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Tag Archives: celebrity weddings
Is the 3rd Time a Charm for Paul McCartney?
Paul McCartney is hoping the 3rd time is a charm next month, when he plans to exchange wedding rings with his fiancée, Nancy Shevell. Shevell, Vice President of a family-owned transportation conglomerate, first began dating the former Beatle in 2007, … Continue reading
Kim Kardashian's Fairytale Wedding
By now, there aren't many people left unaware that reality star and model Kim Kardashian will be getting married to New Jersey Nets player Kris Humphries this August. But for those who may have missed the announcement this past May, … Continue reading
Europe's Latest Royal Wedding News
Now that the excitement and clamor surrounding the wedding of the world's most popular Royals, Prince William and Catherine Middleton, has died down, other Royals are now free to publically marry themselves. And so begins preparation for the long awaited … Continue reading
Sofia Coppola to Get Married in Italy
Famous director Sofia Coppola, of the famous Coppola family will tie the knot with rocker Thomas Mars this summer, as her rep confirmed recently. The news is not entirely surprising, as the pair has known each other for over nine … Continue reading
Posted in celebrity weddings Tagged celebrity weddings, Sofia Coppola, Thomas Mars Leave a comment
Actress Sara Rue Ties the Knot
Sara Rue, and actress best known for her work on the television show Popular, may be having one of her best years ever, despite her show "Eastwick" having been cancelled, Rue has become a spokesperson for Jenny Craig, lose fifty … Continue reading
Posted in celebrity weddings, wedding rings Tagged celebrity weddings, wedding rings Leave a comment
Ralph Lauren on the most important Design of his Life: His Daughter's Wedding Gown
It is hard to imagine, American born but world renowned fashion designer Ralph Lauren, whose gowns have been seen on stars like Katie Holmes, Penelope Cruz, and Angelina Jolie, trying to top himself, but that is exactly the challenge he … Continue reading
Posted in celebrity weddings Tagged celebrity weddings, Dylan Lauren, Paul Arrouet, Ralph Lauren Leave a comment
The Royal Wedding Effect Still Echoing
It was predictably that there would be a tiara trend following the recent royal wedding and the tiara Kate Middleton had borrowed from William's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth. Just last week it was announced that a Victorian tiara, once belonged to … Continue reading
Posted in celebrity weddings, diamonds Tagged celebrity weddings, Jewelry Auctions, Royal Wedding, Tiara Leave a comment
Tamera Mowry Married Longtime Boyfriend Fox New Correspondent Adam Housley
Tamera Mowry, one half of the onetime sitcom "Sister, Sister" finally got the wedding of her dreams last weekend when she married longtime boyfriend Fox New Correspondent Adam Housley. It was revealed this January that the couple, who have been … Continue reading
Posted in celebrity weddings Tagged Adam Housley, celebrity weddings, Tamera Mowry Leave a comment
Kings of Leon's Caleb Followhill and Lily Aldridge Tied the Knot
Bridal season is just around the corner and it seems the same can be said for the celebrity world as well. The only real difference is the grandeur with which they celebrate, which holds true for the wedding of Kings … Continue reading
Posted in celebrity weddings Tagged Caleb Followhill, celebrity weddings, Kings of Leon, Lily Aldridge Leave a comment
The Country Music Wedding of the Year
The wedding of Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert has been called the most anticipated wedding in the Country Music world, which is definitely a world unto itself, and it seems like the pair is finally ready to tie the knot … Continue reading
Posted in celebrity weddings Tagged Blake Shelton, celebrity weddings, Country Music, Miranda Lambert Leave a comment


text: Designers Feijun Chen & Bin Zhao clearly were reading Skymall when they dreamed up these "Pioneer" sneakers with built-in recharging headlights. They've got a battery inside which charges on each step, using some mysterious tech that doesn't look piezoelectric. Apparently this can power the LEDs in the front for a full 12 hours. So you can, you know: run in the dark down dim-lit streets, or something. Maybe they'd be handy for doggy-do detection? Just a concept, for now. [Yanko design]

subset: commoncrawl


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The Ravens remain firm in their belief that they were on the verge of hammering out a deal with quarterback Joe Flacco last August before hitting an impasse in contract negotiations with his agent.
Ravens majority owner Steve Bisciotti said the team offered Flacco top-five quarterback money without disclosing figures. If that's the case, it would have paid him in the range of $16 million to $20 million annually based on other quarterbacks' compensation levels.
Now, the Super Bowl champions are hoping to work out a deal this offseason with the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player after tabling talks for the entire season.
Flacco's agent, Joe Linta, has told The Baltimore Sun he thinks Flacco should be the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL. That would involve exceeding Drew Brees' $20 million average per year and Peyton Manning's $18 million average.
"We offered him a top-five contract last year, and we will be back at the negotiating table, and it was pretty close last year," Bisciotti said Thursday during a press conference at team headquarters. "So, we'll be right back at the table and I don't see us winning the Super Bowl making the negotiation any more difficult than it would have been had we gone out in the first round of the playoffs. We both know that we want each other, and it's up to [general manager] Ozzie [Newsome] and Joe Linta to work that out. Then, Joe [Flacco] and I will go golfing or something like that."
Linta told The Sun he's prepared to relaunch discussions with Ravens vice president of football administration Pat Moriarty whenever the team wants to sit down with him.
Newsome expressed confidence a deal eventually will be completed, referencing past contracts with high-profile players like outside linebacker Terrell Suggs and running back Ray Rice.
"I am coming away thinking that we can get a deal done," Newsome said. "I got a very good owner. He understands the business. He understands the importance of certain positions, so I'm optimistic."
The Ravens are facing a March 4 NFL deadline to make Flacco their franchise player to avoid him becoming an unrestricted free agent. They are debating between whether to use a non-exclusive franchise tender of $14.6 million or an exclusive tender of roughly $20 million.
If the Ravens are unable to get a contract done with Flacco, it would negatively impact their ability to retain other free agents like inside linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, outside linebacker Paul Kruger and cornerback Cary Williams.
Should the Ravens get a long-term deal finished with Flacco, Newsome indicated they won't use the
franchise tag to retain any other free agents.
franchise tag to retain any other free agents.
"We're looking to get a fair deal with Joe, and, yes, the franchise number does consume a lot of cap room," Newsome said. "Joe Linta is looking for a fair deal. If we are able to get a deal done, it will allow us to participate more in the market if we choose. We understand what the priority is."


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Out of those listed films, try to pick only one. For me it comes down to Aliens and Terminator 2 (probably Aliens, though)
Something's rotten in Denmark.
pirahna part II: the spawning (hard to believe he was involved)
i love all those films exept titanic wich i don't hate but thought was very very VERY long. he sertanly rules but he makes too much money to be cool.


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DIY Chocolate Lip Gloss
Valentine's Day is just a hop, giddy skip and frolic away, and that means that it's time to set our pretty li'l noggens to chocolate mode! Mmm, chocolate…
Wanna enjoy chocolate-y bliss without the calories and saturated fat? (Duh!) Look no further than this easy-peasy, lipsmackingly delish DIY chocolate lip gloss recipe!
Chocolate Lip Gloss
- 1.5 Tbsp. cocoa butter
- 1/2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
- 1 Vitamin E capsule
- A few drops of Stevia
- For some extra umph: a few drops of peppermint oil or vanilla extract (totally optional)
Melt the cocoa butter in a pyrex cup. Stir in the cocoa powder until it's well blended. Add the Vitamin E capsule and Stevia and give it a final stir before pouring your homemade lip gloss into a new or used lip gloss pot. Allow it to chill in the fridge for a couple hours and enjoy!
About Sunny (Sunny's Profile)Longtime vegan, hardcore compassionate beauty junkie, serious cake aficionado, and lover of all things floofy and sparkly! If there's something in particular you'd like me to review, drop me a line at email@example.com. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Google +.
Filed in: DIY vegan beauty products
Comments (2)
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This would be yummy with peppermint too. I wonder if essential oils would do OK? I'll have to play around with it! 🙂 Thanks for the great recipe!
Great post. This looks easy and I bet it smells wonderful!


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Northborough, Massachusetts
|This article is a stub. Help us to expand it by contributing your knowledge. For county and town page guidelines, visit U.S. County Page Content Suggestions.
Northborough is a town in Massachusetts. It was formed in 1766 and was previously called Westborough. It can be found in Worcester county and is a part of the Worcester registry of deed district. For more information, contact the county at 63 Main St., Northborough 01532. On the attached map, Northborough is shown as 28 in Worcester county.
For information about the state of Massachusetts see Massachusetts Family History Research.


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You are taking the first step to adventure on a zip line tour in the Cancun and Riviera Maya area. We offer several options so that you can pick the tour that's right for you and your family and friends. Maybe you want the longest and fastest zip lines or just prefer to try them while you also enjoy other activities. We can recommend the right one for you and also the zip line tour that is nearest your hotel. Why spend half the time traveling when you could be spending it enjoying the tour.
Fly through the jungle or over the water and experience the thrill. You can add zip lines to a relaxing day by the ocean, deep in the jungle through the trees, or over a dry cenote.
All the zip line tours offer other activities to complete the day. Drive ATVs, off-road vehicles, rappel into a cenote, snorkel in the ocean, swim in a cave, or visit a Mayan ruin.
Have a look at what we have to offer. If you have questions or don't see what you want please let us help.
Find special deals or get the latest news


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Two weeks before Reebok signed ESPN's Erin Andrews to pitch the ZigTech line, she reported "Texas Christian players were slipping in their new Nike cleats during the Rose Bowl." Now, according to the New York Times ...
[E]xperts in journalism ethics and others are raising questions about whether her comments - given that the deal may have been in negotiation - constituted a conflict of interest, and whether any journalist should endorse a commercial product.
ESPN says that if Ms. Andrews ever covers stories involving shoes, it will be disclosed. No, seriously, look:
ESPN has said that Andrews rarely covers stories involving shoes, and that if she did, she would disclose her affiliation with Reebok.
Zola Budd beat, here she comes.
Andrews Faces Questions About a Deal With Reebok [New York Times]
Erin Andrews: Sideline Princess, TV Dancing Star, Stalking Victim, Wishes To Be Taken More Seriously [Deadspin]


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Italian Chocolate 3 Ring Pass Through Leather Strap
Using Vegetable Tanned Cow Leather from Conceria Walpier, the strap is saddle stitched by hand for durability.
A Full Grain Leather, the surface has not been sanded or buffed for imperfections, retaining the natural characteristics of the leather which ages beautifully with time as it bears the marks of the user.
The sides of the leather are smoothed and hand burnished for a polished look.
With a thickness of 1.5mm to 1.8mm and a finished flesh side in a matching colour, the strap wraps around the wrist comfortably with minimal bulk.
Made in a strap length of 275mm, position your watch closer to the buckle and tuck any excess strap tail back into the keeper a second time.
Paired with Made in USA solid brass hardware, the strap comes with a rounded buckle and 2 fixed rounded metal keepers.
Customization Tips
-Choose a buckle finishing that is closer to your watch case.
-Linen Thread comes from natural material and has a matte finish. Polyester Thread is made up of synthetics and has a more glossy finish.
Need help? Head over to our FAQ.
Read More On:
Craft: Making Of A Leather Watch Strap
Italian Leather: Understanding Full Grain Vegetable Tanned Cow Leather


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25 August, 2010
My first U2 gigI was 22 when I saw U2 for the first time and I still remember as it was yesterday. They gave a very driven concert as they did so many times after.Thanks for colouring my life with the outstanding music you guys give me( my lifetime musical friends in good and bad ones!!!)
martin van der veen
27 July, 2010
My second U2-showU2 were supporting Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club in my hometown Leiden. After my first U2-show on October 28th 1981 at the Stadsgehoorzaal in Leiden this was my second U2-show. Although U2 were supporting Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club I thought that the majority of the big audience (10.000) came to see U2 that night (maybe I'm not objective on this one).
22 April, 2010
One, but not the sameU2 played as support act for The Talking Heads and Tomtom Club. I was 17 years old at the time,and already a huge U2 fan. This was the first time I saw them play live and it would'nt be my last... The energy and dedication on stage did not change over the years, only their music did. Thank you for sticking with us all these years


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InnovaSea is committed to developing the next wave of innovative, open-ocean products and services to support the growing aquaculture industry.
Aquapod is a unique containment system for marine aquaculture, suited for open ocean conditions and a diversity of species. The Aquapod is constructed of individual triangle net panels fastened together in a spheroid shape.
SeaStation fish pens help farm operators reduce the total cost of grow-out on medium-to-high energy aquaculture sites. SeaStation's security and long service life allow capital costs to be spread across many years and harvests.
Customer Profiles
Contact Us
InnovaSea Systems, Inc., a Cuna del Mar portfolio company, is dedicated to supporting open-ocean aquaculture businesses by producing innovative, environmentally-focused sustainable technologies and service solutions for the industry. Launched on January 1, 2015 with the merger of OceanSpar* and Ocean Farm Technologies,** InnovaSea is developing a fully integrated open-ocean farming platform. The company continues to secure design and engineering talent in its mission to create the next generation of products for the open-ocean fish farming industry. InnovaSea is furthering plans for outreach to aquaculture companies by accelerating research and development, advancing support for responsible aquaculture operations in the open ocean and using fully integrated fish farming platforms.
*OceanSpar developed and field-tested large net pens and support equipment for the offshore aquaculture industry. The company was founded in 1988 with a focus on creating solutions for responsible seafood production with advance design net pen platforms.
** Ocean Farm Technologies has also been recognized by the aquaculture industry for its innovative technology development in the open ocean for more than ten years. In addition, Ocean Farm Technologies developed, built, and marketed the Aquapod,™ a unique containment system for open ocean aquaculture.


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Transformers Prime Happy Meal Breakdown Toy Review
General Information:
Release Date: March 9, 2012
Price Point: $1.99 (Estimated)
Retailer: McDonalds Happy Meal Offer
Accessories: None
- Vehicle Mode
- Vehicle Mode (Side)
- Vehicle Mode (Back)
- Vehicle Mode (Front view)
- Vehicle Mode (Angle view)
- Vehicle Mode (Weapon deployed)
- Vehicle Mode (Close up on weapon)
March of 2012 saw a release of Happy Meal toys at McDonalds restaurants in the United States based on characters from the "Transformers Prime" television show. Each of these non-transforming toys represented the characters in their vehicle forms with some type of gimmick. Though some restaurants only offered one or two at a time, the reality is that all the figures were available at one time. The line up of vehicles focused on the feature characters from the television show, one of which was the hulking Decepticon Breakdown.
Breakdown's vehicle mode is a gigantic off-road vehicle that looks like it means business. What's interesting about the vehicle is that it's not necesarily as wide as say, Bulkhead, but instead it's a very tall vehicle, so it looks slightly elongated in a vertical direction, but that's actually how it looks on the show, so this vehicle is show accurate. The sculptors did a really great job of following the various patterns seen on the television show and adapting them to this sculpt. This includes the shapes of his windows and the raised armor panels running along the sides of the vehicle. I was pleasantly surprised to find smaller details present such as the rear lights, the steps leading up to his side doors and the rails on the top of the vehicle. There's even a sculpted Decepticon symbol right on the hood. It's not common for symbols to be sculpted onto figures nowdays since it takes away potential redeco value, but the odds of this toy ever getting a redeco are rather sparse so this works out perfectly. Another pleasant surprise was the amount of detail on the underside of the vehicle which includes axles and tube details. Breakdown has a really nice sculpt for a "simple" Happy Meal toy.
Breakdown is cast in dark blue, grey and black plastic. The blue is the main color with the grey plastic making up most of the underside of the vehicle. The black is used on the four wheels the vehicle rolls on as well as the spare tire mounted on the back. The paint colors on this vehicle are purple, red and grey. The purple is used to paint the Decepticon symbol on the hood. The red paints slim lines over the rear wheel wells (a detail straight from the CGI model) and finally the windows are painted grey. It's a great paint job for a toy in a class that traditionally doesn't get a ton of attention to detail (though that seems to be changing in recent years). Overall I'm very happy with Breakdown's deco.
On Breakdown's CGI model he has a spare tire mounted on the back of the vehicle, held there by brackets. Those brackets are present on the spare tire in this form but it actually serves a different purpose! They help act as grips for you to turn the tire. When you do so, the top of the vehicle rotates to reveal a cannon inside! The design of this cannon is loosely based on his cannon in the television show. It's relatively flat at the base and has a triangular barrel (a stylistic choice often seen on "Transformers Prime"). The cannon is cast in translucent yellow, giving it a striking visual contrast to the dark colors on Breakdown.
Final Thoughts:
Breakdown is one powerful looking vehicle and everything about him screams "dangerous". I love the hidden cannon gimmick. Along with the sculpt and paint job, this is a really nice addition to this Happy Meal toy set. Recommended.


text: Show Hide image Politics 11 July 2012 Richard Branson: "Create a European army - and privatise Radio 1" The Virgin entrepreneur and adventurer talks to David Miliband about tax avoidance, Bob Diamond, why Europe needs a joint army and why he'll never back any one political party. Sign-up I first met Richard Branson while canvassing in west London in a by-election in the 1980s. He was polite but noncommittal. He said he couldn't speak for his wife – but she was in the bath and so would have to be marked down as a "maybe". I wanted to interview him because even though many people think the political world is all about tactics, he has made a name challenging incrementalism. We met at the Running Horse pub in central London, after a dinner with the former US president Jimmy Carter, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the former president of Ireland Mary Robinson to mark the fifth anniversary of the Elders. DM You've created the Elders with Nelson Mandela as your guide. Why?RB The Elders partly came from being an entrepreneur for many years and seeing quite a number of conflicts around the world, starting off with the Vietnamese conflict. I left school and started a magazine and, like a lot of students of my age [thought], the magazine was designed to campaign against that and the Biafran war.DM Do you think the Iraq war was the same kind of mistake as Vietnam?RB Absolutely. And I do believe that there should be other ways of resolving conflicts, rather than to have to go and kill and maim several hundred thousand Iraqi people. So, to have some leaders come in and try to bring some [reason] to the situation makes sense.DM Tell me about bold, brassy business goals and bold political goals. What's the difference?RB I think it's easier for an entrepreneur to have long-term goals. This is our 27th year of running Virgin Atlantic and we can think 20 years ahead. Obviously one of the difficulties of a democracy is that people start talking about a politician overstaying their welcome after eight years, let alone . . .DM Shall we recommend longer terms for politicians?RB I certainly think there should be half the number of politicians and they should all be paid twice as much money.DM What about the point that there is a void in political leadership today? Do you recognise that description?RB America is the country that people look to for leadership in a lot of situations and there seems to be a void of brave leadership from both the Republicans and the Democrats. I do believe that Israel-Palestine is such a case. We have this thorn in the side of the world. I just think it's extremely dangerous and it's patently immoral and wrong and needs to be addressed, and that takes bold leadership. It is the same with drugs. If you talk to any individual politicians, they will admit that thecurrent war on drugs has been a failure and that they should change the current laws, but they're not brave enough to do so. Therefore, in the meantime, millions of people around the world are affected by the war on drugs. If I've got a failing business for 40 years, I don't carry on – I change the strategy. You don't even necessarily have to say "legalise it". Just treat it as a health problem, not a criminal problem.DM Do you think that the non-democracies govern themselves better?RB China runs its country a bit like a business, but, having said that, I would always much prefer the slight muddle of a democracy.DM In the past year or so, you have become a banker [with the takeover of Northern Rock by Virgin Money]. What's your reflection on what's seen as a crisis of culture in banking?RB I learned my lesson when I was 21 years old when I had a rap on my knuckles for trying to save some money on exporting some records and not paying my taxes properly. And I decided that I wanted to sleep well at night. I think most people who got involved in these problems would much rather have learned their lesson when they were quite young. They realise just how important it is not to make a major mistake later on in their lives.DM Do you think it's immoral to avoid your taxes?RB I think that obviously everybody should pay their taxes. I think every single company will take advice. Our English companies will pay British taxes, our overseas companies will pay overseas taxes and lawyers will tell us how to mitigate taxes as much as possible. Every company will take that kind of advice. And not to take that advice leaves you uncompetitive. So I think it's a balancing act and I think generally you don't do anything that's illegal. Governments set the rules and you live by the rules.DM The institutions that went into Northern Rock in the 1990s were two north-east building societies that went back to the 1850s. Do you think we have lost something with demutualisation?RB I think that capitalism, with all its flaws, works better than the nationalised businesses, and that mutualisation [makes you] slightly closer to being a nationalised institution than a capitalist institution.DM Do you think that the people who are running Barclays are right to resign?RB I don't know. Barclays was one of the banks that didn't go to the government for money. From what I know about Bob Diamond from afar, he's a spectacularly good operator. It's a great, great loss for the bank and obviously a great personal loss for him, and if he went too far obviously he'll regret it for the rest of his life.DM Thinking about Britain, what is our biggest problem?RB I think the kinds of things I'll come up with apply to any European country, not just Great Britain. Governments worldwide are spending more than they're making. So, if you take the army, air force and navy, it would seem to make great sense for us to try to work as one in Europe. We'd end up having a much more powerful army, maybe an air force to try to defend the continent as a whole, and would reduce cost dramatically by working with the rest of Europe. I suspect that we will end up going to war less often because we will know that Europe is that much stronger when it comes to defence and we will save a lot of money. Every single aspect should be looked at. Radio 1, for instance. As much as it's great to have the BBC as a public-service operator, if you privatised Radio 1, gave it strict remits, put the money back into the rest of the BBC, that would help fund the public-service aspect of the BBC and it would make sense. On education, we need to ask: what kind of people do we need for society? French is one of the principal languages being taught in school, but it's a difficult language to learn, and not that useful. Obviously Spanish would be much more useful. So why are we wasting our time on it?DM Are you sorry you didn't go to university, or do you think you did fine without it?RB My university education was out in the jungle. Talking to my kids, Holly in particular, who did go to university, [I feel] people need to sit back and rethink it. A lot of courses only need to be two-year or even 18-month courses.DM Do you think the government's economic strategy is working?RB I think that they've been brave in doing what they're doing. The jury is still out as to whether it will succeed. We had to reduce government expenditure at some stage. They've chosen earlier than some other countries and I think the jury is still out as to whether this experiment is going to be successful or not, but I think it was an experiment worth trying.DM People like me have argued that we're sucking so much demand out of the economy, we are going to get stuck in a vicious circle.RB What I do believe is that, at the same time as reducing expenditure on non-productive aspects of government, we've got to be investing in big infrastructure products which will pay their way in the economy in the longer run. Aviation is a disgrace. Governments are terrified; all three parties have decided to take the cowardly approach and pretend that aviation doesn't exist.DM Do you think politicians need to be braver about immigration as well?RB The wonderful thing about the European Union is our flexibility to live anywhere in the Union. So, yeah, we should be encouraging more students, we should be encouraging more people to come and live in Britain.DM Just before the last election you associated yourself with some of the policies of the Tory party. What do you think Labour has to do to win back business support for the next election?RB I've never actually backed any political party because I think that for business people to associate themselves with different political parties is invidious for the party itself and I think it's invidious for the business person. I will definitely speak out on issues where I agree or disagree with governments. I do think that business people should stay well clear of supporting individual political parties. And I think the unions should stay well clear as well and that there should be a different system of funding parties than currently exists.DM What is your view about income inequality and the responsibilities of wealthy people towards the rest of society?RB I think that one of the flaws of capitalism is that if you're a top-30 tennis player, extreme wealth goes with it; if you're 100 or below, you're struggling. Extreme responsibility goes with that, so there is a responsibility to utilise that wealth – not just have it sitting in bank accounts but to get out there, create new wealth, invest in creating new jobs, invest in tackling some of the world's problems.DM Are you going to follow Warren Buffett and give away all your money in your will?RB I will be giving away a considerable amount of money in my will, but the way I would want to give it away is to make sure that the people who then spend it, spend it as judiciously in making a difference as I have done. We try to run Virgin Unite [the non-profit foundation of the Virgin Group] in a very entrepreneurial way, so we set up organisations like the Carbon War Room to tackle global warming. Whether I give away everything or whether we give away a percentage, we are yet to decide.DM You have said that racism is the greatest sin. What was behind that sentiment?RB I should think I've had the privilege of travelling the world more than almost anybody else, and the world is full of incredible, delightful people of all creeds and races. It is unbelievable to think that, when I first went to South Africa, there were lavatories for white people and lavatories for black people and that Archbishop Tutu would have had to have gone to the black lavatory. And, having overthrown the white man, what a fantastic example to the world in setting up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to forgive your enemies. Great Britain is the richer for its wonderful mixture of people and its wonderful diversity of cultures.DM And what is the world's biggest problem today?RB We are running out of oil. I think that if a government was to say, "In 2020, we're going to be self-sufficient in fuel, we're not going to import any more oil" and you worked back from that, you could create thousands and thousands of jobs. The reason we set up the Carbon War Room was that, initially, if governments can't set the rules, business has got to get on. All the profits we make from our airlines we are investing in clean fuels. So I think in five years' time the aviation industry will go from being one of the dirtiest industries to one of the cleanest industries in the world. It would certainly be helpful if governments would get their act together and create global rules. If they can do that with industry working with them, we are still not too late to get on top of the problem.DM Are you getting back to Britain for the Olympics?RB I would love to, but I seem to be travelling.DM You're not a late entry to the kitesurfing competition?RB Oh, the kitesurfing! I'm actually going to be preparing for Rio for that one. David Miliband is the president and CEO of the International Rescue Committee. He was UK foreign secretary from 2007 until 2010. Subscribe £1 per month This article first appeared in the 16 July 2012 issue of the New Statesman, Age of Crisis SUBSCRIBE More


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The Luxury Network International Achievements For 2018
The Luxury Network International reported that in 2018, its affiliated franchise offices and sales professionals achieved the highest annual sales volume performance in the history of the brand, driven largely by a brand record of over 600 members globally.
Global Growth
The Luxury Network International® brand also reported growth across its global network offices, which encompasses almost 40 countries and regions worldwide. Before the year 2018 ended, the network launched its new offices in the Adriatic Sea (Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Macedonia), Indian Ocean (Mauritius, Maldives, Seychelles, Madagascar, Réunion, Comoros), and during the first quarter of 2019, The Luxury Network was launched at the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Message From The Global CEO, H.E. Fares Ghattas
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We thank everyone who supported The Luxury Network all throughout the year 2018 and we will be more committed to finding ways to keep our brand at the top worldwide
The Luxury Network International Achievements For 2017
The Luxury Network International today reported that in 2017 its affiliated franchise offices and sales professionals achieved the highest annual sales volume performance in the history of the brand, driven largely by a brand record of over 500 members globally.
Message From Global CEO 2016
As the new Global CEO, I am proud to impose a leadership of a luxury marketing company with such a rich member base, a legacy of luxury affinity marketing and iconic events.
My goal is to look-over, promote and support all TLN franchise offices and to be able to create the greatest impact and opportunities for all our members in each area. We are committed to working with our international members in driving progress and delivering our best.
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My parents are celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary on Monday. In the same vein as other recent milestones, my parents do their best to invite everyone and throw a big party. We had a huge celebration when they each turned 50, 55, 60, 65 and even 70 for my father a few years ago. We have tons of food -- no, really, Filipinos have enough food to ensure that everyone there would be able to eat for days, just in case an earthquake broke out and we all were stuck there together -- entertainment that only "American Idol" or "The Voice" can rival, and many, many stories.
What strikes me the most is how integral the church is to my parents' story.
They immigrated in 1968 about six months apart. My father, an electrical engineer by trade, cleaned hotel rooms by the airport as he settled in with his sister's family. When my mother came with my twin sisters, all four lived with my father's sister, her husband and their two kids. My mother, a grammar school teacher, got a job at a nearby convalescent home as a certified nurse's assistant, and my father got hired by a telephone company. Both worked the graveyard shift from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. After a year of saving my mother's salary, they put a down payment on a house close by and began their own, independent American dream.
Four blocks away from their home was a local Catholic church.
My mother likes to tell me that they would sit in the first pew each week until I was born. Apparently, my lungs were well developed, and I liked to share my gift of speaking out in church enough that my family moved to the last row of this huge church and camped out there all through my time in grammar school, junior high and high school. I might be wrong, but I think my parents found their way to the first row again when I was in college.
They raised four girls in the Catholic church. We went to Sunday Masses, days of obligation, and we worked and volunteered there, too. My older sisters spent high school afternoons answering phones in the rectory, and my younger sister and I did our best to be among the first crew of girls to serve at the altar. The Canossian sisters took our family under their wing. We are so grateful for their patience, kindness, teaching and ministry.
My parents had a group of people with whom most major and minor life events were shared. This barkada, or group of friends, included all Filipino families whose children attended the grammar school and went to the same church. From the fall festival to ciappino night, St. Patrick's dinner dance and the May crowning, they all had found community --friendship and fellowship -- with one another, and the church knew it.
After the kids had all graduated from our respective high schools and went our separate ways, we all find ourselves back at the church, kind of -- two high school teachers, a filmmaker fascinated with religion and spirituality and how that shapes gender, sexuality and community, and me. My older sisters have families and are doing their best to educate within a context of faith and spirituality. And even my parents have found themselves evermore deeply rooted in the church and its people.
Want a reception catered with tablecloths, flowers in vases and tasty food? Call Tony and Linda. Want a couple to meet with a wedding planner prior to the celebration of the sacrament of matrimony, both for mentorship and for logistics? Call Tony and Linda. Want a few volunteers to visit the sick, reshape a garden and sweep outside the church and parish offices weekly? Call Tony and Linda.
The fruits of their love for one another and for their family continue to be paid forward to the church.
In fact, when they celebrate, they celebrate! After they receive a blessing on Sunday, the entire parish is invited to lunch in the parish hall. And yes, my parents are catering the event and bringing all the fixins in the hope that when people arrive, their presence is enough.
I am so grateful for my parents. I am so grateful for the church. But I wonder where this possibility of community is now for me and my generation. Do we need kids to participate fully in the life of the church? Can we form our own barkada across lines of culture, socioeconimc class and religion? Can the pain of the sex abuse scandal and the abuse of hierarchical power subside enough to generate a new expression and communiy of church? Can we find the strength to stop pointing fingers and to share the little we each have in order for all to be fed?
This celebration of a life in community brings great joy and sorrow. Sorrow for the uncertainty of a church future built with grace and virtue; joy for a testimony to making things work together.
Blessings, Mom and Dad, on your 45th wedding anniversary. Thank you for your pilgrim example to build community where hope is and to experience the joy of that resurrection. May we have the courage to do the same.
[Jocelyn A. Sideco is a founding member of Contemplatives in Action, an urban ministry and retreat experience that began as a response to the needs in post-Katrina New Orleans and now continues as an online ministry offering spirituality resources for those working for justice throughout the world. Visit www.contemplativesinaction.org for more information.]


text:
First off, my take on last night's benching of Ilya Kovalchuk by the New Jersey Devils. And I just loved this take from the New York Post on the game too.
Just can't help but laugh every time over the post-game scenario when one team has a player who hurt a player on the other team with a cheapshot – and vice-versa.
Here's pretty much how it always goes for the team with the player who did something dirty:
Coach: "I didn't see it. We won the game, so right now I don't care about anything. I certainly could give a hoot about that other guy over there who was hurt by whatever one of my guys did. We won, so let's move on."
And that same coach, if it's a guy on his team who got hurt by the same incident:
Coach: "The league has got to take a look at this. It's clear from the video what happened. Everyone saw it. It's not right and it needs to be addressed."
That pretty much sums up last night's Wayne Simmonds-TJ Galiardi butt-end to Gally's privates. If that happened to Anze Kopitar, Terry Murray spends five minutes going over it afterward. But Murray barely addressed the issue last night. Why? Because it happened to the other guy, that's why. Here's pretty much that same script from Anaheim's Randy Carlyle in last night's Ducks loss at Detroit. This is the same guy who thought there was nothing wrong with Chris Pronger elbowing Tomas Holmstrom's head through the glass in the playoffs a few years ago.
Another funny take from the increasingly addictive "Down Goes Brown" Maple Leafs blog. This one is hysterical too. And this one too.
How's Marek Svatos doing in his first year out of the NHL? He's got a goal and assist in seven games so far for Omsk Avangard of the KHL. Oh, and Sandis Ozolinsh has 19 points in 19 games for Riga Dynamo. … There is a lot of talk among NHL insiders that the league is finally fed up with the situation in Phoenix, and that if a real, new owner isn't found by New Year's or so, they're out of there starting next year. … Believe it or not, there has been scuttlebutt that the Dallas Stars, because of their own precarious financial situation, will have to deal away star Brad Richards at some point this year, because they know they can't re-sign him. He'll be unrestricted at the end of the season. … Interesting take on Donald Fehr's plans to take over the NHLPA from the always thought-provoking Larry Brooks of the New York Post.


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Made to Measure Cotton, Children Swedish Blinds
A Scandinavian style of blind
A Swedish blind has a very pretty Scandinavian look - you will need to choose two fabrics - one to back the other. The back fabric will be seen as the blind rolls up, so stripes and spots are particularly good contrasting fabrics to use. Each Swedish Blind is handmade by local makers and delivered to you within 8 weeks.
Swedish Blinds also look beautiful if made from our woven fabrics, where the fabric looks the same on the front and the back. This is the fabric type that the Swedish use for making their traditional Scandinavian roller blinds.
It is an informal and relaxed style of blind.
We recommend that these Swiss blinds are used on windows where you can reach the top, as the fabric must be rolled by hand as well as by the cord. If you wish for a tightly rolled up look you will need to do this by hand as the cord on its own rolls the fabric up in a loose roll. If two fabrics are used together the front fabric can crease and bag.
For a blind over 40cm it is advisable to use a woven fabric that doesn't require a lining fabric, to minimise the effect of this. Above a kitchen sink is a difficult place for a swedish blind as usually you can't reach to sort it out, better to have a roman or made to measure roller blind with a rotary track and a continuous chain.
This blind is supplied on a wooden batten with a cord. Please note that the maximum width a Swedish blind can be made to is 127cm, so can only be made up using one width of fabric. The blind has two glass rings holding the threaded cords, which are hand blown to order from Bath Aqua; located in the heart of Bath, next to Bath Abbey entrance and the Roman Baths.
Young children can strangle in the loop of pull cords and chains that operate window coverings so it is important to invest in child friendly blinds. New safety regulations BS EN13120 from 28th February 2014; please read and follow the instructions provided with your blind and use the safety equipment supplied. If you have any questions, please contact us.
Let's get started by selecting your fabric…
How to measure up for your Swedish blinds (please note 127cm is the maximum width a Swedish blind can be made to)
Inside a window recess (see E)
Width: Measure recess at several points; give the narrowest measurement minus 1cm for clearance so the blind will run freely.
Length: Measure from the top of the recess to the bottom.
Outside a window recess (see F)
Width: Measure the recess width and add at least 5cms on each side of the window.
Length: Measure from the required position above the window to the length you require (again, we recommend adding at least 5cm above and below the recess so the blind covers the window fully)
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LETTER- Birds need predators to stay alert
There may be good reasons why pet owners should keep their cats indoors, but harming nature is not one of them [June 1: "Peripawtetic puss: The great roaming cat debate rages"]. In the big picture, free-roaming cats are beneficial to wildlife in the highly unnatural suburban environment of lawns and bird feeders.
All species need predation to stay healthy and maintain alertness. Cats can assume the duties of the skittish native predators that leave when the bulldozers arrive.
Though seeing a songbird in the jaws of a cat is upsetting, we should remember the dodo as an example of evolution in an environment that was "safe" from predators for a long time.
J.A. Barker


text:
Slow-motion video is nothing new to sporting events, but this NAC camera is really upping the stakes at this weekend's Super Bowl. It'll capture every kick, tackle and fight in glorious 1000fps footage, almost doubling what current cameras capture.
NAC is supplying four of its brand new super slow-motion Hi-Motion II cameras to NBC in order to improve the game's TV coverage. While the original Hi-Motion's been used for a few years, recording events at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and South African 2010 World Cup, it only captures video at 600fps. The latest model almost doubles that.
The camera's so new that there isn't any sports footage available for us to see how good it will look, but given how great the orignal Hi-Motion looked (see the video on the left), we're expecting amazing things. [NAC via The Verge]


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NBA legend and HIV/AIDS advocate Magic Johnson plans to continue educating the African American community about HIV and hopes to also address anti-gay attitudes in hip hop.
Johnson recently spoke with The Huffington Post about a new project he's developing with rappers to rally against homophobia:
As a hip-hop fan, you realize that homophobia is still an issue everywhere, but especially in the black community. When people are scared to talk about it, that's how the disease spreads. So what have you been doing to get that risk reduced?
What we're trying to do is reach out to the hip-hop community because they have power — power with their voice, power with that mic in their hand and power with the lyrics that they sing. I have a lot of friends in that industry and so what we're trying to do is rally them to get behind the cause, deliver the message to these young people that HIV and AIDS is big and it's not going anywhere. They can make a difference right away by speaking out, because they have a big fan base.
So we're finding out that a lot of them want to be involved; they're just looking for a group like ours to latch onto and be a part of it. We haven't really had any push-back from the hip-hop community.
He is currently in talks with various performers and plans on announcing their names at a press conference this year.
"It's so important that we rally — not just them, either," he adds. "I need the hip-hop community but I also need the basketball players and football players. We need a little bit of everybody…"
GLAAD commends Magic Johnson for leading this important initiative and will post updates as details about the project become public.


text:
About Us
Our students come from around the world. They participate in inspirational Shabbat retreats and enjoy Shabbat hospitality in the homes of mentors, teachers and community leaders. The program offers its own daily minyan, but students may join one of the many prayer services held on campus.
Our faculty and staff believe the key to a successful Torah learning experience is creating a warm relationship between students and teachers. To help create such a bond, we guide each student toward an individualized course of study. To register, students meet with the Director, who evaluates the student's skills and interests and then pairs him with teachers.
Class are small and intimate. Teachers serve as advisers on an ongoing basis. Many share their phone numbers with their students, and all treat students with respect, concern and regard. Many teachers live on campus and on a regular basis open their homes to host students in the program. The regular off-campus weekend retreats also provide opportunities for students to learn from teachers and friends in a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere.
Selected rabbinical students from YU's affiliated Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary act as mentors for men in the program. They serve as tutors and partners to assist students with course work and adjustment to campus life.


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[DitV] GM determined Sin
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Topic: [DitV] GM determined Sin (Read 9135 times)
Posts: 91
[DitV] GM determined Sin
March 11, 2008, 06:11:20 AM »
In Indy Pete's posts here:
and here:
he uses an example of a town preacher declaring the Apocalypse is coming and the sign will be the arrival of the Four Horsemen of the Adversary. Naturally, the four Dogs ride in shortly thereafter. In the posts, he's also stating that he, the GM, will have predetermined the Truth of this statement: the preacher is, or is not, prideful; is, or is not, a sinner; is, or is not, a sorcerer.
It was mentioned that if the GM decides that the statement about the Dogs being the Four Horsemen is true, he is breaking one of the most basic rules of Dogs - laying judgment on the PCs. This is important.
An underlying fact of DitV is that the Dogs are given ultimate authority to interpret the Book of Life. In the fiction, their word is law in the eyes of the King. It is possible for the Dogs to be punished by the Faith Elders, but the GM is kind of discouraged from doing this - the players should be encouraged to make their own judgments, not figure out what judgments are the
judgments according to the GM's plan.
Here's the important bit, and my question. By going through town creation and establishing demons and sorcerers, the GM is establishing the Truth about what is and what is not a Sin in the eyes of the King of Life. The Dogs could work against the sorcerer, and they would be
to do so - or the Dogs might be misled by the sorcerer and work with hir, and they would be
As far as I can see, this is non-negotiable fact - as non-negotiable as a Detect Evil spell in D&D. Does he have sorcerous powers? If so, he's a sorcerer, and thereby an agent of the Adversary. There is a moral choice inherent in what method to deal with the sorcerer, but the trail he leaves through Sin and Pride is still a moral judgment imposed by the GM. That preloaded judgment can in essence be an endorsement or a denouncement of the players' choices, when they get around to dealing with the sins.
Is this the way DitV is intended? It seems that by being flexible with Truth is a method of ensuring that the players always make choices that are sound in the eyes of the King of Life, and therefore they truly are His agents. On the other hand, that's a little like playing D&D with infinite hit points. It seems to me that if all choices you make turns out for the best, it won't make for any better play experience than if the GM maneuvers to have all your choices turn out for the worst.
Can someone clarify this for me, and how it [is supposed to] work?
Posts: 3656
Re: [DitV] GM determined Sin
Reply #1 on:
March 11, 2008, 06:46:25 AM »
What makes a sorcerer a sorcerer is the fact that he's promoting his own agenda against the survival of his community. What gives him sorcerous powers is that he's a
, not that he's an agent of the demons. The demons follow
, remember; he doesn't adopt their agenda, they adopt his.
The Dogs don't always make choices that are sound in the eyes of the King of Life, because there is no King of Life. The GM is obligated to play the game as though there were no God (that's what "don't play God as an NPC" means). Accordingly,
, maybe working with the sorcerer is the right thing to do. Yes, he's objectively a villain, promoting his own agenda against the survival of the town. Maybe working with him is the right thing to do anyway! I don't know, and the game mechanics will never decide that for you, and in fact
you will never know either
. Nobody decides what's right and wrong. Instead, the Dogs do what they do, and we all get to have our own non-binding opinions about how it turned out.
So now. Once play starts and the Dogs arrive in town, all bets are off. The GM can't decide that the Dogs are the Four Horsemen - there are no Four Horsemen any more than there's a King of Life. What the GM can do is reveal the town in play, play the NPCs with passion, and drive toward conflict.
With that correctly in place, a town where the steward has been preaching that the Dogs are the bringers of apocalypse? Awesome.
Posts: 449
Harald Wagener - Zurich, Switzerland
Re: [DitV] GM determined Sin
Reply #2 on:
March 11, 2008, 07:40:33 AM »
I'll write up that town.
Harald Wagener
The Shadow of Yesterday - in german
Solar System - in german
Posts: 3656
Re: [DitV] GM determined Sin
Reply #3 on:
March 11, 2008, 07:57:54 AM »
Somebody do one where the steward's a sorcerer, and somebody do one where he isn't?
John Adams
Posts: 90
Re: [DitV] GM determined Sin
Reply #4 on:
March 11, 2008, 10:04:01 AM »
Quote from: lachek on March 11, 2008, 06:11:20 AM
Here's the important bit, and my question. By going through town creation and establishing demons and sorcerers, the GM is establishing the Truth about what is and what is not a Sin in the eyes of the King of Life. The Dogs could work against the sorcerer, and they would be
to do so - or the Dogs might be misled by the sorcerer and work with hir, and they would be
Vincent already answered this, but I think it's a deep and fascinating topic so here's my two cents.
You are a free moral agent. You decide what is right and what is wrong. You cannot escape this, you MUST choose. You can say "God said X, Y and Z are wrong" as a (debatable) fact, but you still must choose to accept God's values as your own and that is a moral choice.
In DitV, the book lays out a moral code and the GM creates a town full of people in conflict with that moral code. The Dogs show up and
judge the moral code
by interacting with these people and situations. Dogs live where the rubber meets the road: where the Truth Immortal gets applied to real people in complex real life dilemmas. That's where the judgment lies. The GM doesn't judge, he just sets up the board.
Posts: 91
Re: [DitV] GM determined Sin
Reply #5 on:
March 11, 2008, 01:17:43 PM »
Quote from: lumpley on March 11, 2008, 06:46:25 AM
What makes a sorcerer a sorcerer is the fact that he's promoting his own agenda against the survival of his community. What gives him sorcerous powers is that he's a
, not that he's an agent of the demons. The demons follow
, remember; he doesn't adopt their agenda, they adopt his.
That nearly almost clears up all my confusion, Vincent. Only one tiny nagging hint of a question remains.
DitV has a Progression of Sin which starts with pride and culminates in murder. A sorcerer appears somewhere towards the end and incites the progression onwards. Are you saying that the demons ally themselves with the sorcerer regardless of some nebulous idea of "sin", simply because the sorcerer is a bad guy? In that case, what prevents Joe Random Outlaw from walking into town and shooting the place up with demonic support? What actually empowers the demons to affect the state of the town? I was under the impression there was a trigger in the Progression that allowed this to happen. If so, couldn't you argue that the event which caused that trigger to flip is created under a GM-imposed judgment of morality, and if the players choose to ignore and support the action causing the flip they are judged by proxy?
It seems to me that the reality of demonic powers and their connection to the moral code pre-determines what an optimal choice would be. I know I'm wrong, but I don't know exactly where I'm wrong. Please bear with me; I'm just trying to get all the little dominoes perfectly lined up in my head.
Slow Dog
Posts: 1
Re: [DitV] GM determined Sin
Reply #6 on:
March 11, 2008, 03:35:24 PM »
Not much to do with the actual question.
Quote from: lachek on March 11, 2008, 06:11:20 AM
he uses an example of a town preacher declaring the Apocalypse is coming and the sign will be the arrival of the Four Horsemen of the Adversary. Naturally, the four Dogs ride in shortly thereafter.
That's a great plot point. The preacher's follower's
believe that that the Dog's are the Horsemen.
Real Life version (some details possibly misremembered): The Aztecs believed the God Quetzalcoatl would return from the East at the end of their current year cycle, and end the world. So, close to the end the year cycle Cortez and the Spaniards arrive in the East in floating "Palaces", with six-legged, four armed metal-clad demons (men on horseback) employing fire-breathing weapons. The confusion over their status was part of the reason for inadequate military response until it was too late.
I'm not sure how such a confusion could be represented. It feels exactly the opposite of Demonic Influence, removing effectiveness rather than aiding it. Maybe somehow giving the Dogs dice for "The people of [town] know I'm an Agent of the Apocalypse". Could that be acquired while it's still useful?
I guess a later, more always useful version would be "I
an agent of the Apocalypse"...
Posts: 3656
Re: [DitV] GM determined Sin
Reply #7 on:
March 11, 2008, 03:58:39 PM »
lachek, you should know that I'm having a hard time figuring out what you're asking!
The GM is the sole and absolute judge of the town, right up until the moment the Dogs arrive. The GM's like, "this is a pride, this is a bad sin, this is a worse sin, and then oh crap the worst possible thing happens, and then this ASSHOLE jumps in to exploit the town because of it, and the demons are all like woohoo! And now they're murdering each other and I have a stomach ache." But then the moment the Dogs arrive, there is no longer any judge of what's sin and what isn't. That's why sin and false doctrine appear only in the town creation rules, not anywhere else in the game rules. Once the Dogs show up, there's no more sin, no more false doctrine, only people in conflict. In play, you'll notice, the demons are a mechanical benefit to people in conflict, or an extension of people in conflict, they aren't people themselves.
If the Dogs side with the sorcerer, well, I guess the Dogs side with the sorcerer. This doesn't mean that the Dogs are now wrong or that the sorcerer is made right retroactively - ALL IT MEANS is that the Dogs side with him.
Once play starts, all bets are off
Make sense? The GM judges the town, harshly and absolutely, during town creation, until the Dogs show up. When the Dogs show up the GM plays the town. There is no underlying God, demons, theology or truth, no absolutes of right or wrong. What's sin in town creation is just a fact of history in play.
Moreno R.
Posts: 547
Re: [DitV] GM determined Sin
Reply #8 on:
March 11, 2008, 06:40:26 PM »
Hi Lachek!
I think I have understood what is causing your confusion (please correct me if I am wrong): you see the demon helping the Sorcerer as a concrete, real, measurable "proof" that he is "bad", so it's like he is already judged in God's eyes (or in the GM's eyes), so how can the dogs judge him (and all his demons) like the wronged party, even allying with him?
Because "play like God doesn't exist" is rather easy because Gods don't have a mechanical "weight" in the game, isn't like there are "god's dice" given by the GM to good people. But the game has "demonic influence" used to help the sorcerer, so even if God doesn't exist, the Devil is there and he is helping sin, right?
Well, not: if God doesn't exist, how can exist something that is a "sin" every time, everywhere, as if written in a tablet of cosmic law? If there is no God, how can exist the Devil?
The key to understanding the game from this point of view, in my opinion, is simply in applying the "what is right and wrong, right now, here and with these people, for we people?" in every aspect of the game. Even demons. So, don't think about them like cosmic demons that follow a rigid definition of sin attracted by everyone who sin. They are personal demons, they are here, right now, with these people, only. They are THEIR personal demons, born from them and will stay only with them forever. The Sorcerer didn't attract demons from hell, he has simply found the way to give power to his own personal demons, that were always with him for years, now fueled and strengthened by his own sins against the community.
If you play with the supernatural dial set very low, they don't even exist, they are only misfortune, consequences of acts, mistrust, etc. But even if you play a game full of demonic special effects, they still are something created by the sorcerer. Everything they do, is really done by the sorcerer.
And if the Dogs say to the Sorcerer "you did the right thing, now forgive yourself"... I would count that as a full exorcism. With the demon forced to flee NOT to hell, but to the place where they always were hidden and imprisoned until something went wrong that freed them: inside the sorcerer's soul.
(Excuse my errors, English is not my native language. I'm Italian.)
Posts: 1012
Re: [DitV] GM determined Sin
Reply #9 on:
March 11, 2008, 07:35:41 PM »
Aren't the Dogs the mechanical manifestation of God in the game?
- Alan
A Writer's Blog:
Posts: 449
Harald Wagener - Zurich, Switzerland
Re: [DitV] GM determined Sin
Reply #10 on:
March 11, 2008, 09:07:47 PM »
My humble opinrion:
The game text does not discuss the existence of the King of Life in the game world. The Faith postulates the King of Life, and within the context of that faith, the dogs exist, and gives them a mission and the authority to fulfill it. Do they have the ability to succeed? That question is part of the core this game is built upon.
The Dogs are agents of the Faith, and the faithful believe their judgement brings salvation. The thing is, that a lot of town people have their own idea of the kind of salvation they get from the dogs, and if that does not line up with what the dogs do, faith can well be shattered and questioning of the dogs' authority
become part of the game.
The rules of the faith look like hard, clear guidelines. During play, you will realize that they don't work out that way when reality provides a suboptimal framework. What this does say about religion in general is up to every single person playing that game.
So, we have three core beliefs: In the Faith's authority, and in extension to the Dogs' authority (for certain stuff); the towns people's beliefs; the Dogs' beliefs. The provable existence of the King of Life is not part of these three core beliefs. There might be a King of Life, or there might not � but that doesn't change people's beliefs.
Harald Wagener
The Shadow of Yesterday - in german
Solar System - in german
Posts: 3656
Re: [DitV] GM determined Sin
Reply #11 on:
March 12, 2008, 05:11:06 AM »
I'm with Harald 100%.
Posts: 91
Re: [DitV] GM determined Sin
Reply #12 on:
March 12, 2008, 06:49:38 AM »
Guys, this has been a fantastic eye-opener - probably the third or fourth I've had since I convinced myself I could competently "run Dogs". Vincent, that's both praise and critique. As many others, I find the text extremely welcoming and friendly, perhaps misleadingly so. The underlying concepts which - I can only presume - are meant to be discovered through play rather than inferred through reading the text, are pretty damn high-brow and far-reaching in their simplicity, like most well-designed philosophical statements. The gap between the accessible text and the inaccessible statement is relatively large, which I think is confusing to some people. On the other hand, the potential effect of discovering the statement would be rather cheapened by having it spelled out for you. Maybe it's one of those "easy to learn, hard to master" kind of games.
In addition to the many excellent replies in this thread, the recent interview with Clyde L. Rhoer on the Theory From the Closet podcast was also very helpful and helped me tie the last remaining threads together. Vincent, you're dead-on with the comment about people naturally gravitating towards making rules for these completely illogical supernatural things that should be governed only by the needs of the fiction. Maybe I'm just one of those "stupid fans" you speak of. :)
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Renewed commitment for non-discrimination and equal opportunities03 December 2009
by Ina Dimireva -- last modified 07 December 2009
This EU Communication provides a comprehensive approach through which the European Commission is renewing its commitment to further non-discrimination and equal opportunities in the European Union. It presents the latest developments and aims to strengthen the legal framework against discrimination as well as the policy tools for promoting equal opportunities.
Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions of 2 July 2008 – Non-discrimination and equal opportunities: A renewed commitment [COM(2008) 420 final – Not published in the Official Journal].
This communication renews the Commission's commitment to fight against discrimination and to promote equal opportunities by establishing a comprehensive approach to step up action to that end. It also presents the developments in the legal framework against discrimination and in the policy tools for promoting equal opportunities.
An effective legal framework, which is properly enforced, is paramount to fighting discrimination and to guaranteeing efficient systems of redress for victims. Hence, the Commission is committed to monitoring the Member States implementation of the existing legal framework, which consists of Council Directives:
2000/43/EC of 29 June 2000 implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin;
2008/78/EC of 27 November 2000 establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation;
2004/113/EC of 13 December 2004 implementing the principle of equal treatment between men and women in the access to and supply of goods and services.
The Commission reported on the implementation of the first two directives in 2006 and 2008, whereas a report on the 2004 directive is expected for 2010. Overall, the implementation of the directives has been perceived as positive. Nevertheless, approximately half of the Member States have not fulfilled their obligations in terms of scope, definitions or provisions on victims' assistance.
The Commission is also involved in facilitating the cooperation and information exchanges between, as well as the capacity-building of, national equality bodies. These bodies are particularly important in informing and assisting victims in dispute resolutions. Based on their work, the Commission will examine whether penalties and time limits for brining actions before courts are effective at the national level.
At the European level, however, the existing legal framework for fighting discrimination is incomplete, the scope of protection differing from ground to ground. Consequently, the Commission published, together with this communication, a proposal for a directive on implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation (COM(2008) 426), which aims to complete the legal framework on anti-discrimination. The directive will prohibit all forms of discrimination and harassment on the above-mentioned grounds beyond the workplace and provide appropriate redress systems for victims throughout the European Union.
A range of policy tools are also needed to complement the legal framework, in order to promote equal opportunities effectively. The Commission is committed to strengthening the:
- mainstreaming of non-discrimination into all Community policies, building in particular on the achievements of the EU's disability strategy and the roadmap for equality between women and men for 2006-10;
- measuring of discrimination and evaluating of progress, to which end it will examine whether the regular collection of statistics on the scale and impact of discrimination and the establishment of a EU-survey module on discrimination are feasible;
- use of positive action by Member States, especially to enhance equal opportunities for access to education, employment, housing and health care;
- awareness-raising and training activities on current legislation for the main stakeholders by providing them with further support. It will also continue its EU information campaign 'For Diversity – Against Discrimination';
- promotion of the benefits of diversity at the workplace by encouraging the development of voluntary EU-wide initiatives, further collaboration between businesses and educational institutions, and improving diversity management in public administrations at all levels.
The dialogue on non-discrimination and equal opportunities among relevant stakeholders, which was launched with the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All (2007), will be continued on an annual basis through the equality summits. In addition, a governmental expert group on non-discrimination has been established to carry out impact assessments on and develop benchmarks for measures and policies, as well as to substantiate best practice. One of its first themes of work will be multiple discrimination.
The Commission feels that it is also important to take into consideration the particular concerns of specific groups, such as that of the Roma. The Commission staff working document on community instruments and policies for Roma inclusion, which accompanies this communication, responds to that need.


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An Interview with Andrei Sakharov
The following interview is extracted from a six-hour conversation tape-recorded with Andrei Sakharov at his apartment in Moscow this January. The interviewer, the French writer Jean-Pierre Barou, was accompanied by his interpreter, Phillipe Frison. Sakharov's wife, Elena Bonner, joined in the conversation from time to time. A somewhat different version was published in Le Figaro and other European papers.
JEAN-PIERRE BAROU: The new Soviet electoral law provides for the creation next March of a People's Assembly with 2,250 members. Two thirds of them will be chosen by universal suffrage. The final third will be nominated by political organizations or by social and professional organizations—
ANDREI SAKHAROV: Let me interrupt you immediately. What you are describing is only the most minute part of a very complex mechanism, which includes a great many snares and hidden aspects that make it much less than democratic.
In my view the new electoral system has two major faults. The candidates who run for office undergo a process of selection that is not democratic and isn't based on any formal criteria. On what grounds candidates were eliminated I have no idea. I simply note that the same thing happened last June when it came to sending delegates to the Party conference. We saw then that the opponents of progressive ideas, of glasnost, were preferred and were prominent at the conference. But, above all, the elections take place at several levels.
JPB: Are you thinking of the Supreme Soviet?
AS: Indeed I am. Its four hundred delegates, who are drawn from the People's Assembly, will elect the president, but we also don't know by what criteria they will be chosen. We are told that one fifth of the delegates will come up for reappointment every year, but according to what principles? We have no way of knowing.
JPB: Are the people, and I don't mean just the intellectuals, interested in this debate?
AS: Yes, but they are cautious. We aren't seeing any material benefits from perestroika. And yet the people aren't interested only in material goods. They want to see an end to the lying. But it is still going on. We're in a period of transition, looking for the path toward higher ground. But we have to wait.
JPB: Do you think military or diplomatic secrecy can become less oppressive? Could glasnost provide an opening?
AS: I believe that very few secrets are really important. As I see it, the less there are of them, the better it is for world stability. This is why I consider the presence of spy satellites a factor promoting peace and confidence. The better we know other countries, our potential enemies, the safer the world will be. The notion of the military and diplomatic secret should be abolished.
JPB: Are you considered a leader of the democratic opposition in the USSR today?
AS: I don't think I've ever had the soul of a leader. I try hard to represent only myself. My position changes, too, depending on circumstances.
JPB: At…
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We are not all the same. That is news to no one. But there are common expectations in a civil society . . . expectations of considerate, polite treatment. Expectations that staff put the needs of children first. Expectations that staff and directors behave in ways consistent with their position and training. Expectations that parents/camp staffs are considered partners in providing positive growth experiences for children.
This summer, as in other summers, those expectations were not fully met.
Each summer ACA provides a Crisis Hotline Service to camps who are facing a situation on which they would like advice or an objective listening ear. Each year for the last fifteen years ACA has received anywhere from thrity to seventy-five such calls. In all probability, this is the tip of the iceberg. For every camp that calls ACA, other directors seek help in other ways. Directors may call colleagues, or their insurance company, or an ACA section member, or a psychologist or social worker. There is no mandate that camps report incidents to ACA, though such a report is helpful as we plan educational events and look at trends in the industry.
Consistent Patterns
This year as in every other year we have operated the hotline, 30 to 45 percent of the calls dealt with allegations of abuse. Some of those allegations were situations of child-to-child abuse (about one-third of the abuse-related calls). Some were of abuse that occurred in the child's home. Others were allegations of staff to child abuse.
Each year we hear the sad news of deaths in camp. Deaths occur in every area of society and there is no way to totally insulate camp from such circumstances. ACA has become aware of fourteen deaths in 2000. Eight of these were staff members, four from drowning and four from vehicular accidents. Six camper deaths included three drownings, two health related deaths from previously existing conditions, and one from head trauma.
This is the first year in several years that drowning has been the cause of more deaths than vehicular accidents. Since ACA does not get autopsy reports or final accident/injury statistics from camps, we do not know the details in these situations. Were there supervision problems? Medical conditions? Weather concerns? Unexpected water conditions?
Again this summer there were some health concerns. One camp was dealing with a confirmed case of Hepatitis A. Another had a viral outbreak that affected half of the campers and staff. Another camp was working with a camper who revealed, for the first time to anyone, that she was pregnant.
A serious injury occurred when a camper's leg was severely cut by a boat propeller. Surgery was required.
ACA's recommendations on preventing and dealing with the above-listed incidents remain constant.
- Develop written procedures.
- Hire qualified staff.
- Train staff and supervise them regularly.
- Have arrangements with local law enforcement, clergy, and mental health professionals.
- Keep parents informed.
- Have arrangements with legal counsel familiar with your site, program, and philosophy. Use their assistance sooner, rather than later.
Complaints from Parents
In addition to hotline calls, ACA also receives complaint calls from parents. These are handled according to procedures established to monitor ACA's Code of Ethics. At the first stage of this process, procedures are called "Complaint Resolution" procedures and are handled at the section level.
The purpose of these efforts at the section level is to help the parties resolve their differences when the matter can be processed within ACA, or failing resolution, to determine if a violation of the ACA Code of Ethics or Standards has occurred. Complaints are only considered valid when they are in writing and signed by a responsible party.
As public awareness about ACA has increased, so have complaint calls and letters from the public, mostly from parents. The largest percentage of these complaints can be resolved positively when camp staff members and parents partner together for the best interests of the camper.
It goes without saying that the camp can ONLY control the response of its own staff member to such situations. Camps who rate high in public perception have staff members (not necessarily the camp director) handling complaint calls from parents with patience, tact, and respect.
We recognize that all the tact and respect in the world will not keep some parents from complaining to ACA in spite of all the good efforts by camp staff. However, it is instructive to see the kinds of things parents care about.
Types of Parental Complaints
Calls from parents this summer fell into the following groupings:
- Alleged discrimination in refusing admittance to a camper
- Camps failing to follow stated dismissal procedures
- Abusive behavior by staff toward campers (swearing at, hitting, belittling or failing to stop other campers from teasing or fighting with their children)
- Having inadequate health staff and procedures in place
- Failing to notify the parent when the child was hurt or ill
- Serving inappropriate food to kids with clearly stated allergies
- Campers not met at the airport by camp staff as promised
- Camper held under water by other campers and staff present did not intervene
- Camper aides required to work longer than advertised and live under "second class" conditions
- Staff not following stated safety procedures requiring seatbelt use
- Failure of camp to report (as mandated) allegations of sexual or physical abuse
- Staff who tell inappropriate jokes or discuss sexual matters with children
- Staff who are condescending in dealing with parents and campers
It is clear that now, more than ever, parents want to be part of their child's camp experience. They look with skepticism on policies that do not permit them to communicate with their child. Camps have many valid reasons for helping children gain independence and work things out on their own without constant calls to and from home. Developing and gaining independence is an appropriate developmental task of childhood. Clear and repeated communication about your camp's philosophy on this matter will help parents be informed.
However, when children are sick or injured, prompt communication from the camp to the parent is absolutely essential. The parent needs to believe and experience that the camp is placing primary importance on the health and welfare of their child. After all, isn't that what we want for our own children?
Originally published in the 2000 Fall issue of The CampLine.


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Asian countries have signed over 1100 international investments agreements, most of which include the investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanism.
The Association of South-East Asian Nations or ASEAN (formed of Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam) also provides investor protection under the ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement (ACIA) which was adopted in 2009.
In addition, new trade deals with ISDS provisions currently concern the region: the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
The TPP was sealed in October 2015 between Australia, Canada, Chile, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, the United States and five Asian countries: Brunei, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam. Indonesia and Taiwan have claimed their intention to join in. The treaty has yet to be ratified.
The investment chapter has revealed the deal includes the investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanism that would give foreign investors the right to bypass national courts and resort to a parallel system of justice specifically made for them.
RCEP is currently being negotiated between the Asian states of Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam with Australia and New Zealand.
Although still under negotiations, RCEP has been reported to include ISDS provisions. Korea and Japan have submitted proposals likely to be similar to those in their own bilateral agreements and in the TPP text. India should table a different offer.
The Indian government has been considering a revised comprehensive model of bilateral investment treaty (BIT) that would reduce investor rights, compared to other versions of ISDS. An investor would have to exhaust all local remedies before initiating international arbitration. The model BIT is expected to exclude matters relating to government procurement, taxation, subsidies, compulsory licenses and national security.
India has been the most targeted country in the region, with about 15 disputes - the vast majority of which were initiated by West European countries.
End of 2014, Sri Lanka also announced its intention to move away from traditional models of BIT. It quoted thin relationship between BITs and foreign direct investment, past ISDS disputes and the tendency for BITs to constrain domestic policy space as reasons. Sri Lanka favours the enactment of appropriate domestic legislation to protect foreign investment.
In early 2014, Indonesia announced plans to terminate 67 of its BITs, former president Yudhoyono arguing he did not want multinational companies to pressure developing countries. Indonesia is now in the final stage of finalizing a new model of BIT. The country is currently facing a billion-dollar dispute from UK-listed Churchill Mining and a new US$600 million claim from the Indian mining investor India Metals & Ferro Alloys.
(November 2015)
0 | ... | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60 | 70 | 80 | 90 | 100 | 110 | ... | 690


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According to former Manchester City chief executive, Gary Cook, the offer was made in 2008 while the club was in the process of being purchased by Sheikh Mansour. Cook copped to the mistake in the directly-named book "The Manchester City Years."
"(An executive) made a comment like: 'It's all getting messy,'" Cook explained. "Via the telephones and other communication lines, this somehow translated into: 'Get Messi.'
"An offer was made for Lionel Messi of about 30 million pounds. Needless to say, it was rejected."
Just imagine if the negotiations had gotten testy.
Ex-CEO: City made accidental Messi bid [ESPN]


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Follow RFF News on your cell phone. Text follow rff to 40404 you will receive txt messages with RFF News
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:heartC: :holidayC: :santaC:I moved up to # 66 on the "ovarall" this week.
I am ashamed to admid that even after playing for so long ... I have yet to ever make it to the leaderboard. I am open for suggestions though *
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After an arsonist caused $450 million in damage to the USS Miami on March 2012, the U.S. Navy considered scrapping the submarine. The eventual decision to repair the Miami and return it to service in 2015 means that the Navy will not have to add to a rather short but fateful list – ships lost since WWII. Between December 1941 and September 1945, over 350 U.S. Navy warships and patrol craft were sunk or damaged beyond repair. In the nearly seven decades since, fewer than 30 ships have been lost directly due to enemy action or accidents. These are a few of the notable incidents:
USS Bullhead
On the same day that the city of Hiroshima was reduced to ash by the first atomic bomb, the USS Bullhead (SS-32) became the last U.S. Navy ship sunk by the enemy during WWII. The submarine is thought to have been hit by depth charges dropped by a Japanese plane on Aug. 6, 1945 off the coast of Bali. The wreck of the submarine has never been found.
Commissioned in 1943, PC-815 would go on to earn the name "The Jinxed Sub-Chaser". Lt (j.g.) L. Ron Hubbard (the future founder of Scientology) was the first man to take the helm, only to be relieved of command three months later following a series of embarrassing incidents (including the shelling of Mexican territory) that caused his superiors to lose faith in his ability. The next few years were uneventful for the PC-815 until Sept. 11, 1945 when it collided with the destroyer USS Laffey (DD-724), burst into flames and sank.
USS Magpie
USS Magpie (AMS-25) blew up after striking a mine off the coast of Korea on Sept. 29 1950, claiming the lives of 21 members of the crew. Ships hitting mines during the Korean Conflict would also cost the U.S. Navy the USS Pirate (AM-275), USS Pledge (AM-277), USS Sarsi (ATF-111) and USS Partridge (AMS-31). Mines continue to be the biggest threat to the world's navies and account for most ship losses other than accidents.
USS Thresher
The first ship in a new class of advanced nuclear "hunter-killer" submarines, USS Thresher (SSN-593) was lost at sea near Cape Cod on 10 April 1963. An inquiry concluded that leaking water likely shorted out electrical systems, leading to a loss of propulsion that caused the sub to exceed its test depth and implode. The tragic loss of the Thresher with all 129 hands resulted in the Navy launching the SUBSAFE program, which was developed to assure that submarines were able to recover from flooding. In 2008, oceanographer Bob Ballard revealed that his search for the Titanic in 1985 was actually the cover for a secret mission to further investigate the wrecks of the Thresher and the USS Scorpion (see entry below).
USS Liberty
In an incident that still evokes heated debate today, 34 crewmen were killed and 171 were wounded when USS Liberty (AGTR-5) was attacked by Israel Defense Forces on June 8, 1967 while conducting intelligence operations in the Mediterranean near Sinai. The Liberty returned to the US after emergency repairs, but the severity of the damage resulted in the ship being decommissioned and scrapped. The U.S. government officially accepted the Israeli position that the attack was purely an accident due to confusion in a tense environment, but many maintain that the Israelis intentionally targeted the Liberty because the ship could intercept and inadvertently share information concerning Israel's activities during the Six-Day War.
Join the U.S. Naval Institute.
USS Pueblo
On Jan. 23, 1968, North Korean forces swarmed and captured the USS Pueblo (AGER-2), claiming that the intelligence ship had violated its territorial waters. The Pueblo was taken to the port of Wonsan and the U.S. crew was forced to sit for propaganda photos in which they posed with extended middle fingers, telling their North Korean captors that the gesture was "a Hawaiian symbol for good luck". The crew was released almost one year later, but the North Koreans kept the Pueblo and still display it as a trophy. In 2007, Sen. Wayne Allard (R-CO) proposed trading a Korean battle flag captured during the largely forgotten US -Korea War of 1871, but the deal was never officially offered.
USS Scorpion
While returning to the U.S. from a Mediterranean deployment in May1968, the USS Scorpion (SSN-589) disappeared near the Azores in the Atlantic Ocean. The Navy conducted an extensive search, but on June 5 declared that the submarine and crew of 99 were presumed lost. The wreckage was eventually discovered, but the cause of the sub's destruction still has not been determined. Some investigators believe that a malfunctioning torpedo may have been to blame, but others theorize that the sub was involved in a confrontation with a Soviet sub in which the Scorpion was fatally damaged in a collision. A more extreme theory holds that the Soviets suspected that the U.S. was responsible for the sinking of the K-129 earlier in the year, so the Scorpion was sunk in retaliation.
USS Frank E Evans
During an exercise in the South China Sea on 3 June 1969, inexperienced officers standing watch aboard the destroyer USS Frank E Evans became confused while making emergency maneuvers and placed the ship directly in the path of the Royal Australian Navy carrier HMAS Melbourne. The Melbourne split the Evans in two, sending the bow to bottom of the ocean along with 74 sailors. 199 personnel were rescued from the stern that fortunately had managed to stay afloat. The subsequent investigation put a strain on U.S.-Australian relations because the Australians believed the U.S. Navy tried to attribute too much blame to the Melbourne's commander. The Melbourne's commander was cleared of wrongdoing in the accident but three officers from the Evans were charged with dereliction of duty.
Other Navy ships lost since WWII
USS Solar (DE 221) scuttled after being damaged in an accidental explosion, April 30, 1946
USS Chehalis (AOG-48) capsized after a gasoline tank exploded and killed 6, Oct. 7, 1949
USS Benevolence (AH-13) sunk after colliding with the SS Mary Luckenbach, April, 25 1950
USS Hobson (DMS 26) broke in half and sunk after collision with USS Wasp (CV 18), 176 killed, April 26, 1952
USNS Mission San Francisco (T-AO-123) collided with the Liberian freighter Elna II and exploded, March 7, 1957
USNS Mission San Miguel (T-AO-129) ran aground Oct. 8, 1957 and declared unfit for further naval service
USS Stickleback (SS-415) sunk in collision with USS Silverstein (DE-534) off Hawaii, May 29, 1958
USS Grouse (AMS-15) ran aground on Sept. 12, 1963 and then destroyed with explosives when attempts to dislodge failed
USS Bache (DD-470) wrecked and abandoned at Rhodes during heavy seas, Feb. 7, 1968
USNS Sgt. Jack J. Pendleton (T-AKV-5) ran aground on a reef and abandoned, Sept. 23, 1973
USS La Moure County (LST-1194) ran aground in Chile and damaged beyond repair, Sept. 12, 2000