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Ridley Scott's Blade Runner's path to stardom and cultism has hardly been a bump-free ride. Heavily disputed upon its release, often criticized as an occasionally senseless portrayal of a future with a shallow storyline and abundance of plot holes semi-efficiently covered up by admittedly wonderful visuals, this science-fiction masterpiece is still regarded as a strong polarizing factor in discussions among filmlovers, but its status has quite immeasurably improved since its debut in North American theaters back in 1982. Many people had a change of heart regarding its value. Roger Ebert himself first failed to register many of the things that made people love it so damn much, only to change his mind and reevaluate the movie decades later when a special edition was released on its 25th anniversary. But the bottom line is this: whatever a person's opinion on the qualities or inadequacies of Blade Runner might be—and there are solid arguments convincingly stated from both camps—it's impossible for a reasonable, art-loving individual not to appreciate Ridley Scott's movie's originality, vision and gigantic influence it wielded on films made in the years after the iconic Rick Deckard returned to his retirement.
Written by Hampton Fancher and David Webb Peoples, adapted from Philip K. Dick's 1968 novel 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?,' Blade Runner tells a story set in then distant future: it's 2019, Los Angeles, and an ex-detective Deckard is called back from retirement to hunt down six replicants who escaped from one of Earth's colonies and sought refuge somewhere among us. It's this dystopian look at the future, rich in detail, strong in emotion, that served as inspiration to many other filmmakers in their subsequent attempts to portray the dark years ahead of us. Huge global corporations are running the show. The cities are overcrowded, filled with homeless or extremely poor people unable to procure bread for the table. Nature is withering, technological advancement is top priority, people are dehumanized, everything's cold, dark and hopeless. And, yes, it's raining all the time. Scott created a world like no other, and within it set an exciting and intriguing story full of ambiguity, uncertainty and despair. The protagonist, a man we can relate to and empathize with, is a mystery himself. Blade Runner is a dystopian neo-noir with breathtaking imagery, but supported by a narrative wonderfully, almost poetically written and inspiringly brought to life by acting performances from Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer and Sean Young.
"Pauline Kael spent three pages destroying Blade Runner and me. Even to the fact that I had a beard. I couldn't believe it, it was personal. I never met her in my life and it was really distressing." Scott shakes his head, July 1982 suddenly seeming like a couple of hours ago—though, to be fair to Kael, reading her review now, while she clearly didn't like the film, she kept any opinions she had on Scott's facial hair to herself. "But after that moment, I never, ever read press again," he continues. "Even if it's glowing, best not read it, because you think you own the world. If it's killer, best not read it because you think you've failed. You have to be your own critic." —Ridley Scott: 'I wanted to scare the shit out of people. That's the job'
Ridley Scott's vision, craft and use of special effects have passed the test of time. Still equally captivating, still as magical as it was when we first saw it as kids, Blade Runner is a game-changing science-fiction classic that deservedly entered film history books and is there to stay. And all the criticism will be lost in time. Like tears in rain. Time to watch it again.
A monumentally important screenplay. Dear every screenwriter/filmmaker, read Hampton Fancher & David Webb Peoples' screenplay for Blade Runner [PDF]. (NOTE: For educational and research purposes only). The DVD/Blu-ray of the film is available at Amazon and other online retailers. Absolutely our highest recommendation.
We go further behind the scenes to trace the development of the screenplay from the viewpoint of the two men who, independently of the other, made their contributions to its development.
"Everybody in Blade Runner is haunted by mortality, not just the replicants. Initially reluctant, Scott himself only agreed to direct the film after his older brother Frank died of cancer, reasoning it would be a "quick fix emotionally." In March 1982, Philip K. Dick was felled by a fatal stroke at the age of 53. He never got to see the finished movie. Drenched in death, Blade Runner is a dark vision of the future, but Scott's definitive Final Cut ends on a cautiously hopeful note. Mortality is inevitable, but before it comes, empathy and trust and love are possible, even between human and android. At the end of his killing spree, Deckard is no longer raging against the machine. Because, deep down, maybe he is the machine." —Anatomy of a classic
Ira Friedman worked in the publishing department for Lucasfilm, situated in Los Angeles. He joined in the company in 1980, but soon decided to return home to New York and start his own publishing company. What instigated this move was Lucasfilm's decision to abandon their L.A. offices and relocate to Northern California. Even though Friedman was invited to come along, he saw an opportunity to pursue his own dreams of publishing magazines. When Lucasfilm's director of publishing Deborah Call refused to leave the City of Angels and joined forces with Charlie Weber, Lucasfilm's former president who chose to start a production company, Friedman first heard about this new project they were working on, a film called Blade Runner, and immediately decided to try to get the license for publishing a Blade Runner-themed magazine. "This was the first magazine I had ever published on my own and I put everything I had into ensuring that it turned out to be a prideful piece of work. I made sure it looked good, read well, was widely distributed and publicized," explains Friedman, calling the project "the result of much passion and hard work." Like many others, Friedman reasonably expected the movie to be a hit, which would inevitably lead to the popularity of the magazine itself. However, as we all know, Blade Runner was a box office disappointment during its initial run, and Friedman, excited about his first independent venture and proud of the work put into the making of the magazine, was forced to deal with failure. As decades passed, he witnessed the development of Ridley Scott's film's cult status and the influence it wielded on countless filmmakers and their stories, while the quality of the magazine itself was never really disputed. With the emergence of the Internet, luckily, nobody is left deprived of the chance to read what Friedman prepared all those years ago.
The Official Collector's Edition Blade Runner Souvenir Magazine is a wonderful source of information, abounding in great photos and articles; a genuine treat both for hardcore fans of the film and all the newbies who just got introduced to the world of Rick Deckard. There are a lot of fascinating stuff here, but we're especially excited about the interviews with Philip K. Dick, Ridley Scott, Harrison Ford and Douglas Trumbull. We're incredibly thankful to webmaster Netrunner from brmovie.com, who put a lot of effort into digitalizing the magazine and even contacted Mr. Friedman to get his blessing for the endeavor. While Netrunner shaped the material by separating photos from the accompanying text, we chose to offer you a .cbr file of greater resolution and quality, so you can browse the content more easily. If we may, we'd like to suggest using a little program called ComicRack for checking out this priceless blast from the past. Enjoy the read!
Future Noir—Blade Runner archives—is a dedication to one of the most incredible cinema pieces in history and to all people who made it. Materials are collected all over internet and many of it from incredibly rich and thorough on-line communities dedicated to Blade Runner, although some items come from a personal archive.
On the Edge of Blade Runner (2000)—about the epic film Blade Runner, giving insights into it's history with interviews of Ridley Scott, the writers and nearly all the cast. Interviews with production staff, giving details into the creative process and turmoil during pre-production.
These were taken on the last night of shooting (which was a 36 hour shift for the entire crew according to production executive Katy Haber) on July 9, 1981. Harrison looks exhausted, but maybe a little relieved that the long and dreary shoot is nearing its end. After shooting the parts of the scene covered in these photos, they moved on to the tears in rain speech. —Rarely seen photos from Blade Runner
Set of 7 storyboard books featuring copies of Sherman Labby's storyboards from Blade Runner. Issued to Doug Trumbull at the beginning of production, these books feature sequences that were never filmed or early versions of sequences that were changed before filming began.
The website Ridleyville is run by an England-based gentleman who is a massive Blade Runner collector. He owns everything that's featured on his site, including these wonderful storyboards from the film. See more Blade Runner storyboards here.
"We used contrast, backlight, smoke, rain and lightning to give the film its personality and moods. The streets were depicted as terribly overcrowded, giving the audience a future time-frame to relate to. We had street scenes just packed with people… like ants. So we made them appear like ants—all the same. They were all the same in the sense that they were all part of the flow. It was like going in circles—like going nowhere. Photographically, we kept them rather colorless." —Jordan Cronenweth, ASC
Legendary film editor Terry Rawlings talk about his long career and answer questions from the audience. His credits as a sound editor date from 1962–1977, after which he is credited primarily as a film editor. After working with Ridley Scott on Alien, Terry went on to edit film such as Blade Runner, Chariots of Fire, Watership Down and Goldeneye.
Among the great out-of-print art books of the world is Blade Runner Sketchbook, collecting original production artwork from what is perhaps best designed science fiction film ever. Originally published by Blue Dolphin Enterprises in 1982, the book includes material by Blade Runner conceptual designer Syd Mead as well as Mentor Huebner, Charles Knode, Michael Kaplan and director Ridley Scott himself, whose contributions are drawn in the style of one of the film's primary visual influences, Moebius. Because physical copies go for hundreds of dollars, Blade Runner Sketchbook has been available online in various bootleg forms for years, but we've just become aware of an embeddable version uploaded in October that makes reading this lost gem easier than ever. —Andy Khouri
Hilarious negative executives notes to Ridley Scott after seeing Blade Runner for the 1st time.
Discussing Blade Runner—Philip K. Dick interview. The interview was made by Paul M. Sammon in 1981 and it was one of many that Paul had with Philip. More about interviews can be found in the Future Noir book, section The Book (pages 8-16).
On the set of Blade Runner—Entertainment Effects Group team filming the close-up of Sean Young's eye for the Voight Kampff sequence, courtesy of our friends at Future Noir & douglastrumbull.com.
One of the Blade Runner Convention Reels featuring interviews with Ridley Scott, Syd Mead and Douglas Trumbull about making Blade Runner universe. This 16 mm featurette, made by M. K. Productions in 1982, is specifically designed to circulate through the country's various horror, fantasy and science fiction conventions.
Here are several photos taken behind-the-scenes during production of Ridley Scott's Blade Runner. Production still photographer: Stephen Vaughan © Warner Bros. Blade Runner Souvenir Magazine Official Collector's Edition was published in 1982 by Ira Friedman, Inc. of New York. The Blade Runner film, "Blade Runner" trademark are Copyright © 1982, 1991 by the Blade Runner Partnership and/or The Ladd Company. Additional images and content are Copyright © Warner Bros. All of these are used on this site purely for educational and research purposes only under "Fair Use" law.
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Hi there blogger universe! I'm Sherry! I'm an illustration major from Toronto, Canada and I just so happened to be a reader who occasionally blogs about what she reads!
I grew up never knowing the power of reading. I started to read in middle school when I was trying to figure out what came next. I struggled with making friends, fitting in, and generally accepting myself. It was a hard time and turning to reading really allowed me to explore different ways to find answers. As clichè as it may sound, reading about others going through similar problems helped me out a lot and now I owe myself to reading! I love picking up a book and going through emotions and adventures that characters experience because it makes me dream bigger and aim higher for myself in life. My favourite is when I get to read something that makes me bawl my eyes out - I know when I cried reading it, I'll remember it forever!
Feel free to comment & leave questions or book recommendations you have! I accept books and ARCS for review! I'd love to discuss any book with anyone out there so just shoot me an email or leave a comment!
Email me at email@example.com if you would like me to review any books! (Mainly YA and Teen Fiction reader)
You can also find me on Twitter or my Bookstagram (Instagram):
Twitter: @sherrylay
Instagram: bookbloggityblog
*All posts (reviews/thoughts/opinions) found on this blog, BloggityBLOG, are opinions expressed by me alone unless stated otherwise and cannot be used without permission elsewhere. The books and novels displayed have been bought/borrowed. In no way has monetary value been given in return of honest reviews of ARCs received.

subset: commoncrawl


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very cute color and buttons! not sure if i could get the same tone but at least i have lots of buttons at home .
I bought an Ipod nano (3rd generation) from my friend ♥ I want a case for it so I checked Etsy if they have anything cute and yess! They have lots of cases. Though I'm not planning on buying one but these are the inspirations for making my own.
sources 001 | 002 | 003 | 004 | 005 | 006 | 007
simple brown leather - simply perfect
flowers! but for this i really have to measure everything and im way too lazy for that.
funny iPod case! i can have an iPod in my iPod :)
cute owls or should i make cats?
i love this one the most, not only the pattern but the shape of the case is beautiful
bling-bling , very gyaru


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The third film to recreate the life of notorious Irish gangster Martin Cahill boasts a far stronger cast than either John Boorman's The General or Vicious Circle (a little-seen BBC piece starring Ken Stott). With Kevin Spacey on the cusp of Oscar glory once again, you'd expect Thaddeus O'Sullivan's comedy drama to be the most successful of the three.
Alas, the law of diminishing returns proves particularly inflexible here, with Ordinary Decent Criminal looking distinctly lightweight compared to Boorman's masterly version of events. Not only has screenwriter Gerry Stembridge chosen to rename Cahill and play fast and loose with his maverick career, he's made this two-bit Dublin hood a far more romantic figure than he really was, remoulding him as a charismatic chancer.
Spacey's Michael Lynch isn't above a spot of sadistic brutality: slamming an associate's hand in a car door, for example, then winching the vehicle 30 feet in the air. But at heart he's a family man who loves a bit of a craic - - usually at the expense of the Garda, played here by the cappuccino-slurping Dillane. Moreover, whereas the General died from an IRA gun-man's bullet, Lynch is allowed a Blarney-blustering send-off which suggests that this won't be the last we'll see of him.
O'Sullivan does his audience a grave disservice by smoothing the rough edges off his hero and his lawless fraternity. Spacey's dodgy Oirish accent also adds another layer of artifice to the proceedings, and Fiorentino's badly miscast as Doting Wife Number One.
On the plus side, Damon Albarn provides a thumping score, while Mullan and Baxendale supply sterling, if thankless, support. But peace process or not, it's a poor show when we're asked to find a car bomb funny.


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POY Finalist: Motor control centers
Finalist in Electric Motors and Drives in Plant Engineering's 2011 Product of the Year competition
The Tiastar MCC line includes the Arc Resistant MCC compliant to ANSI/IEEE C37.20.7, and its criteria for containing and redirecting arc flash incident energy.
The new SmartStart option features plug-and-play functionality, which reduces commissioning time with preprogrammed and preconfigured data. High-density designs meeting UL and NEMA standards, while reducing unit size for NEMA 1 through starters, allow for up to a 10% weight reduction and a 25% smaller footprint. The new line of MCCs is designed to meet the needs of the construction, water and wastewater, oil and gas, and general process industries.
Siemens AG
View all finalists in the Electric Motors, Drives, + Controls category
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Personalised medicine is almost here, according to the 2012 winner of the Nobel prize for medicine.
Shinya Yamanaka was jointly awarded the 2012 Nobel prize for his work on stem cell research with John Gurdon from the UK.
Yamanaka led research which successfully changed adult cells into stem cells, which can be used to form any other kind of cell.
The "revolutionary" breakthrough could mean an end to the ethical debate over the use of embryonic stem cells, which has been opposed by many religious groups.
In a conversation with Technology Academy Finland (TAF) at the time of his winning the Millennium Technology Prize earlier this year, and published today exclusively by the Huffington Post, Shinya Yamanaka said a future in which medical drugs are made to order is closer than ever.
"I think that personalised medicine would become readily available in the not distant future," he said.
"My goals over the decade include to develop new drugs to intractable diseases by using iPS cell technology and to conduct clinical trials using it on a few patients with Parkinson's disease, diabetes or blood diseases."
Read the full interview below, courtesy of TAF.
What is the potential now for your discovery and what is the most exciting potential outcome from your point of view?
iPS cells can become a powerful tool to develop new drugs to cure intractable diseases because they can be made from patients' somatic cells. The patient-specific iPS cells can change into any type of cell in the body, and researchers can use the iPS cell-derived functional cells for toxicological and side-effect testing or drug compound screening. Those cells would also be used for cell transplantation in the future once their safety is ensured.
In terms of the ethical implications of the work, does the fact that fertilised embryos do not have to be used in research mean that countries like the US and others with similar religious concerns are particularly keen to embrace your technology?
I hope that iPS cells would replace most, if not all, of applications of ES cells in the near future.
Researchers should always consider ethical concerns on scientific research and disclose their data to the public. Scientists also need to discuss issues surrounding their research with those who are concerned.
What are the implications and spin-off benefits/areas of stem cell research that we are now seeing and are likely to see in future?
Taking advantage of the concept of iPS cell generation methods, some researchers have reported that they have succeeded in generating functional cells such as neurons and cardiac muscle cells directly from skin cells, without making iPS cells.
Above: Yamanaka is congratulated by costumed researchers and students of his laboratory at Kyoto University in Kyoto
How do you see the future for your stem cell development work?
My goals over the decade include to develop new drugs to intractable diseases by using iPS cell technology and to conduct clinical trials using it on a few patients with Parkinson's disease, diabetes or blood diseases. We are working hard towards them.
Bearing in mind the vast global changes we saw brought about by technology in the 20th century, could similar leaps be made in the 21st century?
I think that in the 21st century, medical biology will advance at a more rapid pace than before.
Where do you see technology innovations coming from?
I think that personalised medicine would become readily available in the not distant future.
What do you consider to be the biggest life-enhancing scientific development/technological innovation, both in your own field and others?
I think that the discoveries of antibiotics and vaccines have contributed to the improvement of the quality of life, making it possible to prevent contagious diseases.
What technology do you consider has brought about the biggest changes to life as we live it today?
Deep sequencing technology, which determines the order of bases in DNA, can become a key to understanding of the secrets of life, revealing subtle sequence variants in a single cell.
Where are the new frontiers in technology, what trends are exciting you now, again this can be in your field and any others that have struck you as being of particular interest?
What has excited me now is to use both iPS cell technology and deep sequencing technology, which would contribute to the development of medicine. Scientists are now revealing that there are sequence variations in each somatic cell in each individual. I predict that we will learn more about the sequence variation in the person.


text: I'm thinking about buying a Washburn 8-string bass that is insanely discounted at our local Mars. So it is the usual 8-string configuration: the standard E,A,D,G bass strings on it and each bass string is doubled with a smaller string one octave higher. My question is, what exactly are those high strings? Are they just electric guitar strings, or are they special strings made only for this kind of bass? Also, anybody play one of these? Any tips you'd care to share?


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Black Rainbow Sock #1
Originally uploaded by sunasak
Knitting goes much more slowly in the spring, because I end up spending a lot of my time outdoors messing with plants or other projects. But, I did finish this sock, as I mentioned last time I blogged. It is so incredibly soft--people at the LYS really enjoyed touching it yesterday. I also made it past the heel on the second Garden Path sock yesterday, so I know I am making progress--it just seems so slow. I have way more things I want to make than I foresee time for. DARN IT.
Right now I really, really am fixated on how much I want to start the Posey socks in Knitty with my pansie and butternut squash sock yarn. I keep staring at that yarn and thinking, "Well, I could at least wind it up so I will be ready..." Of course, if I would stop blogging I could get to finishing those Garden Path socks.
I did have an amused moment yesterday when I was reading the Vogue Knitting magazine that came out recently. I am thinking my subscription has lapsed, because I have not received one in the mail yet, so I got it yesterday at the LYS. I earned enough teaching to afford a magazine! Well, what did I see but an entire feature with things to wear at weddings. After all those months I spent looking for items, what should show up but an entire article on knitted wedding attire, most of which was not stupid. I am very tempted to make the skirt part of the knitted dress and top it with the cardigan. Oh yeah, I'll have time for that AND the shawl I was already going to make. And that might be "knitting overkill" anyway. Still, after all that time I spend looking and looking for appropriate items, I couldn't believe VK had an entire feature on it! LOLZ, as the kids would say.
Thanks to everyone who is reading, and especially to those of you who are sharing your spring nature-watching experiences in your blogs. I am enjoying that stuff as much as knitting content!


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T-hee Town, Jokelahona, UEssay So after six months of breathless anticipation, Sassette and I finally prepared for the Daft Panthurr concert at the world-famous Big Ole Krushed Kann (BOKK) Centaer here in T-hee Town, Jokelahoma yesterday.
Having had the foresight to visit our local Ache-Adam-and-Eve Sports Authority previously, we were well equipped with hiking boots, rock climbing shoes, climbing ropes, carabiners, climbing holds, rope, quick draws, climbing harnesses, slings and slacklines, as we joyfully embarked on our adventure at 5:30 a.m.
Our initial problem presented itself when we realized, much to our mutual chagrin, that rather than the anticipated four mile trek from the parking lot to the BOKK Center, we actually faced a grueling, mainly uphill six mile hike, because the other ticket holders had the foresight to park their cars last week in the closer lot in anticipation of the concert.
Upon arriving at the gate a bit before lunch time, we were devastated to discover that we had left our crampons in the trunk from a previous excursion and were forced to march double time back to our vehicle, retrieve the missing equipment, and return, exhausted, to the gates. Due to our accelerated pace and the fact that our return trip to the lot had been down hill, we arrived at the gates soon after 5 p.m., with still plenty of time to claim our seats, we reasoned, before the scheduled 7 p.m. start of the concert.
So we confidently strapped into our climbing gear and began our advance on the nearly vertical face of the BOKK Center.
We were ecstatic to finally arrive at Section 306 just a few minutes after 7 p.m., but soon found that seats 23 and 24, row a, were occupied by fearsome looking squatters.
Suffering from exhaustion and dehydration from the hike and subsequent climb as we were, we decided it most prudent to seek help in solving our seating dilemma.
Help was hard to come by, however, as the BOKK Center box office had sold over 50,000 tickets to the 19,199 seat venue in order to maximize revenue. Each ticket was cleverly stamped "No exchange or refund" in anticipation of the numerous complaints which were certain to be lodged.
By 7:45 p.m., we had at long last located an usher willing to evict the interlopers and we were finally seated in our spacious 12 inch wide seats in line with center stage, directly behind the plexi-glass shield of the top tier of seats, presumably placed there to prevent us from sliding off the sheer face into the seats below. We were, after all, precariously perched a mere 30 feet above the v.i.p. suites, and important people do not enjoy human projectiles from the "cheap seats" landing on their heads.
We had entirely missed the opening act, Cheap Whore, but remained undaunted, as we had very little interest in that particular group anyway.
Sassette squirmed in gleeful anticipation as her favorite group, I've Been Poisoned, took the stage and was soon enrapt with the vision of her personal guitar hero, Si Si De Villain, shredding away.
Within moments, however, our musical experience of a lifetime was interrupted when not one, but two massive behemoths lumbered between us and the stage, the second of which attempted to squeeze its extensive bulk into the seat next to poor little Sassette.
The blubber spilled over to such an extent that our girl nearly suffocated. After cleverly shoving her spiked hiking boot deeply into the offending tissue, Sassette beat a quick retreat, as did I.
We rapidly made our ascent down the face of the BOKK Center and were most rudely informed that no alternate seats were available.
So we innocently stood inside section 118 and were thrilled to discover that we were in line with the stage approximately the length of our living room away from none other than Sassette's beloved Si Si. She stood there, in rapt amazement, joy engulfing her face.
Then an usher noticed us standing there, and ordered us to either take a seat or leave.
Enraged, I decided to complain mightily.
I discovered a black shirted staffer and requested to speak to a member of management. Instead, she donned her own climbing gear and led us back up to the upper level, promising to locate seats for us.
Once we had retraced the treacherous climb, however, she cleverly abandoned us, as I've Been Poisoned left the stage and we were mobbed by the other 49,998 concert goers as they each sought to be first in line to use the facilities.
We once again slid down our ropes to the main level, vowing never to venture to the upper levels again.
As we waded through the sea of humanity, I suddenly remembered spotting sofas incongruously placed outside of a few of the pricier sections; I later came to realize the thought must have escaped me previously due to the extreme oxygen deprivation we had suffered repeatedly in the upper level.
As Daft Panthurr began warming up, we located the black pleather oasis and at long last collapsed in a degree of civilized comfort.
We soon began to hear muffled strains of familiar tunes and realized that, even though we were relegated basically to the same fate as street urchins pressing their ears up against the outside walls of concert halls of yesteryear, we were, in fact, within the confines of the building where our beloved Daft Panthurr was performing.
Perhaps our auditory experience was affected by the lack of visual stimulation to match, or that fact that we were hearing the music strained through thick walls and curtains, or maybe exhaustion and disillusionment had finally set in and we were forced to face the reality that we had been royally ripped off by the BOKK Center.
Whatever the cause, the sounds that Sassette and I heard emanating from the stage as it was occupied by Daft Panthurr sounded far less like the power house ballads we had long associated with our favorite 80's group and more like the lethargic bleating of starving sheep.
Joe Helliott, in particular, had completely lost not only his edge, but his voice totally.
If his vocal chords were a six string guitar, he sounded as if he had broken at least four of them and the amps were crackling and sputtering, too.
By this time, I had endured entirely enough. I finally spotted an obviously important looking employee wearing a red polyester sports coat.
I stormed over to her and spewed forth my story of anger and woe and demanded to immediately speak to a member of management.
A supervisor miraculously appeared within five minutes and apologized profusely. He even offered to personally escort us in positions directly in front of the stage for the final moments, a full ten seconds before the concert ended.
I believe I would prefer to become a kamikaze pilot than attend another concert at the BOKK.
I would most likely derive much more enjoyment from the experience and have a better chance of survival to boot.


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A film buff's dream, Spiders is comprised of two episodes from an unfinished silent serial from Fritz Lang. Filled with excitement and adventure, it tells the story of a brave explorer who is questing for the fabulous Incan diamond. To get it though, he must keep ahead of the powerful Spider cult, who want it for their own evil purposes. The episodes were originally titled The Golden Lake and The Diamond Ship. Many of the techniques and production designs Lang experimented with in this aborted series, he later refined in his classic Dr. Mabuse films.~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Sorry there are no upcoming showtimes for The Spiders (1919)


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David Brooks, one of those writers who has helped build justifications and rationalizations for an SUV in every driveway and turning Republican, gets his comeuppance in this story. It seems Brooks never lets the facts get in the way of a sweeping generalization.
Monday, March 29, 2004
Tuesday, March 23, 2004
It may seem obvious to some of you, but the statistics appear to confirm it: A country that does not take transit doesn't walk as much.
Monday, March 22, 2004
In an era of mass-transit bombings, efforts persist to reinvent single-occupancy vehicle transportation. There's the Skycar -- recent darling of the TED Conference but also a failed concept for four straight decades. Then there's Personal Rapid Transit, which is also starting to look a bit long in the tooth, but also a transportation mode with a long string of failures behind it. My opinion: We can't engineer our way out of terrorist threats to transportation. We also can't afford these more exotic "personal transportation" options. Instead, can society gather the will to use technology to better regulate the existing motor vehicle highway system?
Friday, March 05, 2004
Budget cuts are threatening to close Sacramento's American River Parkway, the main east-west bicycling transportation route in Sacramento. According to Save the American River Association, "if funding is cut as proposed, this 5,000-acre jewel, the literal heart of [Sacramento] County, will rapidly tarnish, become unsafe and ultimately unusable by those of us who go to the Parkway to exercise, experience nature, gaze, reflect and refresh ourselves." A key budget cut meeting is scheduled for March 9.


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New information regarding memories, imaginary friends and tons of toys has been released. While I wasn't excited about this expansion when I first heard about it, my interest is growing…though a Pets or University would be more exciting.
Playing as a Child or Toddler in The Sims 3 Generations is all about imagination, make believe, and having fun! Here is a glimpse of some of the brand new features and objects that will make playing with your younger Sims an experience that is more than meets the eye (of adult Sims that is)!
Imaginary Friends
- Imaginary Friends are the cornerstone of a Child Sim's imaginary world!
- If you use Create A Sim to create a family of Sims that includes a toddler, there is a chance an Imaginary Friend doll will appear in the Toddler's inventory once the game is started. If a child is born during gameplay, there is a chance an Imaginary Friend doll will arrive in the mail some time after the Sim's birth.
- To make an Imaginary Friend doll come to life, a Toddler will have to name him or her and then spend a considerable amount of time playing with and singing to their Imaginary Friend doll. If they have spent enough time with the doll, it will magically spin to life shortly after the Toddler ages up to the Child age.
- Once brought to life, a Child Sim can perform many of the same socials and activities with his or her Imaginary Friend that they could with a real life Sim. From playing on the new hopscotch court, to a good old pillow fight, your Sim can build a relationship with the Imaginary Friend in the same manner that they can with any other Sims.
- There are also a handful of new interactions available like "Clean Up for Me" or "Get Me a Snack" that children can ask the Imaginary Friend to do. But don't forget, your Child is the only Sim that can see your Imaginary Friend, so other Sim's may think he or she is a bit crazy when interacting with the Imaginary Friend!
- Sims who excel at making potions with the brand new Chemistry Set may someday be able to create a powerful potion that could turn an Imaginary Friend into a real-life, controllable Sim that is a part of your household!
Tree Houses
- Children Sims have three brand new Tree Houses to play in!
- The Kid's Clubhouse – Despite being constructed from scrap materials and a bucket of nails, this classic Tree House is the perfect location for Sims to have Sleep Over's or to use the brand new "Fight Pirate Invaders" interaction!
- The Sci-Fi Hideaway – This high tech Tree House looks like it is straight out of the future! This is the perfect Tree House for children to throw on their Astronaut costume using the new Costume Chest, and then use the brand new "Explore New Worlds" interaction!
- The Princess and the Pauper Castle – This Tree House (or rather Tree Castle!) is straight out of a fantasy world complete with turrets and a trap door escape pole. Sims can round their kingdom up and "Hold a Great Feast" to celebrate his or her excellence.
- All three brand new Tree Houses allow Children to rename their lofty abodes, restrict entry to members of the opposite gender, and even Dump Water on unsuspecting Sims nearby!
Costume Chest
- The Costume Chest allows children to play out their imaginations while in a handful of fun new costumes!
- When clicked on, Children can choose from the Tyrannosaurus Rex, Astronaut, Prince, and Princess costumes.
- Once in costume, you can select the brand new "Go Here As…" or "Play Pretend" interactions.
- When in the Astronaut costume, Sim's will hop around like they're on the Moon. Sim's wearing the Prince or Princess costumes will preside over their kingdoms as if they were in a Royal Court. Dino-clad Sims will roar and claw their way around the neighborhood like the king of the Dinosaurs!
- Sim's in the T-Rex costume may even have the ability to perform the Dino Smash interaction on any unsuspecting Doll Houses…
- Adults now have the ability to cart their toddlers and babies around in strollers!
- Found in Buy mode, you can purchase two different Strollers: The Twinbrook Roller and the Air-Strol LX
- Adults can store Strollers in their inventory and will automatically choose to push Toddlers or Babies in them during situations in which they would usually carry them.
- Strollers can also be clicked on when placed on a lot, and players can select the "Go on Stroll with…" or "Go to Community Lot with…" interactions. Once selected, players can then choose any available Toddlers or Babies to go strolling with!
New Toys and Playground Equipment
- The Sims 3 Generations comes complete with tons of new toys and playground equipment!
- Sandboxes – Children can build Sandcastles, hide toys, and even discover long lost buried treasures in the two brand new Sandboxes available in Buy Mode.
- Hopscotch Courts – Practice alone or challenge a friend to the classic game of Hopscotch on the two brand new Hopscotch courts.
- Playground Equipment – Create the ultimate playground with new Swings, Slides, Jungle Gyms, Teeter-totters, and even a bunch of cool new Spring Riders!
- Sims can keep track of significant life moments and memories in their Scrapbook!
- When a special or significant moment occurs in a Sim's life, a screenshot and description will be recorded in the brand new Scrapbook.
- You can also use the new "Capture This Moment" button to create your own personal memory. When selected, the you'll be prompted to capture a screenshot of the moment and add a custom description.
- For the first time ever in The Sims, you can now share your Sims' Memories by using the Scrapbook to directly upload them to TheSims3.com and to your Facebook account!


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'Die Hard 5′ Poster: Good Day to Die Hard In Russia
The 'Die Hard 5' poster is here and we know that not from the title of the film -'A Good Day to Die Hard' - which is conspicuously absent but from the giant close up of Bruce Willis and his trademark catchphrase.
In what looks like a fan made poster using Photoshop, this new 'Die Hard 5' poster is the picture of simplicity. "Just give me John McClane and a yippie-ki-yay reference!" But this poster just debuted on Entertainment Weekly and is the real deal.
For a movie that had a surprisingly exciting trailer, this new poster will make your eyes roll. "Yippie-ki-yay Mother Russia"?
If you'll remember, the last movie - 'Live Free or Die Hard' - also attempted to use McClane's famous catchphrase to promote the film with billboards that exclaimed, "Yippie-ki-yay motherfu--" with the rest of the text cut off. Because, get it, he says a bad word!
But OK, we're still cautiously optimistic about 'Die Hard 5' this groan-inducing poster not withstanding. Check out the poster below and feel free to include your best "In Soviet Russia..." joke in the comments.
'A Good Day to Die Hard' hits theaters on Feb. 14, 2013.


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Blake Clarke, Brampton Battalion fend off Mississauga Steelheads 4-3NHL.com @NHLdotcom
BRAMPTON, Ont. - Blake Clarke scored a goal and added an assist as the Brampton Battalion held off the Mississauga Steelheads 4-3 in Ontario Hockey League action Thursday.
Barclay Goodrow and Nick Paul had the other goals for Brampton (23-18-8).
Stuart Percy, Riley Brace and Trevor Carrick replied for Mississauga (22-22-4).
The Battalion led 3-0 after one period. After Paul opened the scoring 3:30 into the game, Goodrow and Clarke added power-play goals 39 seconds apart.
Percy curbed the deficit to two with less than six minutes to play in the second period before Clarke restored the three-goal cushion 1:24 after Percy's goal. Brace made it a two-goal game again shortly after Clarke scored.
The 4-2 score held until Carrick brought the Steelheads to within one with less than three minutes remaining in regulation.
Spencer Martin stopped 17 of 21 shots for Mississauga while Matej Machovsky was busy in the win, turning aside 35 of the 38 shots sent his way.
Mississauga went 0 for 5 on the power play while Brampton capitalized on two of five opportunities with the man advantage.


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As part of employee benefits, organizations often pay a percentage of employee healthcare costs making health insurance more affordable. Without a shared burden, individuals and families cannot always afford coverage. In these situations, people neglect their health or end up in impossible financial situations.
Why this Matters
For My Organization
Sharing the cost of health insurance with employees helps maintain a healthy workforce. It also contributes to talent retention as employees are likely to move to other organizations when not offered the benefit.
For New Orleans
New Orleans is more socially and economically healthy when its citizens have health insurance.
View All Indicators


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As the Selling Gets Hot, India Tries to Keep Cool
New-Age Dilemma: Too Sexy? Just Fun? The Chocolate Man
Some hot new ads for men's deodorant are causing a high-level stink.
Last month, the Indian government suspended a television advertisement for Axe men's deodorant, made by Mumbai-based Hindustan Unilever Ltd. The ad shows a man transform into a walking chocolate figurine after spraying himself with Axe's Dark Temptation deodorant. As he walks through the city, women throw themselves at him, licking and biting off various parts of his body....


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Sixteen years ago today, I didn't die. But contrary to all appearances, I also didn't live.
Years have passed me in a blur of fear and sabotage, of locking myself away, withholding emotion and courage, staring down a world that has waited for me to emerge fully, only to continue to wait.
Children have grown and wounds have healed, but in most ways, life has stood still, waiting.
December 7, 1997, I didn't die. Yet, guilt sometimes eats at my heart because I didn't stand up and truly live. Sixteen years have passed and I have felt the weight of living when someone else died, of not having done anything extraordinary, of simply breathing air and putting one foot in front of the other, moving toward old age, looking back too often and wondering what might have been.
It is not regret that keeps me awake at night, but rather sadness of things I never could change. I don't beat myself up anymore, yet I also don't cheer myself on in the same ways. A place of healing has also led to a parking space, uncertainty, too many choices.
In an effort to stop proving myself to the world, I also stopped challenging myself to grow, to push, to be more than I ever was before. The result is feeling again like I am existing but not living, here but not alive.
"What you need to know about the past is that no matter what has happened, it has all worked together to bring you to this very moment. And this is the moment you can choose to make everything new. Right now." -Author Unknown
So now, here I am, in this moment, no longer the same young girl I once was but still with so much life ahead of me. I'm tired of standing still, taking tiny steps forward and even bigger steps backward. I'm tired of not believing in myself to the point of no longer challenging myself to try, to reach, to fully live. I'm ready to stop wanting, merely wanting, and instead ready to reach out and grab.
Sixteen years ago, I didn't die, and it's been a long time of traveling this road, but I'm ready to live, to really live.


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German courses in Luxembourg
Learn German fast – language courses at your place
German courses for companies
Learning German for beginners and advanced
Brush up and improve your German knowledge
Preparation courses CEFR
German Courses for Companies in Luxembourg at your place
Whether you work for an international company or you run an international company: in your professional life you are frequently confronted with …
Individual Courses at your Place in Luxembourg
You live in Luxembourg, you need German at your workplace, your children learn German at school …
Preparation for Exams at your Place in Luxembourg
You are going to take an exam, you need a focussed preparation, you have to integrate your preparation in your workday, you don't have much time …
Life is too short to learn German!
Absolut nicht! Hier ist die deutsche Version der Seite: Wetten, dass du alles verstehst?
German course Lux – Why should I learn German in Luxembourg ?
There are 563 000 habitants living in Luxembourg, out of which 259 000 are expats from all over the world who work for international companies.
They speak their mother tongue and they also have to deal with the three official languages in Luxembourg – Luxembourgish, German and French.
How to learn German fast? – Things become easier if you manage to switch between languages!
In any case German is always present in your everyday life:
- The language at your workplace is English –
nevertheless, you have to deal with German emails and phone calls,
or you may often need to travel to Germany to attend meetings. Learn German together in a language course in your company.
- You want to push your carreer with the German certificate CEFR – you will need a taylor made German course for your preparation
- Your children learn to speak German at school.
- You'd like to cross the border to do your shopping in Germany, to go to the restaurant or to do some sightseeing in Trier during the weekend – That's the best way to learn German!
- You want to improve your German knowledge – or you are curious to learn a new language and you take the challenge!
So get started with your German course – as a beginner or to brush up and to improve what you have learned before.
What my Clients say:
Generally speaking, participants are very satisfied with the opportunity of taking German Classes as they are eager to improve their current level and they possibly can use it in their current job. Further they are very pleased with your teaching method, it seems that you apply a practical approach and that you are taking enough time for each individual. Also your patience is very much appreciated by the students. Overall, they are totally pleased with the lessons.BRE Europe
Dans le cadre de la formation Office-Assistentin, Madame Daniela Fischer intervient en tant que chargée du cours de correspondance commerciale allemande depuis 3 ans. Elle dispense sa matière dans des groupes multiculturels de 12 personnes qui ont pour objectif de réintégrer le marché de l'emploi luxembourgeois dans les métiers du secrétariat. Elle sait adapter son enseignement à des niveaux intermédiaire et avancé et veille à l'organisation du travail individuel de chaque participante.JO, ZARABINA ASBL. LUXEMBOURG
"It's been now 2 years that my wife and myself actually came across Daniela path. Beginning with a level 0, we gotta start having a good command of the language and through all the (funny) listening and comprehension a good overview of the german culture and people. It's with pleasure that each week we are waiting for our german class....I would not believe that I would ever say such a thing one day!"Marie and Ludo
I have been studying with Daniela in the format of 90min-private lessons. Daniela is very committed to her meetings. She always arrives on time and is always well prepared for the lesson. She is patient and encouraging and is continuously looking for new ways to explain and make me understand better. We have been concentrating mostly on speaking and are working a lot on managing a conversation. I enjoy her classes and have already made a significant progress. I can now communicate with my collegues in German, also via telephone.Mimi, Luxembourg
- German course Lux since 2008
- you can book a classical language course to learn German or to improve youre level
- you like to talk with your mother-in-law in Frankfurt?
- you have decided to apply for a job in Munich?
- you want to listen to parliament debates in Berlin?
- you are keen to read Goethe in the original language?
Anyway the organisation of your course will be quick and simple!
Dr. Daniela Fischer
Helenenstraße 28
54295 Trier
E-Mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Tel.: +49 651 42860


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Maintaining IT services within an organisation can represent a challenge. Limited resources or in-house expertise can affect support delivery, business operations or delay the delivery of vital projects. Our professional abilities include Project Management, Network Design and Optimisation, Managed Cyber-Security Services, Training Services, RF Design & Analytics, and Remote IT Management and Support Services. Let Speedcast Professional Services assist with your organisation's IT requirements.
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Speedcast has a solid history of delivering customised communications solutions across the world. Drawing from our vast experience, Speedcast can provide expert assistance – ensuring that effective and relevant consultative information is delivered prior to commencement of a project. Our consultants have experience within nearly every segment of the communications world.
Information and Communication Technology is a resource intensive task that impacts all facets of business operations. Management of remote offices and locations can be difficult, as staff may not be technical or have the necessary access levels to resolve time-critical issues. Speedcast delivers ICT management services to remote offices and locations.
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http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/Related: Prophezeiungen
Bible prophecy Bible prophecy or biblical prophecy is typically the prediction of future events based on the action, function, or faculty of a prophet.[1] Such passages are widely distributed throughout the Bible, but those most often cited are from Ezekiel, Daniel, Matthew 24, Matthew 25, and Revelation. Believers in biblical prophecy engage in exegesis and hermeneutics of scriptures which they believe contain descriptions of global politics, natural disasters, the future of the nation of Israel, the coming of a Messiah and a Messianic Kingdom, and the ultimate destiny of humankind. Some prophecies in the Bible are conditional, with either the conditions implicitly assumed or explicitly stated.[2] Some prophetic passages are depicted as direct statements from God while other statements are expressed as the privileged perspective of the biblical author considered to be a prophet.
Japanese Stab Binding : Tortoise Shell Pattern Japanese Stab Binding Pattern: Tortoise Shell Binding Here is the tutorial for the Japanese Stab Binding technique called the Tortoise Shell pattern. [This pattern is slightly different in that the holes become groups of three, the hole at the center of each group is the pivotal hole (the holes farthest from the spine). For each pivotal hole, you will sew into each of its neighbors, and then move to the next group.] Other Tutorials Available: Simple & BasicTraditional
Signs that we are in the End Times The Bible gives many examples of signs that should warn us of the coming end of the age. Six such signs are given by Jesus, two characteristics are given by Paul, and eleven other occurrences are given by the prophets to occur prior to or soon after the end of the age. While we are also told we will not know the time of the End, God obviously wanted us to know when that time was getting closer.
japanese stab binding The lotus blossom or lily-pad flower, whichever. 36 total holes, about an intermediate bind. Make sure that your holes along the top line are even! As always, if there is an error or if you have a question, leave a comment and I will do my best to answer. Bible Prophecy Truth > Topics > Keys to Bible Symbols Why cloak Bible prophecies in Symbols? Luke 8 :10 And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that 'Seeing they may not see, And hearing they may not understand.' Many of the apocalyptic prophecies were given while the prophets were in a hostile foreign land.
wood I wanted more storage in our craft room/ office. I saw these shelves on ana-white.com she added to her daughter's closet and was excited to make my own. You adjust the dimensions according to your own doors. What Bible Prophecy is Not! There is today a proliferation of Bible "prophecy" leading to widespread confusion about what is true and what is false. This is especially seen on the Internet. A lot of this confusion is due to a lack of understanding of definitions and what constitutes Biblical prophecy. Let us briefly examine Biblical prophecy in the Old and New Testament and then critically apply these insights to one recent example of a so-called "prophetic utterance" to God's people which was given by a well-known Bible teacher. The prophets of the Old Testament were brought forward by the God of Israel to speak to His people warning them of their departure from His Law and His ways.
Top 10 Free Genealogy Websites For A Free Ancestry Search A few years ago, during a family reunion, I learned for the first time that my granduncle on my father's side had fought and died in World War II. The story of his demise sparked a personal interest toward my own family history. So, I did what I always do when I have something to research – I first turned to the Internet. I quickly discovered that while there are certainly free genealogy websites out there, the truly valuable or unique ones where you can do a free ancestry search are few and far between. During this research, I learned two things about people interested in genealogy.
Free Genealogy Online Books There are many free books on the Internet that are invaluable in the pursuit of family history. You may think it is not worthwhile to search historical books for your ancestor because you have ancestors who are just ordinary folks and not newsworthy enough to be in a book. But you may be surprised at what you will find in these books. Many historical books are county books that include biographies of regular citizens, others are military regimental histories, family history books, historical society publications, county commission reports, court cases and city directories. These books have info about regular people.


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Hi, welcome to hannahjoylewis.com
Here you'll find my modelling portfolios, biography, video clips, booking info and a little more about me. Happy browsing x
I'm an internationally published model based in London. I've travelled all over the world with my modelling, from The Virgin Islands to Dubai and from Texas to Europe! I continue to be a very busy working mum and model based in the UK.
Asides from modelling, I have an extensive portfolio of work within the music industry. I have been signed to Sony BMG, not just once but twice!
In regards to acting, I went to drama school and have had successful parts in a movies, TV commercials, music videos and continue to work as a body double within the film industry.
I have a passion for television presenting and have an extensive portfolio to showcase all of my work, which includes live TV, ad-lib, auto-cue and hosting corporate events.
I'm currently pregnant with my second child, so am only being booked for maternity/pregnancy shoots.
Thanks for looking
Hannah-joy x


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Following on from the current covenant meeting to discuss the Vrykolakos, Neysa volunteers to take some grogs experienced in hunting and combat to hunt these demons down. The grogs are advised to prepare a team for the next morn.
An injured wolf hauled himself (Ukalian) into the covenant just before dawn on the day after the exploration party's return.
He reports that 4 of the Vrykolakos gathered where he could observe, two wolves, a goat and an owl. They all assumed human form and started across the island heading towards the town, Santorini. Ukalian tracked them to near the town where a shepherd, possibly alerted by the Vrykolakos, attacked him and drove him off, inflicting significant damage.
The team (Father Grigori, Phedra & Neysa) travel to Santorini by ship, dropped by Themistocles, who promptly leaves.
A brief conference of the magi leads to the decision to visit the local Lord.
Tio Vincenzo is a charming Venetian, and a gracious host, he invites us to a banquet at his home that evening. He is also being visited by two mysterious shipwrecked nobles by the names of Lord Tybalt (a Frank) and Lady Kuria (a Greek).
With a little prompting he happily shows off his town, which is showing signs of renovation and new investment. It seems a happy place.
At the banquet the wine is excellent and Neysa offers to dance. In the meantime Father Grigori is required to perform the final rites for two sailors found washed up on a beach. Father Grigori examines the bodies and finds to his horror that they have been completely exsanguinated as well as looking horrified.
During the dancing after the meal Neysa feels taken with a sudden rush of fear which she suppresses with some effort. Father Grigori senses a rush of pure wickedness at this time.
The feasting continues. Father Grigori attempts to murmur to Phedra that there is something unclean about, but being deaf she is unable to make out what he is talking about. Neysa returns to her seat, thanking her admirers. There is another couple of hours of feasting.
As the feast comes to an end, Neysa flirts outrageously with the Lord. She catches Father Gregori for a quiet word after the feast. She asks him if he noticed anything unusual. Father Gregori reports that the bodies were not of drowned men, they had been thrown into the water following exsanguination, their faces a rictus of indescribable terror. He believes that they were victims of the demons. He mentions that he felt a pulse of evil as she danced and asks if it caused her problems. Neysa responds that she is not of a perceptive persuasion.
Neysa asks if Phedra spotted anything. She did not, but stated that she trusts the good Father's instincts in this sort of matter. Neysa looks around for anything out of the ordinary while partying on into the small hours of the morning. Phedra retires for the evening as she starts to get tired.
Neysa and Father Grigori amble around then return to the scene of the banquet, looking for traces of evil. All they find are servants cleaning away the debris. After some more discussion, they decide to call it a night.
As Father Grigori walks back through the dark, deserted streets, he hears a footstep behind him. He turns to look but sees nothing and continues to walk, quietly singing a rather blood-thirsty hymn and rather regretting his lack of a thurible. He dimly senses an evil presence drawing closer. The footsteps get louder, keeping match with his pace. He keeps going then breaks into a run. Unfortunately, the demon is faster than his wildest dreams and he would have been grappled by a slavering undead corpse from Hell if the weight of his crucifix had not pulled him off balance, making him stumble out of the way.
Calling on the power of the Divine, Father Grigori brandishes his crucifix at the demon, pressing it into it's face. The crucifix appears to burn the demon and it attempts to brush it aside. It tries to breathe fire on him, but it is dissipated by his crucifix. The good Father continues to wield the crucifix, continuing to burn the demon. The power of God continues to protect the good Father, and the demon begins to back away. Father Gregori refuses to permit it to ravage innocents further and pursues. God evidently agrees as a shaft of divinely bright moonlight breaks through the cloud cover, reflects of Father Grigori's crucifix and hits the demon. It screeches in unearthly agony and a corpse drops to the ground. Father Gregori gives it the Last Rites and bears it to the church. He leaves it to lay in state and goes to pray at the altar.
Father Grigori then heads back up to the Lord's manor and heads to Neysa's chamber, knocking on her door. Neysa has only just gone to bed so she opens the door in her nightclothes. He asks to speak to her. She puts a few more clothes on. He reports an encounter on the way back and explains what happened.
Neysa goes to Phedra's room and makes a very bright light to shine through the cracks in the door to (hopefully) wake her. Neysa opts for flashes of intense light. Fortunately, this does wake Phedra, who gets up, puts a robe on and carefully opens her door. Being unconvinced that they are not demons, Phedra asks what they want. Neysa reports that Father Grigori has witnessed a miracle and thinks one of the demons is dead. He would like the magi to examine the body. There is a certain amount of joking about the good Father going blind from fingering his crucifix. Phedra rather warily agrees to accompany them.
Our three intrepid heroes head for the church. Father Grigori shows them the body and says another prayer. The body is old and has been stained black with ancient ash and is dry and desiccated. It is becoming brittle as if it were only made supple by the black arts of the demon. Phedra and Neysa conclude that the vis has been purified by God. Phedra surreptitiously checks and finds that there are 5 pawns of corpus vis in the body. She gathers it all into a tooth but cannot get the tooth out. Neysa distracts the Father and easily extracts the tooth. Father Grigori shows the other two bodies as well. Unfortunately, neither Neysa nor Phedra has any knowledge of medicine and they can only agree that they are indeed dead. Phedra adds that there is no vis in the corpses.
Everyone returns to their rooms to try to rest for the rest of the night.
The next day, Phedra awakes at about noon to find that servants have brought clothes, water, fruit etc. His Lordship greets the ladies and hopes that they are enjoying their stay. Neysa indicates that they will stay a little longer before heading back to their "estates" on the coast.
The two mysterious strangers have left early. No-one seems to know where they went at the manor. Investigation at the docks indicates that only the lady left. It is agreed that they will stay one more day then head back on the evening tide. Nothing extraordinary occurs and the magi return to the covenant with Father Grigori. It is agreed that he will return to the town every week or so to keep an eye on the situation.
Everything appears to return to normal with no further attacks or depradations being noticed. The missing fishing boat does not turn up, but the boat transporting the Lady does. It is agreed that the corpus vis should go to the covenants stores.
Dione calls the Council to order and asks what happened. Phedra reports on what happened (see Other Actions of 1220).
Melanthius asked about the shapechanging of the creature. Phedra explained that Euphemia had always seen it as that form but in the fight it had discarded its disguise. He then asked if any of us were born on a Saturday. He asked if any vis had been recovered. Phedra stated that she had been concerned that it may have been demonically tainted and therefore ordered the body burned.
Melanthius stated that he knew what it might be. He asked if anyone knew of the Vrykolakas. Phedra recalled that her mother used to try to scare her with them – uncorrupted corpses driven into unnatural life by demons, hungering for life. There is a brief debate about where the spirit originally attached to the body is – still in the body or in Hell with the soul.
Phedra reported that Eucalion is still on that side of the island and they were unable to track him. Melanthius stated that the demons prefer human prey and that he hopes the Aegis will be sufficient. Phedra reported that it will not be as the demons are of the fourth magnitude. Melanthius stated that this is unfortunate.
Phedra suggests that allowing the situation to escalate would be unwise. Dione suggests that some demon-slaying spells would be helpful. Neysa asked if the demons would be immune to fire. Melanthius is unsure, but stated that they can assume a spiritual form which would be immune. He is not sure about when they are in physical form.
Phedra states that she does not think that waiting to research spells is a good idea – there are people on that side of the island and the demons will only grow more powerful with each victim they prey on. Dione reluctantly agrees. Dione asks about why Melanthius asked about being born on the Saturday and he responds that the demons are unable to harm anyone born on a Saturday.
Neysa asks if the Church will do anything about the problem. Dione reports that Father Grigori is in the covenant and she is sure that the town has a priest. Probably. This is abandoned as an option. Melanthius reports that the covenant has little to do with the town as it is full of Venetians. He thinks that they think the covenant is a small fishing village as they haven't even bothered to tax the covenant.
There is a discussion of means of disposal. Melanthius suggests powerful penetrating spells. Neysa states that she can manage this if they are not immune to fire. Phedra provides the arcane connection taken from the battle.
There is a discussion about what was on the other side of the gap. It is determined that there were probably 5 of them (one for each grave) and their grave dirt may be a weak arcane connection. An expedition is planned to recover it. It is generally agreed that someone raised the demons.
Dione asks if any of the magi have particularly useful spells in order to apportion vis from the stores. Neysa reports that she does. Euphemia states that she does not. Dione points out that her God-given gift allows her to see the demons when others do not. Phedra reports that her most damaging spell is the Crystal Dart. Dione suggests that she take Terram vis – it can be returned if not used. Phedra also requests Vim vis as she feels she may be able to spontaneously cast Perdo Vim effects.
Vis is distributed and the Council concludes
End of Spring
Melanthius reports back that he could find nothing wrong with the covenant's copy of Aegis of the Hearth. There is some discussion about what could have caused the Aegis to go down. It is generally agreed that it must have been an external event and it is agreed that all will stay alert for any cause.
Neysa Ex Miscellanea starts organising a Summer Solstice party.
End of Summer
Neysa's party is going well until an earthquake hits. The epicentre appears to be either further inland or out to sea in that direction. It appears to be worse outside the Aegis and lasts for about 4 minutes. There are no fore- or after-shocks, no steaming from the bay or subsidence of the cliffs. This is generally considered to be a bad thing, and it is assumed to have a magical cause. No-one is currently out in that direction. Melanthius uses a sight enhancement spell to determine that the town appears undamaged and there is little agitation of the waves. The terrain prevents any determination of damage in the other direction. Dione discusses the matter with 3 grogs who head out to scout the surrounding area. It is agreed that the unfortunate incident should be further investigated in the morning. This breaks up the party, although Neysa tries to encourage people to stay and continue.
The scouts return less than an hour later and report that there are no unusual scents in the close vicinity and no obvious damage, but they do not wish to go deeper into the mountains before daylight.
The next day, Alcibiades rounds up a posse of grogs (including Thermistocles the ship captain). Phedra of House Bjornaer and Euphemia Ex Miscellanea also go. There are many goats on the first part of the journey. Good progress is made and the first rest break is 4 hours in – before Thermistocles incites anyone to murder. On moving on, a huge gouge through the mountains is found – almost a small pass. This is as close to the epicentre as can be determined. There is huge amounts of fallen rubble. The rent seems to pass entirely through the mountains and seems to be wide enough for a man to pass. Thermistocles essays passage through. He finds that the passage is not difficult and takes approximately 5 minutes, emerging on the other side of the mountains. There is no obvious feature visible so he returns.
Euphemia Ex Miscellanea and Phedra of House Bjornaer inspect the crack while Alcibiades checks for tracks. He finds some very faint claw marks on some of the rubble, which appear to be leading into the covenant's side of the island. Phedra determines that the way the rubble has fallen is unusual and it has formed unusually small pieces of rubble rather than slabs of rock. Alcibiades approaches her and reports on the claw marks. Phedra goes with him to inspect. They are marks of 5 claw and must have been made after the earthquake. Phedra does not recognise them. Euphemia Ex Miscellanea attempts to examine the area with her mystic senses but is unsuccessful.
Thermistocles returns. He does not recognise the tracks, but takes great delight in recounting tales of clawed monsters. The grog in wolf form takes the scent. Euphemia Ex Miscellanea spontaneously casts an Intellego Vim effect to detect any trace of magics. She manages a second magnitude effect and detects traces of powerful magic in the area.
Phedra, Thermistocles and Alcibiades return back through the pass for a better look around. Two grogs stay with Euphemia and the other goes through the pass. Thermistocles scoops up Euphemia and the whole party goes through. There is a lot less rubble on this side. There are also a number of shallow, human-sized depressions dug into the scree which have been disturbed, as if a number of shallow graves had been dug up. There is also chalk writing on bits of rock which has been wiped off. They are unintelligible, but there is something about them which is ringing bells for Phedra. Euphemia examines the depressions. There is no evidence that they were in fact graves. Her mystical senses do not detect any anomalies. The wolf's hackles are up and the grogs are nervous. The wolf changes form and reports that it smells of death but not as of dead bodies per se. Alcibiades asks if the scent of death is a trail that he can follow. The wolf is unhappy but agrees to follow the trail. Alcibiades points out that if the group continue it will be necessary to camp overnight. It is agreed that this is better than losing the trail.
Alcibiades allocates a grog to watch the pass until nightfall and instructs him to join the rest of the group then. The rest of the group sets off following the scent and continues until darkness falls. During the afternoon the tracker reports that the trail splits. Given that scent sticks better to living organisms than rock, it is agreed to follow the trail that leads down to meadowland. As the trail progresses, occasional dead plants are noted along the trail. Alcibiades decides to investigates closer one of the affected plants. It appears to have just died, as if someone had just poured poison on them. The affliction appears to have risen from the roots.
Thermistocles and Alcibiades compete to find the best campsite. Alcibiades finds a natural clearing close to a spring which appears to be the best. The trail is marked with stones for ease of re-finding in the morning and camp is made. Thermistocles makes a shelter and the grogs hunt for game and a watch schedule is determined.
The night is quiet. Too quiet. Thermistocles gets worried and investigates. He finds that a branch of the tree next to the camp has died – one where an owl had been. Euphemia has the next watch and nearly misses the leering black fanged face leaping at her from the darkness, but stumbles and falls out of its way. The wolf sharing her watch does not appear to have noticed anything. She wakes Alcibiades who investigates. The wolf reports that an owl flew at her. Alcibiades investigates the trees. There is a patch of dead grass under the tree. He can find nothing else and agrees to investigate further in the morning.
When morning comes, the magi perform the Parma Magica and go back to sleep for a few hours. Thermistocles goes hunting and finds a goat ripped to pieces and scattered over the landscape. Some of the internal organs may have been eaten, but could have just been scattered a bit further. He burns the remains and continues hunting. He finds some more dead goats at the bottom of a cliff – it appeared that they were chased over the cliff and the slowest one got caught. He brings the corpses back to camp to cook and reports on the vivisected one.
Euphemia explains about the owl/evil thing to Phedra. Phedra asks some questions – Euphemia had her Parma Magica up and was not dozing off. Her more unusual perceptions showed the same thing. Phedra concludes that the fanged thing was its true form and it was using a glamour to conceal itself. The wolf grog did not detect anything wrong with its scent or behaviour. Thermistocles reports that the dead goat appeared to have been ripped apart by huge claws.
The party continues on the trail. Goat for breakfast obviously agrees with the party as they progress rapidly. The wolf back at the crevasse had not yet reached the party. It is agreed that if he has not caught up by dusk of this evening, the party will go back to look for him.
The morning passes quietly. The trail leads down a very steep escarpment, nearly a cliff. Phedra turns into a salamander for the descent and manages easily, as do the wolves. Euphemia slowly glides down using a Rego Corpus effect, hovering over the rocks. On the way down, she sees the leering face rushing at her again. Everyone else sees an owl. As this is broad daylight, people are rather surprised. Euphemia chooses to ignore the owl and concentrate on her spell. The owl scratches her in the face as it goes for her eyes. Euphemia sees a leering face biting at her with fangs and trying to spit in her eye. Alcibiades automatically shoots an arrow at the owl. Or Euphemia, it's hard to say. Euphemia is hit at any rate but at least the owl leaves Euphemia. It heads for Alcibiades instead and gets him in the face. Alarums and excursions follow. The owl appears to have magical resistance and excellent armour. The "owl" sheds its feathers revealing a humanoid, evil form comparable to Euphemia's description during the fight. It eventually dies, leaving a body that appears to have been dead for some time. Phedra detects that the corpse contains 4 pawns of vis in the long pointy teeth, but decides that it is likely to be demonically tainted so does not harvest it. The body is burned. During the fight, some of the creature's blood is shed onto the tip of Thermistocles' javelin, which Phedra uses as an arcane connection in an attempt (largely futile) to overcome the creature's magic resistance.
It is agreed that the party should return to the covenant at this point as several members of the party are wounded. They make it back to the gap in the mountains with no sign of the missing grog. It is agreed that the 2 grogs will try to track him and the rest of the party will wait for the rest of the day. They are back the next morning and report that Eucalion (the missing grog) had been trying to lose pursuit and they lost the trail on the eastern side of the island. It is agreed that the best course of action is to return to the covenant. Phedra suggests that the magi may find something to track him with magically.
On return to the covenant, Dione is waiting and there is a Wizard's Council called for debriefing (see Council minutes).
The session begins with the first session of the Magi's Council. The order of business is as follows:
1. Allocation of vis
The magi are asked if they have any particular projects which would require vis to be allocated from the covenant. Melanthius of Jerbiton proposes that 15 pawns of Vim vis be released for any magus wishing to attune a talisman. This motion passes unanimously. However, Dione of Bjornaer proposes that any claiming this allotment should repay 5 pawns of vis of any type within 2 years. This motion also passes unanimously.
2. The magical cat
Dione of Bjornaer proposes giving the cat a probationary period. It is generally agreed that, although unlikely to prove useful, the wolves are currently watching it and the period should be indefinite. It should have the opportunity to earn priviledges.
3. Any other business
The Aegis of the Hearth is mentioned by Melanthius. He stated that he would examine the previous copy for any flaws. Neysa of Ex Miscelleanea mentioned that it might be worth checking to see if any other entities came in while the Aegis was down. Melanthius stated that he would ask the grogs to keep an eye out. Neysa suggested that it could be the work of an enemy magus. Dione stated that no magi have been spotted and it was not a large Aegis to start with so she does not feel that foul play is involved. They will look into it and any further information will be shared at the next meeting
Vis is distributed as below. In addition, Galenos of House Flambeau is allocated 15 pawns of Vim vis for the attunement of his talisman.
The following are available to claim from:
6 creo, 8 vim, 5 aquam, 7 terram, 4 ignem, 3 perdo
Neysa of Ex Miscellanea: 3 creo, 2 ignem
Phedra of Bjornaer: 2 creo, 1 perdo, 2 terram
Dione of Bjornaer: 3 aquam, 2 vim
Galenos of Flambeau: 2 perdo, 1 terram, 1 aquam, 1 ignem
Euphemia of Ex Miscellanea: 1 creo, 1 aquam, 1 terram, 1 vim, 1 ignem
Melanthius of Jerbiton: 3 terram, 2 vim
Leaving 3 vim to be placed in the covenant stores.
The magi disperse to their various pursuits.
The year is 1220 and the final bastion of Roman civilisation has fallen into chaos. It is 16 years since the forces of the Fourth Crusade sacked Constantinople and instituted the reign of the Latin Emperors and the Crusader Lords rest uneasy in the domains they have carved from the Empire's carcass. The Latin Empress Yolanda is dead and her successor hurries from the West. On the mainland the Byzantine successor state of Epiros hungers for the downfall of the Franks and their Venetian allies. In Nicaea the Greek Emperor in exile girds himself for war; everywhere there is rumour of devilry, as peasant and noble alike suspect that the desecration of the holy shrines of Constantinople has allowed Satan to pour his venom into the last lands of Rome.
Amidst this tumult stands the Theban tribunal of the Order of Hermes, magi great in power but still subject to the fears and ambitions of other men. Sworn to avoid meddling in the affairs of mundane lords, they stand apart from the chaos but are not immune to it. Many of its covenants have perished in the crusade or its aftermath, their lore lost or cast to the winds. There are those among its Leagues who see opportunity in uncertainty and those who see only destruction. This chronicle is an account of the Magi of the House of Wolves, newest of the Tribunal's covenants.
Every campaign gets an Adventure Log, a blog for your adventures!
While the wiki is great for organizing your campaign world, it's not the best way to chronicle your adventures. For that purpose, you need a blog!
The Adventure Log will allow you to chronologically order the happenings of your campaign. It serves as the record of what has passed. After each gaming session, come to the Adventure Log and write up what happened. In time, it will grow into a great story!
Best of all, each Adventure Log post is also a wiki page! You can link back and forth with your wiki, characters, and so forth as you wish.
One final tip: Before you jump in and try to write up the entire history for your campaign, take a deep breath. Rather than spending days writing and getting exhausted, I would suggest writing a quick "Story So Far" with only a summary. Then, get back to gaming! Grow your Adventure Log over time, rather than all at once.


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Enfield switches to online electoral registration
Published Thursday, 18 September 2014
Enfield Council's elections team is urging local residents not to miss out, as the biggest change to the electoral registration system in nearly 100 years takes place with the message "It's time to act".
The new, more secure system verifies that everyone on the register is who they say they are, ensuring the legitimacy and fairness of local and national elections.
Following verification work done by the team, most of those currently registered to vote will be automatically transferred to the new electoral register after their names and addresses were accurately matched against other government records.
However, some didn't match and received a letter from the elections team requesting further information.
It's now time for those who've yet to respond to act. In September, 20,000 reminders will be hand delivered urging people who have not completed their details to do so before it's too late.
Rob Leak, Chief Executive of Enfield Council said "Many Enfield residents have received a letter from the elections team to tell them that they have automatically moved onto the new registration system. However, some residents were told that they needed to provide extra information in order to register under the new system. It's important that they now do this, otherwise they may lose their right to vote.
"This is the first time that people can register to vote online and it's quick and simple – it will take less than five minutes, so if you've just turned 18 or you've not registered to vote in Enfield before, get online to register to vote."
Anyone who received a letter telling them they were not transferred can visit Link to register to vote online, or complete and send the form back free of charge.
More articles in the news archive.


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To test drive and order a new BMW Series, get in touch with one of our Marshall BMW dealerships today.
As part of the 6 Series range, BMW produces a coupé and a Gran Coupé model. You can also choose the convertible, or the X6 crossover.
The compact two-door body and athletic shaping give the coupé the thrilling feel of a sports car. In the Gran Coupé, a 4+1 seat layout creates more personal space. Both models are finished with premium textiles and contrasting upholstery stitching. Other advantages of the 6 Series are less visible, such as the many safety and driver assistance systems.
Versatility is amplified in both the convertible and the X6. The top-down cabriolet showcases many of BMW's cutting-edge infotainment systems. Head off the tarmac in the confident X6 – it smooths out the ride with four-wheel drive, supple optional active suspension and xDrive technology.
Choose any of these eye-catching cars with various equipment levels, options and accessories – including those from the exclusive BMW Individual selection. Special offers are regularly available, as are competitive car finance agreements.
All Marshall BMW dealerships – Bournemouth, Grimsby, Salisbury, Hampshire and Scunthorpe – can offer you the new BMW 6 Series range. Enquire online at any time, or call or visit while your nearest location is open.


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Badriyah Destination Guide
Delve into Badriyah in Iraq!
Badriyah in the region of Al Başrah is located in Iraq - some 230 mi (or 371 km) South-East of Baghdad, the country's capital.
Current time in Badriyah is now 09:26 PM (Monday). The local timezone is named "Asia / Baghdad" with an UTC offset of 3 hours. Depending on your travel modalities, these larger destinations might be interesting for you: Umm ash Shuwayj, Turabah, Salih, Ramlah, Khamisah or Nahiyat 'Atbah. While being here, make sure to check out As Sayyah, Sab'ah, Qal'ah, Al Ma'bar, Hasaur and Al Janabah as well. We also found some pictures.
Weather Conditions Today & Next Days Forecast
|Morning Temperature
|Evening Temperature
|Night Temperature
|Chance of rainfall
|Air Humidity
|Air Pressure
|1035 hPa
|Wind Speed
|Light breeze with 3 km/h (2 mph) from South-East
|Cloud Conditions
|Overcast clouds, covering 92% of sky
|General Conditions
|Overcast clouds
Tuesday, 22nd of January 2019Sky is clear, light breeze, clear sky.
Day: 14°C (57 °F)
Night: 5°C (41 °F)
Wednesday, 23rd of January 2019Sky is clear, gentle breeze, clear sky.
Day: 14°C (57 °F)
Night: 4°C (40 °F)
Thursday, 24th of January 2019Sky is clear, light breeze, clear sky.
Day: 17°C (62 °F)
Night: 6°C (43 °F)
Videos provided by Youtube are under the copyright of their owners.
Interesting facts about this location
Central Marshes
The Central or Qurna Marshes were a large complex of wetlands in Iraq that were part of the Tigris-Euphrates river system, along with the Hawizeh and Hammar Marshes. Formerly covering an area of around 3000 square kilometres, they were almost completely drained following the 1991 uprisings in Iraq and have in recent years been reflooded.
Draining of the Mesopotamian Marshes
The draining of the Mesopotamian Marshes occurred in Iraq and to a smaller degree in Iran between the 1950s and 1990s to clear large areas of the marshes in the Tigris-Euphrates river system. Formerly covering an area of around 20,000 km, the main sub-marshes, the Hawizeh, Central, and Hammar Marshes and all three were drained at different times for different reasons.
Mesopotamian Marshes
The Mesopotamian Marshes or Iraqi Marshes are a wetland area located in southern Iraq and partially in southwestern Iran. Historically the marshlands, mainly composed of the separate but adjacent Central, Hawizeh and Hammar Marshes, used to be the largest wetland ecosystem of Western Eurasia. It is a rare aquatic landscape in the desert, providing habitat for the Marsh Arabs and important populations of wildlife.
Lake Hammar
Lake Hammar is a saline lake in southeastern part of Iraq within the Hammar Marshes. It has an area of 600-1,350 km². Water level in the lake fluctuates, with maximum depths varying from 1.8 metres (winter) to 3.0 metres (spring). The lake is an important wetland site for birds. The native inhabitants are Marsh Arabs, some of whom occupy villages on artificial, floating islands.
Located at 30.97, 47.17 (Lat. / Lng.), less than 15 mi away.
Related Locations
Information of geographic nature is based on public data provided by geonames.org, CIA world facts book, Unesco, DBpedia and wikipedia.


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Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Social media (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, etc.) is currently challenging British anthropologist Robin Dunbar's theory known as the Homo sapiens cortex ratio – the maximum number of people (approximately 150) with whom we maintain a genuine relationship. In short, someone, if our paths crossed, we would invite out for a libation.
Read On:
Last week I attended the 2009 National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago. It is my industry's premier networking event. Made me think about Dunbar's numbers, which I first read about in Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point. Being a student of networking, I pride myself on the Homo sapiens cortex ratio, but more importantly the quality of connections I have made over the years. After Chicago, I further subscribe to Dunbar's theory.
How did Dunbar develop this number? He studied the 38 primate groups, collected data and then developed an equation to predict the human social group size. Dunbar then researched information about hunter-gathering tribes, religious groups, etc. His findings based on historical documentation, indicated communication and behavior attributed to direct connections remained under control at 150. Meltdown occurred above 150. As a result, as villages or colonies approached the magical number, they would split in two and form a new group.
Social media is currently challenging the number of people to whom we can stay connected, thanks to the Internet explosion. People continuously forge new relationships and boast about the number of people in their network – personal or business. Is it possible for an individual to have one to two thousand connections? Absolutely. What has morphed, thanks to the presence of Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, etc., is the definition of a connection. According to Webster's definition – a person connected to others esp. by marriage, kinship, or common interest: a casual or logical relationship as in social, professional, or commercial. Social media facilitates these connections like no other medium in the history of mankind. However, given the number of ephemeral connections I have made over the years attending the NRA, National and Regional conferences or via the Internet, my social media query follows:
· Without the face-to-face time needed to incubate a casual social, professional, or commercial relationship, how genuine are your "connections"?
· We live in an age of transparency thanks to the Internet. Are your connections' profiles authentic?
· What is the average shelf life of a social media "connection"?
· If you bumped into your connection, would you feel at ease to sit down for a glass of wine? More importantly, thanks to social media clutter, would you even recognize your "connection"?
Remember, Robin Dunbar would challenge how many social relationships you realistically manage?
8 comments:
Interesting question about 'shelf life' of a social media connection. I would say 'it depends' on how genuine each side may be in the communication. But isn't that true w/face to face also? How many phonies are out there who you've met face-to-face, yet to find they are not "real". (Air kisses). Do we really "know" anyone?ReplyDelete
A circle of friends is like a target. Few really close on the inside. Few more on the next level, and so on. Social Media has provided more depth to the outer circles.
End note: All year I've maintained a nice relationship w/Tom all through electronic media. And that guy gets better all the time : ). But to your point, it would be great to meet more face to face.
Excellent, Jimmy. I am going to look deeper into Dunbar. I agree with you that technology allows us to extend that number, but what is the number now? I dont think its much more than Dunbar posits, even with all the tools we have. I might recognize someone, or even remember their name, but do i have a relationship with them? Interesting concept. You make my head hurt.ReplyDelete
I agree...it challenges us to reflect on our concept of genuine. Personally, I think that that concept of genuine is not going to change. What will change is our ability to maintain relations that are outside that circle of genuine. In fact, maybe our "circle of friends" will actually become smaller and tighter while we allow our virtual network to expand. Hmm.....ReplyDelete
- Joan ViewegerMay 20, 2009 at 11:02 AM
Maybe it's the alignment of the stars lately, but I'm getting to the point where a manifesto on living as a slave to technology is coming close to the tips of my fingers. Ironically, I'd be "writing it up" on my computer, or perhaps I'll just Twitter it out 160 characters at a time to 50,000 of my CPFs! "Delete"ReplyDelete
I had a hard time describing and linking to that post in 140 characters. But I managed. Now my 307 twitter followers have access to your blog.ReplyDelete
Thinking more about the content of your post, and questions posed, it's a daily issue of balance regarding the role social media plays in my life, and trying to forge and maintain meaningful relationships offline or through conventional means.
Also, "Tweetups" take social media to the place where you can enjoy a drink with a "friend." They are organized gatherings of online people meeting offline for drinks and discussion--great networking tools that give you a multi-faceted relationship and ways of interacting.
PS - When will I see @smartketing on Twitter?
According to this recent Google study, the 150 number still stands...ReplyDelete
Simply fascinating. I have never heard of "Homo sapiens cortex ratio" and have yet to read the Tipping Point (although I did read Outliers).ReplyDelete
I've actually recently been reflecting on this. Just the idea of how social media has changed the way I/we communicate. I go to conferences and during the session I'm one of those people tweeting out useful tips from the session. I also tweet with others during sessions or RT them when they share notes.
What does this mean? My level of engagement during the conference is on full speed. All of these miniconversations are topic starters. I've now met dozens if not hundreds of people online before I met them in person. And I already have a "connection" and a little "bond" with them before I even meet them in person. That thought is intriguing.
Another random thought is the idea of online communication and the lack of non-verbal cues. I often find when I communicate with someone online I can get a much better "read" on them. I've accurately predicted someone's in-person personality many times because I've grown up and honed this "art."
I can also communicate with attendees at conferences before the event by following the hash tag, or what have you. Anyway, it's an interesting thought to entertain and something I'd like to look into further. Thanks for sharing Jimmy.
Interesting commentary of how the human mind works with respect to meaningful relationships and its capacity for quantity. Robin Dunbar's op-ed seemingly focuses on "friends" and "facebook friends" and admittedly they are not always the same thing.ReplyDelete
I think the majority of the article is focused on the social and anthropological effects of social media. I think the same arguments about the telephone, email, and teleconferencing were made when they were created yet the world moves on. It is not the responsibility of social media to build meaningful relationships. In fact Professor Dunbar also points out that social networking sites actually enable us neanderthals to actually rebuild communities and reinvigorate our networks. I echo his comment "Welcome to the electronic village."


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This short video report from NDTV says the entire Bollywood's biggest and brightest stars and legends flocked to catch the Robot special screening in Mumbai. Rajinikanth himself invited them and he was personally present. The celebrities and legends included the entire Bachchan clan, veteran film maker and legendary actor Dev Anand, and many others.
Now, as director Shankar is being hailed as 'India's James Cameron', the flick has sent some strong shockwaves up the spines of some producers and superstars of Bollywood. Meanwhile there are reports that 'Robotmania' has gripped the whole range of big-budget filmmakers of Bollywood and most of them are now seriously considering incorporating Robotronics and animatronics in their future productions and even in films under production.
While Shah Rukh Khan is reported to introduce the latest technologies on special effects in his films, reports say Krrish 2 has been delayed, and Hrithik Roshan told a scribe, "Krrish 2 is definitely not shelved," while Papa Roshan told the media, "I might start work on 'Krrish', wait for the announcement."
On the box office front Enthiran has re-written history by overtaking the first week collections of Bollywood's highest first-week grosser 'Dabangg' (Rs 82 crore), by netting a first week collection of Rs 117 crore.


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Welcome to the Mu Chapter of Kappa Delta website! Mu chapter is home to 45 strong, confident and driven women. We are located in Jackson, MS at Millsaps College. Whether it's studying in the KD lodge, making late night food runs or sweating out all our stress together, we love spending time with our sisters and supporting each other through all aspects of our college careers.
KD is more than just an opportunity for sisterhood. It gives you the chance to gain a group of women you can count on indefinitely and numerous opportunities to grow as students and leaders. KD gives women the platform to gain a confidence in themselves that originates from the values created by our founders. We strive to be honorable, beautiful and highest through our actions and involvement on Millsaps campus and in the larger Jackson community. Our goal is to stand out as an involved chapter by being apart of numerous activities and organizations such as student government, orientation leaders, philanthropic organizations, honor societies, sports teams and much more! Above all, we seek to represent the honor of being a Kappa Delta lady through our actions, words and deeds. Please feel free to look through our website and photos to learn more about the sisters of Kappa Delta and how we strive to be our best selves!
Caroline Guilbeau
Mu President