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Long before he became an internationally renowned travel guru with shows on PBS and NPR, Rick Steves began speaking out in his own backyard about the many harms caused by marijuana prohibition and why legalization offered the most sensible alternative. Although he felt the need to hide his identity behind a pseudonym during the "Just Say No" anti-pot hysteria of the Reagan-era '80s, the mild-mannered Edmonds, WA native appeared on local radio in those dark days, hoping to provide a positive example of an accomplished businessperson who just happened to enjoy cannabis – and who considered pot prohibition an unmitigated disaster.
"What troubled me back then was, in the media, nobody ever talked about marijuana without the word abuse in the same sentence; it was always drug abuse," he recalls. "And, you know, people who enjoy smoking pot for creative purposes think of that as use, not abuse. I mean, you can abuse marijuana, but you can use it creatively as well."
In November, now fully out of the cannabis closet, Steves helped make history as one of the primary sponsors of I-502, the voter initiative that legalized the possession of up to an ounce of marijuana for adults 21 and over in Washington State, while also paving the way for state-licensed commercial cultivation and sales. A similar voter initiative, Amendment 64, was also passed by a wide margin in Colorado.
To celebrate those unprecedented victories and the bright green future for marijuana-law reform they seemed to foretell, Steves invited HIGH TIMES up to his hometown, about 30 minutes north of Seattle, where he still lives and maintains the headquarters of his travel company. What started out as a small European tour outfit has, over the years, grown into an enterprise of some 80 employees organizing tours, writing guidebooks, and producing the public television series and radio programs that make Rick Steves a welcome guest in millions of American homes.
Having just returned from a productive day at the office, the author of Travel As a Political Act carefully considers the ounce of marijuana procured for this photo shoot as he plays selections from Les Miserables on the baby grand he's owned since the days when he made his living as a piano teacher. The idea for our picture spread: to show a regular guy at home, with his personal amount of legal pot, and make the whole thing seem perfectly normal, nonthreatening – maybe even a little boring.
In the end, though, Steves can't help but smile.
So here we are, in your home, with an ounce of legal marijuana. How does it feel to be able to say that after all this time?
It's nice to stick a bong on my shelf and just hope somebody asks about it – because it's legal here in Washington State. Ahhhhh ... that is a nice feeling.
When did you try marijuana for the first time?
The first time was in Afghanistan, in Kabul.
Wow. What year was that?
Must have been 1978. I never got high in college.
So you went through college in the '70s without smoking pot, and then went to Afghanistan and tried it?
I didn't smoke in college because I felt like there was a lot of peer pressure, and I didn't want to succumb to it. But in Afghanistan, the whole world was high – you'd be riding a bus, and at the rest stop they'd all sit around and watch somebody slaughter a goat while passing some sort of a pipe or bong. Everybody would get as stoned as you can imagine, and then they'd say, "Okay, time to get back on the bus." It was an amazing, strange world.
Of course, where I really learned to enjoy the experience was in Nepal, in Katmandu. I'd get high and eat apple pie hot out of a medieval oven while listening to the Stones or something like that, surrounded by travelers from all over the world. And I'd just think, "Life is good."
You sometimes describe "high" as a place you like to visit. Can you explain what you mean by that?
What I mean is that, when you travel, you enter a different mind-set – and when you get high, you can find yourself in a different mind-set, too. And I think that if you're an adult, you should be free to choose whether or not you want to go there. Also, if somebody tells me I can't step across a little line on the sidewalk, all of a sudden I want to step across. That's kind of human nature, isn't it?
So you think outlawing marijuana has been counterproductive?
You go to the Netherlands, and the Dutch people think it's just kind of odd that Americans are so excited about marijuana coffeeshops. For them, it's like, "Yeah, if you want it, it's down the street. What's the big deal?" Well, you can do hard time for marijuana in America. That's what's the big deal.
And if you look at marijuana usage in the Netherlands, for both youth and adults, it's lower than here.
I wish Americans understood that. By every measure, the Dutch smoke less pot per capita than we Americans do. There's no correlation between consumption and the strictness or looseness of a society's laws. The Dutch approach drugs in terms of pragmatic harm reduction: They want to take crime out of the equation, and they treat those with addictions as people with a health problem who need help – not criminals who need to be locked up.
So, if "high" is a place and it's now legal to go there in Washington State, do you have any travel advice for a first-time visitor?
That's a good question. The thing is, I'm not really a proponent of pot – I just believe that if somebody wants to smoke it, that's their right. Still, I'd say try it in a safe environment with experienced people you trust and feel comfortable with. You also might need to try it a few times, because it doesn't always work the first time.
Do you think marijuana tourism will become a big ancillary business?
Right now, there's a lot of speculation about marijuana tourism here in Washington State – the same way people visit the little vineyards in Walla Walla and go wine-tasting. But I don't think that's going to be much of an industry. I think Washington's just going to be an example of a progressive state that understands the futility of criminalizing marijuana. Other states will see the positive results of that approach, and pretty soon tourists won't need to think about traveling to Washington for legal pot, because pot will be legal all over the United States.
Why did you decide to speak out publicly about marijuana legalization?
All my adult life, most of the people I've worked with – including most of the people I've respected in my field – have smoked pot secretly, and they're perfectly upstanding citizens in every way. But they've had to lie to their own children; they're nervous about their employers; some are even nervous about their spouses. And I always thought, "This is not right." As Americans, we embrace a lot of lies – and for me, the "evils of marijuana" was one lie too many.
Then, in 2003, the campaign to pass I-75 [the initiative that made marijuana the lowest law-enforcement priority in Seattle] asked me to give a talk on Capitol Hill to help raise money. I had to ask myself, "Wow, do I actually want to stand in a public place and explain the wisdom of taking crime out of the equation?" Ultimately, I realized this was the right thing to do. This is good citizenship. I was speaking up for the truth.
Really, I want to make marijuana less scary for the people who wish it would just go away, because marijuana is never going to go away.
Have there been any negative consequences to speaking out?
I figured there would be, but there haven't been. I suppose I have turned certain people against me – but those are people that I don't necessarily want for me, so what's the loss? I don't need to compromise on the truth or what's good for society in order to have everybody like me. I have some celebrity and a bit of clout because of what I do, and I'd rather use it in a way that's a little more courageous than simply trying to make everybody happy.
I guess over the years a few people have told me, "We know what you think about marijuana, and we're never going to use your guidebooks or take your tours." And all I can think is, "Europe will be a lot more fun without you."
Where were you on election night?
I went to the official results-watching party at the Westin Hotel in Seattle. I was on pins and needles all night because we didn't have any [advance] numbers for the initiative, and then all at once it was clear legalization had passed by a wide margin. I-502 won! At that point, I was euphoric. But I also realized I never want to go through another political campaign again – I just don't handle that kind of stress very well. Because, you know, when it comes time to count the votes, you either win or lose – it's 100 percent or zero. And we worked so hard and put so much energy and money into the campaign; all the conditions came together in what felt like a perfect storm. I didn't know if we could ever get it all together again in the future.
How do you assess the reaction of the federal government since the election?
That's the big question mark. Our governor here in Washington State wants the federal government to say what they're going to do so we can build a regulatory system and start collecting tax revenue. I'm a friend of Governor [Jay] Inslee, and he understands this is a real issue. He flew to Washington, DC, to meet with US Attorney General Eric Holder and try to find out if we can do this or not – because he's hoping to divert hundreds of millions of dollars from the black market and then tax and regulate a new and legal industry. That is quite exciting.
Keep in mind, marijuana legalization got more votes in Colorado and Washington than President Obama. So if the federal government comes in here to overrule us, it will be a really blatant disregard of the will of the people. Fortunately, I think what the Justice Department wants to see is a smart law that's enforced consistently and prevents legal Washington State marijuana from "leaking" into other states. The federal government doesn't have endless resources, so they have to pick their battles.
And once we won, the tenor of the discussion changed very quickly. Now people can much more easily support the idea that we shouldn't be locking up pot smokers. So overall, I'm feeling very confident that we're going to have our chance to pull this off. I think that in a year or so, people will realize that the sky's not falling – and in the meantime, the government will become addicted to the tax revenue.
So you're saying tax revenue is the addictive property of marijuana?
That's what I'm saying.
As someone who employs 80 people, how do you feel if any of them chooses to use marijuana?
I could care less if my staff smokes pot. I don't want them getting stoned at work or coming to work high, but I would assume a good many of them use pot recreationally on the weekend, and that's their choice. I certainly think a smart entrepreneur wants to employ creative people. If I gave everybody a test to see if they smoked marijuana in the last month, it would be catastrophic for my business.
You've frequently been a speaker at Seattle Hempfest, the nation's largest marijuana event. What makes you return year after year?
To me, Hempfest shows that there's a huge stratum of our population that's incredibly marijuana-oriented. That's not really me, but they're just as legitimate as me. A very good exercise for anybody who is afraid of cannabis culture would be to walk the whole length of Seattle Hempfest – through that sprawling, festive crowd of more than 100,000 – and realize, "Wow, these people live in our community 365 days out of the year. And for one weekend, they can all get together and have a big party that's a celebration of freedom and alternative lifestyles and tolerance." When you look at it that way, it's a beautiful thing.
You're someone who's guided by your faith as a Lutheran. Do you see religious leaders beginning to change their attitude about marijuana legalization?
I see no incongruity between my Christian faith and exercising my civil liberty to smoke pot recreationally. While it's hard for me to imagine a lot of pastors just lighting up for kicks, many religious leaders have already come out against marijuana prohibition because of the damage it does to their communities. Black Baptist preachers come up and hug me now for helping their community be less damaged by the laws against marijuana. That's an amazing feeling.
What do you think should be the goals for reformers moving forward in the next couple of years?
Thankfully, there's a lot of good people following through on I-502 and making sure the new law will be implemented in an optimal way. So as a member of the advisory board of NORML, I'd now like to help other states do what we did in Washington. And I really hope that everyone who reads HIGH TIMES will join me in working for legalization nationwide.
Unfortunately, too many pot smokers don't live up to their responsibility as citizens to actively push for drug-policy reform. I've got friends who are great people, and they love smoking marijuana, but they've never even thought to raise their voice to change the law. Every one of us has a world where we're respected and people will listen to what we say. All of us can speak reasonably with people who are afraid of cannabis, to help demystify it for them. And you don't have to go it alone – you can join NORML or whatever other drug-law reform organization suits you.
Retail sales of marijuana in Washington State may begin in early 2014. What do you hope to find at the pot store?
My fantasy is to choose marijuana according to what kind of high I want. The frustrating thing with the black market is, you don't really know for sure what type of pot you're smoking. And that's really a lost opportunity – because for me, some pot is really good and some pot is really not. And I think when it's legalized and sold in a store, I'll have the ability to buy strains that really work well for me.
What types of herb do you usually gravitate toward?
I want stuff that's good for listening to music, playing my piano, having the munchies and giggling. I don't want a heavy stone – I want an uplifting high.
Do you have a favorite strain?
You know, I'm not very sophisticated about different varieties. People just give me pot. Everywhere I go, people give me pot.
Perhaps if you say that again, it might convince a few more prominent people to come out of the cannabis closet ...
Oh yeah, that's an important point: If you speak out about legalization, growers and heads will give you free marijuana. I don't smoke very much, of course, so lately the stressful thing has been not being able to keep up with the abundance of wonderful pot that people have kindly been gifting me.
It's really fun, actually, because I know they're doing it to thank me. I didn't legalize marijuana – I was just one guy helping – but in some ways, I got to be the public face of our success here in Washington State.


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According to Hockey Canada communications director Andre Brin on Friday, Calgary raised Tyler Myers of the Buffalo Sabres will play for Canada at the 2014 International Ice Hockey Federation World Men's Hockey Championship from May 9-25 in Minsk, Belarus.
A defenseman, Myers is a native of Houston, Texas and moved to Calgary at the age of ten. He has represented Canada before at the 2008 World Under-18 Men's Hockey Championship in Kazan, Russia, the 2009 World Junior Men's Hockey Championship in Ottawa and the 2010 International Ice Hockey Federation World Men's Hockey Championship in Cologne, Germany. Myers came away with a gold medal in the first two mentioned events.
Myers had to make a decision in 2009 whether or not to play internationally for Canada or the United States. In 2010, he told the Hockey News he was very pleased with his decision, and told the magazine the reason why he chose Canada is because the Canadian hockey system helped make him an elite hockey player.
Despite being named to team Canada, it was a difficult year for Myers, who was a -26 in 62 regular season games. Myers, who registered nine goals and 13 assists for 22 points, was playing on a Sabres team that had the worst record in the National Hockey League.
The Canadian coaching staff led by head coach Dave Tippett of the Phoenix Coyotes, and the management team led by former star defenseman Rob Blake, will be hoping that Myers will be able to return to his rookie magic. In 2010 Myers won the Calder Trophy.
Myers was joined on the team Friday with goaltender Ben Scrivens of the Edmonton Oilers, and forwards Alexandre Burrows of the Vancouver Canucks and Jason Chimera of the Washington Capitals. Canada's first game will be against France on May 9.

subset: commoncrawl


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Sharing Expertise Scholarship
Purpose: To support and encourage professional infusion therapy education by providing educational sponsorship funds to assist nurses in attaining their Certified Registered Nurse Infusion (CRNI®) designation.
Eligible Candidates: Non-CRNI® INS Members registered / registering for CRNI® exam.*
Selection Criteria: In a two-page, double-spaced summary, the applicant must state how he/she will use the CRNI® education/designation to improve infusion therapy and patient care in their practice area. Please do not include your name or institution you work for in the body of your submission.
Recipients will be selected by INS.
2016 Sharing Expertise Scholarship Winners


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L. Edward Johndro was one of the great astrologers of the last century. I have found that it is more important to understand his concept of astrology then it is too determine his specific techniques.
Marsilio Ficino was born at Figline Valdarno, near Florence. His father, Diotifeci, was a physician who treated the great Cosimo de' Medici, the de facto ruler of the republic of Florence.
Lilly was accepted as a member of the Salter's Company and in 1632 was introduced to an astrologer, John Evans, who took Lilly as a pupil.
Charles used to say that that one needed to study astronomy in order to truly understand astrology. He was interested in the astronomical structure of astrology.
Like any other mathematicus in Italy at the turn of the 17th century, Galileo took astrology for granted and practised it in a quite matter-of-fact way.
Throughout his troubled life, Kepler sought for a Pythagorean unity between Astronomy and Astrology. He invented three new astrological aspects just as he discovered three laws of planetary motion.
Dane Rudhyar (1895 –1985) is widely regarded by astrologers as one of the key figures in modern western astrology. Stephen Arroyo named him one of the twentieth century's greatest astrologers.
No works are recorded of Hypatia of Alexandria, no picture exists, even the year of her birth is not remembered. She came to be damned as a witch by the Christian church ...
Born: 16 February 1930 'late at night' with a clock striking (rectified by Dennis to 11.44pm) in Stourbridge, Worcs. Died: 13 November 2014 around 8.15pm Stourbridge.


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ST LOUIS (LALATE) – Powerball winning numbers for November 13, 2013 results tonight have just been released to news. Did anyone win, however? The latest Powerball winning numbers for 11-13-13, if correctly selected, are worth one hundred ten million dollars with a massive sixty-two million dollar cash value. But for several draws, no one has been winning the big take. And moments ago, the results were announced. This evening's winning numbers are 5, 31, 50, 55, 56, Powerball: 9.
Powerball winning numbers for November 13, 2013 following an exciting draw last night as well. Officials tell news that no one got the Mega Millions winning numbers on November 12, 2013. So on Friday November 15, the winning numbers will now be worth a massive one hundred forty-nine millions dollars with a cash option of eighty million dollars.
It has been several weeks since both Mega Millions and Powerball's draw has both been in excess of one hundred million dollars at the same time. But such is the case tonight. Last Saturday, there were no Power Play two million dollar winners in Powerball. But there were two Match Five one million dollar winners. They heralded from Maryland and Pennsylvania.
Seven years ago this month, Jackie Alston of Halifax County won the Powerball draw. "I'm not sure what I am going do yet," she told news at the time "That's why I have all these advisors to help me decide." She added "I just started playing the lottery in this past year and I would only spend maybe $1 or $2 at a time." She added, "That night I just stopped at the convenience store on my way home from work."
Officials at the time said that Jackie had no plans to move. "The Halifax County native said she hopes to continue living in the area because she is surrounded by a lot of close friends and family who are looking out for her." She added "I've lived there all my life and the people in Halifax are good people." For Mega Millions and other Powerball results this week click HERE.


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Three years ago I reported women's health care provider Dr. George Tiller was shot and killed at his church in Wichita, Kansas (article). He had been the target for years of unbearable anti-choice protesters and physical attacks from Christians who thought they were doing their god's work. Since then, I recently watched a documentary, "The Assassination of Dr. Tiller," regarding the incident and everything leading up to that point.
Everyone has the right to their freedom of speech, but the wrong people can take their version of protesting to extremes. Groups such as Operation Rescue claim not to have any affiliation with extremists, such as Scott Roeder who murdered Tiller. However, the problem with these groups is they often generate severe hostility against doctors like George and foster an environment where extremists feel it's okay to think hating someone like Tiller and taking matters into their own hands is justified.
Regardless of your feelings, the documentary is very informative and shows every side of the story, from those who worked with Tiller to those who protested against him to the man who shot him. One part that really stuck with me was learning about Tiller's dedication to helping women and the sign he once displayed outside his practice saying, "Women need abortions and I'm going to do them." Debuted on The Rachel Maddow Show and currently available on Netflix, I highly recommend taking a look at the documentary, regardless of your feelings toward the issue (and here's the video series on YouTube).


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Hi all,
A friend gave me some Dwarf Skullcap recently, this is the Nana variety not the Lateriflora, and it's pretty darn good. It is one of the ingredients of Spice and the effects of this stuff on it's own are as good and possibly better. It doesn't taste as good as Spice though.
Does anyone know of anywhere that sells this in seed, cutting or plant form?


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Nano Tank Upgrade to Betta version 0.2.0: 50% Complete
I've been trying for months now to work out this upgrade for my betta, Pearlicus. This semester, I finally have the time and money to do so; thus: it has begun.
The very last 2.5g that Petco had, was covered in smudgy fingerprints... But it looked alright, no cracks or anything, so I snagged it and hauled it home, whispering about my 'precious' the whole way there.
I gave it a quick clean, and covered the back with frosted window cling, as I have planned for some time.
In went the substrate, heater, and hardscape. Don't knock the clown-puke; I know what I wanted and nothing you say is gonna stop me!
In went the plants, too. Argentine sword, and a few of the 'betta bulbs' (aponogenton sp., plus some kind of onion), since I've had luck with them in the past. I had about five, but only these three sprouted, so in they go for now. I also tucked a Root Tab under the sword for now.
Also in is the filter--Tetra Whisper internal small filter--and I set up the light. It's a bit delicate right now, but I'll be fixing that later. I just need to keep some light on it for now.
It looks sparse right now, but I kind of have high hopes for it. I'm giving it until the bulbs are at least 2" all around; based on the last time I sprouted some, it'll be maybe two or three weeks before I can move Pearlicus in!
Nice start!
Thanks :)
After staring at it for two days, now, I'm wondering if I shouldn't move the bulbs closer to the back (the first ones I grew are in my 10g now, and are probably a solid 20" long after 4 months or so) and get some more small plants for the front. The LFS had, last I saw, some decent-looking anubias (I can't take shipments right now--not with as cold as it's been, and my apartment's mail system being so inadequate)... I have some Bolbitis heteroclita (I think) that I'd like to move over (the tiny shoot tucked in with the stones is one of its babies), but as I'm desperately trying to get a positive 100% ID on it, I've been hearing a lot about how it prefers to be emersed?? So... We'll see.
I might buy some more plants, update the pictures tonight, and set up a tripod so I can make a time-lapse of the growth in there.
Looks very nice. Clean and simple, i also like the clown-puke ;), adds some vibrance and color to compliment the future betta.
What heater are you using and what temp. does it keep the tank. I have the same tank and need a heater after finding it at 61 degrees this morning and my cherrys laying on their side in what looked like hibernation mode. :/
Thank you! :) My boy is a spectacular pearly-pink-and-blue; so I think it will go well enough ^^
The heater I've got in there is a round bowl heater; I haven't actually plugged it in yet, but it's supposed to just bump the water up 4-5 degrees. My apartment is a very steady 73-75, so that will be just fine for my purposes. I can turn it on and monitor it for a few days, make notes and let you know, if you'd like :)
That would be much appreciated!
i have a, supposedly, 7.5w betta stick that likes to bring my water temp up to about 90 after being on for 12 hours straight. My room is typically high 60s and want to keep the tank in the mid low 70s range.
As of this morning, the tank was 3 degrees warmer than my room; and I turned ont he filter last night. I started an actual log, so I'll check it twice a day for the next few days, then post the full results :)
In other news, I had this really bizarre algae outbreak on my sword. At first, I thought it was discoloration due to some sort of nutrient deficiency, but the next day it was very definitely fuzzy. So, I snagged my largest pond snail from my 10g and dropped him in the midst of the leaves and let him go to town.
My cell was the only thing I could find in the tornado-pit of a room, but you can certainly see where he had cut a path through the algae on that leaf!
I literally spent an absurd amount of time staring at the little guy, watching what I assume is some sort of tongue licking the leaf, since his skin is pretty transparent. I'll have to upload one of the (like, five) videos I took of it...
Also, there's some whitish stuff on the bulb. The end looks somewhat ragged, and can you see the red streaks? Those are like, RED. Not brownish-algae, but RED. Like it was scratched and is bleeding. Any thoughts?
The algae is probably just a matter of too much light considering how few plants there are and how young they still are. They aren't using nutrients very quickly, so algae moves in. At least the snail is interested in it.
I love the water onion bulbs, but I have started buying the tube plant versions from PetSmart - they're all ready partially grown so they will take less time to establish. Bettas love them, and I've got one that's around 30" in a 5gal hex with a male halfmoon. It's long and sturdy enough that he can use the leaves as hammocks instead of the requisite plastic betta leaf, lol.
I've got one of the aponogenton bulbs that grew like a weed once it was established, but this is the first water onion I've gotten, so we'll see how it goes. It sprouted, and that's half the battle!
I've come to realize that Petsmart and Petco have vastly different things available--and I only have access to a Petco, plus my LFS, which deals mostly in the common anacharis, anubias, vals and java moss. You can get some neat stuff there sometimes, but I have a feeling that's mostly from people who donate things, not what they get in normally.
My betta liked this one plant I had that I actually let float because I didn't have anything to tie the rhizome to--a bolbitis heteroclita(?--I never got a 100% solid ID)--that I'm learning has trouble with immersion? >_> Bah.
Edit: Snail video. It's a video of a snail.
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Well, I'm glad you encouraged me to actually pay close attention to the heater and its results, because I think I'm going to have to get another one... It seems to have only maintained a temperature about 2-3 degrees above room instead of the package's claim of 4-5.
In light of this, I think I'll get a nice one with the auto-off-and-on next paycheck. I'm sill waiting on some more plant growth in the meantime anyway, so I think the delay won't be too bad.
In my spec I use a Marina C10 compact heater and that thing is a champ at keeping the tank 78~79 degrees, though the package claims it will raise temps by 7 degree above ambient.
Thank you for keeping track
This was with it left plugged in for that entire period? That is pretty much exactly what im looking for.
Do you happen to know what brand it is?
Updating on the tank; my water lily sprouted finally, so I stuck that in there; we'll see how it goes. And I spent five minutes subtly poking and stirring at the sand, getting bubble pockets out. The snail has cleaned up most of the reddish algae that was all over some things, but the blue pebbles are discoloring, and I don't think it's algae. Might be, but the snail isn't taking care of it. So I might be scooping that out and replacing it with either white sand or small natural-colored gravel. I liked the blue, but if it isn't going to work, it isn't going to work :/
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An updated FTS. You can see the discoloration of the gravel here :( My snail is slacking on the algae clearing on the sword, too. I might have to see if reducing my photoperiod will help that out at all :/ On the left in the back, you'll see the water lily bulb that finally sprouted; it started to grow a leaf within about eight hours of putting it in the tank, so something must be going right.
There is still something strange going on with the tips of the aponogeton, though, so I don't know what to do with that...
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WT- Coleman Ichabod Coolidge by SheNewBreedWatch
Name: Coleman Ichabod Coolidge
Age: 18 years
Height: 6' 0.5" in human form. In his true canine form, he stands at 4' and some change at the shoulders. Balancing on his hind legs for a few seconds, he is about 6' tall.
Creature: Hellhound. Coleman comes from a long line of Hellhounds that stretches back for longer than records have been kept. The species originates from none other than Hell itself. Originally used as pets and guards for demons and other dark creatures, Hellhounds were granted the ability to turn into a human to be able to walk amongst those who dominated earth. A race known for their ferocious temper, instability, raw strength, and brutality, it has birthed a great majority of the more well-known (and lesser-known) serial killers throughout history. There has been a long standing joke in Coleman's species that if you ever want to find another Hellhound, all you have to do is look at those on death row.
Because of the destructive, highly aggressive nature of the species, there always seems to be a decline in the number of members. Although they constantly reproduce, they constantly get into fights that sometimes end fatally. The species is male dominated, though there are a few female Hellhounds. If a Hellhound has children with a human, the daughters are far less likely than the males to become Hellhounds themselves, due to the fact that the genes causing it are predominately found on the Y chromosome. Thus, female Hellhounds are usually unable to transform, possessing only slightly heightened senses and, typically, a nasty temper. Hermaphrodites, however, would most likely be able to transform due to the presence of a Y chromosome, although there have been no recorded Hellhound hermaphrodites. Half-Hellhounds and so on are just as powerful as full-blooded Hellhounds. The only thing that changes is the size. Full-blooded Hellhounds tend to be much larger (closer to that of a horse than a regular dog), though this is not always the case. The pelt color, also, tends to vary from the typical dark gray/black.
The transformation from man to beast (and vice versa) is what marks the species. While the change is entirely out of will, anger tends to make it happen more quickly and frequently. Increased blood flow and movement must occur in order for the change to happen in a timely manner; otherwise, it would take incredibly long for the complete shift in size and shape and build to occur. Because of this need for energy, the process is very tiring (strong emotions, most commonly anger, tend to help the Hellhound fight off this side effect by distracting it). So, energy and a handful of seconds (usually ranging anywhere from approximately 3-15) is all it takes. Well, that and knowledge. A Hellhound rarely ever makes the transformation unwillingly (though sometimes extreme anger and the sudden impulses it comes with can make the transformation seem unwilling), so to be able to change, he must know that he is able to. More times than not, Hellhounds learn of this ability by seeing someone else change forms. Seeing it awakens the hidden beast within, essentially, allowing for transformations to become possible. In accordance, already abnormally high senses and strength is heightened even further. Why? Simply because of adapting to survive. A Hellhound must be aware of what it is and understand how dangerous it is before it is able to fully unlock that potential. Countless centuries of persecution brought this specific trait into being, which helped prevent random changings and freakish strength that would put the species in even more danger. The Hellhounds' highly adaptive nature has allowed them to survive this long.
Hellhounds range in size anywhere between that of a large dog and a horse, though typically on the larger side, since smaller ones are often incapable of handling the abuse done to them by other members of their species. Typically, a Hellhound has fur as black as coal/a moonless midnight, though there is occasionally a bit of variance in color. The patchier the pelt of a Hellhound is often goes hand in hand with its social standing amongst other members of the species. Every wound a Hellhound ever receives remains on its pelt. The wounds heal in its human form, but in its true animal form, the wounds often continue to bleed. Depending on the severity of the wound, muscle and bone tissue may be (and often are) exposed. A species characterized by its blood thirst, obviously, greatly values scars. The flames that characteristically engulf the body of a Hellhound burn hotter and brighter in correlation with the amount of blood it has shed. Another marker of social standing. And last but certainly not least, a Hellhounds eyes range from bright yellow to glowing blood red. Ironically, the redder the eyes, the more kills the Hellhound has racked up. Small kills, such as most animals, hardly even register. The more difficult the enemy, the more noticeable the increased amount of red blotches in the Hellhound's eyes will be. The Hellhound that is the most hideous by human standards is the most beautiful (and feared) by Hellhound standards, more or less.
Hellhounds, needless to say, do not smell like roses. Putrid, rotting, charred roses of death, perhaps. In their human form, Hellhounds carry about them an odd, somewhat displeasing smell, though it is nowhere near as strong as it is when in canine form. To go along with their flaming (animal) demeanor, almost all Hellhounds smoke cigarettes or, at least, some other distinct-smelling form of the stuff. It helps to mask their smell, making them harder to pinpoint, and helps them to relax more. Constantly being hostile is not a great way to live your life if you plan on living it for very long. Smoking also helps with a Hellhound's need to literally give off some steam. As they exhale the cigarette smoke, they can easily exhale some inward-flaming-fur-and-flesh smoke as well. Along with cigarettes, Hellhounds typically use alcohol and other drugs. The body of a Hellhound naturally runs hotter than that of a normal human's, allowing them stay warmer easier but also get uncomfortably hot faster. In accordance with this, Hellhounds often breathe quicker and more often than the normal person to help stay cool, like a dog. They prefer to eat meat (raw is even better), though they can eat other things, just in moderation.
Despite popular belief, staring into a Hellhound's eyes three times does not cause a curse. Just like any animal, locking eyes with it is typically viewed as a challenge for dominance. Repeated offenses often lead to fights, which birthed the popular myth that Hellhounds cause death-bringing curses. Occasionally the demon masters of the Hellhounds (back when they were mostly all pets) would curse or otherwise harm nearby people, which probably also contributed to it, though that had nothing to do with the Hellhound itself.
Personality: Coleman never really had much of a chance to be a kid, which explains why he is very mature for his age (or for any age in general, really). He grew up quick, becoming a bit of a father-like figure, in that sense, amongst his friends. He is very understanding and caring. Coleman is a good blend between being selfish and selfless. He takes care of himself when necessary, but he won't hesitate to help others. He gives off that kind of tough-guy look. He is an avid peacemaker, despising violence in virtually every form. This is due to the fact that violence has practically been Coleman's shadow ever since he was born. You are more likely to see a pink elephant barf up a kitten than to see Coleman purposely start a fist or knife fight. He never starts fights, but he damn well has no problems with finishing them (he often finds himself saving one of his best friend Stanton's ass when Stanton bites off more than he can chew).
Needless to say, Coleman is a very reliable guy. But despite constantly being abused by his family, Coleman never brings any of the anger and pain it caused him outside of that rundown house. The whole ordeal not only scarred him physically and emotionally/mentally for life, but it also ruined his reputation. He was instantly branded as a no-good, low-life piece of street trash who would turn out just like the rest of his family had- abusive, ferociously alcoholic, and serving more years in prison than they could count. This couldn't be farther from the true nature of Coleman. He is a good, sensitive guy who has had a very harsh life but is brave and stubborn enough not to let that dominate him. Ever since day one, he has wanted to do more than what was expected (seemingly demanded) of him. And because of this, Coleman always seemed to be fighting an uphill battle. He is, and always will be, misunderstood. Times were beyond just 'tough' for Coleman. There were times when he had to abandon his conscience just to survive, and it killed him inwardly more than any beating ever could, even if some of them landed him in the hospital for a few days. Coleman is a thief, a liar, a cheater, and countless other things, but the one thing he is not is a man without morals. Many a time Coleman has stolen something or lied to gain something, only to end up regretting it so much that he has tried to right his wrong. If anything, it only worsened his reputation. After all, once a thief, always a thief. But it is because of his very strong, almost domineering (to him) sense of morals that he can be trusted with anything from a dime to protecting someone's life. He is undyingly loyal and has a hard time accepting gifts from others when he knows that he cannot ever hope to pay them back. He would never steal from those he loves, even if it costs him his life. He is very responsible, and, as would be expected by what has already been said about him, he makes for an irreplaceably good friend.
Coleman is a good, wise leader, partly because of his vast life experiences and partly just because of his sensitive, caring nature. He has a good heart and tries to do right in the world, but the world never seems to make it easy on him. He is independent and responsible, not to mention determined to prove to himself that he is better than everyone tells him he is. He has basically given up on changing people's minds about him, since 18 years of life have done nothing but convince him that he is unable to do that. Hence, he tries not to care what others think about him, though this isn't always a walk in the park.
Despite all of this, Coleman is a rather humorous, light-hearted trickster who loves to goof around and have fun, but he knows when to be serious. He is quick on the draw when it comes to comebacks, and quite often they're good (insulting, humorous or not). Coleman has a very adept sense of when he is taking something too far, which leads to his almost overly apologetic side. He greatly fears hurting those he cares about, for it makes him believe that he is no better than his father. He is apt to quick/sudden mood changes (seemingly bi-polar, to an extent). He is a lot smarter than he looks, though he does not always try his hardest at schoolwork or related things.
Coleman is prone to having flashbacks, during which he often spaces out, appearing very sad. Most commonly, he thinks of his mother. Coleman gets very defensive when his mother is brought up and does not like to talk about it in the least bit. She was really the only person in his family who ever cared much for him, leading him to consider his friends as his family. His trust and respect is not all that easy to gain, but once you earn it, you've got yourself a great person to call friend. But back to the whole mother thing, Coleman is very sensitive about it. He will avoid talking about her at all costs and is quick to anger if/when someone presses the subject, though he does not become physically violent. Just verbally. Coleman has a <>ferocious temper</b>, just like his father, only he controls it much, much better and is a thousand times slower to become angry (in most cases). He does not always control what he says, however. Speaking of family stuff is not something Coleman will do light-heartedly. He does not like to talk about his past, partly out of shame and partly out of the fear that it will scare those he cares about away. He will only willingly discuss his past with those he truly values and cares about, and even then the details are very few and far between.
Coleman does not despise praise, but if he receives more than just a small amount of it, it makes him a bit uncomfortable. He does not like it when others ask him about his numerous bruises or scars, for it embarrasses him and makes him feel like whoever is asking him about them is caring about him too much. Coleman prefers to care about others, for when others openly care about him just as much as he cares about them, it often makes him unsure of how to react. Things he is not used to receiving, just like with any other living person, make him uncomfortable.
History: One word- abuse. Coleman's father was a raging alcoholic. Sober or not, his two favorite hobbies seemed to be collecting welfare and food stamps, then drinking them up, and beating the living hell out of his wife and seven kids. Sometimes it was because they made a mistake, like back talking him or dropping something or sleeping too late, but other times it was simply because he damn well could. Coleman feared his father. He saw his father like the 6'5", 300 pound living embodiment of terror itself. But it wasn't like his three older brothers (or their friends) were any better. They were just a hell of a lot leaner and younger, weaker (though that wasn't saying it didn't hurt) but quicker with their swings.
Coleman was born on the 22nd of November, the result of a terrible Valentine's Day roughly 9 months earlier, though Coleman never knew just how bad it had been. Coleman grew up in a small little shit town in southern Michigan called Buckle, population 421, roughly. That number only ever changed when new babies were born or old folks died. No one ever seemed to move there, and they were right for it. There were slightly larger towns closer to the major cities, and that's where a lot of the newcomers to the state preferred to moved. Good for them, Coleman always said, that kept them out of Buckle-Down-and-Head-to-Hell, Michigan. That fantasy of having a new kid move into town and change the place never came true. Damn movies lied about that. It never came true, as far as Coleman was concerned. He was born there, and it was likely that he would die there (or so he grew up believing for 18 years).
He could never escape the abuse. At home, it was his father and brothers. At school, it was mostly verbal or simple tricks (he had a strong swinging arm that had taught most people not to mess with him otherwise, which, of course, had only added to his family's- and therefore his- nasty reputation), but it was still abuse, nonetheless. Coleman only ever had two really good friends in that town- Beau and Stanton. He had met them in elementary school, both during a fight. Funny thing is, Coleman had actually met them both in the same fight. He had fought Beau to save Stanton's face from him. Beau had held his own against Coleman pretty well, and that had earned him his respect and later his friendship. Stanton and Beau had already been best friends; they had just gotten into fight over some girl. Befriending Beau quickly led to befriending Stanton. It was not long before they all became a trio of best friends. They were a gang of three with Coleman as the leader, though this 'gang' never really did anything bad. They just hung out and caused the occasional childish mischief, going on a few adventures here and there.
There were only two real gangs in that town, one of which Coleman's older brother (a Hellhound just like himself), Darren, was in. His two oldest brothers, Tyler and Guy (both also Hellhounds), were serving a life-sentence for having raped and murdered a thirty year old woman on her way back from the grocery store. Coleman's father (a Hellhound), sir, as he knew him, had been convicted of several petty crimes along with an assault and battery charge, but Coleman was sure he had murdered someone, too. Coleman's mother, Dana, was a sad little thing. She was human and her husband and half of her children were Hellhounds, but she never actually learned that until the day she died. She, Mrs. Coolidge, had once been a vibrant, pretty blonde but after years of abuse and childbirth, she had been sucked into the whole mess and had been unable to escape. Instead of looking 30 something, she looked like a rode-hard 40 year old. Her hair was littered with gray; her dainty face wrinkled like the roads on a map. Coleman also had three younger siblings (all of which were humans): Grace, Peyton (brother), and Kayla. Peyton was human, but he hardly ever acted like it. He spent a lot of time in and out of juvenile detention, mostly for causing fights at school (though once he did pull a knife on a kid). So there was Coleman's immediate family. This was not to mention what his grandfather had been like to have turned Coleman's dad into the monster that he was, nor to mention any of Coleman's uncles or cousins, most of which resided in various prisons around the globe.
Anyways, to sum up a lot of monotonous tales of woe (they never seemed very monotonous to poor Coleman), Mr. Coolidge had put pretty much everyone in that house in the hospital at least once. Coleman had been twice that he could clearly remember, four times that had been kinda fuzzy, and countless more completely and utterly, helplessly unconscious. He was often "getting sick" and having to miss school because he was beaten so bad he could hardly stand. Coleman hated his house. He hated pretty much everyone in it, too. Darren made sure to terrorize him whenever their father wasn't. Why? Coleman didn't know. It was probably because Darren had a lot of built up anger and frustration from the constant abuse from their father that he just had to let out at some point, but Coleman didn't think that much into it. All he knew was that he absolutely abhorred his older brother and his father. His rapist/murderer brothers, he never really knew, but he hated them too. They had littered his early days with torment. Coleman tried to help Peyton out, but his younger brother only seemed to hate him for it. Coleman was powerless to prevent yet another lost cause. His sisters, Grace and Kayla, were sad, sheepish little things. They were so ridden with fear that they even believed Coleman was going to hit them. There was nothing he could do for them. He had tried to convince his mother to just leave her husband, but she was faithful and stupid and utterly terrified enough to not. This was what ultimately caused her death when Coleman was 13.
Coleman had been spending the day with Casey, his girlfriend at the time. He had forgotten to bring home the groceries, which had sent his father into a rage. Coleman was knocked to the ground and kicked repeatedly in the ribs. During this beating, he had spat blood and mouthed off in some tiny attempt to make himself feel less powerless, but it had only infuriated his father even more. He went to kick the cowering, horribly beaten Coleman in the head, only to be stopped by his crying, screaming wife. Mr. Coolidge shoved her down, but before he could begin beating his son's face in, Mrs. Coolidge was up and trying to stop him again. Then Mr. Coolidge had lost it. He had flung her frail body to the ground, slamming her head against the dirty tile floor. It was the first time Coleman ever saw his dad change forms. In a matter of seconds, the beer bottle he had once been holding clanked on the ground, and in the place of the beer-stained monster stood a giant, bloody, flaming behemoth almost the size of a horse. Maybe his Hellhound form was symbolic to his true nature, though Coleman never thought about that. Mrs. Coolidge shrieked and raised her arms to defend herself, shaking like mad, but it was not enough. Her husband, the Hellhound, tore into her with his jagged fangs. Blood sprayed the room and screams were soon drown out by the almost rag-doll like thudding of a body repeatedly against the floor and the snapping of bones. Coleman, even with bruised and cracked ribs, had managed to force himself to his feet. It was the first time Coleman ever took his true form, a smaller (probably about the size of a lion) Hellhound littered with chunks of missing fur and flesh and a few jutting bones. He attacked his father. And lost. Coleman's mother was dead. Her remains had been horribly mauled and disfigured almost to the point of no recognition. And Coleman was only lucky enough to have survived with several broken bones and a horrendously bruised back due to the unexpected presence of Darren in the kitchen, who later suffered from several bruised ribs after a Hellhound fight.
The funeral for Coleman's mother was quick, cheap, and not nearly as attended as it should have been. Perhaps this was the ultimate symbol that Coolidge was a synonym for extreme disinterest and hatred. He had learned that he was not human on the same day that his mother had died, but the whole thing had been pretty terrible for him. Now that her funeral was over, he had finally been able to think more about his being a Hellhound. Out of fear of his father, he did not even dare approach him and ask him about it. Even though he despised Darren greatly, he just had to know. Coleman asked his older brother about whatever-the-heck-it-was-that-they-were, and Darren answered him. He told Coleman that no one else could know about it, and threatened to take his life if he ever told anyone. Darren was looking out for himself mostly, for he knew that magic beings were being hunted down and killed every day. Coleman didn't really understand the gravity of the situation until he did some research on the internet, and, to put it shortly, the stuff he saw at age 13 kept him quiet as a mouse about who he truly was for the next five years. He didn't even tell Stanton and Beau, no matter how badly he wanted to at times. No one could know or he and his entire family (even though he disliked them about as close to hatred as he could get) would die.
Coleman spent as much time as he possibly could away from his house, typically hiding out in Stanton or Beau's house, though there were times when he had to camp out under the stars. Many a time, Coleman was kicked out of his house, and many a time he had snuck back in during the winter in fear of otherwise freezing to death due to his lack of enough money to get a coat. This often resulted in a horrendous beating, which is one of the reasons Coleman quickly turned into a light sleeper with nimble feet and hands good for sneaking in and out of a creaky old rotting house. Beau and Stanton's parents didn't like Coleman, either. He was a Coolidge, so he was automatically a big pile of steaming dog shit. Stanton and Beau didn't believe that, and sure, there were several other people in the town that didn't. The only problem was that Stanton and Beau were the only two who actually tried to do something about it, other than Coleman, of course. No one else really saw it as their problem, so they never really intervened more than once, if ever. The police never even seemed to care. Typical small town cop mentality. Perhaps the only thing that could have gotten them to care would be someone burning the house down with everyone in it, but even then it was still questionable. No one bothered the Coolidges. Let the trash be trash.
But it wasn't like the Coolidges liked to deal with cops, anyways. Cops were often beating down their door looking for Darren or, in the later years, Peyton, for some petty crime. Being a family of Hellhounds (or, at least, partially), their criminal records weren't the primary thing causing them to hate cops. Cops were the law, obviously, and throughout history, the law had never done much to help Hellhounds (or witches, or any other persecuted race for that matter) with being hunted down and killed by the masses. Coleman does not despise all cops, but he certainly looks down on them as cowards because of this.
Fast-forward several years of cruelty (and a few short-term girlfriends on Coleman's part), and Coleman was now 18. He would have gladly dropped out of high school and left as soon as he could, but Stanton and Beau convinced him to finish high school. Sometime during those last few months of high school, Coleman experienced his first miracle. He heard of the World Train. He began saving up money, working as many jobs as he could (he had already been working some to help pay for food). But it still wasn't enough to afford a ticket (later he learns that there are no tickets). Coleman abandoned his morals (painfully) for his lust for freedom. He began selling drugs for the gang his brother Darren was now leading. Coleman absolutely hated it, but the money just started pouring in, and because of that, he knew it was his only shot out of there. As soon as he finished high school (his grades weren't anything to be very proud of, but at least he had graduated, unlike some in his family), he up and left Buckle, Michigan. He wanted to get Stanton and Beau to go with him, but that was impossible. They were human, and Coleman was not. And the World Train was the only place in which humans were not allowed and non-humans were. It was like the reverse of the rest of the world, Coleman thought. Reluctantly, he had to say goodbye to his two best friends- his true brothers. He packed whatever he had (which wasn't much more than some tattered hand-me-downs and a carton of cigarettes) and left.
Finally, he was free. Coleman traveled a great distance until he reached the train stop for the World Train. When it finally arrived and he took that first step onto it, he could feel what he had been searching for for a long time. Coleman was finally free.
Skills: Because he is a Hellhound, Coleman possesses a heightened sense of strength in both his human and true canine form, though he is stronger in the latter. Because he has been beaten for most of his life, he has a higher pain tolerance than most, though it's nothing truly superhuman. He is a skilled fighter and knows his way around handguns and knives. He is also a skilled gambler and excellent trickster. Coleman is a decent smooth-talker, in some cases, and has nearly perfected his persuasive, well-known Coolidge smile.
In his Hellhound form, his flames act as real flames, for the most part. He can (and often does, accidentally) burn/scorch things around him. Coleman is an extremely light sleeper, which makes it nearly impossible to sneak up on him when combined with his heightened senses of smell and hearing. He can eat raw meat and not get sick. The negative effects of smoking are very slow to appear in Coleman due to his having a natural resistance to smoke (otherwise Hellhounds would just choke on their own smoke and suffocate), other than the smell, addiction, decreased stamina, and yellow stains on his teeth. Needless to say, Coleman's Hellhound form cannot be burned. While his human form can be burned, it is much more resistant to fire than the average person.
Weaknesses: Fear is always a weakness, and Coleman fears that he will lose the ones he loves and that he will turn out like his father. His temper is ferocious, and although he never physically abuses anyone, his anger can cause him to verbally tear someone's head off, or at least verbally put salt in their wounds. In that sense, he can't really control his temper and lets it get the better of him. Changing into his Hellhound form does not take much longer than a few seconds, though it is extremely tiring. Be it physical or just emotional, Coleman is always in pain. Coleman is a Coolidge. That is a weakness, at least, where he is from. Coleman has a certain heated cynicism towards violence, so he will always make an attempt to stop it, even if it means risking his life. For obvious reasons, his flaming Hellhound form and water do not mix. Putting out the flames makes him incredibly tired and, in some cases, may cause him to almost instantly fall asleep. Coleman's strong, easily recognizable scent (be it of cigarettes or his natural one of charred, rotting flesh and dog blood) makes it a lot easier to track him. Being a very light sleeper, Coleman can suffer from sleep deprivation a lot easier than the average person. He cannot eat multiple salads in a row, for the overwhelming amount of vegetables will make him vomit. Just like water, strong winds (which also put out fires) make him tired in both forms, though especially in his canine form. Because of the fact that Coleman smokes like crazy, his stamina suffers, though not tremendously due to his natural resistance to smoke. As the years go by, lung cancer and similar respiratory problems commonly caused by smoking obsessively are ever so slowly appearing in him at a rate far slower than that of a normal human.
Health: 150
Attack: 100
Magic: 50
Defense: 100
Speed: 100
Likes: Smoking, eating meat (preferably raw), stopping violence, joking around, helping others, being near those he loves and cares about, gambling, tricking people (light-heartedly), not being home/not being in Buckle (Michigan), women (especially those who aren't afraid to break social norms), purposely bothering/disturbing people, walking around in his Hellhound form (partly for his like of disturbing people), water (but only in his human form), climbing trees, freedom, (wearing) leather jackets, speaking freely (which includes cursing), being a leader, exploring, spontaneous things and people, being brave (not because it strokes his ego, but because it makes him feel like he has purpose), feeling like he has purpose, when things are calm from time to time, being warm, having somewhere comfortable to sleep (preferably in a house, though he will sleep outside when absolutely necessary), laughing, great comebacks ('burns')
Dislikes: Violence, alcohol, stealing, lying, seeing someone else's blood (he does not fear blood; instead, it makes him feel angry and powerless to have prevented it), abuse in any form, being cold (he would much rather overheat), getting a lot of praise, remembering the past, sleeping (he often has nightmares of some sort), selling drugs, being hungry, his scars and bruises, people who judge too quickly, being misunderstood, how he naturally smells, being interviewed/ questioned, school/tests, focusing on one thing for very long (it bores him), people who complain too much, people who can't keep anything to themselves, people who take their misery out on others, jumping to conclusions (or people who do so), being asked if he beats his girlfriends (he doesn't, but because of his father, he's used to people assuming he does), being useless/ standing around doing nothing when something needs to be done, gangs, crime, searching through garbage (for food; he had to do this on rare occasion), being unable to repay someone, when someone can't take a joke or takes a joke too far
Misc. Facts: Coleman is a hardcore smoker. If it wasn't for his increased strength due to being a Hellhound, Coleman's bones would be rather disfigured/frail due to constant abuse while growing up. Due to lack of funds, Coleman rarely ever gets the chance to buy new clothes or clean them, which leads to his dirty, tattered appearance. He has only ever seen a $100 bill five times in his life, at least three of those times being when he was selling drugs. He is terribly ashamed of being a drug dealer, but he continues to do so on occasion when he does not have enough money to survive otherwise. Coleman would rather sell drugs than be forced to steal, for at least with selling drugs he has to do something to earn the money. Coleman has nearly broken every single bone in his body at some point and time. As a result, he has been hospitalized more times than he can count. He is an extremely light sleeper.
Pet: None. Coleman can hardly afford to take care of himself, let alone a pet.
RP Sample: Coleman was a young man who believed in settling your differences with words rather than fists, though he knew that there comes a time when words aren't always going to cut it like a swift hit in the jaw would. And he respected that- so long as it didn't go too far. And it was that mentality that had landed Coleman in his current predicament.
It wasn't the first time he'd been around when a fight had broken out, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. The lean 15 year old didn't particularly enjoy snooping and getting involved in things that weren't his business, but, admittedly, it's kind of hard not to notice two people yelling in each other's faces at the table next to you in the high school cafeteria. It was a small cafeteria, too, so the sounds were only magnified as they bounced off the walls and captured the attention of every individual in the room. A small crowd had already started to form around the two arguing young men, mentally drooling at the thought of a fight breaking out. Savages. Coleman knew this both from previous experience and from the fact that several backsides were dangerously close to him as he sat at his table and continued to eat whatever lumpy slop the school had decided to call mashed potatoes that day. They tasted bland and salt-less, which was a giant step up from how they smelled and looked. Better they taste like the cardboard box they came out of than the green lumps they were littered with. But Coleman wasn't complaining. It was either this or go hungry. Again. It was the end of the month and the next set of food stamps hadn't come in yet. 'The rationing week,' as his brother, Darren, called it, though it was more like 'the week of nothing but stale pizza and old beer cans.'
Before Coleman could take another bite of the slop, he heard an all too familiar sound ten or so feet behind him. It was the dull thud of a fist against the side of someone's face, followed immediately after by the squeaking, scrambling of sneakers against tile floor as someone attempted to regain their balance and retaliate. Then came the second thud. It was on.
Coleman found himself rather abruptly abandoning the color-wheel of food he had previously been eating, standing up and turning around to see what was going on all in one motion. Being just a hair over 6' had its advantages; he could see over most everyone's heads. All the dirty blonde-haired boy could make out was the back of a letterman jacket. Whoever was on bottom was getting their face beaten in, which was evident by the repetitious, malicious thuds and the cheering and oohing of the quickly growing crowd. Coleman just couldn't stand it. He weaved in between people as best as he could but shoved those who refused to move. In a matter of seconds, Coleman was at the front of the crowd, surrounded by sadistic fucks and a few angry people behind him, though their anger was quickly replaced with the intense hunger that came with watching a fight up close and personal. It was a hunger that sickened Coleman to the very core.
As soon as he had parted the red sea of people (a lot less gracefully than Moses had), Coleman found himself standing mere inches away from two animals tearing into each other. Well, one animal being a lion and the other a coyote. He did not hesitate to grab the shoulders of the guy wearing the letterman jacket, pulling him up and off of the bloody guy lying on the tile floor beneath. The letterman guy struggled to break free, elbowing Coleman in the stomach. He loosened his grip, if only for a half a second. "Fuck!" Coleman snarled in response, tightening his grip and prying the guy off of the clear loser of the fight once again. He hurled him backwards, which given the awkward angle only caused the guy to land on his butt and scoot back a foot at the most.
A single glance at the guy on the ground showed him that that fight was over. The guy was conscious but… well, that would certainly leave a few bruises for him to look at for the next couple of days. Immediately Coleman turned his attention over to the winner of that fight, who was now standing.
"What the fuck, man?" he growled, his face mere inches from Coleman's.
"I think you hit him enough."
"I'll fucking say when enough's enough!" He started to go past the blonde, who moved over to block his path. "Did your dad knock the sense out of you, Coolidge? Move your ass out of my way or I'll move it for you!"
A bit of anger flared up inside of Coleman, but he easily extinguished it. He was used to this. After all, 15 years of it was sure to make a person used to just about anything. Instead of moving, he replied, "Sure, violence is sometimes the answer. I mean, we got an Army for a reason. But now ain't one of those times!"
The letterman guy didn't seem very satisfied with his answer. He got up in Coleman's face again, threatening him once more, "Fucking move, Coolidge. This isn't your fight."
"Threaten me or that motherfucker one more time and you won't have to worry about biting your dad's cock the next time you suck him."
If it hadn't been for the fact that Coleman had fought that kid before (and won), he certainly would have decked him for that. Furious, he searched for a response, spitting, "What, do you love him or something? Fucking pussy; I shoulda known you were a faggot. You ain't even worth my time, faggot." And with that, the letterman jacket wearing guy turned and left, taking his angrily twisted expression with him.
Coleman watched him go for a second or two before turning back around to help the guy on the ground, who was now sitting up. "You okay, Stanton?"
The guy, Stanton, rubbed his throbbing forehead. "Yeah… he's lucky you pulled me off of him or I woulda hurt him real good."
Coleman stifled a laugh. "Yeah, I bet you woulda."
I hope you enjoy your stay at WT


text:
According to many NFL analysts, justice has been served.
Aeneas Williams, a former cornerback for the Arizona Cardinals and the St. Louis Rams, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in the Class of 2014.
Williams had an impressive career. Williams had a total of 55 interceptions in his career.
It can be argued that Williams is a better defensive back than Deion Sanders. What separates Williams from Deion Sanders is his great tackling ability, and how physical a cornerback he was, compared to Deion Sanders. Williams did not possess the "punt return" abilities as Deion Sanders, but Williams should be on top of that list, alongside Deion Sanders with his playmaking ability.
Williams is the first player drafted by the Arizona Cardinals to be elected in the Hall of Fame.
Williams was selected in the third round, out of Southern University. He played nearly 10 years with the Arizona Cardinals.
Williams has an impressive resume. He had 677 tackles, 23 fumble recoveries, and 55 interceptions. Another interesting fact is that Williams had 12 touchdowns, three on fumble recoveries and nine on interceptions.
Williams was selected to the Pro Bowl eight times, one at safety and seven times as a cornerback.
Aeneas Williams is one of the most underrated cornerbacks in the game. Williams is as good as Darrell Green and Deion Sanders. Sanders and Green never played the run like Williams did, but Sanders and Green got inducted to the Hall of Fame before Williams.
An interesting fact that shows why Williams should be considered one of the best cornerbacks of all time is the fact that he is tied for third in NFL history with 12 defensive touchdowns, and 11th in NFL history with 23 fumble recoveries by a defensive player.
Move over Deion Sanders, Aeneas Williams will be inducted into the Hall of Fame and taking his place as arguably the best cornerback in NFL history.


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Tony and Maureen Wheeler on a beach in Australia,
where they published their first guidebook
"Sharing the World" -- The Enormous Success of Lonely Planet
By Renee Estey
Tony and Maureen Wheeler, authors of Across Asia on the Cheap and the creators of Lonely Planet have become extremely successful doing exactly what they love, traveling.
They started off as two offbeat twenty-something year-olds in a park, Regent's Park in central London to be exact. They met at a park bench on a sunny afternoon on October 7, 1970. They soon began dating and traveled a few places around Britain during their first year together.
In the summer of 1971, they decided to take a bigger trip across Europe, heading first to Czechoslovakia, and then through Austria, Yugoslavia, and Venice and finally back up through Switzerland and France.
Tony Wheeler finished his second segment of college schooling and was about to begin the 9-5 job, but he and Maureen decided against it, insisting that they go on a one year trip around the world and then settle down.
"It Was the Time to Go"
Regarding their decision to travel across Asia, Tony Wheeler says, "Both of us loved travel. We'd talked about travel in the first hours after we met and we'd made a number of shorter trips including, the first summer after we met, a foray into what was at that time 'behind the iron curtain.' The 'hippy trail,' although I don't think it enjoyed that name until later, was very much the trip to make. So we made it."
"There were strange tales drifting back from Morocco and Afghanistan," he said. "It was the time to go."
At the Taj Mahal
When they arrived in Australia, they were asked so many questions about traveling in Asia that they decided to write a guidebook, which they published themselves. They decided to call it Across Asia on the Cheap. Then they needed a name for their publishing company.
Tony was listening to a Matthew Moore song called "Space Captain" recorded by Joe Cocker. The actual lyric is, "This lovely planet caught my eye," but Tony thought it was "lonely planet." They liked the sound of it, and the rest is history.
Unlikely Destinations is a book about Tony and Maureen Wheeler's lives from penniless college students to successful travel book publishers. A huge moment for Tony and Maureen was when they crossed the Bosporos by ferry. Tony says, "It was a definite feeling of transition from Europe to Asia."
Time and Money
Concerning the success of Lonely Planet, and their initial trek across Asia, Tony said, "Once upon a time every penny counted. If there wasn't a cheap place to stay it was a big problem. Now it's not a problem anymore."
"Once upon a time we had time but no money. Then perhaps we had more money, but less time. Now we have both."
The success they had from the first book was something unexpected. Of course they anticipated it being sold locally, but the incredible success that it enjoyed worldwide and the continuing success certainly were a great surprise. They decided to wait on those silly 9-5 careers and travel and soon enough their career found them.
The lonely planet taxi helped promote the guides.
Big Dreams
It is very inspiring, because most people won't travel or do something so outrageous, because they are afraid, so they wind up with jobs they hate. But, what they don't realize is that if their big dreams do not work out, they can always go back to square one.
Tony said, "Having less money does keep you closer to the real world, more in touch with things. But it's artificial to think you can keep doing things the same way forever. I've tried poor and I've tried rich and I know which I prefer."
"Of course there are many places in the world where all the money in the world isn't going to insulate you from the experience, because there's nowhere to spend it. If the only way to get there is a beat up bus and the only place to stay is a fleapit then that's what you're going to have to do if you want to go there."
Family Travel
Tashi and Kieran did a lot of traveling.
As Tony and Maureen's company boomed, their family life boomed, as well. After the birth of their two children Tashi and Kieran, they continued to travel, but children were suddenly part of it and it became a whole new kind of travel. Maureen even wrote a guidebook about it called Travel with Children.
Tony Wheeler has a good attitude about the way tourism is now as opposed to 'back then' and he seems to think that while things may not be up to par with how they are remembered before tourism became so popular, people visiting places for the first time will still find them fantastic.
A Huge Success
After 30 years in business, Lonely Planet now publishes more than 500 different guides to destinations around the world, and they have more than 500 employees in offices on three continents, as well as 300 writers out combing the world for information.
To date they have published more than 80 million copies of their guides.
The company also offers digital travel guides and hosts an award-winning website, as well as producing television programs.
Tony and Maureen are both still active in the business. Tony writes travel guides for selected destinations, as well as other books including Chasing Rickshaws, a pictorial essay on the rickshaw in Southeast Asia, Time & Tide: The Islands of Tuvalu, a snapshot of life in the South Pacific and more recently Rice Trails: A Journey Through the Ricelands of Asia & Australia. His 2005 guide to East Timor won the Gold Award for best travel guide from the Pacific Asia Travel Association.
The Wheelers with their first guidebook
Maureen works with the Lonely Planet Foundation, which directs five percent of the company's profits to a wide variety of conservation and social programs all over the world.
The company also offsets all travel by their staff by funding environmental projects through ClimateCare.org.
Sharing the World
The Wheelers have ensured that Lonely Planet maintains a total commitment to responsible travel, right down to using recycled materials in publishing. And through the tremendous impact their guides have had on travelers around the world, they have certainly done far more than their share to make this "lonely planet" a better place.
"Today, more than ever," they write on their website, "we're utterly convinced of the incredible importance of travel. It's only through traveling, through meeting people, that we begin to understand that we're all sharing this world. We are all coming along for the ride, despite the barriers which governments, religions and economic and political beliefs often seem to build up between us."
UPDATE: Lonely Planet, the storied travel guidebooks publisher, has been sold by its parent company BBC Worldwide in 2013 for US$75 million to NC2 Media -- a significant decrease on its original purchase price.
The buyer is a doozy: NC2 Media's primary shareholder is reclusive Kentucky billionaire Brad Kelley. Kelley spent the 1990s selling discount cigarette brands like USA Gold, Bull Durham, and Malibu, then sold the company for almost US$1 billion in 2001, and parlayed that money into becoming the one of the largest land owners and conservationists in United States.
Renee Estey is a former intern at GoNOMAD.com. She graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Read an excerpt from Unlikely Destinations by Tony and Maureen Wheeler.
Read more about Lonely Plant
Lonely Planet
59 Ba Trieu St. Lonely Planet CafA(c)
33 Hang Be St. Kolo Friendship


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North Korea is a state — why not say so?
Author: Jeong Lee, Pusan
In her Foreign Policy article last year, outgoing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton asserted that America is and must be 'prepared to lead' in the Asia Pacific.
In hindsight, her essay articulated the essence of President Barack Obama's 'pivot strategy'.
So how will the pivot affect the extant US–ROK alliance that has been in place for more than six decades? Most likely, the alliance will be fraught with uncertainties in the years to come. One crucial determinant in the future of US–ROK alliance is the US budget. Another is the evolution of the parties' interests. However, most important problem is the question of what to do about the DPRK.
According to a report by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) in 2012, 'many of the moves the Administration has taken and said it will undertake are relatively small-scale' since they are 'designed to have a large symbolic impact'. So the pivot strategy for the Korean peninsula may mean the United States increasingly favours a diplomatic approach to the Korean peninsula over a long-term military presence, since, as the CRS report warns Congress, one salient 'budgetary issue is that the number of U.S. troops sustained in Japan and Korea may, over time, prove to be more of a drain on U.S. flexibility'.
The diplomatic dimension of the alliance has become strained in recent times, despite Obama's recent assurance to South Korea's president-elect, Park Geun-hye, that: 'The US–ROK alliance [continues to] serve as a linchpin of peace and security in the Asia Pacific'. The president's official statement did not address the underlying issues in the relationship — America's frustration with the ROK's desire to develop its own nuclear capability and the unsuccessful attempt to bolster ROK–Japan ties to deal with the DPRK. It remains to be seen whether the Obama administration and the incoming Park administration can establish a good rapport.
Still, the pivot strategy within the context of the Korean/Choson Peninsula is feasible. But in order to translate this strategy into a viable solution, both the ROK and the United States should grant the DPRK long-overdue sovereign recognition. What would this entail? First, the ROK and DPRK must peacefully coexist and exchange embassies. For the United States, formally recognising the DPRK may bring mixed results, but it can and must live with them. Given that the DPRK has historically proven to be anything but predictable, and that the Obama administration may have to deal with Congress and hardliners who want to retaliate against the DPRK for its successful rocket launch and possible nuclear test in December 2012, diplomatic recognition may not seem initially appealing.
Nevertheless, in every crisis there is an opportunity. The key to successfully engaging North Korea, according to Nah Liang Tuang, is for the United States to 'to look at the situation from North Korea's perspective'. After all, Nah argues: 'Kim and his advisors respond better to carrots than sticks'. Favourable outcomes of recognition would be that the United States may ultimately gain the upper hand by fostering trade and be able to keep the petulant DPRK ruler accountable to international norms. By offering carrots such as Most Favoured Nation status, it may wean Kim Jong-un away from China.
For the ROK, since the United States will hand over wartime operational control to the ROK military in 2015, recognition could help avert a potentially lethal fratricidal war in light of a diminishing American presence. Recognition may also foster trade with the DPRK and help its economy, which would lessen the ROK's burden. As one South Korean academic told the New York Times in 2010 'Most South Koreans say they want unification, but they don't necessarily want to pay for it'.
At the same time, recognition may be a bitter pill to swallow for ROK President-elect Park. Her attempt to extend the olive branch to Kim Jong-un may be opposed by hawks within her own ruling party and an international community bent on punishing the DPRK for its successful rocket test. There is also a constitutional issue — as Professor Yunshik Chang notes, '[since] the South Korean constitution does not recognize N.K. as a sovereign state, [a]mending the constitution for that purpose is not going to be easy'. Despite these challenges, Victor Cha of Georgetown University may be correct to argue: 'She is the first South Korean president who has already been to North Korea and met with Kim Jong-il … she will have a more rational view on inter-Korean relations'.
Meanwhile, in the United States, now that the Obama administration has outlined its goal, time has come to turn it into reality. Formally recognising North Korea as a sovereign state may be the best means to do so.
Jeong Lee is a freelance blogger who lives in Pusan, ROK. He has been blogging for two years on International Security issues, and is also a contributing columnist for Americanlivewire.com. He may be reached by e-mail at email@example.com or via Twitter at twitter.com/j_lee077.
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East Asia Forum welcomes comments, both for adding depth to analysis and for bringing up important new issues. Original comments adding insight and contributing to analysis are especially encouraged.
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The problem with North Korea is its non predictable position. Actually what they need is to blackmail any time for any reason. There is no change even after new leadership of the grandson Kim. The world should be anxious. The challenge is growing very dangerous.
Thanks for the comment. Given that the DPRK/Chosŏn is unpredictable, and as you say, prefers to blackmail, don't you think that they give you all the more reason to cajole and flatter the "pariah" state?
Also, in focusing solely on the unpredictability aspect, what you conveniently overlook is the fact that Kim Jŏng-ŭn has recently extended the olive branch to the ROK president-elect, Park Geun-hye. What Kim Jŏng-ŭn tried to do when he test-fired Ŭnha-3 was to convey a message. That is to say, he is willing to work with the global community, provided that they do not threaten his regime survival. Don't you think that Kim Jŏng-ŭn, in the aftermath of the Arab Spring, perhaps sensed viscerally that unless he softens his image, he may meet the same fate as, say, Qaddafi or Mubarak? That is why we must help him maintain his grip on his dynasty, because what might come should the DPRK implode or start lashing out against its neighbors may be ugly–literally.
Thank you for the comment. You argue here that the DPRK/Choson is unpredictable and that much is true. But that gives us all the more reason to cajole and flatter the Hermit Kingdom, and as I argued above, the best way of doing so is by recognizing its sovereignty. The truth of the matter is, Korean War II is a war we cannot afford because there will be no winners but victims only and we must avoid this at all cost.
Also, in arguing that the DPRK is unpredictable and given to black-mailing–all of it true!–you overlook one thing. That is, you seem to forget or fail to mention here that Kim Jong-un has extended the olive branch to the ROK president-elect. The way I interpret this and the rocket-testing last month is that Kim Jong-un is looking for means to ensure his own regime survival. After the Arab Spring of 2011, he perhaps sensed viscerally that he must do something or lose his grip on his dynasty. So on one hand, by test-firing the long-range rocket, he is, in effect, saying, "Look, leave us alone and we'll work with you. But if you meddle with our internal affairs or look for ways to decapitate us, we'll give you a fight." Thus, it stands to reason that neither regime change or confrontation is a feasible option.
Best to ride the beast rather than attempt to tame it.
I want more Rason and more Kaeong! With such projects, the DPRK may change!
Oh, I agree. But much more may be needed to engage them. As I argued, we have to respect DPRK/Chosŏn's sovereignty.


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Natsume Yuujinchou Anime Online
Anime Natsume Yuujinchou
4.47 (438 Votes)
Summary:Natsume Takashi has the ability to see spirits, which he has long kept secret. However, once he inherits a strange book that belonged to his deceased grandmother, Reiko, he discovers the reason why spirits surround him. Containing the names of these spirits, a binding contract was formed between the spirits and the owner of the book. Now, Natsume is determined to free the spirits and dissolve the contracts. With the help of a spirit cat, his days are filled trying to return the names to these spirits. More
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Shoujo, Slice of Life, Drama, Supernatural
Manga: Read Natsume Yuujinchou Manga Online


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According to an article published by NBC News on April 2, officials at the Fort Hood military base have confirmed an incident has taken place, and has asked that all personnel on post shelter in place.
NBC News reports that as many as eight people may have been injured in a possible shooting at the Fort Hood military base on Wednesday. Officials say that one person has reportedly been taken into custody, and law enforcement are reportedly searching for a possible second shooter.
There are few details being released about the extent of the injuries being seen, but a supervisor at Scott & White Memorial Hospital reportedly told NBC News the hospital was "setting up a command center."
Fort Hood was the scene of the 2009 mass shooting where 13 people were killed and 30 others were injured; making it one of the most deadly attacks on a domestic military installation in history.
To be among the first to receive News from the Louisville News Examiner, please hit subscribe just under the media on the top left of your screen. It's anonymous and completely free.
If you need to contact the Louisville News Examiner send her an email to email@example.com.
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Planned Parenthood of New York and Catholics for a Free Choice blasted Archbishop Edward M. Egan of New York yesterday for his Sunday homily urging Catholics to vote for those "who share our commitment to fundamental rights for the unborn." The Archbishop's appeal was also made in the form of a letter he sent to all parishes in the New York... [Read more...]ABC'S "POLITICALLY INCORRECT" CONTINUES ITS ATTACK ON ROMAN CATHOLICISM
Last Friday night's episode of ABC's "Politically Incorrect" triggered a record number of complaints to the Catholic League. The discussion was Halloween and how it relates to paganism. The show's host, Bill Maher, commented how "Christianity is grafted on paganism"; media critic Holly McClure agreed. Actor Guy Torry then remarked,... [Read more...]CATHOLIC BASHERS STUFF HILLARY'S COFFERS
There were at least eight famous contributors to Hillary Clinton's fundraising event at Roseland Ballroom last night who have a record of Catholic bashing. Here is the evidence: Ben Affleck played in the anti-Catholic movie, "Dogma," and admitted that "The film is definitely meant to push buttons" Molly Shannon is best known for her crude... [Read more...]MICHIGAN ANTI-VOUCHER ACTIVISTS RESORT TO LYING
Anti-school choice activists in Michigan have now resorted to lying in their effort to stop the voucher initiative, Proposal 1, from winning on November 7. Television ads, run by "ALL Kids First!", show a disabled child in a wheelchair featuring the statement, "private schools are allowed to reject disabled students like Angelica." But as... [Read more...]DISHONESTY MARKS CATHOLIC SURVEY
Catholics for a Free Choice (CFFC) today released the results of a survey of Catholic voters. Catholic League president William Donohue read the survey and commented as follows: "Belden Russonello & Stewart, hired by Catholics for a Free Choice to do its survey, is not a disinterested research firm: in 1999 it was described before a House subcommittee... [Read more...]BROOKLYN CHURCH VANDAL GETS PROBATION; SEN. SCHUMER WILL SEEK FEDERAL PROBE
Primus St. Croix, the man who has confessed to destroying five religious statues in the Diocese of Brooklyn, was sentenced today to five years probation. The Catholic League has requested New York Senator Charles Schumer to ask the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate whether St. Croix can be prosecuted under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrance... [Read more...]IRS TO INVESTIGATE CHURCH-STATE ABUSES
The Internal Revenue Service has agreed to investigate whether the campaigns of Hillary Clinton and John Corzine occasioned an infraction of IRS rules regarding church and state matters. The Catholic League also registered a complaint against Vice President Al Gore but was told that there was nothing the IRS could do about his recent bid to win the... [Read more...]JUSTICE DENIED IN BROOKLYN CHURCH VANDAL CASE
Yesterday, in Brooklyn Criminal Court, Primus St. Croix pleaded guilty to destroying five religious statues in the Brooklyn Diocese. Judge Anne Feldman accepted his guilty plea and is expected to sentence St. Croix today; she has indicated that he will be given five years probation. At yesterday's hearing, Lance Ogiste, the district attorney's... [Read more...]BROOKLYN CHURCH VANDAL GETS OFF EASY
Primus St. Croix, the man who used a sledgehammer to destroy statues at five Brooklyn Catholic churches, is about to be placed on five years probation. Under a plea bargaining agreement, St. Croix will serve no time behind bars. William Donohue, president of the Catholic League, voiced his concerns over the pending agreement: "Thanks to a news release... [Read more...]PETA RIPS OFF CATHOLIC IMAGERY
Beginning today, People for The Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is launching an advertising campaign that shows The Shroud of Turin along with the words, "Make a Lasting Impression—Go Vegetarian." The international campaign, which will originate in Turin, Italy, argues that Jesus was a vegetarian; it begins on the eve of the feast day of... [Read more...]


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Resources, Energy, and DevelopmentYear : 2005, Volume : 2, Issue : 1
First page :
Last page :
A GIS-based integrated framework for the inclusion of socio-economic aspects in watershed management
Lodha P P, Gosain A K1
Civil Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, New Delhi – 110 016, India. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
1Civil Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, New Delhi – 110 016, India <firstname.lastname@example.com>
The ultimate objective of watershed programmes is to achieve community development through restoration of degraded natural resources such as land, water, and vegetation. Most watershed programmes are carried out through the development of drought-prone areas, desert areas, wastelands, and rain-fed areas. Monitoring of such programmes for ensuring the health of the watershed and its community is critical. However, existing techniques do not represent the realistic scenario.
In this paper, an effort has been made to integrate the socio-economic aspects and hydrological consequences of watershed management. A new index called the House Hold Development Index has been constructed using socio-economic indicators, and has been embedded into the watershed management framework. The technique is employed on the Dudhi micro-watershed, which falls in the Raisen district of the state of Madhya Pradesh in India.


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For all those who are following the Washington-Arizona game live on GoHuskies.com, we are happy to provide ANOTHER way fans can follow the game from their homes in front of their computers.
Brian Beaky, from the UW Athletics Communications staff will be writing about game day events as they happen live from Bank of America Arena. We're going to let the action dictate what we talk about and we're also going to let you, the fans, send in comments or questions during the game.
So Saturday evening, pull up a chair, tune into the game action provided by the ISP Sports Network on the Dawg Channel All-Access (it's FREE!!!), load up the Gamertracker to keep stats, and keep us company by following our comments as the action unfolds.
And don't be shy...we want to hear from you!!


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Olive Oil Component Reduces Intestinal Ischemia
by Sheela Philomena on February 6, 2013 at 4:08 PM Diet & Nutrition News - G J E 4
Oleuropein aglycone a compound found in olive oil reduces intestinal ischemia (restricted blood supply) and the resulting reperfusion injury (tissue damage caused when blood supply returns), states study. Ultimately, this research could lead to therapeutic benefits for patients with spinal cord injuries, arthritis and pleurisy, as well as those suffering from intestinal ischemia/reperfusion.
"The phenolic compounds of olive oil can reduce the secondary injury associated with intestinal damage," said Salvatore Cuzzocrea, Ph.D., a senior researcher involved in the work from the Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences at the University of Messina in Messina, Italy. "Oleuropein aglycone may be useful in the therapy of inflammation-associated disease."
AdvertisementTo make this discovery, scientists used four groups of mice. The first group was subjected to intestinal ischemia by splanchnic arterial occlusion (SAO) followed by reperfusion. The second group was the same as the first but was also administered oleuropein aglycone. The third group of mice underwent identical surgical procedures except for SAO shock and was kept under anesthesia for the duration of the experiment. The last group was the same as the third, but was also given oleuropein aglycone. The histological structure of the gastrointestinal tract from the third group was typical of a normal architecture, but did not present any early inflammation. The ileum from animals subjected to intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) showed severe histological alteration with edema of the distal portion of the villi and the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, apoptosis and neutrophil infiltration were significantly increased. Oleuropein aglycone treated-mice showed reduced IRI-induced organ injury including a considerable reduction of inflammatory and apoptotic levels.
"Olive oil's healing properties have been known for millennia," said John Wherry, Ph.D., Deputy Editor of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, "but until relatively recently, we have had few direct scientific insights into exactly how it works in the body. Not only does this report shed light on the molecular details of how olive oil may provide health benefits, but it may open new doors to enhancing treatments based on this discovery."
Source: Eurekalert
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Why does DES use exactly 16 rounds and not more or less than 16? What is the significance of using 16 rounds?
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From Schneier's description of DES in Chapter 12 of Applied Cryptography (12.3):
This explains the "Why not less than 16".
As for the "why not more than 16", that is a tradeoff for speed of execution (more rounds = less speed).
Applied Cryptography mentioned this.
With 17 or 18 rounds a differential attack is about as costly as brute-force. And 19 rounds or more makes differential attack impossible since it requires more than $2^{64}$ chosen plaintexts, which is impossible since the DES block size is 64 bits.


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We'll keep you up to date on when and where we're playing and even post a photo every now and then.
We namecheck our favorite records and groups, blast gig dates and divulge personal grooming secrets.
You can purchase both Vamps releases on iTunes in addition to the Barry Leach releases. BUY.