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In her Jan. 22 letter, "More to the Camera's Story," Cindy Nevison raises certain serious questions about the motivation and substance of the research reported in a Jan. 15 article, "Genetically modified food opponents overestimate their knowledge, according to CU researchers." I had similar concerns about the article and the research.
The reported study by a CU marketing professor reinforces other academic papers that generally frame public discourse about GMOs as a struggle of "science" vs. ignorance, fear and prejudice. Nevison's letter addresses two points, the framing of the survey questions, and the funding of the research.
To the first point; while on the CU faculty, I started each semester by telling my engineering students that in any research endeavor, the way you frame the questions will constrain the answers you can find. Nevison points out that one of the true/false questions on the study survey posed a statement about the horizontal transfer of animal genes into plants, and she points out the problematic and ambiguous nature of this question with no T/F answer that can be called "correct." This raises serious questions about the validity of the survey and possible labeling of a subject as "ignorant."
To the second point; Nevison notes the study's relationship to the John Templeton Foundation — known for its sponsorship of research to advance "religious and spiritual knowledge at the intersection of science and religion." What is the potential for a conflict, particularly given the historic tension between evolution and religion?
Industry prefers to see the GMO debate framed in terms of science and engineering — which means science and reason vs. ignorance and irrationality. Rather, perhaps the debate should be framed in terms of political economy — and more about patents, economic power, corporate colonization of the food supply, potential unintended consequences of technology, and enclosure of the commons.
Timothy Schoechle


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Any time you are evaluating a accommodation, check out "bundle" bargains. Once you have to travel to your location, try to find a package that …Continue reading

subset: commoncrawl


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A Dubai Court of First Instance heard that fours workers got imprisoned for six months for stealing furniture worth thousands of dirhams from their labor camp.
The defendants were, one Indian security guard, 55, two Nepalese aged 34 and 47, and a Bangladeshi worker, 36 stole 1,500 mattresses, 1,500 small wardrobes, 172 clothes drying racks, 1,500 bunker beds, 134 small dining tables, 262 chairs, and two TV sets and sold that furniture illegally for their own profit.
They were robbing the furniture for months before. One morning one of their fellow workers spotted them and caught them on camera. On June 2018, the Pakistani driver was going to work when he witnessed the four men loading furniture from their accommodation of a construction company in Jebel Ali into a pickup truck, the Pakistani driver testified.
He showed the video to his supervisor who informed the company's manager. When the manager asked them to give him the money that they have gained by selling the furniture but they refused and he called the Dubai police. The four defendants were arrested.
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Private gifts make a true difference in our students' academic experiences. Your financial support allows the College of Education to supplement and amplify their education through scholarship opportunities, faculty research, and service program support. Please consider making a gift to one of the opportunities listed below. You are welcome to designate your gift to a specific department or scholarship fund.
Opportunities to Give
Dean's Excellence Fund
This very important fund allows the Dean to cover a variety of expenses, such as special projects, presenting papers at professional meetings, student scholarships, and faculty research. The Dean's Excellence fund is a great way to provide general support to the College of Education.
1895 Society
Named for the year Arlington College (now UTA) was founded, the 1895 Society recognizes individuals who provide annual leadership support of $1,000 or more to any of the University's colleges, schools, or programs during the fiscal year (Sept. 1–Aug. 31). These gifts make a vital difference every day by furthering cutting-edge research, enhancing outstanding teaching, building state-of-the-art facilities, and providing scholarships for students who graduate prepared to become valuable members of society.
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A gift to the College of Education is a wonderful way to honor a family member, friend, or someone of significance in your life. Beyond recognizing and honoring individuals, these gifts provide important support to students and faculty, enhancing the academic experience and programs. Tribute gifts can be designated to specific funds or programs in accordance with the interest and intent of the family or donor. When you make a tribute gift, the honoree or family will be notified of your thoughtfulness. The University will provide them with your address, but not the amount of your gift.
Through the generosity of donors, generations of deserving scholars for years to come will be able to receive financial assistance to pursue their academic goals. Prepared by their UTA education, these students will make a positive impact and difference in the world around them. Scholarships also increase University prominence by providing incentives the institution can use to recruit top high school and college graduates to study within one of its disciplines.
Scholarships can be either annual gifts or made through an endowed fund. The minimum gift required to create an endowed scholarship is $25,000. Donors select an area of focus—such as a particular academic discipline, level of scholastic achievement, or leadership criteria—and partner with the University to ensure their gift remains an enduring expression of their interest and passion.
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City Grill (Floreasca)
City Grill Floreasca (Promenada Mall area) is the favorite restaurant of Bucharest people who live or work in the Pipera area. Whether you are on the run and want a quick lunch with a tomato cream soup and a salad or have a barbecue, we are by your side at any time. We will welcome you with lunch menus and famous grilled dishes.
This new City Grill Floreasca restaurant awaits you in an elegant ambience so you can enjoy the culinary specialties created for the most exigent tastes.
Located opposite the Promenade Mall, City Grill Floreasca is the perfect place for a meal break, but also the perfect restaurant to stop after shopping. And after a busy day at work, we look forward to welcome you with a relaxing dinner with your whole family.
Because we know that the most important moments are worth celebrating in a special setting, we invite you to organize together the most beautiful events in your life! Whether it's a wedding, a baptism, a family party or a corporate event, City Grill Floreasca is the ideal choice.
175 Calea Floreasca (next to Șoseaua Pipera); 07184.108.40.206
Open Mondays – Fridays 8:00 – 22:00, closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
Floreasca, Aviatiei si Pipera vazute de sus, din NOR Sky Casual Restaurant; Calea Floreasca si Barbu Vacarescu, in jurul Promenada Mall, cu restaurantele NOR Sky Casual Restaurant, Flying Pig, Japanos, Joy, Cafe de Fleurs, Vacamuuu 2 si altele
City Grill (Floreasca) - Calea Floreasca, nr. 175 (vizavi de Promenada)


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I haven't written much over the summer, other than in my own personal journal a couple times. It's been one of the busiest summers I've had in a long while! I visited Toronto for two weeks in July, which was a non-stop trip seeing friends and family. Also helping my Nan (my Grandma on my mother's side) get to some appointments due to some minor health concerns. She developed Bell's Palsy this last month which was a bit of a scare and more of a frustration for her than anything.
Coming back to Edmonton has been quite busy. This city thrives during the summer. There is so much to do and I'm sure there are still a bunch of things I'll have to save for next year. So far this summer, I've been able to experience farmers markets, Taste of Edmonton, Heritage Days (Canada's biggest multicultural event!), Shakespeare in the Park, and various new restaurants and cafes. Next week I am heading to Cold Lake with Kailene for a night, and in a couple weekends Justin and I will be visiting a farm sanctuary just outside of Edmonton! I'm. So. Excited. PIGS.
After reading and frequenting Pinterest for about a month, I've finally started to pry open various English resources and planning guides because I am starting my first teaching contract this September! I'll be the ELA (English Language Arts) Instructor for a Grade 4 class, two Grade 5 classes, and a Grade 6. I'm nervous and excited. Nervous because I am more familiar with high school students and teaching, but excited because I supplied a lot for elementary and honestly really like it. I always said I'd NEVER teacher elementary. But I've known since starting teacher's college that you take what you get and you may not even start in your subject area. With that said, I'm happy and grateful for what I was offered this past June. I was a bit hesitant at first but the more that I plan and read and get to know the staff and school, the more that I am excited and confident.
Also, I will have my very own classroom! Four classes of students will come into my class throughout the day (sort of a rotary system) since I am just the Language Arts teacher, so I'll have to figure out some organization and routines. But I am soooo excited to set up a reading nook, a library space, plants and pictures, a Word Wall, and all sorts of neat things that I maybe couldn't do in a high school setting. I really am going to take advantage of the fact that this will be my own room.
I'm going to get back to planning and reading, but here are some pictures of my so far empty class.


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When it comes to our homes and repairs to the home, it will always be an area that will cause a lot of headaches for a lot of us. Each of our homes are unique and because of this some of the problems that we will face can be very unique to us and because of this, coming up with a solution can be very difficult. Additionally when it comes to finding the people to fix this problem, you can often end up having a lot of trial and error scenarios where you end up getting the wrong people and a lot of calls asking if they know how to fix this particular problem. However you do not have to despair too much since not all of the problems that you face are unique to only you, there are a lot of problems that you share with your neighbors. These are the problems that we will discuss in this article and how we can work towards fixing it properly and quickly. One of the most common problems that every house faces comes from the places that are generally used to handling unpleasant items of the human body.
The bathroom is actually should not be a surprise since it is one of the most heavily used areas and it is constantly getting wet and then drying up and this cycle is never ending. This means that problems are going to come up like leaks and drips. This means that sometimes you will need to hire people from waterproofing companies Sydney to come over and help fix your problems. Of course when selecting these people, it is important to make sure that you pick the right people for the job since a water leak into the wall is not a simple problem as it can bring your whole house down. Therefore try and find someone who is possibly near your house, so that then can come over easily and fix your problems promptly. Another common problem that everyone shares is leaking roofs. This is a big problem and also a dangerous problem since a big rain can bring the whole roof down if it is rotten to the core.
The best way to make sure that this problem does not become a real issue it will be good to make sure that the roof and the ceiling do not get affected by water by corflute protection sheets the roof, especially the areas that take on the main loads like walls and beams. These are some of the problem, of many, that everyone will face in general. Therefore it will be generally much easier to find someone who can help you out with fixing the problem. And this means that you can even talk to your neighbor even to see if there are proper people close to your house who can help fix these problems.


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Superior Court of Rhode Island
May 10, 2016
COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF RHODE ISLAND, COUNCIL ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION and STATE OF RHODE ISLANDv.CCRI EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION/ NEARI
Appeal from Superior Court of Providence County
For Plaintiff: Jeffrey S. Michaelson, Esq.
For Defendant: John E. DeCubellis, Jr., Esq.
Petitioners-the Community College of Rhode Island, Council on Postsecondary Education and the State of Rhode Island (CCRI)-bring this motion to vacate an arbitration award rendered on November 11, 2015. The Community College of Rhode Island Educational Support Professional Association/NEARI (the Union) objects to CCRI's motion and moves to confirm the arbitration award. The Court exercises jurisdiction pursuant to G.L. 1956 § 28-9-18. This case reveals the perils of putting "the cart before the horse." CCRI did just that with respect to its employment decisions concerning the hiring of a Campus Police Officer, Michael Crenshaw (Crenshaw). Those employment decisions created a complicated set of circumstances which enabled Crenshaw to serve as a Campus Police Officer for over a year without either attending a mandatory training program or receiving a waiver from the statutory requirement that he do so. After CCRI terminated Crenshaw's employment, the Union filed a grievance, and the matter was submitted to arbitration. Ultimately, the Arbitrator ordered CCRI to restore Crenshaw to his position with compensation for lost time.
This Court is tasked with determining whether to vacate the arbitration award or to confirm it, not to rewrite it. The Court cannot confirm an award that orders CCRI to restore a Campus Police Officer to a position he would be holding in violation of a statutory requirement, a law enacted for the protection of the public. As such, the Court must find that the Arbitrator's award constitutes a manifest disregard for the law and cannot be upheld. At the outset, the grievance is not arbitrable because it arises out of the statutory qualifications for serving as a Campus Police Officer and not out of the provisions of the CBA. For the reasons set forth herein, the Court vacates the arbitration award and denies the Union's motion to confirm.
I Facts and Travel
CCRI and the Union are parties to a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which provides for the arbitration of disputes. (CBA Article 13(A).) The CBA states that all CCRI employees are subject to a probationary period of 130 working days and supervisor evaluations every two months. (CBA Article 17(A).) The CBA differentiates between persons employed for less than 130 days who serve at the pleasure of CCRI and persons employed for more than 130 days who are entitled to due process rights. (CBA Article 17(A) and (B).) The CBA refers to the former as "probationary employees" and the latter as "employees." Id. Thus, under the CBA, prospective employees must complete a 130 day probationary period before becoming eligible for employee status. (CBA Article 17(A).) CCRI may dismiss probationary employees "for reasons related to the employee's lack of qualifications or for the good of the service" at any point within the 130 day period. Id. At the end of the probationary period, CCRI has the option to dismiss the employee or to retain his or her services. Id. If CCRI takes no actions at the end of the probationary period, then the employee "is continued" in his or her employment. Id.
The CBA further provides due process rights for persons who have achieved employee status and passed the 130 working day probationary period. The CBA provides that CCRI may only impose disciplinary actions-including oral and written reprimands, suspension, discharge and demotion-against employees who have passed the probationary period if it has just cause. (CBA Article 17(B).) In the event that CCRI imposes a disciplinary action on a non-probationary employee, it must furnish a copy of all of the employee's performance evaluations or disciplinary entries in their personnel record and allow the employee to respond. Id. Within two weeks of a demotion or suspension, the Union may file a grievance on the employee's behalf. Id. If the grievance is not settled through the regular procedure, then the parties may submit the grievance to arbitration. (CBA Article 13.) "Only grievances arising out of the provisions of [the CBA], relating to the application or interpretation thereof, may be submitted to arbitration." Id. Moreover, the CBA states that "[a]ny disciplinary action imposed upon an employee may be processed as a grievance through the regular grievance procedure" and that "[a]n arbitrator shall be empowered to change the disciplinary action if they determine that the action taken was not warranted." (CBA Article 17(B).) The CBA further provides that "disciplinary actions" include oral and written reprimands, suspension, discharge and demotion. Id.
CCRI's College Police Department (the Department) employs campus police[1] to provide security for CCRI's four main campuses and two satellite campuses. (Arbitrator's Opinion and Award at 3.) The Department provides security for approximately 18, 000 students, and 850 faculty, staff and visitors. Id. Campus Police Officers are state classified positions and fall under the jurisdiction of the Rhode Island Merit System Law. Id. As such, Campus Police Officers must meet certain State prescribed job requirements. Id.; see also General Order. Under state law, Campus Police Officer candidates (Candidates) must receive training at the Academy while serving in a probationary capacity. See G.L. 1956 § 42-28.2-1. In addition, the Rhode Island Police Officers Commission on Standards and Training (RIPOST) has the authority to grant waivers from the Academy requirement (Waivers) to Candidates who have already received training and experience serving as law enforcement officers in other states. No Candidate for a position as a Campus Police Officer can become a permanent employee unless he or she either attends the Academy or obtains a Waiver from the statutory obligation to do so. (General Order.)
To qualify for a Waiver, Candidates must receive a conditional offer of employment from a sponsoring agency. Id. The sponsoring agency, in this case, CCRI, then submits an application for a Waiver on the applicant's behalf to the Executive Director of the Academy (the Executive Director) detailing his or her qualifications. Id. Additionally, RIPOST requires that all waiver candidates are "non-probationary officer[s] in good standing with their current police department/employer" and have completed at least twelve months of continuous active service with a single agency or department. Id. Therefore, the only applicants who can qualify for Waivers are those who are actively employed by an out-of-state police department or agency when they receive the conditional offer of employment from CCRI. See id. Moreover, Candidates seeking a Waiver must complete that process during their probationary term. See id. After the Academy Staff reviews the Waiver Application, the Executive Director notifies the sponsoring agency as to the status of the Candidate's Waiver. Id.
In July of 2013, Crenshaw applied for a position as a Campus Police Officer at CCRI. (Arbitrator's Opinion and Award at 5.) Before applying to CCRI, Crenshaw-a graduate of the Massachusetts Police Academy-had worked for the Southborough Police Department for ten years, from February 2002 to February 2012. Id.; (Ex. F.) On November 8, 2013, CCRI made Crenshaw a conditional offer of employment (the Conditional Offer). (Conditional Offer 1.) The Court notes that at the time CCRI extended the Conditional Offer to Crenshaw, he was not employed as a police officer with the Southborough Police Department. See Arbitrator's Opinion and Award at 5; Ex. F. Rather, he had been terminated from that position twenty-one months earlier. Crenshaw began his 130 day probationary period on November 17, 2013, on the date he started working as a Campus Police Officer at CCRI. Id. The offer of employment was conditioned on several requirements, to wit, that he: obtain a satisfactory score on a psychological exam; complete a fitness and medical exam; pass a background investigation; and complete the Academy. Id. The Conditional Offer explicitly stated that "the candidate will receive a final offer of employment subject to a probationary period if, and only if, each and every term and condition has been completed successfully and all contingencies are satisfied." Id.
During the probationary period, Crenshaw's supervisor gave him three high scoring evaluations, and Crenshaw completed the 130 day probationary period on May 17, 2014.[2](Arbitrator's Opinion and Award at 5.) On August 18, 2014, three months after the expiration of the probationary period, CCRI submitted a Waiver Application on Crenshaw's behalf. Id. at 6. After reviewing the Waiver Application, the Academy's General Counsel, Lisa Holley (Holley), sent a letter (the Holley Letter) to the Executive Director of the Academy, recommending that he deny Crenshaw's Waiver. As grounds for her recommendation, Holley noted that 1) due to the nature of his termination from the Southborough Police Department, Crenshaw might be eligible for placement in the National De-Certification Index (NDI)[3]; 2) Crenshaw had failed to list a motor vehicle violation and prior arrest on his Application; 3) Crenshaw had self-reported substance abuse and psychological problems while employed at the Southborough Police Department, which resulted in a revocation of his firearm license; and 4) Crenshaw had received a below average rating in his psychological examination. See Holley Letter.
Ultimately, Holley recommended that RIPOST deny the Waiver but stated that nothing would "preclude Officer Crenshaw from reapplying once these issues are resolved to the satisfaction of the [RIPOST]." Id. On October 21, 2014, the Executive Director of the Academy delivered the Holley Letter to CCRI. (Arbitrator's Opinion and Award at 7-8.) On October 30, 2014, CCRI notified Crenshaw that the Academy had denied his Waiver and scheduled a pre-termination hearing. See Letter from Chief Dale R. Wetherell, College Police, to Sheri Norton, ...
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I am designing for the Autumn Winter Season Here is a sneak preview of one of the big colours for next season I have even seen it written that Burgundy is the new black! I love it. It is such a flattering colour. So rich and warm. Here are some of the pieces I have made using that colour ...watch this space.
Posted by Alana Biviano on


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Kuon's take on the classic MA-2 flight jacket returns in a a silver, unlined nylon. Salt-washed to achieve the distincitve slubby appearance and feel of the nylon, they finish off the homage with a nod to their own craft, with a removable sakiori patch on the chest.
Finding the right vintage item can be tedious and less-than fruitful, you may love the effect of fading but dislike the fit or any litany of issues. Kuon aims to do good in the world wherever it can using clothing as their platform.
Started in 2016, designers Arata Fujiwara and Shinichiro Ishibashi recontextualize vintage clothing in a modern way. Choosing to stray from fashion's usual emphasis on mass production and intentionally employing meticulous traditional techniques to craft and dye their clothing such as natural Japanese indigo (aizome) and mud dye (dorozome), sashiko stitching and textiles and of course boro patchwork. A favorite of theirs is also sakiori, achieved by using recycled garments or fabrics, deconstructing them and painstakingly weaving them in with cotton threads either to accent a garment or create one from scratch.
Through their expertise and appreciation of vintage garments, Kuon continues to sustainably craft clothing that one can keep in their wardrobe and only grow more attached to over time.
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No returns on custom orders, underwear/hosiery and final sale products. See full Return Policy in Customer Service / FAQ area


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Why have so many suddenly decided this is the right time to aggressively pursue innovation in and for the insurance industry?
A new ACORD Working Group has been set up within the GRLC domain to address Placing messages.
This tipping point has the industry breaking business models, transforming legacy processes, and even hacking the fundamentals of what makes insurance.
These SIGs provide clear and concise information on Property & Casualty forms.
Starting on April 1st, those of you studying for the P&C ACE designation can look forward to a completely new way of e-learning.
ACORD is pleased to support the industry move forward towards straight through processing with electronic signature by introducing the newly published ACORD 951e 1035 Exchange/Transfer of Assets Form.
ACORD, IRI, DTCC and representatives from the OMR (Operations Managers' Roundtable) group recently met for what was a very productive discussion on ways to strengthen our collective collaboration in 2016.
Professional Insurance Agents (PIA) brought a number of industry members together at the ACORD office to discuss the possibility of independent agents allowing their prospects and clients to buy on the agency's website.
Over 70 industry leaders who are dedicated to transforming a highly manual business to a streamlined, efficient automated process came together in this one-day meeting.


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The Battery San Francisco :: Summer of 2018
"Where is the largest concentration of wealth in San Francisco?"
"The Federal Reserve on Market Street?"
"No, they just shred old notes," Leo spoke with his back to the brick wall of the courtyard. People whispered amongst the usual Friday afternoon of drinks and flirtations. The sun shone a golden light upon the Transamerica Tower and a painted mural stood gazing down upon the courtyard from a pink sky above.
Virgo placed his hand on his stubble, "The US Mint on lower height?" he guessed. A small infinity tattoo revealed itself on his hand.
Leo shook his head, sipping a glass of French Sancerre. "What am I supposed to do with a few kilos of gold?" His Israeli accent snuck through his near perfect English.
The two sat before a fountain, Leo's iPhone X lay on the small table before them, blasting white noise. A lady dressed in Beijing 798's finest attire chanced a seductive glance towards Leo. She smirked, whispering I hate you.
"The vaults beneath Deutsche Bank on California Street? They're always laundering something or the other," Virgo whispered to Leo. He laughed. The head of a lion behind them smiled, shooting water from its mouth into the fountain.
"No, no think real liquidity," The two sat in the courtyard of The Battery Club, one of San Francisco's posh scenes. Amongst the insanity, absurdity, and decadence of San Francisco, The Battery Club stood at its center. People from all walks of life seduced, drank, and made business. Billion dollar deals were sealed with a handshake, visions of the future echoed across these walls.
"Let me think…" Leo and Virgo sat outside in the courtyard, rumours echoed that the entire building was bugged.
"Think James Bond Attack," Leo whispered, crypto-OPSEC slang for physically accessing a computer with valuable data on it.
Virgo began to laugh, "You aren't saying… Coinbase?"
"You're on the money, but their volumes are pitiful. Something less… regulated."
Virgo Laughed, "The Loch Ness Exchange?"
Leo smiled, taking a sip of wine.
"Impossible! No!"
A helicopter thwacked above.
"Keep it down," Leo pulled a beat up, black iPad Mini from his suit jacket and began reading, "The Loch Ness exchange, the largest source for Bitcoin liquidity on this side of planet Earth- In particular their Dark Pool." Leo swiped to a floor plan of their office on Market Street.
"What we're after," Leo continued, "is not the exchange, but their dark pool and custodial service. At the current exchange rate that's over ███ billion dollars in mostly bitcoin.
Leo opened Microsoft excel in his beat up iPad, showing a bank statement for the Loch Ness' private custodial service.
Virgo appeared extremely skeptical, "How did you get this? These numbers are well over █ billion dollars a week!" He ran his fingers through his dark hair.
Leo shrugged, "SWIFT- is a pile of trash written on PL-One from the 1970s. Zero days go for a few Bitcoins on Tor."
Virgo laughed.
"The world's richest and most powerful men," Leo continued, "Entrust their money with Loch Ness, stored on HSMs [hardware security modules] on Market Street. But take a look at this," Leo scrolled down the spreadsheet, showing a handful of transactions valued in the billions of dollars. "Looks like Loch Ness is in way over their heads."
Virgo ran his finger down the edge of the iPad, and looked up. "Deposit: 1.29 Billion Euros. They're running insane OTC," [Over The Counter trades make up the highest volume crypto trades and are wildly unregulated.] "I didn't know they had this sort of volume."
"Yeah. From what I can understand, it looks like the IRS doesn't know either. This isn't their official bank statement." Leo looked over his shoulder, "An acquaintance of mine traced this to a BVI." He highlighted a row on Excel.
Virgo ran his fingers through his hair in astonishment.
"It gets better!" Leo laughed, "It looks like the Venezuelan central bank is diversifying. These deposits are associated directly with officials in South America." He looked Virgo in the eye and powered off the iPad. "That's billions of dollars in crypto that no one can ever report stolen,"
Somehow Israelis always had a way of explaining things.
"Oh no. Hell no! I know that look. No way, not since what happened in Mumbai."
Leo smiled "I already have a guy in Malta," and shrugged, "Besides, we made it out just fine!"
"I spent three days in a Goan prison!"
"You made some good friends,"
Virgo stopped him, "Besides, even if we can get our hands on the HSM, there's no way we can crack it! Unless ARM SecurCore has a hardware backdoor," He threw his hands up in the air, "Or we can get our hands on a…"
"…A quantum computer?" Leo had that smile again across his face.
The offline iPad glowed with the (very difficult to find) datasheet of the hardware security module (HSM).
"The SafeNet ProtectServer HSM running an ST31 type ARM SecurCore®." Aires looked up, "You've gotta be kidding me." She pursed her lips, sitting at a long table overlooking the city of San Francisco. Leo had rented the Battery's rooftop suite. A hot tub bubbled to their left, the midday sun was shaded by canvas umbrellas.
Aires sat in fashionable attire, a large sunhat shielding her face from view.
Virgo had a Samsung laptop open running Tails, "It's definitely doable. A few Russian and Israeli chip labs can disable that shield."
The security module inside the specially designed server managed billions of dollars in Loch Ness cryptocurrency. The tiny silicon vault lay protected by a nanometer mesh. If cut through to probe the chip, the device would self destruct. It was a fort knox, scaled down to the nanometer scale, with added explosive tripwires.
Aires wasn't smiling. She knew where this was heading.
"But… we don't need to probe the silicon," Virgo continued, "If we can get a-"
Aires sighed, "That's not how quantum computers work! Just because I build quantum computers for the largest tech company on Earth doesn't mean we can go around breaking into secure elements!"
Leo exhaled briskly, raising his brow, "What about that contract with that Other Government Agency?" Leo asked, referring to the CIA's project █████, a joint signals intelligence program with DARPA, the NSA, and a major Silicon Valley tech company.
Aires eyes jumped about her surroundings and she shifted her legs. A police siren sounded out on the streets below, "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Just hear me out," Virgo switched tabs on his Tails machine, reading aloud, "Here's a blog post from the manufacturer…
'The scenario where the hackers manages to magically extract [Virgo wiggled his hands in the air] the master seed from the HSM is extremely unlikely… Most exploits have been limited to abuse or misunderstand…. blah blah blah …Of course, one can always say that nothing is unhackable, and this would be true; but the difficulty to achieve such a feat is a few orders of magnitude higher than "just" taking control of a full IT architecture.'"
Virgo continued, looking up to Aires, "They said it there- nothing is unhackable! We just need someone with technology 'a few orders of magnitude' better than what's available commercially."
Leo interrupted before Aires could take in the words, his older voice bringing strength to the situation, "The HSM we have in question here has over ███ Billion dollars in crypto. They haven't declared it to the IRS, it's dirty money, and I can get it mixed by the best. Your cut is one third."
Aires looked up to the Transamerica Tower looming above. She smiled, then took a deep breath, "What makes you even think this is possible?"
"Wikileaks! Stolen datasheets! Gut feelings." Virgo blurted out.
Leo coughed, silencing Virgo, "Trusted sources who have seen internal code, and others who deeply understand their banking patterns," He paused for effect, "We can't do this without you."
Aires took another deep breath and quickly exhaled, "Regardless of the key scheme… God- people have freak accidents after this sort of talk!" She looked around, "This is single handedly what's going to win World War Three. We're not talking about sweeping a few bitcoin wallets, we're talking about winning global, thermo- fu**ing nuclear war!" She looked at Virgo, Leo, then sighed "If it's ARM based, and you can get me serial, I can break the chip in less than 60 seconds."
Leo smiled. "Sixty seconds? You've never let us down before." He held out his hand, and Aries grasped, shaking firmly.
While bitcoin's SHA256 and ether's SHA3 encryption scheme would take a few hours to crack, someone would notice a quantum computer gone for that time. However, the ST31 chipset shielded transactions with a much weaker "NSA approved" cryptographic scheme. This key, once extracted, could further "leak" the master seed by modifying a fuse bit on the chip. With that master seed, billions of dollars of crypto were free for the taking.
Aires knew this, in particular the ST31's vulnerabilities. The US Government spends billions making sure these zero days go undiscovered. Besides, Aires had always found working with Leo an intense thrill. He was classy, intelligent, passionate, afraid of nothing-
"Here's what we're going to do," Leo removed an open bottle of champagne from a chiller, his vintage Rolex Datejust reflecting in the sunlight, "We've set up a replica of the Loch Ness Exchange on Treasure Island; Down to the vault and server inside." He opened up floor plans on his iPad, "I want to go through this a dozen times, each with a different seed…"
Leo and Virgo walked calmly down Market Street at three in the morning. The street had an eerie silence. People were sleeping about on the streets, a few lonely Ubers dove by. The foggy sky obscured buildings, giving the city a wet, suffocating blanket.
Turning into an unmarked office building, Virgo held up an Android phone with only its NFC radio enabled. The rooted smartphone ran an APK found on the deep web for less that .1 BTC. The front door of the building easily unlocked, its outdated security system logging entry of the CEO of Loch Ness.
Both wore matte black hoodies, black baggy jeans (to protect against gait recognition), and black Camelbak H.A.W.G. backpacks. Special shemaghs designed by 8200 covered their faces. The light, transparent fabric protecting against visible and thermal facial recognition (using a technique called visible and IR polarization). It made someone's face appear as it had been digitally blurred.
The elevator chimed open with a swipe of the phone. Virgo's pack had a large, matte painted cylinder sticking out. Leo removed a "Ghost Gun" from his shoulder holster, a Polymer 80, Glock 26 with a silencer. He press checked the chamber. Virgo set a timer on his watch.
"Bingo," Leo said aloud. The elevator chimed opened on the 8th floor and Leo jumped out, strobing his flashlight, "POLICE! ON THE GROUND! SFPD! GET ON THE GROUND!" He screamed in a deep accent at the security guard armed with an AR-15. The rifle immediately clattered to the ground.
Before the security guard could realize his mistake Leo threw him to the floor, and zip-tied his hands. Virgo removed an Epi-Pen like device covered in Chinese writing (also purchased on the deep web), and stuck it into the guards neck. "Relax you're going to be alright. We're not here to hurt you. Hodl on and everything will be okay."
The guard slumped over from the tranquilizer. Virgo checked his timer, "eight minutes."
Leo walked up to the door leading to the office. Bulletproof glass lined the wall revealing an empty office. The biometric door lock was too secure to bother cracking, Leo slapped a Russian made breaching charge to the door (also bought online) and unspooled det-cord.
Already wearing yellow tinted safety goggles beneath their shemaghs, Virgo dragged the passed out security guard to a safe distance, covering his face and ears.
"CLEAR!" Leo yelled. A small explosion rocked through the hallway. The lock on the door disintegrated. Leo slammed against the deadbolt with his thick frame and the door screeched open, his pistol drawn.
They had the office memorized.
"Six minutes." They sprinted towards the safe. Disabling modern day security alarms is nearly impossible, therefore it was assumed whatever alarms had been in place were already tripped. It was now a race against the average SFPD response time.
Virgo hoped the alarm wouldn't wipe the HSMs. Fortunately, most crypto engineers believed code was god- in particular their code.
Who would be stupid enough to try and James Bond an HSM? Given the utmost paranoia of the Loch Ness Exchange, servers were stored in a physical time locked vault at the rear of the office.
The two paused before the magnificent vault door. They bowed politely before the beast, and Leo removed three custom shaped explosive charges.
Virgo measured and marked placement with a tape measure, drilling several small holes. Explosives were placed at cefully measured points against the vault. Leo ran det-cord to each of the explosives, lining up steel cover places. Virgo drilled self tapping bolts into the holes while Leo checked the connections individually.
Metal plates acted as an explosive lense, focusing the force onto specific mechanics within the vault. The same physics behind a nuclear warhead were going to open the vault before them.
A much larger explosion destroyed the face of the vault (And a few office Retina Displays), revealing wires and mechanical sub assemblies. Virgo clicked on a Surefire flashlight, reviewing a mess of contorted metal with his Mechanix gloves. He pulled a broken rod, listened for the click, and nodded.
Leo pocketed the detonator, and reached his hands into a hole blown open by one of the charges.
Virgo did the same. "Three, Two, One," He whispered. Something within the door shifted. Virgo removed a drill, with a long flexible bit, and attached it deep within the door. He clicked the trigger, and the whirring of the motor sounded out.
Something began stirring within the vault. The giant metal pegs locking the door into place began to move. Virgo checked his watch, taking a deep breath.
The door clicked,
"Two minutes. Go!"
"Go!" Leo pulled the vault door open, while Virgo put away his tools, replacing the bit on his drill. An alarm sounded out, the sound of a buzzer or constant claxon. That wasn't part of the plan.
Before them lay a magnificent server rack centered amongst the vault. Its dark interior glowed with colored LEDs. A Cisco router and a load balancer snaked ethernet cables into a dozen solid state drives. A few servers flashed brightly colored LEDs. Center frame, the hardware security modules stared demonically back. The two could barely hold back a gasp.
Death metal began playing in the background.
Virgo removed the black cylinder from his bag, twisting a valve. He aimed it at the number three HSM, a plume of nitrogen erupted on the device. The modified ThermoFisher liquid nitrogen flask sprayed the -196° C liquid across the module. After counting to eight he switched off the power to the server rack, continuously spraying the HSM with liquid nitrogen.
Leo simultaneously unscrewed the HSM, pulling it from the rack, and removed its top panel with another spray of liquid nitrogen. The whole PBC was potted (meaning covered in plastic). The ST31 security chip that held the private keys were controlled (and wiped upon tampering) by a small microcontroller. Virgo placed a special stencil over the HSM's computer board and drilled three holes. One for the microcontroller, one for the backup power capacitor, and the third for a timing crystal.
The holes essentially disabled the circuits that would run consistency checks upon power failure, and wipe the HSM's ST31 chip. Virgo placed the unit into a specially designed waterproof bag, and attached it to his backpack. He sprayed another blast of liquid nitrogen into the bag, further cooling the HSM.
The floor of the vault lay covered in nitrogen clouds leaking from Virgo's backpack. "Fundez are safuh."
"Go time!"
"Sixty seconds," Virgo sounded out. The two rushed for the exit. Leo saluted the office, throwing a small smoke grenade into the room. He pulled the fire alarm. Orange smoke filled the office.
"Loch Ness, it has been a pleasure." Sprinklers were triggered, flooding the office with water.
The two turned right, careful not to slip as water cascaded down their Cordura garments. They headed for the emergency exit, barreling down the stairs. Virgo kept spraying the HSM, keeping it cold, careful to maintain its "power failure" state within the chip.
The stairwell was dry, Leo peered down the empty space between the flights as they bounded down the steps.
The ground floor fire door banged open. Four heavily armed private military contractors sprinted into the opening. Leo and Virgo hid against the walls as the men below spread out.
Loch Ness was not screwing around with their security.
"Right clear," One of the men yelled.
Another, "Left Clear!"
"Engage! Top Left! Two men! Two stories up!" Someone yelled below.
Leo was pretty sure the men were supposed to tell them to put their hands up or something. Instead, three fully automatic M4A1 rifles began raining brass into the stairwell below.
Lead sparked against the metal hand railings. Leo removed the silencer from his pistol, firing above the heads of the men below. He was NOT killing anyone tonight. He threw another smoke grenade into the stairwell below, "Get ready to jump!" Orange smoke was filling the stairwell.
Virgo removed a military flashbang, making his way down another flight of stairs. He pulled the tab, throwing the charge into the stairwell below. The device burst in a bright flash, then popped, mimicking automatic gunfire. The men below ran for cover.
"Go!" Leo yelled jumping into the basement below. He disappeared amidst a haze of orange smoke and bursts of gunfire.
Virgo followed, landing hard on his side. Leo pulled him up, escaping to the basement door. A steel door 's lock was quickly bumped open, as Leo and Virgo squeezed into the steam tunnels.
The two panted against the locked, steel fire door, looking at each other and grinning. They leapt forward, squeezing through the passageways before them.
The Loch Ness building connected to San Francisco's PG&E steam tunnels from the basement. Blue tinted LED lights lit from a ceiling riddled with pipes and fibre optic cables. A plume of clouds followed Virgo as liquid nitrogen leaked from his pack.
Sirens could be heard from the street above. The tunnel followed Market Street, with access from any one of the grated manhole covers above. Anyone on Market Street could look down and see this hidden world below.
Counting each manholes above, Leo stopped at a ladder marked in pink tape, and began climbing. Pushing open the grate, climbing up to the corner of Market and Gough St.
Zuni Cafe lay silent, covered in mist as Leo he helped Virgo pull up the backpack containing the HSM. Sweat beaded down Leo's face amongst the crisp, humid air. A grey ceiling of clouds rolled above as Virgo climbed out. Orange sodium vapour lamps of a pre-nuclear civilization lit the sky a daring yellow.
It was a rush that could compare to nothing, not sex, not cocaine, not even killing someone. The manhole cover was replaced, and a fire truck shot down Market Street. Its tires slid on the wet roads as it sped towards the Loch Ness building.
A deep breath.
The grey Ford cargo van waited a few meters away. Leo climbed in the driver's seat, cranking the ignition, Virgo hoped in the back. The van pulled a u-turn on the wet roads, hauling ass towards Height street.
Only minutes remained before the root key stored within the HSM would be recreated somewhere else, swept, and become useless.
Virgo plugged in a multi-SIM gateway, opening up his Tails machine. He initiated a specially encrypted VoIP. "Aires, copy?"
"Aires standing by. I see your port now."
The HSM was placed on a table in the back of the van. They had already done this half a dozen times in training.
A large box sat in the rear of the van, reading "Epilog Laser". Virgo carefully placed the HSM into a jig within the laser cutter, defining datums. A 3D model of the PCB structure was loaded onto a small industrial computer. Leo slid the van into a parking space in The Castro. The van blacked out, and he joined Virgo in the back.
The laser cutter began away etching away the HSM's PCB potting.
A precision rework soldering iron chimed on, heating up next to the laptop on the table. Plastic potting covering the HSM electronics board was removed as the precision infrared laser vaporized the HSM's protective coating. Virgo removed the device from the laser cutter. Another squirt of liquid nitrogen kept the HSM colder than the dark side of the moon.
Virgo blew away the bits of dust, a complex maze had been etched into the circuit board potting. He clicked on a fan, "Probing the crystal now, standby."
Aires replied in almost a whisper, "Roger that."
Virgo placed a magnifying glass over the HSM. The ST31's "heart" was a tiny quartz oscillating crystal. It set the pace at which the microprocessor would run. With a careful movement on the rework soldering iron, he melted away the remaining solder around the quartz crystal, replacing it with a custom designed module.
He flicked on a very expensive signal generator, and set a the clock speed for the chip.
"Crystal running, getting feedback from the chip," Virgo said aloud, wiping his brow. With another spurt from the liquid nitrogen, he continued to melt away solder from a spot around the ST31 chipset. This was the most delicate part of the operation. Leo aimed a small tube of liquid nitrogen at the chip, while Virgo melted solder just millimetres away.
The chip uses a serial interface, which communicates with other parts of the electronics. Virgo carefully cleaned away a few via from the PCB, soldering tiny wires to the board. The final wires connected to ground and power pins of the chip. The tiny wires from the HSM connected to a Segger debugging kit, plugged into to Virgo's computer.
"I see the Segger. Starting quantum script." Aires exclaimed, "Live. Core looks stable. Ready when you are."
Virgo checked the signal generator, and clicked on a digital power supply. An LED flashed on the PCB.
"Got it, probing serial," Aires whispered, typing rapidly on her computer, "Signals looking good. Take her sub kilohertz."
"Okay now," Virgo slowly spun the knob on the signal generator, taking the integrated hardware security module clock speed from nearly 10 Mhz, to a standstill. The chip became frozen in time.
This function disabled the rate limiter, allowing the team to send multiple commands without wiping the chip.
"Sending test transaction now to multifactor…" Aires whispered, "Declined! Extracting seed…"
Meanwhile a quantum computer in Santa Monica ran a "test simulation" attempting to solve for a difficult math problem that one of the test engineers had provided. The quantum computer solved the simple problem in just under seven seconds. No records for the CIA's project █████ were recorded.
"Key extracted," Aires said with a monotone. "Probing fuse bit… Come on girl…. Got it!"
Virgo wiped his face again,
"Running the attack," She continued. A keyboard clacked in the background.
Virgo opened the command prompt to receive the private key from Aires.
Leo took a deep breath, then swore. The root key appeared on screen:
"Sweep her clean"
"Thanks Aires" Virgo received the private key, then ran a script. From there, he constructed thousands of bitcoin wallets, performing a "sweeping function".
Deep breath.
The sweeping function signed Bitcoin transactions from the hundreds of derived wallets.
The final act of the theft was perhaps its least elegant.
"Broadcasting transaction…"
Virgo sat with his computer open staring at the bland interface of Electrum Wallet. Tails' ugly blue screen wallpaper filled the van with blue light. Leo peered closer at the list of hundreds of wallets, each loaded with tens of thousands of their very own Bitcoins.
"It worked."
The transactions were now being verified by miners, irrevocable, written forever in time.
Virgo walked along the sandy shores of Anjuna Beach on the dreamy shores of Goa, India. The faint sun was setting, he held a silver iPhone X up to his ear, connected to an encrypted VoIP.
"I hope you're enjoying Malta, my friend!"
Leo sounded overjoyed on the phone, his Israeli accent hard to ignore now, "Likewise! I believe it's been years since we first met on the beaches of India."
Virgo chuckled, "And I'm still missing my home in Koramangala," A stunning white gowned lady followed him along the beach, playing her feet in the water.
"By the way, you should see the vibrant sunrises here in Malta!"
Virgo stopped in the sands, looking out to the setting sun. Its orange, circular edge wiggled on the horizon, dipping towards sunrise in California.
Adjectives describing the sky defined a successful transfer. Synesthesia defined trouble- predetermined code to initiate an absurdly encrypted chat.
Funds had been converted countless times from Bitcoin into a variety of privacy coins (Mostly Zcash, Loki and Monero) and back again into Bitcoin. This process was repeated hundreds of times, across thousands of accounts. For some reason the 'coin was converted into Doge' a few times.
In the end, vibrant sunrises, or colorful clouds- or whatever, meant that over ██ Billion dollars worth of Bitcoin had been deposited into Virgo's pre determined wallets.
On the same beaches that brought Arab, African, and Chinese, traders stood Virgo, barefoot, staring into the sunset. Hundreds of Thousands of bitcoins flooded his wallets, validated block by block.
The strange thing about growing wealthy is you don't really feel it. In an instant you're rich yet you feel entirely the same. Everyone is your best friend, and you don't know a thing about anyone. Perhaps the wealthiest anyone will ever feel is when they're completely poor; Completely free from the chains of wealth.
Leo spoke out from the iPhone. His voice sounding distant amongst the waves. Virgo looked back to his lady, in flowing white garbs.
Leo spoke through the encrypted VoIP, "Now what?"
Virgo smiled, looking back to his love, "See you soon, my friend." Virgo threw his phone into the sea, splashing amongst ripples of the sunset.


text:
Hito Steyerl
The visions of the future presented in George Orwell's novel 1984 have finally come to pass. Big Brother really does see you. Governments around the world are keeping an eye on their citizens using digital technology, with China among the forefront. Most of us don't even realize that we're leaving digital tracks behind us every day, in addition to those traces we leave voluntarily on the Internet and social media. Many welcome the growing surveillance systems and the fact that people can be watched wherever they go, believing it increases safety in society. Others see the more problematic sides of this, such as restrictions on our freedom and inviolable integrity as individuals. Hito Steyerl is an artist and professor of media art in Berlin. Her video work from 2013 that you see here at Konsthallen is already a classic in an expanding genre that relates in one way or another to the growing surveillance of people in a society.
Camouflage became a special military branch during WWI when war art switched from brightly coloured uniforms to earth tones. The camouflage patterns were created by commissioned artists to achieve invisibility or to distort the viewer's perception, such as in the patterns used on ships, aircraft and vehicles.Hito Steyerl's work is actually based on a 1969 sketch by Monty Python called 'How Not To Be Seen', which pokes fun of this invisibility that was then still based on an analogue process using bushes or different painting schemes. Hito Steyerl strikes the same humorous tone when she carries Monty Python's sketch into contemporary society's digital and considerably more comprehensive systems for making people visible – and the possibilities this same technology offers to become invisible. Painting geometric patterns on the skin to confuse face recognition programs, for example, or the green-screen technology used in cinematography to move objects in and out of a film. Steyerl's film was shot at a US military base once used to calibrate flight cameras. In our current era of drones, the base is no longer needed.
In five chapters, Hito demonstrates how to be invisible in the all-seeing world we live in today.


text:
Hildoceras Ammonite polished half cut base
Hildoceras bifrons is an extinct species of ammonite in the family Hildoceratidae. It dates from about 175 million years ago in the Early Jurassic when it was both widespread and common. The genus name has been given the name Hildoceras in honour of St. Hilda of Whitby (614-680 AD). Legend has it that this lady was required to found an abbey on the cliffs above Whitby, in the north of England. Finding the site to be infested by snakes (a devilish omen), she prayed to the Lord and the snakes coiled up and were turned to stone. She picked them up and threw them over the cliff, and that is why there are so many ammonite fossils in the rocks below the abbey. The specific name bifrons comes from Bifron, a demon, another name for the Roman god, Janus.
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Ammonite - Harpoceras & Hildoceras slice - 170 million years old - Jurassic period - 1.5 to 2 inches


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Search results - "taro"
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Taro is the oldest of the two twins. He is good with illusions, creating and escaping them.
He is also good at manipulating his surroundings, as in the greenery and water,
which comes in handy during a fight.
He seems to have a crush on Wana, altough he won't admit it, however he nearly falls out if she gets closer than is "acceptable" as he says.
He usually has a dagger hidden in his clothing, in case of suprise attacks.
He also has what seems to be a huge plant strapped to his back, although sometimes he removes it or leaves it at home.
Because that thing has to be heavy.
The plant seems to latch onto Taro with it's leaf/vine things.
And it can wrap around and instantly kill an unsuspecting victim.
He is very protective of Mika and Wana.(much to the dismay of both of them and countless young men)
The first I did of Taro..
I hope that I'll get better as time goes on about the editing..
and I'll be putting stuff I drew up here too! lol
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Akemi's team mates show up!
After waiting for what seemed like an hour, two people were seen against the horizon. They were two boys. One had a dumb hair cut and the other looked like a girl. Akemi grinned nervously as they approached.
Were here sensei. said the feminine one. Surprisingly though, his voice wasnt that girly
Jig! sensei grinned and gestured for everyone to sit down.
Jigg jigly jiggly Illy puff. Puff Jig Pully Jig! Their sensei explained waving his hands.
Uh, Sure sensei. Said the boy with the dumb hair. My name Miyamoto Musashi! Hehehe, Im kidding, My name is really Shintamaiterushimohoashoumeitarodesu. But people just call me Maru. I like to run into town screaming with my shirt off. And long walks on the beach.
Maru grinned.
Uh My .My names Akemi, I .uh I like eating sweets, watching ninja warrior, and uh ..playing the piano .
Akemi felt uncomfortable. She still couldnt understand her sensei.
my name is Taro. I hate all living things and Twinkies.
Taro Grinned. It was hard to tell how serious he was being.
Jiggly! Jigg Jigg Puff! Their sensei smiled again. Jiggly Jiggly Jigglypuff!
A Mission, really!? Maru was thrilled. Thank you Jung hwa sensei!
~Next episode: Akemis first mission!~
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Akemi's First Mission!
Mission: Escort Barbie to her life.
This is a challenging mission for genins. But too easy for Jonins.
They finish there mission, Jung hwa kills Barbie, and they get back to Konoha.
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The News...
Several weeks later
Third Hokage: "Yes. The chunin exams will be hosted three days from now. Anyone who thinks their students are ready for this, speak now."
Asuma: "I, sarutobi Asuma, would like to enroll Nara Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino, and Akamichi Choji."
Kurenai: "I Yuhi Kurenai, would like to enroll Hyuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, and Aburame Shino."
Kakashi: "I Hatake Kakashi, would like to enroll Uchiha Sasuke, he's good for a rookie, Uzumaki Naruto, 'cause its his manga, and Haruno Sakura, 'cause I have to."
Jung hwa: "Jigg Jiggly puff, Puff Jigg Puff Jiggly Jigg Jigg, Jiggpuff Jig, puff Jigglypuffjigjigpufflyjigglypuffjiggjiggjigpuff!"
(I'll save you of Iruka's whining...)
Third: "Great, It looks like everyone's ready. Tell your students to show up at the academy in three days for the written part of the chunin exams!"
Maru: "So whats up Jung hwa sensei?"
Jung hwa: ".......................Jigg........................."
Taro: "THE CHUNIN EXAMS? Are you sure we're ready!?"
Akemi: "Uh......wh....what are the chunin exams?"
Jung hwa: "Jig?"
Akemi: "What are the Chunin exams, sensei?"
Jung hwa: "Jigg! Puff puff jiggly. Jig, jiggly pufpuff jigg puffly puff jigg! Jigglypuff!!!!!!!! *Jung hwa turns to Taro and nods* Jiggly!" He smiled
Maru: "But we only have three days till the written part right? The We need to study! See ya guys!!! I have to study fast!!!!!" Maru runs off as fast as he can
Taro: "For once, Maru's right. If you think we're ready sensei, then we must be. I'll give it my all."
Jung hwa's eyes sparkled as Taro left.
Akemi : (....I...hope I am ready fro this.)
Jung hwa noticed the the look of doubt on Akemi's face and patted her on the ankle. (He is really short)
Akemi looked down to see Her sensei's face smiling back at her. She smiled back.
Akemi: ( I will do my best. Thanks Jung hwa sensei, even if I can't understand you.......)
~Next episode! The test of test like doom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!~
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Everyone's ready for the chunin exams.
As everyone (Sorta...Shut up...I was lazy...) waits outside the Academy for the written part of their exams. Akemi spots her ex-friend from child-hood, Mitsura Niyumi. Niyumi had stopped talking to Akemi after they entered the academy, where Akemi became a whole different person.
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Little Taro Yasushi
This is Taro Yasushi little. His history will be on the next picture i put up.
Taro Yasushi is mine (L)
Sasuke Uchiha belong to Mashashi Kishimoto
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Taro Yasushi age 12
This is Taro Yasushi at the age of 12. I made him because one of my friends on youtube needed a new team member and i made him. I like him alot. Anyways, he was born in the land of lightning but after his clan was killed he was found by the third hokage as a toddler and he lived in the leaf village for his whole life. Despite the fact that he wants revenge he is nothing like Sasuke. He is kind and gentle, very quiet and normally wants to be alone and will protect the people dear to him.
see below
Taro Yasushi worried.jpg
Taro Yasushi worried
he looks worried, probably wondering about his clan or why he is suposebly one of the only survivors or one of his teammates is in trouble.
Taro belongs to me
Sasuke belongs to Mashashi Kishimoto
Taro Yasushi.jpg
Shippuden Taro Yashushi
Wow, i loved how this turned out. He looks so hot. Anyways this is him in shippuden form. He does not betray the village but doesn't care about avenging his clan anymore because he knows that his time will come to face off that opponent. Anyways enjoy him, and he might be taken so enjoy!!!
Taro belongs to me
shippuden Sasuke belongs to Mashashi Kishimoto
Taro Yasushi shippuden 2.jpg
another shippuden Taro Yasushi
well here's another picture of Shippuden Taro Yashushi. It isn't as good as the first but he still looks hot! Lol, jk! Anyways enjoy!
Shippuden Sasuke belongs to Mashashi Kishimoto
Taro Yasushi is mine
Taro Yasushi shippuden 3.jpg
Taro Yasushi shippuden 3
Here's another picture of Taro, because he is so sexy and all the girls love him! Lol, Jk! anyways i don't know if he's talking to someone or trying to kill him but it might be naruto or naruto's son. Anyways enjoy!
Taro belongs to me (L)
Shippuden Sasuke and Naruto belong to mashashi kishimoto
Taro Yasushi looking down.jpg
Taro Yasushi looking down
Wow this one doesn't look so good, mainly the eyes are what bug me. Anyways, i'm glad i made a boy character that looks sexy. Enjoy him ladies!
Taro is mine
Shippuden Sasuke belongs to Mashashi Kishimoto
Taro Yasushi full shippuden.jpg
Taro yasushi full shippuden outfit
yup sexy is back! but i don't think this edit is very good mainly because the shoes were crappy to do. So anyways enjoy! This is his full shippuden outfit
Taro belongs to me
Sasuke belongs to Mashashi Kishimoto
X3 taro im putting it here so i font have to go diggin thru my pics to find it when i need it im using it in a team pic X3 ima post the other pieces too then when they're all done ima make it itno one big pic and put a story :D
anyways plzz rate and comment
my first tema idk background X3
lexi-belongs to mizu
taro-belings to my friend AAA
and ren and kumori r mine :D
Mika :D
finally i got a pic of kumoris older sister mika up X3
shes 18 cuz shes 4 yrs older then kumori :3 and as u can see she looks nothing lyk him XD but the so shes the factor that the bumpy thing of their bangs r only bumppy oon the left side and the right side is flat *-* i had fun making her X3 but i dont think ima kep the outfit its really weird looking to me DX i tried making he routfit cute :/ well anywyas she doesnt wear her ninja headband but she always wearing the one in the pic
plzz rate and commet
this is roka Kumori and Mika's older brother but this was back when kumori was 8 and still wanted to be lyk his brother and mika still liked him but that very yr roka did somethign horrible(will be revealed later on) that changed how kumori felt about his brother now mika wishes roka would change and kumori hates roka
well anyways roka is 16 here so hes 2 yrs olde rthan mika and 6 yrs older then kumori
he takes after both parents with hair and eyes he has both eyes and hair colors of his parents
Kumori infront of a mirror
kumori was standing infront of a mirror the night of a festival he wa sgonna start going there i nfew minutes (hes about 4 here) and he asked him this question "do i really look like daddy???"
X3 he kept thinking aobut it even at the festival
Kumoris promise
mikas crying cuz she really worried about kumori -hes setting out on a incredibly dangerous mission by himslef and shes afraid if he goes he wont come back alive
mika:*crying* plzz kumori ....plzz dont go
kumori: i'll be ok mika *wipes her tear* ill be fine
mika:but what if u dont come back??*sob*
kumori:i promise u mika if i dont come back i promise ill be by ur side and waiting for u in the afterlife
mika: u promise?*still crying*
kumori:i promise ^_^
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For some people, Tuscany is a sweet reminder of the movie Under The Tuscan Sun, while for some, it is the greatest place to see art. From extraordinary sculptures and paintings to architectural masterpieces and Tuscan wine, the region is truly unmatched. Even if you don't want to follow the usual tourist trail, Siena and the Chianti Hills have plenty more up their sleeves. So if you're in Tuscany for a day or more, here are 5 Instagram-worthy places to visit in Tuscany region of Italy. When you're there, make sure taking gorgeously best selfies.
Taste the best Italian wine
The very moment you step into the beautiful European region of Tuscany, you would be smiling at the beauty of this place. Local wine and food won't let that smile go away. The centuries-old winemaking tradition has earned a reputation for the unique taste and pleasure it offers. Local families and a new wave of young, talented individuals are helping retain Tuscany's crown as the best wine-producing places in the world. If you want to see what all the excitement is about, visit a vineyard in Tuscany and see it yourself – a tasty idea for a beautiful Instagram feed.
Traditional food cooked in olive oil
A Mediterranean diet is incomplete without the region's best olive oil. In Tuscany, fresh olive oil arrives in November. The bread and olive oil dish in Tuscany is referred to as the fett'unta. The dish is irresistibly delicious and it is served in a variety of ways. If you don't like the idea of eating fett'unta in its traditional form, there's Crostini di cavolo nero, a type of boiled cabbage which is served with a bread and olive oil. When it comes to food, the Italians are very creative and they use some of the best ingredients. Strike a pose with the food on the table; the delicious dishes aren't only enticing to your taste buds, but appealing on your Instagram feed too.
See nearby tourist places
Full of rustic villages, decades-old settlements, and enthralling stone paths, this region is one of the most beautiful places to see in Italy. San Gimignano and its medieval towers are breathtaking. It is also known as the Town of Fine Towers and offers a rare glimpse of both Romanesque and Gothic architecture in a single place. One of Italy's most visited places, Siena is world famous for its Historic Centre, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Siena Cathedral, Piazza del Campo, and Palazzo Salimbeni are some of the best places to visit here.
Stay in a real medieval castle
In Tuscany, there's no better place to stay than the Montalto Castle, also known as Castello Di Montalto. Located between Siena and Arezzo, the Castle offers 10 Tuscany villas for rent in a most beautiful part of Chianti area of Tuscany. Staying here has three major advantages – location, comfort, and a great opportunity to catch the unspoiled views of the beautiful Chianti countryside. With that said, this medieval castle offers affordable villas for rent. If you're traveling solo or with your significant other, you can choose a one bedroom villa like San Martino. For families and groups, there are big spacious villas available at Montalto Castle, check Torre del Vescovo. Castello Di Montalto is strategically located, so if you're visiting Tuscany to cover all the nearby attractions, this is the right place for you, and all these 10 villas have a history and anecdotes.
Try Italian immersion activities
When you're surrounded with Italian people and Italian culture, getting yourself physically and mentally involved in some creative activities can be a great idea. Everyone should travel to learn something new, and In Tuscany, the memories you will create along the way will be with you forever. Join cooking classes that let you learn about authentic Italian food, so you won't have to wait until your next holiday to try some Italian food. Activities like Italian for beginners, painting lessons, concerts, hiking, cycling, and horseback riding sure are a joy to be a part of. These activities will give you the most photogenic moments that will make your Instagram followers take a surprised second look.
The best thing is, if you're staying in a rented villa at Montalto Castle, you can enjoy all these activities and so much more in one place. So go there, explore, walk or ride your bicycle as this heavenly landscape demands.
When you're in Tuscany region, make sure visiting nearby historical sites, Tuscan medieval Parish churches, basilicas, restaurants, trattorias, and pizzerias. Soon after exploring all these eye-catching places when you're done with your photo shoot, enjoy a mud bath at a local spa or visit local hot springs. You can taste wine, cheese, and attend local food fairs. Oh, and don't forget to learn some new Italian words to impress your friends when you go back.


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The light keeps shining in the dark, and the darkness has never put it out.
John 1:5 (CEV)next >
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. On those living in a pitch-dark land, light has dawned. You have made the nation great; you have increased its joy. They rejoiced before you as with joy at the harvest, as those who divide plunder rejoice. As on the day of Midian, you've shattered the yoke that burdened them, the staff on their shoulders, and the rod of their oppressor.
Isaiah 9:2-4next >
The youth group I serve likes to play the game Sardines where one person hides and all others try to find that person. They like to play it the most when it's dark, with all the lights off in the church. It can be creepy walking around the church in the dark. I know nothing is there, but I still want to get into the light as soon as possible.
It's irrational, really, to feel this way about the dark. Nothing about my environment changes, whether the light is on or off. But in the light our perspective changes; we can see, and we are reassured.
Following Christ is not much different. There will be challenges and dark moments in our lives, even for the most faithful of us. But with Christ our perspective changes; we can see, and we are reassured. We will all fumble around in the darkness from time to time, but know that the Light is there and rejoice.
Kris "Bubba" Brammernext >
Great and wondrous God, your light is an ever-shining beacon in my life and in the world. Help me to see your light in all things. Help me to reflect your light into all the corners of my life, of my relationships, and my community. Amen.next >
The Light has come.
The Light is within us.
Go and let the Light shine.
Kris "Bubba" Brammer
Kris "Bubba" Brammer currently serves as the Director of Christian Education at First Presbyterian Church in Lincoln, NE. Growing up in the mountains of Roanoke, VA and previously serving churches in NC, he is now learning and exploring the many hidden wonders of Nebraska with his wife Kris and their dog Wrigley. He also enjoys golf, fly-fishing, and wood working.
Advent Waiting: Infant Holy – Away in a Manger
David Burroughs


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Winter 2015
In this Honeymoon issue you will find some unique Honeymoon destination ideas in our article, 8 Honeymoon Destinations You've Never Thought Of. We also provide guidance on what beauty products you need to bring on your Honeymoon. Check out that information in 5 Beauty Products. Finally, let us help you with your vacation planning with our Honeymoon Planning Timeline.
Wedding Essentials has been serving Northwest Indiana and Southwest Michigan for 11 years now and we have partnered with the areas best wedding professionals to bring you inspiration, information, and guidance. We will help you with the difficult decisions.


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U.S.S. Endeavour (NCC-71805-A)
Ten years after the destruction of the previous vessel to bear the name, the U.S.S. Endeavour-A was launched from the 40 Eridani A Starfleet Construction Yards on Stardate 59523.11 under the command of Captain Telahrehaa Ch'Raazne. After her shakedown cruise the vessel was assigned to one of the Task Forces overseeing the exploration of the Delta Quadrant.
By 2385 the vessel had been reassigned to a region known as the Jathlin Arm where it was based out of the Regula-Class, Kepler Station between exploratory missions (KS0: Hello, my name is Kepler...). The Endeavour was out on a long-haul mission investigating a region known as the Star Desert when news the station's sudden disappearance reached them (KS6: Herschel's Kisses).
Although many of the crew had family on Kepler Station, their assignment to the Jathlin Arm kept them in the Delta Quadrant. They were surveying a gathering of Cosmozoans feeding off the energy of a Red Dwarf when once again disastrous news reached them; terrorists had attacked the station (KS9: Freud's Hostage).
Believing Kepler Station to have been destroyed as a result, Starfleet began to reassess their expansion into the Delta Quadrant and whether they could justify the expenditure. As a result many of the vessels assigned to the Jathlin Arm were recalled to the Alpha Quadrant for reassignment. When Kepler Station reappeared in The Expanse six months later, unaware of any time having passed, Starfleet formed Task Force 92 under the command of Rear Admiral Jeremiah William Holden and made the U.S.S. Endeavour-A her Flagship (KS10.1: Honey, I'm Holm!).
Since then the Endeavour has continued to act in an exploratory capacity while performing her duties as Flagship. In March of 2387 the crew delivered Antedean Ambassador Hu J'Ron Vek and Expanse Oversight Advisory Chairman, Lt. Commander Hank McAllister, to the planet Oratt IX where they represented the Federation in hearing a formal petition by the Oratti for protected status (KS18: Faradays Gone By).
H.M.S. Endeavour
Launched in 1764 as the collier Earl of Pembroke, the vessel was purchased by the British Royal Navy in 1768 for a scientific mission to the Pacific Ocean and to explore the seas for the surmised Terra Australis Incognita or "unknown southern land".
Renamed and commissioned as His Majesty's Bark the Endeavour, the ship departed Plymouth under the command of Lieutenant James Cook, who sailed her rounded Cape Horn, and reached Tahiti in time to observe the 1769 transit of Venus across the Sun. It then went on to map the continent of Australia and the various islands of New Zealand by 1771.
Later Service
While James Cook was feted for his successful voyage, Endeavour itself was largely forgotten. Within a week of her return to England, she was directed to Woolwich Dockyard for refitting as a naval transport. She then made two routine return voyages to the Falkland Islands, the first to deliver provisions and the second to bring home the British garrison. After being completely paid-off the previous year, Endeavour was sold in 1775 to shipping magnate J. Mather for £645.
Mather renamed the increasingly decrepit ship Lord Sandwich and returned her to sea for at least one commercial voyage to Archangel in Russia. In late 1775, he was asked by the Admiralty to provide a ship to transport soldiers to North America to help defeat the colonial militia during the American Revolution. Mather offered to return the ageing vessel to military service, but her condition was so poor that she was declared unseaworthy. After extensive repairs, the ship was finally accepted as a troop transport in February 1776 and embarked a contingent of Hessian mercenaries bound for New York and Rhode Island.
After delivering her mercenary cargo, Lord Sandwich sailed to Newport, Rhode Island where she was retained at anchor and was intermittently used as a prison ship under the British flag. Endeavour's end came in August 1778, when the British settlement at Narragansett Bay was threatened by a fleet carrying French soldiers in support of the colonial militia. The British commander, Captain John Brisbane, determined to blockade the bay by sinking surplus vessels at its mouth. Between 3 and 6 August a fleet of Royal Navy and private craft, including Lord Sandwich, were scuttled at various locations in the Bay.
Space Shuttle Endeavour (OV-105)
Originally built as a structural spare alongside Discovery and Atlantis, the Space Shuttle Endeavour was the fifth such vehicle constructed as part of NASA's line of orbiters. Named after the British HMS Endeavour, the ship which took Captain James Cook on his first voyage of discovery (1768–1771), hence the British spelling rather than the American ("Endeavor"). This caused confusion, including when NASA itself misspelled a sign on the launch pad in 2007. The name also honoured Endeavour, the Command Module of Apollo 15, which was also named after Cook's ship.
Running more than twenty-five missions out of the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral in Northern America, the Endeavour and her sister craft were decommissioned in 2012 after a shift in focus towards alternative methods of space flight affected NASA's funding. The final journey Endeavour made was to the California Science Center in Los Angeles.
U.S.S. Endeavour (NX-06 / NCC-06)
The sixth starship built by United Earth, prior to the formation of the United Federation of Planets, was the Endeavour which, under the command of Captain Winchester, was launched from the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards on 2 June 2156.
Her inaugural year would prove to be one of Endeavour's most difficult. Just prior to the opening of hostilities between the two governments in the Earth-Romulan War, the Endeavour had a brief engagement with a Romulan vessel in the Cheron system. The Endeavour was forced to retreat but later found itself dealing with another Romulan attack, this time an attempt to remotely take control of the United Earth ship. Thanks to several software improvements in the Endeavour's construction the attempt failed and the crew were able to fend off the attack.
During the Second Battle of Altair VI, the portside hull plating was melted off through the use of nuclear weapons and her second Commanding Officer, Captain Shea was severely injured.
After the formation of the United Federation of Planets, the Endeavour was one of many ships that underwent a major retrofit to the new Columbia-Class specification. The class was born out of the existing, and proven, NX-Class design, and was named, at the insistence of Admiral Jonathan Archer, after the first vessel of the NX-Class to be lost in action, the Columbia.
The most noticeable difference between the classes was the addition of a secondary hull which was slung underneath the saucer section. This new hull had a deep rear undercut allowing it to be positioned in the warp field's secondary node while in flight and a more powerful, circular navigational deflector. It also housed the new, larger warp core which allowed speeds in excess of warp factor six.
Upon completion of the upgrades, the vessel was re-christened U.S.S. Endeavour and given the new registry of NCC-06. Commander T'Pol was promoted to the rank of Captain and assumed command of the ship.
U.S.S. Endeavour (NCC-1895)
For an extremely brief period during the mid 2240's an Icarus-Class vessel, which took part in the Battle of Donatu V, bore the name Endeavour. However, having undergone a number of registry changes during her construction (both NCC-1716 and 1777 under the name Endeavor), the traditional spelling of the name was ultimately passed onto a Constitution-Class vessel launched in the early 2250's under the command of Captain Mary-Anne Rice.
By the early 2260's command of the Endeavour had passed to Captain Zhao Sheng. Following his Five-Year Mission both the captain and his vessel were one of three assigned to Vanguard Starbase 47 in the Taurus Reach.
Undergoing a refit to Enterprise-subclass specifications, following the beginning of U.S.S. Enterprise's modifications, Endeavour spent the 2280's and early 2290's in deep-space exploration. It was among the starships that would have been assembled for the abandoned assault code-named Operation Retrieve, which would have rescued Captain James T. Kirk and Doctor Leonard McCoy from Qo'noS in 2293. The vessel remained in active service until it was decommissioned some time after, then Lieutenant JG, Rachel Garrett was assigned during patrol of the Romulan Neutral Zone in 2321.
U.S.S. Endeavour (NCC-71805)
Originally commanded by Captain Joseph Amasov, the next generation of Federation starship Endeavour was launched in the early 2360's. She served in both an exploratory and patrol capacity until, like so many others, the vessel and crew were called to aid in the defence against the Borg at Wolf 359.
Of the Borg, Amasov was quoted as saying; "In all my years I could never imagine terror such as this. Cold. Calculating... Murderous. It is just a matter of pure luck that any of us are alive right now. The Borg are as close to pure evil as any race we've ever encountered."
Miraculously the Endeavour survived the battle, one of the only ships to do so, and at the cost of half her crew. Amasov stayed in a hospital on Earth for some time following the battle. In 2368, with a restored crew and her Captain returned to command, the Endeavour was assigned to the Starfleet blockade force at the Klingon-Romulan border during the Klingon Civil War. It was the last ship to clear the drydock prior to the departure of the fleet from Starbase 234. During the initial deployment of the tachyon detection grid, the Endeavour was linked with the USS Ajax, USS Hood, USS Tian An Men, and USS Enterprise-D. Later that year, the ship was assigned to a patrol circuit in the Cleon system.
During her years of service the Endeavour has faced off against the Borg more than almost any other Federation vessels, except for the U.S.S. Enterprise-D and U.S.S. Voyager. In 2373, under the command of Captain Nikolas Kyprios, the vessel was involved in the Battle of Sector 001, the second largest conflict against the Borg.
Additional information gathered from Memory Alpha and Memory Beta


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Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Birthday of a severed head!
As today is my birthday, I feel free to post on anything I feel like sharing. Well, I feel like sharing photos I took on a window-shopping outing I took last June--though it wasn't on my birthday. Among other places, Jane and I went to Mars and visited a costume shop! (Click on the pics below to enlarge.)
Mars, Pennsylvania, that is--and the surrounding area. Here's the front of the costume shop we visited:
Here's the side:
A sign on the door that made me laugh:
Cool costumes, props, toys and masks awaited inside.
A severed head greeted us:
Below: Boney McPirate screams, "Avast, ye mortals!" (Or is that "'alf-assed, ye mortals"?):
The same picture is more dramatic with the flash off:
Legal aliens:
Jane the Voodoo queen finds a toy to play with!
Some very lonely-looking Frankenstein Monster masks from the movie Van Helsing:
After the costume shop, we went back to Pittsburgh and visited Big Lots, where I took a photo of a cool monster figure that I successfully resisted buying:
We saw a giant leprechaun on the way back. Thank God he had his gold (and a few mellowing beers), or else he might have been dangerous in the high traffic area:
Then we saw a giant eggman (John Lennon would have been pleased):
Once we reached Pittsburgh, we drove around, and saw buildings that made us think even more of giants:
Across the street, an axe for a rockin' 50 foot woman:
And next to the credit union, a closed and forlorn, possibly abandoned warehouse for a wholesale toy and novelty company, with interesting but lonely faces in the windows:
I went to the front door, which was painted over, mostly:
But I got the camera up against a hole in the paint and found, amongst piles of junk, a mysterious message written on a column:
All of this would have been enough to make my day great, but waiting at home was a package from my good friend Jim Bertges. Inside, an old Aurora guillotine model with a figure that had my face on it! Good for hours o' head-choppin' fun! Hoo-hah!
Today can't be any better than that day. But with the great birthday wishes I've already seen posted online, and with ones sent to my e-mail inbox, it's gonna be just as good. I couldn't be happier!
Happy birthday wishes to anyone out there born on this date, and happy non-birthday wishes to everyone else!
6 comments:
- suzanne said...
Admittedly, it will be difficult to top that day. But I believe you can meet this challenge. Happy Birthday!
- June 10, 2009 at 6:10:00 AM EST
- John Rozum said...
Happy Birthday once again, Max. I enjoyed the pictures and see that I was meant to make my rendezvous at that novelty company a day later than I did. I feel bad being angry for being stood up now.
The guillotine is an mazing gift, so amazing that I know I could never top it, so I won't even try. So, don't expect a present from me.
The Little Giant Federal Credit Union photo has all sorts of strange phenomenon I'm surprised you didn't point out; the weird Mr. Potato Head-chicken-human child hybrid hovering in the upper window, the two ghostly figures seen in the windows just below and to the left and right of the number 600 seeming to photograph you and Jane as you were doing the same to them. Are you sure you weren't in Eerie, PA?
- June 10, 2009 at 9:52:00 AM EST
- Diane said...
happy birthday!!!
what an awesome day!! great pics! the note written on the door has me so curious!
thanks for sharing!
- June 10, 2009 at 10:32:00 AM EST
Dear Max-
A happy birthday - surely, "the best of times."
(As Spock once said to Kirk.)
- June 10, 2009 at 10:37:00 AM EST
- Brian D. Horrorwitz said...
Happy Burpday to youse,
Happy Burpday to youse,
Happy Burpday Dear Maxie,
Happy Burpday to yoooooouse!
(a bit late! sorry!)
Keep on keepin' on me brutha'!
~yer pal Brian
- June 12, 2009 at 2:50:00 AM EST
- Max the drunken severed head said...
Thanks, everyone!
You are all the best and I shall raise multiple toasts of a fermented nature in your honor.
- June 12, 2009 at 3:06:00 AM EST


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Whether for a special occasion, or everyday dapper wear, Henry Couture Paris is the place to visit. The store is Welcoming, the suits AMAZING, the service extraordinary, and the price is reasonable. The only time you should "google" Henry Couture Paris, it is to find the address and start driving there!
Ordered from hcparis.com in August 2017 in preparation towards my wedding in January 2018. Thinking it would take like a month to deliver. To my utmost surprise, it was delivered within 5 working days as promised. Item received was exactly as ordered. One good thing with this shop is that they have a prompt after sales service so if you have any issue with your product, they are more than willing to help sort it out for you.
If you want to look exqusite on any special or big day of yours, you should definitely get your already made suit that when worn looks bespoke from here.
I usually don't write reviews, but I felt compelled because of the amazing service Henry gave us. We went to find a suit for my son's junior prom and my wife who is extremely critical found several suits her and my son liked. Henry took the time to answer every question we asked without any hesitation. I would like to thank him for his impeccable service. My son will be back for his senior prom and I will be coming here for several suits. Thanks again Henry!!
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Paris, Texas
"Where's the Hilton"
Paris, Texas is the capital of the United States or France.
The city's mascot is the "Jacquelope", depicted at right.
Known for its picturesque population of inhabitants wearing 10-gallon berets and sidewalk cafés serving stale corn chips with hot cheeze-food-product, the city of Paris, Texas is a must visit if you have the misfortune to have to be in the United States or France anyway. Be sure to try a can of the local wine, or better yet, a six pack.
The city's best known landmark is "the Eiffel Washington Tower Monument", a large useless phallic symbol thrust up in the center of the city, no doubt as some attempt to compensate for something.
Other famous monuments include the Lincoln Continental Memorial and the Tomb of Napoleon Dynamite's originality. As we all know the humor of Napoleon was taken by t-shirt companies. (See Vote For Pedro)
The Louversonian Museum is said to contain much great art and historical national treasures. Of course no one knows for sure, since the 5 hours a year it's supposedly open, the staff is on strike.
Paris, Texas is the centerpoint of "Tournedos Alley", a busy area of the United States or France frequently swept by Worcester Sauce. The city is bisected by the Monsieur Sippy River, dividing the city into the "Right Flank" and the "Left Flank". Both are insufferable. The most famous bridge across the river in the capital city is the "Pont Omic."
As the streets of Paris, Texas are crowded with Citroëns and longhorn steer, most locals commute on the city's subway system. The Subways are infected with gremlins, the famous "Metro-Gnomes". Some drivers will drive around in cars called "fiat pandas" these machines of poor quality and aesthetically pleasing features trundle along like tin cans on extacy.
The city was founded in the Bubonic Plaque Era by Charles de Great. The city was named after Paris Hilton, a legendary hotel from Ancient Greek mythology, and "Texas", actually a misspelling of "Taxes" a type of scam which governments use to get money. The street system was laid out by Pierre L'Enfant, or Pete the Infant, a toddler who scribbled up the city's first map with crayons.
The Great Fire destroyed most of the city in during the Powdered-Wig-Era. It was one of history's most notorious examples of cow arson. The city was then rebuilt; debate continues about this controversial action.
Unless it's gone, it's there still.


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Google will begin ranking mobile-friendly sites higher starting April 21
According to an advisory posted this week on Google Insider, changes to Google's search algorithms are coming: beginning April 21, the company will increase the ranking of sites that are mobile-friendly and surface app results much higher.
The company says that the change will have a "significant impact" on all mobile searches in all languages worldwide, but as a result Google says that users will find higher quality results.
Along with this change, Google will start to use more information from indexed apps as a factor when ranking search results for users that are signed-in and have the app installed.
A company spokesman said: "These changes are great news for mobile users as it should help motivate those sites that still don't have a mobile site to actually build one. Google started highlighting mobile-friendly sites in results last year."
Site admins who want to test their site's mobile compatibility can use Google's tools to quickly evaluate the status of a page here:
Online Casino News Courtesy of Infopowa