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Kyousougiga is a touching story about family, set in a fantasy world inside a painting. It has a beautiful setting and well-animated action. Unfortunately, it also gets far too convoluted for its own good.
Good — Set in a Fairytale
Kyousougiga has its roots in a Japanese fairytale. A lonely monk draws a rabbit which comes to life. Soon, the rabbit falls in love with the monk. But, as a rabbit, she feels she can't properly love the monk. Luckily, a Bodhisattva takes pity on the rabbit and allows it to use her body. Thus, she comes to the priest in (mostly) human form and the two fall in love.
Eventually, the two decide to have a child. And when that child seems lonely, the priest draws two more into existence. From that point on, they live as a family, eventually moving to a world the priest has drawn within a picture. But one day, the priest and the rabbit, fearing that the rabbit has stayed too long in the Bodhisattva's body, leave their children alone in the world inside the picture.
But what's great about Kyousougiga is that this fairytale isn't the story. It's merely the backdrop — the set-up for everything else. The story succeeds by exploring the personal ramifications of the fairytale — showing what happens to the family when they are torn apart and all the long-reaching consequences that come up down the line.
Good — A Story about Children, Parents, and Growing Up
So while the setting of Kyousougiga is the story of the parents, Kyousougiga proper is the story of the three children: Myoe, Yase, and Kurama. With the disappearance of their parents, the three of them are trapped in the world of the painting and serve as its leaders. Over the years, they grow up into fundamentally flawed adults because of their shared parental abandonment.
Myoe, the only human of the three children, becomes a slacker — nearly shunning the world and his role as one of its leaders. Yase, born from the picture of a demon, has built a life antithetical to her demon nature — making it one filled with ball gowns, tea parties, and everything else in the life of a proper lady. Kurama has done his best to be the perfect child — a wise, learned scholar who manages the city in a just, calm fashion.
[Skip to the next paragraph to avoid spoilers.]
But below the surface, the scars are even more obvious. Myoe doesn't feel that he is worthy of being the new priest and believes that, in the indeterminate future, his father will return and take the position back. Yase is more focused on their mother — hoping that by becoming a respectable high-class lady, her mother will be proud of her when she comes back to the world in the painting. Kurama dreams of being free from how he was created — able to cast off the responsibility and travel into the real world, unchained by the obligations forced upon him.
[End of spoilers.]
And then there is Koto, a young teenage girl and the main character of Kyousougiga. She somehow gets into the picture world while searching for a black rabbit. Officially, she has no mother or father. She is an orphan raised by an agent of an organisation tasked with protecting the multiverse. But while the children of the priest and rabbit had a family and lost it when they came to the world within the picture, Koto gains a family after she arrives — thus serving as a direct counterpoint to the Priest and Rabbit's three children.
Good — A Fun, Beautiful Art Style
I rarely comment on the art quality in an anime unless it's particularly unique or abjectly awful. Thankfully, the art of Kyousougiga is a case of the former. The overall world portrayed almost creates a new visual style for fantasy all its own.
The world appears to be both a modern and traditional ideal of the Japanese city of Kyoto. The people that populate the world range from beings that look human to others that look like nothing so much as cardboard cutouts or stick figures. Then, at the center of the city, towering on impossibly long wooden stilts, is the temple. And with Koto in the mix — with her almost visceral need to smash things with her giant hammer — we get some excellent, otherworldly fight scenes that cause more than a little collateral damage throughout the city.
But outside of the world design, there is the excellent use of colour. The lighting in the world is constantly changing from scene to scene and each location is filled with a vibrant look all its own. If nothing else, Kyousougiga definitely delivers on the eye candy.
Bad — Reveal Upon Needless Reveal
The biggest problem with Kyousougiga is not in the themes explored or the animation presented, it's that the show is needlessly complicated. Of course, finding out about each character's past and goals — and the history of the setting in general — is part of the fun of any anime. However, Kyousougiga goes too far in this regard, piling needless reveal upon needless reveal — overloading the audience with twists and revelations that in turn make previous twists and revelations moot.
It honestly is so bad that, after the final episode, there is an extra episode where the voice actors summarize and explain exactly what happened over the course of the anime. Frankly, if you feel you need to spend 30 minutes to explain what happened in your anime, there is a fundamental flaw with the presentation that should have been addressed much earlier on.
Random Thoughts — Just How Do I Watch This?
Originally, Kyousougiga was a 30-minute, single-episode original net animation (ONA). This was later followed up by five seven-to-twelve minute additional online episodes. Finally, as a prelude to the TV series, the first original net animation was edited and re-scored into an "episode 0" that ran before the start of the series proper.
Going in, several Kotaku readers had told me that I didn't need to watch the net animations as their content was integrated into the TV anime. However, I still opted to watch the episode zero, but I'm not certain if that's what the average viewer should do. The problem is the entire episode is basically a spoiler of things to come as it shows (and resolves) the series' midpoint climax. But on the other hand, while the same events are covered again midway through the series, they are done so in far less detail with much of the action and amazing art left on the cutting room floor.
Personally, I wish I hadn't watched the episode for all the spoilers it doled out; but the crazy and beautiful action scenes will no doubt hook many viewers far more soundly than the gradual character exploration you get if you start at episode one instead.
Final Thoughts
Kyousougiga does a lot well. It has excellent character development and is a great thesis on the loss of one's parents and how such a deep emotional wound can harm children all the way through adulthood. Moreover, it is just downright beautiful — a visual treat from start to finish. However, the convoluted nature of the plot with its countless reveals plagues the series greatly.
But don't get me wrong. If you like the idea of a stunningly drawn Japanese fantasy built around a broken family, Kyousougiga is very much worth a watch. It's just unfortunate it falls short of greatness due to problematic writing in its final act.
Kyousougiga aired on Tokyo MX in Japan. It can be watched for free and with English subtitles on Crunchyroll.


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Published on 01/01/2024, Expires 01/01/2025

subset: commoncrawl


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Teaching Geoscience Online - A Workshop for Digital Faculty
June 23-25, 2010 and June 28-29, 2010
This workshop has already taken place. Workshop outcomes can be viewed on the program page and in the workshop report.
This workshop is for faculty who teach geoscience courses in an online format, who are planning on teaching online in the near future, or who are engaged in research about online education. We will showcase successful strategies for the virtual classroom and provide a forum to share proven ideas for course design, class management, motivational strategies, and assessment. Part of the workshop will focus on working to refine parts of your online courses, along with opportunities to collaborate on group writing projects about effective teaching methods.
The workshop took place in two segments, with both synchronous and asynchronous sessions. Proceed to the workshop overview for more information.
Workshop Conveners
Karin Kirk, Science Education Resource Center, Carleton College and SUNY Empire State College
William Hirt, College of the Siskiyous
Cathryn Manduca, Science Education Resource Center, Carleton College
This workshop is part of the On the Cutting Edge professional development program for current and future geoscience faculty, and is sponsored by the National Association of Geoscience Teachers with funding provided by a grant from the National Science Foundation - Division of Undergraduate Education .
This workshop is one of the 2010 On the Cutting Edge Emerging Theme Workshops, which are designed to move critical ideas and concepts into the mainstream of geoscience education. This workshop was built upon prior workshops such as Teaching about Energy in Geoscience Courses, The Role of Metacognition in Teaching Geoscience, and Urban Students, Urban Issues.


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We have seen the continued roll-out of "suspect detection" systems that can only be labeled as pre-crime technology in our post-9/11, guilty-until-proven-innocent world. There has been massive investment in discovering what people intend to do vs. what they have actually done.
Suspect Detention Systems, Ltd. has gone as far as to claim that its mobile system of threat assessment is a "proven terror and crime prevention technology," according to Government Security News. Furthermore, they reveal a new partnership which indicates implementation of their system across a wide range of citizen travel:
The Cogito system utilizes two sophisticated layers to detect a potential terror or criminal suspect at a point of entry, such as an airport, transportation terminal or border crossing. First, potential suspects are rapidly identified among a crowd using a remote 'intention scanning' technology. Suspects flagged by remote identification are then questioned by an automated interrogation system that can accurately identify whether the suspect intends to commit an act of crime or terror, or has ties to a criminal organization. (Source)
The COGITO system is a mobile unit that has applications far beyond the War on Terror and might herald the physical implementation of what Eric Schmidt suggested to the Internet world: "If you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place."
Like, thinking, for example?
After 9/11, the epicenter of the false flag attack, New York City, has gone all-out to implement what it calls the "Ring of Steel." This is a full-spectrum virtual and military presence that utilizes CCTV cameras, biometrics, a real-time Domain Awareness System, and reporting to authorities over any behavior that comes under suspicion as indicated by computers and algorithms.
Built upon the false premise of international terrorism, an entire industry has sprung up as the solution to the problem and reaction foisted upon the public at large. From the Suspect Detection System company homepage we learn:
The 9/11 Commission Recommendations: "Counterterrorism Analysis and Collection Require Imagination and Creativity"
Suspect Detection Systems LTD (SDS) specializes in developing and marketing innovative technologies for the Homeland Security market based on lessons learned from the 9/11 terror attack.
SDS presents its product line, the 'COGITO'. Relying on unique and proprietary technology and designed to identify malicious intent at border control and other checkpoints, the 'Cogito1002' is an indispensable tool that helps Law Enforcement agencies in their war against international terrorism.
Government Security News |
Putting aside the fact that the 9/11 Commission recommendations would literally involve imagination and creativity due to the myriad inconsistencies and outright falsehoods and stonewalling in that investigation, it is cited as the justification for this new mobile technology.
Disturbingly, this system aims to go beyond supposed terrorist threat detection, and claims to be able to aid in establishing connections to crimes after they are committed – not only on the wider international stage, but also within the halls of private business:
The system can also be utilized by law enforcement after a crime has taken place to determine a suspect's association to a particular criminal action or organization. Private sector security companies similarly utilize Cogito to detect intent to harm an employer's interests, among employees, management or job applicants (emphasis added).
Additional bold claims made by the system have all the earmarks of a sales pitch, but we have seen with technologies such as FAST (originally called 'Project Hostile Intent') that companies are actively working on perfecting biometric pre-screening, pre-crime technologies that aim to filter out common nervousness or benign shiftiness that might trip up traditional lie detectors:
All of the COGITO products are an all in one unit which includes BIOMETRIC and Documentation Verification features in addition to the interrogation capabilities. The COGITO technology enables conducting hundred of interrogations without help of professional interrogator interviewers. In 5 minutes test the system can identify terrorists, employees who has (sic) hostile intents, criminals, smugglers or collaborators and direct further interrogation. The operation of the system is simple and requires only 2 hours training of any soldier with basic computer knowledge.
The SDS team strikes quite a roster. Here are some of those involved:
Mr. Shabtai Shoval: Founder and CEO. Mr. Shoval has more then fifteen years of senior management experience in the High-Tech and telecom industries. Shoval's professional background includes the position of CEO of Comverse TVGate Division (NASDAQ: CMVT), Vice President of Telrad Holding – the investment arm of KOOR INDUSTRIES, president of the Israeli Cable TV Association, founder of ISDNet, serving on the boards of numerous companies including Exalink, Algorithmic Research Ltd, MED 1, CATV companies and others. Shoval has unique background in counter terrorism strategies and held a position of special advisor to the Israeli Prime Minister's Office.
Mr. Ishayau (Sigi) Horowitz: Founder and methodology counselor. Mr. Horowitz has over thirty years of academic and field experience in polygraph theory and practice. Mr. Horowitz is the former head of the polygraph division of the Israeli Police, a member of the American Polygraph Association and a senior investigator for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Mr. Horowitz holds a bachelor's degree in criminology from Bar-Ilan University (Israel) and a master's degree in clinical psychology from the Tel-Aviv University (Israel).
Mr. Amiram Levin: figurehead supporting the SDS methodology and concept. Mr. Levine (sic) brings with him extensive support from his many years of experience in interrogation and counter-terrorism. Mr. Levin served as the Deputy Head of the Mossad and commander of the renowned "Sayeret Matkal", Israel's elite intelligence and counter-terrorism commando unit. (emphasis added)
Should it give every American a secure feeling knowing that a company with a foundation comprised of Israeli intelligence assets is offering a product to profile the U.S. traveling public?
Here is the page describing the technology and mission of COGITO … threat assessment and interrogation: http://www.suspectdetection.com/tech.html. To summarize:
The SDS concept is supported and enhanced by knowledge acquired and assimilated from the analysis of thousands of case studies related to suicide bombers in Israel and worldwide, gathered by Israeli authorities and the academic community.
Here is further justification for these Israeli-developed mobile units: SDS advisor Kevin Schatzle comments toward the end of this first video:
Here is CNN reporting some of the background of SDS technology in Israel, featuring former Mossad specialist, Amiram Levin:
Related Articles about Biometric Security:
New Big Brother facial recognition system scans 36 million faces per second
Biometric Gunshot Surveillance Net Will I.D. Shooters in Real-Time Across America
Food Stamp Biometric I.D. Program Introduced Under Guise of Fraud Reduction
Nicholas West writes for ActivistPost.com. This article may be freely republished with author attribution and source link.


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Researchers from the Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine and the UAB Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology have developed and patented a method using Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast to detect in human proteins the formation of oligomers, small toxic aggregations of molecules which can initiate the assembly of amyloid fibres found in neurodegenerative diseases. The test allows validating the efficacy of compounds which could dissolve or inhibit these aggregates, as well as studying at basic level the therapeutic potentiality of a large number of molecules.
Oligomers are formed by the union of two to twenty molecules. Recent research studies seem to indicate that their toxicity is higher than that of amyloid fibres. However, studying these substances is not easy given that they are unstable and their formations are transitory.
The method developed by researchers at UAB locates and monitors in vivo the aggregation process of the protein using fluorescence techniques and without the need to resort to alternative methods. It also allows studying compounds which inhibit oligomers as potentially therapeutic mechanisms to prevent posterior formations of amyloid plaques.
The screening system was carried out by genetically modifying Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast to link human protein aggregation to cell death. It is based on the fusion of the human peptide under study with the human variant of a protein needed for the survival of the modified yeast, dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR). The aggregation of the peptide deactivates the DHFR protein and finally produces the death of the cell, thereby providing a detection system of molecules with tendency to aggregate and in which any compound capable of separating or inhibiting this aggregation would favour the survival of the cell.
Researchers carried out the study with the AB42 peptide, the main cause of Alzheimer's disease. To validate the test they worked with several compounds in vitro which, in studies related to the disease, had demonstrated to be effective against the formation of oligomers, amyloid fibres or both types of molecules. The system only showed to be effective with compounds affecting oligomers, which makes it a very specific method for the initial detection of the aggregation process. The system was also validated with chaperones, a group of proteins which increase the dissolution of protein aggregation and favour cell survival. In addition to AB42, researchers validated the assay with regard to the detection of initial aggregations, by using proteins involved in Parkinson's and Huntington's disease.
According to Salvador Ventura, one of the authors of the study, the system is easy to use and allows scientists to work quickly and to analyse with reliability the potential therapeutic efficacy of an infinite number of compounds at experimental level. Now there is the need to automate the system -- with plates allowing for the simultaneous analysis of more than fifty molecules per assay -- to be used in basic research. For the moment the system has been patented by the researchers.
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Make a Gin Rummy website for your clan, guild or community! Our Gin Rummy Hosting is used by thousands of gamers for their website & voice server. No coding required, get setup in minutes!
Important Announcement: iClan Website Shutdown
Dear iClan Community,
We regret to inform you that after careful consideration, we have decided to shut down the iClan website, effective December 1, 2023.
As a part of this process, please be aware that starting from December 1, we will no longer be accepting new payments for memberships or services.
This decision was not made lightly, and we want to express our deepest gratitude for your support and participation in the iClan community. We have valued every moment of your engagement with us.
All existing users will continue to have access to iClan services until the shutdown date. We encourage you to save any data or content you wish to retain, as it will no longer be accessible after December 1.
Thank you for being a part of the iClan journey. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to our support team at [email protected].
The iClan Team


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BioShock – 2007 (Xbox 360/PC/PlayStation 3)
Not only does the chilling, distinctive underwater 50s city of Rapture make BioShock an utterly immersive and spectacular first-person shooter, but the game's narrative challenges video game conventions, providing an incredible twist that ensures its status as a thinking man's FPS and modern masterpiece.
Braid – 2008 (Xbox 360/PC)
Braid undoubtedly has a high barrier to entry, but if players are patient with this short platformer then they'll experience one of the most thought-provoking and intricately created video games ever made. Whatever you say against it, you cannot dispute that people will be talking about Braid for many years to come.
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare – 2007 (Xbox 360/PlayStaton 3/PC)
Is there a better, tighter, more entertaining modern first-person shooter? CoD4's single player campaign offers action, atmosphere and some politically charged, dramatic moments, but on top of that its online level-based multiplayer remains the best example of its kind, thus making it the most complete FPS made to date.
Civilization II – 1996 (PC)
The danger with including Civ II on this list is that it might be impossible to put it down and try the other 29 games. This classic turn-based strategy game eliminates messy micromanagement but perversely offers up a huge amount of choice to its players in their quest for world domination, whether it's through diplomacy, war or simple monopoly. An addictive triumph everyone should try.
Dance Dance Revolution – 1998 (Arcade)
People wrongly point towards Wii Sports as the first physical video game. Not only did DDR get their first, but it did it so much better. The game eats up coin after coin as players put down their pride, step up onto the stage and throw themselves into the foot-tapping gameplay. Whether through the original or more modern iterations, DDR remains a unique and incredibly fun experience.
Play first person shooter video game tournaments online for real cash.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion – 2006 (Xbox 360/PC/PlayStation 3)
It was a toss-up between this and Fallout 3 – both couldn't be on the same list. Fallout 3 may be the better game, but Oblivion is the better representation of sandbox gaming, its scarily huge fantasy world a sinkhole of time that still eats up the lives of dedicated questers. The only problem with putting it on this list is that by the time you've finally done everything to do, you may well be dead.
Final Fantasy X – 2001 (PlayStation 2)
Is that "Not Final Fantasy VII" I hear you say? Well, Final Fantasy VII may arguably have been the better game for its time, but X remains the overall zenith of the series, a summation of all the lessons learnt along the way throughout the many years. In short, Final Fantasy X is the glorious epitomy of the J-RPG genre., its colourful world, emotional story and deep gameplay a must for this list.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City – 2002 (PlayStation 2/PC/Xbox)
It was tough deciding which GTA game to include in this list, with San Andreas and GTA IV the main contenders for a place. I decided to go with GTA III: Vice City, but in truth any of the GTA games from III onwards would have done. Vice City's ostensible personality, its memorable characters, and the uniqueness of its 80s setting nudged it ahead as the sandbox crime game of choice.
Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec – 2001 (PlayStation 2)
Again, it was tough to choose between this and Gran Turismo 4, but the formula feels tighter in 3, and for me it remains the best driving game ever made. That's not to say it's more fun than Burnout Paradise, which easily could have made this list, but it is a greater simulation, and for those who care about that kind of thing (and sales suggest there are loads), you can't do better than Gran Turismo 3.
Lemmings – 1991 (Commordore Amiga/PC)
Placing you in the control of hapless, hopeless and sometimes suicidal little critters, Lemmings is challenging and incredibly fun video game. It would be fitting for Lemmings to be pictured underneath the dictionary entry for "timeless", and as such it's not surprising that an updated port of the game will be released for the iPhone and iPod Touch this year, 18 years after its release.
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – 1998 (Nintendo 64)
If you die without having playing Ocarina of Time, then you've died without having truly been a gamer. Its early 3D graphics may not stand the test of time like Wind Waker, but Ocarina of Time is still the best Zelda ever made and the best adventure game ever made, most notably offering players an impact upon a game world that most games still fail to replicate. Best game ever made? Maybe.
LittleBigPlanet – 2008 (PlayStation 3)
Sackboy may have failed to take over the world quite like Media Molecule and Sony would have hoped, but for all the problems that plagued LittleBigPlanet's release, it still offers something special that everyone should at least try. As soon as you play the game's amazing first few levels, knowing that the game's level creator could be used to create them yourself, its magic becomes obvious.
Mario Kart DS – 2005 (Nintendo DS)
Again, in terms of an all-out fun racer, it was a tough toss-up between this and Burnout Paradise, but it would have been a sin to not include at least one handheld exclusive on this list, besides which Mario Kart DS is one heck of a game. Its gameplay is the modern iteration that's closest to the addictive quality of the SNES original, and while its online has become tarnished by snaking issues, Mario Kart DS is an absolute blast to play with friends.
Metal Gear Solid 4 – 2008 (PlayStation 3)
The problem with including MGS4 on the list is that it's nothing without having played the previous three games in the series. Simply put, it's so good that despite this qualifier it fully deserves its place. The MGS series has always been synonymous with experimental, unconventional moments and impressive production values, but MGS4 adds on top of all of that some resoundingly enjoyable core gameplay. No other high-profile series challenges game convention quite like Metal Gear Solid does.
Neverwinter Nights – 2002 (PC)
Oblivion is the perfect represntative of sandbox W-RPGs, but BioWare's Neverwinter Nights shows how to empower the player within a classic , linear tale. Add on top of that a translation of D&D mechanics without the nerdy mess, and a deep campaign creator to allow wannabe Dungeon Masters to spin their own virtual tales, and you have a classic bit of PC gaming.
Pac-Man – 1980 (Arcade)
What's there to say about Pac-Man that hasn't been said? Not much, so instead I'll mention that I did consider putting Pac-Man: Championship Edition on the list, given that it's the best of the recent flux of modern remixes of classic video games. For all the gloss of Championship Edition, the original remains more addictive, and of course more significant as a part of gaming history.
Portal – 2007 (PC/Xbox 360/PlayStation 3)
It would have been very easy to just say The Orange Box instead of Portal, and frankly if this list is influencing your purchasing decisions then you absolutely should buy The Orange Box instead of just Portal. Nonetheless, Portal is the standout game in that package, and the standout game of its year. Its unique first-person puzzle-based gameplay is wonderfully complimented by the dark humour of GlaDOS, the psychotic computer hell-bent on your destruction. Portal is short, sweet and original, a brilliant and iconic video game.
Resident Evil 4 – 2005 (GameCube/PlayStation 2/PC/ Wii)
Has gaming moved on from the restricting controls of the Resident Evil series? Doubters would be advised to slot Resident Evil 4 back into their console, because the mix of the static shooting and pacy, unpredictable zombies made for the best modern survival horror video game. Rightly regarded as one of the best games ever made, Resident Evil 4 is a must for those who like their horror cheesy, fun and utterly entertaining.
Rock Band 2 – 2008 (Xbox 360/PlayStation 3/PlayStation 2/Wii)
Rock Band took the Guitar Hero concept of simplifying playing a complicated instrument into just several button presses, and took it to its logical conclusion. Rock Band 2 takes that concept and translates it into a tighter improvement, one that doesn't reinvent the wheel but still gives it place as the best music/rhythm game made to date, and a multiplayer experience that sits near the top as well. Will we ever tire of plastic instruments? Somehow I doubt it.
The Secret of Monkey Island – 1990 (Amiga/Atari/PC)
I've talked about the wit of the writing in Portal, but The Secret of Monkey Island's self-aware humour still makes me laugh nearly twenty years after I played it for the first time. While games like Metal Gear Solid 4 and BioShock chose to challenge video game convention, Monkey Island preferred to mock it, with some of its memorable jibes ringing true even today.
Shadow of the Colossus – 2005 (PlayStation 2)
If you're talking about video games that are distinctive, that shine in the sea of copycat games that slot within genres, then Shadow of the Colossus has to be mentioned. This adventure's game distils its gameplay down to players taking down one giant creature after the other, with each one presenting its own puzzle to be solved. Magnified by arguably the greatest gaming soundtrack created, Shadow of the Colossus is a masterpiece that simply has to be played.
Shenmue – 1999 (Dreamcast)
A Dreamcast game! Yes, not many people got the chance to play this Japanese adventure game, but those that did have been raving about its quality for the ten years since its release. Shenmue was the game that gave birth to the Quick Time Event (whether that's a good or bad thing is another matter), it was at the forefront of the 3D graphical revolution, and it remains a quality game from a console that suffered a cruel and unfair fate.
Sim City 2000 – 1993 (PC)
How could I not include a game from Will Wright? Of the many incredible games to be conceived from Wright's genius, this city-building simulation easily sits at the top. Not only was it educational but it was also incredibly addictive, the complicated maths behind the way population, commerce and industry related to each other confounding my mind for all the years I played it. The best bit? The disasters, including a giant robot laying siege upon Hollywood. Brilliant.
Sonic The Hedgehog 2 – 1992 (Sega Genesis)
The first of three classic 2D platformers beginning with S to make this list, and why not? The 2D platformer was once the genre that defined gaming, and look at Sonic's recent outings, it's about time Sega stopped shunning it. Sonic 2 contanied some of the best level design and catchiest music of its generation, and it encapsulated the pace of its hedgehog protagonist that modern outings cannot. Plus you can play as Tails! What more could one want?
Street Fighter IV – 2009 (Arcade/PlayStation 3/Xbox 360/PC)
Should I have gone with Street Fighter II, or Street Fighter III Alpha? Or Super Street Fighter Remix HD Monkey Mix Turbo Mix? No, because not only does Street Fighter IV beautifully reference the iconic fighter of the 90s, Street Fighter II, it translates its gameplay into a modern interpretation that shuns the 3D movement of other fighters with a view to keeping the gameplay tight and accessible. It's a triumph, and the fighting game of choice for this list.
Super Mario Galaxy – 2007 (Wii)
The first of two Mario games to make the list, and the only Wii exclusive to boot. It was tough to choose between Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Galaxy, but the use of the Wiimote in Galaxy, the improved graphics and the simply gorgeous orchestral music pushed it ahead of 64 as the 3D Mario platformer to be included. If I was picking one game from this list to best represent gaming to the uninitiated, it would be this one. Endless fun, and steeped in heritage.
Super Mario World – 1990 (SNES)
Maybe the toughest choice was which 2D Mario to include. Any from Super Mario Bros. to Super Mario World would have been worthy inclusions, but Super Mario World, similar to Final Fantasy X, was the zenith of the series, perfecting the gameplay from the games before it. For the record, if any game needs to be remastered for the DS, it's this one.
Super Metroid – 1994 (SNES)
While the original Metroid has aged somewhat with the advancement of game development, Super Metroid stands tall and frequently tops best game ever lists. As is the case for the three 2D platformers I've included, the gameplay is so tight and impressive that it speaks for itself. If you haven't played it, stop reading, download it on your Wii Virtual Console and just try it. You won't be disappointed.
Tetris – 1985 (NES/Game Boy)
The oldest game on this list, and probably the most well-recognized game on the list too. At the same time, if you haven't played it then what the heck are you doing at a gaming site? Have you lived under a rock for 25 years? Come on.
World of Warcraft – 2004 (PC)
Maybe this MMORPG is the game to play until you die. There's no doubt that you could (and some addicted folk do), its huge world inexhaustible thanks to constant updating, a game that is impossible to complete. It would all be very easy to hate on if it wasn't so damn fun. 11.5 million can't be wrong, right?


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Black Cohosh for Menopause Symptoms
Topic Overview
Black cohosh, also known as black snakeroot or bugbane, is a medicinal root. It is used to treat women's hormone-related symptoms, including premenstrual syndrome (PMS), menstrual cramps, and menopausal symptoms.
Black cohosh contains potent phytochemicals that have an effect on the endocrine system. How it works is not yet clear.
Black cohosh is widely used in the United States, Australia, and Germany. The German government has approved it as a prescription alternative to hormone therapy. In the U.S., black cohosh is available without a prescription. Be sure to talk to your doctor before you take it.
You can buy black cohosh as a standardized extract in20 mg pill form (such as Remifemin), which is taken twice a day. Root, extract, and tincture forms are also available in health food stores.
When black cohosh is used at regular doses, its only known side effect is occasional stomach discomfort.footnote 1 But black cohosh may have risks that are not yet known, including possible effects on liver function. More research needs to be done before experts can recommend it for long-term use.
Is it effective?
Studies on black cohosh have had mixed results. Some studies have shown that black cohosh can relieve menopause symptoms such as hot flashes.footnote 2 But other studies have shown that black cohosh does not relieve symptoms.
These mixed results may mean that black cohosh can relieve symptoms in some women, but does not relieve symptoms in others. Or the different results may be because different preparations were used in the studies.
In the studies where black cohosh relieved symptoms, it reduced hot flashes, night sweats, and sleep problems.footnote 2
Is it safe?
Large, long-term studies have not yet been done to confirm whether long-term use of black cohosh is safe. Because black cohosh has benefits somewhat like estrogen therapy, it may also have some risks like those of estrogen.
Experts do not know for sure if black cohosh causes liver problems. But they have determined that black cohosh products should be labeled with a statement of caution. Stop using black cohosh if you notice that you are weak or more tired than usual, you lose your appetite, or your skin or the whites of your eyes are yellowing. Call your doctor because these symptoms may mean you have liver damage.footnote 3
If you plan to take black cohosh, talk to your doctor about how to take it safely. You may be able to take it short-term (no more than 6 months), or possibly longer but with regular checkups to look for estrogen-related changes in the uterus and breasts.
Estrogen may increase the risk of cancer in women who have a history of uterine cancer or breast cancer or who are at high risk for breast cancer. Since black cohosh may work in ways similar to estrogen, these high-risk women should avoid using black cohosh until more is known about the long-term risks.
As with any medicine, be careful to avoid overdosing with black cohosh. Symptoms of overdose include vertigo, headache, nausea, vomiting, impaired vision, and impaired circulation.
What to avoid
Black cohosh should not be used during pregnancy or while you are breastfeeding. Do not take black cohosh if there is any chance that you might be pregnant.
Black cohosh should not be combined with birth control pills, hormone therapy, or tamoxifen. It should not be used by women who are allergic to aspirin.
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- Fritz MA, Speroff L (2011). Postmenopausal hormone therapy. In Clinical Gynecologic Endocrinology and Infertility, 8th ed., pp. 749–857. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2001, reaffirmed 2010). Use of botanicals for management of menopausal symptoms. ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 28. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 97(6, Suppl): 1–11.
- Mahady GB, et al. (2008). United States Pharmacopeia review of the black cohosh case reports of hepatotoxicity. Menopause, 15(4): 628–638.
Current as of: February 19, 2019
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:Anne C. Poinier, MD – Internal Medicine & Martin J. Gabica, MD – Family Medicine & Kathleen Romito, MD – Family Medicine & Carla J. Herman, MD, MPH – Geriatric Medicine
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Gov. Rick Snyder used a visit to Canada this week to praise the economic benefits of the planned new Canadian-financed bridge between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario.
The Republican leader was in Toronto on Monday to announce plans for the opening of a Michigan-Canada trade office in partnership with the Council of Great Lakes Governors and to address the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships.
Snyder says that with the bridge agreement in place, the benefits from Michigan-Canada cooperation "are even greater."
The visit also included a scheduled meeting with Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty.
Snyder has been a big backer of the new bridge, which got a big boost Nov. 6 with Michigan voters' rejection of Ambassador Bridge owner Matty Moroun's ballot proposal to require voter approval of competing international crossings.


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I'm using Compiz, which makes my Ubuntu really nice looking and got some awesome features … But … the startup of many programs is a little bit slow, opening my external harddisk takes 5 to 10 seconds …


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In Tackling Climate Change, Two Wheels is Better than Four
Last month's IPCC report sent alarm bells around the world, putting in stark terms the urgency of the climate crisis we face. The unvarnished implications laid out by the report underscore the moral imperative to act in drastically reducing carbon emissions. This week, the UN General Assembly met for the first time since the report, coinciding with Climate Week in New York City, which began in 2009 by climate advocates to draw attention to the crisis.
Transportation continues to be one of the leading contributors to this mounting crisis, with more emissions stemming from transportation than any other sector. Fortunately, we have solutions - we just need to accelerate them. The moment demands wide scale disruption of our norms--particularly driving. The urgency of the climate crisis requires cities to evolve from car-first transportation systems to a green transportation future, powered by fast, efficient public transit and lightweight electric vehicles. Continuing to rely on cars as a primary means of transportation will keep us on a collision course for continued harm to our planet.
As a result of the pandemic, we've seen micromobility quickly go from an afterthought for cities, to being designated an essential service. The value the proliferation of this new mode provides to urban communities--reduced congestion, safer streets, affordable mobility, cleaner air--is clear, and users are quickly adopting it because of the convenience and accessibility it affords. It also provides for transportation redundancy, a key resiliency measure for cities. For example, when New York's subway system shut down due to severe flooding caused by Hurricane Ida, the following day residents sought out alternative transportation, resulting in Lime's highest single-day ridership in NYC to date. That served as a real-world demonstration of our mission: to build a future for urban transportation that is shared, affordable and carbon-free.
Solving the urban mobility challenge is a core part of tackling climate change and thankfully we're making progress, but we need a much more rapid transformation if we're to achieve the goals set out by the Paris Climate Accords of keeping global temperatures below a two degree-rise from pre-industrial levels. There are already clear solutions, which should be approached collaboratively by public and private sector leaders in the space. Andrew Savage, our VP of Sustainability, spoke about these efforts during Climate Week NYC, addressing how companies like Lime can contribute to a full-scale decarbonization of transportation. He also participated in a panel at Benzinga's EVConference, alongside executives from other mobility companies to discuss how vital micromobility solutions are a sustainable future as well as the automotive industry.
We know that transport doesn't need to be one of the largest contributors to the global climate crisis. Cities increasingly recognize the value that more active mobility led by smaller vehicles, offer healthier more livable environments. Without a drastic change to the way we move in our cities, aligning quickly with the threat we face, our lives and the lives of future generations will be forever altered. There's a clear opportunity to establish a new and better normal and the time to act is now.


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In the Groove
Another edition of The Groove is here, packed with a scrapper profile, great discounts, freebies, challenges and more!
We're starting things off with a dazzling layout from Scrapbook MAX! community member Aussie Annette above to get you all inspired. Sometimes its tempting – and absolutely just right – to pack your layouts with color. Other times, one color is just as dramatic. It can really make a statement. Thanks, Annette!
Scrapbook MAX! Designer Profile
Meet Sandrine Boarqueiro-Verdun, a Scrapbook MAX! Digital Kit Designer, frequent challenge host, and very helpful member of our Scrapbook MAX! community! Below, you'll get to know Sandrine a bit better, enjoy a few of her favorite layouts and comments by those who use her kits in their pages. Plus, she's sharing an AWESOME freebie and challenge with you! Enjoy – and thanks, Sandrine! 🙂
Hello Dear Groove Readers!
Let me introduce myself to those of you who don't know me yet. My name is Sandrine aka KapiScrap (or KapiColors). I was born the month of October to the last century (LOL) in Versailles, France. I have been living in the South West of France (in the "cassoulet" country) for more than 12 years.
I created my own company in 2000 at this period. I work in the development and testing (quality) software area. Two years ago I created KapiScrap & Art, which focuses on the digital scrapbooking industry. The organization has three main activities: scrapbooking kits design, resale of Scrapbook MAX! on the French market, and training courses. If memory serves, I discovered digital scrapbooking at the end of 2009.
I'm married and I have two adorable kids: 6 and almost 10. They are, of course, my favorite models, but they are also a great source of inspiration. I'm very lucky as the youngest one loves striking poses for the photos and dressing up, leaving me with plenty of photos for different themes.
Many of my kits are kid themed since my kids are my favorite subject to scrap, and also because I like funny stuff, but not solely. During the day I work on very serious and critical topics, so when I design a kit I like getting swept away in funny characters like Mr. & Mrs. Bunnies in Hoppy Easter, my little Reindeer in Reindeer Village, or the friendly penguin in Winter Fun Penguin Style.
Before starting to draw the items of a kit or creating papers, I think a kit as a *whole*: the style, the pallet, and I list the items. We are two persons designing at KapiScrap, so we also share the tasks as we draw everything from scratch and some items require several hours to be designed; an example is the bat in Witches Brew, or very sophisticated items like the beater in Baking Memories. My colleague (and husband) is a really great designer who has an eye for detail so for the very sophisticated items he is the right person. Some kits like Forever Adorable I & II, Hoppy Easter, Winter Fun Penguin Style though are 100% me, and I always insist that we design everything from scratch, so that means that our kits are unique.
I have loads of ideas for themes… but I don't always have enough time to design all the kits. That being said,I have asked some members of my CT to describe my "designer" work as they are the best persons to describe my style, as they work with it regularly. My girls Monkey Musing, Tigroune and Tin Tin had this to say:
"Fun, playful, colorful hand drawn elements that scream out are different from everyone else's work. You don't use CU items so your items are unique to only your kits. Plus your kits and templates are well thought out. You have an eye for detail which is why your work is refreshing."
"Each of your kits has its own exclusive items which are very well designed with any detail. Your kits are always very comprehensive. What I definitively love in your kits is that they are unique, you can't find your items in any other kits, and the quality of each item allows to print any page for a perfect result".
"I love that you have a lot of papers and shapes that can really make someone use their imagination, and I love that your kits are bilingual, I think that is one of the features that makes you stand out. Also you are not afraid of colors in your kits. Your templates are real original with the circle shapes…"
Thanks, Sandrine for sharing your designer story and for sharing lovely images and comments on your work! It was great to get to know a bit more about the person behind the beautiful digital scrapbooking kit and template designs!
– The Groove Editors
A couple of Sandrine's favorite layouts (with her favorite models!):
Get a Discount on Featured Scrapbooking Kits
Love this kit and the three kits showcased in Sandrine's profile above? They are the feature kits in our store all month long, and you can get them for 10% off! All you need to do is add them to your cart, and use the coupon discount code SAB-JUN. Applies only to the kits found in the Featured Content section of our store, new orders only. Offer expires June 30, 2012
The Groove Monthly Freebie Challenge
Each month a designer shares a freebie with Groove Readers and challenges you do to something fun with it! Find Sandrine's "Sweet Springtime" freebie and challenge here!
June 2012 Challenges
There's always something going on in the Scrapbook MAX! Challenges and Contests Forum! Here's what to keep your eyes open for:
June Challenge Schedule
June 1-30, 2012 – The Groove Monthly Freebie Challenge (Sandrine a.k.a. KapiColors)
June 1-30, 2012 – Designer Monthly Challenge
June 15-31, 2012 – Mid-Month Challenge (Deanne Gow-Smith – approximate start date is the 15th)
New Releases in the Scrapbook MAX! Kit and Templates Store
Great new kits are added to the Scrapbook MAX! Digital Scrapbooking Kits and Templates Store each month.
Below is just a small sample of some of new kits recently added to the store by various designers:
Fiona Storey – Sentimental Punk:
Katie Castillo – My Birthday Boy Cluster Frames:
Deanne Gow-Smith – Laura Jane:
Shades of Purple
Another almost-all-purple layout, this one from Scrapbook MAX! member Tigroune. While using one color can make a dramatic statement, it can also convey sweet simplicity and the perfect backdrop for a great photo like this one. Purple-licious!
Look for the next issue of The Groove on July 1, 2012!


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This product has been archived
Key Features
The LC-N55 is a 55mm lens cap that comes with the 1 NIKKOR 10-100mm f/4.0-5.6 VR lens, and is designed to protect the lens when not in use. It is black in color and also available as a replacement item.
LCD, Video and Photo Gallery images are for illustrative purposes only.


text: Founded in 1866, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) extended into almost every southern state by 1870 and became a vehicle for white southern resistance to the Republican Party's Reconstruction-era policies aimed at establishing political and economic equality for blacks. Its members waged an underground campaign of intimidation and violence directed at white and black Republican leaders. Though Congress passed legislation designed to curb Klan terrorism, the organization saw its primary goal–the reestablishment of white supremacy–fulfilled through Democratic victories in state legislatures across the South in the 1870s. After a period of decline, white Protestant nativist groups revived the Klan in the early 20th century, burning crosses and staging rallies, parades and marches denouncing immigrants, Catholics, Jews, blacks and organized labor. The civil rights movement of the 1960s also saw a surge of Ku Klux Klan activity, including bombings of black schools and churches and violence against black and white activists in the South.


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I never thought I'd be happy for major airline delays. But sitting for three hours in Los Angeles' LAX airport Thursday for my return trip home from PDC 2009, I was able to catch Google's official coming out party for Chrome OS. Expected to debut on netbook computers about a year from now, Chrome OS offers a far more credible alternative to Windows on the mainstream PCs people are actually using than do Apple's expensive Mac systems. And when you couple this announcement with Google's other Microsoft antagonistic efforts--such as Android, Google Apps, and Google Sync--you get a clear picture of the online giant's efforts to unseat the Windows maker. There is no company that could and likely will damage Microsoft as effectively as Google. Put simply Google Chrome OS is an important platform to watch. Here's what Google revealed this past week.
Market perspective
Thursday's on campus announcement was the second major event Google held for its nascent Chrome OS, and while some have churlishly referred to the project as vaporware, let's not be silly: Chrome OS is real, and by just announcing that it's working on such a thing, Google has already changed the PC operating landscape and then some. The question, going forward, is how much more it will change things. I anticipate seeing Microsoft lower the pricing on its functionally-challenged Windows 7 Starter edition, for example. But if the software giant is serious about competing with Google, it will need to do the unthinkable and simply make Windows 7 Starter available to PC makers for free. It will go kicking and screaming into such a future. The only question is how long it takes.
On a related note, one might opine that Chrome OS, in some ways, thus constitutes as much a threat to Apple as it does to Microsoft. I believe this to be the case, though I'd add that the threat isn't so much to the traditional Mac as it is to the iPhone/iPod touch platform, which may or may not soon be bolstered by a tablet-like device. Here's the thing: With the Mac, Apple has no designs on the low end at all, and it is instead targeting the sub-$1000 market almost exclusively with its "iTouch" products, which feature a stripped down OS X version with multi-touch capabilities. So the Mac will soldier on as it has, providing overly expensive PCs to users with deep pockets. Chrome OS, then, is a threat to iTouch, and since it will likely be sold through 3G wireless carriers just like a smart phone, it will compete head to head with the iPhone.
In any event, this is all speculation and we have an entire year to wait before we see how Google and its partners market and sell Chrome OS. Between now and then, Microsoft will ship Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) and, hopefully, improve its consumer-oriented cloud services, and deliver a major new Windows Mobile version. Apple, of course, will also release new versions of its iPhone/iPod touch software, possibly new generations of that hardware, and possibly the fabled iTablet. So a lot can and will change.
What Google announced
While Google didn't deliver a beta version of Chrome OS last week as was expected, the company did provide a number of important details about the work it's doing to create its first desktop OS. Here's what we found out.
It's based on the Chrome browser. It is the Chrome browser
While Google previously telegraphed its intentions to create Chrome OS as a superset of the Chrome web browser, the company really drove home what this means last week. "Google Chrome \[the browser\] is the foundation of everything we are doing here \[with Chrome OS\]," Pichai noted, later adding that it is more specifically the Linux version of Chrome that is the actual foundation. (Google has yet to ship a Mac or Linux version of Chrome, however.)
Chrome utilizes the superior WebKit rendering engine (also used by Apple's Safari) that I feel will be one of the top two web rendering engines on both the PC desktop and mobile devices going forward. It's also impressively fast with the script-based sites that will dominate the coming generation of web-based applications; Google cited tests showing Chrome to be 39 times faster than Internet Explorer 8 at JavaScript-based scripting.
WebKit also aggressively targets the coming HTML 5 standard, and since web applications are written for this platform, supporting HTML 5 is a huge focus for Chrome. And while no details were provided, Chrome--and, thus, Chrome OS--will provide access to HTML 5 features GPU-based hardware acceleration (like IE 9), video and audio playback capabilities, threads (for more efficient use of the multicore processors in modern PCs), notifications, real-time communication functionality, and local storage.
"Web applications need a way to communicate with your speaker, microphone, and camera," Pichai said, hinting at the kind of OS-level functionality that Chrome (and Chrome OS) will thus provide, thanks to HTML 5. "You need web applications to work offline. So we are exposing a database API, exposing local storage on the machine to the web application. Our goal is to take web applications, give them the capabilities they need so that they can be very rich, complex applications with the full functionality of desktop applications."
Capabilities aside, Chrome hasn't exactly taken the web by storm from a usage share perspective so far. Google says that it has over 40 million users, which sounds impressive. But the latest web browser usage share numbers prove otherwise: Chrome accounts for barely 3 percent of all web browsers in use worldwide, behind Safari (4.3 percent) and well behind IE (64.6 percent) and Firefox (25.3 percent). (On the other hand, it's already outperforming the lackluster Opera browser, which controls just 1.5 percent.)
With Chrome, Google is focusing on three main areas, which become all the more interesting when you realize that this browser is the foundation for its next OS: Speed, simplicity, and security. "Mostly speed," Pichai said, launching into a discussion of why this is important for web applications. "The most common feedback we get is, 'Chrome is fast.'"
Speaking of speed, as a new product, Chrome has benefitted from a rapid development and improvement cycle. Pichai noted that the company has shipped almost 20 updates to the browser in the past year, many of them major improvements. I've been tracking Chrome since it first shipped, and while this claim is true, and that the update process is largely seamless, I'd almost point out that such a thing is only possible because of the immature nature of the product. As it first shipped a year ago, Chrome was a very bare bones browser with few of the niceties afforded by IE or Firefox. Whether it can maintain its speed advantage as it matures functionally remains to be seen.
Addressing industry trends
Google noted that Chrome OS will address three key market trends that it is "very excited about."
The first is the growth of netbooks. While much of the mainstream PC industry has stagnated or even fallen well behind last year's numbers, netbooks are on a tear and are set to account for about 35 million units sold in 2009, or well over 12 percent of all PCs. (By comparison, the Mac accounts for less than 3.5 percent of all PCs sold worldwide.) "This growth happened in the worst economy since the Great Depression," Pichai said.
I agree with that, but the contention that users are gravitating towards netbooks because they're "ultra-thin, ultra-light, and ultra-mobile," as Pichai claimed, is off-based. Users are buying netbooks because they're ultra-cheap, and they're putting up with performance and form factor limitations inherent in such devices because they have to. (More to the point, today's netbooks aren't acceptable replacements for existing PCs but are rather PC companion devices, which Pichai did admit. If Google is serious about targeting netbooks with Chrome OS, then I hope that will involve a coming generation of slightly bigger devices that offer better performance.)
The second trend is cloud computing. No surprise there, as Google pretty much invented--and certainly popularized--the concept. "Hundreds of millions of users are \[already\] living on the cloud," Pichai said. "For a lot of people, 100 percent of what \[they\] do is in the cloud." The trend here is very clear, he added: Developers are targeting the cloud and not the desktop with new applications. "The cloud is the most successful platform out there."
The third trend is the tremendous innovation around portable computing devices. On the low end, phones are becoming smarter and more ubiquitous. On the high end are traditional notebook computers. Between them are netbooks, tablets, and other portable computing devices. What these things all have in common is that they are all, effectively, computers: They expose APIs, they run apps, and so on. They are also, increasingly, more like phones: They're always on, they're always connected to the Internet, often via a 3G-type wireless network.
The convergence of these devices represents "a new model of computing," Pichai said, "a better model of personal computing. That's what Chrome OS is."
Introducing Chrome OS
Finally, the moment of truth. "With Google Chrome OS, we are again focused on three things," Pichai said. "It's speed, simplicity and security."
Speed. Chrome OS will be "blazingly fast," Pichai noted. "We want it to be like a TV. You turn it on and you're on the web, using your applications." It's not just about the boot time--which right now is pegged at about 7 seconds, though Google expects it to get lower. Google wants the "end to end" Chrome OS experience to be just as fast, thanks to the fact that Chrome--or what Google calls "Chrome on Chrome OS"--understands the underlying operating system.
"Chrome on Chrome OS will be even faster than Chrome," he added.
Simplicity. Pichai called this out as one of the most important things Google is doing with Chrome OS. "In Chrome OS, every application is a web application," he said, answering questions about how the platform would work. "There are no conventional desktop applications. Users don't have to install programs, manage updates, nothing ... A computer should just work."
The next bit will be controversial in some circles, though it shouldn't be. "All data in Chrome OS is in the cloud," Pichai continued. "We really want it to be easy for you, \[the user,\] to use the machine. We want all of personal computing to work \[as do web applications, where you logon and get access to the services associated with your account\]. If I lose my Chrome OS machine, I should be able to go buy a new machine, log in, and within a matter of seconds, get my favorite applications, and the necessary cached data back, including personalization, my background, everything should look similar. We want it to be possible for users to share machines and feel as if the machine belongs to them."
Security. In sharp contrast to traditional desktop operating systems, where applications are fundamentally trusted because they run under the same admin-level privileges as the typical users, Chrome OS utilizes only web applications, which by definition are untrusted. "We run completely inside the browser security model," Pichai explained.
It is real
Google did walk through a demo of actual as-it-is-at-the-moment Chrome OS code during the announcement last week. This wasn't a scripted Director demo or whatever--cue nightmare memories of Microsoft's faked PDC 2003 "Longhorn" demos for an example of why that's important--it was actual code. And as you might expect, given that this was the first public appearance of Chrome OS, it was actually pretty exciting. (In a nice touch, the presentation screens showed during the Chrome OS introduction were actually running on a Chrome OS-based machine, though that wasn't obvious until almost 15 minutes into the presentation.)
As promised, the demo system booted up to a logon prompt in perhaps 4 or 5 seconds, a far cry from 30 to 60 seconds you'll experience on most Mac and Windows systems today. Another three seconds or so after logging on, you'll be running your applications, Google says.
"Hopefully, this is not a surprise to you, but \[Chrome OS\] looks like Chrome," Pichai said. "Internally, we joke that 'Chrome is Chrome OS.' Chrome is the OS for all practical purposes." (Those Google jokesters.) "But there many interesting changes that make it function as an operating system. The advantage to doing it this way is that it's immediately familiar to most users. Almost everyone knows how to use a browser."
It's open source
One important new bit of news from the launch event is that Google is open-sourcing Chrome OS. "As of today, the code will be fully open," Google vice president Sundar Pichai said. "Google developers will be working on the same \[source code\] tree as external developers. Whatever we do will be in the open." This type of development is, of course, familiar territory for those in the Linux camp, but's most certainly not how the two dominant PC OS companies, Microsoft and Apple, develop their products. In fact, for these companies, the source code to their core OS products is considered the crown jewels.
"We are opening up the project a year ahead of release," Pichai said. "A lot of the UI is going to change. We're not fully sure how it's going to turn out." Google is also releasing its design documents, so anyone can see where Chrome OS is heading.


text: Wings Avionics provides avionics sales, installation and maintenance services. Their expert technicians perform annual FAA compliance inspections and IFR Certifications on a wide variety of aircraft. Customers have access to a surplus of parts and work quotes online, inside hangar protection of their aircraft, and a courtesy vehicle. If you have any questions please contact them at 479-587-0005.


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Cosmetic Metallic glitter offers a highly reflective metallic shine that eye catching and unforgettable!
Product Details:
This polyester glitter is sold by the pound and is carefully measured for accuracy. If you buy more than one pound we will bulk bag the pounds together unless you specify not to. The bags come with a sticker that states the glitter color, our logo & company name. The bags are not labeled for resale (if this is an issue please contact us for options). The more you buy the better the price!
Applications List (test first):
*This glitter is considered to be Cosmetic Grade. What does this mean? It means that the FDA has certified that the pigments/ingredients used in this glitter are safe for skin (not recommended for eyelids & lips).
Glitter Rule- "The bigger the flake, the bigger the sparkle". In addition to this rule, finishes also have a big impact...


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Enjoy the present!
During the holiday season, time with family & friends is what we all cherish the most. The many gifts we search for and create with our own hands are just the icing on the cake. This holiday season we want to help you make those gifts extra sweet by adding a custom letterpress tag to your holiday card order. It's our gift to you!
View the entire collection here!
The details: Gift tag will be printed on the same letterpress stock and in the same ink palette as the holiday card. Gift tag quantity will match holiday card quantity. Embellishments such as die-cut and foil treatments on the gift tags are subject to additional charges.
Offer valid through January 1, 2012. Applies to orders placed on or after September 19, 2011. Dealers must note promo code on order form: DAUHOL2011


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In the 20 years since its founding, 888 Poker has become one of the biggest names in online poker. It now has over 10 million registered users and a host of awards, from second spot on the global traffic rankings to three-times winner of EGR Best Poker Operator.
In contrast to its peers, who were intent on satisfying the needs of expert high-frequency players, 888 Poker decided to focus more on more casual users, even offering online poker in Ontario. Today, the operator offers lots of features for those who enjoy the social side of the game, helping it to become the go-to option for new players.
When 888Poker launched, it was primarily a Flash poker site that served players via their browsers. However, as the company has evolved, so too has its interface. Today, the programmes have become more complex, meaning you need to download 888 Poker's software. You'll then be able to play as many as four tables at once using your PC, Mac or laptop.
888 Poker is also fully mobile for iOS and Android. Instead of relying on optimising existing poker software, the company has developed native apps for iPhones, iPads and Android devices, meaning that the user experience is just as smooth whether you're on your phone or laptop.
The social experience is at the core of 888 Poker's model. They have a social platform, my.888 Poker.com, where players can connect with each other, share photos, watch videos and participate in forums. Another big innovation in making their games more interactive is the use of webcams. Players can join games that contain webcam feeds rather than animated icons. It's dynamic and entertaining, and means you can see your opponents' faces as they try to pull off an audacious bluff.
The transition between computer and mobile gaming is designed to be as smooth as possible. Users don't need to create a separate mobile account as the mobile app is fully synched to their online account, allowing them to deposit and withdraw cash without having to use their PC.
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The Special Operations Executive was ordered by Winston Churchill to "set Europe ablaze". The Special Operations Executive's (SOE) main task was to link up with resistance movements – primarily the French Resistance – to undermine the Germans in the countries they had occupied.
In 1940, after the fall of France, Britain had a rudimentary approach to assisting civilian resistance movements in Europe. Section D existed as part of the Secret Service. Its task was to support subversive movements in occupied countries. MI (R) also existed. It was part of the War Office and its job was to support irregular operations conducted by personnel in uniform. However, little thought had been given to helping those civilians who not only wanted to fight back at the Germans, but also wanted to help out the British. Both Section D and MI (R) proved relatively ineffective in supporting the resistance movements in western Europe – too much inter-departmental rivalry was an issue. Therefore, a new start was required, an organisation that was free from rivalry and that had a fresh outlook on how to support the resistance movements of Europe. This led to the creation of the Special Operations Executive in July 1940. Its headquarters was in London and it had regional headquarters in Cairo and Delhi. A link with America was also formed.
SOE was placed under Dr Dalton who headed the Ministry of Economic Warfare. Dalton was not a member of the War Cabinet which would have given him greater access to Churchill and initially, due to its lack of experience, SOE set its sights too high. One SOE plan, sent to the Chiefs-of-Staff, requested equipment for Europe's resistance movements that would have taken six months alone to transport by air.
Dalton and SOE soon set themselves more realistic targets. The most obvious one was how to communicate with the resistance movements of Europe. Any form of radio communication was open to interception. There was communication with Polish and Czech movements but only on a small scale. Probably, the biggest problem SOE experienced, was that there was no blue print to study. What Churchill had ordered had never been done before – there was no rule book to go by. Dalton and SOE had to make up the rules from the beginning. One further disadvantage SOE had was convincing those in the military hierarchy that what they planned to do was worth supporting. Acts of sabotage were difficult to verify – especially their success. Communication was invariably slow – so good news took time to arrive. There were many in the military who saw the SOE as a distraction from the 'proper' fighting that had to be done.
SOE faced three major problems in Europe:
1) Confirming that worthwhile resistance movements existed
2) How to maintain contact with these movements once contact had been made
3) How to help these movements actually fight against the Germans
The only way that SOE could overcome these three problems was to get agents on the ground in occupied Europe. This provided SOE with its next problem – suitable candidates to be SOE agents. Once trained, the most common way of getting agents to mainland Europe was by plane. Parachute drops could be made by Whitley and Wellington bombers. However, these were obvious targets from the ground. SOE needed a smaller plane that was difficult to see but tough enough to land on crude runways. In the Lysander it got the perfect plane.
By mid-1941, SOE agents were beginning to land in Europe. All manner of problems were experienced – contacting the 'reception committee', informing them that a drop was going to take place, poor weather at the last minute which might stop a flight etc. The so-called reception committees were very much at risk. By simply being out at night they were breaking curfew regulations imposed by the Germans and informants were a danger that put everybody at risk.
The work of the SOE became more sophisticated as they became more experienced. The ability of the Lysander to land, allowed SOE to pick-up 'special people' who needed to be de-briefed in London.
One of the most vital SOE tools was clandestine radio communications. A special wireless set weighing less than 40 lbs was developed. It looked like an ordinary suitcase. The plan was for every SOE organiser to take to occupied Europe a qualified radio operator. Every SOE operative was trained in parachuting, unarmed combat and self-defence. Those who had particular skills in explosives, trained to perfect these skills. The same was true with wireless operators. SOE schools were set up under the greatest of secrecy to train potential SOE operators. The final part of training for any SOE person was his or her so-called 'cover story'. Each SOE operative had to fit in with his/her background. The slightest mistake would have been punished in the most severe manner. Therefore, no 'Frenchman' would wear shoes made in Great Britain or smoke British made cigarettes.
Some SOE operatives not only provided Allied intelligence with vital information, they also became part of World War Two history – the likes of Captain Henry Rees, Violette Szabo, Pearl Witherington and Wing- Commander Yeo Thomas.
Related Posts
- The resistance movement in Europe during World War Two played an important part in defeating Nazi Germany's military might. The resistance movement - Europe's secret…


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STEPHEN HAWKINS, AP Sports Writer
WEST, Texas (AP) — Scott Podsednik played high school baseball on a since-abandoned field in the shadow of a fertilizer plant that exploded last April in the former major league outfielder's small Central Texas hometown.
A "Keep Out" sign is posted on the fence below the ripped-up scoreboard. Light poles are down on the field separated from the cleared plant site only by a railroad track, and next to a park that will be renovated with a new playground and a memorial for the 15 people who died in the explosion.
The Rangers, who have made a $50,000 donation for West City Park, made a caravan stop Tuesday in the town of about 2,800 people less than 90 miles from their home ballpark.
"The Rangers organization has stepped up in more ways than one," said Podsednik, who was drafted by the Rangers before playing for seven other teams over parts of 11 major league seasons. "They've been incredible, very generous, very classy. West is a sports town, and there are plenty of Rangers fans here. I'm sure that they've made a lot more fans with these acts."
After the explosion last year, the team collected tens of thousands of essential items for West victims and residents, along with gift cards and $40,000 in cash donations at Rangers Ballpark. Players donated cash and equipment, and Major League Baseball also gave $100,000 to relief efforts. More than 1,000 individuals from the town later attended a City of West night at a Rangers game last July.
"It's amazing. … If there's something that can come of this good, it's the show of humanity that's been shown to citizens of West," Mayor Tommy Muska said. "Such a gracious and generous donation by the players, and by the Rangers organization, and especially for the children that they helped with the baseballs and the equipment. That's really the heart of it."
A fire truck was parked outside the West Community Center, where players Mitch Moreland and Tanner Scheppers joined other members of the Rangers organization and were met by about 100 school children. That truck, with No. 27 on it, was donated last year to West's volunteer fire department by Lance Berkman when he was playing for Texas.
"You live that worst day of your life, and then you have to look at the positives, and the Rangers have been a huge positive," said Jennifer Schaffer, the city secretary.
That community center is about two miles down Reagan Street from the park site, where traffic cones and broken glass sit on the tennis/basketball courts that will be redone. The mayor said about 50 new hours are under construction near that park.
The town's baseball fields are now behind the community center, where signage on a water tower recognizes Podsednik for being a 2005 All-Star and World Series champion. He hit the game-ending home run in Game 2 of the 2005 World Series against Houston.
When the explosion occurred, Podsednik was about 90 minutes away at his home in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. His wife was on the telephone at the time with his mother, who lives about seven miles outside of West.
"I talked to my mother on the phone about an hour later. What I remember from her voice was just disarray," he said. "It was really tough to put into words what that was like. It was tough for everybody."
Podsednik, who still has vivid memories of playing baseball there growing up, said the town is going to bounce back.
"We have, we've started that rebuilding process," he said. "It's a chance for us to not only to rebuild the structure, but the spirit, and I think that's happening here."


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Find the best therapists in Saint Louis County. The therapists below specialize in treating a range of mental and emotional health concerns, including anxiety, depression, work stress, relationship issues, and trauma. They have been vetted by the Zencare team for offering high quality, clinically rigorous care.


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These are excerpts from a regular column in The Vector an informal,
unofficial, and unheralded publication I edited during my years
teaching at Lock Haven University. In response to overwhelming
demand (a couple of people at least) these are being archived here
for those strange people who enjoy wallowing in nostalgia.
Some of the references to then-current events may be puzzling, but
feel free to skip them, or relate them to more recent events of similar
nature (which can always be found). References to internal politics
at Lock Haven University may be easily transferred to situations at other
academic institutions. A few explanatory comments have been added in
square brackets. |


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I think it is entirely possible, in any discipline, to teach a "classic" topic that doesn't change dramatically from year to year, or even decade to decade, no matter how much the broader field itself has changed. And then there are courses on "topical" topics, that include or focus on concepts or methods that were unknown in the past, perhaps even in the fairly recent past; this, too, could apply to any discipline, even if not to every course within every discipline.
I was thinking about some of my "classic" science courses in this context, and realized that they have actually changed quite a it over the years, not in terms of the core concepts, some of which have remained unchanged for a long, long time, but in the examples I discuss. There are new applications that did not exist a decade ago (or less), and if I taught the course the same way that I did 20 years ago, students would learn the basics but not be aware of how these can be used to do Modern Science.
I don't think I could specify exactly how much these courses have changed with time, but a very rough guess would be somewhere between 20-40%. In some cases, these changes are reflected in the syllabus (in terms of the list of course topics) and in some cases, not so much. That is, the listed topics are the same, but what I say about them has changed a lot over time. I refer here to changes that are driven by advances in the field, not variations I might introduce to keep from being bored with teaching the exact same thing year after year.
The above discussion refers primarily to undergraduate courses and to some advanced courses, but, for me, graduate seminars are a different beast. The topics of graduate seminars that I teach change significantly over time. It would be impossible (or, at least, very unwise) for me to teach the same graduate seminar over the years; things (including the scientific literature) change too much, too fast for that. I could organize a seminar on the same or similar (very) general topic every 10 years (for example), but the content of the seminar would be very different each time. I would think that this, too, could be said for many other disciplines.
Have you ever taught a course that literally could stay pretty much the same year after year, for a long time, perhaps even decades? Or, (more likely, I think) if you teach a course with content that can, should, and does change with time owing to advances in your field, how much does it change (per whatever unit of time is relevant to your situation)?


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In the topological phase of a fractional quantum Hall fluid, the excitations of the ground state (quasiparticles) are anyons, at least conjecturally. There is then supposed to be a braided fusion category whose irreducible objects are in 1-1 correspondence with the various types of elementary quasiparticles.
The tensor product of objects has an obvious physical meaning: it's the operation of colliding (fusing) quasiparticles...
... but what about direct sum?
• The tensor product of two irreducible objects might be a direct sum of irreducible ones: what does this means physically in terms of the outcome of a collision of quasiparticles?
• Let $X$ be an irreducible object of the fusion category. Is there any physical difference between (the physical states corresponding to) $X$ and to $X\oplus X$?


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Data is the new gold, comments on speech by @NeelieKroesEU
Neelie Kroes Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for the Digital Agenda Data is the new gold Opening Remarks, Press Conference on Open Data Strategy Brussels, 12th December 2011 SPEECH/11/872
Brussels, 12th December 2011 Source
Good morning everybody it is a pleasure to be here for such a positive announcement.
Just as oil was likened to black gold, data takes on a new importance and value in the digital age.
Web entrepreneurs assemble and sell content and applications and advertising, based on data. With those efforts they make our lives more convenient and they keep authorities accountable.
They live on data, and increasingly so do the rest of us. (NO: WE LIVE ON THE ANALYSIS OF DATA)
Today, I am proud to present an Open Data package that can drastically increase the possibilities for those web entrepreneurs; the opportunities of businesses, journalists, academics and all citizens, in fact, to generate new and rich content. (YIPEE)
Today's package will radically shake-up how the EU institutions and most public authorities in Europe share their data.
Public data, generated by all administrations in Europe will become automatically re-usable. It will feed new applications and services.
It will change the way administrations are working – for the good of the administrations and the people they serve.
This is a victory for those of us who believe that the best way to get value from data is to give it away.
It is also, by the way, a vote of confidence in the people of Europe. We trust you will do good things with this data – data you already paid for.
And it is recognition for the many heroes who have shown us already what is possible through open data.
Heroes like the governments of UK, Denmark and France, to people like Tim Berners-Lee and organisations like the Open Knowledge Foundation.
Today we are taking their ideas and proposing them as the rule rather than the exception.
We are putting the Commission and Europe at the top of the class.
We calculate that public sector information already generates €32 billion of economic activity each year. This package would more than double that - – to around €70 billion.
That is not coffee money. That is, indeed, a badly needed boost to our economy.
The UK, Denmark and France - who last week opened "data.gouv.fr" – are doing excellent work.
When the Danish Enterprise and Construction Authority (DECA) lowered fees, the number of users of its information went up by ten thousand percent (10,000%)! This generated four times the tax revenue lost from fees charged for data.
Another example is "openspending.org" one of thousands of examples of how citizens can learn about how their taxes and spent, or how big their national debt is.
Next, I want to mention WheelMap – I met the founder of this application last week. He won an accessibility award, and rightly so. It is amazing. Wheelmapcombines public data, and user-supplied data, to give disabled people a clear idea of the best and worst places for them. It helps build the case for greater accessibility.
All of you too can benefit as journalists, as The Guardian and others have shown through data journalism.
Before I go to questions, I want to remind you of the two strands of today's package:
First, the Commission is opening up its vault starting in 2012
During the first half of 2012 the Commission's own data will be available free, open and easily usable on computers from a single portal. We will be pushing the other agencies and institutions to join us.
We are practicing what we preach. We will dare the Member States to improve on us
Second we are proposing to harmonise the way Member States will make their public data re-usable.
This should make it possible for business to gain the benefits of the Single Market. This is a revolution.
Instead of needing complicated authorisations, you will be automatically allowed to re-use the public data you need.
Instead of high charges for this data, fees will be limited to marginal costs.
This will boost business opportunities very substantially.
We are also proposing to include very valuable cultural material, from libraries, archives and museum.
In these cases, re-use will be optional and not free of charge unless the museum chooses to the free option. This exception will give protection the cultural institutions which have particular commercial vulnerability.
The revised Directive will need approval from the Parliament and Council.
But the real message I want to send to public authorities today is: don't wait for this package to become law.
You can give your data away now – and generate revenue and jobs, and even save money from the better information and decisions that will flow.
I also say to private businesses: open their data to generate new services. (MISSING THE POINT, GOVERNMENT DATEA WEHAVE PAID FOR, PRIVATE DATA VALUE IS IN THE ANALYSIS – THIS IS IP, AND THAT IS PROTECTED BY OTHER EU LAW)
In short, ladies and gentlemen, my message today is that data is gold. We have a huge goldmine in public administration. Let's start mining it. (VALUE IS IN THE REFINEMENT NOT THE DATA!)
Start releasing your data now. Join the future. Join the growth.


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Instead anyone watching the news today was subjected to a full plate of Obama-bashing. The "latest news" is the 2001 sermon by Obama's Chicago church pastor who linked the 9-11 attacks in America to what the U.S. has been doing to other countries around the world. This truth telling by the pastor has now been denounced by Obama who is being forced to bend down and grovel on his knees if he wishes to be allowed to continue his run for the presidency.
So here we have hundreds of young GI's, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, telling their stories on this 5th year of the occupation of Iraq. They are talking about the killings of innocent people. They are telling about their officers condoning, and in fact, ordering them to kill civilians. But we are not allowed to hear these stories in the "embedded media".
So you will have to listen to these IVAW hearings via the web site of the organization. Unfortunately few people will ever know they are happening.
Sixteen of us went out on the street today in the small business district in my town of Bath. We held signs and handed out about 100 leaflets alerting people to the Winter Soldier hearings. We will do the same again tomorrow at 1:00 pm.
All across the nation this weekend people will be standing on the street trying to help illuminate the work of IVAW and the rest of the peace movement. It is something we must do over and over again. We must become the media ourselves as our "free press" in America is no longer free. It has been beaten into submission just like they are now doing to the people in Iraq.


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Film of the Week: Bastill Day with Idris Elba
Shot on location in London and Paris, Bastille Day boasts a thrilling rooftop chase performed by the actors rather than stunt doubles.
Elba is a surly, muscular presence at the centre of every action sequence.
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Hide AdAfter one breathless chase, his strapping 6-foot 3 CIA agent asks a petty criminal why he decided to run.
"You were coming after me. Have you seen yourself?" comes the tongue-in-cheek response.
Budgetary constraints and haphazard plotting from screenwriter Andrew Baldwin conspire against the leading man, and misfiring on-screen chemistry with co-star Richard Madden undermines Watkins' dream of crafting a mismatched buddy cop movie in the vein of 48 Hours or Lethal Weapon.
Foregoing expensive slam-bang thrills, Bastille Day opts for murky political intrigue and a grand conspiracy that confirms the biggest crooks are powerful men in suits, who should be serving and protecting the public, not greedily fleecing them.
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdExpert pickpocket Michael Mason (Madden) steals passports, accessories and smartphones at major tourist hot-spots like the Sacre-Coeur at Montmartre to fulfil orders for middleman Baba (Eriq Ebouaney).
During a scouting mission, Michael spies a young activist, Zoe Naville (Charlotte Le Bon), in a state of distress.
She isn't paying attention to her shopping bag, so Michael expertly swipes it when her back is turned.
He takes the valuables and casually discards the bag, unaware that a bomb is buried inside.
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Hide AdThe device detonates, killing innocent bystanders, and Michael is unwittingly condemned a terrorist by CCTV footage.
Rogue US operative Sean Briar (Idris Elba), who is assigned to the CIA station in Paris under Karen Dacre (Kelly Reilly), vows to apprehend Michael before an elite French SWAT team led by Rafi (Thierry Godard).
A game of cat and mouse between Briar, Michael and Rafi plays out around the arrondissements.
Meanwhile, the real bombers plan their next move, creating a public relations nightmare for the embattled French Minister of Homeland Security, Victor Gamieux (Jose Garcia).
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Hide AdBastille Day was originally scheduled to open in February, but the film's release date was, understandably, pushed back two months in the aftermath of the terror attacks in the French capital.
Opening scenes of the bomb blast outside a metro station in a bustling square are chilling without seeming gratuitous.
Elba effortlessly copes with the physicality of his role, but Madden is a tepid sidekick, and Le Bon is completely superfluous.
There are undeniable pleasures here - including an occasionally hilarious verbal exchange - but they are scant and slight.
(Damon Smith)


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Delita Hooks violent liar confident she can lie to the NYPD and the NYPD and Internal Affairs will protect that doctor's office like they get VIAGRA from the NYPD or something because Dr Andrew Fagelman did not fire the unprofessional violent liar so the NYPD sure did Dr Fagelman a favor didn't they?
- No. No, NO NOOOO!!! Terrible experience. It's like a ghetto art gallery, complete with Beyoncé wannabe incompetent receptionists and hip hop music blaring in the background. I'm sick, I don't want to listen to Nelly or Lil Jon.
I went in to see Dr F for a face rash, the receptionist insisted that she take my picture for their files as part of new patient registration. I explained that I was there for a rash on my face, asking to take my picture was a little insensitive. I refused to let her take my picture, she insisted explaining that it was for security purposes. I could hear her and her little posse of rap video trash in pink scrubs making fun of me as soon as I was out of sight.
Dr F's assistant was great and very empathetic.
Dr F is um... awkward. I felt so uncomfortable around him. I got the sense that he had no clue what he was talking about. He just sat at his desk clicking around on his huge Apple computer. I wanted to ask him if he was googling my symptoms!
I could not get out of there fast enough, it wasn't pleasant. I don't expect a visit to the doctor to be a day at the beach, that said the receptionist had epic amounts of sand in her panties.
Dr Fagelman Delita Hooks Bad Review Want Patient's Photos Beyond Office Violence and Lies