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Iran: Resources
A list of links, books, and films to deepen your understanding of past and present issues within Iran
Academic Books:
Confronting Iran: The Failure of American Foreign Policy and the Next Great Crisis in the Middle East
By: Ali M. Ansari (Basic Books 2006)
Ali M. Ansari provides a concise yet comprehensive analysis of the brewing crisis, its origins, and its potential consequences. Ansari places current developments within a historical and cultural context. He describes the myths and prejudices which have developed on both sides over the course of centuries and which have shaped policy and public opinion for decades.
The Turban for the Crown: The Islamic Revolution in Iran
By: Said Amir Arjomand ((Oxford University Press 1988)
Sociologist Arjomand explains the social and political eruption in Iran in 1979 and its far-ranging implications. He argues that Iran's tradition is closely tied to Shi'te Islam, which emphasizes legitimacy of political authority and succession. As secular control of Iran increased during the 20th century, competition emerged between the Shi'te hierocracy and the Shah. As the Shah accumulated power in an attempt to counter the control of religious forces, authority became personified. Hence, with the departure of the Shah from Iran, the internal state structure disintegrated and was replaced by revolutionary religious elements.
Modern Iran: Roots and Results of Revolution
By Nikki R. Keddie (Yale University Press 2003)
In this substantially revised and expanded version of Nikki Keddie's classic work Roots of Revolution, the author brings the story of modern Iran to the present day, exploring the political, cultural, and social changes of the past quarter century. Keddie provides insightful commentary on the Iran-Iraq war, the Persian Gulf War, and the effects of 9/11 and Iran's strategic relationship with the U.S. She also discusses developments in education, health care, the arts, and the role of women.
The Iranian Revolution - Its Global Impact
By: John L. Esposito (University Press of Florida 1990)
John L. Esposito introduces The Iranian Revolution with an explanation of why the present is a turning point for Iran. He isolates the export of Islamic revolution as central to the Republic's character. A concise description of the complexities of that issue is followed by a discussion of its effects within and outside Iran, with the majority of the collection then devoted to insightful analyses of the Republic's impact throughout the Islamic world. International experts from Iran, Europe, Africa, and the United States assess worldwide impact of the Iranian Revolution on other Muslim societies and give us a remarkable analysis of the status of Islamic revivalism in a far-flung array of Islamic statues and societies—Lebanon, Bahrain, Egypt, Tunisia, Nigeria, Turkey, the USSR, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Iraq.
Iran Awakening: A Memoir of Revolution and Hope
By: Shirin Ebadi and Azadeh Moaveni (Random House 2006)
Millions of Iranian women were sidelined by Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, but few fought back the way Shirin Ebadi did. She had become Iran's foremost woman jurist by the 1970s, but Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini's theocracy stripped her of her judgeship in 1980. Her steely tenacity enabled her to take on a new role as a human rights lawyer battling for justice in Iran's revolutionary courts -- a fight that won her the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize and brought her face to face with the terror her clients confronted.
Reinventing Khomeini The Struggle for Reform in Iran
By: Daniel Brumberg (University of Chicago Press 2001)
Reinventing Khomeini offers a new interpretation of the political battles that paved the way for reform in Iran. Brumberg argues that these conflicts did not result from a sudden ideological shift; nor did the election of President Mohammad Khatami in 1997 really defy the core principles of the Islamic Revolution. To the contrary, the struggle for a more democratic Iran can be traced to the revolution itself, and to the contradictory agendas of the revolution's founding father, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
Democracy in Iran: History and the Quest for Liberty
By: Ali Gheissari, Vali Nasr (Oxford University Press 2006)
Few countries today appear so erratic and unknowable as Iran, where Islamist president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's increasingly militant pronouncements keep leaders awake at night from Washington to Paris. Despite President Bush's assertion that the spread of democracy will sweep away intolerance in the Muslim world, Ahmadinejad's ascent represented a sharp popular rebuke to the republic's clerical establishment. Gheissari, a history professor, and Nasr, a professor of Middle East and South Asian politics, both of whom have written widely about Iran, attempt to determine the boundaries of Tehran's democratic culture and institutions in this political and intellectual history. Their project is only partly successful, however, given the authors' persistent blind spots. They assert that "in many regards, there is more progress toward democracy in Iran than in any other country in the Middle East, perhaps with the exception of Turkey," which would be highly suspect even if one accepted the Iranian position that Israel does not exist. In their detailed dissection of Ahmadinejad's election, they make little of the fact that reformers and liberals largely boycotted the vote. Despite its flaws, Gheissari and Nasr's book offers a revealing glimpse into the paths that democratic ideas have traveled there both before and after the 1979 revolution.
Non-Academic Books:
We Are Iran: The Persian Blogs
By: Nasrin Alavi (Soft Skull Press November 2005)
In September 2001, a young Iranian journalist, Hossein Derakhshan, created one of the first weblogs in Farsi. When he also devised a simple how-to-blog guide for Iranians, it unleashed a torrent of hitherto unheard opinions. There are now 64,000 blogs in Farsi, and Nasrin Alavi has painstakingly reviewed them all, weaving the most powerful and provocative into a striking picture of the flowering of dissent in Iran. From one blogger's blasting of the Supreme Leader as a "pimp" to another's mourning for an identity crushed by the stifling protection of her male relatives, this collection functions not only as an archive of Iranians' thoughts on their country, culture, religion, and the rest of the world, but also as an alternative recent history of Iran.
Lipstick Jihad: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America And American in Iran
By: Azadeh Moaveni (PublicAffairs 2006)
Time reporter Moaveni, the American-born child of Iranian exiles, spent two years (2000–2001) working in Tehran. Although she reports on the overall tumult and repression felt by Iranians between the 1999 pro-democracy student demonstrations and the 2002 "Axis of Evil" declaration, the book's dominant story is more intimate. Moaveni was on a personal search "to figure out my relationship" to Iran. Neither her adolescent ethnic identity conundrums nor her idyllic memories of a childhood visit prepared her for the realities she confronted as she navigated Iran, learning its rules, restrictions and taboos—and how to evade and even exploit them like a local.
My Sister, Guard Your Veil; My Brother, Guard Your Eyes: Uncensored Iranian Voices
By: Lila Azam Zanganeh (Beacon Press 2006)
A seemingly devout cleaning lady sweeps a client's living room while pornography plays on the TV. A comp-lit class analyzes Milan Kundera's Identity (1998) in a translation deleting two major components, sex and gender equality. Women's clothing mannequins gradually lose their femininity, including their faces, replaced by cardboard disks, and their hands, replaced by cylinders. Of such is life in Iran's capital, Tehran, home, at least originally, of most of the artists and intellectuals contributing to this collection. Together, they raise the flag of hope for a freer culture, though the only basis they show for that hope is their and their peers' talent and integrity. Reza Aslan, author of No god but God (2005), ruefully acknowledges that, despite Tehranians' disdain for the mullahs--a taxi is as likely to run one down as pick him up, he says--many more Iranians want the "mullahcracy." Other imaginative and provocative voices herein include filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami, Oscar-nominated actress Shohbeh Aghdashloo, and graphic novelist Marjane Satrapi (Persepolis, 2003)
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood
By: Marjane Satrapi (Pantheon 2004)
Adult/High School-Marji tells of her life in Iran from the age of 10, when the Islamic revolution of 1979 reintroduced a religious state, through the age of 14 when the Iran-Iraq war forced her parents to send her to Europe for safety. This story, told in graphic format with simple, but expressive, black-and-white illustrations, combines the normal rebelliousness of an intelligent adolescent with the horrors of war and totalitarianism. Marji's parents, especially her freethinking mother, modeled a strong belief in freedom and equality, while her French education gave her a strong faith in God. Her Marxist-inclined family initially favored the overthrow of the Shah, but soon realized that the new regime was more restrictive and unfair than the last. The girl's independence, which made her parents both proud and fearful, caused them to send her to Austria. With bold lines and deceptively uncomplicated scenes, Satrapi conveys her story.
Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return
By: Marjane Satrapi (Pantheon 2005)
Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return details Marjane Satrapi's experiences as a young Iranian woman cast abroad by political turmoil in her native country. Older, if not exactly wiser, Marjane reconciles her upbringing in war-shattered Tehran with new surroundings and friends in Austria. Whether living in the company of nuns or as the sole female in a house of eight gay men, she creates a niche for herself with friends and acquaintances who feel equally uneasy with their place in the world.
Let Me Tell You Where I Have Been
By: Persis M. Karim(University of Arkansas Press 2006)
The diversity of voices represented in this stunning collection of poetry, fiction and nonfiction by women of Iranian descent shatters their narrow image in the U.S. Though none are well known, most of the 53 authors live in the U.S. and 15 have been published in journals if not books. One writes about a woman's relationship with her chador. Another remembers her desire, as a young girl, to distance herself from the "old-world values" espoused by her parents. A woman who sought refuge in Germany conveys the longing she felt to return to her birthplace by detailing a market scene and how the taste of raw walnuts made her feel at home again. Like other émigrés, the women who fled Iran after the 1979 revolution have continued to feel strong ties with their homeland. Many of those now living in the U.S., Canada or the U.K. have grappled with such feelings in an era when cars in the U.S. were emblazoned with bumper stickers reading "Iranians Go Home" and "We Play Cowboys and Iranians." Though many contributions avoid politics, several writers illustrate heartbreaking incidents of stereotyping that reveal the struggle of facing pervasive social suspicion. Touching on universal themes of love and loss, exile and longing, politics and war, this collection derives its cumulative power from its authors' subtle, uniquely female perceptions.
Searching for Hassan: An American Family's Journey Home to Iran
By: Terence Ward (Anchor 2003)
The unique culture of Iran and the sweep of its history are revealed in this evocative travelogue of an American family searching for a lost friend in the country of their youth. Growing up in Tehran in the 1960s, Terence Ward and his brothers were watched over by Hassan, the family's cook, housekeeper, and cultural guide. After an absence of forty years, Ward embarked on a pilgrimage with his family in search of Hassan. Taking us across the landscape of Iran, he plumbs its unimaginably rich past, explores its deep conflicts with its Arab neighbors, and anticipates the new "Great Game" now being played out in central Asia. Insightful, informative, and moving, Searching for Hassan enhances our understanding of the Middle East with the story of a family who came to love and admire Iran through their deep affection for its people.
International film festivals celebrate contemporary Iranian cinema as one of the most interesting and fascinating cinemas worldwide. Because of their high artistic quality and their passionate humanism Iranian movies have won more than 300 awards in the past decade.
Iran is Not the Problem (2008)
Director: Aaron Newman
Iran (is not the problem), is a feature length film responding to the American mass media's failure to provide the American public with accurate information about the standoff between the US and Iran. It looks at the struggle for democracy inside Iran, the consequences of the current escalation and the potential US and/or Israeli attack, and suggests some alternatives to consider. Visit the film's website here.
Iranian Cinema:
The Cow (1974)
Director: Dariush Mehrjui
Masht Hassan owns the only cow in a remote and desolate village. He treats the cow as his own child. When he is away, his cow dies. Knowing the relationship between Masht Hassan and his cow, the villagers hastily dispose the corpse, and when Masht Hassan comes back, they tell him that his cow ran away. Masht Hassan is devastated, he starts to spend all his time in the barn, eating hay, and slowly believes that he is the cow.
Bashu the little Stranger (1986)
Director: Bahram Bayzai
This touching, thought-provoking Iranian children's drama, from 1989 has a simple story, but complex undertones as it is simultaneously a quiet plea for peace and tolerance, an entertaining story and a sly, metaphorical criticism of Moslem fundamentalist thinking. It also presents a view of Iranian rural life seldom seen by Westerners.
Close Up (1990)
Director: Abbas Kiarostami
In this 1990 masterpiece of ironic reflexivity, Kiarostami's clear, self-possessed vision reveals the dogma of others while conveying none of its own, besides a faith in the power of the cinema itself to expose the artifice on which it depends. If religion is the suppression of the evidence of the eye through the dictate of the word, such calmly unwavering images, with their wry humor and generous sympathy, have the force of a quiet, steadfast resistance.
Once Upon a Time Cinema (1992)
Director: Mohsen Makhmalbaf
Makhmalbaf's tenth feature and first comedy is set during the Qajar dynasty. It tells the story of the cinematographer who introduces the magic of the movies of the Persian court. The Shah, who has 84 wives and 200 children, is initially opposed to the new medium, but after a screening he falls desperately in love with the film's heroine.
Two Women (1998)
Director: Tahmineh Milani
Country girl Fereshteh and city girl Roya, schoolmates at Tehran University in the early '80s, become fri ends when the former tutors the latter to pay her way through architectural school. Their friendship and innocent fun are clouded only by the presence of a young man who stalks the pretty Fereshteh, demanding she marry him. She br ushes him off and the girls feel strong enough to disregard his advances, until one day he throws a bottle of acid at Fereshteh's cousin, mistaking him for her boyfriend. Blaming her for brining disgrace onto the family, Fereshteh's father forces her to return home from university, which has been closed due to the turmoil following the Islamic revolution anyway.
The Silence (1998)
Director: Mohsen Makhmalbaf
From one of Iran's most celebrated filmmakers, comes The Silence, a hypnotic symphony of visual and aural rhythms. The Silence follows the life of Khorshid, a blind 10-year old boy who experiences the world through sound. Living with his mother in a small village in Tajikistan, Khorshid earns money tuning musical instruments.
The taste of Cherry (1998)
Director: Abbas Kiarostami
Winner of the top prize at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival, Taste of Cherry is an existential fable of weight and clarity from director Abbas Kiarostami. An Iranian man, Mr. Badii, is determined to commit suicide at nightfall, but seeks a living assistant to check his hand-dug grave the following morning. If Badii is dead, the person will fill the grave with dirt; if not, he will help Badii out of the hole -in either event receiving a handsome reward for the task. Badii scours the hills outside Tehran in his Range Rover, explaining the proposition to his passengers one by one. The candidates -- among them a soldier, a seminarian and taxidermist -- react differently to Badi's strange, forbidden request. Each lends new perspective on what it is that makes life worth living.
Children of Heaven (1999)
Director:Majid Majidi
Majid Majidi celebrates the immediacy and essence of childhood in this delightful tale of a brother and sister who share a pair of shoes when the boy (though no fault of his own) loses his sister's only pair. Since their parents are too poor to afford a new pair, they keep it a secret, trading them off every day in a mad rush, jumping gutters and navigating the twisting lanes to their schools and back. Then the boy hatches a plan: the third-place prize in a student footrace is a new pair of shoes, and he's determined to take it. The plot may smack of a Disney film, but the direction couldn't be more different. The family scenes are delicately observed, and Majidi captures the spirit of the children perfectly: proud, emotional, petulant, sweet, and disarmingly sincere. The film has a Western-friendly framework without losing the naturalistic eye and lolling rhythm that gives the best Iranian films their richness. Even as he builds to the climactic footrace (quite unexpectedly turned into a nail-biting contest) the film continues to reveal a wealth of discreet surprises, culminating in a conclusion all the more resonant for its sublime delicacy. His efforts earned the film the honor of becoming the first Iranian feature to earn an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Film.
The Circle (2000)
Director: Jafar Panahi
Anonymous women on the streets of Tehran crouch alongside cars to avoid police, dart down alleys, and flee from dangerous places with black chadors held over their heads, as if flying under dark wings. At first, we may be puzzled by the frenetic rushing about-the women, seen one or two at a time, don't seem to have any clear goal. But after a while, we realize that this is exactly the point. They have either spent time in prison or are heading straight there, and they are looking for a place to hide in a society in which single women have no more than provisional legitimacy as citizens. The director, Jafar Panahi, offers echoes of the Italian neorealist cinema in the general forlornness and pained humanism of his approach, but he's created aesthetic strategies all his own. Despite a longueur here and there, the cumulative power of "The Circle" is extraordinary.
Crimson Gold (2001)
Director: Jafar Panahi
For Hussein, a pizza delivery driver, the imbalance of the social system is thrown in his face wherever he turns. One day when his friend, Ali, shows him the contents of a lost purse, Hussein discovers a receipt of payment and cannot believe the large sum of money someone spent to purchase an expensive necklace. He knows that his pitiful salary will never be enough to afford such luxury. Hussein receives yet another blow when he and Ali are denied entry to an uptown jewelry store because of their appearance. His job allows him a full view of the contrast between rich and poor. He motorbikes every evening to neighborhoods he will never live in, for a closer look at what goes on behind closed doors. But one night, Hussein tastes the luxurious life, before his deep feelings of humiliation push him over the edge.
Women's Prison (2002)
Director: Manijeh Hekmat
Banned in Iran, this taboo-breaking film uses the claustrophobic life of women behind bars as a metaphor for Iranian society since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Mitra, in prison for killing her violent stepfather, confronts new warden Tahereh on the eve of a riot, fearlessly challenging her dogmatic views - which, over time, began to change.
Ten (2002)
Director: Abbas Kiarostami
In this revelatory film, Kiarostami reverses course and fixes his camera to the dashboard of a car driven by an unnamed, beautiful divorcée (Mania Akbari), as she navigates the streets of Tehran. (The camera faces inward.) It's a postmodern gesture, a movie seemingly without a director, a drama that's also a documentary. The streets are real, but the conversations are scripted. The talk centers on the corseted lives of women in modern Iran and the cross-cultural similarities can be striking: take away the headscarves and these women could be Connecticut housewives. There are many piercing moments, and Kiarostami's minimalist methods enhance a palpable sense of lives choked with frustration. Ironically, for a film about hidden women, the natural performance by Amin (Amin Maher), the ten-year-old son of the divorcée, reveals the most about their situation. He rants and whines, directing precocious, cutting insults at his mother, unaware of the punches he's landing.
Turtles Can Fly (2004)
Director: Bahman Ghobadi
Set in Ghobadi's native Kurdistan, close to the Turkey-Iran border. Soran is a 13-year-old boy who orders other children around as he installs an antenna for villagers keen to hear of Saddam's fall. Eventually, he falls for Agrin but is disturbed by her brother Henkov, who was left armless after he stepped on a landmine and who can now seemingly predict the future.
Offside (2006)
Director: Jafar Panahi
Who is that strange boy sitting quietly in the corner of a bus full of screaming fans going to the football match? In fact, this shy boy is a girl in disguise. She is not alone; women also love football in Iran. Before the game begins, she is arrested at the checkpoint and put into a holding pen by the stadium with a band of other women all dressed up as men. They will be handed over to the vice squad after the match. But before this, they will be tortured -- they must endure every cheer, every shout of a game they cannot see. Worse yet, they must listen to the play-by-play account of a soldier who knows nothing about football. Yet, these young girls just won't give up. They use every trick in the book to see the match.


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subset: commoncrawl


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Armen Petrosyan and Xu Yan Allowed Fight Code Redemption in November
- Written by Dave Walsh
There are countless reasons to love Fight Code, the first being that they are a group that began running events this year and decided to run parallel tournaments in the Kickboxing world's two most popular divisions; -72.5kg and -95kg, or Middleweight and Heavyweight respectively. The Dragons and Rhinos tournaments have been a success throughout the year, running co-promoted cards with local promoters and airing the Fight Code portions internationally. Over the weekend Fight Code held the Dragon Series' Final 8, but not without controversy.
Fight Code distributed a press release earlier in the afternoon explaining that French officials had decided to not allow full Fight Code rules just hours before the event was set to take place. There was an agreement on the general rules, but French officials would not allow for there to be an extension round, which was a part of the Fight Code tournament rules. Seeing as though all other fighters competing under the Fight Code tournaments were given the chance of redemption in an extension round if the fight was close, Fight Code officials ruled that the two tournament bouts that went to a close decision will stand as "Prestige" non-tournament fights. The four competitors must lace their gloves up again and compete to move on in the Fight Code tournament, which means that Xu Yan has another chance at Abdalleh Mabel and Armen Petrosyan will have another shot at Juri Besmerty.
Both fights were close, but due to there being no extension rounds the judges were forced to come to conclusions on the available fights. The logic behind this is sound and does indeed give two eliminated fighters a chance at redemption, but there are questions of if Armen Petrosyan was not involved in one of the decisions if this same conversation would be happening. Regardless of possible motives, it is a good move on Fight Code's behalf and fair. The two bouts will take place again on November 26th at Fight Code's Geneva event, home of the Rhinos Final 4.


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|Pacific Northwest Sea Run Forum No such thing as rainbow trout, only landlocked steelhead
|Topic Review (Newest First)
RE:How Was Dean This Year
Eric -
Could you please email me at email@example.com? Thanks, both of the addresses I tried didn't make it.
RE:How Was Dean This Year
Hi Eric,
The run on the Dean this last year was average, maybe a bit above if you were on the river at the right time.
I'm friends with three separate parties that did the trip this last year and they all reported that the fish #s were good even if the average size was a bit smaller than in recent years. One guy reported playing and losing a fish that was 20lbs+, but that was it for really big fish. Most of the fish I heard about were really hard-fighting hens in the 10-15lb range.
The best days I heard reported were from one party where they each had multiple fish on the last day of their float. One guy hooked 6 and landed 4 (plus 2 kings), his friend hooked 5 and landed 2.
All three floated between the last week in August and the first two weeks of September. They all mentioned that there were days when the snowmelt discolored the water and made fishing drys impossible but that there were also days when they fished, and hooked up on, skaters and wakers.
BTW - I don't think anyone objects to questions about specific rivers hre. I'll certainly be asking if headed to a new river system!
Tight Lines!
RE:How Was Dean This Year
Eric -
The Dean, like the other rivers of the region, appears to be healthy. Thank God for that, with all the distress our wild anadromous salmonids are facing lately. I'll give you a call and fill you in on what I know.
Also, there are a number of rivers that have a strong spring native showing in the region. Although most are focused on a late fall season, it wouldn't bother me at all to fish some of the spring native fisheries throughout British Columbia.
I've been looking into rivers like the Kallum, which has a strong native spring run. I hope to get up there as soon as possible.
This year my plans were to fish the Skagit and Sauk in April. Recently, I have had an invite to fish the big Island (Vancouver) in the fall. I think I mentioned that the other night, anyway since I am a married man with a job, I'll likely only get one of the two. I am thinking about splitting the time between my old haunts in WA and BC around the end of August. It's a bit early but the summer runs will all be in the rivers by then, and I have been coho fishing in the salt for many years. Although the west side is better for coho, we will be near some prime king water and there should be some coho streaming through that time of year on the south island.
I'll talk to you soon re: the Dean.
Hope all is well,
RE:How Was Dean This Year
Eric -
GREAT TO SEE YOU MADE IT!!! Sorry we're just getting the motor running, but I had a great day at the show. Virtually everybody I talked to in the trade was interested in participating to some degree in the forum. Much, much more to come!
As far as the Dean, I would recommend that you talk to two of my good freinds - Bob Schmelzle and Tony Gades. I believe they have built up quite a base of knowledge on the river, among other great rivers of the world.
Let's see if I can rouse them...
How Was Dean This Year
Being new to this board, I don't know whether I'm breaking protocol by asking about returns from a specific place--
If I'm not, if anyone has any idea of what the fishing was like on the Dean last year, please let me know.
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The Harry Potter Alliance, "a global organization dedicated to bringing the themes of Harry Potter into the real world," is organizing wizard-loving activists in favor of gay marriage in Maine.
This Saturday morning (October 24), the HPA will bring Harry and the Potters and Draco and the Malfoys (I have no idea what these things mean but I bet lots of you do) to the North Star Cafe for a morning concert that starts at 10:30 a.m. Following the concert, attendees will get a quick training on how to canvass; then an estimated 100 marriage supporters will work their magic (yes! I got that in there!) going door-to-door from noon to 5 p.m. The whole group will reconvene for more music and a dance party at the North Star at 5 p.m.
"To add to the urgency of this hyper-day of organizing, the entire event will be constructed as a one day House Cup Competition," according to Andrew Slack of the HP Alliance. Organizers are "creating a feature in their phone banking system that will allow HPA
participants to register with the Hogwarts House they most identify with; for
every phone call they make, this system will automatically award points to their
House. Just as Hogwarts has a Head of House, this "magical day of activism"
has none other than Evanna Lynch, who plays Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter
films, as the Head of Ravenclaw House."
Okay, now I'm really lost. All I know is that if magic wands could resolve this issue, a lot of people would be a lot less nervous about November 3.


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"Your dog learns as much by doing his work right,by your praise and encouragement, as he does by your displeasure and correction." DLWalters
As someone else said, it's summer time. People are out training dogs, taking the family on vacation and such so participation is down. Happens every year.
In the winter more people post, there's more content but there's also more snarkyness as people get cabin fever.
I agree that some needed to go. I also agree that RTF is not what it once was, both for experienced training advice and just the atmosphere of the place. In part, IMO, because some have left for one reason or another that added content and flavor to the board, a handful of classic/mainstays of RTF have passed, and there are WAY more thin skinned members over the last couple of years that sick the mods on posters at the drop of a hat.
Like everything else, there is an ebb and flow to RTF. You either ride the tide or get out of the water.
Rick Curtis ~ Currently in Ontario, CA by way of Spokane, WA and Northern CA.
Little Man Caught It On The River SH ~ "Ace"
Handlers Handle, Dogs Dog, Judges Judge
"If you train a young dog for momentum, precision will arrive. If you train for precision, demanding perfection, momentum will depart."
~Rex Carr
Waterspook Sables Dark Secret, MH (Sable)
Trumarcs Bankshot Bandit, MH ( Fats)
Waterspook Tomfoolery, SH ( Tommie)
Waterspook Bankshot Whiz Bang,JH (Jesse)
Waterspooks Girl Named Bill, SH ( Billie- my princess.....)
Waterspook Kickin' Gunshot, SH ( Boom)
Waterspook Kickin' Good Time MH(Kick)
Waterspooks Partner In Crime, SH ( Bouncer)
Brush Creek Waterspook, JH, WC- my first girl.(Spooky)
This is perhaps the most useless thread of all time.
Views and opinions expressed herein by Badbullgator do not necessarily represent the policies or position of RTF. RTF and all of it's subsidiaries can not be held liable for the off centered humor and politically incorrect comments of the author.
Corey Burke
R. Pennington
(Formerly Mitty)
Snake River's Banana Cream Pie QA2 MH
--Greta Ode
willing slave to the whims of
Kerrybrooks Magical Atticus "Atticus" MH
Coastalight Kiowa Ravenhawk "Raven" MH
and introducing...
Swooped in and Stole My Heart "Cooper"
"Junior Modding", "Backseat Modding", or "Forum copping" can refer negatively to the behavior of ordinary users who take a moderator-like tone in criticizing other members."
I have noticed more than a healthy amount of this going on by a few...........So from now on when you see me post BM to a quoted passage...be carefull you don't always confuse it with the generic BS which of course it may also be
"i guess the old saying 'those of us that think we know everything annoy those of you that does' " --bobbyb 9/13/06
"A Good Dog is a Good Dog"
That being the case, the 96% would fall into the 1% side leaving us with 97% for amnesty and 3% against. A complete landslide for amnesty.
My finance guy hates me...
Paul Cantrell
Black Ice Retrievers
Marcola OR
Too many dogs to list (By some Bitch)
"Helping Hunters Train Their Dogs"


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Working a Wank-Fest
LAS VEGASWhen you walk into the 2005 AVN Adult Entertainment Expo, you get the idea that the adult companies are engaged in a not-so-subtle pissing contest of my-booth-is-bigger-than-yours proportion. Who's got leather couches and neon signage? Who spent the most cash to erect a mini-mansion? Whose contract girls look the best enlarged to five times their actual size? Players in this businessas in any other whose sales hover in the $10 billion-a-year rangeare absolutely competitive. Exhibitors at the eventwhich started as a section of the Consumer Electronics Show in the mid '80s and became its own entity in 1999have two goals: to woo distributors, retail buyers, and salespeople and to create a space where fans can meet their favorite stars. These promotional goals merge at the sales level: Get more product in more stores and sell it to more consumers. Titillating stuff, huh?
Except for the occasional starlet flashing her G-stringed ass at a fan's disposable camera and the grunting from a flat screen showing a trailer for Cum Swallowing Whores 2, the annual mecca of the sex business is way more business than sex. Ignore the visual stimuli and you're left with the sales force's quarterly goals, the publicists' slick media kits, and talk of brandingjust like any other business trade show. Adult companies (nearly 250 different exhibitors this year) are spending a lot of money to attract and impress, and they are making a lot of money.
Since the silicone sighting alone can be daunting, I thought I'd keep with the program and set some goals. Here are the 10 things I wanted to accomplish:
1. Find the most airbrushed promo photo. Since retouched shots are in abundance here, locating just one pic that's more Photoshop then flesh is a tougher task than you might think. Although some people tried to steer me toward the tranny girls, the ones I saw in person looked pretty damn good next to their printed likenesses. I decided that it had to be Taylor Wane, whose digital enhancements made her head look like it wasn't attached to her body.
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2. Observe who gets in the autograph line for Buck Angel (transsexual-man.com), the first female-to-male transsexual porn star. With his naked photo completely unretouchedbold for the self-proclaimed "dude with a pussy"Buck represented Robert Hill Releasing, which just signed him to an unprecedented 12-picture deal. The majority of fans in attendance were straight men, and so were most of those who got a signed photo from Buck. Many wanted to know what the deal was, and Buck tirelessly explained his gender identity and genitals to each and every one.
3. Nab the best promotional giveaway. Joe Gallant from Black Mirror Productions, the only New York-based porn company, gave me a pink-and-black tank top with a silk screen of Patty Hearst that read, "REVOLUTIONARY SMUT."
4. Identify who has the longest line of fans. This was a no-brainer, since fans waited the longest for giga-star Jenna Jameson, although another double J, Digital Playground's Jesse Jane, came in a close second.
5. Have sex with Teagan Presley. I really gave this one my best shot. I diligently researched whether she likes girls off-camera, and reliable sources confirmed she did. I got one of her directors to introduce us (I doubt she remembers my name), I attended any event I heard she would be at (she wasn't always there), and I consoled her after she lost the Best New Starlet Award. OK, I actually had a five-second conversation with her when I asked to take her picture. She missed our Sunday-morning meeting, a press interview where I hoped to flirt mercilessly, and the last I saw of her was in the casino Sunday night. We were both wearing heather gray hoodies. She was with her boyfriend. I knew then that I didn't have a chance. I know, I sound like Stu the Stalker from The Bachelorette, don't I?
6. Find out what a "feminine hydromassage appliance" is. When I read through the show guide on the plane, the product that stood out was an item described as submersible and promising multiple orgasms. My friend Jamye said, "Oh, yeah, I saw that, I'll take you to that booth," and walked me to a display of the DeeVa Love Jet. It hooks up to the shower or bath faucet and creates a water jet; except for the extra-long magenta plastic cord, it's a glorified shower massager that retails for $40.
7. Find out what a "feminine hydromassage appliance" really is. More than a half-hour later, I passed by a booth displaying a large plastic thing in what looked like a fish tank. As it turns out, this was the feminine hydromassage appliance, actually called a HydroGyne BathSaddle! A plastic, plug-in device meant to be used in a tub full of water, it channels bathwater into a powerful jet for clitoral stimulation. This was beyond using the shower massager to jerk off. It looked like true innovation, but at $169, it was pricey. Plus, I was turned off by the brochure slogan, "the ultimate in feminine feel-good personal care appliances." How about "Ride this horsey till you scream"?
8. Predict five AVN Award winners correctly. I managed to guess nine, including Stuntgirl for Best All-Sex Release (a strange category) and Sodomania for Best Vignette Series (it beat Goo Girls!). But the five for Jenna Jameson, her husband, and her movies were probably no-brainers.
9. Observe any changes to the Expo from previous years. While many would argue that the event is more redundant than innovative, I did notice some significant trends. More than 13,000 industry members and upwards of 17,000 fans composed a group that was more gender- and race-diverse than ever. On the studio side, things also seem a lot less like a white-man clusterfuck. The number of performers of color has increased, and there's a noticeable explosion of African American porn titles, thanks in part to the successful merger of rap music and porn (a natural pairingrap music videos already seem pornographic). Hopefully, this signals an evolution of the representation of ethnicity in adult, one of its most problematic elements.
10. Get a guy to shave his balls while I interview him. I thought this would make a clever and potentially sexy intro to a profile of a male performer, producer, or director, and although I interviewed several, I didn't find the perfect candidate for this stunt. Well, eight out of 10 ain't bad, and there's always next year.
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It didn't come from the con. It was unfounded rumors. In a telephone panel discussion following the con, that a few lucky transfans were able to participate in, a few questions were asked that implied that Hasbro was exploring a number of possibilities for expaning the Transformers brand. One was regarding interest in different price points for Alternators to use different types of vehicles. Another was interest in a G1 themed line in the same vein as the SW VOTC line. But in the end, they were just questions, not promises, and since then there have been rumors flying about them. But they've always just been rumors.Originally Posted by JediTricks
You should really try opening the links again, but since you asked, BT Ravage's back story is that a human organization collecting alien artifacts ever since the discovery of Transformers on earth find a device (named, humorously for a reason you'll learn in a minute, "Shroedinger's Box"). Research reveals that it's a data flight recorder from a crippled Cybertronian space craft buried since prehistoric times...one that contains the recorded memories of Agent X-9 (Beast Wars Ravage). X-9, realizing that the conflict on earth is proof positive that his efforts in the past were useless, he convinces the group to build him a new body. They give him a Corvette. Only, to operate, he needs a spark. So they put G1 Ravage into stasis lock and shove him into the car tape deck. And thus, BT Ravage is born.


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Manufacturer: AUDEO Manufacturer: MyGift 2 Results
Audeo Phonak PFE112 Revision II Earphones
" From my point of view these are excellent, both in terms of sound and isolation, plus they look extremely elegant. I am not a 'golden ear' and can't really say much about the harmonics and sound spectrum as I'm really a complete noob here. However even for me I think I'd like a bit more punchy and powerful bass. Nevertheless the sound is basically music to the ears. I..." --iXpertMan
Stereo Earbud Headphone for Apple iPod nano/ iPod mini/ iPod video/ iPod shuffle
The iPod Headphones give you high quality sound and enhanced bass, and they fit comfortably in your ear. They're compatible with iPod nano, iPod video, iPod mini, iPod Shuffle, and any audio source with a 3.5 mm headphone jack


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Joel Reichenberger
Steamboat Pilot & Today sports reporter and photographer Joel Reichenberger can be reached at 871-4253 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
Find more columns by Joel here.
The rule is almost as old as the game of football itself: "Play for the win on the road and the tie at home."
It's about two-point conversions, or maybe field goals and touchdowns. Really, it's about any waning-seconds decision at the end of a football game. The supposed logic behind the rule is that your chances to win on the road only diminish with time. The opposing fans will only grow more restless. Your own players, after a long day of travel, will only grow more tired.
You're supposed to go for the jugular when playing on the road and you're supposed to squeeze the life away from your opponent at home.
The rule obviously wasn't written for the situation the Steamboat Springs High School football team found itself in Friday night, and coach Lonn Clementson and his Sailors deserve a lot of credit for breaking it without hesitation.
Trailing 20-19 with less than two minutes remaining, they faked an extra point, went for two and won the game.
Steamboat didn't pull off any kind of shake-the-state upset when it knocked off Lutheran Parker, 21-20, in Steamboat Springs. The Lions will finish in one of the top two spots in their league, the Class 3A Metro West, but they're no threat to storm to the state title game.
Still, they're a good team, probably among the top one-third in the state, and it's hard to imagine a win meaning more to the Sailors.
One morbidly remarkable thing about the two-plus-season losing streak Steamboat entered this season with was just how long it was. It's hard to go two years without a win simply because there are always a handful of other hapless programs out there.
Steamboat came close to winning a few games against those teams, but it seems fairly remarkable that it didn't actually pull off the feat until this season.
All three of Steamboat's wins this season before Friday night were against those bottom-dwelling teams. Considering the snapping of the streak and the lopsided margin in two of those games, it was definitely right to celebrate.
And it was still fair to wonder whether or not the odds were simply finally evening.
Beating Lutheran, however, is a far stronger indication that things are trending positive for the Sailors. Odds don't even out against teams like that.
It's been a rough couple of years for the Sailors, for their fans and for their coaches. Numbers in the program have dwindled amidst the losing and, yes, I wondered whether or not a change at head coach was imminent.
Friday's win was validation, though.
It was validation for Clementson, who showed that week after week of hard work can pay off.
It was validation for the players, who showed that they weren't crazy for sticking with the time-consuming sport through two heart-draining seasons.
Maybe the rule says you go for a tie when you're playing at home, but Steamboat won a lot more than a game Friday, and there was no real choice to be made. The Sailors went for the win, and they won big.


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I'll check my mother's VIAO the next time she brings it home and report back on my Slashdot Journal.
A 1.5 to 2 year old Sony VIAO laptop does not appear to have the rootkit pre-installed. It might have other Sony junk on it, but I think it's relatively clear of their insane IP-protection black-hat junk.
You'll notice a huge number of changes on, as it happens my birthday, the 4th of September by "188.8.131.52". It's all spam. Spend even a couple of days working with Wikinews and you'll learn of "Ass Puss" -- a tedious, repetitious form of vandalism.
There's probably a law, like Murphy's, that says that in any sufficiently large population there are more people interested in destroying the work of others for profit or kicks than there are interested in taking the time needed to create something new. If that isn't an existing law, can someone clean it up and call it the "Krisjohn/Insert your name here" law?
I really thought that people would be interested in the Google Web Accelerator, not have responses between indifference and paranoia. Are we all really so jaded that we assume everything is an attempt at corporate takeover? (Ask yourself, if you produced an innovate product, how would you sell it to people? Would you use a company?) I'm tempted to give The Well a go...
Life's good, don't get me wrong, it's just that some speculative investments aren't paying off and it's time to decide if I cut my losses.
The major disappointment is the West Australian Greens party. From the inside it looks like it's falling apart. That's not to say that elected representatives won't do a good job, but just that the adminstrative structure is ready to implode. Basically it's run like a charity, not a political party.
More generally, I have a bunch of creative things I want to do -- stuff I've always enjoyed -- but I haven't been able to find time for them given the amount of pre-packaged entertainment I consume. World of Warcraft plus a Netflix-like service plus a two-foot pile of books do not leave any time for anything else.
So, the Bigpond Movies trial has been fun, but I won't be buying the service. My World of Warcraft subscription ends a few days into next month and I'll be taking at least a two and a half week break. The Greens can go do their own thing, I'm not interested in giving any more time or money when they're just going to waste it. Add in six strategic annual leave days I'm cashing in over the next six weeks and I might just catch up with all the things I've been neglecting by the end of next month.
Plus two specific things that cover, respectively, Wednesday evenings and Sunday mornings.
It was fairly obvious when the book pile started to grow out of hand, but I still found time to just slob about and watch TV. No longer! It's all go-go-go, even when it comes to entertainment. "Bigpond Movies" (the Netflix-like service) was the last straw. I've now got a pile of DVDs to watch like I have my pile of books, on top of everything else trying to consume my time.
The next few months should be fun.
One, two, one, two.
I've got six more Gmail invites. If you're interested and you don't already have a Gmail account find my email address on my homepage and send me a message. I'll post replies as the invites are used up.
We will have solar energy as soon as the utility companies solve one technical problem -- how to run a sunbeam through a meter.


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Three pebbles engraved with the your choice of words eg: the Bride and Groom's names and wedding date.
Engraved Text - maximum of 10 characters on grey, 7 on white or 8 if a date. Dates are converted to numbers eg: 15th August 2011 will be 15.08.11 ("Characters" are letters, spaces and punctuation eg: M.J. & F.S. is 11 characters and too long!) All letters are engraved as capitals. Some web browsers do not recognise the "&" sign - just write "and" and we will engrave "&" eg: if you want R&V on one pebble.
Gift Box - A stylish white gift box is available, tied with ribbon.
GREY - warm plum-grey hues / WHITE - off-white chalky hues (there will be variations in colour, markings and shape as this is a natural stone product). If you'd like mixed colours for the set of 3, choose MIXED in the dropdown, and next to the engraved text write the colour choice eg: (grey)
See our listing for Personalised Keepsake Pebble if you'd like just one engraved pebble. We can also engrave on the reverse for an extra £6 per pebble. Just enter the text for each stone as FRONT TEXT - (dash) BACK TEXT, and choose the "Text on Reverse" option to pay the extra (if you don't choose the option, we won't engrave both sides even if you type in the text!)
Please note:
The pebbles are not man-made. They are natural stones smoothed flat on river beds and may contain imperfections e.g. chips, fissures and cracks, mottling, colour blemishes and fine grey thread lines (the white shows up more flaws than the grey and come in a range of shapes). Stones will vary in size, shade, shape and texture; if you order two stones they will not match. We have taken a rough, organic product and left it in its natural state, engraving the type like a stamp in the stone. We hope you'll appreciate the uniqueness of these natural stones, and treasure them as a personalised keepsake.
Grey - length range between 8-12cm. White - length range between 6-7cm. See other listings for larger pebbles with more engraving.
|How long will your order take?
|Production time
|This item takes up to 7-10 days to make.
|Delivery times after production
|Standard Delivery
|After production, item posted tracked Royal Mail - £2.75, 2-3 days
|After production, item posted tracked Royal Mail - Europe (2-5 days), US (5-10 days), Worldwide (5-14 days) - By weight (calculated at checkout)
|Not available for this item


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ORIGINAL: MAKEemQUIVER
Found out it was the flu but I waited to long to go to the doctor so they coudnt give me any medicine for it. Also had double ear infection with a ruptured ear drum. Feeling a little better but still not all the way healed. Feel for any of you that have it.
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Looking for a delicious dessert recipe? Then check out this citrusy cheesecake baked using Progresso® Plain Bread Crumbs – perfect if you love Italian cuisine.
Ricotta cheese gives this cheesecake more substance and texture than traditional cream-cheese-only cakes. Its slightly grainy texture is typical of Italian cheesecakes.
Ricotta means recooked in Italian; this fresh cheese is prepared form the reheated whey left when milk is heated for another cheese. Mild and sweet, ricotta has a lighter texture than cram cheese, but a richer quality.
Lure lemon lovers by serving this cheesecake with a dollop of purchased lemon curd or a drizzle of Limoncello liqueur.
© 2017 ®/TM General Mills All Rights Reserved


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We pulled the Spurs game out of our ass....good win though
Good 'ol Pop sticking it right up Stern's ass. 250k fine?
Heat beat the Nets...man did the defense step up and we exploded in the the third to blow them out.
http://espn.go.com/nba/truehoop/miam...sportsman-yearMIAMI -- When LeBron James learned he was Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year, the Miami Heat star was surprised.
The 1-13 Wizards...
I think we needed that, they need to stop that 4th qtr comeback **** and play some defense.
No Melo tonight for the Knicks and we're tied up at half. I know it's the regular season but I want to beat the Knicks. I hate that team.
We seem to be disinterested in playing regular season games...
You would love to see the Heat play at a high level every game but truth is we are not going to see that until the playoffs. Knicks are hot from behind the arc, we will see how hot they are in May when they are facing a turned up Heat defense. I aint got no worries.
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy SIII using Tapatalk 2
Lazy effort tonight, little to no momentum. When bosh comes in the game our momentum goes out the door. Bosh cant play defense worth a ****, just hurting us badly. The difference is, the knicks are scoring at ease with bosh in the game and the heat are having to work extra hard for there points because the knicks actually have a big man that can challenge lebron and wade in the paint. We arent gettin easy points. Bosh isnt help us on either end of the floor, we cut the lead to 7 going into the 4th with momentum, spoeltra changes the lineup and brings bosh into the game, the lead is now back up to 15..... This team better wake up fast, things just aint looking good right now for the heat.


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Topics: "Minnesota Redistricting" & "Energy Efficiency Program"
Description: It may be up to the courts once again to draw new political lines in Minnesota. This week, we talk to a couple of men who have been immersed in the state's decennial redistricting process to get some opinions on why legislators can't seem to agree on where to draw the line.
And Residents of Duluth have a new "one stop shop" to find programs and rebates that can help make their homes more energy efficient.
Guests: Mike Dean, Common Cause Minnesota; Kent Kaiser, Center for the American Experiment; Sarah Hannigan, Duluth Energy Efficiency Program Director


text: An Unwanted Award for Big Brother: In recognition of the unprecedented demand for firearms by nervous consumers, The Outdoor Wire has named President-elect Barack Obama its "Gun Salesman of the Year". For me, it was a simple fact of recognizing that without President-elect Obama's frightening consumers into action, the firearms industry might be suffering the same sort of business slumps that have befallen the automotive and housing industries. It's credit where credit is due. Mr. Obama has consistently voted against individual rights to firearms, appointed a re-tread Clinton administration full of gun banners, and made it plain to anti-gun groups that despite what he might say to the contrary, he's on their side That history, along with the unquestioned support of anti-gun organizations has spooked consumers into a buying frenzy for firearms that could be outlawed in another Assault Weapons Ban


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July 2012
In NIJ's Research Report Digest, you will find brief descriptions of studies in a variety of criminal justice disciplines, such as criminology and forensic
sciences, and evaluations of technologies that are used in the law enforcement and corrections fields.
This issue includes reports based on NIJ-funded research that were added to the NCJRS Abstracts Database from October through
December 2011.
Find research reports related to:
Doing Death in Texas: Language and Jury Decision-Making in Texas Death Penalty TrialsAuthor: Robin Helene Conley
This dissertation examines the means through which language and culture make death-penalty decisions possible by analyzing
jury decision-making in Texas death-penalty trials. The study focuses on how specific language choices mediate and restrict
jurors', attorneys' and judges' actions and experiences when engaging in and reflecting on capital trials. The dissertation
shows that when engaged in an overtly violent state practice (i.e., killing convicted individuals), jurors, attorneys and
judges veil and confront their involvement in the violence inherent in this practice. When citing the act of execution, jurors
often shift the decision to kill the convicted person onto the state or deny that human beings have engaged in an enterprise
set up to kill another human. Another mechanism for jurors to avoid the anxiety linked to killing a fellow human being is
to embrace the linguistic dehumanization of defendants. Jurors effectively suppress empathy and the realization that the defendant
is, in many respects, like themselves, although with a different background and set of experiences and behaviors. Any worth
the defendant may have as a fellow human being is removed by linguistic repetitions that convince jurors the defendant has
done things that disqualify him or her from being treated as a fellow human being. The dissertation argues that language is
one of the primary resources by which jurors frame defendants as nonhuman, and thus decide to sentence them to death. The
research involved 12 months of fieldwork in and around Houston, Texas. It included interviews of jurors, attorneys, judges
and prison staff; participant observation in death penalty trials; audio recordings and note taking of these trials; and qualitative
linguistic analyses of transcribed interviews and courtroom interaction.
Read the complete report Doing Death in Texas: Language and Jury Decision-Making in Texas Death Penalty Trials (pdf, 317 pages)
NIJ's Multisite Adult Drug Court Evaluation
This five-year longitudinal process, impact and cost evaluation of adult treatment drug court programs sampled nearly 1,800
drug court and non-drug-court probationers from 29 rural, suburban and urban jurisdictions across the United States. The sample
includes 23 drug courts and six comparison groups in eight states. The expectation is that program participation will result
in long-term benefits, which include declines in drug use and criminal behavior.
The MADCE study addresses several research questions:
Read the complete reports:
Final Technical Report: Neighborhoods, Recidivism, and Employment Among Returning PrisonersAuthors: Jeffrey D. Morenoff and David J. Harding
This study examined the influence of community context on the labor-market outcomes and recidivism of former prisoners paroled
in Michigan in 2003. The study found neighborhood features were strong predictors of recidivism and labor-market outcomes.
No single factor makes a neighborhood a "risky" environment for parolees. Neighborhood socioeconomic composition was a strong
predictor of labor-market outcomes because parolees who lived in disadvantaged neighborhoods had difficulty getting employment
and escaping poverty. The most robust protective factor for recidivism was living in a residentially stable neighborhood;
the most robust risk factor for recidivism was living in neighborhoods with higher densities of young people. Carefully evaluating
a parolee's neighborhood when approving new housing sites might improve outcomes. Other measures could include placing institutional
housing for former prisoners in more advantaged neighborhoods, and inclusion of neighborhood context in risk assessment to
improve targeting services to former prisoners living in high-risk neighborhoods.
Read the complete report Final Technical Report: Neighborhoods, Recidivism, and Employment Among Returning Prisoners (pdf, 132 pages)
Jihad, Crime, and the Internet: Content Analysis of Jihadist Forum DiscussionsAuthors: Edna Erez, Gabriel Weimann, and A. Aaron Weisburd
This study presents quantitative and qualitative assessments of the content of communications in the forum discussions on
Jihadist websites that are of most concern to U.S. counterterrorism efforts. The study's findings show that most Jihadist
online forum discussions are brief, involve few participants from the registered forum members, and include few entries and
pages. Forum participants often refer viewers to an approved website and share genuine Jihadist multimedia. References and
quotes from religious sources are common. Just over one-third of the discussions include calls for Jihad, and three percent
of the communications discuss nonterrorist illegal activities, especially computer-related and software-related offenses.
The forum discussions include four categories of content: information dissemination, religious preaching, instruction or training,
and social interactions. These content categories support three core activities of the terrorist organization: ideological
foundation, organizational structure, and operational means.
Read the complete report Jihad, Crime, and the Internet: Content Analysis of Jihadist Forum Discussions (pdf, 179 pages)
A Model of Static and Dynamic Sex Offender Risk AssessmentAuthors: Robert J. McGrath, Michael P. Lasher, and Georgia F. Cumming
This study tested models that combined static and dynamic risk measures that might predict sexual recidivism for adult male
sex offenders better than any one measure alone. The study found that a logistic regression model that combined measures from
both dynamic and static risk instruments consistently predicted recidivism and outperformed either instrument alone when both
instruments had similar predictive power. Static risk factors are unchangeable aspects of a person's history, whereas dynamic
risk factors are potentially changeable. Risk-needs instruments help treatment providers in deciding the aspects of an offender's
behavior, attitudes and needs (dynamic factors) that are susceptible to change that leads to the decrease or elimination of
reoffending. This study confirmed that assessing dynamic risk factors regularly might help providers adjust the intensity
and duration of interventions. The study included a sample of 759 adult male sex offenders enrolled in community treatment
in Vermont between 2001 and 2007. These offenders were assessed once using static measures (Static-99R, Static-2002R and VASOR)
based on their history. A 22-item dynamic risk measures assessment (Sex Offender Treatment Needs and Progress Scale) was used
multiple times to assess participants shortly after their entry into community treatment and about every 6 months after that.
Analyses of the dynamic assessment scores resulted in developing a new dynamic risk measure, the Sex Offender Treatment Intervention
and Progress Scale (SOTIPS), which was used at 1-year and 3-year follow-up periods.
Read the complete report A Model of Static and Dynamic Sex Offender Risk Assessment (pdf, 96 pages)
CODIS STR Template Enrichment by Affinity Bead Capture and Its Application in Forensic DNA AnalysisAuthors: Diane J. Rowold, Rachel E. Balsam, and Michael C. Jablecki
This project sought to adapt and explore a front-end treatment of a forensic sample, a DNA sample that is not currently amenable
to conventional methods, to improve the chance that such samples could be evaluated with currently validated approaches. Forensic
investigations that involve suboptimal DNA samples are often hampered by incomplete or ambiguous Combined DNA Index System
(CODIS) STR profiles. This project developed a process that allows for the multiplex capture and PCR amplification of CODIS-specific
STR loci. Recovered DNA materials from degraded DNA samples or significantly fragmented DNA samples were assessed by a comparative
analysis of the 13 established CODIS STR loci plus the amelogenin and D2S1338 STR loci. Analysis of captured DNA samples did
not introduce more artifacts that might complicate CODIS STR analysis.
Read the complete report CODIS STR Template Enrichment by Affinity Bead Capture and Its Application in Forensic DNA Analysis (pdf, 39 pages)
Decrease the Number of Contract Laboratory Cases Awaiting Data Review While Improving DNA Analysis EfficiencyAuthors: Vincent J. Anderson and Jeff Thompson
The objectives of this project were to improve DNA analysis efficiency for cases managed by the Los Angeles Police Department
and to decrease the number of contract laboratory DNA cases awaiting data review, with a focus on sexual assault cases. As
of September 30, 2011, case turnaround time increased from 71 days to 108 days for delivery of the final report, because of
older cases in the backlog and a change in reporting dates. The samples per analyst per month increased 82 percent, and the
backlog of requests for DNA analysis decreased about 52 percent. LAPD personnel were able to research a method for spermatozoa
identification and extraction using Laser Micro dissection. As of September 30, 2011, LAPD has reviewed 2,865 reports from
outside vendors under the grant. Those reviews have led to 1,705 cases with at least one CODIS upload and 895 cases with at
least one Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) hit. This grant stemmed from LAPD's need to upload subcontractor DNA profiles
into the CODIS database in a timely and efficient manner while still allowing time to set up DNA analysis efficiency measures.
Read the complete report Decrease the Number of Contract Laboratory Cases Awaiting Data Review While Improving DNA Analysis Efficiency (pdf, 66 pages)
Development of an Automated System to Detect Spermatozoa on Laboratory Slides to Increase Productivity in the Analysis of
Sexual Assault CasesAuthors: Wendy P. Alger, Trisha Conti, and Eric Buel
The goal of this project was to develop an automated system for detecting spermatozoa on laboratory slides to increase productivity
in processing evidence in sexual assault cases.
The scanning time for spermatozoa on laboratory slides improved from 2 hours to an average of 20 minutes. The project's first
approach was to use a bright field microscope. The project soon expanded to compare two bright field microscopes to learn
which worked better. Researchers also tested using florescent dyes or florescently tagged antibodies specific to human sperm
cells for viewing with a florescent microscope. This provided a fast screen of potential sperm cells under florescence with
the ability to switch to bright field to identify the sperm. Both automated microscopy systems included a microscope, a stage
that held multiple slides, a computer system to process the images, and a screen for viewing the image gallery. The systems
could scan using bright field or florescence. The automated bright field microscopes identify the sperm by using a camera
to capture the images of each object seen on the slide. The computer processes these images and judges (by the size, shape
and color) whether the object is a sperm cell.
Read the complete report Development of an Automated System to Detect Spermatozoa on Laboratory Slides to Increase Productivity in the Analysis of
Sexual Assault Cases (pdf, 60 pages)
Development of Linkage Phase Analysis Software for resolving mtDNA MixturesAuthor: Phillip B. Danielson
This project developed and tested software for automating analysis of electrophoretic data necessary to discover the haplotypes
of individual contributors to a mtDNA mixture. The software (FLiPARS 2.0) efficiently automates the process of mtDNA mixture
deconvolution by linkage phase analysis. The current release of FLiPARS 2.0 has been successfully run on various Windows,
Mac OS, and Linux operating systems.
Read the complete report Development of Linkage Phase Analysis Software for Resolving mtDNA Mixtures (pdf, 69 pages)
Establishment of a Fast and Accurate Proteomic Method for Body Fluid/Cell Type IdentificationAuthors: Mechthild Prinz, Yingying Tang, Donald Siegel, Heyi Yang, Bo Zhou, and Haiteng Deng
The objective of this project was to determine whether a single, confirmatory methodology, using mass spectrometry could be
developed for identifying five forensically important body fluids. The fluids are blood, saliva, semen, menstrual blood and
vaginal fluid. Researchers identified multiple protein markers for each body fluid. The results of these efforts show the
value of mass spectrometry as a routine tool for body fluid identification. Multiple markers were identified for blood, saliva
and semen. Detection levels for these three body fluids were in the nanoliter range, which is lower than other methods currently
used. Body fluid mixtures could be distinguished, and aging for up to 20 months did not significantly affect sample detection.
In addition, preliminary results show that all three body fluids are amenable to high throughput testing. These findings show
that mass spectrometry can be used as a single confirmatory body-fluid assay that could replace the current test methods.
This would simplify standardization for body fluid testing across laboratories.
Read the complete report Establishment of a Fast and Accurate Proteomic Method for Body Fluid/Cell Type Identification (pdf, 62 pages)
Forensic Stain Identification by RT-PCR Analysis (Updated)Authors: Trisha Conti and Eric Buel
This report describes the method and findings of a project that developed a RNA/DNA co-isolation technique that extracts both
nucleic acids of enough quality and quantity for analyses. The project's first goal was to identify the best method to co-extract
DNA and RNA from various stain types. By using one extraction step, a DNA sample would be ready for STR profiling if the RNA
screening assay judged it worthy of such analysis. In addition, getting RNA and DNA from a single stain would present the
possibility of drawing conclusions about the identity of one stain that may not hold true for a nearby stain. A diverse sample
bank was used to assess the specificity of the candidate tissue-specific genes. Researchers found that DNA and RNA can be
co-extracted and the RNA fraction can be used in multiplexed real-time PCR assays.
Read the complete report Forensic Stain Identification By RT-PCR Analysis (Updated) (pdf, 88 pages)
Fundamentals of Forensic Pigment Identification by Raman Microspectroscopy: A Practical Identification Guide and Spectral
Library for Forensic Science LaboratoriesAuthors: Christopher S. Palenik, Skip Palenik, Jennifer Herb, and Ethan Groves
This project conducted basic research in Raman spectroscopy that is needed to begin an evaluation of the potential benefits
and evidentiary significance that Raman spectroscopy can provide to the forensic community. Raman scattering uses a laser
that is focused on a sample. A small fraction of this energy is scattered by molecules in the sample. As a result, the scattered
photons have shifted in energy by an amount characteristic of a particular molecular vibration. The scattered light is collected
by an objective (in a microscope system), projected onto a diffraction grating (in a dispersive system), and projected onto
an energy-calibrated CCD. The resulting spectrum is measured in wave numbers relative to the energy of the laser. Developing
Raman microspectroscopy has opened a new approach in identifying pigments in a consistent and reliable manner. The speed,
small sample preparation requirements, and power to identify a wide range of compounds suggest that Raman spectroscopy will
gain more and more use in forensic laboratories as applications are developed. This project developed the most thorough spectral
pigment database that currently exists. It determined that analyzed pigments were consistent with their labels. Also, it developed
an objective quality index for ranking a pigment sample. It also developed a pigment classification scheme that enables interpretation
of pigment evidence, and created the current manual for forensic practitioners as a guide for the development and use of Raman
spectroscopy as an analytical method in forensic laboratories.
Read the complete report Fundamentals of Forensic Pigment Identification by Raman Microspectroscopy: A Practical Identification Guide and Spectral
Library for Forensic Science Laboratoriea (pdf, 572 pages)
An Investigation of the Effect of DNA Degradation and Inhibition on PCR Amplification of Single-Source and Mixed Forensic
SamplesAuthors: Bruce McCord, Kerry Opel, Maribel Funes, Silvia Zoppis, and Lee Meadows Jantz
This research examined the mechanisms for PCR inhibition and degradation as well as their effects on forensic DNA typing,
which could lead to developing more sensitive and robust analytical protocols. Based on the results, the researchers infer
that environmental damage to DNA in tissue samples occurs rapidly in reaching the state in which DNA becomes nearly unrecoverable.
The template in such samples breaks down to small pieces in as little as three weeks. The effects of oxidative damage on such
samples, however, were slight. No oxidation of DNA bases was found for environmentally degraded DNA, although it was present
in saliva samples.
Read the complete report An Investigation of the Effect of DNA Degradation and Inhibition on PCR Amplification of Single-Source and Mixed Forensic
Samples (pdf, 66 pages)
Isolation of Highly Specific Protein Markers for the Identification of Biological Stains: Adapting Comparative Proteomics
to ForensicsAuthor: Phillip B. Danielson
This study compared the proteomic profiles (proteins present in a substance) of six body fluids of particular value to the
forensic community. The goal was to identify a panel of high-specificity candidate protein biomarkers for individual body
fluids. Although DNA profiling allows biological stains to be individualized, the unambiguous identification of the stain
itself can present forensic serologists with a significant challenge. For example, there is no reliable test for vaginal secretions,
and tests for blood cannot distinguish peripheral from menstrual blood. Such information can be important to an investigation.
A comprehensive panel of candidate biomarkers was produced and characterized by mass spectrometry. Confirming the specificity
of these candidate biomarkers in a larger population group, and using forensic casework samples will be the next steps in
developing a practitioners-ready high-specificity test for biological stain identification.
Read the complete report Isolation of Highly Specific Protein Markers for the Identification of Biological Stains: Adapting Comparative Proteomics
to Forensics (pdf, 38 pages)
MicroCantilever (MC)-based Robust Sensing Approach for Controlled SubstancesAuthors: George Kraus, Marit Nilsen-Hamilton, Pranav Shrotriya, Kyungho Kang, Aaron Kempema, and Ashish Sachan
This research report introduced the use of MicroCantilever-based sensors for forensic detection and identification of controlled
substances, toxic species, biological molecules and DNA matching. Current sensor systems require extensive sample preparation
or specialized instrumentation to identify molecules of controlled substances (such as cocaine) with high specificity and
sensitivity. The researchers sought to overcome the limits of current sensor systems by developing a novel sensing approach
based on MicroCantilever sensors. To show the feasibility and forensic relevance of their approach, the authors developed
sensors for sensitive and specific identification of cocaine, cocaine metabolites, and methamphetamine and metabolites.
Read the complete report MicroCantilever (MC)-based Robust Sensing Approach for Controlled Substances (pdf, 65 pages)
Population Genetics of SNPs for Forensic Purposes (Updated)Author: Kenneth K. Kidd
The goals of this project were to improve two preliminary panels of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. These includeSNPs
with globally low Fst and high average heterozygosity for use in individual identification and SNPs with globally high Fst
and at least moderate average heterozygosity for use in ancestry inference. The first panel would provide exclusion probabilities
or match probabilities for individual identification with especially low dependence on ancestry. The second panel would provide
accurate specificity of biological ancestry for forensic investigation. The researchers identified a sufficient number of
SNPs for individual identification (IISNPs) using their unique collection of cell lines on population samples from around
the world. The researchers identified and published a panel of 92 best SNPs studied on 44 population samples. These SNPs have
both low Fst (less than 0.06) and high heterozygosity (greater than 0.4). Of these, 45 SNPs have no genetic linkage and yield
average match probabilities of less than 10 to the -17 power in most of the 44 populations and less than 10 to the -15 power
in all. The researchers consider the IISNP panel to be final and have made public the list of IISNPs.
Read the complete report Population Genetics of SNPs for Forensic Purposes (Updated) (pdf, 103 pages)
Synthesis and Analytical Profiles for Regioisomeric and Isobaric Amines Related to MDMA, MDEA and MBDB: Differentiation of
Drug and Non-Drug Substances of Mass Spectral EquivalenceAuthor: C. Randall Clark
The broad goal of this research was to improve specificity in the analytical methods used to identify MDMA, MBDB, MDEA and
related phenethylamine controlled substances. This project has developed methods for discriminating between the drugs and
those regioisomeric and isobaric molecules that have the same molecular weight and major fragments of equivalent mass (i.e.,
identical mass spectra). The project stressed the analytical methods commonly used in forensic laboratories for confirmation
of drug identity: gas chromatography (GC), mass spectrometry (MS), and infrared spectrometry. When there are compounds that
produce the same mass spectrum as the drug of interest, the identification by GC-MS must be based on the ability of the chromatographic
system to resolve these substances. The first phase of this work involved the organic synthesis of the direct regioisomeric
substances related to MDMA, MBDB and MDEA. Also prepared were representative samples of the indirect regioisomeric molecules
and the isobaric substances, compounds of the same nominal mass but with a different elemental composition. Additional compounds
were prepared in related categories to further refine the developed analytical methods. Overall, just over 90 phenethylamines
having a regioisomeric or isobaric relationship to MDMA or MBDB have been synthesized and evaluated. The chromatographic retention
properties for each series of isomers have been evaluated by GC techniques on various stationary phases, synthesized, and
evaluated. These studies established a structure-retention relationship (elution orders) for the side chain regioisomers and
the isobaric amines on several stationary phases.
Read the complete report Synthesis and Analytical Profiles for Regioisomeric and Isobaric Amines Related to MDMA, MDEA and MBDB: Differentiation of
Drug and Non-Drug Substances of Mass Spectral Equivalence (pdf, 301 pages)
Shifting Boundaries: Final Report on an Experimental Evaluation of a Youth Dating Violence Prevention Program in New York
City Middle SchoolsAuthors: Bruce Taylor, Nan D. Stein, Dan Woods, and Elizabeth Mumford
This experiment assessed the effectiveness of targeting a young audience with classroom-based curriculums and school-level
interventions. The authors randomly assigned school-based interventions to 30 public middle schools in New York City and identified
117 sixth and seventh grade classes at random to receive added classroom interventions. The classroom intervention was a six-session
curriculum that stressed the effects of dating violence and harassment, laws and penalties, gender roles and healthy relationships.
The building-based intervention included the use of temporary school-based restraining orders. It also featured higher levels
of faculty and security presence in areas identified through student mapping of unsafe "hot spots," and the use of posters
to increase awareness and reporting to school personnel. Quantitative surveys were completed at baseline, immediately after
the intervention, and six months post-intervention. They included measures of knowledge, attitudes, behavioral aims, willingness
to intervene as a bystander, peer and dating partner physical and sexual violence, sexual harassment and other background
items. Qualitative focus groups were conducted with interventionists and students to provide context to assess intervention
implementation and student change associated with the interventions. The combined classroom and building interventions, and
the "building only" intervention, led to 32-47 percent lower peer sexual violence victimization and perpetration up to six
months after the intervention. The success of the building only intervention is important because it can be completed in schools
with small added costs.
Read the complete report Shifting Boundaries: Final Report on an Experimental Evaluation of a Youth Dating Violence Prevention Program in New York
City Middle Schools (pdf, 322 pages).
NIJ Research Report Digest home.


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Stephen Price, D.Min.
Licensed Pastoral Psychotherapist
133 Grove Street, Peterborough, New Hampshire 03458
Being a part of a couple is a challenging experience. It can be full of joy and wonder and even bliss, but it can also be painful and unhealthy and miserable. All human beings long for a secure attachment to another, but it is sometimes difficult to make that happen. My approach is based on three important principals: 1) there needs to equality in a relationship with mutual respect, 2) we are all very different from each other even if we share many interests and have common backgrounds, 3) we need to have an ongoing dialog throughout our relationship dealing with those differences with good communication skills. In many ways a couple relationship or marriage is like a laboratory for growth a
James Foster, & Associates, LICSW
James Foster & Associates, COUNSELINGNH
540 Chestnut Street, Manchester, New Hampshire 03101
Couples counseling is offered at James Foster & Associates. Many times couples experience difficulty in their relationships. Some areas may include trust, communication, jealousy, stress, anger, parenting and pre-marital stress to name a few. Clients will come for an initial intake appointment where they will provide background information to the Clinician. The clinician will work with the client to develop treatment goals and plan for ongoing counseling. Many times it may be beneficial to work areas of difficulty in individual sessions to work on individual areas of concern along with working in couples sessions together. This may be discussed with the clients' therapist.
Michelle Wright, MA, LCMHC
Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor
167 South River Road, Suite 9, Bedford, New Hampshire 03110
I work with couples from two perspectives: PREPARE and REPAIR. PREPARE work is undertaken in the first five years or so of a relationship. Modeling, practice and reinforcement of skills for empathy, listening, emotion regulation, attunement, and time-out happen before dysfunctional patterns are established. Relationship satisfaction is increased over the long run. REPAIR work is harder. Once dysfunctional patterns are ingrained or betrayal (sexual or other) experienced, relationship repair must be mediated and trust restored. This can be extremely gratifying work resulting in a stronger, more intimate relationship than ever imagined.


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End of 2010 and Looking Forward to 2011
>> Thursday, December 30, 2010
This is not a "Best of 2010" post. Every book blogger and their third cousin is posting one of those between the middle of December and the second week of January so I'm not going to add to the pile. If you're looking for what books I liked best check out the "my highly recommended shelf on Goodreads" widget or go to the 'categories' and select 4.5 or 5 stars.
What I am going to do is look back at my reading and blogging year and look forward to my reading and blogging for 2011.
I read fewer books in 2010 than I did in 2009 and you know what? That's just fine with me. The number of books, pages, and hours of audiobooks really doesn't matter. What matters is that I liked most of what I read this year. I joined fewer challenges and spent more time reading what I wanted to read whenever I felt like reading it. I did find myself getting sucked into a couple of challenges I hadn't planned on and what I learned from that experience is that I shouldn't do that. I enjoy the idea of challenges and find that making reading lists for challenges much more enjoyable to me than actually reading the books once the lists are made. A couple of those unplanned challenges ended up making me feel more structured in my reading than I would prefer to be.
I set a couple of specific goals about books I wanted to read in 2010 and only partially completed those. I did read some of what I'd listed early in 2010, but not all of them. The good news is that some of the books I read instead were great! (Lonesome Dove is a perfect example).
So what are my plans for next year? I'm not setting 'goals' because even that is more structured than I want to be in my reading plans. I'm only joining one challenge (the What's In a Name 4 Challenge) and that one is still on the table only because it's my absolute favorite.
As for reading plans, I'm not specifying any numbers, hours, pages or even specific books. What I want to do in 2011 is read what I want, when I want, have fun with my blog and the people I've met (whether in person or virtually) because it exists.
In terms of blogging, one thing I am working on is a new template for my blog. I'll be making that change tomorrow and will have the 'new look' up and public on January 1st. I do hope to get an index of books I've blogged about in place both by author and by title. I'm not setting a date for that, but I'd like to get that going sooner rather than later. There are a couple of changes with the new template that I'll talk about when it goes live.
I also hope to be much more regular about my occasional feature "Confessions of a Serial Reader". I'm still hesitant to call it a monthly feature, but that's the interval I have in mind.
My bottom line is that this blog is something I do for fun, just like my reading. I want it to remain fun, because the minute it feels like work, I'll stop.


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Just read an article on CNN.com:
that almost leads me to rethink my opinion of Obama. Turns out that the folks from the middle east, China, and Mexico don't particularly like him (which is certainly a point in his favor as far as I am concerned). That is, however, counterbalanced by the europeans' love for him (which is definitely a big point against him in my estimation). Interesting article anyway.


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Printmaking, an art form consisting of the production of images, usually on paper but occasionally on fabric, parchment, plastic, or other support, by various techniques of multiplication, under the direct supervision of or by the hand of the artist. Such fine prints, as they are known collectively, are considered original works of art, even though they can exist in multiples.
To the modern reader, the word print might suggest mechanically mass-produced commercial products, such as books, newspapers, and textiles. In this article, however, the print refers to the original creation of an artist who, instead of the paintbrush or the ... (100 of 21,789 words)


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Fort Totten Park
212th St. & Bell Blvd.
Flushing, NY 11361
Flushing, NY 11361
Get the Things to Do Newsletter
Sign up for our weekly guide to events in New York, and never be bored again. With suggestions for every day of the week, our recommendations will keep you busy on any budget.


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Do your veggies need a little pizzaz? Crushed cereal makes the crunchy topper for this baked side dish.
"C" the flavor! Bake up an excellent source of vitamin C that's good for healthy gums, blood vessels and tissues.
This basic cheese sauce is easy to make and can be used on a variety of vegetables. The flour is cooked in the margarine until smooth and bubbly before the milk is added. This step along with additional cooking, prevents the finished sauce from tasting like raw flour. A wire whisk helps keep the sauce smooth, but a spoon can also be used for stirring.
© 2017 ®/TM General Mills All Rights Reserved


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Bisquick Heart Smart® mix, fat-free milk and fat-free egg product create a leaner twist to a delicious breakfast bake.
This bake can be made 8 to 12 hours ahead. Make as directed through step 2 except do not sprinkle with the 1/2 cup of remaining cheese; cover and refrigerate. When ready to bake continue as directed in step 3, sprinkling with remaining 1/2 cup cheese (bake time may be longer).
© 2017 ®/TM General Mills All Rights Reserved


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I just picked up a Stikfa kit today, and let me say I haven't had this much fun with a figure since..... since super-poseable spider-man, but even HE has limits- this goes beyond them.
It's 3" tall with 14 points of articulation. and while this is a relatively low number, here's the kicker: they're ALL ball joints and they all work incredibly.
They come with thousands of accessories, LOTS of guns, a shield, a ladder (I attached mine to the side of my moniter, so I can have him hanging off, shooting at me), etc. etc. the list goes on. And one of the coolest features is how customizeable they are. They come with this sticker sheet jam packed with belts, faces, eyes, mouths, tatoos, symbols, numbers- the whole shabang! and he comes with four different torso's to stickerfy!
So that's great and all, but what about going a little further and mixing it up with what I think is safe to say our favorite line? Well guess what- LIGHTSABERS FIT THEIR HANDS!!! blasters too!!! So here you are with this figure that has no limits in articulation with no limits of customizeablity. And to seal it all of, guess what- they stand up. in nearly
unless it defies gravity, they'll do it.
Get one of these. Hell, get ten! I'm going in tomorrow for a second helping. and at $10 each, it really is a steal.
I give them a 10/10


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Me and my friend are writing an OS. Plan is to have most of it done in OCaml. I stole a simple network driver and am writing the network stack in OCaml.
I have never been so productive in my life. Here is what svn log says about my progress:
- Monday-Tuesday - Getting network driver to work
- Tuesday - Network driver is alive
- Wednesday - ARP replies work
- Thursday - ping works
- Friday - I took a break for New Year
- Saturday - UDP packets can be sent out
- Sunday - DHCP negotiation works
Functional Programming
joolean you are thinking of currying. I don't know much Scheme, but you can emulate currying. Here is a curry routine for JavaScript.
function curry(fun, param) { function n(param2) { return fun(param,param2) } return n; }
I implemented a similarity-search plugin for iRATE. With a correctly configured plugin one can pick any song and discover music that sounds similar. Unfortunately, most users find following installation instructions tiring and end up with a non-working plugin. I have to address that issue.
I wish users would just do the Right Thing(tm).


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The page you were looking for can't be found. Here are some tips to get you back on your way:
- If you typed in the address, check your spelling. Could just be a typo.
- If you followed a link, it's probably broken. Tell us and we'll fix it.
- If you're not sure what you're looking for, start at purelondon.com.


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Karate Flashback #3: Andy Hug vs. Nobuaki Kakuda
- Written by Dave Walsh
Among kickboxing fans, no name will ever be more associated with Kyokushin Karate than Andy Hug's.
Hug had a truly legendary career in K-1, scoring victories over Jerome Le Banner, Peter Aerts, Ernesto Hoost, and Mike Bernardo to name just a few of his high profile wins. He is one of the most famous Kyokushin practitioners of all time, and for good reason.
Before entering the K-1 ring, Andy Hug was already a popular karate fighter in his own right. He had several famous battles with Shokei Matsui, World Tournament winner Kenji Midori, World tournament winner Francisco Filho, Maasaki Satake, and others. A well known name in Japan long before 1993 and his K-1 debut on the world stage, Hug was reknowned for his technical skills, surprisingly devastating ax kick, and his unique spinning hook kick to the leg dubbed the "Hug tornado."
There's not much I can say about Andy Hug that hasn't already been said. He was one of the founding fighters of K-1, and a big part of the reason this sport became what it is today.
Nobuaki Kakuda will probably best be remembered as the only kickboxer to lose to sumo wrestler Akebono. This is sad, because at the time of that fight he was nearly 45 years old and had already been around the block. In his match with Hug, Kakuda was much closer to his prime and in far better athletic shape. While he was never the most talented kickboxer, Kakuda was always very game to fight (typically against much larger opponents) and packed some serious power in his hands. (Highlight) He is currently the Vice-Chairman of the Seidokaikan Karate Association, founded by Kazuyoshi Ishii.
This fight takes place in 1993 during the second ever K-1 event, and the first ever Grand Prix won by Branko Cikatic. Take note that this is a special Kyokushin match that served as Hug's introduction to the international kickboxing audience. It's a testament to how invested Kazuyoshi Ishii was in Kyokushin, Seidokaikan, and the warrior spirit of karate fighters.


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Yasaka Magatama
this wiki
|editYasaka Magatama [1]
|Yasaka no Magatama
|Literal English
|Eight Slopes Curved Jewel
|English anime
|Yasaka Beads
|English games
|Yasaka Magatama
|Volume #58, Naruto Chapter #551
|Naruto Shippūden Episode #299
|Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3
|Appears in
|Anime, Manga, Game
|Kekkei Genkai, Ninjutsu, Dōjutsu
|Other jutsu
|Parent jutsu
Through the use of Susanoo, the user is able to create the Yasaka Magatama from any of its hands. Due to its structure, it acts in a similar manner to that of a shuriken when thrown by Susanoo — rapidly spinning towards the intended target — and results in an explosion upon impact. The size of these projectiles are dependent on the user, with smaller variations often used when fighting in close quarters or confined spaces.[2][3]
Variants Edit
While all operate in a somewhat similar manner, the technique can assume multiple forms that differ slightly both in appearance and use. These range from:
- Three magatama bound together by a single, circular thread that are created either between two of Susanoo's hands or from just one,[2] which are then propelled towards the target as a single combined projectile.
- A considerable number of magatama strung out between two of Susanoo's hands, using an interconnecting thread. These then detach themselves from one another once propelled towards the target, so that each magatama becomes a separate projectile.[4]
Influence Edit
The Yasakani no Magatama (八尺瓊曲玉, Literally meaning: Eight Shaku Curved Jewel) is one of the Three Imperial Regalia of Japan (三種の神器, Sanshu no Jingi), together with the Kusanagi no Tsurugi (草薙劍, Literally meaning: Grass-Mowing Sword) and the Yata no Kagami (八咫鏡, Literally meaning: Eight Span Mirror).
Trivia Edit
- Itachi Uchiha mentions that the Yasaka Magatama is his strongest long-range technique.[5]
- The shape of the single projectile variation of the Yasaka Magatama — three magatama bound together by a single circular line — is reminiscent of the completed form of the Sharingan.