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Henrik Brumm
Institute of Biology, Department of Behavioural Biology, Free University of Berlin, Haderslebener Str. 9, 12163 Berlin, Germany
Vocal amplitude, one of the crucial factors for the exchange of acoustic signals, has been neglected in studies of animal communication, but recent studies on song variation in Common Nightingales Luscinia megarhynchos have revealed new insights into its importance in the singing behavior of territorial birds. In nightingales song amplitude is not maximized per se, but is individually regulated according to the level of masking background noise. Also, birds adjust their vocal intensity according to social variables, as in male-male interactions. Moreover, during such interactions, males exploited the directionality of their songs to broadcast them in the direction of the intended receivers ensuring the most effective signal transmission. Studies of the development of this typical long-range signaling suggest that sound level is highly interrelated with overall developmental progression and learning, and thus should be viewed as an integral part of song ontogeny. I conclude that song amplitude is a dynamic feature of the avian signal system, which is individually regulated according to the ecological demands of signal transmission and the social context of communication.
Key words: acoustic communication, birdsong, Lombard effect, background noise, song development, vocal amplitude.
An. Acad. Bras. Ciênc. vol.76 no.2 Rio de Janeiro June 2004. Open Access Article.
The key properties of acoustic signals are frequency, duration, and amplitude. The frequency and temporal characteristics of animal vocalizations have been well studied in a variety of taxa, but much less is known about the role of vocal amplitude (Bradbury and Vehrencamp 1998). This is surprising, since the amplitude of an acoustic signal is a key factor for the exchange of information, determining the broadcast area, or active space, of the signal (Marten and Marler 1977). However, it is important to be clear that the communication range is not only determined by the absolute signal amplitude. The level and spectral characteristics of background noise also contribute considerably to the transmission distance, because detection and recognition of signals substantially depend on the signal-to-noise ratio (Klump 1996).
In addition, the intensity of animal vocalizations can also encode information that is used by a receiver for decisions relevant to sexual selection. For instance, the sound level of male vocalizations and stridulations affects female mating preferences in several anuran and insect species (review in Gerhardt and Huber 2002), as well as in Red-winged Blackbirds Agelaius phoeniceus (Searcy 1996). In addition to mate choice, another mechanism of sexual selection is male-male competition. Vocal amplitude can also be important to repel rival males, as it has been shown for anurans. In birds, similar evidence has been obtained for Eurasian Blackbirds Turdus merula. The strength of territorial male responses increased with increasing song amplitude of simulated rival males, suggesting that the intensity of territorial songs is used by receiving males to regulate distance (Dabelsteen 1981, Todt 1981).
Despite its significance, the use and regulation of vocal amplitude has been neglected. This is partly due to methodological difficulties and, in the sphere of birdsong, to the fallacy that the amplitude of territorial songs is a trait that does not vary much.
To help filling this gap, my co-workers and I examined whether and how a territorial songbird, the Common Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos (hereafter called nightingale), is able to adjust the intensity of its song. Nightingales have a discontinuous singing style and individual song repertoires can comprise about 200 song types (Hultsch and Todt 1982). There has been extensive research on song development and learning (review in Todt and Hultsch 1996), and the use of songs in male-male interactions (review in Todt and Naguib 2000) in this species.
I have shown that males did not simply maximize the sound pressure levels of their territorial songs. Instead the issue of vocal intensity in territorial songbirds proved to be more complicated than previously supposed. The amplitude of nightingale songs appeared to be individually adjusted according to a variety of factors, especially in relation to the actual environment of the bird and the memory of the songster (Fig. 1). With regards to environmental, or ''Umwelt'', factors, the level and spectral characteristics of background noise and the social context of singing appear to affect the amplitude of songs. Our results indicate a noise-dependent regulation of vocal amplitude (Brumm and Todt 2002, Brumm 2004) and an increase in song intensity during male-male vocal interactions (Brumm and Todt 2004). Additionally, during vocal development, the intensity of songs was related to memory and learning. Embedded in an age-dependent increase in overall sound level, imitations of acquired model songs were produced with a higher amplitude than the remaining vocal patterns that could not be identified as imitations (Brumm and Hultsch 2001). This plasticity in signal amplitude was based on active variation of vocal sound levels. Directional sound radiation of songs due to sound shadow effects of the birds' head and body also leads to vocal amplitude variations (Brumm 2002). In contrast to active adjustments of song level, this variation in song intensity is merely related to the position of the receiver in relation to the sound source, the singing bird. The directional sound radiation pattern of songs turned out to affect behavior. Territorial males changed their singing direction more often and showed more lateral head movements within songs during solo singing than during vocal interactions with a simulated rival. These results suggest that nightingales either counteract or exploit the directionality of their songs depending on the perceived position of intended receivers (Brumm and Todt 2003).
In the following, I will discuss song amplitude in relation to vocal interactions in birds, ecological and physiological limitations of singing loudly, and the mechanisms of song production.
Nightingales produce their territorial songs with relatively low amplitudes during solo performance. As environmental noise levels vary they compensate for interference from background noise by adjusting the amplitude of their vocalizations (Brumm and Todt 2002). This mechanism of vocal amplitude regulation (aka the 'Lombard effect') has also been shown for non-territorial songbirds (Cynx et al. 1998, Kobayasi and Okanoya 2003), non-songbirds (Potash 1972, Manabe et al. 1998, Pytte et al. 2003) and primates (Lombard 1911, Sinnott et al. 1975, Brumm et al. 2004). The Lombard effect enables vocalizing animals to actively maintain the broadcast area, or active space, of their vocalizations by increasing vocal amplitude in response to an increase in the background noise level. In their natural habitats, animals that use sound to communicate have to face a variety of noises, such as abiotic noise, e.g. wind, rain or flowing water, or biotic noise, i.e. interfering sound produced by other animals. Different types of masking sounds affect the regulation of song amplitude, e.g. the sounds from heterospecific birdsong (Brumm and Todt 2004) or man-made sounds, such as traffic noise in urban habitats (Brumm 2004).
Song amplitude can also change with changes in the social context of singing (Brumm and Todt 2004). During vocal interactions with a simulated rival male, nightingales increased the sound level of their songs by more than 5 dB. This augmentation of song level cannot be completely explained by the masking effect of the rival songs, because males increased their vocal intensities to a significantly lesser degree during control experiment with heterospecific songs. By increasing vocal amplitude the birds extend the active space of their songs, helping to broadcast their songs more effectively when interacting with a rival male. In the context of signal transmission, the findings from the ontogenetic analysis of vocal amplitude in nightingales are also of interest. We found that the precursors of sound patterns destined for adult communication were produced with higher amplitudes than those vocalizations that could not be identified as imitations and thus were related to a more or less unspecified singing activity (Brumm and Hultsch 2001).
Additionally, vocal amplitude may also serve as a signal itself, as it has been shown for other song characteristics, such as repertoire size, song rate, timing of singing, and counter-singing patterns (review in Gil and Gahr 2002). More specifically, the sound level a male produces during interactions might well be related to phenotypic or genotypic quality (e.g. body size, age, muscular strength, nutritional state) or motivational states such as the willingness to escalate the interaction. Here, possible addressees may be not only the rival male, but also other males or females. These additional receivers can gather information from the dyadic information exchange between the territorial disputants and use this information for individual decisions on future actions, as has been shown for both third party male rivals (e.g. Naguib and Todt 1997, Peake et al. 2001), and females (e.g. Otter et al. 1999, Mennill et al. 2002). In turn, these decisions can affect sexual selection of songs, in terms of female choice or male-male competition. However, the nightingale studies place more emphasis on the significance to the countersinging rival male than to potential third party receivers, since the nightingales use the orientation of their bodies to direct their songs to the male rival (Brumm and Todt 2003).
The finding that nightingales sang with lower vocal amplitude during solo performance and with increased song levels during interactions points to potential costs of singing loudly. This thought seems plausible, because if the production of loud songs was not subject to some costs or constraints, one should expect that birds would always sing with high amplitudes to defend territories and attract distant females.
It has been suspected that several factors may limit the production of loud songs in birds, including energy expenditure, social aggression and predation (review in Gil and Gahr 2002). However, whereas the vulnerability of sound-producing insects and anurans to acoustically orientating predators and parasites has been reported in a variety of studies (review in Zuk and Kolluru 1998), evidence of predation cost of singing in birds is still lacking, apart from the study of Mougeot and Bretagnolle (2000) on petrel calls. More research on this issue is needed before the predation costs of birdsong can be assessed.
With regards to social aggression, it seems that the low amplitude of solo singing in nightingales cannot be explained by the avoidance of aggression by other males. Instead I have the impression that quite the reverse is true, for as soon as the presence of a rival was perceived, territorial males increased both amplitude and transmission properties of their songs.
In contrast to anurans (Gerhardt and Huber 2002), the metabolic costs of vocalizing in songbirds are not very high, but increased vocal amplitude causes higher energy expenditure (Oberweger and Goller 2001, Ward et al. 2003). However, a study on singing activity and body weight loss in nightingales suggested rather high energetic costs of singing (Thomas 2002). It remains to be established to what degree energy expenditure limits the performance of loud songs and thus can explain the relatively low sound pressure levels during solo singing.
The results of psychoacoustic experiments on nightingales indicate that the Lombard effect is induced most effectively by noise in the spectral region of their songs (Brumm and Todt 2002). The same applies to heterospecific songs which acoustically mask this frequency band (Brumm and Todt 2004). Thus it is reasonable to assume that nightingales assess the signal-to-noise ratio between their songs and the background noise and adjust their vocal intensity accordingly. This finding provides further evidence for a neuronal feedback loop between auditory perception and song production (Leonardo and Konishi 1999). Like humans (Lee 1950, Belmore et al. 1973) adult birds obviously monitor their own vocalizations and the adjustment of vocal amplitude may serve to maintain a specific signal-to-noise ratio that is favorable for signal production.
Perceptual mechanisms are also involved in vocal learning in juvenile birds. Here, birds also monitor their singing and consolidate their vocal memories by auditory feedback (Konishi 1965, Marler 1967). Such feedback mechanism may relate to the production by young nightingales of imitations of acquired model songs with higher amplitude than unidentified patterns (Brumm and Hultsch 2001). In their attempts to map the acoustic configuration of their own vocalizations on to acquired instructions, songbirds may progressively increase the amplitude of imitations of acquired model songs through a feedback mechanism. Whether auditory feedback can account for both the long-term ontogenetic changes, and also for short-term differences in vocal intensity needs further examination. To sum up, I conclude that song intensity is a significant component in the development of a dynamically unfolding vocal signaling system. Like other major ontogenetic trajectories such as the timing, phonetics and syntax of vocalizations, sound level is probably highly interrelated with overall developmental progression, and thus should be viewed as an integrative part of the vocal learning process.
The study of vocal amplitude thus yields new insights not only into the vocal mechanisms of song production but also on the constraints imposed on singing and the role of signal intensity during male-male competition. Further research on the causes and consequences of singing loudly will shed more light on processes of communication in territorial birds. The mechanisms of amplitude variation revealed so far reflect only some aspects of the whole phenomenon. For instance, an increase in vocal amplitude during interactions seems not to be always adaptive. Under certain circumstances, such as specific aggressive contexts or during courtship, birds decrease song intensity (Dabelsteen et al. 1998). Thus the issue of vocal amplitude adjustment in birds is complex and we need more studies examining the social influences on song level variation and the impact of sexual selection, before we can fully understand the role of vocal amplitude in birdsong.
I thank Dietmar Todt and Henrike Hultsch for their support. In addition, I appreciate the assistance in the field by Tina Sommer and Roger Mundry and the help with the pattern analysis by Nicole Geberzahn and Friederike Kiesselbach. I am also grateful to Peter Marler and Nicole Geberzahn for their comments on the manuscript. Finally, I thank Jacques Vielliard and Maria Luisa da Silva for the kind invitation to the XIX IBAC.
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NAGUIB M AND TODT D. 1997. Effects of dyadic vocal interactions on other conspecific receivers in nightingales. Anim Behav 54: 1535-1543.
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OTTER K, MCGREGOR PK, TERRY AMR, BURFORD FRL, PEAKE TM AND DABELSTEEN T. 1999. Do female Great Tits (Parus major) assess males by eavesdropping? A field study using interactive song playback. Proc Roy Soc Lond B266: 1305-1309.
PEAKE TM, MCGREGOR PK, TERRY AMR and AND DABELSTEEN T. 2001. Male Great Tits eavesdrop on simulated male-to-male vocal interactions. Proc Roy Soc Lond B268: 1183-1187.
POTASH LM. 1972. Noice-induced changes in calls of the Japanese quail. Psychonom Sci 26: 252-254.
PYTTE CL, RUSCH KM AND FICKEN MS. 2003. Regulation of vocal amplitude by the Blue-throated Hummingbird Lampornis clemenciae. Anim Behav 66: 701-710.
SEARCY WA. 1996. Sound-pressure levels and song preferences in female Red-winged Blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) (Aves, Emberizidae). Ethology 102: 187-196.
SINNOTT JM, STEBBINS WC AND MOODY DB. 1975. Regulation of voice amplitude by the monkey. J Acoust Soc Am 58: 412-414.
THOMAS RJ. 2002. The costs of singing in nightingales. Anim Behav 63: 959-966.
TODT D. 1981. On functions of vocal matching: effect of counter-replies on song post choice and singing. Z Tierpsychol 57: 73-93.
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TODT D AND NAGUIB M. 2000. Vocal interactions in birds: the use of song as a model in communication. Adv Study Behav 29: 247-296.
WARD S, SPEAKMAN JR AND SLATER PJB. 2003. The energy costs of song in the canary, Serinus canaria. Anim Behav 65: 893-902.
ZUK M AND KOLLURU GR. 1998. Exploitation of sexual signals by predators and parasitoids. Quart Rev Biol 73: 415-438.


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Yes, this is a two-fer…and the inspiration (and images) came from a post courtesy of TDOY pal 50 Westerns From The 50s.
A good while back, I got an e-mail from Warner Home Video touting one of the most amazing offers with which I've ever been presented: I could purchase Blu-Ray discs for the staggeringly low price of $4.95 apiece as an introductory "Switch to Blu-Ray" promotion. I looked through the offerings and although this may seem like a coinkydink—the only two films I was interested in obtaining were The Searchers (1956) and
Keep in mind, I still haven't made the giant technological leap to purchasing a Blu-Ray player—but I rationalized that it'd probably be a future Christmas request and so why not capitalize on these inexpensive discs in the interim? (I did a similar thing with VHS pre-records; I bought a stack of Goodtimes videocassettes before actually obtaining a VCR because they were on sale at a local K-Mart.)
Ah, but there was a catch. (There's always a catch.) I would have to ship my DVD copies of Searchers and Bravo to WHV who, in return, would ship me the Blu-Ray editions. So I decided to pass.
But every so often…I wonder if I might not have made the wrong choice.

subset: commoncrawl


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As set ups go, Book Of The Skull is a pretty damn good one. Gearing themselves up for their big Fear Itself mega-event, Marvel uses this one-shot to lay down the who, what, where and why of the series. From what the House Of Ideas has let slip, Fear Itself centers on the God Of Fear who empowers villains he feels are worthy as well corrupting some less stable heroes to snap. Book Of Skull draws the outline of who the God Of Fear is and how that power has fallen to Earth. It's a layered story involving Captain America, Bucky, Namor, Red Skull and, of course, the Nazis.
It seems that Sin will be a focal point of Fear Itself so Ed Brubaker concentrates on her in the present day as well as Red Skull in the forties. Sin has come back to her father's desert stronghold in order to begin something that her father failed to do. Brubaker keeps us in the dark about what exactly that but does allow Sin to spin a tale written in a book covered by the skin of dead Atlanteans (Namor's people). Jumping back to the forties we catch up with the Red Skull who has sacrificed several of the Atlanteans in order to call to Earth a power for the Nazis. Tracking the Skull is Captain America, Bucky and a really pissed off Prince Namor.
From there we get an action battle with a giant god-like monster and a final shot of some kind of hammer. How this all ties into Fear Itself isn't clear but I'd be willing to bet the plan Sin is looking to execute has something to do with it. What I enjoyed the most about Book Of Skull is that Brubaker decided to inject a human element into it, as well as really making the story more than an average one-shot. He knows that nothing about Fear Itself will really be revealed here but at the same time he takes pride in the story being a solid jumping off point. Brubaker never lets one panel go to waste, each one builds on the one before.
In the end Book Of Skull doesn't shed much light on Fear Itself outside of a big blue giant and a hammer. What comes next will probably launch on the actual first issue so technically you don't really need this one-shot to understand anything about the upcoming series. Still, if you enjoy the art of completion like I do and you're in the mood for a good comic book yarn, Book Of Skull is worth the price.
I really enjoyed the art from Scot Eaton, his Red Skull is just awesome, and you can actually feel his evil and anger coming off the page. He has a great style with shadow and especially with facial expressions. Brubaker's writing demands emotional are and Scot Eaton nails it. While I'm still not looking forward to another event series from Marvel, I really was surprised at how good Book Of Skull was. If only Brubaker was handling the entire thing, I might be more excited about it.
The cover from Marko Djurdjevic is going on my Best Of 2011 list right now. Such a beautiful cover.


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Wade Bowen, 'Saturday Night' – Lyrics Uncovered
When Wade Bowen sat down to write a song simply called 'Saturday Night,' he chose to put a spin on the lyrics to make the tune stand out from other songs on radio about the night of the week that's a favorite to many.
"I've been doing this for 14 years now, and I've stood onstage quite a few Saturday nights a year," Bowen tells Taste of Country with a grin. "I've been hearing a lot of songs about Saturday nights and how great they always are. So as a songwriter, I always try to take ideas and twist them around a bit."
"Why does everybody love Saturday night / Stale smell of beer and the smoke in your eyes / I keep sittin' and drinkin' and thinkin' about a sad goodbye / So tell me why is everybody so in love with Saturday night," Bowen wrote in the lyrics of the song's chorus.
"I came up with the idea simply to write about the guy in the dark corner of the bar who is not enjoying Saturday night like everybody else is," Bowen notes.
"Well hey bartender could you throw those drunk girls out / And don't you think that band's just a little too loud / Tell that couple in the corner to please go get a room / It's a damn good party but what am I supposed to do," he sings in the second verse.
"I just felt like this song overall was really country, but it still has a lot of the Wade Bowen thing that I've always tried to keep," says the singer-songwriter. "We tried really hard to kind of take what I've been doing in the past and try to mature it a little bit. That's what I try to do with every record and every song, really. I really feel like this song does that for us."


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Posted by admin on Oct 8, 2012
Matt Damon was born October 8, 1970 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the son of Kent Telfer Damon, a stockbroker, and Nancy Carlsson-Paige, an early childhood education professor at Lesley University. Damon is of Scottish, English, Finnish, and Swedish ancestry, and is a distant cousin of actors Ben Affleck and Casey Affleck.
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NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partner university faculty. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Thursday, September 21, 2017
Vaginal dryness
Please provide any recommendation to get relief from vaginal dryness. My Dr. said this is aging factor & prescribed hormonal cream. After I read side effects I decide do not use it. What to do.
As a woman approaches and passes through menopause, estrogen levels decline. Estrogen is needed by the vagina to maintain moisture and normal pliability. Oral or topical estrogen can relieve the symptoms. You can use over-the-counter remedies that provide daily vaginal moisturization. You place a vaginal suppository daily or semi-daily to aid in moisturization. For intercourse, you can use a personal lubricant that is applied prior to intercourse to reduce friction from the lack of lubrication.
Thomas A deHoop, MD
Formerly Associate Professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology
Director, Medical Student Education
No longer associated


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Casey Kennedy, director of information services for the Texas Office of Court Administration, says the Texas judiciary made several big strides in electronic filing of court documents last fiscal year.
The 2011 Annual Report for the Texas Judiciary says seven of the state's 14 appellate courts adopted e-filing in fiscal year 2011, and the Texas Supreme Court made e-filing mandatory.
As of August 2011, 78 district and county clerks in 51 counties had implemented e-filing, representing jurisdictions that cover 75 percent of the state's population.
Kennedy says the biggest development was the seven appellate courts' adoption of e-filing; five or six new district and county clerks also joined the ranks of those embracing it.
He notes another significant development of 2011 came when the vendor for the statewide e-filing system at Texas.gov informed OCA it would not renew its contract to operate the system.
TexasNICUSA is the vendor for Texas.gov, according to Angela Skinner, spokeswoman for NIC Inc. Skinner emailed a statement by Erin Hutchins, general manager of Texas NICUSA, that reads in part: "Texas NICUSA appreciates the opportunity to have managed and provided upgrades to the court eFiling system over the past three years, continuing our commitment to making government interactions as efficient as possible by placing them online."
Kennedy notes that OCA is seeking vendor proposals for a new statewide e-filing system that may have public document-retrieval features similar to PACER.gov, the federal courts' system.
He adds that he thinks the cost of e-filing must be equal to the cost of filing paper documents before all courts will accept it. Kennedy explains that many people say e-filing is more expensive than paper filing because e-filers pay extra fees to the county, an electronic service provider and Texas.gov. He also says the e-filing "adoption rate" may increase as a "younger generation," dependent on all things electronic, enters the judicial workforce.
-- Angela Morris


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See Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5Two Wheel Drive
- Remove the brake caliper as previously outlined.
- Remove the outer wheel bearing. (Refer to Drive Train for the proper procedure).
- Remove the rotor from the spindle.
- Reverse procedure to install.
- Remove the locking hubs as described in Drive Train .
- Remove the wheel bearing outer lock nut, retainer and wheel bearing inner adjusting nut.
- Remove the hub and disc assembly and outer wheel bearing.
- Remove the oil seal and inner bearing cone from the hub using a brass drift and tapping with a hammer. Discard the oil seal.
- Remove the inner and outer bearing cups using a brass drift and a hammer.
- Clean, inspect and lubricate all parts as require with a high speed grease.
Lubrication must be applied to prevent deterioration before the unit is placed in service.
- Assemble the outer wheel bearing cup into the wheel hub using Tool J-6368 and Driver Handle J-8092.
- Assemble the inner wheel bearing cup into the wheel hub using Tool J-23448 and Driver Handle J-8092.
- Pack the wheel bearing cone with a high melting point type wheel bearing grease and insert the cone into the cup.
- Install the hub and disc and wheel bearings to the spindle.
- Adjust the wheel bearings.
See Figure 6
The minimum wear thickness, 1.215 in., is cast into each disc hub. This is a minimum wear dimension and not a refinish dimension. If the thickness of the disc after refinishing will be 1.230 in. or less, it must be replaced. Refinishing is required whenever the disc surface shows scoring or severe rust scale. Scoring not deeper than 0.015 in. in depth can be corrected by refinishing.
Some discs have an anti-squeal groove. This should not be mistaken for scoring.


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- Buy New
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Scale length: 13.614''
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This is a beautiful left-handed Martin instrument that I plan to use in my recordings. The sound quality is excellent and it plays great.


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Apr 29 2010
Bell Museum in Minneapolis, Minnesota
We stopped at the Bell Museum of Natural History on the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis on our way to the Gophers football scrimmage last weekend. Since we were already on the campus, and had the car parked, it was the perfect time to check out this science museum that we hadn't visited before.
The primary exhibits of the museum are a series of dioramas depicting wildlife and their various habitats. The glass of most of the dioramas extends to the ground, so even young children can see them without difficulty. The dioramas are divided between the first and second floors of the museum by the type of animal featured. There are scavenger hunt cards available for kids as well, so that they can try to find various items as they explore the museum.
For hands-on fun, the Touch and Feel Room offers the opportunity to pick up rocks, shells, animal skins, and more, and staff will assist you if you want to touch a snake or other animal.
We also enjoyed the special exhibits–posters telling of the U of M's work in developing fruit, vegetable, and grain varieties over the years–and an exhibit about how families eat around the world. I liked learning that the Beacon apple was developed in the 1930′s, and seeing the foods that are common around the world, as well as what they cost. The food exhibit also included a staffed hands-on area for kids.
While not as interactive as other museums, you should go to the Bell Museum if your kids like dioramas, or if there are special exhibits that interest your family.
If you go to the Bell Museum, do no follow the map that shows up if you Google "Bell Museum." It's not accurate. Follow the directions on the museum's website to be sure you get to the right place.
This post was included in Spotlight Thursdays at Trekaroo. Check out Spotlight Thursdays each week for great ideas of fun family things to do.
5 Comments to "Bell Museum in Minneapolis, Minnesota"
I love that this place offers a scavenger hunt card for kids. My 5 1/2 year old absolutely loves 'em & it helps him really engage with his environment.
# Bridget Smith on 03 May 2010 at 12:24 pm
My kids love anything hands on. We have a little nature center doen the street from us, and they have so much fun touching the snake skins and fox pelts. What a great discovery and a fun way to keep busy before a game.
.-= Bridget Smith´s last blog ..New Addition to LEGOLAND, California: "Clutch Powers 4-D Adventure"+ Legoland Ticket Giveaway Info. =-.
# Emily Zweber on 06 May 2010 at 8:37 pm
We love the Bell Museum! If your library participates in the MELSA free passes, you can get two free passes to the museum as well.
The Touch and Feel room is usually our longest stop. If you go on a weekday, there is a lot of traffic (because of campus), but you have the whole museum to yourself.
# Bell Museum of Natural History in Minneapolis, Minnesota on 26 Jul 2010 at 9:01 am
[...] Bell Museum is not the largest of the Minneapolis-area science museums, but people who enjoy natural history [...]


text:
Children attending Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church's vacation bible school (above) played instruments and sung Wednesday night. (Below) West Lincoln High School graduates Jason and Shannon Devine celebrate Jason's cross-country bike ride with Ride Across America, which raised money for organ donation research. Shannon is also known as Mrs. USA. Chris Dean/ Contributed / LTN Photo
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text:
They met with Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), a member of the Banking Committee, and with other member's of the state's 31 member-delegation or their staffs. Schumer has said he plans to introduce legislation to raise the cap on member business loans and the group delivered letters from small-business owners about the need for more capital.
"We had an excellent dialogue with the senator, and our meeting concluded with him expressing his support for credit unions," said association President William J. Mellin.


text:
Activate an ODEON Première Club Card
The ODEON Première Club card certifies that you are a member of the ODEON Premiere Club. If you buy an ODEON Premiere Club card, you will become a member of the club and then you can enjoy the benefits provided to ODEON Première Club members. The benefits include regular film updates and point redemption. Every time you use your club card at ODEON, you get 10 points for each pound you spend. You can redeem these points for movie tickets, popcorn, and much more. Only by activating your ODEON Première Club Card can you enjoy the benefits of ODEON Première Club membership. After you activate your club card, you can use the points you have already collected by redeeming them for movie tickets, popcorn and soft drinks. You can receive film update news as well.
About ODEON ODEON is a famous British chain of cinemas and is quite prominent in Europe as well. It was created by Oscar Deusch whose motto was "Oscar Deusch Entertains Our Nation" and the name ODEON came from this motto. ODEON has been providing entertainment for Europeans for over eighty years now. How Can You Activate an ODEON Première Club Card?
- Requirements
- You need to have a computer with internet access.
- You need to have already bought an ODEON Première Club card.
- You need to have an email address.
- Step-By-Step Guide
- Go to the Activate My ODEON Première Club Card website at https://www.odeon.co.uk/fanatic/activate-my-card/.
- Fill in your card information and your personal information including your name, birthday, email address, home address and postcode in the required fields.
- Select your Security Question and then fill in your answer to the Security Question.
- Fill in and confirm your Password.
- Select your favorite cinema.
- If you need, you can choose to receive other communications from ODEON just by clicking on those you need.
- Click on the button marked "SUBMIT" to finish the activation process.
- Activate My ODEON Première Club Card Website: https://www.odeon.co.uk/fanatic/activate-my-card/
- ODEON Première Club Scheme Summary http://www.odeon.co.uk/fanatic/scheme-summary/
- ODEON Première Club FAQ: http://www.odeon.co.uk/fanatic/faq/?category=5


text: I sent this once, but got some strange message back that suggested it wasn't posted. Apols if it was and you have got this twice! I did a silly thing: I accepted the default and included a usb-connected drive in my logical volume group when I installed Fedora recently. I didn't discover this until I had finished installing everything and got it set up exactly as I want. I can't seem to find a way to remove the drive from the volume group, etc. unless there are sufficient unallocated extents on other drives. There is only one other drive in the system and it is fully allocated. There is so much unused space on the drive that it could easily accommodate the usb drive contents. Are the only ways to resolve this either to reinstall from scratch or add a second internal drive? Thanks Nick


text:
Group Therapy for Women Prisoners With Comorbid Substance Use and Depression
- Full Text View
- Tabular View
- No Study Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
|Substance Abuse Substance Dependence Depressive Disorder
|Behavioral: Group interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT-G) Behavioral: Psychoeducation on co-occurring disorders (PSYCHOED)
|Phase 2
|Study Type:
|Study Design:
|Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary Purpose: Treatment
|Official Title:
|Group IPT for Women Prisoners With Comorbid Substance Use and Depression
- Substance-free days after release from prison, measured by the Timeline Followback method [ Time Frame: 3 months post-release ]
- Severity of substance use after release from prison, measured by the Addiction Severity Index [ Time Frame: 3 months post-release ]
- Verification of substance-free status using breath alcohol tests and urine drug screens [ Time Frame: 3 months post-release ]
- Depression symptom severity measured by the Modified Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression [ Time Frame: Pre-release ]
- Depression symptom severity measured by the Beck Depression Inventory [ Time Frame: Pre-release ]
- Severity of legal problems after release, measured by the Legal Composite of the Addiction Severity Index [ Time Frame: 3 months post-release ]
- Interpersonal problems, measured by the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems [ Time Frame: 3 months post-release ]
- Peer support and social support, measured by the Criminal Justice client Evaluation of Self and Treatment [ Time Frame: 3 months post-release ]
- Perceived social support measured by the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support [ Time Frame: 3 months post-release ]
- Social support for recovery, measured by the Important People and Activities scale [ Time Frame: 3 months post-release ]
- Social functioning, measured by the Social Adjustment Scale [ Time Frame: 3 months post-release ]
|Study Start Date:
|July 2006
|Study Completion Date:
|December 2009
|Primary Completion Date:
|December 2009 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
|Assigned Interventions
Experimental: IPT-G
Group Interpersonal Psychotherapy
|Behavioral: Group interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT-G)
Active Comparator: PSYCHOED
|Behavioral: Psychoeducation on co-occurring disorders (PSYCHOED)
Detailed Description:
Incarcerated women are a vulnerable and rapidly expanding population with high lifetime rates of both substance use disorder (SUD; abuse or dependence on alcohol, illegal drugs, or prescription drugs; 70%) and depressive disorder (DD; major depressive disorder and dysthymic disorder; 20-27%). DDs tend to worsen the course of SUDs for incarcerated women by increasing their risk for suicide attempts, contributing to the persistence of substance abuse, and reducing the likelihood of a successful transition to an independent, sober life in the community. Recent evidence indicates that DDs are common in persons with SUDs, often do not remit with SUD treatment, and should be treated. Despite growing recognition that co-occurring disorders, such as DDs, among substance abusing incarcerated women present an important public health concern, integrated treatments for SUD-DD have not been well-developed for or systematically tested in this population. Group Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT-G) has been shown to be efficacious in treating DD in other populations and may be especially pertinent to the needs of incarcerated women with SUD-DD because interpersonal difficulties not only affect severity of depression, but are also strong predictors of drinking to cope, SUD relapse, and prison recidivism in women.
This study tests the hypotheses that as adjuncts to prison SUD treatment, IPT-G, relative to psychoeducation on co-occurring disorders, will produce at least moderate effect sizes for:
- Reduction in the risk and severity of substance use relapse after release from prison
- Recovery from depressive disorder and reduction in depressive symptoms
- Improvement in social support and interpersonal functioning
- Reduction in the severity of legal problems during the 3 month follow-up period
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years to 65 Years (Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Participants are recruited from prison substance use treatment programs.
- Current primary (non-substance-induced, as defined by the SCID) depressive disorder (major depressive or dysthymic disorder) after at least 4 weeks of prison SUD treatment and abstinence.
- A minimum Hamilton Depression score of 18 or higher, indicating moderate to severe depression.
- Depressive disorder at any time while not incarcerated.
- Substance use disorder one month prior to incarceration.
- Between 10 and 18 weeks away from release from prison.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Lifetime criteria for bipolar disorder
- Lifetime criteria for a psychotic disorder
- Actively suicidal
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00606996
|United States, Rhode Island
|Adult Correctional Institution
|Cranston, Rhode Island, United States, 02920
|Principal Investigator:
|Jennifer E. Johnson, Ph.D.
|Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University
|Responsible Party:
|Dr. Jennifer Johnson, Associate Professor, Brown University
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT00606996 History of Changes
|Obsolete Identifiers:
|Other Study ID Numbers:
1K23DA021159-01 ( U.S. NIH Grant/Contract )
|Study First Received:
|January 22, 2008
|Last Updated:
|April 17, 2013
Keywords provided by Dr. Jennifer Johnson, Brown University:
Drug Abuse
Drug Dependence
Alcohol Abuse
Alcohol Dependence
Major Depressive Disorder
Dysthymic Disorder
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Depressive Disorder
Substance-Related Disorders
Behavioral Symptoms
Mood Disorders
Mental Disorders
Chemically-Induced Disorders
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on September 20, 2017


text:
Ephemeral Fantasia
Skills FAQ by bigdave45
Updated: 01/22/03 | Search Guide | Bookmark Guide
Skills FAQ for Ephemeral Fantasia (PS2)
Origination Date: January 22, 2003
Copyrighted by BigDave45, but feel free to post this wherever you like, but
don't change a word without approval.
I am writing this FAQ because, especially at the beginning, the skills
system for EF can be a bit overwhelming, and at this moment, there is no
descent FAQ regarding the skills system for EF at gamefaqs.com. I was
especially interested in knowing how to learn new skills, and that fact
will be the main focus of this guide.
Firstly, this is not a general walkthrough. PyroFalkon has a great one
available at gamefaqs.com, and I want to thank him for all the help his
walkthrough gave me for getting through the game. He has little information
on skills, though, and while BAnderson's guide does give a listing of the
skills, they are for the Japanese version and his name translations are not
the same as what Konami gave them. I do wish to give credit to them,
Now, onto the skills...(I'll also rate the characters as I go along).
The skills systems of EF may be one of the best action systems in all of
RPG (even if the presentation leaves much to be desired). Instead of having
a simple "attack" command, the characters begin with "arts", which can range
from anything from physical attacks to healing skills, though the game also
has a separate magic system (which this guide does not discuss since the
magic system is very linear with new spells simply learned as the character
levels up). kills, however, must be leveled up individually by use in
battle, and as the skills gain in level through repeated use, more skills
will be opened up. Additionally, skills use AP points, which determines how
fast a character can act. Each character has 10 AP and when the AP meter is
filled, a character can act, using a skill that deplites a certain number of
AP points. The more AP a skill requires, the longer a character will have to
act before he/she can act again until the green AP meter fills once more.
For the most part, I believe I now possess every skill in the game (I know
I have all of Mouse's), but I may find some more.
1. Mouse- main character musician whose come to the island to save it from
its time prison. Until late in the game, he will be your strongest physical
attacker with the most diverse array of physical attack skills.
Mouse actually has three different types of skills: ones he learns on
his own, ones, called super skills, he learns when one of his allies uses
a certain skill, and ones, called ultra skills, he learns when using two
super skills in the same battle. All other characters only have one set of
Skills Attribute Lv. Learned AP
Slash none starting skill 2
A simple single attack on one enemy. About as basic an attack that you can
Duet none starting skill 2
Mouse attacks with Pattimo (his guitar) and cause paralysis, but no damage.
Good to use when Mouse is all alone, but quickly gets old.
Jump slash none Slash lv. 3 4
A stronger single attack on one enemy. Keep slashing and you'll get it.
Charging Strike none J Slash lv. 5 5
Mouse attacks an entire group. VERY helpful to get as soon as possible.
Ray Slash Light C Strike Lv. 8 6
A very strong single enemy attack. Devastating attack even against
the strongest enemies, which you'll start to face by the time you
have this skill.
Super skills (learned when ally uses move a certain number of times in
battle). These skills also cost Mouse some HP to use.
Power Jump Fire Rummy's Diving Kick 5
Mouse jumps on one enemy with fire energy. Loses 100 HP per use.
Also be aware that when you learn this skill, Mouse (and the rest of
the party) can move to any place you have a map if yu select "Power Jump"
on the Skills menu.
Gaia Wave none Bagoth's Terra Break 5
Has a chance to kill chosen character, but rarely works. Loses 200 HP
per use.
R. Beat Illusion RRinna's Manic Rhythm 6
Mouse dances and his notes attack every enemy. Pretty cool. Loses 280 HP
per use.
Portrait Holy Plosi's Sketch 7
Mouse paints a little figure who attacks every enemy. The only reason to
include Plosi in your party. Loses 400 HP per use.
Cleaning none Ano's Last Page 4
An attack that can eliminate a defensive attribute, but not all that useful.
Loses 50 HP per use.
Needle Arrows Wind Gallhint's Triple shot 6
Attacks all enemies with magical knives. Loses 320 HP per use.
Leaf Screen none Lloyd's Wooden Ball 7
Leaves lower enemy accuracy. Not real useful. Loses 80 HP per use.
Double Horn Evil Grantus's Horn Thrust 9
Destroys all enemies in one area. Semi-useful, but does not always work.
Loses 260 HP per use.
Wild Cross Flame Beak's Catharsis 6
Mouse performs a cross against one enemy that does major damage. Very good
stuff. Loses 350 HP per use.
Silent Cross Thunder Fang's Vacuum Spear 6
Like Wild Cross, but can also silent opponents. Only slightly better. Loses
350 HP per use.
Whirling Cuts Water Kyte's Sea Cat Call 5
Three quick attacks against one enemy. Not bad for early on, just like
Kyte. Loses 100 HP per use.
Hurry Time Claire's Speed Chain 10
The speed of all allies (that is the fill of their AP gauge) increase
greatly. Great to use when getting other characters to learn more skills.
Loses 120 HP per use.
Mouse's Ultra Skills (learned when two Super Skills are used together in
the same battle). These also take some of Mouse's HP to use.
Drainage none R. Beat + Double Horn 8
Drains HP from the enemy to give to Mouse. Very cool. No HP cost to use it
since it actually fills your HP.
Tsunami Ice W. Cuts and Gaia Wave 9
A wave of cold water floods all enemies. Not bad. Loses 390 per use.
Death Gate Evil Portrait + Cleaning 10
The Gate to Hell sucks in enemies. Works rather well. Costs 800 HP (ouch!)
per use.
Time Roar Time Leaf Screen + Hurry 4
Stops all opponents. Not bad. Loses 400 HP per use.
Sonic Saber none Power Jump + Needle Arrow 1
Very rapid attack on one enemy. With only 1 AP, a nice attack. Loses 300 AP
per use.
Grand Cross Light Wild Cross + Silent Cross 10
Combining the two best Super attacks creates the game's greatest attack.
Loses 700 HP per use, but well worth it! Learn it quickly! This skill
makes the Beak/Fang quest all worth while, even beyond those two strong
2. Rummy- the love-struck palace guard who is a very well-rounded fighter,
especially considering her healing magic. She's also a hot little blonde
with a DOA body. She's a good character to keep as strong as you can.
Hard Punch Fire starting skill 3
A simple punch, with fire attached to it. A basic attack. Rummy has better.
Scold none starting skill 3
This heals paralysis, but so few enemies use paralysis that you'll hardly
ever use it.
Aura none Hard Punch lv. 4 10
Slowly restores HP, but stops when her AP guage is full. Good to use at the
end of the battle when other characters are about to defeat the enemies.
Hi-Kick none Hard Punch lv. 2 4
A single kick. Better than hard punch, especially since you have to get it
to lv. 10 for one of her best attacks.
Iron Fist Dance Flame Hi-Kick lv. 10 8
Rummy attacks five times, including a flipping kick. It takes A LOT of work
to get, but it's very powerful and well worth the effort.
Diving Kick none Hi-Kick lv. 5 5
Rummy jumps into the air and dropkicks one enemy. Since this is the move
that teaches Power Jump, learn it very quickly.
Swirling Kick Wind ???????????? 6
I'm not sure how I got this, except that I had both Diving Kick and Hi-Kick
at lv. 5, but I don't think Diving Kick just went up at the time. It might
have been Scissor Kick, but I never liked that attack and I don't remember
using it too much. Anyway, this skill attacks all enemies in one group.
Very nice, however you get it. Sorry.
Scissor Kick none Hi-Kick lv. 4 5
A low kick that has a chance to paralysis the enemy, but only briefly (
nothing like Duet).
Focus none Aura lv. 2 10
This skill strengthens Rummy's attack power, but because it costs 10 AP,
only slightly useful in boss battles, if at all.
3. Claire- the clock maker who will be one of your first allies, and while
she isn't that strong, her skills make her the best healer.
Chain Attack none starting skill 2
A weak single attack. Claire is not about offense and her only physical
attack is proof of that.
Cologne none Chain Attack Lv. 2 4
Confuses one opponent. Virtually worthless.
Guard Circle Time Chain Attack lv. 4 6
Increases the defense of allies. Not bad.
Heal Circle Time Guard Circle lv. 2 7
The best healing skill in the game. Slowly regenerates HP. Unlike Rummy's
Aura, Heal Circle not only affects all allies and lasts more than one round,
but it also cures status effects like poison. With Claire in your party,
health should not be your worry.
Speed Chain Time Cologne lv. 2 5
Along with Heal Chain, these are Claire's main skills as this skill increases
the speed of every ally for the duration of the battle.
4. Rinna/ RindRinna- little girl from the inn whose also a dancer at the
Central Park. Rinna actually has two distinct forms: Rinna and RindRinna.
As Rinna, she's weak and pathetic, but as RindRinna, she's a dancer with
remarkable abilities. RindRinna is actually a good party member throughout
the adventure, but especially when you have learned all her skills.
Spring Cleaning none starting skill 2
Very pathetic attack with a mop.
Extermination none Spring Cleaning lv. 2 5
She's screams while being pathetic.
Wake up! none Extermination lv. 2 1
Wakes an ally by throwing water on them. So sad.
PLease be RindRinna. Become RindRinna by choosing Change on the Skill menu.
Don't hurt the poor little girl.
Tarinba Shoot none starting skill 3
She throws her little bell-ring thing and hurts an enemy. Not very strong.
Not her main form of combat.
Recovery Dance none starting skill 5
She dances for one character and restores a good deal of HP. Not too bad.
Battle Dance none Recovery Dance lv. 2 5
A dance that increases offensive power of all allies. Not bad.
Woozy Dance none Battle Dance lv. 2 5
OK. This is weird. She gives offense-lowering gas to the enemy while
wiggling her behind. Weird, and not very effective as a skill.
Dance of Serenity none Recovery Dance lv. 3 5
She dances and the enemy sleeps. Shouldn't that be the Boring Dance then?
Nevermind. Use it to gain the better dances, and it is effective on its own.
Manic Rhythm Illusion D. of Serenity lv. 2 6
Now we've gotten somewhere! This dance creates notes that attack an enemy.
Very cool! and powerful too.
Dance of Joy none D. of Serenity lv. 3 5
You will dance for joy too when you get this skill. For every dance she does,
up to ten, the EXP are increased very nicely for the party. However, if she
is made to stop dancing (killed, put to sleep, paralyzed, stopped, etc) then
all your work is for naught! Keep her HP high while she dances for major
leveling up.
5. Plosi- the perverted painter whose battling skills are pathetic. You will
want to dump him as soon as you can. His magic is quite good, but since you
use magic so little in this game, who cares?
Black Ink none starting skill 4
Weakly blinds enemies with black ink. Pathetic.
Brush Up none Hidden Talent lv. 2 5
Even more pathetic. Tickles the enemy, which lowers enemy offense.
Psych Spray none Hidden Talent lv. 3 8
Confuses an area of enemies, but not always effective.
X-Mark none Brush Up lv. 2 9
Draws a V mark on an enemy with the hope of stopping the enemy, but it fails
Sketch none Black Ink lv. 3 10
Plosi draws the enemy, but instead of doing something cool (like Mouse's
Portrait does), Plosi merely learns the enemy stats. Yawn.
Hidden Talent Fire Black Ink lv. 2 3
Plosi breathes fire, and while this looks cool, it's his only attack skill,
which leaves him so disappointing.
6. Kyte- the old man of the sea, whose a fine physical fighter early in the
game and has some cool skills, but tails off at the end, especially when
Bagoth gains his better skills or when Beak arrives. Odd. Complete Kyte's
quest to get Beak, only to replace Kyte with Beak as the strongest physical
attacker. Odd.
Wield none starting attack 4
Attacks with a fish like a sword. He can "equip" different fish, but there
aren't a great variety of fish that he'll actually use.
Shark Killer none Wield lv. 2 5
His strong brand of alcohol will increase the strength of one ally. He pours
it over the ally though; it isn't drunk. Odd.
Sailor's Song none Shark Killer lv. 2 5
He sings and the other allies cry, which strengthens their defensive powers.
There should not be crying in video games, but any skill that powers up all
allies is a good one.
Bald head none Wield lv. 3 6
This is odd too. Ity does exactly what is says. Kyte uses his bald head to
blind all of the enemies. Very odd.
Preaching none Shark Killer lv. 3 8
I want an explanation for this one. Kyte preaches to an enemy and the morale
of that enemy goes down, which makes the enemy less willing to fight. Maybe
I need to know what Kyte preaches. If it's that he's good and they're bad and
they should sdtop being bad, then that's OK. He preaches to Mouse and Mouse
seems to get stronger. Whatever. It only affects one opponent so that's not
really great no matter what.
Cat Call none Wield lv. 4 8
This is really cool. Kyte tosses fish at one opponent and hungry cats come
running. Trust me, when hungry cats come running, you get hurt. So does the
enemy. This may be the coolest (not the strongest, mind you, but the coolest)
attack in the game.
Sea Cat Call none Cat Call lv. 4 10
Obviously translated incorrectly, Kyte does not call Sea Cats, but Sea GULLS.
Of course, cats are cooler than gulls, but in this game, hungry gulls cause
more damage. Dumb game.
7. Bagoth- loyal, to a fault, general, whose is rather strong, but frankly,
not as cool as he could be.
Clobber none starting skill 4
He smacks an enemy with his big stick. Why he fights with a big stick and
not something cooler, I don't know, but big stick does some nice damage. It
rarely also might paralyze an enemy, but very rarely.
Bashing none Clobber lv. 2 6
He smacks an enemy three times. Three is better than one so Bashing beats
Clobber with only a slight difference in AP.
Hammer Throw Light Bashing lv. 6 8
With only Cloober and Bashing, Bagoth sucks. When you get Hammer Throw,
however, he's much cooler. Hammer Throw is much stronger as he throws a
white beam of Light at the enemy. If he only had an area attack, he'd be
Terra Break Earth Bashing lv. 4 8
This is not an area attack, even if it attacks an area. This is a
kill-attack; the enemy is dead or nothing, and it works only occasionally.
If this was a reguarly spread attack, then my feelings towards Bagoth would
change, but for now, he's just OK. Much better than Plosi, but really not by
8. Ano- the magical scientist (isn't that a contradiction since science and
magic are generally considered conplete opposites, or maybe a poor
translation of magical professor?) with big red glasses and meager powers.
However, he is a great magic user (a magic scientist good at magic? No way!).
Ano is the only character that I'd use to play with magic instead of skills,
especially since he has at least twice the MP of everyone else. He still has
some skills, though.
Moth Swarm none starting attack 5
Ano opens his magic book and little white moths attack all his enemies. Is
there any shock that this is a very weak move? It is also Ano's only attack
skill, but that doesn't mean all his skills are worthless.
Chart none starting attack (sort of) 5
If you have the Monster Chart item from the guy in the Gym, then you can
have Ano Chart each enemy's HP, MP, strenths and weakness. Those seeking a
challenge could try to chart every monster in the game. Have fun. This is
the reason for having Ano on your team, if you call that a reason.
Lecture none Chart lv. 2 5
Ano may not like being called a professor by Pattimo, but he lectures like
Ben Stein. He lectures, monsters sleep. Any questions?
Last Page none Lecture lv. 2 6
Ano holds up his book and magically a page flies out to the enemy, stopping
it from using a special attack. Except that this move teaches Mouse
Cleaning, it's worthless.
9. Gallhint- the bandit who once liked to die but eventually gains a
backbone. His knife is not particularly strong, but he isn't a total loser
either. However, by the time he enters your party, he won't be your
strongest member.
Knife Throw none starting skill 2
Gallhint throws a single knife at one opponent. This is weak, but the weak
can get strong when put in numbers. Keep working it to get numbers.
Triple Shot none Nailed lv. 2 3
Three is better than one, especially when it attacks an entire area. Triple
Shot makes Gallhint a very descent fighter. Not great, but certainly
Rush Wind Triple Shot lv. 3 10
I don't quite get it. He punches. Yippee! Why does he get Wind attribute on
his punches when his knives didn't? Why does it cost 10 AP when it isn't
THAT strong? Why only attack one enemy? Not as cool as it should be.
Nailed none Knife Throw lv. 2 5
This is actually pretty cool. With a high rate of effectiveness, Gallhint
manages to stop his opponent after putting it in a box of light. Beat it
when it stops. That's good strategy!
Mug none Nailed lv. 3 5
He's a bandit. He steals money. Why? Doesn't the game have a lot of money
anyway? I have lots. I don't need to steal. If it was like Final Fantasy
and Mug meant Steal and Attack, then Mug is good. This is not Final Fantasy,
no matter how PyroFalkon wants to make Xel into Sephiroth. Mug is not that
Hurricane none Mug lv. 2 5
OK. Has anyone gotten this to work? It says he paries attacks. He does the
Hurricane, he stands there, he takes a hit. I don't know. Whatever.
10. Beak- the "big guy" of the Golden Three, and is he ever a big guy. What
a nice big guy with a big sword and nice big attacks. If Bagoth was only as
cool as Beak. However, for those who love magic, Beak has none. That's right.
Not a single spell. Who cares? Magic stinks!
Edge none starting skill 4
It's a one stroke attack. It's a nice start, but Beak can do more.
Double Blow none Galvanize lv. 2 7
Two is better than one. Now we're getting better, but Beak can do more.
Catharsis none Double Blow lv. 9
Three is better than two. Now this just rocks, but Beak needs more.
Holy Wave none Double Blow lv. 3 7
If Bagoth had this move, he would be cool. He doesn't but Beak is definitely
cool. He attacks a whole area, and it's VERY strong. I like very much. Beak
doesn't need anymore.
Rage Wave none Catharsis lv. 2 8
See? I said no more, but he got greedy. Rage Wave is very strong, but not
only does it attack every enemy, but it hits the allies too. That's a bit
too strong. Too much I say.
God's Tears none Starting Skill 7
What's this? A great attacker and he's a healer too? Yes! God's Tears heals
one character, not for a lot, but who's complaining?
Loud Snore none Blessing lv. 2 10
Just like Rummy's Aura, Beak lays down to take a nice nap in the middle of
battle. However, unlike Rummy, Beak should usually be the last persobn to
attack so you'll rarely use this.
Blessing none God's Tears lv. 2 8
Not only does he heal HP, but he heals status conditions too. What a guy!
Galvanize none Edge lv. 2 5
This is another odd skill. Beak goes into a different pose with his sword
glowing, apparantly defending. Why is he defending? Attack! Attack! Attack!
Or at least heal somebody.
11. Fang- the third member of the Golden Three. Fang is not as strong as
Beak, but is dynamite when it comes to his one magic attack. He does have
skills, though. I mean actual useful skills.
Spear Thrust none Starting skill 3
One simple spear thrust. Not impressive, but he must have more.
Hyper Jab none Spear Thrust lv. 2 5
Many lightning-quick thrusts. Now that's better, but still isn't all that
Insanity Spear Evil Hyper Jab lv. 2 10
OK. Now this is wild. He jabs and he jabs and he jabs and he jabs until the
enemy's dead, but what? He's down to just 1 HP. 1 HP?!? Is that cool? I
don't think that's cool. That's insane. OK, then it's probably the right
thing then. Just be careful.
Wolf Fang Spear none Insanity Spear lv. 2 7
Be careful. Don't say Wolf Fang F...or you'll have the anime people banging
on your door for royalties. As for Fang, he splits his spear and attacks
twice. OK. What's that? More powerful than Hyper Jab? No, not really. Come
on now.
Whirlwind Spear none Wolf Fang Spear lv. 2 8
Ah, now this is what I want, Fang's most powerful attack. It'll rip apart a
King Ruse or Quartz King with ease. Yay!
Sky Spear none starting skill 3
He throws the spear and it comes back. Sure OK, but I want more.
Thunder Spear Thunder Sky Spear lv. 2 6
A spear with Thunder power. OK.
Vacuum Spear Thunder Thunder Spear lv. 2 1
This is a nice attack, but really what's the big deal? Huh? 1 AP. Just 1 AP?
That means Fang attacks again and again. That's good. It'll also teach Mouse
Silent Cross, though it took me forever to actually get it. If you aren't
getting it right away either, just be patient; you will.
12. Lloyd/ L-Lloyd- the odd little robot that pretended to be a princess. It
can still become the princess, but L-Lloyd is so stupid it's worthless.
Regualr Lloyd has the same Base EH Values for Strength, Spirit, and
Dexterity. That's good. L-Lloyd. has either 999 for Stremgth and Dexterity
and virtually nothing for Magic, or 999 magic and nothing for the other two.
To make things worse, they flip-flop not based on your controls, but they
flip every time you gain a level. Worst of all, L-Lloyd doesn't even have
descent magic (they're the same lame magic Mouse has). L-Lloyd is worthless
so I don't even know if it has any skills beyond the three it starts with.
Regular Lloyd, however, has some interesting skills.
Analyze none Starting skill 4
This is Lloyd's main ability, almost. It scans the enemy and learns what it
can about it.
Duplicate none After first Analyze 3
Once you have Analyzed an enemy, go to the Skills menu and you will see the
option Duplicate. Select it and you will get a choice of all the enemies you
have analyzed. Then, in battle, if you pick Duplicate, Lloyd will become that
enemy. You will also no longer have control of Lloyd, but it is cool to watch
a Time Demon fight on your side.
Head Bomb none Starting skill 3
Lloyd tosses its head at an enemy. It explodes, but somehow it comes back on
his shoulders. Odd.
Wooden Ball none Head Bomb lv. 2 10
Lloyd curls up into a ball and cannot be hurt. He cannot attack either, but
he's safe, and since he's cute, it's good to keep things safe that are cute.
Wooden Missile none Wooden Ball lv. 2 6
Lloyd shoots a bunch of missiles at the enemy. A fairly effective attack too.
Overload Time Wooden Missiles lv. 2 10
Lloyd curls up into a ball again. This time he explodes, and unlike his head,
he doesn't come back (unless you use a revive or Phoenix potion on him).
Folks, suicide is never the answer, even with Lloyd. Don't kill him for fun.
Sport maybe, but not for fun.
13. Grantus- he's the big bull, who with flowers in hand, will join your
party. He comes in so late, and is such a low level, he can't be any good,
right? What do you say? He's the best character in the game? Now why is
Demon Bull none Starting skill 5
He attacks with his axe, and he's at such a low level, he's not strong.
Well, he is going up levels now, but come on, he can't be the strongest
character, can he?
Demon Roar none Demon Bull lv. 3 5
He shouts at the enemy and they get scared. Come on. That's not strong.
Show me how he's strong.
Brandish Evil Demon Bull lv. 2 10
Oh, that's strong! He attacked all enemies? OK. That's nce, but come one,
really, the strongest? So maybe he's getting close to level with the others,
but come on. No way.
Horn Thrust none Brandish lv. 2 9
An area attack. I've seen those before. They aren't too strong. What's that?
Grantus just wiped out an entire group of King Ruse and King Quartz with one
touch? That's strong. That's real strong. That's kick ass strong! OK I give.
With these group attacks doing as much damage as most character's most
powerful single enemy attacks, Grantus is the strongest chracter for the end
of the game. Pair him with Beak and you're unbeatable! Just be sure to level
him up first, but with the clock broken, you have all the time in the world
to get him close to your level.
Iron Blast none Horn Thrust lv. 2 7
Two strikes. That's real nice too. Real nice, but Horn thrust is still a
little better, but I won't complain.
As far as I know, these are all the skills in the game. I have not maxed out
every skill to 10 to see if there is something hidden (I don't have that
much time on my hands), but I feel confident this is everything.
I again want to thank PyroFalkon and BAnderson for their great guides,
without whose help I would not have finished this game, most likely. And,
I want to thank all of those who have taken the time to read my little
guide. I hope it's been helpful. Enjoy!
Copyrighted by Dave Erhardt. 2003.
View in:


text:
Kirsten Dunst's Downward Spiral Is Being Blamed On Jake Gyllenhaal Dumping Her Ass
Oh Kirsten Dunst. Oh Kiki. It was so many years ago (2005) when you were let go. Just find another closet case to date. I hear John Mayer's available! Babygirl, you need to get some sun and put down the mirror, razorblade, and bottle of hooch! Hopefully that lodge in Utah is helping you with that. Look what it did for Lindsay Lohan! Err..right. Sources are saying that Kirsten Dunst's problems with whatever she's in rehab for (sources say coke and booze, her rep won't confirm) began back in aught 5 when Jakey G dumped her because he didn't like her partying.
Kirsten allegedly is that girl at the end of the bar, letting dudes do body shots off her ass and wondering where her keys and phone are that she left in the toilet stall covered in pee. Who knew? She sounds like a Miss USA pageant contestant! Apparently, whenever she's shooting a film, she's "the center of the group – doing shots and encouraging everyone to drink," says a source. She doesn't stop at one. Who does? Damn, here I thought she was reserved with a stank attitude. If I had know she likes to throw back a few and get low, I would have liked her more! Kirsten's currently at Cirque Lodge in Utah, rehabbing. Let's hope she finds a UV lamp up in there. She's paler than I am. And I'm pretty much the damn Michelin Man.
Photos: Splash


text:
Would you like to save as your currency permanently or for this visit only?
The Long Ting Hotel (Changzhou Longting Dajiudian) offers various rooms equipped with internet access. Guests can use personal computers and chess and cards table in some rooms. Travelers on business can book a variety of conference rooms furnished with premium audio-visual system and simultaneous interpretation system.


text:
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I have over 15 years commercial level photographic retouching experience working on projects for a range of prestigious end clients.
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I am always interested in hearing about new opportunities, so if you have a retouching project you would like to discuss, please get in touch.
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+44 (0) 7986 623628


text:
The Washington County Historical Society possesses hundreds of priceless county historical items.
But what the society can place a price on is the purchase of a new facility on Greeley Street to house exhibit, storage and research space.
WCHS Executive Director Brent Peterson asked the County Board of Commissioners Tuesday for a one-time $50,000 donation toward the purchase and renovation of an empty, 14,000-square-foot building at 1862 South Greeley St.
Peterson said if the county agrees to the society's request, he hopes it spurs other donations to meet the $750,000 sale price on the building.
Peterson made his request during a workshop that followed a session on the county's proposed 2013 budget. He told commissioners the historical society has one year to raise funds to buy the building
"We have a purchase agreement for one year. It runs out in June 2013," he said. "We do have a time limit on this structure. We have a purchase agreement that is below market value because we are the historical society."
Peterson said the Greeley Street building would cost $790,000 to buy, with another $500,000 for remodeling, and about $200,000 needed for other work.
The organization's plans for the building call for two large exhibit spaces, one used for traveling exhibits, along with storage, research and office space, Peterson said.
The new center would replace the society's current office and storage facility in a restored carriage house behind the Warden's House Museum in downtown Stillwater.
"That would handle our collection for a goodly number of years," he said about the Greeley Street site.
Peterson told commissioners the historical society is seeking grants to cover acquisition and renovation costs and he believes his group could gain possible donations with a county donation.
"Where are we going to get this money? We have asked several foundations," he said.
Peterson also reminded commissioners that among state laws regarding historical societies, one allows the groups to serve as archive of county records.
"The $50,000 is to get the heritage center," he said. "Then we would work with county staff on the archive for records."
"I'm in strong support of a one-time donation to the historical society," said District 3 Commissioner Gary Kriesel. "But where do we get the money?"
"Your request is not really outlandish at this time," added Board Chairman Dennis Hegberg.
Peterson said the historical society plans to use the proposed heritage center as a "revenue stream."
"We will be charging admission. We will be selling items," he said. "The structure will be a revenue stream for us."
If the society can raise the purchase and renovation funds, Peterson hopes to have the center open within two years.
"We really hope this is going to open in 2014," he said.
Historical group seeks $50K from county
The Washington County Historical Society possesses hundreds of priceless county historical items.


text:
You Said It, Sept. 25, 2011
To the young woman who screamed at me "gas guzzler!" and much ruder things in a grocery parking lot because I was driving a 1995 Suburban: Here's what you don't know. This vehicle is in very good condition and was paid off many years ago. About once a month we take it out for a spin; other than that we only drive it in deep snow, or the occasional camping trip, or when our Prius and Subaru are unavailable. And next time you yell at innocent people for no reason and then run off, well, you might want to take a moment to hear what I have to say. It is always stupid to make assumptions.
To the admitted tailgater: Will someone please explain to me why it is always the fault of the person being tailgated? It is never the fault of the one doing the tailgating? When it is after dark and raining, I have the perfect right to drive to the condition of the road. I will not be bullied into driving at the speed of a person who is a bully. To the bully, BACK OFF.
I want to thank the lady who found my Medicare and Social Security cards and turned them in at the Red Lobster restaurant. There are angels in this world and you are one of them.
Thank you, Fruita Monument football team, for your acts of kindness and community service on Sept. 10 in Fruita. Good luck with your season. I'll be watching!
Note to all you amateur pyromaniacs: It's now late-September. Exploding fireworks are illegal in this state. Even if you have them, they are meant only for the day of the Fourth of July. That does not mean from mid-June till October. Next time it happens, I will send the police right to your door.
Good news for those who home-can pears: No need to peel, just rinse them well.
To learn how widespread the knowledge of Whitman Park's problem is, Google Whitman Park, Grand Junction CO. I was shocked to see the second link goes to Coloradoan.com and begins: GRAND JUNCTION — Whitman Park on the south side of downtown Grand Junction is known in this isolated Western Slope city as the "homeless park." Will this city ever get serious?
I was just wondering if anyone else has noticed the Braille on the drive-up ATMs and windows?
I have always trusted the movie-rating assessments. I have translated the R rating to mean "It's not good enough for kids, therefore it's not good enough for me." PG-13 is now R in disguise.
Thank you to the young man replenishing the frozen food cases at the North Avenue Walmart. He noticed my cart was hard to push and used his box opener to cut all the strings and other trash from the wheels. Much easier to push.
Palisade needs to take down all the stop and speed limit signs. Very few drivers obey them, and you very seldom see a policeman patrolling the busiest of streets to enforce the laws. Maybe the new investigator can solve the case of the disappearing cops.
The people whose houses face or back up to 27 1/2 Road are required by city government to keep those areas free of weeds or risk being subjected to a fine whether our yards are fenced or not. Please don't throw cigarette butts out of your cars as you drive by because they create an additional fire hazard.
How sad that you took the four guns at our yard sale without paying for them. Sadder yet, you took the money the man had paid for the sale of the antique clock. Oh by the way, the police were called, they have a description of everything, even you. How can you sleep at night after going around to yard sales stealing from the senior citizens?


text:
Handel: Messiah
This page lists all recordings of Messiah, by George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) on CD, SACD, DVD, Blu-ray & download (MP3 & FLAC). Generally, more recent releases are listed first, but with priority given to those that are in stock.
Messiah, based on a biblical libretto by Charles Jennens, was written in the summer of 1741 and first performed in Dublin on 13th April 1742. It was originally intended to be performed during lent but it has become more common since Handel's death for Messiah to be performed in Advent.
All recordings
Copyright © 2002-17 Presto Classical Limited, all rights reserved.


text:
Superstitious Hamsik won't talk Scudetto
Marek Hamsik can't even bring himself to utter the word Scudetto in case he jinxes Napoli's tilt at the Serie A title.
Hamsik has been one of several stand out players as the Naples club have stormed to second in the table, two points behind leaders and defending champions Juventus.
Napoli are also enoying success in Europe, having qualified for the knockout phase of the Europa League, and the 25-year-old thinks their European form has helped push them on domestically.
Hamsik told La Gazzetta Dello Sport: "It was very important to reach the next round in the Europa League with a game to spare so we can better concentrate on the league.
"I want four wins up to Christmas, starting obviously against Pescara; a game that is easy on paper.''
But when he was asked about his side's assault on the Scudetto Hamsik replied: "I am superstitious and do not utter that word.
"We will not just be going head to head with Juventus. Inter are still in the running, Fiorentina, Lazio and Roma.''
Information from the Press Association was used in this report
Use a Facebook account to add a comment, subject to Facebook's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your Facebook name, photo & other personal information you make public on Facebook will appear with your comment, and may be used on ESPN's media platforms. Learn more.


text:
Motorola DROID Pic: iPhone 3GS - Motorola DROID camera shots
A picture of the iPhone 3GS taken with the Motorola DROID.
|‹Motorola DROID Pic: Magic Mouse
|Motorola DROID Pic: Short ribs!›
© Gear Live Inc. – User-posted content, unless source is quoted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Public Domain License. Gear Live graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, videos, articles, blogs, forums, scripts and other service names are the trademarks of Gear Live Inc.


text:
Vodafone: Raise Your Game
October 3, 2012
Vodafone sponsored a four-day street festival in Hungary to gain market share and promote its new 3G network.
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text:
The pool
The one thing one should never resist is temptation: so dive into the pool straight away or try out a deckchair beforehand to relax and settle in. Alternatively, unwind in a daybed in the adjoining exotic garden after a dip in the pool... and if you are still undecided, then sip a drink at the next door Beach Bar before you make your choice!
- Heated pool
- Deckchairs available
- 11 double daybeds on booking only


text:
The Boy Scouts of America have launched their "Voice of the Scout" survey, open to all currently active members of the BSA.
The results will be part of BSA's decision-making process on whether to change the membership policies to allow gay Scouts, Scouters, and parents to participate; so your completion of this survey is critical.
Request your copy of the survey here:
To participate, you will need your membership ID number (or if you are a parent, your Scout's ID number). The survey will close on April 4th, so please request your copy right now and forward this information to other current BSA members.
To participate in this survey, which is conducted twice a year, you will need your membership ID number, also called a BSA ID number. This is the number which appears on your registration card; or which is displayed on your MyScouting profile page. If you are a registered youth or adult with no access to MyScouting or without a paper registration card, contact your unit leader or the local BSA Council to obtain your BSA ID number.
Currently, this is just a sign-up for the survey to come out shortly.
If you are not a member of the BSA as a Youth or Adult and you want your voice heard, please give your thoughts here.


text:
12 September 2012
beautiful handmade blankets
15 comments:
I love these and am saving up a bit extra to be able to buy one for my very own.ReplyDelete
Oh I'd love to own one of these - beautifulReplyDelete
- AnonymousSeptember 16, 2012 at 10:57 PM
Well, I suppose it depends on how 'handmade' is defined. If you mean 'made by an artist in a studio one at a time by herself', then, they're not handmade. If you mean 'made by a group of people in an impoverished country being paid a few cents an hour for their work and very probably employing child labor', then yes, they're handmade. Otherwise known as 'kantha' quilts, and currently flooding the US...ReplyDelete
Beautiful quilts! How do i follow this blog? xxReplyDeleteReplies
My RSS is on the right side, "subscribe to" or I love to follow blogs with bloglovin.com! :)Delete
Such a beautiful quilt, love it!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousOctober 14, 2012 at 6:09 PM
You can get these via Fair Trade - known reputable co-ops of Indian and Pakistani women who need this money! Many of them are made from recycled saris. I won't be afraid to purchase these. Just Google "Fair Trade Kantha quilts".ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 7, 2013 at 3:02 PM
I wondered myself, as a quilter and getting into the GOTS certified organic cottons, how they were able to sell these for next to nothing...now I know. As someone who does make things at home by hand, I think these are, however beautiful they may be, are a misrepresentation. Shame on the Etsy seller. Sell them for what they are...don't sell them as a handmade item if you aren't doing it yourself.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 18, 2013 at 5:20 PM
I love how people comment about things they nothing about :). I know a couple of the gypsya people. They work in an etsy approved collective along side other artisans to create these beautiful blankets. "Shame on you" for making such an ignorant comment!ReplyDeleteReplies
hi there. i read here that you know a couple of the gypsa people. i was so close to purchasing one of their quilts and their shop is down! i'm nearly devastated. would you happen to know (nearly 3 years later i know) where i could find something similar?Delete
Hey, I love the design and bedroom is looking gorgeous... Thanks for sharing this great post. I am inspired too and will come back soon for more...ReplyDelete
baby blankets
personalised baby blankets
cot blankets
snuggle blankets
cotton blankets
Gypsya is an importer; they aren't designing or creating these items, so far as I can tell. Certainly not their quilts, which are identical to quilts sold through other import shops.ReplyDelete
Not Gypsya:
That's why they are cheap, except, not surprisingly, you're still getting a hefty mark up for that illusion that this might actually be made in Utah.
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
Thanks for your valuable information. It really gives me an insight on this topic. I'll visit here again for more information.ReplyDelete
Indian Kantha Quilts
Did you made this on your own? This handmade quilts are awesome. Where can I find these blankets? Thanks.ReplyDelete


text:
You may have to use a different cgi-bin directory, and you may have to configure your web server, however…
For some operating systems and distributions, packages exist:
Installation consists of three steps:
Alternative explanations:
Problematic systems:
15:52 <kensanata> i say: "if it doesn't work in 20 minutes, you should use something else..." ;) 15:53 <fourbissime> hehe 15:53 <fourbissime> where do i get it ? 15:54 <fourbissime> on your website i guess :D 15:55 <kensanata> https://oddmuse.org/cgi-bin/oddmuse-fr/Installer_Le_Script 15:56 <kensanata> (i don't know how good the french manual is... could use a bit of editing, i guess...) 15:56 <fourbissime> checking that 15:59 <fourbissime> hmmm ... now it is in my cgi-bin, how can i access it ? 15:59 <fourbissime> never installed a perl script before ... 16:00 <kensanata> try http://localhost/cgi-bin/wiki.pl 16:00 <kensanata> (if it is your local server) 16:00 <fourbissime> ok 16:01 <fourbissime> alright it's working :) 16:02 <kensanata> cool! 16:02 <kensanata> five minutes!


text:
Love Album:
A Texas Childhood, 1904-1914
Love Album captures selected childhood memories from Joe Brown Love and Ruth Winfield Love, patriarch and matriarch, respectively, of the notable Texas family. Ten stories, rendered in their respective handwriting (reproduced in silkscreen), the Loves' reminiscences are laced with humor and potent images of American life during the early 20th century.
Kelm and collaborator Jack Carlton (who created the images) decided to make this personal multiple "Texas-sized" to fit with the scope of the couple's stories and legacy. The large accordion book folds out to sixty feet in length, and is decorated with collagraph illustrations, many inspired directly by family photographs. Some of these images are held in photo corners, to mimic the feel of a personal photo album. The book features a series of pop-ups, including a full-sized piano keyboard and an airplane that can be flipped from one page to the next, allowing the reader/viewer to participate in the action of the story.
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text:
found a new home!
Plenty of my friends are looking
for one too. Find a pet to adopt.
I am already neutered, housetrained, purebred, up to date with shots, good with dogs, and good with cats.
Boomer's foster mom has this to say about him.....
"He is kind of shy. He is loveable to a point and he sleeps in the bedroom at night with us and every morning he roaches to get his morning belly rub. He now stands to eat and will eat in any room. Boomer eats at a perfect pace and finishes his bowl completely.
He is a horder, he has taken every toy and put them in his crate. He LOVES toys. He likes squeeky and floppy toys. He whips his head back and forth with the floppy ones.
He crates wonderfully. He is definately a barker. Again he barks if he hears movement but cannot find the source of the noise and he barks outside if he sees people or something he cannot get to. Kind of like saying "Hey come here! I wanna sniff ya". Boomer is also a tugger! He is a very strong muscley boy and he very much will try to pull you where he wants to go. He is quick to follow command though if you say no or don't allow him to go somewhere, but he will try initially. He has also tried to run and play on the lead. He is really strong.
The only weird thing he does is he refuses to hang out in the living room with us. He lays all day in the bedroom on the floor. The only time he does not lay in there is if we shut the bedroom door and do not allow him access. Even if we move all the blankets out of the room, he lays in that room. He does not come often when you call. You usually have to walk to where he can see you and motion and he is good to go. Otherwise he lays in the bedroom all day. Sometimes he comes out to check things out, then right back he goes. He is not hurting, sick or anything so we just let him do his thing. He is comfy back there."
Just So Quick "Boomer", a Smyrna Greyhound dog was adopted! Here's how you can benefit by looking at adoption as an option to buying a Greyhound for sale in Smyrna, or seeking a Greyhound dog from a breeder in Smyrna.


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City Making:
American metropolitan areas today are divided into neighborhoods of privilege and poverty, often along lines of ethnicity and race. City residents traveling through these neighborhoods move from feeling at home to feeling like tourists to feeling so out of place they fear for their security. As Gerald Frug shows, this divided and inhospitable urban landscape is not simply the result of individual choices about where to live or start a business. It is the product of government policies--and, in particular, the policies embedded in legal rules. A Harvard law professor and leading expert on urban affairs, Frug presents the first-ever analysis of how legal rules shape modern cities and outlines a set of alternatives to bring down the walls that now keep city dwellers apart.
Frug begins by describing how American law treats cities as subdivisions of states and shows how this arrangement has encouraged the separation of metropolitan residents into different, sometimes hostile groups. He explains in clear, accessible language the divisive impact of rules about zoning, redevelopment, land use, and the organization of such city services as education and policing. He pays special attention to the underlying role of anxiety about strangers, the widespread desire for good schools, and the pervasive fear of crime. Ultimately, Frug calls for replacing the current legal definition of cities with an alternative based on what he calls "community building"--an alternative that gives cities within the same metropolitan region incentives to forge closer links with each other.
An incisive study of the legal roots of today's urban problems, City Making is also an optimistic and compelling blueprint for enabling American cities once again to embrace their historic role of helping people reach an accommodation with those who live in the same geographic area, no matter how dissimilar they are.
"A pleasure to read. It is well written, lively and insightful. Frug treads where urban scholars rarely go--into the law and political theory of cities--and for this he should be congratulated."--Judith A. Garber, Urban Affairs Review
"Frug shows how American laws and legal traditions have hurt many cities, keeping them hobbled by state government and favoring suburbs at cities' expense. . . . Frug argues saliently that a city's character is shaped as much by its residents' perceptions of their civic responsibility as by its built environment."--Publishers Weekly
"Frug, a top Harvard legal scholar and urban affairs expert, makes a pathbreaking effort to document how government policies have shaped the fragmentation of the American metropolis. . . . [A] tight, well-written analysis."--Choice
"A powerful, important book. It is important not least because it showcases one of the last grand identities that seems to have evaded critical problematization--the identity of the romantic protagonist who by sheer force of imagination wills herself into a better world. Yet it is important also for the courage and vigor with which it takes on the tone and tropes of programmatic thought."--Fleur Johns, Urban Lawyer
"City Making is particularly welcome both as a challenge to a branch of the law that desperately needs rethinking and as a starting point for a new dialogue between law and urban and regional design."--Robert Fishman, Harvard Design Magazine
"The book is an important reference for those who want to explore alternative frameworks for city making. In addition, it alerts citizens to problems of their urban landscape, and how costly it is to run away from them."--Carla Braziliero Waehneldt, Journal of the American Planning Association
Acknowledgments ix
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text:
Use all your intuition and skill to build the eight foundations using the 40 thieves and 64 more cards from the stock.
Two decks, 104 cards, the undo button and YOU. You will be addicted! Build the eight foundations in suit from aces and up, in as few moves as possible or as fast as you can.
Press 'i' for instructions while playing.
Game Stats576 views
Game Tags
card, card game, cards, cartas., casino, en, forty thieves, freecell, klondike, Le Cadran, patience, poker, puzzle, pyramid, solitaire, solitario, spider, streets


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Kirsten Dunst is crazy/beautiful even without makeup. The fresh-faced Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues actress was all smiles when she stepped out makeup-free with her mom, Inez, in Studio City, Calif., on Saturday, Dec. 7.
Joining her mother for a shopping trip to Bed, Bath & Beyond, Dunst, 31, appeared confident and comfortable in her own skin. She went casual for the outing, bundling up in a long black peacoat, a red long-sleeved top, black leggings, and black ankle boots. Her blonde hair was kept out of her face with a small white barrette.
The Marie Antoinette actress can certainly turn up the glamour on the red carpet, but she seems to live a pretty low-maintenance lifestyle otherwise. She was also photographed without makeup in July, on a coffee date in L.A.
In addition to her cameo in the much anticipated Anchorman sequel, Dunst will appear in the movie The Two Faces of January, costarring Viggo Mortensen. It's due to premiere in 2014.


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Last week, "Love & Hip-Hop" co-star K. Michelle mentioned in a Bossip interview that when it comes to dating, "At this point, I really do prefer white men." It's no surprise K. Michelle is up for interracial dating as she's been linked to white boy Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte (they deny dating).
But the sentiment stuck out not because K. Michelle said it, but because of how often I've been hearing it, or something similar, among the Black women circles in which I travel or stumble upon. I wondered if the women touting their desire for white meat were aware exactly of what they are really saying—or not— when they discuss how they "prefer" a particular race of men, implicitly over another.
So I'm clear, there's nothing wrong with having preferences, and certainly nothing wrong with liking white guys or any other color guys. And do I appreciate that unlike so many conversations on interracial dating, K. Michelle's didn't devolve in an opportunity to throw another group of men under the bus to justify what she "prefers." Still, I find it troubling that K. Michelle and women like her tout a preference for a trait so general that it tells you little to nothing about the actual subject. Is it white swimmers that she likes? White junkies? White republicans? White hipsters? Or is it just the "White" in whatever form it comes that she "prefers"?
Related: K. Michelle's LA Hot Spots


text: PoliticsUS public support for Syria strike declines There is growing opposition to military strike in Peoria, a town considered a microcosm for American mood. 11 Sep 2013 09:31 GMT | Politics, US & Canada, Syria, United States Recent polls show US public support for military intervention in Syria is declining. There is growing opposition to the action in Peoria, a midwestern town in the US state of Illinois known as a quintessential place to sample the opinions of ordinary Americans. Al Jazeera's John Hendren reports.Source: Al Jazeera