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Horror Movie Franchises in Space
In honor of the space shuttle Endeavour flying over LA today, we've been thinking about the best horror movies set in outer space. In terms of quality, nothing can really beat Alien and its sequels/prequels. (Who else is excited about Prometheus coming out on DVD next month?)
Check out the 1979 trailer for Alien:
But who can forget the horror movie franchises that have gone to space simply because they can:
What horror franchise should go to space next? Saw in space? Paranormal Activity in space? Let us know in the comments!
By the way, if you haven't already, check out our alien and sci fi props.
Dapper Cadaver on Syfy's Hot Set
Did you see us on Hot Set on Syfy last night? If you missed it, check it out online: Crash Landed Astronaut episode. Congrats to Grace, who made her TV debut. It was so much fun working with this show! We can't wait to see what they do next.
Halloween Casket Rentals in Los Angeles
Looking for a coffin to rent this Halloween? Book your casket rental now while some of the most gorgeous prop coffins in the LA area are still available. We have all kinds of caskets, from modern caskets to spooky toe-pincher coffins. Sale prices are listed on the category page. See the product description for much lower weekly rental prices. All coffin rentals will need to be picked up at our store near the Burbank Airport. Check out our Halloween casket rentals!
Zombie Costume Ideas: Game of Thrones White Walker
There are certain zombies that stand out from the horde. The White Walkers from HBO's Game of Thrones are extremely unique and iconic. (Not to mention terrifying!) Why not try being a White Walker for Halloween? If you have the FX chops to recreate their blue-eyed leader, you have our total respect. Here is a closer look at the White Walker makeup and prosthetics by Creatures Inc., LTD. But if you have a long brown cape, some furs, ice FX makeup and zombie FX makeup, you should be able to make a pretty convincing White Walker.
Any great White Walker costume ideas or sources you'd like to share? Put them in the comments! And if you end up doing this for Halloween, send us your pics. We love to share.
Dapper Cadaver Featured on HalloweenCostumes.com
Nice write-up on the shop by Marlon over at HalloweenCostumes.com. Thanks guys! Check out the blog post.
Happy Back to School!
Happy back to school week, horror moms and dads! I hope your kids are adjusting to the classroom better than Wednesday and Pugsley.
It's Alive!
Halloween 2012 is upon us and through the power of mad science this blog has miraculously come back to life! Stay tuned for fun Halloween madness.
Halloween Zombies with Buckets Tutorial
Short on cash but want some scary zombies for your front yard this Halloween? We've put together a handy tutorial on how to make zombies with buckets!
Start with this:
End up with this:
They are perfect on a front lawn popping up between tombstones.
Read the full Halloween how-to here: How to Make Zombies with Buckets.
GO: The Hive Gallery Haunted House Themed Show
The Hive Gallery Haunted House Themed Show
When: Saturday 10/1 8 – 12:30 am
Where: The Hive Gallery, 729 S. Spring St.
Price: $8 door / $5 with costume
Info: Up to 60 artists take on the haunted house theme for the Hive Gallery and Studios show this month. Featured artists include Jamie Johnson, 3RDI and Macsorro. Plus bands, burlesque, sideshow, tarot reading, live painting and fantastic people in fantastic costumes! For more info, see the Hive Gallery website.
New Photo Galleries
We've been getting fancy with Flickr and just added some new photo galleries to the Dapper Cadaver website. Check them out:
- About Us – We added a gallery of photos inside the shop and production stills.
- Props in Action – This new page includes a gallery of production stills and a list of some of our clients.
- Dapper Cadaver Models – This new page includes a gallery of Dapper Cadaver model photos by Marianne Williams.
And one hot model shot for the road:
The Walking Dead Zombie Costume Inspiration
Starting on your The Walking Dead zombie Halloween costume already? Get inspired by costume designer Eulyn Womble as she literally slashes and burns the outfits you'll be seeing in season 2, starting on October 16th. There are a lot of online guides on how to make a zombie costume. This Threadbanger video has a good visual guide to distressing and bloodying zombie clothes starting at 6:36 (with great zombie makeup tips earlier). But most don't include taking a lighter to the edges for a cool burned-out effect. Watch the Eulyn Womble video at AMC.
Or if you're strapped for time, Rubie's Costumes has licensed The Walking Dead costumes that are available at sites like SpiritHalloween.com BuyCostumes.com or at your local Halloween store.
Freaky Beetles Prey On Frogs
The small prey does a little shimmy and attracts the attention of the predator. The big predator lunges at the prey and attempts to take a bite, but the prey latches on to its jaws. No matter how hard the predator shakes, it can't shake the prey which jumps up onto its back and makes it clear who is the prey and who is the predator here. As the new predator sinks its jaws into its much larger prey, the big prey is paralyzed and will remain paralyzed as the little predator devours it alive down to the bones.
No, this isn't the Alien prequel. These are the gutsy ground beetles of the genus Epomis that take on and kill much larger amphibians even as little beetle larvae.
Quite a discovery by Tel Aviv University researchers Gil Wizen and Avital Gasith, who described the strategy of Epopmis beetle larvae as an "extremely rare anti-predator behavior."
Epomis beetle larvae in action
Epomis adult beetle in action
(note: not for the weak of stomach)
To learn more, check out the full study or the story at Wired Science.
Haunt Openings & Link Round-Up
Knotts Scary Farm and Universal Halloween Horror Nights open this weekend. If you go, let us know which mazes and scare zones were the best in the comments section.
If you are staying home and getting your scary kicks on the interwebs, check out the links below:
- The Human Centipede 2 is out and receiving some scathing, but highly entertaining reviews. Quote from the Bloody Disgusting review: "The Human Centipede 2 serves as nothing more than a reminder that there is no God, and, if He does exists, then he sent Tom Six as punishment for our misdeeds."
- MTV Geek is featuring gore-geous art from Roman Dirge's new book Taxidermied.
- Scare Zone has a great post on common haunt themes with a helpful list of where you can find them.
- Suicide Girls has posted the super hot third chapter of The Killswitch Review. If you like to balance out your steady diet of horror with a little gothic/sci-fi steaminess.
Happy freaky Friday!
GO: The Empire of Death Book Signing
The Empire of Death Book Signing
When: Saturday 9/24 7 – 10 pm
Where: La Luz de Jesus, 4633 Hollywood Blvd.
Price: Free! The book is $50 and worth every penny.
Info: Dr. Paul Koudounaris presents and signs his new book, The Empire of Death: A Cultural History of Ossuaries and Charnel Houses. The book reveals religious places where human remains were laid to rest en masse on four continents. The word "amazing" has been over-used in our society. However, "amazing" is the right word to describe the power of Dr. Paul K's photographs of the bone churches, jewel-encrusted skeletons and decorated skulls. I can't wait to read the book and learn more about the stories and cultures behind the gorgeous images. Original photographs will be on display at La Luz de Jesus until October 3rd. Learn more at La Luz de Jesus and see a sample of what will be on display. The official publisher site has full pages to view. If you are out of town, you can pre-order the book on Amazon. Highly recommended.
Yummy: Gunther von Häagen-Dazs
A delicious new video from our pals at Art of Bleeding:
If you are in SF on 9/30, make sure to see Art of Bleeding perform at Chicken John's book release!
For Immediate Release: 13 Halloween Prop Ideas for Killer Halloween Party Decor
We just sent out a press release with 13 Halloween party themes and killer prop ideas that will help you out-do the extreme haunters down the block. Here are some of my favorites.
1. Theme: Crime scene. Killer prop: Plastic blood pools. Guide your guests through a bloody crime scene without leaving fake blood tracks through the rest of your house. Bloody shows like Dexter use shiny red plastic blood pools to get the look of wet blood without the mess.
5. Theme: Vampire. Killer prop: Safety wooden stakes. Divide your blood-sucking guests into Team Edward, Team Bill, Team Eric and Team Dracula. Select vampire hunters and give them rubber wooden stakes. Let the hunt begin!
Safety wooden stake – $15 on sale!
8. Theme: Extreme gore. Killer prop: Realistic corpse. If you have some over-the-top bloody Halloween corpses, add one extremely realistic corpse to the bunch and wait until a concerned guest approaches you to let you know someone may have died of fright.
Anatomical male Joe with hair – $900
13. Theme: Dinosaur park. Killer prop: Dinosaur skulls. To really wow the neighborhood, rent replica dinosaur skulls and bones. For some unforgettable fun, bury some dinosaur bones in sand for the kids to find dinosaurs in their own backyard.
50 piece dinosaur skull rental for 1 week – $2,200
Read the rest of the release with all 13 Halloween party decor ideas! If you have any friends that work in the media, please pass this on.
Barnum Brown & The First T. Rex
NPR ran a great story last week called Bone to Pick: First T. Rex Skeleton Complete at Last. Carl Mehling, curator at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, found a stray bone labeled 973, identified as belonging to the first T. Rex and gave it to the Carnegie Museum to finally complete the first T. Rex skeleton.But the best parts of the story for me were about the man who discovered the first T. Rex skeleton and sold it to the Carnegie Museum in the first place: Barnum Brown, "the Indiana Jones of dinosaur hunters".
Named after P.T. Barnum, Brown was a pioneering dinosaur hunter who traveled extensively, dressed nattily, lived through personal tragedy and had many a romance, including his second wife Lillian who wrote a memoir called I Married A Dinosaur. He also served as a dinosaur expert on such films as Fantasia. Remember the amazing dinosaurs in The Rite of Spring? There is a good Barnum Brown biography at Strange Science if you want to learn more. I'm going to have to pick up the book on him that came out last year, Barnum Brown: The Man Who Discovered Tyrannosaurus rex. From the review at the Smithsonian blog, it sounds like a great read.
GO: Suspiria at Hollywood Forever & CarnEvil Musical
For your horror-lovin' enjoyment in LA this weekend:
Suspiria at Hollywood Forever Cemetery
When: Friday 9/16, gates: 6:30 pm / movie: 8:00 pm
Where: Hollywood Forever Cemetery, 6000 Santa Monica Boulevard at Gower
Price: No reservation necessary, $10 donation tickets available at gate, $10 parking
Info: Bring blankets, drinks and picnic dinner for this screening of Dario Argento's classic Suspiria below the stars. Amazing, visually stunning '70s horror film by a true master. Even if you've seen it before, there's nothing like seeing it in a cemetery with friends. No one under 17 will be admitted without a parent or guardian. Learn more…
When: Friday 9/16 & Saturday 9/17 at 8:00 pm
Where: Sacred Fools Theater Company, 660 N. Heliotrope Drive
Price: $25 – buy online
Caticorn Magic
Years ago in a haunted house in Azusa, BJ found an amateur taxidermy bobcat. But only half of it. And with a nail sticking out of its nose for some strange reason. Always the resourceful propmaker, BJ stuck a horn over the nail. Voila! The Dapper Cadaver Caticorn was born.
When legendary sideshow artist Mark Frierson bought the Caticorn earlier this year, we knew he would create something magical with it. Step right up and see:
The Amazing Three-Eyed Rocky Mountain Caticorn!
Mark fully restored it, moved the horn back to the center of its head, added a third eye, a snake-like tongue and pheasant wings. Simply gorgeous. And this is coming from a girl who likes cats, unicorns and most of all, supremely mystical three-eyed flying caticorns.
Check out more amazing sideshow gaffs and wonders on the Frierson Studios Facebook page. Don't forget to hit the Like button!
Summer Blockbusters: Props in Action Roundup
I can't believe that summer is almost over. We'd like to give a quick shout-out to the summer blockbusters that used our props.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon used our bones, including some of our elephant bones.
Cowboys & Aliens used our animal props.
Final Destination 5 used our safety weapons.
Hope you get a chance to check these out in theaters. If not, that's what DVDs, On Demand and Netflix are for!
Site Upgrades & Outages
We're upgrading some of our sites this week! CasualtySimulation.com will be down for the next 24-48 hours or so. On Thursday, DapperCadaver.com will be down for an hour or so and may be a little buggy throughout the day. If you have an urgent order, please give us a call! (818) 771-0818.
Gilded Maggots
If you've ever been face down in a creek and seen the twigs and grains of sand sprout legs and scuttle away from you, then you you're familiar with caddis fly larvae. These little underwater worms glue dirty bits of the world around them together to form a shell. The ground moves, the perfect hiding place, they are clever but they are not pretty.
However, the mind of this worm is not only clever, it's downright artistic. The shells that they make form little patterns and stripes. In a brain smaller then the dot of this i, the caddis fly possesses artistic intent.
And when put in more opulent environs they create jewelry
Conan and The Giant Sloth
I got the call Thursday, the 21st of January from NBC. "We need a full size Dinosaur Skeleton and we need it tomorrow."
Conan had been doing sketches all week supposedly designed to cost the studio big cash as a comic form of revenge for his abruptly ended contract. He had previously claimed to "buy" an exotic sports car and a race horse. I'm glad to know that for his ultimate revenge he wanted a dinosaur. I know ever since I was 5 I wanted a revenge dinosaur. There's a saying in my house, "revenge is a dish best served dinosaur"
The thing is, Dinosaurs are huge. We all know that, right, but we lose perspective on how big they are when we see them in a museum. I run a 5,000 square foot warehouse and an adult T-Rex is longer then my building and taller then my ceiling. And while the average millionaire has sports cars and horses to spare, unless you're Nicholas Cage, you just don't HAVE Dinosaurs laying around. I had a few smaller dinosaurs ready to go, including an 11 foot long Dimetrodon, but everyone knows Dimetrodon can't hold the hose to spray the picasso with caviar. So that was out.
The wrong way to display fossils.
The right way to disply fossils
I was able to set aside a giant ground sloth that was about to be installed in a museum, but he had the weekend free. It was a rental, not a purchase, from a prop shop, not the Smithsonian, and cost nowhere near the $65 million dollars they said on the air. The bones are not real, but they are a museum quality reconstruction. The skeleton we used now stands in some solemn museum hall somewhere, curators and patrons blissfully unaware of Mr. Sloth's wild weekend.
He partied with all the audience and crew, and I'm proud to say may go down in history as the most monumentally absurd set piece ever used in a comedy sketch. We here at Dapper Cadaver are proud we got to contribute to such an epic episode.
We still have access to the molds and can do the same prop for anyone else who needs one.
Buy it now! It's not $65 Million!
Halloween Decoration Scenarios 2: A Haunted House
Haunted House Decorations
Exterior: The Cemetery
Leading up to the doorway are dozens of gothic tombstones, strewn with moss and ivy. Amidst the headstones are larger more elaborate tombstones, sad faced angels, and the twisted branches of a tree screaming and half man. Set in folding chairs in the cemetery are a couple of decomposed corpse props enjoying the night air, playing cards and drinking booze. Around the doorway several rubber skeletons seem to be climbing the walls
Entryway: Fortune Teller
The first scenario guests come to in the Haunted House will be a fortune tellers parlor. Décor includes occult oddities such as the mystic hand, the hand of glory, phrenology head, fetal skeleton, cat skeleton, human skulls, Indonesian devils, the bust of a mourning widow and a severe bearded man, and several haunted portraits, whose vintage characters transform into ghosts and ghouls as people pass by. At the center table sits an actual fortune teller who welcomes guests, tells fortunes throughout the night, and tells the tale of the evenings cursed surroundings. The glowing light of plasma balls illuminates the room. An anamatronic fortune teller can be set up as well.
"This room is the very spot where 100 years ago the wicked young baron liked to torture his servants to death for sport. Dozens of poor indentured souls were brutally murdered and buried in the very floors and wall the guest now walk on. The Young Baron himself was never found, but his damned ghost now walks the halls."
The opening to the rest of the party is through a curtain marked with signs such as "Beware" and "Haunted House"
Inside the House:
Inside the house is the scene of the horror, the room where the young baron tortured his victims. Hanging from the ceiling are several gibbet cages with spotlights pointed at them to cast an eerie criss-cross of shadows. Hooks and chains also hang from the walls and ceilings. The furniture all has chains and shackles coming off of it to hold victims in place. In the rafters hang ghosts of all sizes, large skull headed ghosts, medium ghosts with arms, and small ghosts that are little more than shrouded heads. Cobweb covered heads, screaming heads and reaching hands are coming out of the walls. Around the floor are gothic iron candelabras and on each table are prop bones, skulls, ribcages, and table top candelabras. A bloody ax hangs behind the bar, which has been outfitted with blacklights. The specialty of the house? Ectoplasm gin fizzes and Ectoplasm vodka fizzes. The drinks glow neon blue in the blacklight. Use tonic water in a vintage bottle or with a homemade label marked ectoplasm. The quinine in tonic water is the only food that naturally glows under blacklight. A cobweb covered skeleton in a bartenders uniform stands behind the bar. Another sits on a barstool, passed out drunk, his glass turned sideways and rubber blood leaking out. Behind the bar amidst the bottles are human body parts suspended in jars of glowing fluid and skulls that seem to float in the air.
Torture equipment such as guillotines, interrogation chairs and stocks are set up so guests can have their last photos taken screaming in pain.
Everything in the main room is covered in cobwebs. Blood drips in the bathroom, and patrons find they often leave with blood on their hands, a trick done by powdering various items with magic blood powder, which looks invisible but turns to blood when wet.
The floor is littered with skull piles and lights flicker in the fog. A ghoulish butler stands guard, watching, breathing, laughing. Bat demons fly above.


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History of the Hellenic Canadian Congress of British Columbia
The Hellenic Canadian Congress of B.C. is an association of Greek organizations and communities representing Canadians of Hellenic heritage in the province of B.C. to various levels of government. It fosters education, communication, and cooperation between Hellenic Canadians and other ethnic groups, and promotes the development of just and equitable policies and legislation concerning all citizens. The Congress encourages and promotes the retention and development of Hellenism in B.C. within the multicultural context of Canada.
Over the years, the Congress has achieved its goals by establishing, promoting, and organizing a number of educational, cultural, social, and political projects and activities. The B.C. Congress is a member of the national Canadian Hellenic Congress which is an umbrella organization representing in Canada and the 350,000 Greeks across Canada and a participatory member of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE).

subset: commoncrawl


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According to the Washington Post's Redskins Insider, the Redskins' current right tackle Chris Samuels may be hanging up his cleats this offseason due to neck and spinal issues, meaning that the market for quality offensive tackles in the top five picks may have picked up.
Several people familiar with Samuels's thinking, however, say they still expect him to retire because of the injury he suffered early in the Oct. 11 loss at Carolina. Samuels, who also has stenosis (or a narrowing) of the spinal column, has consulted with many specialists, several of whom warned him about the possibility of no longer being able to walk if he attempted to prolong his career, league sources said.
In terms of their draft preparations, the Redskins are expected to proceed as if Samuels will retire. He was the best lineman on one of the league's worst units last season, and it would appear that Allen and Coach Mike Shanahan must overhaul the ineffective group regardless of whether Samuels plays next season.
The Redskins, based on their record, currently have the number four pick in the 2010 NFL draft, one spot ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs, whose offensive line woes have been a defining part of their struggles for the last few years, will likely also be interested in an offensive tackle, possibly Oklahoma State's Russell Okung, to shore up what was a terrible offensive line in 2009. In years past this was less of a concern, since Redskins owner Daniel Snyder could usually be counted on to go after the highest-profile player in the draft or free agency, regardless of whether that player fit with the other pieces in place, which would have indicated the drafting of a quarterback after Jason Campbell was widely considered to have flopped last year.
For the 2010 season, however, Snyder has hired an actual general manager, Bruce Allen, to run his team. Allen, formerly of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has put a fairly high emphasis on drafting offensive linemen, selecting five of them in the third round or higher during his four years in Tampa Bay. Allen also showed little interest in drafting quarterbacks with early selections (highest one drafted, Josh Johnson, 5th round of 2008) and considering that the top two QBs in the 2010 draft class (Sam Bradford, Jimmy Claussen) are considered by many to be gambles for a pick that high, Washington may opt to shore up their wretched line situation and keep Campbell for one more season or see what they've already got in 2008 draft pick Colt Brennan.
In short, it's looking like the Redskins (or the Detroit Lions) will take Russell Okung off the board before the Chiefs get a shot at him, meaning Tennessee safety Eric Berry could very possibly be the the Chiefs' top pick of 2010. Which isn't a bad consolation prize.


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FOXBOROUGH — The "next man up" philosophy of the New England Patriots is getting seriously tested.
On defense, star linebacker Jerod Mayo went on season-ending injured reserve yesterday, joining star tackle Vince Wilfork on the list. On Sunday, their best defensive back, Aqib Talib, could be sidelined after hurting his hip. And just when starting tackle Tommy Kelly returns from a knee injury is unknown.
Then there's the offense.
Wide receiver Danny Amendola and guard Dan Connolly suffered concussions last Sunday. Tight end Rob Gronkowski hasn't played all season.
Gronkowski was the only one of those seven to practice yesterday, and he was limited.
But the Patriots lead the AFC East by two games.
"A lot of teams face challenges. It's just really how you deal with them," Tom Brady said yesterday. "We've lost some guys, dealt with some issues, like every other team. We're handling them OK. We're 5-1. It's a decent start."
But now four of the Patriots' best players are injured on a defense that has allowed the fourth fewest points in the NFL.
Dane Fletcher, who has started five games since joining the Patriots in 2010, could start at outside linebacker for Mayo on Sunday against the New York Jets (3-3).
"Our defense knows what we have to do," Fletcher said. "It's always next man up. It's kind of that philosophy around here and whoever it may be, it's time for them to fill those shoes."
Those shoes are pretty big.
Mayo, a two-time Pro Bowl standout, has the most tackles in the NFL since 2010 and calls the defensive signals.
Wilfork is a five-time Pro Bowler who has anchored the defensive line since 2005.
They're also leaders, the only two defensive co-captains on the team.
"I think of it as Mayo and Vince are still our captains," said safety Devin McCourty, a co-captain the past two seasons.


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A major change in the West Texas weather will begin on Thursday. An arctic front will roll from the Panhandle region into the South Plains during the afternoon and early evening hours Thursday.
It will bring a significant drop in temperatures along with very strong northerly winds and the potential for wintry precipitation. That front could be in Lubbock as early 6 p.m. Thursday.
Travel problems could develop by Friday morning and continue through the evening - possibly into the weekend.
Ahead of the front, it will be warm and windy on Wednesday with highs in the 70-75 degree range.
Thursday, depending on when the front arrives in Lubbock, could also approach the 70 degree mark.
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The National Health Care for the Homeless Council includes thousands of providers and consumers of health care targeted to people without homes, working together to end homelessness by improving health care access and quality.
The work of the National Health Care for the Homeless Council takes many forms, including research, technical assistance and training, policy and advocacy, and constituency organizing and community building. We are grounded in the beliefs that health care and housing are human rights and that all people have the right to participate in decisions that affect them.
The National HCH Council was formed in 1985, as part of a successful 19-city demonstration showing that people experiencing homelessness can be effectively engaged in health care. The Council's constituents now serve over one million people without homes each year.
Many organizational members of the National HCH Council are primary care clinics funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration's Health Center program, which also funds the Council to provide technical assistance and training to these grantees.
Individual members of the Council are organized as the HCH Clinicians' Network, the National Consumer Advisory Board, and the Respite Care Providers' Network, all pursuing distinct but coordinated and overlapping agendas.
A professional staff of twenty persons is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, with an additional office in Baltimore, Maryland.
Together, the organization's members and staff create the rich array of clinical, administrative, and policy materials on this website, which is continuously updated and supplemented, reflecting the HCH field's deep engagement with the Council.
The National Health Care for the Homeless Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, supported by grants, contracts, membership dues, and private contributions. Please visit here to become a member or here to make a tax-deductible contribution.


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Six Aztec Swimmers To Compete At U.S. Nationals
Aug. 3, 2010
IRVINE, Calif. - Six San Diego State University swimmers are set to compete at the 2010 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships in Irvine, Calif., this week. The meet, which will be nationally televised on NBC, will take place from August 3-7 and will also serve as a qualifying meet for numerous other international events, including the Pan Pacific Championships (also held in Irvine later this month) and the World University Games.
Representing SDSU are senior captains Brooke Vessey and Emilee Jennings, sophomores Leona Jennings, Katelyn Weddle and Kim Bierwith plus incoming freshman Mikaela Macklin.
Weddle is coming off the finest performance in Aztec swimming history after her 12th place finish in the 100 breast at the 2010 NCAA championships. At the National Championships this week she is seeded 18th in that same event. In addition to the 100 breast, she will also be competing in the 200 breast and the 400 medley relay at the championships.
Weddle will join Leona and Emilee Jennings and Brooke Vessey to compete in the 400 Medley Relay, that same foursome won the 200 Medley Relay at the 2010 Mountain West Conference Championships.
Macklin will also be competing in the 100 and 200 breaststroke events for her club team, the Sierra Marlins. Bierwith will also swim in a relay event with her club team, the Walnut Creek Aquabears.
Live results will be posted online at www.usa-swiming.org.


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(KATV) The Arkansas Fallen Firefighters memorial has
been in the works for more than 15 years. It, along with a fire safety amphitheater
are planned to go on the State Capitol lawn.
Organizers say
they're disappointed they have not been given a date to break ground even
though they raised the last of the 1.3 million a year ago. ($150,000 of that is donated labor and services for construction)
memorial is to honor the 99 firefighters who paid the ultimate sacrifice. There will be room to add more names. Widows
have now started a writing campaign urging for construction to start. They tell
Channel Seven they have not received a response.
statue has been sitting outside the Arch Street Fire Department for more than 3
years, waiting for the 'ok' to move to its permanent home. There are four
images, phases of fire fighting. In the center 'leather lungs' goes back to the days without a
mask. A female firefighter paramedic holds a child and administers CPR. There's
a forest fire ranger and a modern fire fighter with full equipment.
Chair of the
memorial, Johnny Reep says, "Those names of the firefighters
who have been killed over the years, their families will realize what their
families did in the line of duty will be for nothing unless they see those
names engraved in granite on the memorial wall."
was disappointed to receive this letter from the Secretary of State's office,
in part:
"Secretary of
State Mark Martin takes serious his charge to maintain the beauty and splendor
which is the Capitol. Of course the final decision for any memorial belongs to
the Capitol Arts and Grounds Commission."
"Just the fact
they say we have the election process, we have Christmas festivities, we have
the legislative session coming. I'm aware of the culture of the Capitol, but
those are not good reasons to hold up this memorial project," Reep adds.
says if the commission is worried about damaging the capitol lawn for a
groundbreaking, he has a non-traditional idea. "We can lay tarp and
spread fresh dirt on it. We will turn the dirt on top of the tarp, not break
the ground and when the session is over with start construction."
A deputy with the Secretary of State's
office tells Channel Seven after new grounds committee members are appointed they
can set a meeting by the first of the year.
Reep concludes, "Construction cost are going up and
everyday inflation eats away at our fundraising pot so we don't want to be
behind and have to raise additional funds again. We have to get a move on."


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This post was written by Hatchet reporter Juliana Tamayo.
While last weekend was a kickoff to D.C.'s tourism season, miles away from the action stood the walls of an old, uninhabited alley behind a Big Lots store on Rhode Island Avenue brightened with colors, hip-hop and art.
Artists and musicians gathered all day Sunday to renovate the abandoned area and played with shades and shapes to the music of local DJs on Sunday for the "Fine Lines Mural Jam."
The annual festival unites the four elements that hip-hop culture comprises: emcees, DJs, breakdancing and graffiti writing. Through ticketed and free performances, it brings the public an opportunity to discover the D.C hip-hop community.
This time, the beats of hip-hop were meant to inspire spontaneous graffiti artists to paint along a 990-foot wall.
Some images turned political, like the likeness of an older man holding a sign reading "all D.C. residents deserve the access to knowledge," while others emphasized on the beauty of life, some with Hindu references and others using arrows and geometrical figures to create symmetrical figures.
"They had a mural going on here last year as well, we're just finishing it off, everybody just walked around a chose their spot and we'll see where it takes us," Jordan Jackson a former Words, Beats and Life teacher and graffiti artist said.
Walls of colors, from orange, purple, black and red, stranded together to create a canvas of mixed feelings, reflecting what the event looked like with all sorts of people coming and going.
Performance artist Christine Walters painted a graffiti of a red heart on top of an explosion of warm colors, in the heart blossomed a silver tree. She along with others there, had never worked along with multiple artists in one same place, but hearing the music and watching others work inspired her final piece.
"As the DJ transitioned the music, the heart kind of formulated and the tree is just explosion and living," she said.
Although most of the graffiti artists were performance artists and some professional artists, the walls were also open for any passerby who dared to take on the empty white wall and create a piece of their own art.
"We woke up, saw it was a beautiful day and just came to paint. I just painted what I thought was beautiful," Marissa Miller, another impromptu artist, said.
While the smell of paint and spray cans wafted in the air, the crowds circled around a group of kids skating. They all wore bright colored t-shirts with the logo "Skate Tribe Girls" on them, a nonprofit for kids to learn how to put their energy into good use. They performed tricks to the beats of the DJ in charge for the afternoon.
"This is a graffiti exhibit, part of a hip-hop festival, we just try to show the good energies in music and art," DJ Haze said. "It's all about meeting new people and have everyone enjoy the lyrics and construction of art."


text:
BEREA, Ohio (AP) - The Browns have released defensive end Dave Kruger, the brother of starting linebacker Paul Kruger, and three others.
Dave Kruger was signed as an undrafted free agent by Cleveland in April. He was slowed during training camp by a concussion.
The Browns also waived defensive back Vernon Kearney, wide receiver Cordell Roberson and linebacker Tommy Smith. Cleveland's roster now stands at 84 players, and the club has to get down to the NFL-mandated, 75-player limit by 4 p.m. Tuesday.
The Browns have yet to make a move with running back Dion Lewis, who had surgery last week on his broken leg. It's possible Lewis could be played on season-ending injured reserve.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Why do people consider ketosis "stressful" to the body?by Ambimorph 18373 · August 20, 2013 at 12:09 PM
I've been asking people this in comments whenever it comes up, particularly in discussions of adrenal issues, but no one seems to want to answer. The only idea I can think of is that there is an assumption that gluconeogenesis is stressful. But why would that be? The body is breaking down and building up different substances constantly. And it's not like consuming glucose gives it to you for free. It still has to be digested and broken down.
I realize that the zeitgeist has changed recently regarding ketosis. Paul Jaminet considers it a powerful tool, but with costs, such that one should only use it if necessary for its therapeutic value. He has written extensively about his ideas as to why it may be dangerous, but though I deeply respect his experience, knowledge, and contributions, I don't find his arguments compelling. They seem to be based on anecdote, followed by much thoughtful speculation on plausible mechanisms. This is very valuable, but still hypothetical, and it's important to carefully distinguish hypothesis-forming science from evidence.
Kurt Harris has lately roughly quadrupled his own intake of carbs, I infer because he judged it to be affecting his energy levels when highly active, and now states that one shouldn't be in ketosis all the time. Presumably, like Jaminet, he would make an exception for those who are deriving specific important benefits. Of course, he owes no one a justification, but I would like to understand his ideas better. There are plenty of people who report feeling more energized in ketosis, and even some of those who do find they need a carb boost for high intensity exercise (which again, isn't everyone) can often get by with as little as 30 grams targeted at the right time.
Personally, I am one who needs the therapy, so it isn't a question for me of whether stay in ketosis, it's a given. But the more I research it, the more natural and health-promoting it seems to be. I'm not finding evidence of it being stressful to the body. If there really are significant costs, that are shown by actual evidence, I'd like to know about it. I'd also like to hear more about where people are getting the idea, that for instance, if you have cortisol regulation problems, ketosis is too stressful, or other sources for people to hypothesize that it might be a problem, other than the two above.
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(Edit July 2012: Please see Ketogenic Diets, Cortisol, and Stress: Part I — Gluconeogenesis for my updated and referenced explanation of why gluconeogenesis does not raise cortisol.)
I think I have found my answer in comments from Dr. K. and Phoenix.
There is definitely a widespread view that gluconeogenesis necessarily raises cortisol beyond what is needed without gluconeogenesis. I think the evidence is softer than it appears.
It is undisputed that cortisol stimulates gluconeogenesis. See, e.g. The Physiology of Stress: Cortisol and the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis. This leads to the claim that continual gluconeogenesis requires continually raised levels of cortisol. That's not logically implied and I'm not sure it's true. For example, Dr. Eades says, in response to a related question:
[M]ost of the time during fasting, the hormone glucagon,which is the counter-regulatory hormone to insulin, drives gluconeogenesis, not the stress hormone cortisol.
This seems consistent with this primer on glucagon physiology, which says:
When hypoglycemia is produced in humans by injection of insulin, release of glucagon is stimulated along with that of other counterregulatory hormones when the plasma glucose decreases below 3.8 mM (~68 mg/dl) (Figure 11). Restoration of euglycemia is due to a compensatory increase in hepatic glucose production. Although secretion of catecholamines, growth hormone, and cortisol are stimulated along with that of glucagon, only the increases in plasma glucagon and catecholamines coincide with or precede the compensatory increase in the glucose production rate (66,67). That glucagon is the major acute glucose counterregulatory hormone is suggested by the fact that inhibition of the plasma glucagon responses by somatostatin markedly attenuates the compensatory increase in the glucose production rate and impairs restoration of euglycemia following insulin administration (Figure 12). Prevention of cortisol secretion (68), adrenergic blockade (66), adrenalectomy (65), or acute growth hormone deficiency (66) does not appreciably affect immediate glucose counterregulation. The effects of glucagon during restoration of euglycemia involves both glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis, predominantly the former (69).
This does, suggest, however, that whenever blood sugar goes sufficiently low, cortisol rises. Note that this is no more likely to occur in a ketogenic state than a non-ketogenic state. In fact, most people report much more stable blood sugar levels on a ketogenic diet than otherwise. It may be relevant for fasting, though. If there is a regular stream of dietary protein available for conversion to glucose, blood sugar will probably not drop so low as to raise the cortisol alarm. This is consistent with Chris Kresser's post on [i]ntermittent fasting, cortisol and blood sugar, in which he says that some of his patients, already on a low carb, paleo diet, cannot successfully do intermittent fasting because of cortisol dysregulation. In these cases, he has them eat every 2-3 hours, and they improve. He never suggests, though, that they should abandon carbohydrate restriction.
Based on this information, I believe the notion that ketosis is stressful is simply a pervasive myth. Gluconeogenesis is mediated by glucagon, not cortisol. Cortisol will only be raised if there is hypoglycemia from fasting or from excess insulin. In fact, since the best way to control insulin is to lower carbs, ketogenic diets probably reduce the need for cortisol by providing better blood sugar control.
(Edited to fix a link typo.)
I've remained thoroughly unconvinced with regard to the merits of ketosis all throughout my research into various aspects of paleo. If we are to point to a specific extant HG society as a model for what we should personally eat, it seems logical that we would choose one that occupies the same location and eats the same food that we as hominins did for the bulk of our evolution. As such, our last possible choice would be an outlier such as the Inuit, unless we ourselves are descended from them. It's clear that because hominins evolved for 6-7 million years in E. Africa and because the flora and fauna present there are fairly consistent over time, we would do well (if our goal is to model our diet after that of a HG society) to use data from study of the Hadza over most any other.
Though we likely added various abilities digestion-wise over time as we moved out of Africa such as lactase persisting into adulthood etc., I find it hard to believe that along the way we lost the ability to safely digest the tubers and berries that the Hadza consistently seek out in large amounts (and sometimes eat almost exclusively for days) and in the 60K or so years that we've been out of Africa have rapidly evolved into carnivores.
That all being said, there are those I'm sure who acknowledge that we likely continue to be omnivorous but can lose body fat more effectively on a carnivorous diet + coconut or whatever the dominant protocol is currently. Similarly, I remain unconvinced that the efficacy of such an approach is markedly greater than that of an individual who simply restricts fructose as much as possible and restricts starch to whatever level stays below their glycogen storage capacity threshold. Insulin preferentially stores excess blood glucose as glycogen, likely for the simple reason that the ATP cost as a % of the energy being processed is roughly 7% to convert glucose to glycogen and 25% to convert it to fat. There's simply no way that we would have evolved to preferentially store glucose as fat when there is glycogen storage capacity free. My personal experience confirms this, as I can eat significant quantities of mashed potato before, during and after my resistance workouts without any sort of increase in adiposity, provided that I am not consuming these amounts on low-draw days. In fact, on Tues & Thurs I skip starch intake altogether and just run on glycogen stores since I don't do anything beyond walking for 4-5 miles.
As for the stress issue, I think it could be argued that at the very least, a rapid transition down to non-significant quantities of glucose could temporarily starve the brain of energy or cause rapid catabolism of muscle tissue for energy. In fact, isn't gluconeogenesis with a protein substrate either from dietary protein or muscle constantly occurring during ketosis? As such, wouldn't the toxic ammonia produced during deamination result in a greater level of stress on the body?
But is there any compelling reason/evidence that one should avoid it, especially if trying to lose bodyfat?
I understand you want evidence, and I'm not sure I can provide any of that, but I have some thoughts on the subject.
I've delved into Peat, and Danny Roddy et al, and although I think some of it is misled, there are some important bits I've taken from it, which the evidence does appear to support. Stuff that the paleo community is down with anyway... let me run with this and I will gratefully receive any criticism on it...
The saturated fat / metabolism thing seems to me to be very important. Simply, if you are eating mostly saturated fat, this is being turned into metabolic hormones and making you lean and energetic.
It seems that when people gain a lot of weight in the first place, the primary common denomenator is high PUFA intake, particularly the n-6 fats.
So I have to ask - is there an evolutionary reason for why metabolism slows down under these conditions? Is the organism attempting to protect itself from the damaging or carcinogenic effects of attempting to metabolise these unstable fats?
What I am guessing is that "ketosis" of coconut oil, butter etc is perfectly healthy and in many circumstances preferable (there appear to be some functions that require ketones rather than glucose, right?). However, ketosis of stored PUFA, which will happen when you put yourself into a fasting state after having gotten overweight from PUFA is probably "stressful" (the end-result of which dependent on many other factors).
What I am ultimately interested in is how to fast oneself out of a PUFA-ridden obesity (not for me, I'm pretty lean now, but just for understanding), whilst mitigating the stress of metabolising all that PUFA.
As vitamin E saturates unsaturated fats, I imagine a complex of E with other transport etc antioxidants is perhaps the required food.
And the way to find this in a wholefoods context would be through green smoothies, quite possibly.
Ketosis SUCKS!
Training day without carbs = WASTE OF YOUR TIME
Consecutive deficit days = RECIPE FOR FAILURE due to fatigue, hunger and stress which cause eating spree sooner or later
The formula to leaning out quickly, successfuly and stress free is: Eat -30% maintanance on REST DAYS
Eat +10 maintanance on TRAINING DAY (Which for me is 270g carbs of GLORY) you add zero fat just some muscle - So its a win win of eating some food, and not gaining fat.
You cycle and repeat until your six pack visible in RELAXED state, then you can switch things up and eat +30%, -10% (rest day)... Until reach desired muscle size. Or just maintain lean body by eating at 0%.
1g carb = 4 cals, 1g protein = 4 cals, 1g fat = 9 cals. Average sedentary maintanance is 2100. For muscle building its 2.5g per kg body weight recommended, but if you're not into muscle you can eat more carbs instead :)
Hi Ambimorph,
One may consider ketosis 'stressful' in two ways depending on whether the stress response derives from the excretion or synthesis of proteins.
We commonly equate stress with hypercortisolism or HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary axis) dysfunction. However, biology also recognizes another type of stress- an increase in defective (e.g. misfolded or mutated) proteins or the proteins needed to deal with those defective proteins.
Ketosis is stressful in that it alters protein synthesis.
Hope this helps, Mike
What about the drastic alterations of hormones in men eatin VLC. Like low free T, TC, weird Estrogen levels and Progesterone issues, lethargy, TSH and T3/4 change, and total lack of sex drive.
Wait? What!? What am I talking about. Simple. google "low carb low sex drive" or "low carb no sex drive" or "zero carb no sex drive, cold all the time" look at the thousands of unfortunate souls.
And lets see, then theres the fact that not a single elite athlete, not a single one, stays zc, vlc, or lc much of the time or at all.
Does anyone have any research/anecdotal evidence/opinion on how the amount of daily protein intake 'stresses' the body? I've noticed lately that my urine smells quite distinct and I suspect that is the ammonia from deamination but I can't figure out if that is because I'm eating too much protein and therefore 'burning it for fuel' or it's the other way around, that I'm eating too little protein (and not enough fat to fuel my body) and my body is breaking down muscle to get the extra energy.
I bike 10k at least five days per week, at least one sprint session (running) and one to two weight training sessions per week (the latter is more focused on a high number of reps and keeping a somewhat high intensity). I weigh 50-52kg @ 178cm so I'm quite low in bodyfat. I eat around 1.75-1.9g protein/kg per day. Which corresponds to 18-22% of my energy intake.
I believe when speaking of stress he not only means the HTPA, but the organs as well, one of the main concerns with this diet from a "dieticians" stand point is the stress on the kidneys, and their filtering efficacy. A lot of people are also worried about "high protein" damage on kidneys. It's all a crock of shit if you'll excuse my french. Look up the studies and you'll see they were all done on patients with kidney failure on dialysis. At that point almost anything would cause the kidney function of those patients to come spiraling down. If kidneys can filter acetaminophen, other pharma poison meds, and whatever else the typical american would ingest on a daily basis, it can sure as hell handle by products of the body AS IT WAS CREATED TO DO. and yes this is only speculation, but our ancestors did this for THOUSANDS of years, without body issues. CASE & POINT. On top of that there are dozens of studies out there that say the BRAIN functions MORE efficiently on KETONES, than ANY OTHER source of energy. so there's your food for though. I drink a min of a gallon of water a day, with hydration I believe comes effective and easy kidney function. So pound down that Hydrogen Di-Oxide! Do the research and piece it together for yourself.
The whole point of this paragraph was to review some positive effects and dis-spell some myth, and basically to throw my opinion in there that you're doing it right.
Let me put it this way: If Dr. Kurt Harris says ketosis is neither beneficial (over the long-term) nor necessary, and Jimmy Moore says the opposite, well, that about settles it, wouldn't you say?


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Living Large
Spaciousness — and luxury — define the Audi A8 L, BMW 745Li, Jaguar XJ8 L, Mercedes-Benz S500 and Volkswagen Phaeton V8.
By April 15, 2005 / Photos by Guy Spangenberg
You understand, of course, we're not talking "transportation" here. We're talking luxury, performance, prestige and spaciousness.
Each of these cars is the largest of its company's sedans. Three of them, the , and , are even badged as such L as in Long. The other two, the and Phaeton V8, are deemed sufficiently long in their standard form not to require any L variant. In any case, each of these cars offers spaciousness and comfort, front and rear, of the highest order.
Each offers high performance as well, though I should note that even higher performance is available with three of them, the , and , provided you're willing to move up a notch in engine, V-12, V-12 and innovative W-12, respectively, and, of course, in price.
Even specifying each car with its V-8, we found a fairly wide spectrum of as-tested prices. The Mercedes-Benz tops the list at $86,530. The BMW's $84,020 isn't far behind. The Audi and Volkswagen pair off at $73,570 and $72,365, respectively. And the newest of the five, the Jaguar XJ8 L, is the least expensive, at $65,795.
Jaguar Longest and Lightest
The is also our longest car, both in terms of wheelbase (124.4 in.) and overall length (205.3 in.). Our non-L pair, the Volkswagen and Mercedes, provide the other extremes, the Phaeton's 118.1-in. wheelbase and S500's 203.1-in. overall length being shortest of the group. That said, dimensional differences are not huge, and each of our fivesome occupies about the same amount of tarmac.
Their curb weights, however, are decidedly different. The aluminum-intensive Jaguar is by far the lightest, at 3770 lb.; the evidently steel-intensive Volkswagen, the heaviest, at 5080 lb. Admittedly, the Phaeton's standard-equipment 4Motion all-wheel drive adds mechanical heft. By contrast, the 4400-lb. counters its standard-equipment Quattro awd hardware with its space-frame aluminum chassis. At 4180 lb., the Mercedes was the second lightest of our group. (Had we opted for its optional 4Matic awd, it would still have been lighter than the 4540-lb. BMW.)
Audi, the Aesthetic Leader
How aesthetically is this hardware packaged? The Audi's exterior style garnered unanimous praise (something of a first in our crowd). Said Design Director (and in-house aesthetician) Richard Baron, "It has a much more advanced sense of design than any other car in the bunch. Clean, logical and cool."


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This will be the most special of Christmases for one family new to the Midlands. That's because, it seems, it will be the last they share.
Earlier this fall, Richard Culliver's mother had just transferred to Lexington from Atlanta.
They didn't have a pediatrician when he started falling down repeatedly. They went to the ER.
"At the time, they told me he had a tumor," said his mother. "At first they said it was a small one they could remove but then they transferred us and the next day they did a MRI which confirmed it was DIPG, which is inoperable."
His medications cause his face to swell. The tumor causes kids to lose their vision and their hearing.
It also takes away the ability to walk, something Richard cried about Friday on the way to radiation.
"It hurts because I want to make it better," said his mother. "I just tell him its okay to be upset , that mommy's upset too."
And it may seem she has everything to cry over too. She can't work for obvious reasons. They are between places to live and this week the transmission went out in her car.
But when time is precious that stuff might not matter so much.
And in this holiday season she's been given the gift of perspective. It's one she wants to share.
"That God can get you through any situation and that there's a lot of good in this world," she said.
Right now, Richard goes to the hospital five days a week for radiation. It's a trial. The kind of cancer he has is inoperable and terminal.
They're hoping the radiation will buy them some time. Christmas is the goal.
That is just the first in our series "One More Christmas." We will check in on Richard each week and take you through this special holiday season.
To follow Richard's journey online, click here.
Copyright 2012 WIS. All rights reserved.
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A skateboarder, who police say, was resisting arrest, takes a punch to the face by an LAPD officer in Venice...
The teen's family says the punch, caught on video - was police brutality.
Lauren Sivan has the details from Venice.
KTTV FOX 111999 S. Bundy Dr.Los Angeles CA 90025Main: (310) 584-2000News Tips? (310) 584-2025


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Welcome to the Dimenzhian Book of Dragons. We're just getting started here, so bear with us.
The Story of Dimenzhia
Long ago, when the planet of Dimenzhia was only dust, Sun and Moon explored the skies and barren lands alone. When they finally met, after centuries of loneliness that not even the envious stars could quell, their love was quick. Soon after, they brought their four children into the world: The Elements. Fire and Stone, who took after Sun, and Water and Air, who took after Moon.
But over time, Sun and Moon began to fall apart. Sun cared much for his children, while Moon only seemed to care about how brightly she glowed or what the stars thought of her pale facade. She was greatly jealous of Sun, for without his light she would be invisible. Her resentment became rage, and a final battle raged between the two that caused the stars themselves to fall to the ground, ripping holes in Dimenzhia's flesh that caused her to weep. After it was finally over, Sun and Moon went their separate ways; Sun took the Day, and Moon took the Night. Every so often, Moon can be witnessed rising a little early to catch the last glimpse of Sun as he disappears beyond the horizon.
With their parents separated, the Elements quickly grew bored with the barren landscape. So each of them took their tools and began their work:
Fire and Stone worked together, laying the land and building mountains, hills, and valleys, and sowing the seeds for Water and Air to nourish.
As trees and all other plant life grew, Air and Water cut the rivers, lakes, and oceans for Water to fill, and painted the sky.
After all this was done, Stone felt that the land was still to empty and quiet. So, she used some of her clay to create the Beasts that roam the planet by land, air, and sea.
The Moon, still resentful of the Sun, became angry about the Beasts. She felt it was unfair that one of the children who took after Sun was able to create such a masterpiece. She whispered to Air and Water, who turned and rallied against Fire and Stone. Their battles were felt for centuries - Mountains burst with lava and poisonous gases, pools boiled and deadly geysers steamed, heavy clouds threw torrents of rain and wind against burning forests and fields, and tidal waves and roaring rivers tore through walls of rock. Blinding lightning and deafening thunder announced each blow, shattering the populations of plants and animals alike. The land was reshaped, and only the strongest species survived.
Sun, who loved all his children, pleaded with them to stop fighting before everything they'd created was destroyed. Finally, he convinced them to come to an agreement: They all had to work together to create a superior species, to rule over all the Beasts.
Stone gave them strong scales, long life, and patience.
Air gave them wings, intelligence, and secondary lungs to keep even the heaviest aloft.
Water gave them strength, adaptability, and beauty.
And Fire, who only knows how to destroy, gave them teeth, claws, and rage. But he wasn't done there. He felt he had a better idea of a superior ruler than the hulking monsters the others were building. So, he stole the rest of Stone's clay and modeled his own - a two-legged creature bare of skin but quick of mind. They could learn to make use of anything, from Stone to Air to Water and even Fire. But their impulsive rage and steady multiplication wasn't enough for Fire. He gave them Magic, a direct link to the Elements themselves.
Furious of his cheat, the other Elements gave their creation one last touch: their breath weapon.
They took some of Fire's energy in return for the stolen clay, and gifted their creation with Fire breath.
Air, always generous, gave them Lightning and the Sonic Boom.
Stone, always patient, gave them Poison.
And Water, creative and different, gave them Telepathy. But when coaxed by the others, she also gave them Ice.
To give them a way to use these abilities, Air and Stone added the firebladder. Which, after filling with oils from food, could be squeezed and spat from. This oil would react with gases from the secondary lungs, and would charge with whichever breath ability the dragon had. The only real exception would be Telepathy, which relied entirely on the mind. These weapons would surely compete with Magic, giving them a way to combat it.
The first of these two races became known as the Grandragons and Firstfathers.
Dragons and Man lived peacefully on their own lands for a time. But as populations grew, and Human generations passed, the sons and grandsons of Man began to turn on the Dragons. Already, they had forgotten the peaceful agreements their ancestors made.
But the first Dragons, with their long lives, still lived and remembered. They tried to remind Man of their agreements, but they only responded with anger and blades. The men blamed Dragons' size and long life to the shortage of food, while the Dragons claimed it was overpopulation of greedy Humans. War began, and it was a war that would last for thousands of years.
The numbers of men always replenished themselves, but Dragons weren't so quick. Many eggs and young were lost to nest raids. A large number of Dragons took to hiding, which led to the discovery of the massive underground cave that eventually housed Drekhalla, the dragon city. They resolved to live out their lives away from war, cradled by miles of rock and well-guarded passages.
Eventually, only a few dragons remained on the surface. One could travel a lifetime without ever seeing another of its kind. But still the Humans multiplied, covering every territory - even those believed to be inhospitable.
Bits and pieces of news of the outside world trickled down the tunnels and into Drekhalla, where it met the ears of some young drakes. These young males vowed that when they could fly, they would seek out a refuge for themselves and the Beasts - one even greater than Drekhalla. As soon as their wings were large enough to carry them, the males left their cradle of stone and headed north. They knew no one had ever passed the Tundra, but if refuge was to be found it had to be there. They flew across wind-whipped deserts of ice until only four of them remained, their comrades frozen solid in the hills.
A female returned weeks later, eyes crazed and voice wild. She told tales of a mirror land - a whole other continent nearly the same as their own, connected to it only by the northern ice cap. Many believed her mad, and those who did believe made it their end to find a way across without testing the Tundra. Driven by hope, they flew to the sea, willing to try anything to reach this Human-less paradise. Whether they fell at sea or found an island, their families never knew.
Too afraid to leave their birthland, the Dragons rallied for an assault. They would force the Humans to move to the other side, and leave this one to the Dragons.
The Humans went surprisingly willingly, just as ready to end the bloodshed and greedy to explore these untouched lands. Beasts of all types celebrated the passing, even the Anthro halfbreeeds.
Though dragon numbers have risen to considerable heights, it was a slow rebuild. And bad news travels to their coasts in the form of washed-up garbage. Trade with other worlds led the Humans to industrialization, which killed their land. Overpopulation led to overhunting, and their technology had to supply them with artificial food created from recycled material. The grass, trees, and mountains were replaced by concrete, metal, and glass. The laziness of Fire had spread to his creation in full.
A mass of Ice dragons now guard the Tundra day and night, descended from the first group to travel there and evolved to better survive in the frozen wasteland. Otherwise the Dragons, the true rulers of all creatures on Dimenzhia, keep to themselves. It is their hope that it will be many dragon-generations before the next war, if there is ever to be one again.
The planet of Dimenzhia is sentient, capable of her own thought and feeling. She is the source of all Magic; those capable of tapping in to her energy can shape it into their spells.
As rulers of the land, Dragons are responsible for keeping the peace. More importantly, they are also charged with helping to keep the Balance, the order at which the Elements are used to keep Dimenzhia healthy. If they fail, lush areas could become riddled with disease or drought, or dry areas could flood, or storms could rip entire landscapes and populations to shreds.
To help spread their influence, the Dragons have roamed over every inch of their side of the planet, settling in and evolving to suit the different habitats. Here, we will cover each of these lands and aspects about them.
Katzyne (The Basin), and Sanctuary
Zareti (the Plains)
Jezero (Great Cut)
Vutha (The Caves)
Cyrin (The Coast)
The Crystal Curtain
...the ocean. more soon...
Braebuck Peninsula
A Europe-sized peninsula separated from the mainland by a row of vicious-looking mountains. This area is populated heavily by Anthros, who have adopted a Medieval-esque technology and set up many kingdoms throughout the area. ... more soon.
Images (c) of Blizzard and World of Warcraft, pre-Cataclysm.
The Grandragons
The Grandragons were the very first of the species, born directly of the Elements and sharing their immortality.
They were made genderless, and shared all the aspects that were passed down to all the various species known today. This included their sizes, shapes, wings, horns, breath abilities, scale types, and their shade of color.
They were able to mix freely between one another, and so the rest of the Dragon species was born.
The Grandragons were each a solid color, one of each of the colors a dragon can be:
Red, Bronze, Gold, Green, Blue, Purple, Black, Silver, and White
They were also named after their color, though later their descendants and other Beasts of Dimenzhia gave them names:
Hel the Red, Brak the Bronze, Aur the Gold, Garr the Green, Drek the Blue, Kel the Purple, Tzar the Black, Fel the Silver, and Alt the White.
These names eventually became the last names of several lines of dragons, and others made their last names out of those of Ancients they believe to have descended from.
The Breeds
As generations passed, the Dragons spread throughout the world, their bodies changing to adapt to the land. Eventually they became so varied it was hard to imagine they all descended from a small group of Grandragons.
And so, they became the different Breeds. Some are similar, having only recently descended from one another. Some are so different the idea that they all came from the same origin seems far fetched. And some are new enough that they'd only been discovered within the last decade. But no matter how unusual they seem, they all share the role as rulers of their lands.
In a short list, the breeds are: Air, Desert, Forest, Island, Mountain, Plains, Stone, Swamp, Tundra, Water, and the recently discovered Aerial from Sun Mountain.
We will be breaking each of these breeds down by their unique attributes, or Identifiers: Size, Shape, Wings, Abilities, Scale Shade, Habitat, Life Cycle, Nest Location, Young, and Death.
The sizes of the Dragons will be labled using Earthen creatures and objects as reference:
Lizard (less than a foot), Cat (1ft), Dog (2-3ft), Pony (4ft), Horse (6-7ft), Bus (9ft), Elephant (13ft)
These sizes are based on SHOULDER height, if the dragon is standing normally with all four talons on the ground. These sizes are not set in stone, but are an average for each breed; every dragon is unique in its own way. Hybridization with other breeds can also affect the size, shape, lifespan, and color of a dragon.
Size and Shape
Air Dragons can range from the size of a large dog or pony up to a full-sized horse. The length of the body can vary, but it is always much longer in proportion to their legs, which are half proportionate length at the most.
This is because, like their Water dragon cousins, they hardly use the appendages. So they have evolved to be considerably smaller.
The necks and tails of Air dragons can grow to be longer than the length of their bodies, and are always proportionately long compared to other breeds. Their wings are also often very large in proportion, being the largest in proportion to other breeds. This makes them unique, having the largest necks, wings, and tails of Dragonkind.
They have the second longest bodies, with Island as the first and Water being a close third. Only massive dragons such as Mountains can compete, and only because of their huge girth.
Wings and Scales
Air dragons have the largest wing proportions to their bodies. They gained this by living nearly every day of their lives in the air as soon as they can take flight. It is believed they eat, sleep, and even breed while in flight. They also are able to take flight sooner than any other breed, at five years of age.
The wings are always webbed or finned, or in rare cases even feathered. They are the only breed to have feathered wings, an aspect that descended only to them by one of the Ancients.
The size and type of their wings, accompanied with their long, streamlined bodies makes them the fastest and most graceful fliers of all the breeds. Unfortunately, this also makes them unable to carry heavy loads while in flight. Their legs and bodies are too weak to hold them.
Air dragons have small scales, if any, to help keep them aerodynamic and light. Their leathery skin, or scales, tend to be lighter shades, with the most common colors being Silver, White, Blue, Gold, and Purple. These colors blend into the sky around them easier than darker colors.
Unfortunately the lack of armor makes them easily susceptible to injury by blade, arrow, or any sharp objects. Their bones are also fairly light, except in the and skull. They can be easily broken in a crash or fall.
Aside from being quick and agile fliers, Air dragons are also equipped with a few useful weapons and abilities.
As with all breeds, they can have nearly any breath ability. But they are the only breed to have the Sonic Boom (described under Abilities tab). The most common breath ability for Air dragons to have is Lightning. For centuries they were the only breed to have Lightning breath, until they started mingling with other breeds. It is unknown why the Sonic Boom breath ability or the feathered wings haven't been carried into other hybrids - perhaps there is a certain link in the genetics that require a pure Air dragon for these aspects.
Just like their Water cousins, Air dragons have extraordinary powers of Telepathy. This aids in communication over the roar of the wind, so Dragons have no need to fly too closely to speak. This Telepathy can also be strong enough that they may create visions or hallucinations in others of weaker mind, and therefore use it as a weapon.
Their ability to fly so quickly and gracefully is an excellent defense against attacks in the air, whether it be a projectile or a flying enemy. They can also outfly the attacker, unless of course it is another Air dragon. If they are somehow cornered on the ground, they must rely on their legs and hard skull to defend them - though it isn't much of a defense.
Life Cycle
After hatching, the young Air dragon is already capable of surviving on its own. They'll spend the first five years of their lives learning to hunt ground creatures, from slugs to rodents to small reptiles. Once they reach their fifth year of age, their wings are large enough to support their bodies in flight. Instincts will take over, and the youngling will spend the next several days mastering the takeoff. Once their feet are fully off the ground and the wind strong beneath their wings, they'll likely never touch ground again.
Air dragons don't mature until their 15th year, before which they'll pass the time exploring and improving their flying. As with most dragons of all types, this is the period of Wanderlust, where the young dragon has a drive to travel n-blocked-, exploring lands far from their birthlands.
After they mature, the Wanderlust fades in most dragons.
Nests and Young
Size and Shape
Wings and Scales
Life Cycle
Nests and Young
Size and Shape
Wings and Scales
Life Cycle
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Size and Shape
The longest of all breeds, Islanders are also the most varied in size. They can range from the size of a lizard all the way up to elephant height at the shoulder (13ft). The trunks of their bodies are the longest in proportion to any other breed, almost serpentine in flexibility. Some Islanders can wrap themselves in loops or knots, or wrap themselves around trees multiple times.
Unlike their bodies, however, their necks and tails commonly only reach midlength if they aren't short. This trend is mirrored by their legs, which are midlength and often squat like that of a lizard.
Their serpentine appearance is emphasized by the fact that Islanders never grow wings. In fact, they are the only breed able to fly without wings. The only bulges on their backs are those of their secondary lungs.
Wings and Scales
Having no wings at all, the Islanders are quite unique. But not all are left grounded. Most Islanders are born with the ability to displace the gravity around their bodies, the only spell they can use. This enables them to snake through the skies, given they can keep concentration. The skill varies from dragon to dragon, and the ability can be honed with practice. Those that are unable to tap into this selective magic remain grounded throughout their lives.
A scaleless Islander isn't common, but aren't unheard of. They commonly are the brightest of the pure colors, with Copper, Black, and Silver being the rarest. Their manes, a significant identifier of the breed, are also commonly brilliant in shade.
As with most breeds, Islanders can use almost any breath ability with the exception of the Sonic Boom. However, their secondary lungs tend to be stunted, giving them a short firing span.
Life Cycle
Islanders are raised by their community, learning different skills from each of their elders and eventually are placed in the profession they're best at. While the young are being raised into maturity, the other adults of the entire community won't breed. This keeps their full focus on the youth, and keeps the numbers in check.
When they mature at their twelfth year, they are already functioning members of society. And most often, they won't take a partner until they reach their second decade of age. And the entire community goes through the same circle again, welcoming new hatchlings into the world and raising them together.
The breed is only found on the islands located miles and miles out on the Crystal Curtain. The islands vary little in landscape, mountainous in the center and covered in tropical plant life and exotic animals. Large temples and extensive caves are carved into the mountains, often decorated with fierce or elegant carvings of Islander rulers or Elders in the rock.
Nests and Young
When it is time for young to be brought into the community, there is a huge celebration throughout the islands. The entire population gathers on the main island, where they feast and the King and Queen announce the couples that will be laying that night.
After the festivities, the couples disappear into their home caves. There, they will lay a clutch of one to two eggs, each white and glossy with the slightest sheen of the hatchling's scale color. One to two months later, the young will hatch and the cycle continues.
The death of any Islander is mourned by the entire population, as each one of them becomes very loved by the community over their 900 year lifespan.
After a memorial ceremony, the Islander is placed on a beautiful raft adorned with their favorite possessions and many complimenting fruits and flowers, then is sent out to sea. It is actually one of these rafts that led to their discovery on the Mainland.
Size and Shape
Wings and Scales
Life Cycle
Nests and Young
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Size and Shape
Water dragons can range greatly in length, but are always short due to their small limbs. Their full adult length can range from 3' to 30' nose to tailtip. They are the third longest breed, with Island at first and Air at second.
Since they never walk on land, their talons are very rarely used to support their weight. Instead, they are used to propel them through the water with the aid of their long tails.
In sections, Water dragons tend not to have very long necks. Their bodies and tails are often quite lengthy, however. This allows them to snake through the water with precision. Their limbs are always fairly small because of their minimal use. It is believed they could evolve to be without limbs someday.
Because they are the only breed to be unable to breathe air, which lead to their lack of wings, their backs are smooth and lack the common wing-muscle and secondary lung bulges. This makes them appear quite small compared to other breeds, regardless of their length.
Wings and Scales
Water dragons are one of the few breeds to be without wings. Instead, they often have frill or fins, occasionally resembling the shape of a wing but hardly functioning as such.
Like their Air cousins, Water dragons tend not to have scales. If they do, they are small and smooth to keep from slowing them down in the water. They can be any color, with no real common patterns or shades.
The most unique trait of the Water dragons is the lack of a breath ability. It is believed this happened because of their uselessness beneath the surface. To replace it, Water dragons became the most skilled breed with Telepathy. They were the first to be able to create illusions and literally control the minds of those weaker than them, far beyond the normal pictures and sensations of Mindspeak.
Because of their telepathic abilities, Water dragons have also all but become silent dragons. They prefer to communicate purely through a more personal form of Mindspeak, purely sharing every thought and feeling between those they are close to. This creates immense bonds, and highly intelligent young, making them powerful dragons indeed.
Because of their lack of a breath ability, their secondary lungs and firebladders have shrank to near nonexistence. The only real function of the secondary lungs is to help keep them afloat and upright in the water.
Life Cycle
Just as the Island dragons, Water dragons can live to be about 900 years of age. Because of this, they tend to only breed once a century. This lessens the numbers of dragons filling the oceans and overhunting.
Once they are ready to lay, a mother Water dragonelle will find a deep trench and burrow out her cave. There, she will lay up to five eggs, each opalescent and smooth. The pressure, combined with a diligent mother that will guard the nest without eating or sleeping, will ensure all five eggs hatch after a three month incubation.
After they hatch, the young Water dragons will already be prepared for life on their own thanks to their mother's non-stop Mindspeak during incubation. But, they won't leave her side until their fifteenth year, when they mature. Until then, they will be taught colors, shapes, the names of animals, and pretty much everything they will need to know to be elegant rules of the seas.
On their fifteenth year, the young Water dragons will part ways with their mother and swim wherever their wanderlust takes them, more than equipped to survive. They are likely never to settle in a cave except to incubate their eggs, and won't take a partner until near their first century of age.
The entire Crystal Curtain is their world, much as the whole sky is the world of the Air dragons. And just like the Air breed, Water dragons hardly stop swimming a moment in their lives.
Nests and Young
Water dragons nest in deep trenches, where their nests are protected by walls of crushing pressure all about them. How the eggs aren't smashed by the force is still widely argued.
The clutch, normally consisting of three to five eggs, can begin comprehending their mother's Mindspeak by their third week, and will continue to communicate with her non-stop until the day they leave her on their fifteenth year.
When they hatch, they will look just as they will as adults - except perhaps a bit more adorable, with shorter jaws, larger eyes, and insatiable curiosity. Their personalities are akin to that of kittens, romping, wrestling, and exploring with vigor.
When they reach the end of their 900 year lifespan, if nothing else brought about their end beforehand, Water dragons tend to return to the trenches they hatched in and drift to the floor. There, they will feed scavenging creatures and return their bodies to the habitat.
Rarely, a perished Water dragon will be washed up on the shores of the Mainland.
Size and Shape
Wings and Scales
Life Cycle
Nests and Young
The Legendary Breeds
The first descendants of the Grandragons were also immortal, and had control over some elements that are no longer existent today. They are known as the Ancients, often large and powerful. They and their immediate offspring make up the Legendary Breeds, those hardly seen and even less heard of.
The elements lost to the rest of the species, except perhaps for a very rare and lucky few, are:
Light, Dark, Life, Death, Metal, Lava, and Time.
They will be described in the same format as the common breeds, with the exception of their Death. These dragons are immortal, and therefore unable to die unless they will it. As these dragons are also extremely rare, it is unknown whether any of them have actually perished.
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Dragons Inside and Out
The Elements and their appointed Council often claim Dragons as 'their greatest achievement,' and rightfully so. They are a magnificent breed, no matter their size or strength, capable of persevering in any situation if they put their minds to it.
The original Grandragons and their immediate descendants contained unique attributes that faded out as the rest of the Breeds evolved. But there are some basic attributes that remained between the breeds, including skull shape, horn type, and wing type:
drag to address bar to see full view
Though some aspects of the anatomy can vary between breeds, they are all based on the same general layout, which we will cover here.
General Anatomy
Skeletal Structure
Muscular Structure
The Brain
The Eyes
Skin and Scales
Horns, Membranes, Tendrils and Frill
Dragon Weaponry
He began by equipping them with razor claws, sharp teeth, and a short fuse to a burning rage. Then after he took matters into his own hands in creating Magic-bearing Humans, the other Elements know their ultimate rulers needed a true weapon of their own. And so, the Dragons were gifted with their Breath Abilities:
Fire, Lightning, Sonic Boom, Ice, and Poison.
They were also given the ability of Telepathy, which is shared between all breeds as a weapon, and a means of efficient communication.
Breath & Telepathy
A stream or ball of oils from the firebladder, ignited when the mixture of gases from the secondary lungs and oxygen from the open air meets it.
Can be varied in size and strength, from a small torf to light a small room up to a barrage capable of burning a building to the ground. The size of the firebladder and secondary lungs determine how much fire can be made.
Condensed electricity that can be fired either from a gob of oils or in the form of a bolt.
The only breath ability that requires magic rather than gasses.
If only magic is used, the dragon can fire a bolt of lightning from a small spark, to a ribbon of bolts capable of blowing apart an enemy. Only those capable of controlling large amounts of magic can use such a massive attack.
If oils from the firebladder are used along with bits of magic, the gob can be shot and stuck to an enemy, causing painful jolts much like that of a taser. Depending on the magic used, the enemy could be stunned or worse. The magic abilities of the dragon determine the strength of the attack.
There is a downside to Lightning breath, in that electricity is very hard to control. If the dragon has strong magical abilities, they may be able to control where the bolts go. Otherwise, the bolts will fly freely to whichever objects or creatures are within range of the charge.
Sonic Boom
A condensed explosion of sound and energy, usually only visible as a rippling orb in the air, similar to a heat wave if shaped like a ball.
Can be varied in size and strength, from an ear-splitting screech to being capable of blasting down a full-size tree.
A blast of either freezing air or piercing ice crystals, depending on if mixed with oils from the firebladder.
Can be varied in size, strength, and type. If the gases are used alone, the foggy breath can be capable of covering things with a layer of frost or freezing something enough that it bursts. Size of secondary lungs determine the amount and strength.
If the gases are mixed with oils from the firebladder, the drops of oil are frozen solid and are ejected as razor sharp missiles. Depending on the amount and strength of the shot, they can be capable of ripping paper, or ripping through chainmail before shattering.
A spray of either noxious fumes or acidic liquid, depending on if mixed with oils from the firebladder.
Can be varied in strength and type. If the gases are used alone, the fumes can cause small creatures to perish, large creatures to fall unconscious, or potentially cause a large dragon to perish if used in a poorly-ventilated space.
If the gases are mixed with oils from the firebladder, the mixture creates an acidic goo that can remove thin layers of flesh, or potentially chew through metal, depending on the amount of gas used.
Depending on the abilities of the individual dragon, Telepathy can be nothing more than a means of simple communication, or it can be used to create illusions or hallucinations.
The basic usage of Telepathy is simple speech or images. This doesn't take too much concentration and helps get the point across. Most dragons use this in place of whispering - a whisper from a dragon is no quiet thing. They also use it with approaching strangers if they are unsure of their intentions.
The most common usage of Telepathy is what Dragons call Mindspeak. It is the ability to share sights, sounds, smells, tastes, physical sensations, and even emotions. They can literally SHOW you a story rather than just tell it to you. Mother dragonelles that guard their eggs use Mindspeak to teach their developing hatchlings survival skills and values before they hatch. This gives them a better chance to survive on their own, in case something were to happen to the parents. Only dragons that know each other well will use Mindspeak, so if they use it with a stranger or acquaintance it is seen as a great honor.
If the dragon's mind is strong enough, most often seen in Air, Island, and Water dragons, they can hone the Telepathy into weaponry. Rather than sharing simple images or sensations, they can make someone believe what they are seeing or feeling is actually real. This can be a hefty distraction, or they can use it to lead their enemy into danger. Rarely these illusions can be used to soothe, normally only seen between a mother and a hatchling.
Thick scales can be a very efficient armor against puncturing, acid, fire, or cold. However, strong scales don't grow themselves. They need the proper nourishment.
Bones, horns, and hooves are good sources of nutrients, but not enough to keep their scales from flaking under a blade. There is only one source a dragon must feed from to keep their armor lustrous and effective: metal. Hoards are kept for more than the fact that they are pretty to look at.
Dragons have a special organ called the gold-gizzard, able to process whatever metals the dragon ingests. To eat the metal, the dragon only has to bend and fold it until it can be easily swallowed. Then gravity carries it into the gold-gizzard where it eventually nourishes and hardens the scale. Recently a study from Drekhalla has also shown dragons with a healthier metal diet have better horn symmetry and length than those who do not.
Dragons without scales still enjoy coin, though it does much less for them except improving the appearance and health of their hide and horns.
It is well known among Dragonkind that a full gold-gizzard makes a happy dragon, and so a common practice of courtesy is to offer a coin or two to your guests. This quells a dragon's tendency for rage and makes for much easier conversation.
The majority of breeds have no real set color or markings for their scales. Some breeds have colors that are more commonly seen than others, and most colors are only certain shades. But any combination is possible since they are descended from dragons of the purest values of the colors.
Only the Aerial breed has a set appearance, varying only in the marking style.
Horns, Claws, & Teeth
Other Worlds
As the population of Dragons grew and they sought to spread to each territory on the continent, they accidentally stumbled upon hidden portals leading to the three closest dimensions. These dimensions each contained a huge jungle planet: Carnasius, Ayvius, and Netheria.
Some of the dragons passed through the portals and never returned, deciding to remain on these planets forever. They mingled with the intelligent creatures on these planets, and eventually descended down to become their current inhabitants: Carnasians, Ayvians, and Netherians. These people are all humanoid, but still retained much of their Draconic appearance and abilities, albeit watered down. They all share the same respect and honor for Dragons, some to a point of praise and even obsession.
Dragon Art
Here are pieces of dragon art I've gathered over the centuries. Please, keep your hands off.
Makeables♦ Do NOT use these in the BC, Art Gallery, or ANY ART COMPETITION. EVER.
♦ Do NOT edit the lineart beyond recognition. I.E. using only the head or legs on your own body drawing
♦ Do NOT alter or remove my signature. EVER. You may relocate it, if it gets in your way. BUT IT MUST ALWAYS. ALWAYS. ALWAYS. BE VISIBLE.
♦ Do NOT redistribute these makeables, unless you give me FULL CREDIT either by linking my userlookup, stating that Echo (Athaere) made the original lineart, or linking the petpage that they came from (www.neopets.com/~Artergon).
♦ Do NOT use this lineart in ANY other way than as a TEMPLATE. Do NOT use this lineart as a base for your own adoptables set, or as a base for you to distribute fanart/trades for others.
♦ Please send Athaere a NM if you use one! She loves to see what people come up with! And if you'd like, she'll even post your design here in the Dragon Book.
Don't know how to link back? Here:
Just put your image's code where it states when you put your picture up.
Drag to search bar to see full size.
CompletedThese are colored makeables! To see them full size, drag them to your search bar.
By Dark_Cat128
By Fuzzballjesse
By Fuzzballjesse
By Gorubeza
By Aishaaddict12
Full ArtHere will be full pieces of dragon work made by Echo or other artists.
Echo's Work...
Other Artists...
MiniaturesI have also acquired some nicnacs, it seems.
Thanks to all the support, advice, and criticism through this project!
Images under Dimenzhia tab (c) Blizzard Ent. and World of Warcraft, pre-Cataclysm.
Aerial breed belongs to Arielle, Echo's sister.
All art and designs belong to Echo (athaere), unless stated otherwise. DO NOT STEAL CHARACTERS, IDEAS, STORIES, OR ART
All characters, planets, and stories belong to Echo (athaere), unless stated otherwise. DO NOT STEAL CHARACTERS, IDEAS, STORIES, OR ART
Background was found via search engine.
Dragons of Dimenzhia" header made by Zrcalo (gothed).
Layout was made by Echo (athaere), using pieces of her other pages and help from a CSS help page.
Some vocabulary and anatomical aspects are inspired by E. E. Knight's "Age of Fire" series.
Some names and words from the Draconic language are inspired by Dungeons and Dragons "Draconomicon" Draconic vocabulary list.


text:
Jefferson Papers Indexes | Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Cumulative Index to vols. 1–20 | C | Crockett, Col. Hugh
Martha Wayles Skelton Jefferson to Eleanor Conway Madison, 8 August 1780 [Main Series 3:533]+
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Johanna NamirLegalZoom.com, Inc323-962-8600 firstname.lastname@example.com
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About the AuthorBronwen Healy Photography
BronnieHealy Canberra, ACT
Bronwen Healy is one of Australia's finest equine photographers. Her work specialises in thoroughbreds, but she is equally adept with any breed of horse, and her work with children is also greatly admired. Her work published widely in Australia, and internationally. Leading studs such as Coolmore, Arrowfield, Woodlands (now Darley) and Waikato use Bronwen's work on a regular basis.
Publish Date September 08, 2010
Dimensions Large Format Landscape 160 pgs Premium Paper, lustre finish
Category Fine Art Photography
Tags Arrowfield Stud, Danzero, Snitzel, Starcraft, Thoroughbreds stallions racehorses, "Redoute's, ChoiceFlying, SpurCharge, ForwardNot, a, Single, DoubtManhattan, RainAll, AmericanMiss, FinlandGolden, SlipperAJC, Derby"
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So in the recent post about RBs we had zero people say that Adrian Peterson's fumble problems were very similar to Brown.
Besides playing RB and having fumble issues, that is where the comparison immediately ends. It's like comparing a $1 latex-filled cheeseburger at McDonald's to a ground sirloin burger with grass-fed, organic beef with a high-end cheddar from Wisconsin or Vermont. Yeah the two are technically called cheeseburgers but that is where the comparison ends.
Here is Bryce Brown:
Here is Adrian Peterson:
Brown had two really good games against the Cowboys & Panthers and that was it. Here are his stats outside of those 2 games:
72 carries, 217 yds rushing (3.0 yards/carry), 0 TDs, 5 passes, 31 yards, (6.0 yards/reception)
Looks pretty pedestrian to me. He also struggled with blitz pickups/pass protection and didn't contribute on special teams last year.
People on this board CONSTANTLY overrate Eagles' players after a big game or preseason performance especially younger players. It's laughable at times although my recent favorite either had to be Chaney after that game in Chicago or all of the ridiculous hype that Macho Harris got on here.
Brown is lucky if the Eagles draft a RB fairly high (say anywhere from the 3rd-5th rounds) that he makes the team and gets any kind of meaningful carries again this year.


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You know what's even better than someone who clearly loves their job? Someone who loves a mundane job and goes above and beyond what they have to do to get the job done.
We've all driven by those poor bastards holding an advertisement sign for a business, looking hot and downright miserable and who could blame them? The job requires you to stand there and hold a sign with not much else to do except figure out how to fall asleep while standing up. But there's been an elite group of sign spinners out there who have taken it upon themselves to add "being awesome" to their job description.
Armed with some tunes and some sweet, sweet, moves, these sign spinners took their ordinary task and made it extraordinary.


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A new study suggests that speed work might be more beneficial for recovery and maintaining muscle mass than a steady state run. These findings are particularly important for masters runners, who begin to struggle with maintaining strength and have their recovery times lengthened with age.
Researchers at the University of North Carolina published their findings in the Journal of Endocrinological Investigation in December. They evaluated 15 subjects , all seasoned runners. Each participant was asked to alternate between a 45-minute easy to moderate effort run and a workout of the same length that involved 90 second spurts of sub-5K speed and 90 seconds of recovery.
The subjects' testosterone levels were measured before and after the run, as well as 12 hours later. Firstly, researchers found that both activities increased the subjects' testosterone levels from not exercising at all. Secondly, the speed session caused a much larger boost in testosterone than the steady state run. And finally, that testosterone was metabolized 12 hours after the intervals, but not after the easy run.
Their findings are potentially good news for older runners because more effective testosterone metabolism vastly aids in recovery and maintaining muscle mass — two factors that are crucial for masters runners.