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Animal Transplants Coming 'Soon'
|3:37:01 AM, Sunday, October 23, 2011
"Are pigs about to migrate from the dinner table to the operating table?
Using animals as a source of organs for transplantation into humans was once one of medicine's next big things - a solution to transplant waiting lists.
However, there have been problems with rejection - and recently stem cells have been grabbing the spotlight.
But some researchers are now saying that transplants from animals "could soon become a reality", but not necessarily as originally expected.
There is still a pressing need for organs. In the UK there are 8,000 people on the waiting list - three die every day.
Several technologies are trying to meet the demand. In August, a patient from London was the first in the UK to have his heart replaced with a mechanical one while stem cells have been used for simple structures such as the windpipe.
However, using stem cells to build more complicated organs such as a heart is a long way off and mechanical body parts are used in the short term before an actual transplant.
Using animals as a source - known as "xenotransplantation" - is another potential solution.
Whole organs
Pigs have been used as a source of heart valves, which control the flow of blood around the heart. Here the pig cells are chemically stripped away and when the remaining structure is transplanted, human cells grow around it.
Stripping away the living material would not work for most transplants - nobody would want the heart that did not beat.
However, that living material has a big problem, namely rejection. The human immune system attacks the pig tissue, which it recognises as foreign.
Dr David Cooper from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre is one of a group of researchers arguing in the Lancet that the problems with organ rejection are being overcome.
Some pigs - GTKO pigs - have been genetically modified. They no longer produce a pig protein, galactosyltransferase, which the immune system would have attacked.
The authors say that this kind of rejection is "not the main cause of graft failure", however, "other issues have become more prominent"..."
Hawaii Astronomer Captures Image of Forming Planet
|8:27:36 PM, Thursday, October 20, 2011
"Astronomers have captured the first direct image of a planet being born.
Adam Kraus, of the University of Hawaii's Institute for Astronomy, said the planet is being formed out of dust and gas circling a 2-milion-year-old star about 450 light years from Earth.
The planet itself, based on scientific models of how planets form, is estimated to have started taking shape about 50,000 to 100,000 years ago.
Called LkCa 15 b, it's the youngest planet ever observed. The previous record holder was about five times older.
Kraus and his colleague, Michael Ireland from Macquarie University and the Australian Astronomical Observatory, used Keck telescopes on Mauna Kea to find the planet.
"We're catching this object at the perfect time. We see this young star, it has a disc around it that planets are probably forming out of and we see something right in the middle of a gap in the disc," Kraus said in a telephone interview.
Kraus presented the discovery Wednesday at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. Kraus and Ireland's research paper on the discovery is due to appear in The Astrophysical Journal.
Observing planets while they're forming can help scientists answer questions like whether planets form early in the life of a star or later, and whether they form relatively close to stars or farther away.
Planets can change orbits after forming, so it's difficult to answer such questions by studying older planets.
"These very basic questions of when and where are best answered when you can actually see the planet forming, as the process is happening right now," Kraus said.
Other planets may also be forming around the same star. Kraus said he'll continue to observe the star and hopefully will see other planets if there are in fact more.
Scientists hadn't been able to see such young planets before because the bright light of the stars they're orbiting outshines them.
Kraus and Ireland used two techniques to overcome this obstacle.
One method, which is also used by other astronomers, was to change the shape of their mirror to remove light distortions created by the Earth's atmosphere.
The other, unique method they used was to put masks over most of the telescope mirror. The combination of these two techniques allowed the astronomers to obtain high-resolution images that let them see the faint planet next to the bright star.
The astronomers found the planet while surveying 150 young dusty stars. This led to a more concentrated study of a dozen stars.
The star LkCa 15 — the planet is named after its star — was the team's second target. They immediately knew they were seeing something new, so they gathered more data on the star a year later."
Qaddafi Is Killed as Libyan Forces Take Surt
|3:41:01 PM, Thursday, October 20, 2011
"TRIPOLI, Libya — Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, the former Libyan strongman who fled into hiding after an armed uprising toppled his regime two months ago, met a violent death Thursday in the hands of rebel fighters who stormed his final stronghold in his Mediterranean hometown Surt.
Al Jazeera television showed gruesome footage of what appeared to be Colonel Qaddafi, alive but bloody, being dragged around by armed men in Surt. The television also broadcast a separate clip of his half-naked body, with lifeless open eyes and an apparent gunshot wound to the side of the head, as jubilant fighters fired automatic weapons in the air.
Conflicting accounts quickly emerged about whether Colonel Qaddafi was executed by his captors, died from gunshot wounds sustained in a firefight, was mortally wounded in a NATO bomb blast or bled to death in an ambulance. But the images broadcast by Al Jazeera punctuated an emphatic and violent ending to his four decades as a ruthless and bombastic autocrat who had basked in his reputation as the self-styled king of kings of Africa.
"We have been waiting for this moment for a long time. Muammar Qaddafi has been killed," Mahmoud Jibril, the prime minister of the Transitional National Council, the interim government, told a news conference in Tripoli. Mahmoud Shammam, the council's chief spokesman, called it "the day of real liberation. We were serious about giving him a fair trial. It seems God has some other wish."
Libyan television also reported that one of Colonel Qaddafi's feared fugitive sons, Muatassim, was killed in Surt, showing what it said was his lifeless bloodied body on a hospital gurney. There were also unconfirmed accounts that another feared son, Seif al-Islam, had been captured and possibly wounded.
In Washington, President Obama said in a televised statement that the death of Colonel Qaddafi signaled the start of a new chapter for Libya. "We can definitely say that the Qaddafi regime has come to an end," he said. "The dark shadow of tyranny has been lifted and with this enormous promise the Libyan people now have a great responsibility to build an inclusive and tolerant and democratic Libya that stands as the ultimate rebuke to Qaddafi's dictatorship."
Libyans rejoiced as news of his death spread. Car horns blared and residents poured into the streets in giddy disbelief in Tripoli and in the eastern city of Benghazi, where the rebellion against Colonel Qaddafi began in February and escalated into the most violent of the Arab Spring uprisings.
"I can't believe it's over," said Tahir Busrewil, a 26 year-old tourist industry worker in Tripoli who was imprisoned and tortured earlier this year, and had spent the past few weeks working with a militia to detain pro-Qaddafi loyalists. "Oh the relief! I never felt that happy about somebody being dead." Walid Fakany, an anti-Qaddafi fighter from the Western mountain town of Rujban, who joined in the celebrations in Tripoli, said: "We can breathe, we can finally rest. Then we can move forward."
Fighters from Misurata, the port city that suffered enormously at the hands of Colonel Qaddafi's forces during the uprising, were in possession of Colonel Qaddafi's body and took it to their hometown, where it was kept in a private house but moved a few hours later to an undisclosed location because hundreds of people had converged to see it, Misurata residents said.
Holly Picket, a freelance photojournalist working in Surt, reported in a twitter feed that she had seen Colonel Qaddafi's body in an ambulance headed for Misurata, along with 10 fighters inside with him. It was unclear from her posting whether he was dead. "From the side door, I could see a bare chest with bullet wound and a bloody hand. He was wearing gold-colored pants," she tweeted.
Within an hour of the news of Colonel Qaddafi's death, the Arab twittersphere lit up with gleeful comments, many of them hinting at a similar fate awaiting other Arab dictators — most notably President Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen and President Bashar al-Assad of Syria. One of them read: "Ben Ali escaped, Mubarak is in jail, Qaddafi was killed. Which fate do you prefer, Ali Abdullah Saleh? You can consult with Bashar." Another was more direct: "Bashar al-Assad, how do you feel today?" ..."
Fiery Volcano Offers Geologic Glimpse Into Land That Time Forgot
|4:06:53 AM, Thursday, October 20, 2011
"The first scientists to witness exploding rock and molten lava from a deep sea volcano, seen during a 2009 expedition, report that the eruption was near a tear in Earth's crust that is mimicking the birth of a subduction zone.
Scientists on the expedition collected boninite, a rare, chemically distinct lava that accompanies the formation of Earth's subduction zones.
Nobody has ever collected fresh boninite and scientists never had the opportunity to monitor its eruption before, said Joseph Resing, University of Washington oceanographer and lead author of an online article on the findings in Nature Geoscience. Earth's current subduction zones are continually evolving but most formed 5 million to 200 million years ago. Scientists have only been able to study boninite collected from long-dead, relic volcanos millions of years old.
Resing was chief scientist on the expedition, funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Science Foundation, that pinpointed the location of the West Mata volcano, erupting 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) below the surface in the Southwest Pacific Ocean.
"Everything about the eruption itself -- how fast, how intense, the ratio of lava to explosive fragments, the amount and composition of gas released -- is new to us," said co-author Kenneth Rubin, University of Hawaii geologist. "Plus, having a young, fresh occurrence of this very rare rock type to study gives us the opportunity to examine subtle chemical and mineralogical variations in a pristine specimen."
At subduction zones the oceanic crust on one tectonic plate slides beneath another, producing abundant volcanism and contributing heat, gases and mineral-laden fluids to ocean waters. Scientists have long studied the impact of subduction zones on geological and geochemical cycles. To puzzle out how subduction zones form and evolve they study inactive contemporary marine volcanos that do not produce boninite and they collect and study boninite lavas collected on land and examine cores collected from the deep sea.
"West Mata lies above the subducting Pacific plate and is part of the rapidly expanding Lau Basin, which is bounded by Samoa, Tonga and Fiji," Resing said. "The large bend at the northern end of the Tonga trench produces a tear in the Pacific plate and creates unusual lavas that usually only form at very young subduction zones."
Conditions are right for boninite to form, there's lots of seawater released from subducting rock that mixes into relatively shallow mantle that has previously melted, causing the mantle to remelt at high temperatures. Boninite lavas are believed to be among the hottest from volcanos that erupt on Earth..."
Detroit Police Impound Booty Lounge Strip Club on Wheels
|3:36:12 AM, Thursday, October 20, 2011
"Tailgating is an important part of going to see a sports event in person, and in the city of Detroit, that pastime also includes something called the Booty Lounge. The Booty Lounge is a low-rent strip-club on wheels, and it has been a somewhat shady part of the game-day experience in Detroit since 2005.
Owners of the mobile strip club were likely hoping for a big payday thanks to a Lions appearance on the NFL's Monday Night Football, but instead, the bus was impounded by Detroit Police. Detroit's NBC affiliate reports that the bus was towed way because it was parked illegally, the driver didn't have a commercial license and the vehicle wasn't inspected by the Michigan Department of Transportation. The fuzz reportedly weren't targeting the rolling tribute, but the bus recently came under fire after a local TV station uncovered the goings-on inside the bus.
The Booty Lounge will reportedly be cleared to exit the impound once it provides proof of inspection, but we're getting the feeling that this tailgater is going to be sitting out a quite few more games."
Dark Matter Mystery Deepens
|1:06:31 AM, Thursday, October 20, 2011
"Like all galaxies, our Milky Way is home to a strange substance called dark matter. Dark matter is invisible, betraying its presence only through its gravitational pull. Without dark matter holding them together, our galaxy's speedy stars would fly off in all directions. The nature of dark matter is a mystery -- a mystery that a new study has only deepened.
"After completing this study, we know less about dark matter than we did before," said lead author Matt Walker, a Hubble Fellow at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
The standard cosmological model describes a universe dominated by dark energy and dark matter. Most astronomers assume that dark matter consists of "cold" (i.e. slow-moving) exotic particles that clump together gravitationally. Over time these dark matter clumps grow and attract normal matter, forming the galaxies we see today.
Cosmologists use powerful computers to simulate this process. Their simulations show that dark matter should be densely packed in the centers of galaxies. Instead, new measurements of two dwarf galaxies show that they contain a smooth distribution of dark matter. This suggests that the standard cosmological model may be wrong.
"Our measurements contradict a basic prediction about the structure of cold dark matter in dwarf galaxies. Unless or until theorists can modify that prediction, cold dark matter is inconsistent with our observational data," Walker stated.Dwarf galaxies are composed of up to 99 percent dark matter and only one percent normal matter like stars. This disparity makes dwarf galaxies ideal targets for astronomers seeking to understand dark matter.
Walker and his co-author Jorge Peñarrubia (University of Cambridge, UK) analyzed the dark matter distribution in two Milky Way neighbors: the Fornax and Sculptor dwarf galaxies. These galaxies hold one million to 10 million stars, compared to about 400 billion in our galaxy. The team measured the locations, speeds and basic chemical compositions of 1500 to 2500 stars..."
U.S. Drug Policy Would Be Imposed Globally By New House Bill
|12:21:06 AM, Thursday, October 20, 2011
"The House Judiciary Committee passed a bill yesterday that would make it a federal crime for U.S. residents to discuss or plan activities on foreign soil that, if carried out in the U.S., would violate the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) -- even if the planned activities are legal in the countries where they're carried out. H.R. 313, the "Drug Trafficking Safe Harbor Elimination Act of 2011," is sponsored by Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas), and allows prosecutors to bring conspiracy charges against anyone who discusses, plans or advises someone else to engage in any activity that violates the CSA, the massive federal law that prohibits drugs like marijuana and strictly regulates prescription medication.
"Under this bill, if a young couple plans a wedding in Amsterdam, and as part of the wedding, they plan to buy the bridal party some marijuana, they would be subject to prosecution," said Bill Piper, director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance, which advocates for reforming the country's drug laws. "The strange thing is that the purchase of and smoking the marijuana while you're there wouldn't be illegal. But this law would make planning the wedding from the U.S. a federal crime."
The law could also potentially affect academics and medical professionals. For example, a U.S. doctor who works with overseas doctors or government officials on needle exchange programs could be subject to criminal prosecution. A U.S. resident who advises someone in another country on how to grow marijuana or how to run a medical marijuana dispensary would also be in violation of the new law, even if medical marijuana is legal in the country where the recipient of the advice resides. If interpreted broadly enough, a prosecutor could possibly even charge doctors, academics and policymakers from contributing their expertise to additional experiments like the drug decriminalization project Portugal, which has successfully reduced drug crime, addiction and overdose deaths.
The Controlled Substances Act also regulates the distribution of prescription drugs, so something as simple as emailing a friend vacationing in Tijuana some suggestions on where to buy prescription medication over the counter could subject a U.S. resident to criminal prosecution. "It could even be something like advising them where to buy cold medicine overseas that they'd have to show I.D. to get here in the U.S.," Piper says.
Civil libertarian attorney and author Harvey Silverglate says the bill raises several concerns. "Just when you think you can't get any more cynical, a bill like this comes along. I mean, it just sounds like an abomination. First, there's no intuitive reason for an American to think that planning an activity that's perfectly legal in another country would have any effect on America," Silverglate says. "So we're getting further away from the common law tradition that laws should be intuitive, and should include a mens rea component. Second, this is just an act of shameless cultural and legal imperialism. It's just outrageous."
Conspiracy laws in general are problematic when applied to the drug war. They give prosecutors extraordinary discretion to charge minor players, such as girlfriends or young siblings, with the crimes committed by major drug distributors. They're also easier convictions to win, and can allow prosecutors to navigate around restrictions like statutes of limitations, so long as the old offense can be loosely linked to a newer one. The Smith bill would expand those powers. Under the Amsterdam wedding scenario, anyone who participated in the planning of the wedding with knowledge of the planned pot purchase would be guilty of conspiracy, even if their particular role was limited to buying flowers or booking the hotel.
The law is a reaction to a 2007 case in which the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals threw out the convictions of two men who planned the transfer of cocaine from a Colombian drug cartel to a Saudi prince for distribution in Europe. Though the men planned the transaction from Miami, the court found that because the cocaine never reached the U.S. and was never intended to reach the U.S., the men hadn't committed any crime against the United States..."
NASA's Spitzer Detects Comet Storm in Nearby Solar System
|12:13:22 AM, Thursday, October 20, 2011
"NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has detected signs of icy bodies raining down in an alien solar system. The downpour resembles our own solar system several billion years ago during a period known as the "Late Heavy Bombardment," which may have brought water and other life-forming ingredients to Earth.
During this epoch, comets and other frosty objects that were flung from the outer solar system pummeled the inner planets. The barrage scarred our moon and produced large amounts of dust.
Now Spitzer has spotted a band of dust around a nearby bright star in the northern sky called Eta Corvi that strongly matches the contents of an obliterated giant comet. This dust is located close enough to Eta Corvi that Earth-like worlds could exist, suggesting a collision took place between a planet and one or more comets. The Eta Corvi system is approximately one billion years old, which researchers think is about the right age for such a hailstorm.
"We believe we have direct evidence for an ongoing Late Heavy Bombardment in the nearby star system Eta Corvi, occurring about the same time as in our solar system," said Carey Lisse, senior research scientist at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md., and lead author of a paper detailing the findings. The findings will be published in the Astrophysical Journal. Lisse presented the results at the Signposts of Planets meeting at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., on Oct. 19.
Astronomers used Spitzer's infrared detectors to analyze the light coming from the dust around Eta Corvi. Certain chemical fingerprints were observed, including water ice, organics and rock, which indicate a giant comet source.
The light signature emitted by the dust around Eta Corvi also resembles the Almahata Sitta meteorite, which fell to Earth in fragments across Sudan in 2008. The similarities between the meteorite and the object obliterated in Eta Corvi imply a common birthplace in their respective solar systems.
A second, more massive ring of colder dust located at the far edge of the Eta Corvi system seems like the proper environment for a reservoir of cometary bodies. This bright ring, discovered in 2005, looms at about 150 times the distance from Eta Corvi as Earth is from the sun. Our solar system has a similar region, known as the Kuiper Belt, where icy and rocky leftovers from planet formation linger. The new Spitzer data suggest that the Almahata Sitta meteorite may have originated in our own Kuiper Belt..."
Prehistoric Speedway: Super-Sized Muscle Made Twin-Horned Dinosaur a Speedster
|2:37:29 AM, Wednesday, October 19, 2011
"A meat-eating dinosaur that terrorized its plant-eating neighbours in South America was a lot deadlier than first thought, a University of Alberta researcher has found.
Carnotaurus was a seven-metre-long predator with a huge tail muscle that U of A paleontology graduate student Scott Persons says made it one of the fastest running hunters of its time.
A close examination of the tail bones of Carnotaurus showed its caudofemoralis muscle had a tendon that attached to its upper leg bones. Flexing this muscle pulled the legs backwards and gave Carnotaurus more power and speed in every step.
In earlier research, Persons found a similar tail-muscle and leg-power combination in the iconic predator Tyrannosaurus rex. Up until Persons published that paper, many dinosaur researchers thought T. rex's huge tail might have simply served as a teeter-totter-like counterweight to its huge, heavy head.
Persons' examination of the tail of Carnotaurus showed that along its length were pairs of tall rib-like bones that interlocked with the next pair in line. Using 3-D computer models, Persons recreated the tail muscles of Carnotaurus. He found that the unusual tail ribs supported a huge caudofemoralis muscle. The interlocked bone structure along the dinosaur's tail did present one drawback: the tail was rigid, making it difficult for the hunter to make quick, fluid turns. Persons says that what Carnotaurus gave up in maneuverability, it made up for in straight ahead speed. For its size, Carnotaurus had the largest caudofemoralis muscle of any known animal, living or extinct.
Persons published these findings in PLoS ONE on Oct.14, with supervisor Philip Currie, a paleontology professor at the U of A."
Frozen Puck Hovers Over Track Using "Quantum Levitation"
|12:18:44 AM, Wednesday, October 19, 2011
"Researchers at the school of physics and astronomy at Tel Aviv University have created a track around which a semiconductor can float, thanks to the phenomenon of "quantum levitation".
This levitation effect is explained by the Meissner effect, which describes how, when a material makes the transition from its normal to its superconducting state, it actively excludes magnetic fields from its interior, leaving only a thin layer on its surface.
When a material is in its superconducting state — which involves very low temperatures — it is strongly diamagnetic. This means that when a magnetic field is externally applied, it will create an equally opposing magnetic field, locking it in place.
A material called yttrium barium copper oxide can be turned into a superconductor by exposure to liquid nitrogen — which makes it one of the highest-temperature superconductors.
In the video it appears that a puck of yttrium barium copper oxide cooled by liquid nitrogen is repelling the magnets embedded on the handheld device. It also shows that the angle of the magnet can be locked in a magnetic field. Later in the video the puck can be seen to zoom round a circular track of magnets, in the same way that Maglev high-speed trains do."
Frustration Inspires New Form of Graphene
|1:45:45 AM, Monday, October 17, 2011
"They're the building block of graphite – ultra-thin sheets of carbon, just one atom thick, whose discovery was lauded in 2010 with a Nobel Prize in Physics.
The seemingly simple material is graphene, and many researchers believe it has great potential for many applications, from electronic devices to high-performance composite materials.
Graphene is extremely strong, an excellent conductor, and with no internal structure at all, it offers an abundance of surface area – much like a sheet of paper.
When it comes to producing and utilizing graphene on a large scale, however, researchers have come upon a major problem: the material's tendency to aggregate. Like paper, graphene sheets easily stack into piles, thus greatly reducing their surface area and making them unprocessable.
Researchers at Northwestern University have now developed a new form of graphene that does not stack. The new material – inspired by a trash can full of crumpled-up papers – is made by crumpling the graphene sheets into balls.
A paper describing the findings, "Compression and Aggregation-resistant Particles of Crumpled Soft Sheets," was published October 13 in the journal ACS Nano.
Graphene-based materials are very easily aggregated due to the strong interaction between the sheets, called "Van der Waals attraction." Therefore, common steps in materials processing, such as heating, solvent washing, compression, and mixing with other materials, can greatly affect how the sheets are stacked. When the paper-like sheets band together – picture a deck of cards – their surface area is lost; with just a fraction of its original surface area available, the material becomes less effective. Stacked graphene sheets also become rigid and lose their processability.
Some scientists have tried to physically keep the sheets apart by inserting non-carbon "spacers" between them, but that changes the chemical composition of the material. When graphene is crumpled into balls, however, its surface area remains available and the material remains pure.
"If you imagine a trash can filled with paper crumples, you really get the idea," says Jiaxing Huang, Morris E. Fine Junior Professor in Materials and Manufacturing, the lead researcher of the study. "The balls can stack up into a tight structure. You can crumple them as hard as you want, but their surface area won't be eliminated, unlike face-to-face stacking."
"Crumpled paper balls usually express an emotion of frustration, a quite common experience in research," Huang says, "However, here 'frustration' quite appropriately describes why these particles are resistant to aggregation – because their uneven surface frustrates or prevents tight face-to-face packing no matter how you process them."
To make crumpled graphene balls, Huang and his team created freely suspended water droplets containing graphene-based sheets, then used a carrier gas to blow the aerosol droplets through a furnace. As the water quickly evaporated, the thin sheets were compressed by capillary force into near-spherical particles..."
Russia Asked to Join ExoMars Project
|12:36:44 AM, Monday, October 17, 2011
"Europe has formally invited Russia to participate in space missions to Mars in 2016 and 2018.
A "yes" from the Russian space agency (Roscosmos) may be the only way of saving the missions which are at risk of cancellation due to lack of funds.
The 2016 mission involves a satellite to study the Martian atmosphere, while a big robot rover to investigate the surface is scheduled for 2018.
Both are being planned with the US, which is also struggling financially.
If Russia can be persuaded to provide a rocket to launch the 2016 satellite, it should make both atmospheric and surface ventures financially feasible.
But the European and US space agencies (Esa and Nasa) know that for Roscosmos to be interested, it will want a meaningful degree of participation.
The in-kind return for Russia would be the opportunity to provide instrumentation and technology for the missions, and for its researchers to be included in the science teams.
"Everything is open for discussion," said Esa director of science, Alvaro Gimenez.
"There are possibilities for the Russians to contribute to the rover; there may also be possibilities for them to contribute to the payload on the orbiter," he told BBC News.
"Of course, in the case of 2016, we don't have much time available to get everything on board; and in the case of 2018, we don't have much room available because it is just a single Esa/Nasa rover.
"That's why we have to start the discussions now, to see what the Russians have available and what they can develop in a fast-track."
Esa's and Nasa's joint Mars programme (known in Europe as ExoMars) has looked increasingly unsteady in recent months.
The US let it be known during the summer that it could no longer afford to provide the rocket to launch the 2016 orbiter; and Europe, which still has not raised the full funds needed for ExoMars among its member states, has no money available to buy a rocket itself..."
Why Einstein Was Wrong About Being Wrong
|12:30:30 AM, Monday, October 17, 2011
"If you want to get your mind around the research that won three astronomers the Nobel Prize in physics last week, it helps to think of the universe as a lump of dough - raisin-bread dough, to be precise - mixed, kneaded and ready to rise. Hold that thought.
Now consider Albert Einstein - not the wild-haired, elderly, absent-minded professor he became in his later years but a young, dashing scientist in his 30s. It's 1916, and he's just published his revolutionary general theory of relativity. It's not necessary to understand the theory (thank goodness). You just have to accept that it gave scientists the mathematical tools they needed to forge a better understanding of the cosmos than they'd ever had.
There was just one problem. Relativity told physicists that the universe was restless. It couldn't just sit there. It either had to be expanding or contracting. But astronomers looked, and as far as they could tell, it was doing neither. The lump of dough wasn't rising, and it wasn't shrinking.
The only way that was possible, Einstein realized, was if some mysterious force was propping up the universe, a sort of antigravity that pushed outward just hard enough to balance the gravity that was trying to pull it inward. Einstein hated this idea. An extra force meant he had to tinker with the equations of general relativity, but the equations seemed so perfect just as they were. Changing them in any way would tarnish their mathematical beauty.
Einstein did it anyway. The universe ought to behave according to the laws he had set out, but it simply wasn't cooperating. The "cosmological constant" - his name for the new antigravity force - became part of the theory.
Then, a decade or so later, the great astronomer Edwin Hubble went up to the Mount Wilson Observatory above Pasadena and used the world's most powerful telescope to peer deeper into the universe than anyone had before. Making excruciatingly careful measurements of the galaxies he could see beyond the Milky Way, Hubble was astonished to learn that they weren't stationary at all. The galaxies - the raisins in the bread dough - were in motion, each moving apart from the other. The dough was rising in all directions, and the raisins were going along for the ride..."
NanotubeYarns Twist Like Muscles
|12:25:17 AM, Monday, October 17, 2011
"Yarns made of the tiny straws of carbon called nanotubes have an astounding ability to twist as they contract, scientists have found.
The effect, reported in Science, is similar to the action of muscles found in elephant trunks and squid tentacles.
However, the yarns twist 1,000 times as much as previous "artificial muscles".
The effect, which occurs thanks to a conducting fluid in which the yarns were dipped, could be put to use in motors much thinner than a human hair.
The team of researchers from Australia, the US, Canada and South Korea demonstrated motors that could spin at nearly 600 revolutions per minute, turning a weight 2,000 times heavier than the yarn itself.
Carbon nanotubes have only recently been identified by scientists; they are "straws" made only of atoms of carbon linked together in hexagons. They have remarkable physical properties - being more than 100 times stronger than steel.
Ray Baughman of the University of Texas at Dallas is a renowned researcher into the tubes' properties, and is a co-author of the new research.
"The carbon nanotube yarns comprise invididual nanotubes - untold billions of them - that are about 1/100,000th the diameter of a human hair," he told the podcast of Science magazine.
The yarns were made by pulling sheets of nanotubes from "forests" of the tubes and twisting them to form a coiled structure - much as yarn is made from wool.
They were then dipped in an electrolyte - a fluid containing ions, electrically charged atoms. When a voltage was applied at the ends of the yarns, these ions moved into the fibres, causing them to expand..."
Wooden Buildings Reach New Heights
|12:19:28 AM, Monday, October 17, 2011
"Soon, the first tenants will start moving into a new block of council flats in Hackney in north London.
Nothing remarkable about that except Bridport House is built of wood, and it is the largest timber-built apartment block in the world.
It is possibly the biggest timber building of any kind.
Not only that, but a few hundred metres away there is another timber-built block of flats, rather smaller overall, but even taller.
Soon high-rise buildings made of wood may replace many conventional concrete and steel structures, even in the UK, a country with few forests and no modern tradition of building in wood."
-- Follow link for video.
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The California Nutrition and Physical Activity Guidelines for Adolescents handouts were developed to assist Adolescent Family Life Program (AFLP) case managers in improving the nutrition, physical activity, and healthy eating practices of AFLP clients. The Guidelines include several nutrition topics to serve as a reference for case managers working with teens and provide educational handouts. This material is intended to support but not replace the information provided by healthcare providers.
These handouts can and have been used by other adolescent programs. If interested in modifying or using the materials in any derivative work, contact the Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Division.
The handouts are currently being updated, so check this webpage for updated versions. Please note that only new handouts are posted on this page; older versions can be found within the Guidelines.
Print handouts back-to-back to save paper.
All Fruits and Vegetables Handouts Fruit and Veggie Quiz Fruit and Veggie Tips Be Sure to Get Your Fruits and Veggies Every Day Eat a Colorful Variety of Fruits and Vegetables Action Plan for Fruits and Vegetables
All Vegetarian Teen Handouts Vegetarian Food Guide Tips for Vegetarians Smart Choices Vegan Foods with Protein
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Just a quick note for R2:
I was just thinking about the Mini Heads and checked your site to see how many sets were made and was pretty surprised to see that the second boxed set wasn't listed. If you forgot to include it this is just a reminder. If you don't have it I can take pics of mine for you. LMK.
Another variation I came across that you might be interested in:
We know about the variation with the Luke Jedi that came with the AF Rancor. Well, that's not the only variation with the set. The first released version (Luke without the bone) comes with a display stand with the SILVER logo for the Rancor to stand on. Also, the holes on the Rancor's feet and also on the base to hold him in place are different than the second version. I can send pics of this too if you'd like. If you need images of the emblemless Green A-Wing I have it loose and boxed (GSJ, I'm still on the lookout for one for you). LMK.


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A spectacular dessert, this cherry-filled cheesecake is covered with rich dark chocolate ganache. Ideal for a holiday or party, it's not difficult to make...so serve it for everyday occasions too!
To make cutting the cheesecake easier, dip the knife in hot water and clean it off after every cut.
Some cracking may occur during cooling. This will not affect the quality of the cheesecake and it will not be noticeable once the cheesecake is topped with the ganache.
© 2017 ®/TM General Mills All Rights Reserved


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Singly is hiring engineers
I've written before about joining Singly and a little bit about the open source software we're building. There's now a bit more content on our website too, or you could watch my colleague, Jabber founder Jeremie Miller, talk about it on stage.
Suffice to say, it's pretty interesting stuff, and we need more interesting people to join the team in order to achieve our goals in the next year. In particular, we're looking for engineers to build highly flexible, resilient and performant back-end infrastructure using Ubuntu, and innovative, usable and beautiful front-end interfaces using HTML5.
For full details and how to apply, check out the Singly blog or contact me directly. At this time, we have a preference for candidates in the San Francisco bay area, but are open to exceptional candidates from elsewhere.
Syndicated 2012-01-19 03:41:41 from We'll see | Matt Zimmerman


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How to participate in SUMO contributor meetings
How do I get involved in a Mozilla meeting?
We use the following clients for Mozilla meetings:
IRC (Internet Relay Chat) is an instant messenger. Most meetings are held on the #sumo channel and you can connect with mibbit via this link if the meetings are on IRC. For other ways to connect please visit https://wiki.mozilla.org/IRC.
Vidyo is Mozilla's own meeting system.
If you are a Mozilla employee you can login via https://v.mozilla.com.
If you are a contributor, you will need a guest link. It will be provided on the etherpad and will look something like this "https://v.mozilla.com/flex.html?roomdirect.html........". Please note that you need to download and install Vidyo Client before you can use the guest link. When you go to the guest URL login page it will look like this:
Air Mozilla
You can watch meetings live on Air Mozilla. All previous meetings you can watch here.
Important information about the meetings
- Please note if there is a statutory holiday, a meeting may not be held.
- If you have any questions about the meetings you may post on the Contributor Forums.
- Please note if there is a workweek the meeting may not be held.
SUMO community discussion meeting
This is held every Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. PT.
To know more about SUMO meetings, visit the SUMO Meeting page on Mozilla wiki.
Last Update: 2016-06-15


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Leach offers Shadle sophomore QB Brett Rypien scholarship
Spokane, WA - Brett Rypien says he's been in contact with the WSU coaching staff since the start of this season at Shadle. Still, he wasn't prepared for the phone call he got from head coach Mike Leach on Tuesday night.
Rypien told KXLY he was "shocked" and "really humbled" when the Cougars head coach and offensive guru called to offer him a scholarship. After all, Rypien just recently completed his SOPHOMORE season with the Highlanders, albeit, a record breaking one. Rypien set the GSL's single season mark in passing yards, a record he broke while throwing for a Washington state high school record 577 in a game against Central Valley. Part of the reason Rypien says WSU would be high on his list is that the offense the Cougs run is very similar to the one at Shadle Park.
There is also the family connection, Rypien's uncle Mark, starred at WSU. Then there's the close proximity to home, which the record setting sophomore also says makes WSU an attractive choice. Rypien says the Cougars are the first school to offer him. That shouldn't be a surprise since he won't graduate until the spring of 2015!


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"Boonies driving! Boonies driving! Driving out in the booni-" "Derek, will you please shut your mouth?!" Tim is more than a little irritated by Derek's unwavering enthusiasm, and how can he be any different, seeing as the two of them, as well as Greg, have been broken down out here in the outlands for the last 14 hours. "Crap, the car has run out of battery, and my phone is still dead," broke Greg. "Christ, we shouldn't have skimped and bought this 99 cent garbage!" Tim said, referring to the budget car charger of questionable quality. "Hey guys, can I take a nap?" asks Derek of Tim. "Go ahead buddy... soon we'll all be taking a nap."
"Well, Greg, having been out here for quite some time, with nary a ration or good tiding in sight, I feel that this is going to be our last day on Earth. Going to take a rest for a while; leave me alone. Also, good night buddy," Tim turns his back. "You don't really think we're going to die, do you?" asks Greg. "Well, it's not so much "think" as-" Tim's mouth stops dead in its tracks, as he stares out through the back window at a mysterious figure, that brought Tim both exceptional cynicism and optimism. Tim and Greg both watch as this sin of nature enters the car and plants himself in the left-hand backseat, pushing aside a sleeping Derek. It was a skeleton, with as much wit as bone marrow. As they stared, he thought well to speak: "So, yeah, I'm God."
"Whaa-?" asked Tim, already struck with confusion and convolution. Greg just stared, jaw dropped. "Don't fret, it gets far worse," claims the skeleton. Tim snaps out of it, "Why is there a skeleton, and which of you untrustworthy snakes drugged me?" "I'm not a skeleton, though- I'm God." "Does it actually look like I care? Because, if I ever gave off that vibe to any of you at anytime, I'd like for someone to let me know." Tim digresses, "Please, skeleton, just leave me here to whither and die."
"Nah, I'm not going to miss out on being a part of that," says "God", "You're so ungrateful for just how complete your life has been. You've had everything you could have ever wanted, Timothy. The poor people of Africa have suffered far worse and for far longer than you ever have in your short life. They aren't privileged enough to waste away their lives; have some fast-and-loose romance, or afford such a luxury car as your own, or any, period. They'll never get to try potstickers, and that isn't my fault. I gave man the tools to live, but I can't interfere or manipulate. You are a spoiled, ungrateful, entitled little brat, and you have nothing coming from me."
"Why did you come here, then?!" cries Timothy. "To offer you redemption," the skeleton pulls a magnum revolver from out of his skull, and places it in Tim's grasp,
"Do the world, and yourself, a favor, and drop dead." The skeleton exits the vehicle, and heads back the way he came, to the beat of three gunshots.


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AO Safety 99014 Blockade Noise Isolating Earbuds
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Thermaltake, In-ear Headset
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haha seems like so many things we think originate from a country is actually like. nope. tacos!
wow. nice hall where the concert was held!
yes yes SLR! with the photos you are taking now.. IMAGINE WHAT SLR WOULD BE LIKE!!! =] you can win awards ahaah
For once, a weekend at home
Loading Map
Spent Friday just talking and hanging out till 2am at dkv haha, a little different to the partying everyone else was doing but was cool just chilling with the other guys =). Need to watch Eurovision one of these days =P.
Saturday was a fun day of taking photos in Djurg�rden...ah true autumn colours were out!! It's wonderful walking around that park with leaves falling on you everywhere. And the weather was good for once too!! Some really wonderful and amazing views. Wim got some even better shots of the sunset after we chickened out and took the bus home (he had to walk to his bike). Ah should've walked! Not that it made much difference since my camera decided to die on me halfway through the day =(
Caught dinner afterwards at Tacobar with Alicia, Daniella and of course Carlos (who's Mexican)
Spent Sunday being sick...ahh horrible cough...was not all bad I guess, gave me time to do some homework for once. Went to an organ concert in the evening with Yee-Ling and Wim. Was pretty cool, I didn't realise how LOUD those things get. The whole church seemed like it was vibrating, the sound just overwhelms you. The organist could've picked better repetoire though haha, well, that's just me complaining cos I didn't know any of the songs. So yes, finally, another weekend in Stockholm. Next week, Venice! And the week after, Berlin! Man, I need to stay in Stockholm and enjoy it a little more before I leave!
OH!! And how could I forget! Yee-Ling and I went to see the Royal Philharmonic at the Konserthuset where the Nobel Prizes are handed out each year!! Very cool! And the played the opening from FF7 (not that I've played it but some of you might be interested =P)
Post your own travel photos for friends and family More Pictures & Videos
haha seems like so many things we think originate from a country is actually like. nope. tacos!
haha...the amazing places help too of course, just point the camera anywhere and you get good pictures XD
But yes...so very tempted!! Though I dunno how I'd take it around with me =P
this is my motto for overseas travel: don't buy anything that would break your heart if you loose or leave behind >
Hey Chun!
It's 9am and I've been reading for 2 hours straight. I started at the very beginning, an obvious place to start. :P Why am I so slow?! I just noticed that I can leave a comment for you. :O And what great timing, cause I always thought that Tabasco was American!
Got to go now, visiting Mum's then going to work, I'll hopefully finish reading all your entries tonight. Great to hear and see what amazing adventures you've had. Also, I'm sorry Chun, for being so behind. Should've read your blog months ago!
Take care, all the best, from Mon.


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Focus on Funds
BDCs Setting Up For More Leverage, Volatility: Fitch
Fitch Ratings today sounded a warning about increased leverage at business-development companies.
The firm is specifically interested in BDCs' acquisition of asset-based lenders:
We see the expansion of BDC platforms as a positive driver of increased middle-market loan diversification at a time when frothy credit markets have raised the risk of increased asset quality problems for leveraged loans. Still, these acquisitions bring an added layer of leverage to BDCs, given borrowings at the lender level. These investments are generally accounted for as equity investments, which could yield more valuation volatility for the firms quarter to quarter.
BDC portfolio growth has slowed recently as a result of increased prepayment activity in a low interest rate environment where refinancing volumes have been high. Asset quality trends for BDCs have improved, and portfolio concentrations have ticked down. …
Fifth Street Finance Corp's announced acquisition of HealthCare Finance Group (HFG), an asset-based lender to healthcare providers, for approximately $110 million, is the latest example of BDCs' desire to expand the platform through acquisitions of specialty lenders. HFG's outstanding loan portfolio of approximately $270 million was comprised of 57 loans to multiple borrowers at May 6, 2013. The Fifth Street acquisition follows a similar expansion seen in Solar Capital's $275 million December purchase of asset-based lender Crystal Capital Financial Holdings, whose $400 million portfolio included 23 loans at year-end 2012.
Other diverse portfolio company investments include Ares Capital Corporation's partnership with an affiliate of GE Capital Corporation, valued at approximately $1.3 billion at March 31, which invests primarily in unitranche loans to middle-market borrowers across a number of industries. American Capital Ltd. (ACAS) also has a diversified portfolio of European senior loans in its European Capital (ECAS) investment, which was valued at approximately $918.7 million at March 31.


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I've created some templates on English Wikipedia to help Advogato members to network there.
Put something like this on your user page:
{{User advogato-1|minorityreport}}
Replace minorityreport by your own username. advogato-0 is observer, advogato-1 is apprentice, advogato-2 is journeyer, advogato-3 is master. If you want to be coy, use advogato without any number, and we'll just have to tramp on over to Advogato to tell your certification level.
Whether or not you use them, please feel free to say hello at my Wikipedia talk page.


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World of Dreamings
Traditional and modern art of Australia
An exhibition held at the State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg | 2 February - 9 April 2000
English | Selected works | Pусский | 0тобранные работы
- Dr Brian Kennedy, Director, National Gallery of Australia
- An introduction to Aboriginal art by Susan Jenkins and Carly Lane
- The Aboriginal Memorial We have survived, by Djon Mundine
- The Aboriginal Memorial 1987-88 A description
- John Mawurndjul The resonating land by Luke Taylor
- All the world The paintings of Nym Bandak by Kim Barber
- 'Who's that bugger who paints like me?' Rover Thomas by Wally Caruana
- The enigma of Emily Kngwarray by Jenny Green
- High art and religious intensity. A brief history of Wik sculpture by Peter Sutton
- Laced flour and tin boxes The art of Fiona Foley by Avril Quaill
- The memory theatre of Tracey Moffat by Gael Newton
Further reading on Aboriginal art
The National Gallery of Australia is proud to present the exhibition Contemporary Australian Aboriginal Art in Modern Worlds at the State Hermitage Museum. The exhibition accords with the stated aim of the National Gallery to present the highest achievements of Australian artists on the world stage.
During the 1980s, Australia was privileged to receive from the State Hermitage Museum the loan of an exhibition of old master paintings. We are now honoured to return that generous gesture with the most significant exhibition of Australian Aboriginal art ever to travel abroad. That the exhibition should be shown in one of the world's great repositories of art is a singular privilege, and recognition of the extraordinary and rapid appreciation of the quality and range of the indigenous art of Australia.
We wish to particularly acknowledge the foresight and aesthetic sensibility of Professor Mikhail Piotrovski. After a visit to Australia, he gathered a sincere appreciation of Aboriginal art, and demonstrated to us his conviction that in the indigenous art making of Australia lies one of the world's great contemporary art movements.
The focus of this major exhibition is the continuing relevance of Australian Aboriginal art traditions in the contemporary world. The exhibition includes the magnificent The Aboriginal Memorial. In the decade it has been on public display, The Aboriginal Memorial has become one of the iconic images of the National Gallery's collection, attracting enormous interest and vigorous debate, not only from Australians, but from the thousands of overseas visitors to the Gallery. This is the first time the Memorial has left the country. For all Australians, this is a momentous occasion.
The Memorial has universal significance. This forest of symbols embodies a range of values and aspirations regarding the human condition, kinship, history and the natural and spiritual environments that may well be a guide to sustain all civilisations as we enter the third millennium.
We would like to express our deep gratitude to Jimmy Wululu, Djardie Ashley Wodalpa and the other artists who created the Memorial, and the community of Ramingining in Arnhem Land, with whom the National Gallery has enjoyed a long working relationship, in joining us in this venture. We also dedicate this exhibition to the memory of Paddy Dhathangu, David Daymirringu and George Malibirr, three of the main protagonists in the development of the Memorial. Theirs has been a vision that transcends time, culture and place, proof if any were needed, of the vitality of ancient and continuing traditions in the contemporary world.
The collections of the National Gallery are truly international in scope, bringing together the finest examples of art in the Western tradition, both past and present, art from Africa and the ancient Americas, from mainland and insular Asia and from Oceania. Naturally, the collections of Australian art take pride of place among the Gallery's displays, in particular the collections of Aboriginal art which represent not only the longest continuing tradition of art known to humanity, but also a tradition which is unique to Australia.
For some 50 millennia the many and varied Aboriginal societies have used art as a medium of exchange and communication: objects have been traded over thousands of kilometres, back and forth across the continent, to promote understanding and social and cultural alliances between disparate peoples. It is with this sense of power of art to communicate across cultures that Contemporary Australian Aboriginal Art in Modern Worlds is brought to a European audience.
We pay tribute to the many partners, sponsors and supporters of this exhibition, and in particular to Art Exhibitions Australia, its Chairman, Mr Michael Darling and Chief Executive, Dr Robert Edwards AO and also the National Museum of Australia, its Chairman, the Hon. Tony Staley and Director Ms Dawn Casey. We also thank the Australian Ambassador to Russia, Her Excellency Ms Ruth Pearce, and the Russian Ambassador to Australia, His Excellency Mr Rashit Khamidulin, for their assistance.
The preparation of the exhibition has been a major logistical endeavour. The transport and packing of The Aboriginal Memorial, 200 painted hollow log coffins, is a unique exercise by any standard, never mind the entire exhibition of paintings, sculptures, installations, photographs and films which accompany it. It has been a significant decision for the National Gallery of Australia to deprive its own audience of what is generally regarded as one of the most magnificent Australian Aboriginal contemporary works of art.
It is with great pleasure that the people of Australia send the Memorial and the exhibition to the State Hermitage Museum where we know they will be appreciated.
Dr Brian Kennedy
Director, National Gallery of Australia


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I recently reported on here that LEGOLAND in San Diego had an ultimate series B-Wing LEGO set. I was mistaken in this; it was actually the Rebel Blockade Runner set.
The pic on the box looked similar to a B-Wing set, and I mistook it for a B-Wing.
I would like to apologize to Sweden, JediTricks, and whoever else may have read this and gotten excited for nothing about a new LEGO set.
Please excuse my error.


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Our "People Who Do Good" series has been a blast and I've enjoyed highlighting the stories and lives of everyday heroes. This one comes to us from writer Rebecca Brittingham who traveled to Florida to find a cake-maker with a heart for the less fortunate.
When most people hear the word art, they usually think about watercolors, acrylic, mosaic and pottery. They think about artists who create elaborate images that share stories of hope and life. However, for one individual, art extends beyond the paintbrush and paint. In the heart of Fort Lauderdale, FL., Ilynn Negron creates artistic masterpieces using cake, frosting and fondant, which is a sugar crust that covers the cake before the frosting. In the same way that an artist pours his heart into his painting, Negron pours her heart into creating monumental cakes.
"When I first started, I had never baked this cake before," Negron shared as she slathered butter cream frosting on her freshly made vanilla rum cake, a special family recipe that she had spent months perfecting.
"I never thought that I would ever bake cakes." Negron carefully smoothed the frosted cake with the cake smoother and exclaimed, "It's perfect." She placed the cake in the fridge and said, "God gave me a vision and I have to be obedient." She walked to the corner of the kitchen and gathered the blocks of colorful candied Lego pieces that she had constructed days before.
Ilynn Negron, born in Puerto Rico, immigrated to Florida when she was 15. As a Puerto Rican, her family observed many traditions. However, the one that stands out above all others is the Vanilla Rum Cake served at every birthday. "It was so moist and delicious," Negron said as a mile-long smile stretched across her face. This family recipe left such an impact on Negron that when it was time for her to decide on a cake flavor, she had no doubt that the Vanilla Rum Cake would be the winner.
Negron firmly rolled out a piece of fondant, as if it were a piecrust, on the table. The red fondant, made from pure sugar, water and gum paste matched perfectly with the Lego piece that Negron had carefully constructed earlier that week. She continued: "It started out with a bundt cake."
As a single mom, Negron would often look at her daughter and see how she enjoyed birthday cakes, barrettes and beautiful things. Negron shared that she would feel heartbroken at the thought that so many children, today, don't have the luxury of enjoying something as simple as even a birthday cake. "Maybe," she thought, "I could bake cakes for homeless children." This is when she feels that the Lord gave her a vision to bake cakes to raise money in the fight to end human trafficking. Although it sounded like a great idea, Negron never imagined that it could really happen.
It all started last August in a small kitchen. Negron had no supplies, training or experience. She had never made a Vanilla Rum Cake before. The only thing that kept her going was a vision to help raise awareness about the injustice in the world. "God put in my heart a desire to help in the fight against human trafficking," she said.
Negron continued rolling out the fondant. She shifted gears and said, "You have to make sure that the size of the fondant is the same as the cake." Negron pulled out a measuring tape to make sure the dimensions of the cake and fondant matched.
As she wrapped a second layer of fondant over the Lego piece, comprised of a rice crispy treat, she looked up and said, "I didn't think that I could do it. I didn't think that I could make cakes." Negron's first cake was a simple mini bundt cake covered in a light glaze.
For the first several months, while Negron experimented with the recipe, she would donate her bundt cakes to various local ministries. She never imagined that it would extend beyond her bundt cakes.
However, in January 2012, a friend asked Negron to bake her wedding cake using fondant. Negron explained, "I freaked out. I couldn't make a wedding cake." Although fear of failure and incompetency gripped her heart, Negron agreed to the challenge. The next several months, inspired by her daughter, Negron taught herself the art of cake decorating using youtube.
She pressed the edges of the fondant against the Lego piece and continued: 'This isn't something that is natural for me, but God gave me a vision and I have to be obedient."
With a small pause, Negron reached for the cake in the refrigerator and started decorating. She played with the Lego pieces for a few minutes. "I pray before I bake every cake because I don't know how to put the cake together."
Within a few minutes, Negron had a design for the cake. She carefully placed the Lego pieces on the side of the cakes and set the Lego blocks on top and wrote "Happy Birthday, Joshy."
Negron would say that God is the artist, and she is just the vessel who holds the paintbrush in which God's uses to paint his story. Negron brought together, a family tradition of Vanilla Rum Cake and a vision for children, giving birth to her ministry One Heart Cakes.
A year ago, Negron never have imagined that she would tell a story through baking cakes. Today, Negron bakes cakes for birthdays, parties, special occasions, and weddings. Every cake that Negron sells, she donates a portion of her profit in a fund to fight against human trafficking. Something that seemed impossible, Negron feels that God made a way. For more information about ordering a cake, check out Ilynn's website at www.oneheartcakes.com.
I've heard people say, "How do I get over something if it still hurts?" And yes, forgiveness is key, whether it's aimed towards yourself or someone else. However, it's not really the main issue. What people really want to know is, "How do I deal with the pain?"
The problem with pain is that it doesn't just go away quickly. It doesn't disappear when the dust settles. When you've been hurt – even if you've taken the high road of forgiveness – sometimes the pain comes along for the ride.
I'm not sure what's worse. The initial pain of being hurt or the repressed pain that surfaces later when you least expect it. You know, you're going along, happy and whole, then something happens that reminds you of the past and instantly a flood of emotions you thought you locked away come rushing back in. It's enough to make you wonder if you'll ever be okay again.
Can I help you as someone who's been there and is walking this road with you today?
First of all, it's normal. Yeah, you can still get riled up about something that happened to you six months ago, a year or ago or maybe years ago. You're not a machine. You're a human being with a heart. Just like you wouldn't expect a deep flesh wound to heal over night, neither will your feelings when you've been hurt.
Secondly, don't be afraid of your pain. Don't be afraid to let it surface if it needs to. Nothing gets better when it's covered in layers of shame, fear and regret. So you can't be concerned that your pain is too ugly to show, which leads me to my next point…
Talk to somebody about it. If you're married, talk to your spouse. Maybe you need a professional counselor or a trusted friend and cup of coffee. Let your pain come out in words. You don't need to tell everyone. In fact, too many people knowing your problems can be counterproductive. But find one person you trust and let the cork off of all those bottled up emotions.
I talk a lot here about letting go of your past and moving forward, and I still believe those are powerful tools for living an abundant life. However, the truth is that you can't let everything go. Some things you have to let heal. Give it space and time to get better on its own and don't try to rush the process. Let the wound turn into a scar that one day becomes just an old story you forget to tell.
Photo Credit: OWN / George Burns
We have a number of bloggers and writers here who have been inspired by the writings of Marianne Williamson. Her debut book, A Return to Love, reflected A Course in Miracles for a new generation. She first gained notoriety by an appearance on the Oprah show, and they will sit down once again this Sunday on OWN!
Oprah and Marianne Williamson: 20 Years After 'A Return To Love' will premiere on the Emmy® Award-winning "Super Soul Sunday" July 29 at 11 a.m. ET/PT on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network and will simulcast online worldwide via Oprah.com and Facebook.com/OWNtv.
To get a glimpse of what's in store, check out this exclusive clip OWN sent us:


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Come enjoy 'Recreational Shopping' at Mesa Market Place Swap Meet! Admission is FREE! Parking is FREE! And Live Entertainment in our Food Court is also FREE!
Take a minute and visit our Coupon Page. Dozens of merchants have coupons there and you'll be able to print out our Breakfast Coupons so you can start your day with a good breakfast: Two Eggs, Toast and Hash Browns for either $2 or $2.50, depending on whether you want to be an Early Bird or not!
Welcome to Mesa Market Place Swap Meet!
Ready for a fun day? Mesa Market Place Swap Meet is here for you. And if you need mobility, click here for more info including location and rental prices.


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Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl: Frequently Asked Questions
The 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl is just hours away. We're sure you have so many questions. We're here to help. (For an X's and O's breakdown, click through to Zac Ellis' game preview.)
• What's all this, then? You may remember this game as the Copper Bowl, which is how it operated for its first eight years of existence before selling naming rights to Insight.com in 1996. Buffalo Wild Wings is in its first year as title sponsor. So is there a button that -- STOP THAT RIGHT NOW. WE ARE ALREADY OVER THIS.
• Where will this game be played? Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz., the home stadium for the Arizona State Sun Devils (and former home of the Fiesta Bowl).
• When is it on television? A fashionably late 10:15 p.m. ET on ESPN. The top-tier team of Brad Nessler and Todd Blackledge share announcing duties, with Tom Rinaldi on the sidelines, presumably trailed by his trusty twinkly piano.
• Whom does it feature? Big Ten versus Big 12.
• What about this year? In their first year in a new conference, the 7-5 TCU Horned Frogs will rep the Big 12, while the 6-6 Michigan State Spartans will represent the Big Ten.
• Does the bowl have a social media presence? The Twitter account at @BWWBowl is not afraid to confront Mark Dantonio head-on (from behind a table barrier):
. @msu_football head coach Mark Dantonio is greeted at Media Day with a basket of Buffalo Wild Wings sauces. #BWWBowl twitter.com/BWWBowl/status…
— BWW Bowl (@BWWBowl) December 27, 2012
• What wacky activities will be on offer during bowl week? Heartburn, by way of wing-eating contest:
Wings. And lots of them. #TCU #BWWBowl twitter.com/BWWBowl/status…
— BWW Bowl (@BWWBowl) December 27, 2012
The results are in: @msu_football (33 wings/player) defeated @tcufootball (20 wings/player) in the #BWWBowl wings eating competition.
— BWW Bowl (@BWWBowl) December 27, 2012
• What shiny baubles will be showered on the players? A backpack is included among the gifts, presumably lined with aluminum foil to facilitate the transportation of even more wings.
• What's the pick? In a contest between teams with superb defenses and offenses that frequently couldn't get out of their own way in 2012, Stewart Mandel predicts the Spartans' ability to force TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin into turnovers will make the difference. • Please impart any miscellaneous knowledge you might have concerning the 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl. Do NOT make the mistake of confusing the 6-6 Spartans with an 8-4 team. They REALLY do not like it.


text: This famous beach is also the widest beach in Rio. Throngs of bikini- and Speedo-clad locals and tourists take in the sun, as well as a round of beach soccer and volleyball. Copacabana Beach is a popular venue for concerts and a spectacular New Year's Eve celebration where partiers wear white for good luck. The glitzy shops and cafés along Avenida Atlântica provide a welcome respite from the heat.


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Grammy-nominated artist Drake to perform at Binghamton University
BINGHAMTON, NY – Hip-hop artist Drake is set to perform at the Binghamton University Events Center at 8 p.m. Friday, October 1.
This September, Drake begins his national Light Dreams and Nightmares tour, sponsored by AT&T and featuring special guest, the Clipse. The Binghamton show immediately follows two sold-out Radio City Music Hall dates.
Based out of Canada, and named "Best Male Hip Hop Artist" at the 2010 BET Awards, Drake released his extremely successful debut album "Thank Me Later" in June. His best-known songs "Best I Ever Had" and "Find Your Love" both broke the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, and the album went platinum within the first month. He has also collaborated with high profile rap and hip-hop artists such as Kanye West and Lil Wayne.
Others may also recognize Drake from his role on the popular television show Degrassi: The Next Generation.
According to Aaron Cohn, Binghamton University Student Association VP for Programming, "It is going to be a high-energy, exciting show. Drake is a hot act right now, and we felt he appealed to a wide group of students and community members. He's arguably the biggest hip-hop artist we have ever brought to Binghamton."
This program is sponsored by the Student Association Programming Board.
Tickets will be available online Thursday, September 2nd, at sa.binghamton.edu <http://sa.binghamton.edu> <http://sa.binghamton.edu> and in person at the Binghamton University Events Center Box Office (607-777-6004). Tickets to the show are $36 plus facility fees.


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Here at Clay and Art Equipment, we have all of your artistic needs sorted. Whether you need resources for your own private project, a school class project or a business, we can send you to the right place.
With links to cost effective stockists and helpful advice on how to save your money, Clay and Art Equipment has your art supply needs sorted.
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'September Asthma Epidemic' to Peak on the 19th?
Asthma patients, remember, remember the 19th of September.
It will be the worst asthma day of 2013, some experts say, thanks in part to fall weather.
Studies have shown that the greatest number of asthma hospitalizations occur 17 days after Labor Day, which in 2013 is Sept. 19, Dr. Robert Reinharft, an assistant professor of family medicine at Michigan State University and the U.S. medical director for ImmunoDiagnostics at Thermo Fisher Scientific, told CNN.
(MORE: The Worst Fall Allegy Cities of 2012)
Regardless of whether Sept. 19 is actually the date to watch for, it is a well-documented fact that asthma attacks surge during back-to-school time — earning it the moniker the "September Asthma Epidemic" — partially because of fall weather. The end-of-summer heat and harvest stir up high levels of pollen, ragweed and mold, aggravating asthma, allergies and other respiratory conditions. Plus, going back to the classroom exposes kids to more viruses that can trigger asthma attacks, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
The school buildings themselves contain potential respiratory allergens, including mold, dust mites, pet dander and even cockroaches and mice. When children switch from a summertime outdoor environment to a climate-controlled indoor environment with allergens present, it can cause severe asthma symptoms, Dr. Reinhardt explained to CNN.
The lingering effect of summer vacation is also an issue: Many children go off their asthma medication during the summer, or slip on their medication routines while they're out of school.
Overall, children are twice as likely to visit the emergency room for asthma than any other time of the year, according to the ACAAI. But research shows that patients who see an allergist have 76-percent fewer emergency room visits overall.
MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Do You Live in the Most-Polluted City?
The Weather Company's primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.


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Went to two different Wal-Marts this morning-- in Chickasha and Anadarko. Both had a good quantity of figures.
The Anadarko store had yoda and Hangar Duel Anakin. Chickasha did not. I could not find a Dooku at either store.
Of course both stores had all the extra vehicles and accessories and so forth.


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A friend of my wife's has a horse farm up in Virginia and she emailed us what she thought were bear tracks going through the mud on the way to one of her barns. After studying the pics, they are no doubt mountain lion tracks. Even though she lives in a fairly remote area (outside of Floyd, Va.), I suspect the tracks belong to a cougar that was probably captive bred & released or escaped. They are very adaptable animals and exploit their environment extremely well. Between rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, opossums, deer, quail, turkeys, barnyard animals, livestock, & pets, there's a lot of food for a big cat to prey upon.
Given that her horses have not been attacked and the tracks have not been seen around there since, I imagine that cat was just passing through. It freaked her out in a big way. You can bet her horses stay locked up at night.


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On DVD
Batman Begins
Movie Review
Tormented by memories of his millionaire parents' murder by a petty thief (and wracked with guilt, believing it was his fault) young Bruce Wayne is raised by his loyal butler, Alfred.
As he matures, he bears the burden of smoldering wrath. But his quest for revenge gets frustrated when a twist of fate robs him of the chance to settle the score. How can he reconcile his rage and the legacy of benevolence and decency he received from his father? Bruce sheds his name and privilege, choosing to roam the globe and observe criminal behavior. It lands him in a Bhutanese prison. He is identified, freed, and trained in the arts of combat and stealth by Henri Ducard, an enigmatic member of the League of Shadows. Ducard's dark fraternity of vigilante ninjas is committed to removing social cancers—including the rampant crime and corruption that is Gotham City. Bruce pledges to fight for the same cause, but not by destroying the city. He wants to save it.
Bruce returns home to Gotham aware that very few people are willing to stand against evil. One is Lt. Gordon, a beacon of integrity amid dirty cops. Another is his childhood friend Rachel Dawes, the Assistant District Attorney. (She can't seem to keep criminals behind bars because the oily Dr. Crane always manages to get an insanity ruling that lands them in his asylum.) Also worthy of Bruce's trust is Lucius Fox, a long-time employee of Wayne Enterprises—one of the few who hasn't forsaken its founder's altruistic vision in favor of globalization and shady military contracts. And, of course, there's Alfred. With their help, and aided by a foreboding alter-ego, Bruce embraces his calling to rescue Gotham City as Batman.
With the success of the X-Men and Spider-Man franchises, Hollywood rediscovered the public's hunger for comic book superheroes. But subsequent flops proved that audiences don't care about empty computer-generated effects or mind-numbing action sequences. They want smart, character-driven stories with a moral core. Batman Begins understands this, and should appeal to the same crowd that propelled a certain web-slinger to big-screen success.
Positive Elements
As a boy, Bruce shares a warm, healthy relationship with his altruistic, socially conscious dad. Wayne Enterprises is driven to improve life for the city as a whole. We learn that Dr. Wayne even created an economical rail system to provide disadvantaged people with transportation, and that his ancestors helped slaves via the Underground Railroad.
When Bruce experiences a crisis, his father says, "Why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves up" (a lesson repeated often and at key moments, much like Spider-Man's mantra "With great power comes great responsibility"). When Bruce's parents are killed, the boy is shown kindness by a police officer destined to become a loyal ally.
Alfred is patient and sacrificial, a loyal, respected servant who isn't afraid to tell Master Bruce when he's out of line. When Bruce expresses disregard for the fate of his name, Alfred insists, "It's not just your name. It's your father's name. And it's all that's left of him." Later, Bruce humbles himself, giving his coat to a homeless man and embarking on an anonymous journey of self-discovery without his fortune. Bitterness is deemed counterproductive (anger strangles grief until it turns into a self-defeating poison).
Meanwhile, Rachel stands up for what's right despite risks. She distinguishes between justice and revenge, lecturing Bruce about selfishness and civic duty ("Justice is about harmony; vengeance is about making yourself feel better"). When he puts on the playboy act—meant to keep people from connecting him with the crusading Batman—her disappointment in what she thinks he has become doesn't keep her from believing in his potential. She tells him, "It's not who you are underneath, but what you do that defines you" and asks, "What chance does Gotham have when the good people do nothing?" Characters advocate perseverance, patience, confronting fear and "devotion to an ideal."
Urged to kill a criminal, Bruce refuses ("I'm no executioner"). He seeks justice rather than revenge, and is committed to not killing his foes. Bruce risks his life to save a mentor from a fiery fate. Later, Alfred does the same for him. After processing his fear, hatred and grief, Bruce determines to show the city of Gotham that it doesn't belong to the corrupt, criminal element ("I seek the means to fight injustice, to turn fear on those who prey on the fearful"). He's convinced that wiping out the population like a malignant tumor isn't the answer ("Gotham isn't beyond saving; there are good people here").
Spiritual Content
The League of Shadows' heartless Eastern philosophies fail to jibe with Bruce's nobler sense of compassion and justice. While not overtly spiritual, this stark contrast supports a Christian worldview. Bruce feels called to show mercy to the people of Gotham, arriving in their evil midst, not to pronounce judgment but to redeem the city.
Sexual Content
Going out of his way to act like a wealthy playboy, Bruce visits a restaurant with two women on his arm who wind up frolicking in a nearby pool (bare shoulders shown). Sweethearts share a tender kiss.
Violent Content
According to director Christopher Nolan, "[Audiences] have gotten comfortable seeing fighting portrayed in this graceful, dance-like fashion to the point where the violence loses its threat. I wanted to take it back to a grittier place, where you feel the punches a bit more." Hence the movie's frequent barrages of hand-to-hand combat, most often employing tight, disciplined Keysi attacks. Whether taking on seven men in an Asian prison camp, engaging in brutal ninja-style combat while training under Ducard, or disabling bad guys in Gotham City, Bruce Wayne mixes it up early and often.
Arsonists begin to burn down an inhabited apartment building, and later Wayne Manor. Other specific instances of violence include the shooting of Bruce's parents, the Jack Ruby-style assassination of an ex-con, and a public official being bludgeoned and shot in the back. A traumatic fall leaves a boy with a broken arm. Thugs beat up Bruce and dump him in an alley. Threats at gun- and knife-point are common, as are flurries of gunfire. A building gets blown to smithereens with assassins still inside. The destruction of property—including numerous police cars—occurs during a reckless, high-speed chase. Bad guys get head-butted, knocked cold (once by Alfred brandishing a nine-iron), sail out of windows, succumb to a taser and are trapped inside a fiery train wreck.
Crude or Profane Language
Just over a dozen profanities. Most are mild except for single instances of "a--hole," "g--d---" and an abuse of Jesus' name.
Drug and Alcohol Content
Police make a drug bust. Central to the plot is a scheme to unleash a lethal airborne hallucinogen on Gotham City. A villain uses smaller amounts of this panic-inducing toxin to temporarily cripple foes, causing people to have blurred vision and trippy, sometimes grotesque hallucinations. (He eventually gets a taste of his own medicine.) A man attempts to kill a girl by administering a concentrated dose. Exposure demands that some victims be injected with an antidote. Men drink liquor. Alcohol is served at Bruce's posh birthday party.
Other Negative Elements
Bruce admits that he stole food to survive, yet states that he never allowed himself to adopt the true character of a thief—logic that could lead young people to justify stealing under certain circumstances. Creepy hallucinations show a man's burlap hood crawling with maggots.
Although the titular superhero does his best to subdue rivals using non-lethal means, Batman Begins is quite violent, and it runs to the darker end of the comic book spectrum. It also includes some profanity. Still, it falls responsibly into the PG-13 category, giving mature teens and adults a summer popcorn flick brimming with moral dilemmas and character issues sure to generate discussion. Just as director Sam Raimi took Spider-Man to new heights, Chris Nolan's back story of the Dark Knight should please both avid fans and casual thrill-seekers alike.
"What's always been fascinating about Batman," says Nolan who also co-wrote the script, "is that he is a hero driven by quite negative impulses. Batman is human. He's flawed. But he's someone who has taken those very powerful, self-destructive emotions and made something positive from them. To me, that makes Batman an extraordinarily relevant figure in today's world."
I've enjoyed various incarnations of Batman throughout my life, from the campy '60s TV series (all hail Cesar Romero!) to comic books and cartoons, and even the cheesy black-and-white matinee serials from the '40s released to DVD earlier this year. But I have to admit, Bruce Wayne has never been the easiest character to identify with. Clark Kent? You bet. Peter Parker? Absolutely. Those guys exude a relatable, mild-mannered awkwardness. I mean, who hasn't felt like a nerdy outsider forced to conceal his true identity? Then there's Bruce. I've always found it harder to empathize with a sullen rich kid nursing a bat fetish ... until now.
Batman Begins does a masterful job of making Bruce Wayne a more sympathetic hero without violating the legend. He still lingers in shadow. He still growls hoarsely, "I'm Batman." However, we no longer see him as just an unfortunate boy who witnessed the senseless murder of his wealthy parents. With the gaps filled in, we now understand the fear and guilt that haunted him, and how even his thirst for revenge became frustrated before he got his moral bearings.
More than just informative, this new film is smart and subtly self-aware. The screenwriters weren't lazy. They respected fans enough to make each development—from the birth of the bat cave to the outfitting of that utility belt—reasonably logical (including why Batman always seems to have a spare hood on hand). Where did the body armor come from? The bat signal? How does he fly? After Batman Begins I can even accept that a brooding millionaire could somehow possess the ninja skills to mix it up with members of the underworld.
Christian Bale is perfectly cast as the caped crusader. He has the presence, dry wit and smoldering intensity to make Bruce Wayne believable, whether he's being tormented by personal demons, assuming the role of spoiled playboy, creating his cowled alter-ego or taking out the bad guys with brute force. It's enough to make us forget Keaton, Kilmer and Clooney altogether. Bale has resuscitated an American icon and given new life to a franchise feared dead ever since Joel Schumacher put nipples on the batsuit. A final scene in this prequel could be connecting the dots to the 1989 film, or it may be setting up a brand-new sequel. I for one hope it's the latter.
Pro-social Content
Objectionable Content
Summary Advisory
Plot Summary
Christian Beliefs
Other Belief Systems
Discussion Topics
Additional Comments/Notes
Episode Reviews
Readability Age Range
Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman; Liam Neeson as Henri Ducard; Michael Caine as Alfred Pennyworth; Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes; Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox; Gary Oldman as Lt. James Gordon; Cillian Murphy as Dr. Jonathan Crane; Tom Wilkinson as Carmine Falcone; Rutger Hauer as Richard Earle
Christopher Nolan ( Interstellar, The Dark Knight Rises, Inception, The Dark Knight, The Prestige, Insomnia)
Warner Bros.
Record Label
In Theaters
On Video
Year Published
Bob Smithouser


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By Kevin Tate/Outdoors Writer
When the Tupelo & Tombigbee River Valley Chapter of Ducks Unlimited holds its annual banquet next Thursday, the money the members raise will help fund a mission whose projects span the length and breadth of the continent.
Ducks Unlimited got its start in 1937 when a small group of hunters joined forces to conserve the game they loved during the epic drought and erosion conditions of the Dust Bowl. Today, the group has grown to a membership of nearly 600,000 and has permanently conserved more than 12 million acres of waterfowl habitat across North America. In Mississippi alone, Ducks Unlimited has conserved a total of 289,000 acres, more than 450 square miles. Over the years they have spent $37 million here. Those efforts are a part of their work throughout the Mississippi Flyway, a key migration route for ducks heading south for the winter and north for the summer. In the Mississippi Flyway, Ducks Unlimited has conserved a total of 1.73 million acres and spent $330 million over the years.
The Ducks Unlimited, Tupelo & Tombigbee River Valley Chapter banquet is set for Thursday, Dec. 6, in Building 5 of the Tupelo Furniture Market. Doors will open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $50 for a single, $70 for a couple and $25 for youngsters. All tickets include one membership to Ducks Unlimited, a year's subscription to DU Magazine and dinner. Individual sponsorships are available for $350, and corporate sponsorships begin at $800. There will be live and silent auctions and a raffle. Tickets are available in the sporting goods department at Scruggs or at Tupelo Farm and Ranch. They may also be purchased online by clicking on "local events" at ducks.org/Mississippi.


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Score all the delicious draws of German chocolate cake—coconut, rich pecan frosting, and, of course, chocolate—in nibble-friendly cookie form.
To toast coconut, bake uncovered in ungreased shallow pan in 350°F oven 6 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until light brown.
For a sparkly finish to these cookies, roll balls of dough in granulated sugar. Instead of topping the baked cookies with toasted coconut, sprinkle with toasted chopped pecans.
© 2017 ®/TM General Mills All Rights Reserved


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Web Stories
Young receives Department of Energy award
Posted June 15, 2001; 11:06 a.m.
The U.S. Department of Energy has selected Ken Young, a physicist at the Princeton Plasma Physics Lab, as the recipient of its Distinguished Associate Award.
The award cites Young for his role as "the leader of diagnostics development for the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor, his subsequent contributions to the breakthrough measurements which are the TFTR legacy, and his very real efforts in behalf of collaborative fusion physics research, both within the U.S. and abroad. His dedicated efforts have had a major impact on the diagnostics systems that bind theory and experiment together in advancing fusion."
Young, who holds his Ph.D. from Princeton, was head of the lab's international off-site research division until he retired this year. During his more than three decades at the PPPL as a fusion researcher and plasma diagnostics specialist, he was involved in moving forward the concept of how diagnostics are used on fusion experiments.
Contact: Marilyn Marks (609) 258-3601


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Besides Ebay or half.com, are there any good places online to find used SW books? I'm currently looking for several that would fall under childrens books; GOF, Missions, etc. Any help would be appreciated.
Besides Ebay or half.com, are there any good places online to find used SW books? I'm currently looking for several that would fall under childrens books; GOF, Missions, etc. Any help would be appreciated.
Shop Smart! Shop S-Mart!
While I have not made any purchases from them, amazon.com has had great selections in their Out of Print section. Check any used book stores or libraries around you; sometimes you can find them for $.25 or more.
I predict that the upcoming Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi film will include the word "and." Multiple times.
Hey, Sid, I'm not sure what Missions is. If it's the series of lame-o books that includes Mission from Mount Yoda, I still see them all the time in my quest for GOF 9. Barnes and Nobles has the entire series reprinted in two cheap hardcovers; if you're looking for reading copies, they're a much better deal.
That's my jacket!
El, Missions is actually a series of books by Scholastic. I think there's around 20 or so. I've seen a few on ebay. Here's a link to one of the auctions.
I've cleaned out nearly all the used book stores in the Orlando area of what I need. I have to say it hasn't been much. I'll check the local libraries sometime.
Thanks guys!
Shop Smart! Shop S-Mart!
I don't know of any online places to go to to get uused books besides Ebay but if you go to a GoodWill store you may find some pretty good SW books there. Also try out some antiques and collectibles stores.
I scored 10 SW books at a flea market in Homosassa, FL over the weekend. I picked up 4 of the Essential Guides, 5 X-wing novels & a Marvel Illustrated paperback.(I've posted a pic in the Marvel Comics Thread.) The Essentials & X-wings were brand new. I bought all 9 for less the $50. He threw in the 10th for free. The essentials were about $8.50 each & the x-wings were about $2.00 each. My SW library is on its way to completion.
Shop Smart! Shop S-Mart!
My local library (Rancho Cucamonga; city motto: "Laugh at Our Name and We'll Whoop Ya!" ) has had 3 silent auctions with all SW items. I bid on the first one, but the bidders overbid by far too much, so I was out. The auctions are mainly books, but there've been figures (carded and loose), records (they're kinda like big CDs ), stickers, etc. Ask at your local library to maybe consider silent auctions of Star Wars items; they sell well and get people in that might not normally go to a library.
I predict that the upcoming Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi film will include the word "and." Multiple times.
Since I live in that huge metropolis of Orlando, FL , I'll have to check with the main branch downtown. That will give me a good reason to pay off my late fees. Maybe I'll get lucky and find something I need.
Shop Smart! Shop S-Mart!
I'm not sure where you can find your Missions books, but here is a list that can help you in your search.
SW Collector's Bible
[FONT=tahoma]I'm a SW Fan, Honk if you R2![/FONT]
[FONT=fixedsys]GREAT TRADERS! [/FONT]
good shot jansen
vulcantouch-legendary bounty hunter![/FONT]
R2 Up to her neck in sand on the beaches of Hawaii
I've actually been looking for first editions of the Brian Daley Han Solo trilogy (1979-80) for some time now. I've checked ebay but for some reason my account was suspended while I was in Korea, I think my brother used my name to bid on a bunch of stuff he couldn't afford.
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split. - Robert E. Howard


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Great, Powerful Portable Amp
Pros: Power, balanced/single ended output
Cons: Battery life
I've owned two of these now and it's time to write a review. One I bought new last year (and sold on here) and one I bought used on these forums. To put it simply, this is the best portable headphone amp I have ever owned or heard. I used this with a pair of Hd800s, balanced D7000s and LCD-2s. It easily powered all of these with authority. There are multiple gain settings as well, for more sensitive headphones, although you have to take the amp apart to change this. The little opamp kit this comes with is pretty cool as well, its really quick and easy to swap them out and fun to play around with different options. Sound from this amp (stock) is pretty neutral. I did many comparisons with this and my Schiit Lyr (out of the single ended output from the PB2) and I can honestly say that I could not tell them apart, this little amp can really power anything with some serious force! My one and only complaint is the ridiculously low battery life of this amp. I would say based on my experience that this amp has a realistic battery life of 5-6 hours when fully charged. But I guess that's a small inconvenience for such an awesome amp!


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Leon S Kennedy
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lol fat leon with giant hands.
Posted on December 10, 2012 2:26PM by Quechus9
lol wtf niko S kennedy haha nice
Posted on December 11, 2012 7:38AM by gtobgt
Tiny Head
Posted on December 11, 2012 5:00PM by L0V2XLR8
Thank you
Posted on December 17, 2012 7:33AM by Gabriel.Augusto
Nice thank you!!!!
Can you make Ada Wong for GTA 4???
Can you make Ada Wong for GTA 4???
Posted on January 25, 2013 1:32PM by elma1512
please make this player model for me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JX1qQ4j7GEY
Posted on March 4, 2013 6:42PM by bigretard
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Atrio MG7 Pro RED (010-049) -
Atrio MG7 Pro RED hear what you have been missing! Studio sound quality with un-matched base response; An ergonomic Stay - In: design with background noise isolation; Promotes safer hearing with Bigger Sound at Lower volume; Packaging is fully eco-friendly and RoHS compliant; Proprietary 10 mm MG7 speaker system.
Atrio X MG5 Black
Atrio X bigger sound lowervolume with MG5 proprietary 10mm dynamic drivers delviers a value not found in earbuds twice the cost. Packaging is fully eco-friendly and ROHD compliant. Studio Quality, Ergonomic stay in ear design.
Griffin Technology 4039-EJAM EarJam Earbud Sound Enhancing Covers
Griffin Earjam Earbud Amplifiers for iPod snap on to your Ipod earbuds to enhance the sound and comfort of your iPod. Deliver massive bass and improved sound. Enhance the comfort and fit of your iPod earbuds. Raises your earbud volume by up to 10 decibels. Griffin EarJams let you keep on using your iPod earbuds while giving you the quality that comes from in-ear style headphones. You won...


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MacDive is now available for two new Oceanic dive computers!
Mac users can now relive their dives using MacDive with Oceanic's latest dive computer models.
Oceanic's Atom 3.0 and VT 4.0 have just hit the shelves and MacDive has upgraded its software for users of the new models. MacDive is also available for a wide range of other Oceanic models.
MacDive creator, Nick Shore, says the product means divers can track their scuba diving life. "Divers can download their dive profiles to their Mac and log them. They can track their certifications as well as a history of their gear which means they will know when servicing is required."
He says a recent feature that allows diver to sync to their iPhone has been very popular.
"But some of the most positive feedback has been for a photo support feature which automatically matched photos taken to your diving log. It's like reliving the dive."
Nick, who is a keen diver himself, also rates the Google map support allows divers to map their dives.
"I've set out to include features that enhance the experience and are intuitive to use," he says.
With the addition of the Atom 3.0 and VT4.0 MacDive now supports a total of 25 dive computers between Oceanic and Aeris. It has been great working with MacDive and we are happy to provide a Mac option to our customers.
Check out the list below for all of the supported Oceanic and Aeris devices.
- Atom 2.0
- Atom 3.0
- Datamask
- Geo
- Geo 2.0
- Pro Plus 2
- Pro Plus 2.1
- Veo 180NX
- Veo 200
- Veo 250
- Veo 2.0
- Veo 3.0
- Versa Pro
- VT Pro
- Atmos 2
- Atmos AI
- Atmos Elite
- Compumask
- Elite T3
- Epic
- Manta