text:
tinapbrooks necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 207 diseños de 33 diseñadores freelance.
Methods Organizing
I am just launching my own business as a professional organizer. My background has been in project management but my passion is helping people to simplify their lives. I get a high from walking into a room that's cluttered and out of control and then walking out when it's neat, orderly, and organized in a way that will make the clients life easier. As a mom of two children under 6 I feel I can apply my experience in my own life to help other families function better.
** Another note. I asked for some feedback from some mom friends on all the designs and I'm getting a lot of comments that the logos just don't seem family oriented. The challenge is to come up with something that reads family but is still professional (without being to corporate).
*Addition based on submissions. I'd like to clarify that my business will be mainly about organizing clutter in the households and providing systems for people to feel they can better manage the chaotic schedules that often come with kids. Many of the designs have featured logos that seem to imply organizing lots of people rather than stuff. I just wanted to clarify for future submissions that it's not so much about organizing groups of people.
I plan to focus in the beginning primarily on families with children. My intention is to only do residential organizing as opposed to small business but if the business is run out of the home I could tackle that too. I'm envisioning my audience to be everything from expecting mothers trying to get their nurseries together to moms of teenagers trying to keep track of all the kids activities. Within the home I'll be working on anything from kitchens, to bathrooms, to playrooms, to closets, to offices, to garages to family rooms. Anyone who feels there is to much madness in their life and just needs a helping hand to get a grip on things would benefit from my services. Finally, it is my intention to leave my clients not only with a more organized household but with the tips, tricks, and systems to maintain the organization on their own.
For this project I need a logo in versions that can be used for both print and web. It should have a transparent background and look good on both light and dark backgrounds.
The logo should have the following company name and tagline:
Methods Organizing
Managing the Madness
I have gathered some designs that appeal to me at the following link but I'm really open to your expertise and ideas.
My favorite colors are natural ones like sage green and chocolate brown so I'd like to see something in those colors. However, again, I'm open to other colors. I'd say they just need to be soothing rather than to bright and overwhelming.
I have envisioned something that captures the idea of managing the madness in a simple visual. Nothing to cluttered as simplicity in the clients life is the goal. I plan to use this logo for my business cards, my website, my t-shirts and any other marketing materials I may need.
I'm excited to see what you can come up with!
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


text:
Cleaning up with space tech
Theres just about nowhere that state-of-the-art space technologies cannot reach from the martian atmosphere to those hard-to-clean spots under the couch. The search for space dust is giving us cleaner homes.
Just ask Heinrich Iglseder, the Austrian scientist who created a technique to study dust in space that is now being used in a super-efficient Miele household vacuum cleaner.
Dust particles in space are very important to get information about how matter is generated in the cosmos, explained Dr. Iglseder.
He invented a detector to measure interstellar dusts chemical composition, speed and direction. It was sent into space three times as part of Japanese and USGerman space missions. Thanks to his device, these missions identified dust tails in space, where dust was concentrated at levels 100 to 1000 times higher than usual.
This is important to know because high-speed space dust can seriously damage satellite parts such as solar cells.
But there are other reasons to study space dust. Interstellar particles are the seeds for human biological life, explained Dr. Iglseder.
Dust is a health problem
Here on Earth, dust particularly the super-fine particles generated from human activities like diesel engine combustion can have a deeply negative effect on peoples health.
I have friends suffering from allergies, Dr. Iglseder said. They came to me and said, 'cant you do something about this problem?'
As a result, he started looking into ways to reduce dust in peoples homes, and the biggest problem he found was the carpets.
Poisons like lead and cadmium, toxic particles and carcinogens accumulate in carpets. To get a hygienic environment, its absolutely necessary to clean the floors well.
So Dr. Iglseder adapted his space sensor for a regular vacuum cleaner. Colored lights let you know if the area you are cleaning is actually dust-free, or still needs more work.
Miele incorporated this Allergotec Hygiene Sensor into their Medicair vacuum cleaner, geared towards people with allergies.
I think its really practical, said Miele press spokeswoman Reinhild Portmann of the straight-from-space technology.
You have an objective measurement of how clean the floors are.
Frank M. Salzgeber, Head of the ESA Technology Transfer Program Office, adds: To foster more of those kinds of transfers in Austria from space to non-space, we are now teaming up with the Austrian Research Promotion Association to establish the national Austrian Technology Transfer Program initiative.
I expect that we will soon find more exciting projects and innovative transfers from Austrian companies.
Green for all dust taken
Dr. Igelseder admits that its his wife who does the lions share of the vacuuming around their house but says she likes the sensor.
Mounted in the vacuum cleaner manifold, his sensor checks the amount of dust passing. Traffic lights on the nozzle show red for still too much dust, orange for medium, yellow for slightly and green for no more dust.
With the sensor, she can see that, in some areas, its clean after one or two strokes. In other areas, five or six strokes might be needed. She tells me she wouldnt like to clean without the sensor now.
Explore further

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Fuzzle necesitaba un nuevo diseño de papelería y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 86 diseños de 21 diseñadores freelance.
Fuzzle Store
Small company with big expectations that has two major business lines - Imprinted Promotional Advertising Products & Full Service Printing. Quality products and service at low discount prices. Examples of product offerings - coffee mugs, t-shirts, uniforms, pens, magnets, umbrellas, door mats, hats, beverage glasses, coolers, hand sanitizer, jackets, kitchen items, tablecloths, signs, business cards, letterhead, envelopes - if you can print on it, we have it.
Any one (or company) that purchase imprinted promotional advertising products or printing services. Examples - banks, law firms, education, real estate companies, settlement companies, insurance, builders, auto repair and or sales, boat sales, small and large businesses, wedding needs, birth announcements, etc.
Two sided card. Must be colorful and fun. Must include all contact information that is on attached sample of current card which is boring, dull and not visually interesting. Prefer an .eps file or AI file but will use any standard file format that is standard in the printing business - no pdf.


text:
Skewnews.com is reporting that Canada recently announced that they would be phasing out their penny coin. On the heels of the Canadian announcement, U.S. Treasury Secretary, Tim Giethner stated in a press conference today that the U.S. Mint will remove the penny and nickel coins from circulation, starting early in January 2013.
Due to the rising costs of zinc and production related expenses, the U.S. Mint now spends 4.8 cents to make a penny. And the cost of copper and nickel have inflated the cost to create a nickel coin to 16.2 cents.
Gone in 2013
In 2011, the U.S. mint made over 4.9 billion pennies, at a cost of $118 million to make. That is $236 million to produce only $49 million worth of pennies, a loss of $187 million in minting costs. Minting the nickel coin also represents a significant loss in revenue.
By comparison, the dime (which costs 9.2 cents to mint) and the quarter (21.31 cents) are economically more feasible, and will continue in circulation through 2013. However, according to Giethner, the dime may be in jeopardy as early as 2014.
Once the phase out of pennies and nickels begins, merchants must be equipped to round all transactions to the nearest ten-cent increment.
If something costs $1.53, for instance, it will be rounded down to $1.50, and a transaction for $1.55 or higher will be rounded up to $1.60. Credit card, debit and check payments would also be subject to the rounding rule. It is expected that the rounding will not result in higher costs for purchases or losses for merchants.
Pennies and nickels will continue to hold their inherent cash value, and they can be traded in at financial institutions. Banks will then return the coins to the mint for recycling into their base materials. By mid 2013 it is expected that the penny and nickel will both be mostly removed from the U.S. economy.


text:
- News
- Business
- Sports
- Entertainment
- Lifestyle
- Health
- Travel
- Technology
You would think the sheer beauty of Fort Lauderdale's sunny coast, with its palm trees and hibiscus flowers, sparkling waters and magnificent 40-kilometre stretch of Atlantic beach, would be enough. Not even close.
Greater Fort Lauderdale, incorporating 31 communities from Hallandale Beach in the south to Deerfield Beach in the north, pops with more than 500 hotels, 4,000 restaurants, 120 nightclubs, a wildlife sanctuary and the home ice of the NHL'S Florida Panthers.
The 100 marinas and 500 kilometres of inland waterways that harbour 50,000 sailing and power boats have inspired two nicknames for Fort Lauderdale: the Venice of America and the Yachting Capital of the World. And it's cruise territory, par excellence. The world's two largest ocean liners, both Royal
Caribbeans, are based at Port Everglades and about 40 grand ships take to the high seas every week between October and April.
The spring break college kids decamped years ago to Daytona and Panama City, and Fort Lauderdale has evolved into a stylish, classy destination, with great beachfront hotels, terrific boating experiences, power shopping at the Galleria, sport-fishing and fashionable dining.
Fort Lauderdale is at the top of its game. It is the No. 1 winter destination for Canadians, drawing nearly one million vacationers annually from north of the border. To me, the allure is the vibrant, all-inclusive society of young and old, golfers and surfers, gays and straights. Above all, Fort Lauderdale is unpretentious and lighthearted, with a party culture that rocks on, swinging from beach-chic to luxurious. Here's a peek at one of Florida's legendary towns. You can do it posh. Or you can party. Either way, it must be done.
Beach towns make me want to rent a Corvette or a T-Bird, but why take to the roads when there is sparkling, blue water everywhere? Whatever your ride, from paddleboard to power boat, the banks of the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean are like Architectural Digest magazine come alive, with hundreds of lavish mansions of astounding size and opulence.
Still, nothing says luxe like a yacht. Caution: as Gilded Age tycoon J. Pierpont Morgan advised, if you have to ask the price, you can't even afford the upkeep.
To buy into the opulent boating lifestyle, there is no better showroom than the annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. The world's largest, it displays $3 billion in mega-yachts and accessories, and even a personal submarine. The best of the best, perhaps, a 50-metre pedigreed lovely built in Europe, might cost $50 million to $75 million, plus that darned maintenance bill of $1 million a year, or more. Hashtag: Rich.
"But people who are not billionaires still can fulfil their yachting dreams," said Arnoldo Ramirez, chairman of Water Fantasies, whose splendid boats dock at Pier 66 and Bahia Mar Marina. "We charter 24-to-30-metre luxury yachts at $6,000-$10,000 a day and we are lucky to be cruising magnificently clean waters.
"Between 10 and 12 people can have an exceptional, five-star experience with a gourmet chef and they connect with the sea, the sky and their family and friends."
Perhaps I am a peasant at heart. I like the adorable, hop-on water taxis that tootle through the Intracoastal for $20 or less, stopping at Lauderdale landmarks such as 15th St. Fisheries where specialties are conch fritters and fried gator, and Las Olas Boulevard, the trendy strip of beach boutiques and hip restaurants.
The Lauderdale Luxe Collection offers the Vacation-Like-a-VIP package, May 1-Sept. 30 with room upgrades, free valet parking and $100 resort credits.
The Luxe Collection includes 11 posh palaces such as W Fort Lauderdale, the global hotel chain's largest cabana of cool; the Westin Beach Resort & Spa, another major oceanfront biggie; the family-friendly Lago Mar Resort and Club and the Ritz-Carlton Fort Lauderdale, which is in a class by itself.
The Ritz-Carlton Fort Lauderdale is the town's only AAA five-diamond resort and it's a beauty, with unlimited opportunities for livin' large. The Club Lounge, open to privileged guests of select rooms and suites, is the ultimate in belonging, with its impeccable personal concierges, allday delicacies and open bar.
At the spa, the extravagant sapphire sea treatment will polish and cleanse your skin to jewel-like smoothness. Or have your massage in an outdoor cabana, soothed by the ocean breeze.
The Ritz-Carlton orchestrates culinary journeys by moonlight on Via Luna's oceanfront terrace or in the 5,000-bottle Wine Vault, where female patrons are offered faux fur stoles to ward off the chill and Champagne sabring is a parlour game.
With a trendier, tropical-chic vibe, S3 in the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort is Fort Lauderdale's hottest party scene. For the record, S3 stands for sun, surf and sand, as well as steak, seafood and sushi. I would add sexy, sultry and stunning. S3's oceanfront fullmoon parties, patio firepits and live music attract crowds of beautiful people, deeply bronzed, dressed for success and madly posting selfies to Instagram.
With teams of chefs on the line in the busy, open kitchen, S3 cooks up small and large plates of lamb chops, rib-eye steaks, shrimp toast and grilled octopus, and serves Asian delicacies such as hamachi sushi. It all goes best with creative, potent cocktails of tequila and vodka infused with lime, lemon grass and basil.
Fort Lauderdale's gay scene is one of the most dynamic in the U.S. with nearly 20 resorts, 150 LGBT-owned businesses and the United States' highest concentration of same-sex couples (2.8 per cent of a population of nearly 180,000), a slightly higher proportion than Seattle and San Francisco.
The "gay-bourhood" called Wilton Manors, exuberant and social, jumps with 24-hour merrymaking and cool hangouts such as Alibi or Rosie's Bar & Grill. And community spirit will burst with Stonewall Summer Pride, June 21-22, when streets will be closed for all-day entertainment and a kids' zone.
Straight-friendly Lips is a local institution famous for its fabulous drag divas doing fabulous sendups of Cher, Barbra, Madonna and Adele.
The writer was a guest of the Ritz-Carlton Fort Lauderdale. The hotel did not review the story.
Air Canada, Sunwing, WestJet and Air Transat fly non-stop from Montreal to Fort Lauderdale. For all-Florida info: 888-735-2872, www.visitflorida.com.
For venues mentioned, consult Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau: 800-356-1662 or 800-22-SUNNY/800-227-8669; for hotel reservations: 800-928-7583; www.sunny.org. The region includes 31 communities such as Hallandale Beach, Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach, Dania Beach and Hollywood. The Ritz-Carlton Fort Lauderdale: 954-465-2300, www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/FortLauderdale; 1 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Boul. Price: In January, deluxe rooms approx. $549-$619 U.S., per night, or $799-$919 for an oceanfront suite, all incl. evening turndown, swimming pool, beach club, fitness room, children's activities. Via Luna: lunch/dinner daily, Sunday Brunch. Extras: spa treatments, pool cabanas, valet parking and Club Lounge access.
The Florida Panthers will play the Canadiens in Montreal on Jan. 6 and again in Fort Lauderdale/Sunrise on March 29.


text:
School of Engineering Admitted Early Decision Numbers Are Consistent with Past Years
POSTED ON: December 20, 2013
The Cooper Union has admitted 36 engineering students from among 110 early decision candidates who completed applications by the December 2 deadline. Two additional decisions are pending. Measured by standardized test scores and grade point averages, the admitted cohort shows aptitude and achievement comparable to previous classes, according to Dean of Admission Mitchell Lipton. The fact that the strength of the admitted cohort was consistent shows promise for the incoming class, said Lipton.
Though the total number of early decision applications submitted was lower than in previous years, the percentage of students fully completing their applications was higher.
"We were not surprised to have a somewhat smaller applicant group for early decision, given the change in our scholarship policy," said Lipton. "What is essential for us is that we have maintained a critical mass of highly qualified, highly engaged applicants, and we have admitted approximately a third of the incoming engineering class. We are excited to welcome this new group to The Cooper Union, and we will continue to work throughout the next few months to attract the caliber of students we are accustomed to seeing on campus."
The admitted cohort scored an average of 33 out of 36 on the ACT. Average SAT scores were 660 in critical reading, 766 in mathematics, 767 in the math subject test, 747 in physics, and 757 in chemistry. The mean GPA is 94. Again, while the size of the admitted cohort is smaller than in the past few years, when it ranged between 45 and 50 students, this year's number is consistent with earlier years, which averaged around 40.
Similar to Engineering, the total of 230 early decision applications for the School of Art represent about half of the peak level of the past few years. Admission decisions will be driven by faculty reviews of submitted work—the so-called "home test" and student portfolios—which will be completed in January. Any qualitative assessment of the early decision cohort will follow that process, Lipton said.
Regarding the overall loss in numbers of early decision applications, Lipton observed that The Cooper Union certainly lost some number of applicants for whom free tuition would have been a primary draw. The announcement of the change in The Cooper Union's tuition scholarship policy also came late in the spring recruiting cycle, making it difficult to explain its implications to prospective students. The Admissions Office goal has been to sustain the academic strength of the entering class, rather than to generate higher numbers of applications, Lipton said.
About 20 students who completed early-decision applications subsequently informed the admissions office that they had elected to wait for the regular decision process in order to see a firmer financial aid offer.
Early decision applicants who provide family financial information via the College Scholarship Service Profile receive an estimate of their need-based aid upon admission. Final award notices are sent after the student files the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), a step that cannot be completed before the new year. Merit awards are made at the time of admission.
Regular decision applications for the schools of Art and Architecture are due January 6. For Engineering, they are due February 3


text:
Sue Watson, Jean Tucker, and Mary Stephens each recently celebrated their formal retirement from Thermafiber, Inc.
Sue Watson began her employment on April 7, 1969, and was as a Granulated Line Production Operator, completing 43 years of service. The company presented Sue with a 39-inch Emerson TV and a chandelier.
Jean Tucker started her employment on Nov. 11, 1974, and was a salaried CSR /Administrative production office employee, completing 38 years of service. Jean was presented with a HP Laptop computer and printer. Jean plans on spending time operating her business, The Cluttered Closet at 65 N Broadway in Peru.
Mary Stephens started her employment on April 29, 1977 and was a Granulated Line Supervisor, completing over 35 years of service. Mary was presented with a Vizio 39 inch HDTV.
Director of Manufacturing, Eric Ryder commented, "I am proud of the dedication, loyalty, and years of service each of these dedicated workers have given to the company. Their example and work ethic represents the highest standards of skill and professionalism at Thermafiber. We want to wish them all the best in retirement.


text:
import soy
PySoy is a 3d cloud game engine for Python. Its object-oriented API is designed for rapid game development while speed critical functions, such as physics processing and rendering, are implemented in C.
Cloud games can be played without having to wait for downloads or managing updates. Python-based games will run on a server and be playable on Android phones, embedded in web pages, XMPP chat clients, and even game consoles.
Our copyleft licensing protects players ability to download and modify PySoy-based games even when they are run in a cloud environment.
Our goal with PySoy is to target the accelerated 3d hardware available to casual game players including netbooks, tablets, and cellphones. This way, any PySoy-based game should be able to run on any device PySoy has been ported to. We believe it is more important for a game to be fun and available to a wide audience than employ cutting-edge shaders.
As part of the copyleft games community we know the importance of free software driver support. We support OpenGL ES 2.0 and (soon) WebGL with regular testing on both free and proprietary driver stacks.
For game developers we recommend an AMD Radeon-based video card or APU due to the tremendous support they've given the free software gaming community.
Access to the development tree is available via mercurial. See the download page for how to use it.
We are working to stabilize toward our next tarball release which will be more appropriate for game developers.
contact (us)
PySoy developers can be found on irc.freenode.net in the #PySoy channel. If you need help, have questions, or are interested in getting involved there's a growing community on IRC to be part of.
We also have a developer mailing list and an aggregate development blog.


text:
Submitted by: William De Britaine
When Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi was going to Mecca on pilgrimage, he came across a poor dog that had been injured. All four of the dog's legs were severely cut and bleeding.
The holy man picked up the poor creature in his arms to take it to a well where he could get some water to wash and dress the dog's wounds.
He paid no attention to the fact that his clothes were being ruined by the blood from the dog's wounds.
At the time he was passing through a stretch of desert, and it was not until he came to a small oasis that he could find a well. To his dismay, there was no rope and bucket with which he could draw up water. But he quickly collected some leaves from nearby trees, fastened them together to make a small bucket, and used his turban as a rope.
Dropping the improvised bucket down a well, he found that the length of his turban was too short to reach the water. As he had nothing else to lengthen the rope, he quickly took off his shirt and tied it to his turban. Still the rope was too short.
Accordingly, he removed his trousers, which were of thin cotton, and added them. This made the rope long enough. The holy man then drew water from the well, washed the dog's wounds and bandaged them. Carrying the dog in his arms, he struggled on until he came to a village.
There he went to the mosque and begged the Mullah, "Please take care of this poor dog until I return this way from Mecca."
"Have no doubts or fears, brother, for I will assuredly take the dog with me when I return."
That night when Hazrat Junaid slept, a radiant celestial being appeared to him in a vision. Holding out in his hands in blessing over Junaid, the being said:
"0 Junaid, your pilgrimage to Mecca has already been accomplished. This is because you have shown your love for the Lord by taking pity on one of his creatures without considering your own comfort.
"So now, 0 brother, it is up to you whether or not to complete your pilgrimage to Mecca.
"So far as God is concerned, He is already very pleased with you.
"For, love for Him and all His creatures is far more pleasing to Him than a hundred pilgrimages."
"Love alone counts in the court of the Lord
Love and devotion are to him most dear."
"Tales of the Mystic East" - Maharaj Sawan Singh Ji
Return to: Spiritual and Inspirational Stories


text:
TSS Group
Using Research to Address Trauma and Violence
The Traumatic Stress Studies (TSS) Group, directed by Anne P. DePrince, Ph.D., is part of the Psychology Department at the University of Denver. In these pages, you will meet our team members and collaborators, as well as read about current research and access full-text publications.
We pursue several lines of research with both youth and adults to understand the consequences of violence and abuse. For example, we examine alterations in basic cognition (such as attention and memory) associated with different forms of trauma exposure and clinical symptoms. In addition, we draw on cognitive and social-cognitive models to examine risk for problems post-trauma, such as revictimization, as well as seek to understand how appraisals of a trauma (e.g., fear, betrayal, shame, anger) relate to later symptoms. Further, we apply our basic research findings to intervention and prevention work. Our research draws on multiple methodologies (e.g., laboratory cognitive tasks, clinical interviews, survey methodology) as well as theories from diverse psychological perspectives to address both basic and intervention questions.
We strongly value community engagement in our research approach, allowing us to address questions of public concern as we learn from and with our community partners.


text:
((I'd originally intended to reveal these logs from a former expedition at the proper time in my abortive RP of the same name. Figured I'd expand it and post it up.
Note: The abbreviation P.E. stands for Post Enlightenment, taken as the years elapsed since the church of Falis took control of Kalshana.))
Excerpt from the journal of Maryanillae Sonelle (translated from the original Elven).
5 Tzelara, 1750 P.E.
My last night on shore before the expedition departs. I must say it's been a whirlwind of activity these past few days, with supplies to be stowed, gear to be checked, and the ship itself to be given a final once-over.
Finally, to cap it all, there's the traditional night on the town before we set sail. Humans certainly take their partying seriously. I know that I left home to get away from the stately flow of life, to actually live a little; still, I find it hard to keep up. The noise, for one thing, is simply overwhelming, and I'm not even about to try and keep up with the drinking.
I have, at least, learnt a few drinking songs, not that they're exactly complicated. The one in which people accuse each other of having eaten all the pies seems almost orcish. I can only imagine Mother's reaction if she caught me singing that.
Later in the evening, I was propositioned in the crudest possible way by one of the deckhands. I confess I was unsure how to respond to this. Nellie, bless her, had no such difficulties, and countered with a suggestion I dare not reprint. She later confided to me that Hester would hit on anything with a set of breasts. I am unsure whether to feel relieved or offended.
I took my leave soon afterwards, being partied-out. The others showed no signs of flagging, and I cannot imagine how they will haul themselves out of bed come morning. There must be some middle ground between the stifling social events of Kalshana and this sheer anarchy.
Living among humans, I can see, will be a constant learning experience.
Still, I am looking forward to the next few months. It seems difficult to believe that come the morning, we depart for the legendary Ice Continent of Hastel. This trip surely embodies the spirit of adventure so typical of the younger races, and I count myself lucky to be a part of it.
((Edit: Damnit. Wrong forum. Could I prevail upon somebody to move this?))
Centuries of threats of "I'll turn you all to stone!" and "I'll knock you all down!" have caused Domans to develop an instinct to form small groups. For safety, I assure you. – Keir
Edited by: [url=http://p068.ezboard.com/brpgww60462.showUserPublicProfile?gid=kelne>Kelne</A] at: 10/5/06 9:15


text:
Total Members Voted: 18
Voting closed: March 20, 2012, 09:48:36 PM
I'd like to report two robots on the MFG forums: One is EXShadow. The other is Saikoro.
There should be a Saikoro plugin for Photoshop.
Makaryudo and Albiole
Jesuszilla said, February 29, 2012, 04:28:32 AMMakaryudo and Albiolechili & pepper is more like it
hey guys i had to make a poll for voting.the one with the lest votes will be last and the one with the highest vote will be first.this way i can sprite and post the winner character that will be made.saiyanara
Yea fuck Taki. Natsu is an extremely great replacement for Taki, she has a very fascinating backstory, and plays a huge, unique role in Soul Calibur 5.
I will force feed Dark Pit right into your ass if we ever play on wi fi.


text:
If you plan on camping at Heaven Fest this Saturday you need to secure your site by 10 p.m. Wednesday.
Another thing to remember if you are attending the event Saturday at Union Reservoir is to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. And to help fans stay well-watered, the organizers are giving away FREE water and are encouraging people to bring reusable containers. This will help save thousands of water bottles from going into landfills.
A good way to go green


text:
This morning I had homemade Marquesote, (Salvadoran sweet bread), for breakfast. Here's the recipe so you can have a taste of Marquesote, too.
Marquesote (Salvadoran sweet bread)
8 eggs
2 cups of cake flour
1 cup of sugar (a little more can be added if you'd like it sweeter.)
2 teaspoons of yeast
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
Optional: A few dashes of cinnamon
1. Mix together the yeast and cake flour in a medium bowl. (Add the cinnamon if using.)
2. Separate the eggs into two different bowls. (The whites should be in a large mixing bowl. Yolks in a small bowl.)
Tip: To separate the eggs, crack an egg in half and pour the yolk back and forth between the shells over the bowl until all the white has dropped into the bowl below. You will be left with just the yolk after a few passes back and forth. The yolk can then be dropped into a separate bowl.
3. Grease a 9×13 glass or metal pan. Preheat the oven to 450 F.
4. With an electric mixer on high, beat the egg whites until stiff.
Tip: Not sure if the egg whites are stiff yet? Tilt the bowl – if it moves or there is any liquid, you're not done.
5. Add the sugar little by little while continuing to use the electric mixer.
6. Add the yolks little by little while continuing to use the electric mixer. Repeat with the flour/yeast mixture. Add vanilla extract. Mix until all ingredients are combined.
7. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove to cool when golden brown. Serve with milk or coffee.
*UPDATE* – Please see the UPDATED VERSION of this recipe!


text:
This Weekend in Sports: Alabama vs. LSU, Giants vs. Steelers
A huge college football showdown and a battle of Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks highlight the upcoming sports calendar. Here's what to watch this weekend:
[All times Eastern.]
Friday, Nov. 2
Miami Heat at New York Knicks
Madison Square Garden, New York; 8 p.m. on ESPN
After their season opener against the Nets at Brooklyn's new Barclays Center was canceled due to the effects of Hurricane Sandy, the New York Knicks (0-0) will open the 2012-13 campaign at home against the reigning world-champion Miami Heat (1-0). The Knicks will be without Amar'e Stoudemire, who is recovering from a knee injury. The Heat looked very comfortable with new guard Ray Allen when they beat the Celtics on Tuesday night.
L.A. Clippers at L.A. Lakers
Staples Center, Los Angeles; 10:30 p.m. on ESPN
Blake Griffin and Chris Paul lead the Los Angeles Clippers (0-0) against the star-studded Los Angeles Lakers (0-2). With the addition of Dwight Howard and Steve Nash, the Lakers seem primed to get back to the NBA Finals, but they may face their biggest test right in their own city.
Saturday, Nov. 3
(23) Texas at (18) Texas Tech
Jones AT&T Stadium, Lubbock, Tex.; 3:30 p.m. on ABC
State and Big 12 bragging rights are at stake when 23rd-ranked Texas (6-2 overall; 3-2 Big 12) heads to Lubbock to face No. 18 Texas Tech (6-2, 3-2) . The Longhorns will stick with David Ash at quarterback, even though backup Case McCoy stepped in to help Texas beat Kansas last week. Red Raiders quarterback Seth Dodge could put up big numbers against a Longhorns defense that has struggled this year.
(4) Oregon at (17) USC
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles; 7 p.m. on FOX
Fourth-ranked Oregon (8-0 overall, 5-0 Pac-12) averages an NCAA-best 53.4 points per game behind quarterback Marcus Mariota and running backs Kenjon Barner and De'Anthony Thomas. The Ducks have not lost since the Trojans beat them 38-35 last November. Seventeenth-ranked USC (6-2, 4-2) is coming off a loss at Arizona that cost them any possible national-title hopes. Quarterback Matt Barkley will put pressure on the Oregon defense.
(1) Alabama at (5) LSU
LSU Tiger Stadium, Baton Rouge, La.; 8 p.m. on CBS
The schools that decided the 2011 BCS championship—won by Alabama—meet again in Baton Rouge on Saturday. The top-ranked Crimson Tide (8-0 overall, 5-0 SEC) have defeated each of their opponents by at least 19 points this season. They allow just 8.1 points per game, the lowest average in the nation. Fifth-ranked LSU (7-1, 3-1) needs freshman running back Jeremy Hill to pound away and open up passing opportunities for quarterback Zach Mettenberger.
Sunday, Nov. 4
Carolina Panthers at Washington Redskins
FedEx Field, Landover, Md.; 1 p.m. on FOX
Second-year quarterback Cam Newton leads Carolina (1-6) against Washington (3-5) and rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III. With two young, multitalented quarterbacks facing below-average defenses, this game has the potential to be a high-scoring contest.
AAA Texas 500
Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Tex.; 3:16 p.m. on ESPN
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is down to its final three races. Jimmie Johnson now leads the point standings, with Brad Keselowski just two points back and third-ranked Clint Bowyer 26 points away.
Pittsburgh Steelers at N.Y. Giants
MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J.; 4:25 p.m. on CBS
Ben Roethlisberger and Pittsburgh (4-3) take on the defending Super Bowl champions, whose pass defense is the only weak part of their team. Averaging an NFC-high 29.3 points per game, New York (6-2) can score with any opponent. Quarterback Eli Manning must be sharp against the Steelers' top-ranked pass defense.
Dallas Cowboys at Atlanta Falcons
Georgia Dome, Atlanta; 8:20 p.m. on NBC
Dallas (3-4) travels to the Georgia Dome to face an undefeated Falcons team with many offensive weapons, such as Julio Jones and Roddy White. The Cowboys defense, which ranks third in the NFL against the pass, should keep the game close. Atlanta (7-0) wants to add to the turnover woes of Dallas quarterback Tony Romo, who has given the ball away 15 times this season.


text:
Colombian authorities seized a pair of submarines used to smuggle cocaine, including one that had a sophisticated navigation system and was named "The Black Pearl."
One of the submarines, found on the country's Pacific coast on Friday, could carry up to 10 tons of cocaine and was outfitted with a GPS navigation system, according to insightcrime.org. On Monday, authorities announced the discovery of a smaller but more sophisticated submarine, dubbed "The Black Pearl," hidden in a wooden shack in the dense jungle along the Pacific coastline, according to a report from the BBC.
The $2 million "Black Pearl" was made of steel and fiberglass and could carry four tons of cocaine, the BBC said. It could stay submerged for 10 days with a crew of five and had radar, navigation and communication systems.
U.S. & World
Both vessels were built for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group, which finances its operations with drug money.
The drug subs have become the newest generation of smuggling vessels. Despite their shoddy appearance, narco-subs can evade some of the world's most technologically advanced military equipment. In February, Colombian authorities captured a 100-foot-long narco sub capable of traveling to Mexico at depths of up to 30 feet.


text:
Last night, as was to be expected, Jon Gruden and the rest of the Monday Night Football gang talked about fun-sized pigment curio Danny Woodhead with the sort of insight and gravitas one finds on the cover of Bop Magazine.
Here's what Gruden said, amid general murmuring and sighing in the broadcast booth:
This guy — this guy represents hope for all of the kids back home that want to play pro football. This guy's 5-foot-7. He comes from a small college. He's 180 pounds. And he's starting for the New England Patriots. Keep lifting weights back home, kids.
Woodhead is actually listed at 5-foot-9, 200 pounds, which, yes, is on the small side for a modern running back, but not so small that, in anointing him the Rudy Ruettiger of our day, we should ignore his manifest athletic abilities and the fact that he briefly held the NCAA's all-divisions career rushing record. (Squint and you might see a little bit of Warrick Dunn to his game, though no one, that I can remember, went around calling the 5-foot-9, 190-pound Dunn "the little engine that could.")
There are certainly smaller guys around, in any case. I went through the 146 backs listed here. Twelve are lighter than Woodhead; 14 are shorter, including Kevin Faulk, the guy Woodhead replaced on the depth chart. If Body Mass Index is your thing, there are 30 running backs with a lower BMI than Woodhead (29.53), among them Chris Johnson (26.64), Darren McFadden (26.96), Matt Forte (27.99), Adrian Peterson (28.63), and Brian Westbrook (29.12). Woodhead is a "small," super-fast running back in a league with no great shortage of them. The difference is that little Danny is blessed with sufficient amounts of Vitamin D to get called scrappy over and over in the national media and inspire grown men to talk like cooing nitwits in front of a bunny cage. The real lesson? Stay out of the sun, kids.


text:
Veteran R&B diva Patti LaBelle is getting an honorary degree from Temple University in her hometown of Philadelphia.
The university will present LaBelle with the doctorate in humane letters at its May 13 commencement ceremony.
LaBelle's singing career has spanned more than four decades and includes several hit records and two Grammy Awards. She has also written four books, two of which are cookbooks.
LaBelle served as a spokeswoman for the American Diabetes Association after being diagnosed with the condition. Two years ago, she partnered with Temple to raise awareness about diabetes.
Temple President Ann Weaver Hart says in a statement Tuesday that the university is honoring LaBelle for "her professional excellence and her selfless service to others."
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Celebs Who Give Back
VIEW THE PHOTOS: The Latest Star Sightings
PLAY IT NOW: Kris Allen & 'American Idol' Give Back To Help Haiti Earthquake Victims
PLAY IT NOW: Patti LaBelle Honored At UNCF Evening Of Stars
Patti LaBelle To Get Honorary Degree In Philly
Veteran R&B diva Patti LaBelle is getting an honorary degree from Temple University in her hometown of Philadelphia.


text:
Andrew Muollo necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 38 diseños de 24 diseñadores freelance.
Turnaround Mindset, Inc
Predicated on two decades of experience, Turnaround Mindset, Inc. http://turnaroundmindset.com/ was created in 2007 with a simple purpose: to educate and advise individuals and companies on the application of turnaround management techniques and philosophies in underperforming companies - not just those on the brink of bankruptcy. Based on the premise that the seeds of poor performance are sown well before any true crisis emerges, management has an opportunity to thwart disaster through the rigorous application of basic business fundamentals...simple in concept, but not necessarily easy to implement.
We are looking for a logo refresh/update. We are looking for something with a more updated we want a logo that looks professional, clean, classy yet maintains the quality Business to Business Service performance we strive to maintain.
Small to Medium sized Business Owners and Managers looking for assistance in refocusing and restructuring underperforming companies.
Because our logo is relativity unknown a lot of creative license can be taken.
Logo will be used in a variety of places: letterhead, business cards, signage, PowerPoint presentations, website, and corporate literature (print and electronic). As a result, it will need to translate well in small and large formats. However, as the logo will play a central role in our PowerPoint presentations, this is the most important medium consideration.
The logo must also translate well into black/white (as black against a white background or white against a black background) and be able to stand out against a dark colored background.
The files we require are EPS and JPEG
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


text:
Dogged daycare: Play yard shut down
Happy dogs don't always make neighbors happy. That's the message for All Things Pawssible, a doggie daycare in an industrial park off Albemarle Street near Bodo's.
While scores of area families have dropped off their four-legged friends for a day of romping, rollicking, and relaxation, the occupants of the lone dwelling in the industrial area consider the daycare's new outdoor play yard a dirty and noisy menace. And it seems the City agrees: The play yard was shut down on July 15 for failure to obtain a special use permit.
When All Things opened back in January 2002, owners Sean Julian and Karen Quinn accurately predicted huge demand. More than 185 dogs have used the daycare since it opened, and nearly 500 have come in for training. Business was so good, in fact, that Julian and Quinn planned to expand into an adjacent house and open a large play yard for the pups.
The pair spent nearly $2,000 preparing the 3,000 square-foot yard– putting down mulch and erecting a six-foot privacy fence. Then came the heavy spring rains. In one torrential downpour, much of the mulch washed under the fence and out of the yard, clogging a culvert in the adjacent yard.
Julian says he cleaned up the runoff, and he and Quinn set to work sealing the bottom of the fence. They also put down gravel in one particularly wet area to further prevent runoff.
"We wanted to be good neighbors," Julian says. But the homeowners, Sarah and Ernest Terrell, tell a different story.
"No one ever came to talk to us," Sarah says. She and her husband felt that little consideration was extended to them and to the fact that their basement filled with water because the culvert had clogged with mulch. After what she describes as an "unpleasant" exchange between Karen Quinn and her daughter, Kelly, Terrell decided to go to a City Council meeting to see if there was anything she and her husband could do to "protect ourselves and our property."
Mayor Maurice Cox paid the Terrells a visit to determine whether the complaint was valid.
"A nightmare," is how Cox describes the vacant lot the Terrells' brand new porch overlooks. Though no dogs were present during his visit– the yard had already been closed– he says imagining the scene wasn't difficult. "My observation," he says, "is that no City resident would live next door to what I saw."
Sarah Terrell says she wants people to know she's not an animal hater. "We have dogs," she says. "My biggest concern is having something like this in the city. When you have as many dogs as you have in that yard, the noise is a little overwhelming."
Terrell says she saw dog waste sitting unattended– though she acknowledges it was always picked up eventually. But, she says, the dogs often went behind two large bushes where scooping is difficult. She says she fears fecal runoff could contaminate her yard and pose health risks.
Quinn and Julian disagree. "We clean up everything," Quinn contends, "the second it happens."
In response to the noise issue, Quinn gestures to the group of 33 active pups in her care. Though none are barking incessantly, there are a few errant yips.
"Shusssh," she says, and, without exception, every dog in the place falls silent. "We've worked very hard on training them to be quiet," she says. "If we have a dog with a barking issue, we ask them not to return."
She points out that the business is open only during daylight and weekday hours– from 7:30am to 5:30pm– so nighttime and weekend noise isn't an issue.
Zoning administrator Barbara Venerus says cleanliness was not an issue during her visits. The only problem was Quinn and Julian's failure to acquire a special use permit. Quinn and Julian's site plan– required for such a permit– goes before City Council on August 6.
It's likely they'll have some company at that meeting. The two certainly have their share of supporters, including their landlord, Bill Nitchmann, who says, "I take my dog there occasionally. I wouldn't do that if it wasn't clean and well supervised."
Laura Sharp, a placement coordinator for the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA, calls All Things a "wonderful" and "immaculate" place– even though her own dog was asked to leave. ("He was just too much.")
She's especially frustrated by the City's position. "We live in a city that has problems with unsocialized, aggressive, chained dogs in people's back yards," Sharp rages. "That's okay. But it's not okay to have a business that's immaculately clean, catering to responsible dog owners? It's ridiculous."
Accolades alone, however, are not enough to reopen the yard, and Quinn and Julian feel they were misled.
"We were told by the City's zoning department that having the play yard was a by-right use of our land," she says. "It is our fault that we failed to get a special use permit, but had we been given the correct information, we certainly would have followed that rule."
The City doesn't deny that one of its staffers, who has since departed, may have supplied erroneous information.
Meanwhile, obtaining a special use permit can take months– and there's no guarantee it will ever come through, although Pampered Pets, a grooming and boarding business just blocks away, has a large outdoor run.
Quinn and Julian say it's hard to accept the possibility that their play yard may become history. In addition to the improvements to the yard, the duo had recently hired new staff and accepted more clients– many of whom they now must turn away.
"We're back to having a waiting list," Quinn says. She estimates the closure is costing them $600 a week.
Mayor Cox says they have good reason to fear. Although he concedes that the Terrells' house lies in an industrial neighborhood, he claims that they have a right to set limits on what type of businesses locate next door.
"They've been there for 40 years," he says. "It's not the same neighborhood now as it was when they bought their home."
Zoning official Jim Herndon points out that the industrial zoning goes back further than 40 years. "That area was zoned industrial by 1958," he says.
And Sarah Terrell acknowledges she's known she lives in an industrial neighborhood since 1963 when she moved from the Vinegar Hill neighborhood into the house at age 13. The house– originally owned by her aunt– was passed on to her, and she has no desire to leave.
"To anyone who says I'm being unfair," she says, "ask yourself: Would I live next door to this?" She– and Cox– believe the answer to that question is a resounding no.
Meanwhile, Quinn and Julian are hoping that better drainage and five fast-growing Leyland Cyprus trees along the fence line between the two properties will convince the City that the dog yard can coexist with the Terrells.
Quinn and Julian have also begun circulating a petition to demonstrate the groundswell of support they believe exists for their business.
Standing in the yard, gesturing toward the open doors of the daycare proper, Quinn stops and listens. "There are nearly 35 dogs here today," she says. "It's very quiet."
But Terrell says it's hard for her to imagine a compromise. While trees would screen the area from sight, Terrell says, "I can't imagine it addressing any of the noise issues or the smell issue. It's 'dog smell'– even if they're clean, dogs have an odor."


text:
Wall Calendars
Keep on track and on schedule with wall calendars, complete with your brand's name, logo and message. Convenient and useful both at home and in the office, these items are a great tool to help you and others get organized while promoting your business. It is easy to get off schedule in the busy corporate world. With frequent meetings, sales calls, constant emails and other daily duties and interruptions, without the proper organizational tools, you can easily overlook an important obligation. When you give a planner, you give the gift of organization. Help your employees and clients keep consistent and on track whether you need a giveaway idea for a tradeshow in January, an item for a mailed campaign or an end-of-the-year gift for your employees and clients, custom wall calendars are always an inexpensive and easy to distribute choice.


text:
Lifelike Sculpted Newborn Baby Dolls By Marita Winters
So Truly Real® baby dolls by artist Marita Winters are entirely sculpted in sweet newborn poses and realistically weighted. Hand-painted features.
Measure approximately 30.5 cm L
- Price:
- s&s◇
As she sleeps so sweetly, you gaze at her with great love. Your little newborn is so tiny, so soft, so utterly perfect. If only this moment could last forever. Now it can with an important So Truly Real® exclusive from The Bradford Exchange. Meet the Bundle of Love baby newborn doll, Issue One in the Perfect Little Miracles Doll Collection by Master Doll Artist Marita Winters. This extraordinary collection soon continues with Issue Two and more lifelike sculpted baby dolls, all hand-sculpted and crafted in precious newborn poses. Each issue arrives separately.
Unlike a poseable doll, each baby newborn doll in this collection is entirely sculpted from head to toe, forever captured in an adorable pose to faithfully recreate the tender beauty of an infant. These remarkable dolls are crafted with baby-soft RealTouch® vinyl to capture the tiniest details, from the thin translucence of an eyelid to the wrinkle on a tiny knuckle. Pick them up, and you'll find that each is weighted to feel like a real baby in your arms. The Bundle of Love newborn doll even comes with her own soft pink blanket and a floral headband. Strong demand is expected for these sleeping miracles, so don't wait. Order now!
- Bring home a little bundle of love and more tiny miracles with this realistically sculpted newborn doll collection, a So Truly Real® exclusive by award-winning artist Marita Winters, only from The Bradford Exchange
- Unlike poseable dolls, the amazingly lifelike baby newborn dolls in this collection are entirely sculpted to forever capture the sweet joy of those precious infant poses that melt our hearts
- Handcrafted of soft RealTouch® vinyl to faithfully recreate every nuance of Marita Winter's original sculpture - every wrinkle, every crease, even her itty-bitty belly button
- Each adorable newborn in this Perfect Little Miracles Doll Collection is weighted to feel like a real baby in your arms
- Certificates of Authenticity
- Measure approximately 30.5 cm L
- Reserves the entire collectible Perfect Little Miracles Baby Doll Collection from The Bradford Exchange in your name so you never risk an increase on the price of other collectibles in this collection, or miss a single issue of this collection
- Each issue will be shipped to you for your review, about one every month or two (pending availability), at the same low issue price and charged to the credit card on which your order was placed. No need to order each one separately
- You may cancel your collection at any time with no obligation
- "Issue One - Bundle Of Love," will be followed by "Issue Two" and more lifelike sculpted newborn dolls as they become available
©2013 The Bradford Exchange


text:
We cover all areas of Ramsbottom, as Bolton Glass and Glazing is based in the North West we can be with you in no time at all. We offer all our services and products to residential and commercial customers based in Ramsbottom and throughout the North West. We offer:
- Emergency glass replacement service
- Glazing – For Home owners
- Glazing – For Commercial Properties – Shops, Restaurants, Schools, Colleges, Hospitals
- UPVC Doors
- UPVC Windows
- Patio Doors
- French Doors
- Planetherm Glass – A Rated Glass
- Steamy Windows – Double glazed unit replacement
- Mirrors – For home and businesses
Price Promise
We will beat any price on replacement double glazed units in UPVC, Metal, or Wood Frames anywhere in Ramsbottom.


text:
NSA Monitored Calls Of 35 World Leaders After US Official Handed Over Contacts
" The National Security Agency monitored the phone conversations of 35 world leaders after being given the numbers by an official in another US government department, according to a classified document provided by whistleblower Edward Snowden.
The confidential memo reveals that the NSA encourages senior officials in its "customer" departments, such the White House, State and the Pentagon, to share their "Rolodexes" so the agency can add the phone numbers of leading foreign politicians to their surveillance systems.
The document notes that one unnamed US official handed over 200 numbers, including those of the 35 world leaders, none of whom is named. These were immediately "tasked" for monitoring by the NSA.
The revelation is set to add to mounting diplomatic tensions between the US and its allies, after the German chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday accused the US of tapping her mobile phone.
After Merkel's allegations became public, White House press secretary Jay Carney issued a statement that said the US "is not monitoring and will not monitor" the German chancellor's communications. But that failed to quell the row, as officials in Berlin quickly pointed out that the US did not deny monitoring the phone in the past.
The NSA memo obtained by the Guardian suggests that such surveillance was not isolated, as the agency routinely monitors the phone numbers of world leaders – and even asks for the assistance of other US officials to do so."
Read more at the Guardian


text:
Junk food is off the menu this fall in Edmonton's public schools.
Starting Thursday, the first day of school, public schools can no longer sell or provide students with foods from the Alberta nutrition guidelines' "choose least often" category.
The low-nutrient foods higher in calories, fat, sugar and salt include various types of chips and crackers, cookies and granola bars, sugary cereal, chocolate bars, candy, frozen desserts such as ice cream, pop and fruit-flavoured drinks and bakery items such as pastries and doughnuts, the Alberta Health Services school nutrition handbook says.
Students can still bring treats from home or buy them outside the schools.
That's what many students from Victoria School of the Arts do at lunchtime, Grade 11 student Lea Beaudoin said. Students at the downtown K-12 school often walk over to the nearby Tim Hortons, Dairy Queen or Humpty's family restaurant, she said.
But food choices in school have improved the past several years, said Beaudoin, who prefers healthy foods.
"I went to a junior high that had a sandwich machine, but the meat was absolutely disgusting," Beaudoin said. "It was terrible."
Vending machines in Victoria school sell healthier items such as Nature Valley granola bars — which are in the "choose sometimes" category of the nutritional guidelines — as well as fruit, said Victoria student Skar Svajger, 16.
"But the fruit is really expensive," Svajger said. "It's like $2 for a banana. A cookie is about $1."
Harry Ainlay High School has phased out junk food the past three years. Principal David Jones said the kids don't seem to miss it.
"I thought maybe they would just go to McDonalds across the street or take their car and go to the mall — we're very close to Southgate Mall," Jones said. "But you know, it's interesting that the sales (of food in school) went down dramatically in my first year of doing this for the first month. Then all of a sudden they came back because students know and were educated that it's not good to have french fries and a Slurpee or a large Coke or an extra burger. They become very aware of what's going into their bodies."
Harry Ainlay's cafeteria serves an array of freshly made fare, including roast beef sandwiches, vegetarian sandwiches, baked chicken with rice and vegetables, pork chops and small sirloin steaks. The school has taken sodium-laden packaged foods such as instant noodles off the menu. Students are sometimes treated to hamburgers with all-beef patties and baked french fries, Jones said.
"Nothing is fried any more. In fact, my deep fryers, I took them out three years ago so there are no deep fryers at all in our buildings," Jones said. "We're not in the business of making money at cafeterias. We're in the business of providing good, healthy choices."
Students are now less lethargic after lunch and better able to focus on schoolwork, he said.
Ottewell Junior High School stocks its vending machines and "snack shack" with healthier options: water, milk, slushes made with real fruit juice, cheese sticks, healthier granola bars, fruit and yogurt. The school features daily inexpensive and healthy lunch items such as multi-grain sandwiches, whole wheat subs and occasional treats such as pizza with whole-grain crust, said assistant principal Bob Zukerman. The school also rewards students "caught" with healthy lunches with small prizes, he said.
"Everything was carefully scrutinized," said Zukerman, whose school was one of the first in the city to ban pop in vending machines nearly 10 years ago.
"We had a whole transformation of what we allow in our vending machines. There's no more chocolate bars. At first, the students said, 'Where's the chips?' but they'll go for what's there over the long run. It's been a good transition and I think parents really appreciate it."
Scott Digweed plans to check the vending machines this September in his 10-year-old daughter's school to make sure all junk is removed.
"Now that there's a policy backing this up, I want to make sure that it's followed," he said. "We are trying to teach our daughter at home how to eat healthily … so it's a little disheartening to have the things we're trying to teach her undermined at school."
Digweed previously spoke with the principal at his daughter's school to express concerns about candy being distributed to reward students in class and about unhealthy treats in the vending machines.
"It sounded like, speaking with the principal, that they have had struggles with the operators of the vending machines, so they will make the request to remove unhealthy items from the machines and then they start showing up again in the machine," Digweed said.
A junk-food-free environment better aligns schools with their commitment to children's health, public school board chairman Dave Colburn said.
"It jarred my sensibilities, I can tell you, in my first few years on the board, when I saw these (vending) machines chock-a-block with junk food, and yet I heard principals and teachers and administration talking about the importance of creating healthy and active children," Colburn said Tuesday.
He led the push in 2006 to create the citywide school board policy to get rid of junk food in the city's 197 public schools. The policy came into effect March 2008 and included a timeline to phase out unhealthy food and drinks sold in cafeterias, vending machines and school stores.
The work proved complicated, Colburn said. The school district had to honour contracts with food vendors, then work with those vendors to make sure foods will meet Alberta nutrition guidelines for children and youth.
A total of 79,698 students are expected to enrol this year in the city's public schools.
"Schools have an incredible opportunity to change the health values of children," Colburn said. "When you consider that virtually every child in Edmonton passes through the doors of a school for about 12 years at an impressionable age, the opportunity we have in the school environment to influence the health values of our children and the next generation of adults is profound and virtually limitless, but we need leadership, we need policy, we need commitment on the part of staff and community and we need an understanding that this (health) problem is very real."
At Edmonton Catholic Schools, parent councils and school officials have worked together to get rid of junk food and pop, replacing them with healthier snacks such as Sun Chips, plain popcorn and bottled water, said Catholic schools spokeswoman Lori Nagy. "Out of 87 schools, the majority of our schools only provide nutritious snacks in their vending machines," she said.
Parents of students at Archbishop Joseph MacNeil Elementary and Junior High appreciate the school offering "valuable-calorie" snacks, said Emily Ball, chairwoman of the southwest Edmonton school's parent council.
"If it's not there, they're not going to buy it," Ball said.
© Copyright (c) The Edmonton Journal


text:
chasealias institute: Chase Alias :: Re-examining Reality to Repurpose Identity as Art by DS Pollack
a Re-examination of Reality for the Creative(s) Use of Identity
DS Pollack, a Performance Artist, spends extended periods of time studying his characters. Often living in their homes and wearing their clothing. It has become a ritualistic part of his method acting technique. The Performance Art Itself comes in any form, whether it is one on one, online chat, live and/or recorded video or audio. Pollack adds to genres of Performance Art and Net Art the dimensions of the "social network" and the possibility that humans can be anyone they choose to be.
This topic of using multiple identities and alters has become a vital point in the cloud computing security lexicon. Causing many to question Pollack's motives, often calling his work 'identity-fraud' and a 'violation of corporate policy'. Yet, as it stands, the ability for an Artist to create a character, "IS" freedom of speech and if a 'Corporate Policies' are in truth violating people's first amendment rights. then this work has served a very valid purpose. The protection of Freedom of Expression, Speech and the Net Art.
DS Pollack
Chase Alias
B. Holden Vance III
Bryan "Cubby" Brent
Nataraja(Shiva Dancing)*
Tony Marini
Paul Stuart
Caccia Altrimenti
Retweet Critique
* +20 (28 alters as of 27 July 2558)
#Gonzo, #Performance, #AlterArt, #activist, #actor, #Art, #Artist, #famous, #male, #firstamendment, #chasealias, #PerformanceArt, #NetArt, #Alterism, #ImmersionJournalist, #ConceptualArt


text:
- EVGA GTX 780 Superclocked ACX reviewed
- The Packaging
- A closer look at ACX cooler
- A closer look at GTX 780 SC ACX
- Testbed
- Crysis 3
- Far Cry 3
- Hitman Absolution
- Metro 2033
- Sleeping Dogs
- Dirt Showdown
- Aliens vs Predator
- SniperEliteV2
- 3DMark 11
- 3DMark
- Unigine Valley
- Unigine Heaven
- Thermals, Noise, Consumption
- Overclocking
- Conclusion
- All Pages
EVGA is constantly working to improve its custom components and come up with cards capable of trumping the competition. More often than not, it pulls it off. Even in its reference form, the GTX 780 is a top notch card with a good cooler, but EVGA thinks it can do an even better job. To cool the GTX 780 EVGA came up with the ACX (Active Cooling Xtreme) cooler. Before we go into detail, let's see how it looks. It is a dual-slot, dual-fan affair and it looks pretty mean.
Most non-reference GTX 680 coolers were 2.5- or 3-slot designs. EVGA used the dual-slot Classified cooler, but that cooler did not fit the reference PCB. With the ACX cooler EVGA took things to the next level, as it is perfect for enthusiasts keen to use the new card in three-way or four-way SLI setups.
EVGA designed a special heatsink with a lot of dissipation surfaces. The heatsink was designed in such a way to minimize airflow turbulence between the fans, with some clever air barriers in the design.
To maximize dissipation volume, EVGA used a few tricks, such as bigger fins at the sides of the cooler. Airflow channels provide better airflow and prevent pockets of hot air from creating. Of course, a bit of compressed air should be applied every once in a while to keep them clean.
The ACX cooler comes with five elaborate heatpipes.
The Power Logic PLA09215B12H fan has some good features. A bad blade design generates more noise, much like poorly designed screws on nuclear subs create cavitation and help Soviet sono-buoys locate Sean Connery and his crew. However, this particular 9-blade fan seems to be up to the job.
EVGA says that the blades are up to 700% more rigid than fan blades used in competing fans, which also results in a 25% weight reduction. We wanted to check it out for ourselves and sure enough the blade s feel very strong indeed.
The fan uses a double ball bearing design. The noise generated by bearing designs tends to be very low, at least when they are new. However, since this fan uses two ball bearings it should last a bit longer and generate a lot less noise even after a couple of years.
This is what the bearings look like in real life, opposed to standard sleeve bearings used in most fans.
EVGA tests show that the ACX fan is about 15 percent quieter than the reference fan, but at the same time it keeps the GPU 15 percent cooler. We put the claim to the test and we are happy to report that it is spot on.


text:
Providing Inpatient Care for Patients Recovering From Neurological Trauma
Dedicated to providing and improving inpatient care for patients recovering from neurological trauma, disorders, and surgery, University of Utah Health recently opened the doors to its state-of-the-art Neuro Acute Care Unit (NACU) in July 2009. This new unit provides each patient with their own spacious private room, family area, and access to an outdoor patio, which welcomes and encourages families to play a greater role in the continuum of care.
The NACU is also home to our Long Term Epilepsy Monitoring Unit, having the ability to monitor up to nine patients at a time.
Specialists on the Neuro Acute Care Team
Our comprehensive Neuro Acute Care Team consists of the following specialists:
- Neurosurgeons, neurologists, neuro residents, and nurse practitioners
- Registered nurses with focused training in the neurosciences
- Clinical social workers, and case managers
- Physical, occupational, speech therapists
- Registered dietitians and nutritionists
- Registered and certified respiratory therapists
- Pharmacy services
- Radiology services


text:
So I wanted to play with some Linux-only PHP performance tools and installed Ubuntu Server 10.10 in VirtualBox (for the record I have little clue about Linux, never used it extensively).
Turned out Ubuntu (Debian) has WordPress package that does some things differently then I am used to.
I was especially puzzled with this instead of usual
$debian_server = preg_replace('/:.*/', "", $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST']);
$debian_server = preg_replace("/[^a-zA-Z0-9.\-]/", "", $debian_server);
$debian_file = '/etc/wordpress/config-'.strtolower($debian_server).'.php';
if (!file_exists($debian_file)) {
header("HTTP/1.0 404 Not Found");
echo "$debian_file could not be found. The file is either not readable by this process or does not exist.

Please check if $debian_file exists and contains the right password/username.";
define('ABSPATH', '/usr/share/wordpress/');
define('WP_CORE_UPDATE', false);
define('WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE', true);
Why does it do stuff this way? Does it play well with multisite and WordPress in general? Do I understand right that I won't be able to update WordPress core of such install, other than by updating package?


text:
photo 1 of 25
UFC Fight Night Tulsa Open Training Session Gallery
August 21, 2014
25 Photos
Open training session at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on August 21, 2014 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Getty Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this image or clip. If you violate our intellectual property you may be liable for: actual damages, loss of income, and profits you derive from the use of this image or clip, and, where appropriate, the costs of collection and/or statutory damages up to $150,000 (USD).


text:
Spoof Of The Week: Gucci Mane - Long Money [Comedy]
Gucci Mane Parody to Long Money. Mr. Grind as his Character Coogi Mane
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


text:
[UPDATE: It's Official - Prepare for Transformers: Age of Extinction!!!!]
Transformers 4 has been surrounded in secrecy during its production. Director Michael Bay returned to the franchise in order to launch a new (semi-rebooting) chapter of the Transformers saga, which he will then (allegedly) pass off to a new director and creative team. So far we have new human characters in the form of Mark Wahlberg's gear-head/inventor character, Flynn Vincent; Flynn's hot rod enthusiast daughter played by Nicola Peltz (Bates Motel) and her speed-racing love interest played by Jack Reynor (What Richard Did). We also know that in addition to returning favorites like Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, the actual Transformers might see new additions like Slingshot and Drift, Hound – possibly even Nemesis Prime or Ultra Magnus.
But what about those lingering rumors that the fan-favorite Dinobots could be in TF4 - and what is the official subtitle to this fourth film? Today's update may help answer questions on both those fronts.
Over the weekend, Fusible picked up on a story involving the brand protection agency that oversaw the registration of the domain name TransformersDarkoftheMoon.com when the third film was released. The studio is allegedly once again registering various domain names in anticipation of the Transformers 4's release next summer, with the following candidates being listed by Fusible:
- TransformersApocalypse.com
- TransformersLastStand.com
HOWEVER, Transformers World 2005 also makes the claim that the following subtitle has ALSO been registered with Hasbro:
Of the the three, I personally find "Age of Extinction" to be the most likely. The fact that Bay has repeatedly made it clear that TF4 is a new beginning makes "Apocalypse" or "Last Stand" feel a bit off the mark – with "Last Stand" seeming particularly troublesome, given its proximity to that similarly-titled Arnold Schwarzenegger comeback vehicle that flopped at the box office early this year. Of course, there is another factor to consider: The Dinobots.
We've heard continued rumors and speculation that the Dinobots will make a major appearance in TF4 - and producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura recently added major fuel to that fire when he told Beijing News the following when discussing China's role in the movie:
"I can not disclose the specifics, but you can be sure that the joining of the Dinobots will give the audience new excitement. In addition to Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, the appearance of these classic roles changed, today the world's coolest, most exciting cars will appear in the film, including China's vehicles, whether you are a car enthusiast, you will feast your eyes and be shocked by them."
Is that confirmation that the Dinobots are in the film? Certainly sounds like it. Others are also pointing to some recent set photos (SEE them HERE) which have the production crew sporting hats with TF4 logos – logos which seem to have claw marks in them, presumably teasing the Dinobots' appearance. Given all that evidence that Dinobots will be in the film – and leaked alleged plot spoilers that fit in line with the clues we've seen so far – it seems that "Age of Extinction" would be a most fitting title for two reasons:
- "Age of Extinction" could refer to a history involving the Dinobots (who would be resurrected from long dormancy or death).
- The subtitle could also refer to the rumored deaths/transformations that certain characters (like Megatron) could go through – a "changing of the guard" for the franchise.
Resident Evil already has its "Apocalypse" and Schwarzenegger already has his "Last Stand" – so when the dust settles and official confirmation is out, don't be surprised if "Transformers: Age of Extinction" is soon covering billboards and TV screens in your area.
Kofi Outlaw blogs at Screen Rant.


text:
The Hook - Charlottesville's weekly newspaper, news magazine
Search this site:
George D. Morris
Towing trouble: Is Lethal owner back in biz?
Published on
Nov 29th, 2012
6 comments
Mention the words "Lethal Wrecker" around Charlottesville and chances are you'll find someone with a story. For nearly a decade, the towing operation, and its owner, George Morris, earned a...
Court report: Tales of two wrecker companies
Published on
Sep 8th, 2005
0 comments
Noted towing company owner George Morris savored a rare victory in Albemarle County Circuit Court last week when he was found not guilty of assault. I say "rare" because Morris, who owns Lethal...
© 2002-2012 Better Publications LLC - The Hook
100 Second Street NW - Charlottesville, VA 22902
434-295-8700 (fax: 434-295-8097)


text:
Thanks for the advice. I graduated from UNC in 2003 and majored in econ. I have been getting "apply everywhere" from a lot of people but that is going to be very expensive. Does anyone know how and when schools decide to give you a application fee waiver? Do they look at your LSAT only or work experience as well? I don't know if I can explain away my grades but I did work while in school so I will mention that. I feel like my post college work experience is solid = worked for Sen. Edwards Senate office for 2 years and now as a legislative analyst at lobbying firm in DC. Hopefully this will be enough to make up for my low grades. I know this sounds crazy but does anyone think it makes sense to retake the lsat and try to move up to a 177 range. 3.2/177 looks a lot better than 3.2/171
This has been extremely helpful. I've read online about the majority of the schools I am planning on applying to and am going to spend the rest of June and early July reading on the rest. Does anyone have any insight they could share about how they like/fit in/feel about being a minority at their school? Are any school atmospheres extremely hostile and others more welcoming? You can't really get the most objective assestment from the school websites.
i have around those numbers on lsn, but i didn't get into columbia, stanford etc. mc, maybe she's looking at something from past years?
hmm, mc, thats weird. i didn't see anything like that either. esp. if you go through the schools and check for people who've been accepted. strange huh?


text:
Airplane food with a difference
Meals are a pleasant distraction on a plane, the important things naturally being to arrive quickly and safely at your destination. But on the Boeing 737 currently undergoing conversion in Wuhan, China, this is not the case. The decommissioned airplane has been permanently grounded and will open as a restaurant this June. Will it serve tomato juice? That remains to be seen.


text:
Results 1 to 3 of 3
Thread: Reason for Concern?
Reason for Concern?
Raven's fans, are we concerned that: 1) our D seems to be Unable to get off the field on critical 3rd downs, against the likes of Denver (second half of that game) / Carolina; 2) that both our Secondary and lack of pass rush the last couple of games, have become suspect going into the post-bye week of our schedule - Palmer is likely to have a field day against us!; 3) the Ravens have now let the Steelers back into the fray; and, 4) our O is dreadfully in search of an identity (nothing new; but time is running out).
I personally feel that the Ravens have some serious concerns/issues to address during this bye week, before they can seriously consider themselves LEGITIMATE contenders.
10-25-2006, 11:21 AM #2Rookie Poster
- Join Date
- Oct 2006
- Posts
- 14
Re: Reason for Concern?
The defense has been solid - they had one let down game against Carolina. As for the offense, it's faced some of the toughest defenses (yards per game) in the NFL.
1.) San Diego Chargers 241.2
4.) Denver Broncos 272.0
5.) Oakland Raiders 273.0
I think this team is better than people give them credit for.
Re: Reason for Concern?
Oakland's D is 5th, & New Orleans D is 7th
My youngest son Kyle w/ Michael Phelps after the Browms game 12/24/11
Season Ticket Holder Since 96,
Loud, Proud & Purple in Section 504. GO RAVENS, all the way to Indy for the Lombardi!!!


text:
So we are asked to have a browse around the Find-a-Grave website, click on the links and study what others have done there. I have never been to Find-a-Grave, but kept meaning to have a look, so this Challenge is the perfect opportunity for me to have a go at a Challenge and visit this particular website.
Although we were asked not to do our own research for this Challenge, I felt as my interests were mainly in the UK that I would have a look at the New Search, England section. I was a little disappointed to find that I could not do a particular county in England search, especially as maybe doing a general surname search would throw up too many names for the whole country. They also had a Birth Date section and a Death Date section but if you did not know one or other of those dates for your ancestors, you would probably get all dates when searching for a particular name. Maybe I have found it too easy at other sites, but it seems to me that with the Birth or Death Date section it could be good to also have a from/to part of that date within 2 years either way, or 5 years, or 10 years.
I then tried Cemetery Search, England and thought I would just have a browse in certain counties to see if any I would be interested in were there. We are asked to put the name of the cemetery in the space and the country/state. I could not put a name of a cemetery as I did not know one without checking my records, so left it blank. I chose England and a message appeared on the screen: "Too many records. This query would return 6,397 records. Please go back and refine the search so that it returns no more than 6,000 records". So I went back to refine, thinking I could choose a county in England to narrow down the amount of records that would be returned. But, there was no option for me to do that. So, my general cemetery search in England left me with nothing to see unless I had a particular name for one.
Undaunted, I went on to check Add Burial Records. I thought that maybe if this site was so good (and I have seen on various genealogy blogs many people praising the website, then maybe when I wasn't doing this challenge, I would add some of the burial records I had collected. I chose the section Family and Friends and was then going to click on Quick Submit for adding to the same cemetery. So I first clicked on Family and Friends and saw a Member Login section. A message informed me that "You must be a member of Find-a-Grave to Access the page you requested". I received the same message for Quick Submit too. I am not a member of this website and only wanted to have a look to see what was required if I wanted to start adding Burial Records. I could not access anything, so I have no idea if this is what I would want to do as I didn't get the chance to check it over!!
I went to the Help with FAQ section and found the FAQs very easy to follow and they also made everything very clear. There was one question that asked What is a photo volunteer? The answer explained it very well but I thought it such a shame that this is only available in America. Why is it not implemented in the UK or elsewhere yet? I would certainly be willing to be a photo volunteer and would also be grateful to find a photo volunteer in the UK where I can't get to. I'm sure there must be some UK genealogists and those that like to visit cemeteries who would be happy to be a Photo Volunteer. Anyway, overall, even if this is only available in America at the moment, it is a great idea and must be extremely helpful to many people.
I took a stroll through the Find-a-Grave online cemetery and found it very interesting and it was really nice to see people left messages for some of those that it was clear were not their ancestors at all. Very nice touch.
My next port of call on this website was going to be browsing their Claim to Fame section but as is normally the case, other things have taken my time so I have not been able to dip into that yet, nor a few other places on the site.
If I was actually looking at that website to do my own research instead of looking at it for this latest Challenge, I would have been very unlucky as I did not get a chance to narrow down searches or find particular areas I wanted. But, having said that I am thinking that if I had all my genealogy notes with me as I looked at the site, then I more than likely would be able to narrow my search and maybe find what I wanted. And maybe, if I was a member of the website it would enable me to access other sections.
Although this proved a little disappointing for me, I could see that overall it is a wonderful place for those seeking ancestors' burial places and also for making a memorial for their loved ones. I will go back and finish trying to look at everything else on that website, and I will become a member, as I would like to help by adding the burial details I have collected over the years and as I am now a Graveyard Rabbit for a couple of churchyards, I would like to add details from those to Find-a-Grave too.


text:
The teaser trailer for the third and final chapter in the misadventures of the WolfPack was released Thursday morning and if one thing is made clear, "The Hangover III" looks set to be filled with just as much over-the-top mayhem as the first two installments.
Billing itself as "the epic finale" to the trilogy, few details are known about the actual plot of the film which reunites cast members Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms, Justin Bartha and is directed and co-written by Todd Phillips who helmed the first two installments.
What is known is that there is no wedding or bachelor party. But the WolfPack still hits the road. Phillips reportedly stated that the template for the movie would be different to the first two entries in the series and star Galifianakis let slip while speaking with Rolling Stone that he heard the film focuses on his character Alan escaping from a mental intuition with help from his Pack-mates.
U.S. & World
What the trailer reveals is that Alan delivers a stirring graveside rendition of Ave Maria, the three friends hit the Vegas strip once again, John Goodman appears in a gun-wielding-sweatsuit-wearing cameo, Heather Graham returns as Jade, Ken Jeong is back portraying the ever-twisted Mr. Chow, and if that's not enough, Alan buys a giraffe and takes it for a drive on the highway.
Never a franchise to take itself seriously, a poster was also released ahead of the trailer which spoofs the imagery for the final "Harry Potter" film. Both feature the tagline "It All Ends" and in place of the Harry/Voldemort face-off, the "Hangover" version pits Galifianakis' mug against Jeong's as Vegas burns in the background. Check out both here.
The film is released on Friday, May 24 ahead of the Memorial Day holiday weekend.


text:
Hawken is a multiplayer mech combat game that would be a great buy. But it's free to play, and that comes at a price.
Update 6/21/13: Having spent more time with the game and had discussions with Hawken's developers, I think my early gut reactions and first impressions to the free to play nature of the game were wrong. I still have some quibbles with the model, but as far as F2P models go, Hawken does a very good job and is only getting better over time.
I started playing Hawken yesterday. The mech combat game is graphically stunning, especially for an indie title. The terrain, the mechs themselves, all of it looks gorgeous. Indeed, beyond graphics, the control scheme and movement of the mechs feels great, though I haven't played a mech simulator in ages so I have little to compare it to.
But I just couldn't play for that long, because I knew that almost the entire game was blocked off to me behind the Freemium paywall. Such a good-looking game, such a shame it's been chopped up into pay-as-you-go morsels.
For instance, you start off with just one mech and you have to buy access to the others.
Yes, you can earn currency to put toward this effort as you play but you'll realize quickly that such an endeavor will cost you a great many hours.
And you'll be forced to fight against paying customers as you go since match-making is, as Nathan Grayson puts it, "basically broken. Seriously. It does not make matches. It breaks them. I'm not sure what arcane principles guide it to make the pairings it does, but a markedly higher-than-zero number of level 1-5 teams tossed into the deep end against level 20s forces me to suspect warlocks are involved."
Pay to win is a death sentence as far as I'm concerned. Free to play can work. In theory it could work quite well, but in practice very few games achieve that perfect balance and only a handful achieve a good balance. They almost always feel unsportsmanlike to me, and Hawken is no exception.
Now imagine the game cost $20 like Torchlight 2 (which sold over 1 million units in 2012) or even $40 or more. You'd have access to everything from the get-go, but might have to purchase DLC later on. Everyone would start out with access to all the mechs or would be able to unlock them simply by playing the game for X amount of hours. The playing field, at least in the beginning, would be level since everyone would have the same access.
I understand that people are looking to find better revenue streams for their games, but we shouldn't be breaking the very nature of games in order to do that. Free-to-play too often goes against the very grain of competitive gameplay and fairness that makes games fun in the first place. Hawken is certainly a very promising title, but it's been crippled badly by its adoption of a freemium revenue model.
Yes, this is still a game in beta form, but in a sense most free-to-play games always feel like they're in beta form unless you fork over a great deal more money than you would for a typical PC or console title.
As Grayson also notes, "free-to-play comes at a paradoxically high cost, roping off all mech classes except a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none recruit machine that looks like a walking television. (Somewhat hilariously, its codename is CR-T.) Hawken's XP/in-game currency accumulation rate is quite slow, too, so unlocking any of the more interesting classes takes hours. In the meantime, you can always drop precious spacebucks on a slow trickle of items, weapons, and other miscellaneous upgrades, but the agonizing rate of progress certainly doesn't befit Hawken's race of fleet-footed colossi."
It's quite similar to the model you see utilized in so many free mobile games, and is another reason I find the prospect of the Ouya console with its "free only" game catalog a less-than-exciting one.
I always try to imagine the games I really love and imagine them utilizing the freemium model: Dark Souls weapons and armor that I can only acquire with a credit card; Torchlight 2 loot that can only be found in the "gem store;" or Grand Theft Auto if you had to purchase each car with real money. It kind of ruins everything when you think about it.
Some games are better-suited to this, or implement it with greater care. Dota 2 or League of Legends (while both use slightly different models) achieve a decent F2P balance; most games, however, do not. Hawken falls into the "most games" category. But it sure does look pretty.
Note: This is not a review of the game. I will post a review at a later date. This is simply a commentary on F2P. Hawken may very well have one of the best F2P models around, but I still find the nature of F2P offputting.
Follow me on Twitter or Facebook. Read my Forbes blog here.
I write about video games, TV and movies.


text:
Get Ready To Run The Crim Races With The CrimFit Adult Training Program
Thinking about running the Crim but not sure where to start? Stop by VG's in Fenton and Davison tomorrow and get signed up for the CrimFit Adult Trainging Program. Learn more about the training program, meet the Crim's Registered Dietitian, and get in on some giveaways


text:
Three states are poised to make history by legalizing same-sex marriage outright via a ballot measure.
Maryland was the first state to legalize gay marriage with a ballot initiative when its Question 6 passed by a margin of about 4 percent.
The question of same-sex marriage also looks likely to pass in Maine and Washington state, with 54 percent and 52 percent of the vote in their respective states.
Minnesota, which previously approved civil unions for homosexuals, boasts an initiative to ban same-sex marriage and define marriage as being between a man and a woman.
As it stands, there are 10,000 more no votes, but at an estimated 48 percent to 48 percent draw, it's a little too close to call. However, if this slim lead holds up, same-sex marriage will be allowed in Minnesota and the "one man, one woman" definition no longer will apply.
Six states and the District of Columbia previously passed laws allowing same-sex marriage but each was through state legislature or judicial rulings.


text:
click to enlarge photo
The article "Hollywood Comes to China" in CLOSER gives an excellent overview of this year's Macao China International Digital Cinema Festival held at The Four Seasons Macao. Artistic Director and visionary filmmaker, Randall Dark gives the lifestyle magazine an exclusive one-on-one interview on why he created the festival. Read the article online: Hollywood Comes to China


text:
Over the past couple of years, I have volunteered my services as a crash test dummy for bicycle helmets. Or, rather, karma has volunteered me, if you believe in that kind of thing. Or stupidity has volunteered me, if you don�t.
Over the past couple of years, I have volunteered my services as a crash test dummy for bicycle helmets. Or, rather, karma has volunteered me, if you believe in that kind of thing. Or stupidity has volunteered me, if you don�t.
To qualify this as a history column, let me begin by saying that bicycle helmets, as we know them, have been around a surprisingly short time. The first �real� one, by the Bell company, appeared in 1975, according to our friends at the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute.
It�s curious it took riders this long: Head injuries were a noted problem among bicycle enthusiasts even in the 1880s. In those days, when the front wheel on the bicycle was almost as tall as the guy who planned to climb up on that insane device and ride, bicyclists took to wearing pith helmets. Not much later, bicycle racers used headgear that looked like a handful of leather belts, intricately connected and strapped about the head. These were probably great protection against low-hanging branches, but not terribly great if you planned on cracking your skull off pavement at any speed.
I have found pages of technical historical information (the Snell B90 and B95 were standards for Bicycle helmets in the 1980s, for instance. In Elizabethan times, the Globe Theatre Bicycle Troupe preferred the 2B and Naught 2B models.) But this is dull stuff if you don�t make your living talking about bicycle helmets.
My first experience as a crash test dummy was two Augusts ago in Bayboro when I happened to be riding a borrowed bike along Highway 55. I was pretty pleased that I was hitting 20 mph, when I somehow clipped the curb and quickly saw myself taking flight while the bicycle continued its steady course down the road. Not being avian, my flight was decidedly short, and the sidewalk I landed on was brutal. The bicycle, realizing it had no rider after 20 feet or so, did an impressive topple, spilling water bottles and little emergency tools everywhere.
The sidewalk did a good job of shaving skin from my arm and chin; my shoulder, it would turn out, surrendered several of the tendons to my arm. (Dr. Bill Wheatley sewed the tendons up. I took a fall in some woods a few weeks later and undid half of his work. What can I say? I just can�t stop myself.) My head struck the walk at the same moment my shoulder did, and I can only imagine what would have happened had it not been protected by my helmet.
Just a few days ago, I was peddling my way through Bridgeton. (As you can see, I like to tour the big cities when I ride.) I was on one of those little streets running alongside the river, going somewhere between 15 and 18 miles an hour, when my back tire blew. I pulled off a magnificent slalom for a dozen yards before I and my noble steed did a pratfall on the pavement.
I don�t remember hitting the road, but I must have nailed it head first, because I was knocked out for at least a couple of minutes. The next thing I knew, some old fisherman was kneeling over me, telling me not to move. I was dizzy, and though my brain chose to ignore the man and get up, my body took his advice and refused to do anything for a short while. Finally I gathered my feet under me and somewhat uncertainly walked with him to his boat trailer where we tossed in my flat-wheeled bike and he drove me home. That �old fisherman� turned out to be one of this town�s theatrical gems, Tom Landen � bless you, my friend.
As to the helmet, it was in two or three pieces. I�d rather not think of what would have happened had I not worn it. I will tell you this, though: I am an absolute advocate of bicycle helmets. They�ve saved me serious head injuries at the least, twice now. And one of those accidents was the kind that could happen to anyone.
If you have a loved one who is too �cool� or who doesn�t want to spend 20 bucks for headgear, show them this column. That helmet will be a lot cheaper than the medical bills and therapy that will follow them opening their heads like eggs on the road� and there�s nothing cool about brain damage.
Contact Bill Hand at email@example.com.


text:
To stay a step ahead of breast cancer, make a map of the future
Cancer isn't a singular disease, even when talking about one tumor. A tumor consists of a varied mix of cells whose complicated arrangement changes all the time, especially and most vexingly as doctors and patients do their best to fight it. Researchers reporting in the Cell Press journal Cell Reports have now developed a tool to help them predict which direction a tumor is most likely to go and how it might respond to chemotherapy.
"By analyzing tumors before and during treatment, we can build models that predict how the tumor will evolve," said Kornelia Polyak of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School. "Better understanding of tumor evolution is key to improving the design of cancer therapies and for truly individualized cancer treatment."
Polyak, along with Franziska Michor and their colleagues, analyzed large numbers of individual cancer cells within breast tumors for important characteristics: chromosome copy number, the presence or absence of certain protein markers, and their proliferative capacity. Based on those data, they generated tumor topology maps and developed computational models to predict how each tumor would likely change during treatment.
The novelty of the approach, Polyak explained, is its inclusion of genetic and other characteristics of a large number of individual cells within intact tumor samples along with information about where those cells were located within the tumor. By integrating both types of information, they were able to anticipate how an individual tumor would likely respond to therapy.
Their studies also revealed some general rules: The genetic diversity within a given tumor doesn't change much in cancers that show partial or no response to treatment. Tumors with lower genetic diversity before treatment are also more likely to show a complete response than those with greater genetic complexity.
Most importantly, they show, it's possible to build computational models that predict how a tumor will change in response to specific treatment based on the analysis of single cells. The researchers envision a future in which doctors will perform detailed analysis of the tumor at the time of diagnosis, defining its cellular composition and the characteristics of individual cancer cells within it.
"Based on this knowledge, we could predict which tumor cells will likely be eliminated or slowed down by treatment and how this may change the tumor overall," Polyak said. "This knowledge could aid the design of subsequent therapies for those who do not respond to the first line of treatment."
The researchers now plan to develop automated image analysis methods to enable the expansion of their studies to more patients undergoing targeted therapies. They will also work on optimizing their predictive capacity and applying the new tool in future clinical trials.