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Dec 19, 2012 - 10:26 pm
I have been reading posts on here for over an hour and I'm already grateful to have found this site! I was literally diagnosed several hours ago. I had rectal bleeding along with hemmorhoids and constipation. I went to the colorectal surgeon last Monday and she felt something during exam. She had me scheduled for colonoscopy on Friday. Had 2 non cancerous polyps in colon and the bad one that was lower that she felt in the office. Pathology back today and was anal cancer. Dr. said she was shocked... really didn't think was cancer appeared like polyp. (have had non cancerous colon ones before). The crazy thing is I knew it was cancer. I just haven't felt good and can read my body pretty well. Now that I know it's time to fight it. I'm 46 and definitely plan on sticking around!! Everything she told me about treatment is consistent with what I'm reading on here. I will gladly take any advice or tips anyone has to offer. I don't know my stage yet etc..... they are supposed to call me tomorrow to schedule the xrays CT and MRI. Dr. said will prov be mid January for start of treatment. I'm worried about my anxiety level. It's all I can think about. I really don't want to go on anxiety meds. I was also wondering if anyone has had tailbone area pain with this?? Sleeping has been difficult because of the rectal. and tailbone pain. Ihave to take over the counter pain relievers in the middle of the night. Trying not to ask for prescription med at this point. I figure will probably really need it later. I plan on spending a lot of time on here I can tell the support and information are invaluable.
Dec 19, 2012 - 11:00 pm
I am so sorry you are going through this. It is so scary and shocking to find this out. As I'm sure you know from reading on this site, there are many, many suvivors of this cancer, at different stages of the disease. Hopefully it's at an early stage - it sounds like it might be - since the Dr. thought it was a polyp....I know it's very hard right now, because you don't have enough information, and you can't stop thinking about it, and won't know where you are until you get all those tests...... As far as the pain, I don't remember tailbone pain exactly. Before I was diagnosed I remember sometimes I would get bad pain in the middle of the night around my anus. I think everyone feels their pain a little differently. Do the over the counter pain relievers help you? If not you may want to ask your Dr. for something if the pain causes you to lose sleep. My heart goes out to you. Please keep in touch.
Dec 19, 2012 - 11:28 pm
I am sorry about your diagnosis. I know it can be anxiety producing; that is normal. Unless you have some underlying emotional issues, I would not think yiu should add to your troubles by taking medications. For now, I would start researching where you will get your treatment. All cancer hospitals are not equal in the survival rates. You can go onto US News and Reports hospital ratings and check out the cancer raring section.you want a center with better than expected outcomes. I ended up going out of state, as the hospital where I live was not adequate. It is a rare cancer, so not all doctors are expereinced with this. You need to focus on what questions to ask and make a list.
This cancer has a high survival rate, if caught early. The treatment is doable. Hang in there. Yes, I had tailbone pain for years and went to several doctors and specialists before I was correctly diagnosed. I am more than 1 year post treatment and that pain is gone.
For now, make sure you are eating healthy foods, and sleeping well.
Hang in there!
Dec 19, 2012 - 11:44 pm
Thanks so much. I feel really good about finding this site and I'm already feeling more positive.
Dec 20, 2012 - 12:35 am
It is very common to feel anxiety at this point in the process. I did and I was prescribed Ativan which helped. I was totally functional while taking it, it just cut the "edge" off of the anxiety and the panic attacks.
We will all be here for you. Stay strong, you can beat this.
Dec 20, 2012 - 7:55 am
I'm sorry you have a reason to be here, but as you're already learning, it's a great place for support and information. I'm sure you are still shell-shocked from getting this news and you and your doctors still need to get more information before your treatment begins. It's a very anxious time. It took me 6 weeks to get my first treatment from the time of diagnosis and I thought I would lose my mind. I hope you will not have to wait that long to begin treatment. I found that once I got started, I felt better--like I was finally doing something to beat this disease.
The first thing I would recommend to you is going to the website for the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN.org) and registering so that you can access the most up-to-date treatment guidelines for anal cancer. Print them out, read them, and become familiar with the standard protocol. Take them with you to your initial consultations and put your docs to the test. If they have a treatment plan in mind for you that follows these guidelines, then you should feel pretty good about your docs. But ask them how many cases of anal cancer they have treated in the past. You don't want to be their first! If you feel uncomfortable in any way with the information your doctors give you about your treatment, seek a second opinion. My colorectal doctor told me that protocol is standard and straightforward and can be done anywhere that has the right equipment, such as Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT). I think seeking out hospitals and doctors who are not local is a good idea in cases of advance stage cancer or when there are other underlying circumstances. But on the flip-side, I also think it would be much less stressful to be treated close to home. I was on the fence between a stage 1 and a 2 and was treated right here in my town, which is near a large metropolitan area. My doctors were all excellent and very well-versed in the treatment of anal cancer. It was comforting for me to go through treatment close to home and sleep in my own bed at night. I had such terrible diarrhea, I could not imagine going through that in a strange place. So, that is just my take. But you have not been staged yet, so that may make some decisions for you. Also, if your docs need to, phone consultations can be done with doctors at such places as MD Anderson in Houston, where one of the leading experts in anal cancer is located--Dr. Catherine Eng.
Educate yourself and check out the following websites, along with the one I mentioned above. These websites have some good resources for information on centers that have expertise in treating anal cancer. They may also provide you with good info about getting through treatment with minimal side effects. Of course, those of us here can help you with that also. There is also a very good book titled "Kicking Cancer in the Butt" by Theresa Mayhew.
You will get through this, as the rest of us have. We are here to help you, support you and encourage you. I am a 4+ year survivor of this disease and my life is as normal as I could ever imagine after going through this treatment. I am very active, having run my very first marathon last April at the age of 58. I could never have imagined that during those 6 weeks in treatment. But I recovered, as will you. Please keep us posted as things progress towards your treatment date. You can do this! I wish you all the very best.
Dec 20, 2012 - 6:04 pm
I maintain that when you are dealing with cancer, you get the best medical treatment at a very reputable cancer hospital. I respectfully disagree that you should opt for convenience. Not with cancer. I would suggest that you do your research. Most insurance companies cover out of state treatments if necessary. Many top rated hospitals can help you with lodging during treatment. I started at a local hospital, and soon realized that I needed to be at the best cancer hospital that I could get to.
I have heard many horror stories about treatments at local hospitals which are not top rated for cancer. Severe radiation burns, permanent damage, and even death. Not all equipemnt is the same, not all doctors are experts. In my case, I would be dead if I had not gone to the best cancer hospital I could get to. Long story.
Your life and well being are worth some minor inconvenience if you can get to a hospital with a survival rate of "much better than expected" as opposed to " far less than expected.". This is cancer.
Dec 20, 2012 - 6:48 pm
Funny you should mention the choice of hospital.. I just had this conversation with my sister. I am fortunate to live where we have a top notch hospital system and rated very high in cancer treatment. But is it the best for anal cancer? Is there a better choice? I'm not against traveling for the best care for this cancer.
Dec 22, 2012 - 11:24 am
The first thing to do is research yiur hospital for outcomes. You want a better than expected survival rate, etc. I agree that all things have to be considered. A hospital may be highly rated for some things, but not for others. You will need to check with your insurance company if you are going out of state. Good luck. Some here went to MDA, they are best. I did not go there, but went to another hospital which had a top cancer rating. I started out at a local hospital and my anxiety level was through the roof! If you feel confident, it is going to alleviate a lot of the stress.
Dec 20, 2012 - 9:59 pm
I did not mean to imply that someone should choose a facility based primarily on convenience. I simply meant that having treatment close to home definitely has some advantages. People need to go where they are confident that they will get the best care. It requires a little homework and asking lots of questions. I happen to be fortunate in that I live in the outskirts of a large metro area and have access to some of the best healthcare in this country. Not everyone goes to MDA for treatment and some who do do not have good outcomes. Some people also have circumstances that do not make it possible for them to be treated far away from home. All things have to be considered, that's all I was saying.
Jan 16, 2013 - 10:49 am
Totally agree with you, Martha. People do need to go where THEY are confident they will experience optimal healing, which includes body, mind and spirit. And that can be done at a reputable facility not on the "top ten list." Each person has their own set of circumstances and need to feel good about their path to healing, wherever they may be!
Blessings and peace to all!
Dec 22, 2012 - 1:16 pm
Where did you have your treatment? I'm scheduled for all of my CTs mri etc.. next week at the Cleveland Clinic. I live in cleve and that is where all my docs are. They are very high rated for cancer but I'm not sure how high for this particular cancer. (I'm looking to see what I can find out). I'm strongly considering a second opinion from MDA or Sloan Kettering.
Dec 20, 2012 - 6:54 pm
So sorry that the diagnosis was cancer - but anal cancer is treatable, as you can see from the number of people that are posting here. The treatment is not easy, but it's very do-able. As far as hospitals, yes, it's very important to be somewhere that has experience with anal cancer. A lot of places aren't, as it's a rare cancer.
If you could ask your doctors if they've had experience in treating anal cancer, that would be great. If they haven't, it might be best to go somewhere where they have. Being close to home is important too though - not just for the convenience, but because it's a reassuring thing and makes the trips a lot less stressful. Best of both worlds would be if there's a hospital or care center close by that's familiar with anal cancer.
You said you're reluctant to take anti-anxiety medication - I was too!!! But it helped so much. Didn't make me loopy or anything, just relieved that doom and gloom feeling. Really helped a lot. My own opinion (not medical or anything) is that when someone NEEDS help from medication, it doesn't cause dependency or anything - it just helps us get through a bad time.
Please keep us informed as to what stage you are.
Dec 22, 2012 - 8:58 am
Below is a list of items I put together when I was diagnosed. You will find incredible support on this site. Keep us posted on how you are doing.
undergarments (just in case)
To prevent mouth sores:
Dec 26, 2012 - 4:15 pm
Is Dermoplast a presc or OTC??
Dec 27, 2012 - 12:11 am
I think it's OTC. Wish I had known about it when I was going through treatment.
Dec 27, 2012 - 9:49 am
It didn't really work so well for me. Tried to use around 4th week of radiation and it really stung. If I hadn't been at work at the time, I would have screamed out loud.
Dec 28, 2012 - 4:51 pm
sorry to hear about your results clovergirl. I also recently was diagnosed with anal cancer yesterday and have x ray and Ct scan set up. I am unable to locate a specialist Oncologist that specializes in this issue. my diagnosis is 'infiltrating squamous cell carcinoma". i would apprecaite any help. thank you.
Dec 28, 2012 - 5:26 pm
I'm so sorry your diagnosis has landed you here. I hope that your upcoming scan will show that your tumor is localized and only the minimum of treatment will be necessary. My oncologist was not a specialist, per se, in treating anal cancer. However, he had done his homework and was very knowledgeable about staging, treatment, etc. I had both an excellent oncologist and radiation oncologist. If you are seeking treatment from a facility that has lots of experience with anal cancer, MD Anderson in Houston would be a good choice. Several of our members received treatment there and are doing well. I don't know where you're located, but Univ. of California/San Francisco also has well-known specialists in this field. Take a look at Memorial Sloan Kettering also.
Treatment protocol is standard, as outlined in the NCCN guidelines--National Comprehensive Cancer Network--NCCN.org. Register on their site and you'll have access to the latest treatment guidelines. Wherever you end up receiving treatment, make sure your doctors are familiar with this information.
Please keep us posted on how things go with the scan. I wish you the best and hope you'll let us support you during this journey.
Jan 15, 2013 - 8:18 am
Everything is localized. No spreading. Starting chemo/radiation this afternoon 1/15/13. I went to University of Chicago who is also rated high and spoke to an oncologist i found who specializes in anal cancer and he confirmed that they would do exactly the same as my first opinion with the exact same drugs. I have found that for at least anal cancer, the treatment is pretty generic in terms of amount of radiation and chemo drugs as long as you go to a qualified place.
Jan 15, 2013 - 8:22 am
That is very good news about your tumor being localized. I'm glad you have found a good hospital and oncologist--may you be in good hands. I hope all goes well today for you. Day one is always a little scary, but I'm sure you'll do fine. Please let us know how it goes.
Jan 15, 2013 - 5:33 pm
Good luck! You are in my thoughts and prayers today?
Dec 28, 2012 - 7:33 pm
You are only a tad behind me in diagnosis. I am very recently dianosed but I can say that I'm educating myself and gathering a lot of great and important information. (Most has come fr om this site and the wonderful people on here. I had incredible panic and anxiety but have since calmed waaaay down. (No medication involved). Things are moving very quickly for me (glad). I had a CT with contrast on Wed a.m. My colorectal surgeon called that evening that scan showed no mestases to other organs. MRI day after New Years and that Friday morning consults with both Oncologists and according to my surgeon could start treatment Mon Jan 7. All this is at the Cleveland Clinic which is 15 mins from home for me. However I can tell you this.....as anxious as I am and more than ready to get going with the treatment I have already firmly decided that I will be going to either MDAnderson or Mem Sloan Kettering for a second opinion. I just want to be sure of my choice. Hang in there and keep talking to the people on here.
Dec 28, 2012 - 9:39 pm
Hi clovergirl and EricL,
I just want to tell you the 2012 ratings for hospitals for cancer treatments.
1. MD Andersen
Also, for anal cancer some top research comes out of University of California San Fransisco.
You can't go wrong with any of these hospitals for treatment. Good luck.
Jan 16, 2013 - 2:41 pm
. . .there are many more medical facilities out there that have highly regarded cancer treatment centers experienced in treating anal cancer and a number of us on this Board have been treated by them and have experienced outstanding outcomes.


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How to Throw a Gingerbread Party
At Little Sprouts, we have a yearly tradition of gingerbread decorating. I build a creation and invite all of the daycare families over to have dinner and decorate. We donate the creation to KidsSpace, a child advocacy center here in town to bring some joy to the lives of children in transition. We started this tradition about 18 years ago. We have entered our creations in contests, donated them to museum sales, and all kinds of things. We have been donating it to KidsSpace for several years now and it seems to bring them much joy.
Building gingerbread is so much fun. If you have a group of adults, you can let them build their creations and decorate them, but with many toddlers and preschool age kids, it's easier to build the creation a week or so ahead of time so it's more likely to hold together while they are decorating it.
The first thing you have to figure out is what you are going to build. I have several books full of patterns and there are free patterns on the internet and many you can buy. I started by checking out library books with patterns. You can even create your own. I have done that a few times, but usually, I just find a pattern and change it to what I want to build.
Martha Stewart's recipes
I have always used Martha Stewart's Gingerbread recipe. It's foolproof. I do not add cinnamon to mine because I am highly allergic, but I do use ginger and black pepper to flavor it. I use her royal icing recipe as well. Martha knows! And this royal icing hardens rock hard, so it's a great glue for the gingerbread.
Start about a week before your party. Roll out your dough to the 1/8 inch Martha recommends and cut your pieces from your patterns. I use a pastry dough cutter or pizza cutter to cut sharp lines.
Bake your house pieces according to the instructions in the recipe and allow them to cool thoroughly. I cool mine overnight or for a couple of days.
Putting the gingerbread together
Now it's time to assemble. I use peppermint sticks to hold the house sides together and when adding the roof pieces, I secure them with straight pins like a nail until the creation is dry. I remove them before the kids come for decorating.
I allow these to dry for about a week. This year we had several days of rainy weather and our gingerbread was super soft. Some of the houses had pieces break off, but we were able to put them back together. If you have a large creation, sometimes the rain will totally destroy it. I stick with smaller buildings most of the time because of that.
Another great reason is when I have a lot of people working, it helps if each family has a unit they can work on. We have done train cars, town buildings, and village houses. We have also done a beach scene with a house and a lighthouse, Santa's workshop, a mansion with a gazebo, a big city downtown with skyscrapers and a protest, and many other creations. Whatever you choose, it's going to be fun.
Get ready for your party guests
Before your guests arrive, lay out all the supplies. This year we ate pizza, so I just had to put out dishes and make some tea. The families brought decorating candy and pizza money. That made it easy for everyone. Once the guests arrived, it was all fun.
After everyone ate and decorated, we put the creation together.
I wanted to make a community garden in the center of the neighborhood, so I attempted some veggies.
After the creation was in place, it magically snowed during the night…
Having your families gather for a group project any time of year is a great way to let them get to know each other and to feel like they are a part of the daycare. I have kids that are grown that still remember making gingerbread here with their parents. It's a great way to make memories and it's super fun for everyone. I hope you try some gingerbreading with your loved ones. If you feel intimidated by baking the gingerbread, make houses from graham crackers or buy a kit. Any way you do it, it's awesome! And imagine the kid's faces at the advocacy center when they see all this colorful fun!
Christmas Surprises
A few months ago my camera that I saved three years to buy for myself met an untimely accident. It still works, but some of the features such as zoom do not and when taking a picture, there is a long delay. Sometimes you can't get it to come on without a little shaking. Needless to say, with all the blog and daycare pictures, it's a hassle. But this year at the party, my sweet parents surprised me with a replacement camera. It's better, prettier, and they also gave me multiple cool tools to go with it. I was flabbergasted. I couldn't believe they did this for me. I was so touched, I had to put it away so I wouldn't cry. I hate crying in public. Anyway, I am super excited about it. I named her Lynda after my hero Wonder Woman. Here's a picture of her, she's amazing…
Do you have any gingerbread memories to share? I'd LOVE to hear them!
Don't forget to pin for later!


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Great Games With Silly Names
February 8, 2010 - For every awesome game with a spot-on, evocative name (Dead Space, Uncharted, Total War), there are 10 equally great games with unfortunate names that either make no sense or tell us nothing about what to expect from them.
McGee's Alice in Turnaround
June 26, 2008 - Game designer American McGee has posted an interview at his official blog that he conducted with Scott Faye, the producer of the long-gestating film version of the videogame American McGee's Alice.
Gellar is Alice
June 21, 2005 - Buffy star set for game-to-film adaptation.
Games-to-Film Frenzy II
October 13, 2004 - Which games are headed to the big screen?
McGee Movie Update
March 4, 2004 - American McGee talks Alice, Oz and Grimm flicks.
Games to Film: American McGee's Oz
January 26, 2004 - A big-screen trilogy from Jerry Bruckheimer?
Alice, Oz
July 29, 2003 - Alice, Oz. The latest on two films based on games by American McGee.
Games-to-Film Update: Alice, Oz
July 29, 2003 - The latest on two films based on games by American McGee.
Alice Gets Remixed
March 24, 2003 - Alice Gets Remixed. And you can help Chris Vrenna decide which track to revamp.
Rogue Finds Home
October 2, 2001 - Best known for their atmospheric action title American McGee's Alice, Rogue Entertainment has seen their fare share of the industry's ups and downs. From critically acclaimed games, to cancelled projects the company has definitely been around the block. But this could all be just a distant memory.
Alice Guide Live!
January 8, 2001 - So you've been playing Alice all week and you've already died like thirty times. Well now you've got a friend in the biz! We just posted our complete Alice guide today. So all you whiners and bad game players can step right up and get a full walkthrough of the game from start to finish. All your answers lie within.
American McGee's Alice on the Big Screen
December 7, 2000 - FilmForce comes through two days in a row with some interesting bits of movie news. The news today is more focused towards PC gaming so it's even better. What would all of you say about a movie made from American McGee's Alice? I hope only good things because this masterpiece of a game has a terrific storyline and artistic quality that was just begging for that kind of treatment. All we have to do now is hope that they don't totally screw it up like so many gaming movies.
American McGee's Alice
December 5, 2000 - I feel sorry for texture artists. Actually, not all texture artists, just Alice's texture artists, mainly. I don't know what kind of slavedriver American McGee is, but he must be some kind of inhuman monster to have worked them so hard. While we're at it, how about the other level designers, or character designers... hell, the whole staff at Rogue. Alice raises the bar for level design and graphics so high that smaller development houses are just going to sigh resolutely to themselves and whisper "well at least we've got bigger aliens in our game." In a year full of almost-but-not-quite trendsetters (we're not including you, Sacrifice), Alice manages to deliver a near-constant stream of wows, something I can't remember experiencing in a long, long time. While Alice isn't a perfect experience, it's just the thing to end 2000 with a proper PC bang.
American McGee's Alice
November 21, 2000 - We received an almost-final version of Alice last week, and it took…
American McGee's Alice Screens
November 16, 2000 - Remember when you saw Alice in Wonderland for the first time, and while it was trying to prove to you how scary and crazy everything was, you just kept thinking "wow, like I could totally shrink and run through mouse holes by drinking Robitussin?" American McGee's Alice will quickly cure you of that. Alice's adult world is a scary, freaky, and downright dangerous place to exist in, thanks to the Queen of Hearts. Just take a look at our new screens of the game for proof. From the build we just got in, it looks as though Alice looks as fantastic as it plays, and we can't wait to get deeper inside of her twisted little world. Check out the screens, and look forward to what you'll be playing on December 5th, the release date of the title.
Making of Alice Movie
November 3, 2000 - One of the most anticipated games of the holiday season is none other than the freaky trip back into Wonderland that is American McGee's Alice. If you haven't seen any info about this game, you'll want to check it out here. This is a game that isn't for the kids, or for the faint of heart. It promises to be a scary, disturbing, and very entertaining journey into a world that is falling apart at the seams. Publisher EA released a video that gives a look at the making of Alice. We actually took a video of this at ECTS, but this one will actually let you watch the video clearly and without fear of barfing due to motion sickness. If you haven't seen it yet, then definitely take a look.
American McGee's Alice Interview
October 9, 2000 - Set to ship sometime between Halloween and Thanksgiving, American McGee's Alice is improving daily as it nears completion. As one of EA's most highly anticipated games set for release this year, we caught up R.J. Berg as development enters the home straight.
Alice Teaser and Screenshots
October 2, 2000 - I'm sure there are people out there with the Disney vision of Alice in Wonderland stuck in their heads. Well you poor saps are in for a shock with the upcoming action/adventure American McGee's Alice. This twisted little game should send some shivers up your spine and turn all you've ever imagined of Wonderland its head. Just take a look at the screens and then watch the teaser trailer and see if you don't agree. The teaser is all CG, but it'll pique your interest in a big way if you are at all a fan of the darker side of imagination. This little girl has problems. Lucky us.
American McGee's Alice in Full Motion
September 27, 2000 - If you've already read our Black & White Movies Galore story, you know that Anoop flew off to Japan with the coveted ECTS tape...the one which had all of the PC footage we took at the show. We still think Anoop and the tape ran off to get married in Vegas, but he swears he was in Tokyo the whole time. Yeah, right Anoop! Fortunately Anoop returned to the States this week with tape in hand, so we're now able to bring you some more movies from ECTS. On the night before the show opened, Electronic Arts held a press event at their new studios just outside of London in Chertsey, where we got a chance to check out their upcoming line-up. One of the games featured at the event was American McGee's Alice, and while everyone else was in the bathroom--leaving the rest of the EA building relatively quiet--we were able to catch a mini-documentary about the game that EA was running on one of the monitors.
ECTS 2000: Spending the Night with EA
September 1, 2000 - Before the big show even starts, the work already begins. Well, if you…


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Welcome to WebmasterWorld Guest from 220.127.116.11
Forum Moderators: open
To admit there was a capacity problem after all this time might be taken by some to be an admission of culpable negligence in their failure to advise potential investors regarding serious technical issues during their IPO period. I don't think there will be any culpable negligence issues because Google will not fail. However, if it did fail, I think the fact that they have withheld such information would make them subject to suit, perhaps even criminally if some of the ones who profited on the IPO were the ones who concealed the capacity problem. They would only be guilty of negligent deception IF THEY FAILED.
It's kind of like you wake up in the middle of the night and there is someone in your bedroom and they make a frightenting sound and it's dark and you see something flash towards you and you are so scared you shoot into the darkness to later find it's a serial killer wanted in a nationwide manhunt and you are a freaking hero and on talk shows everywhere, or for a change of scene, it's the neighbor's senile grandfather and you are doing 10 to 20 in max lockdown with Bubba Joe who likes to scratch his ass and sniff his fingers when he's not telling you how pretty your eyes are.
I don't have anything that would serve as proof of what I'm saying, but it pretty much stands to reason that if Google has been perfectly mum about the sandbox to this point, that they are not going to so quickly incorporate new and faster expanded technology at such a rate that it requires public statement.
If the sandbox phenomenon is over and/or in the process of ending, what would it likely look like? Would it be rolled out all at once? by topological area? by chronological time in the sandbox? alphabetically? by pages or by domains?
What will the results look like to us as they change? There must be tens of thousands of sites that have been released since last Winter that are sandboxed, as they take their place in the higher SERPs, will there be a mad assualt? or will it be more like a gradual infiltration? should we expect to see gradual changes in every area over time, steady like an hour glass, or will we see a week of dramatic change to be followed every couple of more weeks with dramatic change for a couple of months? or will we just wake up one morning to find that hurricane google has re-written the face of the internet with major devastation in it's wake and young hopeful sites seeing sunlight for the first time?
With MSN's new engine expected to go online perhaps as early as February, and google's known fondness for upstaging MS, how much later can they wait before they release the sandbox? The SERPs are apparently beginning to change. I've already heard of several people who've claimed their many-month-long-sandboxed site is out of the sandbox. Could it be that this is really the beginning of the end?
Here is my interpretation: it is Googles engine to do with as they wish. In 2003, affiliates has Google by the tail and directed it any way they wanted - atleast until Florida.
To suggest that google facing a tech hurdle and not disclosing that to investors is like saying NASA should have warned the public that space travel could be hazardous. Of course Google is facing tech challenges every day - all tech based websites are.
My guess is that your guess is exactly 100% correct. The only thing that might make it take longer than you project is difficulties implementing this on both the algo and the data center side.
I've been expecting something very much along the lines of what you are suggesting for quite a while, it's obviously been extremely difficult to implement the new matrix or it would have been in place months ago.
Google's total and utter silence on this issue, aside from the odd spin they throw out to keep a semblance of denial about the problem, and the upcoming solution, is, and has been, extremely eloquent. A silence that would be motivated by exactly the issues you layout. Nice post, somebody's got their thinking cap on today...
Nice post blasphemer.
I would say Welcome to Webmasterworld [webmasterworld.com] but I get the sneaking suspicion you've read it before.
Another question. Given that Google's propensity for trying to upstage MS is no secret, will MS try and surprise Google with an earlier than planned launch?
>> Is The "Sandbox" Ending?
That depends a great deal on what, exactly, you personally interpret as being "the sandbox" (*), as well as whether or not this phenomenon is intentional, desirable, or at least harmless, as seen from Googles perspective.
Anyway, it's most probable that it's ending, sooner or later. If not for anything else, then only because most things are ending. Also, most things are replaced by, or transformed into, other things in the process.
If i was to follow the tech problems argument for a moment, i wouldn't consider an architecture upgrade a problem outside the realm of "hard+software logistics" (which would offer some serious challenges after all, as we're speaking large volumes here, and it's basically the bread+butter of said firm). It would, however, fall into the "desired" box, although perhaps as "with some undesired sideeffects/bugs". Such a thing would be very gradual, and accompanied by a lot of testing. We wouldn't really notice it for a long time, and perhaps not at all, i'd say. At least the engineers should work very hard on making it non-noticeable (but on this particular forum, oddities do rise to the surface quite often). FWIW, that switch might already have happened, i'd say.
OTOH, the slow accumulation of "a set of webmaster problems that seems related" (or perhaps just increased awareness) during the past year seems to support the argument that some kind of process has been going on. An architecture upgrade is not the only process i can imagine yielding such effects, though. So, to end this speculation from my side; Even if we assume that we are in the middle of an architecture upgrade/switch, the interesting question is not if "the sandbox" will end gradually or instantly.
In stead, you should ask if this "feature / phenomenon" is an inherent part of the way the system is supposed to work, or not.
(a) If no, then this "thing" is a sideeffect, and my best bet on timing is "gradual", or perhaps in a few "jumps".
(b) If yes, then this "thing" is found in both architectures, and it will not "end" after the supposed switch.
For both scenarios, my best bet is that some pages/sites will "escape the sandbox" sooner than others, and that some will be "escaping gradually" every day for the forseeable future.
(*) I'm not trying to troll here, only emphasizing that there are numerous different things attributed to the term "sandbox" in different threads, by different members. We've all got "a general idea" but the specifics, as well as the theories differ a lot.
November 10, as noted by neuron in msg #131 here [webmasterworld.com].
yes I realize the number of pages went from 4 to 8 billion, that was tough to miss. Still, from some of the messages it seemed like there might be at least some areas where people weren't seeing much difference. I was just wondering if that was indeed the case. It seems not.
The surpise from MS to G i think it could be a desktop MSN search field in the new MS W1ndows products...that's what really scares G.
But i am sure G will answer back...
MS got in its 'house', G will get in MS 'house' too...
i expect more G desktop products.
And the 'game' or 'war' is getting harder and harder....
To admit there was a capacity problem after all this time might be taken by some to be an admission of culpable negligence in their failure to advise potential investors regarding serious technical issues during their IPO period.
This makes it sound like Google is responsible for indexing the world. Capacity is always a problem and never a problem. Certainly there is no guilt on anyone's part, to suggest so is absurd.
I don't think the sandbox will ever end - it's part of their migration to the idea of Hilltop. It is the introduction of Hilltop ideas that make it more difficult for new websites to rank quickly. PageRank, LocalScore, SEO, the rules have changed slightly.
I also once posted my theory about two indexes. The SERPs I see and the experience I have with a new website can all be explained by Hilltop. It may be two physical indexes or it may be virtual, but when google does not find Hilltop results, it returns "old" results and that is why some new site rank on uncommon queries - not queries that have less than 500,000 results as some suggest.
My sandboxed pages show up fine in Google if you search for something super specific that exists on no other page. They are in the index, they just don't get displayed in the SERPs.
If Google really wanted to keep the index smaller, they'd kick out the PR0 pages.
My sandboxed pages show up fine in Google if you search for something super specific that exists on no other page.The capacity problem takes that into account. The pagerank calculation matrix can handle 4 billion urls. That is the real index. Another index of 4 billion urls is there for backfill. Those in the index just not the right one for ranking against others that are in the right index. That is the simplified version of the theory.
Does Hilltop explain how the same content on a new domain, retaining an identical set of backlinks, can have dramatically different results?
Yes it does, this has to do with content of the site itself and recognizing it as an authority site. New sites are having trouble being recognized as an "authority" for the topic on which they are hoping to rank. That is where we are seeing a delay; it is very likely that Hilltop, as deployed by Google, will not allow sites to immediately be recognized as an authority. Quite frankly, this makes a lot of sense 90% of the time.
When authority cannot be established for a query, then the Hilltop based algo cannot be used. This is why new site rank for "oddball" queries where a corpus of information does not exist. Hilltop is bypassed in these situations. This gives the appearance of an index with two sets of results.
I don't buy into the theory that the Sandbox is a capacity problem.
In today's computer environment, there is no such problem as capacity. That is what I meant earlier. It is only a problem if you make it a problem. I've helped build very large databases and they all have problems and everything is a compromise - speed versus complexity of queries. You can optimize a database for anything you like, it is just that you cannot optimize for everything at that same time. Again, to say that Google is negligent is nonsense.
Granted the Google link report is broken but it's interesting to compare the other engines (which are pretty consistent) to MSN BETA which produces 7-12 times more links than what the others list.
The sandbox doesn't prevent new pages from being added to the index.Others would say "The sandbox doesn't prevent new pages from being added to an index."
New sites are having trouble being recognized as an "authority" for the topic on which they are hoping to rank
I agree with your logic but I�m just not seeing that in the current SERPs.
is it possible that Google are not recognizing any authority site?
It might be they are only listing "expert" site.
[edited by: GerBot at 4:33 pm (utc) on Dec. 29, 2004]
I am therefore convinced that the Google sandbox is a deliberate ploy on their part to increase revenues. Yahoo bought Overture and their revenues skyrocketed. Investors were thrilled. They didn't care about Yahoo's "ink contaminated" results, just the top line.
Google had to respond and get their revenues up and what better way than to force new players to buy Adwords. Don't for one minute think that the people at Google think strategically. That is reserved for privately owned companies. As a publicly traded company, the top line is as paramount as the bottom line. Their long term thinking do not extend beyond the next shareholders' meeting.
In the short term, why should they free up sandoxed sites that are buying adwords? That would be tantamount to shooting themselves in the foot.
As a competitor, if G had only Yahoo to contend with, it would have been like a walk in the park. Yahoo is the search equivalent to K-Mart who no competitor loses any sleep over.
However, MSN search is another kettle of fish. Firstly this is hardly core business for them and they have the luxury of focusing on "owning" the market in the medium to long term.
These are not the jokers they have at Yahoo. Their aim will be become the Wal-Mart of search, and they will brook no competition. When Wal-Mart for instance, got heavily into toys, specialist toy outlets like Toys'R Us operating close to them, were forced to close.
These are strategic people with deep pockets who do not need to focus on short term profits. They will roll out good, fresh results and aim to do what they do best, "dominate" the market.
MSN is a Tsumani waiting to happen. If I were Google, I would be very nervous indeed. However I'm sure they are not, resting on their laurels, hoping that MSN is noting more than a bad dream.
In the short term G in my view won't give two hoots about their stale results. That is until searchers begin abandoning them in droves. It is then and only then will they will get into a crisis mode, open the floodgates and pray that it is not too late. In the meantime, they will be guided by short-term profits.
Don't expect the sandbox to end anytime soon.
Just my 0.02.
Here are the top ten WebmasterWorld responses to the sandbox theory:
10) The Sandbox? LOL ... doesn't exist!
9) The Sandbox? You mean the LAG?
8) The Sandbox? You mean Hilltop?
7) The Sandbox? You mean Florida?
6) The Sandbox? What a clever invention!
5) The Sandbox? Mwuahahahaha ... it exists but I'm out of it!
4) The Sandbox? Mwuahahahaha ... it exists but I never got into it!
3) The Sandbox? How can Google be so stupid as to do such thing in the first place?
2) The Sandbox? Wow, yeah, <whisper>Google must have technical problems.<whisper>
1) The Sandbox? Huh?
The number of indexes has never really supported the lack of capacity argument. Say that Google had all the capacity in the world - nothing would stop them from having two indexes, ten indexes, or even a hundred if that would serve their purpose better.
The more capacity they get, the more indexes they can possibly make. Sheer storage capacity would do it, regardless of 32 or 64 bit technology.
>> FWIW, that switch might already have happened, i'd say
(my post above, about 32-to-64)
I'm having second thoughts on this. Of course it might still have happened already, but i'm not really sure that Google would find such a shift worthwhile, at least for the time being. There's a couple of things to it:
Not that i think anyone can answer this set of questions just like that, but it was just the few things that popped up instantly when i gave it a moment of thought, so no doubt the people at Google have given these matters some consideration. I'm not sure the benefits outweigh the negatives, but then again, i don't run systems of that size, and i haven't seen the numbers (if such numbers exist), so i might be entirely wrong.
- that's probably not the most important point, anyway, although these extra costs will occur every day.
[edited by: claus at 5:58 pm (utc) on Dec. 29, 2004]
I have four sandboxed sites. All are doing great in MSN Beta so I'm certain that my SEO strategy works just fine.
You're using a engine that is currently in beta to validate your SEO techniques. Talk about wishful thinking.
Their long term thinking do not extend beyond the next shareholders' meeting.
Hmmm...ever hear of Gmail, Google labs, blogger....
They will roll out good, fresh results and aim to do what they do best, "dominate" the market.
There are plenty of examples of companies that are still around despite MS attempting to dominate the market. Ever hear of Intuit or Adobe?
It's always amusing to see someone's interpretation of things which are (in reality) only theories. MSN may come on strong if and when MS is ever able to release longhorn with embedded search. Hell, if you want to talk about compnies resting on their backsides take a look at the dismal state of Internet Explorer. Losing 15-20 million user's to firefox may be a drop in the overall bucket, but there's no denying it's made a dent in the browser wars.
MS is not, nor has it ever been an innovator. As oong as google (and others) can continue to innovate, MS will be at a loss, as it is now an old, slowly turning juggernaught that has never had a single original idea of it's own.
If you're staking the future of your business on MS, you've got a long wait.


text:
[RELEASE] Skype (VoIP Program) Addon - Printable Version
+- Kodi Community Forum (https://forum.kodi.tv)
+-- Forum: Support (https://forum.kodi.tv/forumdisplay.php?fid=33)
+--- Forum: Add-on Support (https://forum.kodi.tv/forumdisplay.php?fid=27)
+---- Forum: Program Add-ons (https://forum.kodi.tv/forumdisplay.php?fid=151)
+---- Thread: [RELEASE] Skype (VoIP Program) Addon (/showthread.php?tid=85138)
[RELEASE] Skype (VoIP Program) Addon - anwmalos - 2010-11-10
-Added new icons, country flags, addon icon
-Changed background image (Taken straight from xbmc subtitles addon)
-Audio call place/receive, much more stable now but still needs some work
-Filled details window with the details of selected user (homepage/about/telephones etc.)
Original post
I just commited the initial version which is only for the brave, it is missing most of the features, it does some pretty stupid stuff, it might crash etc etc etc
But hey, it works (sort of)
To use it you have to compile xbmc from the svn and enable external python, (which I has to be at least 2.6, haven't tested later versions) as well as install Skype4py.When you install Skype4py you have to find the file posix.py, which at least in ubuntu is in /usr/local/lib/python2.6/dist-packages/Skype4Py/api and change the line
trans = opts.pop('Transport', 'dbus')
trans = opts.pop('Transport', 'x11')
After that, install skype for linux (I used apt-get from the ubuntu repo), sign in and the first time you run the addon, accept the plugin connection from the addon to skype. That's it (I think)....
I don't know if it is possible to work with dbus, but right now it is causing me problems and I am too bored to fix it. I am also interested if anyone want to try making this work in windows as I have only tried in linux x64, I don't know if it is even possible.
Anyone who wants to contribute, first of all I need ideas, so brainstorm all you like about the look and feel of the addon. If anyone knows how to make pretty backgrounds/icons and stuff like that would be useful. Code wise, you are also welcome to make any suggestions
Disclaimer: I am a C/C++ coder so I don't know how my python coding looks, I'm sorry if it is not according to python coding style
And last but not least, many thanks to the author if the Gmail Checker plugin as I used (aka stolen) his code as a base for my addon!
- Spulit - 2010-11-12
Thanks for posting this!
How do we install the addon on XBMC? I tried copying the folder to the scripts folder but I get an error indicating a failure in importing the "xbmcaddon" module...
- anwmalos - 2010-11-12
I currently store it at $HOME/.xbmc/addons/script.skype/
Keep in mind that it is developed for dharma (specifically current SVN) so it might have some problems with that. Also check if the python path is correct, as a last resort you can manually add some paths on default.py.
- Spulit - 2010-11-12
For now I'm just putting it to work with the latest XBMC Live distribution. For now I came up with a problem I previously detected in my developments.
Traceback (most recent call last):
15:54:22 T:2965613424 M:1999708160 NOTICE: File "/home/ecaalyx/.xbmc/scripts/Common Scripts/Skype/default.py", line 28, in ?
15:54:22 T:2965613424 M:1999708160 NOTICE: ui = gui.GUI( "ui.xml" , os.getcwd(), "Default")
15:54:22 T:2965613424 M:1999708160 NOTICE: File "/home/ecaalyx/.xbmc/scripts/Common Scripts/Skype/resources/lib/gui.py", line 146, in __init__
15:54:22 T:2965613424 M:1999708160 NOTICE: self.skype = Skype4Py.Skype(Events=self)
15:54:22 T:2965613424 M:1999708160 NOTICE: File "/usr/share/xbmc/system/python/python24.zip/Skype4Py/skype.py", line 243, in __init__
15:54:22 T:2965613424 M:1999708160 NOTICE: self._SetEventHandlerObj(Events)
15:54:22 T:2965613424 M:1999708160 NOTICE: AttributeError
15:54:22 T:2965613424 M:1999708160 NOTICE: 'Skype' object has no attribute '_SetEventHandlerObj'
15:54:22 T:2965613424 M:1999708160 ERROR: Scriptresult: Error
In fact, in the latest Skype4Py version there is no _SetEventHandlerObj() method and I found several other users complaining about this. Which is your Skype4Py version?
- anwmalos - 2010-11-12
you are using python 2.4, I don't know if it is possible to run it under 2.4. I had a lot of problems with it even with the the hacks I have mentioned on the other thread. It's best to use external python and use at least 2.6 although I think it might work with 2.5
- Spulit - 2010-11-12
I don't think it is related to using 2.4. If you look into the Skype object code (in skype.py) you will see that that method is not defined...Weird...
- anwmalos - 2010-11-12
Spulit Wrote:I don't think it is related to using 2.4. If you look into the Skype object code (in skype.py) you will see that that method is not defined...Weird...
It's defined in utils.py:480 (Skype4Py-18.104.22.168)
- Spulit - 2010-11-17
I fixed the problem by manually setting the handlers. Now I'm stuck with a problem:
Traceback (most recent call last):
19:03:07 T:2964880240 M:1995587584 NOTICE: File "/home/ecaalyx/.xbmc/scripts/Common Scripts/Skype/default.py", line 28, in ?
19:03:07 T:2964880240 M:1995587584 NOTICE: ui = gui.GUI( "ui.xml" , os.getcwd(), "Default")
19:03:07 T:2964880240 M:1995587584 NOTICE: File "/home/ecaalyx/.xbmc/scripts/Common Scripts/Skype/resources/lib/gui.py", line 147, in __init__
19:03:07 T:2964880240 M:1995587584 NOTICE: self.skype = Skype4Py.Skype()
19:03:07 T:2964880240 M:1995587584 NOTICE: File "/usr/share/xbmc/system/python/python24.zip/Skype4Py/skype.py", line 250, in __init__
19:03:07 T:2964880240 M:1995587584 NOTICE: self._Api = SkypeAPI(Options)
19:03:07 T:2964880240 M:1995587584 NOTICE: File "/usr/share/xbmc/system/python/python24.zip/Skype4Py/api/posix.py", line 37, in SkypeAPI
19:03:07 T:2964880240 M:1995587584 NOTICE: from posix_x11 import SkypeAPI
19:03:07 T:2964880240 M:1995587584 NOTICE: File "/usr/share/xbmc/system/python/python24.zip/Skype4Py/api/posix_x11.py", line 179, in ?
19:03:07 T:2964880240 M:1995587584 NOTICE: libpath = find_library('X11')
19:03:07 T:2964880240 M:1995587584 NOTICE: File "/usr/share/xbmc/system/python/python24.zip/ctypes/util.py", line 120, in find_library
19:03:07 T:2964880240 M:1995587584 NOTICE: return _get_soname(_findLib_ldconfig(name) or _findLib_gcc(name))
19:03:07 T:2964880240 M:1995587584 NOTICE: File "/usr/share/xbmc/system/python/python24.zip/ctypes/util.py", line 110, in _findLib_ldconfig
19:03:07 T:2964880240 M:1995587584 NOTICE: os.popen('/sbin/ldconfig -p 2>/dev/null').read())
19:03:07 T:2964880240 M:1995587584 NOTICE: OSError
19:03:07 T:2964880240 M:1995587584 NOTICE: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
19:03:07 T:2964880240 M:1995587584 ERROR: Scriptresult: Error
I should stress again that I'm trying to use this with an XBMC Live distribution, by repacking XBMC's internal python libraries package (/usr/lib/xbmc/system/python/python24.zip).
Another thing is that if I try to use dbus, I get these errors, which I don't know if are critical:
Corrupt JPEG data: 78 extraneous bytes before marker 0xd1
Corrupt JPEG data: 78 extraneous bytes before marker 0xd1
With this, the script doesn't show up anything.
- anwmalos - 2010-11-17
This plugin is not intended to be run on python 2.4. If you want to run in on python 2.4 then I already have solved all these issues on my earlier thread. Be warned that skype4py was unstable using this technique. I have not tested with dbus yet, please be patient if you want other things supported than the ones mentioned in the first post, I will try to fix most of them in time, as well as make a proper release
Skype4Py fix for dbus support - cbxbiker61 - 2010-11-19
The following patch fixes dbus support in Skype4Py.
I've got the skype plugin working through dbus. Seems to work fine. Really need to get video support working to make this plugin do what I want.
--- ./Skype4Py/api/posix_dbus.py.orig 2010-07-30 18:24:52.000000000 -0600
Xbmc patch to get external python sys path correct - cbxbiker61 - 2010-11-19
I see in your default.py you have a sys.path.append to get the dist-packages directory added to the external python's sys.path. A proper fix in xbmc would prevent this hackery (on my installation dist-packages is in /usr/lib64/python2.6). So here is a patch for xbmc that would fix this properly. I'll be submitting it to the xbmc bug tracker for proper inclusion.
The patch is here http://trac.xbmc.org/ticket/10715. It's been updated.
- anwmalos - 2010-11-19
About d-bus, that's good news, although I was hoping we could have a fix on the addon side so we don't need to add even more hacks. Are there any advantages over x11? Is it worth to use it? I was thinking maybe to include all the skype4py module in the addon so I can include the changes you mentioned.
Regarding video support, unfortunately my free time is very limited, so the development is not very fast, but it's moving forward. I also want to make a better gui and integrate the addon with xbmc better (maybe if possible to automatically pause a movie and pop up a answer/decline dialog when there is an incoming call).
I will test these in the weekend, as well as commit some new things, stay tuned...
- extrospection - 2010-11-19
anwmalos Wrote:Regarding video support, unfortunately my free time is very limited, so the development is not very fast, but it's moving forward. I also want to make a better gui and integrate the addon with xbmc better (maybe if possible to automatically pause a movie and pop up a answer/decline dialog when there is an incoming call).Wishlist (quoting myself from this thread: http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=81366)
extrospection Wrote:Wishlist for features (overlapping and on top of your project spec):Keep up the great work - I am keen to test this when you deem it ready for "public consumption" :-)
- anwmalos - 2010-11-19
I think the options list is pretty resonable but right now, I am not interested in coding them at all . I want to finish with the main features and continue with the "nice to have" features later
About video support, you have to consider that skype4py gives just an interface to control the skype client so I don't think I will be very free to develop it as I wish. I think I will take a fair bit of hacks just to enable proper video support. Considering this I will try to have both cams, altough I think showing only the remote camera gives more tribute to sci-fi movies .
For the same reason, I think it will be a bit hard to control the way skype handles audio, right now I already have my soundcard connected to external amp/speakers so it's not much of a problem. I guess it would be more of a computer setup, like hdmi for xbmc and soundcard for skype, or 2 soundcards etc.
If you wish to try it out, right now it's pretty stable although not very feature rich and it's designed from the ground up to be operated only with a remote control, so if you don't mind compiling xbmc from source it's pretty safe to use it (place/answer audio calls)
- anwmalos - 2010-11-20
New svn version, added some stuff like details window although I have to work on it a little more to make it prettier. Next up, I have to figure how to minimize the annoying skype windows that get in the way, as well as first experiments with video support. Stay tuned!
PS. I'm not very good with graphics. All the graphics are taken from the internet (public domain/open source only) and modified a little to work well on the interface. Anyone who has any artistic talents, you are free to make some new icons/improve on existing ones. If you do, try to keep the look & feel of the windows skype client (more of a guideline than a rule )


text:
20 November 2013 - Security Council - Activities of the United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa and on the Lord's Resistance Army-affected areas - Statement by Mr. Gérard Araud, Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations
(UN Translation)
I would like to thank Mr. Abou Moussa for his briefing and the Secretary-General for his report.
Many challenges undoubtedly remain in Central Africa, as mentioned by Mr. Abou Moussa, including ever-increasing acts of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea and the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which remains fragile despite the victory over the Mouvement du 23 mars. I will focus my remarks on two topics: the Central African Republic and the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).
With regard to the Central African Republic, I would like my statement to be heard as a warning, given the exceptional seriousness of the humanitarian situation in the Central African Republic, and as an appeal. I believe that no one can underestimate the risk of the humanitarian situation in the Central African Republic, which could lead to killings and violence on a massive scale if the international community does not intervene. I can only advise participants in this meeting to meet the representatives of the humanitarian agencies and entities of the Organization or of non-governmental organizations who are courageously working in the Central African Republic.
If they were to do so, they would all hear horrific reports of the situation of the population, who are terrorized and at risk from gangs of bandits — let us br frank — and, at the same time, from being immersed in interreligious violence. The Christians are afraid of the Muslims. The Muslims are afraid of the Christians. They are both made up of militia who, of course, blindly engage in violence, the primary victims of which are civilians, including women and children. We must act and respond very swiftly in order to prevent the worst, which unfortunately happened 20 years ago on that same continent.
I have said that the humanitarian situation is extremely dangerous. The entire Central African population, half of which is made up of children, is affected. More than 1 million people suffer from food insecurity and 400,000 have been displaced. There are almost daily cases of extorsion, violence and killings in a country where the State no longer exists. There is no State whatsoever. There are no longer any State authorities. There are only militia, who are making their own laws. So we must act. My statement is also an appeal to the international community.
I am well aware that the Central African Republic is a country that is not well known. We do not often think about it and is not often on the front pages. Nevertheless, today, an extremely serious tragedy is taking place there. It is not only a moral tragedy, which would be sufficient to mobilize us, but also a tragedy that may have repercussions for the stability of the entire region. We have already seen incidents reported on the border between the Central African Republic and Cameroon. So there is the risk of the Central African Republic becoming a failed State in Central Africa and a centre of instability for all States of the region.
The States of the region have responded. We must of course commend the efforts of the Economic Community of Central African States and the African Union. Those States decided to deploy the African-led International Support Mission in the Central African Republic. They therefore deserve the support of the United Nations and, of course, the bilateral support of all relevant States. At the initiative of France, the Council will have the opportunity to consider in detail the resources that could be used to support that force and to find a lasting solution to the crisis in the Central African Republic. As I have said, all those humanitarian, political and security challenges require all actors to cooperate. In that regard, UNOCA must work with regional and subregional organizations.
Having talked about the the Central African Republic and tried to convince participants and my colleagues of the seriousness of the situation there, I will now turn to the other major focus of my colleagues' statements, that is, the Lord's Resistance Army. Here, I can only reiterate what has already been said, namely, that I am very pleased with the recent progress in combating that armed group, whose cruelty and violence are extreme. We therefore encourage relevant States and partners to continue along that path in order to put an end to the threat.
The offensive launched by the African Union against the LRA is a reality. We have said that. The African Union's Regional Task Force to fight the LRA has proved its effectiveness. Here, we should of course commend Uganda and other contributing regional countries for their commitment. We must now ensure that the LRA does not benefit from a security vacuum to prosper. Another issue linked to the situation in the Central African Republic is to ensure that the western part of the country does not become a safe haven for LRA terrorists.
At the same time, we must not forget the need for justice. We must bring to justice the principal Lord's Resistance Army leaders, in particular Joseph Kony, and encourage all States concerned to increase their cooperation and collaboration with the International Criminal Court in that regard. Measures to protect civilians must of course be strengthened. That means further sharing of information and intelligence among regional United Nations operations and offices and between the Organization and the African Union regional force. Access and humanitarian assistance to those areas affected by the the Lord's Resistance Army, which are often by defintion very isolated and remote, must also be made possible as soon as possible.
France supports all efforts through its contribution to the African Peace Facility of the European Union. With regard to the Central African Republic, members know that France is present in Bangui and will strenthen its presence in order to provide effective support to the African force. It will also support LRA-affected States bilaterally.
The LRA-affected States have a leading role to play, together with the African Union, in the fight against that group. Let us stand by their side.
Learn more on Central African Republic.


text:
- Item No.
- 871339
- Mfg Part No.
- 54-1204
- Availability
- Not Available
Product Information for Crayola Kid's Activity Paint
Highlights for Crayola Kid's Activity Paint
- Product Type:Activity Paint
- Color:Yellow
Marketing Information
Washable Kid's Paint includes six colors of washable paint in six 2 oz. plastic jars. Washable paints are easy to apply with brushes, sponges, stamps, stencils, and other tools, and they can be used on almost any surface. Perfect for use with art easels, posters, school projects, signs and decorations. Paint is recommended for ages 4 and up. Colors include yellow, red, orange, blue, green and purple. Washable paint is specially formulated to easily wash from skin and most children's clothing.
General Information
Country of OriginUnited States
Recycled Content0%
Assembly RequiredNo
Physical Characteristics
Product Information
Safety Warning


text:
Momentum? Forget it.
Home ice? Irrelevant.
Pressure? Equal for both teams.
It's a Game 7 for the Stanley Cup, something every Canadian on the Calgary Flames and Tampa Bay Lightning has fantasized about thousands of times.
They've all scored Stanley Cup Game 7 winners. Lots of times. But when they get a chance to do it tonight, it will be for real, not on a frozen pond or on a road with a tennis ball.
Tonight, we will see the ultimate Canadian fantasy. American boys want to grow up to be president. Canadian boys want to grow up to score the winner in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final.
And even though it was not the case a few years ago, the players from other nations now have caught on. They, too, will be giving everything they have to win the ultimate prize in their chosen profession.
That's why momentum doesn't matter. The Flames were down after their 3-2 double overtime loss in Game 6 on Saturday night, especially because they felt a puck that appeared to cross the goal line had not been sufficiently reviewed and should have been a goal.
But once the puck drops for tonight's opening faceoff, all will be forgotten.
Similarly, home ice won't matter. In a game like this, the players become so focused, so dedicated to the task at hand, that the cheers or boos of the crowd are irrelevant.
And with these two teams being so equal, the matchups aren't much of a concern any more. In theory, Tampa's John Tortorella has an edge, but the Flames are adept at getting stoppages to make line changes.
Furthermore, after six hard-fought games, two of which went into overtime, each line knows its job against any line the opposition might send out. And that's true for both teams.
The pressure won't be a major factor either. Granted, there is tension. When you get to this stage, you go into the game nervous and apprehensive.
But that wears off fairly quickly. Barring any officiating decisions that determine the outcome, this game will be won by the team that works the hardest.
That's an easy thing to say, and every player will certainly be trying his best.
But it's those extra little efforts, those extra little spurts when the lungs are screaming for a rest that will make the difference.
Game 6, for instance, was won in overtime when Brad Richards got an ever-so-slight touch on a routine shot from the point. That changed the angle of the puck just enough to prevent a clean catch by Miikka Kiprusoff and thereby led to the rebound that Martin St. Louis converted for the winner.
It's for that reason that Flames coach Darryl Sutter said that he thought the officials made the right call on the disputed non-goal by Martin Gelinas.
Sutter knew that no matter what he said, the call was not going to be reversed, and at this stage of the season you can't have your players making any excuses. You can't have them thinking,
"We shouldn't have to be playing this game because we should have won the Cup on Saturday," he said.
One that mindset sinks in, however briefly, a player gives himself an excuse for not finishing a check, or for not diving in front of a shot or for not battling for a loose puck.
The Flames can't afford any negative thoughts. They have to go in with the attitude that if they win just this one game, the Stanley Cup is theirs.
On Saturday night, a number of them were already leaning towards that view. It's one game for the Stanley Cup, they said. Wouldn't we all have accepted that offer at the beginning of the season?
Consider the offer accepted.
It's time to live out the fantasy. <
The ultimate fantasy for Canadians
AL STRACHAN -- Toronto Sun
, Last Updated: 3:07 PM ET


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The birth of video games
I think I was on my way back from Florida with my parents when I first experienced a video game called 'Pong' in an airport. My grade school-age mind was immediately fascinated by the desktop game that used lights to simulate the playing of tennis.
Of course right now many people are busy checking out the real time imaging coming over the cell phone they keep in their pockets or playing the latest iPhone game apps that are just shy of virtual reality in a package smaller than a paperback book. Maybe 'Pong' hasn't stood the test of time, but we do have to give a tip of the hat to where our modern video games and many computer applications came from.
On Nov. 29, 1972, 'Pong' was officially released as the first commercially successful arcade video game. The fledgling Atari Corporation fist manufactured the game. The game was based on a pingpong game that was released with the Magnavox Odyssey. In fact, it was so inspired that Magnavox later filed a lawsuit against Atari and Atari was forced to pay Magnavox a licensing fee.
Still, you have to admire the entrepreneurial spirit. The first "Pong" game released in a Sunnyvale, Calif. tavern on that day exactly 39 years ago was built from a black and white television bought at Walgreen's, special game hardware, a coin mechanism salvaged from a Laundromat and a milk carton inside to catch the coins. Within a few days, inventors Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney knew they had a hit on their hands. They had to make repairs when the coin collector filled to overflowing, shorting out the game. When they came to the tavern to make repairs the next morning, people had already lined up outside to wait their turn to play the game. Bushnell and Dabney formed the Atari Corporation (defunct since 1984) to release the game.
That is where the video game got its start. It seems kind of appropriate that the birthday of the video game and probably the concept of a video arcade should come between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I would hate to speculate on all the improvements that have been made in computer technology that could be linked back to video games (improved video and audio cards come to mind). Ironically, improvements in personal computers were part of a decline experienced by video game manufacturers in the mid-1980s. This decline resulted in the death of Atari.
When you look at video games of today, which are very much like interactive movies, it is hard to imagine that they came from a device that used the simple movement of white pixels on a black screen to create a game. Today, the programming of 'Pong' is a very basic exercise for novice computer game programmers.
So in the season of Black Friday, while glassy-eyed holiday shoppers in California are out rioting and pepper-spraying each other to get the limited release of the latest video games, we should take a moment to remember where it all started. We may have come a long way from a little dot moving back and forth across a screen, but if it hadn't been for that dot, we may have been reduced to actually having to go to a tennis court and physically play the game for real.


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THE intern fatally mauled by a lion at a California animal park had loved lions and tigers since childhood, and "was absolutely fearless" around them, her father says.
"She was at ease with those big cats," Paul Hanson, a Seattle-area lawyer, said of his daughter, Dianna Hanson, 24.
"They liked her."
Hanson said that he had dropped his daughter off on January 2 at Cat Haven.
"It was just a dream job for her," he said, adding that she gave him a little tour and showed him the lion Cous Cous, which authorities say killed her.
Hanson said his daughter had worked with big cats before but told him she would not be allowed to go in the lion cage.
On Wednesday, deputies found the woman severely injured and still lying inside the male African lion's enclosure with the lion nearby.
Another park worker couldn't lure the lion into another pen, so deputies shot and killed it to safely reach the wounded woman, but she died at the scene.
Cat Haven founder and executive director Dale Anderson cried as he read a one-sentence statement about the fatal mauling at the private zoo he has operated since 1993.
Anderson returned to the zoo on Thursday, driving through a gate surrounding the facility.
"I feel awful," he said.
Investigators were trying to determine why the intern was inside the enclosure and what might have provoked the attack, Sergeant Greg Collins said.
Authorities are not pursuing a criminal investigation because all leads indicate Hanson's death was the result of an accident.
Dianna Hanson's older brother, Paul Hanson, said the family knew the line of work she chose was risky, but his sister had followed her passion to care for animals since a young age.
She grew up loving the family's two cats, volunteered at a local animal shelter and hoped to ultimately get certified to pursue a career in wildlife conservation or work at a zoo.
"Anybody that encountered Dianna couldn't help being enraptured with her and with her enthusiasm," he said on Thursday.
"She knew the risks and we knew the risks, but that was her passion. You always wondered when she was going to work, but the risks were part of that."
The lion, Cous Cous, a four-year-old male, had been raised at Cat Haven since it was a cub.
Paul Hanson said he thought his sister would be devastated to know that Cous Cous was killed.
Originally published as Investigators look at US lion attack


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Are OUI/Drunk Driving Laws in Maine Too Soft?
There is a bill being drafted to, in some ways, toughen drunk driving laws in Maine. As it is now, an 'Operating Under the Influence' or (OUI) conviction stays on your record for 10 years, the proposal would lengthen the time an OUI stays with you to 15 years. It's a good start, but there really needs to more done.


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Waitresses Fired for Stunningly Cruel Rant Against Native Americans?
Waitresses Fired for Stunningly Cruel Rant Against Native Americans
Waitresses have a lot to complain about. They are on their feet all day. They have to deal with demanding customers, frantic chefs, and so much more. Chief among their complaints -- bad tips. Who can blame them? Tips make up a huge part of their salary, and they depend on receiving them.
But tips aren't a given, they must be earned through good service. This doesn't just mean a warm smile and prompt delivery of your order, it extends to how you treat your customers as human beings. Two waitresses learned this lesson the hard way when they were fired for their racist treatment of customers.
The two girls in question posted a photo of one holding up a sign asking for donations because the Native Americans in town for an annual pow wow were bad tippers. It's not just awful that these two women had no problem bashing Native Americans, but that they thought it was okay to post this on Facebook! Stupidity is still no excuse for casual racism. Their boss agreed and, when the photo surfaced, fired them both.
A little griping when a customer leaves a less-than-reasonable tip for good service is within a waitress's rights. But posting racist images online when their tips don't pass muster? That's just more proof that the waitresses in question didn't deserve good tips to begin with.
Do you think that their boss was right to fire the girls?
This is tough one, yes they should have been fired if they made the racist comment that is in the article on the employers time, but no if they posted this on their own time
The picture in question was taken in the restaurant wearing the company uniform. So, it wasnt exactly on their own time.
Quoting luckystars2012:
No, I don't think that some they did on their own time that does not affect their job should cost them their job
The picture posted has the company name, they are in company uniform and look suspiciously like they are at the business premises...aka on work time.
Yes they should be fired.
Also take note: The founder of Famous Dave's (where this happened)? He's Native American.
Posting on the interent is something i would fire them over. It didn't have to be racist. Complaining about ANY customer for ANY reason on the internet is not kosher with me. I'm a small business owner, and I do not want any employee acting in public or on the internet in any way less then respectfull when it comes to them respresenting my business and them as employeed by me.
Posting that on line, didnt have to say anything about the peoples race. The pure fact that they trash talked customers online, was enough of a deal breaker for me.
When I lived in the Southwest, I remember people stating matter of factly that Native Americans tend to not tip. Who knows? Could be a cultural thing like some from some Asian cultures try to negotiate some store prices.
The servers were stupid, so firing seems appropriate.


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Since 2010, the Berlinale's Flying Red Carpet has travelled from arthouse cinema to arthouse cinema on seven evenings during the festival, visiting Berlin's movie lovers in their neighbourhood cinemas. On each of these evenings, one Berlin arthouse cinema turns into an additional festival venue and presents two selected films from the Berlinale programme.
Just like they do at the regular festival, the film teams usually introduce their works in person at the neighbourhood cinemas and are available to answer questions and discuss their films with audiences after the screening. Besides the film team, a patron of the cinema will also welcome audiences to the small Red Carpet: one prominent film personality acts as the patron of each neighbourhood cinema, thereby supporting the cultural work of his or her favourite theatre.
The Berlinale Goes Kiez project was launched in 2010 on the occasion of the festival's 60th anniversary and has proven to be hugely popular with audiences. In past years, Berlinale Goes Kiez has visited the following cinemas: ACUDkino (Mitte), Adria (Steglitz), Babylon (Kreuzberg), Bundesplatz-Kino (Wilmersdorf), Capitol Dahlem (Zehlendorf), City Kino (Wedding), Die Kurbel (Charlottenburg), EISZEIT Kino (Kreuzberg), Eva Lichtspiele (Wilmersdorf), filmkunst 66 (Charlottenburg), fsk (Kreuzberg), Hackesche Höfe Kino (Mitte), IL KINO (Neukölln), Kant Kino (Charlottenburg), Moviemento (Kreuzberg), Neue Kammerspiele (Kleinmachnow), Neues Off (Neukölln), Odeon (Schöneberg), Passage (Neukölln), Sputnik Kino (Kreuzberg), Thalia Kino Berlin (Lankwitz), Thalia Programm Kino (Potsdam-Babelsberg), Tilsiter Lichtspiele (Friedrichshain), Kino Toni & Tonino (Weissensee), Union Filmtheater (Friedrichshagen), w o l f (Neukölln) as well as Yorck (Kreuzberg).


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Prospect Heights Building Headed Back to Landmarks for Review
The dilapidated home at 578 Carlton Avenue (the one on the right, above) is again coming before Landmarks, which this time will consider an application to restore the building. An application "to deconstruct portions of the building to address hazardous emergency conditions" hit the LPC earlier this summer. Next Tuesday Landmarks will hear an application "to reconstruct the secondary facades, replace the front entrance hood, construct a rear yard addition, and excavate the cellar and the rear yard." The owners of the wood frame at 580 Carlton were attempting a large-scale renovation last summer but caused a partial building collapse at No. 578 next door. While the owners of 578 Carlton are taking action to save the building, things aren't looking so good at 580 Carlton. It's not much more than a supported facade at this point. According to signage on the construction fence, the DOB attempted to inspect what's left of the building earlier this week.
Prospect Heights Row House Needs Some Help [Brownstoner]


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All quotes by Jawad al-Maliki
(51 quotes found)
"If we can reach unity between all the components of the people, the canals of terrorism will dry up."
"The weapons must be in the hands of the state. Their presence in the hands of others (militias) will be the start of problems that will trigger a civil war."
"I think we'll be able to overcome the differences, I hope we'll do it before the next deadline, during this week,"
"We are not seeking 100 percent consensus -- the most important thing is that the people of Iraq accept (the constitution) in a referendum."
"What's left is the voting. It's up to them (the Sunnis). They either object, vote against it or accept it."