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When former Liberal senator Judith Troeth released a policy paper in 2010 calling on her party to adopt gender quotas, most of her colleagues were unimpressed. Troeth remembers sending the report to every Liberal and National MP in federal Parliament. Only three replied.
''They were lukewarm, to put it mildly,'' she told The Sunday Age. ''All agreed with the general principle - that there should be more women in Parliament - but as to the method of getting them there, they were very noncommittal.''
Four years later, not much has changed. Quotas continue to be eschewed by most Liberals on the grounds that they patronise women. Opponents insist such targets reduce the effectiveness of democratic participation. And the age-old claim - ''we choose our candidates on merit'' - is regularly trotted out to quash meaningful discussion about affirmative action.
Yet for all the rhetoric, the reality is that political appointments (across all parties) are often based on rewards and alliances, and not necessarily competency. No one wants electoral targets merely for the sake of it, but when the number of women in Parliament has barely improved over time, surely something should be done to force a cultural shift.
The failed bid by Community Services Minister Mary Wooldridge for a safe Liberal seat has also renewed attention on the issue by exposing flaws in the argument: that women of merit will ultimately prevail.
Wooldridge was recently beaten in a preselection stoush for the seat of Kew by former mayor Tim Smith, a one-time staffer to senior Liberals such as Malcolm Turnbull, Michael O'Brien and Bruce Billson. As the head of the largest Liberal branch in Kew - and a friend of powerbroker Michael Kroger and influential federal MP Josh Frydenberg - the 30-year-old Smith is smart, ambitious, and one to watch.
But Wooldridge is one of the government's most effective frontbenchers, with years of runs on the board (driving the national disability scheme; reforming the community services sector; rewriting the mental health act).
If a Harvard MBA graduate, former business executive and successful sitting minister can't win a safe seat ''on merit'', surely the argument is a furphy.
The irony is that Wooldridge may now be forced to move to the upper house in order to stay in Parliament - a sideways step that some believe could have been avoided if she had been offered the seat of Bulleen, which was stitched up for Planning Minister Matthew Guy to achieve his own ambition: moving to the lower house.
As former Howard government minister Fran Bailey told 730 Victoria after the Kew preselection: ''Here we had a woman with all of the capabilities, who is a proven performer and a senior cabinet minister - and she's been tossed over. I think that sends a very poor message about how we treat women in the party.''
There's no doubt we have a gender problem in politics; the question is, how to fix it? In Victoria, the Liberals have been urged to actively recruit more talented women, provide better leadership opportunities, and to crack down on female candidates being asked inappropriate questions - such as ''who will look after the children?'' - during preselections.
Federal MP Sharman Stone has gone one step further, admitting it may be time to adopt the Labor model: setting a clear quota to preselect women in winnable seats.
''I don't care about that tokenism label,'' she told the ABC's AM.
''Bring it on if you must, but we'll prove that it's not about a woman being simply put there because of gender. She'll prove her worth. Put her in the place and stand back and watch her grow.''
Maybe Stone has seen the numbers. Federally, women account for fewer than 22 per cent of Liberal seats, compared with Labor at 44 per cent. And of those Liberal women, only one - Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop - sits in cabinet. Many more, as Prime Minister Tony Abbott puts it, are ''knocking on the door''. Ridiculous.
Meanwhile, of the 128 MPs in the Victorian Parliament, only 42 are women: 24 from the ALP, 15 Liberals, one Nationals MP and two Greens. And in Denis Napthine's 22-member ministry, only four women remain following last week's reshuffle: Wooldridge, deputy Liberal leader Louise Asher, Housing Minister Wendy Lovell and Arts Minister Heidi Victoria.
Not that Labor doesn't have its own gender problems, mind you. In the Victorian upper house, Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews suffered a blow this month when a tribunal found the party broke its own self-imposed affirmative action rules by failing to endorse enough female candidates for this year's state election.
And in the lower house, the internal quota system and factional stitch-ups have fractured the party in the regional seat of Macedon, where a candidate chosen with more than 80 per cent of the local vote (Christian Zahra) was overlooked to install someone viewed as an inner-city import (Mary-Anne Thomas).
As Victoria prepares for a state election in November, both parties now find themselves divided over preselection procedures, gender representation, and questions of merit. When it comes to equality in Parliament, we've clearly still got a long way to go.
Farrah Tomazin is state politics editor.
Twitter: @farrahtomazin


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Cycas revoluta
When first planted, Sago Palms actually look like palm fronds growing straight up from the ground. These fronds eventually grow into a small & wide trunk that gives the Sago Palm its unique shape. Though the Sago Palm is technically a Cycad (not a palm tree), they are commonly used for entry areas, sidewalks, accent plants, and tight areas or corners around pools and patios, similar to smaller palm usage in landscape design.
Sago Palms grow well in both outdoor and indoor applications, and are great for planting in containers around windows and doors where they have access to sunlight. Because they grow slowly, Sago Palms wont outgrow the area they're planted in without plenty of warning. Sago Palms are very cold hardy and are a great choice for planting anytime throughout the year.
Our professional planting and delivery service will get any sized order planted and treated with our specialized Super Palm Juice and Moon Dust fertilizer to get your plants growing just right. Contact your closest nursery today to order and schedule an appointment!

subset: commoncrawl


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A teacher, charity workers and a Wimbledon tennis steward are all among people from the borough to make the New Year's Honours list.
Former principle of the BRIT School, Nick Williams, of Balham, was given a knighthood.
Mr Williams was principle of the performing arts school based in Croydon until recently and helped launch the careers of Adele, Amy Winehouse and Jessie J.
Su Joscelyn Sayer, chief executive of United Response, was awarded a CBE for services to people with disabilities in the UK.
Ms Sayer, who lives in Roehampton, has helped 2,500 people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and mental health needs.
She said: "This honour belongs to everyone involved in United Response's work over the last 40 years.
"This honour is a wonderful start to United Response's 40th anniversary celebrations. I am thrilled for everyone involved."
The chief of staff for Lambeth Palace, Christopher Addison Smith, of Battersea, was also awarded a CBE for services to the Church of England.
Christopher Garnett, of Roehampton, was one among many people involved in the Olympics to make the OBE list.
Mr Garnett, chairman of the Olympic transport board, made sure everything ran smoothly during the Games and is also a member of the Olympic Delivery Authority.
Olympics chairman Sebastian Coe said: "I am so proud of what my LOCOG team and our partners delivered this summer and delighted they have been recognised on behalf of their teams in this way."
Charity worker Paul Newman was also awarded an OBE for contribution to voluntary services.
Mr Newman is currently acting as interim chief executive of Tooting based Blood Pressure UK and is a member of Balham Rotary Club.
For the past eight years he has been helping charities in the borough who need specialised support such as temporary loss of leadership or financial shortfalls.
He said: "It is a fantastic honour to be given this award. I am very grateful and I would like to acknowledge in particular, the support of my family through all the time I spend away from home on assignment".
Outgoing chief steward of the All England Club Andrew Gairdner, of Putney, was given an MBE.
Mr Gairdner has been a steward at Wimbledon since 1978 and is responsible for working with the police, Merton Council and Wimbledon Park Golf club to make sure the queue runs smoothly.


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Everyone's favorite typing simulator based around murdering undead corpses has received some new Valentines Day-themed DLC. Starting today, you can download "Love at First Bite," a piece of content for …Continue reading →
The newest DLC fot Typing of the Dead: Overkill, is about football (or soccer for you North Americans). Yep, if zombie madness combined with Shakespeare wasn't absurd enough, this time …Continue reading →
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|You are in: Scotland
Sunday, 15 December, 2002, 11:58 GMT
Island sale ruffles feathers
The piecemeal sale of a Scottish island by an English businessman is to be raised in the Scottish Parliament.
Tiny chunks of Clett Island, which was once owned by folk singer Donovan, are being marketed on the internet as a novelty Christmas gift.
Parcels of land, just one foot square, are being sold for £23 each by Nottingham-based Richard Haigh, much to the chagrin of the Scottish National Party (SNP).
The SNP wants the sale halted and Mr Haigh's company to be forced to hand-back the tiny plots.
SNP culture spokesman Mike Russell said: "This is a cynical exploitation of Scottish history and culture and I want it stopped."
He said he would be looking at legislative means to prevent this sale continuing and others like it going ahead.
Mr Russell said: "I am going to raise this in parliament because I want to stop Scottish culture being so shamelessly and disgracefully exploited.
"I want the parliament to look at forcing the owner to give back the plots at his cost.
"It is, in my view, an illegal sale and Clett should be in the hands of a responsible landowner - which it currently is not."
'Joint ownership'
The politician added that he was concerned the sale of the island through a dedicated website was exploiting "gullible" people.
But the property developer behind the scheme said he has already sold over 1000 "Heritage Land Plots" and that some of the plots have been snapped up by film and TV stars.
Clett Island, off the Isle of Skye in the far north west of Scotland, is just eight acres but has been divided into 25,000 plots.
Mr Haigh said his scheme could potentially net him as much as £550,000.
Buyers receive a Celtic-styled legal deed giving them "joint ownership" of the island, instructions how to get there, and an A4-size print of Clett.
The sales website says: "Imagine the pride and satisfaction of becoming part-owner of a real Scottish island. This is a genuine opportunity to acquire a truly unique gift and piece of Scottish history."
Mr Haigh conceded there was some concern at his scheme, but he said a number of Scots were among the people from the USA, Canada and Australia who had been the main buyers.
He would not reveal what he paid for Clett, which Sixties folk singer Donovan tried to turn into a hippy commune.
The singer was so taken by its beauty that he penned And Clett Makes Three as a tribute.
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Graduate Theological Union
Faculty Workshop: Moodle in the Theological Classroom – Much More Than Busy-Work
Many faculty are making greater use of the GTU's Moodle facilities, both in fully online courses, and in "regular" face-to-face courses. Some of us started by simply uploading additional readings, and have been gradually branching out into discussion forums, audio and video recordings, and using the functions that Moodle provides for grading and group work. Some of us have taken courses, either through the GTU library or outside organizations. But effective use of Moodle depends most of all on clear thinking about our teaching outcomes and objectives, rather than on simply using the "bells and whistles" correctly. All interested faculty are invited to gather for a brown bag lunch and informal conversation about developing pedagogical approaches that make the most effective use of what Moodle can offer us as theological educators. Please come prepared to share your experiences, your questions, and your hopes.
Facilitated by Susanna Singer, CDSP Faculty | When: Tuesday August 20, 12:30 – 2:00 PM | Where: Mudd 102, PSR
Return to Online Learning Blog


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Linda Ronstadt was born in 1946 to a modest family outside Tucson. From an early age, she, her brother and sister began making their own music, eventually performing their own shows in the folk and Mexican traditions of the area. By the time Ronstadt was in community college, she realized the music scene in LA was where she wanted to be, just in time for the folk revival that was sweeping the nation. Despite some setbacks with her first band-the Stone Poneys-she quickly found her niche as a soloist with the new record label run by David Geffen. Soon she was touring with Neil Young, and soon after that was a major figure in her own right. By the time she retired in 2009, Linda Ronstadt had spent four decades as one of the most popular singers in the world. But throughout her career, as she writes, she stuck to one simple dream: to perform good music authentically. In her debut as a writer, she describes her journey with the same subtlety and gracefulness with which she has sung, so beautifully, longingly, and honestly.
About the Author
Linda Ronstadt is the 11-time Grammy-winning singer of a number of rock and country standards. She lives in San Francisco with her family.
"A well-written glimpse into musical history as it was being made by Ronstadt and her peers." * Publishers Weekly * "A personable and engagingly written memoir... consistently interesting." * Kirkus * "Musical memories galore." * Boston Globe * "Ronstadt revisits, with a mixture of fine-grained insight and personal modesty, one of the most remarkable and wide-ranging singing careers in the last century of American popular music." * San Francisco Chronicle * "For anyone fascinated by the cross-pollination of musical talent in Los Angeles' buzzing pre-corporate rock scene, Ronstadt's front-row seat offers a prime view. . . . While this bird can no longer sing, on the page she can still fly." * USA Today * "True to her subtitle, Ms. Ronstadt delivers a life story stitched to the sails of her eclectic musical voyaging. . . . She has found another way to tell a story: through this winning and informative book, in which her intelligence, passion, humor and commitment shine forth from every page." -- Tom Nolan * Wall Street Journal * "Engaging and interesting. . . . entirely winning." -- Jonathan Yardley * Washington Post *
Audience: General
Format: Hardcover
Language: English
Number Of Pages: 256
Published: 17th September 2013
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Country of Publication: US
Dimensions (cm): 21.3 x 14.0 x 2.5
Weight (kg): 0.45


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With all of the rain that we've had over the past few weeks here in Spencer County, insects may have found their way into people's waterlogged backyards, homes and landscapes.
"There are insects and their relatives that thrive under most any set of conditions; this spring belongs to the 'water bugs,'" said Lee Townsend, extension entomologist in the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture.
On April 19, the Spencer County Conservation District celebrated Soil Stewardship week with a country ham breakfast at Elk Creek Restaurant. Each year, the district recognizes the local ministers in Spencer County. Also awards are given for master conservationist and an appreciation award.
The Governor's Scholars Program of Kentucky has announced that five Spencer County High School students have been selected to participate in their prestigious summer program this year.
Spencer County High School is seeking professionals to help conclude the senior projects for the class of 2011.
"For the final component, each senior must participate in an exit interview with a panel of three to four professionals," organizers said in a news release.
Interviews will be from 7:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. on May 23 at the high school.
Those interested in participating in these interviews, please email available times to email@example.com.
Osama is dead, and I just can't get my mind around it. I am happy and thankful that he has met justice, but I am disturbed as well. When justice triumphs, it is always good news and I am thankful to our military and to our president for seeing justice done. I have watched the celebrations, I have heard the stories, but I am still struggling.
In this article I want us to see where we think we are as a nation. "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. For the needy shall not always be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish forever. Arise, 0 Lord, let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in thy sight. Put them in fear, 0 Lord, that the nations may know themselves to be but men." Psalm 9:17-20
Editor's note: The Spencer Magnet is partnering with Spencer County High School to print several essays as part of students' senior projects. Below are all of the essays the Magnet has received.
Donna Houghlin, vice president of the Homemakers Council, recently served her Hawaiian Pie at a Waterford Homemakers potluck lunch. The pie has been a family favorite since 1972.
On a rise just north of Taylorsville, above the intersection of Yoder-Tipton Road and Kentucky 55-155 stands the Jacob Yoder home that was originally called "Beechland," but was renamed "Vaucluse" by Yoder's son-in-law, Frenchman David Roselle Poignand.
Copyright © 2017
The Spencer Magnet is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Spencer County, KY and the surrounding area.


text: Hi everyone, Here's another tyre update for you. This time we were in Riga, Latvia to test Michelins 2 new winter tyres. Michelin waited until the end of winter to unveil its 2 new Alpin winter tyres, for the next winter season. These tyres have been developed for vehicles in different categories, but designed to achieve the same objectives: safety, control, and mobility. The Pilot Alpin 4 This tyre has been designed with drivers of saloons and sport coupés in mind: powerful cars that need perfect grip with the road, whether it is on dry, wet, snowy, or icy roads. The Latitude Alpin 2 The successor of the famous Latitude Alpin (2007) has been designed with 4x4 and high performance SUV owners in mind. It includes technology similar to the Pilot Alpin 4, with added unique characteristics. There has been a positive buzz for the Latitude Alpin 2, just as for the Pilot Alpin 4. Furthermore, after a recent test by TÃV SÃD: The Latitude Alpin 2 brakes 2 metres shorter than itâs main competitors on snow covered roads, and 4 metres shorter on icy roads (average speed: 30 mph to 0 mph) The Michelin Pilot Alpin 4 brakes 2 metres shorter than itâs main competitors, on wet roads (average speed: 50 mph to 0 mph) During the official launch in Riga, Latvia, the climate was favourable towards the testing of these 2 Alpin tyres. At the wheel of a Porsche 911 type 911 Carrera S, the Mercedes E 63 AMG, or the Range Rover Evoque, we were able to appreciate the real potential of these two tyres. To find more information on our tests: Pilot Alpin 4: Michelin Pilot Alpin 4: An ultra-high performance winter tyre for sports coupes and saloons, New tyres car tyres on rezulteo Latitude Alpin 2: Michelin Latitude Alpin 2: A winter tyre for high performance SUVâs, New tyres car tyres on rezulteo WHat does everyone think? Do the capabilities of such a tyre give you more faith in driving in winter?


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Graydon Carter Addresses Vanity Fair's "Epic Gwyneth Takedown"
"It was just what had been assigned–a reasoned, reported essay on the hate/love-fest that encircles Gwyneth Paltrow," editor-in-chief Graydon Carter wrote in the March issue (via Us Weekly). "I thought it perfectly explained the whole phenomenon.
"Once the story was assigned, the writer reached out to Paltrow's representatives and friends, and Paltrow sent the now-infamous email to her show-business pals," he added.
Carter went on to explain why the magazine decided not to publish the piece, written this summer by journalist Vanessa Grigoriadis.
"The Gwyneth Paltrow saga had clearly just gotten away from us. My instinct was to continue to let it sit until people had forgotten about it, or at least until expectations had diminished.
"That it has generated more mail and attention than many of the biggest stories we've ever published only makes the situation more complicated.
Carter shared that he did speak to Paltrow over the phone about the ordeal.
"We talked for about 20 minutes about the story and her reaction, or over-reaction, to it," he wrote. "At one point, she asked my advice as to what to do to get the 'haters' on her side. I suggested putting on 15 pounds. I joked that it works for me. She replied I had put on much more than that. Which I thought was fair and funny."
In the end, Carter claimed he felt that the story just didn't measure up to the media hype surrounding it.
"The one we ordered up, as delightfully written as it was, is not the one the anti-Gwynethites expect," he wrote.
Never change, Gwynnie.


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By Nate Matherson of Circa Alpha
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Dunkin' Brands Group (DNKN), the parent company of Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin-Robins, has performed very well since its public offering in late 2011. Shares have returned 118% over this period and currently sit at around $41 per share. This year alone, shares have risen more than 25%.
Dunkin has plenty of positives, but it is missing an entire revenue stream by not offering a frozen food line in supermarkets; it's the same fare you buy at its "restaurants". The stock closed Tuesday up 7 cents, or 0.17%, at $40.57.
Over the last few years, Dunkin' has done a spectacular job in shaping its brand into an all-day quick-service restaurant. If you listen in to the conference calls, you may have noticed the company executives always refer to the company as being in the "restaurant" business.
Executives realized a differentiation has occurred between their company and rival Starbucks (SBUX), which labels itself as a "coffee shop". This differentiation is key, as both companies are actively targeting the same areas for American expansions. Dunkin' serves a different consumer than Starbucks.
According to Civic Science, these consumers tend to have more children, be older, less health conscious and more conservative. Whereas Starbucks tends to pull the younger, health conscious and liberal crowd.
Fitting with this demographic, Dunkin' has focused its innovation on its distinct menu offerings. Stan Frankenthaler, executive chef and vice president of Innovation, along with his team of talented chefs, have created a deep portfolio of consumer favorites such as the Big N' Toasted, Angus Steak & Egg "Wake Up" wrap and a delicious personal favorite: The new Glazed Donut breakfast sandwich.
The company released more than 70 new products to market last year and is currently testing more than 40 new breakfast offerings here in the U.S. Stan and his team announced at the investor day earlier this month that they have more than 100 products in the pipeline that are set to be rolled out over the next two years. Many of these new products fall into the quick-serve breakfast and lunch category.
The new menu offerings that have hit the market have been received very well so far and over the last few quarters have contributed to rising margins and higher ticket sales. The company has worked hard to pair its coffee products with the offerings to push consumers to explore the menu. The company see's great margins of more than 75% on these products, second behind its coffee category. I expect the company to maintain these margins, even with rising input costs, as the company is making progress logistically.


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EMI filter arrays with ESD protection tailored for LCD and camera interfaces
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Milpitas, Calif. California Micro Devices has unveiled its first products in a new family of packaged electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter arrays with electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection. Based on the company's Centurion advanced zener process technology that enables a high level of ESD protection at a lower capacitance, the new CM1406 and CM1407 devices extend the benefits of the technology to handset designers that prefer solutions using traditional packaging technology.
The CM1406, a four-channel EMI filter with ESD protection in a small form factor 8-lead TDFN package, is suitable for LCD and camera interfaces in clamshell wireless handsets. The CM1407, with 50% lower capacitance than the CM1406, supports higher resolution displays and imagers. The company says the CM1047 establishes an industry first level of performance for traditional packaged solutions.
A perfect fit for color LCD displays and camera imagers, the CM1406 is implemented in a pi-style capacitor-resistor-capacitor (15 pF-200 W-15 pF) configuration with flow through routing for each channel. The company says superior filter performance across all channels is achieved through the large area ground pad on the bottom of the TDFN package that minimizes parasitic inductance.
As a result, the CM1406 is able to attenuate unwanted signals at 35dB over the carrier band frequency range of 800 MHz to 2.7 GHz. The CM1406 features a cut-off frequency of 105 MHz, which is ideal for filtering signals to color LCD display and camera imager interfaces handling rates up to 40 Mbit/s per data line.
The CM1407 is implemented in a 7.5 pF-200W-7.5 pF configuration and is pin compatible with the CM1406. The CM1407 features a cut-off frequency of 210 MHz. Using the CM1407 in wireless handsets will enable design engineers to effectively filter out unwanted high frequency noise for high resolution LCD displays and megapixel camera imagers handling rates up to 80 Mbit/s per data line. Both solutions offer ESD protection of *15 kV contact discharge.
Pricing for the CM1406 starts at $0.43 each in 1,000 units and is available in production volume. Pricing starts at $0.43 for the CM1407 and samples will be available in November 2004, with volume production scheduled for January 2005.
Call (408) 263-3214 or (800) 325-4966


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WOLLONGONG Rollerhawks enjoyed a solid start to their National Wheelchair Basketball League season, with two wins and a narrow loss last weekend.
On their home court the Rollerhawks got their 2014 campaign off to the perfect start via a 57-41 victory over the QLD RSL Spinning Bullets on Friday night.
The injection of new blood is refreshing for Rollerhawks fans as newcomers Michael Auprince (13 points, 12 rebounds) and Adam Deans (six points, 10 rebounds) both looked comfortable at their new homes. Last season's runners-up have some real depth in combinations off the bench and look like the early favourites in 2014.
On Saturday night the Perth Wheelcats beat the Rollerhawks 70-63 in an NWBL classic.
There was plenty of feeling between the two league heavyweights and the game delivered on all expectations.
Perth led from the first bucket but were far from having everything their own way.
The Wheelcats took a seven-point lead into the half but had it reduced to just three points going into the last quarter.
Norris and Eveson led the way for Perth but Kim Robins looked very comfortable as a third threat with 13 points.
Deans was impressive against his old club.
He had 17 points but was more impressive with his efficiency and physicality on court.
Luke Pople has arrived as one of Australia's best guards and looked most dangerous when the game was up for grabs. He also finished with 17 points, while Rollerhawks veteran Brett Stibners scored 16 points.
With less than a minute on the clock the margin was just three points and while the Wheelcats did enough to hold on, indications are there for what looks like some classic encounters later in the season.
On Sunday, the Rollerhawks defeated the Wheelkings 91-15 in front of a bumper home crowd to finish round one.
It was tough to pick best players as coach Ettridge made the most of a deep bench, and was repaid for his faith with nine Rollerhawks hitting the scoresheet.
Pople was impressive, Stibners wound back the clock in his best game of the round and Tim Markcrow came off a few textbook pick and rolls to tally a career-high 10 points.


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Rialto, CA, US
The last ten years have given me time to develop my design skills and techniques in a way that will benefit your company, and have given me a desire to further my skills as I feel your company can do. As a Senior Associate Project Manager at Hogle-Ireland, Inc. I established the graphics department, and have played a substantial roll on the design team, helping to design large-scale master plans to site feasibility studies. I have also helped develop standard images and graphic databases to improve efficiency, supervised other employees, and served as lead graphic designer for the Riverside branch. My reputation for efficiency, dedication and creativity allows others to feel confident that when they give me a project it will be done well and in a timely manner. Beyond the workplace, I have spent time visiting well-designed communities and developments across the nation and taking classes that further my design, sketching and illustrating abilities.
With over 10 years of experience in the planning/urban design field, I feel certain of fulfilling your expectations. I am a hardworking, passionate individual excited about urban design and architecture, and would like to gain more experience in architecture and urban design.
Hogle-Ireland, Inc., Riverside, CA, US, Senior Associate Project Manager
Lead Designer for Riverside office
Land Use Planning
Community Design & Theming
Architectural Illustrations
Concept Development
Graphic Design
CAD Operations/GIS
General IT Service
Thirtieth Street Architects, Inc., Newport Beach, CA, US, Intern
Graphic Design
CAD Operations
File Management
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Pomona, CA, US, BArch, Urban Regional Planning
Bachelor of Science Degree – Urban Regional Panning


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Oprah Winfrey is still really rich
Around this time every year, uber-celebrities and computer programmers around the world wake up at the crack of dawn, run out to the mailbox, and tear the cellophane from their latest Forbes with the enthusasim of a young child on Christmas morning. You see, this is when the business magazine releases its annual list of the world's billionaires.
And you know it must have been quite the blow to Oprah's confidence when she found herself ranked a pedestrian 562 of 793 total billionaires. Be wary, Earth. Oprah's on the war path. And she won't let you get in her way. Other notables on the list include:
Bill Gates, number uno
Richard Branson and Steven Spielberg, tied at 245
Donald Trump, 278
Ted Turner, 382
Nowhere on the list: Scott Stapp


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Legend tells about humanoid machines called "Vocaloids" that double as messengers for the gods. They are the children of the Goddess of Machinery and serve as some of the many saviors of the world of Divixus - a haven for the strange and the mystical.
On this planet, there exists ethereal beings and magic that revolves around the manipulation of the Eight Elements - eight properties that serve the backbone of how the universe works: the illustrious Light, the creeping Darkness, the twin-sided Luna, scorching Flame, icy Frost, verdant Earth, tempest-ridden Cloud and the unifying Null. The elements serve as the root of all magic used on the planet and rely on their opposite to be complete.
Over the course of Divixus's history, the Vocaloids and their allies have endlessly fended off the forces of the Deathmoon Family, the Nachzehrer empire and the Apocalytes, powerhungry evils that reave destruction in their path.
As loyal vanguards of the Lunardream Family, the rulers of Heaven themselves, there are various myths of heroes, Vocaloid or otherwise, that appear in the span of history as a testament to their feats.
However, out of all of them, none could match up to the prophecy of the almighty heroine clad in black and blue, renowned by her long flowing aquamarine twintail hair and control over all eight elements. She is aided by her infallable companion, a fair and motherly figure clad in black and yellow, characterized by her beautiful rose-colored hair and lunarian appeal.
The heroines had gone through many hardships and sacrifices but grew stronger with each one. As they gained more power and overcame their personal shortcomings, they were ready to face the ultimate enemy with other heroes. In the struggle that tested their friendship and loyalty to the very end, they came out victorious and washed away the river of blood left behind by said enemy.
Ever since then, they have been immortalized in the annals of Divixus's history. To this day, they are still revered by legend-keepers and church members all around the planet even if the rest have grown out of touch from their mythological roots. However, the heroes themselves have disappeared, with centuries being spent in order to discover the cause...
But even though the legendary heroes' victory was a great one, their enemies were not truly defeated and have been gradually recovering their strength for their eventual return. This, combined with the absence of the heroes and the new opponents on the frontier, will culminate into one grand war.
... But that tale is for the future.
In today's world, the city of Crypton Province exists as a haven for the Vocaloids, who double as both sensational pop-stars and guardians of the city, protecting it from harm. It is here where the stories of eight special Vocaloids will unfold, intertwined with the fates of the legendary heroes...
It is a chilly winter afternoon with the sun shining over the snow-covered city of Crypton Province - a large and bustling urban hub with skyscrapers, homely buildings and pieces of nature perfectly arranged into picturesque parks and ponds. Crowds of people walked through the streets and kids played in the snow, giving a comfortable air to everybody around.
However, the unique aspect of the city known by all of its inhabitants was the piece of land floating high in the air carrying a large, ornate, black and blue castle designed with angel statues, imposing insignias, multiple towers, stained glass windows, eight pillars with different colored flames and so on. Its impressive size towered over the otherwise normal-looking urban buildings, but on the inside...
"AAAAAAAAAAAHH! YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!" A voice screamed out.
It turns out that the yell came from the main star of the Vocaloids - a girl by the name of Miku Hatsune. She recieved a rather rude awakening, jumping straight out of bed and going for the closet. Her room was painted light blue and littered with plushies of different characters, along with a computer and a large television.
"Why didn't you wake me up earlier, Hachune!?" Miku complained, putting on her clothes as fast as possible.
Miku herself was a slender girl with long, teal-colored hair tied into twin-tails, blue eyes, aquamarine-colored nails, wore a grey minidress with a teal tie, a black skirt with teal edges, black boots that went up past her knees and black detached sleeves. She also had peculiar mechanical black and pink earphone attachments that replaced her ears.
From a nighttable, there stood a creature that looked quite a bit like her, except super-deformed to the point where it looked like a caricature.
"I'm sorry mistress, but my alarm didn't go off properly!" It chirped out.
"That's the fourth time this week! You're getting on thin ice! But anyway, how much time do I have left?" Miku asked.
"Approximately 10 minutes." Hachune counted down.
"Ah crap! Call the others and tell them I might be a bit late. Why now of--!" Miku grumbled as she ran out through the door.
As Miku ran down flights of stairs, she came across a woman who was sipping a cup of tea. Her name was Megurine Luka - she was a woman with long pink hair, blue nails and eyes, wore a black dress with golden adornments, black detached sleeves, had gold and blue earphones, a yellow and brown headband that connected to her earphones and had black boots that went up past her knees.
"Why are you in such a hurry, Miku?" She asked.
"Don't you remember? I have to work on that music video with everyone else, and Meiko's gonna kill me if I'm late again! So yeah, can't stay and talk. Bye, sis!" Miku rushed.
"Ah. Well, I hope you do good on it!" Luka said, waving to her as she left.
Meanwhile, when Miku was gone, Luka heard a beep coming from her cell phone.
"What is it, sir?" She answered, taking another sip of her tea.
A voice on the other end gave her instructions and told her about something that was happening in the city.
"Alright, I'm on my way." Luka replied, putting her phone away and grabbing a grey handle.
She left into a different room and encountered a creature sitting on the table that looked a lot like her, except also super deformed to the point of being a caricature. It had beady eyes, tentacles in the shape of Luka's hair and so on.
"Tako, trace my energy signature and if it grows faint for any reason, contact the others immediately. I'll be back in half an hour." She said.
"Yes, mistress! Your energy meter reads ninety-five percent, and tracing program is initiated! Good luck!" The little octopus head replied, with Luka exiting the building right after.
In the parking lot, she came across her motorcycle, the Sonus Acutus Mark II, and began driving into the streets. As Luka zoomed through the roads, she thought this the entire time:
"Well, time to go on officer duty while everyone else is doing a music video. Oh fun, fun. Bleugh... Complaining aside, I wonder what Piko has in store for me. If it was bad enough for them to bring someone like me there, then I'm curious as to what's got them so riled up. I hope this won't go too badly though, cause it's such a nice day otherwise."
She arrived at a mansion with a group of human police and two other Vocaloids in front of it. Luka brought the motorcycle to a stop as she went up to meet them.
The first one had white hair with a strand sticking out in a musical note shape, a blue eye and a green eye, large white earphones, a white suit with a large collar, black detached sleeves, silver nails, glowing cyan markings throughout his clothes, black pants, had what seemed to be a large USB cord coming out of his back and elaborate white boots that went up his knees.
The other man wore a scientist's coat, a black shirt and pants, glasses, had glaring red eyes, white hair, silver nails, a purple armband on his left arm that had a teal-colored star with black wings on it, and purple and black earphones. He carried a cigarette in his mouth and had a disgruntled look on his face.
"Luka! You're finally here." The first one said, noticing her.
"Master Lelus told me you had a problem, Piko-- what was it?" Luka replied, putting her hand on her hip.
"Well, you see, there's..." He was about to say, only to get cut off.
"Haku could be in danger. We sent her to try and deal with the problem, but we haven't heard from her in a long time. You know that I can't fight for crap, Piko's a wimp, the rest are freaking useless, and there was nobody else who we can get. Go figure." The second one ranted, plucking the cigarette out of his mouth.
"Dell... Why do you always have to be so blunt? But yes Luka, you're the only person we can count on right now. Please save Haku and eliminate the target." Piko said, irritated.
"Right. This shouldn't take long." Luka reassured, jumping over the blockades and running inside.
"How much do you want to bet that she won't make it either?" Dell questioned.
"You just need patience, Dell..." Piko said.
Upon entering the mansion, she grabbed onto the handle of her laser whip in preparation. Although it was dim, the interior was regal with red carpets, red flags that had a teal star with black wings hanged on the ceilings and walls, vases with roses planted in them, and angel statues were placed on opposing sides of the room.
However, the architecture was diminished as there were incisions everywhere, presumably made by sword slices and several things were broken or smashed.
"Hmmm... I wonder where they are." Luka murmured, cautious.
She took a few steps forward only to have the door violently shut behind her, much to her surprise. With that, multiple creatures taking the form of demonic black and red foxes with beady blue eyes, zigzagged mouths and two tails had appeared from the ground. They were ready to charge towards Luka, with drool dripping from their mouths and bloodlust in their expressions.
"But of course. Come closer you little runts, I have a present for all of you!" Luka threatened, holding out a gold and black handle in front of her.
She pressed a button and swung the handle behind her, with a long lavender-colored beam shooting out and loudly slapping the ground when Luka pulled it back. At that moment, several of the monster foxes jumped towards her, only to be smacked away by Luka's whip, their yelps echoing throughout the mansion.
In a swift maneuver, Luka clatched the beam onto one and wildly swung it around, hitting it into the others and then smashing it onto the ground, causing it to explode into dark matter.
The foxes retaliated by shooting out blue circle-shaped beams from their tails, but she caught most of them onto her whip like hoops and swung them back, destroying them almost instantly. The rest were deflected due to Luka's quick movements with the whip, as she smacked the rings back onto them.
However, one pounced her from behind and scratched with its long claws, although she counterattacked by smacking it away with the handle. She then pierced her whip through its chest, yanking out what seemed to be a still-beating black deformed heart and smashed it to the ground, causing it to explode in dark matter.
"Argh...Damn! I forgot how much that hurt, but I can't let that slow me down." Luka said, holding onto the wound caused by the creature and going deeper into the mansion.
Althroughout the place, she encountered more of the monster foxes and slaughtered them as she charged forward. Eventually, Luka to came up to a large red door. She opened it and ran down a long hallway, with the other end having a door of the same color.
However, Luka stopped in mid-dash as she heard metal clangings as well as yells on the other side of the door. Without thinking, she burst through and wound up outside in a backyard of sorts, with a pool, a couple of gardens and a long canopy over her head.
To her surprise, she found two Vocaloid girls fighting. One of them had white hair tied into a large ponytail with a purple and black ribbon, red eyes, silver nails, a revealing grey shirt with a purple tie, black detached sleeves, black pants with a purple belt, white shoes, black and purple earphones and wore sturdy silver gauntlets on her arms.
The other girl had long red hair, red eyes and nails, a white and red dress similar to Miku's, a red tie, wore a white headband with trailing ribbons, white detached sleeves, white boots that went up to her knees and black earphones. She carried two cleavers with glowing orange edges that she used to slice at the white haired girl, who blocked the attacks with her gauntlets.
They kept at it, but due to fatigue, the white-haired girl's stamina started to wither, which gave the red-haired girl an advantage as she knocked her down to the ground. To make sure that she wouldn't escape, the red haired girl ensnared the gauntlet girl's long ponytail with a chain she shot from her right sleeve.
With that, she held up her cleaver in the air with a deranged grin on her face as the sword emitted a fiery aura. However, before she could even swing her weapon, Luka grabbed the blade with her whip and yanked it away, shooting off a crescent-shaped beam that swerved at the chain the white-haired girl was ensnared by.
The red haired girl, ignoring everything else, ran to get her other cleaver.
"Luka! Why are you here?" The white-haired girl asked.
"I was the only one they could get to help, Haku. Are you alright?" Luka replied.
"I'm fine, thankfully. But if you didn't come here earlier, I would have been done for. Thanks..." Haku said, relieved.
Meanwhile, the red-haired girl flew into a rage:
"Don't ever do that again! If you do, I'll make sure you suffer a fate worse than death!"
"Oh please. And you are?" Luka scoffed.
"Hmph. I go by Kiku Juon. But enough about me, I know who you are-- you're Megurine Luka." The red-haired girl said.
"So you've heard of me. Naturally, considering who we are." Luka said.
"That's exactly why I hate you! You and the rest are so pompous, it makes me want to kick your asses! Normally, I can never get the chance to, so today's my lucky day!" Kiku smiled evilly, holding both of her cleavers.
Kiku dashed towards her at an incredibly fast speed, with both blades catching on fire, but Luka retaliated by summoning a lavender-colored barrier that cut off Kiku's attack and threw her off guard.
"We're the pompous ones here? Looks like you need some attitude adjustment. Let's go, Haku!" Luka remarked, swinging her whip right after.
"Right!" Haku replied, jumping high in the air only to have Luka keep her levitating.
The whip clatched onto Kiku's waist, and from there on, Luka swung her into the air, nigh-helpless. Haku helped by attacking in tandem, using her punches and kicks while grabbing her opponent, but most were blocked by the cleavers excluding a downwards axel kick, which threw Kiku hard against the ground.
"I'll get you for that, you little--" Kiku angrily spouted, only to be interrupted by Haku.
She had grabbed Kiku by the neck and arms, preventing her from using her weapons or getting away. In this moment, Luka pierced through Kiku's chest with the whip, ready to finish off the red-haired Vocaloid. However, out of nowhere, a large black and red crescent-shaped beam came and split the energy whip in half.
"What the--?!" Luka said, off guard.
Just as she said that, a thin beam of light shot through Haku's head, knocking her out instantly and leaving Kiku to attack Luka in this moment of chaos.
She sliced her multiple times, knocked her to the ground and even stuck the pointed part of her cleaver into Luka's stomach, smiling all the while. Her combo was then broken by a kick she threw to Kiku's face, leaving the impaled blade stuck in Luka. She yanked it out from her stomach and threw it back at the red-haired Vocaloid, hitting her directly.
Exhausted, the red-haired Vocaloid fell to her knees, clutching onto her exposed metal heart, panting and bleeding profusely. She looked up into Luka's face with unmatched fury:
"You... you... I hate all of you. You deserve incarceration, you hear me!? But watch your back, Luka, because I'll be back soon... very soon! Look forward to it!"
She grabbed a royal-blue stone from her pocket and teleported away. Now that Kiku was gone, Luka rushed over to Haku's aid to see if she was alright.
"Haku! Are you okay!? Please tell me you're fine!" She desperately pleaded.
There was a long silence, but eventually Haku got up much to Luka's relief.
"What... just happened? Did something happen to me or..." Haku said, but stopped mid-sentence as she noticed a vaguely-human shaped shadow in the bushes disappear.
She stared at it for a while, but then shook her head, not realizing there was a hole in it.
"Honestly, I don't know, but I'm so glad you're alright." Luka said only to snatch Haku in a tender hug.
"... Oh. O-okay. What do you say we should go, Luka?" Haku replied, blushing.
"Ah, good idea. Come on." Luka said, holding her over her shoulder and carrying her outside.
Eventually, they came back in tattered clothes and bruises back to Piko and Dell, the latter of which looked very surprised while the other smiled warmly.
"See, I told you they would make it out okay. Have some more faith in her, will you?" Piko said.
"Oh shut up. Haku! Are you alright?!" Dell charged, going over to see her.
"Yeah, I'm just fine. I have a real bad headache though. And I don't even remember taking a swig before doing the mission..." Haku said, holding the side of her head only to feel something wet.
"You two look terrible! What happened in there?" Piko asked, worried about their well-being.
"Well, there was this red Vocaloid girl called Kiku Juon... she had twin laser-edged cleavers and knew how to use them properly. While she was no real challenge when I jumped in, something unexplainable happened and she got the better of us." Luka said.
"Hmm... So that's who it was. But do you know where she-- Haku, is there something wrong?" Piko questioned, noticing the distressed look on her face.
"Oh, boy... Look." Haku calmly said, showing them that her palm was colored red.
"Is that your blood!?" Dell shouted, freaking out.
"I think so... In fact, let me see here..." Haku said, poking into where she found the blood to feel a deep cavity.
Her expression was unchanged while the others watched in horror, especially Dell, who turned white.
"How are you still functioning, woman?!" He yelled.
"I guess I'm just naturally resilient, because you know I've taken much worse. I should still get this patched up, though." Haku said, pulling her crimson hand out of her head.
"You're not kidding there... Come on Haku, let's go. Oh, and Luka... thanks for helping." He said, hopping onto his own motorcycle with Haku behind him, driving away back into the city.
"So, will you report this to Master Lelus now, Luka?" Piko asked.
"Of course. Especially since I want to know who exactly this Kiku fellow is... And before I forget, why was she here in the first place?" Luka questioned, curious.
"Well, all our leads pointed that there was an object called a Silence Gem hidden in there, but there's practically little data regarding said object in our databanks. Regardless, she must have wanted it really badly." Piko said.
"Hmm... Okay. Anyway, I'll see you later. Hope the rest of your day goes well." Luka said, going over to her motorcycle.
"Alright, you too." He replied, waving to her as she sped away.
However, a troubled frown creased his face as he remembered about the Vocaloid Luka told him about:
Kiku Juon... I hope for my sake that she never finds where I am.
Eventually, Luka made it back to the building where she and her friends lived in, and went directly to Tako Luka.
"Hello mistress! Was your mission successful?" The octopus head cheerfully asked.
"I think so... Anyway, how do my stats read?" Luka muttered.
"You have sixty-five percent energy, mistress! Should I recharge it for you?" Takoluka chirped.
"Yeah... that would be nice." Luka said, holding onto the wound caused by the cleaver.
"Alright, then here we go!~" The little octopus head said, enveloping Luka in a teal-colored aura, healing her and closing up all her injuries.
When it faded, Takoluka went:
"You are now at one-hundred percent capacity! What is your next command, mistress?"
"Nah, I think that's all for today, Tako. I've actually go to meet up with Master Lelus and Attemi right now. They said all the Vocaloids have to come." Luka said, stretching.
"Okay. Then good night, mistress." Takoluka replied, dozing off and going to sleep.
Right after, Luka walked out of the room and went to a command center where Miku and several other people were.
One was a man called Kaito-- he had blue hair, blue eyes and nails, a white coat, brown pants and a blue scarf. Beside him was a woman who went by the name of Meiko, a stunning woman wearing a red vest, short brown hair, a red miniskirt, red eyes, red nails, black detached sleeves, a black belt and brown boots.
There were also two younger twins, both of them called Rin and Len. They both had yellow hair, blue eyes, yellow nails, white and yellow shirts, black pants, sailor collars with yellow markings, black detached sleeves and so on. Individually, Rin wore a white hair ribbon, a yellow chest ribbon as opposed to Len's tie, and Len had spiky hair compared to Rin's composed bangs.
Another man who went by the name Gakupo had purple hair tied into a large ponytail and two bangs, a white coat with trailing sleeves, blue eyes, purple nails, a long white skirt and a blue cybernetic suit under his clothes which covered everything except his face.
Accompanying him was a younger girl named Gumi-- she had wavy green hair, wore goggles with red lens, an orange and cream-colored minidress, a green belt, green eyes and nails, white heeled boots that went up to her knees, a white collar with a red gem and white cuffs. All of them had mechanical earphones, giving the suggestion that they were all Vocaloids.
They were in a large room with many people in it, most of which were working endlessly on computers stuck on floating platforms. There were levitating multi-colored crystals scattered across the place, the walls and floors were a pristine white and black color, and there were stained-glass windows with legendary heroes on them.
There was a musical cleft insignia placed over a crimson rose symbol surrounded by thorns, and it was everywhere - on the ceiling, on the walls and on the floor.
In the middle of the room, there were two people, a man and a woman sitting in opposing thrones directly in front of them.
The man wore an intricately designed black suit, a red cravat, a white cape, wore a white gauntlet on his left arm, black nails on the other, wore boots that go up to his knees, had a small black hat with a red jewel on it and white markings, has a blue eye and a red eye, pods for ears that emitted red beam antennas, and had the symbol of darkness on his gloved hand.
The woman wore a long elaborately-designed black and white dress, had a black choker with a blue crescent moon on it, black eye shadow, a red eye and a blue eye, has a white glove on her left hand that has the symbol of light on it, black nails on the other, a big white waistbow, short white hair, pods for ears that emitted blue beam antennas and white heeled shoes.
"So, anyway; me and Attemi have brought you all here today to discuss something very important to you." The man said.
"What is it, master Lelus?" Miku asked.
"Well, there has been records of several specific places being broken into in the search of objects called Silence Gems. The perpetrators have been confirmed to be Zatsune Miku, Kiku Juon and Aku Yamine, a trio of evildoers infamous in the Crypton Province for their deeds." Lelus replied.
"Wait... how come there's someone named after Miku?" Kaito questioned.
"Hmmm... I believe it has to do with the legend of Rising Star, as all three of them are based off the legendary heroine like our Miku is." Attemi stated.
"But that's beside the point. If any of you are to encounter these three, be careful. They're extremely dangerous. But if there's any good news, it's that I commend Luka and Haku for driving Kiku Juon away." Lelus said.
"Wait... you got to fight one of them? You too?" Meiko said, pointing at Luka and then at Haku, whose head wound was completely gone.
"Yes. Haku was about to get gored by her until I jumped in and helped. That's where things got really easy. However, something caught us off guard and she got the jump on us. Ultimately though, she ran away after we gave her a good beating. But there has been something that's been bugging me the entire time..." Luka muttered.
"What is it, Luka?" Attemi asked.
"Well, it's just... Master Lelus brought up something about Silence Gems, right? Piko said that there was little-to-no records of such a thing in the database." She replied.
"That's because a Silence Gem is an artifact from a time long past. There's only eight of them and they're incredibly powerful, so their powers have kept a secret from normal people for the longest time. As for their purpose, we don't really know, but they've always appeared in the myths as something that can be either terrible or helpful." Attemi said.
"What do they look like?" Len asked.
"There have been many depictions over the ages, but the most accepted is an orb with a musical cleft on it." Lelus answered.
"Hmm... So let me get this straight, Master Lelus and Attemi. These shiny stones could have unlimited potential." Rin proclaimed.
"Well, when you put it like that, yes. Although little is known about the gems, we try to find more info on them each day. As for why the trio wants them, they'll probably use their powers for all the wrong reasons, so here's what I want you all to do-- if we locate an area where a Silence Gem is, we'll send a select few there and you'll have to search for the gem, as retrieving it is absolutely necessary." Lelus said.
"The rest of you will stay behind at the Province in case something happens here. As for the trio, engage them whenever necessary, but also beware the other dangers that could be there waiting for you. Anyway, that's all we have to say. You are all dismissed!" Attemi said, with everyone saluting and leaving afterward.
When everyone went into the hallways, Miku walked up to Luka.
"So, how are you feeling?" Miku asked.
"I'm fine. Tako patched me up, but if there's anything I'm worried about, it's these crystals and the trio. I mean, while Kiku was pathetically easy, I don't think the other two are like that at all. Second, the stones themselves sound like they could be dangerous, considering that there's not even enough information to tell us that." Luka remarked with doubt in her voice.
"Aw, don't worry. These people are the best-- they can find out anything. Plus, can you really say that we're not strong either? Prime example, right over there." Miku said, pointing at Meiko.
"Well... of course not, but I just have this terrible feeling. I can't describe it, but thinking about it just makes me more worried. Anyway, changing the subject - Miku, how is Hachune?" Luka asked.
"Oh, uh.. she's okay, but she's starting to annoy me. Her incompetence is really frustrating me." Miku pouted.
"Look at me, dear. She's trying her hardest, and you can't really blame her since she was built to be cute and clumsy unlike you or even the rest of us. Plus, she's your life insurance in the same way Tako is to me, so don't even think of getting rid of her." Luka said, putting her hand on Miku's shoulder.
"I wasn't going to... But I guess you're right. So, what do you want to do now? And what do you mean, I wasn't built to be cute?" Miku asked.
"I didn't mean it that way, sweetie. And well, I was ready to go home, but if--" Luka replied, but was interrupted by Rin.
"Hey guys! Do you want to come waste time with us at the food court?" She said.
"Sure. It's not like I had anything planned for today, anyway..." Luka said.
"Why not? Hey, Rin, I'll race you there!" Miku replied, going ahead first.
"Hey! You're not going to beat me any time soon!" Rin challenged, catching up to her while Luka just walked to them.
In there, all the other Vocaloids were as well-- Kaito was merrily eating ice cream, Haku and Meiko were drunk together as usual while Dell stayed at a safe distance, Gakupo was standing atop a statue on one foot and trying to meditate but was happily poked and distracted by Gumi.
On a nearby table, there was a girl with long yellow hair who went by the name Lily-- she had blue eyes and nails, an inexplicable black coat with several black and yellow streams across it, a yellow and white skirt, black boots that go up past her knees, a heart-shaped tattoo on her left wrist and Vocaloid earphones. She was polishing two guns with a tender smile on her face.
On another table, there was a rather ill-tempered looking girl with long yellow hair similar to Miku's but in one ponytail, overall the same clothing except in shades of yellow, pants and was texting wildly on a cell phone.
"Ah man... You got me, Rin." Miku said.
"And that should be a reminder to you why I'm called the Lady of Lightning. But anyway, how about we go get something to eat?" Rin asked.
"Yeah! Let's go get ice cream!" Miku yelled.
"Last one to the stand has to pay for both of ours!" Rin teased, running over.
"Oh, not this again. Come on! I'll get you this time!" Miku stated, trying to catch up.
On the other side of the room however, Luka looked up at the skylight after looking at everyone else's antics. Thoughts began to race through her head, topped off with a troubled look on her face:
"... Hmm... I can't think of a better life than this, really. We're healthy and happy, strong and independent... We live among friends... But I don't know. With the presence of that Kiku girl, something feels off. Fear's eating at my gut and I don't know why. I would just shake it off, but it seems like the kind of thing we shouldn't ignore. Just what does the future hold?"
Before stressing herself out entirely, she looked again at her sister and Rin, only to smile warmly.
"... But hey. As long as they're around, the future doesn't scare me any." Luka remarked, feeling relieved.
... Meanwhile, at another location...
There were three people standing in front of a monitor in the middle of a dark room, watching the Vocaloids do their activities. One was a tan-skinned girl wearing an gothic lolita dress, white hair tied into twintails and had an umbrella in her hands. There was also a familiar red Vocaloid and a girl wearing black and red clothes similar to those worn by Miku, except with a scarf and multiple small differences.
"Look at them. This is ridiculous! Why can't we kill them already!?" One of them shouted angrily, stomping their foot.
"Patience... Kiku. I'm sure we'll get them... eventually..." Another replied, in a soft voice.
"But how do you suggest we'll go about that? Did you see how badly injured I was when you stepped in, Yamine?!" The red-haired Vocaloid shouted back.
"Yes, but..." Aku Yamine said, sighing angrily.
"Both of you be quiet. They're going to start collecting the gems like us, so our course of action is to summon as much opposition as possible and create as much hell as possible. Don't let a single gem fall into their possession, understand?" The third person commanded.
"Yes, mistress Zatsune." Both of them bowed.
"Alright, then go. I have some important guests to attend with." Zatsune said, with the two of them leaving.
In the darkness, two blue eyes and a sharp smile glowed in the dark, accompanied by green eyes and the self-luminescient shine off a glowing scythe blade.
Zatsune turned to face these two beings and offered them a proposition:
"So, you've come to help me, I suppose? Good. Shining Advent and their little pawns will come to an end soon enough... If I have your cooperation of course." She stated, grinning evilly.
Legend of The Rising Star - Intro by XerizeroRe9010Watch
©2012-2017 XerizeroRe9010
And I show off my newly-reborn love for Vocaloids!
God, I'm going to have such an awesome time writing these-- I got tired of just Starlit Heroics after such a long time.
Plus, I kind of wanted to experiment here with putting characters we know and love into the sort of a scenario a madman would make up, toying around with their ideas and stuff like that. Not only that, as you can tell, I'm in a Zelda mood, and that's why I put so many legends in the story.
Most importantly:
There's going to be the cameo of a person that shoots black rocks. I'll leave it to you to realize who they are.
Miku Hatsune, the Vocaloids, Crypton, whatever @ To their respective owners
Starlit Heroics and original characters @
Poster and original picture used are @ to , who has given me permission to use and modify it for this purpose.
--- Characters introduced & Levels (from Lv. 1 to 9999) ---
This is something that goes with every entry into the story.
Miku (Vocaloid) - Lv. 200
Luka (Vocaloid) - Lv. 340
Kaito (Vocaloid) - Lv. 300
Meiko (Vocaloid) - Lv. 400
Gakupo (Vocaloid) - Lv. 350
Gumi (Vocaloid) - Lv. 250
Rin & Len (Vocaloid) - Lv. 200
Piko (Vocaloid) - Lv. 200
Dell (Vocaloid) - Lv. 120
Neru (Vocaloid) - Lv. 300
Haku (Vocaloid) - Lv. 250
Lelus (Original generation) - Lv. 1300
Attemi (Original generation) - Lv. 1250
Zatsune (Vocaloid) - Lv. 1500
Yamine (Vocaloid) - Lv. 900
Kiku Juon (Vocaloid) - Lv. 200
God, I'm going to have such an awesome time writing these-- I got tired of just Starlit Heroics after such a long time.
Plus, I kind of wanted to experiment here with putting characters we know and love into the sort of a scenario a madman would make up, toying around with their ideas and stuff like that. Not only that, as you can tell, I'm in a Zelda mood, and that's why I put so many legends in the story.
Most importantly:
There's going to be the cameo of a person that shoots black rocks. I'll leave it to you to realize who they are.
Miku Hatsune, the Vocaloids, Crypton, whatever @ To their respective owners
Starlit Heroics and original characters @
Poster and original picture used are @ to , who has given me permission to use and modify it for this purpose.
--- Characters introduced & Levels (from Lv. 1 to 9999) ---
This is something that goes with every entry into the story.
Miku (Vocaloid) - Lv. 200
Luka (Vocaloid) - Lv. 340
Kaito (Vocaloid) - Lv. 300
Meiko (Vocaloid) - Lv. 400
Gakupo (Vocaloid) - Lv. 350
Gumi (Vocaloid) - Lv. 250
Rin & Len (Vocaloid) - Lv. 200
Piko (Vocaloid) - Lv. 200
Dell (Vocaloid) - Lv. 120
Neru (Vocaloid) - Lv. 300
Haku (Vocaloid) - Lv. 250
Lelus (Original generation) - Lv. 1300
Attemi (Original generation) - Lv. 1250
Zatsune (Vocaloid) - Lv. 1500
Yamine (Vocaloid) - Lv. 900
Kiku Juon (Vocaloid) - Lv. 200
I love this! XD Can't wait for more. You don't have to do this, but because Galaco's vociebank's getting deleted, can you put her like a traitor or something? Just a thought.
Uh, I dunno... I was originally going to put Galaco in the story in the first place, but something didn't really seem to mesh well when I did so. Plus, we got plenty of traitors 'round these parts as it is.
BRS on the other hand is as loyal as loyal can be. Plus, look at her stats on the next chapter - holy cow
Lots of little things you could fix to improve the reading experience.
First, "There tells of an ancient lore about human machines..." is confusing to read. I suggest either "Legends tell of human machines called 'Vocaloids'..." or "For many years, there have been tales about human machines..."
Second, you neglect to specify what, exactly, they're combined with along with the hyper-advanced AI in the second paragraph. Try "They are combinations of hyper-advanced artificial intelligence and the human ability to feel and create emotion, destined to fight for justice..."
Also, you should make it clear from the beginning that there's only one "star of the Vocaloids," and that she's female. Reading what you have now makes it seem like Miku is either two people or has the same problem the Ventriloquist from Batman does. (On that note, which name order are you using, Western or Eastern?)
Miku's line to Luka about Meiko seems cumbersome. Try this: "I have to work on that music video with everyone else, and Meiko's gonna kill me if I'm late again!"
Finally, the line "After a while of getting to her destination" should be more like "Her destination was a mansion with a group of human police and two other Vocaloids in front of it. She brought the motorcycle to a stop..."
Believe me, I'm saying all this because I want to help you. This reads a bit like the script for a comic, have you considered drawing it out?
First, "There tells of an ancient lore about human machines..." is confusing to read. I suggest either "Legends tell of human machines called 'Vocaloids'..." or "For many years, there have been tales about human machines..."
Second, you neglect to specify what, exactly, they're combined with along with the hyper-advanced AI in the second paragraph. Try "They are combinations of hyper-advanced artificial intelligence and the human ability to feel and create emotion, destined to fight for justice..."
Also, you should make it clear from the beginning that there's only one "star of the Vocaloids," and that she's female. Reading what you have now makes it seem like Miku is either two people or has the same problem the Ventriloquist from Batman does. (On that note, which name order are you using, Western or Eastern?)
Miku's line to Luka about Meiko seems cumbersome. Try this: "I have to work on that music video with everyone else, and Meiko's gonna kill me if I'm late again!"
Finally, the line "After a while of getting to her destination" should be more like "Her destination was a mansion with a group of human police and two other Vocaloids in front of it. She brought the motorcycle to a stop..."
Believe me, I'm saying all this because I want to help you. This reads a bit like the script for a comic, have you considered drawing it out?
Any major complaints?
But thanks a lot, anyway. I'm actually fixing these as I write this reply. :3
But... the third one is kind of confusing. Where did you get that assumption?
But thanks a lot, anyway. I'm actually fixing these as I write this reply. :3
But... the third one is kind of confusing. Where did you get that assumption?
No, no major issues. It just seems weird reading about a singular character when the author's using the plural pronoun. That's just me.
Well, that was probably just because I wanted to slightly build up who Miku was. But then I realized that wouldn't work.
Anyway, thanks for the critique, I actually used it and fixed it into the story. By the way, what do you think about this?
Anyway, thanks for the critique, I actually used it and fixed it into the story. By the way, what do you think about this?
I've always thought of Miku as the Heroine...never sure why until I read this and I'm not sure why I haven't read this until now.
Excellent work as always!
Excellent work as always!
i could kill myself with happiness YOU USED PIKO. i would hug him and then most likely get shot by the military for suffocating him BUT WHO CARES. my shota boy. MINE
I had no idea you were a MikuxLuka fan.
I always wondered what a action view of the vocaloids would be like and I find this story quiet enjoyable but are these all the vocaloids your using?
Well, that depends--
Two are my own characters (Lelus and Attemi) and all the others are actual or fan-canon Vocaloids.
If you want I should include more, then...
Two are my own characters (Lelus and Attemi) and all the others are actual or fan-canon Vocaloids.
If you want I should include more, then...
yeah I noticed I know a lot about vocaloids
I really don't mind it's just I like some of the lesser popular vocaloids who don't get as many fan-fictions as the more popular ones...You know you could(Should) just ignore my blabbering
I really don't mind it's just I like some of the lesser popular vocaloids who don't get as many fan-fictions as the more popular ones...You know you could(Should) just ignore my blabbering
Well, remember that, even though the story is mostly about the Vocaloids, there's also going to be other characters involved. For example, Black★Rock Shooter and Dead Master is going to appear.
So, as a whole, this story gives me a chance to experiment with all these different characters and give them actual personality.
So, as a whole, this story gives me a chance to experiment with all these different characters and give them actual personality.
Yes I know I really shouldn't of opened my mouth and just enjoyed the story,I always just say the wrong thing


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Community Papers
Nelson participating in One Billion Rising
As One Billion Rising hits Nelson this week, the first event was held Saturday. A day of dance workshops at Self-Design High included preparation for a flash mob scheduled for 3:45 p.m. on Valentine's Day at the mall.
The West Kootenay Women's Association is calling on Nelson to join in a global dance revolution being held on Valentine's Day. To raise awareness about the fact that one in three women will be raped or beaten in their lifetime, the One Billion Rising movement was started.
After holding a successful dance workshop on Saturday at the Self-Design High, many are prepared for a flash-mob dance planned for February 14 at 3:45 at Chahko Mika Mall. The dancing will continue later in the evening at The Royal.
With women and dance the theme, a Valentine's Day evening event held at The Royal from 5 to 8 p.m. will include music, performances, spoken word and lots of dancing.
All proceeds go to the Women's Centre. For more info or to get involved please message via Facebook or email firstname.lastname@example.com.
We encourage an open exchange of ideas on this story's topic, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. Personal attacks, inappropriate language, and off-topic comments may be removed, and comment privileges revoked, per our Terms of Use. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.


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While Josh is enjoying a bowling game with a guy pal, his female friends are seen debating over the odd definition of 'Stalker'.
Josh Hutcherson's new movie, "Detention", has unleashed a brand new clip. In the fresh snippet, the Peeta Mellark of "The Hunger Games" is seen enjoying a bowling game with a guy pal. While his friend misses all the pins, Josh strikes them all effortlessly.
In the meantime, Spencer Locke and Shanley Caswell are featured discussing some hot actors and movies in the 90s. The two girls end up debating over the definition of "Stalker", which is explained as "Someone who is not hot enough to be seen with you. Duh."
"Detention" follows local students of Grizzly Lake who must survive their final year of high school. Standing in their way is a slasher movie killer who has seemingly come to life. It becomes a race against time to stop the killer and save the world - if only they can get out of detention.
The teen horror-comedy movie is directed by Joseph Kahn, who also pens the script along with Mark Palermo. The film, which will be released in limited U.S. theaters on April 13, is also supported by Dane Cook, Allison Paige, Aaron David Johnson and Walter Perez.


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Heidi Montag to Wed Spencer Pratt on Idiot Box
And some people claim that gay weddings are destroying the sanctity of marriage.
Hills villainess Heidi Montag is asserting that she and her Svengali/beau Spencer Pratt plan to get married on live TV.
"I'm just waiting for that big ring," Montag explained during an interview with Extra.
Earlier reports indicated that the couple were leaning on MTV honcho Tony DiSanto to air the nuptials on the former music channel. Plans included a small ceremony in the British Virgin Islands, with catering by Wolfgang Puck and U2 as the live band.
Perhaps the messiah-complex sufferer and her gun-fetishist puppet-master will combine their wedding plans with their upcoming trip to Iraq. The two of them saying , "I do" amid a backdrop of sensless destruction seems somehow appropriate.


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The journey so far
We started our journey in the UK on the 5th March 2009. Exhausted from all the preparations, we were uniquely unfit, had done no training at all (in Bex's case, no exercise since about 2002) and had never sat on our new bikes before. The start of a 24,000-kilometre expedition through 30-odd African countries? No, the first day was just a terrifying struggle to cycle the 37 kilometres from Steyning to Bognor Regis. We made it, and the next day we made it to Portsmouth and onto the ferry, and the day after that we woke up in France. We still suspect those first two days will be among the hardest of this trip (we may have to lie and say things like "Sahara" instead of "Bognor" if we're ever asked).France. Fine food, good roads, plush camp sites and generous tailwinds helped us amble along happily and very slowly (I'm sure the two states are related) through Brittany and down the Atlantic coast and across southern France to the Mediterranean, carefully avoiding mountains all the way. Gradually our bodies remembered how to turn the pedals in perpetual small circles and our minds adjusted to the demands and pleasures of being back in the saddle. We left France carrying about 14 kilos less (body) weight than we started with, and with only one baguette-related injury. The ferry from Sete (France) to Tangier (Morocco) was where, in our minds, the journey – and certainly the sound recording side of it – really began. Tangier greeted us with a sensory feast of noise, colour, smell and capricious traffic: we were in Africa! We pedalled into a Morocco that seems to be changing fast, leading to the intertwining of tradition and modernity in hundreds of small and often improbable ways. From Tangier to Agadir we cycled exactly one thousand kilometres, following the coastal road over the edge of the unavoidable and very beautiful Atlas mountains, which separate the populous side of Morocco from the desert. The landscape grew more arid and more stunning by the day, and the people and weather both got warmer. From Agadir, we pedalled south, into the Sahara. Western Sahara welcomed us with dust storms and drizzle, boulders and fossils, lunar landscapes and more stars than either of us had seen in a long time. In Laayoune, the capital, we accidentally took three weeks off, gatecrashed a wedding and started to understand the strange undercurrents in this Moroccan-occupied, UN-observed territory, whose people want self-determination (and whose phosphates Morocco wants). From there, we crossed the Tropic of Cancer and cycled towards the Mauritanian border, through a desert marked with land mine warnings. Into Mauritania's northernmost outpost, the peninsula city of Nouadhibou which, after the desert, seemed alive with music, chaos and colour: we'd arrived in West Africa! We accidentally took another two weeks off, lazing, pottering, meeting people, searching for Mediterranean monk seals and cooking camel bolognaise.
From Nouadhibou, we took an overnight ride in the iron ore carriage of the world's longest train, from the coast to Mauritania's interior. The bikes were trashed by the train ride and we were floored by the 50-degree plus heat so, after one day's cycling to the shady bliss of an oasis, we admitted defeat and hitch hiked to to Mauritania's capital, Nouakchott – a vast city, haphazardly invented 50-odd years ago. South of Nouakchott, we cycled into the Sahel, with its stumpy trees, grass-blanketed dunes, scorpions and longhorn cattle, towards the Senegal border.We crossed the Senegal River into Senegal and sub-Saharan Africa, narrowly avoiding being pickpocketed three times in 200 metres, and pedalling away from the border crossing faster than we'd cycled for quite some time. After a month's holiday from the bikes in St Louis, Mbodiene, Dakar and the Bandia Reserve, we eventually meandered through northern Senegal's rainy season, with bright green peanut and millet fields, with its birds, butterflies, frogs and, of course, mosquitoes all seeming very alive after the Sahara's silence.
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■ nutritional composition particle in energy. 1.8 kcal protein. 0.1 g lipids. 0.12 g carbohydrates. 0.07 g sodium. 0.4 mg ■ standard components 4 tablets in Ginkgo biloba extract 140 mg, DHA240mg -1 guideline amount... 4 grain
This product cannot be shipped to United States from the store.
Please contact the store for further information.


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FIFTEEN schools in Gwent are to be part of a Welsh Government programme to boost standards.
The £20 million programme targets schools that are underperforming and where it is believed they could be doing better, and could improve quickly.
Each school will get a package of support that will be individually tailored under the Pathways to Success Schools scheme.
Some 40 secondary school from across Wales are taking part, selected using a range of different criteria including free school meal eligibility and exam results.
Advisors with expertise in the field of education will help to implement the programme from September onwards.
Gwent's schools are:
In Blaenau Gwent: Abertillery Comprehensive, Ebbw Fawr Learning Community, Tredegar Comprehensive School
In Caerphilly: Bedwas High School, Blackwood Comprehensive School, Heolddu Comprehensive School, St Cenydd School, St Martin's School
In Newport: Llanwern High School, Lliswerry High School, St Julian's School
In Torfaen: Abersychan Comprehensive, Fairwater High School, Llantarnam School, West Monmouth School
The plan will also work with each school's feeder primaries.
Huw Lewis, Welsh education minister, launching the scheme, said: "I've made no secret of my desire for a relentless focus on improving the quality of teaching and learning here in Wales.
"These schools have been chosen as we believe they have the potential to make swift and lasting improvements which will benefit learners in the short term and long into the future."
The scheme is all part of Schools Challenge Cymru, the Welsh Government's improvement programme for schools operating in "challenging circumstances".
Similar programmes have been seen in London and Manchester.
It's appointed champion is Professor Mel Ainscow, who was chief advisor to the Greater Manchester Challenge between 2007 and 2011.


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Welcome to the Cisco Support Community Ask the Expert conversation. This is an opportunity to learn how to setup and troubleshoot Web Cache Communication Protocol Version (WCCP) redirection to Cisco Wide Areas Application Services (WAAS) devices with Cisco Expert Nicolas Fournier. Nicolas has worked in the Cisco Technical Assistance Center for six years where he is responsible for supporting full-time content technologies and focuses in the areas of Cisco Wide Area Application Services (WAAS) and TCP acceleration. He is a graduate of the Universite catholique de Louvain and holds CCIE #19944 Security certification.
Remember to use the rating system to let Nicolas know if you have received an adequate response.
Nicolas might not be able to answer each question due to the volume expected during this event. Remember that you can continue the conversation on the shortly after the event. This event lasts through July 1st, 2011. Visit this forum often to view responses to your questions and the questions of other community members.
You must be a registered user to add a comment. If you've already registered, sign in. Otherwise, register and sign in.


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$16.00 donated in past month
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Indybay FeatureRelated Categories: Central Valley | Global Justice and Anti-Capitalism | Government & Elections | Police State and Prisons
RNC & DNC report Back
Come hear Fresno Activists share their stories from the Protests outside the RNC & DNC
Download PDF (337.6kb)
Rancor Activists attended both the RNC & DNC protests. Come hear their stories and view their photos and videos of the Protests and Police Riot.
Comments (Hide Comments)
Friday Sep 12th, 2008 6:55 PM
Vandalism against a police state - so sad.
Boo hoo.


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Redding, CT (PRWEB) February 2, 2011
The faculty for Search Marketing Expo – SMX West features more than 100 of the world's leading authorities on search engine optimization (SEO), paid search advertising (PPC), social media marketing and other internet marketing topics.
SMX West will take place March 8-10 at the San Jose Convention Center in San Jose, CA.
The roster of speakers includes representatives from search engines, brand marketers, internet marketing agencies and leading solutions providers to internet marketers. The complete list of speakers is available at http://searchmarketingexpo.com/west/2011/speakers.
The three-day SMX West conference offers 60 sessions and keynotes for internet marketers of all skill levels. See the complete agenda at http://searchmarketingexpo.com/west/agenda
Rates Increase February 5
Registration from now through February 5 is priced at $1345 for a three-day All Access pass. One day All Access, Workshop, Networking and free Expo+ passes are also available.
Register online for SMX West at http://searchmarketingexpo.com/west/register or by calling (877) 242-5242.
About Search Marketing Expo – SMX West and Third Door Media
SMX West features sessions just for you, whether you are just starting out in search or looking for advanced tactics, work on an in-house SEM team, hail from an agency or own your own business.
Attend SMX West for:
- Exceptional content so compelling, you'll want to implement what you've learned before leaving the conference. Super-charged sessions on PPC, SEO, local search, search friendly design and social media marketing will help you succeed today, tomorrow and in the future.
- Invaluable connections made possible by the ultimate mix of structured networking opportunities and social events. SMX makes it easy to make new contacts and exchange ideas with industry thought leaders and colleagues.
- Essential conveniences to help you juggle your every-day responsibilities while maximizing your conference time: always-available and free Wi-Fi; hot lunches, snacks and beverages all day; access to all presentations and tools to plan your custom itinerary.
SMX: The Search Marketing Expo conference series is produced by Third Door Media, Inc. Third Door Media's mission is to empower internet and search marketing professionals by providing trusted content and community services they need to be successful. Search Marketing Expo conferences are held around the world and include: SMX West (San Jose, CA), SMX East (New York City), SMX Advanced (Seattle, WA and London, England), SMX Munich, SMX Sydney, SMX Melbourne, SMX Toronto, SMX Paris and SMX Stockholm.
Third Door Media publishes Search Engine Land, the leading search marketing news and analysis site. The company also produces Search Marketing Now, a lead-generation marketing solution for suppliers of SEM-related products and services, and operates Sphinn.com, a social news site that allows search and internet marketers to share news stories, participate in subject-specific discussion forums, and build their professional networks.


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Home > Groceries > Babies & children > Baby food > Baby Food 6+ months > Ella's Kitchen Organic 4+ Months Banana & Apricot Baby Rice (120g)
Ella's Kitchen Organic 4+ Months Banana & Apricot Baby Rice (120g)
Dietary Summary:
Dietary Summary:
100% organic bananas, apricots and baby rice with nothing else added, not even water.
In Stock
£3.95 Standard UK Delivery / Free Over £50 / Next Day Delivery Available
This item is available to collect from store for free.
Product description
A different and healthy kind of baby food, containing only 100% organic fruit and veg, with nothing to dilute the goodness, not even water. Handy to use at home or out and about and best of all babies think it tastes great.
Product info


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Corporate day retreats events
Venue South Coast
An event to remember Intimate social celebrations with class and distinction that make real impact.
Less than an hour's drive from the Sydney CBD and 20 minutes North of Wollongong: an inspirational destination perfect for day work shops, meetings conferences and celebrations.
Overlooking the rain forest and ocean the modern function / meeting room is a perfect place for your delegates to be inspired.
Wireless internet is provided.
Day rate minimum 10 maximum 100 delegates rates from $125 per delegate and includes venue for board / function room. ( minimum numbers do not apply if the accommodation is booked )
Includes all day tea, coffee, mineral water, orange juice & mints.
Morning Tea
- Selection pastries / muffins
- Blueberry and lemon
- Orange and poppy seed
- Healthy morning glory ( All bran with carrot, apple, nuts and cranberry)
- Gourmet selection of open and closed sandwiches,
- Chefs selection savoury quiches
- Spinach, tomato and feta
- Ham, cheddar cheese and herb
- Smoked salmon and caramelized onion
- Seasonal fruit skewer with passion fruit coulis
Afternoon tea
- Selection of freshly baked biscuits
- Seasonal fruit platter


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Separate names with a comma.
Discussion in 'MacBytes.com News Discussion' started by MacBytes, Aug 4, 2005.
Category: Tunes
Link: iTunes USA Offers Japanese Inventory
Posted on MacBytes.com
Approved by Mudbug
I have to say... that's just as awesome as getting the Final Fantasy Music on the iTunes Music store...
edit: hmmm... now that I''ve taken a second look at what's being said here, it's a more of an obvious point... if only they sold the songs on the U.S store...
Some of that stuff was there before the iTMS Japan was launched...but WOW! It'd be nice to be able to purchase it.
And still without my favorite artist...apparently in both the US and Japan. *sigh*
Yep, I posted the Final Fantasy news story and this one.


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MICHAEL SCHUMACHER powered his way to pole position for tomorrow's Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.
The world champion was in dominant form during qualifying on the Circuit de Catalunya, claiming his fourth pole in five races this season and the 36th of his career.
McLaren's Mika Hakkinen, who has won the race for the past three years, produced a late flying lap to get within 0.085 seconds of the German, putting himself in second spot.
Scotland's David Coulthard, who jointly leads the championship with the Ferrari driver, had to settle for third just over 0.4secs off the pace set by Schumacher.
Coulthard is the only other man to take top spot this season, when he started from pole two weeks ago at Imola.
Brazil's Rubens Barrichello was fourth fastest in the other Ferrari.
Ralf Schumacher, winner of the last race in San Marino two weeks ago, maintained his perfect qualifying record over fellow Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya with fifth spot.
Montoya finished back in 12th place while Jordan's Jarno Trulli was sixth fastest.
Eddie Irvine was 13th for Jaguar Racing while Jenson Button, racing despite a shoulder injury, finished in 21st for Benetton for the second qualifying session in a row.
Schumacher never looked like losing out on pole after toppling Coulthard from the top of the timesheets with his first qualifying run midway through the hour-long session.
The 32-year-old went quicker next time out and will now start favourite to claim his third victory of the season after missing out in the last two races.


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By Kevin Binversie
So with Wisconsin's historic gubernatorial recall now in the past, let's take a look at the Wisconsin political landscape. Who are the winners? Who are the losers?
Gov. Scott Walker. Forced to stare into the abyss of political hell, he survived — or, rather, thrived and brought in more votes than in 2010. He looks all but certain to win re-election in 2014.
RNC Chairman Reince Priebus. If there was an ace up Walker's sleeve, it was the former Republican Party of Wisconsin chairman who now heads the Republican National Committee with all of its resources at his disposal. The unassuming lawyer from Kenosha with the funny name went all-in for his long-time friend, and the investment paid back in spades.
The Republican Party. Does this mean Wisconsin is now in play for November — that the state is no longer a Democratic certainty for President Barack Obama? That may well be the case. The Republican Party is already integrating Walker's win into its presidential election plan. Meanwhile, the National Republican Senatorial Committee has wasted no time in using Tuesday night's results in the fight for Wisconsin's open U.S. Senate seat.
Voter turnout. This is what democracy looks like — people voting in elections, in some places in bigger numbers than in 2010.
Wisconsin's business climate. With the uncertainty surrounding the governor's mansion finally over, business finally has a clear sense of the state's regulation and tax policies.
Labor. As the old adage goes, "When you aim at the king, you better not miss." Millions of dollars spent, political energy squandered, and a platinum-plated Cadillac-level voter-turnout program ended up producing naught.
The recall had its origins in the controversy over collective-bargaining reform. But that quickly took a back seat to political pragmatism (most voters don't have a dog in that fight) and the primary loss of organized labor's preferred candidate (former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk). Enter the "more electable" Tom Barrett. What happens next to Wisconsin's public-sector employee unions after Act 10 will be the subject of analysis for years.
Wisconsin Democrats. Their public spin will be that they won — that they succeeded in taking control of the state Senate. But few political watchers see John Lehman's victory over Van Wangaard as much of a long-term takeover for Democrats. With new legislative elections in November — in newly redrawn and more GOP-friendly districts — it's more like a rental agreement. That might be the only good news for the Democrats. The future looks worse from there. The party has almost no recognizable bench of candidates for the 2014 gubernatorial race, and its legislative ranks are full of characters happier as bomb throwers than leaders. Does someone step up in the next two year? Or does the party cater to its militant wing and engage in an ideological purge of legislators who dare to try to compromise with Walker?
It could be a long, cold weekend in Appleton starting Friday as state Democrats gather for their annual convention and look toward November and consider the self-inflicted damage of the past 16 months.
Recalls for recall's Sake. If anything is certain in the future of Wisconsin, it is that change will be coming to the recall system. State Rep. Robin Vos, R-Caledonia, has all but assured his plan to "recall the recalls" will be on the next legislative calendar.
Civility. Booing during Barrett's concession speech as he's congratulating Walker on his victory. The random lady slapping him moments afterwards. Death threats against Walker. The potential for Walker supporters to gloat in victory. All of these are danger signs in the road to healing. If this was "Wisconsin's Civil War," then the Reconstruction period has begun. Grownups don't only have to start showing up; they have to be heard. Is that likely? Not if one side is seemingly hell-bent on not just ensuring Gov. Walker fails, but that he is destroyed on every level imaginable. Wisconsin moves forward through the actions of adults, not petulant children.
Veteran political blogger Kevin Binversie is a Wisconsin native. He served in the George W. Bush administration from 2007-2009, worked at the Heritage Foundation and has worked on numerous state Republican campaigns, most recently as research director for Ron Johnson for Senate. Contact him at [email protected].


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On Wednesday, March 12, at 4:30pm, in Classics 110, The Society of Fellows Workshop will host David Egan (Chicago, Society of Fellows) who will present his paper, "Rehabilitating Austin". Wittgenstein Workshop members are welcome to attend.
David has asked to share the following:
Dear all,Thanks for taking the time to read this, and apologies that it's slightly on the long side. This paper is an attempt to extract something for journal publication from my doctoral thesis on ordinary language philosophy. Besides the normal questions (like "is it any good?") I'd be interested in any thoughts about structure. As it stands, it's a bit too long for journal submission. I'm tempted to cut section 4 and then add a bit more to section 3 that engages more recent work on the semantic/pragmatic distinction. But I'd be interested if you thought the discussion of Searle and the discussion of Grice really ought to stay together.Speaking of cuts, if you're pressed for time, section 4 is probably the most skippable.Thanks!David