text:
So..when's the next season of Sam & Max?
wouldn't hold my breath on it.
Don't expect one for the next couple of years. We all hope for one someday, though.
Not happening.
Why not.
Not happening.
well, to be honest, telltale is making a whole lot of money with TWD and are working on a GoT game, that will have to potential to double their profit. And then there is this Sam and Max game, which I have never even heard of before and I just take a look at the artwork and feel like "I don't really want to know". I know I am not even giving this series a chance and that such behavior isn't fair at all, but chances are that I am not the only one who thinks that way. So from Telltale's point of view: Why should they bother their lazy asses with developing a game for some oldschool pre-TWD Telltale fans when they can easily make enough (and possibly even more) money with TWD and GoT? Even if all oldschool fans would leave Telltale behind in disappointment, TWD and GoT are almost certain to draw twice as many people back in and will possibly even keep them here for a couple of seasons, ensuring lots of precious $$ for the company.
The only way I see them working on this is either when they finally expand (hire more staff to do more work - and even then they would still focus more on TWD and GoT) or when TWD and GoT are not hauling in enough cash anymore, so they try to milk all their franchises until they completely bleed out. Sort of what Square Enix is currently doing with every franchise they own. Final Fantasy most of all.
Why not.
Yes yes all the negative and bleak outlooks were also seen on my speculation/suggestion thread in 2010. I'm starting to think most telltale fans are going emo. But I'll tell you the best way for sparking interest in the series, good old fashioned non-sexist Mad Men marketing tactics. That what got me into the series ages ago. It was actually the commercial for season 2 "What's New Beelzebub". Hipsters today would love to see our furry pals solve cases. Just have to take the right angle. I bet a few instagram channels and a meme can increase interest ten fold.
How about we start a movement to get Telltale to drop Sam & Max and let someone who cares about the franchise to pick up the torch? Surely there are many game companies who could do the franchise right by another game. From the statements of people here at Telltale, it's obvious they only care about owning the rights and using the characters as cameos in games like "Poker Night." The days of a point and click Sam & Max adventure at Telltale have gone the way of the Dodo. It's Zombie stories from here on out. C'mon Telltale show some integrity and respect for the fans that kept you running until you decided to kick Sam & Max fans in the nuts.
Whilst I don't have the contract in my hands to examine, I don't believe Telltale has a lock on Sam & Max games as LucasArts once had. Steve Purcell controls those rights, so would be able to grant them to someone else, should another viable company make a persuasive enough pitch for them. The hard part is, if Telltale isn't currently interested, who would be?
How about we start a movement to get Telltale to drop Sam & Max and let someone who cares about the franchise to pick up the t… more
I'm telling you they can market the series like bread and butter at a southern BBQ. People today love a twist in crime drama now just make it like those stupid HBO shows that hipsters love so much and BAM. Your fan base sky rockets.
We might see stand alone episodes, but whole season is unlikely at the moment.
Source: http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/10/30/telltale-games-talks-star-wars-dream-ip-and-its-future
Bruner also emphasized, "We love Sam & Max and certainly haven't forgotten about them! I think you'll see something smaller (more like Poker) than a full Season, and probably not for a bit, but we have NOT forgotten about them, we've just been super busy growing like crazy."
I'm personally happy that Telltale is keeping Sam & Max in video games (and as the co-stars of those games no less, as opposed to cameo characters, to which the Walking Dead characters in Poker Night 2 were regulated). There's no reason every Sam & Max video game has to be an adventure game, because unlike, say, Monkey Island, Sam & Max started out as comic book characters, and those comics had the duo do just about everything (from shopping for groceries to traveling to the moon). So, the characters fit just as well just hanging out in a speakeasy playing poker as they do traveling across time and space to keep the true evil from taking over hell.
Telltale also never explicitly said there would never be any more Sam & Max adventure games, just that we probably wouldn't get any more Sam & Max games for a while (which is OK by me, since we got the last Sam & Max game only last year, and the last adventure game in 2010, which is a lot less time than the space between Hit the Road and Season One, or even Hit the Road and the cancellation of Freelance Police).
And, to be fair, Telltale does have a lot on their plate. Tales from the Borderlands and Game of Thrones are coming out this year, and if the rumors are true (started by Christopher Lloyd himself mentioning he was voicing Doc in more Telltale Back to the Future episodes at the Fan Expo in Canada), Back to the Future: Season Two will be coming out soon (if it is in production, I wouldn't be surprised if they're aiming for 2015 since that would fit in the series timeline perfectly). They haven't announced The Walking Dead: Season Three yet (they already announced season two around the time episode two of season one was released), so it's even possible that they're postponing their Walking Dead series as well (as they did previously for the third season of Sam & Max) since they've got so much going on at the moment.
How about we start a movement to get Telltale to drop Sam & Max and let someone who cares about the franchise to pick up the t… more
You actually do raise a decent point, although maybe not very tactfully.
Telltale appears to be shifting its core audience. I try as hard as I can to care about TWD, GoT, or Fables, but I really just can't enjoy the two that are out. The source material's fine, but I'm not very big on Telltale's take. I see the art here and get excited, I still like to listen to the soundtracks, etc. But I look over at what's happening now and it's just...eh. Not my cup of tea.
Point being: it's understandable that there's this growing divide. What used to be their favorite franchise (seriously, check this site out on The Wayback Machine sometime) is beginning to grow all old and moldy while Telltale shifts into more accessible games and franchises. It's not like Homestar Runner is obscure, but you can probably guess how it'll match up vs. some Borderlands whatnots. Then again, seems like the old franchises (and Universal, for that matter) are the evergreen types. The current crop might not sell as well, come five years from now.GuiltyKingOumaShu posted: »
well, to be honest, telltale is making a whole lot of money with TWD and are working on a GoT game, that will have to potential to… more
Well, Telltale seems to have a legacy for doing one or two seasons of something then moving on... Given all the irons they had in the fire at the time Season 3 came out, I'm actually still surprised that we even got that third season when we did.
Even their wildly popular walking dead game, I would not be shocked if that only lasted for another season before they abandon it as well... That's just how they roll, they burn through 2-3 IP's a year and never come back to them.
It's not really a good thing or a bad thing... But I do agree with a lot of review sites that say TT is getting to big for their own skin.
Ooh, now you're just getting my mind buzzing with possibilities :D I wonder what other kinds of games they'd do really well in? Aside from FPS, but according to Max, that was just Sam's opinion :3
I'm personally happy that Telltale is keeping Sam & Max in video games (and as the co-stars of those games no less, as opposed… more
I think they'd do well in just about any genre. I always thought a Sam & Max platformer would be interesting. You could have Max be the playable character for a change since he's practically made for running and jumping. Maybe have a curse put on the duo that puts Sam's consciousness in Max, similar to how Max's was put in Sam in Bad Day on the Moon. Sam's conciousness would allow Max to remain focused enough to carry through on his goal of restoring Sam. And Max's latent psychic powers could let him get more powers for platforming as the game went on.
Honestly, the gaming possibilities for the duo are pretty much endless. :)CelestialSushi posted: »
Ooh, now you're just getting my mind buzzing with possibilities :D I wonder what other kinds of games they'd do really well in? Aside from FPS, but according to Max, that was just Sam's opinion :3
Actually, since you mention it, there was a point I was originally gonna raise earlier, but I didn't want to ramble.
Have you noticed that TWD is the first non Sam & Max game to GET another season? The thing is, the marks of a chosen telltale franchise seemed to be characters with a timeless sort of appeal - the kind of thing that you'd likely enjoy just as much 10 years from now, as you would today, and a goofy, creator-driven sense of anything-goes.
Homestar's a perfect example of that, as is Wallace + Gromit and Monkey Island. Telltale had a good streak going, they likely could have done perfectly well with a second SBCG4AP, but the S&M were the only franchise that didn't make you ask, "would a sequel really add to the franchise, or would it just be more of the same?"
But nowadays, I feel like the current philosophy is picking what's hot now. There was a definite transitional feel during the Universal era - BTTF is an absolute classic, and it'll never get old, but it didn't really have that same natural fit. Jurassic Park, eh. I think it wasn't a bad game, it was just trying to be something that the fans didn't want it to be. And it doesn't feel like a coincidence that that film is memorable, but the characters don't quite reach that memorable status.
I just replayed Strong Badia the Free yesterday. Yeah, I love me some comedy, but even ignoring that, I just don't see TWD reaching that kind of replay value. And we're talking about a game that was touted for its player-based choices. The lack of a skip-dialog button seems like a testament to that. The game design did not account for the kind of people who'd want to click on everything, just to hear what a character would say. I don't think they've lost "it", though, and Borderlands could very well prove to be a compromise between the two styles, although I'll have to take other peoples' word for it.
(just to drive the point home more, fondly recalling the Homestarmy draft scene was my sole motivator to replay. I hadn't played any other games for months.)Dangerzone posted: »
Well, Telltale seems to have a legacy for doing one or two seasons of something then moving on... Given all the irons they had in … more
CSI was actually the first Telltale season (all of the CSI games were still a Telltale style season, but all five cases were released at once rather than monthly, like was done later with Jurassic Park) to get a sequel, even before Sam & Max. It also holds the current record for the most amount of sequels, with four seasons (each with five cases).
I've said it in another thread, but the current direction of Telltale in regards to their choosing of licenses isn't really much different than it always has been. They have their comedy games (Sam & Max, Monkey Island, and the first Poker Night prior to 2011, and Back to the Future, Borderlands, and the Poker Night sequel from 2011 onwards). And then they have their serious games with large licenses (CSI prior to 2011, and The Walking Dead and The Game of Thrones from 2011 onwards).
The only property (outside of properties that are mostly Telltale creations such as Telltale Texas Hold'em, Puzzle Agent, and Poker Night) that Telltale had licensed prior to Back to the Future in which it is even possible for them to make a new game for is Sam & Max. Wallace & Gromit sadly can't get a sequel because Telltale lost the rights (the same goes for Bone, which is a shame because even Jake Rodkin lamented the fact that Telltale no longer had the license while he still worked at Telltale, since he said current Telltale could make a great Bone game). Tales of Monkey Island is also most likely out of question, since Disney now owns LucasArts and they have currently only shown interest in licensing out the Star Wars properties. Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People is also out of the question, since homestarrunner.com was created completely by two brothers and their wives, and they're all very busy with other projects now (so much so, that the homestarrunner.com website was only just updated once this year after a hiatus of over three years). Even CSI seems unlikely, as Ubisoft has moved away from releasing CSI games for PC and console and are now releasing CSI games only for Facebook and mobile platforms.
Actually, since you mention it, there was a point I was originally gonna raise earlier, but I didn't want to ramble. Have you… more
If they do continue with Sam & Max games, then I hope they use the graphic style they've been using with their recent games (Borderlands, Wolf among us, etc). I think Sam & Max would translate perfectly in that way. It keeps all the "gritty-ness" of 2d drawings without sacrificing the 3d element.
Yeah it has been over 4 years since we last saw a sam and max game. I really hope they listen to us one day.
I hope your joking.
I have no idea how they would have Sam look like in that style
It may look good, But I think they are fine as they stand
Plus, that would be a shit ton of new assets to make
If they do continue with Sam & Max games, then I hope they use the graphic style they've been using with their recent games (B… more
The Sam & Max games actually started out as comics, so a comic book style aesthetic like Wolf Among Us would work great. Poker Night 2 is the closest Telltale has ever gotten to making the characters look like their comic book counterparts, but there's definitely still room for improvement.CoastertheDimmwitt posted: »
I hope your joking. I have no idea how they would have Sam look like in that style It may look good, But I think they are fine as they stand Plus, that would be a shit ton of new assets to make
I know they have started in comics before (Not trying to be arrogant) an I just think they look even more beautiful then the comics.
And that it shined in season 3. Also, the comic style makes it look gritty and non-colorful even though it can show off a lot of bright colors.
Sam and max have always been colorful and full of humor, and thats why I think the first art style truly shines
The Sam & Max games actually started out as comics, so a comic book style aesthetic like Wolf Among Us would work great. Poke… more
I am just getting to the final episode of my first Sam and Max game and I am really enjoying it in comparison to TWD. I think TWD is great but the further it goes on the less puzzling there is. I didn't mind the puzzling in the first TWD and it was a lot more rare to get moments where you felt "stuck" and it was emotional in a way I couldn't describe. But the second season has so little game play elements. When I started playing the other Telltale Games that are more point and click I just love going through the puzzling and moon logic involved. I just hope they eventually have another Sam and Max or even Monkey Island like game.
I have to say Sam and Max has been really wonderful so far and has been downright crazy and outlandish that I love it. It's a good break from Telltale trying to emotionally wrench us with TWD.
You actually do raise a decent point, although maybe not very tactfully. Telltale appears to be shifting its core audience. I… more
Think its well overdue. But sadly I think there letting the ip die. I hate seeing my favorites die
I don't think the series is dead yet I mean we are in the generation in of Reboots so a franchise like this only needs the right PR.
Well, they're working on something Sam & Max related; we just don't know what it is yet. And from what my brother told me about how close before the release date they announced Poker Night 2, we'll probably be seeing the same kind of thing. No news until shortly before release. Then we can ecstatically freak out
Think its well overdue. But sadly I think there letting the ip die. I hate seeing my favorites die
Come on telltale give us something! If your not going to make a season 4 at least give us some stand alone episodes! Deep down I think if Borderlands does well telltale will consider some more Sam & Max...In my dreams I guess hugs my surfing the highway book
There may be hope if you recall the Doom's Day Scenario depicted on "They stole Max's Brain". All we need to do is try and contact either TTG's bigwigs or Steve Purcell and suggest they cook up the very scenario for the new season!
Hi, everybody.
What's new for Sam & Max season 4 ?
Telltale announced back in 2013 that a new Sam & Max game would be coming. It might just be one episode, but there's a chance that it could be more as they only said that it wouldn't be a full season, but not necessarily that it would be just one episode.
They just started making a small miniseries with The Walking Dead Michonne. They also apparently copyrighted the term "Telltale Miniseries" according to the logo), so a three episode miniseries (or something of a similar length) of Sam & Max is possible.
Hi, everybody. What's new for Sam & Max season 4 ?
I don't care if it's even just a half of a episode if it involves Sam and Max I will be so pumped for it!


text:
THE giant British health insurer Bupa is making an aggressive expansion into Australia, splashing half-a-billion dollars on acquisitions.
The first is the $374 million purchase of Australia's biggest dental chain, Dental Corporation, which has about 190 clinics in Australia and New Zealand and more than $400 million in annual revenue.
Dental Corporation was 64 per cent owned by the Indian giant Fortis Healthcare, which is quitting Australia.
The second, smaller buy is Innovative Care's aged-care operations - 10 residential aged-care homes and more than 1100 beds in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.
The purchase takes Bupa's total residential aged-care portfolio to 60 homes and more than 5600 beds - a small chunk of a cottage industry still strongly represented by churches and charities.
Together, Bupa and the government-owned Medibank control more than half of Australia's private health insurance policies. But unlike Bupa, Medibank does not own or run aged-care facilities.
A spokeswoman for Medibank said the government-owned business was focused on its private health insurance and health services operations.
Paul Gregersen, a Bupa manager in Australia, said the purchase of Innovative was the largest in the sector for several years. Innovative Care is an unlisted public company owned by the Croft family, of Victoria.
"It's an excellent business with relatively new accommodation, strong dementia care and great people," Mr Gregersen said.
A Bupa spokesman played down reports that Bupa was looking seriously at Regis Group's aged-care portfolio or Lend Lease's 2317-bed portfolio.
But this week's Innovative Care purchase coincided with an announcement by the Mental Health and Ageing Minister, Mark Butler, that aged-care providers would have to publish their accommodation prices on a website and seek government approval to charge more than $85 a day.
Charges of more than $50 a day would need to be "justified", Mr Butler said.
Further, new residents would have 28 days after moving in to decide whether to make accommodation payments through a daily payment, a refundable accommodation deposit or a combination of the two.
Mr Gregersen said the announcements were "great for consumers" and provided a "degree of transparency".
Bupa, which acquired MBF in NSW and HBA in Victoria, reported a $225.1 million after-tax profit in the 2011 calendar year, slightly down on the previous year.
But premium revenue increased by 7.3 per cent to $4.56 billion. With more than 3.3 million policyholders, Bupa is expecting to increase profit.
Despite recent cutbacks to government support for private health insurance, a recent report by the Private Health Insurance Administration Council found that the "profitability of the private health insurance industry in recent years has been generally high by historical standards".
Bupa goes on $500m health kick
THE giant British health insurer Bupa is making an aggressive expansion into Australia, splashing half-a-billion dollars on acquisitions.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Jardin del Caribe
Our hotel Located in the heart of the city of Las Terrenas, a few minutes from the beautiful beaches of the Samana peninsula 'and the center of the city.
Built to European standards mingle with the locals, you can enjoy all the features that you do not want to give up, but at the same time, soak in the colors and scents of Dominican culture.
Being in a strategic center, you can get easy access to our beautiful beaches, consisting of fine white sand and crystal clear waters.
By choosing to stay in our hotel you can enjoy the tranquility and privacy of a place and a welcoming atmosphere, where you can enjoy thanks to our little restaurant, exotic fruits and foods typical of our land and our people and where you will be greeted with the utmost hospitality and kindness and a bit of heat typical Dominican! '! '
Availability & RatesTo view availability and prices please select dates and click 'Update Dates'
Apartment Facilities & Policies
- 24 Hour Reception
- 24 Hour Security
- Airport Transfers
- Bicycle hire
- Breakfast Not Included
- Cable TV
- Child Friendly
- Cots available
- Credit Cards Accepted
- Currency Exchange
- Free Internet Access
- Free Parking
- Free WiFi
- Hair Dryers
- Hot Showers
- Internet Access
- Self-Catering Facilities
- Laundry Facilities
- Linen Included
- No Curfew
- Outdoor Terrace
- Parking
- Reception (limited hours)
- Restaurant
- Shuttle Bus
- Taxes included
- Tea & Coffee Making Facilities
- Towels Included
- Wi-Fi
Cancellation PolicyThis property has a 3 day cancellation policy. Failure to cancel within this time will result in a cancellation charge equal to the first night of your stay.
Must-Read Apartment InfoThis property has specific Terms & Conditions.
Please note:
Cancellation Policy: 3 days before arrival
Check-in: 9.00 am – 10.00 pm
Check out: 1.00 pm
Method of Payment upon the arrival: Cash, Credit Cards, Debit Cards
Breakfast is not included.
Taxes are included.
DirectionsShow MapHide Map
'How do I get to Las Terrenas', to the Hotel' Jardin del Caribe'
'We have at your disposal a private taxi' For all transfers to and from airports ... The choice is yours.
From Santo Domingo by bus with company 'Caribe Tours' or 'Metro' to Sanchez and from Sanchez to Las Terrenas with other minibus or with company 'transporte Samana' directly from Santo Domingo to Las Terrenas.
In Las Terrenas, take a motorcycle taxi (moto concho) in direction Street (Calle Ramn Matias Mella #33,
you meet 'Hotel 'Jardin del Caribe'
You can get to Las Terrenas to other locations (Santiago, Puerto Plata, La Romana, Punta Cana) with other company of bus or by plane to 'El Portillo' airport.'
Located Near
Located very close to the most beautiful beaches in the area.


text:
Anti-Casino and Clean Elections Questions Fail to Make Ballot; Minimum Wage and Sales Tax Questions Advance
Activists involved in a number of important issues were disappointed last week when Attorney General Martha Coakley announced that ballot questions supporting their causes could not appear on the 2014 state ballot.
Coakley ruled on the constitutionality of 33 ballot initiative petitions, certifying 28—some of which would require Constitutional amendments—to move to the next stage of the arduous process of getting a question before voters.
"Our decisions do not reflect any opinion on the merits or values of the petitions, but simply that the constitutional requirements were met," the AG said in a press release.
The five petitions rejected by Coakley included a call for a Constitutional amendment in reaction to the Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United ruling, stating that "Corporations are not people, money is not speech;" a proposed law that would make casino gaming illegal in Massachusetts; and another that would require labeling of foods containing genetically modified ingredients. (A number of bills pending at the Statehouse would also require such labeling, including one filed by state Rep. Ellen Story, an Amherst Democrat.)
The AG also rejected two questions backed by fathers' rights groups, one that would grant defendants in abuse complaints the right to a jury trial and another that calls for the presumption of shared custody in child custody cases.
The questions greenlighted by Coakley address a number of high-profile issues, among them laws that would allow Massachusetts workers the right to earned paid sick time and that would increase the minimum wage. (State lawmakers are also considering bills that would raise the minimum wage and extend paid sick days to certain groups of workers this session.)
Also making the cut: a call, backed by the nurses' union, to set a limit on the nurse-patient ratio in Mass. hospitals; one that would expand the state's bottle bill to cover more containers, such as water and juice bottles; and an act that would prohibit the use by commercial fishermen of equipment "that is known to historically cause the entanglement of any whale or sea turtle."
Coakley also certified a question that would repeal the state sales tax on computer software services, passed earlier this year, and another that would reduce Massachusetts' sales tax from the current 6.25 percent to 5 percent.
Proponents of questions that passed muster with the AG's office still have a lot of work ahead of them. They must now collect the signatures of 68,911 registered voters by Dec. 4. If they meet that threshold, their question will go to the state Legislature, which will have until May 7 to enact the proposal. If lawmakers don't act by that date, proponents will have to collect another 11,485 signatures by July in order to get the question on the November 2014 ballot.
Backers of proposed amendments to the state Constitution face a different process. While they also must gather 68,911 signatures by December, from there, an amendment would need to be approved by 25 percent of the Legislature in this and the next legislative session. If an amendment meets those requirements, it would appear on the 2016 ballot.•
Holyoke Charter: Stand-Off at City Council Kills Chances of November Ballot Question
Advocates of revamping Holyoke city government say they're not giving up the fight, despite the failure of an eleventh-hour effort to get the issue before city voters this fall.
The group had hoped to get two questions on the November ballot: one that would extend the mayoral term from two years to four and another that would shrink Holyoke's City Council from 15 members to 11 by eliminating four at-large seats. In both cases, the changes would take effect in 2015.
The two proposals first came up during an earlier, and ultimately unsuccessful, charter reform campaign in the city. That effort, which also involved other, more sweeping changes, was rejected by voters in 2011.
Initially, charter reform backers considered trying to put a full charter reform question on the ballot again this fall. Ultimately, however, they abandoned that plan in favor of a more modest campaign focusing on some key changes that would modernize the city government, said Rory Casey, a member of the group Holyoke Charter YES. Those reforms include the longer mayoral term and smaller City Council.
Last month, at the Council's sole August meeting, at-large Councilor Aaron Vega sponsored two orders to put the questions on the November ballot. (Vega also serves as a state representative; Casey is his legislative aide.) But the matters never came to a vote; instead, Council President Kevin Jourdain, an opponent of the 2011 charter reform effort, ruled both items out of order before any debate could take place.
Jourdain had not responded to an interview request from the Advocate at deadline. According to a report by the Springfield Republican's Mike Plaisance, Jourdain ruled the items out of order "because he said state law prohibits the City Council from taking votes that affect the Council's term of office or the composition of the City Council."
City Solicitor Heather Egan subsequently issued an opinion contradicting Jourdain's ruling. While it was true that the Council cannot make unilateral changes to its composition, Egan wrote, that's not what the disputed orders would have done; rather, they would have asked the state Legislature to put the matter on the ballot.
Jourdain, in the Republican article, disputed that claim, noting that the orders on the Council agenda that evening did not mention the Legislature but called for the City Council to place the questions on the ballot.
Egan's favorable ruling offers small comfort to the would-be reformers. Without winning approval at the Council's Aug. 6 meeting, the only way they could make the November ballot now would be through a special act of the Legislature—something, all agree, that's not going to happen. Instead, it appears, the earliest the questions could come before voters would be next November. And even then, Casey said, that, too, could be a challenge; because 2014 is a state, not a municipal election year, the Legislature would have to pass a special act to put a local question on the ballot.
Casey criticized Jourdain for shutting down debate on the questions at the Council's August meeting, suggesting his goal was simply to kill the matter. (As for his boss, Vega, Casey offered this succinct response: "He's not happy.")
The charter-reform group, Casey said, is working within the rules to advance its cause: "We're not trying to force anything down anyone's throat."
Cutting the number of councilors would make the City Council a more effective body and shift the balance of power between at-large and ward councilors, Casey argued. Right now, eight councilors are elected at-large and seven by ward; reducing the number of at-large councilors "would give neighborhood races more weight" and make the race for at-large seats more competitive, he said.
Extending the mayoral term, meanwhile, would allow the mayor "more time to really lead, to really govern, to try to take a plan and put it in place and move it forward," Casey said. "If you're in a never-ending election cycle, what's going to motivate you?"
There's already a trend toward longer mayoral terms, he added; Springfield and Northampton recently moved to four-year terms, and Agawam residents will vote on a similar proposal in November.• —MT
The New Moneyvores: College ID-Debit Cards
Determined to get their hands into the pockets of students—but no longer riding the crest of the student loan business—the larger banks and financial services are now the engines of a growing industry that offers combination college ID and debit cards. The Campus Debit Card Trap, a recent study by U.S. Public Interest Research Group, details the pitfalls of the use of these cards, and offers colleges and students tips about how to avoid them (http://www.uspirg.org/reports/usp/campus-debit-card-trap).
Around the country, some 9 million students—42 percent of all students at institutions of higher learning—use combination ID-bank cards. Wells Fargo alone provides such cards to 2 million students at 43 institutions. Other major players in the ID-debit card game are Higher One, US Bank and Sallie Mae.
Among the problems PIRG has identified with combined ID-debit cards:
•The cards convey the impression that a certain lender is endorsed by the college. That, together with the convenience of using what is also a required ID card, creates an overwhelming likelihood that the student will use the card, thus pre-empting his/her ability to choose a bank. That's especially important because many people stick with the bank they use in college for years after graduation.
•In many cases, the use of the card carries fees. These include not only overdraft fees or check bounce fees if the user attempts to load the card with a bad check, but even balance inquiry fees, swipe fees, inactivity fees or fees for the use of ATMs outside the specified network.Eighty percent of Higher One's profits from its college card programs come from fees, the report says. In some cases, the money on the card is even linked to the student's financial aid account, so that money from that account may be drawn down to pay card fees instead of tuition.
•The contracts between colleges and banks sometimes come with payments to the colleges that are not disclosed to cardholders. Such payments, or in-kind gifts, amount to real or apparent conflict of interest. In 2008, according to the report, TCF Bank paid the University of Minnesota $40 million for a student card contract terminating in 2030. Such deals raise questions about whether the school chose the lender that offered its students the best terms, or simply sold its card rights to the highest bidder.
Combination ID-debit cards are not yet widely used in Massachusetts, but a few colleges in the eastern part of the state have teamed up with Sovereign Bank, owned by the Spanish bank Santander, to offer them. In the Valley, UMass Amherst, Amherst College and Mount Holyoke have campus-generated college ID cards that can be used as debit cards for purchases on campus; the UMass and Mount Holyoke cards can also be used at a limited number of businesses off campus. The UMass, Amherst College and Mount Holyoke cards do not carry the usual debit card fees; the 1.5 percent card transaction fee paid by merchants participating in the Mount Holyoke card program goes to the college under the Give Something Back program, and the fact is stated on the website that carries instructions about how to obtain the card.•
Walk for Suicide Prevention, Survivor Healing
It's not many of us who don't have a relative, friend or friend of a friend who has committed suicide. It's estimated that for every person who kills himself or herself, an average of six other people are seriously affected. Survivors of their loved ones' suicides may need serious, long-term mental health help to recover emotionally.
On September 29, suicide survivors and others will join the Springfield Out of the Darkness Community Walk to raise funds for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. The walk is open to people from the four western counties of Massachusetts and from northern Connecticut. The proceeds will go for research, advocacy, prevention initiatives and other activities aimed at reducing the number of suicides and helping survivors to heal.
The walk starts from the MassMutual Center at 1277 Main Street in Springfield. Participants will register beginning at 8:30 a.m. The three-mile walk along the Springfield riverfront will begin at 10:45. Some 2,000 are expected; "It's survivors, it's a little bit of everybody, students, older people, middle-aged people, a great diverse constituency that walks," AFSP Western Mass. coordinator Cheryl Ronzoni told the Advocate. "So many people know someone."
On the program will be food, music, inspirational stories and the viewing of memorial quilts. Walkers are invited to bring their children and even pets. Among the sponsors of the event are Nowak Funeral Home, Renew Calm, Berkshire County Suicide Prevention Coalition, Pioneer Valley Suicide Prevention Coalition and Health New England.
In 2010, 600 people committed suicide in Massachusetts, including 30 teenagers, according to statistics provided by the AFSP. Of the teenagers, two were from Hampshire County—one was South Hadley High School student Phoebe Prince, who hanged herself after being cyberbullied by local children—one was from Berkshire County, and three were from Hampden County (there were none from Franklin County). The overwhelming majority of teenagers who killed themselves here in 2010—22—were white; two were black, three were Asian and three were Hispanic.• —SK
Voter Access: Crossing the Tofu Curtain
Aron Goldman knows as well as anyone about the metaphorical "tofu curtain" that divides the upper and lower Valley; he lives in Hampshire County but works in Hampden County, as executive director of the Springfield Institute, a think tank focused on urban issues.
As Goldman put it in a recent press release, "In the northern half of the Pioneer Valley, people tend to know more about Darfur or Gaza than they do about Springfield or Holyoke. To the south, the isolation is palpable."
But there are plenty of opportunities to bridge that divide, he maintains—and that will be a major focus of a talk he'll give at the Sept. 19 meeting of the League of Women Voters of Amherst, which is open to the public. Goldman will speak on "Voter Access: Making Democracy a Reality in the Pioneer Valley."
Voter access has been a key issue for the Springfield Institute, which in recent elections has observed polling places in Springfield, reporting errors and bad practices that have left some would-be voters in poor and minority neighborhoods unable to cast ballots. The SI has also examined race-based disparities in voter turnout rates, and advocates against voter suppression laws and for policies that would make voting more accessible.
At the League of Women Voters meeting, Goldman will talk about that work and about how voter access problems in Hampden County connect to the larger debate on the state and federal level. "I'm going to … focus on providing some facts about voting patterns by geography and demography and talk about some of the best strategies for increasing participation and decreasing participation disparities," he told the Advocate. "There are lots of cool things that can be done."
Many of them, he added, are quite simple, such as allowing Election Day registration and making it easier for people to figure out where they're supposed to vote. In poor neighborhoods, he said, "It's so common that people want to vote and they go across the street to the polling place and find out they're not on the list, and they're supposed to go across the city to where they used to live. … [T]hey get bounced around and they can't afford to take the time off of work.
"This doesn't happen in more affluent communities where the population is less transient and there are fewer renters," Goldman said. But when he goes to the polls in poor communities, he said, he sees groups of "problem voters" clustered around a single poll worker who perhaps doesn't even have the simple technology—a laptop, a smartphone—that would let him or her check people's voting status and location quickly and easily.
"You look at those clumps of problem voters at any polling place, you don't see a lot of white voters," Goldman said. "That's the kind of stuff I want to talk about—rather than the popular assumption that some people are too lazy to bother and go vote."
Voting disparities aren't the only issues Goldman would like to see taken on by the entire Valley; plenty of important issues, from the environment to the potential effects of a casino, could be addressed most effectively by a Valley-wide effort.
"I have a lot of good, trusting relationships on both sides of the tofu curtain. But that shuttle diplomacy is not good enough. I'm convinced that there are dramatic opportunities for collaboration given all the different assets and liabilities in each part of the Valley," he said.
"I sense from my friends in Amherst that there's a sort of a hunger for regional solidarity and a feeling that what's good for the region is good for everybody," Goldman said. "Likewise, my friends and colleagues in Springfield and Holyoke are constantly looking for opportunities to raise awareness about their causes and the state of things in their own communities."
That could mean candidates and activists from Hampden County traveling to the upper Valley to talk about their vision and plans, and maybe do some fundraising. Or, he said, "that could mean folks [from the upper Valley] spending more time in Springfield and Holyoke—sort of walk the walk a little bit more, and build relationships and trust."
There are also opportunities for Valley colleges to be involved in meaningful community work, he noted; students from Amherst College's Center for Community Engagement, for instance, worked with the Springfield Institute on a voting analysis project in Holyoke. The more that people from across the Valley can collaborate, the more effective their work will be, Goldman said.
Goldman will speak on "Voter Access: Making Democracy a Reality in the Pioneer Valley" on Thursday, Sept. 19, in the Woodbury Room at Jones Library, 43 Amity St. in Amherst. The free public meeting begins with refreshments at 6:30 p.m.; Goldman will speak at 7, followed by a question-and-answer period.• —MT


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Boring Bible Series 2: Crazy Christians
Whats the most boring thing you can think of? Okay, now multiply it by a zillion. Thats how boring a lot of people think the Bible is. The funny thing is, most people who think the Bibles mega mind-numbingly boring have never even read it! Crazy or what?! Imagine turning down a triple whopper chicken, cheese and yoghurt burger with gherkin and custard relish just because youd never tried it.... On second thoughts that wasnt such a good suggestion. But you get my point? I mean, Ill bet you didnt even know that the Bibles got adverts in it to tell people whats going to happen in the future or that it told people that the world was round thousands of years before wed worked it out. Theres so much stuff in the Bible we wont be able to look at every bit of it but the bits weve chosen will hopefully make you start to realise that the Bible maybe isnt quite so boring as you thought. Have fun!
Boring Bible: Super Son
Series 1
Andy Robb
Boring Bible Series 2: Saints Alive
Andy Robb
Thoughtful Guide to the Bible
Roy Robinson
Let the Bible Be Itself
Learning to read it right
Ray Vincent
Christianity for GCSE
Michael Keene
- Lodestone BooksYOUNG ADULT FICTION
- Visit the John Hunt Publishing website


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Friday, February 11, 2011
Faustian Bourn to sell his soul to the devil
Michael Blurb, who will prepare for his third, and final, year of arbitration next off-season, has left his agent, Beverly Hills Sports Council, and signed on to be represented by
Satan Scott Boras.
2 comments:
- Andrew said...
Michael Bourn - Future Colorado Rockie
- February 11, 2011 at 2:31 PM
if i were a baseball player, i'd want Boras as my agent. I'm surprised Bourn isn't making more $$$ with the WAR stat becoming more accepted and his being so high in the NL and much higher than any other Astro. Although i'm not sure what stats, arguments actually go into those arbitration hearings.
- February 11, 2011 at 7:07 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Do you support Truthout's reporting and analysis? Click here to help us continue doing this work in 2013!
Despite not adding a single penny to the national debt and having a $2.6 trillion surplus, President Obama put Social Security Insurance on the table, moving so-called "Fiscal cliff" negotiations even deeper into Republican home turf.
Think about it: we're debating just how many rich people will get to keep George W. Bush's tax cuts. We're debating just how many seniors, poor people, and disabled people will suffer when their Social Security Insurance is cut. We're debating which social welfare programs will expire.
This is the sort of debate you'd expect to see between a center-right Republican and far-right Republican – not between a Democrat and a Republican. On these grounds, Republicans win every time and the working class loses every time.
Instead, President Obama should be putting progressive solutions on the table. Things like a financial transaction tax, which could reduce the debt by $1.8 trillion over the next decade.
Or, cutting off taxpayer subsidies to big oil, which total $40 billion over ten years.
Or, ending the massive "capital gains" loophole which sets income taxes on hedge fund managers and vulture capitalists like Mitt Romney at a maximum 15 percent, less than half of what working people can pay.
Or, common sense cuts to our bloated and wasteful Defense Budget.
Or, raising the minimum wage to stimulate the economy and, thus, over the long haul, reduce our debt.
Or, breaking up the big banks to prevent more costly, deficit-expanding bailouts in the future.
Or, creating a single-payer healthcare system to reduce deficit-inducing healthcare costs.
If all of these were on the table, then this would be a robust debate that reflects the political leanings of a center-left nation.
But, they're not, which shows not just of the weakness of President Obama, but also the weakness of the progressive movement when compared with the hard-right movement funded by cranky billionaires like the Koch brothers and Sheldon Adelson.
Labor unions, which have historically been the vanguard of the progressive movement, are crippled. And independent media, including print, radio, and television, which used to carry the voices of average working people across the nation, have been bankrupted and sold off to large corporate media outlets that spew lies and misinformation to promote the billionaire's agenda.
Essentially, the progressive counter-balances in America, which for several generations kept in check corporatists who wanted to destroy FDR's New Deal, and held in line the Democratic Party, have been removed.
When Ronald Reagan busted PATCO in 1981, he didn't just kick off a three decade assault on labor unions, he also kicked off a three decade assault on a once-progressive Democratic Party. This assault is now reaching its peak, as Republicans and President Obama prepare to carve up the crown jewel of the New Deal, Social Security Insurance.
And until a new counterbalance is strong, then the creep toward the political Right, as reflected in our current "fiscal cliff" debate, will continue relentlessly.
President Obama has given in to Republicans over and over again during his first four years in office. We need to remind him that he's the President, he's armed with the bully pulpit, and he's no longer facing a re-election. He's free to be true to his progressive community organizing roots.
There's still hope. FDR didn't campaign on bringing revolutionary change to America in 1932. He was forced to do it by a nation suffering through a Great Depression and radicalized by the damage done to them by millionaires and banksters. The New Deal was in part a response to occupations, or "Hoovervilles," and a genuine outrage across America about the looting of our nation by the very, very rich.
Today, the Occupy movement, organized labor, and the environmental movement have begun the difficult work to rebuild a progressive base that can counter the billionaire's money. We're apparently not strong enough yet to push Congress and the White House to pick up genuine progressive reforms, but if enough of us show up, over and over again, the day may come.
Let's make it sooner, rather than later.


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CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs and former Texas Rangers pitcher Scott Feldman have agreed to a one-year contract.
The deal was announced Tuesday.
Feldman is guaranteed $6 million next season and can earn another $1 million in incentives.
The 29-year-old right-hander was 39-44 with a 4.81 ERA over eight years with the Rangers, going 6-11 with a 5.09 ERA last season.
A reliever early in his career, he has made 20 or more starts in four of the last five seasons, and general manager Jed Hoyer says the Cubs "clearly see him as a starter."
The 6-foot-7 Feldman's best season was in 2009, when he won 17 games. He missed the first half of the 2011 season while recovering from right knee surgery.


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Press Democrat wine writer Peg Melnik scopes out restaurant wine lists around the North Bay, looking for good value and the occasional splurge. This week's picks (prices are retail; restaurant markup varies):
Buena Vista, 2010 Viticultural Society Sonoma Merlot, 13.5 percent alcohol, $15. A bold merlot with notes of blackberry, herbs and tea leaves. Nice kick of spice.
Alexander Valley Vineyards, 2010 Alexander Valley Sonoma County Merlot, 14 percent, $20. A seamless merlot with good structure. Aromas and flavors of black cherry, blackberry, plum and spice. Nice length.
Anaba, 2010 Naggiar Vineyard, Sierra Foothills Mourvedre, 14.5 percent, $40. A bright mourvedre with concentrated flavors. Aromas and flavors of tangy fruit, herbs and spice. Has an edge. Long finish.
Dutton Goldfield, 2011 Walker Hill Vineyard, Dutton Ranch, Green Valley of Russian River Valley Chardonnay, 14.1 percent, $50. A rich chardonnay with toasty oak. Notes of melon, pear, herbs and spice. Lush texture. Lingering finish.
Celani Family Vineyards, Tenacious, 2010 Napa Valley Red Wine, 14.8 percent, $60. A red blend with depth. Notes of blackberry, cassis and spice. Nice acid. Firm tannins.
Want to share a current wine on your favorite restaurant's list? E-mail peg.melnik@ pressdemocrat.com or check out her Tasting Room blog at pressdemocrat.com.


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The Editors Discuss: Let's Be Thankful For Michael Fassbender
A few days ago, Deputy Editor Ashley Cardiff stated "I have crushing guilt over how attractive I find Michael Fassbender in Fish Tank" in response to a post Editor in Chief Jennifer Wright wrote about how Ryan Gosling is not that sexy. Most of us thought she was just being wildly off point, as is her way.
One commenter felt differently and declared:
"I have crushing guilt over how attractive I find Michael Fassbender in Fish Bowl."
Are you serious?? What a disgusting comment.
Michael Fassbender played a eurotrash deadbeat dad and cheating husband who left his wife to go screw a mother and then her teen daughter.
The teen girl was only like 14 or 15 which made his character a PEDOPHILE who statutorily raped a teenaged girl who he was becoming a FATHER-FIGURE to because he was dating her mom. He was also a DEADBEAT father to his own little girl who he abandoned. You find all his sexy? I think you need some professional help, sweetie.
I have no idea what he's like in real life but in that movie his character made me sick. And that was EXACTLY the intention when they were writing his character. The director of the film said he was a full blown creep. So I don't understand how anyone in their right mind could find that sexy.
You need a good shrink to sort you out.
We're titling this post "Let's Be Thankful for Michael Fassbender" because we didn't want to title it "Why is Ashley such a psychotic whore?" Let's begin.


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Charles Hugh Smith asks a good question with his piece today:
"Efforts to collect more taxes fail because people adjust their behavior accordingly.
"Amidst all the "fiscal cliff" talk of raising tax rates, few dare to ask: have tax revenues topped out?
"How could tax revenues decline as rates go up? Easy: people modify their behavior in response to whatever incentives and disincentives are present.
"Make mortgage interest deductible and people will rack up huge mortgages. Reduce the yield on savings to near-zero (thank you, Federal Reserve) and people will save less.
"Raise tax rates and people will lower their income or move to low-tax locales. As the saying has it, "Money goes where it is treated well."
Supporters of higher rates tout studies that ..."


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OREM, Utah, March 18, 2009- Utah Jazz assignee Morris Almond drained a game-winning 25-foot three-point jumper with 1.4 seconds left to lift the Utah Flash to a 118-115 NBA Development League victory over the Reno Bighorns Wednesday night at the McKay Events Center.
Almond, who dropped in nine fourth quarter points and five in the final 10.3 seconds, finished with a team-high 24 points in the winning effort.
"He gave me some space." Almond said. "My jumper hadn't been falling all night, but I had nothing to lose, so I just let it fly."
Utah (23-15) remains at home for the fifth game of its eight-game homestand Friday night at 7 p.m. against the Erie Bayhawks. Reno (18-22) travels to Idaho for a matchup with the Stampede on Thursday.
Almond connected on two free-throws to tie the game, 115-115, with 10.3 seconds remaining in the game. Reno's David Noel's go-ahead shot attempt with 8.5 seconds left was blocked by Jazz assignee Kyrylo Fesenko to set up the Almond game-winner.
"I've always told our guys that the first shot by a team is usually not the game-winner, but that it comes off an offensive rebound." Flash head coach Brad Jones said. "So, after Fesenko's block, grabbing the rebound was the key. We've got to get that stop for Morris to even get a shot to win it."
Reno opened up the game on a 12-1 run before an Andre Ingram old-fashioned three-pointer put the cap on a Flash 12-2 run and put the Flash up 23-21 in the final minute of the first quarter.
Reno's Richie Frahm knocked down a three-pointer with 1:27 left in the second quarter to tie the game at 54 and ignite a 7-3 Reno run to close out the first half and send the Bighorns into the break with a four-point lead.
Frahm scored in a game-high 28 points — including 12 second quarter points, but was limited to just five points in the fourth quarter due to lock-down defense played on him by Ingram.
Reno held a five-point lead with 5:20 left to play before back-to-back three-pointers from Kevin Kruger capped a Flash 10-0 run and put Utah up 111-106 with 33:02 left. The Bighorns rattled off a 9-2 run to take a short-lived lead at 115-113 before the Almond game-tying free-throws.
Kruger and Fesenko both notched double-doubles for the Flash, both scoring 15 points. Kruger dished out 10 assists and Fesenko grabbed 10 rebounds. Dupree chipped in 15 points for the Flash and Ingram added 14 off the Flash bench. Carlos Wheeler added 11 points in a Flash reserve role.
Russell Robinson and Noel each contributed 26 points for Reno, while Rod Benson added a double-double with 11 points and 17 rebounds.


text: Programs of Study Home | Programs of Study | Long Term Care Administration | ACCT-1200 - Principles of Accounting I ACCT-1200 - Principles of Accounting I Prerequisite: Accounting Competency recommended. This course is designed to provide introductory knowledge of accounting principles, concepts, and practices. Included topics are the balance sheet, the income statement, the statement of owners' equity, the statement of cash flows, worksheets, journals, ledgers, accruals, adjusting and closing entries, internal controls, inventories, fixed and intangible assets, liabilities, equity, and financial statement analysis. This course provides a foundation for more advanced work in the fields of accounting and business. Academic Level Undergraduate Subject ACCT-Accounting Department Business Administration Credits 4.5 Prerequisites None Corequisites None Return to Long Term Care Administration


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Famous Face - His life was one of abuse and rejection. The more he suffered, the stronger his resolve. No one believed in him, until a chance meeting with a fledgling talk show host changed everything. Now, after 20 years as Oprah Winfrey's personal makeup artist, Reggie Wells is set to soar. Roderick Sewell - Just a few years ago, Roderick Sewell was a homeless teenager with no legs who was failing school. Today, he's a world-class athlete, attends college and he's set his sights on a big goal -- making the Paralympics team. His life started turning around when he got involved with the Challenged Athletes Foundation, an organization that not only provides running legs for disabled athletes -- it provides a pathway to a successful life. Second Chance at Life - At age 68, Larry Pontius had a life expectancy counted in single-digit days. Even the smallest things reminded him of his own mortality -- commercials for a football season he might never see; pictures of places he might never get to visit. Then came a life-changing call.
Visit the Website: http://growingbolder.com/
Episode #313 / Length: 26 minutes


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Civil cases such as divorce, custody, child support and cases involving less than $25,000 are heard in District Court, along with criminal cases involving misdemeanors and infractions. The trial of a criminal case in District Court is always without a jury. The District Court also hears juvenile cases involving children under the age of 16 who are delinquent and children under the age of 18 who are undisciplined, dependent, neglected or abused. Magistrates (see magistrate section) accept guilty pleas for minor misdemeanors, accept guilty pleas for traffic violations and accept waivers of trial for worthless-check cases among other things.
In civil cases, the magistrate is authorized to try small claims involving up to $10,000 including landlord eviction cases.


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As you'll well know if you've played the demo, such explosive tomfoolery is standard operating procedure in Just Cause 2--and ruddy good fun. First up is the launch trailer.
Just Cause 2 arrives for PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on March 23. The PC edition boasts Steamworks integration and a variety of exclusive swish graphical effects.
BOOM video 4420
The second trailer continues the fine 'Anatomy of a Stunt' series, putting a tuk-tuk to unconventional and spectacular use.
BOOM video 4404


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|2009-04-21, 07:10
|Link #221
Senior Guest
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Athens (GMT+2)
Age: 29
New question: Since Kid is using two weapons, does that mean that he needs to gather 198 souls that turned into demon god eggs and 2 witch souls in order to make his twin pistols deathscythes?Also, taking his nature of symmetry, does that mean that he'll have to beat 2 witches at once in order for both Patty and Liz to have the same number of souls?
|2009-04-21, 08:54
|Link #222
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Reading, England
I think Shinigami said in episode 3 that Kid would need to get twice the number of souls because he had two Weapons. Presumably that's the same for Kirikou who also has two Weapons.
Kid would probably prefer for Liz and Patty to have exactly the same number of souls, though there's no suggestion its necessary. Shinigami strikes me as more concerned about Kid getting the job done right rather than worrying about symmetry, hence his reaction to the pyramid getting demolished. Kid went too far and was punished for it.
Also, although Liz and Patty ended up with an uneven number in the pyramid, Kid didn't bring it up (though perhaps because Kid was too concerned with the "nuisance" Pharoah and the Thompsons' differing cup sizes).
I also think it's quite possible that Kid would take the opportunity to confront two witches at once. It would be just the sort of thing he'd do, sacrificing common sense (true witches are no laughing matter, after all) for the sake of his notion of order.
Kid being Kid, if he ended up with an odd number, he could easily collect them himself (as he does with the squid-monster's soul in the manga) or give them to his father for the sake of Liz and Patty's symmetry. An uneven number of souls wouldn't be impossible to get around, even for him.
|2009-04-26, 04:47
|Link #224
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Reading, England
If you want to start from where the anime began to go into its own storyline, it'd be a good idea to pick it up just after the Asura arc. So, chapter 30 with the Reunion Express (Kid and the train) chapters.
I suggest it because although the Brew arc is where the anime really took a turn towards original material, the train story is done differently in the manga.
Earlier than that and you'd basically be reading what the anime put on screen with regards to Arachne and Giriko's debut and Black Star facing Mifune for the second time.
However, I would suggest that you read the manga from the beginning. There is a significant difference in Shibusen's goal - where the state of the 99 souls is not specified as 'evil' - and some of the storylines come about in a slightly different way, along with there being several scenes that were not used in the anime.
|2009-04-26, 15:26
|Link #226
Senior Guest
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Athens (GMT+2)
Age: 29
Hmm...because of the way the anime ended, probably not, at least not until the Arachnophobia arc comes to an end without greatly influencing the Soul Eater world so that the anime can be reconnected to a new plot from the manga and start a season 2 from there...but honestly, there are so many things that changed during that arc that I don't think there will be a second one.
|2009-04-27, 02:50
|Link #228
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Reading, England
If they continued the anime from the manga, they'd have to pick and choose quite a lot what they added in. The vast majority of what happens in the Baba Yaga arc simply doesn't coincide with what was done in the anime.
And even outside of those chapters alone, the characters and subplots were developed so differently that I can't see any continuation of the anime drawing on the manga all that closely. They could add in elements, as they did with the Sanzu Lines for Kid, but other than that it'd have to be original to avoid massive plot-holes and general incoherency. Linking back up with the manga at the end of the current arc just isn't going to happen. Those who are dead died in different ways, and some of those who the anime saved are dead in the manga. Come to think of it, the manga has a larger body-count...
|2009-05-04, 21:29
|Link #229
woah woah!
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: on the edge of everything I've never been
Age: 30
edit: nvm, he was referring to kid not needing to use weapons
|2009-08-19, 02:02
|Link #233
OC Cosplayer-Aeron
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Australia
We have to pass that off as his Shinigami body not being as vulnerable as humans. Unfortunately, there's so little information on Shinigami, that we really can't take an accurate gauge of his and Shinigami-sama's power.
|2009-08-21, 13:38
|Link #234
reads too much
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: you know that's a great question.....
DtK does make a comment in the manga somewhere (it must've been after one of the big arcs) about how it was tedious to go through medical exams because he was a shinigami (he may have said something like "having the body of a god") and he says right before the train arc that his skin doesn't burn and other stuff like that. So Shinigami's apparently are made of some stern stuff.
|2009-10-16, 15:29
|Link #235
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Question: Maka, Kid, Black Star and all their weapons did a group soul resonance. Does this mean that they could use each others weapons? (Black Star to use Soul for example)
|2009-10-16, 18:26
|Link #236
reads too much
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: you know that's a great question.....
I don't think so, I think it's more that with the group resonance everyone was fighting in sync, not that they could switch weapons. Maybe they could then if they really needed to but when Black Star and Soul tried to fight together against Kid in the beginning of the series they have a lot of trouble with it.
|2009-10-17, 02:04
|Link #237
Join Date: Jul 2008
I agree, remember during the Brew arc it was said the team resonance wasn't nearly as strong as meister/weapon resonance due to a concern Soul had about it.
I also got the idea that the team resonance was strongest between the meisters; the weapons were like spokes off of the wheel rather than all 7 people resonating equally. I recall Soul's impression of the team resonance was something he perceived through his connection with Makas uggesting he didn't have a direct connection to anyone else.
|2009-10-17, 14:24
|Link #239
Join Date: Jul 2008
The differences between meister and weapon is unclear. People argue about it
A weapon seems to be an ordinary human who inherited two specific non-human traits: The abiilty to transform (probably derived from the witch transformation) and the trait that dictates the type of weapon (probably derived from the witch code that dictates symbol animal is my guess). Some weapons also have elemental skill sets such as manifesting fire.
People born weapons appear to be able to decide if they want to use that skill or not, otherwise they appear to be able to live normal lives.
It's not yet explained in the manga if a meister is born or trained.
There is no common skill or trait set that is seen in all meisters, so it is possible they're ordinary humans who have no special or unusual traits. It probably would help to inherit certain skills (such as something in the soul perception/manipulation area) but nothing in particular seems required as far as we've seen. Everyone's got a little bit of something different.
For all we know, in the SE world, many or most people are born with the potential to develop stuff like soul perception but unless they have a need or reason to, the potential isn't reached. But we really don't know any of this from the manga.
And it's not clear how any of this affects resonance but I'd guess two people need to have compatible souls to achieve the deeper resonance to allow one to be wielded but something like team resonance can be achieved between any people who work at it. Probably two meisters could seriously resonate but if one isn't a weapon able to amplify and evolve a form reflective of the wielder's soul, what good is it? And a weapon and a meister could team resonate easily, but it isn't enough to allow incompatible partnerships. At least, that's what I'm getting from what's been shown.
Hope that's somewhat helpful.
adding: some weapons can solo pretty well, some can't because they just don't learn or just can't learn. I'd bet that Soul and BS could team resonate if Soul was actually fighting himself but there's no reason to otherwise. Heh, I don't think they'd have had a better chance against Kid even if they had known how back in that duel!
Last edited by JunkKitty; 2009-10-17 at 14:28. Reason: Doh, solo weapons...
|2009-10-18, 02:58
|Link #240
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Thanks JunkKitty for your comprehensive answer )) And there is another thing that got me curious.
In the last few chapters of the manga Kirikou was using Patti and Liz as well as his own weapons.I was wondering if he uses soul resonance with the Thompson sisters what would happen? Will they turn to the big guns they used to when Kid was using them? Or the Death Cannon attack is some move that only Kid uses?
|Thread Tools


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SECURITY footage has confirmed a Bendigo man was racing to catch a train at Kyneton railway station before he was hit by the train in a fatal accident on Wednesday night.
Kyneton police have continued their investigation into the incident, where a 30-year-old man was struck by the express V/Line service just before 6pm.
Sergeant Shane Wyatt said the vision viewed by police showed the man was inches away from avoiding the train.
"He's climbed across the pedestrian barrier gate," he said. "In the footage you can see him sprinting to get to the other side, in an attempt to get to the platform and catch the train.
"He was obviously unaware that the express service wasn't stopping at Kyneton.
"The train was about two inches from missing him... it's just an extremely fatal mistake."
Paramedics treated the man at the scene and he was flown to The Alfred hospital where he died a short time later.
Sergeant Wyatt said an inquest brief would be prepared for the coroner.
He said police were not concerned about the security of the 1.5-metre-high pedestrian barrier the man jumped over.
"As far as we're concerned it complies with safety standards. He just made a fatal error of disobeying the warning signs," Sergeant Wyatt said.
A VicTrack spokeswoman said the level crossing at Trentham Road-Mollison Street already had a high level of protection, with boom barriers and flashing lights, as did the pedestrian crossing, which has safety gates.
The spokeswoman said train users, pedestrians and motorists were reminded to obey all signals at level and pedestrian crossings.
A V/Line spokesman would not comment on the safety aspects of the barrier.


text:
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|Starring: N/A
|Stashed: 11 times
|Director: N/A
|Added Feb 8, 2013
|Studio: SOD
|Rated 4 times
|Length: 28:04
|Niches: 18+ Teen, Asian, Cunnilingus, Fetish, Gonzo, Hairy, Japanese, One-on-One, Oral, Public, Roleplay, Schoolgirl, Small Tits, Straight Sex


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Rhapsody Launches Music Apps Strategy With Rhapsody SongMatch for Android
The On-Demand Music Service Is Developing a Suite of Apps to Make Music Discovery More Fun and Convenient
December 05, 2012 -- !-- AddToAny BEGIN -->
SEATTLE, WA -- (Marketwire) -- 12/05/12 -- Rhapsody kicked off its mobile utility apps strategy today with the launch of Rhapsody SongMatch, a new free application that allows music listeners to discover music with one click. Rhapsody SongMatch uses your phone to listen to the song that is currently playing -- in the background, on the TV, in the car, café or wherever -- and identifies the artist, song name and album for music fans to match, store and share.
Free to download and use for anyone, Rhapsody subscribers can also listen and download full tracks of matched songs or dive deep into the album, artist catalog or discover similar artists. For convenience, all matched songs are automatically stored and saved as a playlist for future access. Non-subscribers can also start a hassle-free Rhapsody trial.
"Our customers are music lovers who tell us they use a variety of mobile apps to solve their listening needs and discover new music," said Paul Springer, senior vice president, worldwide product and design, Rhapsody. "But they get frustrated with advertisements and the lack of full playback. We built Rhapsody SongMatch to seamlessly integrate with our core experience to connect the fun and convenience of mobile apps with full on-demand playback for both subscribers and new customers."
The company is working on additional purpose-built music apps that are free and complementary to Rhapsody's premium on-demand music service.
"SongMatch is a great way to introduce new music fans to Rhapsody," said Springer. "We'll continue to focus on using over a decade's worth of experience to solve customer challenges in discovering and playing the right music, right now."
Rhapsody teamed with the metadata mavens at Gracenote to power the music recognition feature of SongMatch. The Gracenote technology works by "listening" to a few seconds of a song and matching it to its unique audio fingerprint in the Gracenote database. It takes only a few moments for the Gracenote technology to recognize the artist, track and album, letting Rhapsody subscribers to quickly add music to their library and playlists.
Rhapsody SongMatch is available on Android with other platforms launching in the future. It is available in the Google Play Android store or Amazon App Store. For more information, visit www.rhapsody.com/songmatch.
About Rhapsody
The Rhapsody® digital music service (www.rhapsody.com) gives subscribers unlimited on-demand access to more than 16 million songs, whether they're listening on a PC, laptop, Internet connected home stereo or TV, MP3 player or mobile phone. Rhapsody allows subscribers to access their music through mobile phones from Verizon Wireless and MetroPCS, through Rhapsody applications on the Apple iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, RIM BlackBerry, Windows Phone 7 and Android mobile platforms as well as through devices from Vizio, SanDisk, HP, Sonos and Philips. Rhapsody is headquartered in Seattle, with offices in Frankfurt, London, Luxemburg, New York and San Francisco. Rhapsody, and the Rhapsody logo are registered trademarks of Rhapsody International Inc. Follow @Rhapsody on Twitter and keep up with the latest on the Rhapsody Facebook page.
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text:
|By PR Newswire
Article Rating:
|November 16, 2012 06:42 AM EST
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 16, 2012 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- "The Three Year Lie is the sordid saga of a young girl's sexual awakening, the precocious victim of childhood abuse that is a controversial, tragicomic book filtered through a complex psychological prism.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121116/CG14918)
Will outshock the Fifty Shades of Grey crowd, which will deeply disturb most consciences." Kirkus Review
"I am unable to disclose the true identity of the Senator in question because of the lack of evidence I have in possession to prove my side of the story." was Amber Walter's response to the question I asked in a recent sit down I had with her.
Amber Walter's debut novel, The Three Year Lie, has been out only two short months, and is already been raising eyebrows and gaining attention from media stations in her local city of Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Texas, Fox 10 News being one.
Walter, who has cleverly labeled The Three Year Lie as a "fictional tell all sprinkled with abounding moments of raw non-fiction" has been hounded with several questions, the identity of one of the main characters in her book, Arizona State Senator, Damien Preston, being the most want to know question.
Within the pages of The Three Year Lie, Amber Walter tells the haunting story of how a young girl's innocence was taken from her by a man twenty-five years her senior, with whom she thought she was in love. The reader is exposed to the harrowing reality of the consequences she was dealt and her parents' betrayal due to the Senator's efforts to hide his misgivings.
Walter states "My novel as I have told other interviewers and is clearly stated on the back cover, is a fictional tell all, labeled as so to legally protect myself. My novel, is roughly 90% autobiographical combined with fictional elements due to several different factors. One, simply because it is nearly impossible for me to remember exact conversations that occurred yesterday-let alone nine years ago."
Point taken.
The Three Year Lie is currently available online at www.amazon.com, www.thethreeyearlie.com, www.barnesandnoble.com and in select bookstores. The Three Year Lie's second edition will be donning a brand new cover, and hitting shelves this December.
Recent Interview with Amber Walter author of controversial new novel, The Three Year Lie. Follow Walter on Twitter @Amber_Walter
Interview by Seattle Journalist Steven S. Owens
Media Contact: Steven Owens, Penman Publishing, 4802787035, firstname.lastname@example.com
News distributed by PR Newswire iReach: https://ireach.prnewswire.com
SOURCE Penman Publishing
- "All It Took Was One E-Mail to Larry," Says Former eBay Research Director As He Moves to Google
- Google Ramps Up Its Mobile Reach: Launches "Mobile Web Search"
- VoIP Update: Yahoo! Buys DialPad
- Ericsson + Napster = World's First "Wireless Digital Music" Brand
- Free Guest Passes for the SOA World Conference & Expo in NYC
- SYS-CON i-Technology Podcast August 30, 2005
- A Flair for Food - Health-Conscious Cooking Is This Chef's Cup Of Tea
- Kapow Helps Seiko UK, Provides SMS Text-Alert Services
- South Korea is World's Largest Phisher


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Indiana University Dedicates Biggest College-Owned Supercomputer 83
Indiana University has replaced their supercomputer, Big Red, with a new system predictably named Big Red II. At the dedication HPC scientist Paul Messina said: "It's important that this is a university-owned resource. ... Here you have the opportunity to have your own faculty, staff and students get access with very little difficulty to this wonderful resource." From the article: "Big Red II is a Cray-built machine, which uses both GPU-enabled and standard CPU compute nodes to deliver a petaflop -- or 1 quadrillion floating-point operations per second -- of max performance. Each of the 344 CPU nodes uses two 16-core AMD Abu Dhabi processors, while the 676 GPU nodes use one 16-core AMD Interlagos and one NVIDIA Kepler K20."


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"All In" is the Batavia football program's 2013 slogan, as anyone who takes even a quick peek into the Twitter universe can attest.
Batavia football coach Dennis Piron often speaks of the synergy between Bulldogs players, coaches, parents and the Batavia community, and proof that it is no empty platitude has come in resounding fashion this season.
After the Bulldogs defeated Lake Forest on a slick afternoon Nov. 16 at Bulldog Stadium, Piron said the level of detail Bulldogs coaches drill down to is "almost embarrassing," all the way
to perfecting a system for keeping footballs dry during the course of a rainy afternoon.
That might sound like overkill, but it's also symbolic of the huge investments – physical, emotional and even financial – that so many in and around the program have made to allow the Bulldogs to become the program that they are.
Program, not just a team. This year's Bulldogs are playing for the IHSA Class 6A state championship Saturday against Richards, but Batavia is 33-3 in Piron's three years as head coach, advancing deep into November in two of those three seasons.
There have been many impressive performances during that three-year stretch, but a case can be made that Saturday's 38-6 thumping of Rockford Boylan tops the list. It was a complete performance by a complete team, and nothing less is required to go on the road against an undefeated team in a state semifinal and flirt with a running clock.
Batavia has two all-staters in seniors Michael Moffatt and Anthony Scaccia, but football is not a sport that lends itself to two guys carrying a team. Fortunately for Moffatt and Scaccia, they don't have to.
Batavia is strong and deep at each positional group, with the offensive line perhaps providing the best example.
The Bulldogs lost junior guard Mitch Krusz to a season-ending injury late in the regular season. Piron said at the time Krusz arguably was the Bulldogs' top-performing o-lineman, so it was a major loss.
Yet Piron still had enough confidence in his line to go for it on fourth down on multiple occasions against Boylan, and that faith was rewarded, with a pair of deep breath-inducing measurements from the chain gang extending Batavia drives.
The Bulldogs also had
a rash of key defensive injuries in the middle of the regular season but kept trucking, showing that their second-string players are worthy of starting in their own right.
Cultivating depth in a football program is tricky but essential. It's about instilling a programwide sense of offseason commitment and shared responsibility in a team's success, even with no assurances of playing time.
In Batavia, that process begins early, so it's fitting that the Bulldogs will share their Thanksgiving morning practice space with Batavia Youth Football players, who are invited to compete in "Turkey Bowl" games at the BHS practice fields.
Community imprints are as ingrained in Batavia's program as are the paw prints on the Bulldogs' helmets.
That "All In" mindset for Batavia football starts early, runs deep and, Saturday, might just be enough to push the Bulldogs all the way up the mountaintop.
• Jay Schwab is sports editor of the Kane County Chronicle. He can be reached at 630-845-5382 or email@example.com.


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SelectScience Members can achieve membership status by writing product reviews. This helps other members to better understand the Reviewer's experience and expertise.
Status: No. Reviews Published: Member 0 1-4 5-14 15+ By Invitation
Reviewers are also encouraged to publish a 'public profile' so others can benefit from a further understanding of the Reviewer's applications and expertise.
Write a review today>>
ReviewerMembership Status
Member since: 2014
Organization: Charleston Water System
"Technology is great. The autosamplers can be a little hard to juggle if you have furnace and flame technique. The pump tubing on the flame autosampler wore out quickly."
Member since: 2013
Organization: Water Purification Plant
Application Area:Excellent AA
"We have had this atomic absorption spectrometer for over 2 years now. Initially there were some software issues, but once the software was reinstalled it worked fine. PerkinElmer service and support has been excellent! The AS900 autosampler has some wear problems, but the company is standing behind it and correcting the manufacturing issues. The software is fairly easy to work with. Overall the instrument has been a reliable work horse for our lab. I would gladly purchase additional lab equipment from this manufacturer."
Engineered with an array of exciting technological advances, it offers a variety of configurations and capabilities to deliver exactly the level of performance you need:
• Flame only, furnace only, or space-saving stacked designs featuring both
• Flame, furnace, flow injection, FIAS-furnace and mercury/hydride capabilities on a single instrument
• Choice of Deuterium or longitudinal Zeeman background correction
• TubeView™ color furnace camera simplifies autosampler tip alignment and sample dispensing
• Proven WinLab32™ software offering both ease-of-use and exceptional flexibility
And no matter which model you select (900F, 900Z, 900H, 900T), you'll discover an intuitive, highly efficient system capable of simplifying your journey from sample to results—even with the most difficult matrices. Experience peak performance and unmatched productivity.
Step up to the PinAAcle series from PerkinElmer.


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Yes, I listened to them all! These vets are very good and generous to contribute so much time and thoughtfulness and expertise.
Please tell them how much better Sparkler is doing. Also, please thank them for their advice. Sparkler is out from her hidey-hole or in her hammock most of the time now. I give her a lot of hands-on loving.


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In an update on the PlayStation Blog, Sony's Patrick Seybold passes along the bad news that service renewal has been delayed to an unspecified time. "When we held the press conference in Japan last week," Seybold said, "based on what we knew, we expected to have the services online within a week. We were unaware of the extent of the attack on Sony Online Entertainment servers, and we are taking this opportunity to conduct further testing of the incredibly complex system." He didn't flat out say this week is out of the question, but that's definitely the implication.
Seybold apologized for the delay. To those of us (all of us) waiting to get back to our online services, he said "trust me when I say we're doing everything we can to make it happen."


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VCPR Sponsors Winter Shootout Tournament
Youth basketball teams from around North Dakota came to Valley City Saturday for the Valley City Parks and Recreation Winter Shootout Tournament.
Boys and girls teams participated in seven divisions: fourth-grade boys and girls; boys fifth grade; boys and girls sixth grade; girls seventh grade; and boys eighth grade.
Coming in first in the girls fourth-grade division were the Firebirds of Devils Lake with six teams participating.
The first place team for sixth-grade girls were the Tigers of Dickinson with eight teams participating.
Coming in first place in the seventh-grade girls division were the Cheetahs of West Fargo with six teams participating.
In the boys fourth-grade division the Bombers of Bismarck came in first with eight teams participating.
The Valley City boys team took second place in the fourth-grade division.
In the boys fifth-grade division Boom of West Fargo took first place with six teams participating. The Valley City team took third place in the division.
For the boys sixth-grade division, Skyhawks of Bismarck came in first place with six teams participating.
In the boys eighth-grade division, Max Training of Moorhead came in first place with four teams participating.
The Valley City seventh-grade girls took fourth place in their division after winning their first game of the day on a 37-25 score.


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DIXON – The Dixon City Council said no to a pay increase for the Riverfront Commission's executive manager.
The City Council voted 4-1 Monday not to increase Kay Miller's pay from $200 to $800 a month, with Mayor Jim Burke supplying the only vote in favor. The Riverfront Commission now must reconsider its contract proposal with Miller.
The Riverfront Commission voted 3-1 in favor of the pay increase in October, but the council had the final say.
Commissioner Dennis Considine said Miller did not generate enough money to justify the raise, while Commissioner Dave Blackburn said the "information is lacking" from the Riverfront to sign off on it.
"I didn't see in the (Riverfront) budget where I can say I'm confident in paying $800," Commissioner Colleen Brechon-Vancil said.
Commissioner Jeff Kuhn suggested Dixon Tourism, Dixon Main Street and the Riverfront discuss a possible consolidation of services.
Burke said those groups already have, and it didn't work out.
"On paper that sounds good, but everyone involved did not feel it would be practical," the mayor said.
Riverfront Chairman Larry Reed called Miller's position a 24/7 job, involving public relations, promotion of events, selling amenities and organizing fundraisers, which came with its own grocery list of responsibilities.
Four people offered public comment against the pay increase, including Josie Almassy, who was one of two who volunteered to do the job for free last summer.
"I'm not offering that anymore," Almassy said.
Reed batted off accusations that the Riverfront did not have the money for the pay increase, saying the projected 2013 budget included Miller's pay. He stated the commission had a $28,069.52 maintenance balance – enough money to make it one year without raising a single dime.
Reed also added the position was once manned by a volunteer, but it became too much.
Also Monday, the council:
n Approved a tentative tax levy asking for $3,592,519, an increase of 4.6 percent from last year. Financial advisers Stan Helgerson and Dave Richardson said citizens should expect close to the same tax rate from the city's levy, depending on how the cost of living is set. The final tax levy will be approved on or before the second meeting in December.
n Heard a presentation on municipal aggregation, which grants the city the authority to combine households and small businesses into a buying group for electricity, and will have to decide before Jan. 22 if it wishes to put a referendum on the ballot again.
n Heard from Josh Albrecht, executive director of Dixon Main Street, who proposed a facade grant program utilizing the city's downtown tax-increment financing fund.
n Confirmed appointments of Ann Lewis to the Dixon Tourism Board and Linda Brantley to the Historic Preservation Commission.


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Swedish Police Use WhatsApp For Surveillance Ops, Share Intel With Civilians 37
New submitter TheP4st writes "A group of Swedish police officers thought it would be a good idea to use WhatsApp as a work tool for surveillance operations. The officer that set up their chat group mistyped one of the phone numbers to mistakenly include a civilian IT teacher. Once the teacher informed authorities about the mistake, it took more than 24 hours before he stopped receiving sensitive case information, which included criminal records, passport photos, and communications between surveillance teams tailing suspects. When confronted by Computer Sweden (Google translation of Swedish original), the officer responsible for setting up the group said, 'I know this server is not located in Sweden and that one cannot share every kind of information.' The only mobile chat medium approved for sensitive information is BlackBerry, and this initiative by a small group of officers happened because they do not have access to BlackBerry handsets."


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Evolution Hoax
Some media organizations accept the theory of evolution unquestioningly and present every new fossil as if it were scientific evidence for the theory. In 1999 for example, newspapers interpreted the fossil known as Archaeoraptor as a winged dinosaur. Some two years later, however, it emerged that the fossil in question was an evolutionary fraud. Those same newspapers had to accept that all the talk of a "dino-bird" was mere nonsense.
This fossil is said to have been discovered in China in 2001, but was actually a false construction. The hoax was detected through detailed analysis by researchers, who published the results in Nature magazine:
The Archaeoraptor fossil was announced as a missing link and purported to be possibly the best evidence since Archaeopteryx that birds did, in fact, evolve from certain types of carnivorous dinosaur . . . But Archaeoraptor was revealed to be a forgery in which bones of a primitive bird and a non-flying dromaeosaurid dinosaur had been combined. . . . We conclude that Archaeoraptor represents two or more species and that it was assembled from at least two, and possibly five, separate specimens. . . Sadly, parts of at least two significant new specimens were combined in favor of the higher commercial value of the forgery, and both were nearly lost to science. Paleontology was also badly damaged by the Piltdown forgery and the "lying stones" of Johann Beringer, and many fossils have been unwittingly or deliberately subjected to misleading reconstruction.46(See Piltdown Man.)
46 Timothy Rowe, Richard A. Ketcham, Cambria Denison, Matthew Colbert, Xing Xu, and Philip J. Currie, "Forensic palaeontology: The Archaeoraptor forgery," Nature, 29 March 2001, Vo.: 410, pp. 539-540.2009-08-11 15:32:51


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Views: 124
Hi. I'm new here, and even though I am catless at the moment because of financial difficulties (which I'm slowly crawling out from under), I have is a serious answer to the question: You are (anyone is) "officially crazy," the legal term is a "hoarder," if you have more cats than you can afford to take care of, provide veterinary care for, clean up after, or if you call your place a shelter but refuse to spay and neuter or adopt out... any of "your" cats. And hoarding pets is considered a psychiatric disorder.
Sorry to throw cold water on what was intended to be mildly funny, but I've been involved with a little local newspaper that is devoted to pet rescue and welfare for the past 10 years, and we have run across too many incidents of hoarding in that time. One woman had over 200 (!!!!) Chihuahuas...all in appalling condition by the time they were rescued and taken away from her.
Things like that give me nightmares.
© 2018 Atheist Nexus. All rights reserved. Admin: Richard Haynes. Powered by


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2008 Men's Soccer
Head Coach Steve Smucker
Contact information for Coach Smucker
Office phone: 419-358-3010
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Head coach Steve Smucker returns for his sixth season at Bluffton University where he will continue to build as talented freshmen classes look to bolster the soccer program in 2008. The men finished the 2007 campaign with a 4-12-1 record, including their first victory over Anderson in 12 years, while the women went 5-10-1 a year ago.
Prior to coaching at Bluffton, Smucker taught physical education and coached boys soccer at Christopher Dock Mennonite High School, located in Lansdale, Pennsylvania. In 2002, he led Dock to its first ever state soccer title, earning five separate Coach of the Year honors in the process, including recognition from the Pennsylvania State Soccer Coaches Association, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and the Philadelphia Inquirer. During his tenure as the head coach at Christopher Dock, Smucker also led his team to six district titles in eight years, including the school's first district title in 1996, accruing a record of 118 wins, 67 losses and 12 ties.
An Ohio native and graduate of Central Christian High School, Kidron, OH, Smucker went on to earn all-conference honors as a player both at Hesston and Goshen. Smucker's education includes degrees from Hesston College (KS), Goshen College (IN), and Temple University (PA).
|He is also a fully licensed coach with the United States Soccer Federation and the
National Soccer Coaches Association of America. Smucker has extensive soccer clinician
experience and is also very involved in his church and community.
Smucker resides in rural Pandora with his wife, Judy, and children, Tristan and Sophia.
Assistant Coach Arnie Sharp
Contact info for Coach Sharp
Office phone:
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
|Arnie Sharp is entering his second season with the Bluffton University soccer program as the graduate assistant coach for both the men's and the women's teams. Sharp comes to Bluffton after spending the previous six years as head coach at Hesston College.
Sharp rebuilt the program at Hesston during his tenure as head coach. The season prior to Sharp's first at Hesston, the Larks had won only one game and scored only three goals for the season. During his fourth year at the helm, Sharp led the team to a huge win over #5 nationally ranked Johnson County. Hesston's soccer program has seen tremendous growth as a result of Sharp's recruiting skills and his ability to teach the game.
Sharp played soccer while he was a student at Lewis Palmer High School in Monument, Colorado. He continued to play at Hesston College, where he earned all-district honors, and then at Eastern Mennonite University where he graduated in 1990. At EMU he earned first-team all-conference honors and VISSA second team honors. He was voted offensive player of the year following his junior season, and named captain and MVP during his final season.
He recently earned his Premier Diploma to go along with a Level II Goalkeeping Certificate awarded by the NSCAA.
Sharp currently resides in Bluffton.