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The Fantasia Arc is the fifth, and current, story arc of Berserk, serialized in Young Animal starting in 2010. The arc is preceded by the Falcon of the Millennium Empire Arc and currently spans 50 episodes.
The story follows Guts and his comrades in the aftermath of the Great Roar of the Astral World caused by Griffith. Onboard the Seahorse, Guts and his party set sail for the mystical island of Elfhelm to seek counsel with the Elf King, who could possibly restore Casca's sanity. Meanwhile, Rickert begins to form his own party while Griffith rules nearly the entire world from his city, Falconia.
Plot Edit
Elf Island Chapter Edit
The Ghost Ship in the Full Moon Edit
After the events of Great Roar of the Astral World, bleeding from his Brand since the light hit the ship, Guts and his allies are still sailing on the Seahorse towards Skellig when they come across Bonebeard's ship the Captain Bonebeard. While it seemed impossible for it to moved after being heavily damaged in the earlier scuffle days ago, Schierke emerges from below deck to warn Roderick that Bonebeard's ship is populated by something not human as he eventually concedes to have Guts and his group face what ever is on the pirate whip while he and his men arm themselves. But the crew finds the animated corpses of Bonebeard and his crew before the former intend to his revenge on everyone as he summons squid-like creatures from to kill them. The creatures run rampant until Guts appears and downs a couple squids with a few deft blows before his opponents are revealed to be appendages of a larger one that he manages to cut down. With dawn approaching, Bonebeard retreats into sea while vowing to return.
Even though the party triumphs, the hull of Seahorse sustains heavy damage and requires repairs. Roderick sails the ship to a nearby island that seems very eerie with Schierke unsure if they should be on the island. Running off from the others with Puck against Schierke's wishes, Isidro comes across a cave where they meet a blue-haired girl named Isma who warns them not to enter the home of the Sea God. Though at first intimidated, Sea God decides to enter before he gets hurt while knocked off his feet by a wave of water. The girl invites him to her house, where she'll patch him up, and he goes with her while failing to realized he left his dagger behind. Once at the girl's house with his head bandaged, Isidro learns her name is Isma and tells her his group will only been spending the night on her island as he tells her of his adventures.
Meanwhile, Guts and the group find the only settlement on the island: A small fishing village that seems deserted with its residents hiding in their houses. Schierke still could not pinpoint the source of a strange feeling she has before Casca leads the group to a disconcerting statue in a small shrine, shaped like an octopus with a single, large, closed eye. Schierke identifies the stone to represent an old god that might be an Astral being the villagers worship as they have not been touched by the Holy See. Schierke tells the group to continue their search for an inn while she explores the island for suspicious activity, assuring Roderick that she can handle herself. Schierke's search brings her to cave of the Sea God and finds Isidro's dagger before forced to find tentacle creatures, before finding her way to Isma's house to berate Isidro for losing his weapon. Schierke then notices Isma and realizes she is no normal girl. As the sun sets, Schierke learns that Isma is part Merrow on her mother's side and that was ostracized by the villagers for her linage to the point that her father only spoke to her the day he died. Isma explains the village's resentment for the merrow originates from a group of them sealing away a tentacled monster know as the Sea God to a cave under the island. However, through imprisoned, the Sea God is able to extend its tentacles from the island to claim its prey once every month on a full moon. As Isidro sees a link between the Sea God and Bonebeard, Isma adds that the villagers have been acting strange and that she has heard noises from the cave and under the sea.
Back in the village as the sun sets on a full moon night, the group find an inn but find themselves uncomfortable due to the eerie atmosphere and fish smell. Guts gazes at other patrons and sees that their skin has the same texture as Bonebeard's did the previous night and the odd movement of the cook. When they finish their meal, Roderick decides to head back to the Seahorse to oversee its repairs while others get rest. However, the group find themselves surrounded by the villagers as they emerged from their houses as fish-like creatures. The group suspect that the village has decided to turn up to greet them, taking the words of the monster the cook became to believe that they are to be made a meal of before they are attacked by tentacles. Sensing Guts in the others in damage, Schierke and Isidro are lead to the village by Isma before the latter sees the Captain Bonebeard crawling onto the land with Bonebeard intend to have his revenge. Despite Shierke's pleas, Guts loses control and leaps onto Bonebeard's ship.
Schierke, Isidro and Isma arrived at the village, with Schierke realizing that every resident on the island has been transformed into a tentacle save Isma due to her mother's charm. Schierke requests that Isidro and Isma guard her body while she attempts to recall Guts' mind, only be knocked back into her body when the Berserker Armor prevents her from entering his mind. Guts begins a relentless massacre of the tentacles and sea slug creatures while Bonebeard panics, before noticing Casca being attacked by tentacles and saving her. While the others are wary over if Guts is in control, he can only see Casca clearly along with the thing she is holding: the flame-creature he saw on the beach outside Vritannis. The flame-creature enables Guts to regain control with Schierke's spell adding to that effect. Though the situation calmed with the Captain Bonebeard departing, the group refocuses on Casca running off to find the mysterious boy from before with Schierke and Guts realizing the child is more than he appears.
After Isidro convinces Roderick to let Isma come with them as he has his men quickly repair the ship to escape the island. But Guts explains that they need to destroy the tentacles at the source to ensure no future attacks, with Isma explaining the cave is where the tentacles come from. Schierke calls that everyone regroup on the Seahorse so that preparations can be made, having Farnese summon the Four Kings to protect the ship so she astral project herself to Guts' side to keep the Beast of Darkness from consuming him as he needs the full power of the Berserker Armor to defeat the Sea God.
The Sea God and the Merrow Edit
Arriving to the cave of the Sea God, Guts ventures into its depths until he reaches a more spacious cavern with dozens of giant sea slugs appear from the water below along with Bonebeard's ship. Bonebeard then says that the sea slugs are merely extensions of the Sea God itself, and bids Guts to peer through the darkness of the cave. Guts acquiesces, and through the darkness he finally sees the Sea God. Its sheer size is such that Guts cannot even see its whole body, but instead only its wide mouth. The Sea God lets out a low grumble, but this coming from such a big monster hits Guts like a gust of wind. Though Schierke advises that Guts find a bottleneck near the cave's entrance to kill the sea slugs can be killed one at a time, he decides to instead charge through them and enters the Sea God's mouth. Deducing that Guts is dead, Bonebeard decides to go after Seahorse, he and his crew able to bypass the barrier. In the battle that ensured, after defeating Bonebeard, Isidro drives the pirate off when he drops a bomb into the both of the main tentacle he and his crew are attached to. Inside the Sea God, after escaping the stomach, Guts reaches the heart as the Sea God senses the danger and sics its immune system on Guts and intensifying its heart beat to hurt him while emerging from the island with the crew of Bonebeard's ship becoming full tentacles in the process.
The wave caused by the island destruction crashes against the Seahorse with Isidro knocked overboard with Isma diving after him. But as they surrounded, Isma heards a voice in her head to say her true name. Isma utters it silently, and she is instantly transformed into a hybrid human-fish creature whose torso and head largely remain the same but whose legs become a tail. With her new powerful tail, Isma easily swims back up to the Sea Horde with Isidro in her arms. As Roderick redirects his men from her to the Sea God, with Ivalera warning her not reveal her true name because of the power it holds over Astral creatures, the voice that told the girl to speak her true name is revealed to be one of the Merrow swimming under the Seahorse as she joins her kind as Roderick intends to help them fight the Sea God. Isma manages to dodge several attacks by sea slugs and tentacles, but soon finds herself overwhelmed and surrounded. She is saved at the last moment by an adult merrow that she recognizes to be the one who told her to utter her true name: her mother.
Inside the Sea God, nearly blind and deaf from overusing the Berserker Armor, Guts gets nearly killed by the creature's heart increasing its heart beat until he and Schierke hear the Merrow singing as it causes the Sea God's pain. This leaves an opening for Guts to destroy the heart after Schierke guides him to it, the witch returning to her body as the Sea God dies. Isma's mother thanks the humans for their help while offering her people to assist in the search before the sea dragons are lured by blood spilled from the Sea God's body.
Inside the Sea God's body, Guts finds himself alone and tries to find his way out before the flame-child appears and guides the swordsman as he attempts to ask what it is and why it is helping him. Eventually, it indicates Guts' escape is through a fleshy wall inside the Sea God's body, Guts finding himself washed away by the ocean current before found by the merrow. Soon after, Isma resuming her human form, the Merrow serve as escorts to the Seahorse in gratitude for their help in defeating the Sea God. As Guts' injuries are tended to be Schierke and Farnese, they and the rest of the group learn that mysterious boy has left again. This turn of events has Schierke convinced that the boy might be an emissary from Skellig sent to investigate Guts' group or even be the Flower Storm Monarch.
Guts begins to doze off, and he dreams of Casca as she was before the Eclipse. Then, he suddenly remembers the Skull Knight's words about her: Guts' wish may not be Casca's. An image of the Eclipse flashes into Guts' mind, and he is startled awake. He wonders what will become of Casca after her sanity is restored and she is able to remember the Eclipse. Guts then contemplates his next move after Casca's mind is restored; his mind immediately wanders to Griffith.
Later, after walking from a nightmare, Guts wonders what would Casca do should her mind is restored with all memory of her ordeal in the Eclipse while contemplating what he would do next. At that time, the mysterious boy watches the Seahorse from one an invisible tree branch before taking his leave.
Paradise and Pandemonium Edit
Since Ganishka's death and the World transformation, the world has changed with humans escaping from the Astral creatures that now roam the land. Among the supernatural wildlife, the trolls are the most reoccurring threat for travelers. Rickert happened to be in one such caravan alongside Erica as he attempts to hinder the trolls that are attacking their group. Luckily, the group are saved from the trolls by Irvine and soldiers led by Laban before a Cockatrice ambushes them. Rickert is shocked to see Irvine as an Apostle while killing the monster bird, further conflicted to learn he is a member of Griffith's new Band of the Falcon. Soon after, Rickert's group gain their rescuers as escorts. During a later attack by Harpies, Rickert recognizes Laban who failed to remember the boy's ties to the previous Band of the Falcon.
The group soon arrive into a plane filled with gemstone formations that Laban explains are Wing Stones that ward off evil before pointing to the World Spiral Tree that it all that remained of Ganishka. The caravan eventually reaches Falconia, now completely inhabited while learning that numerous escort groups are sent to save and gather as much of humanity as they can find. After Laban presents him with a letter of recommendation for several local guilds, Rickert feels conflicted that he also gains a writ with instructions to see Griffith a day after settling in. Rickert and Erica later get board in inn owned by Luca and the hooded Daiba serving as a stablehand due to his skill in talking to animals.Berserk, Volume 38, Episode 334.
The next day, as Rickert heads off, Erica, along with two other young boys, amuse themselves by trying to sneak into the barn behind Luca's inn, in which a monster is said to live. Inside the barn is Daiba, who frightens the boys off while hypnotizes her into doing his choirs due to knee pain. But Daiba did not expect Erica to be no stranger to manual labor as still shows interest in entering the barn. It was only when she noticed Daiba's knee pain that she gives him a leg brace that Rickert made for Godot in his final months.
Meahwhile, after an arduous climb, Rickert reaches Falconia's citadel and presents his writ to enter. Inside, Rickert runs into the citadel's captain Owen who learned of the boy through Laban. But Owen explains that Rickert would need to wait as Griffith is attending a funeral mass for those among the caravan who did not make it, using his power to enable their spirits to give comfort to the surviving loved ones with Sonia as their medium. Locus appears behind Rickert and Owen, the former deducing he is not human as the Apostle explains while this gives the survivors closure, it also tells them that they know an afterlife exists. Locus then borrows Rickert, deducing the boy wishes to know about the Eclipse, to take him behind the city to see the Apostles' personal arena, Pandemonium. There, with Rickert shocked to see an Apostle fighting an ogre, Locus explains that Griffith has enabled their kind with a place they can belong and only need to defend humankind in return. Locus concludes that Griffith created a true utopian society where no one has to fight amongst themselves or fear death.
Once the mass concludes, Griffith and his inner circle settle themselves in a gazebo to enjoy the tea and cake Charlotte made before Locus arrives with Rickert standing nearby on a small bridge. Parting from the others, Griffith meets Rickert for a private discussion. As Griffith approaches, Rickert is conflicted on what to say as Griffith sacrificed their allies while having created an utopia society. But the moment Griffith asks Rickert if he still wants to help him achieve his dream after learning the truth, the boy slaps him across the face to everyone's shock with Griffith ordering his men to stand down. Revealing the shame he was not able to join the others in saving him, Rickert tells Griffith that he cannot truly hate him but tells him that he will always be a part of the Band of the Falcon rather than its replacement before walking off with Griffith telling his entourage that Rickert merely rejected an offer of camaraderie. But as Locus angrily crushes a stone handrail with his grip over the turn of events, the event was witnessed by another.
Over the next few days, despite his talents making him a valuable asset to the city, Rickert fears he may be forced to leave Falconia for slapping Griffith. But the fact that the advanced city was only made a reality by his comrades' deaths convinces Rickert leave on his own volition. While Luca accepts Rickert's decision to leave Falconia, she asks him to reconsider it if Erica accompanies him. Later that evening, Rickert wanders through Falconia's armories while pondering over what his next course of action should be before is confronted by Rakshas who attempts to kill him before Silat and his Tapasa intervene. After the battle that ensues, losing his mask in the process, Rakshas fall back while vowing to return later. Recognizing Silat as one who led a host of mercenaries who ambushed the Falcons years ago while learning the Kushan needs him for intelligence on Griffith, Rickert barters a deal for Silat to get him and Erica out of the city.
Rickert later returns to Luca's inn with the cloaked Silat to get supplies, telling Luca that he is no longer safe in Falconia while Silat explains he is taking the boy to the Bakiraka clan's hidden fortress. Silat adds that he considered joining Griffith the day of Ganishka's death, but ultimately decided against allying himself with another inhuman being. But as preparations are being made, the maskless Rakshas stares down at Falconia from a large falcon-shaped statue before putting a new mask to resume his attack. Though Rickert and Silat were ready for him, Rakshas reveals himself to be an Apostle while taking Erica as they attempt to kill the monster with weapons and fire. But Erica runs onto the battlefield with the Apostle grabbing her to with the intent rip her apart and douse the fire on his body with her blood. But Daiba appeared at the last second, using snakes to force Rakshas to drop Erica into his arms to repay her kindness to him while expressing his wish to leave Falconia as well. With Daiba's snakes and vermin slowing Rakshas down, the gang head to the barn where Daiba kept some Garudas while he gives Luca a sack of diamonds for compensation. Rickert and his group then mount on Garudas to escape, firing a rocket at Rakshas when he attempts to catch up to them. With on devastating shot, Rakshas is sent reeling back into the city while everyone sees the group flying off into the night.
Elfhelm Edit
After eight days of travel, the Seahorse has reached the island of Skellig with Isidro inquiring why Puck left his home in the first place. Puck goes into a long story that he picked a fight with a seagull over fish and got himself stranded on the main land. Isma's mother gives Guts and his company a seashell to communicate with her while warning them to not linger on the island too long as a day on it is decades long. But the crew soon find out that is no simple walk to Elfhelm as were greeted by countless traps. The first is a field of stones that caused those not from the island to become lost, with Puck leading the group pass them. The group stumbled into a pumpkin field where Isiduro accidently animates a small army of scarecrows, Shierke using her magic to reduces the golems to dust. It is then revealed that Guts' group are being watched by a witch coven with their member Morda conjuring a wickerman golem to attack the party before it is split in two by Guts' sword.
The witches eventually themselves known with Schierke trying to reason with them before everyone realizes the fire from the wickerman golem is starting to spread. Luckily, the fire is stopped by rain magically conjured by a wizard named Gedfring, whom was told of the group's arrival by the Flower Storm Monarch and takes them a manor in Elfhelm where he and the other archmages live along with their aide Danan. There, the Archmages inform Guts of the Great Roar of the Astral World that Griffith induced with Gedfring explaining that the restoration of Casca is within their sovereign's power along with the nature of elemental magic. Guts and his group are later taken to the Spirit Tree within Elfhelm where the Flower Storm Monarch has took residence in, learning that Danan is the Flower Storm Monarch herself.
After sentencing Puck and Magnifico to a day of community service when the two's collaborative plot to overthrow her is brought into light, Danan asks Guts to remain while requesting Schierke, Ivalera, and Farnese to accompany her and Casca. Once in a mushroom filled chamber, Danan explains to Farnese and Schierke that the Corridor of Dreams ritual requires them to astral project themselves into the mind of Casca and travel through its recesses. Once Danan warns them that the world of a person's mind is a more difficult place to move about in compared to the Astral Plane, Schierke and Farnese enter into Casca's dreamscape after being put to rest. The two women initially find Casca's dreamscape to be a series of childish scribbles with a shadowed silhouette meant to represent Guts, guided by Danan's petals to their destination: A mental recreation of the Eclipse over a barren landscape where they find a hound with a missing leg dragging a coffin around. Inspecting the coffin, Schierke and Farnese find the shattered remains of a doll-like figure with little creature inside it: A mental representative of Casca. Danan proceeds to direct Farnese and Schierke to their next destination as the latter beckons the hound, Casca's mental image of Guts, to come with them. Upon reaching a campfire, revealed to be a fragment of Casca's mind, the two girls learn that gathering the fragments to mend the doll will restore Casca. However, Farnese and Schierke find opposition in the cloaked creatures residing in the wasteland.
Story Impact Edit
- Isma joining the crew of the Seahorse.
- Rickert forming a group with Silat and Daiba.
- Guts and company reach the island of Skellig.
- Casca regains her sanity and memories.
Major Fights Edit
This section requires expansion.
Notes Edit
- In an interview with Young Animal, Miura revealed that as of the beginning of the Fantasia Arc, Berserk is roughly 60-70% done in terms of story progression.[1]
- The arc is often referred to by fans as the "Boat Arc", poking fun at the incredibly long amount of time Guts and his friends are onboard the Seahorse.
References Edit
|Fantasia Arc
|Manga Episodes
|Story Segments
|Other Media


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Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas
May you have warm words on a cold evening,
a full moon on a dark night, and the road downhill all the way to your door.
Mary Engelbreit
Wishing you & your family peace & joy
throughout the holidays and never forget
wishes & dreams do come true,
especially in books.
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Yahtasay, hello.
Hi I'm Diann welcome and join me on my adventure. I'm the author of "A Faded Cottage" & "Whispering Fog" and Founder of Diann Shaddox Foundation. I'm a member of the Wyandotte Nation & I have Essential Tremor (ET). I love to travel, cook, which leads to eating and I love wines. Chardonnay is my favorite unless I'm eating steak then I'll take a glass of Cabernet.
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From Owls in the Family to Wesley the Owl, the narrative in which a human interacts with another species and learns a bit about life along the way has long been a popular and affecting one. Even many of our clumsy and destructive attitudes towards our fellow creatures — the horrors of early zoos and circuses, the irresponsible feeding of stray cats, the impulse to grab up fledglings who are just trying to get their air-legs under them after leaving the nest and 'help' them — often spring from a deeply rooted desire for interaction, a belief that it will lead to something profound.
This is a story that is clearly not going away. And seen in that light, you could do worse with such tales than The Hummingbird That Answered My Heart's Calling. Author Noelle M. Meade-Izzi takes a New Agey view that can seem startlingly self-centered (as when she states "Artemis [the hummer of the title] had showed up in my life to share a part of her world") but what she does not do is interfere with, hold captive, experiment on, poke or prod her new 'friend'. The closest she comes is singing to the incubating bird. This is a pretty good model of the modern environmental ethic of self-restraint and respectful watching.
That said, the book contains little that is likely to impress the seasoned birder. Meade-Izzi's discoveries — that hummingbirds are tiny, and cute, and part of a remarkable food web that demonstrates the interconnectedness of all living things, that they can inspire a human to follow her instincts and work on contentment in her own life — are those of a nature novice, albeit a wildly enthusiastic one. The extremely short chapters, four or five paragraphs in length, don't really allow for the development of more complex themes.
Also, as mentioned before, the narrative voice is overtly New Agey, full of assertions about the love of Mother Earth and the creative stream of all that exists — a stance unlikely to resonate with a more scientifically-oriented audience. I certainly found it jarring. And the author's vast near-pantheistic enthusiasm for her subject is too often expressed by the addition of more words, more punctuation, more over-the-top sentences, the occasional bout of all-caps for emphasis. She shows little editorial restraint. This is a shame, because were the text less verbose, I could see the book appealing to a younger audience with more patience for the basic, the obvious, and the odd passage of imaginary dialogue between birds.
There is one significant aesthetic problem with the physical book, too. The book designer has fallen into the classic trap of selecting a beautiful, lightly textured background that works great for the abundant photographs, but combines with a slight font to make the text aggravating to read.
So, while it represents a fresh effort in a long tradition, I must say that I wished for much more from this book than it delivered.
Carrie Laben's review does contain one piece of useful information concerning the "beautiful, lightly textured background that works great for the abundant photographs" but makes the font "aggravating to read." Ms Laben is justifiably "aggravated" because she donned her scientific-oriented, birder spectacles for the light-hearted, inspiring story with "Answered My Heart's Calling" in the title. This reviewer has fallen into the classic trap of having to trounce a story with phony evidence in order to manufacture a "critical" book review. Perhaps Carrie should relax one night, pour a local microbrew into a chilled glass, curl up next to the warm glow of her fireplace, turn on a powerful reading lamp to enjoy this spunky, fun, heartwarming, thought provoking gift book in a "different light." The reviewer claims Meade-Izzi's voice is overtly New Agey, full of assertions about the love of Mother Earth and the creative stream of all that exists" which jarred her with "little editorial restraint." Personally, and with a scientific eye, I found the author's portrayal of "interconnectedness" in Nature and the Universe refreshing and in line with widely accepted views on merging spiritual beliefs and proven science.
I stepped back from my ego and narcissism and enjoyed this little book…a book written with artistic flair, and obviously not meant to be a scientific, birding journal. I recommend this book for those willing to enjoy Meade-Izzi's energetic writing style through a lens that enunciates her journey with once-in-a-lifetime imagery. And, by the way, anyone facing "empty nest syndrome," this book is for you!
© 2013 10,000 Birds. All words, images, and opinions are the property of their respective authors unless stated otherwise.


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ABUSE FREE - Christians Wake Up!
"NEW" - Resource List up to E115 + All our Tracts + 21 Bible Studies + Other Web Articles = now available on CD in PDFs for a love gift of $5.00 (Oct. 10, 2006) Just ask for RESOURCE LIST CD.
We have several categories listed for your convenience such as books, videos, CDs, cassette tapes, tracts, and ministry services, etc. and we have included an order form for your convenience.
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Hacking the Bomb begins its narrative with WarGames—a 1980s sci-fi movie about a teenager who inadvertently almost starts nuclear war by hacking into a nuclear control program within a U.S. computer. This is a common vignette within the cyber literature (see, for example, the introductions of Fred Kaplan's Dark Territory[2] as well as "Thermonuclear War"[3]) and it represents what most scholars believe is the most dangerous potential implication of cyber operations—the cyber threat to nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3). As Erik Gartzke and Jon Lindsay conclude, "offensive cyber operations against NC3 raise the risk of nuclear war . . . today the proliferation and modernization of nuclear weapons may raise the risk slightly. Subversion of NC3 raises the danger of nuclear war slightly more. Cyberwar is not war per se, but in rare circumstances it may make escalation to thermonuclear war more likely."[4]
Tag: nuclear weapons
Article Review 91 on "Nuclear Beliefs: A Leader-Focused Theory of Counter-Proliferation."
In "Nuclear Beliefs: A Leader-Focused Theory of Counter-Proliferation," Rachel Whitlark advances a new framework to explain why military force is rarely employed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. According to power transition theory, a nuclear weapons program should spark an intense security dilemma with a high risk of war as other nations consider using force to forestall an adverse shift in the balance of power.[1] Contrary to this conventional wisdom, Whitlark demonstrates that even a looming proliferation threat does not pressure all leaders to "think and act similarly" by mulling over preventive war (550). Instead, the article shows that presidents and prime ministers come into political office with prior beliefs about the consequences of proliferation and stability of nuclear deterrence. For some leaders, a sanguine judgement about the ability to manage nuclear-armed adversaries becomes an anchor against even deliberating coercive counter-proliferation strategies. Whitlark marshals archival evidence to show how President John F. Kennedy's entrenched pessimism about proliferation led him to consider a range of military options against China's emerging nuclear program. In stark contrast, President Lyndon B. Johnson's optimism seemed to result in these same options being taken off the table on the eve of the first Chinese nuclear weapons test.
Roundtable 9-22 on Unclear Physics: Why Iraq and Libya Failed to Get the Bomb
Malfrid Braut-Hegghammer's new book Unclear Physics: Why Iraq and Libya Failed to Get the Bomb should find itself on the shelf of any serious student of nuclear proliferation, international security, and the internal and external security dynamics of dictatorial regimes. It is by far the best history of Iraq's and Libya's failed attempts at acquiring nuclear weapons, leveraging diverse archival material and primary interviews to illuminate new and interesting features of both programs. It argues that due to a lack of state capacity, Iraqi and Libyan dictators Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi stunted their own nuclear programs, but to varying degrees. The Libyan program was terminally ill from the beginning, but Saddam and his son-in-law, Hussein Kamil, according to Braut-Hegghammer, were on the cusp of a major breakthrough in their nuclear program on the eve of the 1990 invasion of Kuwait. She argues that while both programs suffered from deep pathologies, Kamil's management of the program pushed Iraq farther along by 1990 than anyone had realized. The implication is that, had Saddam not invaded Kuwait, Iraq might have successfully acquired nuclear weapons. The historical value of the book alone is worth the price of admission. It has no peer in its discussion of these nuclear programs. And the implicit theoretical argument raises a host of fascinating questions about the ability of some types of regimes to effectively pursue nuclear weapons, advancing work done by Jacques Hymans and, more recently, myself.[1]
Policy Series: The Madman Myth: Trump and the Bomb
President Donald Trump has now assumed control over the nation's arsenal of more than 4,000 nuclear weapons. What will he do with them? We do not yet know the Trump administration's approach to nuclear strategy, but Trump has offered some clues to his mindset. He has denounced nuclear arms control, declaring that he would welcome a renewed nuclear arms race with Russia.[1] He has indicated that he might be willing to allow Japan and other U.S. allies to acquire nuclear weapons.[2] And he has suggested that he might be willing to use nuclear weapons against the Islamic State.[3]
Policy Roundtable 1-2 on Brexit
When British voters chose to leave the European Union in a 23 June 2016 referendum, they unleashed an intense and ongoing national debate over the consequences. Not surprisingly, the debate has largely surrounded the economic, political, and social consequences of "Brexit." Those in favour of leaving emphasized the benefits of independence from what they saw as a sclerotic and undemocratic EU. Those opposed warned about the economic consequences of withdrawing from a common market, and feared that the vote was evidence of creeping nativism in British society.
Article Review 58 on "Self-deterrence: Nuclear Weapons and the enduring credibility challenge." International Journal 71:1
T.V. Paul has captured something both intangible and frustrating in debates over nuclear deterrence: the disconnect between strategic and moral thinking. Anyone who has worked on these issues is — or should be — struck by the almost casual way in which planners and strategists speak about the use of nuclear weapons, especially against small nuclear powers or even against non-nuclear states about to cross the nuclear threshold. It is not unusual to hear the use of five, ten, or twenty tactical nuclear weapons being mooted in various scenarios, or even to contemplate the employment of a small number of strategic strikes.
Response to Article Review 28 on "New Delhi's Long Nuclear Journey: How Secrecy and Institutional Roadblocks Delayed India's Weaponization"
Jayita Sarkar's generous though critical review of my article flags several aspects concerning its methodology and substance. These criticisms demand answers and I am happy to provide them.
Article Review 28 on "New Delhi's Long Nuclear Journey: How Secrecy and Institutional Roadblocks Delayed India's Weaponization"
Gaurav Kampani investigates a crucial research puzzle in nuclear proliferation literature, namely, the possible underpinnings of India's slow weaponization process. Addressing the period 1989-1999, he argues that despite acquiring nuclear weapons in 1989-1990, New Delhi lacked the capability to "deliver them reliably or safely until 1994-95 or possibly 1996" (81). According to Kampani, it was internal secrecy that prevented India's swift acquisition of operational nuclear capability. He underlines that the "hoarding and compartmentalization of information not only prevented India from coordinating the weapons development and weaponization programs efficiently, but also encouraged sequential decisionmaking" (82).
Roundtable 7-1, No Use: Nuclear Weapons and U.S. National Security
One of the perennial questions of the nuclear age is 'How Much is Enough?' In the late 1950's, Admiral Arleigh Burke and the U.S. Navy argued that the American arsenal could be much smaller than the massive one that had been created over the course of the decade. The Navy position, which came to be known as one of 'minimum' or 'finite' deterrence, never prevailed during the Cold War; the American nuclear arsenal during the Cold War contained over 30,000 warheads by the late 1960's. In his thoughtful and provocative new book, Tom Nichols argues that the time for the adoption of a minimum deterrent posture is now. Despite the large reductions in the American arsenal since the end of the Cold War, Nichols argues that further reductions in the size of that arsenal are long overdue. In his view, the 1550 warheads provided for by the 'New Start' treaty can and should be reduced much further.
Continue reading
Article Review 25 on "Why States Won't Give Nuclear Weapons to Terrorists."
In 2010 U.S. President Barack Obama stated that nuclear terrorism was "the single biggest threat to U.S. security, both short-term, medium-term and long-term".[1] The events of September 11, 2001 demonstrated the real risk of catastrophic terrorism. It also exacerbated existing fears that groups such as Al-Qaeda would be willing to detonate a nuclear device either on U.S. territory or American valuables abroad. It is one thing to hijack a plane and crash it into a building. It is quite another challenge to obtain a nuclear weapon or the materials needed to assemble a nuclear bomb. Unlike 'conventional' arms which proliferate much more easily in the international system, nuclear weapons are much harder to assemble or obtain; a terrorist group would need a state's assistance to do this. This has raised the issue of terrorism as a technique – that a state might resort to nuclear attack by proxy against the United States and its allies in order to avoid attribution.[2]


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Volunteers needed to help wipeout graffiti in Gulfton
Verita Duncan is tired of seeing graffiti in the Gulfton area.
For the second time this year, a series of multi-colored spray marks are giving Duncan a headache at her Gulfton-area Kroger Signature store. This time, however, the general manager is enlisting the help of about 30 students to take back the store's walls and the community.
Duncan is calling on the United Minds youth group, which, in turn, is calling out to the community for help.
From 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, United Minds members and community volunteers will clean four to six graffiti-infested properties in the Gulfton community, including Duncan's Kroger store.
Most of the paint that will be used will be donated either by the property owners or by the Mayor's Anti-Gang Office. Kroger will provide refreshments for all volunteers, Duncan said.
The date coincides with the National Join Hands Day, when young people and adults across the country will unite to cleanup their neighborhoods to make them safer places to live.
Initiated in 1997, United Minds members include teens like 17-year-old William Quintanilla, who fears for his 8-year-old sister, Odalys Penado, every time he sees more graffiti appearing in his neighborhood.
"Gangsters are marking their territory," he said.
He is not alone.
Jessica Figueroa, a seventh-grader at Jane Long Middle School, and her three siblings Adrian Figueroa, 12, Marbeli Figueroa, 14, and Corina Herrera, 17, joined United Minds less than two months ago. Like many past and present Gulfton-area residents, Jessica Figueroa said she is looking forward to the day when they can move out of the Gulfton area.
"I live here, but I'm always scared," said Jessica Figueroa. "I don't want to be afraid anymore."
From this fear Quintanilla came up with the idea for the first Gulfton Graffiti Wipeout. He approached Tanya Makany, United Minds' youth coordinator, with the idea to cleanup the Gulfton area earlier this year.
"This is our community, this is where we live," Quintanilla said.
As it turns out, his timing was very much in sync with Duncan's, who proposed a similar project at a community meeting. Makany connected the dots and made the cleanup effort a reality.
This is not the first time United Minds and Kroger have worked together.
In the past, Kroger has been a constant and supportive backer of the youth group's efforts.
"A lot of those kids end up coming to work for me," Duncan said.
Quintanilla and the other members of United Minds are hoping that the community will join in and help make their day a success. Depending on what the overall turnout of the event is, Makany is considering making graffiti wipeouts a regular part of her group's community service projects.
About United Minds
United Minds is a youth-centered organization established as a partnership between the Mayor's Anti-Gang Office and the Weed & Seed Gulfton initiative, a community outreach government organization.
Every Wednesday from 6 to 7 p.m. United Minds students meet at Burnett Bayland Park, at Gulfton and Chimney Rock, to tackle community issues in the 77081 ZIP code. The group is open to youth ages 12 to 17 who either live or attend school within that ZIP code.


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As voters in the United States head to the polls, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has a blunt reminder of what awaits the next president in the Middle East.
Faced with re-election himself in January, Netanyahu was asked by Israel's Channel 2 about Iran's progress toward a nuclear weapon. "I am of course ready to press the button if necessary," he replied. "If there's no other way, Israel is ready to act."
Netanyahu has repeatedly threatened that Israel might strike Iran on its own, rhetoric likely aimed at the Obama Administration, which has favored continued sanctions. On the same program, Ehud Olmert, a potential rival for prime minister, had this to say about Netanyahu's heated language aimed at Obama: "And if we need something, who would we ask? The person who we're doing everything to prevent from becoming the president of the United States?"


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Charities have been given a temporary reprieve after they were left to find new premises weeks before Christmas.
Dozens of good causes and community groups have been allowed to use offices in Lee House in Peterlee rent-free, but after a new landlord took over the site, have been asked to leave.
"It seems a bit cruel and callous to throw people out before Christmas."Alan Sill
They were first given a date of December 31, but have now been given until January 21 to find new facilities.
They have joined Centric Community Projects, which manages the property scheme, in appealing for other building owners to volunteer their empty properties to allow the organisations to continue their work and save cash.
Those who allow people to use their units and offices receive business rate relief.
Among those to be affected is Alan Sill, of Now East Durham, which helps train up unemployed people through journalism skills.
He said: "Some of the charities will find it difficult to find somewhere alternative.
"It seems a bit cruel and callous to throw people out before Christmas. I'm okay in that I just need a little office space, but some need a much bigger set up.
"We're really puzzled about what will be happening to the building."
Easington MP Grahame Morris has been offering the charities advice as they try to find new spaces.
It is not thought any planning application has been submitted for Lee House.
Julie Ion, of Centric Community Projects, said she had appealed through Facebook to find new premises and would welcome any help from landlords, with anyone who can help asked to call her on 01908 667750.


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Elk Grove Village police received a report about 8:01 a.m. Tuesday of a theft of motor vehicle parts in the 900 block of Oakton Street, Elk Grove Village. Police received a report that a catalytic converter was stolen from a vehicle parked at the business.
Catalytic converter thefts occur because the exhaust and pollution control devices contain precious metals, such as palladium, platinum and rhodium which can be sold to metal scrappers for about $100 to $150.
Several incidents have occurred in Elk Grove Village recently.
Reciprocating saw (file photo).
Catalytic converters can be removed after a few quick cuts by a battery-powered reciprocating saw, or All-Saw.
Catalytic converter theft is increased for vehicles that are parked for prolonged periods of time in large parking lots, such as shopping centers, mass transit commuter lots or company fleet parking lots. Offenders frequently hit a fleet of vehicles at night or over weekends. Pickup trucks and SUVs are at higher risk of theft because it is easier for offenders to slide under the vehicle without jacking it up to access the catalytic converter.
Catalytic converters have also been stolen from vehicles parked at the Arlington Park commuter lot.
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The single easiest way to make your outdoor clothing last longer and perform better is to keep it clean. Most people do not wash their gear frequently enough. Years of accumulated grime conspires to eat away at your fabrics and zippers not unlike pouring sand into your truck's gas tank. We're not suggesting that you wash your clothes after every outingover washing can beat up your clothes toobut 1-2 times per year for shells, and 2-3 times per year for fleece, is not excessive. We recommend going to the laundromat and using a much superior, horizontal axis washing machine (if you don't have one at home), they are higher capacity and gentler, use less electricity, water and detergent, and do a better job of cleaning!
Zip your zippers about 3/4 closed before subjecting them to the washing machine agitator or dryer tumbler. Most zipper failures are caused by the slider getting beaten up during use and while washing. By zipping the garment most of the way closed, you still allow sufficient water penetration for proper cleaning, but prevent the slider from being thrown about.
Carefully follow the care instructions sewn into each garment (We often include labels that simply say "drip dry." This is not because they cannot be machine dried, it's simply because there's not enough room to include this entire paragraph!). Use either liquid or powder detergent, but do not use any more than absolutely necessary; it is a common mistake to believe that if some is good, more must be better. Dryers from different manufacturers and different ages are notoriously unreliable when it comes to temperature settings. One unit's "cool" is another unit's "cook." Monitor your model's performance carefully by opening it up and feeling the garment itself. Synthetic fabrics dry very rapidly; leaving them on overdrive may cause them to melt! Once you know your machine, you can probably gauge what setting and length of time work best, but remember that it will vary with the size of the load you are drying. If unsure, use the tumble dry, lowest heat setting possible, and monitor the clothes with your hands as they dry. It never hurts to pull them out a little early and hang them up.
The unique SEQUEL Solar System is designed to endure the rigors of years of outdoor activity, but hats tend to take a particularly abusive beating. Worn constantly, hats will get dirtier faster than many other articles of clothing, due to the head's incessant production of sweat to cool the brain. Sweat includes a lot of salt, as well as water, and mixes with dust in the air to form a grime that is best washed out on a regular basis. Too, hats get handled often, and dirty hands make for dirty hats.
The Desert Rhat cap, River Rhat cap, Desert Cap, and Desert Shield should all be hand washed with warm water, Ivory soap, and a sponge. Do not use detergent (We have seen some detergents literally eat away the foil lining sewn into the hat's crown). Using plain Ivory soap will keep your foil shining brightly for many years. Rinse thoroughly with fresh water. Drip dry. Though the brims are made of polyethylene (with the exception of the Desert Shield), you may want to rubber-band it to a coffee-can to retain its shape while it dries.
The Desert Rhat and River Rhat capes, along with their optional Mojave and Sahara capes, can be detached from the caps. The Velcro strips are neatly reversed, so that you can attach the loop to the pile before tossing them into your washing machine, and having them stick to everything else. Wash the capes in warm water. Tumble dry low heat. And consider purchasing a spare for long trips; you will appreciate having a clean back up, especially if you lose one when it's 100 degrees in the shade.
Gore-Tex was the firstand is still the mostdurably waterproof, breathable and windproof fabric on the market. Gore-Tex outerwear is easy to care for. Machine wash in warm water. Do not bleach. Tumble dry warm. If professionally dry cleaned, request clear distilled solvent and spray repellent.
There are many misunderstandings about Gore-Tex fabrics that deserve special attention. Some people believe it "hurts" the fabric to wash itthat it won't breathe as well or won't be as waterproof, if they doso they let it grow filthy to "preserve their investment." Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, keeping your Gore-Tex shell clean is one of the best things you can do to extend its life (without overdoing it, of course). We strongly recommend the use of Tech Wash from Nikwax. One bottle, poured directly into your washing machine, will properly wash 2-3 Gore-Tex garments at once and leave no residue or perfumes on the fabric after rinsing.
Another misconception revolves around the concept of "waterproofness." After a year or more of use, your Gore-Tex shell won't "bead up" like it used to. When it rains hard the water will tend to "sheet" across the fabric instead of "bouncing off" of it, like it did when it was new. The reason for this is that the Durable Water Repellent (DWR) finish applied to the fabric at the mill has worn down, not unlike your car when it's in need of a new coat of wax. The garment is still waterproof, as is your car, but the water behaves differently when interacting with the fabric. Cold water, sheeting across the exterior, diminishes the fabric's breathability and causes the interior to feel colder and clammier, sometimes leading to the perception that the fabric is "leaking," though it is not.
To restore the factory-applied DWR, you need only wash the garment and dry it according to the instructions on the label. The heat from the dryer will, like magic, boost the DWR nearly back to its original level. For a few wash/dry cycles this works wonders, but then you will need to apply a new DWR treatment. This minor bit of routine maintenance is no different than what your automobile requiresa fresh coat of waxand will extend the functionality and comfort of your investment for years. We recommend Nikwax's TX Direct for this job, as it has proven itself to last far longer than other brands. The liquid, applied in the rinse cycle, is the most thorough (but not recommended for the Storm King Parka due to its hydrophillic lining), but the spray works well in between trips, especially on the shoulders and elbows.
What do tree skiing, ice climbing, nasty dogs, and crackling campfires all have in common? They can put holes in your waterproof shell gear. We suggest three levels of repair, depending on the extent of the damage:
Polartec fabrics are recognized worldwide as the leading brand of high-performance fabrics, and the first choice of serious athletes and outdoor enthusiasts. There are different Polartec fabrics engineered for a wide variety of performance activities, each designed to provide optimum comfort and protection through climate control technology. Care remains the same, however, regardless of the type of Polartec used in each garment: Luke warm wash, tumble dry low. Do Not use bleach or water softeners. And do not iron or dry clean. We recommend applying Nikwax Polarproof from time to time to maintain the fabric's DWR (Durable Water Repellent) finish.
Sequel Polartec Mayanwear must be treated somewhat more gently, to preserve the exquisite, hand-dyed collar trim. We recommend hand or machine washinggentle cyclein cold water. Drip dry. All other instructions for Polartec remain the same.
SEQUEL outdoor clothing PO Box 409 Durango, Colorado 81302-0409 USA


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LeBron James expresses sympathy for victims of Hurricane Sandy
LeBron James feels for all the people affected by Hurricane Sandy. But he doesn't feel any differently about the Knicks.
After Miami practiced Thursday, James, who spurned the Knicks in the summer of 2010 and knocked them out of the playoffs last season, was asked what he thinks of the moves they made in the offseason.
"I don't really get too involved in other people's teams, especially the Knicks," James told reporters in Miami.
James will see the new-look Knicks up close Friday night at the Garden after some travel hiccups caused by Sandy.
The Heat flew into Newark Thursday evening and it took the team close to three hours to get to their midtown hotel because of traffic heading into Manhattan.
At one point, Dwyane Wade tweeted, "3 hour traffic just to get into the NY city . . . #C'monMan." Wade later clarified what he meant, and tweeted, "We shouldn't B hre 2 play a basketball game when theirs so many families obviously still R affected by #Sandy."
Earlier in the day, James expressed his concern for those Sandy impacted.
"I think it's very unfortunate," he said. "It's a natural disaster so there's nothing anyone can do about it. All the families that either lost loved ones or their house has been destroyed, whatever the case may be, our prayers go out to them."
Shane Battier said the Heat could be useful to help some fans blow off steam.
"The people of the tri-state area need a place to yell," Battier said, "so we're here for them."
We're revamping our Comments section. Learn more and share your input.


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Size guide & measurements:
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ExpertRating – Online Certification and Employment Testing
ExpertRating is a leader in online skills certification with over 200 popular offerings available to users worldwide.
ExpertRating an ISO 9001-2000 certified company offering online certification and training services to individuals and companies in over 60 countries. Apart from having certified over 200,000 individuals since 2001, ExpertRating is also offering employee testing services to leading companies such as Ericsson, Convergys Corp., IKEA Systems and Deltek Corp. to name a few. Some of the main areas of activity of ExpertRating are:
- Online Certification for individuals
- Online tests and quizzes for individuals
- Online Training and tutorials
- Online employee testing for companies
ExpertRating believes in delivering cutting edge competency evaluation and skills training services based on scientific testing and training methodologies through a quality driven approach. ExpertRating strives to continually improve and upgrade its services by adopting the latest technologies and methodologies in the development and delivery of testing and training services.
Who should take an ExpertRating certification?
If you would like to give your resume and career prospects a cutting edge in the competitive job market, an ExpertRating certification is just the thing for you. An ExpertRating certification will benefit you in the following ways:
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ExpertRating test Format
- Type of test: Multiple choice with one or more correct answers
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Blogs can be used for business means or as a simple hobby. Your blog can be a personal hideaway or a professional promotional tool. If you want people to visit your personal site though, it needs to have a certain level of professionalism. This article contains several suggestions to assist you produce a successful blog.
Make sure that you are not overusing any keywords, plug-ins, Adsense ads and images. Doing so will only get you flagged by a search engine, and it will erase all of the hard work that you are trying to do. Keep your writing organic, and allow it to flow smoothly.
Be present for your readers. Connections are important in the online world, and this is especially true when you are writing a blog. If you've begun to connect with your visitors, they'll expect that you'll be around regularly. When you start feeling like you want to give up, keep in mind that your readers will be very disappointed.
Comment on related blogs as a means of attracting new interest in yours. Keep track of all the blogs you wish to follow in a special folder using Google Reader. Visit those blogs daily and add your two cents, often.
A common mistake on sites is to overload viewers with Adsense ads, plug-ins and keywords. If you do this, search engines will flag you, negating all the work you are doing. Keep your writing flowing smoothly and naturally.
When making your blog, buy your domain name as opposed to going with a free site. Domains are very cheap, but do wonders for your professionalism. Domain names, especially when they include the actual names of businesses, are generally easier for folks to remember.
Don't plagiarize other content from the web. Plagiarism is a very serious offense, and being fingered as a plagiarist can destroy your reputation. Writing expertise is not required to be an effective blogger. It's more about the amount of passion you have for your subject.
You can hold readers' attention and encourage them to visit your blog frequently by supplying new content for them as often as you can. The majority of the most successful blogs post a new entry at least once per day. If you are intimidated by having to write something new every day, consider writing enough posts for five or six weeks before you let your blog go live. When you're getting writer's block, you can use posts like these to help fill some of the gaps.
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Don't let feedback faze you. Simply use it as a way to improve your blog. No matter what you write about, people will criticize you occasionally. Expand upon constructive criticism to improve future blog postings. Try to find a polite response to criticisms that are negative and do not dwell on it. This shows maturity and helps to increase your readership.
Find ways to make your blog stand out among the common crowd. The more unique your content is, the more likely readers are to choose you over the competition. Information which is tough to find has the same effect. Blog about hobbies or experiences that are unique. Give the intimate details of how a widget is constructed. You need to give readers a reason to visit your blog if they are searching for information.
It can be helpful to include lists in your blog. Whether you're blogging about romance novels; the ingredients required to make a recipe; or how to repair a refrigerator; a list is very important. Lists separate important information from the rest of the text, which makes it easier to read.
Use pictures wisely with your blog posts. A picture is attention grabbing and can also help convey your meaning without using words. This is very important when it comes to writing a blog. Images have a lot of power when added to words. Therefore, make sure images are included as much as you possibly can.
Provide easy access to social media links on your blog, so your viewers can follow you. Using LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and other popular social networks will make you much more visible in the blogosphere, as well as improve your profits. With these portals, you can contact your readers and attract additional followers.
One of the most important things you can do as a blogger is post new content frequently. The majority of the most successful blogs post a new entry at least once per day. If you don't think you can do this, try to come up with several posts before your blog is live. Coming up with a list of possible topics you'd like to write about in your blog can be helpful when you are struggling to come up with an idea for your blog post.
If you want to improve your blog's readership numbers, remember the axiom that "content is king." Your blog should be full of useful and interesting articles. When you have honest, personal, quality content, readers are more likely to return.
Social Media
Get your readers to comment on your blog. Readers will feel like important participants in your blog if you encourage them to comment. You also want to make sure that you take the time to respond to every comment. This will make your readers feel they are part of a community and they will want to continue visiting your blog to keep up with the conversation.
It is important to provide all of the relevant social media links, so that your visitors can keep track of your updates. Social media networking sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter are very helpful the success of your business. You can easily reach more readers and followers with these web portals.
Incentives, such as freebies, can be a great way to draw new visitors and keep them coming back. There are few things that excite people more than the chance to win something. The giveaway doesn't even have to be for something expensive in order to draw in new visitors. Give away freebies regularly and you'll find that your visitor base is growing rapidly. People will frequent your blog on a more regular basis so that they don't miss the chance to win!
You want to make sure your blog stays healthy. This means ensuring that maintenance is being performed and that you're updating the blog to keep it current. This prevents boredom for your readers and will keep them coming back for return visits to your blog.
Keep a close watch on your blogging competition and always try to one-up what they are up to. Since they're your main competition, you must know what they're saying or doing. Keep it in your mind that they're probably going through your blog to do the same thing.
When choosing keywords for running a blog, you must select keywords that are unique and different from those of other blogs and sites. When you are focusing on common keywords, it is very hard to compete with others. If you hope to have a lot of visitors, be a little different.
Use a font that is a comfortable size for most readers when blogging. This is vital to your success. Since the written content on your blog is the main selling point, it is crucial the font is the right size. Your font should strike a nice balance, appearing neither too small nor too large, to get the best results.
Quality Content
Keep your content focused on the original topic of your blog. Overcrowding your blog articles with many topics may make them confusing and be a turn-off to readers. Keeping your blog focused on a single topic will greatly improve your blog's readability.
Don't try to just write a lot of content on your blog that has nothing to do with anything. Take the time to research your topic, and be sure that it's the right fit for your blog. If the content that you post is not of quality, you won't ever succeed. High quality content is the cornerstone of a good blog, and high quality content takes research.
Write about classic, long-lasting topics. Blogging about constantly in demand topics is a smart tactic that will ensure that readers will still visit your blog years from now.
Various social media networks can be useful in promoting your blog, but make sure you maintain the quality of your content with the use of them. For example, if every tweet you post on Twitter gives a link to the blog, people will start to ignore them. Alternate your links with interesting, standalone content to attract more attention.
Don't underestimate the value of news and current events if you want to interest the people reading your blog. Search for news stories that complement your blog's niche. As an example, you could post news stories about dog shows or dog competition results if you write a blog that is about dog training. This type of information is likely of interest to your readers.
One of the things you must remember with your blog is to enjoy it! Running A Blog can get boring after a while, and that will translate into boredom for your readers, unless you are passionate and focused on what you're doing. Try to find a topic that is interesting and fun for you. Be creative and really enjoy the topic and others will, too.
Have constantly updated, quality content on your blog. These are they key to running a successful blog. If you let the blog go for weeks at a time, or let the quality slip, your readers will likely move on to someone else. Even if you've got great content, it needs to be promoted properly so people find it. Combine these things and you can find the most success with your blog.
Do excellent research on every topic you are planning to blog about. If you've got a lot of knowledge on a topic, you're less likely to make a misleading or inaccurate post. You must also have plenty of knowledge on the topic in order to respond to comments.
For a more technical blog, using concrete information like polls, statistics, and information graphs is essential. This will make your blog postings more interesting for your readers and will also increase the overall quality of your blog postings. Doing this can improve blog presence quickly and easily.
Make sure that you have a "contact me" page set up. This allows your visitors to provide you with feedback about your blog, as well as them being able to ask you questions. You simply cannot know for certain who is reading the posts you make; some of your readers may have extremely valuable insights. You can only tap into them if you provide a way for them to get in touch with you.
Make sure important content is placed at the first place customers look on your web page so it gets high exposure. Tweaks like these give viewers an easier time navigating, which can only mean more viewers.
Make your blog its own homepage. Most blogs have their homepage as a list of their most recent posts, so make yours different with a custom homepage. Your fresh take on formatting will also improve your search engine results.
If you have included pop-up windows in your blog, be sure that they load after all your content loads. That way users can concentrate on your content instead of having to deal with pop-ups. That way, your site will be faster and you will get more repeat visitors.
Most people can create a successful blog if they follow advice like that contained in this article. You have already done most of the hard work, so now it is time to apply what you have read today. Now, it is up to you.
Make sure that all of your posts are highly relevant to your blog topic. Don't post just to say you did it. Avoid posting if you don't really have anything to say. Readers are smart. They can spot the difference between carefully-researched content and filler, and they will vote with their feet.


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Classic Plus Chocolate – 375g
15 Servings
Organic Certified Classic Plus Chocolate builds on Sunwarrior's original rice protein by adding in the amino acid balancing effects of peas, chia seeds, quinoa, and amaranth. This superfood combination still relies heavily on the gentle nature of whole-grain brown rice, but with a hefty dose of the strength that has made Warrior Blend so popular.
Raw, plant-based, and powerful, Classic Plus gives you that little extra you want and need. You'll love the way it tastes, but how it makes you feel is really why it is called Plus.
We are happy to introduce Classic Plus Protein – It is light, mixes easily and tastes amazing.
Raw Rice Protein
Brown rice provides plenty of protein and fiber while being gentle on the digestive system and kind to those with allergies. This whole-grain superfood is raw and sprouted.
It will help you take your workouts to new levels with all the amino acids a growing muscle needs.
- Complete and balanced protein for muscle, building, repair, and maintenance
- Rich in Lysine, often missing in plant-based proteins
- Hypoallergenic (free of major allergens)
Raw Pea Protein
A high fiber, low calorie, nutrient dense vegetarian superfood, peas are also a remarkable source of plant-based proteins and amino acids. Protein from peas satisfies all FAO essential amino acid requirements. The amino acids found in peas include Lysine, Arginine, Glutamine, Leucine, Isoleucine & Valine (Branched Chain Amino Acids – BCAAs)
- Aid in muscle tissue maintenance
- Comparable to egg and milk proteins
- BCAAs are higher in pea protein than any other vegetable protein
- Helps restore nitrogen balance after intense physiological stress
- Increases muscle mass while reducing body fat during intense exercise
- Assists in maintaining lean body mass
- Facilitates calcium absorption (promoting healthy bone development)
- Low in sulfur proteins (sulfur proteins speed up the aging process)
- Increases metabolism and satiety (helping you to feel full longer)
Highly valued by the Incan civilization for good reason, quinoa is rich in protein, fiber, calcium, B vitamins, and many other nutrients. This grain-like seed helps balance out the amino acid profile, and does not contain any gluten.
- Contains beneficial saponins that stimulate immune function and act as antioxidants
- Rich in magnesium, manganese, iron, copper, and other trace minerals
- A prebiotic food that helps sustain beneficial microflora and fauna
Chia seeds are the tiny nutrient-dense powerhouses that the Aztecs used to feed their people, armies, hunting parties, and runners. Sun Warrior has rediscovered their power and thankfully don't have to invent a time machine or brave the ancient jungle to take advantage of all these little seeds have to offer.
- Rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, and omega fatty acids
- Contain both soluble and insoluble fiber for prebiotic effects
- Absorb water for improved hydration
- Rich in antioxidants
Amaranth is another ancient world staple. It was used as a grain by the Aztecs who even included it in religious rites. It has a similar nutrient profile to quinoa and the same yield as rice, making it a sustainable alternative to other grains and seeds.
- Rich in protein, phytosterols, antioxidants, and natural anti-inflammatories
- Contains a good amount of Lysine (an amino acid often lacking in plant-foods)
Sunwarrior Classic Plus Chocolate is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a smooth and delicious protein powder that is easy to digest. Suitable for vegan and vegetarian diets and ideal for those who cannot consume gluten or lactose.
Organic Pea, Organic Brown Rice, Organic Quinoa, Organic Chia Seed, Organic Amaranth, Organic cocoa, organic chocolate flavor, ancient sea salt, organic guar fiber, organic stevia.
Raw Elements is pleased to offer the Sunwarrior suite of premier vegan and vegetarian plant-based products. Sunwarrior protein powders, supplements, meal replacements, mineral complexes, immune boosters, and greens are natural, raw, and perfect for any lifestyle.
Sunwarrior protein is clean, smooth, great tasting and easy to digest. These natural protein powders are completely gluten-free, soy-free, wheat-free and yeast-free. Made without GMOs, radiation, added sugars, and artificial flavours, preservatives and colours. Simply blend with fruit and vegetables to create a delicious and nutritious smoothie. Add to a shaker cup with water for quick and nourishing post-workout fuel. The uses are endless! Raw Elements proudly carries the following Sunwarrior protein powder blends:
– Natural Rice Protein
– Chocolate Rice Protein
– Vanilla Rice Protein
– Warrior Blend Natural Protein
– Warrior Blend Chocolate Protein
– Warrior Blend Vanilla Protein
– Warrior Blend Berry Protein
– Warrior Blend Mocha Protein
– Classic Plus Natural
– Classic Plus Chocolate
– Classic Plus Vanilla
– SOL Good Protein Bars
Raw Elements also carries Ormus Greens and Liquid Light. These natural supplements are packed with nutrients to support health and wellness. Want to learn more about how these supplements can enhance your diet, fitness and wellness goals? Explore our Sunwarrior supplement product pages to read the detailed nutritional benefits and ingredients of each product. As with any nutritional supplement, consult your physician before beginning a dietary regimen containing these products. Keep them out of the reach of children. If you are nursing, pregnant or considering pregnancy, consult your healthcare professional before incorporating these products into your daily eating.
Sunwarrior harnesses the highly concentrated nutritional power of plants to create products that amplify health and fitness. Rich in vitamins, minerals, enzymes, probiotics, amino acids and antioxidants, this line of products boosts performance, enhances immunity and maintains endurance. This is one of the fastest growing health-conscious superfood companies in the market today!
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|31DC2015 Inspired by Fashion
Hi there fashion frenzied friends. Today's challenge was a nail design inspired by fashion. I found a picture of pretty blue dresses that I thought fits the challenge quite well.
Here's what I used.
|Over the Moon by Color Club
Pixie Powder by Orly
Black on Black by Sinful Colors
Ciao for now.


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Health Impact Assessment
Logan, Utah
Bear River Health Department
Karlie Mitchell
(435) 792-6532
The citywide bicycle and pedestrian master plan HIA was commissioned through a grant with the State of Utah Department of Health and Welfare and carried out with the Bear River Health Department. The subject plan was recently conducted with the City of Logan who was eager to learn more about how their plan addressed health, how it could be improved using the lens of health, and how to bolster the presence of the plan through new relationships with representatives from the many public health realms. The results of the effort included a reprioritizing of recommended trail segments, retiming of intersection pedestrian countdown signals, and accelerated investment in areas of Logan with clear indications of challenging socioeconomic status conditions. Stakeholders brought into the process included the City, the County, Bear River Health Department, police department, association of governments, downtown alliance, Intermountain Hospital, the school district, MPO and, a senior housing representative.
Healthy Conditions Assessment
Nampa, Idaho
Blue Cross Foundation of Idaho
Kendra Witt-Doyle, PhD
(208) 286-3461
Vitruvian Planning recently completed the first of its kind, Health Conditions Assessment. The project is a hybrid of a Health Impact Assessment and a Comprehensive Plan which was funded by the Blue Cross Foundation of Idaho. The project is a revolutionary effort that uses Census tract data to determine problematic tracts or "hot spots", followed by meticulous on the ground field work and extensive local stakeholder interviews.Read More
Major themes unearthed during the project include inequity in the Hispanic communities especially around transportation issues such as accidental deaths mostly from vehicle crashes, poor food access due to a lack of transportation infrastructure, challenges with affordable housing and lack of transportation options, specifically around transit, bicycle facilities and minimal marked crosswalks.
Additional findings during the project specific to the transportation realm included:
- Pedestrian countdown signals which failed to meet minimum MUTCD requirements,
- Numerous residential streets posted at 35 miles per hour,
- Bus stops on opposite sides of major arterial roads without marked or protected crossings for vast distances, Schools with low student walking rates due to campuses being flanked by multilane busy roads,
A nearly 10 year old bicycle and pedestrian plan that has seen less than 30% of recommended projects implemented.
Results specific to transportation have included re-timing of all signals and crosswalks, a newly revised transit system with routes that better access neighborhoods of need, the creation of a food shuttle route, and possible funding for crossing guards for elementary schools. In addition, discussions have begun to craft statewide messaging campaigns towards Hispanic or Latino populations.
MountainWise Regional Health Impact Assessment
Sarah Tennyson
Region 1 Coordinator
(828) 349-2456
The first assessment of its kind in the United States, the MountainWise HIA evaluated eight county Comprehensive Plans and county Health Department initiatives to determine their collective impacts on citizens' health. MountainWise is all of the Western North Carolina region and is facilitated by Macon County Public Health and is supported by each of the Health Departments within the region. The project included many deliverables including but not limited to:
- A "hot spot" analysis using social determinants of health like income, race, and housing costs to isolate individual neighborhoods for future initiatives.
- Determining specific and necessary land use and transportation planning tools to strengthen comprehensive plans and the associated policy structures.
- A new health element inserted into each County's Comprehensive Plan that detailed specific plan, programming, policy or project initiatives addressing each of the Seven Dimensions of Health and Wellness.
Walk Audit Assessment
- Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Sherman Avenue
- Plummer, Worley, DeSmet, Idaho
- Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska
- Shiloh Neighborhood, Asheville, North Carolina
Healthy Conditions Assessments
- Nampa, Idaho
- Caldwell, Idaho
Health Impact Assessments
- Logan, Utah (Greenways & Trails)
- Nampa, Idaho
- Caldwell, Idaho
- Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska (Transit Plan)
- Blaine County, Idaho
- High Point, North Carolina
- Morrisville, North Carolina
- Robbinsville, North Carolina (Pedestrian Connectivity Plan)
- Haywood County, North Carolina
- MountainWise, Western North Carolina *Click to View*
- Boise, Idaho (Bown Crossing Library)
- Davidson, North Carolina (Parks, Recreation & Open Space Plan)
- Union County, North Carolina (Parks & Recreation Plan)
- Capital Area MPO North Carolina (Northeast Area Study


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Sony prepping Killzone news — rumor
Rumor believers, prepare for a new Killzone announcement.
Siliconera has word that Sony's prepping marketing materials for the shooter sequel, which has been rumored since last year, suggesting an E3 reveal, perhaps?
Citing an anonymous source, the site's posted these lines from a supposed teaser trailer that's in the works:
"My sons and my daughters, today we take the first step toward our imperial future.
"For years, this once-great nation has stagnated in the shadow of its enemies. Governed by scoundrels who flaunted the ideals established by my father, these traitors… these enemies of our race have diluted and exploited the triad of Duty, Obedience, and Loyalty.
"This regime, this corrupt regime, has been dissolved. In its place does rise an era of stability and strength. A time of opportunity born from a promise that we shall return our people to their proper sphere of dominance."
Said words will be uttered by a female character with ties to a Helghan Autarch.
Whether it's a Vita-bound release, the source wouldn't say. It is said to take place following the events of Killzone 3, though, so it could just as well be for PS3.


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Take your brand from
'MEH' to 'MAAAHVELOUS'
Design and branding that's pure gold.*
*as in, you know, standards. But also money.
Who's your dream customer?
And more importantly, what is she wearing?
Your brand's visual story should whisper sweet nothings in your ideal customer's ear, drawing her in while subtly — or not so subtly — setting you apart from what your competitors are doing. We've created a new way to understand your customer's thoughts, emotions, and deep-down desires — and we use that understanding to craft powerful, beautiful visuals for your brand.
Do people even know you exist?
Better question: do the *right* people know you exist?
Content + strategy + analytics = the three pillars of online marketing. Also known as, "words, something else, and a bunch of numbers" — right? For some business owners, this (ahem) incredibly important piece is super daunting — but for us, it's the most fun ever. Whether you're a self-taught solopreneur who just doesn't have the time, or a complete newbie with no idea where to start, our team can either show you exactly what to do, execute it all for you, or some combination of the two.
High-level project management and fancy tutorials to set you up for self-sufficient success.
Sometimes, managing your marketing isn't about time or desire — it's about not knowing exactly what to do, how to do it, or in what order. Crystal Dove, our founder and COO (Chief Officer of Organization) excels at explaining complicated techy things in an easily digestible, immediately accessible fashion — it's even kind of fun!
Who We Work With
With a background in the wedding industry, a knack for detail-wrangling, and a lifelong obsession with things that are pretty, Marketing Queen and lifestyle entrepreneurs go together like peas and carrots. We've worked with wedding planners, PR firms, interior designers, photographers, cake artists, and more. Wherever they are in their evolution — just starting out, in need of a makeover, or expanding and/or rebranding — we have the experience and talent to knock it out of the park every time. View our work history for examples. And loveliness.
Oh, snap!
We're an OG on IG, but we've got a new feed. Join us!


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The winter is finally here, not in temperature but definitely in terms of wind and storms. Ed and I are keeping an hourly eye on windguru these days. The end of our time on Skomer is approaching fast (or is it?) and we were hoping to get off on the weekend or early next week. So far it doesn't look good.
We are still monitoring the seals every day, the haul-out counts are increasing but the births are going down, however today we had another one born on Driftwood Bay. Its mum has chosen the best beach on Skomer: Driftwood Bay is basically a cove in South Haven facing North-West and it is completely sheltered from all wind directions. Northerlies get held off by the Isthmus, Southerlies by the Neck. If I were a seal I would definitely choose Driftwood Bay to give birth.
|Newest pup with mum and a Great Black-backed Gull feasting on the afterbirth
Ed heroically finished the first stage of our new Sales Point project. Not even hurricane Barney could stop Ed drilling, sawing, measuring and swinging his level about. The new Sales Point will be able to resist even the strongest storms and we believe it will still be standing in 100 years' time (whether the new wardens like it or not :-). In order to get the posts in we were hammering and chiselling like dwarfs for days; we had to kneel in the muck, lean headlong into a foot deep hole and pick away at the bed-rock.
|Sales Point or swimming pool - that is the question. Will the concrete set in so much water?
|Building the new Sales Point with the sea roaring in the background
|And finally today: the finished frame
We have finished the winter preparations and are now waiting for good weather, the seals of course still keep us entertained and company like these two who were lying around on the slip. The bigger one has got hiccups :-)
And even though the strong winds are a bit annoying I was rather awed when I watched the enormous waves crashing against Skokholm in the distance – some were so large, they reached all the way to the top of the cliff. Here is a little clip of the Mew Stone getting hammered.
(Skomer Warden)


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One National MHPOD
On 30 June 2017, the MHPOD state websites will be merged into a single website that allows for self-registration. This change will increase MHPOD's reach, in addition to providing better reporting and content management.
The change requires us to merge multiple databases, as such we can't guarantee the uniqueness of usernames between them, existing users will need to re-register on the new site.
Below is some very important information existing users need to know before the change occurs to reduce issues with registration and transferring previously earned credits.
INFORMATION FOR Existing users who re-register with their current email address.
If you register with the same email address you currently use, the system will automatically transfer any previously earned credits.
INFORMATION FOR Existing users who re-register with a different email address.
If you use a different email address, a function called 'Find my work' will enable you to transfer credits using your previous username and password.
We strongly suggest you record your current username and password so that the new website can automatically credit you with your past course completions when using the 'Find my work' function. You can check your details via the "Profile" tab after logging in.
If you don't use your current email address or you don't remember your previous username and password (for example you are relying on your web browser to remember these details) the new system will not be able to restore your previously earned credits.
Mental Health Professional Online Development
Mental Health Professional Online Development MHPOD is an online learning resource that has been developed for people working in mental health. Based on the national practice standards for mental health, it draws on the evidence base for mental health care and contemporary practice wisdom.
MHPOD has been funded by all states and territories, and the Commonwealth government. It is intended to support the mental health workforce, and improve access to evidence-based educational programs. The content has been written by the Psychosocial Research Centre at the University of Melbourne, and the production and overall delivery of MHPOD has been undertaken by CADRE Design. The broad project team, like the workforce, is multidisciplinary and located throughout Australia. Quality assurance has been undertaken by an expert group including consumer and carer representatives, clinicians and academics.
There are about seventy hours of material on forty five topics, written and produced in Australia. The topics range from recovery to legislation and dual disability. All topics have strong links to the National Practice Standards for the Mental Health Workforce.
MHPOD is a great resource for all nurses working in mental health, not just beginning practitioners.
MHPOD is primarily designed for nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, psychiatrists and psychologists working in mental health in Australia. It is expected that other people, including consumer advocates, carer advocates, Aboriginal health workers, and other allied health workers will also find it useful.
The modules have been developed with new graduates/entrants into the mental health field in mind, but will also be useful for more experienced practitioners. An evaluation of the pilot phase of MHPOD found that it has the potential to increase the clinical knowledge, skills and confidence of clinicians from different disciplines and with varying level of experience. Over 90% of participants indicated that their knowledge had increased because of their participation in the MHPOD pilot.
MHPOD is free and available to nurses via their workplace or for Members of ACMHN via the members login on the College Website
Nurses working in mental health in the public sector will have access to MHPOD through their workplace.
Each state and territory jurisdiction is responsible for implementing MHPOD in their mental health services. If you are working in a mental health service, you should contact your service's mental health educator or the local MHPOD site coordinator to access MHPOD.
Listing of your State contact can be found on the MHPOD website http://www.mhpod.gov.au/
If you would like to become a Member of ACMHN you can view Members Benefits here http://www.acmhn.org/members-area/membership-benefits and Join Up online here http://www.acmhn.org/members-area/join-now
If you would like to sign up for MHPOD via the College, click here.


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Sports Technology Research Group
Active since 1986 we have developed an international reputation for the computer-aided design, simulation and manufacture of sporting goods.
Our international reputation has been established through our work with global brands including Adidas, Callaway Golf, Canterbury of New Zealand, Dunlop, Head, New Balance, Nike, Reebok, Slazenger, Spalding, Speedo and Umbro.
The Group is housed within a dedicated £15M facility – the Sports Technology Institute - which boasts a range of state-of-the-art equipment and bespoke test rigs.
Visit the Sports Technology Institute website to find out more about specific research projects.