text:
Help:World Creation and Linking
GM World Building
This guide explains how to create a world within Myth-Weavers wiki. Once created these world pages can be embedded directly into game forum. Game linking is optional, the existence of a game is never required to create your world as wiki pages.
This feature is still actively being improved, check back here occasionally for updates. To make changes not described here post in Site Discussion for help. Only staff can delete unwanted pages, if you move your world from, the old system please get it deleted when once moved.
For Tips on the creative process of world building, redirect here: World Building/Creating a Home Brew World
Create World
To begin your world a "Main" or top level page is needed. The pages are stored in a hierarchy like folders on windows. The subpages are automatically indexed on the main page indented to show how pages are related. This indented list is reproduced as a tree in the game forum once linked but only includes the top two levels, restricted to prevent overcrowding and overflow in the tree.
Your top level page should be created from the "World" index page using the form provided.
Choosing a name: Please restrict the use of non alphanumeric , you can use letters, numbers, underscore and comma. Names need to be unique as they form part of the URL. It will be obvious from the feedback the page already exists if you choose an existing name.
Selecting system: Please do not use misc for common game systems, if your required system type is missing ask, we are only adding them as needed and the list is independent of the list for game forums.
The page created will include various template instructions at the top, never split this, add your content after it.
Create Subpages
The main page and each subpage includes a form to create subpages. These can be renamed but not deleted without a staff request.
Link to Game
Click the wiki button in your game forum, begin typing the world name to reduce the list and select the desired world. The linked world can be changed by repeating the process. To disconnect your game from the world click the wiki button and then click submit.
Currently only one world can be linked to a game. Many games can link to the same world.
Adding Homebrew Crunch
This means things like classes,feats, spells and so on. We will be creating forms to generate these types of entries for popular systems. You can wait or add them now and convert later. There is no time estimate. Our focus is to get D&D 3.5, D&D 4e and Pathfinder done first. If you use a system which you think is well suited to templated entries for crunch please make representation to the wiki crew.
Editing the Auto Created Page Layout
Remove Auto Generated Page List
Remove everything from the line <div style="padding-bottom:10px; padding-left:10px;"> to the line {{Robelbox-close}} The list cannot currently be removed from the main page.
Remove "Create Subpage" Form
On subpages, at or near the top of the page the form appears as {{#forminput:Worldsubpage|size=50||Create subpage|super_page={{FULLPAGENAME}}&preload=Template:Worlsubpg pload}}
It is not currently possible for users to remove the form from the main page.
Force or Remove Table of Contents
When you use section headers in wiki pages a table of contents is auto created once you have 4 headings.
Remove Table of Contents by adding __NOTOC__ near the top of the page. Force Table of Contents (with less than 4 headings), add __TOC__ near the top of the page.


text:
If you want to relax or catch a nap at most airports you have few options beyond slumping uncomfortably in a chair or trying to find a spot in a less-trafficked part of a concourse and stretching out on the floor.
Some airports try to help.
Boston, Philadelphia and Charlotte Douglas International in North Carolina are among the growing number of airports with rocking chairs scattered throughout the terminals. And lounge-style chairs are provided at airports in Amsterdam, Paris and Singapore, and in Los Angeles' Tom Bradley International Terminal, which opened Sept. 8.
(Read more: Perks for parking: Airports join loyalty game)
The options expand if you're willing to open your wallet for the privilege of closing your eyes.
At Amsterdam's Schiphol and London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports, you can book a small, short-stay room at a Yotel that includes a bed, flat-screen TV, full bathroom and Wi-Fi.
For about $40 travelers can catch an hour of zzzs in the Napcabs at Munich Airport or in the Snoozecubes at Dubai Airport.
At airports in Dallas/Fort Worth, Atlanta and Philadelphia, Minute Suites offers rooms with a daybed, TV, sound-masking system, desk and Wi-Fi at hourly rates that start at $34.
"Sixty-two percent of our guests are there to sleep, the remainder to relax or work," said Daniel Solomon, co-founder and CEO of Minute Suites.
(Read more: Airports board the food truck bandwagon)
Minute Suites will open a second location at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport next year and has signed on to open at branch at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport as well.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
With a three-week hiatus in December, lots of Internet searches and Lonely Planet in hand, we hopped on a Continental Airlines flight via Houston to Quito, Ecuador.
Arriving on Dec. 4, we got to experience the Festival of Quito week --colourful cultural events and village "Chivitas" (buses) noisily parading the narrow streets.
After adjusting to the altitude of 2,800 metres, we ventured down the Andes by bus to Riobamba, a five-hour trip. Buses are plentiful, so if you wish to stop off, another will be by shortly. Costs are the equivalent of $1 per hour of travel.
We arrived in Riobamba on Friday in time for the Saturday market. On Sunday, we boarded the twice-weekly train taking us on an interesting ride to Nariz de Diablo (Nose of the Devil).
The 12-hour return trip offered stunning vistas and an insight into the agricultural prowess of the indigenous people.
Then it was on to the Pacific coast, with Puerto Lopez our destination, dropping from 2,800 metres to sea level.
After manoeuvring through the bus terminal in Guayaquil -- as big as many large international airports -- we were on our way to Hosteria Mandala, a relaxing spot right on the beach. Even though it's on the equator, the Humboldt current from Antarctica keeps the temperature pleasant.
After a few days exploring the coastal areas, we went to Manta via Montecristi, the home of Panama hats. Faced with a 12-hour bus trip, we opted for a quick plane trip back to Quito ($62), then back on a bus north to Otavalo in time for the Saturday market.
Christmas shopping was a breeze -- a one-day event -- perfect. Cotacachi nearby produces incredible leather goods.
Ecuador is a small country with so much to offer the traveller: arts, crafts, culture, food and sights, and helpful people. Small hotels abound, providing B&B for about $40, double.
A little knowledge of Spanish is helpful as English is not widely used.
Next trip we will visit the Galapagos and the Amazon. So back to the Internet, Lonely Planet and Ulysses guides.


text:
GEMA, Once Again, Demands Royalties From Creative Commons Music It Has No Rights Over
from the entitlement-society dept
After all that, GEMA still sent an invoice for 200 euros, claiming that they weren't positive everyone on the list wasn't covered by GEMA, and because there were a few pseudonyms, those musicians might be covered by GEMA... and thus the organizers should pay up. And, under the rather ridiculous current law in Germany, the organizers have the burden to "prove" that all of the artists are not covered by GEMA, rather than having GEMA prove that any particular artist is covered. That means, even if the organizers were correct and none of the artists are covered by GEMA, it still doesn't matter, because the organizers have to go out and prove that each individual artist is not under GEMA's umbrella. And people wonder why the Pirate Party is getting so much attention in Germany.


text:
Repositioning Positions
The need to find a better way of doing things was evident to Troy Behrens from the day he arrived as the new assistant vice president for student affairs at Southern Methodist University (Texas) and walked into SMU's Hegi Family Career Development Center. "The red flag that I noticed right away was stacks and stacks of job postings," he recalls. "They went back three or four years. There were binders upon binders piled up. It was nearly impossible for students to find what they were seeking, and it was impossible to guarantee to employers that what they were sending us was being seen. We were getting complaints."
And for good reason. Each of the 3,000 job and internship listings received annually from 700 employers had to be submitted on paper, photocopied three times, placed into binders that were displayed around campus, and entered by one (and only one) administrator into an HTML template for online posting. The average wait time for an employer's position to be posted was a whopping six weeks, by which time the job often was filled. SMU calculated the cost of copies, binders, and wasted time at $45,000 a year.
Behrens convened an employer relations team to triage the handling of submissions. The team's first step was to eliminate copying every listing and inserting it into a binder. All positions would be placed into an online database. Next, SMU purchased an online career services system from the company CSO that helped to automate the web-based posting process and reduce duplication. At the same time, responsibility for reviewing and posting was decentralized, freeing up the time of the administrator who had been solely responsible for all postings. Finally, Behrens designed and developed from scratch an online orientation program, SaddleUp, to familiarize students and alumni with the new job posting and searching system.
The $45,000 in savings was used to hire a job developer, who increased on-campus recruiting activity by 64 percent.
While the software solutions improved things a great deal—a student now can easily search for internships targeted at philosophy majors, say, where previously those opportunities were buried in paperwork—Behrens believes that untangling the process and workflow was the primary factor in streamlining the Hegi Center's operations.
The center has gone from being able to post fewer than 200 jobs a semester to 1,000. The wait time for posted jobs was reduced drastically, and the $45,000 in savings was used to hire a job developer, who increased on-campus recruiting activity by 64 percent. The SaddleUp orientation program helps SMU electronically orient and register 3,000 students and alumni every year. "We cut those six weeks down to six minutes and couldn't be happier," Behrens says. "It's almost a just-in-time project now, which is what it should be."
University officials aren't the only happy ones. Before SMU implemented these changes, only about 11 percent of graduates surveyed reported securing their positions through the university's placement system. Today that number is in the high 30s to low 40s.
Perhaps the most eye-opening quantification, though, involves not students served or wait times reduced or even money saved, but binders and paperwork. Specifically, the old materials that the Hegi Family Career Center pitched as it converted from hard copies to digital files: In cleaning out and cleaning up, Behrens and his team filled a staggering seven industrial-sized dumpsters.
"We have a more efficient system, it's easier to access, and students aren't met with frustration," concludes Behrens, who adds: "To say nothing of the fact that instead of making copies in triplicate and putting them in binders, our staff are out trying to find jobs and internships for students."


text: Hello all. Ive been thinking about us having a little contest here on antionline. Just a friendly little competition. Simply put, best web site design by an AntiOnline member. First we need to get a list of all sites for people wishing to compete. Next we could set up an anonymous poll here and vote. If you are interested, just reply and post the url.


text:
Edmund Optics® uses own and third party cookies to optimize the technical service features of our website. Find out how we use cookies.
(+65) 6273 6644
We have set your country to Singapore
You can change this selection at any time, but products in your cart, saved lists, or quote may be removed if they are unavailable in the new shipping country.
Select Your Country/Region
My Account
Access Your Account Dashboard
My Profile
Update My Profile
Payment & Shipping
Address Book,
Tax Certificates
Web Orders
View Past Orders
Saved Lists
Saved Items for Later
We are here to help! If you need assistance in any way, please fill out the form below and we will contact you.
Thank you for allowing us to help you. We've received your information, and will be contacting you shortly.
Contact : Catalogs : Company : Discount Programs
Copyright year, Edmund Optics Inc., 18 Woodlands Loop #04-00, Singapore 738100


text:
Lenore Skenazy, who inspired the "free range" parenting movement when she allowed her 9-year-old son to take the subway home by himself and then wrote about it, has proposed that May 22 be declared "Take Our Children to the Park … and Leave Them There Day." She quotes some important statistics that our fear of crime is rising while, in fact, the crime rate has been steadily declining for the past 20 years. Are our children paying the price of our fear by losing the freedom of free, outdoor play? Read Lenore's recent post from her blog, "Free Range Kids" which was republished this week in the New York Times.
Don't bother me, I'm playing!
In another article published this week, librarian Barbara Fister challenges some of her colleagues who believe that children should be using Twitter, Facebook, and other Web 2.0 applications in order to become technologically literate. Barbara points to the important neurophysiologic and developmental benefits of active free play for young children, and defends play as a "basic human right" of childhood. Read her article "Playing for Keeps" at libraryjournal.com.
Will you spend time outdoors with your children this weekend? What are their favorite places to play outdoors?


text:
Thursday, 10 March 2011 05:03 PM
NEW YORK (AP) — Weak economic news from China, the U.S. and Spain combined with a slump in oil companies sent stocks sharply lower Thursday. The Dow Jones industrial average had its biggest one-day drop since August.
Investors were jarred when China reported a surprise trade deficit. China's exports fell in February as businesses closed for the weeklong Lunar New Year holiday, but imports of higher-priced oil and other goods jumped, widening the country's deficit to $7.3 billion.
Moody's downgraded Spain's debt, re-igniting fears about Europe's debt crisis. In the U.S., the government reported that new applications for unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week.
The Dow Jones industrial average fell 228.48 points, or 1.9 percent, to close at 11,984.61. McDonald's Corp. was the only stock in the Dow 30 that rose.
The Standard & Poor's 500 index fell 24.91, or 1.9 percent, to 1,295.11. The Dow and S&P 500 are still up 3 percent since the start of the year.
The Nasdaq composite fell 50.70, or 1.8 percent, to 2,701.02.
Thursday's drop in the Dow was the biggest since Aug. 11. The S&P had a larger fall recently, dropping 27.57 points on Feb. 22 as the uprising against Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi gained strength.
News that forces loyal to Gadhafi were poised to recapture the strategic oil port of Ras Lanouf from opposition forces sent oil down in the morning. Crude bounced higher later in the day after Saudi Arabian police fired at protesters. Crude oil lost $1.68 to settle at $102.70 per barrel, below the high of nearly $107 a barrel it reached on Monday.
Stocks fell broadly, but energy companies were hit the hardest. Exxon Mobil Corp., the largest company in the world by market value, fell 3.6 percent. Chevron Corp. also fell 3 percent. Energy companies fell 3.6 percent, the most of any industry tracked by S&P.
Oil has been surging over the past few weeks because of the spreading protests in North Africa the Middle East. Libya produces less than 2 percent of the world's oil supply, investors have been worried that unrest will spread to major oil-producing countries like Saudi Arabia and disrupt the flow of crude.
Only a handful of S&P 500 companies rose. Starbucks Corp. rose 10 percent after cementing a deal with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. to sell drinks in machines made by Keurig. Netflix Inc. rose 3.6 percent.
Apart from several sharp swings in the last month, stocks have been rising nearly continuously since last August, when the Federal Reserve said it would take steps to stimulate the economy. Wednesday marked two years since stocks bottomed out at 12-year lows.
Quincy Krosby, chief market strategist at Prudential, said the market was shaken by the combination of unexpectedly weak economic news from China, the downgrade of Spain's debt and concerns that protests planned for Friday in Saudi Arabia could bring instability to the world's largest exporter of oil.
"The tone of the market has clearly changed," Krosby said. "The market trend had been to buy rather than sell and that bad news doesn't matter. The momentum is slowing."
The government reported before the market opened that new applications for unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week and the trade deficit jumped in January. New unemployment claims rose by 26,000, far more than the 12,000 analyst had expected. Applications fell to nearly a three-year low the previous week.
Investors moved money into relatively stable investments as stock prices fell. Treasury prices rose, sending the yield on the 10-year note down to 3.36 percent from 3.47 percent late Wednesday. An index measuring the dollar against other currencies rose 0.7 percent.
© Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Newsmax Comment Policy
Keep discussions on topic, avoid personal attacks and threats of any kind. Links will not be permitted.
Newsmax, Moneynews, Newsmax Health, and Independent. American. are registered trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc. Newsmax TV, and Newsmax World are trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc.


text:
0 Members and 2 Barbarians in a Horde are spying on this topic.
I need your advice, o dice patron, how do you make the standard d20, d10, etc. and also rune dice (hail odin) out of wood.
Another question. I noticed a few oriental dice on your site. I especially liked the dice that had only a single number transfered into kanji. Where can I find those? I would love to have a set of dice with the 1 a kanji symbol.
I am a woodworker myself and have yet to come up with an accurate method of achieving the complex angles ... I know there is a way as I have a [/url] My expertise is in finish carpentry and cabinet work ... so this is a bit out of my depth ... sorry I let you down
Do you know how to make an even d6? I long ago read something about balancing it, but am not sure.
If you assume uniform wood density then all that is needed is to cut accurately, (and we all know what ass-u-me makes ...)
Yeah, how do you recommend measuring it and what to cut with?
And when you design a new shape? I take it they're not wood, so what materials do you use?(and how?)
Your updates are great ! I like this month's Tobacco Dice...Not sure if I missed the answer to this question somewhere along this thread, but how do I get my hands on some of these bad-boys?
The Tobacco Dice would be exactly what I'm looking for!! I'll trade you a 69' mint condition Playboy for all of them
Do you know where I might get my hands on some of these?http://www.dicecollector.com/D10_OPAQUE_ROUNDED_SWIRL_CC_OBLIVION_STD_POLY.jpg
I've been thinking about getting a set of the dice made of actual bone recently. I've read a couple bad reviews on them about the numbers being hard to read and the dice just being of poor quality. Do you have an opinion of these dice? http://www.rpgshop.com/product_info.php?products_id=36295&
Page created in 0.722 seconds with 29 queries.


text:
High Quality XENPAK Series Optics Available AT A Fraction Of Manufacturer Prices!
You have an alternative to high-cost optics. Curvature XENPAK optical transceivers offer 10 Gigabit Ethernet performance in a compact package. All of our optics are 100% compatible with Multi-Source Agreement (MSA) requirements and are tested in a wide range of products and platforms across all leading networking vendors to ensure performance. With cost savings of 70-90% off of manufacturer list prices, and stocking locations around the world, Curvature can help you meet your budget and logistics requirements. All Curvature optics come with a true lifetime warranty.


text:
Painted Confetti Dishtowel.
tintable fabric medium and head over to Make and Takes for my full tutorial. I even share how to get those perfect circles and it's more simple than you'd believe.
p.s. In case you're curious, I used Martha Stewart acrylic craft paint in Geranium, Yellow Jacket and Beach Glass on my dishtowels.
Posted by dandee on Wednesday, May 02, 2012 Labels: elsewhere, mom's best network, tutorial
12 comments:
So cute and happy!ReplyDelete
I really, really love this. So fresh and spring-like. I have to make my way to Michaels - thank you for the inspiration - I don't know how you can get to these projects after your move - but thanks!ReplyDelete
love love love this! Will be making this weekend. Where do you buy your towels at?ReplyDelete
scratch that I just saw, Amazon. :o)ReplyDelete
adorable! I love it. Filing this away for a rainy day project :)ReplyDelete
So cute, and I can do it. Easy and cute. I think I'll do some dish clothes also.ReplyDelete
So cute, and I can do it. Easy and cute. I think I'll do some dish clothes also.ReplyDelete
I love those dish towelsReplyDelete
- AnonymousMay 18, 2012 at 4:22 AM
Arts n crafting was my dream but life took me to softwares... But wen i see these crafting i feel good for my self that those people who make this n make me feel happy... Thanx..ReplyDelete
What a fun craft for kids to make!! Just curious if you pre-washed the towels first and does the paint you used hold up when you wash them?ReplyDelete


text:
Customize Your Rental
Available in YORK, PA
Select the Student's Grade so we may get rental instrument availability and recommended supplies for your school.
We make renting easy!
3 easy ways to get your instrument
- At over 400 locations
- FREE delivery to your child's school (where available)
- Convenient shipping right to your home (When will I receive my instrument?)
- We work closely with the local Music Directors to offer their preferred instruments and classroom materials
- Free repairs with Maintenance & Repair coverage - select our Liability and Damage Waiver (LDW)
- No commitment - Free exchange, return, or purchase any time! - FAQ about Rental Plan
Have an existing rental instrument in need of repair or service? Learn More
For assistance, call 888-731-5396
Available in YORK, PA
Click the video below to learn more about Rentals.
Why choose Music & Arts?
- Convenient, flexible rental plans
- Largest chain of music stores devoted to the beginning musician
- Trusted by thousands of Music Educators & parents nationwide
Have an existing rental instrument in need of repair or service? Learn More
For assistance, call 888-731-5396


text:
by Michelle
When I lived in Kentucky, there were 4 wine refrigerators in the house. The two smaller ones kicked the bucket pretty early. However, the two larger ones (40-50 bottles) are still running.
During some recent change-ups, I lost custody of the wine refrigerators. So now I'm in the market for a new one.
I've been researching, of course, and there are a lot of recommendations out there. I know that my main requirement is storage for 40-50 bottles. Following that, I'd like a quiet appliance and tinted glass. Less important is the need for a reversible door or dual temperature control. I'll have to be particular about what goes into the new fridge, as I'm in a San Francisco apartment and well, space is at a premium. Gone are the days of 4 wine coolers in one room …
What brand do you have? Is it reliable? Have you had it for longer than 3 or 4 years? I'd love to hear your experiences as I shop for a wine cooler – on my own – for the first time.
Wine Competitions Wine Book Club (WBC) Wine Judging Reviews Readings Whiskey Watch France Games Weblogs Wine Clubs Books RIP Repost WBW #65 Wine Glossary Wine Maps TasteCamp Web/Tech Marketing Uncategorized Legislation Recipes Florida Recession Wine Meet the Winemaker Greatest Hits Drink Pink! (BCRF) Holiday Current Affairs Television Spirits Photos Wine Shop Wednesday Contests Scotch & Whiskey History Disney Wine Tech Food and Wine Pairings Mad Men Monday Guest Writers Pop Culture Food and Drink Wine Blogs Knowledge Entertainment Dinner and Drinks Life Charity Benefits News Beer-Guy.net Special Events Beer WBW Local Wineries Cocktails Wine Shops Restaurants Travel Wineries Wine Notes Wine Events Weekly Cincinnati Wine Events Wine Misc Local Tastings Cincinnati
Krystal Pepper Memorial Scholarship Fund
Raising money for a scholarship fund in memory of Michelle's little sister who passed away in 2007


text:
The Nike Air Jordan 13 Kids Shoes White Grey Pink is a retro version of the shoe MJ wore as he captured his first double three-peat. Modeled after the speed and prowess of a panther, this style features a quilted leather upper with round hologram on the side and a unique hidden lacing system. Other details include a Phylon midsole with heel and forefoot Zoom Air units and a rubber sole. The Nike Jordan 13 Kids Shoes have interesting designs inspired by a black panther. The iconic midsole is molded after the paws of the animal, and the nice hologram at the ankle is thought to represent the glowing eye of it. These shoes are also housed with leather and nubuck upper for plush look, sparkly mesh side panels for superior ventilation, padded collar and tongue for cozy feel, Zoom Air unit and soft foot bed for cushioning and comfort, and the outsole with enhanced traction pattern which contributes to multi-directional grip on all kinds of surfaces.
- Kid
- Grey
- Pink
- White


text:
What is the unique about the film ' Adi Shankaracharya '
"The Republic" was written by whom?
The Republic was written by Plato.
View Answer
Report Error
Who wrote the English Bill of Rights?
The Bill of Rights, also known as the English Bill of Rights, is an Act of the Parliament of England that sets out certain basic civil rights and clarifies who would be next to inherit the Crown.
Who is the auther of the book Atal Ji Ne Kaha?
The book Taste of India is written by
The book Mother India was authored by
The book Mother India (1927) is a polemical book by American historian Katherine Mayo which attacks Indian society, religion and culture.
Regarding the Magna Carta, which statement is false?
The Great Gatsby is written in which point of view?
A first person point of view is said by a character who is invoved in the events of the story and unlike third person point of views will actually use words such as 'we' or 'I'.
The Great Gatsby is told from the point of view of Nick Carroway. He is from the Midwest, but narrates the story after it takes place in the East. As such, he is an outsider, and tends to judge what he experiences in the East based on his midwestern ideas and values.
Nick makes an effort to assure the reader that he is nonjudgmental and completely honest. This is ironic, because he is very judgmental and opinionated.
Who wrote Das Kapital?
Das Kapital, one of the major works of the 19th-century. Economist and philosopher Karl Marx (1818–83), wrote, in which he expounded his theory of the capitalist system, its dynamism, and its tendencies toward self-destruction.
We'll send you weekly updates from Sawaal
Copyright © 2016 Sawaal.com | All Rights Reserved


text:
[Constitution, Jefferson's Manual, and the Rules of the House of Representatives, 112th Congress] [112nd Congress] [House Document 111-157] [The United States Constitution] [Pages 1-4] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov] [[Page 1]] ======================================================================== ======================================================================== CONSTITUTION [[Page 2]] [[Page 3]] __________
|Sec. 1. The preamble.
|We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
|Sec. 2. Formation of the Constitution.
|The First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in September, 1774 and adopted the Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress, embodying rights and principles later to be incorporated into the Constitution of the United States. The Second Continental Congress adopted in November, 1777 the Articles of Confederation, which the States approved in July, 1778. Upon recommendation of the Continental Congress, a convention of State representatives met in May, 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation and reported to the Continental Congress in September a new Constitution, which the Congress submitted to the States for ratification. Nine States, as required by the Constitution for its establishment, had ratified by June 21, 1788, and eleven States had ratified by July 26, 1788. The Continental Congress adopted a resolution on September 13, 1788, putting the new Constitution into effect; the First Congress of the United States convened on March 4, 1789, and George Washington was inaugurated as the first President on April 30, 1789.


text:
For the past two days the link to the Home page has been broken. I get an error message saying "Index unrecognized -
at line 1490." When I access Cruciverb.com the Forum page comes up but the Home page cannot be loaded. What gives?
Thank you. John D. Prejean
So, I strongly recommend that you patch your site.
To give you an idea, you'll probably spend more time fixing your hacked site than upgrading it with the last versions.


text:
Ever since Tune-Yards' early single 'Real Life Flesh', Merrill Garbus has been fixated on the corporeal. She's not only obsessed with the place that she's from, but with the land it sits on. She's not just examining her sense of self, but the body which gives it home.
These are themes which continue to mature across Nikki Nack, where abstractions are personified ('Hey Life') and the listener is confronted by the raw materials of existence at every turn – water, soil and body parts everywhere.
It's a fitting framework for music which sounds so thrillingly physical. In live performance, Garbus appears to sing with far more than just her mouth and throat. It comes from far deeper within her, channelling through her entire body as she leads a carnival of floor toms, ukulele, war paint and nursery rhymes.
"Oh my god, I use my lungs. Soft and loud – any way feels good", she sings on 'Real Thing', before launching into a soaring, visceral roar of a refrain. This and other moments on this record are some of the most accurately recorded representations of how it feels to hear Garbus sing live, projecting with an almost inhuman power.
As Nikki Nack continues beyond whokill's pristine, hi-fi production, the instrumentation matches Garbus' physical strength at every pass. The songs on her last album often exploded into a thrilling chaos of ideas, but without ever denting the space, clarity and poise of the mix. Nikki Nack extends this approach, adding even more detail into the textures, while deepening its subtlety.
Such is the level of detail in these arrangements – the buried gems, the one off flourishes, the barely noticeable showcases of prowess – that it's hard to know which to highlight. It's fair to point to the bass work, which really comes into its own on this record, often working against expectations – as with so many components of these songs – to create the most vital results.
On lead single 'Water Fountain', for example, the bass loop sneaks off into the second verse a few bars early, just as the chorus hits its "woo-ha! woo-ha!" vocal climax. On 'Sink-O', the bass hugs Garbus' ascension for a few tones, before suddenly contradicting the pattern by staying where it is, and then collapsing down the fret board while the vocal continues to climb.
Moments of productive sabotage are scattered across ever bar of this music, and detonate without drawing any special attention to their efforts. Their effects are usually felt rather than noticed, united with the force of all the other details, and create the most colourfully painted textures of Tune-Yards' career.
There is a downside, and that's the trade-off between what's gained through this added detail and subtlety, against the lost explosions of immediacy which ambushed the listener several times a song during whokill. There are ultimately far fewer miracle moments on Nikki Nack, like the revelations of hearing 'My Country' and 'Gangsta' for the first time.
But to expect Tune-Yards to have made the same sonic leap forwards with Nikki Nack as they did from BiRd-BrAiNs to whokill would have been a great deal to ask, even of Garbus. Nikki Nack is a side-step from showiness into comparative subtlety, offering rounder edges to even busier, more vivid songs. At its best, it's the purest yet expression of Garbus' exploration of the corporeal: an album with sounds you can see, a voice you can feel, and music you can all but touch.
8Russell Warfield's Score


text: I put together a new robot using Dynamixel AX-12+ servos and I wanted to test an algorithm for tracking a moving object. The camera being used is a DLink 920 wireless operating over 802.11g and the visual tracking is done using RoboRealm. All processing is done on my desktop PC. The full writeup can be found here:


text:
Linked by Thom Holwerda on Fri 20th Jan 2006 21:39 UTC
Apple Computer's announcement of new Macs based on processors from Intel raises an interesting question: Since both the Mac and Windows operating systems now run on Intel-based hardware, shouldn't it be easy to run both on the same computer? That simple question deserves a simple answer. But there isn't one - at least not right now. Reaching the nirvana of running the two most popular desktop operating systems on one machine is a lot harder than you might expect.
Permalink for comment 87935
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
RE: Well...


text:
PY04 Older Youth Employment Retention Rate State RankingsThis map shows the Entered Employment Rate rankings for the WIA Older Youth program in PY 04. The rate ranges from a high of 95.7% in the Tennessee to a low of 60.6% in Vermont. The map highlights the ten highest and lowest states for this ranking. The ten highest states in order are Tennessee, Idaho, District of Columbia, Wyoming, Maryland, Nebraska, North Dakota, Maine, Arkansas, and Iowa. The ten lowest states from top to bottom are Arizona and Nevada (tied), Massachusetts, Ohio, Delaware, Pennsylvania,
New Mexico, Alabama, Kansas, New York and Vermont.
Table 1


text:
This dirty diva is as nasty as they come! She went from being an innocent pop-star princess to a full-fledged slut overnight, and she can't wait to satisfy your every desire! Her three tender love holes are begging to be filled with everything you've got. Satisfy yourself orally, vaginally or even anally - Dirty Christina wants to rock your cock!
Ships Everywhere.


text:
Search Term
Advanced Search
0 Items (Empty)
Your shopping cart is currently empty. If you would like to make a purchase today, add items to your shopping cart.
New Website Online
04/20/2014 12:42:57 PM:We hope you enjoy our new site and the ability to order directly online.
P.O. Box 215 Maugansville, Maryland 21767 United States
(800) 733-8883
© 2018 Holsingers Meat Market. All rights reserved worldwide.


text: 6-1 Jaylen Shaw of Hartsville said Friday he was offered by USC Thursday night. Shaw said Gamecock coach Frank Martin made the offer in person. "They just offered and told me what was going on," Shaw said. "I liked it. I was looking forward to it, expecting it. I didn't make any commitment. I'm still trying to make a decision." He said he won't make a decision until near the spring signing period which begins April 17th. He said he and Martin did not talk about an official visit to USC. Shaw has taken official visits to Tulane and High Point, to whom he was once committed, and he was scheduled for a visit to Miami of Ohio this weekend. He said he's not sure if he'll make that visit. Shaw said he will play in an all star game Saturday night at Benedict College.


text:
Guybrush wrote:With this play, they are both deserving of a spot. If somehow we don't see either of them on the West All-Star team, then I'm all for some kind of protest. Heck, I would help with a riot, if I wasn't so far away. lol
I was already thinking about that. How do we protest? I kind of have the sense already that unless there is an injury to one of the players that we won't get in the AS game. It happened to Baron in 08 and there is no reason why it wouldn't happen again. Plus there will be other teams that will have a losing record and have an all star, the Lakers maybe even 2. But the question is, does anybody care about the Warriors?


text:
Resurrecting Easter Brunch
Make it easy, unfussy, and delicious
Easter conjures up idyllic images of bunnies, bonnets, and brunch. But somewhere around adolescence it becomes apparent that the bunnies don't have much relevance and the bonnets aren't cute. And the brunch? With the heavy roast and predictable sides, it's just boring. This year, create a new tradition. Our Easter menu celebrates the season, gives a nod to the holiday standards, and can mostly be made ahead. So, invite over your nearest and dearest and revive Easter brunch while making it your own.
MENU (see images below)
Goat Cheese Toasts with Asparagus-Mushroom Ragu
Main Dishes
Roasted Lamb Sausages
with Grape-Mint Relish
Shaved Fennel and
Pistachio Salad
Want More?
Try these extra Easter recipes
Farro Risotto with Asparagus and Fava Beans
Zucchini Carpaccio with Feta and Pine Nuts
Rhubarb and Strawberry Compote
Spiced French Toast with Roasted Pineapple
Egg-White Frittata with Shrimp, Tomato, and Spinach
Roast Leg of Lamb in an
Herb Crust
Roasted Rosemary and
Lemon Chicken
Lemon Meringue Pie with Graham Cracker Crust


text:
Newhaven Fort
Newhaven Fort is an award winning attraction and a fine example of an English fortification, Newhaven Fort has the sights and sounds of the past, offering a truly unforgettable day out for the whole family.
Newhaven Fort's on-site military museum demonstates its role through the First and Second World Wars, offering exciting glimpses into England's dramatic wartime past.
Offering a warm welcome and a day out with a difference, a visit to Newhaven Fort is not to be missed!
Venue Type:
Museum, Heritage site, Castle or defences
Newhaven Fort will be open every day of the week in 2016 from 15th February to 6th November. We open from 10.00am - 5pm, with last admission at 4pm. Dogs welcome on a lead.
Gift Aid Charges (standard in brackets)
Adult £7.70 (£7.00)
Senior £6.35 (5.75)
Student £5.95 (£5.40)
Child £5.10 (£4.60)
Family (2 Adults & 2/3 Children) £23.10 (£21.00)
Disabled Adult £4.15 (£3.75)
Disabled Child £1.20 (£1.05)
Carer £2.40 (£2.15)
Additional info
1940's Tea Room open 10.00am - 5.00pm Last orders at 4.30pm.
Newhaven Fort
Fort Road
East Sussex
- About
- | Collections
- | Map


text:
Cute pouty brat Goldie starts by looking at you and saying "Hey Stepdaddy we need to talk". She tells you that she has pictures of you doing all kinds of filthy acts and that your relationship is going to change. You are going to buy her a car, and serve drinks and her parties, and even buy a boat for her. Then she wiggles out of her cut off jean shorts and spreads her perfect little ass for you and tells you to get to work. She winks her asshole at you as she makes you beg to kiss her superior asshole. You get to see some amazing closeups as she winks her asshole… you are going to want to kiss your screen! She giggles and laughs at you as you lick her ass, and then tells you that you are her stepdaddy slave now. She tells you that you are a pervert for loving her butthole and orders you to worship it. She orders you to jerk off your cock for you…after all, she owns you now! She counts down from 10 as you jerk off and cum for her, and then she finishes with some disgusting cum-eating orders! A must-have clip for fans of Brat-Femdom!
Other Clips By This Studio!
Check out these other hot clips from this studio!


text:
Follow RFF News on your cell phone. Text follow rff to 40404 you will receive txt messages with RFF News
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
yay, Ruday is watching it too. I don't feel lonely.
Trevor doesn't watch Apprentice? I thought he was business oriented! Hmmm...So RJ and banzai...who are your favs? The London guy Sean is cool. The gals? Roxanne & Tammy. I think they'll be the F3.
Page created in 0.073 seconds with 34 queries.


text:
Rewind 2013: In addtition to Sarah Musgrave's fave dishes of 2013, you can also read Fine Dining critic Lesley Chesterman's fave dishes. And don't forget to count yourself in! Click here to tell us your fave Montreal restos of 2013.
MONTREAL - We're so lucky in Montreal, I think to myself often — especially when I come back from a big sprawling U.S. city where everyone drives everywhere in SUVs to big-box stores and major chain restaurants — that we can so easily taste cuisines from all over the world at independent businesses run by people who want to share something of their heritage. Chronicling casual restos in this city has come to be as much writing about business, history and culture as it is about the food itself. Sure, we're all trying to make a buck and we're all trying to get a deal, but the casual food scene has its own economics, curious customers and committed restaurateurs. Some of these restaurants won't end up on my Top 10 of the year, but they did create a moment that stood out and that I still remember — enough to go back for again, to very happily refresh my memory.
Cambodian amok
A classic Cambodian preparation, amok is typically a dish of fish or seafood cooked in a banana leaf so that the foliage seals in moisture and imparts a delicate taste. The packet brought to my table at La Petite Mangue released whiffs of fragrant spices, kaffir lime, galangal, lemon grass and coconut layered on and around tender basa fish filets. Owner Dylida Mao may not be able to get fresh banana leaf to work with, but she's clearly communicating the complexities of this dish at her well-intentioned eatery. It was a good year for representation of Khmer cuisine in Montreal, with another new Cambodian-focused eatery entering the scene. Tuk Tuk offered a less elaborate version of amok with sautéed chicken and vegetables in the much-prized kreoung paste and coconut cream.
Vietnamese mi xia xiu tom kho
Sen Vang serves a lot of the same dishes as other Vietnamese restaurants in town in much the same conditions, namely pho soups, noodle and rice dishes in a bare setting of plastic tables and tiled floors. I particularly enjoyed mi xia xiu tom kho, made with yellow egg noodles, slices of char siu (Chinese-style barbecue pork) and fried shrimp wafer. Instead of getting it as a soup, I opted for "dry" so that the pork broth with onions and morsels of garlic came separately. That allows you to adjust as you go, mixing in the sweet-sour sauce at the bottom of the bowl, splashing in some condiments like black vinegar, and alternating with spoonfuls of soup as you go. The restaurateurs, anyway, seem to prefer it this way themselves.
Peruvian anticucho de pulpo
Alonso Gil's Peruvian canteen set more chic standards for itself when it moved from Villeray to the Mile End/Outremont border this year. It offers tapas-format plates of the country's multiculturally influenced cuisine, including standards like lomo saltado, ceviche, tiradito and chupe de camarones, creamy shrimp soup that ought to combat winter chill. It was the anticucho de pulpo — often made with skewered beef heart, but here offered with octopus — that stole my heart. Using the same hot and savoury marinade of vinegar and spices, with just the right bite from aji panca (red chilies), it brought perfectly cooked octopus, accompanied by fried yucca sticks, chubby kernels of Peruvian choclo and homemade mayo.
Portuguese grilled chicken
This staple of the Plateau Mont-Royal food scene goes back to the history of immigration. In fact, co-owner of this new entry, Tony Alves, worked at nearby institution Romados for two decades. The grill at Ma Poule Mouillée can handle 32 chickens in under an hour, and the meat is juicy with a hint of charcoal cooking on the surface. The hot sauce is tops, a recipe containing piri piri peppers, porto, whisky, white wine and orange juice was inspired by Alves's parents' restaurant in northern Portugal. The bird comes with a basic salad and the option of paprika-laced potatoes instead of fries.
Persian halim bademjan
Although other dishes are more like satellites orbiting around the sun that is meat brochettes at Iranian restaurants, they do deserve more attention. Relocated downtown from N.D.G., Uncle Jamal serves a delightful, warm, cosy, plunge-right-in dip/casserole called halim bademjan. It's made with cooked-down eggplant, lentils and chunks of lamb (optional and not entirely necessary) with a topping of dried mint soaked in oil, crumbled nuts and boldly flavoured whey called kashk, with a distinctive sour, fermented taste. Dig in deep with crusty ciabatta bread.
Turkish su Boregi
Enjoyable as it was, I didn't expect to be including this dish on a Best Of list. But months after my meal at Sefa, the restrained flavours of Turkish food served at this charming restaurant are still in my mind — as are co-owner Diyar Mayil's thoughtful explanations about her family's culinary heritage. She even mentioned that there's a Turkish word to describe that particular longing for more of a taste of something delicious. Case in point: su boregi. In Turkish, su means water, and boregi refers to pastry found in countless versions (and name variations, like bourek and borek) throughout the regions of the former Ottoman Empire. For this application, each sheet of phyllo is briefly immersed in boiling water before it's layered in the pan, with smooth mild Turkish feta in the middle, and then it's baked like a lasagna. With a delicate golden crust on the outside and a soft, pliable cheese-filled interior, it lands somewhere between a pasta dish and a pastry dish. Subtle but memorable.
French canelés
The baked goods, savoury and sweet, are made fresh early each morning at a tiny pocket of a place called Micro Resto La Famille. From the fig-and-goat-cheese quiches to the bostock crackling with almonds, the food has finesse but it's not fussy stuff. France-trained Maxime Daniel-Six's canelés are dangerously good, from that characteristically caramelized crust on the bottom that almost flirts with burned to the cakey, custardy rich insides. A dousing of Ricard to give them an anise flavour puts them over the top, and makes them even more suited, if that's possible, to a good cup of coffee, which a member of La Famille will pull for you.
Indian butter chicken thali
This fill-in-the-blanks metal tray option at Park Extension newcomer Flavours of India gets the nod for its price-quality ratio. There are meat-and veggie-oriented thalis to choose from; I customized the meal platter to get rich and unsweet butter chicken, dark, fluffy and teasingly hot spinach, and a serving of dal makhani with black lentils and kidney beans. Basmati rice, naan and a little side salad rounded it out for $6.99. If the pungent and juicy ginger chicken was offered with it, I would be even more over the moon.
Burmese tea leaf salad
An outlier, for sure, Ruby Burma is one of Montreal's first and only Burmese restaurants, so kudos to the team for bringing a wider audience to the cooking of Myanmar. The menu features seven different salads, including one with fermented tea leaves, dried shrimp, peanuts, sesame seeds, beans and tomato. The combination of refreshing elements and umami elements, tossed with lettuce, worked together to earn favourable comparisons to a good Caesar. Think about it for summer, with a cold beer and an order of baya kyaw (bahji-like split-pea fritters sizzled with cilantro and curry leaves).
Vegetarian hemp burger
Lola Rosa has been doing vegetarian food for some time, and its new souped up location on Park Ave. seems to shine a little brighter. Presented charcuterie-style on a wooden board, the signature burger is a great alternative to the beef burger overload around the city (and in every other city). The moist hemp, chickpeas and lentil patty was stacked with barbecue sauce, guacamole, tomato and pickle, and nestled in a soft, squishy bun. A bit of fun on the side from coleslaw and weird-but-good chickpea fries in vegan mayo with a splash of tamari soy. Even the nachos — just nachos, right? — seemed to celebrate how good a meal can be without meat.
Here are coordinates for restaurants referenced in Sarah Musgrave's best-dishes list:
Check back at montrealgazette.com/food on Dec. 21 for Lesley Chesterman and Sarah Musgrave's picks for best restos of 2013 and wine columnist Bill Zacharkiw's list of his favourite wines of 2013.


text:
- Inside Athletics
- Tickets
- Fan Zone
- Media Zone
- Social
- Shop
- Donate Now
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Dec. 10, 2009) - In a season that had its ups and downs, one word better than any other described the 2009 ETSU women's soccer team and that word was character.
"Despite injuries, tough losses and the hardest schedule that our program has ever faced, I thought each and every player on our team never gave up," said head coach Heather Henson. "Every day in practice these ladies came to work and regardless of what the situation was, every girl battled through the adversity we faced throughout the fall."
The Bucs knew coming into the season that they would face a schedule that included five 2008 NCAA Tournament participants in Tennessee, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Charlotte and Radford.
"When we put this schedule together I knew that our girls would be facing some of the best teams around," said Henson. "If you look at the results against these squads, our team was in almost every match throughout most of the second half. We ended up letting up a couple of goals late, but these contests gave our players the experience and toughness we needed as we headed into conference play. We knew some of the SEC teams had a lot of speed, talent and depth, but despite that, the thing I'm most proud of is how we played our style of soccer against them."
One non-conference highlight that stood out for ETSU was its dramatic 2-1 win over defending BigSouth champion Radford. Back on September 9th the Bucs showed their toughness after the Highlanders tied the match at 1-1 with less than four minutes remaining in regulation. After the ensuing kickoff, ETSU immediately moved down the pitch where sophomore midfielder Genna Petersen (Loveland, Ohio), took a long pass down the right side. The second year starter then crossed an outstanding pass over to junior forward Terri Miller (Cape Coral, Fla.), who fired home the game winner with two minutes to play.
"The Radford match was one that really showed the spirit of this team," Henson said. "Here's a program in Radford that has had success in their conference and really does a great job every year defending its home field. After we gave up the late goal that evened the score our girls could have got down and quit. Instead they were determined to find a way to get the job done and that's what they did."
As they entered conference play ETSU picked up wins over league-winner Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, North Florida and USC Upstate. Unfortunately for the Bucs -- who had a chance to clinch a spot in the postseason tournament with a win the last regular season weekend - ETSU finished two points behind Campbell for sixth.
"This conference season had its highs and lows," said Henson. "We gave ourselves a chance at the end and the bottom line is that we didn't get it done with a win. I knew the last weekend of the season was going to be difficult against (Florida) Gulf Coast and Stetson. However, on a positive note our girls showed a lot of toughness in the win against Kennesaw, after a heartbreaking loss to Mercer in double overtime. The way our conference works with the points system, teams can't just settle for a tie. Every match our players went out to win and unluckily we came up one match short that last weekend."
Individually, ETSU had a number of great performances throughout the season. Players like junior midfielder Alex Meehan (Knoxville, Tenn.), and sophomore defender Jessica Hiltenbrand (Bartlett, Tenn.), stepped in due to injuries and excelled at their respected positions.
"Like any season you have some injuries, but unfortunately this past fall two of our potential starters (Rachel Van Horn and Jennifer Altimier) went down early. Players like Alex and Jessica gave us a boost throughout the remainder of the season. When you have to change gameplans and scouting reports because you're missing some key pieces the biggest thing a team needs is steadiness. I think as a whole we had other girls step up like Genna Petersen, who brought consistency to their positions. All these factors helped us raised our level of play every time adversity happen to an individual player."
Another outstanding Buc this past season was sophomore goalkeeper Megan Masch (Virginia Beach, Va.). Masch finished the season as the top keeper in the A-Sun in saves (125), while rounding out the year third among league keepers with a .801 save percentage.
"I can truly say there wasn't one match I can remember when Masch didn't make a key save for our team," Henson said. "Whether it was diving for a ball at the upper 90 or keeping us in a match with a stop in a one-on-one situation, Megan was one of the biggest reasons we were able to stay in close contests. Along with Gaughan (sophomore Caitlin Gaughan, Indianapolis, Ind.), each of our keepers pushed each other hard throughout training. This helped Masch raise her game to another level as the season started."
In addition to some outstanding performances from some of the younger players, ETSU closed the careers of three outstanding seniors this past fall. Kim Jones (Springfield, Va.), Kia Kindell (Westchester, Ohio), and Jordan Monty (Mesquite, Texas), - who was named as a member of the A-Sun First-Team - wrapped up their outstanding playing careers for the Bucs.
"Looking back at this senior class, you realize how special each of these young ladies was both on and off the field," said Henson. "Kim leaves here as the all-time record holder in matches started and Kia and Jordan both are in the top-five in total minutes played and career starts. The thing that stands out to me the most about these ladies is how they they continued to develop this program on a day-to-day basis. Each practice, training session and game they came to the field ready to work. There was never a time when I worried about if each of them was going to improve their skills as players or leaders. I know I speak for my entire staff in saying that each of them will be truly missed."
Despite the loss of a senior class that led ETSU to three A-Sun Tournaments and multiple records the Bucs future is bright with raising players like freshmen Morgan Thomas (Maryville, Tenn.) and Tori Head (Kingsport, Tenn.).
"I thought both Morgan and Tori came in ready to play," said Henson. "Morgan is a player that we switched from up top in our offense to one of our backline defenders midway through the season. One thing I thought helped was her ability to learn quickly. She's a versatile player that was a great addition to our defense. Throughout the year Morgan established herself as a solid player that could be counted on to do her job when she was in the game. Tori on the other hand was player that really just played hard every time she took the field. She was able to be that scrappy fighter that we needed to have in our offense. Her great speed gave us a spark at times and I look for great things form both ladies in the future."
Even though the Bucs finished one game outside the A-Sun Tournament this season the Bucs have already been taking steps to improve this last month and half.
"As a coaching staff and team we hated that we fell short of the conference tournament," said Henson. "That being said, our players have been motivated for 2010 ever since our last match ended. Their offseason conditioning and training has gone well. I think as a coaching staff we are working on making the adjustments we need to be successful as we head into the spring season and next fall. I know our entire program is determined to be successful right from the start and that has been seen in how hard the girls are working in their workouts."
For more information on the ETSU women's soccer team, please visit www.ETSUBucs.com. Also you can follow daily post and updates on the official ETSU women's soccer Twitter page at www.twitter.com/ETSUSoccer.


text:
President To Pardon Turkeys
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama throws his support behind Liberty...
Arab Christians, minorities, reshaping US enclaves
Arab Christians, minorities, reshaping US enclaves
< Nasty Weather Closes Pass
Mar 22, 2013 06:57
Category: General News
Category: General News
Governor Puts On Pressure to Pass Transportation Package
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Gov. Jay Inslee says that passing a transportation funding package this year must be a priority for the Legislature. In an interview with The Associated Press yesterday, Inslee said he is concerned that momentum for passing such a plan has been dissipating. House Democrats last month unveiled a $9.8 billion dollar transportation funding package that included a 10-cent bump in the gas tax and more than $3 billion in new bonds.


text:
Scott Wiegman named one of top four instructors of Pool Operator Primer
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT Gary Young Scales Advertising 612-247-8123
ELIZABETH, NJ (November 8, 2010) — Hayward® Pool Products takes great pride in its commitment to professional development and training of its pool product professionals. Now, the leading pool product manufacturer is proud to announce that Hayward Eastern Regional Training Manager Scott Wiegman has been named one of the country's top four instructors by the National Swimming Pool Foundation® (NSPF®).
NSPF, a non-profit foundation and the largest worldwide aquatic education and research organization, recognized Wiegman for being one of the top four instructors offering the Pool Operator Primer™ course. The Pool Operator Primer online course allows students to earn a Certified Pool/Spa Operator certification by completing the online course followed by a one-day Pool Operator Fusion™ classroom course, saving students valuable time. Wiegman, himself, received comprehensive training and certification to teach the CPO® certification program along with aquatic-related professionals across a variety of industry segments including health officials, service professionals, builders, manufacturers, property managers, retailers, and academicians. The training these instructors provide has helped protect millions of swimmers by reducing hazards at aquatic facilities. "The Foundation can help, but it takes leaders like Hayward to elevate our industry through education," noted Thomas M. Lachocki, Ph.D., CEO of the NSPF.
Wiegman said, "I'm proud of this recognition because of Hayward's history of championing the importance of training for the success and growth of our business and the industry, in general. In fact, 95 percent of our sales force has been CPO-certified within the last two years."
The CPO certification program, in particular, focuses on government requirements, pool and spa chemistry, testing, treatment, filtration, maintenance, and automatic feeding equipment.
About the NSPF® The National Swimming Pool Foundation® (NSPF®) is a non-profit organization founded in 1965, giving back $3.7 million in the past six years to fund grants to prevent illness, injury, and drowning, and to demonstrate the benefits of aquatic activity. The Foundation works towards its mission to encourage healthier living through aquatic education and research with its growing collection of bi-lingual educational products and training. NSPF is the largest and most widely accepted educator of people who care for pools and spas and has trained over 282,000 pool operators in 64 countries. For more information, please visit www.nspf.org and www.homepoolessentials.org.
About Hayward Pool Products Hayward Pool Products, a division of Hayward Industries Inc., is the largest manufacturer of residential swimming pool equipment in the world. Headquartered in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Hayward designs, manufactures and markets the Totally Hayward® System, a complete line of residential pool equipment including pumps, filters, heating, cleaners, sanitization, automation, lighting, safety and energy solutions.
The company, which has built its brand on innovation, energy-efficiency, safety and reliability, includes such brands as EcoStar™, TriStar®, Super Pump®, Pro Logic®, HeatPro®, ColorLogic®, Aqua Rite®, Navigator® Pro, Pool Vac XL™, TigerShark®, among others. Hayward products are sold through a network of distributors and 3,000 Totally Hayward Dealer Partners throughout the U.S., Canada, Asia, Australia, Latin America and the Middle East. For more information, contact Hayward at (908) 351-5400 or visit www.hayward-pool.com.


text:
Add To Favorites In PHR
Dr. Kim Dow reviews medical content for Healthwise, a nonprofit organization with a mission to help people make better health decisions. Her clinical and research interests include neonatology, cellular mechanisms of neuronal growth during development, and mechanisms of hypoxic neuronal injury in vitro and in vivo. Dr. Dow is a Professor and Head of the Department of Paediatrics at Queens University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
MD: Queen's University, Kingston, ON, 1977
Pediatrics, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
Professor, Queen's University, Department of Paediatrics, Kingston, ON
The final approval of Healthwise content is always made by a clinician with no financial conflicts.
This reviewer reported no financial conflicts.
Current as of: June 27, 2014
Author: Healthwise Staff
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.
To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise.org.
© 1995-2018 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.
print close directions


text:
TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 12 (UPI) -- Texas Gov. Rick Perry withstood verbal shots from his fellow 2012 Republican presidential contenders during their debate in Florida Monday night.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney went after Perry twice early on in the debate in Tampa. When Perry called Social Security a "Ponzi scheme" that needs to be "transformed" so it will still exist when today's young people reach retirement age, Romney said referring to the retirement program as a criminal enterprise was "over the top and frightening to people."
Later, after Perry touted the success his state has had in gaining jobs even during tough economic times nationally, Romney said Perry had been "dealt four aces" since Texas is a right-to-work state, has a Republican legislature, is light on regulation and blessed with having oil reserves under foot.
Texas Rep. Ron Paul also got after Perry, saying his taxes have doubled under Perry, and cited statistics he said show the state isn't in as good shape as the governor maintains. But, he jibed, "I don't want to offend the governor because he might raise my taxes."
Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann went hard after Perry, citing the governor's ties to Merck, the maker of the HPV cervical cancer vaccine Perry ordered be administered to young girls in Texas. Perry responded that he had received just $5,000 in contributions from Merck out of the millions of dollars he has raised and "if you are saying I can be bought for $5,000, I'm offended."
Bachmann retorted she is offended for young girls made to have the vaccinations.
Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania then jumped in, saying the government shouldn't be inoculating girls who aren't likely to get cervical cancer in school.
Perry said mandating HPV vaccinations was a mistake but argued "cervical cancer is a horrible way to die." He said if elected president he would use executive orders to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, healthcare reform legislation passed by Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama.
Paul, who has strong libertarian leanings, said he would never use executive orders to affect national policy.
Bachmann said it's time to quit promising Americans the federal government will keep providing them with more in terms of retirement, healthcare and housing.
"We have to recognize that going forward this isn't going to work anymore," the Minnesota congresswoman said, adding it's time to get back to an "ownership society" and "we can't be ashamed of that."
She said she "won't rest" until "Obamacare" is revoked.
Paul twice said a key way to put the country on sound financial footing would be to get out of the two wars it is fighting. But he also suggested weaning people off Social Security.
Businessman Herman Cain said Social Security is broken and his solution is to allow people the option of personal retirement accounts without current seniors being affected.
Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman said when it comes to dealing with entitlement programs, "I don't think anything should be off the table except maybe some of the drama going on here today."
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said he wasn't worried about Republicans' rhetoric scaring people since "President Obama scares them every single day." Government, Gingrich said, doesn't create jobs, people do. He said getting back to a full-employment economy would solve the financial problems but also recommended allowing personal retirement accounts.
Santorum said he has been warning of the coming problems with Social Security since 1994 and has a "track record of concrete proposals" but didn't offer specifics.
On taxes, Bachmann says she wants a zero percent corporate tax rate, while Cain recommended tossing the tax code and going with his 9 percent solution for corporations and a national sales tax, and Huntsman said he would get rid of the "cobwebs" -- loopholes -- and lower rates.
Perry said while Obama wants to raise taxes, he would cut them and the economy would "take off like a rocket ship."
The Tampa debate was sponsored by CNN and the Tea Party Express.


text:
patrickaa317 wrote:Lindax wrote:patrickaa317 wrote:patrickaa317 wrote:12 players on a team.
6 games per round = 6-24 spots for those games. (6 singles games to 6 quads games)
If each player has to play 2 games, that means 24 spots are required to maintain medal possibility if there are 12 players on a team, which would allow no room at all for non-quads games as they only way to maintain this is to have ALL quads games.
EDIT: Realized 12 spots per team a possibility, updated above post.
bump. Looking for a response from a TD.
I'll give you a response if you give me a question.
Anyway, you can have any number of games per round and for a Large-Team Tournament 6 games per round doesn't sound like much. That said, even with 6 games per round all of the players could theoretically get a medal since you only need to play in 50% of the rounds.
According to the original post:Night Strike wrote:4.- To be eligible for a Tournament Achievement Medal a member of the winning team must:
- Have played at least one-third (33%) of the tournament games he/she could have played.
i.e. If a player could play in a max of 6 games per round, then they need to average at least 2 games per round over the course of the tournament.
- Have participated in at least half (50%) of all rounds or phases of the tournament.
- Have won 1 game in the tournament.
Note: This rule is in addition to the existing rules about Tournament Achievement Medals.
You have to play in 1/3 of the games you could play in to be eligible for a medal. With 12 players per team, the only way all players can qualify is if you all play only Quads games and every player is involved in an exact equal number of them. If you have 12 players per team, and there is one game that involves Triples, then at the very most only 11 players will be eligible for a medal. It is impossible for the 12th player to be able to meet the 1/3 minimum requirement at that point.
And the number of total games would have to be a multiple of 3 otherwise at least one player still wouldn't qualify. 100 games = 400 spots; each player has to play in 33.3 games to qualify. Since you can't play .3 of a game, you have to play 34 games to meet the minimum requirement. Players ABCD play games 1-34, Players EFGH play games 35-68, Players IJKL play games 69-100. Players IJKL only played 32 games and thus do not qualify for a team medal.
The math is the same whether it's 6 games per round or 600 games per round. And even though you only have to participate in half of the rounds, you still have to average 1/3 over the course of the tournament.
I understand the need for new requirements for Large Team tourneys but with this math it makes things tough to organize a tourney where all 12 players could all receive a medal.
Is that really what is desired? Where all 12 player Large Team tourneys are restricted to Quads only games? Perhaps there could be "medium sized" team tourneys (5-10 players) and then "large sized" team tourneys (11+ players).
And on a side note:
This new rule will completely eliminate tournaments like Tupence's 2012 Olympics which I have found to be very fun and a very unique layout. You could never have Singles games in large team tournaments unless you also incorporate 1 quads game for every 2 singles games to bring up the average game count; and that would restrict the maximum amount of players to 6 per team to ensure everyone is medal eligible.
Mmmm.... I'm not a math person, maybe somebody else can jump in here as far as numbers are concerned.
I'm not sure I understand your problem. If you make sure you have enough games per round there should not be a problem with medal eligibility.... And what's the point of a Large-Team Tournament if all players cannot participate in each round?


text:
I recently took a class at Pratt that taught a particular technique for transferring images onto glass. It allowed me to finally get this particular idea out of my head and DONE.
This is a window from the nose of a B-17. It's about 1 foot wide at the widest part by about 2 feet tall. It was going to meet with an uncertain fate, so it was given to me when I said I'd do something with it.
|Back side
I had this idea to put the image of a B-17 onto it, maybe an image that looks as it would have if you were flying in one B-17 and looking out of this window at another B-17.
I started with an archival photo of a B-17 that I edited the heck out of to have a very high-contrast image that I liked.
I had to decide whether I wanted the black or the white parts of the image to be the sandblasted areas, so I did a couple of test pieces -
I decided that the shadows/dark areas would be the masked parts and the white would be sandblasted. I made this masking stencil by processing my image on UV sensitive masking film, then placed the sticky masking film image where I wanted it on the window and masked off the frame and back of the window to protect those areas from being blasted.
And into the sandblaster -
This is the sandblasted image, with the masking film still on.
And a couple of detail shots with the mask washed off -
I was super excited to give this to my dad for his birthday. It's now HIS job to figure out how to mount it for display.
In the future I will share pictures of a couple other experiments that took my sandblasting on glass in totally different directions...


text:
Style # 202287
With plush removable faux fur collar allows you to wear this coat two ways, this bebe outerwear piece is highly-versatile winter investment. Features side zipper pockets and warm heavy weight. Looks just as great with suiting pieces as it does with evening pieces.
- 60% wool, 40% polyester.
- Dry clean.
- Center back to hem: 33" (84 cm).
- Sleeve length: 25" (64 cm) with 10" (25 cm) opening.
- Fully lined.
- Button up front.
- Side pockets.
- Imported.
- Model is 5'9" and is wearing a US size S.
Faux Fur Collar Wool Coat is rated out of 5 by 5.
Rated 5 out of 5 by BellaMia from Beautiful I purchased this coat in black and I love it. I wear it almost several times a week and it keeps me nice and warm. The fit is very complimentary to the figure. I'm a D and purchased a medium but am usually a size small so it's a bit roomy in the waist. I've received a lot of compliments on this jacket. Very functional.
Date published: 2013-01-09
Rated 5 out of 5 by MissBaltimore from Fabulous coat! I love love love this coat! It's so classy and great for a fancy night out on the town. I'm 5'8" and 113lbs so a size Small is perfect! Tiny waist and long sleeves - perfect!
Date published: 2012-12-27
Rated 3 out of 5 by Bebe40 from Not as expected The coat looks very nice online and description indicates of heavy material. The coat is not of heavy material, it's very light. The fur sheds a lot so very noticeable on a white coat. I returned coat because it was not what I was expecting.
Date published: 2012-12-13
Rated 3 out of 5 by Bebe40 from Not as expected I was expecting the material to be much heavier. The description indicates heavy weight but ithe coat is very light. The fur also sheds a lot and was all over the coat. Looks very nice online but not what I was expecting. I also found the size to be smaller. I returned this coat.
Date published: 2012-12-12
Rated 5 out of 5 by Bebe0313 from Winter wonder I've been waiting for a white wool coat with faux fur trim for a while now, this one is perfect in every sense. Very elegant and the faux fur is good quality. I usually order Med in coats and the med in coats ran true to size. Can't wait to wear it!
Date published: 2012-10-13


text:
Missing girl found dead in backyard microwave
Family and neighbors who had frantically searched for a missing child were heartbroken Sunday, coping with the tragic discovery of the girl's body inside an old microwave oven in her backyard.
San Antonio police believe the girl, identified by relatives as Rebecca Maria Herrera, 6, climbed inside the microwave in the 4200 block of Wild Oak Drive, near W.W. White Road, and somehow became trapped Saturday. Her body was found several hours after she was reported missing. The incident is being investigated as an accidental sudden death, police said.
Relatives said they were shocked and devastated, declining further comment at the scene Saturday and when reached at the home Sunday morning.
An intensive search for Rebecca, the daughter of an SAPD bicycle patrol officer, was launched when she was reported missing around 7 p.m. Saturday. Neighbors and police searched for the girl by knocking on doors, peering down alleys and calling her name, neighbors said. Eagle, the SAPD helicopter, combed the neighborhood from the air.
"The whole neighborhood was helping search," Lt. Randy Smith said. "It's a tight community."
According to neighbors, the girl was home with her mother at the time. Rebecca's father, 38-year-old John Herrera, was in Florida. Around 10 p.m., Rebecca's brother and a police officer found her, officials said. The brother, whose age was not immediately released, had no cause to check the microwave, which was sitting on top of some heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment along the side of the house, police said, but opened it randomly, police said.
"All of a sudden, we heard people screaming that the baby was in the microwave," said a next-door neighbor who wished only to give her last name, Garcia. "We just couldn't imagine — how does the baby get into a microwave?"
Police said the girl was small and liked to hide. She might have crawled in and closed the door accidentally, police said, or closed it not knowing it may not reopen from inside. An autopsy report is pending.
On Sunday, Garcia and her husband were straightening up their backyard, which was swarming with police officers during and after the search Saturday night. Garcia said she's known Rebecca's father, John, for more than 30 years, and couldn't imagine how the family was coping with the loss. The couple has several children older than Rebecca and are good parents, she said.
"I didn't sleep," she said. "They are really nice kids, and it's because of their upbringing. (The Herreras) are very good parents."
Stephanie Almendarez and her small daughter, who live across the street, held back tears as they watched investigators enter Herrera's home. Her children would often play with the little girl, and her husband and sons had ridden their bicycles around the block earlier as part of the search team.
A mother of five, she could not imagine the family's pain, Almendarez said.
"I heard somebody yell, 'I found her,' and then I heard crying," she said. "I am shocked. I thought she was OK. I've never seen anything like this."


text:
On July 1st 2009 two sub-adult bald ibises were trapped and tagged with satellite transmitters in Palmyra in the framework of cooperation between the Syrian Desert Commission, IUCN Regional Office for West Asia (ROWA) and BirdLife Middle East.
This important achievement came as the culmination of an intensive 5-month field work of protection which started at the return of 5 ibises in February 2009. It has been a quite challenging year: during the past months the rangers and the guards worked hard to habituate the birds to use artificial ponds and also to avoid depredation of chicks at nests. In fact this year has been the second drought year in a row and risk of depredation by ravens and vultures was high.
Despite the protection efforts, all four chicks from the 2 nests died during the course of 5 weeks after hatching. Till this moment, the cause for this year's high mortality remains unclear. The project staff are still analysing all the available information including a post-mortem analysis of 2 dead chicks.
One of the preconditions for attempting the satellite tagging is that birds breed well as their behaviour is much more predictable when they are still raising chicks. After the breeding failure took place some weeks ago, the chances to trap and tag some birds became suddenly very little, as the birds started to range on a very wide area and their behaviour turned very unpredictable.
Nonetheless thanks to the experience of ornithologist Lubormir Peske, assisted by motivated rangers from the Desert Commission, a remote drinking point used by ibises was eventually discovered and a suitable trap was set in the site.
The birds captured are 2 sub-adults, the most suitable age in order to try to solve the remaining mystery of the wintering grounds for this ibis eastern population. In fact in 2006 three adult breeders were tagged and this operation lead to the discovery of their wintering site in Ethiopia. But it was soon realized that young and immature birds were not following the adults to Ethiopia. They are using other unknown sites for wintering.
Thanks to the recently tagged ibises in Palmyra, the chances have increased to discover the other wintering sites of this hyper threatened colony of one of the rarest bird in the world, the Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus eremita. Notably, the N. Bald Ibis is currently the rarest bird in the Middle East.
Eng. Ali Hamoud, General Manager of Desert Commission, said "Since its spectacular discovery in Palmyra in 2002, the N. Bald Ibis has become a flagship for conservation and for the struggle against desertification in Syria. The weird bird is nowadays known nationally and we at Desert Commission feel honoured to be leading the struggle to ensure its survival. Hopefully these 2 tagged ibises will let us discovering the rest of the wintering grounds of this population".
In fact, with a handful of individuals still surviving, this colony is still clinging at the edge of extinction. The only hope to save it is to ensure the maximum breeding success in Palmyra as much as possible in the years to come and to discover all other important sites within the rest of the range in order to try to reduce the associated threats in situ.
"We are running a struggle against time together with our partners, in order to save this crucial piece of Middle East biodiversity heritage. The presence of Abu Mingel enriches the environment of Palmyra and could become an important socio-economic opportunity for the local communities. In fact, at IUCN we believe that nature conservation and sustainable development can be combined successfully in the benefit of present and future generations," said Khaldoun Alomari, IUCN Protected Areas Programme Officer.
The ibis tagging work was being undertaken by a collaboration of the Syrian Desert Commission, IUCN ROWA, Birdlife Middle East and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds supported by funds from the Italian Government (DGCS), RSPB, the Dutch Government (through the Netherlands Embassy in Damascus), Prince Albert Foundation and Petro Canada Inc.


text:
This event is over.
Sanctus Real VIP Pre-Show Experience
at 5:30 pm
Doors open at 5:30 pm
- For more information
- email@example.com
- Organized by First Company Management
- Visit Website
Sanctus Real
VIP voucher is good for your VIP entrance. You will receive your concert ticket at the VIP check in table.
|Price Deadline:
|For concert tickets, please click here! The VIP Experience includes early entrance at 5:30pm, VIP laminate, VIP exclusive 8x10 photo, and a pre-show Q & A.
|VIP Experience


text:
This week's picture is courtesy of Jojo.
Welcome to Picture Captioning here at Classic-Castle.com!
What is picture captioning? Simple! Picture Captioning is when you supply a description, account or dialogue to what is happening in the picture.
The Rules:
Just reply to this post with your caption! It's all in good fun, so try to keep it clean. But! You'll only have about a week to get your caption in!
When posting a caption, please submit captions only, do not comment on other captions.
Please one caption per author.
Good luck!


text:
Hainanese Delights MenuShare
Rice Dishes
- Hainanese Delights
The staple dish is a perfectly seasoned and tender chicken plus equally delicious Hainanese rice.
- 130
- Hainan Fried Chicken
This deep fried chicken is a tasty dish with a delicious sauce and side of Hainanese rice.
- 130
- Chicken Heaven
The savory and tender chicken is coated with rich BBQ sauce served with tasty Hainanese rice.
- 130
- Hot Chick
The flavor is amped up with hot and delicious chicken served with Hainanese rice to take the edge off.
- 130
- Pork Passionate
The crispy strips of pork perfectly flavored are served with a side of delightful Hainanese rice.
- 130
- Bring in the Beef
The tasty and tender beef brisket is beautifully complimented by the Hainanese rice.
- 130
- Porky Chops
Slices of delicious porkchops drenched in tasty barbeque sauce and coupled with the always side dish of. rice
- 130
- All for Kutchay
The savory fried dumplings are delicious when paired with the tasty Hainanese rice.
- 100
- Taste of Pork
The mouthwatering with a heaping side of savory Hainanese rice make a filling meal.
- 100
- A Bite of Both
The shrimp with pork mix together to form a medley of taste and the Hainanese rice is a perfect base.
- 110
- Take the Cake
A crunch concoction of salt and pepper radish cake is a different but delicious treat.
- 90
- Tofu Terrific
Large bits of tender Tofu with a little bite, immersed in an addicting sweet soy sauce concoction.
- 80
- Tofu with Mixed Veggies
- 80
- Eat the Heat
The delicious spicy fried squid is a hot morsel that leaves you wanting more.
- 190
- Kutchay Kraze
Healthy and mouth watering the steamed or fried kutchay dumpling is quite a treat.
- 110
- Pure Pork
This delicious pork dumpling is a perfect snack either fried or steamed.
- 110
- Surf and Turf Bits
Steamed or fried shrimp and pork dumplings combine the best of both worlds.
- 120
Family Meal
- Family Meal
Whole Chicken
Pork Dumplings
Take the Cake
Tofu w/ Mixed Veggies
Unlimited Hainan Rice
& 4 Iced Tea
- 777
Noodles & Soup
- The Singapore Staple
The Hainanese chicken soaked in delicious soup is accompanied by filling noodles.
- 130
- Pork in a Bowl
The delicious taste of pork is combined with savory soup and further enriched by hearty noodles.
- 120
- Beef Brisket
The tasty specially beef tendons is cooked with heady soup and enjoyed with noodles.
- 120
- Beef Bites
The pint sized beef treats are full of flavor complimented perfectly with pork bites and noodles.
- 140
- Chapchae
Stir fried Korean noodles.
- 90
- Beefed Up
- Regular 130
- Merienda 100
- Pork Bites
- Regular 95
- Merienda 80
- Delicious Delicacy
- Regular 95
- Merienda 80
- Surf & Turf
- Regular 95
- Merienda 80
- Classic Dumpling Soup
- 80


text:
I'm not actually supposed to be writing this.
More than a year ago I signed all sorts of documents demanding strict adherence to the embargo date of the information. But since the embargo date has come and gone, and there has been no public announcement – and especially since the recent news story of the entire Vatican science team being killed in a bus crash in Argentina – I don't feel that I should honor those agreements.
I suppose there might be some danger in this for me, either legally or via some darker threat – frankly, the bus crash worries me – but maybe that's all the more reason I should write and post it here. If this post vanishes, or even if I vanish … well, hopefully someone will look into it. But it's time people knew.
In February of 2011, I received an email inviting me to a private audience with an unnamed official at the Vatican. It was so out of the blue that at first I thought it was something like one of those Nigerian scams. But when the plane tickets arrived with a confirmation letter – on gold-embossed Vatican stationary! – I had to accept it was a real invitation.
Naturally I assumed the interview, if that's what it was, would relate in some fashion to the uproar over priestly child molesting which had been recently so much in the news. I assumed that my position as a known atheist was in some way related. If there was to be an announcement of radical new policy bearing on the controversy, perhaps the announcement would be given some measure of weight if it was first reported by a neutral, or even hostile, reporter such as myself. Plus, I figured I'd be one of dozens, and that the media pool would include a number of more-friendly reporters in other media.
The subject at hand was something quite different, however, and I was the only writer there. To this day, I honestly have no idea why I was picked. Maybe it was simply a way to judge the reaction of the skeptical public before holding a more formal press conference.
I was ushered into an interview room at half past five on a Thursday, a few weeks before Easter. Literally ushered, I mean – there was an actual young man in uniform, carrying a flashlight and wearing white gloves, which I thought peculiar. But even I was awed by the overall experience – hey, I was in The Vatican! – and found it difficult to question the details.
Plus, my head was still whirling from the surreal fact of first being whisked through the Pope's private apartments, where His Holiness was just getting out of the bath. I'd been allowed to kiss His ring while a crowd of blond altarboys held discrete towels to protect His Holiness's dripping private bits from view as he stepped out of a sunken tub of hand-carved marble.
Save for being naked – I politely averted my eyes – and being briskly rubbed by young men with plush, gold-embroidered towels, His Holiness was exactly as I pictured him: A wrinkled, saggy-assed elderly man with – in addition to the dark, almost black circles around his deep-sunken eyes – an air of almost madly sinister gravitas.
My interview, as the Pope weightily informed me while sniffing a bouquet of roses held up for his approval by an obsequious imp in a crimson toga, would be with Vatican metabiologist J. Noble Random. The flick of a gold-ringed pinky dismissed me, and I was swept out by my guide.
I almost laughed out loud when I was shown into the office of Random, who appeared to be waiting for me. In addition to being very British, as I could tell from his first words, Random was a dead ringer for John Cleese in his early Monty Python days, and I instantly thought … well, that that's who he actually was, and that this whole thing was some sort of staged joke.
Recovering quickly, though – I could conceive of no possible way in which Cleese or any other Python could gain access to the inner recesses of the Vatican, especially not after The Life of Brian – I simply smiled as I shook Random's hand.
Even so, I suffered throughout the interview with what could only be called cognitive dissonance. So much so that I was unable to think of good questions, and fell back on simply recording what Random said:
"I know you're simply bubbling over with questions, but I'll just tell you what I've been asked to tell you, and we can get to the questions later.
"As I'm sure you're aware, the Vatican maintains a small but highly qualified staff of researchers. Most of the work is philological in nature, engaged in translations of ancient documents such as the Dead Sea scrolls and things of that order, but there also is a team of researchers engaged in more weighty scientific matters – biologists, physicists, and most especially archeologists and even paleontologists.
"I, as you have no doubt guessed, am one of that team."
He paused, staring for a moment at the lavishly decorated ceiling of his office in apparent preoccupation, then seemed to come back to himself.
"Well! To the matter at hand: This most recent project basically grew out of the realization that human fecal material contains countless cells shed in the normal metabolic process."
That was so out of left field, I was dumbfounded by it, and it was only by listening to my recording later that I was able to catch what he said next.
"Average people like you and I shed these human cells in our daily ablutions and simply flush them away, with no thought to the significance. But some of us here at the Vatican Metabiology Lab realized that this simple fact held great significance when the individual in question was in fact our Savior, Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
"We immediately understood that obtaining a sample of Our Savior's Holy Excrement from his years of wandering would be next to impossible. But one of my research team – it was I, if you must know – floated the idea that Our Lord spent his childhood in only a few places.
"There must exist within those ancient communities where the Baby Jesus lived 2000-year-old kitchen middens and rubbish dumps. Any modern mother will tell you that babies are virtual gushing fountains of near-liquid fecal matter" – here he waggled his eyebrows unconsciously but comically, which unfortunately reinforced the John Cleese impression – "producing anywhere from four to a dozen soiled diapers a day. The simple fact of it is that Mary, the mother of Jesus Our Savior, must have disposed of her firstborn's cast-off diapers in some fashion."Of course, this is based on the assumption, by no means automatic, that Jesus had a normal human metabolism and ate and excreted as you and I do. Pemberton, an unfortunately youthful member of the team, gave a great impassioned speech providing numerous citations from the Man of Steel Canon, in which Superman receives his powers, and presumably a certain amount of nourishment, from exposure to Earth's yellow sun. The good man insisted that Superman eats, if he does, only as a courtesy to friends and coworkers, and perhaps as a theatrical prop to his Clark Kent identity. Likewise, Jesus the Son of God may not have needed to eat.
"However, at some point you have to simply accept – on faith, as it were, ha-ha! – that Jesus the man, being born of an earthly mother, had some human traits in addition to his godly ones, at least in his early life.
"Although some members of my team thought it possible that these diapers may have floated up to Heaven, possibly with glowing mini-haloes, some of us reasoned that the most likely scenario was that Mary simply tossed them in the garbage with the chicken bones and whatever passed for pizza boxes of that time.
"Fortunately funds were available to do the actual research. An American billionaire had recently donated $30 million to mount yet another expedition to Mount Ararat to look for Noah's Ark, but we were able to divert the funds into this project.
"And a good thing too! The rich bastard was initially incensed over the diversion of his donation. But I ask you! Does a mere layman know the best use of donated funds? No! We are the Vatican, after all. We sent the local Bishop over to explain that the preliminary expedition to Ararat was turned back by a burning wall of fire, probably because the money was tainted by the sin of the donor. That shut him up right quick, you can imagine!
"Anyway, using Biblical citations and records surviving from the time, we undertook excavations in a half dozen sites, mining the kitchen middens and stable dumps of area villages and towns.
"We ended with something like 70 tons of raw material, which we shipped, for security purposes, in a number of individual boxes, each weighing less than a pound, to the Vatican. It was expensive as hell, of course, but as the Vatican owns a substantial interest in the shipping company, the whole thing balanced out fairly well.
"Using a sophisticated extraction technique involving the Vatican ultracentrifuge – it's quite proprietary, old chap, so no need to even ask – we extracted progressive samples of a substance which our official records refer to as Extract 390, but which certain members of my team waggishly call Jeezium. You won't tell His Holiness I said that, I hope.
"However! No doubt you're eager to see it, eh?"
Stepping over to a wall safe hidden behind a Caravaggio painting depicting the Sacrifice of Isaac, he keyed the combination and the safe door swung silently open. Inside was a single item resting on a black velvet box, a faceted glass sphere something like the one that Harry Osborne gave to Doctor Octopus in the second Spider-Man movie, the one with the deuterium sample needed to power Doc Ock's disastrous fusion generator.
He pulled the sphere out reverently. "And here it is! Imagine! Almost 60 grams of pure Jeezium!"
I stepped closer to observe it. Floating within the sphere was a blob of what looked like something you'd see in a Lava Lamp, or possibly the Red Matter from the recent Star Trek movie. It was a liquid-appearing mass, less than an inch in diameter, and it gave off a gentle glow of pearly pinkish light.
"Eh? Eh? It's something, eh? Fair takes your breath away, doesn't it? The actual immortal and Holy living cells of the Baby Jesus!
"And look at this!" he exclaimed excitedly, pointing at the back of his thumb. "See this spot, here? I had a huge wart there, not two days ago. Had it since I was a child growing up in Brighton. It simply fell off yesterday, leaving only this reddish spot! Amazing, eh? And this! I slammed this finger in a drawer while I was at university as a young man, hastily hiding away a copy of Playboy when the dorm counselor came through, and the nail hasn't grown right since. But look! Today it's perfect!
"Even without the actual conscious presence of Our Lord and Savior, his full healing powers are still present in this Holy tissue!
"Think of what could be done with this in hospitals all over the world! It could revolutionize medicine, jerking it out of the hands of doctors and scientists and placing it …" – here he sighed blissfully – "back into the prayerful domain of the Church, where it rightly belongs!"
"Why," and here he leaned over and fixed me with a piercing look, "it might even be the answer we've sought to the amputee-healing controversy you unbelievers blather on about."
He leaned back in his chair and gazed at the glowing sample cradled in his hands in deep reverie. "The nights I've lain awake pondering the question! And now at last, we may be able to silence that glib insistence that mere severed limbs disprove the Kingdom of God! Ah, well. Ah, well …"
That was basically the end of the interview, as Random trailed off into blank silence. A moment later a security guard herded me from the room, and I was escorted to the main entrance. The whole thing was a bit surreal, and it was only later as I was transcribing my notes on the flight home that I really believed it had all happened.
I never heard from the Vatican again, either about the interview, the embargo, or the supposed announcement.
However, I do notice the Pope looking fairly youthful recently. The dark circles around his eyes are almost gone, and his normally yellowish skin is looking unexpectedly pink.
I have to wonder …