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10 Muscle Building Workouts To Help You Learn How To Get Ripped At Home
It is easy to build strength and muscles in the comfort of your own home without spending a lot of money. You won't need a gym membership or to buy expensive home gym equipment.
All you will need is a light and a heavy set of dumbbells, an inflatable exercise ball, and a lot of motivation to learn how to get ripped at home.
Here are 10 workouts for a great home-based workout to so you can start getting ripped at home.
1. Triceps Home Workout
1. Hold one heavy dumbbell over your head using one hand or both hands.
2. Bend your elbow so that your arms go back behind your head.
3. Raise your arms up and repeat.
2. Shoulder Home Workout
1. Using the light set of weights hold your arms down by your side.
2. Lift your arms up and out you the side to shoulder level, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
3. If dumbbells are not available you can also use a large bottle of water, milk container or detergent (the kind with handles).
3. Back Home Workout
1. Using the heavier set of weights hold one in each hand and tip your body forward until you are at a 45 degree angle.
Remember to keep your back in a flat position.
2. With your arms hanging towards the floor pull the weights in towards your stomach while bending your elbows up.
3. Lower your arms and repeat.
4. Biceps Home Workout
1. Holding your weights in each hand with arms at your side, bend your elbow to bring your arms up towards your shoulder.
2. Lower slowly and repeat.
5. Shoulders, Arms, and Back Home
Workout – Combination Pushups
1. Work all three muscle groups together by leaning your stomach on a stability ball
2. Walk your hands forward until only your lower legs are balanced on the ball.
3. Now perform a set of ten push-ups while balanced on the ball.
6. Calves Home Workout
1. Stand on a stair with only the balls of your feet.
2. Lower and raise your body using the balls of your feet. This will activate the calf muscles as the body goes up and down.
3. Perform a set of ten repetitions.
7. Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes
Home Workout – Standing Squats
1. This home exercise will engage the leg muscles as well as the rear. Standing with legs slightly apart, step your right leg out as far as possible and bend into it. Your knee should never go over the foot when bending. The rear leg will also bend towards the ground.
2. Push back and repeat with the left leg.
8. Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes Home Workout – Lunges
1. Using the same motion as exercise 7 above, do walking lunges from one side of the room to the other.
9. The Ab-Ball Crunch Home Workout
1. Sit on a swiss exercise ball
2. Walk your feet forward until the small of your back is resting on the ball.
2. Lightly rest your arms behind your head and bring the upper body up into a crunch position.
4. Lower and repeat.
10. Chest Home Workout
1. Lean your upper back on to a set of stairs with a heavy weight in each hand.
2. Holding your arms out at shoulder height with your elbows slightly bent;
4. Bring your hands together up above your chest in an arc like motion.
5. Lower your arms and repeat. This exercise can also be performed lying flat on the floor.
Slowly work up to three sets of ten repetitions for each of these exercises. Now you know how to get ripped at home!
Related Article:
How To Get Ripped Fast At Home Plan
An excellent how to get ripped fast at home plan for all levels of fitness.


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At the Junior Seau Oceanside Pier Plaza Amphitheatre.
Get ticket over there-->
Tickets for Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach, Ca. on May 22nd go on sale Friday, February 20 2015 at 12:00PM!
Don't snooze!!!
Dates and tix over there--->>>
CD"S, LP's, T-SHIRTS, and TOUR EP'S FROM PINBACK AND IT'S SIDE PROJECTS!!!
Non-Photo Blue Video!
Michael Foxtrot Johnson, the guy who suprised us with the Sediment video, has Written, Directed, Shot & Chopped a new Non-Photo Blue video to help us celebrate the Summer In Abbadon tour!
Hey, Y'all!
Excited about the Summer In Abbadon tour in a couple days!
If you've seen us before, you know that we usually play pretty long sets and as SIA is only 10 songs long, we weren't sure what else to play, so we came up with The Paper Plane Idea.
At the merch table at every show there will be felt pens and recycled paper on which you can write down whatever song you want us to play, fold it into a paper airplane, and throw it at us during any part of the set.
After we finish with SIA, we will pick from them randomly and play whatever they say (provided, of course, they it is one of the 43 or so songs we feel confident in playing).
We encourage people to bring them from home, use origami, or just be crafty in general!
See you in a few!
Pinback adding a "regular" set at The Casbah in San Diego!
July 18th!
Pinback and Touch and Go Records team up to celebrate 10th anniversary of Summer in Abbadon with nationwide summer tour and more:
It's been 10 years since Touch and Go Records released Pinback's Summer in Abaddon, an alt-pop classic that drew widespread acclaim for the West Coast duo.
Tuscon show added!
March Radness Sir Mix-a-lot, Pinback, YACHT, Murs, Iamsu!, Nite Jewel, Painted Palms, PigPen Theatre Co., Casket Girls, and Stargazer Lily
Rialto Theatre, Tucson, AZ, US
March 8th
Rob Crow's Gloomy Place Supporting A Minor Forest on a couple reunion shows!
Feb 7th at The Casbah (S.D.) and Feb 8th at The Satellite (L.A.)

subset: commoncrawl


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DeMarcus Cousins is a large man who Kevin Love can't guard alone. Surprisingly enough, he's never been the issue when playing against the Kings. It always seems to be their guards that are relentlessly hurtful. And this time it wasn't even Tyreke Evans who did the damage.
It was the combined effort of Isaiah Thomas and Marcus Thornton that led the Kings to a sure victory over the tiresome and emotionless-looking Wolves.
A team with quick, jolting guards like the Kings was the last thing the Wolves wanted to see tonight. The energy is obviously drained as the overdrawn road trip continues to wear down on the Wolves, and it really showed tonight. Luke Ridnour and JJ Barea were both greatly out-hustled by Thomas and Thornton all game long. Thomas, in particular, shined by mucking it up on both sides of the ball. He continually drove the middle of the lane forcing the Wolves defenders to scramble. And even when he didn't have the drive, he was able to spot up and hit the three when needed. Thornton was the exact same way, only he utilized his strength instead of quickness to get through hand checks in the lane, and with no shot-blocking presence in the paint, was able to nail easy floaters.
The Wolves were coaxed into playing the Kings' game. Part of it was due to the absence of Nikola Pekovic, who sat with a stubborn, sore ankle. Since the Wolves weren't able to run their offense and establish their pace of play through Pekovic and the pick 'n' roll, the Kings forced the Wolves into poor decisions, which led to 21 turnovers. Then they turned those turnovers into 29 points by getting out into the open court, spacing out the Wolves porous defense and making the play at the other end.
Plain and simple, the Kings played what I thought was a perfect game. The Wolves couldn't muster up any type of run without it being halted quickly by the Kings' speed and athleticism.
This and tomorrow night's games were essentially must-wins. As I noted before, the Wolves are really tired. You can see it on all of their faces, and if Pekovic isn't able to give it a go tomorrow night and if Beasley's not able to shake off his sore toe — A toe? Really? — then even tomorrow night will be difficult. Just because the stretch is getting hard is no reason to disappear. Other teams are starting to leapfrog the Wolves in the standings, and the chance at a playoff berth is slowly diminishing thanks to this stint.
Next up comes a tilt against the Warriors of the Bay. Take a breather and try to start fresh. This is a must win for sure.


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I have a large Osprey Exos 46 I would like to sell. It's orange and in good condition. I removed the inner mitten hook on the inside of the lid (what is it there for anyway??) and the hang loop for a hydration reservoir and the gu pocket on the shoulder strap. I can get pics tomorrow if anyone wants them. SPF. Thanks.(Edited to add size of pack)
Edited by Izeloz on 10/12/2011 19:07:54 MDT.
Is it the exos 46 or 58?
Let me know if you want anymore pictures.
PM sent.
Pack arrived and it looks great thanks.
You must login to post.
MEMBERSHIP IS REQUIRED TO POST: You must be a Forum, Annual or Lifetime Member to post messages in the backpackinglight.com forums.


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Protagonisti Shadow e Slavebare, DVD: Boy Trade
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Ups driver was blindfolded and taken to the guys house, then he was given the option to give pleasure
Suggerimenti video
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Drake Zodiac Sign and Drake Horoscope
Drake's Western Zodiac
About Western Zodiac
Western zodiac astrology is the most popular astrology system in Western Countries. This western zodiac astrology comes from the Hellenistic and Babylonian traditions, which was continued by Ptolemys Tetrabiblos, second 2nd century AD, now used as todays western astrology. The western astrology, mainly horoscopic, is based on an individuals date of birth, the position of the sun at birth, using sun sign astrology to construct an individuals horoscope divination. The western zodiac is a belt or band of constellations, which planets, moon, and the sun move across the sky. Astrologers over time developed a twelve 12 sign zodiac system, Aries Ram, Taurus Bull, Gemini Twins, Cancer Crab, Leo Lion, Virgo Virgin, Libra Scale, Scorpio Scorpion, Sagittarius Archer, Capricorn Sea Goat, Aquarius Water Bearer, Pisces Fish, from constellations that are Enlightened by the mind.
Gemini, Aquarius, Leo, Sagittarius
Symbol Meaning
Stability, balance, justice, are all signs of a Libra. Libras are very outgoing and will go to extreme measures if they feel unsatisfied with their goals. They easily find themselves surrounded by harmony and beauty. Libras are very understanding, caring, and have keep intuitions, often not giving themselves credit for their perceptions. Also shy and quiet when they aren't pushed to open up. Libras ruling planet is Venus.


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Touring production of 'The Lion King' goes beyond animated film
As the sun rises on the African grasslands, a noisy baboon summons all the animals to Pride Rock. Zebras, gazelles and giraffes scamper about the area as colorful birds swoop overhead. A lumbering elephant and an enormous rhinoceros are the last to arrive. They've all come to greet the king and queen's new cub.
Welcome to Disney's "The Lion King," an award-winning stage musical that is coming to Oklahoma City, where it will play a five-week engagement at the Civic Center Music Hall. The touring production is being presented locally by Tulsa-based Celebrity Attractions. "I've never worked on a show before where audience members rush through the lobby to take their seats," said Fred Klaisner, the tour's production stage manager. "They're afraid they'll miss 'The Circle of Life,' the grand opening number which still amazes me even after six years with this show." "The Lion King" was the second of four animated films to be adapted for the stage. Disney first tested the waters in 1994 with "Beauty and the Beast," a show that would prove exceedingly popular. It closed in July 2007 after a 13-year run. The subsequent success of "The Lion King" resulted in two additional Disney stage musicals: "Tarzan," which ran just more than a year, and "The Little Mermaid," which celebrated its first anniversary on Broadway in January.
Follow the leader"The Lion King" celebrates the circle of life, a natural progression in the animal kingdom in which leadership is passed from one generation to the next. But as William Shakespeare reminded us, "Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown." Mufasa, the reigning Lion King, is challenged by his evil brother, Scar, who believes he, not Mufasa's son, Simba, should be next in line to become king. Over time, Simba learns some painful but important lessons about the delicate circle of life. On his journey from a young cub to adulthood, Simba comes to realize that Scar's motives are evil and self-serving. The two ultimately engage in a battle for supremacy, with Simba emerging as the true Lion King.
Making it believableAlthough the stage version of "The Lion King" is based on Disney's 1994 animated film of the same name, the creative team had to devise ways of making animal characters, all of whom are portrayed by actors, appear believable. The key to this complex puzzle was the design of some amazingly vivid masks, some of which cover the actors' faces, while others rest atop their heads. "Director Julie Taymor had an incredible vision that took the movie and refashioned it in a way that was anything but cartoonish," Klaisner said. "We have to remind ourselves sometimes that every one of these characters is an animal.
Disney's "The Lion King"→When: April 21 through May 24. Times are 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sundays. →Where: Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N Walker. →Tickets: $25 to $75. →Information: (800) 869-1451.
"The Lion King"→More than 200 puppets are used in the show. →There are 25 kinds of animals, birds, fish and insects represented in the show. →A dozen bird kites are featured in the Act 2 opening. →It took 17,000 hours to build the puppets and masks. →Mufasa's mask weighs 11 ounces; Scar's mask weighs 9 ounces. →The tallest animals in the show are the 18-foot giraffes. →The smallest animal is a 5-inch trick mouse at the end of Scar's cane. →The longest animal is the elephant. It's 13 feet long and 9 feet wide. It can collapse to just under 3 feet wide. →Three hundred feet of carbon fiber and 750 pounds of silicone rubber were used to make the masks. →The Timon puppet weighs 15 pounds. →There are 49 wigs used in the show. →There are 39 hyenas and 52 wildebeests in the show. →Nearly 700 lighting instruments are used in the show. →There are 143 people involved with the show's daily production: 53 cast members, 21 musicians, 17 wardrobe people, 13 carpenters, 10 electricians, eight administrative staff, six creative associates, five hair and makeup artists, four props people, three puppet craftsmen and three sound people.


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Overview: OW2 is an independent industry community dedicated to development of open-source software infrastructure (middleware and generic applications) and open source animation of a business ecosystem for the development of community-based code. OW2 hosts numerous technology projects, including ASM, Bonita, eXo Platorm, JOnAS, Joram, Orbeon Forms Orchestra Spagic, SpagoBI and Xwiki.
Specifications: Available at: http://www.ow2.org/view/Activities/Projects_By_Function
IPR Policy: Available at: http://www.ow2.org/xwiki/bin/download/Membership_Joining/Legal_Resources/OW2C-IPR.pdf
Current Status: Active


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Friday movie roundup: One nasty Queen
"Once upon a time" isn't what it used to be.
"Snow White and the Huntsman" is a dark spin on the classic fairy tale, as Snow (Kristen Stewart) goes from imprisoned innocent to Joan of Arc-like warrior princess with the aid of the brawny Huntsman (played by Chris Hemsworth). Stewart and Hemsworth are fine, but the real star of the show is Charlize Theron's turn as the wicked Queen. Director Rupert Sanders adds some stunning visuals, and Colleen Atwood's costumes (particularly for the Queen) are spectacular.
Several independent titles are opening in a few multiplexes today.
• "For Greater Glory" is a heavy-handed historical epic, centering on the Cristeros War - when Catholic rebels fought the socialist Mexican government in the 1920s. The hammy performances (led by Andy Garcia) and cartoonish characters make this one a chore to watch.
• "Battlefield America" is a drama set in an underground hip-hop dance competition. It was not screened for local critics.
• "Crooked Arrows" is an inspirational sports drama, about a Native American high school lacrosse team (coached by Brandon Routh, from "Superman Returns") competing in a prep-school league tourney. It also wasn't screened for critics.
On the art-house list, the highlight is "Headhunters," a gritty and sometimes wacked-out thriller from Norway. It centers on Roger (Aksel Hennie), a corporate consultant who moonlights as an art thief to bring in the cash to keep his trophy wife (Synnøve Macody Lund) happy. Then he meets a CEO candidate (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, from "Game of Thrones") who's as sneaky as he is.
"Virginia" is the directing debut of screenwriter Dustin Lance Black ("Milk," "J. Edgar"), and it's a trippy piece of Southern melodrama about a mentally unstable woman (Jennifer Connelly) having a yearslong affair with a married Mormon sheriff (Ed Harris). The movie gets downright loopy at times, and the tone shifts are jarring. (Black, by the way, is in Salt Lake City this weekend - as grand marshal of the Utah Pride Parade. Read the Cricket's interview with him.)
Lastly, there's "The Salt of Life," a pokey musing on love and lust by Italian writer-director Gianni di Gregorio - who plays the lead character, Gianni, a retiree who feels invisible to the women in his life. Di Gregorio doesn't bring nearly the charm he displayed in his last movie, "Mid-August Lunch," and the episodic story goes nowhere.
See more about comments here.


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Please make one. Copy if you have to. Thanks.
Printable View
Please make one. Copy if you have to. Thanks.
That sure is a pretty Hyundai!!
That's an even prettier non-USA released Cadillac... LOL
Top pic is a Hyundai?? God Bless,Joe
Rodya, that's not full-size...
How about a single rear seat? The ultimate in vanity, the throne.
I looked at the Equus show car at Pebble Beach this year... I was not at all impressed. It was as if they had a checklist of "stuff" that a luxury car should have, but didn't follow through... For instance the leather on the seats was amazingly soft, yet the seats themselves were not at all comfortable.. just shapeless flat spaces. Other interior materials felt cheap and below par. Other cars I was comparing to were the new Jaguar XJ, and Porsche Panamera both at the same show, and of course my own 2005 STS.
No you have build cars that look and feel like a"Cadillac" not like a Berlin Buick


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Thank you this tutorial-video! I learn the UV-ing now, this tutorial is help!
Contagion isn't your average Zombie Shooter but instead takes a more realistic and different approach to the popular genre with unique characters, environments, weapons, items, and a built in system that makes every round completely unpredictable with resources, objectives, and paths ever changing. From the creator of Zombie Panic: Source Brian "Tatsur0" Comer we introduce it's spiritual successor.
Mark Sneddon's Contagion - Mossberg 590 UV Tutorial
Posted by Tatsur0 on Sep 1st, 2010
Intermediate Weapons Modelling.
Here is our first developers tutorial and hopefully not our last. As we've stated before, many of us come from the mod community before we got our start in the Industry and led us to begin development on Contagion our first Indie title.
Mark Sneddon a 3D Artist and the sole creator of all the weapons seen so far for Contagion has put together an Intermediate level Mossberg 590 UV Unwrapping tutorial for those of you interested in the trade and wish to learn more. We hope you find it both entertaining and informative-
Contagion - Mossberg 590 UV Tutorial Part 2
As always, let us know what you think in the comments. Until next time.
Thank you this tutorial-video! I learn the UV-ing now, this tutorial is help!
We're very happy to hear that you find it useful and hope to release more in the near future.
It is always extremely interesting to see how other people work. I've done some 3d modelling and texturing in XSI self taught after some basic tutorials. I love seeing how other people model/map because there are always some techniques that you can improve on or that you never tried. Thanks for the post!
Yes, quite a few of us are self taught and even for those that aren't, it's always nice to peruse others techniques in the hopes of improving your own. I'm glad you appreciate it :)
Now we can download! YO THANKS!
Yes! I'll add a link in this section to the download (slipped my mind).
lol I.S. included with your shotty? loved the tut much better informed about 3ds now.
Do you have any plans on releasing a tutorial of you actually painting the UV? By the way, awesome tutorial!


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NORMAN — Whatever the higher education landscape looks like 20 years from now, University of Oklahoma President David Boren said he hopes it will include greater state funding for public colleges and universities.
Outlook 2013: University of Oklahoma president hopes for greater state funding in 20 years
Boren has long expressed concern about what he's described as eroding state support for higher education, saying a lack of public support leads to higher tuition and fees, putting a college education out of reach for some Oklahomans.
Boren served as governor of Oklahoma from 1974-1978. During his term, the state established the Oklahoma Arts Institute and the Oklahoma Scholar-Leadership Enrichment Program, an Oklahoma Regents for Higher Education program that offers special seminars for Oklahoma college students.
Economic woes
The drop in public funding could spell trouble for the overall economy, Boren said, noting that the United States has dropped from first to 16th in the world in the percentage of its population going on to obtain education beyond high school.
"If we are to compete in a global economy, we need to regain our first-place rating," Boren said. "This will only happen if states increase their appropriations to public colleges and universities."
Since 1980, state funding has accounted for a shrinking percentage of college and university budgets. At the same time, other funding sources, such as tuition and housing fees, have made up a larger share of universities' funding picture.
During the same period, the funding that goes to higher education has made up a smaller share of the state's overall budget. Higher education makes up 14.8 percent of the state's budget for the current fiscal year, down from 18.6 percent of the budget in the 1980 fiscal year.
Continue reading this story on the...


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Bob's Bloggers: built in cabinets
A community of bloggers who live and die to DIY
Cabinetry, Bathrooms, and Vanities
By The Hamilton Rd. Project! on Nov 13, 2011
In bobvila, built in cabinets, bobvila
Want to Contribute?
We want to be inspired by your toughest home repair challenges! Sign up today to become a part of the community as an official contributing blogger!


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Riverview, Florida - Donna Witsell of Ruskin knows the heartbreaking results that can happen due to bullying. She says her 13-year-old daughter took her own life because of it.
Witsell says, "My daughter was a victim of 'bullicide.' It's a very violent, very abusive, just horrific type of behavior."
The Riverview Hurricanes basketball team wants to put a stop to bullying, so other children don't have to suffer like Hope did. They met to watch the documentary Bully at AMC 20 movie theater in Brandon to learn more.
The students are vowing to help end bullying by taking a pledge to try to eliminate it from their schools and the community.


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Justice Denied? Revisiting the Elian Gonzalez Case; the Return of Elian Gonzalez to Cuba Was Preceded by Months of Negotiation and Countless Columns of Media Coverage. What Role Did International Politics Play in the Final Decision? and What Are the Worldwide Repercussions? (Commentary)
Brecher, Irving, Velk, Tom, Behind the Headlines
When a boat carrying Elian Gonzalez, his mother, and 12 other Cuban nationals sank off the coast of Florida in November 1999, Elian's mother drowned and he found himself at the centre of an international custody battle. It made countless front-page newspaper headlines through April 2000. Substantial media coverage extended well beyond April. And President Fidel Castro of Cuba was giving Elian headline status in October during the course of a televised interview on the CBC.
After seven months of bitter recrimination, dubious decision-making, and intense legal struggle, Elian Gonzalez and his father returned to Cuba. Despite their euphoric welcome in Havana, the haunting question remains: Was justice done to Elian? Let's try to find some answers.
On 1 June 2000, a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals in Atlanta, Georgia, ruled that Elian was not entitled to a hearing on asylum in the United States. His Miami relatives were given two weeks to appeal the decision to the same panel, to the full Court of Appeals, or to the United States Supreme Court. Counsel for the relatives left little doubt that they would pursue every available avenue of appeal. Indeed, on 15 June they filed a request that the full, 12-member Court of Appeals reverse the decision of the three-judge panel. At least a majority of the Court would have had to vote in favour of rehearing the case. On 23 June, the Court ruled unanimously against the Miami relatives.
On 26 June, the relatives appealed to the Supreme Court for an emergency stay of an earlier extension that was due to expire on 28 June at 4:00 pm. Lawyers for the relatives asked that the justices be given at least two weeks to consider the appeal `on a very, very fast timetable.' (1) The key contention was that the `overwhelming weight of federal appellate decisions in [the United States] would have given Elian Gonzalez the absolute constitutional right to an asylum hearing five months ago.' (2)
On 28 June, the Supreme Court issued a 26-word statement: `The application for stay presented to Justice [Anthony] Kennedy and by him referred to the court is denied. The petition for a writ of certiorari [appeal] is denied.' (3) The reasons for this decision were not revealed. Elian and his father departed for Cuba 41 minutes after the Atlanta Court's stay had expired.
In fact, the Miami relatives' prospects had become dim as soon as the three-judge panel of that Court ruled unanimously against them. And, given the prior appellate record, the Supreme Court was not likely to intervene.
Still, the Elian case was unique. And the last two appeal decisions could reasonably have gone the other way in response to the following arguments, among others: (1) the three-judge panel did not affirm the lower court's view that a six-year-old child does not, under any circumstances, have a right to an asylum hearing; (2) on at least 11 occasions, the panel suggested that the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) might have made wrong decisions; (3) the three appeal judges acknowledged that `some reasonable people might say that a child in the United States inherently has a substantial conflict of interest with a parent residing in a totalitarian state when that parent - even when he is not coerced - demands that the child leave his country to return to a country with little respect for human rights and basic freedoms'; (4) (4) the panel's decision was an extremely narrow one that turned on excessive deference to the policy of an administrative agency; (5) a further erosion of the constitutional principle of separation of powers occurred when the administration of President Bill Clinton ignored congressional legislation that gives preferential treatment to Cuban escapees and pays special attention to Cuban totalitarianism; (6) rejecting further appeals would prevent Elian from gaining effective legal redress for unforeseen physical or psychological harm in totalitarian Cuba. …


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If becoming an Olympian is an impossible dream for millions of healthy athletes, where does that leave Gabriele Anderson?
Anderson, a former University of Minnesota runner who will compete this week in the 1,500 meters at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials in Oregon, carries something to the starting line of every race that sets her apart from everyone else in the field.
She wears the scars of cancer surgery -- two surgeries, to be precise.
For two unrelated cancers.
At age 26, Anderson is ranked sixth in the United States as she prepares to step into the first round of the women's 1,500 meters on Thursday, June 28. She hopes to advance to Friday's semifinals and then to Sunday's finals at Hayward Field in Eugene.
Three will make it to the London Olympics.
"I would never bet against her," University of Minnesota women's distance coach Gary Wilson said. "She's got a heart bigger than the state of Minnesota. She's one tough hombre."
Her experiences have not only toughened her, she says, they have emboldened her.
"Sometimes you can make excuses for yourself," she explained. "You think there's going to be the next year, or the next race, or 'Maybe I'm just not good enough,' and you want to throw in the towel. But after I had cancer, I think I just let go of those excuses.
"I started to realize that one day this journey is going to end, and I really wanted to see what my potential was."
It's about perspective for Anderson, who came to the Gophers from Perham, Minn.
Then Anderson, who was studying at a hotel with teammates the day before a track meet in Tempe, Ariz., received a phone call from her doctor's office.
A biopsy revealed adenoid cystic carcinoma, a rare form of cancer on her left parotid gland, which secretes saliva.
She was 22.
"I was running the best I had in a long time," Anderson said. "I definitely didn't feel sick."
What Wilson remembers is Anderson's response.
"The first words out of her mouth were, 'Can I get a sixth year of eligibility?' Because she knew her year was over," he recalled. "I said, 'Why don't we worry about getting you healthy?'
"She was racing the next day and I said, 'I don't want you to race.' She said, 'No, I'm racing.' She came out and set a personal best."
Anderson, who remembers being in shock after that call, pulled herself together, stepped onto the Arizona State track and ran 1,500 meters in 4 minutes, 22.87 seconds. She finished second, producing the fifth-fastest time ever among Gophers women.
Five days later, she was on a surgeon's table for more than five hours. She lost a parotid gland and some lymph nodes. Before long, there were three dozen radiation treatments. She lost her sense of taste for a while. She was able to jog only occasionally that summer, and even an easy 20-minute run became arduous for her.
"It was scary," she said.
By Thanksgiving, she felt stronger and ready to push the pace again.
She finished a 3.1-mile road race in Brainerd, Minn., in about 17 minutes. That offered hope, and the NCAA offered more when it gave her a medical redshirt year that December to extend her college career.
After she rejoined the Gophers for the indoor track season, she ran her first race in January.
It was 3,000 meters.
She won.
"That was the start of something special," she said. "I ran at a 4:40 mile pace. I had a whole season at Minnesota where things went really well."
Wilson marveled at Anderson's comeback.
"I really didn't coach her that year," he said. "I coached her, certainly, but she knew what she wanted and what she was going to do, and she was just driven. She told me that winter, 'I want to be an All-American; I want to be a Big Ten champ and go below 4:15 in the 1,500.' I thought, 'Well, OK, that's nice,' but I didn't know if she could do it.
"Well, she missed being a Big Ten champion by a hundredth of a second. She ran 4:13 at the NCAA meet and set the school record and was the national runner-up."
Anderson's amazing story, however, was about to hit the wall.
In October 2010, during a checkup, doctors determined that she had thyroid cancer unrelated to the salivary cancer.
"I just felt blindsided," she said. "I had come so far. I had this triumphant return to the track ..."
A long scar from beneath her chin to beneath her left ear reminds Anderson daily of the incision doctors made for her second surgery, this one to remove her thyroid.
"I had definite moments wondering why this was happening again," she said. "I felt it wasn't fair. But after a few weeks, I thought, 'You know what: You've done this before.' "
The Gophers' Wilson says many people would respond to adversity by crawling into a ball and complaining.
Not Anderson.
"She was always a tough kid, but you saw a different aura about her once she had the cancer and survived it, and then of course the second cancer," he said. "I just think she lives every day like it's her best."
Anderson used running as a distraction from her second cancer. Her health improved. A member of Team USA Minnesota, she resumed working out hard and reset her sights on an Olympic berth.
She went through her final treatment of radioactive iodine for the thyroid cancer in December and has been given a clean bill of health.
She ran 1,500 meters in 4:06.46 early this season, less than a second off the Olympic standard and within a second of four of the women rated ahead her in the United States.
As she prepared last week to leave her Minneapolis home for Eugene, she said she is so focused on those four laps on the track that the painful and difficult route she has taken sometimes almost slips into the background.
After being stopped twice by cancer, she is knocking on the door of the U.S. Olympic team.
"It feels quite surreal, when I actually sit down and think about it," she said. "Now I can say it's a positive story.
"There's a tendency among professional athletes -- any elite athletes -- to approach their sport as life and death. They take themselves so seriously and they take every competition so seriously that they don't let themselves enjoy it. For me, I know that track and field and running is not life and death. Unfortunately, I have first-hand experience in more serious matters. So I just try to enjoy the journey so much, because I wasn't always sure that I'd have this opportunity."


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This thread includes PC racial write-ups for Bugbears, Goblins, and Hobgoblins, including several feat options for each, and a handful of backgrounds one might choose. Some options are related to using these races in Eberron, but the base stats for the races, as well as many feats, should be universal enough for use.
Comments and feedback are always welcome.
EDIT: Next is the Bugbear. Bugbear is the race that needs the most "work" to make into a viable player race. Luckily that have enough flavor to really work with. My attempt at them obviously drops Oversized. Hopefully the features I included in its place aren't too powerful. I tried to keep it nearly on-par with the Half-Orc and Dragonborn, in theory.
EDIT: Finally, the Goblin. I've left the Goblin stats as-is. I found that designing their feats was relatively easy - they have such strong themes, that feats essentially write themselves.
EDIT: In addition, some Backgrounds are available. This batch focuses on the backgrounds referenced in the Eberron-Specific feats, dealing mostly with the clans of Darguun.
EDIT: In a "stealth update", I've added an (entirely fluff) "sidebar" on the Combat Styles (see Martial Power 2) of Eberron goblinoids.
EDIT: A few feats changed and/or added. Specifically: Pervasive Viciousness replaces Greater Viciousness for Bugbears; Flanking Goblin Tactics, Coward's Defense, and Virtue of Cowardice added for Goblins; Ready Assault cleaned up for Hobgoblins; and Majesty of Battle and Veiled Intimidation added for Hobgoblins.
EDIT: After long thought, I've finally added the Natural Leader feature to the Hobgoblin. I think it captures a bit of the flavor, with a useful mechanic. If I think of a universal feat associated with it, I might add one.
I should add that I'm aware of Hebitsuikaza's (quite excellent) goblin races, though I had already completed this one prior to reading them. I feel like I have enough "distinct" content to warrant a new thread, rather than merely commenting on his.
EDIT: A long-overdue update! Just a small change for tonight - changing the writeups to just reflect the current ability bonus design (really just a format change - the alternate ability choices were already listed). In addition, I've re-worded some of the Bugbear feats, mostly dealing with Vicious Killer (I think I made them a bit more synergistic, and a bit cleaner). No changes to the Goblin at the moment (I came back to it, feeling like I should change Goblin Tactics to not be an at-will and not be an immediate action... but honestly, I think the power itself actually works great, and the feats build well with it. My one concern was how it interacts with defenders, and the Coward's Defense feat really covers that concern.) Hobgoblin's racial power is adjusted to be no action (instead of a reaction). It still feels less potent than the Mul's power, but I think it's just fine.
I still feel like the Bugbear and Goblin are a little... empty. But when you actually stack them against existing races, I think they come out as plenty potent (and fluffy - well, as much as they can be fluffy without having any written fluff ). Hobgoblin needs more feats - at least another Epic feat. And I would still like to put something down to build off of their Natural Leader feature.
Tough, vicious goblinoids who prey on anyone they perceive as weaker than themselves.
Average Height: 6'10" - 7'2"
Average Weight: 250 - 300 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Strength; +2 Constitution or Dexterity
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Low-light
Languages: Common, Goblin
Skill Bonuses: +2 Intimidate, +2 Stealth
Bugbear Toughness: You add your Strength modifier to your total hit points.
Vicious Killer: The first time you score a critical hit during an encounter, you deal 5 additional damage with the attack. The additional damage increases to 10 at 11th level, and 15 at 21st level.
Predatory Eye: You can use predatory eye as an encounter power.
Predatory Eye Bugbear Racial Power
You maneuver into an advantageous position and strike your foe with ruthless determination.
Minor Action Personal
Effect: You deal +1d6 damage on the next attack you make against a target you have combat advantage against. You must apply this bonus before the end of your next turn.
Level 11: You deal +2d6 damage on the attack.
Level 21: You deal +3d6 damage on the attack.
Heroic Bugbear Feats
Bugbear Skullcrusher Prowess
Prerequisite: Bugbear
Benefit: You gain proficiency with all maces. When you wield a mace, its weapon damage die increases as if it were one size larger. A club increases to 1d8; a mace increases to 1d10; a greatclub increases to 1d10; a morningstar increases to 1d12. Additionally, you gain a +2 feat bonus to damage rolls with these weapons. This bonus increases to +3 at 11th level and +4 at 21st level.
Pervasive Viciousness
Prerequisite: Bugbear
Benefit: You gain the bonus damage from the Vicious Killer feature the first time you score a critical hit each round.
Predator's Instincts
Prerequisite: Bugbear
Benefit: Whenever you make a Perception check to find tracks, you roll twice and use either result. You also gain a +5 feat bonus to your passive Perception.
Ruthless Predator
Prerequisite: Bugbear
Benefit: The extra damage dice from your predatory eye racial power increase from d6s to d8s.
Paragon Bugbear Feats
Patient Predator
Prerequisite: 11th level, bugbear
Benefit: If you miss the attack you make with your predatory eye racial power, you regain the use of predatory eye.
Sensitive Nose
Prerequisite: 11th level, bugbear
Benefit: Whenever you make an active Perception check to locate a creature, you roll twice and use either result.
Vicious Takedown
Prerequisite: 11th level, bugbear
Benefit: When a creature takes extra damage from your Vicious Killer feature, you knock the creature prone.
Epic Bugbear Feats
Desperate Predator
Prerequisite: 21st level, bugbear
Benefit: When you first become bloodied in an encounter, you regain the use of the predatory eye racial power if you have used it during the encounter.
Vicious Wound
Prerequisite: 21st level, bugbear
Benefit: When a creature would take extra damage from your Vicious Killer feature, you can choose to reduce the amount of additional damage in order to deal ongoing damage. If you reduce the additional damage by 5, the creature takes ongoing 10 damage (save ends). If you reduce the additional damage by 10, the creature takes ongoing 5 damage (save ends), and takes a -5 penalty on saving throws against this effect.
Class-Specific Bugbear Feats
Crushing Ruffian
Prerequisite: Str 13, Con 13, bugbear, rogue, Ruthless Ruffian class feature
Benefit: You can use any rogue power that requires a light blade while wielding any mace. You reduce Sneak Attack damage by one die when wielding any mace other than a regular club or a regular mace.
Predator's Superiority
Prerequisite: Bugbear, fighter, Combat Superiority class feature
Benefit: Whenever you hit a creature with an opportunity attack granted by Combat Superiority, the target grants Combat Advantage until the end of your next turn.
Eberron-Specific Bugbear Feats
Goblin Weapon Training
Prerequisite: Bugbear, Goblin or Hobgoblin, Darguun background
Benefit: You gain proficiency with all military flails, as well as the triple-headed flail and the spiked chain. Additionally, you gain a +2 feat bonus to damage rolls with these weapons. This bonus increases to +3 at 11th level and +4 at 21st level.
Marguul Flayer
Prerequisite: Bugbear, Marguul background
Benefit: When you wield a sickle, its weapon damage die increases to 1d8, and it becomes a high crit weapon.
Greater Viciousness (Heroic Tier)
Prerequisite: Bugbear
Benefit: The first time you score a critical hit during an encounter, you get a +2 bonus to the additional damage with the attack. This increases to +4 at 11th level, and +6 at 21st level.
Cowardly goblinoids who prefer to have the odds stacked in their favor.
Average Height: 3'4" - 3'8"
Average Weight: 40 - 55 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Dexterity; +2 Wisdom or Charisma
Size: Small
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Low-light
Languages: Common, Goblin
Skill Bonuses: +2 Stealth, +2 Thievery
Goblin Reflexes: You gain a +1 racial bonus to your Reflex defense.
Goblin Tactics: You can use goblin tactics as an at-will power.
Goblin Tactics Goblin Racial Power
You avoid your enemy's blow and cleverly slink past his defenses.
Immediate Reaction Personal
Trigger: You are missed by a melee attack.
Effect: You shift 1 square.
Heroic Goblin Feats
Defensive Goblin Tactics
Prerequisite: Goblin
Benefit: When you use your goblin tactics racial power, you gain a +1 bonus to AC and Reflex defense until the end of your next turn.
Safety in Numbers
Prerequisite: Goblin
Benefit: When you use a Second Wind or Total Defense action, you gain an additional bonus to all defenses equal to the number of allies adjacent to you.
Slinking Stealth
Prerequisite: Goblin
Benefit: When you are hidden, you can remain hidden using cover granted by another creature.
Paragon Goblin Feats
Cunning Goblin Tactics
Prerequisite: 11th level, goblin
Benefit: When you use your goblin tactics racial power, you gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls against the triggering creature until the end of your next turn.
Goblin Cowardice
Prerequisite: 11th level, goblin
Benefit: When you use your goblin tactics racial power and shift into a square that is not adjacent to any other creature, you are no longer marked by any enemy.
Epic Goblin Feats
Evasive Goblin Tactics
Prerequisite: 21st level, goblin
Benefit: You can use your goblin tactics racial power when you are missed by any attack.
Flanking Goblin Tactics
Prerequisite: 21st level, goblin
Benefit: When you use your goblin tactics racial power, you can shift 2 squares, but if you do you must end your shift in a square adjacent to the triggering creature. You can move through an enemy's space during the shift, but you can't end there.
Class-Specific Goblin Feats
Coward's Defense
Prerequisite: Goblin, defender role
Benefit: When an enemy marked by you makes an attack against an ally adjacent to you, if the attack misses that ally can use your goblin tactics racial power as an immediate reaction.
Virtue of Cowardice
Prerequisite: Goblin, Bard, Virtue of Cunning class feature
Benefit: When you slide an ally with your Virtue of Cunning, you can slide that ally an additional square. If you do, you must slide the ally into a square that is not adjacent to any other creature.
Eberron-Specific Goblin Feats
City Goblin Wisdom
Prerequisite: Goblin, City Goblin background
Benefit: You are trained in Streetwise. Whenever you make a Streetwise check, you roll twice and use either result.
Goblin Weapon Training
Prerequisite: Bugbear, Goblin or Hobgoblin, Darguun background
Benefit: You gain proficiency with all military flails, as well as the triple-headed flail and the spiked chain. Additionally, you gain a +2 feat bonus to damage rolls with these weapons. This bonus increases to +3 at 11th level and +4 at 21st level.
Silent Step
Prerequisite: Goblin, Khesh'dar (Silent Folk) background
Benefit: You are trained in Stealth. Whenever you make a Stealth check and have concealment or total concealment from all enemies, you roll twice and use either result.
Disciplined goblinoids who live for war and bloodshed.
Average Height: 6'1" - 6'5"
Average Weight: 190 - 240 lb.
Ability Scores: +2 Constitution; +2 Dexterity or Charisma
Size: Medium
Speed: 6 squares
Vision: Low-light
Languages: Common, Goblin
Skill Bonuses: +2 Athletics, +2 History
Battle Ready: You gain a +2 bonus to initiative checks.
Natural Leader: You and allies within 10 squares of you grant a +3 bonus instead of +2 when they succesfully use the Aid Another, Aid Attack, or Aid Defense action.
Hobgoblin Resilience: You can use hobgoblin resilience as an encounter power.
Hobgoblin Resilience Hobgoblin Racial Power
You shake off an effect that would cripple a lesser warrior.
No Action Personal
Trigger: You suffer an effect that a save can end.
Effect: You make a saving throw against the effect.
Heroic Hobgoblin Feats
Hobgoblin Tactics
Prerequisite: Hobgoblin
Benefit: Whenever you are adjacent to an ally, you gain a +1 bonus to AC and Reflex defense.
Improved Hobgoblin Resilience
Prerequisite: Hobgoblin
Benefit: When you use your hobgoblin resilience racial power, you gain a +2 feat bonus to the saving throw.
Restored Resilience
Prerequisite: Hobgoblin
Benefit: When you use your second wind and have already used your hobgoblin resilience racial power in the encounter, you regain the use of hobgoblin resilience.
Paragon Hobgoblin Feats
Ready Assault
Prerequisite: 11th level, hobgoblin
Benefit: On your first turn during an encounter, you gain a +5 bonus to damage rolls.
Unwavering Resilience
Prerequisite: 11th level, hobgoblin
Benefit: The first time you are reduced to 0 hit points during an encounter, you can use your hobgoblin resilience racial power to make a death saving throw, with a +5 feat bonus on the roll.
Epic Hobgoblin Feats
Perpetual Resilience
Prerequisite: 21st level, hobgoblin
Benefit: Your hobgoblin resilience racial power becomes an at-will power.
Class-Specific Hobgoblin Feats
Majesty of Battle
Prerequisite: Hobgoblin, bard, majestic word power
Benefit: When you hit an enemy with an attack, the target of your majestic word power gains a +1 power bonus to attack rolls until the end of its next turn.
Veiled Intimidation
Prerequisite: Hobgoblin, bard, words of friendship power
Benefit: When you use words of friendship outside of combat, you can apply the power bonus to an Intimidate check instead of a Bluff check.
Eberron-Specific Hobgoblin Feats
Bladebearer's Legacy
Prerequisite: Hobgoblin, Kech Shaarat (Bladebearers) background
Benefit: You gain proficiency with all heavy blades. Additionally, you gain a +2 feat bonus to damage rolls with these weapons. This bonus increases to +3 at 11th level and +4 at 21st level.
Goblin Weapon Training
Prerequisite: Bugbear, Goblin or Hobgoblin, Darguun background
Benefit: You gain proficiency with all military flails, as well as the triple-headed flail and the spiked chain. Additionally, you gain a +2 feat bonus to damage rolls with these weapons. This bonus increases to +3 at 11th level and +4 at 21st level.
Wordbearer's Legacy
Prerequisite: Hobgoblin, Kech Volaar (Wordbearers) background
Benefit: When you use a healing power to restore hit points to an ally, you gain a +2 feat bonus to the number of hit points restored. This bonus increases to +4 at 11th level and +6 at 21st level.
Goblin Backgrounds
Race-Specific Backgrounds
Eberron-Secific Backgrounds
City Goblin: You were born and raised in one of the various cities that are scattered across Khorvaire. Your ancestors may have been brought to the region as slaves, or maybe they were there before the kingdom of Galifar stretches its bloody claws out and took the land. Either way, you hardly care. You've been lost in the cities of other races your whole life, and because of this you've learned to get along with other people as best you can. You know your home city like the back of your hand, and you know enough about cities in general to know where to ask questions and look for information. You've never been to the goblin nation of Darguun, and you're not sure you'd care to.
Associated Skills: Diplomacy, Streetwise.
Darguun: You hail from the lands now called Darguun - the great goblin nation reborn! You know little of the history of your people. Perhaps you worked as a mecenary during the war, selling your services to the highest bidders. But when the great Lhesh Haruuc Shaarat'kor seized the territory that would become Darguun, you were among the goblins that answered his call. You have lived and worked in Darguun since the war, side-by-side with goblins of all clans and races. You are proud of your fledgling nation, and embody the strength and perserverance that will make the goblin people strong.
Associated Skills: Athletics, Endurance.
Droaam: You hail from the nation of monsters - Droaam. The lands that once belonged to Breland are a brutal place, and they shape you to be the same. You've lived in the lands your whole life, and are at home among the monsters. You are familiar with more creatures than most goblins will ever lay eyes on in their entire lives. You may pay allegiance to one of the more powerful groups in Droaam, or you may simply live your life, free among the creatures to be yourself like you can in no other place in Khorvaire.
Associated Skills: Dungeoneering, Nature.
Noteworthy Clans and Tribes
Ghaal'dar: You are a member of one of the tribess united in the alliance of the Ghaal'dar - the dominant power in the nation of Darguun. You hail from a strong warrior culture dating back to the fall of the Dhakaani Empire all those many centuries ago. Since the formation of Darguun, you have enjoyed some of the best benefits of being a true, recognized nation - while still being a member of a culture that favors manipulation and threats as diplomacy and negotiation. You interact with other races on a regular basis, tolerating non-goblins as they tolerate you. You are among the most "civilized" of Darguun goblins - though "civilized" is certainly a relative term.
Associated Skills: Intimidate, Streetwise
Marguul [Bugbear]: You hail from one of the brutal Marguul tribes, where Bugbears rule through brutal violence and vicious shows of force. Perhaps you were born to the tribe, or pehaps you were taken as a slave and earned your place. Either way, you have enough respect to do as you will, even when you choose to strike out into the world beyond the Seawall Mountains. Through Darguun, and indeed all of Khorvaire, your tribe's reputation preceeds you - you are a thing to be feared and avoided, for you are a bringer of death.
Associated Skills: Endurance, Intimidate
Dhakaani Clans
Kech Shaarat (Bladebearers): In ancient days, when the great Empire fell, yours was one of the clans that foresaw the destruction, and fled to the far-flung places in what would become Darguun, to preserve Dhakaani culture. Yours is one of the most powerful clans to emerge back into the world - the Bladebearers. Named for both the mighty artifact that you protect and the sword-shaped marks branded on your forearms, your clan is one of the most aggressive of Dhakaani clans. Your leaders push you onward, toward conquering the other clans, and rebuilding the glory of the Empire of Dhakaan. Since childhood you have been trained to be a skill soldier and tactician. Today you put those skills to good use, reaching out into the world to further your clan's goals, and to ultimately restore the glory of your ancestors. Alternatively, you may be disillusioned with the aggression and violence of your clan, finding yourself reaching out to better understand the outside world.
Assocaited Skills: History, Intimidate
Kech Volaar (Wordbearers): Yours was one of the few goblin clans to foresee the collapse of the Empire of Dhakaan. Your ancestors went into hiding for centuries, always preserving the culture, the knowledge, and the lore of old Dhakaan. Yours is the most enlightened of the Dhakaani clans - the Wordbearers. Your clan mates have instilled a strong sense of pride and honor into you, and you feel and understand your connections to old Dhakaan, and the other Dhakaani tribes. Your people would prefer to use inspiration and diplomacy to unite the scattered tribes - a sentiment you may yourself share. You wear tattoos of glyphs and symbols that reflect your own acheivments - whatever they may be.
Associated Skills: Dungeoneering, History
Khesh'dar (Silent Folk): When the Empire of Dhakaan was about to fall, the Silent Folk knew. They did what they had always done - they hid, and they waited for their opportunity. With the rise of Darguun, the Silent Folk have returned to the world, bringing you with them. Your clan is one of secrecy and skill. The shadows are your friends, and darkness is your ally. You may have been trained as a scout of the taarka'khesh (silent wolves), or as an assassin of the shaarat'khesh (silent knives). In the greater scheme of things, your people remain neutral, selling their services to the other Dhakaani clans, and rarely, to outside parties. You may be a contracted agent of the Khesh'dar, or one of the numerous spies placed throughout Khorvaire. Alternatively, you may have abandoned your clan, striking out on your own to reap the rewards of your particular talents.
Associated Skills: Athletics, Stealth
Goblin Combat Styles
While goblin warriors use the same variety of combat styles that the other common races do, a few combat styles are more appropriate for the goblin races in Eberron than for other races, and deserve special mention.
Kulkor Battlearm (MP2, p118)
Any Axe, Hammer, or Mace that has the Versatile Property
On the battlefields of old Dhakaan, the bugbear's strength was his brutality, and the hobgoblin's strength was his skill. Seeking to draw strength from both of these attributes, bugbear and hobgoblin soldiers worked together to develop a style of combat that would harness the brutality to tactics. The Kulkor Battlearm style is the ultimate result of this effort. Through it, countless bugbear brutes were taught to control their brutal force, directing it in strikes that protect allies and crush foes. Kulkor Battlearm proved effective, and even after Dhakaan fell, bugbear warriors throughout Khorvaire could be found practicing the style. Today other races have adapted Kulkor Battlearm to their own favored weapons, while maintaining the same combination of brutality and teamwork that makes the style so effective.
Midnight Blade (MP2, p120)
Any Light Blade
The Midnight Blade style is one of the ancient fighting styles developed and perfected by the Dhakaani goblinoids, and later adopted by other races throughout Khorvaire. This style, with its emphasis on quick movements and agile strikes, was developed by the Khesh'dar - the clan of goblin scouts and assassins. The taarka'khesh and shaarat'khesh still both train their goblin scouts and assassins in this particular style of fighting, though it has been adopted by other groups over the long centuries. Today familiarity with the Midnight Blade style is often seen as the mark of a trained assassin.
Rending Chains (MP2, p128)
Any Flail
Ancient records of the fallen goblin empire of Dhakaan reveal the Rending Chains style's history. It was developed on the battlefield by hobgoblin soldiers who favored spiked chains and long flails as a means to exploit the weapons' capabilities to bind and manipulate their foes. The Rending Chains style was not practiced for many centuries - it was thought lost along with its creators among the Dhakaani tribes. However, when the Dhakaani emerged and revealed themselves to the world again, they brought with them the practice and mastery of the Rending Chains style.
EDIT (3-7-10): Bugbear added.
EDIT (3-8-10): Goblin added.
EDIT (3-12-10): Backgrounds (Eberron) Added.
EDIT (5-29-10): Combat Styles (Eberron) "Sidebar" Added.
EDIT (6-1-10): Several feats added or modified (see top of post for list).
EDIT (8-29-10): Added an additional feature (Natural Leader) to Hogboblin.
(This document is getting a bit long. I may reformat it, to at least put each section (1 for each race, 1 for feats, 1 for backgrounds) into Sblocks.


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September 1st - October 31st, 2011Many of us know and admire someone who has dedicated their life to serving others. You may know them personally, you may have heard about them from someone else, or perhaps you were on the receiving end of their selfless service. If you know such a person or people, it's likely that you have wished for them to be recognized or rewarded. The Feel Life's Potential Reward on Facebook
July 15thHere at Kamalaya we've just celebrated Asarnha Bucha day paying respects to the local monks. "Asarnha Bucha" means paying homage and worshiping on the day identified according to the lunar calendar during the eighth month. In the Pali language, 'Asanha' is the name of the eighth month. In Thailand, Asarnha Bucha Day (Asanha Puja Day) is one of the government holidays or the public holiday. This day is one of the most sacred in Buddhism. It is a Buddhist festival which typically takes place in July, on the fifteenth day of the waxing moon of the eighth lunar month. It commemorates the day on which Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon called "the Dhammachakapavattana Sutta" to his first five chief disciples at the Deer Park in Benares more than two thousand five hundred years ago. In this holy day, Buddhists all over the country observe the day by presenting offerings to the monks, listening to the sermons, and performing ritual prayers. Many guests came to take part in the ceremonies that took place in the Yantra Hall on this auspicious day.
April 4thDonation for the victims of tsunami in JapanKamalaya will donate 50% of your session fee (Shiatsu with Yutaka Homma) to be distributed directly among the affected population of the earthquake & tsunami via: Japanese Red Cross SocietyAbout Namikoshi ShiatsuNamikoshi Shiatsu, a manual therapy developed in Japan through a synthesis of Eastern and Western medical concepts, uses mankind's most ancient medical tools – the human hand and human hearts – to treat the patient using a holistic approach that stimulates the body's own natural self-healing power to correct imbalances and effect a cure from within.
The Exhibition runs through 30th June 2011The Gallery will be open everyday from 10.00 – 19.00 hrs.If you are interest in any art please contact the retail staff or Kamalaya ReceptionRobert Powell was born in Sydney in 1948, and studied humanities and architecture in Australia. He came to Asia in 1974 and was in India when Ladakh was opened t foreigners for the first time.He spent 7 months there documenting its Tibetan Architecture. That experience was the beginning of a lifelong exploration of Asian cultures, inspired by their material manifestations and especially their traditional architectures. Since then he has lived and worked in Asia, mostly in the Himalayas, in Nepal, India, Pakistan and also China and Japan. Since 2004 he has been based in Thailand and has begun a series of paintings from Angkor, and the south East Asian region. His sketchbooks, measured drawings, and photographs from more than three decades in Asia continue to inspire current works. His paintings and drawings have been exhibited and published widely and are the subject of two books. Robert Powell is Kamalaya's architect. As an architect and artist whose interest in vernacular building has kept him in Asia for 30 years, he nevertheless thought that the typical "Thai-style" villa would really be an anomaly on this site. This type of structure, traditionally rooted in the North amongst expanses of rice fields, seemed an inappropriate response to the hilly, rocky beachside of Koh Samui. Instead, the style of Kamalaya is "simple tropical modern." Robert will be offering a Kamalaya Site Tour & Gallery Visit every Thursday from 14.00 – 15.30 ( Meet at Alchemy lounge) as part of our holistic activity schedule.
Tuesday 15th MarchConcert by hang musician Gottfried Kling, who lately has been serenading Kamalaya guests around the grounds. You may have heard him improvising in harmony with the birds, offering meditative melodies in the Monks' Cave, or adding a reflective touch to your wheatgrass juice and muesli in the morning. Gottfried will be joined by Nai Noi on his lap tapping, finger picking acoustic guitar, Soon on percussion and Noi on violin.Nai Noi, has a virtuosic tapping and finger-picking guitar style that could fool listeners into believing they are hearing several different instruments being masterfully plucked, beaten, tapped and caressed, in unison. The eclectic fusion of sounds composed and played by the maestro has gained the forty-eight-year-old musician from Bangkok an enviable reputation amongst music fans and contemporaries throughout Thailand and beyond. Tapping is a playing technique that was originally linked to the electric guitar, although Noi uses an acoustic guitar he named, Nuen Anoung, which he says means 'beautiful lady'. Gottfried Kling left his home in Switzerland for New Zealand in the 1980s, living as a farmer by day and a drummer by night in the clubs. While he plays the flute and didgeridoo as well, he only fell in love with his instrument of choice, the hang, three years ago while visiting the town of Pai in northern Thailand. The hang is a UFO-shaped instrument about the size of a Jeep tire. It sounds a bit like a mix of steel drum and xylophone, with a mellow tone. Gottfried has been composing hang melodies ever since.
23rd February 2011 (18:00 - 19:00 at Yantra Hall)Like a quiet lake in the early morning hours, within us all there is a still point of inner peace and calm. In this solo piano meditation concert, acclaimed keyboardist and composer Maneesh de Moor creates a fluid soundscape to help guide us into our inner sanctuary. Blending soothing piano tones with intentional spaciousness and subtle layers of atmospheric keyboards, this meditative experience offers you an opportunity to let go of your worries of the day and open up to the tranquil beauty of the present moment.Maneesh de Moor was born in the Netherlands and is based in Bangkok, Thailand. An accomplished pianist, composer, and producer, de Moor has collaborated with Deva Premal, Praful, Sudha, Prem Joshua and many others and specializes in the crossover between ethnic and popular music; between natural and electronic sounds. For more information about Maneesh de Moor, visit www.mdmsound.com
19th February 2011Fantuzzi, Bobby Parrs, Danny Paradise and FriendsFantuzzi - A Global TroubadourFantuzzi is a world-class musical star who is charismatic, funny, sensual, and highly-energized and will definitely get you moving. A continuous world traveler to over 50 countries throughout the past 35 years, Fantuzzi has performed on every continent at thousands of events including those at Carnegie Hall, the United Nations, Rio De Janeiro Earth Summit, Los Angeles and Oakland Coliseums as well as at all 3 Woodstocks, 3 Khumba Melas, 29 Rainbow Gatherings, multiple Cannabis Cups, European Festivals, Bali Festivals, Australian Festivals, Harmony Festivals, Bhakti Festivals, Mystic Garden Parties, and Raw Spirit Festivals. Bobby Parrs - A brillant musician of many genresDanny Paradise - Touring the world for 32 years as a musician, songwriter and Yoga Teacher
Thursday 3rd February, 2011According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2011 is the Year of the Golden Rabbit, beginning on February 3rd, 2011 and ending on January 22nd, 2012. The Rabbit is the fourth sign of the Chinese Zodiac, which consists of 12 animals signs. The Rabbit is a lucky sign. Rabbits are private individuals and a bit introverted. People born in the Year of the Rabbit are reasonably friendly individuals who enjoy the company of a group of good friends. They are good teachers, counselors and communicators, but also need their own space.Our Celebration Program18:30 hrs - Cocktail reception at Yoga Pavilion19:30 hrs - Chinese & Thai Buffet Dinner at Yantra Hall20:15 hrs - Taekwondo show 20: 30 hrs - Thai Classic Dance shows21:30 hrs - Beach activities: Floating Lanterns, Fire dance, Firecrackers and Fireworks at Kamalaya Beach
Friday, 14th January 2011 (11.30 hrs at Yantra Hall)The Fire Ceremony - Sanskrit Havan or Homa - is an ancient sacred Indian ritual. It consists of offering foods and our prayers to the fire representing the Sun as the giver of life and light. The sacred fire consumes our offerings and our prayers. The smoke which rises purifies the atmosphere and carries our prayers to the subtle dimensions of creation, whereas the ashes are traditionally used for medicinal purposes.Sri Babaji said, "Havan is that which brings rain, which brings grain". Creation stems from Havan as the manifest form of Divine Beings. Whatever we offer goes directly to the Gods invoked. Doing Havan brings happiness and the joys of life, good thoughts and love for one another. The smoke removes what is harmful in the atmosphere and attracts what is good, thereby increasing abundance and prosperity in the world. The Object of this Havan is World Peace and ProsperityKitchari BhandaraSri Munirajj, a saint on visit from India and disciple of Maha Avatar Babaji, is today offering the sacred fire ceremony dedicated to World Peace as well as Kitchari Bhandara a light food offering, which has been blessed in the ceremony for all of us. Kitchari is a traditional Indian dish prepared with lentils, vegetables and rice, cooked with spices and olive oil. It is a light meal, symbolizing the change in season and a life dedicated to simplicity.
January 13-14th, 2011Inauguration of Babaji's Temple called "Sada Shiva maha Avatar Dham" at Kamalaya Koh Samui, ThailandWatch our little video at youtube »
Saturday, 1 January 2011Programme: 09:00 - Respect to Spirit House around Kamalaya10.30 - Monk blessing at the Yantra HallBuddhist monks from Laem Sor Temple will hold a blessing ceremony.
11 November 2010
Thursday 11th November at the glamorously green Vibes, AsiaSpa honoured 28 of the spa industry's top spas, personalities, destinations and products. The coveted title of Destination Spa of the Year went to Koh Samui's Kamalaya while the MiraSpa took home top honours as the year's Best Urban Spa. Spa Product of the Year went to British skincare brand Aromatherapy Associates and Bali won Spa Capital of the Year. Other winners ranged from old favourites Chiva-Som in Thailand to the new Aman Spa at Amanfuyun in Hangzhou China.
22 October 2010
More than 100,000 votes were cast this year for Spa magazine's third annual Silver Sage Readers' Choice Awards. Kamalaya Koh Samui was chosen as a winner in Spa magazine's 2010 Silver Sage Readers' Choice Awards, which highlights their readers' picks of top spas around the world. This year, they recognised the top favourites in 29 different categories that include Favourite Destination Spas, Favourite Affordable Spas, Favourite Spas by region, and many more! Kamalaya Koh Samui was one of 5 winners in the category of Favourite Destination Spas-International. The full list of winners in order of ranking will be announced in Spa's Worldwide Guide 2011 issue (on the newsstands Nov 2). Kamalaya was named one of five winners in the "Favourite Destination Spa International" category of the Spa Magazine 2010 Silver Sage Readers' Choice Awards. "We cannot begin to express our gratitude for the honours bestowed on Kamalaya," said co-founder Karina Stewart. "These awards are confirmation that we're moving in the right direction – that we're striking a resonance with people around the world in terms of their personal life goals and their overall wellbeing."
19 October 2010
Every year SpaFinder names the winners of its prestigious Readers' Choice Awards, revealing spa-goers' favourite spas across the globe in three areas: favourite spa by continent, favourite by region or country, and best in any of 27 categories. This year's awards saw approximately 300,000 votes cast for those deserving spas that offer truly exceptional experiences to their guests – the highest number of votes for the Readers' Choice Awards to date.SpaFinder, the global spa resource, granted Kamalaya acclamation for 5 awards. SpaFinder also announced that not only had Kamalaya won the prestigious Readers' Choice Award for "Favourite Spa in Thailand", but also four other awards in the Top Ten Listing categories of "Best Cuisine", "Best for Mind-Body-Spirit", "Best Interior Design", and "Best for Weight Loss".
14 October 2010
The Crystal Awards Asia Pacific is an annual event to recognise and honour the best of the spa and wellness industry in the Asia Pacific region. Awarding brands and properties in various categories, The Crystal Awards Asia Pacific 2010 set to endorse through a collective voice of leaders and experts of the industry, the contribution that these brands and properties make that enhance the industry, spearhead trends, change as well as exert an overall definition for the future direction of the sector. The 7th Annual Crystal Awards Asia Pacific 2010, held on 14 October in conjunction with the Wellness Summit in Singapore, named Kamalaya "Best Complementary & Alternative Medicine (CAM) Wellness Centre" for the second year in a row. They also pronounced Kamalaya one of three finalists in the "Best Destination Spa" category, and a nominee in the "Best Wellness Retreat" category. "The awards stand apart from the rest for our impartiality in recognising and honouring those who set the standards across the industry," said Crystal Awards Chairman Michael Loh. "Winners will be celebrated and relished as standard bearers for the industry as worthy models to follow."
4 October 2010
At the fourth annual TATLER UK Spa Awards celebration on 4th October, attended by leading travel editors, writers and hospitality leaders and presented by Melinda Stevens, TATLER's Travel Editor, Kamalaya was honoured as the recipient of the TATLER Enduring Excellence Award for 2010.This award honours Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa for its outstanding consistency in maintaining the highest standards of excellence since its conception in 2005. It is with great pride that Kamalaya adds this accolade to the acknowledgements of our destination's healing hands, and to the achievement of delivering our precious key message "feel life's potential."
27 September 2010
Karina and John Stewart, accompanied by Dr.Pipadh Eksaengrsi, were amongst long-standing friends and supporters of the Thai tourism industry as they were conferred this well-deserved award organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) on 27th September, 2010, in Bangkok.The 8th Thailand Tourism Awards, 7th Friends of Thailand Awards, and 6th Tourist Guide Awards were simultaneously arranged to commemorate World Tourism Day, as well as being held in the year marking the 50th Anniversary of the founding of TAT.
11 December 2009
Koh Samui, Thailand… Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa was named Best Complementary & Alternative Medicine Wellness Centre last week in the sixth annual Crystal Awards Asia Pacific 2009.The Crystal Awards, organised by Global Ratings & Awards Solutions, employ a collective voice of leaders in the spa and wellness industry to salute the best in the Asia Pacific region. Awarding brands and properties in various categories, they endorse the contributions each makes to enhance the industry while exerting an overall definition for the future direction of the sector."The awards stand apart from the rest for our impartiality in recognizing and honouring those who set the standards across the industry," said Crystal Awards Chairman Michael Loh. "Winners will be celebrated and relished as standard bearers for the industry as worthy models to follow."This Crystal Award was Kamalaya's third honour in three months. In October, Kamalaya took home six prizes in the SpaFinder Readers' Choice Award competition, which named the resort Favorite Spa in Asia and Favorite Spa in Thailand, and a top 10 spa worldwide in each of the Best for Mind-Body-Spirit, Best Medical Program, Best for Weight Loss and Best for Yoga categories. In November, the Asia Spa Awards named Kamalaya co-founder Karina Stewart Spa Personality of the Year."All of us are so grateful for the support and recognition that Kamalaya has received this year," Karina said. "The reality of Kamalaya as an atmosphere in which life transformation happens is already so far beyond what (her husband) John and I ever dreamed."Kamalaya Koh Samui is a Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa located amid a lush, tropical landscape on the southern coast of Koh Samui, Thailand. Kamalaya integrates healing practices and treatments from East and West, a beautiful natural environment, inspired healthy cuisine, customised programs and wellness retreats to offer a unique concept in personal wellbeing and holistic lifestyle possibilities. For bookings and enquiries please visit www.kamalaya.com.
13 November 2009
Koh Samui, Thailand…Karina Stewart, co-founder of Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa, was named 'Spa Personality of the Year' last night at the AsiaSpa Awards 2009. The awards were announced at AsiaSpa magazine's awards ceremony, held in Hong Kong's Armani Bar. Kamalaya was one of eight nominees in the category, which included distinguished destinations from Asia and Australia. Kamalaya was also nominated in categories for Spa Retreat of the Year, Spa Therapist Team of the Year, and Spa Cuisine of the Year. A panel of 27 independent judges from across the Asia region were charged with short-listing nominations and selecting the ultimate winners across 27 categories, digging deep to find the most original places to relax, heal and grow. 'I feel deeply honoured, humble and grateful,' said Karina, a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine who is also Kamalaya's Brand / Concept Director. 'The industry is in such a phase of growth and development, and there are so many people right now who are making huge contributions.' 'It's lovely to receive this award, and I do so knowing it's very much due to the unfailing support of my communications team,' she continued. "It's also a testament to the strong commitment the entire Kamalaya family makes each day to helping our guests have the best and most beneficial experience possible, and to our holistic approach toward health and wellbeing." The AsiaSpa Awards were created in 2005 to give recognition and reward to the region's best in terms of innovation and quality. Setting a great benchmark for spas in the region as well as around the world, they put the spotlight on Asia's best spas. This year's awards ceremony comes just a month after Kamalaya won the coveted Crystal Award for Favorite Spa in Asia in the SpaFinder Readers' Choice Awards. These awards also named Kamalaya Favorite Spa in Thailand, as well as one of the top ten spas in the world in each of the Best for Mind-Body-Spirit, Best Medical Program, Best for Weight Loss and Best for Yoga categories. Kamalaya Koh Samui is a Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa located amid a lush, tropical landscape on the southern coastline of Koh Samui, Thailand. Kamalaya integrates healing practices and treatments from East and West, a beautiful natural environment, inspired healthy cuisine, customised programs and wellness retreats to offer a unique concept in personal wellbeing and holistic lifestyle possibilities. For bookings and enquiries please visit www.kamalaya.com.
21 October 2009
Koh Samui, Thailand… At Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa the focus is on lasting results. Guests here establish new foundations for longer, healthier and more vital lives. And this November, as the resort celebrates its fourth anniversary, Kamalaya is offering another way for guests to maintain at home the changes they've made here. It's in the form of the second edition of Reconnect, the Kamalaya journal, which this time is dedicated to Kamalaya guests and their favorite recipes, the principles behind Kamalaya's inspired healthy cuisine, and nutritional and lifestyle advice."Kamalaya cuisine celebrates the joy and pleasure of healthy cooking," says Kamalaya co-founder Karina Stewart, a nutritionist and doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine who worked closely with Chef Kai Mueller to develop the Kamalaya menus. "The aim behind our two restaurants, Soma and the Amrita Café, is to inspire our guests with food so delicious and healthful that they can experience the healing power of food and know that food as medicine is – and must continue to be – an integral part of the healing journey."To truly embrace food as medicine, it is essential to reduce the use of sugar and sugar-producing foods. Kamalaya favours fad-free over fat-free, and prefers a sensible approach to dining that aims to educate and inspire guests to develop a more thoughtful and enticing relationship with food. Creative and inspired recipes draw on diverse culinary traditions, emphasizing high quality, fresh ingredients and organic whenever possible. While low sugar, low sodium, low fat and low dairy are all part of the Kamalaya approach, you won't find calorie information on the menus or recipes here. Instead, Kamalaya advocates a sensible approach to wellness with healthy cuisine principles.Purists may be surprised to find a few richer dishes on the menu, but Kamalaya recognizes that human nature sometimes seeks indulgence. So a smattering of indulgent dishes has been included to replicate the "real world" and illustrate the wisdom of balance and moderation."Our approach is to make so many other healthy and delicious options available that it's effortless to make healthful choices," Karina says. When it comes to healthy eating, the quest for perfection can be one's greatest downfall because it often leads to an all-or-nothing mentality, where a single chocolate seems little different from the entire box. Kamalaya's philosophy is pragmatic and realistic and seeks to inspire rather than dictate, and Chef Kai Mueller's masterful interpretation of food as medicine serves up health with a generous splash of culinary flair.Try your hand at home on Kamalaya menu mainstays such as Pumpkin Curry with Hot Basil & Mangosteen, Sweet Potato Roesti with Mushroom Ragout, and Warm Fennel Salad. Or curl up in your favorite spot to enjoy reading up on The GI lowdown, seasonal eating, adrenal burnout, nutrition for stress support and avoiding inflammation overload. There are also answers to nutritional FAQs, guidelines for healthy eating and an exploration of the principles behind Kamalaya's inspired healthy cuisine. The Cookazine is on sale now at the resort gift shop for 435 baht. To request to order it online please contact Patsharin Jampakam at secretary(at)kamalaya.com, Tel. +66 (0) 77 429 800.Kamalaya, located on the lush southern coast of Koh Samui, integrates healing practices and treatments from East and West in customized programs and wellness retreats. Offered in a beautiful and natural environment, these represent a unique concept in personal wellbeing and holistic lifestyle possibilities. For more information or booking please visit www.kamalaya.com
7 October 2009
Kamalaya Koh Samui has been selected as a multiple winner in the 7th annual SpaFinder Readers' Choice Awards, including the coveted "Crystal" Award for spa-goers' favorite spa in Asia. Based on over 360,000 votes – a record for the awards program - submitted by readers of SpaFinder publications (including Spafinder.com), the awards represent the most complete consumer assessment of the global spa market.The Crystal Award itself represents SpaFinder's most prestigioius Readers' Choice distinction, as it's exclusively reserved for only one, top vote-getting spa in each of the six habitable continents around the globe.Kamalaya also won the award for Favorite Spa in Thailand and was named as one of the top ten spas in the world in each of the Best for Mind-Body-Spirit, Best Medical Program, Best for Weight Loss and Best for Yoga categories. We wish to thank all of our guests, our business partners and supporters, and our highly skilled team of Kamalaya hosts, whose care and attention are the heart of the Kamalaya experience. Thank you very much, and we hope to see you soon!
25 September 2009It's a day of complimentary activities that will give us all the chance to share ideas and philosophies as colleagues and a community while enjoying the atmosphere of this Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa on Samui's stunning southern coast. Bring along your friends, your neighbors and your colleagues – it's a line-up nobody will want to miss, and you'll find all the details below.Samui Mala Healing Forum3.00pm - Power of PlaceKamalaya, A Case Study: Designing Samui wellness services and spas in harmony with nature. Talk and tour with architect Rob Powell on the challenges and opportunities of creating wellness environments that convey healing and are sensitive to the natural setting. 4.30pm - Healing ArtThese artists, photographers and sculptors are based on Samui and throughout Thailand. Meet and talk with them at the opening of this Kamalaya Gallery show that runs until December.5.15pm - Tibetan Singing Bowls Concertled by Winnie Rode with guest artists.5.45pm - Healing Ourselves - Healing Our World Samui wellness pioneers offer brief talks on their varied approaches to healing on Samui and its implications for this island and the world around us. Is Samui a healing island or an island in need of healing? The discussion features an array of speakers including: Pra Ajarn Po, Abbot of Wat Suan Mokkh; Spa Samui owner Guy Hopkins; Kamalaya co-founder Karina Stewart; The Dharma Healing Centre's Hillary Hitt; and Shelley Poplak, Tamarind Springs co-founder & Samui Mala Festival Coordinator. Neal Hoptman moderates.7.00pm – Snacks & RefreshmentsA Taste of Kamalaya's Inspired Healthy Cuisine7.30pm - A Conversation Among FriendsA panel leads this public forum in discussing challenges arising from the earlier debate and in considering foundations for evolution. All are welcome to stay after the forum for more music and conversation. Oh, and bring a book on healing to donate – you'll be helping to build the new healing library at June's Bophut Café!We really hope you'll be able to join us for the Kamalaya event. To do so, just send the names of people in your party to Gaby Gubler at marketing(at)kamalaya.com or call Margaret Rankin at 081 271 3465.For those of you not yet familiar with the Samui Mala Festival, it began two years ago as a one-day event celebrating healthy living in a healthy environment. But Samui residents and visitors alike responded with overwhelming support, and this year's Mala is a full-blown festival: It's happening Sept. 19 to 27 at venues all over the island. It'll be packed with exciting events & performances, but it won't be the same without YOU! So bookmark www.samuimala.org, and we'll tell you about all the attractions as they develop!Looking forward!The Samui Mala Festival Team
19 November 2008
Kamalaya Koh Samui, the Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa, took home the AsiaSpa Award for Best Destination Spa of the Year from the November 2008 award ceremony in Hong Kong. The awards were announced at AsiaSpa magazine's 'Time to Shine' cocktail party, held at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong. Kamalaya was one of 14 nominees in the category, which included distinguished destinations from Asia and Australia. Kamalaya was also nominated in Best Retreat, Best Spa Cuisine and Best Holistic Treatment categories. A panel of 29 independent judges from across the Asia region were charged with short listing nominations and selecting the ultimate winners across 26 categories, digging deep to find the most original places to relax, heal and grow. The AsiaSpa Awards were created in 2005 in order to give recognition and reward to the region's best in terms of innovation and quality. Setting a great benchmark for spas in the region as well as around the world, the AsiaSpa Awards put the spotlight on Asia's best spas. This is the second major award for Kamalaya in 2008. In October, Kamalaya won the Spa Asia Crystal Award for Best Wellness Retreat. "Kamalaya is very much about the people - those that work here and those that visit here - and our success is a tribute to them. It is my belief that happiness comes from giving and is multiplied through sharing. Every day, I see this belief brought to life at Kamalaya. That this ideal could help us to win two prestigious awards is deeply gratifying." said John Stewart, Kamalaya Co-founder and Chairman. Kamalaya Koh Samui is a Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa located amid a tropical landscape on the southern coastline of Koh Samui, Thailand. Kamalaya integrates healing practices and treatments from East and West, a beautiful natural environment, inspired healthy cuisine, customised programs and wellness retreats to offer a unique concept in personal wellbeing and holistic lifestyle possibilities. For bookings and enquiries you can visit www.kamalaya.com
21 October 2008
Koh Samui, Thailand…Kamalaya Koh Samui, the Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa, was the winner of the Best Wellness Retreat category in last week's Spa Asia Crystal Awards. The awards were announced at the Wellness Summit Gala Dinner in Kuala Lumpur on 16 October, which was attended by over 220 industry people and media. Kamalaya was one of 8 finalists in the category, which included wellness destinations from Asia and one from Australia. This was the first year that Kamalaya, which opened in November 2005, had entered the awards.The Spa Asia Crystal Awards is an annual event to honour and recognise the 'best of the best' in the spa and wellness industry. A rigorous judging process includes the evaluation and scoring of submissions by a panel of industry judges (30% of total score), a secret shopping audit conducted by SpaAudit.com (60% of total score) and votes from Spa Asia readers (10%). The secret shopper visit, which accounts for 60% of the total score, looks at every aspect of the guest experience from pre-arrival to departure and includes assessment of accommodation, cuisine, private and group fitness classes, consultation, treatments and overall impressions and results. The Best Wellness Retreat category is awarded to the destination that best embraces Spa Asia's definition of 'spa' across the operation and offers guests a personalised experience of holistic treatments that deliver wellness of body, mind and spirit. To make the nominations list, businesses must give evidence of their forward thinking approach to wellness, structured training programs and how they embrace a broader wellness concept that considers the environment, the staff and the host country. Kamalaya Cuisine was featured throughout the 3-day Wellness Summit. , Kamalaya's Executive Chef Kai Mueller was invited to work with the food and beverage team at the conference venue, The Palace of the Golden Horses, so that attendees could experience Kamalaya's inspired healthy cuisine. Kamalaya Koh Samui is a Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa located amid a tropical landscape on the southern coastline of Koh Samui, Thailand. Kamalaya integrates healing practices and treatments from East and West, a beautiful natural environment, inspired healthy cuisine, customised programs and wellness retreats to offer a unique concept in personal wellbeing and holistic lifestyle possibilities. www.kamalaya.com
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Inspired by ethnic art, the Stacy Garcia Chevron Pink Pride giclee shade on this contemporary brushed steel table lamp radiates warmth and diversity.
This contemporary table lamp features a stylish, custom giclee art shade with a pattern designed by internationally renowned hospitality designer Stacy Garcia. A smart-looking brushed steel finish base perfectly complements the shade design. An on/off pull chain provides convenient lighting control. U.S. Patent # 7,347,593.
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BENCH WARRANT - MASSENA - Village police said Luke D. Hehir, 20, of 697 Hopson Road, Massena, turned himself in at 10:25 a.m. Friday on a two-year-old St. Lawrence County Court warrant for an alleged violation of probation. He was transported to Canton for an appearance in county court. Hehir had pleaded guilty to third-degree attempted burglary in February 2009 stemming from his involvement in a Dec. 6, 2008 burglary at the Fashion Bug store in the Harte Haven Shopping Plaza.
BENCH WARRANT - MASSENA - Village police said Bobbi Lafountain, 26, of 193 Center St., Apt. 8, Massena, turned herself in at 2:13 p.m. Friday on a bench warrant issued after she failed to appear as directed for a trespassing charge pending in village court. She was arraigned by Massena Village Justice Eric J. Gustafson and released on her own recognizance.
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PAFF to host world premiere of Robert Townsends Of Boys and Men
OW Staff | 1/23/2008, 5 p.m.
Film stars Townsend, Angela Bassett, Victoria Rowell, Dante Boens with Faizon Love, Vince Green, and Bobb'e J. Thompson
The Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF) will host the world premiere of acclaimed director Robert Townsend's "Of Boys and Men."
Townsend's film tells the story of family man Holden Cole who loses his wife in a fatal accident and with the help of his younger sister, leads his three children on a journey of healing and self-discovery, while battling his own demons of pain and regret.
The story is seen through the eyes of the youngest son, who discovers through the loss of his mother what it means to be a man. The family drama set on the West side of Chicago, produced by and starring Robert Townsend ("The Five Heartbeats," "Meteor Man") and directed by Carl Seaton.
Cast members will be present for the star-studded premiere on Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008, 7 p.m. as part of the PAFF's Centerpiece program at the AMC Magic Johnson Crenshaw 15 Theaters located at 4020 Marlton Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90008. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased in advance online at www.PAFF.org. For more information, please call (323) 295-1706.
PAFF is known for showcasing new films first and recognized as America's premiere black film festival, past PAFF features have included box office and award-winning hits "Ray," "Lackawanna Blues," "Redemption," "Crazy As Hell," "Kingdom Come," "The Brothers," "Gridlock'd," "Days of Glory," and the 2006 Academy Award® winner for Best Foreign Film, "Tsotsi." The film festival will take place in Los Angeles, Feb. 7-18, 2008 and is expected to draw over 40,000 attendees during its 12-day run. Another 200,000 will attend the art show and other events. For more information, visit www.PAFF.org.


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The Association of African Studies in Italy (ASAI)
The Association of African Studies in Italy (ASAI) aims to be the privileged site for african studies in Italy, within the framework of a dynamic and conscious interaction with Africa and the Africans. The main goal of the association is to promote interaction and cultural exchange among national and international scholars through an interdisciplinary perspective. The Association promotes meetings and seminars. Every two years, ASAI conveys the Conference on African Studies in Italy.