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Legend of the Guardians
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Book by: NobodyX
Chapter 9 (v.1) - A New Adventure Begins
Sora's POV
"With this, you are no longer connected to Sora's hearts." He then raised the blade before cutting the chains, causing a blinding flash of light. When the light faded only one of the boys and the girl remained. Joseph then set them down and looked to Sora to find him unconscious. He looked to Kairi to find her frozen in fear. He sighed before appearing behind her with a heart. When the heart took shape he cut the chain and waited until the light faded before he summoned a portal and sent the girls through it he then picked up the boy and snapped his fingers, causing the barrier to dissipate. Vanitas was by his side in and instant. Just when they were about to leave Riku shouts at them.
"Sora! Kairi! What did you do to them?!" he asked angrily.
"Worry not, for your friends are safe. I simply took what doesn't belong to them." with that he and Vanitas walked through the portal. Riku ran after them only to have the portal vanish before he could reach it.
It was dark and I was falling, falling into the dark abyss that surely held my destination. I had been here more times than I can count and now I'm here once again. I can already feel my descent slowing as I neared the platform, something felt different though. As I got close I felt myself flip so that I would land feet first. When I landed, I looked around before taking a step forward, causing the darkness clinging to the platform to peel away like doves. I watched the birds fly off into the distance before looking down to find that it wasn't my picture on the stained glass, but a boy who looked to be four years younger than me.
The boy was peacefully sleeping while two powerful, golden keyblades rested in his hands. Another wielder? was my only thought as I looked around the platform to see the people connected with his heart. The Station was over twice as large as the others he had been to and it also held twice as many pictures. There was an inner circle, a middle circle, and an outer circle. The inner circle held four other children with keyblades. As I looked at all of their faces I noticed something that connects them, they were all crying in their peaceful sleep. I wanted to understand the cause behind their tears but I didn't know how long I had before I left this place. As I looked to the outer circle I saw a lot of familiar symbols. I was about to examine the rest of the portrait when I saw a door on the other side of the platform.
Time to leave, I guess. With that I walked up to the door and summoned the Kingdom Key. I pointed the blade at the door and waited until I heard a satisfying click before going through the light emanating from the door. When the light faded I saw the most amazing site in all of the worlds. Mighty giants and powerful creatures of all shapes and sizes roamed the land. It was such an amazing sight. I was about to get a closer look when a mighty golden dragon flew over head. It carried an orb of light in it's hand. When it set the object down I was engulfed in a blinding light.
When the light faded I found myself In a town of sorts. I looked around to see people stop what their doing to look up at the sky. I followed their example and looked to find the glowing orb from before falling from the sky. As I looked closer I saw that it held a small boy inside. The same boy from the pillar.
It was then that I woke up in a chair. I looked at my surroundings to see that I was in Yen Sid's tower. When I looked around I saw Axel leaning against the wall a few feet away, the King resting in a chair across the room, Riku looking at the floor with a thoughtful expression on his face and Kairi looking at me worriedly. When she saw that I was awake she held me like a life line. I could feel the heat rise to my cheeks as I returned the embrace. After what seemed like hours ( but were only a few minutes) we released each other I asked a question that has been on my mind since I woke up.
"What happened?" I asked groggily.
"We were attacked by a man wearing an organization cloak. He brought someone with him to distract me while he had his way with you two. By the time I could get to you, he was done." Riku explained. It was then that I remembered the events from before.
"Who are you?" I asked angrily while summoning my keyblade.
"My name is Joseph. I'm come to get something that doesn't belong to either of you." I then stood in front of Kairi Protectively as I got into my battle stance. When Joseph brought out his keyblade my eyes widened in shock.
"A keyblade? HOW?!" Before I could think about it Joseph appeared in front of me. I swung at him only to find Joseph behind me. In his hand were three hearts, all of which had a chain leading back to me. It was then that my eyes widened in panic.
"Sora! Please, don't hurt him." Kairi said worriedly.
"What are you going to do?" I asked. In that instant the hearts took shape. In their place were two boys that were identical and a girl.
"I mean to free them." Joseph said. As he said this he looked at them with sadness in his eyes. I saw this and in that instant my fear vanished and was replaced by confusion. Joseph then took his keyblade and placed it on the chains.
"With this, you are no longer connected to Sora's heart." He then raised the blade before cutting the chains, causing a blinding flash of light. When the light faded only one of the boys and the girl remained.
That man, he did something to me. I don't feel different though. So, what did he do then?At this thought I looked inside myself to see if there was anything different about me. Everything seemed normal, but I knew something was off. Hey Roxas, do you feel something strange about me? When I didn't get a response I tried again to reach the blond. That's when I realized that the thing that was missing, was Roxas. Knowing this, I decided to voice my thoughts.
"Roxas is gone, I can't feel him anymore. That guy Joseph must have taken him." I said.
"We know, he took Namine as well." Riku stated, still deep in thought.
"I was afraid of this." Yen Sid said.
"What do you mean Master?" Kairi asked.
"A Few days ago the man you describe as Joseph came here and told me of a new and great threat approaching." he said. At this everyone looked to him and listened intently.
"It was at that time that I sensed a very powerful darkness in our universe." he said.
"Could Xehanort be behind this?" the king asked. Yen Sid shook his head solemnly.
"This threat is cased by others that are more powerful than him I'm afraid. So much so that their power puts his to shame." he stated.
"So, your saying that these new guys are more than strong enough to mop the floor with him. Is that about right?" Axel stated rhetorically. Yen Sid simply nodded.
"As it stands, we do not posses the power to defeat this new enemy. That does not mean that they cannot be beaten." At this everyone looked to him with a hopeful expression.
"Joseph stated that this new threat is caused by beings of neither light nor darkness. As such only beings of nothingness and twilight can defeat them. He spoke of recruiting former organization members as well as children of twilight. I know not of his true intentions. I do, however, understand that these children are the only ones with enough power to defeat our enemy. As such, you must locate them and get them to join us. You may use force if necessary but be warned, their power is well beyond that of all of you combined. Be careful and prepare yourselves for the battles that are to come, for they may be your toughest battles yet." At his words they all saluted before heading to the new gummy ship.
Jake's POV
"She's... being held... in the...ruined...castle. Jake...help me...save her. We have to...save her." He said between heavy breaths. I looked myself before looking back to find Sophie and Amelia looking at me with hopeful eyes. I then looked to Jay and nodded. He gave me a relieved smile before closing his eyes, preparing himself for what I was about to do. I then closed my eyes and concentrated on my new found powers. If my light can heal wounds made from the darkness, then it should be able to heal normal wounds. With that in mind I concentrated the light on our wounds and thought only of healing. I heard gasps come from the women and assumed it was working. I opened my eyes to find Jay and I floating with green light healing our wounds. When the light faded we landed safely back on our beds. I then sat up and looked at Jay to find him sitting up also. He then looked at me and we nodded to each other with determination. Right now we were thinking the same thing, those bastards were going to pay.
We jumped from our beds to find that our clothes were already mended and on us. As we looked ourselves over wondering about the mystery we here Amelia's gasp of surprise. We turned looked at her and were shocked to find that she was holding a Keyblade. It was the Abyssal Tide keyblade. We could only watch speechlessly as she tested the weight of the blade in her hands. only one question was on our minds, how can she use a key blade? I looked to Jay to find him staring back with the same baffled expression I had. We then turned back to find her looking at us with a hopeful . I smiled and nodded at her unasked question and her face instantly lit up and she looked to the keyblade with determination. I then looked to the queen to find her sitting in a chair and looking worriedly at the ground. I walked up to Sophie and placed a hand on her shoulder. She then looked up at me with a hopeful expression on her face and I smiled.
"Don't worry, we'll get her back." I said gently. I gave her a reassuring smile and she smiled in return.
Three years later
The sun's gentle rays engulf me in warmth as I look over the kingdom from a nearby cliff. Jay and Amelia are with me, looking over the world and waiting for any signs of trouble. It's been three years since that day. Three years since those bastards took Katie. We've been training since then. Jay and I have learned how to master our new abilities and at the same time we've been teaching Amelia how to use her keyblade. After that we taught her soldiers how to defend themselves in case of a heartless attack.
As it turned out, after we finished training the soldiers there was a large heartless invasion. While the battle raged we searched for any sign of them, only to find no trace. It's as if they wanted us to become stronger so that we can be some form of a challenge for them when the time came. Well that worked in any case. Jay and I have managed to use new techniques in mastering our powers. We even managed to get Amelia to master her powers of the keyblade. Now all that was left was to wait until they attacked again. What we weren't expecting was for the attack to come so soon.
As the gentle breeze caressed our faces and the smells of the Kingdom wafted up our nostrils, I felt it. The powerful presence I felt three years ago. My deep blue eyes scanned the sky and sure enough, dark clouds began to roll in. I looked to Jay's intimidating brown eyes and saw that he was looking back with a determined expression. I then ran my hand through my gravity-defying silver hair and sighed. I was wearing the same attire that I wore three years ago as was Jay. Our clothes still fit perfectly and their magical attributes haven't really changed much. I looked to Amelia's blue eyes to find no trace of doubt. Good. She was wearing a pair of black jeans with a white tank and a black jacket that hugged her figure. She also had a pair of purple jordans.
"They're here." Jay said darkly.
"Are you ready?" I asked them. Amelia smiled before taking out a small box with a button on it. She pressed the button and threw it into the air. When it came down it became a purple air glider. She hopped on the board and waited for us to do the same. I looked to Jay to find him already on his black board waiting on me. I smiled before following their example and together we sped for the castle. When we got to town we saw that the soldiers were already fighting Heartless and new beings called Hollows. The Hollows showed up a few months ago. They are ten times stronger than heartless, not to mention smarter. We managed to build weapons for the military that were strong enough to beat these new monsters.
We pass through town and entered the Kingdom without incident. After putting away our boards we went directly to the throne room. Once we entered we walked up to the throne and bowed before the king Noctis and Queen Sophie.
"So, the time has finally come?" Noctis asked.
"Yes." was our simple reply. At this he rose from his throne and looked us over with his gentle blue eyes.
"Rise." he said. We did so and he continued.
"Go forth and defeat this menace who has stolen my daughter. Retrieve her at all costs and above all, be careful and come back safely." he said the last part softly.
"We won't let you down. We'll come back a soon as possible with Katie." I said with determination.
"Good luck, to all of you." he said. We simply nodded before getting our boards and heading for the abandoned castle.
When we got to the castle we were attacked by flying Hollows. They launched a barrage of darkness at us and we did our best to avoid the rain of attacks. Amelia then did a back-flip before cutting one in half.
"Leave these guys to me. You two go on ahead to the castle." she said as she swiftly cut down another one. We nodded before going on ahead. I new she had become a lot stronger since she got the keyblade, but I couldn't help but worry. When we got to the abandoned castle we put our boards away and walked into the grand hall, where we saw Grimm and Ulquiorra waiting for us.
"Well well, it looks like you've gotten a lot stronger since the last time we met. I can't wait to test your new found power." Grimm said with a psychotic smile on his face.
"What have you done to Katie you sick bastard?" Jay asked angrily.
"Katie? HAHAHA, my dear boy. I'm afraid I don't know what your talking about." Grimm said before laughing maniacally.
"SHUT UP! I'm sick of your games. Tell me what you've done with her!" Jay said darkly.
"Sorry my dear boy, but the games haven't even started yet. We're still missing one more player before we begin."
"What are you...?" Before Jay could finish his sentence Amelia burst through the double doors.
"Hey guys, sorry I'm late. What did I miss?" she asked sheepishly. When she saw the two standing before us she got behind us and formed a battle stance.
"Good. Now that the gang's all here, LET THE GAMES BEGIN." As he said this he created an orb of darkness in his hand and threw it to the sky, creating a dark barrier around the castle. He then began to laugh maniacally.
© Copyright 2017 NobodyX. All rights reserved.
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The Other Side of Erin Thorn
What prompted you to return to Brigham Young as a coach?
Coaching is what I would like to do in the future and I had an opportunity to return to BYU to gain experience in the field. I sure couldnt pass that up!
Describe your coaching style.
In my position, I dont really have a coaching style. I just help the girls with whatever they need. Im there for them.
Describe the transition of going back and forth between playing with and coaching Ambrosia Anderson?
I didnt really ever coach Ambrosia much, but it was fun to see her growth from playing with her my senior year and playing with her in New York. It has been fun to be around for her career.
How does being a coach during the off-season effect your game when you step back on the court as a player?
I understand what our coaches are thinking, whether I agree or not. I see things from a different perspective than simply being a player. I understand the whys more.
What is one thing youve learned as a player that you have taken back and taught as a coach?
Fundamentals are very important. Its the little things that make the big difference. Its better to be really good at a few things than just okay at a bunch of things.
Do you ever find yourself as a coach, thinking like a player, or vice versa?
As a coach, I sometimes wish I could be out there playing. I more find myself getting into coaching when I am a player than the other way around.
Do you feel that being a WNBA player gives you more credibility with your BYU players?
I think it helps. There is some level of respect coming in that opens up their minds to helpful suggestions from me.
Do you take notes or tips from the other coaches at BYU and use them to improve your game as a player?
Always. You always have to be improving. My game is far from perfect, so I try to listen to anyone who has helpful suggestions.
What is one value that you try to instill in your players?
Always be ready. You never know when you are going to get your chance and you need to be ready!
Do you see yourself coaching once you retire from the WNBA?
Absolutely, I would love to make coaching my full-time career once I retire.

subset: commoncrawl


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For Immediate ReleaseMarch 26, 2014
Contact: Michael Anthony ScerboEmail: firstname.lastname@example.com: 602 615 6523
Thunderbird Alumni Formally Submit Big And Bold Proposal to Fund Thunderbird Global School of Management; Reform Board Of Trustees
(GLENDALE, Ariz.) The Higher Learning Commission's (HLC) denial of Thunderbird's Change of Control application for the Thunderbird-Laureate alliance has given the alumni a second chance to get the renowned business school's future right, preserving its financial stability, reputation and mission.
On March 26, 2014, The Thunderbird Independent Alumni Association (TIAA) formally offered a lifeline that includes the financial means to allow the school to rebuild and restructure itself. The offer submitted from the TIAA to the Thunderbird Board of Trustees Chairwoman Ann Iverson states in part:"The TIAA will contribute, through a trust fund supported by alumni donations, funds sufficient to cover the negative operating cash flow of Thunderbird for a period not to exceed 3 years, to enable the Board to consider and carefully evaluate potential partnerships and/or alliances with other public or non-profit institutions of higher education."Among the conditions of the TIAA agreement, the Thunderbird Board of Trustees must have a supermajority of alumni, and during the period of financial assistance, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees must be an individual who serves as a Trustee of the TIAA trust fund.Concerned alumni formed the Thunderbird Independent Alumni Association (http://tiaaglobal.org) in opposition to the Thunderbird/ Laureate alliance. The TIAA considered it an effort to leverage the Thunderbird brand and its hard-earned reputation in order to deepen the pockets of a for-profit institution.
Now that the Laureate alliance has been rejected, the goal is to guide Thunderbird out of its current financial crisis while ensuring its reputation and mission remain intact.
"Before any further options for Thunderbird are reviewed, in a transparent manner, we must first bring the alumni, faculty and students back together in order to move forward as a single collective body to ensure the long-term sustainability of Thunderbird," said Merle Hinrich '65 TIAA Board of Directors. The offer has provisions to ensure any future alliances are properly vetted. The offer reads:"The Board of Trustees shall, upon reconstituting the Board consistent with the above changes, engage a professional firm to assist in the evaluation of prospective public or nonprofit institutions as partners for Thunderbird, and to gather the input and collective opinion of all constituents of the school--faculty, students and alumni -- in an open and transparent process to ensure that all constituents of the school move forward together in the best interests of the future of Thunderbird as a top ranked international business management school."
"We will provide the financial stability, and therefore sufficient time, to evaluate potential solutions that include remaining independent or finding proper alternative partners. This may require from one to three years or more. We want to clarify that TIAA has no intention of purchasing the school, changing the educational programs or entering into a partnership with Thunderbird, in competition against potential proposals," said another TIAA Board Member, Harry Cockrell '73.
The TIAA is making this offer to help the Thunderbird School of Global Management turn a page and ensure that future actions of the Board of Trustees respect the school's six decade legacy of educating business leaders worldwide. This is also being done to preserve Thunderbird's future legacy, the students who have enrolled or will enroll to what should be a world class institution.
"The TIAA, on behalf of the entire alumni community, is working hard to ensure that Thunderbird emerges from this time of transition stronger than ever. To our alumni, I ask you to join our conversation, volunteer your time, help graduating students find a suitable job, and donate to the TIAA campaign. Together we will make our shared vision a reality," continued Hinrich.
For a copy of the TIAA offer please contact Michael Scerbo at email@example.com.
About the Thunderbird Independent Alumni Association
The Thunderbird Independent Alumni Association (TIAA, http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=68181589&msgid=884351&act=N77X&c=332834&destination=http%3A%2F%2Ftiaaglobal.org%2F) was created By Alumni, For Alumni to support Thunderbird alumni and build the #1 global alumni network. The TIAA is a volunteer membership organization of dedicated alumni, investing in initiatives to nurture the Thunderbird alumni community, in order to promote peace, prosperity and goodwill globally through the continued expansion and enhancement of international trade and business.
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Industry training providers Mentor announce monthly IOSH Managing Safely course dates
OWING to a strong uptake since Mentor introduced IOSH training just two months ago, monthly open course dates have now been scheduled.
The IOSH Managing Safely course is designed to provide managers and supervisors with the knowledge, skills and understanding required to actively ensure that safety is observed within their teams.
On completion of the course, delegates will be able to confidently tackle the health and safety issues they are responsible for on a day-to-day basis.
Places are now available on Managing Safely courses at Mentor's Chesterfield training centre on the following dates: 17–20 December 2012; 14–17 January 2013; 11–14 February 2013; 11–14 March 2013; 15–18 April 2013; and 13–16 May 2013.
Further open course dates are to follow at Livingston and Bromsgrove training centres, and closed courses are also available at customer sites. For further information call Mentor on tel: (01246) 555222.


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- Faithful
- Join Date: 7/20/2012
- Posts: 31
- Member Details
Can anyone care to explain to me how people are selling Radiant Star gems at prices that don't make them a profit? Just crafting alone ends up being around 15.4 million gold, and I see Topaz and Amethyst going for 12.5million a piece. Even emerald and ruby, at 17million, don't end up with a profit with the 15% cut. So how are people selling so cheap? Am I missing something entirely that bypasses the crafting cost?


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Sunday, December 03, 2006
This brilliant (does she ever write any other kind?) patriarchy-blamin' post by Twisty Faster prompts me to ask a question I have long wondered about.
Girls, what word do you use for your underwear? Not bras, camisoles, thongs, teddies, fantasy garter belts and so on: your underpants.
[UPDATE: looking at this and the previous post together, I can now see that the subject of this one may have been suggested by the phrase 'pants-wetting' in the last one. Clearly I have some pants issues to work through.]
I've always found the word "panties" to have a major eewww factor; it has soft-porn associations that remind me of letters to Penthouse, and I think I also dislike that gratuitous diminutive -- it's a teeny-tiny girlie version of "pants".
My own preferred word is "knickers". What do other women call their underpants?
44 comments:
- Anonymous said...
My Kate refers to hers, mostly, as "Chris's".
(Dying, now, to make a bad joke about purloincloths but, you know...)
Better make this anonymous. :) (Yeah, right Chris, that'll work!)
- 4:39 am, December 03, 2006
- Georg said...
It's plain and somewhat lacking in imagination but it's 'undies' for me.
- 8:06 am, December 03, 2006
- genevieve said...
Is that you, Chris?
Vote 2 for knickers! comes from having little kids around I think. Now I'm off to pick my youngest up from an airport (sniff, sniff, he has survived bloody schoolies. Thanks be to all the gods.) What are we doing, posting about knickers on the Sabbath, I wonder?
- 9:00 am, December 03, 2006
- Pavlov's Cat said...
You know what, Genevieve, I think that must be Chris.
- 10:12 am, December 03, 2006
- Anonymous said...
Yep, undies or knickers. I agree about the 'euww'/soft porn factor of 'panties'.
- 11:25 am, December 03, 2006
- redcap said...
Knickers, undies, or very occasionally, dacks. "Panties" is such revolting word - you can imagine it being used by the sort of sweaty little man who wears an overcoat into an X-rated cinema. ~shuddder~
- 11:37 am, December 03, 2006
- worldpeace and a speedboat said...
knickers or undies. occasionally duds, very occasoinally dacks.
never, never, ever-ever-ever-ever 'panties'. definitely the Euuughhh! Factor. terrible word. just looking at it makes my flesh crawl...
- 2:11 pm, December 03, 2006
- Anonymous said...
Panties... shudder. I'm crosssing my legs as I type. I always think of it as being used by the same kind of man who would refer to women as "ladies". As PC has also hinted, there's also a paedophilic edge there.
Knickers for me.
By the way, Elsewhere has introduced me to the strangely satisfying, unisex term "sluggos" for women's swimming cossies.
- 3:54 pm, December 03, 2006
- Jessica said...
'Undies' for ordinary everyday use. 'Knickers' and 'panties' for when i'm joking around.
- 6:24 pm, December 03, 2006
- Bernice said...
Undies. Though I can see bloomers looming on the personal horizon of old age....
- 8:51 pm, December 03, 2006
- Bernice said...
& what can I possibly say about Twisty? Y-A-H-O-O!!
- 9:08 pm, December 03, 2006
- Zoe said...
Undies, or sometimes funderpants.
I''m always surprised that people react so strongly to "panties". I find it very amusing.
- 9:12 pm, December 03, 2006
- Zoe said...
And perhaps it wasn't the "pants wetting" in the last post that brought Twisty to mind, Ms Cat? Perhaps it was the segue (in comments) from congratulating Chloe Hooper to immediately describing how attractive she was?
Just suggestin'
- 9:20 pm, December 03, 2006
- Pavlov's Cat said...
'Funderpants' is very cute. As for the strength of the reaction to 'panties' ... I can't explain it. Just one of those things.
By the same token, I find myself amused and bemused by the strength of feeling that sometimes attaches to the positioning of the toilet roll. (Only ever felt, it seems, by people who like the end to hang down from the side of the roll that's furthest way from the wall.)
- 9:23 pm, December 03, 2006
- Pavlov's Cat said...
Re Ms Hooper ... Oh, Zoe, I know. Couldn't believe my eyes. Couldn't bring myself to be mean to Chris and then Dean about it, either, but still ...
On the other hand, it does rather beautifully illustrate the point I was making, at least for those who have eyes to discern, like yourself. And I did see it just after looking at an old list of Ten Pet Hates by a well-known and widely respected male blogger, a list that included 'fat chicks', so it kind of paled by comparison.
- 9:27 pm, December 03, 2006
- Anonymous said...
Speaking about comely wenches: Anna Funderpants. (You started this, PC!)
Funny that Twisty's brilliant post has spun-off into a thread about 'dacks'.
- 9:37 pm, December 03, 2006
- Blue said...
We go with undies, daks (as in underdaks) or jocks. Panties has a definite ewwwww factor for me.
- 9:37 pm, December 03, 2006
- dogpossum said...
panties = urk
knickers = yes
dacks = sometimes
undies = sometimes
- 10:39 pm, December 03, 2006
- lucy tartan said...
undies, and this is the universal term in our house.
Can't think of anything worse that wearing my partner's undies. Sorry Chris.
- 10:43 pm, December 03, 2006
- Anonymous said...
I hope, Lucy, that doesn't reflect on his personal hygiene. :\
- 12:05 am, December 04, 2006
- Anonymous said...
I tend not to wear Kate's.
- 12:08 am, December 04, 2006
- Pavlov's Cat said...
Oh I dunno Chris, you might surprise yourself. I remember ...
Oh, never mind.
- 12:12 am, December 04, 2006
- Ampersand Duck said...
Yeah, undies here too. It's a nice gender-neutral word.
- 7:41 am, December 04, 2006
- Ampersand Duck said...
Mind you, I was reminded yesterday of the phrase 'budgie-smugglers' for men's speedos, which has to be up there for Australian vernacular brilliance.
- 7:42 am, December 04, 2006
- Zoe said...
I thought budgy smugglers was only for speedos?
- 8:30 am, December 04, 2006
- Kate said...
We have undies for the wimmyn and boxers for the men in this house, with the phrase 'tightey-whiteys' used to refer to men's undies of the not-boxer variety, ie, y-fronts or budgie smugglers.
I once lived with this mad Austrian man called Franz who was a tad OCD and he used to do all the housework clad only in his tightey-whiteys, a pair of thongs and rubber gloves. To this day I have very bad associations with that particular style of men's undergarment.
- 11:04 am, December 04, 2006
- Miss Tickle said...
Knickers (hers) and jocks (his) in our house.
- 11:19 am, December 04, 2006
- Mindy said...
undies and boxers. Nappies for the little one. "panties" makes me shudder as well. Not sure why.
- 1:25 pm, December 04, 2006
- elsewhere said...
Undies, definitely.
I wonder if the disgust for the word 'panties' has more to do with the way the word is spoken and the kind of person who uses it. I'm thinking here not just men in raincoats at cinemas but also form mistresses at school and other strange authority types from childhood. The word suggests a kind of prudery rather than practicality.
I seem to remember the word 'scanties' being used in _My Brother Jack_ which suggested to me a more outrageous form of panties...unless it was a reference to some other now-deceased item of women's underwear.
(I'm hung over so sorry if I'm not making sense).
- 2:48 pm, December 04, 2006
- Pavlov's Cat said...
'Scanties' turn up in Come In Spinner, too. I think they were a particularly daring, because brief, species of underpant.
- 3:26 pm, December 04, 2006
- TimT said...
Could the term 'panties' be associated with the Comedia del Arte's Pantalone, the archetypical lecherous old man?
- 3:55 pm, December 04, 2006
- Pavlov's Cat said...
Yes, TimT, all the variations (pants, pantaloons etc) are derived from the Romance languages, but I doubt whether Pantalone's lecherousness is more than incidental. It's not the etymology of 'panties' that produces the ick factor, but rather the associations it has gathered in relatively recent times, as of girlie mags, etc; 'panties' was, I have no doubt, a perfectly nice word for women's underpants until the girlie mags fetishised them.
For contemporary women that diminutive has further unwelcome connotations to do with belittlement and trivialising, even if you don't factor in a whiff of paedophilia.
'Panties' is of course also associated these days with one of the current right-wing insults of choice, 'pantywaist'.
- 8:45 pm, December 04, 2006
- tigtog said...
one of the current right-wing insults of choice, 'pantywaist'.
Not that most of them know what a pantywaist is anyway, but it's got the word panty in it so it must be something icky, because panties are for girls!
- 11:50 pm, December 04, 2006
- Anonymous said...
Hi, I'm new, love your blog. I like to use either "underwear" or [ducks] "panties" depending on context. Underwear is more casual every day useage, panties has a touch of playful irony, which I enjoy.
- 3:57 am, December 05, 2006
- Zoe said...
I'm with you, pinko Julie. It's fun to say "have you seen my lacy black panties, I can't seem to find them anywhere!" Spose I know who not to say it to now.
- 9:10 am, December 05, 2006
- Susoz said...
For my child I say "undies", for myself I say "underpants" but every time I do, I think of a past lover from Manchester who told me that "underpants" only refers to male underwear and so women's had to be "knickers". Whether that was Manchester-specific or England-specific or her own idiosyncrasy I don't know.
- 4:30 pm, December 06, 2006
- Miss Tickle said...
Anything lacy and/or silky was always referred to as "lingerie" (ling-ger-ee) or "negligent knickers"!
- 5:10 pm, December 06, 2006
- Mikhela said...
'Panties', as I recall, was the word employed in those explanatory soft-focus books my mother left on my bed when I first started menstruating (can I say menstruating here?). There were no actual pictures of these garments, just some clinical dissections of genitalia and lots of references to men and women loving each other very much.
Definitely undies. Sounds asexual and kind of worn and faded.
- 11:48 am, December 07, 2006
- Pavlov's Cat said...
'(can I say menstruating here?)'
Certainly can. It is, of course, very daring of you.
Re the men and women loving each other very much thing, don't remind me. This was the answer I got when, instructed in matters sexual a tad too early, my main question was 'But Mummy, why do people do it?'
Over 40 years later, I sometimes think I still don't really know the answer to this question. Her 'Because they love each other' made no sense to me at all at the time, and in the event has screwed me up for life. In some tiny and particularly unconscious corner of my soul I think I must still believe it, which explains a great deal about the dog's breakfast that my love life has always been.
- 12:10 pm, December 07, 2006
- worldpeace and a speedboat said...
intersting, I've always heard the word 'sluggoes' referring to men's Speedos, like 'budgie smugglers' and 'dick stickers'. always thought it was a reference to the slug therein ;-)
- 11:51 pm, December 07, 2006
- Anonymous said...
Definitely undies.
"Budgie Smugglers" is one of the best words I've learned in the past couple of years.
Cast Iron Balcony
- 5:44 am, December 08, 2006
- kate said...
Undies if they have a 'Bonds' or 'Target' label (which most of them do). Knickers every now and then for any underwear. Unawares, gets trotted out every now and then. The aforementioned Ling-er-ee or Negligent for the rarer lacier items at the back of the drawer. Drawers if were just being silly. Daks definitely gets a run, but usually for the Bloke. Never panties, but more because it just sounds sort of foreign to me. In case anyone's interested, the plays on words aren't just because we're talking underwear, it happens pretty much constantly at our house. This leads to conversations in public where we have to remember the real name of things mid-sentence and probably makes us seem a little demented.
- 9:56 am, December 08, 2006
- cristy said...
Definitely undies.
When I was about 8 years old, I was walking to an after school theatre class and this creepy guy started to walk next to me and ask me questions - "what's your name", etc...
I was trying to be polite until he slipped in the "What colour are your panties?" when I promptly replied that I didn't think that was any of his business.
He replied "I bet that they are white" and I so I finally felt quite within my rights to ask him to "Please go away".
I didn't realise at the time what a dangerous situation I was actually in. The street was deserted... but it seems that my lack of cooperation was enough to send him packing (that day).
- 11:45 am, December 08, 2006
- Red said...
pants or knickers.
Hate the term 'panties', not only because of pervy connotations, but the faux-innocence. Seems to suggest that *that* area is dirty and needs to be disguised.
Scanties were the rather lovely knickers women wore in the 30s and 40s that looked like flared shorts. They were often made of silky fabric with lace or embroidery and buttoned up the sides. I believe they were rather daring in their day.
- 5:01 pm, December 23, 2006


text:
CARING kids are taking part of a twinning scheme with a difference.
Youngsters from St Dominic's Primary, in Airdrie, are supporting the Toilet Twinning charity project, which gives safe and hygienic toilets to children in developing countries.
The North Lanarkshire school is one of the first in Scot-land to take part in the scheme.
Head teacher Teresa Verrecchia said: "One of our teachers, Trish Walker, spotted an advert about the project and thought it would be a good idea for the school to become involved.
"She decided that instead of sending Christmas cards she'd give money to the Toilet Twinning project towards the cost of a new toilet in Ashkar, Bangladesh.
"The reaction of the pupils has been incredible - so much so that we've decided to develop this further and have adopted it as our Global Citizenship Project for the year ahead.
"Our eco group chose to put money from their fundraising activities towards a toilet block in Ethiopia and we are hoping to continue raising money throughout the year for another project.
"Our pupils enjoy finding out about the geography, culture and history of other countries."
According to Toilet Twinn-ing, 40% of the world's population does not have somewhere safe, clean and hygienic to go to the loo.
The impact of this means that nearly one in five child deaths each year is due to diarrhoea.
Toilet Twinning enables people living in poor commun-ities to have clean water, a decent toilet, and to learn about hygiene.
Hannahlee Officer, a P7 pupil, said: "I think it is a great idea that they are giving people the right to have a toilet because it is shocking to me that 40% of people in this world don't have toilets and makes me feel lucky because I have a toilet and they don't.
"I think it is diabolical that a lot of people get bitten by venomous creatures and have no privacy.
"I am proud and happy that St Dominic's is supporting this charity."
Aidan McCarthy, also in P7, added: "Toilet twinning is interesting because you find out about all the countries that don't have toilets and it is disgraceful that they don't have any privacy and disease spreads.
"I was so shocked when I found out that 40% of people don't have a toilet.
"I am glad the teacher taught us about toilet twinning."


text: For GOLD or higher VIP users Embarcadero FastReport FMX XE7 Update DC 11.11.2014 Multi-platform report generator for Apple Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows, compatible with Embarcadero RAD Studio XE (FMX library), FireMonkey FM3. Report generator FastReport FMX is the first multi-platform solution for integrating Business Intelligence into software based on Embarcadero FireMonkey IDE (Delphi for MS Windows and Apple Mac OS X).Main features of FastReport FMX:Report DataFrom any Database. FastReport works with all the databases which are availabe in FireMonkeyFrom Users' data. Applications can also be used as the datasourceReport DesignVisual report designer. Full-featured modern report editor with a huge set of tools for visually creating, tuning and editing report templatesEasy and clear classic interfaceSeparate tabs for "report design", "data" and "code"Objects: shape, chart, line, table, "flag", picture, gradient, cross-tab, bar-code (including 2D) etcReport EngineFastReport is specially optimized and tested for the production of reports for real businesses! If your customers want to get reports fast then FastReport is the thing! The single report generator kernel offers all of this:Band-oriented report generator. Wide choice of band types allows multi-level report bandingCode-based reportsMulti-page and multi-template reportsCross-tabs allow building of tabular reports with complex structures, from one datasourceInteractivity. Dialogue forms, drill-down reports, call daughter report by clicking in the preview windowInternal interpretator (FastScript) with 4 programming languages: PascalScript, C++Script, BasicScript and JScriptAnd all of this can be combined in one report!Report OutputIn the Preview windowSending to a printerExporting through a range of filters:PDF (internal in Apple Mac OS X), TXT, BMP, JPEG, GIF, TIFF, PNG, HTML, ODS, ODT and CSV.Flexibility and International ConfigurationFlexible architecture. If you need more functionality from FastReport you can achieve it by creating and connecting your own objects, export filters, functions and DB enginesUNICODE. Reports can be based on any languageLocalization. The FastReport interface is localized for 32 languagesSources. The Licence comes with full source code for FastReport. Very convenient for adaptation Download Link(s)File(s) size: 17.2 MB


text:
Don't miss your chance to see Matthew Good in Vancouver! Check out the schedule below for the concert date of your choice, then buy your Matthew Good Vancouver tickets before they sell out!
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text: cozzie 5030 Report post Posted August 17, 2013 Hi, I've been profiling my DIY 3d engine after doing some major improvements on my renderqueue. With this I'm using pix. The results per frame are somewhere between: 100.000.000 and 200.000.000 duration (FPS 5.1?) I'm assuming that these are nano seconds, coming down to 0.1 to 0.2 seconds per frame. With 60 fps I'd assume without skipping frames, a frame should take 1 / 60 = 0.016 second. A few questions: - are these assumptions correct? - if so, why does it seem to run so 'flawless' with somewhere to 6 FPS? - how can I see in PIX if I might be CPU versus GPU bound? - how lang are your average frames taking, with similar measurements? Ps.; I'm not aiming to start off and go optimizing, because I don't have performance issues with the current scenes and things I'm doing. Just curious and wanting to understand the measurements. Here's a screenshot of a captured frame in PIX. 0 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites


text: Viewing 2 posts - 1 through 2 (of 2 total) Author Posts February 19, 2013 at 6:25 pm #20499 brucegambleParticipant Hi there, I have a tall logo, one that would work best with a height of at least 304 px – is there an easy way to change the logo height? Thanks! February 20, 2013 at 6:32 am #107915 DudeModerator Hey! You can change the logo size with following css code – add it to css/custom.css: #logo_container .logo a, #logo_container .logo a img{ height: 304px; } Best regards, Peter Author Posts Viewing 2 posts - 1 through 2 (of 2 total) The topic 'Adjusting the logo size in Replete' is closed to new replies.


text:
THE NORTH FACE PURPLE LABEL teamed up with Japanese brand Hobonichi, known for its daily life products and its Techo notebooks. The outcome of the collaboration is the Field Pack, which houses the Techno 2014 notebook an calendar and has space for plenty of other daily necessities when traveling the globe. The Field Pack comes in red, blue, as well as a camouflage canvas version, all featuring the signature purple label and a Hobonichi 2014 tag on the inside. Order yours now here.
THE NORTH FACE PURPLE LABEL x Hobonichi Field Pack
Highsnobiety Style


text:
As reported on latimes.com
A woman on the Hawaiian island of Oahu has survived a shark attack. She was injured while snorkeling on the western side of the island. The Honolulu Advertiser has a report:
Roger Debebar and Anthony Chapman don't claim they did anything heroic yesterday when an injured and bleeding woman approached them around 8:40 a.m. near the edge of the beach at the Hawaiian Princess condominiums and spoke three words:
"Help, please," said the woman, who had been snorkeling moments earlier. "Shark."
But Bryan Cheplic, spokesman for the city's emergency service department, said the two men's quick actions may have made all the difference in the state's first shark attack of the year….
"Chapman, 49, said the woman was "bleeding bad and she had a chunk taken out of her arm."
Ten minutes after the woman was injured, a lifeguard on a Yamaha Waverunner and officers in the Honolulu Police Department's helicopter spotted what appeared to be "a very large shark, approximately 16 feet in length," Cheplic said.


text:
(Adds details, background)
July 31 (Reuters) - Occidental Petroleum Corp, the fourth-largest U.S. oil and gas company, reported a better-than-expected profit for the third straight quarter, helped by higher prices.
The company said its crude oil prices rose by 3 percent to $100.38 per barrel in the second quarter, while U.S. natural gas prices rose by 12 percent to $4.28 per million cubic feet.
The U.S. company, like rivals Hess Corp and Anadarko Petroleum Corp, is selling overseas assets and investing in the most-profitable shale fields in North America.
The company said in February that it would spin-off its California unit and move its headquarters to Houston, Texas as it focuses on production from the Permian Basin in Texas and New Mexico.
Occidental's net income rose to $1.43 billion, or $1.82 per share, from $1.32 billion, or $1.64 per share, a year earlier.
Occidental reported a core profit of $1.79 per share, above the average analyst estimate of $1.75, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Net sales rose 5.2 percent to $6.28 billion, above analysts' average estimate of $6.06 billion.
The company's shares, which have risen more than 11 percent in the last 12 months, closed at $98.11 on the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday. (Reporting by Anannya Pramanick in Bangalore; Editing by Maju Samuel)


text:
They seek him here, they seek him there... Morgan Spurlock in Where in the World is Osama bin Laden?
Where in the World is Osama bin Laden? is about my personal quest to find the world's most wanted man. I first got the idea back in 2005, when Bin Laden had just put out another of his videotapes and everyone was wondering why no one had found him. I thought it would be a fun idea to take someone with absolutely no training or expertise, send him off and see if he could do any better.
OK, so I never suspected I'd actually find the guy. In the first place, the evidence suggests that he's hiding out in a rough and tumble tribal area that is very difficult to access. Secondly we live in a world where there is some benefit in having a bogeyman. Where in the world is Osama bin Laden? Well, he's everywhere and he's nowhere. He's like Keyser Söze in The Usual Suspects. Along the way people would tell us where they thought he was, and I suspect that we probably came within 50 miles of him when we were in Waziristan. But who knows?
In any case, the film took a dramatic turn when my wife became pregnant. It changed the question - from "where in the world?" to "what kind of world am I bringing a child into?" Making this documentary was an incredible trip for me. I met a lot of people and opened a lot of doors. It became about discovering the root causes as opposed to the man himself.
Hollywood dramas that tackle the "war on terror" have had a tough time recently. I think the problem is that these films look at the war in real time. Post-Vietnam, we had to wait years before films on the subject began to come out. Now you can turn from the evening news to watch a film covering exactly the same points; there hasn't been enough time for the issues to sink in. Documentaries do it better. They take off where the news leaves off, in that they give a face and a voice to the people you don't get to see on NBC or CNN. Alex Gibney's Taxi to the Dark Side, for instance, is a fantastic movie. Errol Morris, too, is a big hero of mine.
As for me, I've faced criticism for the tone of this film - for sometimes taking what my critics regard as a light and comedic approach to the subject matter. But I've always tended to follow the Lily Tomlin idea. You have to try to find the humour in everything. Because, by finding the humour, you find the humanity.


text:
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|February 22, 2013, 03:41 PM
Join Date: June 10, 2012
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A great comparison to the 'assault weapons ban' debate: ban smartphones!
I found a pretty powerful pro-gun (anti-AWB) argument in the form of a parody, gun control arguments used against smartphones:
The logic is pretty hard to deny. Excerpt:
"...[every year] between 900 and 1000 deaths [in the US] are as a result of a distracted driver reported to be using a mobile phone at the time of the crash... this number is [almost] DOUBLE the number of deaths EVERY YEAR than there has been deaths as a result of mass shootings over the past 30 years combined...We are calling for a ban on all smartphones...We just want impose common sense restrictions on these dangerous devices that studies show time and time again are killing more of our children every day...We don't want to infringe on anyone's rights to communication, but nobody NEEDS an iPhone."
The entire post is pretty funny, and relevant to the current revived hysteria over guns. Check it out. What do you think?
|February 22, 2013, 06:04 PM
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Location: NW Ohio
Posts: 569
Its funny but at the same time uses the same kind of logic that has been used against guns for ages now. Sadly, even though it has some valid facts and figures nobody would ever take this seriously. Even if plain as day facts show that smartphones were more lethal than guns, they will never touch them.
|February 22, 2013, 07:01 PM
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It would probably save 1 child, so therefore they should be banned.
|February 22, 2013, 09:04 PM
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No one has a right to a cell phone , let alone a smart phone. And EVERYBODY knows it is much more effective to just stick your head out the window and yell into the air a couple times. All you need is a double yeller. ANY would be attacker is going to flee. Yelling is a much more effective metod to get help than dialing 911. And especially for the ladies who aren't competent to operate a complicated device anyway. They can just yell out into the night if attacked by a rapist . Those HIGH POWERED smartphones are killing America's youth. It is uncontrovertable that there is no constitutional right to a cell phone. The phone was not even invented when the Framers wrote the bill of rights so it is not a right. Clearly it would be perfectly constitutional to go house to house seizing these dangerous weapons. There should be no phones within a thousand feet of any school EVER ! As to those select few who can show they absolutely must have a phone (Like the President's daughters and his Wife - important people like that ONLY) well they could at least provide proof of a gazillion dollars in liability insurance with the entire western world specifically listed as additional insureds. Even then the phone should be disabled so it can not discharge more than one message in a single transmission. NO high capacity assault style phones. Also any smart phone manufactued for consumers after January 1 , 1994 must have a unique frequency ID number which is preregistered with the police , the IRS , ATF and the local dog catcher. None of these is unreasonable if it prevents one prank call and saves the life of a child. Oh , and you must pass a battery of mental exams before you can talk on a phone for any purpose. If I thought I could get the necessary 51 votes I'd be going for broke to try and pass destroying and disabling every last one of them insidious smart phones right now.
|February 23, 2013, 04:13 PM
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Posts: 587
I have used my smart phone to access the Internet and buy items such as ammunition, tear gas, and firearms, many with high capacity baby killing assault clippy things. Also if the wrong person got ahold of one of these assault phones, they could get directions to any place that they could purchase these weapons of war locally, then get directions to places with lots of white kids to shoot. Some of these devices are capable of storing up to 64GB of evil information.
Someday I'll be good enough to know if a gun is accurate or not.
|February 23, 2013, 10:25 PM
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Sometimes it's nice not to destroy the world for a change.
--Randall Munroe
|February 24, 2013, 10:39 AM
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Location: Texas
Posts: 1,179
Great stuff. LOL Double Yeller indeed. I seriously think smart phones cause brain damage, because I see most of the people I work with messing with their phones all through break and lunch, yet they can't carry on an intelligent conversation for more than ten seconds.
This is my gun. There are many like her, but this one is mine.
I'm not old. I'm CLASSIC!
|February 24, 2013, 02:36 PM
Join Date: January 19, 2013
Posts: 57
That was funny stuff. Too bad the comparison is very similar to the equally ridiculous legislation that is being proposed and passed in some states.
|February 26, 2013, 10:59 AM
Join Date: November 17, 2000
Posts: 18,801
I thought the same sort of thing after reading about a CT bill that suggests that you AND your family living with you get mental exams before buying a gun.
Seems to me that alcohol kills tens of thousand of folks also, so I suggest a mental exam for you and yours before you buy alcohol. All purchases would go through NICS and a record would be kept.
Anyway, let me introduce this. The difference between gun deaths and car/phone/alcohol/MD malpractice deaths is the nature of the killing instrument.
The gun is designed as primarily lethal and the deaths are from it's misuse as a lethal instrument. That is what drives the vivid image and opposition to its generated deaths. The others - the deaths are side effects of a nonlethal use.
This emotional twist gives a special valence to the gun in the minds of the antis and they don't buy the comparison of death rates. It is a useful argument for those who have rational mind.
However, the willful use of the gun to kill in the movies or school as compared to the stupid use of the phone in cars is not seen as comparable. Also, the latter deaths are seen as public health issues. That would seem to move the gun deaths into public health and that leads to strict controls and bans - as a health issue.
That's my take on the comparison of death argument and how far you want to push it. The public health paradigm is totally anti.
I don't think comparisons of deaths, sports (modern sporting rifles), it's just a tool, etc. are powerful arguments for the anti folks. The existence of the 2nd Amend. is to accept the lethal nature and weapons use of the gun.
NRA, TSRA, IDPA, NTI, Polite Soc. - Aux Armes, Citoyens
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|February 26, 2013, 12:24 PM
Join Date: June 10, 2012
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No argument is an effective argument against someone that forgoes reason. You can really only ever hope to persuade those that think more critically, in any argument.
In either case, I think that willfully improper use of a firearm in blatant disregard for the safety of innocent people around you is clearly and directly comparable to willfully improper use of a phone in blatant disregard for the safety of innocent people around you. "False equivalence" seems to be a buzzword these days for anyone presented with a comparison that they don't like, weather it's actually "false" or not. Those people need to be called out when they do that.
If it doesn't convince, then an argument like that will hopefully at least frustrate someone that refuses to think rationally into instead reacting emotionally to it, in turn exposing their opinion for what it really is: an ill-conceived and emotional reaction, not a thoughtful and realistic stance.
|February 26, 2013, 01:04 PM
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text:
While pundits and politicians still try to figure out what went wrong at Bear Stearns, Kate Kelly of The Wall Street Journal writes that many industry insiders simply feel the company failed to take advantage of a number of opportunities to save itself. Months before regulators pressured the firm to sell itself, Kelly writes, nervous traders futilely begged CEO Alan Schwartz and his predecessor, James Cayne, to raise more cash and slash Bear Stearns's huge inventory of mortgages and the bonds that backed them.
At least six efforts to raise billions of dollars -- including selling a stake to leveraged-buyout titan Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. -- fizzled as either Bear Stearns or the suitors turned skittish, she says. And repeated warnings from experienced traders, including 59-year Bear Stearns veteran Alan "Ace" Greenberg, to unload mortgages went unheeded.
Kelly reports that top executives resisted, in part, because they were concerned the moves would upset the delicate calculus of appearances and perceptions that is as important on Wall Street as dollars and cents. If Bear Stearns betrayed weakness, they worried, skittish customers would pull their money out of the firm, and other financial institutions would refuse to trade with it.
Instead of managing these fickle forces, she writes, a brokerage whose culture and fortune were rooted in the trading floor's steely manipulation of risk was swamped by them.


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The Upper Rupal Valley
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Multi-channel data-acq board uses switched-cap over-sampling A/Ds
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ICS-8145 Delivers Unique Rugged Data Acquisition Capability
Eliminates need for auxiliary signal conditioning equipment
Ottawa, CanadaBuilding on the company's extensive experience in data acquisition and signal processing in military sonar systems, ICSpart of Radstone Embedded Computingannounces the unique ICS-8145 16-channel data acquisition card. The ICS-8145 is the only data acquisition card currently available that combines rear I/O with onboard signal conditioning circuitry in a rugged, single slot package. Designed for harsh environment, confined space high frequency sonar, wet end of towed arrays, torpedoes, autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) and unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) applications, the ICS-8145 is a complete, self-contained solution that eliminates the need for auxiliary equipment that characterizes other offerings.
"Increasingly, our customers are asking for rugged productsand this announcement once again demonstrates our commitment to responding to our customers' needs," said Scott Hames, Director of Product Management at ICS. "The 8145 is a unique, no-compromise solution for applications that exist in environments that are subject to shock and vibration, and that require advanced cooling techniques, and further extends our industry-leading range of data acquisition capabilities." The ICS-8145 is designed around the rugged 6U VME form factor and features 2.5 MS/sec oversampling ADC, gain, anti-alias filtering and clock generation resources on the card, eliminating the usual need for auxiliary signal conditioning equipment. Because the card is expected to be deployed in space-constrained areas, all I/O is routed through the backplane. The differential analog inputs are routed though VME P0, while configuration and control is carried out via the VME 64 interface. An FPDP II interface (on the VME P2 connector) allows data from multi card systems to be easily organized and collected. The inclusion of up to eight MBytes of onboard storage means that fast transient captures can be read back over the VME without data loss.
Availability of the ICS-8145 is immediate.
For more information about Radstone Embedded Computing products and services, visit the company's Web site at: http://www.radstone.com For further information contact: Scott Hames, Director of Product Management, ICS. Tel: (613) 749-9241, e-mail@ email@example.com


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Monday, May 14, 2012
Drink flavor--not cals or carbs
It's water, with a HINT of flavoring such as watermelon, honeydew, hibiscus, blackberry, mango grapefruit, pomegranate-tangerine, lime, raspberry-lime, pear, cucumber, and strawberry kiwi.
Now it also comes in fizzy water—like Perrier only fruitier.
Ten thousand retailers carry it—www.drinkHINT.com.
It also has been "placed" on Grey's Anatomy, Boston Legal, and CSI.
When I see it on the Cocktail hour of TODAY, I will be impressed.
I tried it—tasty. And, I concede, probably better than the sugary drink mix we often indulge in around here.
But I would not say it's a poor person's dream bev.
Still, throw down a few bottles and see what you think. No aftertaste like Diet Coke. Also no aspartame, which I distrust.
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This star rating is the opinion of the property owner only. A Self-Rated hotel has not been assessed by the AA or Visit Britain, whose official star ratings we use across LateRooms.com.
Mutiara4 Self rated
Jalan Dato Sulaiman Taman Century, Johor Bahru, 80250
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Johore Bahru is an important city in Malaysia. It is located on the southernmost tip of Malaysia and is one of the main tourist destinations in the country. There are plenty of Hotels in Johore Bahru in Malaysia.
They range from 5 Star Hotels in Johore Bahru in Malaysia to 3 Star Hotels in Johore Bahru in Malaysia. The Mutiara Hotel in Johore Bahru in Malaysia is one of the well known 4 Star Hotels in Johore Bahru in Malaysia. Room Facilities in Mutiara Johore Bahru are stylishly decorated. All our rooms offer a healthy and hygienic accommodation for all our business to leisure travellers. Experience a magnificent dining at the onsite restaurant of this hotel. The wide range of cuisine available here makes it a distinguished one among Johore Bahru 4 Star Hotels. Business and Conference at Mutiara Hotel in Johore Bahru Business centre along with all other corporate facilities make this 4 star hotel an ideal choice for business travelers. Other facilities available on site is the gym, outdoor swimming pool, and the shopping arcade situated at the Lobby level.
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Written on: 12/07/2013 by Hooplahoop (1 review written)
Not a tech head ... don't panic ... the boys & girls at 365 Support will get it sorted ! I am not a tech head ... I don't speak ftp, POP, Linux or php lingo so if you are like me you will need tech support. In my case I wanted to move my website from one host to another and due to some tech hitches I was unable to do so but the team got it sorted with one guy going beyond the call of duty and taking the time out to make sure that my website transfer was completely seamless. Of course, I had to do some work but only when pointed in the right direction by the tech teams first. Without these guys, nothing would work so my advice, just ask or call. And my advice to the tech teams ... keep up the good work .... my suggestion to make it even better ... continuity i.e. dedicate the same tech support agent to the same enquiry until it's resolved ... other than that ... brilliant ... I will not change hosting ever again !! Happy days ...
Written on: 12/07/2013
Hi, thanks for the fantastic review. We cross train our support staff to ensure they provide both excellent technical support along with first class customer care. We also actively encourage our staff to take ownership of an issue that has been reported to them and see it through to a resolution, even if they need to escalate it. It's really good to here you are staying with us. Many thanks again ^Eddie
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In 2011, 1,925 malaria cases were reported in the United States, according to data published in a supplement of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This number is the highest since 1971, more than 40 years ago, and represents a 14 percent increase since 2010. Five people in the U.S. died from malaria or associated complications.
Almost all of the malaria cases reported in the U.S. were acquired overseas. More than two-thirds (69 percent) of the cases were imported from Africa, and nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of those were acquired in West Africa. For the first time, India was the country from which the most cases were imported. Cases showed seasonal peaks in January and August.
"Malaria isn't something many doctors see frequently in the United States thanks to successful malaria elimination efforts in the 1940s," said CDC Director Tom Frieden. "The increase in malaria cases reminds us that Americans remain vulnerable and must be vigilant against diseases like malaria because our world is so interconnected by travel."
Malaria is caused by a parasite transmitted by the bite of an infective female Anopheles mosquito. In 2010, it caused an estimated 660,000 deaths and 219 million cases globally. The signs and symptoms of malaria illness are varied, but the majority of patients have fever. Other common symptoms include headache, back pain, chills, increased sweating, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and cough. Untreated infections can rapidly progress to coma, kidney failure, respiratory distress, and death.
"Malaria is preventable. In most cases, these illnesses and deaths could have been avoided by taking recommended precautions," said Laurence Slutsker, director of CDC's Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria. "We have made great strides in preventing and controlling malaria around the world. However, malaria persists in many areas and the use of appropriate prevention measures by travelers is still very important."
Travelers to areas with malaria transmission can prevent the disease by taking steps such as use of antimalarial drugs, insect repellent, insecticide-treated bed nets and protective clothing.
Travelers in the United States should consult a health-care provider prior to international travel to receive needed information, medications and vaccines. If a traveler has symptoms of malaria, such as fever, headaches and other flu-like symptoms, while abroad or on returning home, he or she should immediately seek diagnosis and treatment from a health-care provider.
Clinicians should consult the CDC Guidelines for Treatment of Malaria and contact CDC's Malaria Hotline for case management advice, as needed.


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Thursday, July 10, 2014 | 4:14 p.m.
- Silver State Exchange customers ask court for immediate help with state system
- Gov. Brian Sandoval's office was warned of serious flaws in Silver State Exchange before launch
- Have you used the Silver State Exchange: Share your story
- Nevada's quick work on health exchange sets example for other states
- Nevada's health exchange starts slow but is up and running
- Official: Nevada health exchange seeing 'frustrated consumers and low enrollment'
- Troubleshooting Nevada health exchange delayed by missing documents
- Nevada fires Xerox, will join federal health care exchange
- $474M for 4 failed Obamacare exchanges
- Silver State Exchange faces tight deadlines to get back on track
The Nevada health care exchange selected Bruce Gilbert as its executive director at a board meeting today.
Gilbert beat out 50 applicants to lead the Silver State Exchange. He is a principal of Texas-based HIX Partners and former benefits administrator for the state of Ohio.
The decision to hire Gilbert came almost a month later than scheduled due to timing conflicts with the candidates and board members.
Gilbert became the frontrunner for the position after David Haws withdrew his name from the candidate list. Haws is the division administrator of the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation.
Gilbert's arrival to the exchange follows the February departure of the exchange's first director, John Hager. He resigned after the exchange faced significant challenges in the first months of its rollout caused by defective software built by the state's contractor, Xerox.
Gilbert will replace the interim executive director Steve Fisher.
Gilbert comes to the exchange as it struggles to unwind itself from Xerox's software and tie into the federal exchange for the next enrollment period that opens this fall.
Gilbert will have to work quickly to launch a new online system by Nov. 15. The public eye is on the exchange and it's going to stay on the exchange, he said.
"We need to own this," he said.
The board's decision on a new executive director was not a simple one. The exchange faces a massive IT project to reverse the problems of the initial rollout. The board fired Xerox in May.
In June, board members said their ideal candidate would have had a mixed Gilbert's and Haws' skills. Gilbert's experience is in personnel management. Haws is an IT expert.
Gilbert described himself as a dogged leader who is candid and sometimes blunt. He didn't promise success.
"The only thing I know how to do is identify issues and understand process and work to get my arms around things," he said.
Gilbert told the board the exchange's biggest problem isn't the flawed technology. "Your issue is execution," he said. "Not all the Is are being dotted and not all the Ts are being crossed."
Board members and exchange staff described his personality as affable and warm. "He can also kick you in the butt when you need it," said Shawna DeRousse, the exchange's chief operating officer.
Board member Lynn Etkins noted Gilbert's eagerness to tackle the exchange's problems.
"It's going to be a challenging year ahead and having someone look forward to that is going to make all the difference in the world," she said.
During the interview process, Gilbert disclosed to the board that he had been sued by American Express Centurion Bank in Texas for $14,896 that had not been repaid on a line of credit. The board determined the lawsuit would not impact his work with the exchange.


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Newport Daily News 07/08/2014
Woody Allen in Newport to film Rhode Island-based movie
By Sean Flynn
Staff writer
Woody Allen began filming his next film on Monday at the Fastnet Pub on Broadway and then moved over to the Jane Pickens Theater for additional scenes.
Broadway was shut down periodically when the cameras began to roll, but quickly re-opened when members of the production crew yelled,"Cut!"
Allen walked outside Fastnet a few times to talk to the crew, but was keeping a lid on his upcoming schedule for the film shoots. The title of the new film also has not been released yet.
Steven Feinberg, executive director of the state's Film & TV Office, was outside Fastnet and said he was pleased with the way things were going.
"Woody Allen will be shooting the film entirely in Rhode Island until the end of August," he said.
Feinberg said he could not reveal any of the storyline at the producer's request, but was pleased film scenes were being shot in Newport and later around the state, including in Providence.
"This film will be a Rhode Island postcard for a global audience, and we will shine as a result," he said.
Feinberg said he could not talk about other possible film locations.
"It's fluid until they make a final decision," he said.
As Feinberg was talking, actress Parker Posey walked into the Fastnet. She has had supporting roles in several big-budget studio films, including"Superman Returns," in which she played Kitty Kowalski, Lex Luthor's ditzy sidekick. Her many other films include"You've Got Mail," "Josie and the Pussycats," and"Laws of Attraction."
She became known during the 1990s after a series of roles in independent films that gained her the nickname "Queen of the Indies."
The stars of the new film are Emma Stone and Joaquin Phoenix.
Stone also co-stars in Allen's new comedy,"Magic in the Moonlight," which opens at the Jane Pickens Theater and other locations around the country on Aug. 15. Colin Firth is her co-star in that film, which was filmed in France.
"It's very exciting," Kathy Staab, owner of the Jane Pickens, said Monday afternoon as the film crew was setting up outside the theater.
"Jane Pickens is having an international film debut as a set," she said."We're proud to be part of it and we can't wait to have Magic in the Moonlight' open here. It's all coming together."
Among the fans outside the Fastnet on Monday afternoon were Lisa and Lee Collier from Atlanta.
"It's cool and very exciting," Lisa Collier said."It takes a lot to excite us, but we're huge Woody Allen fans. We love him."
Dave Daniels of Newport was among the spectators who occasionally shot photos with their cellphones of the film crew at work.
"No photos please," said a member of the production crew.
"That's the picture patrol," Daniels said." They are being fussy about taking photos. It doesn't make any sense. I would think they are used to this sort of thing. Every one has a cellphone these days."
Erin Mulligan, the city's purchasing agent, was also on the set. She handles film permits for the city.
"Newport's a wonderful destination for so many people," she said."Having a film like this here adds an extra buzz that makes it even more exciting."
"It was a team effort to get the film here," she said, referring to the city, Discover Newport (the regional visitors and convention bureau), and the state film office.
Feinberg said he is pleased with the number of films and television programs that Rhode Island has attracted in recent years, including"Moonrise Kingdom,"Dan in Real Life" and "Evening," all of which shot scenes in Newport.
"I worked like a pit bull to get this," Feinberg said of the Woody Allen film.
He said other states were hoping to attract the film as well, and initial locations in this state did not work out.
"But finally, we found a few other anchor locations that Woody really liked," Feinberg said."The locations were open to filming so it was a win win. Once we secured those locations, the rest fell into place.
"Now we have a Woody Allen film - pretty darn cool."
Other films and television shows will be shooting soon in this state, he said.
The film "Bleed for This" will be shot in Rhode Island in November and will tell the Vinnie Paz story, Feinberg said. Vincenzo Pazienza was born in Cranston and is a former world boxing champion in both the lightweight and light middleweight classes. He boxed under the nickname of"The Pazmanian Devil."
This film will be a Rhode Island postcard for a global audience, and we will shine as a result.' STEVEN FEINBERG executive director of the state Film&TV Office


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At greatest risk in the tempest is Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, who drove the pending law through parliament earlier this month without debate and against the advice of fellow conservatives wary of provoking the very hostility the government now faces. The protesting youths are outraged that the law would allow businesses to fire workers aged 26 and under during their first two years of employment, without providing a reason or the usually hefty severance payments. Students and their backers dispute government contentions that the increased flexibility will reduce youth unemployment; instead, they say the law designates young people as the first victims in what will become a general rolling back of France's traditional labor and social protection system.
Initially, de Villepin stood firm, vowing earlier this week not to "revoke", "suspend" or "water-down" the measure, nor "capitulate before the logic of ultimatums." But with polls showing nearly 70% of voters opposing the law, and his own approval ratings nearing 30%, de Villepin is now voicing a willingness to negotiate with unions. The reversal seeks to defuse a crisis threatening not only de Villepin's government, but his 2007 presidential ambitions as well. Indeed, his new willingness to negotiate came just hours after Interior Minister and fellow presidential aspirant Nicolas Sarkozy moved to carefully distance himself from de Villepin. Though expressing his general "solidarity" with the government in an interview with the weekly Paris Match, Sarkozy then cast himself as the understanding ally of French youth, who unlike de Villepin knows "you should never break the line of dialogue in a complex country like France."
Sounds nice, but is it credible? Sarkozy has built his presidential profile on visions of sweeping economic and labor reform and urges "rupture" with France's social model in favor of the freer-market U.S. and U.K. versions. He's also been a tough law-and-order advocate, promising to "cleanse" the blighted French suburban projects of its young "thugs." "Sarkozy's entire political identity since he made the presidency his obvious objective has been based on tough law-and-order enforcement, and equally radical economic liberalism," says Dominique Reyni�, a political analyst at Sciences-Po in Paris, who says Sarkozy's turn-around on the labor law smacks of cynical opportunism.
Sarkozy's stance on the labor law was immediately plucked up by Socialist leader and possible presidential candidate Fran�ois Hollande, who mocked de Villepin in parliament, saying, "There's doubt on this within your own government--it's sitting right next to you!" Sarkozy's new position on the strike, Reyni� notes, could hurt Villepin's leadership credentials, give new life to the lefist opposition and ultimately hurt Sarkozy's presidential ambitions as well. "The problem is, that's exactly what traditional conservative votes don't want any more," Reyni� says of Sarkozy's comments on the labor dispute. "They're demanding real reform, real change, and leaders who will do that without heeding opposition from the left. Meaning if de Villepin and his law survives, his presidential hopes would actually be bolstered."


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Health insurance for a nickel a month?
That was the plan in 1891, when 11 men brainstormed the idea at a Topeka drugstore. Later called the Security Benefit Association, the group incorporated at that time as the Knights and Ladies Benefit Society.
The original plan was for both men and women to participate in an organization of social and cultural benefit, but also to provide care of the sick and needy as well as death and disability benefits.
Starting in Topeka, the concept spread across the country and local councils of the KLBS. In 1916, a plan to build a hospital for its members asked them to pitch in a nickel a month, with the ultimate goal being to raise $250,000. By 1917, 45,796 members had contributed 50,000 nickels. The Topeka Chamber of Commerce and citizens donated a 262-acre tract of land; 142 more acres were purchased for a hospital.
The hospital was built in 1925 and expanded in 1930. Members were asked to pay an entrance fee and an average charge of $8.50 per day. Nonmembers were admitted, too.
Costs continued to rise; membership in the Knights and Ladies Security Benefit Association (name changed in 1919) declined, and the board of trustees closed the hospital in 1954. Policyholders were subsequently cared for at the Topeka Medical Center and Stormont-Vail Hospital.
The land was later sold to the Menninger Foundation, and the hospital, designed to mimic Philadelphia's Independence Hall, became the centerpiece of that campus.
SOURCE: Shawnee County Historical Society
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Harlequins stay unbeaten
Aviva Premiership leaders Harlequins maintained their unbeaten record with a 27-18 victory at Leicester - their first league win at Welford Road since 1997.
Harlequins fought back from an early 5-0 deficit to make it six wins out of six in the league this season, with tries from Sam Smith, Seb Stegmann and Joe Marler, combined with 12 points from the boot of Nick Evans, earning the visitors the spoils.
For Leicester, Boris Stankovich and replacement Scott Hamilton crossed for tries and fly-half Jeremy Staunton contributed the remaining eight points, but it was not enough to save their side.
The Leicester back will wonder how they lost the game when they had so much the better of the forward contest but the Tigers' backs were put to shame by the impressive counter-attacking efforts of their counterparts, who scored two delightful tries from scraps of possession
Fly-half Ryan Lamb produced an impressive individual performance as Northampton ended a run of four Aviva Premiership defeats with a comprehensive 33-3 win over Exeter at Franklin's Gardens.
Saints' victory was never in doubt after opening up a 20-3 half-time lead courtesy of tries from centre James Downey and wing Paul Diggin. Both were created by Lamb, who finished with a 16-point haul by slotting two conversions and four penalties.
Wing Scott Armstrong rounded things off in the final moments with the hosts' third try.
Exeter, who had been third in the table entering this game, could only register an Ignacio Mieres penalty as they came off heavily second best at the breakdown as Saints' forward power proved too much to handle.
Sale held off a spirited fightback from Gloucester to claim their fourth win from six Aviva Premiership outings after edging a hard-fought encounter 13-11 at a rain-soaked Edgeley Park.
Sharks skipper David Seymour crashed over the line in the first half and a conversion and a penalty from fly-half Nick MacLeod helped the hosts into a 10-0 half-time lead.
But two penalties from Tim Taylor got Gloucester off the mark after the restart and a late try from centre Henry Trinder, which Taylor failed to convert, set up a grandstand finish.


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In a press conference Nov. 19, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced the city of Chicago will file a 'Notice of Intent' to sue U.S. Steel...
Tens of thousands of people will be without safe drinking water for months as flooding continues in India's Assam state
The northeastern Indian state of Assam is suffering from its worst flooding in three decades. Millions were made homeless by incessant rains, which have submerged most of the state and killed 117 people.
"The main sources of drinking water, such as hand pumps and wells, are submerged in the flood waters, so communities are taking their water supplies directly from the river," which is contaminated, said Ram Kishan, Christian Aid's regional emergency manager of South Asia. "Use of this water will inevitably lead to diarrhea, dysentery and other waterborne diseases. Christian Aid will be reaching these communities with water purification tablets, construction of sanitary blocks in the camps and installation of hand pumps to stop the situation deteriorating."
"Christian Aid is responding in Dhemaji, one of the most affected districts in Assam—including the Machkhowa block, an area that has not faced floods for more than a decade. We are planning to reach almost 50,000 people in the district. Our work will concentrate on water, sanitation and hygiene," Kishan said.
Christian Aid's Country Director in India Anand Kumar said, "Complicating the situation is violence in the western part of Assam, an area also facing flooding, where ethnic conflict is leading to a massive humanitarian crisis, which has seen more than 30 killed and 40,000 displaced, putting extra pressure on state authorities."
The floods have been caused by exceptionally heavy and continuous monsoon rains that started in June and caused Assam's main river, the Brahmaputra, to break its banks, causing flooding in villages. In some, where flooding is a rare event, communities were underprepared and have suffered intensely. The water levels in certain villages are now as high as the water levels of the Brahamaputra River, and will continue to rise up and down with the water level of the river until the end of the monsoon, when embankments can be fixed.
Ghasi Lal Gujar, Christian Aid's emergency program officer, said some communities have been forced to stay on these embankments because they cannot get back to their villages, so continuing monsoon could mean more disaster.
"The weak embankments, which are barely 10 to 20 ft in width, are overcrowded, and living conditions are deteriorating everyday. There is no safe drinking water, no toilets. Contaminated water will affect people's health, and health facilities can be up to five hours away. This is the situation now—in three months it will be a lot worse. Those in camps will not be able to return to their homes for three months, and all affected communities face similar problems with clean water supplies," Gujar said.
There are also more long-term concerns, Ghasi said. "This year's floods have been more severe than previous ones. Waters have brought debris from mining activities and sand from breaching embankments, which have destroyed large areas of agriculture. Over 250,000 hectares of crop land has been flooded, and over 50% of these crops have been lost."