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Although an unofficial European Nations Cup for women had been organised in Italy in 1969 and 1979 – with the hosts and Denmark victorious – the first tournament under UEFA auspices ran from 1982-84.
Titled the European Competition for Women's Football, as half of UEFA's members would need to enter before it gained official status, the 16-team tournament began with a group match between Finland and Sweden in Vammala on 18 August 1982, the visitors prevailing 6-0. With four pools of four sides, and only the winners advancing, Sweden easily topped Group 1 with six wins out of six, while England dominated Group 2, scoring 24 goals and conceding just one in a section containing four teams from the British Isles.
France kicked off Group 3 by surprising Italy 1-0, but the Azzurre bounced back and recorded five straight victories to qualify. In Group 4, Denmark overcame the Netherlands 2-0 in their final game to top a tight pool that West Germany and Belgium also had hopes of winning until the last round of matches. Unlike in future years, the tournament was decided by two-legged semi-finals and a final which would also be played on a home-and-away basis. England beat Denmark 2-1 in Crewe and 1-0 away in Hjorring to progress, while Sweden followed up a 3-2 win in Rome - in front of a crowd of 10,000 - with a 2-1 success in Linkoping to see off Italy 5-3 on aggregate.
Gothenburg was the venue for the final first leg on 21 May 1984, and the great Pia Sundhage, later to be placed sixth in the FIFA Woman Player of the Century poll, scored the only goal to give Sweden the advantage. The return six days later was to be tough due to heavy rain in Luton.
Sure enough, England kept their nerve, and Linda Curl scored to take the match into extra time despite Sweden hitting the post. No more goals meant a penalty shoot-out, and after Sweden goalkeeper Elisabeth 'Lappen' Leidinge had kept one out, it was left to Sundhage, whose international career had started in 1975 and lasted until 1996, to seal the success. She remembers: "I took the last shot. We won the final. It was a marvellous success."
©UEFA.com 1998-2017. All rights reserved.


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Don't Stay Home Alone
This story appears in the November 1997 issue of . Subscribe »
The goal of networking is always essentially the same: Reach as many people as possible, and make every connection count. It's a necessary tool for every homebased-business owner who wants to increase sales and visibility--efficiently and inexpensively.
One way to begin networking is to join at least two organizations: one related to your peer group and another related to the target market of your business. The target market group allows you to meet people, exchange ideas and possibly expand your client base, while the peer group promotes the sharing of knowledge and referrals with others in your field.
"A homebased CPA might choose to join the American Institute of CPAs to schmooze with his counterparts and peers," says Lynne Waymon, author ofSmart Networking: How to Turn Contacts Into Cash, Clients and Career Success (Kendall Hunt Publishing Co., $18, 800-228-0810). "If his goal is primarily to serve the accounting needs of associations, he could join the American Society of Association Executives for referrals and the chance to meet potential clients."
"Networking" is building up a stable of friends who can help you and your business. To find associations in your field, Waymon suggests asking colleagues and searching The Encyclopedia of Associations (a reference book published by Gale Publishing and available at most public libraries). Finding an appropriate peer group can be as simple as examining what you already do on a daily basis. "Everyone is a potential member of a group in about six different arenas--family, a church or religious organization, an alumni association, a trade or industry group, a hobby group, a sports team or a children's organization," Waymon says.
Waymon believes there are three key moments in typical patterns of human interaction when you can take greatest advantage of networking; she calls them the "million-dollar moments" of networking. "These three key moments happen over and over in every relationship," she says. "If you can get good at them, then you have a network." These are the three million-dollar networking moments when you can make an impression: exchanging names, presenting your job title and making small talk.
1. When exchanging names. This is your chance to teach another person your name and make sure you remember his or hers. Waymon recommends saying your name twice, slowly. This way, she says, you give people two chances to remember your name. And giving the other person a trick or tip to remember your name further cements it in his or her mind.
"When you're learning someone else's name, don't glance furtively at his name tag, as if looking is forbidden," Waymon says. "Be curious about the name. Set a goal to remember it long enough to introduce the person to someone else."
2. When presenting your job title. "If you simply say you're a lawyer, a CPA or a graphic artist, it doesn't really tell what you do," Waymon says. She suggests composing a two-sentence explanation. The first sentence should describe your talents or skills; the second sentence should relate an example of something you've done recently--a project, a success or a new skill you've accomplished. For example, the first sentence from a CPA that Waymon has coached is: "I negotiate with the IRS." His second sentence could be: "As a CPA, I convinced the IRS that my client's horse farm is not a hobby."
3. When making small talk. Don't pass up the opportunity to make the most of mundane questions. Waymon, who has studied networking in social settings since 1987, says such questions can actually offer opportunities for exchange. "Create an agenda of topics you can discuss--something that you know, care about or are looking for," she says. "Choose an item from your personal agenda and one from your business agenda." For example, when someone asks Waymon "What's new?" she answers, "I just went to gospel singing camp." A business-related response might be, "I'm learning a new software program."
The topics are limitless, with only one exception: "You can't say, `I'm looking for clients for my business,' " she says. "That violates all the rules of good networking."
Carolyn Campbell, a home-office entrepreneur for 20 years, has written more than 200 magazine articles.
Volunteer Your Time
Volunteer work has paid off as a networking tool for Heidi Brennan, public policy director for Mothers-At-Home, a national, nonprofit support organization for stay-at-home moms. "While the idea of giving away your time may seem counterproductive, volunteering is the ultimate networking tool," she says. "It forces you to meet a cross-section of people, and allows them to see you perform without the messiness of contracts and employment. When people observe your skills and accomplishments in a volunteer setting, they are going to tap you for other assignments. Working together in a volunteer capacity can be like a trial marriage for future business associates, to see if you could also work together in a business setting."
Networking is a Two-Way Street
"Before you go to a meeting, spend two to three minutes thinking about what you have to offer, what you need to get from the networking opportunity and ways you can sell yourself," advises Beverly Williams, president of the American Association of Home-Based Businesses. "If you make contact by asking for help, people feel less threatened, because it isn't as if you're asking them to buy something. It helps to join groups that give you an opportunity to get to know people on occasions that aren't selling situations."
Brennan has discovered that everyone counts in networking. "Everybody you meet matters--not just those in your field," Brennan says. "You can discover new contacts and ideas from the person you sit next to at the church picnic or in your child's dentist's office, someone sitting across from you at the bank or your wife's business associate. What matters is being interested and sharing your ideas--what you like, do, or are interested in. Don't worry about trying to sell yourself. If you are genuinely interested and share your thoughts with people, new ideas and contacts will naturally emerge. Networking generates the unpredictable."
Jay Massey, owner of Coco Graphics, a Web-site design company in Pensacola, Florida, would no doubt agree. While buying milk at a small, locally owned convenience store, he struck up a conversation with the woman behind the counter. "She asked about my business and we had a nice chat," Massey says. Through subsequent conversations, he discovered that the woman and her brother were developing a new hotel franchise, Ashbury Suites and Inns. "Now my company is handling all corporate communications strategy and implementation for Lodging Hospitality Systems, the parent company for Ashbury Suites and Inns," Massey says. "It was the best gallon of milk I ever invested in."
Set Goals
Before attending a meeting, consider what you hope to give and receive. Plan ahead to present this information in a way that will make your business memorable. Williams believes you will be most successful if you're able to say, "I do this, and if you need this, call me."
Williams recently did this at a Chamber of Commerce meeting she attended. There were many desktop publishers at the meeting and she knew she would have to say something unique about her business in order to stand out. She had recently found a printer who offered recycled paper at the same price as regular paper, so she stood and said, "As a desktop publisher, I've always wanted to be environmentally safe. I am now able to offer affordable recycled paper in my business." At the end of the meeting, at least three people were ready to place orders with her.
However you choose to go about it, networking offers opportunities to build your business by discovering new resources and building your client base. By planning ahead, joining groups and actively sharing your ideas on a daily basis, you will continue to make contacts who will add ideas--and customers--to your business.
Additional Resources
Great Connections, Small Talk and Networking for Businesspeople, by Lynne Waymon (Impact Publications, $19.95, 800-361-1055), describes how to join a group of people who are already talking, how to strike up conversations, how to come up with topics to talk about, how to revive dying conversations and how to adapt your skills to meet the toughest networking challenges.
Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty, by Harvey Mackay (Currency Publishers, $24.95, 800-258-4233), written by a nationally syndicated columnist and CEO, describes how to get to know the people you need to know, how to keep relationships up to date and alive, how to ask for what you need when you need it and how to sparkle on the Internet.
Conventional Standards
Roslyn Goldmacher, executive director of the Long Island Development Corp., an economic development company in Plainview, New York, offers the following suggestions for networking at conventions and seminars:
- Wear your name tag on your right shoulder. When someone shakes your hand, his or her line of sight is to your right shoulder.
- Make sure your name is printed in big letters on your name tag.
- Don't smoke unless others are.
- If you attend a business meeting with a friend or associate, split up. It's a waste of time to talk or sit together.
- If you don't know anyone, stand in the food or bar line. That way, you'll always have at least two people to talk to--the one in front of you and the one behind you.
- Don't be afraid to smile, extend your hand and introduce yourself.
- Be enthusiastic and positive; don't grumble or lament your tough day. People want to do business with a winner, not a whiner.
- Don't butt in. Interrupting will create a bad first impression. Stand close by and, when a pause or opening presents itself, ease into the conversation.
- Stay at the event until the end. The longer you stay, the more contacts you'll make.
- After the seminar or convention, follow up good contacts immediately with a letter or a phone call.
Contact Sources
American Association of Home-Based Businesses, P.O. Box 10023, Rockville, MD 20849, (800) 447-9710
Coco Graphics, (850) 434-2626, http://www.cocographics.com
Mothers-At-Home, http://www.mah.org , firstname.lastname@example.com
Lynne Waymon, (800) 352-2939, firstname.lastname@example.com

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Product Description
Oval shaped semi precious gemstone brown Deschutes Jasper designer cabochon 44 mm by 33 mm and 4.5 mm thick.
It does have that tiny light colored soft spot on the edge (3rd and 4th picture).
Deschutes Picture Jasper comes from a little east of Biggs Junction, Oregon, near the Deschutes River. This semi precious gemstone picture jasper deposit is now located in a State Park and will never be mined again. Most of it is now under a highway!
Deschutes Jasper has a hardness of about 7 on the Moh's scale. Deschutes Jasper designer cabochons have a great polish and have great wearability.
Metaphysical Properties: Picture Jaspers can help bring balance to your life.
Cabochons are stones cut for jewelry and are measured in mm. One inch is equal to about 25 mm.
Shipping terms: Cabochons are shipped First Class within the U.S. for FREE. You can upgrade to Priority Mail Small Flat Rate Box for $5.00.
We offer First Class International shipping for $5.00. First Class usually takes from 2 weeks up to 8 weeks internationally and it is NOT tracked. You can choose to upgrade to Priority Mail for $20.00 to Canada or $22.00 anywhere else.


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Remembering George S. McGovern (1922 - 2012)
Garrett-Evangelical offers its Christian sympathy for the loss of George S. McGovern on Sunday, October 21. McGovern died at 90.
A husband and father, teacher and politician, proud South Dakota Democrat, author and advocate for the poor, McGovern lived a life of service and Garrett-Evangelical is honored to have included him in its alumni family. McGovern's full obituary appears below.
Memorial gifts in honor of George S. McGovern can be made at www.garrett.edu/giving.
Born in Avon, South Dakota on July 19, 1922 to the Rev. Joseph and Frances McLean McGovern, George left Dakota Wesleyan University DWU), in Mitchell, where he excelled in debate, to join the Army-Air Force in 1943.George Stanley McGovern - - husband and father, teacher and politician, proud South Dakota Democrat, author and advocate for the poor - - lived a life of service through decades of American history he also strongly influenced.
That same year, on Halloween Day, he married Eleanor Stegeberg, a fellow DWU student who had grown up on a Woonsocket farm and got to know George after having beaten him in a student debate competition. They would eventually have five children - - Ann, Susan, Teresa, Steven and Mary - - and a 63-year marriage.
A B-24 pilot at the age of just 22 and assigned to a bomber group in Italy, George flew 35 combat missions across Europe, safely-landed his damaged plane on several occasions and was discharged at the war's end as a First Lieutenant having won the Distinguished Flying Cross with three Oak Clusters.
After the war, he and Eleanor returned to DWU, and following his graduation, joined its faculty as a professor of history and political science.
He later completed a Ph.D. in History at Northwestern University, and studies at nearby Garrett Theological Seminary. But living through the war pushed George towards public service, so he began traveling town-to-town and farm-to-farm rebuilding the South Dakota Democratic Party and competitive two-party system in the state.
No one worked harder or with greater organization on the campaign trail; George would walk both sides of the entire length of a main street, shake the hand and listen to every person on the sidewalk or in the coffee shops. In an era before hand-held electronic devices, George had accumulated an archive of 40,000 voter 3x5 cards and could retrieve names and details from memory with ease.
In 1956, George won a seat in the US House of Representatives.
There he served two terms, lost a run for the US Senate in 1960, but won a Senate seat in 1962 after having served as the first Executive Director of President John F. Kennedy's new Food For Peace program - - a formative experience which allowed George to peaceably shift government power and American food resources towards hungry people.
After a run for the Democratic Party presidential nomination in 1968 to help hold together the-assassinated Sen. Robert Kennedy's delegates, George worked to reform party rules so the nominating procedure would be more transparent and accessible.
And during a drawn-out primary campaign, George won the Democratic Party's nomination for Presidential in 1972 - - a race he led with unprecedented grassroots support under the banner "Come Home, America" - - for peace in Vietnam and reconciliation at home.
It was a race he did not win against President Richard Nixon, but the campaign's integrity restored hope to a dispirited public and established a principled model for national campaigns to come - - validated by the resignation of a scandal-ridden President Nixon two years later.
George served three terms in the Senate, until January, 1981, where he contributed substantially to a series of comprehensive farm bills and chaired the new US Senate Special Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs.
After his Senate career, George worked on Middle East peace, and further focused on child nutrition through two appointed positions: US Ambassador to the UN Agencies for Food and Agriculture, and, separately, as UN Global Ambassador to the World Food Program.
He also co-founded a world-wide school lunch program with long-time friend Bob Dole, the former GOP Senator from Kansas.
For these decades of work enriching the lives of countless families and children around the globe, George was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom - - our country's highest civilian distinction - - by President Bill Clinton, in 2001.
In more recent years, George stayed intricately connected to South Dakota, national and international issues. He lectured about policy and politics on campuses here and abroad. He would work, as was hit his habit, on just a few hours of sleep, and frequently asked arriving visitors for their input on a fresh draft of an op-ed or magazine piece he had been crafting on a yellow pad.
He even finished last year, at age 89, the 14th book he had written, co-authored or edited - - What It Means To Be A Democrat, and conducted book signings in several states also for a recent biography of President Abraham Lincoln.
No portrait of George would be complete without remembering the succession of outrageously affectionate and outsized Newfoundland dogs George and Eleanor nurtured and cherished.
He loved going for a walk across the DWU campus, or on a drive to Lake Mitchell, or to a night at the movies. He enjoyed dinners at Chef Louie's and kept everyone amused and amazed with stories and anecdotes from his youth, the campaign trail, or the Senate floor.
And he kept his childhood and life-long faith with his beloved St. Louis Cardinals, expressing no surprise at their last-minute qualification for this year's playoffs - - just as they had done last year on their way to a World Series championship run that George had followed with inning-by-inning delight.
More than anything, George adored Eleanor, their grown children, and 10 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, was engaged in their interests, schooling and careers, and generously helped with advice, encouragement and support.
George McGovern lived an exceptional public and private life of more than 90 years with an uncommon energy, adherence to ideals, thirst for knowledge and a consuming dedication to others.
George rarely raised his voice in anger, but always raised the level of discourse and achievement around him.
He didn't live for confrontation, but risked his life in the greatest struggle of the century to defeat evil on a grand scale, yet never bragged about his personal war-time achievements.
Instead, he used that experience as a working, life-long foundation for a more peaceful, constructive, and forgiving world.
We who knew and loved him will remember his singular dedication to a life that made a difference.
We resolve to honor George's spirit by emulating his example.


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*There were 261 entries. The winner is Tina.Thank you for entering*
Do you remember having things like smelly stickers and markers growing up? I certainly do and these pens I received from Educational Insights reminds me of them. These are actually called Smens which is smelly and pens put together (I bet you already figured that out =)). There are also smencils available as well.
The Smens come in a set of 10 or 50. I was sent the set of 10 gourmet scented pens which includes the scents:
- Red Licorice
- Creamsicle
- Aloha
- Mystery Scent
- Banana FoFana
- Mocha
- Passion Fruit
- Ninja Berry
- Pink Lemonade
- Black Licorice
Not only are these pens super cool but they are environmentally friendly too! They are made from recycled newspapers and biodegradable plastic. Each pen comes in its own little tube to insure the scents last at least 2 years.
We had a lot of fun guessing the different scents when this set arrived. In fact, my boyfriend was using a pen that was sitting on the desk when he said, "Wow! Something smells good!". He started sniffing around trying to figure out what it was. I knew that it was a Smen he was using but I was laughing so hard it took me a while to tell him that. Needless to say he was impressed.
Some of the scents are ones that I do not particularly care for, but those could be used as a gift if you know someone that might love that scent. All of these pens write in black ink but I would personally love if they wrote in the same color as as their packaging! How cool would that be?


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Minimalist Sailing Art Print
- Location: Goderich, Ontario, Canada
- Open edition prints keep my photographs affordable
- Photographs are professionally printed to make the very best images possible
Printing DetailsYour photograph will be professionally giclee printed on a traditional lustre paper to make the very best image possible. That means it will be made using an archival inkjet printer on paper with barely a hint of a sheen while still maintaining a lovely depth to the tones.
framingFraming is available for shipping to Canada and the continental USA.
- Perfect to give as gifts!
- Wired and ready to hang
- Lightweight, shatterproof, UV filtering plexiglass
- Protective paper backing
- Bumpers keep it in position on your wall
- Because frames are made to order they are final sale
- 8x10 inch prints have a 1.5 inch mat
- 11x14 inch prints have a 2.5 inch mat
- 16x20 inch prints have a 2.5 inch mat
- 24x30 inch prints have a 3 inch mat
- 8x10 inch prints have a 13x15 inch frame
- 11x14 inch prints have a 18x21 inch frame
- 16x20 inch prints have a 23x27 inch frame
- 24x30 inch prints have a 32x38 inch frame


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The beautiful days of summer are here again. The sun is out, the air is fresh, the grass is green and the opportunities are endless for fun-in-the-sun birthday parties. The three summer months "" June to August "" rank in the top five for most American births, according to the 2010 U.S. Census. So chances are good you'll be hosting or attending a summer birthday this year. You can go to the waterpark or visit the batting cages any day, but your child's birthday is special.
Here are some summer birthday party ideas that will help you plan a day your child will never forget. Whether your son or daughter has a competitive spirit or simply likes playing with their friends outside, organizing a handful of fun games will keep the party moving and give everyone a chance to participate in their favorite birthday contest. Depending on the size of your party, separate the kids into teams and have them go from station to station to play against each other or compete against the rest of the party. Here are a few game ideas to play on a gorgeous summer day.
* Create a homemade obstacle course. Kids love jumping over obstacles and testing their physical limits. Create a starting line and have each kid race through a series of obstacles to the finish. Your obstacle course can include a series of old tires for the kids to high-step through, oversized cardboard boxes to crawl under and a string tied between trees that the young kids have to navigate around before dashing to the finish line.
* Frisbee or football toss. Accuracy is the name of this game and making a homemade target is simple. Cut a few different shapes out of a plastic tarp, use colorful duct tape to mark each shape and give all of the targets a point value depending on their difficulty. Then hang the tarp and set up a throwing line. The kids will love to compete against each other to find out who has the most accurate arm.
* A tradition that never grows old is kids and toys. For decades Hot Wheels has been a favorite for kids everywhere with its thrills and performance. Today the action continues with a new twist that's a great gift idea and a perfect party activity. Hot Wheels Spinshotz are high-speed spinning tops and stunt sets that test kids' racing and reflex skills in a fun, fast way. The Spinshotz Stunt Set- Big Air Target Takedown lets kids build, race and challenge each other head-on in a high-stakes game of speed and pursuit, earning points by knocking down bullseye targets. Additionally, Spinshotz can be stacked vertically, making for an exciting game in balance and coordination, to see who can make the tallest spinning tower without toppling "" a surefire party hit!
* The always entertaining egg race is a must for any outdoor event. Assemble your teams to compete in a relay or run around a series of cones to record the best individual time. Use hard-boiled eggs and have the kids race around twists and turns trying to balance an egg on a spoon. Quickness isn't the object of this game, stability and patience will win the race.
* What's better on a hot summer day than water balloons? Have each team form a circle; make sure they are spread out enough to toss a water balloon to the person next to them. This elimination style game will have the kids on their toes as the water balloon travels from one person to the next in the circle. As each balloon pops, the last team standing wins. Throw in a twist by adding another water balloon headed in the opposite direction to keep everyone guessing.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
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LinksbyPublished on 17-09-2015 04:19 AM
Following are just some of the sites you can find on the internet, if you know of one that I haven't listed please let me know about it and I will have it added.
Information and graphics for linking to this site can be found here.
Women Anglers
Outdoors USA
Ol' Paws Fishin' Page - 700+ links
"Home of the ALF© and Flashy Profile Flies©" "The finest in synthetic flies"
Boat Owners World
Possum Lures
Fly Tying and Fly Fishing - UK
Description: New Zealand's on-line fishing magazine. Trout and Salmon, Deep Sea, Big Game Fishing, Surfcasting, Fishing Boats, Tackle, Fishing Books. Over 300 pages of articles about all types of sport fishing in New Zealand.
Fly Fishing Club.com - the best for all your fly fishing needs
Saltwater Angling - tackle and tactics for Scandinavian waters
DixieBass Amherst Lodge UK
Travel Fish Africa The Ultimate Bass Fishing Resource Guide A Sportsmans Paradise
Williamson Lures
Fishing Africa
The Fishing Adventure!
Louisiana Fishing Magazine
KeepAlive Oxygen Infusors
C y b e r A n g l e r: Fishing in ...byPublished on 17-09-2015 04:15 AM
byPublished on 17-09-2015 04:15 AM
- Australian Fishing Sites Other Australian fishing related sites
- Australian Weather Current weather conditions and boating
Following are just some of the Australian Fishing sites you can find on the internet.
Information and graphics for linking to this site and listing on this page can be found here
New links directory located here
Sportfish Extreme
Recfish Australia
Sportsfishing Adventure Safaris
Fish n Tales of Hervey Bay and Fraser Island
Somefin's Fishy
Geeveston Highlands Salmon & Trout Fishery
Peter Faust Dam Stocking Association
Amity Bungalows
S.A Fishing.net
Fishing ...


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The other day I followed a link to an article entitled "Why French Parents Are Superior." The article was written by an American who lived in France. I had noticed the same thing that she did, American kids are generally demanding and undisciplined. My own kids are often demanding and undisciplined. On the whole the article was mildly interesting, but one segment gave me words for feelings I had about the structure of parenting. To quote from the article:
When I asked French parents how they disciplined their children, it took them a few beats just to understand what I meant. "Ah, you mean how do we educate them?" they asked.
I love this distinction. In my language talking to and about my kids I try not to use the word "punishment" instead focusing on consequences for decisions. This concept of education takes that idea one step further.
the French ideal of the cadre, or frame, that French parents often talk about. Cadre means that kids have very firm limits about certain things—that's the frame—and that the parents strictly enforce these. But inside the cadre, French parents entrust their kids with quite a lot of freedom and autonomy.
It is not my job as a parent to make sure my children are always happy. My job is to help them grow. Sometimes this means nurturing and smoothing the way for them. Other times it means that I must make their lives harder. No matter which I am doing, the objective is growth.
The bulk of the article discusses how French parents consciously teach patience and delayed gratification to their children. A young French child is bought a treat at a store, but instead of gobbling it down on the way through the parking lot, the treat is saved until snack time that afternoon. The same is true when French children want to make requests, they are required to wait until their parents have time to attend to them. Thus the French mothers are able to finish sentences, or even entire conversations, uninterrupted.
I was fascinated to see that some of the behaviors I'd been feeling guilty about are actually part of conscious education for a French parent. I tell my kids "Just a minute" all the time, but then later feel bad for neglecting them. Then I am too lenient in another area because I feel guilty for this perceived neglect. Thus my parental frame is crooked and sagging in places instead of being a sturdy structure on which the kids depend.
I've long been enamored of having three meals a day plus a snack at regular times. In between the kitchen would be closed (and spotlessly clean, naturally.) In theory this would teach all of us a healthy relationship toward food. Instead of responding to immediate hunger and grabbing what ever is most convenient, our food choices would be carefully planned. I love the idea, yet I doubt this will ever happen in my home. Life is about choices and I choose to be a mother, business manager, writer, and a dozen other things before I choose Cook and Meal Planner. On the other hand, my parenting frame for homework is rock solid this year. I'm also pleased that in the past couple of weeks we've been fitting daily chores back into the lives of the kids. It feels like a miracle that chores are fitting with homework. So when I notice that once again they've foraged themselves a meal of tortilla chips and cream cheese, perhaps I can be pleased with their self sufficiency and trust that we'll find time to focus on healthy eating again soon.
Over the next few weeks I'm going to pay attention to how often I teach my kids that waiting a little bit will not kill them. I'm also going to notice the times when my kids wear me down with negotiation. I think the negotiating skills are valuable, but sometimes I need to be better about sticking to my "no." Most importantly I'll remember that while American kids are nuisances in restaurants and French kids are not, both French adults and American adults handle restaurants just fine. There may not be a "right" path and a "wrong" path through conscientious parenting. Many paths can lead to well adjusted adulthood.


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I moved my home directory to a subdirectory of a second (mounted) drive using
usermod -d ... -m. Now, most programs work fine, but a few (Dropbox, etc.) do not. I believe this is because there is no /home/myuser directory any more, so programs that are hard-coded to look there fail.
Can I just create a hard link using
ln -d? It seems like hard links are problematic, and I'm not even sure if I can create them across disks anyhow. But I'd like to get this sorted out soon.


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Wow! What a week. If you don't want to plow through all the yadayadayada, just skip around and take a look at some of the photos…we've had some interesting times. One of the reasons I started this blog was to keep a record – for us – of our adventures. In a few years, when we're in The Home, drooling on ourselves, we'll be able to re-live these times. These are some of the things I hope we'll remember.
We decided to leave Valley of Fires a day ahead of our plan, and shorten the lengthy drive to our next scheduled stop. Oasis State Park (NM) seemed like a good choice for an intermediate stop. Well, maybe….we drove through miles of flat territory, studded with cattle feedlots. Oasis SP is an odd spot – a small campground stuck out in a huge flatland. There is absolutely nothing nearby. I'm not sure why anybody would actually plan to camp here. It's barren. The wind was roaring – we sat outside for a few minutes, and congratulated ourselves with having a shorter drive for the next day, then dove inside to seek shelter from the wind and cold. It wasn't pleasant.
Several years ago, we stayed at Caprock Canyons State Park (TX), and my most best memory of it was the prairie dog village. With my cellphone camera, it's impossible to get a decent photo of this experience – prairie dogs and their environment are nearly the same color, and I couldn't get close enough for a clear shot. But this video gives you a great idea of what the experience is. Enjoy. It's crazy. When I walked past the village with Jezzy, the activity and chatter between prairie dog 'condos' increases. Jezzy is entranced. Prairie dog is the new squirrel.
But, this trip to Caprock was all about the bison. Their stately presence is something we've enjoyed at Custer State Park and Teddy Roosevelt National Park, but this was contact on a whole new level. (This guy is nuts for turning his back as he did.) They wander everywhere – disrupting traffic and foot-flow whever they pass. Our campground was a prime target. I awoke one night at 4am to a strange noise directly outside the window that I couldn't identify. When I opened the shade, all I could see was the huge body of a bison, standing three feet from my reach – right at the edge of the trailer hitch! Apparently, the Campsh@ck was perched on some tender shoots he wanted to have. Although he never bumped the camper, it took a long time to get back to sleep that night. In the morning, we discovered a delightful 'hostess gift' which he left for us. Our new neighbor the next day had a similar experience. She rolled in with her small camper to the sight of the bison hanging out in her campsite. He was nearly as big as her camper. There was a bit of cat-and-mouse as she tried to wait him out before leaving on her bicycle. Nerve-wracking, to be sure.
It's impossible to explore the Canyons without a bison encounter. We hiked the 6.5 mile Rim Canyon loop, and met up with a few surly-looking beasts. For sure, we gave them a wide berth, and moved on. But, I believe it was this same group who caught up with us as soon as we entered the enclosed campground for people camping with horses. Although it looks like I'm right next to them, we were (thankfully) separated by a thin strand of barbed wire.
Bison may look stupid and docile, but they are quick and agile. From the protection of our truck, we viewed one lone bison racing across the prairie – apparently waking up from a nap to find the herd had left him behind. Believe me, he was hauling ass! It was amazing to see. I was even attacked by a bison statue. Nobody was injured.On one particularly cold morning, we left in the truck to explore nearby Turkey TX. Upon returning, we met our neighbors who told us that we had a big bull bison using our electric post as his scratching post. He inadvertently turned on our water spigot (we had turned it off and disconnected the hose due to 20 degree temps the night before). Water was spraying everywhere! They waited for him to wander off, then turned off the water.
We hiked another day from the far end of the Canyon into a completely different landscape. Although we were plagued by fierce winds and plunging temps, I'd go back there in a minute. It's so beautiful.We were sad to leave Caprock, but hopeful to find some warmer temps. The dry 30mph winds and below freezing temps at night were wearing us down. We couldn't have a fire, it was too windy to keep our awning up to sit outside, and we were a bit tired of the close contact of being stuck inside a small space (small campers are even smaller after a few days of inclement weather)
One more curiosity about this area – on the road into the Park, there's a fence stretching about 3/4 mile on which folks have decorated boots and hung them on the fenceposts. Here are a few of my favorites.
We didn't have high expectations for our next stop – Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. But, what an interesting spot! More bison, Oklahoma Longhorns, coyotes, turkeys, geese, a primo lakeside campsite for $10, and more.One big downside. This is the third time we have encountered a water-warning in a western State or Federal campground on this trip, and it's worrisome. Twice, the warning was for high nitrates, but the e-coli warning to avoid all contact and boil water was scary. There were several pit toilets around the campgroud which had been de-commissioned, and I'm pretty sure that was related to the e-coli contamination. Creepy. Once our clean water is gone, what's next? We had five gallons of drinking water with us (way more than enough), and we used water from our tank for dish washing. But, I did take showers there – yuck!
The Visitor Center in the NWR is amazing – videos and displays about rejuvenation of the prairie, saving the bison, and restoration of the prairie. Between 1830 and 1860, the American bison herd was reduced from 50 million head to a few hundred. For me, those numbers are incomprehensible. Old photos show settlers sitting in stacks of bison hides or amidst piled of bison-head skeletons. President McKinley signed the Wichita Mountains NWR into existence, and thus began the long, slow process of saving the bison from extinction. Hooray for that effort. Longhorn cattle are also prominent in the NWR landscape.In the middle of this National Wildlife Refuge in western Oklahoma is a curious area called Holy City. Although I can't speak to the religious aspect of this site, it certainly was a fantastic photo op. Since is was just a week after Easter, I can only imagine what it must have been like the previous week. Holy City was built in 1926, and is the site of the longest running annual Passion Play in the US.
One other event affected our visit to the NWR. While we were there, there was a full-scale controlled burn of the prairie inside the NWR being conducted by the Forest Service. We planned to cycle to the Visitor Center, then on down to a trail around Scott Mountain. Once we passed the VC, we noticed an unusual amount of smoke. Soon, signs appeared about the burn. In this area, the Eastern Red Cedar is an invasive tree, which (left uncontrolled) would totally dominate the landscape. Burning is a method used to eliminate the cedar, since they perish, the native oaks survive, and the prairie grasses re-establish themselves within a matter of days. It's easy to see the effectiveness of this tactic. Areas which have been burned are easily distinguished from those that have not, based on the scrub, and the trees. The area to the right of the sign in the above had been previously burned.The smoke from the burn was horrible though, and we were prohibited from cycling through the area we planned. Here's what it looks like – I would love to go back in a month or two and take a photo from the same corner to see the difference.The hazy smoke affected all my photos from the day, although we enjoyed our ride and the sights.
We loved the historic stone buildings there. The photo below shows John near an early gas station. There are several dams in the area, and we found a terrific spot for lunch. The Wichita Mountains NWR turned out to be a terrific spot to explore, and we were sad to leave. There's much to see here, and we will definitely be back.
Heading toward an old favorite site – Galveston Island State Park. On the way there, we're staying at two new (to us) campgrounds. Stay tuned….


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Budding entrepreneurs are being offered the chance to test out their business ideas with a free pitch at Wiltshire Council-run markets next month.
As part of the national Love Your Local Market campaign, running from May 14 to 28, Wiltshire Council is offering free pitches to schools and individuals at a number of its weekly markets.
The aim is to encourage people to try out their business ideas and experience the benefits of market trading, along with inspiring future business owners.
The council already supports an annual children's farmers market in Chippenham and is keen to encourage other enterprising projects throughout Wiltshire by offering a free or reduced-rate introductory market presence.
Pitches will be available on: Tuesday at Melksham (Market Place) and Pewsey (North car park); Wednesday at Amesbury (Salisbury Street) and Marlborough (High Street); Thursday at Bradford on Avon (Bridge Street car park), and the Shambles Market Hall Devizes; Friday at Warminster (central car park), Shambles Market Hall, Devizes; and Saturday at the Shambles.
John Thomson, cabinet member with responsibility for markets, said: "This is a real opportunity for people to test out their business ideas in a friendly market environment.
"This year we're also including schools so young people can have a taste of selling in the real world, which in itself is a great lesson and this could well inspire the entrepreneurs of the future."
Any interested new traders or schools can email firstname.lastname@example.com or Wiltshire Council's communications team at email@example.com
All traders must have public liability insurance to the value of £5m and be able to provide their own stall. Any trader selling or producing food must be registered with their local council's public protection team.
For more information about Wiltshire markets, visit www.wiltshire.gov.uk /markets
More information about Love your Local Market can be found at http://loveyour localmarket.org.uk


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Battlefield 3 End Game DLC detailed: four maps & new vehicles inbound
Battlefield 3 developer DICE has outlined the contents of its fourth and potentially final DLC pack 'End Game', an expansion that the studio says will deliver the game's, "most high-speed warfare to date across four vast maps".
CVG reports that the pack will feature new vehicles, including a dropship that gives players the, "Ability to turn the tide with rapid deployment air drops of troop transports", as well as dirtbikes for rapid sprints across the battlefield. Capture the flag mode will also return.
We'll have more details as they come. The pack is expected to drop in March 2013.


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San Francisco's longstanding effort to develop a municipal renewable energy program has been stymied by politics, but Sup. London Breed has taken up the cause of advancing aspects of the plan that haven't been obstructed.
At a Dec. 13 meeting of the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo), a committee comprised of members of the Board of Supervisors that has been working to develop CleanPowerSF for years, Breed called for putting out a Request for Proposals to develop a concrete plan for building out local renewable energy infrastructure. LAFCo adopted the motion.
With plans for solar panel arrays or wind power facilities that would generate hundreds of megawatts of electricity for the municipal energy program, the build-out is a key aspect of the plan that could lead to job creation and stable electricity rates in the long term.
"Part of what I think is important in developing a plan is to make sure that if there are people who oppose it, that we have answers," Breed said. "And we have clear answers, so that we're communicating what the real, true accurate message is: There is real possibility for local jobs."
Earlier this year, members of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, a body composed of mayoral appointees, refused to approve a not-to-exceed rate, effectively obstructing any forward progress on the green municipal power program. But some advocates who are thinking long-term have merely taken the setback as an opportunity to put some time and energy into crafting a well thought out plan that serves the interests of job seekers and environmentalists alike, which would ulimately be politically difficult to oppose.
The rate approval was a necessary step toward inking a contract with Shell Energy North America, the contractor selected by the SFPUC to procure renewable energy on the open market until a build-out gets off the ground.
Just before the commissioners made their decision, opponents of the plan who are affiliated with Pacific Gas & Electric Company – the utility giant that stands to lose customers if CleanPowerSF goes forward – plastered San Francisco residences with flyers denouncing the program and Shell's involvement. The mailers were paid for by IBEW 1245, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union that represents PG&E employees.
Breed reflected on that messaging as an unfortunate setback. "It created, I think, the challenges that we're facing getting this program moving forward," she said. "We need a clear communication strategy. We need a clear understanding of the build-out."
Eric Brooks, a longtime advocate of CleanPowerSF who has attended hundreds of meetings to help shape the plan on behalf of his nonprofit, Our City, said he was pleased with the latest direction LAFCo talks had taken. He recently penned an editorial for the Bay Guardian calling on LAFCo to take control of the program.
"This does not get around the political problem we have," he said. "Politically, the program isn't moving forward. On Aug. 13, from [the SFPUC's] standpoint, they put the program on hold." Nevertheless, "the idea is to work on all the other things, and get those things done." Once there is a practical plan spelling out how the city will move forward with building out green renewable energy infrastructure, he said, it could serve to "show the building trade unions what's possible."
From what Brooks said and what was voiced at the meeting, it seems the political strategy of project proponents will be to bring on a consultant to hash out more tangible goals with regard to job creation, and then use those shovel-ready plans to bring trade unions on board. From there, Brooks hopes there may be more leverage to push for approval – or perhaps to pursue an alternative management structure that gets around the SFPUC, such as joining with another municipality to form a Joint Powers Authority that would oversee the program.
Sup. David Campos, who has been a key supporter of CleanPowerSF along with Sup. John Avalos, did voice some reservations about moving forward with the RFP. "We are here," halted from moving forward, "even though we have a program that has been approved by the Board of Supervisors," he pointed out. "How do we avoid going down the path of doing additional work, only to find ourselves in the same predicament?"
The political pressure against CleanPowerSF, fueled by groups associated with PG&E in political alignment with Mayor Ed Lee, is formidable. Nevertheless, advocates from environmental organizations such as 350.org, the Sierra Club and others have kept pushing for the program out of a conviction that it represents an opportunity to curb greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change at the local level.
"This is a very important move," said June Brashares, a steering committee member of the Local Clean Energy Alliance. "A key piece of work that has not yet been done is the selection of actual sites all over the city for the installation of hundreds of megawatts of local clean energy projects that will make up CleanPowerSF."
UPDATE: After we posted this, Breed returned a phone call from earlier in the day. She shared some thoughts about the program:
"I just think we're overdue, to do it. The fact that we have five commissioners appointed, not necessarily elected, [blocking the program] disturbs me," she said.
Asked why she's supportive of CleanPowerSF, Breed said, "It's not just about the choice. It's also about the environment, and the future. There's a lot of money in energy in general, and part of that money should go back to the local economy through those jobs."
When we asked her about the strategy for advancing the program, she responded, "We want labor to be a partner on this. We want to make sure that it's clear, and more importantly, we want it to be a strong proposal … My goal is to make it difficult for them to oppose it."
Finally, questioned on whether she was worried about the political opposition, Breed responded, "I can't do my job in fear that someone may oppose it. I have to do it based on what I think is truly right for the city of San Francisco."


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Oh, you thought that coffee maker was just for your morning cup of joe? It can also make hot dogs, steamed veggies, and lots more!
Teach your old microwave oven some new tricks. It'll be glad it's doing more for you than just heating yesterday's leftovers.
Who wants to spend all day or evening in the kitchen? Cook faster and smarter with these seven clever tricks.
What to do when you have a six pack and a thirsty crew — but no bottle opener? Improvise with these five cool tricks!
When it's not re-heating last night's soup, your microwave oven has plenty of non-food uses. Learn how to put yours to work on everything from crafts to cleaning.
Jam in the freezer? Bread from a Crock-Pot? Oh, yes! Discover all of the tasty treats you can make in unexpected ways.
From the kitchen to the clothes closet to medicine cabinet, discover unexpected ways that duct tape can help out all around the house.
Life without a microwave might seem prehistoric, but it's easy. Learn how you can depend less on nuking your food and avoid another cumbersome kitchen appliance.
From egg cartons to shower curtains to old socks and more, learn dozens of ways to reuse commonly discarded household items.
Learn how the power of creative diluting can make your meals taste better and extend your food budget.
What can you do with binder clips? The question should really be "what can't you do?" From kitchen hacks to children's toys, check out the many uses for this little office gadget.
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Chemical oxygen demand is a measure of the total quantity of oxygen required to oxidize all organic material (biologically available, inert organic matter) into carbon dioxide and water, and oxidisable inorganic matter.
Oxidation is performed using chemical oxidants (potassium dichromate, potassium permanganate). The consumption of chemicals gives an indirect indication of the content of organic matter and the corresponding quantity of oxygen required.
COD values are always greater than BOD values as this test oxidises inert organic matter as well as biologically available organic matter.


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Scouting for Global Road Safety
UNECE's "Scouting for Global Road Safety Campaign, World Scout Jamboree 2011"
Kristianstad, Sweden, August 2011
|Speech | Photos and Media | Road Safety Homepage
|UNECE's information campaign on road safety organized during the 2011 World Scout Jamboree in Kristianstad, Sweden, reached its high point on Friday, 5 August, at 4 p.m. when some 500 scouts from 160 countries held letters forming the slogans "Scouting for Global Road Safety" and "Scoutisme pour la sécurité routière mondiale". The campaign was the result of the partnership of UNECE with the World Organization for the Scout Movement (WOSM), Scouts of Ireland, Scouts of Greece and the Hellenic Road Safety Institute Panos Mylonas (IOAS).
|Press Releases
|UNECE and partners launch the "Scouting for Global Road Safety" information campaign at 2011 World Scout Jamboree
|UNECE's "Scouting for Global Road Safety" information campaign at 2011 World Scout Jamboree closed on high note
|Mr. Andrey Vasilyev Speech
Photos to be copied or used only with prior permission.


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The nine episode web series Mortal Kombat: Legacy will come to a Blu-ray near you this November, courtesy of Warner Bros. and director Kevin Tancharoen, delivering live action Jax, Sonya, Scorpion, Sub-Zero and more onto one high-def disc.
Hi-Def Digest has details on the Mortal Kombat: Legacy Blu-ray, hitting November 8 for $19.98 USD, revealing why you might want to drop a twenty on it instead of simply re-watching the fan-made series on YouTube. That Blu-ray disc will come packed with the following extras.
- Mortal Kombat Legacy: Fights - A look at the role Fatalities and hyper-violence play in the Mortal Kombat storytelling process. Included within the piece is a detailed exploration of the fights and stunts staged during the production of the web-series.
- Mortal Kombat Legacy: Fan Made - Go inside the mind of Mortal Kombat super fan Kevin Tancharoen and uncover his passion and vision that brought Mortal Kombat: Legacy to life.
- Mortal Kombat Legacy: Expanding The Netherrealm — Multi-chapter documentary brings the Mortal Kombat universe to life.
- Mortal Kombat: Mysticism - Discover the powers that define the characters.
- Mortal Kombat: Gear - Explore all the weapons that make Mortal Kombat fighting unique.
Mortal Kombat: Legacy is also available for download (and purchase) on the Xbox Live Marketplace, PlayStation Video Store and iTunes, if physical media is dead to you.
'Mortal Kombat: Legacy' Dated for Blu-ray [Hi-Def Digest]
You can contact Michael McWhertor, the author of this post, at email@example.com. You can also find him on Twitter, Facebook, and lurking around our #tips page.


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The problems keep coming for Sony. On Tuesday the company confirmed that someone had hacked into its website and stolen about 2,000 customer names and e-mail addresses.
Close to 1,000 of the records have already been posted online by a hacker calling himself Idahc, who says he's a "Lebanese grey-hat hacker." Idahc found a common Web programming error, called an SQL injection flaw, that allowed him to dig up the records on the Canadian version of the Official Sony Ericsson eShop, an online store for mobile phones and accessories.
The hacker got access to records for about 2,000 customers, including their names and e-mail addresses and a hashed version of users' passwords, said Ivette Lopez Sisniega, a Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications spokeswoman. "Sony Ericsson has disabled this e-commerce website," she said in an e-mail message. "We can confirm that this is a standalone website and it is not connected to Sony Ericsson servers."
Other than the names and e-mail addresses, no personal or banking information was compromised, she said.
Idahc disputed that claim, saying in a Twitter message that he also obtained addresses, phone numbers and information on discount coupons.
Sony Ericsson is a mobile-phone company run jointly by Sony and Ericsson.
Sony has been under continual cyber-attack since April, when its PlayStation Network was hacked and then pulled offline. Over the past week Sony BMG Japan, Sony BMG Greece, the Sony-run So-net Internet service provider, and a company server in Thailand all have been compromised, in what's becoming a free-for-all online attack on anything belonging to Sony.
Earlier this year Sony raised the hackles of hackers by suing George Hotz, a well-respected hacking enthusiast, who'd found a way to break Sony's controls and install Linux on his PlayStation 3. Sony eventually settled with Hotz, but to many it came off as a bully in the affair.
Now, increasingly, Sony looks like a company where security was merely an afterthought.
Earlier this week, Sony said the attacks will cost it at least US$170 million.
Sony's continued problems reflect a cavalier attitude toward computer security, said Scott Borg, CEO of the U.S. Cyber Consequences Unit, a Washington-based think tank that studies cyber-attacks. "It's a pretty obvious conclusion that they weren't managing their security well," he said.
Gregory Wellman, one of Idahc's victims, gave Sony Ericsson his information when he bought a LiveView accessory for his Android phone on the site last month. Already a victim of last month's breach at Epsilon Interactive, he said he has a "low trust in online forms" and gave Sony a secondary e-mail address that he reserves for Web forms.
Wellman, the CIO with Toronto-based network support company Technocosm, said that while he's not happy to have his e-mail address and name stolen and published, the incident could have been worse. He had these words for Sony Ericsson: "Well, you guys were idiots for making it happen. At the same time, I hope it never happens to me."
Anybody can make a Web programming error, no matter what company they work for, he said. "I don't care if it's Sony or AT&T. These guys are only as good as the guy who [wrote] the code. "
Robert McMillan covers computer security and general technology breaking news for The IDG News Service. Follow Robert on Twitter at @bobmcmillan. Robert's e-mail address is firstname.lastname@example.com
Next read this:
- Top 9 challenges IT leaders will face in 2020
- Top 5 strategic priorities for CIOs in 2020
- 7 'crackpot' technologies that might transform IT
- 8 technologies that will disrupt business in 2020
- 7 questions CIOs should ask before taking a new job
- 7 ways to position IT for success in 2020
- The 9 new rules of IT leadership
- 20 ways to kill your IT career (without knowing it)
- IT manager's survival guide: 11 ways to thrive in the years ahead
- CIO resumes: 6 best practices and 4 strong examples
- 4 KPIs IT should ditch (and what to measure instead)


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She had it coming.
She had it coming.
don't you ave an awesome comic to be drawing =p
I had the exact same idea... Much less the aria part but more that situation. Lulz
haha taeshi is pretty cute as a cat
Hot cat taeshi.
aria is gonna wreck my shit
I really love this!!!
How'd you get past Judy?
Judy was sleeping, Susanna. <3
for some reson i feel like this is karma
I'm going to imagine that's Tae's theme song from here on out.
A+ would buy from again.
lol wut now
Has Aria ever realized that by being drawn by a fan to kill fan characters, she herself is a fan character? Which means she has to kill herself?
So let's see. Aria is a fancharacter made to kill fancharacters?
Am I the only one to see anything seriously wrong with this?
yeah anon, thanks for explaining the joke.
no one else already said that.
no one.
you are truly a majestic creature.


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Under Armour Zinger Novelty Sleeveless Poloview other products
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Order your Zinger Novelty sleeveless polo today for the perfect high performing way to look great and take advantage of the latest clothing tech from Under Armour.


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I have finished the special recut of the font that I will initially sell with the higher dollar contributions. I decided on Angel Script for a number of reasons: 1) It has done very commercially, so I know it will be well received, 2) it has a lot of extra stuff including a load of [...]
SOGO Angel Script
by admin on March 16, 2011 in SOGO
The Situation Is Deteriorating
by admin on March 16, 2011 in News
The situation at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has reached a strange state of continual deterioration, international security analyst Jim Walsh says. As it gets worse, "The good news is that the bad news isn't quite as bad as it first looked," he says. Please visit CNN for the full article.
One Reason Why I'm Doing This
by admin on March 16, 2011 in News
I came across this image gallery from National Geographic. This is one of the images from the gallery. The image says everything. Please go check out the other images.
48 Hours
by admin on March 16, 2011 in SOGO
When the magnitude 9.0 earthquake hit Japan, I was in bed checking Twitter and winding down for the night. I was about to close out and a tweet popped up "when is it going to stop shaking". Then another "Big Earthquake". And then another. And another after that. I switched the TV over to CNN. [...]
Learn More
Follow @sogojapan on Twitter


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- This event has passed.
Board Meeting
26 November, 2019 at 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
NHS Forth Valley is governed by a Board of Directors and is accountable to the Minister for Health and Community Care through the Scottish Government. The Board controls an annual budget of £500 million, and is responsible for providing health services and improving the health for the population of Forth Valley.
If you would like a copy of the agenda for the next meeting please email us at email@example.com
Missing or incorrect information? Please report it.


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DGA: Another big night for Affleck's 'Argo'?
LOS ANGELES -- Hollywood's strange awards season continues with another ceremony that could firm up a big Oscar win for Ben Affleck's "Argo."
The Directors Guild of America hands out prizes Saturday night in Los Angeles in what typically is a final blessing for the film that goes on to win best-picture and director at the Academy Awards.
Affleck can go only one-for-two at the Oscars, though. He's up for the film honor at the guild awards, and "Argo" is looking like the best-picture favorite at the Oscars on Feb. 24. But the director's branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences overlooked him and several other key filmmakers for an Oscar directing slot.
The guild and Oscar directing lineups usually match up closely, but they have little in common this season, with only Steven Spielberg for "Lincoln" and Ang Lee for "Life of Pi" nominated at both shows.
Along with them and Affleck, the guild nominated Kathryn Bigelow for "Zero Dark Thirty" and Tom Hooper for "Les Miserables." At the Oscars, Spielberg and Lee are joined in the directing category by Michael Haneke for "Amour," David O. Russell for "Silver Linings Playbook" and Benh Zeitlin for "Beasts of the Southern Wild."
With 12 Oscar nominations, Spielberg's Civil War saga initially looked like the Oscar favorite over such other potential favorites as "Argo," "Les Miserables" and "Zero Dark Thirty," since films generally have little chance of winning best picture if they are not nominated for best director. Only three films have done it in 84 years, most recently 1989's best-picture champ "Driving Miss Daisy," which failed to earn a directing nomination for Bruce Beresford.
But Affleck's "Argo," in which he also stars as a CIA operative who hatches a bold plan to rescue six Americans during the hostage crisis in Iran, has been sweeping up all the major awards since the Oscar nominations. "Argo" won best drama and director at the Golden Globes and top film honors from the Screen Actors Guild and the Producers Guild of America.
Many of the same film professionals who vote in guild awards also cast ballots for the Oscars. If Affleck wins at the Directors Guild awards, it will be a strong sign that "Argo" has the inside track for the best-picture Oscar.
Saturday's honors aren't all about "Argo," though. Milos Forman ("One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," "Amadeus") will receive the guild's lifetime-achievement award, and the director's union also will hand out prizes for television, documentary and commercials. Kelsey Grammer returns as host for the second-straight year.
Affleck may have a bit of newcomer's edge at the guild, where he's the only first-time nominee. Spielberg has won the guild prize a record three times, for "The Color Purple," "Schindler's List" and "Saving Private Ryan." Lee has won twice, for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "Brokeback Mountain," while Bigelow won three years ago for "The Hurt Locker" and Hooper won two years ago for "The King's Speech."
A win for Affleck would nick the guild's record as a strong forecast for the eventual directing recipient at the Oscars. Only six times in the 64-year history of the guild awards has the winner there failed to follow up with an Oscar. It would be No. 7 if Affleck wins Saturday, since he's not up for best director at the Oscars.
Peer loyalty might play in Affleck's favor at the Oscars. The acting branch in particular, the largest block of the academy's 5,900 members, might really throw its weight behind "Argo" because of Affleck's directing snub. Actors love it when one of their own moves into a successful directing career, and Affleck -- who's rarely earned raves for his dramatic chops -- also delivers one of his best performances in "Argo."
Affleck has had no traction in acting honors this season, and he's joked that no one considered it a snub when he wasn't nominated for best actor. So a best-picture vote for "Argo" might be viewed as making right his omission from the directing lineup and acknowledging what a double-threat talent he's become in front of and behind the camera.
A best-picture prize also would send Affleck home with an Oscar. The award would go to the producers of "Argo": George Clooney, Grant Heslov and Affleck.
But it's not as though Affleck has never gotten his due at Hollywood awards before. He and Matt Damon jump-started their careers with 1997's "Good Will Hunting," for which they shared a screenplay Oscar.


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In Videos: Little Kids Make Alinea Cookbook Look Easy
Theo, a self-proclaimed five-and-a-half-year-old (at the prime age when half ages matter), has trouble pronouncing "agar" and needs a step stool to see over the counter, but he can cook from the Alinea cookbook (previously reviewed on Serious Eats). His brother James (nine-years-old) isn't professionally trained either, but doesn't fret over a recipe with pheasant, gray shallots, and burning oak leaves.
While some home cooks have expressed frustration with the unapproachable quality of the Alinea cookbook ("it took seven hours and produced eight bites of food") these two munchkins have proved them wrong. It doesn't hurt that their father is Nick Kokonas, the business partner of Grant Achatz, Alinea's head chef. Both videos on both sides of the argument, after the jump.
The Alinea Cookbook Is Easy Peasy
The Alinea Cookbook Is Frustrating
In Videos: Three-Year Old Mark 'Mini Minimalist' Bittman Is a Big (Little) Deal
In Videos: Cooking Sous Vide Turkey with Grant Achatz
Grant Achatz' Alinea Cookbook


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'Vampire Diaries' Season Finale Recap: Is Elena Really [Spoiler]?
I think it's safe to say things will never be the same in Mystic Falls again. (So much for Elena's dream of a vampire-free life!)
I believe I have the five words that perfectly sum up every viewer's reaction to the final moments of The Vampire Diaries' third season finale: "Did that really just happen?!" And the answer is "yes, it did." And it was awesome. Sure Elena (Nina Dobrev) finally made her choice between Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Stefan (Paul Wesley), but by the time the credits rolled, I didn't really care anymore.
My mind is now on one thing and one thing only: Elena Gilbert is a vampire. Meredith (Torrey DeVitto) gave her vampire blood, and then she died, and now she's a freakin' vampire!
OK, now breathe… and rewind: Like the most effed-up game of high school dodgeball ever, Alaric (Matt Davis) and Elijah (Daniel Gillies) created two teams this week, selecting each member individually — but unlike high school dodgeball, no one picked Matt (Zach Roerig). Also breaking the rules of organized sports, Alaric tracked down Klaus' (Joseph Morgan) body and staked him, sending everyone in Mystic Falls into full-fledged panic mode. "We all gonna die!" they thought, which led to so many moments of unspeakable beauty.
Only they didn't die because, wait for it… Bonnie (Kat Graham) cast a spell to swap Klaus and Tyler's spirits! But does that mean that Tyler is dead, and Michael Trevino will now play Klaus, meaning Joseph Morgan is off the show for good?! I guess we"ll find out when the show returns in the fall, but for now, I'll get started on my J-Mo memorial shrine.
And now we can talk about the choice! After three incredibly long, drawn-out seasons, Elena finally decided to go with Stefan. Now grab your tissues, kids, because I obsessively wrote down Elena's entire consolation speech to Damon — and it's a doozy:
"I love him, Damon. He came into my life in a time when I needed someone and I fell for him instantly. No matter what I felt for you, I never un-felt for him. … I can't think about always. All I can think about it right now. And I care about you, Damon, which is why I have to let you go. … Maybe if you and I had met first. You're going to be fine, you hear me? You're going to be OK, and I'm going to see you soon."
Of course, her little speech took on a whole new level of dramatic irony when Damon had a little flashback of his own: It turns out he did meet Elena first! He met her the night she and her parents drove off Wickery Bridge — before they died, of course — only he compelled her to forget because he didn't want anyone to know he was back in town.
And speaking of the bridge, Elena experienced a little déjà vu this week when she and Matt drove off it to avoid Rebekah. But unlike last time, when her dad told Stefan to save his daughter first, Elena told Stefan to save Matt. I'm not entirely sure why he agreed to do it, but he did, leaving Elena to literally drown to death at the bottom of the lake.
I actually still haven't decided how I feel about Stefan letting Elena die. Yes, he is a noble gentleman and believes that his lady should be free to make her own choices — but did he really need to let her die?! And couldn't he have handled pulling two little humans out of a car at once? He's supposed to have crazy strength, but tonight, he just seemed plain crazy.
Elena's death meant the end of evil Alaric, but as we all saw, she very quickly returned to the land of the living — as a vampire!
Even though Stefan was obviously this week's winner, let's just humor ourselves with a complete breakdown:
Well, there you have it. Another incredibly epic season finale down the drain, leaving us with a million questions to ponder until the fall: Is Tyler really dead? Is Joseph Morgan off the show for good? And, of course, what the HELL is Elena going to be like as a vampire?! I'm literally beside myself right now, so let's just hash it all out in the comments section. Now!
— Andy Swift
More Vampire Diaries Stories:
- The CW Renews 'Vampire Diaries,' '90210′ & More For Fall 2012
- 'Vampire Diaries' Season Finale First Look: Why Is Elena Crying?
- 'Vampire Diaries' Scoop: Will Bonnie Pick Jamie Over Jeremy?


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EXCLUSIVE! 'Biggest Loser' Castoff Drea Hough Lost Nearly 100 Pounds — Here's How She Did It… And You Can Too!
Do you start diets with the best of intentions…only to give up days (or even hours) later? I do! But latest Biggest Loser castoff Drea told me how she's stayed focused enough to shed some SERIOUS poundage!
Andrea 'Drea' Hough weighed 298 pounds when she started The Biggest Loser: Couples in Sept. — and now, less than eight months later — she weighs 206 pounds.
Like all of us who start a diet with the focus of a ninja warrior but quickly lose motivation, the 24-year-old executive's assistant couldn't stick to a healthy lifestyle before she started the show. However, after spending months on the Loser ranch, she's dropped nearly 100 pounds and told me how she finally broke free of the diet curse.
"That [was] the story of my life," Drea assured me April 14 during a conference call for the show. "I would say that you have to understand that it's not a short period of time. It's a lifestyle change. It's not necessarily a BAD lifestyle change, it's worth it. You have to stick with it — the food you eat is probably 80%. As long as you keep your food under control, then it's fine."
Eat less, lose weight, keep it off. We've heard that before! It's so simple in theory, but why does it always feel impossible?
Drea — who has become a spin instructor since starting her weight loss journey in Sept. — said her trick to staying motivated is to work out with her dad. "Get on board with other people in your life because when you do it alone, you get lonely," she told me. "And we all know when we're lonely, we eat."
Couldn't have said it better myself! Alright — who wants to be my 'healthy lifestyle' BFF? Any takers?


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Hogs Beat Auburn After 2 Overtimes
Powell, Young lead Arkansas by Auburn 88-80 in double OT
BJ Young's late 3-pointer in double overtime and Marshawn Powell's 28 points helped Arkansas hold on to secure an 88-80 win over Auburn on Wednesday night.
"I thought it was a well-played game between two teams that were fighting, scratching, clawing and trying to find a way to win," said head coach Mike Anderson. "I was proud of our guys because they showed a lot of resolve. Auburn wouldn't go away and we wouldn't go away."
The win was the second straight for the Razorbacks, who survived the hot-shooting Tigers and guard Frankie Sullivan's five second-half 3-pointers.
"Basketball is a game of runs, and we knew they would come out and try to make a run," Powell said. "We fought back from that run and we were able to pull out the W."
Young added 22 points and Mardracus Wade had 12 for Arkansas (11-5, 2-1 Southeastern), which now has won seven of its last eight games. Powell had 21 points in the second half and overtimes, finishing with his second-highest point total of the season.
"It's big because we've been kind of struggling a little bit on the road," said Wade, who came off the bench for the second game in a row after starting 46 straight for the Razorbacks. "To get a big win like this, to go into overtime and come out with the win is really huge."
Sullivan led Auburn (8-8, 2-1) with 26 points, 23 of them after halftime. He was 5 of 11 on 3-pointers, and the Tigers were 11 of 25 overall from behind the arc.
Arkansas plays their next game on the road Saturday afternoon at Ole Miss. Coverage of the game will begin at 12:30 p.m. on 40/29.


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Welcome to the Georgia High School Helmet Project. As always, I hope you enjoy your visit. There have been many changes to the site since it went live in February 2002. With the help and partnership of Johnny Walton of the Lincoln Co. Red Devils, this site has been a monumental success. He has been a tremendous partner in making sure the site is kept up to date; along with offering several features for the high school sports fan. My main job is to make sure the helmets are as up to date as possible.
View my Guestbook


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Gears of War: I'm Not Buying It
Gears of War: I'm Not Buying It
The most-hyped game ever is coming out on November 7th, and having it's Grand Opening (AKA Emergence Day) five days later. It's being praised as the Xbox 360's Halo; a must-have first-person shooter showcasing all that's great and wonderful about next-gen technology, cutting edge graphics and the hottest game engine ever made.
And I don't care.
When The Escapist went to E3 this past May, I was put in the enviable position of setting my own agenda. I had just started at the company, and in spite of the fact that they were willing to give me a plane ride to L.A. they had no idea what to do with me. So they handed me a notepad and asked me who I wanted to talk to and what I wanted to see.
At the top of my list were Microsoft and Gears of War.
Microsoft's E3 booth was a gigantic plastic and neon monstrosity towering above almost every other booth at the show. It was glaringly white, sickeningly green and deafeningly loud. It had two stories, dozens of private meeting rooms, two separate reception desks and the security-to-flatscreen ratio was off the scale. Very few people got in, and those who did were examined mercilessly.
I arrived on time for my appointment to get hands-on time with Gears of War. I was fifteen minutes late to the presentation. I left after two minutes.
When I hit the downstairs reception desk and handed them my card, I was greeted with a bit of humorous confusion. I would later come to call this "The Shannon Drake" effect. Shannon is the guy who was in charge of setting up our interviews at E3. As a result, most developers had his name listed where ours should have been. The joke at E3 was that Shannon Drake was the most popular guy at the show, yet few people had ever met him. I still believe he planned it that way.
After the nice lady deciphered the confusion and verified that even though I wasn't actually Shannon Drake, I was entitled to see Gears of War we both had a laugh, she pasted a green dot on my name badge and I hurried through the first security checkpoint.
I followed her directions up the stairs to the second story of the enormous booth whereupon I encountered Security Checkpoint Number 2. There another lady asked to see my name badge and my business card and we repeated the entire charade.
"I just did this downstairs," I complained, and she looked at me like I was a bad boy asking for candy. This excited me (only a little) but I was starting to become annoyed. It wasn't like I was trying to get into CIA headquarters at Langley, for crying out loud. I was a journalist trying to get into a media event. And I'd been invited!
The Shannon Drake effect, combined with the ridiculously redundant Microsoft PR/Security machine had at this point cost me 10 minutes of very precious show time. I gave the lady my best "I'm over 30, a paid professional and not in the mood for your crap" look and she gave me what I wanted: the number of the room in which they were showing Gears of War.
The catch: the room didn't exist.
After exploring the second story of Microsoft's edifice twice over, and asking one poor sod who's room wasn't in demand at all ("people have been asking me about that room all day. What's in it?"), I discovered the place where the Gears of War room should have been, but it didn't seem to be there. Or at least, it wasn't marked properly.
I came to a door partially hidden behind a small wall, which bore a rather dire-looking warning about what might happen if one were to enter. I was now 15 minutes late and had run out of options. If I was going to get hands-on time with Gears of War, the most anticipated Xbox360 title at the show, I'd have to take some chances. So I took a deep breath, grabbed the door handle and twisted.
The door immediately flew open. Inside was a stern-looking guy in shirt-sleeves holding a clipboard. He looked at me like he'd just discovered me in bed with his daughter.
"Who are you?" He asked.
I offered him my right hand to shake, with a business card in my left - my patented "shake and take" networking move. He ignored both and snatched at my badge.
"You're not Shannon Drake." He said. But let me in anyway. The presentation had already begun and he wasn't about to destroy the ambiance to give me what-for. He ushered me to the back of the room and set about ignoring me.
There were about three dozen play stations set up and not a one was currently available. Aside from myself, there were two other people standing in the wings, presumably waiting for their turn to play. Microsoft had apparently overbooked.
I looked over the shoulder of the guy sitting at the terminal in front of me. What I saw wasn't too impressive. The game looked overly gray and kind of washed-out. And the action looked incredibly slow. I was a little surprised. It didn't seem to be the kind of game modern FPS fans would enjoy playing. But what was more surprising was they seemed to be enjoying it anyway. Or that's how it sounded anyway.
Each gruesome kill or spectacular personal victory was greeted with a chorus of cheers and applause, the likes of which every gamer - playing against invisible opponents, in front of a non-existent audience, in their underwear - fantasizes about. There was a camaraderie and excitement in the air the likes of which I hadn't seen in years. It was exhilarating, intoxicating and completely fabricated.
Skulking about in the shadows was a throng of Microsoft employees, peeking over gamers' shoulders, waiting for exciting things to happen, and then showering the players with positive reinforcement. The effect was startling. What should have been a solemn, sober collection of gamers concentrating on the screens in front of them (like in every other hands-on room) was transformed into an inspirational power hour not unlike a fundamentalist tent revival.
Microsoft was playing on the age-old marketing adage that if you tell people what to think, they will listen. In the Gears of War hands-on room, gamer/journalists were being told by Microsoft that A) this game was so hot that it justified extreme levels of security and bureaucracy; and that B) it was more exciting than any other game at the show. And people were buying it.
Those would-have-been blank, focused faces were beaming at every exclamation of praise and hours later, every word I heard on the show floor was followed or preceded by "Gears of War."
Personally, from what I've seen of the game, I'm not convinced that it will be the mega-selling blockbuster it's being hyped to be. I think it will sell, but it won't be a console seller and it certainly won't be the next Halo. That game will be coming next year.
What I suspect Gears of War will sell the most of is Unreal 3 licenses. Then again, I've been wrong before, and it's possible I'll be wrong again. We'll know soon enough.
Want to make a bet about that Fletch? I know a place that sells discount razors... ;)
The only reason I'm remotely interested in Gears of War is seamless drop-in co-op. I love co-op gameplay, and if it's fun I might be willing to put up with yet another shooter featuring burly men with big guns.
I no longer make bets on body hair, thank you.
Although I'm fairly confident about this one. The hype around Gears of War has the aroma of hardcore gamer freak out about it, which as we know doesn't always translate into mass-market sales.
Besides, as Cliffy himself says, it's not a run-n-gun shooter; it's a hide behind stuff and think tactically shooter. And those don't typically do as well, regardless of how nice they look.
But, like I said, I'm OK with being proved wrong on this.
Judging from the gameplay footage, I question how "tactical" it truly is -- it looks like the player can take an awful lot of punishment. Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter it is not. You've seen Gears of War in action live, though, and I haven't.
If I wasn't itching for another great co-op shooter, I'd probably skip Gears. The art style, atmosphere, and seemingly dull storyline all turn me off. As it is, it may come down to how good the co-op in Rainbow Six: Vegas is, since co-op was nowhere to be found inSplinter Cell: Double Agent.
It's not an FPS if it's third-person, right?
PS: I'm buying that sumbitch as soon as it hits shelves. Between the original UT and UT 2k4, Cliffy B has given me some of the best gaming hours of my life. I trust him to nail this one.
Gears looks interesting but not that interesting and its gameplay sorta reminds of Kill Switch with the whole hiding and shooting over walls bit.
Okay so it completely reminds me of Kill Switch I wonder why this hasn't been discussed more often, probably because Kill Switch didn't sell so well and it didn't have a name like Epic which is known for shooters.
Anywho I'm skipping Gears and the 360 altogether, going to save my pennies for that PS3 unless a 360 game really comes along that makes me say I must have a 360 now.
Our name is Shannon, for we are many.
I'm also waiting for a 360 price drop. I'm buying a Wii and PS2 next month so I'll have more games than I can handle with Okami, Zelda, Shadow of the Colossus, and maybe a Ratchet and Clank game. Gears looks like it has the same gameplay as Rainbow 6: Vegas but with much, much more hype. It also looks like it screws up the gameplay by making it so you can take a ton of damage, and they can take a ton of damage, so the difficulty looks like it's gone. It looks like it doesn't reward aiming which is a large part of the fun in games like that. It's fun to be able to target an enemy's head and then pop out and shoot it to drop it. Gears might as well be turn based with how boring the gameplay looks like to me.
Graphically it's pretty amazing, but if I had a 360 I think I would just pick up Splinter Cell and Rainbow 6 instead. I have a computer that could run Splinter Cell fine, but I think I'll hold off since the last few times I've bought it for the computer it's been hard to find people to play online. Speaking of which, if anyone wants to play Pandora Tomorrow for the PC let me know.
I'm planning on renting the game, mostly to look at the graphics, which lean towards the incredible if the game trailers are to be believed.
But I'm not a big fan of shooters in general, so I don't think it'll be my kind of game. Still, I can see the cooperative multiplayer being a pretty big draw.
I too will not be buying it. To me it looks like Kill.Switch with monsters. Looks pretty boring but I hope to be proven wrong. Too bad there are no decent online rental places for East coast users.
Yeah, I guess if you expect a third-person sci-fi survival-horror shooter to have gameplay like a first-person modern military tactical shooter, you might end up disappointed.
And I can´t buy it...sniff...at least not here in germany cause they wont release it :(
Vegas is a third-person shooter with military characters peaking out from behind cover to take down enemies while working as a squad. Gears is a third-person shooter with military characters peaking out from behind cover to take down enemies while working as a squad. Maybe you're right though and having aliens gives creative license to make the gameplay less fun. I probably shouldn't be comparing games with similar gameplay and saying which one would be more enjoyable if the use of aliens makes a game incomporable to, uh, more terrestrial games. I hear in Gears they don't even use gravity.
I think something that has been brushed over here is the potential for great multiplayer in gears. While it hasnt been proven yet, of course, there could certainly be some awesome team vs team battles in gears. Just look at how many people bought chromehounds purely for playing on live, add in what may or may not end up being a decent single player/co-op game and there is certainly the correct ingredients for success there. I guess we'll know once it comes out.
Huh, I thought Vegas was 1st person like all the other Rainbow Six games. I'm too lazy to look it up, though.
Gameplay may be superficially similar, but Vegas is one-shot-one-kill tactical and Gears is walking human tanks tactical. Plus the context is entirely different. I just think comparing the merits of two superficially related games THAT HAVE NOT EVEN BEEN RELEASED YET is sort of an exercise in stupidity. Just sayin'.
I'll try to keep my discussion of games that haven't been released out of the threads that are about discussing a game that hasn't been released.
Haha alright now people let's all play nice and keep the comments about the games, and not about comments about the games.
Dude, you're not discussing unreleased games that you've never ever played, you're critiquing them.
Edit: maybe you've played the R6:V demo, though. That is pretty sweet.
Edit 2: if GoW does turn out to be a sucky boring 2nd-rate rip off of Rainbow Six: Vegas I will admit that you are clairavoyant and you can personally kick me in the scrotum.
I've been put off of this game ever since I saw that the Shotgun has a Chainsaw attached to it...
Chainsaws... NOT TACTICAL AT ALL!!!
But they do seem to impress and attract that 18-24 age group that lives off of being extreme and possibly homophobic
I think you guys are making a mistake in assuming that this is any kind of serious tactical shooter, at least in the conventional Rainbow Six/Ghost Recon/Swat 4 kind of way. If anything, it owes more to a game like Resident Evil 4: it's a survival horror shooter with tactical elements. It doesn't nail that Rainbow Six gameplay because it's not trying to.
In fact, this is the big risk that MS is taking with billing Gears as a killer app: the game doesn't really fit cleanly into any established genre. It's got elements that are borrowed from a lot of genres, and IMO they've come up with a pretty compelling fusion, but a lot of purists may turn up their noses because it's NOT TACTICAL ENOUGH or whatever. You can't run and gun a la Halo, but it's not nearly the same kind of ultra-precise tactical experience as a GRAW or Rainbow Six. OMG it suxorz, M I RITE LOL?!?!
I would think that with all the bemoaning of lack of innovation in the game industry, people would be willing to cut a game some slack when it actually takes some risks with gameplay. But maybe y'all are only interested in innovation if it happens in a non-shooter genre, or in a low budget game that is developed by a no-name house? Or is it just a negative reaction to all the hype? Popular = bad?
I'm honestly not trying to be inflamatory here, I'm just a little puzzled by all the negative sentiment, especially when it mostly seems to be a knee-jerk reaction. But then, I think Epic makes great games, and I basically bought a 360 to play Gears, so maybe I'm a fanboy, I don't know.
Let's discuss.
Well I frankly am not really that impressed by the gameplay footage I saw. The game itself didn't look fun to play to me so much as repetitious. It's just not what I'm looking for in a game right now I think - I've never been big on shooters for console - the only system with a chance to change that is the Wii and that depends greatly on how the controller feels for me. Microsoft is definitely going out of their way to push Gears of War as the next super-game. I'm just not feeling it. I didn't think Halo 2 really improved drastically on Halo 1, I don't think either are stellar examples of graphics and the only thing that Gears / Halo have that really attracts me is cooperative storyline play. It's something that I would love to have for that style of shooter.
As to the Rainbow six comparison - unless the games have changed greatly recently Rainbow Six is what I would call a Strategic/Tactical shooter. You start by figuring out where you're going to infiltrate / exfiltrate from, how you're going to achieve your objectives, what weapon teams and people you're going to send in and at what time you want to move. It bears no comparison here to a game that so far has looked to me like it plays more like Doom3 does.
Well, time to eat my words.
*munch, munch*
Gears of War is an excellent game. There, I said it. I bought it yesterday and spent a couple of hours in single-player; this weekend I'm going to get into co-op and multiplayer. The gameplay is exquisite -- solid controls, strong emphasis on the use of cover, and contrary to the impression I got from the trailers, the characters can't take a lot of punishment. Gears uses a "recharge" system like Halo and Rainbow Six: Vegas to very good effect.
The music is outstanding. That was one thing that truly surprised me. It's instrumentally and stylistically varied, yet still cohesive, and it really adds to the immersion and atmosphere. It's also nothing like a typical shooter soundtrack.
In some ways, the game reminds me of a graphic novel. Characters are stylized, but not to the point of grotesqueness; it's just enough to remind you that this is a story, not the real world. And that's perfect, because it isn't trying to be "real" in the same way that GRAW or R6V are.


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In addition to the ASIMO humanoid robot, Honda solar panels and HondaJet on the Honda stand at the Frankfurt Auto Show next month, the folks from Honda UK tell us they'll be debuting what they're calling "an exciting Accord Tourer Concept." Set on a stand that supposedly will focus on the twin Honda Euro themes of "Sports" and "Environment," the Honda folks claim the concept sled will give a "strong indication of the design direction of the next gen Accord Tourer" set to debut sometime during the middle of next year. As of now the only info we've got is in the press release below the jump. The teaser sketch above? That's the very bubbly and blue two-door "Small Hybrid Sports Concept" first revealed at the Geneva Show earlier this year and which will share stage space with the new Accord Tourer Concept.
August 28, 2007- Honda will be presenting the world debut of an exciting Accord Tourer Concept at the forthcoming 2007 Frankfurt motor show. A press conference will be held on the Honda stand in Hall 5 on the first Press Day, 11th September, between 13.15 and 13.45.
The Accord Tourer Concept will give a strong indication of the design direction of the all-new generation Accord Tourer set to debut in mid-2008 and its wider, lower look signals a more sporty, more emotional styling approach. This will be matched by a range of advanced, low emissions engines and innovative new chassis technology that will deliver exceptional handling without compromising ride comfort.
As well as an extensive selection of models from the passenger car range, the Honda stand will also feature a comprehensive line-up of motorcycles and power equipment products. The stand will focus around the twin themes of "Sports" and "Environment".
The "Environment" area will centre upon Honda's ground-breaking environmental technologies, such as petrol-electrical vehicles. This includes the Small Hybrid Sports Concept first revealed at the Geneva Show which demonstrates a unique fusion of advanced hybrid technology and fun-to-drive sports car characteristics. Alongside it will be Honda's next-generation clean diesel engine, the production Civic Hybrid and the FCX Concept with its fully-functioning fuel cell technology which made its European driving debut at the Gotland Ring in Sweden earlier this year.
The "Sports" area of the stand will include Honda's current F1 racing car, the RA107 piloted by Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello, alongside Civic Type R and Honda S2000 production models, There will also be a strong emphasis on the company's motorsport heritage and alongside the latest F1 car will be one of Honda's first, the 1967 RA300.
To emphasise the major contribution made by motorcycles towards Honda's sporting prowess and reputation there will be displayed examples of both the Repsol Honda RC212V from this year's MotoGP series - raced by Dani Pedrosa and Nicky Hayden - and one of the HM Plant Honda CBR1000RR Fireblades which contested this year's Isle of Man TT races and allowed John McGuinness to capture the first 130mph lap of the circuit and victory in the Senior TT Race.
The line-up of production motorcycles includes the world's first production motorcycle airbag system, available on the new Gold Wing, which can help lessen the severity of injuries caused by frontal collisions.
Stand visitors will also be welcomed by several displays of Honda's unique innovation, which include the ASIMO humanoid robot, Honda solar panels and HondaJet.


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I'm a final year BSc. student of Computer Security & Forensics at the University of Bedfordshire (UK). I'm investigating perceptions of security on Android platforms, and how to educate users of the need to use good security practices and products to protect their devices and data.
I'm looking for links to academic research on Android users' attitudes, perceptions, and behavior regarding security, and for data about Android users' perceptions and experiences (good and bad) of security-related incidents where Android devices have been involved.