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The Last Oracle and The Doom...James Rollins
No editorial review available.
The Last Oracle and The Doomsday Key: A Sigma Force Bundle
Excavation by James Rollins ...BookRags
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Excavation Study Guide consists of approx. 45 pages of summaries and analysis on Excavation by James Rollins.
This study guide includes the following sections: Plot Summary, Chapter Summaries & Analysis, Characters, Objects/Places, Themes,… more
Excavation by James Rollins | Summary & Study Guide
The Blood Gospel: The Order ...James Rollins, Rebecca Cantrell
The Blood Gospel: The Order of the Sanguines Series
Jake Ransom and the Howling SphinxJames Rollins
Using his father's watch as a key, Jake intends to return to Calypsos. Instead he's thrust into a strange desert land where he's joined by his friends Marika, Pindor, and Bach'uuk and his sister, Kady. As they try to figure out what to do n… more
Jake Ransom and the Howling Sphinx
It's Only Temporary (A Tale ...Eric Shapiro
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The world will end in just 10 hours.
After Sean graduates from college, he is ready to begin his life. Silly him for assuming he will have one. Word gets out that humanity is doomed: a giant meteorite has been headed toward the Earth for d… more
It's Only Temporary (A Tale of the End of the World)
The Doomsday Key and The Las...James Rollins
For a limited time, discover the bestselling Sigma Force thriller series by James Rollins, with a specially priced bundle of The Doomsday Key and Last Oracle.And don't miss an extended excerpt from The Devil Colony, Rollins's latest New Yor… more
The Doomsday Key and The Last Oracle with Bonus Excerpts: A Sigma Force Novel
Mourn The LivingHenry Perez
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Wherever You Live. . .From city to city, one man walks the streets, carefully choosing his victims. Mercilessly, he cuts their throats. And with each kill, he leaves his chilling trademark, honed to razor-sharp perfection over decades of … more
Mourn The Living
XOM-BJeremy Robinson
Freeman is a genius with an uncommon mixture of memory, intelligence and creativity. He lives in a worldwide utopia, but it was not always so. There was a time known as the Grind—when Freeman's people lived as slaves to another race refer… more
The Spider ThiefLaurence MacNaughton
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All of his life, Ash has been haunted by the ancient curse that killed his parents.
From the cobweb-choked ruins of a lost city in the Amazon emerges a gold spider statue with flashing emerald eyes. If the legends are true, the gold spide… more
The Spider Thief
RISE OF THE DRAKYN (Sword of...LEONARD LITTLE
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Fourteen-year-old Marcus believes he has it bad, getting beaten by his older half-brother and stepmother, until his blood activates his dead mother's amulet.
Raised as a winemaker's son, Marcus doesn't know he's the last heir to the Drago… more
RISE OF THE DRAKYN (Sword of Souls Book 1)
Death Dealt the HandJohn E. Bailor
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When Special Agent Trevor Byrne investigates the hasty approval of an experimental AIDS treatment, he uncovers a plot by genetics lab DNAY to unleash a deadly toxin on the world. Can Trevor stop DNAY before it's too late?
James Rollins cal… more
Death Dealt the Hand
Hell Ship- A Dane and Bones ...David Wood, Sean Ellis
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When Navy SEAL Dane Maddock and his squad are sent to find the wreckage of a sunken World War II Japanese "Hell Ship," they find themselves caught up in a deadly race to solve an eight hundred year old mystery. Can Dane and Bones outrun, ou… more
Hell Ship- A Dane and Bones Origins Story (Dane Maddock Origins Book 2)
Steampunk: The Jade Queen: P...Jack Conner
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Jason Bourne meets Indiana Jones. In the tradition of James Rollins and Clive Cussler comes the newest adventure hero, Lynchmort James.In the darkest hours of World War Two, a string of grisly murders has the European city of Gaston in a pa… more
Steampunk: The Jade Queen: Part One: Lynchmort James, the Accidental Private Detective (The Jade Queen: Steampunk Books Book 1)
Ascendant: A Mira Raiden Adv...Sean Ellis
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Finding Atlantis is just the beginning…
Psychic ex-spy Mira Raiden's discovery of the tomb of an Atlantean king, is just the first piece in a puzzle that will launch her on a journey to find the Trinity—an ancient device with the power… more
Ascendant: A Mira Raiden Adventure (Dark Trinity Book 1)
The Executive of Crime [The ...Charles Lee Jackson II
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To stop Continent-Eight, an evil executive of crime with outposts in nearly every major city in the world, secret agent Max Decker risked playing a deadly game. Forced to kill a leader of Continent-Eight, the notorious supercriminal known … more
The Executive of Crime [The Emperor's Secret Files]
Wallflower: Pray you aren't ...Carolyn McCray
Did you know that James Rollins Recommends… The Harbinger mystery series, including the first book in the series, Plain Jane: Brunettes Beware, a Top 10 bestseller in both Hard-Boiled Mysteries and Police Procedurals.
Let's see why…"Wi… more
Wallflower: Pray you aren't noticed - the sequel to Plain Jane (Book 2 of the Harbinger Mystery Series)
The Harbinger Collection: Ha...Carolyn McCray
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Did you know that James Rollins Recommends…The Harbinger Collection including, Plain Jane: Brunettes Beware, a Top 10 bestseller in both Hard-Boiled Mysteries and Police Procedurals.Let's see why Rollins recommends the Harbinger Mystery S… more
The Harbinger Collection: Hard-boiled Mysteries Not for the Faint of Heart (A McCray Crime Collection)
The Esau Emergence (The Esau...J. C. Lynne
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An edge of your seat, science thriller in the style of James Rollins and Michael Crichton, JC Lynne embroils us in the complex world of genetic engineering and the possibilities of a new generation.
During a black ops mission in Afghanista… more
The Esau Emergence (The Esau Continuum)
L.A. Mental: A ThrillerNeil McMahon
"As much a mind game as it is thriller, a scientific puzzle buried in a murder mystery, all set against the surreal world of Hollywood filmmaking… . I can't wait for the next book!"—James RollinsAcclaimed mystery writer Neil McMahon, co… more
L.A. Mental: A Thriller
Rogue (Robin Monarch Thrillers)Mark Sullivan
"A true juggernaut of a thriller, pure adrenaline in print. With the creation of Robin Monarch, Sullivan has crafted a Jason Bourne for the new millennium." —James Rollins Mark Sullivan has created a propulsive, compelling new thriller. R… more
Rogue (Robin Monarch Thrillers)


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Tying The knot: Burberry designer Christopher Bailey is set to marry his boyfriend of three years, Simon Woods.
The most famous people in the world tied the knot secretly over the weekend.
Multiply that by two, and you get an idea of what happens when two guys consider tying the knot.
Old English cnotta "intertwining of ropes, cords, etc.," from Proto-Germanic *knuttan- (cf. Low German knütte, Old Frisian knotta "knot," Dutch knot, Old High German knoto, German Knoten, perhaps also Old Norse knutr "knot, knob"). Figurative sense of "difficult problem" was in Old English (cf. Gordian knot). Symbolic of the bond of wedlock, early 13c. As an ornament of dress, first attested c.1400. Meaning "thickened part or protuberance on tissue of a plant" is from late 14c. The nautical unit of measure (1630s) is from the practice of attaching knotted string to the log line. The ship's speed can be measured by the number of knots that play out while the sand glass is running.
The distance between the knots on the log-line should contain 1/120 of a mile, supposing the glass to run exactly half a minute. [Jorge Juan and Antonio de Ulloa, "A Voyage to South America" 1760]
"to tie in a knot," mid-15c., from knot (n.). Related: Knotted (late 12c.), knotting.
knot (nŏt)
A compact intersection of interlaced material, as of cord, ribbon, or rope.
A protuberant growth or swelling in a tissue, such as a gland.

subset: commoncrawl


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S&P Capital IQ understands that the governance of large organizations requires access to deep, reliable fundamental data for their credit analysis, model building, statistical studies, economic analysis, and regulatory enforcement-based activities. We help government professionals solve their unique information needs by delivering industry-leading credit ratings and research plus fundamental and market data intraday with easy-to-use research tools for comparable company analysis both domestically and internationally.
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|Conduct comparable company analysis using several features within the S&P Capital IQ platform. Access a competitors list based on SEC filings, view our generated "Quick Comps" which outline 10 comparable companies derived from a back-end algorithm, and create customized screens based on specified criteria, including industry, geography, keywords, financial metrics, and much more.
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funny big angel smiley
This great custom product in melange navy from our department Women and T-Shirt category can be printed just for you in the size and style you like. The design smiley angel (2c) was created by YASH2 and uploaded to Spreadshirt for you to have printed on a T-Shirt. Next to a host of other great customized designs, you can find this smiley angel (2c) design in Spreadshirt's Cartoon category. If you are interested in topics like Halo or angel, then you'll love smiley angel (2c) designs by YASH2. Spreadshirt also offers a huge selection of custom t-shirts, hoodies and accessories for the category Cartoon as well as top big eyes clothing. YASH2's designs have already impressed many of our customers, so we are sure that we've got right stuff for you! Spreadshirt is your destination for great designs of all kinds – whether it's Halo, angel or big eyes. We are sure that you will find something nice in our shop, there are many amazing custom Cartoon t-shirts, hoodies, or accessories for you to find! Tags: Design ID: 10369615
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A classic t-shirt with a vintage twist, this soft, comfortable top has a mélange heather blend to give it that worn-in look and feel. This one is ultra comfy. You'll want it in a few different colors, as it's sure to become a quick favorite.
still to fill


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Waterfront Condo on Massachusetts Bay!!
North Truro Condo
2 Bedrooms / 1.5 Bathrooms / Sleeps 4Condo / 2 Bedrooms / Sleeps 4
/ nightEmail Owner
|Per night:
|$300 - $425
|Per week:
|$2,000 - $2,500
|Pets allowed:
September 22, 2014
We have vacationed on the Cape previously, but this was our first time in North Truro. We loved it! Very close to P-Town,shopping,excellent resturants and close to the National Sea shores. We cannot say enough about staying in the condo. It is so perfect. It had a living area open to a small but efficient kitchen. Full sized refrigerator, JennAir stove, dishwasher and microwave. Fully equipped kitchen including all types of glassware, dishes,pots/pans,cutlery, even a bundt pan! Absolutely all the amenities are provided for guests...no exaggeration, everything except your personal belongings. It is immaculate and the owners have succeeded in providing all the comforts of home for their guests. The condo has 2 bedrooms ( both queen sized beds), one bedroom has a TV in the room. All the bedding is provided, towels,etc. The full bath, with a jetted bathtub, is between the 2 bedrooms. A half bath is off the kitchen/ living area. Other amenities include a washer/dryer, big screen TV with cable, wi-fi, DVD player, Weber grill and Adirondack furniture on the deck. The large deck is accessible from one of the bedrooms or the living room and is wonderful. It was enjoyed by all of us at various times thruout the day. It was really nice sitting out thereenjoying our morning coffee watching for the seals to surface and the sunsets from there were incredible. The condo is very quiet and private. The beach play area is great if you have small children and beach front(by the water) is accessible by stairs from the beach play area. We brought our bikes and rode into P-Town which was so much easier than driving by car ....it was about 15 min. Bike ride to Commercial Street. Grocery store 10 mins drive by car from the condo. Plenty of eateries in P-Town and along Rt 6 heading toward Wellfleet,too. If it were possible we'd rate this condo 10 stars! Super clean,well cared for unit and the owners reside close by and are readily available if you had any questions or problems.
Cindy Caplan, North Granby CT USA


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I've been thinking a lot about stats latley. If you don't like posts that are train of thought type disertations then save yourself the two minutes and move on.
These are just some of my thoughts about stats. It's not a rant against stats, an argument that we should ignore stats or an attept to put them down. If you are going to read this and then tell me how unobjective I am and I don't understand how probablity works then you've missed the point I'm trying to make.
I've been thinking latley why my hackles are raised when someone rips off a list of stats about baseball. Why does that bug me? There's nothing wrong with stats...in fact, it's an important part of achiving baseball sucess.
I think part of my resistance to "stats" is rooted in a desire to maintain the magic of the game. I don't want to boil it all down to a mechanincal explination of "1 + 1 = 2". I don't want to spend hours pouring over an array of numbers that explain why player A is sucessfull and player B isn't. I don't want to try to put the game in a neat and tidy box with a bow on top. I don't want the game to be cut and dried.
I spend every day of my working existance trying to boil complex sales situations into mechanical expliantions, pouring over an array of numbers to explain why sales are doing A,B and/or C and tying to sum up my profession in a neat and tidy box. Baseball is....a form of entertainment and the greatest game on the planet.
I want to watch a baseball game and feal that the batter can launch a fastball into the RF seats for a game winning homer and I don't want someone to rattle off that the probability of this happening, durring the day, against lefthanders on teams that start with the letter C is only 13.48%.
I want to absorb the magic of a double play without having to do the mental gymnastics to calucate whether if the 2B was moved to SS if it would increase the percentage chances for double plays to increase by 3.4%.
I want to see a pitcher reach back for a little extra something and fool the batter and make them look silly. I don't care that their K/9 has increased over the past week and their VORP is up .34%.
I want to shut my eyes and imagine what it would be like if Koufax was on the mound instead of Milton and how amazing it would be to see just one pitch of his. I don't care that the current batter has a 27.56% OPS vs righthanders.
When I walk into the ballpark I want to leave the cut and dried business of life behind and be absorbed in baseball. It's entertainment that I enjoy. Stats are a tool I use in my working life. Never shall the two meet.
I took 5 quarters of stats at university. I use them daily in my working life. They are a great tool for understanding baseball and achieving more success if used properally. I'm glad we have tallented people like Cyclone here to do the hard work of crunching numbers and presenting the data. But when I watch baseball I want to feel like a little kid at the ballpark with my father for the first time enjoying the wonder of the sport, not be trying to break it down to it's last mathmatical equations.
Just some crazy ramblings of the weird stuff that goes on in my brain.


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Members: 5177
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Chapters: 20594
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Reviews: 29185
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Newest Member: linyuanyuan
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Hey! I'm a LotR fanatic who has a slight obsession with a certain Mr. Bloom. My favourite films are of course the LotR trilogy, Kingdom of Heaven, Van Helsing and basically any epic with Orlando Bloom in it. I live in a small country in the southern hemisphere close to Antarctica and I'm in my late teens. I abhor Mary Sues and love crossovers without romance.


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The calculator is a tool that allows users to perform a variety of calculations, from the easiest to include dozens of digits. In… more »
Android Apps
Top 5 Android Wear Apps
First are Beelink. Beelink is an Android Wear application that allows users to connect. AndroidWear devices to nearby with Bluetooth devices. The… more »


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1 Park near Waterford, Michigan
White Lake, Michigan 6.92 miles NW
Milford, Michigan 13.1 miles SW
Ortonville, Michigan 13.2 miles N
Holly, Michigan 14.33 miles NW
New Hudson, Michigan 14.83 miles SW
Waterford, Michigan (map) | (248) 666-1020
Sites: 176 | Latest Rate: $18.00 | 4 Reviews
|Clean Restrooms:
|Clean Showers:
Aug 2013 - $18.00
This was a good campground for seeing the greater Detroit area. Most of the sites in the west loop are in the trees and very private. We chose site 44 because it was more open. Glad we did because Verizon both cell and 4G struggled inside our rig. The campground was never full even on one of the biggest weekends of the summer, Woodward Ave. Dream Cruise. Everyone was extremely polite and quiet. At night on the weekends it does get a little smoky from the campfires; thank goodness for A/C. The showers are individual with plenty of hot water. The restrooms were always spotless. Sites do vary in levelness so pay attention to what the website description says. A previous reviewer noted that the electric box is close to the pad on the west loop and far away on the east loop. A significant reason to choose the west loop (numbers 1 through 94) with an RV and A/C. The rate was $18 per night. $8.00 reservation fee. Out-of-state: $30.50 non-resident pass good for one year at all MI parks. - fulltimervtravel
Jul 2013 - $18.00
Park is the closest location for visiting Detroit and the surrounding area. Website shows pictures and description of each site which allows you to determine the type you prefer. As a 45' motorhome with 2 satellite dishes we prefer no trees and these are available. Power does not appear to be a true 30 amp service (very old) so take care when trying to run more than 1 a/c. Trees need to be trimmed along road to prevent tall rigs from brushing limbs, but not impossible to pass. Very quiet and large sites. Price is $18, but you will pay $30 for out of state vehicle pass. - Freedom Bus
Oct 2011 - $20.00
The park was excellent. There are two circles to the park. The lower end of the park with lower space numbers have the electricity very close to camping spaces. Higher numbers you will need a very long extension cord to reach electricity. The park was clean and well shaded which means leaves all over (it was the fall) and apples on the ground in the upper areas which smelled like rotting apples (again it was the fall) It was a beautiful park. Well kept, kid friendly, very clean restrooms. I would stay here again without hesitation. I ranked it a 9 because there wasn't anything 'extra' but for a place to camp it was great. - foe3643


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United States Truck Driving School
- (719) 382-3000
- 19825 Wigwam Rd
- Fountain CO 80817
Read user reviews
US Truck Driving School19825 Wigwam Rd, Pueblo, CO 80817, United StatesShowing 5 reviews out of 5 total
Patricia Fenton08/07/131 Stars - What a joke this place is. The teachers think that they know everything, but in reality they know N O T H I N G! You sit in this 'class', what a joke. The equipment that you 'learn' on is outdated and out of service. Something always broke down. You need OTR experience, but all you get is a short time behind the wheel cause there are 4 other 'students' waiting in the back seat for their OTR time. Really, DO NOT, I MEAN DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY. Hell, for the $6000 that they charge you could go to a real school and get twice as much training and OTR time. Oh, did I forget to mention the bimbos in the front office. How unprofessional can they be. Really? Tattoos all over. At least act professional enough to cover them while your at work.A Google User04/04/113 Stars - Some of the material you learn in class is a little out-dated. Not to mention the inconvenient location. I just should have done more research on the lifestyle on trucking. When the school director told me that I shouldn't do too much research on it because I would talk myself out of a $6000 debt, I should have just walked out. I'm not saying trucking is bad; just not for everyone. If you want to spend that much money to get a job that will demand your life of freedom to be with all your friends and family for weeks at a time, go for it. Trust me, it's not as easy as it sounds. Driving is the easy part.David Sunstrum02/23/134 Stars -Dustyn Adams01/19/151 Stars -A Google User03/31/115 Stars -


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Welcome to K&R Dance Studio!
Trying out for your high school drill team?
Daddy Daughter Dance Saturday, March 28th 6:30-8:30
"To watch us dance is to hear our hearts speak."
- Hopi Indian Saying
Gotta Dance! King & Roberts Dance Studio has been nurturing the love of dance in Keller children and adults since 1989. Dancing is a learning experience that will last a lifetime. Here at King & Roberts dance studio, every student is important to us. Our goal is not only to build self esteem, confidence and self discipline in each of our dancers, but to pass on a love of dance that they will carry with them throughout their lives. Our instructors encourage each student to "be the best that they can be", knowing that personal achievement in dance brings with it increased coordination, poise, perception, physical and mental discipline and self-confidence. We strive to create a fun, loving, family friendly atmosphere for our dancers.Read More


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Forecast summary
Regional forecast for London & South East England
Dry and bright today. Rain arriving later across the west.
Dry with bright or sunny spells. Feeling pleasantly warm in the light south or southwesterly breeze, which will keep the Isle of Wight and English Channel coast a little cooler than inland areas. Maximum Temperature 23°C.
Dry for most of tonight, with clear spells at first then increasing amounts of cloud. Later rain is expected to reach the far west of the region, becoming locally heavy. Minimum Temperature 14°C.
A band of rain, locally heavy, will clear eastwards by early afternoon. Sunny spells and isolated showers will follow, with a few sharp showers possible. Becoming breezy. Maximum Temperature 24°C.
Outlook for Wednesday to Friday:
Wednesday sunshine and showers, some heavy, breezy and feeling cooler. Thursday and Friday with sunny spells and light winds. Temperatures rising later, becoming warm for Friday.
Updated at: 0205 on Mon 06 Jul 2015
UK forecast for the next 5 days
Wet and breezy in the west, drier and brighter elsewhere.
Turning wet and breezy from the southwest, with some locally heavy rain across western hills. East and southeast England and north and east Scotland will be mostly dry with some sunshine, although isolated showers are possible in northern Scotland later.
Patchy rain in the west moves slowly eastwards, becoming heavy across the Midlands and central southern England by morning. Rain also moves northwards across Scotland. Mainly dry, but cloudy elsewhere.
Heavy showery rain will clear southeast England through the morning. Outbreaks of rain will persist across northern Scotland. Elsewhere, there will be variable cloud with sunny spells and scattered showers.
Outlook for Wednesday to Friday:
Unsettled on Wednesday and cooler, with sunshine and showers. Mostly fine on Thursday with rain in the northwest later. Mainly fine with rain in the northwest Friday and turning warmer.
Updated at: 0223 on Mon 06 Jul 2015
Outlook for the UK over the next 6-30 days
UK Outlook for Friday 10 Jul 2015 to Sunday 19 Jul 2015:
Fine, dry and warm across many parts of the UK on Friday, although occasional rain will affect the far northwest. The fine, dry and warm weather could hang on in the far southeast of the country until the end of next weekend, but otherwise turning more unsettled with rain, perhaps heavy and thundery, spreading slowly and erratically east. This then heralds a change to a more unsettled interlude next week, with bands of rain and showers affecting most parts at times. However, the heaviest and more frequent spells of rain will tend to be in the northwest, with southern and eastern parts of the UK still having some spells of dry, bright and warm weather.
UK Outlook for Monday 20 Jul 2015 to Monday 3 Aug 2015:
For the rest of July and into the early part of August the pattern of warm, dry spells interspersed with relatively short-lived more unsettled spells of weather, which has dominated so far this summer, is most likely to continue. Frequent spells of rain and showers are most probable in the north and west, with a good deal of fine, dry weather likely further south and east. Overall temperatures are likely to be on the warm side of average and there could be occasional spells of hot weather, especially in the south and east. Generally probably drier than average for many parts of the UK, but there is still a risk of some heavy showers or thunderstorms, especially in the warmer spells of weather.
Updated at: 1240 on Sun 05 Jul 2015


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You can now invite anyone to meet at your favorite Starbucks.
Limited-time feature
36 year old man | San Jose, CA, USA | Seeking women 26-34 within 50 miles
Lets get this party started!
I'm here for probably the same reasons you are, to meet new people and maybe more. Back to the online dating scene after a few months to give it one last shot. The Basics: Me: I enjoy making conversing with people in general, you can learn a lot about someone or some place with just a 5 minute conversation. I enjoy pretty much anything from a quiet evening home to a night out with friends or family. I am close to my family and always will be. I enjoy technology and just recently got into target shooting. I'm trying to become more of an "outdoors" kind of person, maybe you can help with that (baby steps though). I've lived in California for all but 2 years of my life, the other two were spent in Texas as a child. I can't speak a word of Chinese (okay maybe a few), I do not drive a Japanese car with a big muffler or spoiler, and I am horrible at ping pong and badminton. You: Surprise me. If you like what you see and read so far, I'd like to hear from you and lets get a conversation going! There's obviously more to know about me and we'll save some for later and I'd sure be interested in getting to know you. Break the ice
Coffee and conversation , Cooking , Dining out , Hobbies and crafts , Movies/Videos , Museums and art , Music and concerts , Exploring new areas , Performing arts , Playing cards , Playing sports , Travel/Sightseeing , Video games , Watching sports , Wine tasting
Baseball, Basketball, Billiards / Pool, Bowling, Cycling, Football, Golf, Inline skating, Other types of exercise, Running, Swimming, Tennis / Racquet sports, Weights / Machines
I exercise 3-4 times per week.
I like Dogs
Middle of the Road
Vegas, so many buffets to choose from! I'm not a club goer but I enjoy everything else that city has to offer. I really enjoy site seeing, the world has a lot to see and I want take in as much as I can. I also enjoy the occassional lazy day at home
For some reason, I find myself always stopping at Parking Wars....
I enjoy anything from a lazy day at home to a spur of the moment road trip. Favorite sport/teams are Football- Colts (? now that Manning is gone.. not sure), Basketball - Warriors and Mavs, Hockey -Sharks, Baseball -A's. Competition shooting in 2012
Z{{Cta}} {{#if HasMoreInfo}} ?{{CtaSecondary}} {{/if}}
|What he is looking for
|5'10" (177cms)
|5'0" (152cms) to 8'0" (243cms)
|Body type:
|About average
|Slender, About average, Athletic and toned
|No preference
|No preference
|No Way
|No Way
|Social Drinker
|Social Drinker
|Medical / Dental / Veterinary / Fitness
|No preference
I'm an Oncology Technician in Palo Alto.
|I'll tell you later
|No preference
|Never Married
|No preference
|Have kids:
|Wants kids:
|Definitely, Someday
|No preference
|Christian / Catholic
|No preference
I am not a church go'er but I believe in whats written.
|Graduate degree
|Associates degree, Bachelors degree, Graduate degree, PhD / Post Doctoral


text:
Critical Political Economy
Complexity, Rationality, and the Logic of Post-Orthodox Pluralism
By Christian Arnsperger
Routledge – 2008 – 308 pages
Routledge – 2008 – 308 pages
This book asks how a more liberating economics could be constructed and taught. It suggests that if economists today are serious about emancipation and empowerment, they will have to radically change their conception about what it means for a citizen to act rationally in a complex society.
Arnsperger emphasises that current economics neglects an important fact: Many of us ask not only 'what's in it for us', within a given socio-economic context; we also care about the context itself. The author argues that if citizens keen on exercising their critical reason actually demanded economic theories that allowed them to do so, economics would have to become a constantly emerging, open-ended knowledge process. He claims that in a truly free economy, there would be no all-out war between 'orthodox' and 'heterodox' approaches, but an intricate and unpredictable 'post-orthodox' pluralism that would emerge from the citizens' own complex interactions.
Offering an original and path-breaking combination of insights from Hayek, the theory of complexity, and the Frankfurt School of social criticism, Arnsperger discusses how such a free economy would generate its specific brand of economics, called 'Critical Political Economy'
'An impressively argued attempt to bridge conventional divisions between economics and other areas of social theory' William Outhwaite (Sussex University, UK)
1. Introduction Part 1: Uncritical Complexity 2. Uncritical Atoms: The Limits of Standard Economics 3. Uncritical Mass: The Limits of Complexity Economics 4. The Use of Uncritical Knowledge in Society Part 2: Bottom-Up Critical Theory - The Logic of Self-Criticizing Complexity 5. The Use of Critical Knowledge about Society 6. Bottom-Up Critical Theory: What Does Economics Describe? 7. A Self-Criticizing Economic System Part 3: Toward a Critical Mainstream? 8. A Formal Approach to Critically Rational Action Part 4: Critical Political Economy - The Logic of Post-Orthodox Pluralism 9. The Use of Economics in a Complex Economy 10. Free-Economy Economics 11. Post-Orthodox Pluralism in Economics
Name: Critical Political Economy: Complexity, Rationality, and the Logic of Post-Orthodox Pluralism (Paperback) – Routledge
Description: By Christian Arnsperger. This book asks how a more liberating economics could be constructed and taught. It suggests that if economists today are serious about emancipation and empowerment, they will have to radically change their conception about what it means for a citizen to...
Categories: Political Economy, Social Theory, Philosophy of Science, International Political Economy


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Installing the Fire Control Group On Your AR-15
Installing the fire control group of an AR-15 rifle is actually one of easier steps. Though there are many parts to assemble correctly, the process of putting them together is shown in this video, step by step (and be sure to note the orientation of the trigger spring and hammer spring).
- Install the trigger spring on the trigger.
Be sure to note the orientation of the spring shown in the video.
- Insert the disconnector spring into the trigger.
- Make sure that the larger portion of this tapered spring is placed down into the trigger.
- Install the hammer spring onto the hammer.
- Position the trigger spring so the squared off portion is on the underside of the sear in front of the trigger.
- Drop the trigger into position in the receiver with the legs of the trigger spring facing forward.
- Place the disconnector onto the trigger.
- Apply pressure to the trigger assembly to line up the holes of the disconnector and trigger with the corresponding hole in the receiver.
- With the assembly lined up, insert the trigger pin.
You may need to gently tap the pin into place using a brass hammer to seat it flush with the receiver.
- Test the trigger for proper movement.
It should move smoothly and without binding.
- Place the hammer into the receiver with the legs of the hammer spring on top of the trigger pin.
- Press the hammer forward and down to line it up with the holes for hammer pin.
- Insert the hammer pin into the receiver.
The pin should meet some resistance and may stop halfway through and need to be tapped into place with a brass hammer.
- Pull the hammer back and function check the trigger to ensure the hammer is held back until the trigger is pulled.
When function checking the fire control group, hold your thumb or palm over the hammer to prevent it from flying forward. Do not allow the trigger to strike the receiver, as it could cause damage.
- Test the disconnector by holding the trigger back while you cock the hammer.
The disconnector should engage the hammer and allow it to drop onto the sear when you release the pressure on the trigger.
How did these instructions work for you? Get that Fire Control Group installed on your AR-15? Share in the comments section.
Tags: AR-15 Rifles, How To, Media
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Good video, to the point. Thanks.
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- Simone "Simca" Beck born (1904)
New Food Magazine, Food Fanatics, Launches
Food Fanatics
Food Fanatics
Today on The Daily Meal
Recipe of the day
US Foods, the parent company of a handful of brands that sell everything from restaurant equipment to produce, has taken it one step further and launched their very own magazine. Called Food Fanatics, it also ties in with a robust new blog that covers everything food-related.
The magazine covers the latest industry trends, new products, and up-and-coming chefs. In the inaugural issue, which can be downloaded here (the print version is currently for US Foods customers only), topics explored include sustainable seafood, the donut trend, chef empires, new mobile POS systems, money-making cocktails, and even a story on how restaurant restrooms affect business.
It's geared toward industry professionals, but is certainly not too "inside baseball" for the casual diner. The website, while heavily promoting US Foods' brands, still does a good job of fostering a community and shares web-exclusive recipes for items like goat cheese bread, brioche donuts, and Gruyère and black pepper popovers. For those in the industry, they dig a little deeper than most other outlets into just what it takes to make your restaurant succeed.
Be a Part of the Conversation
Join the Daily Meal's Community and Share your Thoughts
Have lots to say?
Contribute your own article.
Know a great recipe worth sharing?
We want it. Post it now!
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I haven't been on here for a while. There have been a lot of reasons for that. I've had some major health issues, we've moved, and most importantly....drumroll. We have a little girl!
No, I still haven't succeeded in getting pregnant, and that's been put off for a while, but an adoption literally fell into our laps over the summer. We had to be *very* careful what we told people and put online for a while, because adopting as a lesbian couple in a Southern state is, well, complicated, but it's all been final for a while now.
My daughter is wonderful. She's the best thing that's ever happened to me.
We're also fostering her big sister. So, we've gone from not having any kids to having two in the span of a few months. The sister only arrived recently, so we're still adjusting.
Mother to one dd .
She's here!
And so are the boys!
Married to a wonderful woman since 2010. Baby boy C arrived in June 2013!
Check out our User Agreement.
Thanks everyone. My health issues are improving now; I had surgery about two weeks ago, but I came pretty close to dying before they figured out what the problem was and how to solve it. I should be okay from here on out.
It's been a challenging few months. My wife got laid off not two weeks after we closed on the house we worked so hard to get. Two weeks after that I ended up in the hospital for the first time. I had to take time off from work on and off until the surgery. Then we had our second unexpected arrival...you get the drift.
I'm feeling very thankful for all my blessings this holiday season. I'm alive, I have a wonderful wife, two beautiful girls, and a roof over our heads. That's all that matters.
My little one has 4(!) teeth now. I'll try to figure out how to post a picture. (Of her, not the teeth.)
Mother to one dd .
A, partner to J, mama to O, now with a new username!
Building queer family since 2008!
(and oh, did i mention we're having twins?!?)
Married to a wonderful woman since 2010. Baby boy C arrived in June 2013!
Check out our User Agreement.
Yay! Super happy for you :)
She doesn't have red hair anymore. It changed to deep blonde a couple of weeks ago. Just poof! Her eyebrows are starting to darken now. Her eyes are still bright blue, however, and I expect them to stay that way. :)
Mother to one dd .
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By Joseph Bruno, The Pittsburgh Steelers started training camp on Tuesday and we'll finally get to see how the 2012 team is going to look. It's exciting that football is back and we only have...Read More
I don't know about you but I'm always pulling for the underdog. I had a guy named Ramon Foster on... Read More ↔
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Lithium-Ion batteries
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Ginger th wonder dog
Joined: Feb 2004
Location: The woods and mountains of Alabama
Oddometer: 10,820
Originally Posted by
Twilight Error
I used to build LiIon batteries for the aerospace market. I would not install any one of the current crop of commercial LiIon batteries into my bike. The charging systems we've got are designed around Lead-Acid, which are vastly more tolerant of abuse than any LiIon chemistry available. Even the relatively forgiving Iron Phosphate variants don't match up well with our charging systems. I would wait until batteries with dedicated charge control electronics positioned between the charging system and the cells are on the market.
Well, that's enough information for me to stay clear of LiFePo as engine start batteries.
Now as for R/C airplanes? I might give that a try but I still like big glow engines for R/C flying...I guess the sounds of a well adjusted Schnuerle ported or PDP glow engine at takeoff is just too compelling...Hey, now maybe I'm understanding why some folks like aftermarket, loud exhaust on their boxer? I don't think so.
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Idaho Vandals vs. Fresno State Bulldogs Trends and Free Pick
- Updated: November 26, 2010
Idaho Vandals
Fresno State Bulldogs
The last college football betting war of the night features two teams dab smack in the middle of the WAC that are trying to reach bowl games. The Fresno State Bulldogs already know that they are safe and will be playing in a game in a few weeks in a bowl. The Idaho Vandals aren't so sure though, as they need to pick up a pair of wins in these last two weeks of the season to head to, most likely, the Humanitarian Bowl.
With the San Jose Spartans up next week, this is clearly the game that will separate the Vandals from a second straight season with a bowl game. They have the No. 8 rated passing attack in the country, and they make no bones about the fact that they are going to wing the ball all over the field on a regular season. QB Nathan Enderle and QB Brian Reader have already combined to throw the pigskin 482 times this year in 11 games. Enderle has thrown for 2,845 yards and 21 scores this year, but he has to take care of the football, as 15 picks are just too many. There is no shortage of receiving options either. Eight different receivers have at least 200 yards this year in receiving, but none have even 600. Keep a close eye on WR Justin Veltung, though. Veltung has an average of 21.9 yards per reception this year, and he has eight scores on just 21 catches. Defensively, allowing 29.3 points per game doesn't look that bad once you take out the 113 points in two games that the Boise State Broncos and Nevada Wolf Pack put up on Idaho, but it's hard to ignore that Nevada 844 yard effort back on November 6th.
The Bulldogs are trying to finish this year above the .500 mark, as they are 4-3 in conference right now and have a date with the Illinois Fighting Illini next week. RB Robbie Rouse has had some truly amazing games this year, as he is capable of running for 200+ yards on a lot of defenses in this country. He has 1,014 yards and eight scores on the season, and he has been a major help to QB Ryan Colburn. Colburn has thrown for 2,006 yards and has an 18/9 TD/INT ratio. WR Jamel Hamler has caught 37 passes for 562 of those yards with five TDs. Though Fresno State has already lost two games at home this year, we can't forget that those losses came against the Hawaii Warriors and Nevada Wolf Pack, and that game against Nevada went significantly better than Idaho's did. The Bulldogs nearly pulled off the upset, losing 35-34 in the dying moments of the duel. Defensively, we know that this is still a team that is struggling, and this has been the one thing holding HC Pat Hill and company back. Allowing 366.2 yards per game is acceptable, but when that gets parlayed into 30.7 points per game, the Dogs have gotten into some trouble.
Fresno State is laying a ton of points in this game, and we aren't so sure that it's warranted. Idaho might be every bit as good as the Bulldogs are, and if the Vandals can get Enderle and that passing game going, they can pull off this outright upset, especially with a bowl game on the line.
College Football Free Pick: Idaho Vandals +10
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Alex Cobb made his first start of the second half Monday night at Tropicana Field, facing Zach McAllister, who made his second start of the season against the Rays. The Rays played another mentally detached game of baseball. They had to play catch-up all game and put themselves in tough spots. They gave the Indians the chance to win, and the Indians took it.
The tribe started off the scoring in the first with a passed ball by Jose Molina that scored Shin-Soo Choo. Choo—the leadoff hitter—had a home run reversed earlier in the inning but would end up scoring anyway.
The Indains would strike again in the top of third when Shin-Soo Choo hit an RBI double driving in Johnny Damon. They added another run in that same inning with an RBI double by Jason Kipnis making it 3-0.
The Rays put a run on the board in the fourth when Jeff Keppinger hit an RBI single to drive in B.J. Upton.
Desmond Jennings dropped a bomb down the left-field line in the 7th inning to bring the Rays closer 3-2.
Chris Perez closed it out for his 26th save of the season. The Rays drop to 46-44. The Orioles lost to the Twins so the Rays avoid losing ground to them. Unfortunately, the Yankees beat the Blue Jays to improve their division lead to 9.5 games over the Rays, and Tampa Bay is now tied for third with Boston due to a Red Sox victory.
Notable Stat Lines
- Alex Cobb L(4-6) 3.1 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 5 BB, 3 K
- Zach McAlllister W(4-1) 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 5 K
- Will Rhymes (0-3) 2 BB
- B.J. Upton (1-2) R, 2 BB
- Desmond Jennings (2-3) HR, RBI
- Jeff Keppinger (1-3) BB, RBI
- click here for a full box score
Rays News and Notes
- James Shields name has hit rumors recently. MLBTradeRumors.com has more on the situation.
- Matt Joyce went 1-5 in his second game of his rehab stint with Single-A. He went 1-3 with an RBI double in his first game. Joyce is very close and could return actually return to the lineup today. He Tweeted "I'm baaaaaaack!! Driving home from Daytona now, see u guys on the field [Tuesday]!"
- When Joyce is activated the Rays have a choice between three candidates to be demoted to make room for Joyce: Hideki Matsui, Brooks Conrad, or Will Rhymes.
- Sam Fuld went 1-3 in his first rehab game with Durham (was with Charlotte before).
- Tomorrow the series continues with Matt Moore (5-6, 4.42) taking on Chris Tomlin (5-5, 4.45). First pitch is at 7:10 PM.


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Sephora: Korres Eyeshadow: Eyeshadow
Now this is a subtle modern take on the 80-s make-up must have. What it is formulated to do:
2 Recommendations
angelphillips18's recommendation
Ultimate 80-s signature - Blue Eye Shadow Not only was mascara and eyeliner blue, but also above chick's eyes! The most intense blue color ever and all over the upper part of the face. Well, almost:) Now this is a subtle modern take on the 80-s make-up must have. What it is formulated to do: Korres Eyeshadows are highly pigmented shimmering and matte shades that go on with ease and provide a smooth, velvety finish. What it is formulated WITHOUT: - Parabens - Sulfates - Synthetic Fragrances - Petro-Chemicals - GMO
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The ultimate goal for many generations has been a college education for every child. With hard work, a scholarship here and a grant there, college was in reach for almost anyone willing to put in the hours. Student loan debt was an issue for some, but loans were small and easily paid back once the [...Read More
staff columnist
Pounding basketballs and children sitting on sofas come to mind as I think about the $40 million that Minnesota has just made available to families for early childhood program scholarships. While the money may be used well, I think it's too early to describe this as a "major step forward,...Read More
Some parents wish their children could attend a year-round school because they think three months of summer vacation is too long. Most Minnesotans believe school shouldn't start until after the last day of the Minnesota State Fair. Several schools in the Twin Cities area have year-round schedules,...Read More
What does it take to help students from low-income families succeed? One hundred thirty-one Minnesota district and charter public schools have just earned an important state award because they have answers. They have earned the Minnesota Department of Education designation of "reward schools." B...Read More
National Education Association President Dennis Van Roekel's recent visit to Bloomington highlighted the potential of more funding for early childhood education. Perhaps unexpectedly, the visit also highlighted possible problems. Led by Hillcrest Community School fifth-graders Sara Grosser and Gre...Read More
As we start a new school year, I recall that there may be few people more miserable than a seventh grade boy, whose voice is changing, in a choral music class – the kind of class where youngsters are expected to sing every day. That's the situation I found myself in many years ago at [...]...Read More
See Jeff Hage's photos from Diana Nyad's 2012 attempt to swim from Cuba to Key West. It's not every day you get to greet one of the world's greatest athletes. But that was the case for me just over a year ago while I stood on Smathers Beach in Key West, Fla. It was the [...]...Read More
It's not surprising that some Minnesota educators are angry about how high-stakes MCA testing operated during the past year and how some newspapers reported results. The rules changed, there were statewide computer "freezes" caused by problems with the testing company's technology, and one o...Read More


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Registration takes less than 1 minute.
"Every participant in the supply chain will have a role to play" in solving congestion issues, according to a new report from carrier group World Shipping Council.
Trade Promotion Authority gives the White House more freedom to negotiate major free trade agreements with Pacific Rim and European partners.
Transportation and warehousing segment added 13,000 new jobs in May, according to the latest figures from the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics.
International Longshoremen's Association and employers represented by the United States Maritime Alliance will begin full wage scale meetings in mid‐September.
Total shipments and total revenues for third party logistics providers both fell in first quarter 2015 compared to fourth quarter 2014, according to a recent benchmarking report from the Transportation Intermediaries Association.
Daseke, Inc., an open-deck and specialty transportation company, announced it would merge with Charleston, S.C.-based Bulldog Hiway Express.


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SEJournal is included with membership. For those not eligible for membership, you can purchase a subscription that includes discounts to SEJ's annual conferences.
West Coast Damage May Presage Future Climate Change Effects
The effects of the 2009-2010 El Niño winter on western shorelines may be an indicator of what could occur more frequently as climate change continues, say researchers from the USGS, Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, Washington State Department of Ecology, University of California, Santa Cruz, Oregon State University, and Scripps Institution of Oceanography.


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Sol-gel processing techniques are used to produce alkali-free bioactive glass compositions based on SiO2, CaO and P2 O5. By varying the SiO2 content, a range of hydroxyapatite production rates can be obtained; conversely, varying the time of exposure to actual or simulated in vivo solutions permits use of a range of allowable proportions of SiO2. The sol-gel derived compositions can be chosen to achieve target values for thermal expansion coefficient, elastic modulus and volume electrical resistivity.
1. A bioactive composition prepared using a sol-gel process, and consisting essentially of more than 60 but no more than 86 weight percent SiO2, at least 4 but less than 33 weight percent CaO and at least 3 but no more than 15 weight percent P2 O5.
2. The composition of claim 1 wherein the bioactive glass forms a hydroxyapatite layer upon exposure to body fluids.
3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the bioactive glass is produced as a powder using a sol-gel process.
4. The composition of claim 1, wherein the bioactive glass is produced as a monolith using a sol-gel process.
5. The composition of claim 1, wherein the bioactive glass is produced as a coating using a sol-gel process.
6. A bioactive glass powder consisting essentially of SiO2, CaO and P2 O5, prepared using a sol-gel process, and having pores with a diameter range of from about 1.2 to about 10 nm and a surface area of at least 200 m2 /g, wherein the weight percentage of SiO2 is more than 60 but no more than 86, the weight percentage of CaO is at least 4 but less than 33, and the weight percentage of P2 O5 is at least 3 but no more than 15.
A. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to biocompatible glass compositions, and more particularly to alkali-free compositions produced by a sol-gel process.
B. Description of the Prior Art
Bioactivity is a unique property associated with the ability of a synthetic material to bond with living tissue. All materials implanted in vivo elicit a response from the surrounding tissue. Four types of response are possible: (i) if the material is toxic, the tissue dies; (ii) if the material is nontoxic and dissolves, the surrounding tissue replaces it; (iii) if the material is nontoxic and biologically inactive, a fibrous tissue capsule of variable thickness forms; and (iv) if the material is nontoxic and biologically active, an interfacial bond forms. Bioactive materials are those which produce the fourth type of response.
Three key compositional features distinguish bioactive glasses from traditional soda-lime-silica glasses and provide the driving force for bonding with living tissues. Conventional bioactive glasses, which are well-characterized in the art, typically contain less than 60 mole percent SiO2, high Na2 O and CaO content (20-25% each), and a high molar ratio of calcium to phosphorus (ranging around five). When such glasses are exposed to water or body fluids, several key reactions occur. The first is cation exchange, wherein interstitial Na+1 and Ca+2 ions from the glass are replaced by protons from solution, forming surface silanol groups and nonstoichiometric hydrogen-bonded complexes: ##STR1##
This cation exchange also increases the hydroxyl concentration of the solution, leading to attack of the fully dense silica glass network to produce additional silanol groups and controlled interfacial dissolution:
Si--O--Si+H+ OH- →Si--OH+HO--Si [2]
As the interfacial pH becomes more alkaline and the concentration of hydrolyzed surface silanol groups increases, the conformational dynamics attending high numbers of proximal silanol groups, combined with the absence of interstitial ions, cause these groups to repolymerize into a silica-rich surface layer:
Si--OH+HO--Si→Si--O--Si+H2 O [3]
Another consequence of alkaline pH at the glass-solution interface is crystallization into a mixed hydroxyl-apatite phase of the CaO and P2 O5 that were released into solution during the network dissolution of Equation 2. This takes place on the SiO2 surface. The hydroxyapatite crystallites nucleate and bond to interfacial metabolites such as mucopolysaccharides, collagen and glycoproteins. It appears that incorporation of organic biological constituents within the growing hydroxyapatite- and SiO2 -rich layers triggers bonding to living tissues characteristic of bioactivity.
Currently, bioactive powders are produced by conventional processing techniques well-known in the art. The various constituents (e.g., reagent-grade Na2 CO3, CaCO3, P2 O5 and SiO2) are usually mixed in a suitable mixing device such as a rolling mill, and then heated in a platinum crucible to a temperature (generally between 1250 and 1400 degrees Centigrade) sufficient to cause the particles to melt and coalesce. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,646; Ogino, Ohuchi & Hench, Compositional Dependence of the Formation of Calcium Phosphate Films on Bioglass, 14 J. Biomed. Mat. Res. 55, 56 (1980). The use of such high temperatures and specialized equipment results in significant production costs.
Conventional bioactive glasses suffer from other shortcomings in addition to high cost. These compositions tend to require an alkali metal oxide such as Na2 O to serve as a flux or aid in melting or homogenization. However, the presence of alkali metal oxide ions results in a high pH at the interface between the glass and surrounding fluid or tissue; in vivo, this can induce inflammation. Furthermore, the rate of tissue repair, which drives the interfacial tissue-glass bonding promoted by bioactive material, tends to vary within a narrow pH range. If the surrounding environment grows too acidic or alkaline, repair shuts down, and interfacial bonding is defeated. Consequently, high rates of bioactivity (as measured by surface hydroxyapatite accretion) tend to be associated with significant local pH changes due to the release of alkali metal oxide ions, and have heretofore been avoided.
Conventional glasses also tend to be difficult to mix to homogeneity, a criterion that holds great importance for quality control of materials intended for implantation in the body. This is due to the relatively large grain size of the glass precursors, which generally measure approximately 10 to 1000 microns in diameter. It is difficult to obtain "molecular scale" mixing, i.e., homogeneity at the molecular level, using ordinary mixing techniques, such as stirring of the relatively viscous silicate melts.
Finally, for reasons discussed in more detail below, current bioactive powders cannot be prepared with a SiO2 content greater than 60 mole percent. This limitation imposes a significant constraint on the producer's ability to tailor the material for a particular situation. It can be highly useful, for example, to vary the rate of hydroxyapatite formation, which is dependent upon SiO2 content. As discussed above, the rate of metabolic tissue repair determines how quickly bonding between the tissue and a bioactive material can progress. Therefore, compatibility between the bioactive material and the surrounding tissue will be maximized when the material's bioactivity rate--that is, the speed with which hydroxyapatite is produced--matches the body's metabolic repair rate. However, an individual's repair rate can vary with age and disease state, among other factors, rendering identification of a single, ideal bioactivity rate impossible.
The SiO2 level also determines the thermal expansion coefficient and elastic modulus of the glass. Particularly in the case of porous compositions, the ability to coat the glass onto a strong substrate (e.g., metal) significantly increases the range of clinical applications to which the glass will be amenable. Such coating is most conveniently accomplished when the thermal expansion coefficient of the glass matches that of the substrate, and restrictions on SiO2 variation diminish the range of coefficients that may be achieved. Similarly, particular values or ranges for the elastic modulus can also be important in certain clinical applications (such as avoiding stress shielding of the repair of long bones and joints), rendering some glass compositions unsuitable if the SiO2 level cannot be adjusted sufficiently.
A. Brief Summary of the Invention
The present invention utilizes sol-gel technology to synthesize bioactive glass powders from the system SiO2 --CaO--P2 O5. The production of ceramic and glass materials by the sol-gel process has been known for many years. A "sol" is a dispersion of colloidal particles in a liquid, and the term "gel" connotes an interconnected, rigid network with pores of submicrometer dimensions and polymeric chains whose average length is greater than a micrometer. Basically, the sol-gel process involves mixing of the glass precursors into a sol; casting the mixture in a mold; gelation of the mixture, whereby the colloidal particles link together to become a porous three-dimensional network; aging of the gel to increase its strength; drying the liquid from the interconnected pore network; dehydration or chemical stabilization of the pore network; and densification, to produce structures with ranges of physical properties. See, e.g., Hench & West, The Sol-Gel Process, 90 Chem. Rev. 33 (1990).
All of these steps can generally be carried out at relatively low temperatures, as compared with traditional glassmaking techniques. Using the procedures described hereinbelow, our powders can be prepared from gels by sintering at 600-800 degrees Centrigrade without the use of platinum crucibles. Accordingly, these procedures afford cost-effective production.
The sol-gel process also permits use of very small colloidal particles (on the order of one nanometer or less) as glass precursors, thereby ensuring a high degree of homogeneity and purity in the final product.
Our formulations all involve only SiO2, CaO and P2 O5 ; we have been able to eliminate the traditional need for sodium or other alkali metal compounds to assist in producing bioactivity. Not only does this reduce the glass from a four-component to a three-component system, but permits higher levels of bioactivity to be achieved without adverse interfacial pH consequences.
Another advantage of alkali-free formulations is increased volume electrical resistivity. While conventional bioglass compositions exhibit volume electrical resistivities of approximately 104 ohm-centimeters, those associated with the present compositions are approximately 1010 ohm-centimeters. This attribute enhances the application of the invention for use as tissue-bonded electrical leads projecting into the neural system, such as cochlear implants for correction of profound deafness. The volume electrical resistivity of our compositions can be modified by altering the proportions of the constituents.
The amount of SiO2 present in our formulations can be varied well beyond that associated with ordinary biocompatible glass compositions. This flexibility derives from the ultrastructural characteristics of the compositions of the present invention, which give rise to a large area density of nucleation sites for hydroxyapatite, and thereby permit use of smaller proportional amounts of CaO and P2 O5. We have discovered a relationship between reaction time and hydroxyapatite formation in our compositions that enables achievement of bioactivity for a target SiO2 content by varying the duration of preliminary exposure to in-vivo conditions.
B. Brief Description of the Drawings
The foregoing discussion will be understood more readily from the following detailed description of the invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a drying schedule for all compositions listed in Table 1;
FIG. 2 is a calcination schedule for all compositions listed in Table 1;
FIG. 3 depicts comparative X-ray diffraction data for the bioactive gel powders listed in Table 1 after heating to 600 degrees Centigrade in accordance with the schedule shown in FIG. 2, and for 45S5 Bioglass� prepared using standard melting and casting;
FIG. 4A is an FTIR spectrum for 45S5 Bioglass� powder before reaction in a simulated in-vivo solution;
FIG. 4B is an FTIR spectrum for 45S5 Bioglass� powder after 20 hours reaction in simulated in-vivo solution;
FIG. 5 depicts FTIR spectra for 45S5 Bioglass� and 60S Bioglass�, after 20 hours reaction in simulated in-vivo solution;
FIGS. 6-9 illustrate changes in the diffuse reflectance spectra of the sol-gel derived bioactive powders after one, two, four and eight hours, respectively, of reaction in simulated in-vivo solution; and
FIG. 10 is an FTIR spectrum of the sol-gel derived bioactive powder represented as 86S in Table 1.
C. Detailed Description of the Invention
1) General Experimental Procedures
The glasses of the present invention are prepared from an alkoxysilane, preferably tetraethoxysilane ("TEOS"), an alkoxyphosphate, preferably triethylphosphate ("TEP"), and calcium nitrate using sol-gel preparation techniques. TEOS is first combined with water and nitric acid in a glass container, and covered. The amount of water added is critical, and depends on the degree of homogeneity desired, the amount of gelling, aging and drying time considered tolerable, and the importance of being able to form monoliths (which becomes progressively more difficult as the percentage of silica decreases).
We have found that by maintaining the molar ratio of water to TEOS plus TEP (i.e., H2 O/(TEOS+TEP), hereinafter the "R ratio") between three and 10 (preferably eight), we were able to obtain complete hydrolysis (and therefore a homogeneous sol), reasonable gelation times (1-2 days), reasonable aging and drying times (2-4 days), and were able to prepare monoliths of the higher silica compositions. The range of R ratio facilitates preparation of coatings (at low R ratios), monoliths (at intermediate R ratios) and powders (at high R ratios).
The nitric acid (preferably 2N) is added to accelerate the hydrolysis reaction of TEOS. We employ a nitric acid volume approximately 1/6 that of the volume of water.
The remainder of the processing schedule must be controlled with some precision due to the unequal hydrolysis rates of the metal alkoxides. The components in the glass container (TEOS, nitric acid and water) are mixed, preferably using a magnetic stirring bar at medium speed. Although TEOS and water are initially immiscible, the solution becomes clear after 10-20 minutes.
After 60 minutes, TEP is added to the stirring solution. The calcium nitrate is added after another 60 minutes of mixing. The solution is then stirred for an additional hour, following which it is retained in a quiescent state for 20 minutes. During this period the material coalesces into a sol, which is thereafter introduced into polystyrene containers for casting. The containers are sealed with tape and placed into an oven for gelation and aging at 60 degrees Centigrade for 54 hours.
The samples are then removed from the aging chamber, placed in a glass container with a loose cover and the container introduced into a drying oven. We employ the drying schedule depicted graphically in FIG. 1 to make dried-gel powders. Although adherence to this schedule is not critical for powdered forms, a drying schedule must be rigidly adhered to in order to produce monoliths. Appropriate adjustment of the drying schedule to accommodate monolith production is well within the purview of one skilled in the art.
The dried gel is placed in a quartz crucible for further calcination heat treatment. The calcination is carried out in a furnace through which is passed a slow flow of nitrogen gas. The purpose of the nitrogen is to avoid the formation and crystallization of carbonate hydroxylapatite during the heat treatment. Our calcination schedule is depicted graphically in FIG. 2.
2) Specific Examples and Analysis
Using the foregoing method, we have synthesized the compositions appearing in the following table:
TABLE 1______________________________________Compositions of bioactive gel powders in mole % (in weight %)Sample SiO2 P2 O5 CaO______________________________________49S 50(49) 4(9) 46(42)54S 55(54) 4(9) 41(37)58S 60(58) 4(9) 36(33)63S 65(63) 4(9) 31(28)68S 70(68) 4(9) 26(23)72S 75(72) 4(9) 21(19)77S 80(77) 4(9) 16(14)81S 85(81) 4(9) 11(10)86S 90(86) 4(9) 6(5)______________________________________
Our experiments indicate useful compositional ranges, by weight, of:
SiO2 --44-86%
Use of the above processing technique results in amorphous, glassy gel powders that are chemically stable (e.g., they do not dissolve in aqueous solution). When exposed to simulated body fluids, however, these compositions form a bioactive hydroxyapatite layer on their surfaces. It is also possible to produce glass monoliths instead of powders using known, alternative sol-gel fabrication techniques that may be straightforwardly substituted for the processes described herein; see, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,849,378; 4,851,150; or 4,851,373 (the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference).
The powders can also be melted and applied as coatings on sturdy substrates, such as metal, or alumina or other structural ceramics (such as silicon carbide, zirconium oxide or carbon-carbon composites). By varying the amount of SiO2, it is possible to substantially match the thermal expansion coefficients of our compositions with those of compatible substrates. The thermal expansion coefficients associated with the compositions of the present invention vary with the ratio of SiO2 to CaO plus P2 O5 (i.e., SiO2 /(CaO+P2 O5)).
Evidence of the amorphous, glassy nature of the gels listed in Table 1 is shown in the corresponding X-ray diffraction spectra of FIG. 3. The spectrum of a standard Na2 O--CaO--P2 O5 --SiO2 bioactive glass (45S5 Bioglass.sup.(R)) is shown for comparison. As can be seen from the depicted spectra, the melt-derived glasses show no X-ray diffraction lines, only a very broad peak characteristic of an amorphous solid. The 49S, 54S and 58S samples show a small amount of crystallinity at the main X-ray peak of hydroxyapatite (approximately 32.5 degrees), while all other samples exhibit spectra corresponding to completely amorphous materials.
In order to evaluate the potential bioactivity of the sol-gel powder compositions, each sample was divided evenly by weight into three aliquot portions, and each portion ground using a mortar and pestle into powders of a different particle size: one portion into 25-35 mesh; one portion into 35-45 mesh; and the remaining portion into 45-170 mesh.
The rate of development of the HCA phase on the surface of the glass particles was used as an in-vitro index of bioactivity. The use of this index is based on studies indicating that a minimum rate of hydroxyapatite formation is necessary to achieve bonding with hard tissues. See, e.g., Hench, Bioactive Ceramics, in Bioceramics: Material Characteristics Versus In Vivo Behavior (P. Ducheyne & J. E. Lemons, Eds., 1988) (hereinafter "Hench 1988"), at 54-71. Both the glass composition and its microstructure exert an influence on the development and growth of the HCA phase. For example, as the SiO2 content of prior-art melt-derived bioactive glasses approaches and exceeds 60 mole percent, the rates of network dissolution, silica repolymerization and hydroxylcarbonate apatite crystallization are retarded; this results in reduction and eventual elimination of bioactivity. The rate of development of the HCA phase on the surface of glass powders can be followed as a function of time utilizing the well-known Fourier Transform Infrared ("FTIR") analysis. See, e.g., Warren, Clark & Hench, Quality Assurance of Bioglass.sup.(R) Powders, 23 J. Biomed. Mat. Res.-App. Biomat. 201 (1989).
We obtained FTIR spectra on standard, melt-derived 45S5 Bioglass.sup.(R) powder samples prior to and after a simulated in-vivo solution for 20 hours. The results are presented in FIGS. 4A and 4B, which depict the FTIR spectra of the powder before and after exposure, respectively. As shown in FIG. 4A, vibrational peaks are observed only for silica, silica plus alkali, and alkaline earth before exposure to the solution. However, after exposure and as illustrated in FIG. 4B, the spectrum reveals a pair of strong hydroxyapatite peaks. The silicon-oxygen-silicon rocking vibration peak at 475 cm-1 is diminished in the sample after reaction and replaced by the oxygen-phosphorous-oxygen bending vibrations of the hydroxyapatite PO4 -3 groups at 598 cm-1 and 566 cm-1. Because of the very small penetration depth of the infrared beam (less than 1 micron), it can be assumed that the hydroxyapatite peaks arise from a surface layer formed on the powder. Accordingly, these observations indicate that the glass surface has become bioactive.
As hereinabove noted, bioactivity tends to diminish with increasing SiO2 content. This is illustrated in FIG. 5, which compares the FTIR spectra of two prior-art melt-derived glasses after reaction in simulated in-vivo solutions at 37 degrees Centigrade, using the same procedure as that described below in connection with sol-gel powders. The 45S5 Bioglass.sup.(R) composition (45 weight percent SiO2) forms strong hydroxyapatite peaks after 20 hours. This composition has been observed to be quite bioactive, and bonds both to hard and soft tissues. In contrast, the 60S composition (60 weight percent SiO2) does not develop a hydroxyapatite layer, even after 20 hours in solution. This composition has been observed to lack bioactive properties; it does not bond to bone or to soft tissues. Both of these standard compositions contain Na2 O.
The sol-gel derived powders of compositions listed in Table 1 were reacted with tris-buffered solution (pH=7.2+/-0.1, to simulate body fluids) at 37 degrees Centigrade for various times. The powders were immersed directly into the buffered solution in a Nalgene bottle and agitated in an incubator shaker at 37 degrees Centigrade. This test procedure allowed the reacting solution to surround and react with the powders in a reliable and reproducible fashion. We performed FTIR analyses on the reacted powders using a diffuse reflectance stage between 1400 cm-1 and 400 cm-1 wave numbers.
FIGS. 6 through 9 depict the diffuse reflectance spectra of each bioactive powder at the early stages of reaction (one, two, four and eight hours, respectively). The peaks at 598 cm-1 and 566 cm-1 represent P--O bending vibrations in PO4 tetrahedra; as discussed previously, these peaks characterize a hydroxyapatite crystalline phase and serve as an indicator of bioactivity.
These spectra illustrate the interrelationship between exposure time, SiO2 content and bioactivity. As shown in FIG. 9, development of the P--O peaks is observed within eight hours for sol-gel glasses with a SiO2 content up to 75 mole percent. However, if exposure time is increased to seven days, peaks are observed for glasses containing up to 90 mole percent SiO2 ; this is illustrated in FIG. 10. Accordingly, variation of preliminary exposure periods facilitates great flexibility in achieving biocompatibility with a wide range of SiO2 proportions; conversely, the constituents of our compositions can be varied in proportion to achieve a desired rate of hydroxyapatite formation (and hence bioactivity).
Without being bound to any particular theory or mechanism, we believe that the enhanced compositional range of bioactivity obtainable with the present invention derives from the presence of small pores (approximately 1.2 to 10 nm) and large surface area of the sol-gel derived powders, as shown in the following table:
TABLE 2______________________________________ Surface Area Total Pore Volume Average Pore SizeSample (m2 g) (cc/g) (angstroms)______________________________________49S 203 0.57 5754S 213 0.53 5058S 289 0.49 3463S 320 0.49 2768S 326 0.41 2572S 380 0.38 2077S 431 0.32 1581S 547 0.37 1486S 627 0.45 14______________________________________
These ultrastructural features give rise to a large area density of nucleation sites for hydroxyapatite crystallites. With this favorable deposition environment, buildup of a hydroxyapatite layer can take place at higher rates and with lower proportional concentrations of CaO and P2 O5 than would be necessary for ordinary bioactive glass compositions. Consequently, bioactive glasses can be prepared with relatively large levels of SiO2 that exhibit relatively small local pH variations in vivo.
Previous investigations of bioactive glass compositions that bond to bone demonstrate that bonding occurs within 10 to 30 days if the surface area developed in simulated test solutions falls within the range of 200-500 m2 /g; see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,171,544. The compositions of the present invention all exhibit surface areas greater than 200 m2 /g (although we believe that the surface area can be reduced below this level while still retaining sufficient rates of hydroxyapatite formation). The growth of the hydroxyapatite film with exposure to simulated in-vivo solutions further augments these surface areas.
The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.
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michael sakamoto
about ⎮ calendar ⎮ performance ⎮ other work ⎮ teaching ⎮ video ⎮ press ⎮ links ⎮ contact ⎮ blog (new!) ⎮ home
"An act of heroic transformation." -
Allan Ullrich, The Voice of Dance
Shades of Pina Bausch crossed with Woody Allen." - Donna Perlmutter, Los Angeles Times
"Serious and absurd, forthright and subversive." - Contemporary Magazine
Performance Projects > Flash is a butoh and hip-hop duet with legendary choreographer-dancer Rennie Harris. Soil is a dance theater trio with performers from Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. blind spot is an autobiographical dance theater solo exploring intellectual property and corporate militarism.
Photography > Michael is working on Nu Tong Gin Khao, a photo essay with dancer Waewdao Sirisook about contemporary northern Thai cultural identity, and ongoing documentary projects about northern Thai faun pii (spirit dance) and also street life in Bangkok.
Educational and Scholarly work > Michael is Assistant Professor in Dance at University of Iowa in a new creative and scholarly position dedicated to dance, media and intercultural performance.
Michael's PhD, "An Empty Room: Butoh Performance and the Social Body in Crisis," theorizing on butoh, democracy, and sustainability, was reviewed on Dissertation Reviews. (click here)
Upcoming > August 1 - FREE workshop (click for link)
UCLA Department of World Arts and Cultures
September 23-28 - Jogjakarta International Performing Arts Festival
Mixed program with Waewdao Sirisook and Amy Knoles + workshop
October 10 - Himeji, Japan
Mixed program with Katsura Kan and Seino Chisato
Spring 2012 (dates TBA) - Highways Performance Space
World premiere of The Empty Room, Los Angeles
New video > "Soil" (work-in-progress)
New dance and music collaboration.
Upcoming Performances and Presentations >
December 5, 6-9pm (Barnes) AND December 12-13, 8pm (PBAC)
Barnes Foundation and Painted Bride Arts Center
Hip-hop/butoh duet w/Rennie Harris
Philadelphia, PA
April 11
Teaching World Music Symposium
Performative lecture with Waewdao Sirisook
Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, IL
April 19
SSII: Chicago Post-Butoh Festival
White Screen
dance theater duet with Waewdao Sirisook
Chicago Cultural Center
Chicago, IL
July 4
Chiang Mai University Arts Center
dance theater duet w/Waewdao Sirisook
Chiang Mai, Thailand
August 7-8
B-Floor Theater
blind spot
dance theater solo (work-in-progress)
Bangkok, Thailand
August 29-September 1
Performance Studies International Conference
Tohoku, Japan
September 11
Colorado College
Hip-hop/butoh duet w/Rennie Harris
Colorado Springs, CO
February 22-23
Virginia Commonwealth University
Hip-hop/butoh duet w/Rennie Harris
February 22 performance
February 23 public discussion w/Akram Khan & Israel Galvan
Philadelphia, PA
March 31-April 2
Dance Center of Columbia College
Hip-hop/butoh duet w/Rennie Harris
Chicago, IL


text:
The Cullen Siblings all call Bella their sister, but there is one member of the family she has not claimed as her brother yet. A Bella/Jasper family bonding moment.
"I like to think fondly of the summers that I spent in the small town of Forks, Washington throughout my high school years and I think of her often as well. Sometimes my memories aren't fond at all. I would never forget her or the time we were together. Or how it ended. If that's what I would call it. An ending." Summary: Every summer Edward and his family spend their time in the small town of Forks and he's usually not excited about it. Bella visits her father in the summer and usually doesn't mind. They meet at a bonfire the eve of 4th of July and quickly become friends. As the years pass, they make it back to Forks every summer even though they are apart throughout the rest of the year. Although they make it back to each other every year while they're apart have to re-convince themselves that it's worth the wait and that they should stay together.
Thanks to Rosalynn for making my beautiful banner!
Rob and Kristen struggle to manage their feelings for each other.
One Bet. One Week. No Rules.
Bella bets Edward that after a week of some raw sexcapades he won't want to stop. He bets her otherwise.
A slightly tongue in cheek smutathon and my first fan-fic. Follow Cullen's and Co to see what it means to be Beautiful, Dirty and Rich.
Warning: This story has mature themes from my smutty subconscious. If you don't like words that rhyme with 'duck' and 'grunt' please look elsewhere. You have been warned.
Banner by Christine30974
Banner by Annamorphos
Banner by KekahJ
Edward and his parents move to Forks from Chicago. Bella is the elusive girl in Edward's biology class that he can't seem to get close to. She's beautiful, but there's something about her that he can't put his finger on.
Alice gives her family the most incredible Christmas gift of their afterlives ...
January 1942, the United States and Bella Cullen are still left searching for understanding and answers about Pearl Harbor from a less than helpful government. In order to distract herself and honor her missing husband's memory, she enlists with the Combat Nurses Corp only to be sent overseas to London. Will London hold the answers she has been searching for and the US government has tried to hide?
Banner credit: Frozen_Soldier
Edward and Jasper compete during soccer practice scrimmage as rivals on the field. Then they have a hot workout in the locker room if you know what I mean.
In his posh New York City private schools, Edward was always an outcast. After high school, he plans to move to Paris to find himself, but his travels lead him to a young American girl who changes his mind about...well, everything.
Bella Swan is America's Sweetheart. Edward Masen is a photographer for Maxim. Bella's publicist wants her to sex up her image in order to break from her good girl persona. In comes the sexy photographer that not only changes her image, but also her life.
Take a ride, get off. EXPLICIT fun.
Now Complete!
Just two weeks before her best friend's wedding Bella gets dumped by boyfriend James when she refuses to give him what he wants. The next night she discovers he's made a bet with gorgeous pal Edward Cullen that he can't bed her. She brilliantly decides to string Edward along for a few weeks...and subsequently land herself a hot date for the wedding. Things soon get very interesting...
New Year's Eve.
Four best friends.
Four New Year's resolutions.
What lengths will each of them go to, to make them become reality.
Jasper, Rosalie, Bella, Alice, Emmett & Edward become interwoven, making their mark at Seattle's Fremont Park Preparatory boarding school. Wealth and war, friendship and love ensue.
AU/AH. Rated M for language and sexual themes. Slightly OOC.
After three years of perfect bliss, a rather unimaginative Physiatrist named Edward, in a misguided move, turns to the Personals for inspiration. He does so in hopes of keeping his FH boyfriend Jasper, a martial arts instructor, interested in maintaining their relationship. Will he succeed? Physician--heal thyself. This is a love story told over a brief period of time and set in present-day Los Angeles after the announcement of the historic Prop 8 decision. Multi-chapter fiction told from alternating POV. AH, AU. ExJ Slash. Romance/Humor/Angst
Bella Swan has it all: amazing career, loving family, and incredible friends. She's a life saver on the outside, but on the inside, pain and guilt rip her apart. What happens when her past comes back to haunt her? DocElla & DILFWard
Life in a maternity unit is full of ups and downs!
Bella Swan, an experienced midwife at Forks Hospital meets the new obstetrician, Edward Cullen and the attraction is instant.
As their hands touched, she gasped softly as she felt the shock of electricity that seemed to pass through their skin. Dropping his hand abruptly, her brown eyes wide in surprise, Bella stepped back. Without volition, Bella felt her face flame with another cursed blush. Damn, she was 26 years old. When was she going to stop blushing like a schoolgirl?
Banner by Twimom817 @ TA
Bella Swan has a frightening past, and a secret that's haunted her for years. She meets a young man who oozes horror, but she isn't afraid. He's got the answers she's been seeking, and she won't relent. She has no idea what she's getting into....
She's haunted daily, but learns to deal with her gift. He hides behind his opinions,seeking closure. When their worlds collide can they help each other. For the winning bidder, HooiserNina of the Support Stacie Auction. Not for the light hearted. M rating. All human with supernatual elements. Banner by emerald_rosalie.
Artwork by Rose Arcadia
Companion story to TWW. Three years ago, Bella Black experienced a late-term miscarriage. Upon her return to work, she was embraced by an empathetic and close-knit group of co-workers. Almost immediately, she fell hard for a new young cashier and questioned whether her new feelings were symptomatic of Post-Partum-Depression (PPD) or the inevitable result of a stagnant marriage.
Three years later, after her divorce, she reencounters Edward. With their past history, will they connect or fall victim to circumstance?
What do all of our favorite characters have in common? They were once human. They were normal people with lives of their own that were somehow interrupted by a change. A change that would make them immortal. This is a story that looks at what the circumstances were surrounding each 'changed' character from The Twilight Saga. Life has presented them with a different way to live, whether it is after waking up, phasing, or being born. Some chose the way of life, but most did not. They are changed forever.
Includes appearances by: Carlisle. Jasper. Edward. Esme. Rosalie. Emmett. Alice. Sam. Jared. Paul. Embry. Jacob. Quil. Leah. Seth. Colin. Brady. Renesmee. Bella.
My awesome, wonderful, kickass banner was unfortunately NOT done by me. It was made by the lovely ReachingAsIFall, and you can find her blog here: http://reachingasifall.blogspot.com/
A little girl is found in the woods hurt, alone, and broken. Nobody seems to care.
Nobody, that is, except for the members of a very special family.
"My life was an unending, unchanging midnight. It must, by necessity, always be midnight for me. So how was it possible that the sun was rising now, in the middle of my midnight?"
Many have tried to finish Stephenie Meyer's "Midnight Sun" (Twilight from Edward's point of view) and from what I've seen, none of them truly finished what she started. This ending to "Midnight Sun" starting at Chapter 13 is not only picking up where she left off, but uncovering the Edward that she created, and blending the perspectives of many to hear the rest of his story. This first book is a unique turning point in the arc of his character.
You know those fics where Edward doesn't come back and Bella forgets about him and five seconds later she's in bed with Jacob and none of it makes any damn sense?Yeah, this isn't one of them.
This story picks up from the moment in New Moon when Jacob has driven Bella home after the cliff diving incident, right before he catches the scent of Alice. Only in this telling, Alice wasn't looking, so there's no sudden appearance at Bella's house, no Rosalie calling Edward and sending him on a suicidal mission to Volterra, and no reason for Bella to do anything but believe that Edward didn't love her anymore. This is simply a story of what might have happened if everyone stayed mostly in character and Edward's return was delayed. Yes, delayed. Because we all know that he was "this close" to coming back on his own anyhow. So what would have happened if Bella had tried to move on with her life? Would she have found happiness with Jacob? And would Edward be too late?
* First in a series of stories
~I thought of Jacob's warm arms wrapped around me, his infectious laughter, and his ability to keep me from falling to pieces again… The pain choking my heart relaxed and I could breathe.~
~"More than anything," I whispered, not caring what I'd just agreed to. When it came to Bella, it didn't matter what the question was. I just wanted.~
Winner of:
Best Author, Most Romantic, Favorite Jacob, Most Suspenseful, & Best WIP in the Wolfpack Awards | Best Non-Canon Pairing (Incomplete) and Best WIP in the Moonlight Awards | Best During the Series in the Razzle Dazzle Awards | The Storyteller Award in the Shimmer Awards | Best JacobxBella in the Silent Tear Awards
Edward arranges a unique opportunity for Bella to fulfill senior Career Week requirements. Happiness, heartache, and a dash of peril will make this an unforgettable experience for all.
Thank you to MsTwiSwe for the wonderful banner!
All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the intellectual property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.


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You can now invite anyone to meet at your favorite Starbucks.
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32 year old man | Brookline, MA, USA | Seeking women 27-38 within 5 miles
I'm an ice sculptor - last night i made a cube.
Apparently these three questions are very important: 1. Do you like horror movies? No 2. Have you ever traveled around another country alone? Yes 3. Wouldn't it be fun to chuck it all and go live on a sailboat? Yes Last summer I went on a 3 week vacation in France and Spain, it was amazing. Things added to my To Do List from this trip: Motorcycle trip through the Pyrenees, Ski trip in the Alps. Rent a house in central Corsica. I really enjoy food and I love coffee (real coffee, border line coffee snob. Starbucks is really only acceptable in a pinch). During the summer I do my own cold brew. I am a bit of a NPR/WBUR geek, I went to both The Moth and Wait Wait Don't Tell Me when they were in town the other week and I have tickets for RadioLab's Live show this fall! Hopefully you're an intrepid traveler and would be up to rolling across Europe with me making up the plan as we go. My AirBNB hosts all find me: très sympathique
Coffee and conversation , Cooking , Dining out , Hobbies and crafts , Museums and art , Exploring new areas , Playing cards , Playing sports , Travel/Sightseeing , Volunteering , Watching sports , Wine tasting
Billiards / Pool, Cycling, Other types of exercise, Skiing, Tennis / Racquet sports, Walking / Hiking, Weights / Machines, Yoga
I exercise 3-4 times per week.
I like Dogs
I don't have a dog, but just moved into a condo that allows pets... that and with a flexible job environment I'm thinking about it more and more...
Some of my favorite places in the world: Venice, IT; La Coruna, ES; Lugano, CH; Col de Porte, FR. Locally, I'm a big fan of: The Washington Square Tavern, The Publick House, Cafe Fixe, Barrington Roasting Company, Blue Asia Cafe, and Berryline
Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA
TV: Family Guy, Better Off Ted; WBUR: Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, BBC World Service; Music: O.A.R., Ben Harper, Jurassic 5, Daft Punk, Armin van Buuren, Avicii, Journey, Dispatch, Guster, Matt & Kim.
I try to do most of these almost every weekend: Travel, Photography, Food, Coffee, Belgian Beer, Sushi, Burritos, Bicycles.
Oil and Honey: The Education of an Unlikely Activist, the Snake Head, Blunder - Why Smart People Make Bad Decisions, and Packing for Mars.
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|What he is looking for
|5'8" (172cms)
|4'10" (147cms) to 5'7" (170cms)
|Body type:
|About average
|Slender, About average, Athletic and toned
|No preference
|No preference
|No Way
|No Way
|Social Drinker
|Social Drinker
|Technical / Science / Computers / Engineering
|No preference
I make things on the internet, I am also a Freelance Photographer.
|I'll tell you later
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|Never Married
|Never Married
|Have kids:
|Wants kids:
|Definitely, Someday
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|Spiritual but not religious
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|Chinese, English, French, Spanish
|Bachelors degree
|Associates degree, Bachelors degree, Graduate degree, PhD / Post Doctoral
I have a major in Electrical Engineering and a minor in International Studies. I lived in Venice, Italy for a summer for a school project. Turns out my career has nothing to do with my Major (or Minor)!