text:
2 NM Hit Men Plotted to Murder and Castrate Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber's music has an odd effect on people; some love the teen heartthrob's catchy pop tunes while others absolutely despise it. But according to CNN two hit men from New Mexico caught an odd case of "Bieber Fever" and allegedly plotted to kill and castrate the Canadian singer.
The network reports that Dana Martin, an inmate in New Mexico, ordered Mark Aaron Staake, a 41-year-old ex-convict on probation who met Martin while serving time, and his nephew Tanner Ruane, to kill and castrate Bieber. But the men, who planned to target the singer and his bodyguard while in New York City in mid-November, were unsuccessful in their attack.
Martin's motive for wanting the 18-year-old star dead, stems from his infatuation with the pop singer, according to a New Mexico State Police affidavit. The inmate was so obsessed with the Biebs that he even has a tattoo of him on his leg.
Martin is serving two life sentences for raping a 15-year-old girl in Vermont in 2000. The inmate apparently spearheaded the scheme and recruited Raune and Staake, 41, to carry out the crime. According to the affidavit, Martin also wanted to be famous and was upset when Bieber ignored to his contact attempts.
"This perceived slight made Mr. Martin upset and that, coupled with Mr. Martin's perception of being a 'nobody' in prison, led him to begin plotting the kidnap and murder of (Bieber)," the affidavit read.
Once Ruane and Staake were on board with the plan, Martin instructed them to first kill two other people in Vermont, according to the affidavit. In total, four people, including Bieber were supposed to be murdered but the scheme fell apart when the duo missed a turn on a Vermont road and ended up driving towards the Canadian border on Nov. 19, according to police.
A U.S. Border Patrol agent at the Highgate Springs crossing arrested the men because Staake had an outstanding warrant for a felony parole violation in New Mexico. His nephew was released but then told the authorities everything about the plot to kill Bieber. Police said state police later booked Ruane in New York. Authorities also said the men talked in code during a recorded phone call and referred to the victims as "dogs."
"Mr. Martin confirmed that the 'dogs' would be castrated too, and Mr. Ruane not only agreed, but stated he himself was the one who was going to do the castrating," the affidavit read. The document went on to explain how they planned to kill Bieber: the men were instructed to strangle him with a paisley tie "because that was what he [Mr. Martin] had used previously," the document noted, and were going to castrate the "Baby" singer with hand-held hedge clippers used for trimming roses.
"In response to Mr. Staake's reluctance to follow through with the castrations, Mr. Ruane stated he was going to do it and get 'five large for each one I get.' Mr. Martin confirmed that Mr. Ruane was going to get $2,500.00 per testicle," according to the affidavit. Beiber's testicles were to be put in bags and hidden away. The men planned to castrate the other victims as well.
New Mexico State Police Lt. Robert McDonald told CNN that the three men have not been charged in the alleged murder against the pop star but there is currently an investigation. The uncle and nephew face two counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and two counts to commit aggravated battery.
"We take every precaution to protect and ensure the safety of Justin and his fans," a rep for Bieber told CNN.
Related Story


text:
Those of you who are unfamiliar with Virkus' The Abridged Compendium of American Genealogy (later The Compendium of American Genealogy) should know what it is and what it isn't, what's wrong with it, and if there are any redeeming qualities.
In short, you should know the truth about it, and far more importantly, what's been done to it recently since it was published more than a half century ago.
This massive work in seven volumes, published over a decade and a half between the 1920's and the 1940's, maps out verbally an enormously large swath of generation-by-generation American family history over basically a three century period.
Despite the potential ancestral history value that promises, and the fact that it is the one genealogy resource that can be found in most libraries, conventional wisdom these days says that it should be avoided like the plague.
It has been known for a long time that it contains many errors, but I've never seen anyone quantify that statement. Is it 30% errors? 40%? 50%? The much lower answer may surprise you.
But what if the correct answer was that it contains 50% errors? That would mean that one out of every two statements or dates is wrong.
The glass-half-empty thinkers will say this massive genealogy resource is useless. The glass-half-full thinkers will say "Wow! Wouldn't it be great if we knew which half of this massive genealogy resource is correct?"
Highly respected genealogist Donald Lines Jacobus said about it "because of the high proportion of known errors, conscientious genealogists do not use statements in this work without verification."
"It is often a useful reference work for those who know how to use it properly" he went on to say.
Suppose a conscientious person with Mensa-level intelligence spent 15 years digitally indexing, in lineage-linked format, the Virkus collection along with hundreds of other books and periodicals, filtering out annoying and confusing duplication, error checking each entry against everything else that had been previously entered, and connecting them to each other wherever appropriate?
There's no need to imagine the enormous upgrade in quality and usability that has already happened to Virkus' massive work (as well as to hundreds of other books and periodicals, including many from NEHGS and NYGBR). Just explore for yourself in the National Treasure.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Sound Off, Jan. 28, 2013
I keep on hearing how America should be more like other countries - those countries that would all be bowing to a Nazi regime had those different Americans not come to their salvation. Our goal should always be being the best of what this nation (once) represented. Individual freedom, RESPONSIBILITY and achievement.
Well you Republicans stick to your script. I can't believe some of the Sound Off posts I'm reading. I read about bashing President Obama, about the marijuana smokers at the convention, about people texting, about gay marriage, gay rights. You keep talking about the same old stories. Taxes! Whatever happened to the job creators? What happened to your idea for creating jobs? I'd like to read a little about that. Instead of mentioning these issues that are meaningless in this nation.
Have you not watched any news lately? The cover-ups are flying right and left. Hillary Clinton's testimony was a farce. Obama is a farce. Our whole reality is becoming a farce.
The luring of youth to an anti-gun doctrine is rampant in virtually of our major institutions, whether it be "educative", government, media, religious, entertainment, and corporate. Yet, they all clearly promote the worst forms of gun-related violence when it suits their own agendas, thus sending a rather schizophrenic signal to our nation's youth.
Generally speaking, I do not believe that the NRA is promoting violence, at least not in the manner in which the above institutions promote it (though one can certainly argue that hunting animals is violent).
But the message that the above institutions send is: "do as we say, not as we do."
And people wonder why we have such a moral crisis on our hands. The hypocrisy is rampant at every level.
RE: Report: Firearms industry luring youth to assure self-preservation
I shot BB guns in Cub Scouts, and bolt action .22 rifles in Boy Scouts. It was never a problem back then, and I grew up with an appreciation for firearms, knowing that they're not toys. So what's the alternative now for kids going outside to the range for an afternoon? Stay inside playing Call of Duty?
I'm not saying the NRA isn't out of touch, and they certainly don't speak for all gun owners, but what's the difference in what they're doing versus what the gun grabbers are doing in terms of exploiting kids? The NRA doesn't exploit tragedies to push their agenda, that's for sure.
Here's what's going to come from all these (school safety) hearings: 1) School Safety - Recommend police officers in every school... But this won't happen because it will literally bankrupt some communities that are already hanging on by a thread. I hate to be the one to say this, but hiding in a closet with a shooter in the school is like hiding under a desk during a nuclear bomb. 2) Mental Health - Recommend hiring more child psychiatrists and counselors... But this won't happen because it will literally bankrupt some communities that are already hanging on by a thread. Recommend requiring anyone with a violent thought to be reported. Might happen, because legislators don't care about privacy rights. 3) Gun Control - You know their mind is already made up about this, just like Biden's taskforce. The hearings are for pomp and circumstance. Recommend expanded assault weapon ban, magazine capacity restriction, and require background checks on all transfers. These are definites.
RE: Video appears to show Bridgeport police Tasering and kicking suspect.
What did he do? If he stole some money then bad on the cops. If he just robbed an old lady or attacked a kid, I say he got off easy and the cops should have been even more harsh. Our weak judicial system won't do anything.


text:
I finally got the site up and running and all the kinks worked out of the custom Drupal theme. It took a little longer than thought it would but Drupal despite the steep learning curve is very customizable. I was even able to get my cool stretched out carbon atom links at the top.
I also added a some new fun CSS3 design features to the site like the rounded boxes. You can't see them in Internet Explorer but if you use either Firefox Opera or Safari you should be able to see them. In IE the design degrades gracefully leaving you with your average square box. I probably will write an IE hack later as rounded corners look better.
I also used the new @fontfamily CSS property for embedding fonts. You may have noticed that the titles and top links were using a different font and this had been done without the use of photo editing software. This one is great because it can reduce the amount of time it takes to load a page as image files can be large. Also amazingly IE supports this feature as well as more standards compliant browsers. If you want to read more about embedding fonts there is an excellent article here.
I also need to start putting up some of my old work in a portfolio section.


text:
About this download
This program will update VAIO Care (Rescue Mode) SPP to version 188.8.131.5290 and will resolve the following symptoms:
- When the ASSIST button is pressed to run VAIO Care (Rescue Mode) recovery tool to perform System Recovery, the protection setting of C drive becomes invalid, and a restoration point will not be created.
Available Downloads:
VAIO Care (Rescue Mode) SPP Update version 22.214.171.12490
File name: EP0000600650.exe
File size: 2.32 MB (2428256 bytes)
File Info
File Name
- VAIO Care (Rescue Mode) SPP Update version 220.127.116.1190
File Version
- 184.108.40.20690
File Size
Release Date
- 2013-03-12
System Requirements
- Windows 8 64bit
1. Download the file to a temporary or download directory (Please note this directory for reference later).
2. Go to the directory where the file was downloaded and double-click EP0000600650.exe.
3. Follow the instructions displayed in the installation wizard.
4. After installation is completed, please restart the computer.
To confirm the execution result of this patch:
The following steps shows how to easily confirm the system protection in Windows 8:
a) Click on "Start" to open the Windows 8 Metro UI screen and then select "Control Panel".
b) In the "Control Panel" list scroll down to the last option and click "More Settings".
c) Click and open "System and Security".
d) Under the System tab, click on "View amount of RAM and processor speed".
e) Click the option called "System Protection" in the left side of the window.
f) See the protection settings area in the "System Protection" tab of the "System Properties" window.
The protection setting of the local disk(C:) is set with "On".


text:
Servicios Personalizados
- Citado por SciELO
- Accesos
Links relacionados
- Citado por Google
- Similares en SciELO
- Similares en Google
Ciencia e investigación agraria
versión On-line ISSN 0718-1620
Cienc. Inv. Agr. vol.39 no.1 Santiago abr. 2012
Cien. Inv. Agr. 39(1):127-136. 2012
Seasonal pattern of root growth in relation to shoot phenology and soil temperature in sweet cherry trees (Prunus avium): A preliminary study in central Chile
Patrón estacional de crecimiento radical en relación a la fenología aérea y temperatura de suelo en árboles de cerezo dulce (Prunus avium). Un estudio preliminar en Chile central
Claudia Bonomelli1, Carlos Bonilla2, Edouard Acuña1, and Pamela Artacho3
1Facultad de Agronomía e Ingeniería Forestal, Departamento de Fruticultura y Enología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, Santiago, Chile.
2Facultad de Ingeniería, Departamento de Ingeniería Hidráulica y Ambiental, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, Santiago, Chile.
3Facultad de Agronomía e Ingeniería Forestal, Programa de Postgrado en Ciencias de la Agricultura, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, Santiago, Chile.
The period between flowering and harvest in the sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) is shorter than most fruit trees; thus, competition for assimilate and nutrients occurs early in the season. To properly supply water and nutrients during this critical period, optimal growth and root development are necessary. To characterize the root growth pattern of cherry trees in relation to shoot growth and phenology, a study was conducted on a 'Bing' cherry orchard on Gisela 6 rootstock at fourth leaf, located in central Chile (34°70' S, 70°43' W). During the 2009-2010 season, the shoot length and fruit diameter were measured on eight trees, and the root length was quantified by installing rhizotrons on two trees. Additionally, a two-tone (black/white) plastic cover was placed in the row over one tree with a rhizotron to analyze the effects of the plastic cover on soil temperature and root growth. The results showed three peaks of root growth during the season. The first peak occurred 43 days after full bloom (DAFB), corresponding to the phenological stages of the fruit turning from green to straw color. This peak occurred at 326 accumulated degree days (ADD) in the soil and 212 ADD in the air. The second peak was observed after harvest at 97 DAFB, when the shoot growth had stopped, and the soil and air had accumulated 932 and 692 degree days, respectively. The third and last peak occurred at 167 DAFB, with 1887 ADD in the soil and 1361 ADD in the air. The plastic cover increased the average soil temperature by approximately 1 °C, thereby increasing the ADD by 105.2 units during the study period. However, this increase was not enough to affect the root growth pattern.
Key words: Accumulated degree days, root growth, root length, soil temperature, sweet cherry.
El periodo entre floración y cosecha en cerezo dulce (Prunus avium L.) es más corto que en la mayoría de los frutales, por lo que la competencia por fotoasimilados y nutrientes ocurre temprano en la estación. Para asegurar un suministro adecuado de agua y nutrientes durante este período crítico, se requiere un crecimiento y desarrollo radical óptimos. Para caracterizar el patrón de crecimiento radical en árboles de cerezo en relación al crecimiento y fenología de su parte aérea, se realizó un estudio en un huerto de cerezo 'Bing' sobre el portainjerto Gisela 6 en su cuarta hoja, ubicado en Chile central (34°70' S, 70°43' O). Durante la estación 20092010, se midió el largo de brotes y diámetro de frutos en ocho árboles, y se cuantificó el largo de raíces blancas a través de la instalación de rizotrones en dos árboles. Adicionalmente, se instaló una cubierta plástica de dos tonos (negro/blanco) sobre la hilera en un árbol con un rizotrón para analizar su efecto sobre la temperatura de suelo y el crecimiento radical. Se observaron tres picos de crecimiento radical durante la estación. El primero ocurrió 43 días después de plena flor (DDPF), correspondiendo al estado fenológico de cambio de color del fruto desde paja a coloreado. Este pico ocurrió con 326 días grados acumulados (DGA) en el suelo y con 212 DGA en el aire. El segundo pico se observó después de la cosecha (97 DDPF), cuando el crecimiento de brotes se había detenido y se habían acumulado 932 y 692 días grados en el suelo y aire, respectivamente. El tercer y último pico se produjo 167 DDPF, con 1887 DGA en el suelo y 1361 DGA en el aire. La cubierta plástica aumentó la temperatura promedio del suelo en aproximadamente 1°C, aumentando los DGA en 105,2 unidades durante el período estudiado. Sin embargo, esto no fue suficiente para modificar el patrón de crecimiento radical.
Palabras clave: Cerezo dulce, crecimiento radical, días grados acumulados, largo de raíces, temperatura de suelo.
The root system serves diverse functions, including anchorage and water and nutrient uptake. The absorptive portion of the root system is associated with the fine lateral roots, which may be replaced several times per year and represent the most dynamic portion of the root system (Comas et al., 2002). There is no information about root growth patterns for many woody plants, including cherry trees (Prunus avium L.). This information is important for the optimization of soil and nutrient management. However, studies on root systems are scarce because most of the methods used are extremely time-consuming, tedious, and destructive, particularly in large perennial plants such as fruit trees. In general terms, there are five approaches for root growth studies, including whole tree excavation, root sampling methods, observation windows (rhizotrons), root activity measurements, and indirect methods (Black et al., 2010). The observation window technique studies the roots through large reinforced glass or plastic windows installed against a vertical soil profile in a trench. This method was first used by Sachs in 1873 and later evolved into root laboratories or simple underground boxes known as rhizotrons (Bohm, 1979). Rhizotrons are among the common methods of observing roots (Futsaether and Oxaal, 2002), and most current knowledge of roots and the rhizosphere still come from experiments with plants growing in rhizotrons and modified rhizotrons (Neuman et al, 2009). The main advantage of this type of system is that it allows a continuous study of the roots of the plants during a complete life cycle.
Root growth and development are controlled by genetic and environmental factors, such as temperature, water availability, nutrients, oxygen and the physical properties of the soil (Ang et al., 2009). Additionally, root growth is related to the growth of shoots and fruit during the season and to the interaction between the rootstock and the scion (Sitarek et al., 2005). For example, in peach trees (Prunus persica L.), low rates of fruit growth have been observed to coincide with the highest rates of root growth, while a rapid increase in the rate of fruit growth during stage III is associated with a low rate of root growth (Abrisqueta et al., 2008). Other authors have reported that the presence of fruit reduces the shoot length and the dry weight of the shoots and leaves in peach trees (Grossman and Dejong, 1995). This is extremely important because in Prunus species, the formation of fruit has priority over other organ sinks (Flore and Layne, 1999). Additionally, Honorato et al. (1990) demonstrated that the equilibrium between above - and below-ground components was fundamental to the productivity of vineyards. The most productive vineyards had the largest root volume and thus, the largest organic reserves and shoot growth. The least productive vineyards showed a restricted root and shoot growth and a lower level of organic reserves.
Among the soil factors that influence root growth, temperature is one of the most important due to its strong effect on nutrient uptake and plant growth (Baghour et al., 2003). In this context, one of the main benefits associated with the use of plastic mulches is a higher root zone temperature (Lamont, 2005), which has been effective in increasing the dry matter of roots in broccoli plants (Brassica oleracea L.) (Díaz-Pérez, 2009) and root growth and the accumulated dry matter of the shoots in black currants (Ribes ni-grum L.) (Larsson and Jensen, 1996). However, this practice would be more useful in regions where low soil temperature is a limiting factor. Additionally, other cultural practices, such as grafting, also affect above- and below-ground plant relationships. Cherry rootstocks influence the performance of the scion, including fruit quality (Jiménez et al., 2004), tree growth and yield (Moreno et al, 2001), and floral and foliar nutrition (Neilsen and Kappel, 1996; Jiménez et al, 2007). Newly planted cherry orchards in Chile and worldwide have been mainly established in high densities, in which are necessary dwarfing rootstocks to reduce tree vigor. In these rootstock types, the critical stage when the fruits and shoots compete with the roots has not been established. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to quantify the relationship between the aerial and root growth of trees in a high-density cherry orchard and to determine the effects of ground cover on soil temperature and root growth rate.
Relationship between shoots, fruit and root growth
The study was conducted in an experimental sweet cherry orchard, cv. 'Bing' on Gisela 6 rootstock, located in central Chile (34°07'55" S and 70°43'15" W). The climate in the area is warm temperate with a long dry season. The average monthly temperatures are approximately 19.5 °C in the summer months (January and February) and 7.5 °C in the winter (June and July). Precipitation is concentrated in the May-September period, and there are seven months (October to April) with an average monthly precipitation lower than 40 mm (Gastó et al. 2008). The soil is classified as Fluventic Haploxerolls, according to Soil Taxonomy-USDA, with a clay-loam texture, flat topography, moderate depth (75-100 cm) and good drainage (CIREN, 1996). The main chemical and physical characteristics are shown in Table 1.
The orchard was established in August 2006, with a plant density of 889 plants ha-1 (4.5 x 2.5 m) on raised ridges (1.5 m wide x 0.2 m high). The trees were approximately trained to the Vogel Spindle system, and the Black Tartarian cultivar was used as pollinizer in a proportion of 11%. Irrigation was applied through a double drip line system with 4 L h-1 emitters located every 0.9 m along the row.
To study the root growth, rhizotrons were installed in two representative trees (R1 and R2), at 0.5 m from the trunk. Rhizotrons are glass front observation boxes that allow root development along the transparent walls (Bohm, 1979). In this study, the rhizotrons were 1.2 m wide by 1.2 m long and 1.2 m deep, with a glass of 1.10 m wide, 1.15 m long and 8 mm thick. Additionally, the soil temperature and volumetric water content were measured every 15 min at 20 cm depth using an EC-TM sensor (Decagon Devices Inc., Washington, USA) that was connected to an EM50 data logger (Decagon Devices Inc., Washington, USA). The air temperature was recorded using a sensor located 1 m above the ground that was connected to a WatchDog 450 data logger (Spectrum Technologies Inc., Illinois, USA).
From September 2009 to May 2010, the length of the absorptive roots (white roots) was weekly quantified from digital images captured from the rhizotrons, following procedures outlined by Sotomayor et al. (2009). Using AutoCAD® 2007 (Autodesk Inc., California, USA), the extension of each white root in the glass was marked with digital lines, and the total length was recorded. White roots (youngest) were selected because they exhibit a considerably higher nutrient absorptive capacity and respiration rate than pigmented (brown) roots (Baldi et al., 2010; Volder et al., 2005). It is known that tree roots transit by visually identifiable stages during their lifetime. New roots are white and turn brown several weeks or months later. This color change has been associated with marked physiological changes resulting in differences in nutrient uptake, respiration rate and anatomy (Comas et al., 2000, Wells and Eissenstat, 2001; 2003). To characterize the growth of shoots and fruits during the season, eight trees were selected, including the trees with the rhizotrons. The growth of four apical shoots per tree were measured weekly, each one from representative branches. At the same time, the fruit growth was assessed by measuring the equatorial diameters in four fruits per tree using a digital caliper (Digimess, Buenos Aires, Argentina).
Additionally, the tree growth and development were related to the air and soil temperature accumulation expressed as accumulation of degree days (ADD):
where n is the number of days after full bloom (DAFB) to reach each phenological event or until the end of the evaluated period, Tz is the average daily soil or air temperature, and Tb is the base temperature (10°C). These calculations were performed for different soil depths and for trees with and without the plastic cover.
Effect of plastic cover
The effect of soil temperature on root growth was evaluated by placing a two-tone plastic cover (black on the surface in contact with the ground/white on the upper surface) in the row over five trees, including one tree with a rhizotron. The other tree with a rhizotron was left uncovered. The plastic cover was 60 microns thick and 8 m long by 1.4 m wide and was installed in the spring (early September, 2009). To complement the soil measurements from the rhizotrons, the soil temperature was recorded weekly at a 10-cm depth using a solid digital thermometer (CHY, 505 RTD Thermometer, Taiwan) in five covered and uncovered trees. The effect of the plastic cover on the soil temperature was analyzed from November to January by repeated measures analysis of variance, and the means were compared using a Tukey-test in STATISTICA 7.0 software (Steel et al., 1997).
Results and discussion
Relationship between root, shoot, andfruitgrowth
During the season under study, the first bearing season, three peaks of root growth were recorded. The first peak of root growth coincided with the rapid vegetative and reproductive growth (Figure 1) between 36 and 49 days after full bloom (DAFB) when the fruit color changed from green to straw-tone. During this period, the shoots grew at a rate of approximately 5 cm per week. Gil (1999) mentioned that the first period of root growth is short when the initial growth of shoots is vigorous. When the shoots are not vigorous, the first period of root growth is longer and there is an early initiation of the second period of root growth. At the beginning of the growing season, the competition for photosynthates between aerial and root components affects the peaks of white root growth; the first peak is lower than the second and third peaks, which was observed in this study (Figure 1). The vegetative growth started on October 21, two weeks after the emergence of the first white roots. This was evidence of early competition between the aerial and root parts of the tree during this period. On December 12, the shoot growth rates diminished, and shoot growth stopped approximately two weeks later. At the same time, white root production rapidly increased, peaking for the second time on January 11, 2010. Afterwards, white root production decreased again until March 10, when the roots resumed a growth rate that lead to the third peak on March 22, 2010. This pattern of root growth has also been observed by Abrisqueta et al. (2008) in peach trees. In their work, a first peak occurred early in the spring, followed by a second peak immediately after harvest. Additionally, a third peak was reported in October, just before the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. In contrast, the date of the first two peaks in our study differed from those described by Gratacós et al. (2008) for the same cultivar and rootstock in central Chile. They mentioned that root activity started in September, with the main peak in October and with a moderate growth for the rest of the season. Nevertheless, the pattern of root growth reported on Gisela 5 in that study is similar to that observed in the present study, with a first peak of root growth in late October, followed by the second and main peak between late December and early January, and the third peak in the second half of March (Gratacós et al., 2008). In this study, a decrease in production of new roots was observed in the last phase of fruit growth, reflecting a competition for resources between fruit and root (Figure 1). It is known that cherry productivity depends on the supply and storage of photosynthates, as well as on the ability to transport photosynthates to the reproductive structures (Flore and Layne, 1999, Ayala and Lang, 2004), and that these processes can modulate the competition level between aerial and root components.
Relationship between root growth and accumulated degree days
Accumulated degree days (ADD) have been used to study and to forecast flowering, harvest and other phenological events in fruit crops. For example, Alburquerque et al. (2008) mentioned that mid-season cherry cultivars are very similar regarding their ADD requirement from dormancy to 50% flowering. Other authors have used this parameter to develop predictive models to estimate the number of days between full bloom and harvest in Prunus species (Day et al., 2008). However, there is no known evidence linking ADD with peak root growth in cherry or other fruit trees. In this study, the first root growth peak occurred at 43 days after full bloom (DAFB), with 326 ADD in soil at 20 cm depth and 212 ADD in the air (Table 2). This peak coincided with the time of fruit color change, which is easily observed in the field. If these events are usually correlated for the variety/ rootstock and edaphoclimatic combinations, fruit color change could be used as an indicator to recognize the occurrence of the first maximum root growth. Hence, it is important to evaluate these observations under variable conditions, such as colder climatic conditions and vigorous rootstocks. The second maximum root growth took place at 97 DAFB, with 932 ADD in the soil and 692 ADD in air, and the third and final root growth peak was observed at 167 DAFB, with 1887 ADD in the soil and 1361 ADD in the air. There was a high correlation between air and soil ADD at 20 cm depth (R2 = 0.999). The soil and air ADD for other phenological events are presented in Table 2.
Effect of plastic cover
The temperatures from November to January at a 10-cm and 20-cm soil depth in trees with and without the plastic cover are shown in Figure 2. The average temperature at the 10-cm depth during the period under study (13 measurements) was significantly higher in the soil with the cover than without the cover (21.7 °C versus 20.9 °C, respectively; F1,6 =7.5, P= 0.03). At the 20-cm soil depth, a similar difference was observed, with average temperatures of 21.1 °C and 20.2 °C, respectively, for the soil with and without the cover. There was also a significant effect of time (F12,72=40.35, P ≤ 0.0001) showing an increasing trend towards the summer (Figure 2). The cover x time interaction was also significant (F12,72 =2.18, P= 0.02), with soil temperatures without the cover initially higher than those for the soil with the cover. However, the opposite effect occurred from mid-November onwards. Higher soil temperatures at the 20-cm depth with the plastic cover from November to January resulted in an increase of 105.2 degree days compared to the bare soil (Figure 2). Similar results have been reported by Ibarra et al. (2008) in cucumbers and by Díaz-Pérez (2009) in broccoli, when comparing temperatures between bare soil and a soil covered by a bicolor plastic. Figure 3 shows the effect of the plastic cover on soil water content during No -vember, the period with the highest competition between aerial and root activity. It was noted that the soil moisture content at a 20-cm depth in soil with the plastic cover was higher than in bare soil. These results were consistent with other studies reporting a reduction of soil evaporation when a plastic cover was placed over soil (Anikwe et al., 2007, Larsson and Jensen, 1996).
In relation to root growth in soil with and without a plastic cover, the first peak occurred one week earlier in bare soil (November 18) than in soil with the plastic cover (November 26) (Figure 4). Interestingly, the second growth peak was on January 11, 2010, for both treatments, despite the fact that this second root flush began earlier in the soil without the plastic cover compared to the covered soil. Therefore, even though the plastic cover significantly increased the soil temperature for most of the season and consequently increased the accumulated degree days in the soil and the soil moisture in comparison with bare soil, the root growth pattern was not noticeably affected. The root growth pattern was most likely not affected because the temperatures prevailing during the growing season in the soil were above the minimum requirements for root growth. Specifically, the soil temperature was always in a suitable range for root growth, that is, above 14 °C and below 28 °C. This might not be the case for other cherry growing regions, such as the northern United States and Europe. Furthermore, the use of clear plastic covers under central Chile growing conditions could generate excessively high soil temperatures that can have negative effects on root growth (Bonomelli et al., 2009).
The authors thank the Soil Analyses Laboratory of the Facultad de Agronomía e Ingeniería Forestal, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (FAIF) for logistic support.
Abrisqueta, J.M., O. Mounzer, S. Alvarez, W. Conejero, Y. García-Orellana, L.M. Tapia, J. Vera, I. Abrisqueta, and M.C. Ruiz-Sánchez. 2008. Root dynamics of peach trees submitted to partial rootzone drying and continuous deficit irrigation. Agricultural Water Management 95: 959-967. [ Links ]
Alburquerque, N., F. García, A. Carrillo, and L. Burgos. 2008. Chilling and heat requirements of sweet cherry cultivars and the relationship between altitude and the probability of satisfying the chill requirements. Environmental and Experimental Botany 64: 162-170. [ Links ]
Ang, L., D. Guo, Z. Wang, and H. Liu. 2009. Nitrogen and phosphorus allocation in leaves, twigs, and fine roots across 49 temperate, subtropical and tropical tree species: a hierarchical pattern. Functional Ecology 24: 1-9. [ Links ]
Anikwe, M.A., C.N. Mbah, P.I. Ezeaku, and V.N. Onyia. 2007. Tillage and plastic mulch effects on soil properties and growth and yield of cocoyam (Colocasia esculenta) on an ultisol in southeastern Nigeria. Soil and Tillage Research 93: 264-272. [ Links ]
Ayala, M., and G. Lang. 2004. C-Partitioning in Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium L) during early spring. Hortscience 39: 887-887. [ Links ]
Baghour, M., L. Ragala, D.A. Moreno, G. Villora, J. Hernández, N. Castilla, and L. Romero. 2003. Effect of root zone temperature on accumulation of molybdenum and nitrogen metabolism in potato plants. Journal of Plant Nutrition 26: 443-461. [ Links ]
Baldi, E., C. Wells, and B. Marangoni. 2010. Nitrogen absorption and respiration in white and brown peach roots. Journal of Plant Nutrition. 33: 461-469. [ Links ]
Black, B.L., D. Drost, T. Lindstrom, J. Reeve, J.D. Gunnell, and G.L. Reighard. 2010. A comparison of root distribution patterns among Prunus rootstocks. Journal of the American Pomological Society 64: 52-62. [ Links ]
Bohm, W. 1979. Methods of studying root systems. Springer-Verlag, Berlin. 188 pp. [ Links ]
Bonomelli, C., C. Bonilla, and F. Nuñez. 2009. Soil temperature effect on root growth of cherry trees. (Prunus avium L.). VI International Cherry Symposium (ISHS-Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile). November 15-19, 2009. Reñaca, Viña del Mar, Chile (Abstract). [ Links ]
CIREN. 1996. Estudio Agrológico VI región. Descripción de suelos, materiales y símbolos. Centro de Información de Recursos Naturales, Ministerio de Agricultura (CIREN), Gobierno de Chile, Santiago, Chile. 570 pp. [ Links ]
Comas, L.H., D. M. Eissenstat, and A.N. Lakso. 2000. Assessing root death and root system dynamics in a study of grape canopy pruning. New Phytologist 147: 171-178. [ Links ]
Comas, L., T. Bouma, and D. Eissenstat. 2002. Linking root traits to potential growth rate in six temperate tree species. Oecologia 132: 34-43. [ Links ]
Day, K., G. Lopez, and T. DeJong. 2008. Using growing degree hours accumulated thirty days after bloom to predict peach and nectarine harvest date. Acta Horticulturae (ISHS) 803: 163-166. [ Links ]
Díaz-Pérez, J. 2009. Root zone temperature, plant growth and yield of broccoli [Brassica oleracea (Plenck) var. italica] as affected by plastic film mulches. Scientia Horticulturae 123: 156-163. [ Links ]
Flore, J.A., and D.R. Layne. 1999. Photoassimilate production and distribution in cherry. Hort-Science 34: 1015-1019. [ Links ]
Futsaether, C.M., and U. Oxaal. 2002. A growth chamber for idealized studies of seedling root growth dynamics and structure. Plant and Soil 246: 221-230. [ Links ]
Gastó, J., L. Vieli, and C. Gálvez. 2008. Estudio ecológico de plantaciones de Quillay (Quillaja saponaria): condiciones de sitio, ordenación y restauración. Ediciones Universidad Católica de Chile. Santiago, Chile. 132 pp. [ Links ]
Gil, G. 1999. Fruticultura: El potencial productivo. Crecimiento vegetativo y diseño de huertos y viñedos. Segunda edición. Ediciones Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile. 600 pp. [ Links ]
Gratacós, E., A. Cortés, and B.M. Kulczewski. 2008. Rootstock effects on two sweet cherry cultivars in Central Chile. Acta Horticulturae 795:227-238. [ Links ]
Grossman, Y., and T. Dejong. 1995. Maximum vegetative growth potential and seasonal patterns of resource dynamics during peach growth. Annals of Botany 76: 473-482. [ Links ]
Honorato, R., H. Silva, and C. Bonomelli. 1990. Edaphic relationships and vineyard productivity in the Metropolitan Region. Ciencia e Investigación Agraria 17: 133-143. [ Links ]
Ibarra, L., A. Zermeño, J. Murguía, R. Quezada, and M. Rosa. 2008. Photosynthesis, soil temperature and yield of cucumber as affected by colored plastic mulch. Acta Agriculture Scandinavia. Sect. B, Soil and Plant Science 58: 372-378. [ Links ]
Jiménez, S., A. Garín, E. Albás, J. Betrán, Y. Gogorcena, and M. Moreno. 2004. Effect of several rootstocks on the fruit quality of 'Sunburst' sweet cherry. Acta Horticulturae 658: 353-358. [ Links ]
Jiménez, S., J. Pinochet, Y. Gogorcena, E. Betrán, and M. Moreno. 2007. Influence of different vigour cherry rootstocks on leaves and shoots mineral composition. Scientia Horticulturae 112:73-79. [ Links ]
Lamont, J. W. 2005. Plastic: modifying the microclimate for the production of vegetable crops. Horticultural Technology 15: 477-481. [ Links ]
Larsson, L., and P. Jensen. 1996. Effects of mulching on the root and shoot growth of young black currant bushes. Acta Agriculture Scandinavia. Sect. B, Soil and Plant Science 46: 197-207. [ Links ]
Moreno, M.A., R. Adrada, J. Aparicio and J.A. Betrán. 2001. Performance of 'Sunburst' sweet cherry grafted on different rootstocks. Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology 76: 167-173. [ Links ]
Neilsen, G., and F. Kappel. 1996. "Bing" sweet cherry leaf nutrition is affected by rootstock. Hortscience 31: 1169-1172. [ Links ]
Neumann, G., T.S. George, and C. Plassard. 2009. Strategies and methods for studying the rhizosphere-the plant science toolbox. Plant Soil 321:431-456. [ Links ]
Sitarek, M., L. Sitarek, M., and S. Paszt. 2005. Studies on the root systems of sweet cherry trees grafted on different rootstocks-preliminary results. Journal of Fruit and Ornamental Plant Research 13:25-37. [ Links ]
Sotomayor, H., C. Bonomelli, and C. Bonilla. 2009. Diseño de un rizotrón para el estudio y seguimiento fotográfico de raíces en huertos frutales. Revista Aconex (Chile) 104: 12-18. [ Links ]
Steel, R., J. Torrie, and D. Dickey. 1997. Principles and procedures of statistical biometrical approach. Third edition. Mc Grw-Hill, Inc, New York. 481 pp. [ Links ]
Volder, A., R. Smart, A. Bloom, and D. Eissenstat. 2005. Rapid decline in nitrate uptake and respiration with age in fine lateral roots of grape: implications for root efficiency and competitive effectiveness. New Phytologist. 165: 493-501. [ Links ]
Wells, C.E., and D. M. Eissenstat. 2001. Marked Differences in Survivorship among apple roots of different diameter. Ecology 82: 882-892. [ Links ]
Wells, C. E., and D. M. Eissenstat. 2003. Beyond the roots of young seedlings: the influence of age and order on fine root physiology. Journal Plant Growth Regulator 21: 324-334. [ Links ]
Received July 12, 2010. Accepted May 6, 2011.
Corresponding author: email@example.com


text:
As International Monetary Fund head Dominique Strauss-Kahn sits in an American detention center cell on Rikers Island, his case has spurred a hot debate on French attitudes toward politicians and sexual misconduct.
Many in France are angry over the way US authorities have handled the Strauss-Kahn case, particularly the "perp walk" – which would be illegal in France – and the lack of bail, which they say implies that he has been presumed guilty, CNN reported.
"There's a general feeling of a media, a judicial fury – of a lynching," Jack Lang, France's former minister of culture and education and a Socialist Party lawmaker, told Europe 1 radio.
Lang called the American justice system "inhumane."
"For 48 hours now, only the side of the accusation has been heard ... and the versions given by police have been contradictory," he said. "The refusal to allow him out on bail, when no violent crime has been committed – even in America suspects are usually let go on bail if a violent crime has not been committed."
"They do feel he hasn't been given a chance to show his defense," [Nathan King, a correspondent for France 24 television network] said.
Robert Badinter, a member (like Strauss-Kahn) of France's Socialist party and a former justice minister, expressed dismay at the way the case was being handled in the US.
Sign up for our daily World Editor's Picks newsletter. Our best stories, in your inbox.
He called Strauss-Kahn a friend and a man who many had rushed to accuse before even getting to the bottom of the situation. His comments were published in a roundup of reaction published by the French-language newspaper, Liberation.
"Where is the respect of the presumption of innocence?" he asked. "I see [in this situation] the failure of a system. It is a deliberate destruction, it is disgraceful, it has nothing to do with American justice. Why wasn't he released on bail? Because he is French? Because is the director of the IMF?"
Some have even gone so far as to speculate that his arrest was a plot by his political opponents who, working off of his reputation as the "Great Seducer," attempted frame him as a rapist – a possibility that Strauss-Kahn was concerned about even before the alleged assault, The Telegraph reports.
In the then off-the-record discussion on April 28, the International Monetary Fund chief said he could imagine a scenario where he was framed for a rape he did not commit. …
Mr. Strauss-Kahn then said there were three obstacles to his election: "Money (he is vastly wealthy), women, and my Judaism." Starting with the female question, the former Socialist finance minister said: "Yes, I love women, et alors?"
Strauss-Kahn elaborated on that concern, telling journalists he could "easily imagine 'a woman [who I supposedly] raped in a car park and who had been promised 500,000 or a million euros to invent such a story.' "
A less stringent view of promiscuity
The French outrage opens a window into the country's vastly different opinion of what sexual behavior is unacceptable for a public figure.
In the US, philandering could easily sink the career of a politician or anyone of prominence (other than a Hollywood celebrity, perhaps). When's the last time you heard anything about former US presidential candidate and former Sen. John Edwards that didn't also involve Rielle Hunter?
Not so in France, says a Paris-based correspondent for The New York Times. She gives an account of the vastly different political landscape when it comes to what most in the US would consider unacceptable sexual conduct, such as extramarital flirtation and affairs.
… Politicians in France are not hounded out of office for sexual indiscretions (although violence against women is another matter). Traditionally, a political man who reveals his sexual prowess is proving his vigor: he is showing his constituents that he is fully and physically capable of running the country.
During the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky scandal in the United States, even some French politicians associated with Catholic causes chose to congratulate President Clinton for his strength of libido. "He loves women, this man!" Marie-Christine Boutin, a deputy in Parliament and a leader of the religious right, said. "It's a sign of good health!"
French feminist organizations have called for balance in the media coverage (link is to an article in French) of Strauss-Kahn and the hotel maid who accused him of assault. "[Strauss-Kahn] is presumed innocent" but "to cast suspicion on the intentions of the complainant is equally grave," said the Dare to be Feminist organization.
British media more in line with US views
The British media, with opinions on sexual conduct more similar to those of the US than their neighbors across the channel, have been critical of French coverage and what it says about the country's mentality toward sexual misbehavior.
A Guardian op-ed titled "Don't let Dominique Strauss-Kahn become the victim" rails against the amount of attention paid to Strauss-Kahn and the comparatively scant attention given to the possible plight of the woman who accused him of assault.
How this news has been treated by the French media says a lot about the country's tolerance for sexual misconduct.
[Strauss-Kahn's] reputation with women was an open secret. The journalists knew, the politicians knew. But, as Libération journalist Jean Quatremer writes, "having written about it in July 2007 … I incurred the wrath of some of my colleagues and part of the political class."
Indeed, following the appointment of [Strauss-Kahn] at the IMF, he wrote on his blog: "The only real problem with Strauss-Kahn is his relationship to women. Too forceful, he often borders on harassment. It's a flaw known about in the media, but nobody is talking about it openly (we are in France)."


text:
FOOD- THE DISH- New openings: Do good things come in threes?
In March, Andy McClure faced folks up in arms about a dress code he had implemented at his Corner restaurant, Jaberwoke, which re-opened as "three. a kitchen and lounge" five months later.
Last spring the Corner restaurant then known as Jaberwoke was the subject of a Hook cover story ["Dressing down: Was this bar speaking in code?" March 22], a distinction only Bodo's could previously claim ["Waiting for Bodo: Slow and savvy wins the race... if you ever finish," March 28, 2002].
In fact, Dish can think of only a few instances in recent years when a story about a restaurant graced the cover of any newspaper in town. A flowery literary homage to Will Richey at Revolutionary Soup (in another paper) comes to mind, as does a feature on restaurant veterans Tim Burgess and Vincent Derquenne– who brought Metropolitain and Bizou to the Downtown Mall. But it's a rare instance when a story about a restaurant rises to the level of real news. (Although one could argue that the 10-year wait for the Corner Bodo's amounted to a public crisis.)
However, dress codes banning various articles of clothing (baggy pants, big white t-shirts, certain kinds of hats– items generally associated with hip-hop fashion) at Jaberwoke and at the owner's two other restaurants, The Virginian and West Main, ignited a grease fire of controversy.
Local NAACP president Rick Turner called the dress code racist. "You really don't want black people in your bar," Turner told co-owner Andy McClure during a meeting McClure organized at Jaberwoke to address the controversy. Nearly 50 students showed up, mostly African Americans, to give McClure a piece of their minds. For his part, McClure declared he didn't have a "racist bone in his body" and offered to end the dress code. But the controversy seemed to assume a life of its own, one that McClure felt powerless to control.
"It seems like no matter what I do, I'm going to be attacked," he told the Hook. "It's really, really disconcerting."
Eight months later, McClure seems to have put the controversy behind him, helped in large part by a name change and a change of concept for the former Jaberwoke space.
In July, another weekly reported that McClure was renovating the interior and calling the place 1517, but near the end of August, McClure and his partner/brother, Patrick, opened three. a kitchen and lounge (the weird typography is not a typo) in the Jaberwoke space. McClure says he chose the name "three" because it's his third restaurant.
Asked why they decided to change the name, McClure is quick to dispel rumors that it had anything to do with what happened at Jaberwoke.
"To even insinuate that three's opening or the Jaberwoke's closing had anything to do with the dress code is preposterous," he says. "In fact, Jaberwoke's sales actually went up after the issue went public. I'm only upset at the slander of my name."
As for three, McClure says they "wanted to bring a more metropolitan product to the less than metropolitan Corner area," and describes the menu as "American with old school twists like the hot dog, served with a knife and fork... and high end martinis for $7 to $9." Not surprisingly, McClure says, his customers have been older than he expected.
So how's it been going since the change?
"It's been fantastic, the food is excellent but not stuck up," says McClure, "and the customer response has been extremely positive. I have never had a restaurant grow so quickly."
Will there be a dress code at three. a kitchen and lounge?
"Three does not have a dress code," McClure says.
New Arch's on Emmet
In 2005, Rob and Sandy Archer of Arch's Frozen Yogurt, with a long-time location on Ivy Road and another more recent one on the Corner, bought the Donut Connection at 1232 Emmet Street for $660,000. Since then, they've been working on plans to build Arch's most impressive location yet, an under-stated two-story modern affair fronting the street and with two outdoor eating balconies. The new building (they demolished the old one) will also have eco-friendly and energy efficient SIPS roof panels and a stainless-steel trellis for ivy to twine up, and will be painted tan and earthtone red– all courtesy BRW Architects, known for their renovations of Congregation Beth Israel, the Downtown Rec Center, and the Mall side of the Water Street parking garage.
Although the Archers could not be reached by press time, store manager Jason Petty says the new store will most likely open in May or June of 2008, and will model itself more after the Corner location, which serves sandwiches, salads, and other lunch fare along with its frozen yogurt.
Crush, your friendly neighborhood wine shop
If all goes according to plan, it looks like a new wine shop will be opening up in Historic downtown Belmont this weekend. Paul Coleman, one of the partners who opened Orzo in the West Main Street Market, says he plans to open Crush in a small building across from Saxx Jaxx Club and La Taza (next door to an as-yet-unnamed new restaurant we reported on recently), with his wife, Nan, and his partner, Gregg Oxley.
"We want to be a friendly neighborhood wine shop," says Coleman, "with a real emphasis on customer service."
While there'll be no restaurant on-site, Coleman says there will be a wide selection of cheeses, breads, and other goodies patrons can enjoy with the wine selections. They'd also like to sell wine without all the pretension.
"We'd really like to take the snobbishness out of the wine mystique," says Coleman, "and create a place where people feel comfortable checking out wines."
South River is for Virginia wine lovers
Congrats to the South River Restaurant and Wine Shop in Waynesboro for being named the "Virginia Wine Retailer of the Year" by the Virginia Wineries Association last month. Dan Myers and Bryson Posey, South River's wine specialists, accepted the award on behalf of the restaurant and its owner Linda Roland.
Since last summer's passage of a new state law that prohibited Virginia wineries from self-distributing, operations like South River have become more important than ever to the state's wine industry.
According to Roland, South River sells over 80 Virginia wines from more than 35 wineries and holds wine dinners monthly at the restaurant.
Indeed, the Waynesboro Chamber of Commerce may want to give Roland an award too– for all the attention.
The design for the new Arch's on Emmet Street.


text:
Police arrest 5 for criminal mischief
3 damaged vehicles discovered upon arrival
Concord police responded to the Capital Commons Parking Garage at 75 Storrs Street around 1:16 early Sunday morning.
Upon arrival, police found three damaged vehicles in the parking garage and engaged in a foot pursuit of the suspects allegedly involved with the crime who were at the scene.
Authorities said fire extinguishers were set and the outside of the vehicles were sprayed. One car suffered heavy damage to the inside after it was also sprayed.
Police found a total of four fire extinguishers. Two of them were damaged.
As police continued investigating the scene, they found disturbing words and images drawn onto the vehicles. One of those was a swastika sign, police said.
A total of five subjects were arrested. Both Travis Clark, 17, of Loudon and Jonathan Cappucci, 18, of Concord were charged with resisting arrest and criminal mischief.
The three other subjects arrested were juveniles. According to police, they were released to parents or guardians.
Clark and Cappucci were released on $4,000 personal recognizance bail and are expected to appear in court on April 29.
Police are actively investigating this crime and ask anyone with information to please contact Concord police at 603-225-8600 or the Concord Regional Crimeline at 603-226-3100.


text:
Stocks open higher as jobs growth beats forecasts
Stock indexes are opening modestly higher on Wall Street after the government reported jobs growth that was better than economists were expecting.
The Dow Jones industrial average rose 60 points to 13,133 shortly after the opening bell Friday.
The broader Standard & Poor's 500 index rose five points to 1,418 and the Nasdaq composite rose nine points to 2,998.
The Labor Department reported that that U.S. economy added 146,000 jobs in November, more than economists were expecting.
Overall the jobs survey gave a mixed picture of the economy. The unemployment rate fell to 7.7 percent, but only because more people stopped looking for work and weren't counted as unemployed.
The Labor Department also said employers added fewer jobs in October and September than initially estimated.


text:
A Costa dos Murmúrios
Portugal, 2004
Drama, Adaptation
English Subtitle
Directed by: Margarida Cardoso
Won- Special Mention- Mannheim-Heidelberg International Filmfestival- 2004
Evita looks back on the history of which she had been part, and corrects. At the end of the 60th, Evita arrives in the Portuguese colony of Mozambique to Marry Luis, a mathematics student doing his military service there. Evita soon realizes that Luis has changed, and in the turmoil of the war he has transformed himself into a pale imitation of his commanding officer. The Men leave on a major military offensive. Evita is left alone and desperate to understand what has changed Luis.
O Milagre segundo Salome
Portugal, 2004
Drama, Adaptation
English Subtitle
Directed by: Mario Barroso (II)
Set in 1917 Portugal, Salome a country girl, is one of many Woman that entertain gentelmen. She is introduced to a wealthl man who has invite her to his high society.
But her past will not let her rest and Saome who thought this would be the start of a new life, will after all believe that this is not the truth.
Portugal, 1998
English Subtitle
Directed by: João Botelho
Nominated- Golden Lion- Venice Film Festival- 1998
A selection of stories all centered on the topic of money - and the various ways it affects people for better or worse. A tangled tale about how the old and really rich people have fun, how the new and false rich people encounter difficulties and how everything ends well.
A Carta
Portugal, 1999
English Subtitle
Directed by: Manoel de Oliveira
Won Jury Prize- Cannes Film Festival- 1999
A well-bred, lovely, spiritual, sad young woman marries an attentive physician who loves her. She feels affection but no love. Soon after, without design, she falls in love with Pedro Abrunhosa, a poet and performance artist. He also loves her. She keeps her distance froom him, confessing her love to a friend who is a nun and, later, to her husband. Hunger for her love and jealousy consume him; she attends him as he wastes away. With his death, she can marry and express her passion, but what she does and how she explains herself, particularly to her cloistered friend, is at the heart of the film.
Portugal, 2001
English Subtitle
Directed by: Raquel Freire
Edgar, a mysterious young man, arrives at the prestigious, meritocratic University of Coimbra while the students are protesting against an increase in university fees. He wants to go back to his law studies and is looking for a job to make ends meet. During a typical rasganco ceremony, Edgar meets Ana Rita, a middle-class student, and seduces her. Ana is not his only lover. The rigidly elite university context and a distorted reading of his law texts lead Edgar to perform symbolic and violent acts against young female students.
Tarde Demais
Portugal, 2000
English Subtitle
Directed by: José Nascimento
it's a straight, touching, tragic, true story about a group of portuguese fishermen who get caught in the middle of a storm in the Tejo river (Lisbon).
Their boat wrecks and, despite the bad-luck, they are close to land and they can see their way through. But things are not as easy as they seem.
Quem Es Tu?
Portugal, 2001
Drama, Adaptation
English Subtitle
Direted by: João Botelho
Won Mimmo Rotella Foundation Award- Venice Film Festival- 2001
Aged 13, Maria Noronha, daughter of Madalena de Vilhena and of Manuel de Sousa Coutinho, is an extremely pale and fragile girl, sick with high fevers and violent hemoptyses provoked by merciless tuberculosis. In order to alleviate her suffering, she gathers poppies from her garden, always carries them in her arms, and at night lays them on the pillows on her bed. But the poppies have a devastating effect. Her deep sleep is disturbed by terrible ghosts and hallucinations.


text:
But who else?
Laura was standing 5 feet from my Gwyneth today at her Two Lovers photo call and I couldn't believe it when she actually offered up some positive remarks. Laura is the toughest critic and not Gwyneth Paltrow's biggest fan. She's also been crusty because her blackberry has been f*cked.
And even Laura had to concede that G was the total gorgessity. She absolutely glowed today…much more beautiful in person than she is in photos. Also the best blonde highlights in the business. Laura couldn't believe it. And she was practically combing every strand of hair for imperfections.
Not sure why Joaquin Phoenix wasn't there. We'd received word prior to coming that he was supposed to be on the junket. Perhaps a scheduling conflict?
Anyway, about my G… she posited on motherhood today in relation to her career – her fears that after having 2 babies in succession, Hollywood would forget about her.
"I really did not know if there would be a place for me," said Paltrow. "Jodie Foster was right, especially if you are a woman and especially if you are not 25. Hollywood is pretty cutthroat, and everybody has a short memory. There is always someone who is younger or hotter or prettier."
In terms of her own career, "I was very realistic of that fact there would not be room for me," said Paltrow. "I definitely knew I had lost my place."
She considers Two Lovers, a romantic drama set in Brooklyn, a shot in the vocational arm.
"It has given me a lifeline, because I had taken a long time off work," said Paltrow. "Going from being a mother at home for a long time, which was the greatest time in my life, but also feel like an artist again ... that was a gift for me." – People.com
A bit disingenuous, of course, because this is Gwyneth Paltrow afterall, but look at those shoes? Those shoes!
As for how long she's staying, AMFAR is tomorrow and Madge will be there. But so will Sharon Stone and she and G scrapped a few years ago. Will Gwyneth the perfect mother stay one extra day away from the kids to party with Madonna?
Will keep you posted…
Photos from Wenn


text:
Our December giveaway features the same companies that helped make the last three contests so successful, but the prizes are slightly different. We're giving away another $400 18"x24" DNA Print from DNA11, two more $50 ThinkGeek gift certificates, five Griffin PowerJolt Dual Universal Micros, and two Electronic Spy Camera Shirts from ThinkGeek!
Remember, Premier subscribers are entered automatically, and so is anyone who signs up for a Premier Subscription before the end of this giveaway. (See the entry rules below for more details.) If you've already entered, you're set. This is just another chance for those who might have missed it.
You may be asking, "Hey, what are all of the other Premier benefits and how can I get in on the action?" Here's what Premier Subscribers get:
- Exclusive live chats with industry luminaries
- An ad-free browsing experience
- Exclusive subscriber-only quarterly reports
- Discounts and coupons from leading online retailers like ThinkGeek and Griffin
- The ability to post in our subscriber-only forums
The prizes
Two winners will get a $50 gift certificate from ThinkGeek. If you haven't checked out ThinkGeek lately, you might be surprised to see the huge range of stuff you can buy there. They've got everything from multitools and geeky t-shirts to stuffed animals and Star Wars sleeping bags.
Another winner will receive a piece of custom art from DNA11, and it's pretty awesome. DNA11 takes a cheek swab from you and turns it into a huge, beautifully designed print of your own DNA. This 18" x 24" print is worth $400.
ThinkGeek isn't just giving away gift certificates; they have also offered us two Electronic Spy Camera Shirts. Centered in the artwork on the shirt is James Bond himself, holding a camera to his face. Hidden behind the soft cotton exterior is a fully functioning spy camera. That's right. Whatever your chest can see, the camera can see. A cable connects the camera to a small black box that fits discreetly in your pocket. Just reach in, press the button, and your shirt will capture the evidence in front you. Creepy, but cool.
And five more things...
Each of the five winners will also get a PowerJolt Dual Universal Micro. This little gizmo will turn that power outlet, née cigarette lighter, in your car, into a dual USB charging station. Instead of lighting your cigarettes, you can charge up to two devices simultaneously on your way to work, or on your next road trip.
How to enter
Premier subscribers (and those who subscribe before the end of this giveaway) don't have to do anything. Being automatically entered into all our contests and giveaways is just one of the many benefits of being a Premier subscriber.
For everyone else, simply leave a comment on this post about your new year's resolutions. If you don't make resolutions or don't want to divulge yours, just leave any comment; you'll still be entered! Please be aware that only citizens of The United States and Canada (excepting Québec) who are 18 years old or older are eligible to win the prizes. Wondering why your nation/country isn't eligible for the giveaway? Link 1, Link 2.
This giveaway begins on December 10, 2010 at 12:00am Central Time and ends on December 31, 2010 at 11:59pm Central Time, so you must have entered by the end date to be eligible. If you have any questions about the rules, please see the full set here.
Also, Premier subs get great coupons!
Just like last month, our sponsors have given us some cool coupons for Ars Premier Subscribers. Any subscriber or anyone who becomes a subscriber will have access to these and can begin using them immediately. You can find them by clicking here, and you can always find the link again in the "Premier Subscriber" drop-down menu on any page. Here are the coupons:
- DNA11: 20% off any order over $150 at CanvasPop OR DNA11. Transform your DNA or fingerprint into a custom portrait on canvas. Canvaspop turns your photos into beautiful large-scale canvas art. Also works with iPhone and Facebook images.
- Griffin Technology: 20 percent off at the Griffin Technology Store. Griffin is your leader in essentials for iPhone, iPad, and iPod.
- ThinkGeek: $5 off $25 or $10 off $40 worth of merchandise at ThinkGeek. ThinkGeek: Stuff for smart masses.
We do these giveaways all year long, so keep your eyes peeled for more. If you haven't subscribed yet, what are you waiting for? Subscribe now and get all of the great features listed above, an advertising-free experience, and automatic entry into all of our contests.


text:
An ordinary gamer is cleaning his Xbox Live inbox of dozens of friend requests each day, most of them containing a mercy plea from some Call of Duty cheater. What happened? His gamertag was shown in a Black Ops trailer.
The trailer for Black Ops' First Strike downloadable content pack hit on Monday, and at 0:23 - blink and you'll miss it - you see the kill ticker show the tag "Polar." Though it's probably a bot or placeholder name Treyarch used for the multiplayer capture, plenty of people thought it was a real tag, used by a real developer, and spammed it with friend requests. Most of them spelled three or more words correctly, too. Like this one:
Another: "How youu play in mapack erly" Dunno, but they need to do way instain mother.
Also, for those who are laughing because we've published the guy's XBLA tag - he emailed us the tip himself. Maybe he's coughed up the dough to change it already. Is this a conspiracy by Microsoft and Treyarch to get everyone to buy the $10 gamertag rename, one gamer at a time?
Gamer Tags and You The Internet [Ars Technica Forums]


text:
Battle of Titans: Why Berkshire, AIG Are Fighting
Berkshire Hathaway and AIG are in a clash for talent and billions of dollars as Warren Buffett's conglomerate pushes into a corner of the commercial market dominated by AIG. Leslie Scism reports on MoneyBeat.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... you know ... the name of the insurance business a false older and ... or involve not sort and this piece that loses them ... here to talk about this one ... while it is really inching story I wrote today ... I cannot get these few big companies in the same story ran Phnom Penh name and get a story about keeping company with the knot on Berkshire Hathaway ... an American International Group AIG ... and it's basically ... the opposing battle ... on yesterday as we reported back and April ... aam one park shares started to expand point a to stand up quite a bit in commercial insurance which is the ad means selling insurance to businesses ... and indeed of Nestle midsize large across the U S wealth by ... hand and puts a Aggie insisting he fire in an hour it Berkshire is probably Dasani in returns says Guy kit car insurance but also for its reinsurance and AIG's the customer not bomb ... and Berkshire as the years ... so we reported back in April that Berkshire had hired for a very senior people really well regarded people from AIG's boppy Kathleen operations ... and then the next day a couple more were higher in men than a ... few more were hired ... a and today they say status and big ambitions to ALM self commercial insurance ... and AIG did not see that very well today ... the Inn on the surface they were very polite about it and they put out a statement This said that Qantas has held very strong and deep and then shows them that they have many managers waiting to be fermented said they iam baby a on the surface there are very on a life that all thank you but behind the scenes there were a lot of angry people ... that are fuming about ... the industry's that the threatened a lawsuit ... no we still over the years that I'd be in the weekend tally didn't get to aam we don't think it went fine now that some specific terms for a lane legal terms to L a now that is planned this and ... on the boy years and the sea in house lawyers from Angie were never consulted by the aam upset senior executives and in a day ... instead let's ... see how what we can to assist billing makes us happy ... for me this is ... the isthe servo you know alls their families of the businesses of big companies ... on ... does the AG just ... yet the least is that it comes to a truce on this a mean ... does a AG just ... let it go and move on ... I think doesn't really have any choice but to I you know they've been struck cited the best deal they had a chance to have Baxter ... basically agreeing not to ... crash onto hiring more people for one year period and we think the clock started started taking some time or in the middle of the summer he said the animated got ten more months to get him ... now that they had an orchard got knocked about and consultant under twenty AIG facts block on board at the time this happened pay and staffing of sixty two right now ... said they had high forty two people from other places so aam them and reports of some bomb big names coming are some senior people coming and some other property casting shares can place ... a lot of aam companies out there that Berkshire can use some ... the notion that a C one thing that probably got AIG upset was this a new financial ground of hiring got so much publicity Wall Street Journal other papers trade publications that apparently ... the phones started ringing at Berkshire they you know the ... fence for calling ... aam ... muni had these accents and I just read about what United a one sided and that's as exciting as my dislike it that Friday where ... the eBay had no trouble choosing people from AIG and other ... companies at that point I it's fastening stuff Liz and thank you very much my pleasure


text:
Saving the city: Novelist has hopes for his craft
Here's more evidence that Charlottesville is a powerful literary incubator.
Peter Skinner actor, painter, sculptor, and heir to the largest fortune ever made in Washington state until the arrival of Bill Gates- moved to Albemarle County for a handful of reasons. The topography reminded him of France; the people were odd; Sam Shepard offered to sell him his farm; and he wanted to write.
Ten years later, with the release of his debut novel, White Buffalo, he can add "writer" to his cache of talents.
"It's not a talent... it's something I'm good at," he retorts, because along with an artistic temperament, Skinner has a flair for rhetorical clarification.
A nutshell version of the author's biography indicates that much of White Buffalo– a story of a young American artist who emerges from years of hiding in a Parisian garret to confront his family's death and societal legacy in Indian-populated Washington– is autobiographical.
Does that mean that the Skinner family, which once owned the largest sawmill in the world, also owns half of the state of Washington, like the fictional Jack Williston?
"It's a gross exaggeration. But it's not inaccurate," Skinner concedes.
The trick of elucidating with obfuscation works well in Skinner's prose. Crafted from unrelated poems written over a couple of decades, White Buffalo manages to tell a simple story of loss and redemption in narration confused by chronology and mined with oblique metaphor.
When we're told that the eyes of a Flathead Indian are indistinguishable from a jutting promontory, we don't ask questions.
For a Renaissance man, Skinner is refreshingly pedestrian. He follows a schedule that involves the gym, Bodo's tunafish, picking up the kids from school, and writing. He left the Shepard farm for Rugby Road in 1998. And although he doesn't follow the city's no-growth politics, his book nevertheless trembles with messages of environmental conservation.
Concern about the human-ecological relationship gathered strength when he returned from 16 years in Europe to a Seattle area that was unrecognizable.
"As is happening in Charlottesville, it grew like a virus until the whole area didn't look anything like the place I grew up in," he says. "That's what will happen here if people don't love it."
When a reporter suggests that both Seattle and Charlottesville are practically poster cities for the "I (heart) (city)" t-shirt crowd, she's quickly corrected.
"I don't mean not popular. I mean not thought about," he says.
Skinner spends a lot of time thinking about Charlottesville, which he says is the first community he has ever identified with. He's writing a book about the town in the '50s, a project that he clearly considers an act of preservation.
Will Peter Skinner's novel attention somehow save Charlottesville from urban sprawl?
A gross exaggeration, perhaps, but not inaccurate.Read more on: peter skinner


text:
Célia, 15 Ans
Robert Hugues was born in Nice, where he also studied architecture at the School of Decorative Arts. He began his career at the publishing house Draguignan in 1948. He was a pupil of Bob Leguay, who gave him artistic control over the series 'Tim l'Audace' at the publishing house Artima in the 1960s. He succeeded Robert Giordan as the artist of 'Pilar Santos' in the magazine Olympic (scripts by Bastide). In the 1980s, while working as an architect, he ventured into the world of erotic comics drawing for Sex Bulles, Bédé X and Bédéadult under the pseudonyms Trébor, Colber and Mancini. His best known comics in this genre are 'Cléo', 'Les Confidences de Nado', 'Lydia : Soubrette de Luxe', 'Célia, 15 ans', 'L' institution Marie-Madelaine', and 'Ninon'.


text:
People who work at colleges use acronyms and words that you may never have heard before or may use them in a different way than another college you have attended.
Here are some resources to help you master College Speak!
- Navigating College Speak -- A cheat sheet of terms and abbreviations unique to Ithaca College.
- Navigating College Speak (Transfer Students) -- A cheat sheet of terms and abbreviations unique to Ithaca College Transfer Students.
- Course Prefixes and Symbols -- This document will guide you through the different acronyms and abbreviations used in the Ithaca College catalog and in HomerConnect.
Want some examples?
Below is a sample of terms that you will need to know when working with an advisor, faculty or staff at Ithaca College.
CLA (Complementary Liberal Arts)
Courses (totaling 12 credits) that are a required part of the Integrative Core Curriculum and that focus on integrative liberal arts. Some CLA courses fulfill requirements for your major; some do not. The school of Humanities & Sciences has several options for fulfilling the CLAs.
Degree Evaluation
A summary of all of the requirements you need to graduate sorted into different areas such as major and minor, ICC or liberal arts requirements. In your degree evaluation, courses or course areas with the word "Met" mean that you have fulfilled the requirement for that area. The word "No" in red on the evaluation indicates requirements that you still need to meet. Do not hesitate to consult with your advisor if you have any questions about your degree evaluation.
You have up until the end of the first week of classes to drop or add a course in your schedule. If you drop a course, there will be no record of the course on your transcript. You can drop a course without replacing it with a course or you can drop a course and add a course to your schedule. It is important to understand whether dropping a course will impact your status as a full-time student. Your faculty advisor or a professional academic advisor can help you make this decision. Check the academic calendar for the Drop/Add deadline for each semester.
ICC (Integrative Core Curriculum)
A set of common courses taken by all students entering Ithaca College beginning in Fall 2013. Designed to foster integrative learning.
Open Electives
Courses that count toward the overall number of credits you need for graduation (in most cases this is 120 credits), but do not count towards your major or minor degree requirements. The number of electives you can take will vary by major and program depending on the number of required courses in that major.
A record of the courses you have taken at Ithaca College and the credit and grade you have earned for each course. Your transcript on Homer Connect is unofficial. You can request an official transcript from the Office of the Registrar through HomerConnect or you can view an unofficial transcript -- also by using HomerConnect.
Withdrawal (W)
You can withdraw from a course up to a certain date in the semester depending on whether it is a Block I, Block II or semester course. Withdrawing from a course means that you do not earn credits for the course. A grade of W is placed on your transcript. You are strongly encouraged to consult with an advisor or the faculty member teaching your course before withdrawing. Check the academic calendar for the deadlines for withdrawing from a course.


text:
The Zombie Hunters Forum: WE GO THERE.
October 28, 2020, 12:18:05 am
. Please
1 Hour
1 Day
1 Week
1 Month
Login with username, password and session length
: Do you want me to drive? 'Cause I can drive y' know.
The Zombie Hunters Forum: WE GO THERE.
Art Discussion
Red Team Shenanigans
Pages: [
Go Down
« previous
next »
Topic: Red Team Shenanigans (Read 48402 times)
The Fool
Zombie Hunter
Apprentice Zombie Hunter
Posts: 14660
I am thou
Red Team Shenanigans
October 07, 2009, 03:15:04 pm »
Hey, remember my semi-terrible short story? Well, I'm bringing it back for you guys. Unfortunately, when I posted it all onto the forum, I kept it in a notebook and since I moved, I haven't been able to find it. I have the first half on my computer now, but other than that, I don't have it saved anywhere. If anyone kept a copy, lemme know!
Anyway, here's the first part again. Do not steal for your own gain, blah blah blah, etc. let's go! Also, I placed people in Jenny's world, so that belongs to her and no one else. Team Fortress 2 belongs to Valve and everyone that I mention/control in this story are mine. So, if you're mentioned....well....I own your soul, guess I forgot to tell you that. c:
Red Team:
Demoman: Marauder_Pilot
Engineer: Dodom
Heavy: Alex
Medic: McNinja
Pyro: Sammich
Scout: Me!
Sniper: Ensouls
Soldier: Dahlia
Spy: TheLastOutlaw
She was running. It was all she had to do. She felt her feet pound on the hard asphalt, her chucks echoed in the streets. Her breaths were short, but she kept going. She felt the inside of her hat line with sweat. The bat got harder to hold; the sweat lingered on her hands. Her neck got chafed by the bags strap. She jumped over a few more cars before she finally landed on the sidewalk away from the streets. It was silent, empty. She stood there as she regained air in her lungs, but the air was hot and humid. She licked her dry lips as she dropped the bat onto the ground. The bat created a clunk sound as it echoed in the vacant streets, but she didnt care. Her hands shook, she needed water, bad.
Fax, come in, the headset crackled. Fax jumped at the sound as it reverberated in her ears. She could already feel a headache coming.
Loud and clear, Dahlia, whats up? Fax questioned as she looked around to find some water.
Where the hell are you?
Fax walked around to find a street sign or anything that would resemble where she was. She noticed the Capitol none too far away. Fax scratched the back of her head before she said: 9th and Independence. Southwest. Right by the Capitol. Vote me in, bitches.
Fax could almost hear Dahlia roll her eyes. We aint far.
Whats your ETA then?
Bout ten minutes. You gonna be okay out there, Fax?
I aint a scout for nothing, Dahlia, mdear. See you in ten.
The headset disconnected and Fax looked around for a store or something. She found a small shop not too far away, albeit ransacked; it didnt hurt to look. The store was small. The once full shelves were empty and blood spattered all around. The cash register was torn open, but the money covered the ground. She went inside and heard the familiar hum. She smiled as she walked closer to a small fridge that was filled with various sodas and water bottles. She felt the fridge and felt that it was somewhat cool to the touch; a little warmer than room temperature. Fax opened the fridge and took out a water bottle. She downed half of the bottle before she splashed the rest on her face. She then took out two more bottles and placed them in her bag. She was about to grab one more when she heard shuffling. Fax closed the door and slowly walked toward the back room. She heard a groan as the zombie came closer. Fax reached for her baseball bat, but it was outside.
Fuckin A, Fax muttered as she slowly backed away from the zombie. The zombie groaned and shuffled closer. Fax looked behind her to see the entrance and she slowly made her way out. As soon as she made her way out, she turned around to see five more zombies on their way over. She looked around to see her baseball bat that glistened in the sun. She ran over to her fallen weapon, but the zombie from inside the store crawled out and grabbed at Fax. Fax turned to grab the zombie in the neck, but the two fell down and collided with the cement. Fax felt her right elbow slam on the hard cement and she swore out loud; she knew that her elbow was shattered. The zombie tried to bite at her neck, but she kept him at bay with her arm. She looked over to see her bat not too far away. Her headset was destroyed by the five zombies that walked towards the two. She tried to grab for her bat, but the zombie got closer to her face. Fuck!
She heard a crack, and watched as the zombies head explode. She closed her eyes as the infected blood splattered all over her face. She felt the body go limp and fall on top of her. Quickly, she pushed the body off of her and slowly stood up. She then looked up to see two more zombies fall to the ground with heads that also exploded. She then smelled gasoline. Hastily, she grabbed her bat from the ground and dove out of the way as the rest of the zombies went up into flames. Fax stared into the flames and she could have sworn that she could hear the zombies screaming. Fax sighed and bowed her head.
What the hell are you doing?
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Last Edit: October 30, 2009, 09:29:49 pm by Hailfax
Age is no guarantee of efficiency
3DS friend code: 4613-6707-8466
Posts: 903
Dammit Ghari
Re: Red Team Shenanigans
Reply #1 on:
October 07, 2009, 03:30:05 pm »
-insert derpy face here-
:B Totally not Hailfax's sister
Quote from: Taco Zombie
I like Hailsis. That is what you will be called now.
Times YutNinja'd : 21 :C
--Pappa Cricco--
Cricco was here
Apprentice Zombie Hunter
Posts: 12176
Viking Selfie!
Re: Red Team Shenanigans
Reply #2 on:
October 07, 2009, 03:37:41 pm »
*waves shard pointy things in the sky*
Apprentice Zombie Hunter
Posts: 7033
Re: Red Team Shenanigans
Reply #3 on:
October 07, 2009, 03:44:23 pm »
*Sends up fireworks.*
Cute: Anything that will bring a horrible death upon unwanted visitors.
You know when they warn you about some crazy showing up here? That's me they're talking about. Tea?
The Waffle King!
Apprentice Zombie Hunter
Posts: 3674
Time Lord
Re: Red Team Shenanigans
Reply #4 on:
October 07, 2009, 04:18:24 pm »
I wonder who could ever think of such a grand idea?
All of time and space, anywhere and everywhere, any star that ever was. Where do you want to start?
The Fool
Zombie Hunter
Apprentice Zombie Hunter
Posts: 14660
I am thou
Re: Red Team Shenanigans
Reply #5 on:
October 07, 2009, 04:57:24 pm »
Quote from: Jetraymongoose on October 07, 2009, 04:18:24 pm
I wonder who could ever think of such a grand idea?
I wonder indeed. XD
Age is no guarantee of efficiency
3DS friend code: 4613-6707-8466
Apprentice Zombie Hunter
Posts: 8394
Re: Red Team Shenanigans
Reply #6 on:
October 07, 2009, 05:41:18 pm »
Quote from: MLE on October 07, 2009, 03:30:05 pm
Quote from: TheLastOutlaw
I think I may have to adopt you at some point.
The Fool
Zombie Hunter
Apprentice Zombie Hunter
Posts: 14660
I am thou
Re: Red Team Shenanigans
Reply #7 on:
October 08, 2009, 10:56:34 am »
Chapter 2:
Fax looked up to see Dahlia and the rest of the crew in front of her. Fax smiled as she stood up, but then a sharp pain shot up her arm. The medic, McNinja, ran up to her aid. He examined the wound before he took out some gauze.
Only dislocated, McNinja replied with an Irish accent. He looked at her with his blue eyes. This is gonna smart.
What? Fax asked until she screamed. She looked at McNinja wildly before he finished with her elbow as he placed her arm in a makeshift sling. What the hell did you do?
Relocated yer elbow, he answered as he adjusted his gloves. When we get back home, Ill properly handle yer arm.
Fax nodded and looked at the blackened corpses on the ground. She picked up her hat to see that the flames charred the brim.
Damn it, Sammich, Fax whined. Ya burned my hat.
A red suited person walked up and turned off the flamethrower. The person then took off the mask and gave a grin. Sorry, Fax. Shit happens. Besides, that was four points to me. Unfortunately, Soul is still in the lead.
Fax shook her head and placed the hat backwards on her head. She looked to see Dahlia, Sammich, and McNinja. Wheres everyone else?
Just then the sound of a mini gun could be heard along with maniacal laughter. The four turned to see their large teammate as he fired into nothingness. The four then saw another teammate run towards them with explosives in his hand. He tossed it into the fray and covered his ears. The explosives went off and everyone felt the small breeze the explosives caused. Fax closed her eyes and covered her face. The mini gun stopped its fire and the sound of the gun reloading was heard.
Hailfax! the rather large man exclaimed with an equally large grin on his face.
Hailfax smiled. Hey, Alex. Marauder.
The one called Marauder gave a small wave and threw up more explosives. Marauder gave a small laugh and continued through the streets.
Glad to see youre okay, a voice crept up from behind.
Hailfax jumped and quickly turned around with baseball bat ready to strike. She sighed to see a familiar hockey mask and lit cigarette. Dammit, Outlaw, dont sneak up on me like that.
I apologize.
Sentrys down until we get to the next point, their engineer, Dodom stated as she dropped the large tool box.
Snipers out of position, Dahlia replied as she interrupted the team getting back together. Theyre telling us to move out. Head back to base.
The group began to walk toward their destination. Every so often, Marauder would shout: Fire in the hole! and an explosive would go off. At first the explosions would bother Fax, but she let them go after the fifth one.
Fax then felt Marauder elbowed her on her good arm. Im beating Souls by five points. Think she can get a Hunter in the next few hours?
Fax scoffed. Ensouls is one of the best snipers we got. Course shes gonna get a Hunter. Prolly a Zerker if possible.
Marauder, I just sniped a Hunter and three Crawlers. Beat that, a light voice crackled on Marauders headset.
Marauder stopped and held his headset again. Say again, Soul?
Shes kicking yer ass, mate
! Dodom cried out as the rest of the team laughed.
Marauder made a frown as he threw another explosive behind him in mock anger. The crew laughed once again as they continued down main street to head toward the Potomac River. The once majestic city was in ruins. Fax remembered how she used to come to this city to see priceless art and the once beautiful history of the city; of country. The crew passed 12th street when they heard groans nearby. Fax heard the crew load their weapons while she heard the hum of the minigun come to life. Fax gripped her baseball bat with the wish that she grabbed her scattergun, or at least the pistol. She looked up to see a small crowd of zombies; the crew mustve awoken the zombies or it couldve just been Marauder.
Should I set up a Sentry? Dodom questioned aloud as she loaded her shot gun.
Negative, Ensouls voice crackled over the headset. Theres only about twenty of them.
So, its a who gets to shoot the most zombies game then? Marauder asked.
Yes and the whole let us survive when we get to the boats, Ensouls reminded them. Im in position. When you guys see them, start shooting.
Dont have to tell me twice, Dodom replied as she loaded the shotgun. She cocked the shotgun and pointed it toward the crowd that headed towards the crew. The groans became louder as the group shuffled closer. Fax gripped her bat and raised it above her head ready to strike anything that came close. She saw the first line of zombies. Their arms stretched out and their mouths hung open. Fax took a step back; she was injured and she didnt want to get injured further.
Yowza! Enouls voice was heard. Got me a Spitter!
Dammit, Soul! Marauder exclaimed.
Age is no guarantee of efficiency
3DS friend code: 4613-6707-8466
Voted most likely to hug.
Apprentice Zombie Hunter
Posts: 18767
Re: Red Team Shenanigans
Reply #8 on:
October 08, 2009, 12:36:15 pm »
Yay, 'tis back! Ish.
Quote from: mudmonkey
Cheez is fuckin hawt with teh boobehs.
Quote from: Sammich!
Cheez is also a raptor...pirate. A raptor pirate. Playing chess.
WARNING- If you send me a PM with no subject, I WILL NOT REPLY.
Apprentice Zombie Hunter
Posts: 3662
Re: Red Team Shenanigans
Reply #9 on:
October 08, 2009, 04:13:58 pm »
ARC Support Staff
Posts: 1484
Re: Red Team Shenanigans
Reply #10 on:
October 08, 2009, 06:38:12 pm »
I like
! *waits eagerly for next installment*
We may fail alone, but that is better than dying with them, only to be forgotten. I for one, would rather suffer now, than leave this life without passion.
The Waffle King!
Apprentice Zombie Hunter
Posts: 3674
Time Lord
Re: Red Team Shenanigans
Reply #11 on:
October 08, 2009, 07:22:54 pm »
Oh yeah, it was before Milly. It gets really epic, and really awesome. I remember checking the page like 10 times a day waiting for an update of it so I could keep reading.
All of time and space, anywhere and everywhere, any star that ever was. Where do you want to start?
ARC Support Staff
Posts: 1484
Re: Red Team Shenanigans
Reply #12 on:
October 08, 2009, 07:28:52 pm »
I'm already like that, and only after two chapters!
We may fail alone, but that is better than dying with them, only to be forgotten. I for one, would rather suffer now, than leave this life without passion.
The Waffle King!
Apprentice Zombie Hunter
Posts: 3674
Time Lord
Re: Red Team Shenanigans
Reply #13 on:
October 08, 2009, 07:29:30 pm »
There is like 38 if I remember correctly
All of time and space, anywhere and everywhere, any star that ever was. Where do you want to start?
The Fool
Zombie Hunter
Apprentice Zombie Hunter
Posts: 14660
I am thou
Re: Red Team Shenanigans
Reply #14 on:
October 08, 2009, 08:15:24 pm »
I think there was 40....2....42 chapters in all.
Mind you, it's gonna be a little different than it was before, unless once again, someone saved it to a disc or something. : / Expect some differences.
Age is no guarantee of efficiency
3DS friend code: 4613-6707-8466
Pages: [
Go Up
« previous
next »
Jump to:
Please select a destination:
Forum Community
=> Forum Rules
=> News
=> Introductions
=> Questions, Comments and Suggestions
=> Community Events
TZH Discussion
=> TZH Discussion
=> Fan Works
===> TZH Fan Fiction
===> TZH Role Playing
General Discussion
=> General Discussion
===> Random Stuff
===> Game Discussion
===> Movies/TV Discussion
===> Travel
=> Zombie Stuff
=> Webcomics Discussion
=> Role Playing
=> Role Playing Sign up and OOC
=> RPG Graveyard
Art Discussion
=> Art
=> Writing
=> Music
Powered by SMF 1.1.19
SMF © 2013, Simple Machines


text:
CONCORD, N.H. — Jurors in New Hampshire's groundwater contamination case against Exxon Mobil were asked to decide whether the state is seeking a scapegoat or the oil company was protecting its profits, not the environment, when it added MTBE to its gasoline.
The marathon trial neared its end Monday with closing arguments. Each side spent time bashing their opponents' expert witnesses, accusing each other of exaggeration and painting different pictures of the extent of MTBE contamination in New Hampshire's drinking water.
Attorney Jessica Grant for the state said Exxon Mobil should pay $236 million to offset the state's cost to monitor and treat wells contaminated with MTBE. She said the oil giant ignored its own internal memos dating back to 1984 that raised ethical and environmental concerns about MTBE's ability to contaminate faster and further than non-treated gasoline.
Lawyers for Exxon Mobil countered that the state is seeking big bucks from a company that experienced minimal spills at its own New Hampshire sites and cleaned those years ago. They argued that Exxon Mobil used MTBE to comply with federal Clean Air Act standards.
"This is a case about decisions made by the government over 40 years ago," said Exxon Mobil attorney James Quinn. "The government told Exxon Mobil to get the lead out and we did. They told us to use oxygenates and we did. … What is the case really all about? It's about hind-sighting, scapegoating, second-guessing and muddling."
Jurors are to begin deliberations Tuesday.
They will be asked to find whether Exxon Mobil was negligent in adding MTBE to its gasoline, whether the MTBE gasoline was unreasonably dangerous or harmful and whether the oil giant failed to warn about MTBE gasoline's ability to contaminate groundwater to a far greater degree than gasoline without the additive. If they unanimously agree on any factor, they will move on to consider what damages, if any, Exxon Mobil should pay.
Lawyers for Exxon Mobil argue that more than 300 other non-named defendants — from junk yard owners to small gas station owners — are liable for much of the contamination.
The corporation is the sole remaining defendant of the 26 the state sued in 2003. Citgo was a co-defendant when the trial began, but went into settlement negotiations with the state and ultimately settled for $16 million. That brought the total the state has collected in MTBE settlement money to $136 million.
The trial began Jan. 14; Testimony ended March 27. And although the trial is the longest in New Hampshire history, the verdict won't be the final word. Both sides have indicated they are laying the groundwork for an appeal.
Grant told jurors Exxon Mobil paid two of its witnesses $7 million just to "take shots" at the state's key witness — hydro-geologist Graham Fogg — and neither of them tested a single well in New Hampshire.
"As you know, this is a products liability case about the 2.7 billion gallons of MTBE gasoline Exxon supplied and a case about their negligence in failing to pay attention to a study they did about not using MTBE," Grant said.
Grant said Exxon Mobil put MTBE in gasoline five years before the government mandate in 1990 that the company use one of seven oxygenators available, including ethanol. She argued Exxon's decision to keep using MTBE — even in the face of growing evidence of environmental liabilities — was motivated by profit.
Grant told jurors New Hampshire has 600 known sites with MTBE contamination — 228 of them considered high risk to drinking water.
In wrapping up his arguments, Exxon Mobil attorney David Lender accused the state of going to great lengths to "manufacture a huge number for this case" in terms of damages sought.
"If MTBE is really as big a problem as the state says, why is this trial the first time you're hearing about it?" he asked.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
As new deadline approaches, employers take issue with state grant program
Times Record
Navy analysts: competing shipyard's loss isn't BIW's gain
Election 2020
Trump charges into battleground states despite rising virus
Nation & World
Moon may hold ice in more places than scientists suspected
Local & State
Latest estimate shows 11 percent decline in North Atlantic right whale population


text:
McKinney will serve as principal technology adviser to the U.S. Secretary of Transportation.
Former Microsoft Government Technology Advisor Richard McKinney was appointed CIO of the U.S. Department of Transportation. He started on Monday, May 13.
McKinney, a former CIO of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville/Davidson County, Tenn., most recently served as a senior fellow with the Center for Digital Government, a national research and advisory institute on information technology.
The Center for Digital Government and Government Technology magazine are separate entities owned by parent company e.Republic Inc.
"This is an exciting time in government IT with all of the new possibilities ushered in by cloud computing, mobility and shared services," McKinney said in a prepared statement to Government Technology. "Internal business needs as well as public expectations are requiring government to rethink how they effectively manage, deliver and secure digital services and information. I am looking forward to the work and the challenges that lie ahead and the opportunity to work with the entire team at DOT."
McKinney has almost 30 years of technology experience working in both the public and private sectors. He attended Ohio State University and Tennessee State University.
Main image from Shutterstock.
Looking for the latest gov tech news as it happens? Subscribe to GT newsletters.