Human Centipede. This offering pours a clear straw topped by a finger of white foam. The nose comprises wheat, corn, and hay wet with the runoff from some dark, murky bog in the old English countryside, the kind of thing you'd see in some rustic Gothic throwback tale. The taste holds notes of corn, corn syrup, and a heaping helping of bad apple juice. Up until now, I was unaware that apple juice could go bad in this manner. now I think it could be a possibility. The body is a hefty light, with a moderate carbonation and a watery feel. Overall, I think this gives yet another reason for why malt liquors don't get any real respect: They don't really deserve much. Serving type: can 12-25-2010 03:14:42 | More by TMoney2591 Photo of NeroFiddled 3.1/5  rDev +22.5% Smells like grain and alcohol with barely a suggestion of hops, ...and it's supposed to taste like that! Serving type: bottle 05-13-2006 18:46:16 | More by NeroFiddled Photo of biboergosum Alberta (Canada) 2.53/5  rDev 0% Ok, I've seen these around for ever and a day, but never got around to trying one. The bottle is different, kind of like a stubby, but actually more like a mini beer keg, with a large mouth. This beer pours a clear medium straw colour, with lots of puffy white head, which doesn't stick around for long, leaving spotty lace in its wake. It smells of skunky white grain, and backyard weeds. The taste is cloying corn and rice husk sweetness, and a light vegetal skunkiness. The carbonation is average, the body slick, but generally all right, and it finishes fairly smooth and grainy, the sweetness and skunk becoming one unholy duality. Packaging kitsch aside, this is one big-assed pass for me. And I don't even get to laugh it off as a cheap throwaway purchase - up here, this beer sells as a "premium import". Jebus. Serving type: bottle 12-25-2009 06:52:54 | More by biboergosum Photo of emerge077 2.23/5  rDev -11.9% Can from a shady liquor store, the one time I don't check the date, the can is old. "NOV14 11" printed on the bottom. I was fooled since it wasn't dusty... Pale straw gold, urine shade with rapid rising trails of carbonation. Compact white foam biscuit lid up top, slow to settle, leaving some lace in the glass, and an ever present veil of skim on the surface (surprisingly). Smells like adjunct city, corn and possibly rice, rather sweet with apple notes from the yeast and some metallic, musty dishrag minerality. Wafting notes of misspent college nights and bad judgement. Sweet taste, pretty astringent as it warms, cereal grain, wet paper, vague fleeting apple. Fizzy but relatively clean. In the malt liquor continuum, Mickey's falls a bit short of center. Serving type: can 02-07-2012 01:52:41 | More by emerge077 Photo of drabmuh 3.08/5  rDev +21.7% Bad beer Thursdays -- two for one edition. This is simultaneously a well known "bad beer" but also a top 5 American Malt Liquor, neat. Poured from a green 40 ounce bottle into a Paulaner 1 L dimpled stein. Beer is yellow and clear, heavily carbonated with a thick head of large white bubbles, actually bubbles of all sizes, no staying power though. It's gone before I know it's there. It actually smells rather pleasant. Sweet, pilsner, it has a slight odd aroma to it but it definitely doesn't smell bad. Beer is medium in body and has an odd bitterness at the finish...and here comes the boiled corn aftertaste. Bummer, you really let me down Mickeys. I was hoping for so much more. At least the aftertaste is short lived. I can say that much for it. It's drinkable, more so than the others, just not very good tasting. Serving type: bottle 02-25-2011 01:16:56 | More by drabmuh Photo of zeff80 1.95/5  rDev -22.9% It's been about 3 years since my first and only malt liquor. I thought I'd re-visit the style. A - Clear, straw-yellow with tons of bubbles. Two-finger, white bubbly head of foam that does not last long nor leave any lace. S - Not much other than corn and grains. T - Grains and corn with a spicy alcohol presence - I can't really define it as hops but it was spiced. M - Best attribute. Crisp, sharp and dry with a light bodied. D - Still not loving malt liquors. I took my time on this one not to savor it or because of the high ABV - I just wasn't that interested it drinking more of it. Serving type: can 02-28-2010 01:45:31 | More by zeff80 Photo of Knapp85 3/5  rDev +18.6% My uncle introduced me to Mickey's a few years ago. One new years eve he got a case and we sat around drinking them trying to figure out the guessing game on the bottle caps. The beer might not be the greatest but at least they give you something to do while drinking it. Anyway it pours just like any other American adjunct lager I've had with a yellow body and A white head. The head fades and leaves us with sweet smelling brew. The beer tastes alright and doesn't have a bad aftertaste at all. It was a drinkable brew thankfully and it helped bring in the new year! Serving type: bottle 05-14-2011 00:21:49 | More by Knapp85 Photo of jwc215 3.55/5  rDev +40.3% 40 oz. screw-cap bottle: Pours straw yellow with a thick white head that slowly descends to a lasting wide patch. Some spots of lacing stick. The smell is more of a macro lager than a malt liquor, but pretty decent within that realm - some grain, but overall quite clean and inoffensive. The taste is of sweet grain, some cooked corn, a touch of husk and a but of alcohol. Honey sweetness in the finish. The body is light and pretty slick. No need to put this one in a paper bag. For this style, it's very inoffensive and very drinkable. A kinder, gentler malt liquor. It has a smoothness to it, and the taste is more than tolerable - a bit too sweet. Not as aggressive as the stinging bee on the label would have it, but very drinkable and inoffensive for the style. Serving type: bottle 07-28-2008 04:36:01 | More by jwc215 Photo of WVbeergeek 2.03/5  rDev -19.8% Mickey's hand grenades appears pale golden yellow tone with a large bright white quickly dwindling head leaves even fine lacing around my glass. Aromatics have cereal tones with corn and rice pulling up a chair, and mild herbal grass notes as well. Flavors collide upfront with cooked veggies, herbal notes, mild sweetness, and a somewhat metallic note though it finishes relatively clean after all of that. Mouthfeel is light bodied pretty thin with unnatural carbonation that tickles the throat. Drinkability is one of those ghetto college staples that will always sell with or without a marketing campaign. Serving type: bottle 02-06-2007 01:45:04 | More by WVbeergeek Photo of Halcyondays 2.15/5  rDev -15% 12 oz. stubby green bottle, A: Pours a very pale yellow with a large cap of foam after gushing out of the big mouth bottle into a pint glass. Surprisingly good head retention, light spotty lacing. S: Very light, some grain malt is all I pick up from this one. T: Very fusely with a husky grain character and a bit of wheat. Overall, the flavour is very light. Hop character is barely noticable but adds a grungy wet hay aspect to the aftertaste. M: Low carbonation, very light-bodided, airy. D: An average malt liquor, but too pricey for the style. I got bored with this beer far to easily. At least it doesn't become undrinkable due to an alcohol character like some others of this style are. Serving type: bottle 06-21-2008 18:50:03 | More by Halcyondays Photo of tempest 3.1/5  rDev +22.5% Drank straight from the wide-mouth, green stubby bottle - as it was meant to be. This beer is surprisingly not bad. I think there's some truth to the bottle's "Fine Malt Liquor" label. Because as far as malt liquor goes, this isn't that far behind Rogue fancy-pants Dad's Little Helper. In terms of flavor, this beer reminds me of a dull PBR. It just has gentle bready malts behind a vague sweetness. Completely drinkable and inoffensive. Worth a try, just because it's Mickey's. Serving type: bottle 12-23-2008 17:01:37 | More by tempest Photo of rhoadsrage 2.05/5  rDev -19% (Served in a nonic) A- This beer has a straw yellow crystal clear body with a big carbonation of large bubbles and a bubble white head of molten candy. S- The soft green apple acetaldehyde grows as the beer warms with a light flinty note that is nice but soon overpowered. There is a faint field corn note in the finish. T- The clean flavor has a slight tartness with a faint corn flavor that comes through on the exhale. The green apple flavor has a jolly rancher candy quality to it that gets stronger with each sip. M- This beer has a light mouthfeel with a watery texture and a fizzy finish. D- This beer is light but not clean. The tartness and corn and apple flavors are very pronounced and become a bit more obnoxious with each sip. Serving type: can 07-14-2010 16:48:57 | More by rhoadsrage Photo of Jason 3.03/5  rDev +19.8% Presentation: 40 oz green glass bottle, no freshness date. Tough looking flexing green hornet as their mascot. Under the cap is a psuedo-word of the day, “cam’-a-flu (n) Feigned illness to get out of work or a date.” I guess real winners of the world drink this stuff. Appearance: Pale yellow, crystal clear with a thin white lace with a decent retention. Some of this sample was poured out to get a look at the head retention and true colour. Smell: Light lager like twang, almost import lager-like. Minimal malt in the nose, quite clean. Taste: Touch of smoothness within the crisp light bodied mouth feel. Very slim malt character, quick bite of hop bitterness that fades just as quickly as it comes in. Seltzer water feel to this brew with a pretty clean finish though a tag a long astringent flavour stays around for a bit. Notes: Not much to the brew for flavour, quick and clean to drink. Big time college crowd 40oz brew, a step above Magnum ... the other Miller Brewing produced Malt Liquor. Not a bad web site they put out also … http://www.mickeys.com. Serving type: bottle 03-23-2002 06:02:25 | More by Jason Photo of Wasatch 2/5  rDev -20.9% Serving type: bottle 03-16-2010 00:43:27 | More by Wasatch Photo of Zorro 2.55/5  rDev +0.8% Pour a clear yellow beer, pretty much what I expected. Smell is mildly malty and grainy, no off flavors. Taste is slightly sweet and is mostly of grain. Not as bad as it could be. Mouthfeel is thicker than expected. It is as drinkable as any other macrobrew. Serving type: can 02-13-2004 02:51:43 | More by Zorro Photo of woodychandler 3.13/5  rDev +23.7% M-I-C-K-E-Y, Why? Because I want to bump up my bottle numbers. 'S, it's true, I'm ticking. M-A-L-T L-I-Q-U-O-R R U coming over? I have a 40! D-R-U-N-K. Woody's a fool, Woody's a fool, forever may his banner fly! No, I'm not high. M-I-C-K-E-Y-'-S! Man, screw that "Back to the Future" action, this is more like "Peggy Sue Got Married"! This is the kind of drinking action that I did in my earliest prime as a teenager thirty years ago, asking random strangers to go into bars and take-aways to score a 40 or two (or more) of beer so that we could get wildly wasted and totally disrespect beer. I was at IHLNC today for the Winter Warmer bash and after a 5.5 hour shift, I did not need any more of that, nor did I want to give up. Queen Garden 6-Pack to the rescue! No better time than the present to get my bottle count up, up, up. A foamy finger of bone-white head with decent retention, initially. Color was a deep golden-yellow with NE-plus quality clarity, allowing me to look through the walls into the neighbor's doings. Nose was comparably sweet with some of the high ABV offerings of today, but with a none-too-subtle cereal quality mixed in. Mouthfeel was effervescent and scrubbing to the point that I felt like I had a new palate. I kid you not, this was a very pleasant diversion after today's skull-ripping. It was plenty sweet with a lot of adjunct characteristics, but it was also a beer that I felt comfortable sitting with in front of the TV. There was nothing off about it, despite its being in a GREEN (oh, no!) bottle, but either pasteurization or good handling or both kept it that way. YMMV. Finish left me simply craving a Hammond's-brand hard pretzel to cut some of the cloying sweetness. Would I drink this again? Heck, yes! Would it be my first choice? Heck, no! Was it cost-effective/worthy? Yep. What would my back alley homies say? Hey, I've hung out and imbibed with them enough to the point that they call me "Pittsburgh" and don't throw their empties in my yard, instead leaving them hanging in a bag on the fence for me to collect and recycle. They'd applaud me. I applaud you. Serving type: bottle 12-05-2010 00:09:51 | More by woodychandler Photo of DoubleJ 2.95/5  rDev +16.6% Welcome to start of the Brown Paper Bag Invitational! In this short series, I will be tasting malt liquor for the next few days, and this is sure to be fun. The only other malt liquor I've ever had was Olde English, and I was greatly offended. We'll start tonight with a "light" malt liquor, the one with the stinger that looks to be on steroids...Mickey's! On to the beer: Do you like your body pale? Very pale straw color, the carbonation bubbles providiing some attraction to the eyes, the soapy head providing a solid canopy thus far. The aroma is milled corn, maybe with a trace of the can...run-of-the-mill cheap lager smell. Heyy....this isn't bad at all! The body is light, but the carbonation is conrolled well, it doesn't bombard your palate. This is quite sweet. Sweet corn upfront, then some mild corn syrup-llike texture and sweetness. The alcohol is there, but hidden in the background with a dull bitterness and kick to it. Semi-dry finish. For what you get, this is a solid malt liquor without too many flaws. It's also one of the lightest on the market, so it may not be the best pick if you're looking for a quick buzz and nothing more. I survived the first stage without any major wounds. We'll resume the Brown Paper Bag Invite tomorrow night. Serving type: can 09-19-2008 03:35:48 | More by DoubleJ Photo of Beerandraiderfan 1.41/5  rDev -44.3% Well, I doubt I'm saying anything we don't already know. This stuff is shhhiiity. Nasty yellow appearance leaving nothing in terms of head, lacing or retention. Horrible dumpster 4 day old beer smell. Taste isn't the worst thing I've drank, but it's close. I guess it gets better the more you drink of it, and it is cheap . . . but all you can taste is the alcohol, which isn't even all that high. Brutal. Serving type: can 11-26-2009 00:37:53 | More by Beerandraiderfan Photo of beerthulhu New Jersey 2.83/5  rDev +11.9% A: Pours a clear, bright, yellow with a creamy white head that left a spotchy lacing behind. Visible carbonation was soft. S: The nose was light, with some corn and fresh grains. T: For flavor there was corn mash, a light malt sweetness and a light herbal hopping. The beer finishes with a sweet corn malting and herbal hop fade. Overall the flavor was fairly clean albeit limited in complexity but did have a noticeable hop presence. M; light, a tad watery with a decent herbal hopping. D: Decent for an old-school macro. Serving type: bottle 03-06-2008 00:27:10 | More by beerthulhu Photo of Brad007 3.88/5  rDev +53.4% Pours a pale golden color with a one finger head that quickly fades to nearly nothing. Aroma is strong with corn/bready malt in the nose. Nothing special here and to be expected. Taste is strong and sweet with corn, baked bread and a touch of alcohol in the middle. Mouthfeel is full of the same flavors as above (corn, baked bread) except that they linger. Not harsh or anything. Seems average. Not bad. I was expecting worse but this really isn't a bad example. It's drinkable for what it is. Serving type: bottle 03-20-2009 23:59:57 | More by Brad007 Mickey's from Miller Brewing Co. 60 out of 100 based on 819 ratings.

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/105/810/?sort=topr&start=0/

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Proverbs 20 NRS/NIV - Online Parallel Bible New Revised Standard (NRS) New International Version (NIV) 1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise. 1 Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise. 2 The dread anger of a king is like the growling of a lion; anyone who provokes him to anger forfeits life itself. 2 A king's wrath is like the roar of a lion; he who angers him forfeits his life. 3 It is honorable to refrain from strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel. 3 It is to a man's honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel. 4 The lazy person does not plow in season; harvest comes, and there is nothing to be found. 4 A sluggard does not plow in season; so at harvest time he looks but finds nothing. 5 The purposes in the human mind are like deep water, but the intelligent will draw them out. 5 The purposes of a man's heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out. 6 Many proclaim themselves loyal, but who can find one worthy of trust? 6 Many a man claims to have unfailing love, but a faithful man who can find? 7 The righteous walk in integrity— happy are the children who follow them! 7 The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him. 8 A king who sits on the throne of judgment winnows all evil with his eyes. 8 When a king sits on his throne to judge, he winnows out all evil with his eyes. 9 Who can say, "I have made my heart clean; I am pure from my sin"? 9 Who can say, "I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin"? 10 Diverse weights and diverse measures are both alike an abomination to the Lord. 10 Differing weights and differing measures-- the LORD detests them both. 11 Even children make themselves known by their acts, by whether what they do is pure and right. 11 Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right. 12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye— the Lord has made them both. 12 Ears that hear and eyes that see-- the LORD has made them both. 14 "Bad, bad," says the buyer, then goes away and boasts. 14 "It's no good, it's no good!" says the buyer; then off he goes and boasts about his purchase. 15 There is gold, and abundance of costly stones; but the lips informed by knowledge are a precious jewel. 15 Gold there is, and rubies in abundance, but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel. 16 Take the garment of one who has given surety for a stranger; seize the pledge given as surety for foreigners. 16 Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger; hold it in pledge if he does it for a wayward woman. 17 Bread gained by deceit is sweet, but afterward the mouth will be full of gravel. 17 Food gained by fraud tastes sweet to a man, but he ends up with a mouth full of gravel. 18 Plans are established by taking advice; wage war by following wise guidance. 18 Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance. 19 A gossip reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a babbler. 19 A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much. 20 If you curse father or mother, your lamp will go out in utter darkness. 20 If a man curses his father or mother, his lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness. 21 An estate quickly acquired in the beginning will not be blessed in the end. 21 An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning will not be blessed at the end. 22 Do not say, "I will repay evil"; wait for the Lord, and he will help you. 22 Do not say, "I'll pay you back for this wrong!" Wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you. 23 Differing weights are an abomination to the Lord, and false scales are not good. 23 The LORD detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him. 24 All our steps are ordered by the Lord; how then can we understand our own ways? 24 A man's steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way? 26 A wise king winnows the wicked, and drives the wheel over them. 26 A wise king winnows out the wicked; he drives the threshing wheel over them. 27 The human spirit is the lamp of the Lord, searching every inmost part. 27 The lamp of the LORD searches the spirit of a man; it searches out his inmost being. 28 Loyalty and faithfulness preserve the king, and his throne is upheld by righteousness. 28 Love and faithfulness keep a king safe; through love his throne is made secure. 29 The glory of youths is their strength, but the beauty of the aged is their gray hair. 29 The glory of young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old. 30 Blows that wound cleanse away evil; beatings make clean the innermost parts. 30 Blows and wounds cleanse away evil, and beatings purge the inmost being.

http://www.biblestudytools.com/parallel-bible/passage.aspx?q=proverbs%2020&t=nrs&t2=niv

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Other books Other people who viewed this bought Showing items 1 to 10 of 10 Full description | Reviews | Bibliographic data Full description for Truth Machine • DNA profiling - commonly known as DNA fingerprinting - is often heralded as unassailable criminal evidence, a veritable "truth machine" that can overturn convictions based on eyewitness testimony, confessions, and other forms of forensic evidence. But DNA evidence is far from infallible. "Truth Machine" traces the controversial history of DNA fingerprinting by looking at court cases in the United States and United Kingdom beginning in the mid-1980s, when the practice was invented, and continuing until the present. Ultimately, "Truth Machine" presents compelling evidence of the obstacles and opportunities at the intersection of science, technology, sociology, and law.

http://www.bookdepository.com/Truth-Machine-Michael-Lynch/9780226498072

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What wedding TV shows to be on? mandynos Posts : 36 Registered: 3/25/08 Re: What wedding TV shows to be on? Posted: Jun 24, 2008 2:59 PM Go to message in response to: jennifersmith There are soo many wedding shows, my favorite is who's wedding is it anyway? Then there's my big redneck wedding, Wedding alterd, bridezillas, rich bride poor bride. then the bulding brides show... I wouldn't want to go on them except to get a the free honeymoon out of it. lol Engaged since: March 16, 2008Kiss "Distance is not for the fearful, it is for the bold. It's for those who are willing to spend a lot of time alone in exchange for a little time with the ones they love. It's for those knowing a good thing when they see it, even if they don't see it nearly enough...." "Lately you're the only song I wanna sing, and you're my reason to try, you just get sweeter everyday, the little things you do and say, if only you could see you through my eyes, you just get better all the time.. " Thank You for Signing Up! Check your e-mail inbox for the latest updates from brides.com Give a Subscription to Brides Magazine as a Gift Subscribe to Brides magazine

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chopsticks, Chopsticks on a plate.maqs (from Chinese kuai-tzu, “quick ones,” by way of Pidgin chop, “quick”), eating utensils, consisting of a pair of slender sticks held between the thumb and fingers of one hand, that predominate in much of East Asia and are used in conjunction with East Asian-style cuisine worldwide. Modern mass-produced chopsticks are commonly made of unadorned wood, bamboo, or plastic, although exquisite lacquerwork, inlay, and engraving are still used in the decoration of finer examples. As a general rule, the chopsticks of China are longer and more blunt than those of Japan, which are usually tapered.

http://www.britannica.com/print/topic/114386

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Plebgate has damaged Met - chief Plebgate has damaged Met - chief The head of Scotland Yard admitted his force has been damaged by the Plebgate controversy but defended his own handling of the affair. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan Howe said there was "no doubt some damage had been done". He also insisted crime statistics were "generally sound" despite investigations into serious allegations that officers are manipulating them to improve performance records. One officer is being prosecuted and eight face disciplinary action in the wake of the row over claims - which he disputes - that the then cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell called officers "plebs". Sir Bernard said soon after the incident that his officers "accurately reported what had happened". Asked whether he now felt he had been right to do that, he told BBC Radio 4's Today he had a responsibility to protect staff morale. "It's not an unreasonable statement after the person about who the allegation is made ... apologised to the individual involved and then resigned from the Government," he said. "We all had to make an account at that time. "What we have since done is have a rigorous inquiry and I think that has been shown that we now have a criminal prosecution against one officer and gross misconduct charges against others." When it was put to him that the affair had been enormously damaging for the force, he said: "It has. There is no doubt that some damage has been done." The country's most senior police chief sought to play down disagreement between him a police watchdog that it was "almost certain" that some crime figures were being manipulated. Chief inspector of constabulary Tom Winsor disputed evidence given by Sir Bernard to MPs that inspectors had lauded statistics as "competent and reliable". Mr Winsor said he had written to the Scotland Yard chief asking him to explain the disparity between that and the fact that inspectors found "cause for concern" - including 30 out of 244 cases looked at being wrongly closed without a crime being recorded. Asked if he believed crime figures were accurate, Sir Bernard told Today: "I believe so, generally." He said he had been "quoting broadly" from the summary of an inspectors' report and insisted that part was not incompatible with there being some specific concerns. "Generally I am confident. No statistics are 100% perfect," he said. "There is some evidence - and I do not put it too strongly - that some of the things they are talking about in general have always been a challenge for the police and some are historic. "What I want to be reassured about is that, in the two and a bit years I've been I charge, are the stats right? "These are serious allegations and we are investigating." Sir Bernard said critics - such as Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, who has called for his resignation over Plebgate - should have "the courage to stand up to me and say it to my face". "I'm not going to say I've not regretted anything. I'm a human being, for goodness sake, I'm not going to say I'm a perfect person. "But I'm proud of the people I lead and I'm proud of what we've achieved over the last two years." < Back Reddit Facebook Digg Twitter Bebo Latest News Latest Sport Today's Features

http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/Home/Plebgate-has-damaged-Met-chief-1-8078789.xnf

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Study shows many users wouldn't upgrade even if given the option Comments     Threshold By DASQ on 7/4/2008 4:54:48 PM , Rating: 5 I'll assume "Other" means "I don't know better". More speed for the same cost. I don't see a downside there other than the possible week or two required for setup. RE: Yeah... By JoshuaBuss on 7/4/2008 5:00:29 PM , Rating: 5 specifically, i bet they didn't even know what 'broadband' means RE: Yeah... By FingerMeElmo87 on 7/6/2008 4:59:09 PM , Rating: 3 its not that. its "You've got mail." thats makes them feel special. and thats why they keep it. RE: Yeah... By Donkeyshins on 7/7/2008 1:47:21 PM , Rating: 2 "Why on earth would I need to replace my dialup with an all-girl musical group, dagnabbit!?!" RE: Yeah... By RIPPolaris on 7/4/2008 5:11:49 PM , Rating: 3 People who barely even use the internet probably don't want to go through the hassle of upgrading their internet if they won't use it to its full potential anyway. RE: Yeah... By fake01 on 7/4/2008 5:40:39 PM , Rating: 3 Than upgrade to 256KB connection. Still around 5 times faster than dialup at basically no extra cost. We are slowly beginning to move to optic fibres now and people are still on dialup? Surely sooner or later they are going to have to turn of the switch and upgrade cause it ain't gonna be around forever. RE: Yeah... RE: Yeah... RE: Yeah... By getho on 7/4/08, Rating: 0 RE: Yeah... RE: Yeah... RE: Yeah... RE: Yeah... RE: Yeah... RE: Yeah... Right on. RE: Yeah... Hey, look at me, I'm wireless - omg. RE: Yeah... greetings :) RE: Yeah... RE: Yeah... By Rebel44 on 7/4/2008 6:04:16 PM , Rating: 2 I hope it will be soon. RE: Yeah... By DASQ on 7/4/2008 7:06:09 PM , Rating: 3 Hardly an issue, as they can still use dialup while they're waiting for their broadband to kick in. Seriously not a reasonable excuse. No one is telling them to cut off their by-the-MB 56k service the second they sign up for broadband. RE: Yeah... By LorKha on 7/4/2008 5:57:37 PM , Rating: 2 Other means "I don't want myself and I to download files with viruses and watch porn without knowing it." But because I DO have broadband, I DO download files with viruses and watch porn, knowing it. RE: Yeah... By GDstew4 on 7/4/2008 6:18:35 PM , Rating: 2 There probably are people out there who are terrified of an "always on" internet connection. They think that someone is going to get into their computer while they are asleep at night and steal their identity. Or viruses are out there crawling through the internet tubes just waiting for a PC to infect. My mother-in-law is still using her 450MHz Pentium 3 and Windows 98. She doesn't want to bother with upgrading because she has "better things to spend money on." RE: Yeah... By Grabo on 7/5/2008 9:52:31 AM , Rating: 2 She probably does? It all depens on your point of view. If whatever works works, and you're not all that interested in it , then why change? Probably those who cling to dialup have a lot of superstitious arguments for doing so, but they're also likely to think 'if it ain't broke don't attempt to fix it'. Still. It's hard to see how someone could consider dialup 'not broke', from any point of view. They can be a nightmare to get to work consistently, get to work again; and by the time you see a slightly darker than ultra-white cloud on the horizon your modem is probably already dead. RE: Yeah... By mindless1 on 7/6/2008 12:54:03 AM , Rating: 2 Huh? In all the years I had dialup before moving to broadband several years ago, I never had these problems you suppose to any significant degree. It was just painfully slow at a time when the internet was rapidly moving away from being mostly text. I still keep a modem in one system, just in case I want to send or receive a fax by computer. If for some reason our broadband went down for what was known to be a lengthly period I'd start up a dialup plan without hesitation - that is, if I couldn't think of or wasn't in an area where there were other faster alternatives. Mainly I think certain types of people just don't get into the whole browse-the-internet habit. It's a big country and lots of people out there just aren't like *US*. I'm just a little surprised that these people would have dialup at all if they didn't see an advantage to broadband at the same price. I think an early poster nailed it, they don't understand what "broadband" is, they are picking what they know versus some unknown thing that they aren't sure they can use - they don't realize broadband is (beyond minor quirks and practices like possibly setting up a router) actually much easier, even transparent in use. RE: Yeah... By alcalde on 7/4/2008 6:41:19 PM , Rating: 5 The downside is not getting to hear the modem connect noise anymore. RE: Yeah... By FaceMaster on 7/4/2008 6:49:00 PM , Rating: 4 SHUT UP it's a beautiful sound. RE: Yeah... Honestly, I kind of miss the sound. RE: Yeah... RE: Yeah... this post was worth the gold my rolex is made from. RE: Yeah... By masher2 (blog) on 7/4/2008 11:26:19 PM , Rating: 2 RE: Yeah... RE: Yeah... you get a 6 in my book. RE: Yeah... RE: Yeah... eerrrrrnnnnnnn EEEE errrr EEEE errrr SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE er er er blblblblblblbl EEEE! RE: Yeah... RE: Yeah... RE: Yeah... Mouse? That's why they put down mousetraps! ;) RE: Yeah... RE: Yeah... RE: Yeah... Here's one for nostalgia sake: RE: Yeah... By Alias1431 on 7/4/2008 11:11:47 PM , Rating: 2 For some people, it's more therapeutic than smoking. RE: Yeah... By CyborgTMT on 7/4/2008 11:47:24 PM , Rating: 4 If my mother was polled, that is her response exactly. A few years ago I moved in with her during her recovery after she had cancer. The entire time I lived there I had cable internet. One day I connected her up through the high speed and set her [sarcasm]precious[/sarcasm] AOL to use my connection. For my troubles I received a hour long lecture about why her computer doesn't work anymore because it doesn't make 'the noise' when she goes to AOHell. After spending a few days trying to explain the advantage of the broadband connection, I finally lost the argument and switched her back. 5 years later she sill has AOL and dial-up... but I'm not giving up yet... RE: Yeah... By alifbaa on 7/5/2008 12:31:17 AM , Rating: 5 Ha... you said "if my mother was polled." Sorry, I couldn't help myself. RE: Yeah... By CyborgTMT on 7/5/2008 1:30:40 AM , Rating: 2 RE: Yeah... She'd never know. RE: Yeah... By carrotroot on 7/4/2008 10:02:42 PM , Rating: 2 It basically boils down to ignorance and/or laziness. RE: Yeah... By Tsuwamono on 7/5/2008 8:16:41 AM , Rating: 2 week or two? My broadband took 1 day for them to hook up. I called on a wednesday afternoon i believe and it was setup by thursday at dinner. RE: Yeah... By AlexWade on 7/5/2008 8:29:06 AM , Rating: 2 I know some people who use Netzero, which is cheaper than any high-speed internet service available. They use the internet about once a week. Why do they need to pay for broadband when they barely use the internet? RE: Yeah... By SlyNine on 7/5/2008 10:03:44 AM , Rating: 2 They could use the internet even less, Because there would be no waiting. RE: Yeah... By mindless1 on 7/6/2008 1:22:06 AM , Rating: 2 That brings back memories. I recall an argument to the wife at the time we were considering broadband, she said I already spent enough time online and I countered that I'd be able to get done what I do on the 'net faster, get done sooner. What ended up happening instead? I spent nearly the same amount of time RE: Yeah... By mindless1 on 7/6/2008 12:58:48 AM , Rating: 2 ok, but getting back to the survey it is asked if they could get broadband, and if it were the same price. Do you feel those who are using Netzero picked it in preference to a faster connection at the same price if there were another alternative they knew about? RE: Yeah... By Googer on 7/5/2008 11:04:24 PM , Rating: 2 RE: Yeah... By zolo111 on 7/6/2008 12:49:57 PM , Rating: 2 I think they believe that it's almost impossible for them to get a bradband connection for the same price as dialup.. Or at least they don't spend the time to search for better deals anyhow ( using thier dialup, searching for deals is frustrating I guess..) I helped a friend get comcast service in Seattle for a whole year for $19.99 a month, he couldn't believe it, but after a couple of months he regret getting the service since he doesn't use more than 3% of the extra speed he's getting. He'd rather go back to dialup for $10 a month. Meanwhile I went back to my home country, Saudi Arabia. I'm paying $80 a month for a lousy 1mb/128kb :/ Let's get post modern By Alias1431 on 7/4/2008 11:10:04 PM , Rating: 2 Dial-up should be free for everyone. The internet is becoming less of an option and more of a necessity. It would do wonders for education, or just overall awareness. The only problem is the inevitable flourishing of ungodly creations on myspace. *shudder* RE: Let's get post modern RE: Let's get post modern RE: Let's get post modern It went by the name of FREEI.NET. RE: Let's get post modern I used a freebee ad-supported connex also. The AdBlockers kinda killed that idea. RE: Let's get post modern RE: Let's get post modern Well said. Your comments are appreciated. Thanx for gentle correction. RE: Let's get post modern By alp689 on 7/5/2008 10:59:46 AM , Rating: 2 I still remember when my mom told me and my sisters we were getting rid of our stupid dial-up and switching to DSL (well, actually we ended up getting cable, but I digress...), we started CHEERING! She was the most awesome person in the world that day, and when we finally got it, we all couldn't help but marvel at how amazingly fast it was, and how we didn't have to wait 1:30 every time for our modem to connect (I think this was in about 2002), or worry about getting booted every time the phone rang (oddly enough, we had two phone lines, the second of which we never used, yet we never switched our dail-up to that line...). I wonder if most people would at least experience the same kind of shock it was to us the first time we got our connection. I'm not saying it would convince most of these holdouts to switch on the spot, but I'd have to imagine they might at least see the benefits of it, because they really are painfully obvious. RE: Wow... By JoshuaBuss on 7/5/2008 12:20:47 PM , Rating: 2 no, i think our family basically had the exact same experience. our house was in a 'prime location' for testing DSL, and my dad knew some people at the phone company.. needless to say, the idea that we'd be the first in our town to have DSL left us on a proverbial high for weeks RE: Wow... By larson0699 on 7/5/2008 2:14:19 PM , Rating: 2 The benefits are only "painfully obvious" to those who care. Enough people on here have already said it -- some of our folks like things the way they are and consider them "not broken". The idea that your mother became so awesome the day she upgraded suggests that you need to unplug and get out more. My kind of love is unconditional, and as such, doesn't rely on material amenities for me to come to the realization that my folks are awesome. I am here, which more than suffices. The fact that you got "booted" every time the phone rang immediately raises the "idiot" flag for your household not having taken advantage of *70 (call waiting) if you really valued your time online. I, for one, hate having to do things over because of interruptions. Either those people can wait or I can get a cell phone (which, in 2002, was a practical choice). Some are just so spoiled. RE: Wow... By mindless1 on 7/6/2008 1:18:47 AM , Rating: 2 It's not the material amenities, it's the thought, it's the doing something for someone else that makes all our lives better. That's what you do for someone you love, and they recognize it. You've taken the simple awesomeness comment and stretched it way out of proportion. Is your love really unconditional, is it all someone has to do to have unprotected sex and get pregnant in order to (deserve?) someone else's affections? Isn't unconditional love really a load of nonsense since there is one clear condition already, that you believe some other person to be your parent? Wouldn't it be that if the only factor were that she were YOUR parent, that it is more vanity than love? Isn't it true that the love comes from time spent together in harmony because you both did things for each other? Awesome is as awesome does. Love without action is baseless. If you feel that way about your parents then they too must've done a few things right with regard to you, even if it wasn't some particular thing like faster internet connection. It could easily have been something else instead but do we go around calling you spoiled because of it? RE: Wow... By larson0699 on 7/6/2008 2:31:00 PM , Rating: 3 Talk about taking things out of proportion.. I think it's you who couldn't be farther from the reality of things. Where I come from (and everywhere I've been, imagine that) someone's deed to another is well appreciated and remembered, but remains just that. It doesn't strengthen love unless it was based on how much you did for me to begin with. Whether you believe it or not, unconditional love DOES abound among families and close friends alike. The saying goes that you can't choose your parents. But no matter if they've beaten and neglected you and sold you on eBay, the underlying love remains, as in that case I would still do anything to save their asses. They'd probably wonder why I did, but they'd already have the answer deep down, no need to show them the door. Vanity has nothing to do with any of it. Except for maybe this guy who's excessively proud of his new ISP and mom. Get real. I think he's due a lesson on what's really awesome in life.. such as life itself. If I presented myself online in the way he did, I'd more than expect to be called some names. You're confusing "love" with "like" anyway. Both are feelings that grow in time, but love is untold, beyond words, a personal connection (getting anywhere? You at least had harmony right, but in the wrong context) while you may like the person more because of what she's done for you. Love is generally not something that you manipulate, but what that person reveals in you, whether you like him/her or not. Anyway, it's to show the merits in U.L. that some just don't believe in.. You know I won't try to preach to those with heads firmly up asses. For the record, if I took it upon myself to "do something" for dad and set up broadband at his place, it wouldn't make all our lives better. I'd be scolded for having the audacity to meddle in his business. Sometimes you just let people be and you find that everyone stays happier that way. Don't tell me about love. RE: Wow... By mindless1 on 7/7/08, Rating: 0 Government Promotion? By wrekd on 7/4/2008 8:46:33 PM , Rating: 4 Government promotion? The government wants us all on broadband? The government wants to give immunity to Telco’s. Wasting time on the floor of Congress with terrorist protection spy bills. They are wasting our tax dollars to enrich their investments and their lobbying cronies at the expense of our privacy. Government needs to stay the hell out of business and focus on protecting liberty and civil rights. RE: Government Promotion? By ZootyGray on 7/5/2008 2:08:03 PM , Rating: 1 Good comment - and the idiot masses just run along, as they are told to do, with wallets open, competing to be first up on the kill floor. (Huh, was zat mean?) The quality of mercy is abandoned. The sense of community is 'screw you', we are all forced to compete to eat - and "security" enforces it, government sanctions it. New book by Klein exposes this - in great language and with diplomacy - gov pigs feed on disaster, crisis, suffering - the question is asked - HOW is this wealth being redistributed (cos it is NOT going to the people, and the people finance it through taxes - iraq, afghan, new orleans, etc etc - fill your pockets GWHitler. Price of oil is to MAX profits. And suffering businesses are bailed out - if my business suffers, too bad. And the telco monopoly - shooting fish in a barrel. And to speak against it? That's the work of heroes and messiahs and other martyrs. Privatize means make it a profit maker - e.g. water. Dialup? It costs money to run wire to rural areas - so, back to easy money, shoot fish in barrel. You broadband jokesters don't know - you are just the fish in the barrel - hey, the costs are covered - it's all profit now, thx to you all. Broadband should be cheap and cheaper. This study is a spin/bias. The telcos don't want to service rural areas cos there's not enough fi$he$ in the $barrel$. That's why people are still on dialup! You believe people are stupid = you are stupid. But when CONTROL of the internet happens, it's back to dialup - cos that's the foundation of the net. What are you doing to sell us all out to big biz/gov? Yes, you. It can't be done without mass support - 3 (zillion) blind mice. It will take some real change to reverse/undo this. Abandon money-based economy, or similar radical change - it's got to stop. would not want to upgrade from broadband By Segerstein on 7/4/2008 6:33:07 PM , Rating: 2 would not want to upgrade from broadband??? By gaakf on 7/4/2008 11:34:55 PM , Rating: 2 You gotta love the classic Dailytech typos that just completely go against the entire article. It's comical at this point. By Screwballl on 7/4/2008 6:48:06 PM , Rating: 2 I work for an ISP that has dialup, DSL and cable options (contracts through other companies) across North America. The biggest thing we hear why people do NOT want to upgrade is mostly they only use it 2-3 times per week for maybe an hour or so and have no desire for anything faster. There is a decent percentage that hear of all the viruses and hackers and they think that as soon as they get high speed they will lose control of their computer. Even though we try to explain that with a decent anti-virus program the virus issue is minimalized and they are just as likely to pick viruses up on dialup... and as for hackers, they tend to go after commercial targets so home users are not a likely target. Even then people still prefer their dialup. Someone mentioned Hughesnet... would you want to pay $75-100 per month for a 128-256K (actual speed) connection? Some people do but most are happy with their 2-3 times per week checking email and seeing a few websites per week. By TSS on 7/4/2008 7:06:17 PM , Rating: 1 maybe it's because they've become attached to their dialup. i'm sure those who do switch will miss the dial in sound the first week orso, before getting used to the silence. about the same reason why i've got a friend who'd buy AMD's because he wanted maximum performance. which was at the peak of the core 2 duo pwnage, where athlon prices hadn't dropped yet so intel was both cheaper and faster. he just "didn't trust intel". maybe these people just dont trust broadband. it might not be all that bad though. i mean, picture some quiet farmer somewhere in the middle of the nowhere on dialup suddenly getting broadband. and within a week he runs across youtube. might be pretty shocking to him :P Sick of it. By NinjaJedi on 7/4/2008 6:00:53 PM , Rating: 2 Haven't the people that say they can't get broadband in their area seen the same Hughes net commercial that has been playing for over 3 years now? The one with the red headed step child chick. I would think after over 3 years they could afford to make a new commercial. By brentpresley on 7/6/2008 10:09:53 AM , Rating: 2 Did you guys ever consider that a lot of the people that say they never want broadband simply do not want to support the companies currently offering broadband? I am not quite at that extreme, yet, but if there were another ISP in my area you can bet I would drop AT&T in a heartbeat, even if it costs me 50% more and my speed is 1/2 as fast. That's how much some of us hate these companies (and for good reason). Mobile Abilities By mixpix on 7/6/2008 4:17:24 PM , Rating: 2 I'm not too sure how many people would fall into this category, but some users may not want to upgrade their dial-up connection because it can be used pretty much anywhere. Laptops and users that have multiple computers in different locations may benefit from being able to connect from anywhere all under one account. I know that some ISP's offer dial-up hours with their high-speed connection, but not a lot of people know that. By yacoub on 7/6/2008 10:16:20 PM , Rating: 2 Yeah it's "only" going to take care of 79% of them. Proud to be ignorant By PWNettle on 7/7/2008 1:58:07 PM , Rating: 2 I'm pretty sure the USA is the only country where some people are ignorant and proud of it. Related Articles

http://www.dailytech.com/Users+Still+Cling+to+Dialup/article12283.htm

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Games not working? #1kyubiitachi001Posted 1/1/2014 3:26:34 PM Every time I try to start a game it gets to the initial loading screen for the game and then goes back home without launching. This is happening to both disc and digital games does anyone know how to fix this? You know you've played to much Halo when the weatherman conducts a flood warning and you run to get your shotgun #2wrettcaughnPosted 1/1/2014 3:41:34 PM Press the menu button over a game's tile and select "Quit Game". Then, start the game again. #3Jian_ZiPosted 1/1/2014 3:45:05 PM I just keep trying and then eventually the game will work.

http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/691088-xbox-one/68234233

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Quick Question #1ACasserPosted 12/17/2010 8:35:22 AM The description of this game on PSN says something about a 3-D television. Is this really necessary, or is PlayStation Network blowing smoke up my rear end and trying to encourage me to buy electronics I don't really need? Obviously, I'd prefer not to spend the $9.99 to purchase this game if I can't play it on my current television (HD, 27"). So what are the system component requirements for this game? (I've also read that while the game is designed with the Move controller in mind, it will run just fine using the standard controller and that Move isn't really necessary) #2EstivalPosted 12/18/2010 3:29:48 AM You don't need a Move or a 3D TV. It'll work just fine with a normal TV and controller. Its just a fact. #3ACasser(Topic Creator)Posted 12/18/2010 9:46:11 AM Thanks for the reply. I'm not buying new hardware for a game, but knowing that what I have now is fine is definitely a good thing.

http://www.gamefaqs.com/boards/978737-auditorium-hd/57510260

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