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This post is the go-to place for information you need to get started with the Torque3D forums.
Other websitesThis is just the forums for discussions on Torque3D, other websites that you should know of include:
- The Wiki
- The Landing page
- The Github Repository
How to use the forumsIn this section, I want to describe various tools at your disposal.
Quick linksOn the top of the page, you can see a drop-down menu called "quick-links", on this menu you have access to a lot of stuff like unread posts, new posts etc. this is very helpful to see what has happened while you were gone.
Topic toolsSimlarily you can find various topic options next to the "Post a Reply" button at the top of a topic. The button called "Topic tools" allows you to subscribe to a topic, get a print-friendly view, email the topic to a friend or bookmarking it for later.
ThemesAll of this topic assumes that you use the default theme, but you can change the theme if you want. This can be done in the "User Control Panel" under the "Board preferences" tab.
Active topicsIf you want to read all the most active topics about Torque3D for example, you can click the category header, e.g. Torque3D and look at the Active Topics box below the list of forums.
Code of conductWe don't have any atm, but just act rationally and even though it doesn't say anywhere that action X wasn't allowed, it can still get you in trouble. We have lots of non-intrusive tools to regulate the forums though, so you probably wont be banned for minor or first offenses.
I'll keep updating this topic with new information as I come up with it.

subset: commoncrawl


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Sunday, 24 November 2013
Moving Shop
I have decided that compartmentalising my blogs by genre wasn't working. I felt that some books fit in more than one and I didn't feel like duplicating work. In addition, my life has become more hectic and remembering all these different places, passwords and all the other affiliated things, it just became too much. Therefore, I started another blog, but consolidated all the reviews that I could find (I know there is at least one other blog out there of mine that I cannot for the life of me recall the password for, and of course, am unable to access) in that one location. For those interested, Dirt Roads & Hardtack is where I'll be posting all reviews from now on. Be well, d~
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This article, Asura Path, is canon and uses Creative Commons licensed content from Narutopedia's Asura Path article.
The list of authors can be seen in the page history there.
The Asura Path (修羅道, Shuradō) grants the user the ability to summon mechanised armour, augmenting their body with extra limbs and various robotic weaponry.[1] In life, Nagato channeled the Asura Path through the body of a ninja puppeteer.
Through the Asura Path, the user is able to form four additional arms and two additional faces, as well as a folded, serrated blade-like sash around their waist. These additional appendages, as well as the user's body as a whole, are augmented with a variety of mechanical weaponry, which they can access at will. The user can fire their forearms as long-range projectiles or pull them off to reveal and fire a cluster of segmented missiles at targets. They are also able to protrude a set of flexible blades and drills or mechanical tendrils from their arms and quickly propel themselves forward with a burst of chakra from their feet. The user can also release a powerful chakra blast, which is capable of destroying numerous buildings at once, either by forming a cannon from one of their arms or opening the crown of their head.
Nagato's Asura Path's raw physical power was enough to rip Jiraiya's arm off and crush his throat with basic taijutsu, as well as to throw the Animal Path all the way intoKonohagakure from the outskirts of the village. Additionally, the Asura Path was able to survive otherwise fatal damage due to its mechanised insides. All of these abilities befitted the "warring demon" name that the Asura Path held, whilst giving it a considerably higher degree of versatility than the other Six Paths of Pain had (aside from the Deva Path).
Influences EditEdit
In Buddhism, the Asura realm is the plane of semi-divine warring demons which people are reincarnated in due to actions based on jealousy, struggle, combat or rationalisation in a previous life. Following a common depiction of Asura, this ability allows the user to possess six arms and three faces, each of which display a different emotion. Like Deva, Asura are also a race of supernatural beings. They are featured in Hinduism as a type of demon and are known to live a life pursuing power. Both depictions play in the abilities of the Asura Path.


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On my last trip ( and first overnight winter trip) We decided that we were going to melt the snow, but no matter what it aways tasted like burnt rubber. We put about an inch of water in the stove, and let that warm up then slowly added snow to it. But still, it tasted like crap and I couldn't drink it. What was I doing wrong? If it helps, we were using a titanium pot.
Thanks guys!


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Atlantic City Mayor Has Change of Heart, Seeks 3rd Term
During his campaign for a second term, Atlantic City Mayor Lorenzo Langford said it would be his last run for office.
He's changed his mind.
Langford announced Tuesday he'll seek a third term. The 58-year-old Democrat says the creation of a tourism district, a steep drop in the city's tax base and Superstorm Sandy recovery efforts are all reasons for his change of heart.
Democratic Party officials tell the Press of Atlantic City the contest for the party's endorsement is wide open. Other Democrats in the race include Atlantic County Freeholder Charles Garrett. The only declared Republican candidate is Don Guardian, an official with the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority.
In September the state extended its financial oversight of the struggling city for another year.


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- Public Notices
Azia Wright, 6, uses a magnifying glass to examine a dinosaur fossil at the Digging For Fossils event at Harriman Public Library, The activity was part of the summer reading program. Renee Kelley with the American Museum of Science and Energy in Oak Ridge brought a variety of fossils for children to look at.
If you currently subscribe or have subscribed in the past to the Roane County News, then simply find your account number on your mailing label and enter it below.
Click the question mark below to see where your account ID appears on your mailing label.
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text: Free MLB Betting Odds & Picks on the Seattle Mariners vs. San Diego Padres Saturday night game 2 matchup. The Mariners are -124 road favorites. The over/under is set at 6.5. Q likes the road team in this one 4-1. King Felix Hernandez is on this hill, and its Happy Felix Day. An Interleague series between last place teams is hardly something to get excited about.


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xkcd wrote up the Ballmer Peak recently. got me thinking about what I call the Programmer's Paradox, which is the lag in creativity behind skill on the inebriation scale. This has been shown to explain why you are more likely to wake up with pizza on your face than a finished program after that "flash of inspiration" last night. Here's my graphic...
original post from pratalife..
My occasional technical diary of thoughts, tips, and tools from some of the more interesting things I'm playing around with at the time. That means all things Web, Open Source, Polyglot-programming, Electronics and Data, or just my latest rant.. who knows!
Friday, October 05, 2007
Ballmer Peak and the Programmers' Paradox
Posted by Paul Gallagher at 10:27 PM
Labels: Deep thoughts
3 comments:
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The insurance company, which is owned by the BGL Group, is looking for a CRM-focused shop to highlight its product and services offering.
In addition to direct response work to target people from Bennetts' database of existing and prospective customers, the company wants to appoint an agency to refresh its online and offline creative.
Bennetts has previously worked with agencies including Agency Inc, which was appointed in February 2010, and VCCP Blue, which had retained the business in May 2009.
In a statement, Bennetts said strong growth in motorcycle use among commuters was one trend that the appointed agency would be expected to explore.
Interested agencies have been invited to contact Suzannah Higgins at Bennetts via her email.
Hannah Squirrell, the director of marketing and ecommerce at Bennetts, said: "Bennetts is a market-leading and edgy brand with personality so we are looking for the right agencies that can embrace our values and wow us with their creativity."


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George Clinton
From Quotes
What will not woman, gentle woman dare; when strong affection stirs her spirit up?Robert Southey
George Clinton (born 1941-07-22) is an American musician, widely considered one of the forefathers of funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and was a solo funk artist as of 1981.
- What is soul? I don't know! Soul is a hamhock in your cornflakes... Soul is a joint rolled in toilet paper.
- Quoted in "Top 10 songs about food", Guardian Unlimited, 2001-12-09. URL accessed on 2006-12-29.
- Without realising it, our frame of mind was caught up in ending the Vietnam War, which I think all of the Psychedelia was about
- Style is whatever you want to do, if you can do it with confidence
- It's as if what the system opposes, the kids are going to do it harder. Saying no is the greatest aphrodisiac there is...
- Funk is the DNA oh hip hop, that's the way we're able to stay around - just by getting a little taste of Funk, you're going to be hooked
- Sometimes we get so caught up in language, and "this" word and "that" word, that we lose site of the bigger problems in the world. At one time, the word "Bitch" simply meant female dog. Now, it has a negative meaning. Many negative words in one time and/or culture are meaningless in another. We've got to stop wasting time fighting over nonsense. I'm still waiting for aliens to come
- Quoted from BBC George Clinton Interview, BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/tyne/content/articles/2006/07/07/clinton_interview_feature.shtml


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Ideally Speaking
Most Westerners have forgotten their Latin, if they ever knew it. If they're not careful, therefore, they may confuse the Latin motto ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda with the U.S. Marines' motto, Semper fi. There could be worse things …Read More
Contending for Peace and Purity
I spent my first year of college at a second-degree separatist school that was founded by the Bible Presbyterian Church. The men who founded the college were colleagues of Carl MacIntyre, Allan MacRae, J. Gresham Machen, and Bob Jones Jr …Read More


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KAY-BEE STANDARD RESPONSE: "All we have is 1990's 'Robocop' toys."WHICH MEANS: "Holy ******* ****, please shoot m
So...Shade is gonna die?
Quote from: Roton7 on October 3, 2006, 08:40 PMSo...Shade is gonna die?Maybe Shade will kill Sidious. Ever think of that? Then Chewbacca's perverted father, Itchy, will clone the dead Sidious, deeming him Siidious.
LOL, Sidious wasn't where Shade was it was Dooku.
Where's the update?
Page created in 0.051 seconds with 18 queries.


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I have been cleaning my house with vinegar and baking soda for years. Part of my household cleaning arsenal is a vinegar-infused cleaner. You get the excellent cleaning and deodorizing power of vinegar as well as the fragrant and antibacterial/anti-viral cleaning powers of lavender. Together they create a fantastic household cleaner that can be sprayed directly on counter tops, toilets, light switches, walls, floors, sinks and any other flat surface you want clean and shiny.
Lavender-infused vinegar spray is non-toxic, effective and economical. The vinegar scent disappears as the surface dries, leaving behind only a mild lavender scent.
- Crush about 2 cups of fresh lavender buds and leaves in your hand. Put them in a 1 L (quart) jar and pour distilled white vinegar on top. Make sure the lavender is covered. Cap tightly. (You can use dried lavender too. Use only about 1 cup.)
- Set aside in a cool, dark location for 2 weeks.
- Strain lavender-vinegar through a colander to remove bits of lavender.
- Store vinegar in a mason jar, capped tightly.
- To use: Fill a spray bottle half full with infused vinegar. Then fill to the top with water.
- Use as you would any spray cleaner: Spray on and wipe clean.
Purchase dried lavender buds here.
This post has been shared on Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways 87, From The Farm and Homesteader's Blog Hop.


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- 3 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
- ½ 12 oz. bag of broccoli slaw with shredded carrot
- 20 oz. can pineapple tidbits drained
- 15 oz. can mandarin orange sections drained
- ½ large or 1 small red pepper diced
- 4 Tblsp. Honey Mustard: not the salad dressing
- Lite Miracle Whip enough to hold the salad together
- salt and pepper to taste
- Chill completely to let flavors meld.
- Serve on bed of fresh spinach leaves, in a fresh tomato blossom, in a wrap, a pita pocket, or on a flaky croissant.
Terri's Notes
- Make ½ batch using short cans of pineapple and oranges.
- This is beautiful, crunchy, filling, but "lite", what's not to love?
- This one's a Recipe Lady original, go thee and play - you can do this too!
Share this Recipe


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I realize this comment was meant in jest, but telling people to die is not something we want to encourage here these boards. Not only that, it really doesn't add much to the conversation does it? Just sayin'.
Toltomeja wrote:Ouch. Of course that was not meant to be serious and such a figure of speech shouldn't be understood seriously. But if in fact my input to this thread was unnecessary, sorry for that.
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


text: There are a number of exciting things to do in Tukums. From historical sites to cultural attractions, explore the exhaustive list of all other local attractions in Tukums. Discover new places to see and unique things to do nearby Tukums. Don't miss out on these amazing sights at Tukums. Check out the list of attractions and activities to do in Tukums and nearby areas. It will help you to plan a perfect trip to Tukums. Highlights of Tukums includes – Best things to do in Tukums and nearby areas, top attractions to visit such as historical monuments, natural attractions, adventurous and entertainment activities to do, places to eat and drink. Provided with all the things to do in Tukums with address, reviews, facts, photos of travellers & more.


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IGG has launched a new expansion for their free-to-play Wings of Destiny title. Dubbed The Moonlight Island, the update adds the new Moonlight Island region along with more customization options and the new Elevation system, which allows heroes to Transcend their equipment for greater power.
Patch notes are available on the Wings of Destiny website. Check out the press release after the break for more.
Wings of Destiny: A New Expansion The Moonlight Island Released!
The Moonlight Island Beckons!
As we welcome the new year, a shipwrecked crew returns to Forrester with incredible news. An island has been discovered off the coasts. Moonlight Island, as the residents call it, is now at the center of a heated territorial dispute. The winner of this struggle will gain control the secrets that lay hidden beneath the island, secrets that are believed to be tied to the fate of the Wings of Destiny (http://wod.igg.com)...
The King has sent out a call for the heroes of Galensya to set sail for the north and bring peace to the once-tranquil Moonlight Island. This brand new adventure awaits you!
More Customization, New Features!
Wings of Destiny enjoyed a fantastic 2012 and we want to keep bringing you awesome new content and features to show you how much we appreciate all of our amazing players!
Thats why 2013 promises to take Wings of Destiny to great new heights! The Vestiges of the Empire updates are already underway, and well will kick off the New Year with the 3rd phase of the expansion, with even more features to help players customize their heroes!
Dressed To Kill!
2013 will be a year of "killer fashion with the introduction of the Costume Fusing feature! Raise the Level and bonus attributes of your favorite costume pieces by merging multiple items together. Not only will you maximize on your hottest look with this brand new feature, none of your old gear will ever go to waste again!
Transcendence and its 8 new advanced classes made the greatest game-changer to date. Now, its time to get ready for Elevation, a powerful new system that will turn up some serious heat in the PvP Arenas this New Years.
We dont want to give away all the surprises, but we can tell you that this amazing new feature will allow Transcended heroes to enhance your equipment to even greater levels than ever before! Try it to find out.
New Year, New Tricks!
Heroes aren't the only ones getting all the attention. In fact, your pets will also get their own makeover with the new Pet Skills! Learn and hone special skills to make your Pet an even better companion in the heat of battle!
Also keep an eye out for the powerful new crop of pets to help you battle evil: Fenix, Centaurian, Scylla, Efreet, Dantalian and Celestia! With all these new friends, 2013 is going to be a busy year!
To read the latest guides, news, and features you can visit our Wings of Destiny Game Page.


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W.A.R. Council To Speak in Florida
by Gary James '10
January 27, 2010
Five students and one staff member representing Wabash's W.A.R. Council will spend the weekend in Orlando, Florida. Not for vacation, but for education.
The Wabash W.A.R. (Wabash Acts Responsibly) Council was chosen among dozens of other group applicants to present at one of three breakout sessions at the
APPLE Conference
. The annual conference is the brain trust of the Center for Alcohol and Substance Education at the University of Virginia. Its symposiums focus on substance abuse prevention and supports healthy lifestyles training for student-athletes and athletic administrators.
Organizations at the conference help empower each other by sharing helpful advice they've learned through program development. Wabash will be presenting on the topic of "Athletes as Peer Mentors," since the W.A.R. Council is unique in that it's student-run, rather than staff led.
Patrick Griffith '10, Jacob Surface '11, Bobby Wade '11, Kenny Farris '12, Billy Rosson '13, and Head Athletic Trainer Mark Colston, will represent the College at the Conference.
Griffith sees the W.A.R. Council's selection as affirmation the W.A.R. Council's accomplishments on campus.
"The successes of the W.A.R. Council through its campus-wide events have proven that our group can be held as a prime example, nationwide, on how to effectively educate our peers — primarily how to be responsible with substances, especially alcohol," Griffith said. "While our group is not entirely composed of athletes, a very large majority of our members are varsity letter winners."
The W.A.R. Council sponsored last year's successful "Six Pack Talks" — educational lectures over six weeks prior to spring break, which covered everything from legal implications of alcohol abuse to health concerns. To kick off the 2009-10 school year, W.A.R. Council members passed out six packs to entering freshmen — six packs of Gatorade.
"The W.A.R. Council has been able to effectively monitor the effects of our events through the various surveys that have been distributed, and working with other groups on campus composed of both faculty and students, to further promote our mission statement and statement of purpose," added Griffith.
Dean of Students Michael Raters, who attended the APPLE Conference in 2005, believes the W.A.R. Council's selection is affirmation of the College's student-led approach.
"I see the invitation to present at the conference as recognition of the hard work, creative programming, and campus-wide collaboration our men have developed," he said. "Almost all of the other institutions with an NCAA grant of this type have a staff of professionals whose primary responsibility is to implement it.
"In our student-centered approach to leadership, our men have raised the profile and significance of the W.A.R. Council on campus with some guidance from Mark Colston, Nancy Doemel, and me — but primarily by their own initiative and efforts. I'm pleased and proud the NCAA chose to honor our students with this opportunity."
The mission of the Wabash W.A.R. Council is to create a safe and healthy environment by encouraging legal and responsible behavior regarding drinking and other drug use.
One of the W.A.R. Council's key initiatives has been "LITTLE Choices have GIANT Consequences," which strives to educate and foster responsible and healthy choices among the entire student body with regard to alcohol. The group's goal is to enable students to make informed choices that are appropriate, legal, and safe, while empowering students who do not use alcohol, as well as responsible users, to dominate the attitudes and behaviors creating the social norms at Wabash College.
According to the APPLE Conference website, participants will learn to:
• Improve relationships between administrators and student athletes
• Increase their understanding of the APPLE model
• Increase their ability to impact substance abuse problems
• Increase student ability to confront teammates
• Increase student leadership skills
• Increase knowledge of alcohol, tobacco and other drug (ATOD) issues for student athletes
• Increase knowledge of effective ATOD prevention programs
• Create a clearly defined, measurable action plan
Wabash College
301 W Wabash Ave Crawfordsville, IN 47933 765.361.6100


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Marrs needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 18 designs submitted by 10 freelance designers.
Computers Auckland
We are a computer rental and leasing company we rent or lease computers or laptops. we are also thinking of doing repairs and networking computer support myself and a partner Gary we enjoy working in the computer market, we both great with customer service and really easy going
business more than residential ,for the rentals and leaseing we would like to target business's and for the computer repairs and support we can target both business's and home personal
Will leave it all up to you guys.... would like a modern look
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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The Road Back to Burning Man
Globe-trotting travel writer Alexandra Baackes finds herself back in the Silver State and headed to Black Rock City for the week-long Burning Man Festival, and couldnt be more psyched to get back "home"
Points of Interest
Art looks good on every state... but in Nevada, it just fits.
Nevada is full of talented traditional artists, with a long list of galleries and museums to show for it. But for some reason, on US-95 between Las Vegas and Reno, there's a lot of stuff that's pretty dang "out there"—in more ways than one—which is exactly why we dig it.
From colorful murals livening up entire neighborhoods and galleries filled with all manner of media, to kinetic public sculptures our kids (OK, and plenty of us adults) can climb on to odd-ball objects rising from the desert floor… there is certainly enough eye-catching, camera-hogging art to grace Nevada's urban districts, small towns, and even natural spaces with an exciting extra layer of flavor.
So whether you're livening up a Vegas-Reno run or treating your palate to an abstract adventure, be ready to get face-to-face with some of the most unique, unrestrained—or as we like to say, "free-range"—art you may ever encounter.
473 miles/1,244 kilometers, plus side trips to Seven Magic Mountains and other attractions
Check out the map HERE
Start your trip in the heart of downtown Las Vegas and its budding arts district. Thanks to the arts and music festival Life is Beautiful, downtown Las Vegas is now an open-air art gallery. Murals and sculptures are scattered along Fremont East and adjoining neighborhoods. One of the most eye-catching pieces is the 40-foot praying mantis sculpture at Container Park. This towering insect, created by artist and former aerospace engineer Kirk Jellum, originally made its appearance at Burning Man. If you catch it at night, it periodically breathes fire.
Before leaving Las Vegas, take a detour just south of the Las Vegas Strip to visit Seven Magic Mountains, a colorful large-scale public artwork featuring seven 30- to 35-foot-high fluorescent totems comprised of painted, locally-sourced boulders.
Getting there: Follow Interstate 15 south to Sloan Road (exit 25). Turn left (east) to Las Vegas Boulevard. Drive approximately 7 miles south on Las Vegas Blvd. and the artwork will be on your left (east).
After leaving the bright lights of Las Vegas, you'll drive toward the small town of Beatty along U.S. Highway 95. Beatty is about 120 miles from Las Vegas, making it about a two-hour drive. Before making your final stop for the day you'll want to take a quick detour to the Goldwell Open Air Museum and Rhyolite Ghost Town.
When you arrive at Beatty, turn left (east) on State Route 374 toward Death Valley National Park. Follow the signs for Rhyolite ghost town (six miles from Beatty). Adjacent to Rhyolite is the Goldwell Open Air Museum, home of seven large-scale sculptures created in the 1980s. You can't miss it.
Here you can walk among larger-than-life sculptures and explore the well-preserved ruins of Rhyolite. Stick around for sunset for incredible photo opportunities.
Beatty is known as the gateway to Death Valley, but there's more to this little town. Order the world-famous chili at the Happy Burro and while there be sure to check out the men's restroom. Keep an eye out for the Beatty Cowboys: they like to hang out around KC's outpost -- but be careful, they might mix you up with a wily prospector and throw you in (temporary) jail.
From Beatty, it's 67 miles to Goldfield, a once-booming mining community that is now a living ghost town. Here you'll find the International Car Forest of the Last Church, a sprawling artistic junkyard of cars, trucks, vans, and buses tipped on their noses or stacked on top of each other. Each junked car has been uniquely painted by roaming artists passing through.
It's worth mentioning that Goldfield is a town worth getting out of the car and exploring. Grab a cold one and rub elbows with "Nevada's Meanest Bartender" at the Santa Fe Saloon, stroll the Goldfield Cemetery and for a truly immersive experience, tune into Radio Goldfield, KGFN 89.1.
Tonopah is 27 miles north of Goldfield, or about an half-hour drive. Grab lunch at the Pittman Cafe inside the historic Mizpah Hotel, where they serve delicious soups daily along with traditional American cuisine. Head up the road for some barbeque and brews at the Tonopah Brewing Company. Try the beer sampler flight if you're not the one driving. It's a great way to taste all the brewery's craft beers. Maybe fill up a growler of your favorite to take with you.
Like Goldfield, Tonopah is a great town to explore. Check out the Tonopah Historic Mining Park on the site of the original mining claims that started the rush to Tonopah, making it the "Queen of the Silver Camps." The Central Nevada Museum is also a place where you can step into the past and explore the rich and colorful history of central Nevada and early boomtowns of the West.
Tonopah is home to some of the darkest night skies in the country. After nightfall, head out to the Crescent Sand Dunes just outside of town for spectacular stargazing.
Drive through downtown Fernley and stop at the new Main Street Art Park. Here you'll find three former Burning Man artworks - The Bottlecap Gazebo, Rockspinner 6, and Desert Tortoise.
Make a stop along the Reno RiverWalk to check out public artworks along the river including several interactive pieces from Burning Man.
TravelNevada PRO TIP: While adventuring our great big state remember to travel prepared to surivive, Loneliest Road in America or not. With so much room to explore, you'll likely be covering a lot of ground. Be sure to plan ahead and carry extra fuel, water, snacks and even a paper map, and pay attention to amenity opportunities along the way. Often times, it might just be your last chance to refuel, grab a bite to eat, use a restroom or catch some ZZZ's. And hey, it might be a good idea to call ahead to check on room availability or campsite reservations and plan your gas stops prior to hitting the pavement. While you're at it, also remember that a lot of these off grid gems are in fact small towns; don't expect restaurants to be open late, regardless of advertising online or even billboards you encounter as you ramble on. Nothing beats a good ol' fashioned phone call, especially if it can curb some serious heartbreak after discovering your favorite burger joint isn't open. Nevada is an incredible place to redefine your sense of freedom, but remember that a lot of our favorite haunts are most certainly remote in the most satisfying of ways. Take advantage of places to stop when you can get 'em. Our road trip rundowns should help get you off and running, but are a far cry from every place to see and do along this amazing route. Peruse this itinerary for some road trip inspiration, and customize your #NVRoadTrip by planning ahead and building out your very own itinerary in the toolbar above. Use that noggin out there, happy and safe exploring!
With such a mind-blowing number of things to do in one state, use these tools and resources to help you prepare for an absolutely killer Nevada experience.GET STARTED
Globe-trotting travel writer Alexandra Baackes finds herself back in the Silver State and headed to Black Rock City for the week-long Burning Man Festival, and couldnt be more psyched to get back "home"
Nine amazing things you definitely dont want to miss out on at the at the 33rd Annual Great Reno Balloon Races, the world's largest free hot-air balloon event.
The cowboy tradition is strong in Elko, home of the Western Folklife Center, the Northeastern Nevada Museum and the California Trail Interpretive Center.
Your next adventure is only a few clicks away. Log in or create your account to start exploring.
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Point of Interest Go››


text: My teenage son and I stayed during the rainy season, in early October 2012- not bad at all for having rain every afternoon (it was rather nice and cooling). The Waterfall Villa was exceptional. Extremely clean, friendly, unique, and comfortable. There were fresh flowers daily, lovingly placed in every nook and craney, even in the rooms and bathrooms. I would... More


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deletedacct00000 needed a new print or packaging design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 48 designs submitted by 13 freelance designers.
"Gumas is an integrated marketing, advertising and interactive agency based in San Francisco, California. We specialize in Web Design | Branding | Advertising | Interactive | Online Advertising."
This is a potential campaign for the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. We are targeting an existing market... small and medium sized businesses in San Francisco.
The purpose of this campaign is to encourage small and medium sized businesses in San Francisco to sign up for the Chamber as an information source for their business.
The campaign is based around the idea of confronting business owners with the very real issues they face doing business on a daily basis.
With simple headlines and a url (NO LOGO) we hope to pique their interest and have them go to the url to find out more information.
Art Direction
We want bold and simple. Beautiful original type wouldn't hurt either.
Striking, modern, business orientated.
there are two versions in terms of size.
Print: 8.5 x 11
Outdoor: Check cbs outdoor for size. Landscape version please.
See upload for headlines.


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Ypsilanti to consider terminating membership with Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti Regional Chamber of Commerce
An Ypsilanti City Council member is seeking to terminate the city's membership in the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti Regional Chamber of Commerce in an effort to condemn the policies held by the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, which openly supported the right-to-work legislation.
Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com
Council Member Pete Murdock said he will bring forth a resolution Tuesday to ask the council to vote to withdraw its membership from the local chamber, which is a member of the of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce.
"The chamber of commerce has consistently taken positions contrary to the people we represent why should we remain members?" Murdock said.
Specifically, Murdock said he believes the Michigan Chamber of Commerce supported passage of right-to-work legislation, opposed increasing minimum wage, supported the elimination of personal property tax and opposed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Earlier this month, the Michigan Legislature approved bills that would make Michigan the 24th state with a right-to-work law that prohibits unions from collecting dues or fees from workers as a condition of employment.
"The Michigan Chamber supported passage of Freedom to Work legislation because it is good public policy that will have a significant impact on job creation and business growth," said Rich Studley, President and CEO of the Michigan Chamber. "We are confident this new law will benefit both employees and employers across the state."
Murdock said the Michigan Chamber of Commerce has spent millions of dollars lobbying for those legislative changes. Although the city's withdrawal from the local chamber would likely have little practical impact, Murdock said the action would send an important message.
"It's symbolic," Murdock said. "I think symbols are important though and will basically send a message to my constituents that we're not going to be a part of (an organization) that opposes our interests."
Democrats across Washtenaw County have openly criticized the passage of the legislation.
Mayor Paul Schreiber said he is in favor of the sentiment in regards to the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, but against the action that would eliminate the city's membership with the A2Y chamber.
"They do a lot of things locally," Schreiber said. "They help businesses. They don't lobby in Lansing and they don't have a PAC. They're all about us and helping businesses be successful. They haven't always agreed with us, but they're certainly not part of the aggressive right wing agenda that the Michigan Chamber has."
In an email to council members, A2Y Chamber vice president of government relations Andy LaBarre said he understands the frustrations and that it is not the first time where the "poor choices" of the Michigan and U.S. chambers have reflected negatively upon the local chamber.
LaBarre also emphasized the chamber is a separate entity and is not chartered through either of them or bound in any way. LaBarre said it is not a member of the U.S. Chamber, but it is a member of the Michigan Chamber because it provides access to the Michigan Association of Chamber Professionals.
The A2Y Chamber does not contribute to the Michigan Chamber PAC and it does not have a PAC of its own, according to LaBarre, who said the A2Y chamber did not endorse the right-to-work legislation or oppose the Affordable Care Act.
"Several local labor unions are members of the A2Y Chamber, and they are valued as members and for all the economic benefits they bring to our community and our businesses," LaBarre wrote. "The A2Y chamber values our relationship with the city of Ypsilanti and its community members."
The A2Y chamber, according to its website, is a 1,300-member community organization that facilitates and advocates on behalf of its members through its services and programs. Schreiber said the chamber offers networking opportunities and events as well as leadership development.
Schreiber said he does not plan to support this resolution as it stands.
"I would support the resolution if it involved condemning the policies of the Michigan Chamber, but I won't vote to resolve our dues."
The city pays an annual membership fee of $328.50 to the local chamber. Schreiber said while pulling out would have a minimal monetary impact, the symbolic impact would be vast.
"It's all about partnerships and if we say we're pulling out, that's guilt by association," Schreiber said. "If someone is going to want to open a business and the city isn't a member, how friendly is the city to businesses? It doesn't mean that just because you're business-friendly means you agree with personal property taxes."
Murdock said he believes its "nonsense" to believe that by not being part of the organization, the city isn't business-friendly.
"We're not members of the NAACP, but does that mean we're not civil rights friendly? Murdock said. "It doesn't mean that. If you look at our position and the tax benefits we give businesses, it's a little hard to say that."
Amy Biolchini | AnnArbor.com
Murdock said individual businesses still would be able to be part of the chamber if they chose to, so they would not directly be impacted. Schreiber said the chamber would still offer its services to businesses in the Ypsilanti area.
"If the mayor wants to be a member, he can pay his dues and be a member," Murdock said. "I'm a member of several organizations the city isn't. What this does is sends a message that we don't want to be part of an organization that consistently goes against Ypsilanti residents... If they want to paint it a different way, they can."
Council Member Brian Robb said while he would like to learn more about the resolution before he decides which way he will vote, to some degree, he believes Murdock is "absolutely right."
"The chamber exists to serve its members," Robb said. "My concern is what are our affiliations and how do we define who we join?"
Like Murdock, Robb pointed out the fact that the city is not part of several other business related organizations such as the Depot Town Merchants and the Downtown Association of Ypsilanti. Robb said the city is a member of many organizations, but almost all are comprised of municipal and other public sector entities.
Robb and Murdock said the chamber is the only organization the city is a member of that is not primarily made up of public sector entities.
This whole idea that the fact we wouldn't belong makes us anti-business, that logic is just absurd," Robb said.
LaBarre said its "vitally important to the chamber that it has a working relationship with the city." LaBarre said former city manager Ed Koryzno was a member of the chamber's public policy committee.
"... Just this week that committee met with City Manager Ralph Lange and City Planner Teresa Gillotti, to get a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities Ypsilanti faces and to find areas where we can work together," LaBarre wrote. "The A2Y Chamber would view it as a major blow if the city of Ypsilanti were not a member. The dues are not the issue, it's the message of losing the city of Ypsilanti that would be the greatest setback."
Katrease Stafford covers Ypsilanti for AnnArbor.com.Reach her at email@example.com or 734-623-2548 and follow her on twitter.
Martin Church
Tue, Dec 18, 2012 : 6 p.m.
Let's see if I get this right. Murdock wants to remove the city of Ypsilanti from an organization because it does not support his values. And yet he is willing to denied people of the same right when it comes to union membership. Sounds like a double standard to me. But then again Mr. Murdock does not mind discriminating against members of the community because of their associations or beliefs. I would like the right to hold the union accountable for their lack of actions. the only option I have is to withhold dues, but with mr Murdock I can not even do this. By the way I was not allowed to vote for the Mr. Murdock opposition in august because he opposed the charter amendment to get rid of party politics.
Tue, Dec 18, 2012 : 4:24 p.m.
"Council Member Brian Robb said while he would like to learn more about the resolution before he decides which way he will vote, to some degree, he believes Murdock is "absolutely right." Brian Robb thinks everything Murdock says and does is absolutely right. If I didn't know what they looked like, I would think that they are one and the same.
Tue, Dec 18, 2012 : 3:48 p.m.
Both the US Chamber and the MIchigan Chember are fairly extreme right-wing organizations. They are pro-business only in the narrowest sort of ways, e.g. against restrictions on pollution, against businesses paying any taxes, anti-worker. Anti-American IMHO. If the Ann Arbor - Ypsilanti Chamber helps local businesses and doesn't send money to the Michigan Chamber, why doesn't it disaffiliate and change its name?
Tue, Dec 18, 2012 : 2:36 p.m.
Looks to me like Murdock wanted to shoot something and chose the handiest target. Maybe cooler heads will prevail.
Tue, Dec 18, 2012 : 1:22 p.m.
What a joke Pete Murdock is. He just takes one headline grabbing issue and runs with it with no regard to facts. Pete is apparently too thick to understand that there is no political, philosophical or organizational tie between the A2Y Chamber and the state Chamber. He would much rather throw a tantrum against a group that does an incredible amount of good locally and has a distant tie to another group that HE doesn't happen to agree with. Picking on the A2Y Chamber that does so much good in this community is absolutely ridiculous. I hope that if Ypsilanti is stupid enough to vote to drop their membership that the A2Y Chamber stops organizing and supporting events like Ypsi Pride Day where they come in and help clean up the city of Ypsilanti. Murdock is just a typical short-sighted, cheap-shot politician that hollars about minutia to try to take everyone's attention away from the fact that his city is in disarray. With representatives like him, it's no wonder that Ypsilanti is such a mess.
Tue, Dec 18, 2012 : 1:02 p.m.
I think cutting ties is a very good thing. The Chamber has a long history of being anti-worker. Perhaps if enough businesses and municipalities cancel their memberships, the Chamber will begin taking a more moderate stance on some of these issues. Regardless, I would have a lot of trouble using my organization's hard-earned dollars paying dues to the Chamber given its anti-worker agenda.
Tue, Dec 18, 2012 : 12:38 p.m.
Just another example of special interests having more control that the electorate over the elected officials. Unions represent such a small miniority of the population yet have substantial control of our governemtn or at least what used to be our government................
Tue, Dec 18, 2012 : 12:10 p.m.
Most understand that the positions taken by the Chamber of Commerce, an organization representing businesses, are in the best interest of local, state, and national commerce. Not necessarily in the best interest of labor unions. As an elected member of the City Council, Mr. Murdock has put himself in the difficult position of having to be fair-minded and to represent both business (commerce) and individual citizens. By taking a position against the best interest of businesses he only exposes his personal ideology and not the prime interest of a significant group for which he should strive to understand and fairly represent.
Ben Petiprin
Tue, Dec 18, 2012 : 12:50 a.m.
I hope this passes. Ann Arbor seems to have been trying to slowly absorb us since the recession hit. Maybe this will slow them down.
Tue, Dec 18, 2012 : 12:43 a.m.
The Michigan Chamber of Commerce supports policies that are unidirectional clearly benefitting their members without any concern, consideration or interest in the overall welfare of the citizens
Chase Ingersoll
Tue, Dec 18, 2012 : 12:09 a.m.
Oh Ypsilanti, you are fun to watch, in a train wreck sort of way...
Tue, Dec 18, 2012 : 3:07 p.m.
I hate to say it, but I agree with this one. Sounds like someone not getting their way so everyone else is gong to suffer. Bad move on this part.
Tue, Dec 18, 2012 : 12:07 a.m.
I'm glad to see this. The way I figure it, if we are grading on the curve, this make the AA city council look just a little less crazy. Is Ypsi considering some sort of idling ordinance as well? Maybe they could buy some land in Dexter or some ugly "art" for extra credit?
Mon, Dec 17, 2012 : 11:41 p.m.
Good job City of Ypsilanti. Hope this passes! Wonder will Ypsilanti Township follow your lead?
Mon, Dec 17, 2012 : 10:58 p.m.
I'm waiting to see what the Phoenix City Council thinks about this before making up my mind.
Mon, Dec 17, 2012 : 10:26 p.m.
Maybe I missed it, but which vacant factory was Mr. Murdoch standing in front of, when he made his demands? Is Mr. Murdoch only concerned for 17.5 percent of the population? I would be more impressed, if Mr. Murdoch accepted the situation (right or wrong), and continued to perform the work of representing his constituents. Fix roads, secure our schools, and work to get the city's budget in the black. All this grandstanding is counterproductive, and irrelevant. Leave your politics, and ego at home, sir.
Mon, Dec 17, 2012 : 10:35 p.m.
Couldn't agree more. Once again Ypsi City Council wasting time on personal ideals while avoiding dealing with the real issues of the city.
David Cahill
Mon, Dec 17, 2012 : 9:35 p.m.
This is just one of the many chickens coming home to roost because of the Michigan Chamber's extreme right-wing agenda. It's good to know that the A2Y Chamber is independent of the crazies in Lansing.
Alan Goldsmith
Mon, Dec 17, 2012 : 8:55 p.m.
Andy LaBarre: nice profiles in courage moment there. Looking forward to more of this kind of "leadership" when you join the County Commission.


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Thursday, February 13, 2014
I have found references to Soldiers Heart going back to the American Civil War. Often it is used to describe what is now called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD], or what I call Combat Related Post Traumatic Stress Disorder [CRPTSD].
While there are many definitions of Soldier's Heart, I define it as a very powerful inner strength over which a veteran can see no acceptable means or channels to express. To have merely survived in the field of combat, and to continue to survive in their day-to-day life, denotes an awesome inner strength, a powerful, powerful source of energy. But, when energy can not be effectively stored, when it has no positive means of expression, it will explode.
This is the most effective treatment of CRPTSD, giving veterans the ability to recognize the power of their Soldiers Heart, to know that they have the ability to control and contain it, and then utilize it constructively and safely.
It has been said that 80% of Viet Nam Veterans will have experienced symptoms of CRPTSD at some point in their life. But not all are debilitated for their whole lives, the symptoms may come and go. It might be beneficial to determine why. We all have physical and emotional ups and downs in our lives. Does an emotional or even a physical down weaken us and allow the symptoms of CRPTSD to come to the forefront? Is this why, when I am tired or stressed out, I get irritated more easily, short tempered, much less willing to listen to, much less hear others? Assuming this is true, giving a veteran the ability to recognize their symptoms, tap into the internal power of their Soldiers Heart, and call on external resources might be the way to enable them to deal with a permanent, life long condition.
That all sounds so easy, so glib! Just because I know I'm starting to loose it, and the ability work through it, and know I have a strong, understanding support system, doesn't always mean I can handle it. But, what it does, is help me step away, remove myself from the situation when I can, or hunker down and tough it out when I can. But damn, even that is frustrating, hard, and tiring. And I've been learning and practicing and living it for 45 years. Of course, the alternative to living is not currently acceptable.
So, as I always say; Onward, into the fog
Posted by Tom Osborn at 12:17 PM
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This problem is not limited to senior leadership levels. Unfortunately, it often goes unnoticed or is seen as something to joke about or be proud of. It's not uncommon to hear leaders discuss interactions with subordinates as if it were a competition to see who used the best one-liner, a thoughtless one-upmanship for group amusement. This even occurs during important forums like disciplinary review boards when the course of a military member's career may be on the line. These incidents are not always repetitive action against an individual, but they can repeatedly target a single population, or they may be directed against someone who is being bullied elsewhere.
A good butt-chewing can turn a career around, but when done for the participants' entertainment, it's bully behavior. These unprofessional situations are detrimental to unit cohesion and the morale of the subject of the attack. As the Army study found, the outcome could be disastrous. Left uncorrected, toxic leadership becomes an accepted and learned behavior, perpetuating its use.
Identifying toxic leaders can be difficult. According to NPR's assessment of the Army reports, toxic leaders are adept at hiding their behavior from superiors, allowing them to get promoted. This may explain one of the biggest questions about Captain Graf; if so many people knew of her leadership style earlier in her career, how did she become a commanding officer and last in the position so long?
So how do we prevent, identify, and eliminate toxic leadership? Strategies for combating bullying offer suggestions. Prevention includes setting a tone of respect for all populations within a unit and establishing clear definitions of acceptable leadership tactics.
Identification requires widespread awareness of the behaviors and potential indicators of bullying. Bullies often have a following, a group loyal to them if only to avoid becoming their target. Victims often isolate themselves, withdrawing from and avoiding group settings to evade a bully, even getting themselves in trouble intentionally to avoid group scenarios. Bullies and those who support them tend to reinforce their own negative qualities, using results or intent to justify their behavior.
At senior levels, unit performance may indicate toxic leadership or bullying. Continuous calls for innovation and calculated risk-taking often go unanswered. In two otherwise similar commands, the one where these do not occur may suffer from a fear of failure caused by fear of a toxic leader.
When bullying occurs, leaders must hold perpetrators accountable while helping the target and the bully build self-acceptance. The victim must understand that, even if they were targeted for a shortcoming, they have personal worth and can improve. Bullies typically act out of feelings of insecurity within themselves, so they need guidance in accepting and improving themselves, too.
Toxic leadership and bullying have wide-ranging implications and potentially devastating results, but they can be prevented and corrected. Neither is solely an Army or uniformed-leader problem; they exist among military and civilian personnel throughout the Department of Defense.
Taken seriously, the Army studies empower us to discuss toxic leadership and start to identify the bullies in our ranks.
Ms. Cecil is a career educator who developed and delivered bully prevention in-service training for teachers and administrators in several Texas school districts. She holds a master's degree in educational leadership.


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The handwriting is perfectly readable: Bartlesville – Choctaw – Oklahoma.
Unfortunately, it's wrong. I know that, and I don't even know Clara Owen. You see, I grew up in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, so I know that Bartlesville is not in Choctaw County. It's in Washington County.
The two counties are not even close to each other.
A part of me REALLY wants to index the county as Washington, but I won't for a couple of reasons:
- It's possible that the city is wrong instead of the county.
- The arbitrator would absolutely consider it an error.


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You are hereHome ›
This lesson includes a demonstration to show why the sky is blue and why sunsets and sunrises are orange. Learners will use scientific practices to investigate answers to questions involving the color of the sky, sunsets, the Sun, and oceans. Requires a clear acrylic or glass container to hold water, a strong flashlight, and powdered creamer or milk.
Stanford Solar CenterLast modified 2013
Education Level: Informal education:Elementary school programming, Informal education:Middle school programming, Informal education:General public, Informal education:Youth public, Informal education:Families, Informal education:Parents/caregivers, Informal education:Informal science education professionals
Audience Refinement: Educator and learner
Earth and space science:Earth structure:Atmosphere Earth and space science:Earth structure:Ocean and water Earth and space science:Solar system:The sun Earth and space science:Solar system:The sun:Solar-terrestrial interactions Physical sciences:Light and optics The nature of science:The scientific process
Resource Type
Learning Time
Instructional Strategies
Educational Standards
Access Restrictions: Free access


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A 75-year-old Box woman died last August after setting herself on fire in her care home, an inquest has heard.
June Chilcott died at Dorothy House Hospice on August 23, three weeks after she was taken to hospital from Brunel House Care Home, with severe burns to her legs and hips.
At an inquest into her death in Salisbury today, assistant deputy coroner Claire Balysz heard how the retired factory worker, who had terminal lung cancer which had spread to her brain, kidneys and bones, had been checked into the home on The Wharf for a week's respite care on July 29.
Staff at the home told how the grandmother, who was visited daily by her family, had repeatedly expressed her wish to die at home, and was resisting care.
Manager Emma Murphy said: "She used to say she missed her home and her dog.
"I was contacted by an agency nurse who said June's behaviour had changed. She was being very difficult and had resisted care.
"She had a brain tumour, and her behaviour might have changed as a direct consequence."
The court heard how staff were alerted to the fire on August 4 by an alarm from room 24, where Mrs Chilcott was staying.
Care assistant Anna Brindley said: "We heard the fire alarm go off and my first thought was June because she was the only smoker. I went down to her room and saw smoke coming out of the door."
She was taken to Frenchay Hospital near Bristol by ambulance, where she was treated for burns to her legs and chest, before being discharged to Dorothy House Hospice, where she died the next day.
In recording an open verdict Ms Balysz said: "The act partially caused her death, but I am not entirely sure whether she intended to die, because of the problems her brain cancer was causing her.
"She had a lack of consideration of risk.
"She did set fire to herself, and I think at that time she probably did think it was going to significantly harm her, but whether she thought it would kill her I don't know."


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|Ramadan gathers us "Andeel"
I do not know if we will be able to reconcile or not whether politically or socially. Still what I know very well that reconciliations are hard now as we have a lot of blood on the hands of everybody. It is hard especially with the amount of hate and polarization spreading like fire through the mainstream media.
We have a lot of hate in Egypt fake words will not stop it.We can not also deny it and claim it is only online.
There is increasing trend among a group of people that support the ousting of Morsi that there should not be any reconciliation not only with Muslim brotherhood but with the Islamists in general because we are now fighting what they believe "a war against terrorism".
Of course MB leading figures as well some of the brotherhood's radical members are giving the impression that we are indeed in some holy war. What you see in Foreign media is different from what we see in Rabaa Adaawayia as well social media
There are clashes , there are news about bombs found in Cairo and Giza while Christians are being attacked in Upper Egypt and soldiers are targeted in Sinai as well.
This is beside the huge awful role the mainstream media is playing in spreading incitement and hate. The mainstream media especially private channels are playing the same role the 7 Islamist TV channels closed down earlier this month were playing before ousting Morsi. The same exact role but without religious tough , it is rather a nationalist tough. I believe things would have better if those channels were closed as well temporarily just like those religious channels.Brainwashing and incitement are 24/7 in Egyptian TV channels with news that are mostly rumors , just as we used to see in the religious TV channels. Truth is enough I swear.
You can read comments calling for the exclusion of the Islamists in Facebook and Twitter and you will feel there is no hope. It is not a big secret that there is another group of people believes that reconciliation is only with the Mubarak regime remnants where as the Islamists got no place in Egypt except jail.
Sadly enough those people do not realize that oppression against Islamists in the past 80 years was the main reason.
Of course on the other side the Islamsits have to rethink and learn from their deadly sins in the past 2 years and to stop thinking in the "Us in heaven Vs. you in hell". They have to understand that this is diverse nation and its diversity is a strength point and not weakness. They have to give up their hate speech and their preachers stop to brainwash their followers. If they do care for democracy "as they are claiming now" and reject the so-called military rule then they have to stop the threats language and to engage once again in the political process. They have to stop attacking the people by calling them the slaves of military. They have to stop attacking the Church and Christians. They have to understand that Morsi is no longer the President and he will not come back.
Already the continuing threats language used by MB leading figures and supporters give an opportunity to the Mubarak police state to be requested by popular demand just like the military intervention on 30 June 2013.
What the MB has done and is doing without will affect Political Islamism in Egypt for the upcoming 5 years.Already I do not think they will be able to win any democratic elections in the upcoming 4 years if we have a full and fair accountability for what happened only during ousted President Morsi's time. Accountability and justice are the key for true reconciliation.
If you start to oppress the Islamists in the past and exclude them from the scene , ten years if not 5 years they will return back more radical especially if democracy fails and we return back again to dictatorship.
All what I am asking my fellow Egyptians is to start to think away from all the distractions , emotions and media lies about the future for real. All what I am asking now from the authorities to apply law and justice equally on all Egyptians without bias , without lies or retouches. I want true accountability with a true reconciliation process.
In order to avoid the fate of both Algeria and Egypt in 1990s for real , to have better a new future there should be a true a reconciliation based on justice for all. You can not speak about exclusion and then speak about complete national reconciliation , you would be fooling yourself.
Also I have got to tell my dear Egyptian friends that after decades of civil war in Lebanon , they had to sit down together and even the enemies of yesterday have become the friends despite the blood rivers they dug for each other.
To make things clearer for you and to draw a better image for what is happening in Egypt, I would you like you to read this amazing op-ed by Sarah Carr "on Sheep and infidels"


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Have you guys done any christmas crafting this year? I did my first today Here is how it turned out
Have you guys done any christmas crafting this year? I did my first today Here is how it turned out
Love the snowflake.
I am mostly crafting for Christmas gifts. I've got a few Twilight tee shirts to make, some Harry Potter potion ornaments to do, some jewelry to make, and some scarves to knit. Hadn't thought about taking photos of them. The only thing I did finish was this painting for a friend of mine.
OMG That painting is amazing...
im making book marks for my DBT group. i won a $25 amazon card and ordered a laminater today, it will be here on tuesday. i have group wed. so im gonna get the book marks done and then laminate tues. jessica i love love love the snowflake! how did you make it? and that painting???? well, can i be your friend too?? LOL
Wow you guys- such creativity!
I got something they call wirestars to begin with. And i just use the beads i had at home and created it Here's a picture where in the ends of it you can spot some empty wirestars
(picture is from google)
Awww, thanks guys.
Oh, my Shelly you are going to be very very busy Tuesday making bookmarks.
Those wirestars are pretty awesome Jessica. Its funny I see stars with the gold ones, but the blue and the white still look like snowflakes to me
Looks fun everyone! Not a lot of crafting supplies are available here, but I did just finish knitting a scarf.
I admit: I´m starting to get mad at myself for not having started it yet. And, as my husband will go to see her grandmother next Saturday (as it´s also her birthday), I must have some crafts done till then.... No idea on how will I manage it, however!
@Jessica: I haven´t seem snowflakes like that before, it´s an excellent idea!
@Tiffany: I wanna be your friend too! What a great dragon
Hey Jessica,we do share the same interests...I really love beading too..
Here's a website where I get most of my beading supplies:http://www.beadaholique.com/
Hope it's useful:)
love your snowflakes. love'em.
I've been working with my Polymer Clay, making faux ivory earrings. Here is a sample of my dragonfly earrings. They are meant to look old and distressed.
Love those earrings! So beautiful!
so pretty!
Loving your projects, ladies!!!
Love all these crafts!! Here is one my grandson did this year for Christmas. You take a pretty glass jar or vase and put cut up yew branches and add a few cranberries. Fill with water and add a floating candle. Some of the cranberries will get stuck in the branches and the others will float. It was just so beautiful and festive plus it is easy and cheap to make!
I didn't do any crafts. XD
@Jessica: Wow! Those snowflakes are soo cool. I've never seen anything like them before either.
@Tiffany: Whoa! O.O that's some amazing painting skills.
Those snowflakes are amazing! I was wanting to make something like that once and couldn't figure out how! lol
I usually always make something for Christmas but sadly didn't have the time this year. So all I did was print everyone's pictures I had snapped throughout the year and put them on the packages in place of the tags. They of course all loved them!
Jessica, I like your wirestars.
I was inspired to make wirestars as you make it to be my Christmas tree ornaments.
great idea!
+1 from me Jessica. Looks gorgeous and I wouldn't have guessed that it was easy to do, it looks very complicated!
Love it! How many did you make?
I didn't do any this year just before Christmas, but I did make this ornament earlier in the year.
oh, so beautiful!
Oh Cherry that ornament is beautiful, i want like 10
@Susan i made 4
this T-Shirt is really beautiful! I´d like to have one like that. Well, the jewlery is cute too, but the T-shirt caught my eye!
i love this. i got an ornament kinda like that one year ( my hubby gets me an ornament every year) my theme for next year is going to be snowflakes.. and i wanna make some of these. did you have a kit? or did you find instructions online? oops i hit reply under this and thought it might show the actual comment.. this is for jessica flor!
I'm guessing Jessica Flor is me (Fors) and to answer your question i didn't You'll need some beads, any beads you like and whirestars And tools ofc just some nippers (i think it's called) one to cut with and another to bend with (typical jewelry tools)
@ Sunny Faith Rush - I can't believe those are just clay!! They're beautiful!
I'm seriously impressed with everyone's creations, what talent we have here. Now that Christmas is over and all my Christmas crafts are done, I'm playing catch up/clean up of other projects I have sitting around. We had a church group craft day a couple months ago and I still have pumpkins to make, a snowman (hey, I can still use that one ), and a family sign. I also bought some material to attempt making myself a skirt, oh and the sea shell ornaments I intended to make for all my kids from our vacation this fall. I'd much rather be doing any of those things or scrapbooking, but sadly my family insists on eating and I have to make a grocery/errand run and make bread today.
I make my Christmas decorations before starting back to work in the New Year when there is more time. Last year I made a (very basic) quilt for my bed and this year I am going to make some cushion covers with some cute santa dog material I got.
Those are AMAZING! Well done!


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Sports Briefs
Talihina High School athlete Aubrey Mullins was named one of 30 Fellowship of Christian Athletes All-Staters and will represent the school at the FCA Banquet at 7 p.m. Monday night in Oklahoma City.Mullins plays both basketball and softball for the Lady Golden Tigers.— — —Girls are needed to play for an age 12-and-younger softball team in the Green Country Softball League. Games will take place at the Poteau Area Recreational Complex.The team will practice in Cameron.For additional information or to register, call Mike House at (918) 658-5510.— — —The Poteau Lady Pirates softball program will have an age 6-7 coach-pitch league beginning in May and end its season in June.Players must have been age 7 by Jan. 1, 2012, or must turn age 6 by Jan. 1, 2013.The entry fee is $150 per team, and the league is open to six teams.For additional information, call Kathy Nye at (918) 649-4326 or email to email@example.com.— — —The Poteau Kiwanis Spring Scramble Golf Tournament will begin at 9 a.m. April 28 at Choctaw Country Club.The tournament will benefit Boys and Girls Club of LeFlore County and LeFlore County Youth Services.Entry fee is $50 per person, if paid before the tournament date, $60 the date of the tournament or $200 per team.Tournament hole sponsorships are available for $100. Businesses or individuals can sponsor a team and hole for $250.For more information, call Lyle Whitworth at (918) 413-2929, Ryan Adams at (918) 649-7846, Craig Hall at (918) 649-4712 or Choctaw Country Club at (918) 647-3488.— — —The first annual Masonic Tournament will take place April 20-21 at the Poteau Area Recreational Complex.There will be a T-ball tournament and an age-8-and-younger softball tournament.The entry is $75 per team with a three-game guarantee.The championship team in the age 8-and-younger softball tournament will receive team bat bags. For additional information, call Mike Womack at (479) 806-2438 or Shannon Stubbs at (918) 647-6069.— — —The 16th Annual Big Mac Three-Course Challenge will be May 4-6 at three different courses, beginning with Wolf Ridge Golf Course on May 4. Day 2's action will be at McAlester Country Club on May 5 and Arrowhead Resort Golf Course on May 6.Entry fee for the event is $375 per two-man team, which includes three days of green fees, mulligans and a dinner on May 5 at McAlester Country Club.The winning team will earn $1,000, with $800 to the runner-up team and $600 for third place.Each par-3 holes will pay off $100 each for the closest to the hole winner, while there will be a longest drive winner each day who will earn $100 for the honor. For additional information, call (918) 647-2582.— — —The Brittany Cox Memorial Golf Tournament will begin at 7 a.m. May 5 at Wolf Ridge Golf Course. The tournament will conclude when darkness falls. Lunch will be provided.The entry fee for the two-man scramble is $135 per team. Hole sponsorships are available at $100 per hole.Deadline to purchase a hole sponsorship will be Sunday. All proceeds will benefit Poteau High School.For additional information, call Brenda Sanders at (918) 649-4039 or Cody Cox at (918) 649-7980.— — —The third annual Village 2 Village Golf Tournament will begin with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. June 23 at Wolf Ridge Golf Course.Entry fee for the four-man scramble is $280 per team. After June 16, the entry fee will increase to $320. Entry fee includes green fees, cart and a barbecue lunch.Mulligans will be available at $5 each with a limit of one per nine holes.There will be a putting contest, with the entry fee being $5 per putt or $10 for three putts.The first hole-in-one winner will win a car. For additional information, call (479) 785-3575 or go online to www.v2vClassic.com.— — —The 10th annual Carl Albert State College Scholarship Golf Scramble will begin at 10 a.m. May 12 at Shadow Creek Country Club in Sallisaw.Registration will begin at 9 a.m. May 12.Entry fee for the four-person scramble is $50 per person or $200 per team.The winning team will win $600, with the second-place team getting $450 and a wild-card drawing will take place with the lucky team earning $300.There will be prizes awarded for the longest drive, closest to the hole and holes-in one. For additional information or to pre-register, call Paul Marshall at (918) 776-9242.— — —The Boys and Girls Club of McAlester will put on a competitive baseball and softball league.It is believed sports encourages a healthy lifestyle in our youth, which is a rising concern to many.Sports also promotes high self esteem in children that will benefit them in many aspects. For additional information, call the Boys and Girls Club of McAlester Athletic Department at (918) 426-5144.— — —The Satchel Paige All-Stars Travel Baseball Team is looking for youth baseball players ages 13-14, 15-16 and 17-18 years old that would like to be a part of our 2012 Summer Travel Baseball Team that will include trips to Cincinnati, Omaha, Neb., Springfield, Mo., Orlando, Fla., and Puerto Rico. All interested players should contact Coach Mike Mayden for registration information at (773) 744-1040 or email to www.whsn.org.


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Next Episode of Walker, Texas Ranger is
not planed. TV Show was canceled.
Texas Ranger Cordell Walker, one of the last old-fashioned heroes in the West, is a protective friend but a relentless foe who will stop at nothing to bring a criminal to justice.
Judson Mills(Ranger Francis Gage)
Nia Peeples(Ranger Sydney Cooke)
Floyd "Red Crow" Westerman(Ray Firewalker)
Chuck Norris(Ranger Cordell Walker)
Clarence Gilyard, Jr.(Ranger James 'Jimmy' Trivette)
Sheree J. Wilson(A.D.A. Alexandra 'Alex' Cahill-Walker)
Noble Willingham(C.D. Parker)
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But don't worry - it can happen to the best of us,
- and it just happened to you.
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Gembama needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 417 designs submitted by 116 freelance designers.
We are looking for a fresh new logo that is classy, fun, creative and easily recognizable.
Thank You for looking!
Lee Ann's Fine Jewelry
I am needing a logo that will help take us to the next level of business. My mom and dad started our store 13 years ago, and I plan on taking it over in the next few years. Our logo is a lions head with a body that my uncle drew and our name out to the side. http://www.leeanns.com can be see here. I need a logo that we can use inside our ring boxes, on our website, business cards, billboards, etc....
We are a fun jewelry store, but classy. Everyone is always telling us how much they love coming in to see us, and I want a logo that could portray that to the public, that we are not a stuffy, cold jewelry store.
We use the lion in our present logo, because our tag is "The Pride of Quality". I am not stuck on keeping the lion, but if it could be incorporated somehow that looked good, I would like that.
I will eliminate designs in order to reduce clutter. Don't be offended, it just makes things more effiecient for me to go through the designs and give as much feedback as possible.
- I would like to see some logo's with a lion in it, maybe as a shadow behind our name.
- Our colors now are burgandy and gold, but willing to look at fresh new colors.
- Must be in vector format and must work in black and white color.
- Just be creative and think outside the box. Have fun with it!
- I want a complete looking logo, something that is put together and polished.
- Please do not just put our name with a lion next to it!
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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One of the more intriguing stories coming out of last week's CES 2013 was the news that Voxx Accessories and Roku were teaming up on a hybrid digital antenna/Roku stick, that would release in Q4 of 2013.
Until very recently, alternatives to subscription-based broadcast cable had been relegated to the fringes of technology and few – if any – established entities were exploring that avenue in earnest. But by now the floodgates have opened, and instead of the steady drip we're accustomed to, we're likely to see a deluge of new ways to take in television.
This newest variant is interesting in that, Roku's streaming stick was already positioned as a threat to cable service providers. Now that it's been married with the ability to pull in additional content via antenna, it looks like something of a game-changer.
The new service would give users access to broader services like Netflix and Amazon Instant, specialized services like MLB.TV and HBO GO, and available over-the-air broadcast TV. Given all that content, you can essentially put together your own package, one that, depending on the services you choose to purchase, could cost significantly less than a bundled cable subscription.
At this point, roots have been ripped out and television's future is up in the air. No one quite knows what the climate will look like when this device drops late this year, but one thing is clear: without undergoing a major face-lift, subscription-based cable won't dominate the next quarter-century the way it dominated the last.


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To all those guys out there who can manage autofellatio, and some who can't, I have three words for you: yoga, yoga, and yoga. I personally have always had the length and some of the flexibility required for autofellatio, although for some days afterward I'd always end up with a sore neck. Just recently I started doing yoga exercises, and most of my problems have disappeared. Not only do I lose the sore neck, but I can also go farther (helpful for those who can't quite reach), even ending up about a half-inch onto the shaft or so!
Do you find yourself masturbating more often during some seasons than others? Why?
Answer this question | Suggest a question
Answer this question | Suggest a question
Yoga For Flexibility


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On August 22 I observed the Sun for an hour from 14.15 UT till 15.15 UT. For visual observing I used the 4 inch TAL refractor with a full aperture ND 5 Solar Screen, the Fringe Killer and the Contrast Booster. Before shooting the images I added
the IR/UV cut filter. At 32x the suns granulation is at its best. It can be seen all across the surface of the sun. As you can see on the image below, there are 5 major groups of sunspots visible. In 661, the biggest sunspot visible, a lightbridge is clearly visible.
The image below was shot using the TAL 100RS, Baader ND 5 full aperture solar screen, the Baader Fringe Killer, IR/UV filter and Contrast Booster, and a 25mm Vixen Lanthanum eyepiece. The image is stacked out of 30 images that where shot with the Nikon Coolpix 4500 and the following settings: image quality fine, shooting mode S, focus mode Auto, shutter speed 1/500, aperture f 2.7, ISO 100, optical zoom 1, Metering matrix.
The 30 images where stacked, using Keith's image stacker with the following settings: align 3, sort by difference, unsharp masking with radius 5 / intensity 10.4 and cut-off 0, adjust histogram levels red 0-8593, green 0-8121, blue 0-8256.
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On the night of September 3rd I revisited some double stars in Lyra with the TAL 200K. I started about 22.00 hours UT With the famous Double Double, Epsilon 1 and Epsilon 2 Lyrae. With the 32mm plossl (62x) Epsilon 1 and 2 where clearly split as a double star, but
both components showed no hint of being doubles themselves. At 80x (25mm) they started to look like they both where doubles. At 133x they where both clearly split and at 200x they looked like two close couples of stars, aligned perpendicular to each other (see image below. North is up and west is to the left. At the top you see Eta Lyra 1 with the A (the brighter lower one of the two) and the B component. At the bottom of the image you see Eta Lyra 2 with the C (the brighter one to the left) component and the D component.
Image from Skytools2 by Capellasoft
The AB pair is separated by 2.6", the A component has a (visual magnitude) vM 5.4, the B component is of vM 6.5. The position angle is 357 degrees. The CD pair is separated by 2.3", the C component has a vM of 5.1, the D component 5.3. The position angle is 94 degrees. All four stars seem to have the same colour, white. They are all spectral types A.
Vega (Alpha Lyrae)
This beautiful white-bluish star is the fifth brightest star in the sky, and the third brightest to be seen in our mid-northern latitudes. The five brightest stars are:
1. Sirius -1.46
2. Canopus - 0,72
3. Rigel Kent - 0.27
4. Arcturus - 0.04
5. Vega 0.03
Vega is a multiple star system (3) but I could not detect one of the two faint companions.
Zeta Lyrae
Zeta Lyrae forms a triangle with Vega and the Double-Double. It is a beautiful double star with two bright yellow-white components (vM 4.3 and 5.9), separated by 44". A great couple for any telescope or big binocular. According to James Kaler the A component is a hydrogen-fusing dwarf and it's companion, the D component, is a class F "subgiant".
Delta Lyrae
The next stop is Delta Lyrae and the open cluster Stephenson 1. Delta Lyrae is a very wide pair, which is already split in the finder scope. The magnitude 4.5 Delta Lyrae 2 is separated about 10' from the 5.6 Delta Lyrae 1. Delta Lyrae 2 looks orange while Delta Lyrae 1 has a white-bluish colour. Between and around these two stars I can detect a group of 10 stars that probably belong to the open cluster Stephenson 1.
Beta Lyrae
I end my short trip along some doubles in Lyrae with Beta Lyrae. This again is a stunning pair with a bright 3.4 A component and a 8.9 B component as its companion at a position angle of 149 degrees. This close couple is only separated by 46". Lyrae has some really great doubles for telescopes and binoculars. Earlier this year I observed almost the same stars with the 15 x 80 binoculars, but these beautiful doubles are great for all instruments! The light polluted sky does not affect these beauties too much.
On August the 21st I observed some deepsky objects with the 15x80 Vixen and the Sky Window. The objects I observed where Mu Cephei, M 52, NGC 7789, NGC 457, Stock 2 and The double cluster in Perseus.
Mu Cephei
I started with Mu Cephei, Herschel's Garnet Star. After searching for half an hour I finally found it, using a printed star chart from TheSky. As you can see on the image below, Mu Cephei lies
in an arc of 6 stars. Once you know to locate this group, it is very easy to identify the Garnet star.
Mu Cephei in an arc of stars. Map generated with SkyTools2 by Capellasoft
This is the very first time I see the Garnet Star through my big binoculars and it looks really impressive, with its bright deep orange glow.
Next on the list was M 52. To find M 52, I started at Alpha Cassiopeiae. From there I went in a straight line to Beta Cassiopeiae, and extended the line with the same distance Alpha-Beta. With direct vision there is not much to see, just a hint of a small patch of light. With averted vision, M 52 turns into a hazy path of light, with a triangular form, very easy to see with the 15 x 80. There are 1 or two stars visible. The rest of the cluster just looks like a small nebula.
M 52 has a magnitude of 6.9 and its diameter is 12' Another bright cluster in Cassiopeia, NGC 7789 has a magnitude 6.7 but it's diameter is a bit arbitrary when you read different publications and sources about this beautiful cluster. Most publications state that its diameter is 16'. If you compare both magnitudes and sizes of these two clusters, they should look almost the same through the 15x80 big binoculars, but they don't! NGC 7789 looks not only a bit brighter, but much larger than M 52. After looking through some recently bought books, I noticed that according to Archinal and Hynes (Starclusters) and Crossen and Rhemann (Sky Vistas) the diameter of NGC 7789 is 25'. I think this is much closer to what you really see, than the 16' I find in most sources on the Internet. I go for 25'.
You can find NG 7789 by starting at Beta Cassiopeiae. From there you move your binoculars into south-south-western direction for about 3.5 degrees where you will spot the bright cluster immediately. Through the 15x80 I could not resolve NGC 7789. It remained a bright hazy patch of light, though sometimes you (think?) you see a hint of granulation. NGC 7789 is made up of hundreds of stars, but no stars shines brighter than mag 10.7. Under light polluted skies my 15 x 80 never showed any stars dimmer than mag. 9.5 to 10. Anyway, it's one of my favourites!
NGC 457 (Caldwell 13)
An even more impressive cluster for big binoculars is NGC 457. This cluster lies 2 degrees to the south-southeast of Delta Cassiopeiae. The cluster looks like a "stick man" (or as ET according to other observers). When you look at NGC 457 through the 15 x 80's, you immediately see the two "bright eyes", as well as the main "bar" of a body, the arms and feet. The cluster's diameter is about 20' (Archinal and Hynes). It's visual magnitude about 6.4, a great sight through both binoculars as well as through a telescope.
Stock 2
From NGC 457 it's only a short "trip" to Stock 2, a big open cluster, 1 degree in diameter, that lies between Epsilon Cassiopeiae and the famous Double Cluster in Perseus. Stock 2 looks even more like a "stick man" than NGC 457. The body, arms and legs are very easy to see. In the 15 x 80 you can even see some kind of oval head. You can see about 50 to 70 stars in big binoculars. Stock 2, NGC 457 and NGC 7789 are definitely my favourite clusters in Cassiopeia!
The Double Cluster in Perseus (Caldwell 14)
From Stock 2 it's again a short hop to the famous Double Cluster in Perseus, NGC 884 and NGC 869. There are no words to describe the beauty of these two clusters through big binoculars or a rich field telescope. This is the first, or one of the first objects I saw through a telescope, almost 30 years ago, and it still is one of my favourites, which I visit on every possible occasion. Both clusters are about 30' in diameter (as large as a full Moon), and they are separated only by 0.5 degrees. Both clusters are already well resolved, and to me they look like two boxes of jewels in the night sky. As I said earlier, I cannot find the words to describe the beauty of these two great open clusters, so go out and take a look for yourself. It will become one of your favourites too!
With the Double Cluster I ended my observing session for tonight. I used the 15 x 80 and the Sky Window for all my observing tonight. I located the objects with the help of the SkyAtlas 2000 and a printed map of the Mu Cephei area.« Collapse
A few weeks ago I got my digital setting circles for the EQ 6 mount, the Argo Navis DTC (Digital Telescope Computer), manufactured by Wildcard Innovations in Australia. The Argo Navis DTC has 29.000 objects in its
database. Some of its catalogues are: the complete NGC and Messier, non stellar selections from the IC, bright stars (a selection of stars to magnitude 6.5 with historical names, Bayer and / or Flamsteed identifiers), miscellaneous variable stars, miscellaneous double stars, the planets of our solar system, and miscellaneous selections from many other deepsky catalogues.
Setup of the Argo Navis
I ordered the Argo Navis and a set of encoders (8192 steps) for the EQ 6 from JMI. The package arrived in good order, and the installation of the encoders took me about 15 minutes. The only piece of equipment I used was a screwdriver (on the images below you see the RA and DEC encoders mounted on the EQ6). After the installation of the encoders I installed 4 AA 1.5V batteries to provide the internal power for the computer (you can order an external DC power cable to connect the Argo Navis to an external power source, like a 12V car battery). Finally, I connected the computer to the encoders using the encoder cables. I was ready to do the initial setup.
RA encoder
DEC encoder
After going through the initial setup (which you only have to do once and takes about half an hour) I started the alignment procedure. This procedure has to bee done every time you setup your telescope. The alignment procedure is very simple for the EQ6. Get the scope polar-aligned as exactly as possible. Then align the telescope on a star that you select from the alignment star list in the Argo Navis, and you are ready to go.
First run of the Argo Navis
After doing the alignment I gave the Argo Navis a first try. To locate a certain object I first had to select it from the database. After confirming the selection, the LCD display showed two coordinates. I then simply moved the telescope along both the RA and DEC axis until both coordinates were zero. If I had aligned the telescope properly, the object should be in the field of view.
The first "run" was very satisfying. From the 9 objects I selected, only 2 where a just outside my 46' field of view. I presume that with a more accurate polar-alignment the results will be even better.
First overall impression of the Argo Navis
The JMI set of encoders and cables were very easy to install. The 178-page manual (which you will find on a CD that comes with the Argo Navis) guides you through the initial setup and the alignment procedure. The database of 29000 objects (bright stars, double stars, variables and many thousands of deep sky objects) is really impressive. You can even add more than a thousand user objects, using the software and serial cable that comes with the Argo Navis DTC. The computer provides a wealth of details for every object within the database, for example M31:
M31, also known as NGC 224, Galaxy in Andromeda,
size=3.18 degrees x 1.03 degrees, mag=3.3, SB = 14.5
morph=SA(s)b, Andromeda Galaxy M31, very bright,
RA= 00:43:00, DEC = +41deg 17'35" above horizon,
The last data "SA=4" means that you find M31 in the SkyAtlas 2000 on map 4. You can change this into the Millennium Star Atlas or the Uranometria edition 1 chart numbers.
As you can see on the image below, the controls of the Argo Navis are very "basic".
After you have switched the computer on you only have to operate two push buttons (exit and enter) and a big dial that lets you scroll through all the menus and catalogues. This is very convenient in the dark. The Argo Navis has an LCD-heater on board that enables you to use it in temperatures as low as -10 degrees Celsius (14 Fahrenheit). The LCD display size is 32 digits, 2 lines. You can set the scroll rate of the text and the brightness and contrast of the LCD display to your own likings.
Until now, I am very impressed by this small computer, but I will have to test it some more. I will keep you updated about future results.
The Argo Navis on its mounting plate, attached to the EQ6
During the last few days I have been observing sunspot 656. I also shot some images. While processing the images I noticed that I really miss a good observing form for the sun as well as a registration form for the image data (how where the images shot and processed). Yesterday I created the some forms to log all the relevant data of the images I shoot. This should help me to get a better evaluation of the images. Anyway, here are a few nice shots I took. The first image, a close up of sunspot 656, was shot on Wednesday the 11th of August; the second was shot on Sunday the 15th of August. On the second shot you see sunspot 656 near the limb of the Sun.
The images where shot using the 4 inch TAL 100RS refractor. On Sunday I compared the views of the 4 inch refractor with the 8 inch Klevtzov Cassegrain. The images through the 4-inch where definitely sharper and had more contrast. A small sunspot, nr 657, was invisible with the 8-inch, while the 4-inch clearly showed this small dark spot. The 8-inch had much more trouble with the bad seeing conditions.
Last Saturday I spend the night with some fellow backyard-astronomers, observing a 15-day-old Moon. When the Moon is full (or almost full) you can observe the white crater rays very good. On the first of the images below you see the bright
crater ray systems around Copernicus and Kepler. Together with the Tycho ray system, these are my favourites.
During full Moon it is also possible to observe the different patches of Mare lavas. On the second image you see Mare Serenetatis. The centre of Mare Serenetatis consists of brighter Mare lava, surrounded by patches of darker material. Especially at the southern edge, where Mare Serenetatis and Mare Tranquillitatis meet, you can see the differences in the two types of Mare
The third image is an overview image of the Moon as it was last Saturday (1st august 2004) around 11.00 UT.
All images where shot with the Nikon Coolpix 4500 and a 4-inch refractor (TAL 100RS). I used the Baader fringe-killer and the Baader UV/IR blocker. The third image was shot with a Vixen Lanthanum 25mm eyepiece (no zoom). The other two images where shot with a 20mm Vixen Lanthanum and 4x (Tycho) and 2x (Mare Serenetatis) optical zoom. All images are stacked out of 10 or more original images using Keiths image stacker. They where also processed with the same software. (Unsharp Masking, Denoise, Level/Histogram adjustment).
In time, I will publish a detailed observing report, in the Solar System section of my website. I will also add all the data about the images in the more report. I will keep you updated!
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Last week I tested a few Baader filters with the 4-inch TAL refractor mounted on the EQ6. I only used the Baader Solar Filter (ND=5). I started with a 32 mm plossl. This eyepiece gives a magnification of 31x. The sun's granulation was very easy to detect. The big group of sunspots (652) was near the western limb of the Sun. There where some
big fields of faculae around this group. To the south of 652 was another group of faculae visible. I tried other magnifications, but the best view visual was with the 32mm Televue plossl. There was great detail in the sunspots and faculae.
In the 4-inch TAL refractor, the image of the Sun is small, with some sky left around it. This telescope gives a more "stable" view of the Sun, compared to the 8-inch Klevtzov. The 4-inch is my favourite for observing the Sun. The fringe Killer softened the colour fringe around the Sun, but the colour fringe did not completely disappear.
With the Baader Continuum filter the views are even better. The sunspots, faculae and granulation ore shown some more contrast. The green image is very pleasing to the eyes. I prefer this to the white light image.
Later I shot some images of the sun, but the 32mm is not very useful. I did not get any satisfying results with this eyepiece. With the 25mm Vixen Lanthanum, the results immediately improved. I got the best overall pictures in white light with the following settings: f 4.7, ISO 100, 1/2000s, spot metering. With the Baader Continuum filter in place I used the following setting: f 4.2, ISO 100, 1/60s, spot metering.
On the digital images I noticed a difference with the visual observing I made. On the photographs, the details are better in white light, while observing visually the details are better when using the Continuum filter. The next time I will shoot the white light images using the ND=5 solar filter and the "green light" (Continuum filter) will be used to shoot images using the ND=3.8 solar filter.
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On Friday night around 23:30 UT I shot some images of the Moon from my backyard. The 14-day-old Moon stood low above the southern horizon, and looked deep orange.
The colour image was shot with the Nikon Coolpix 4500 and the TAL 100RS (4-inch refractor) using a 20mm Vixen Lanthanum eyepiece.
After processing the image the contrast between the dark mare and brighter highlands become clearly visible. In the Mare itself you can see darker and lighter patches of Mare material. The Tycho and Copernicus lunar rays are also clearly visible on the processed image.
The image was stacked and processed using Keith's Image Stacker. I stacked 19 original images (1600x1200, 1/15s, f3.3, ISO 100, spot metering) into 1 new image. The image was processed using unsharp masking and some adjustment of levels/histogram.


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Attractive Equities
At the same time, the S&P 500 has more than doubled from its 12-year low in 2009, helped by the Federal Reserve's unprecedented bond purchases, record-low interest rates and three straight years of profit growth.
"The equity trade is looking attractive because the fundamentals in the U.S. economy continue to improve," John Stephenson, a senior vice president and portfolio manager who helps oversee C$2.8 billion ($2.74 billion) at First Asset Investment Management Inc. in Toronto, said in a telephone interview. "It's been a great 12-year run, but there's increasingly less reason to be in gold."
Gold, which typically doesn't pay interest or generate profits on its own, has traditionally become more popular when investors are concerned that values of other assets will be eroded by inflation.
"If you think about the intrinsic value of gold, there's not a lot," Guy Debelle, assistant governor at Australia's central bank, which owns 79.9 tons, said at a business lunch in Canberra on April 16. "Gold often has a high price because people believe that other people believe that it's worth a lot. When you describe other markets like that, the word 'bubble' gets thrown about."
Individual investors added $19.5 billion this year to mutual funds holding U.S. equities, after removing $400 billion in the previous four years, according to the Washington-based Investment Company Institute.
"Since the opportunity cost to hold gold was very high, people moved to the more remunerative assets like equities and cash," said Walter "Bucky" Hellwig, who helps manage $17 billion of assets at BB&T Wealth Management in Birmingham, Alabama.
Remaining Bullish
Some investors remain bullish.
Billionaire John Paulson, 57, is sticking with his bet on higher prices. He started 2013 with about $9.5 billion invested across his hedge funds, of which about 85% is invested in gold share classes. This year's slump through April 15 erased $1.5 billion of his personal wealth, on paper. Paulson is sticking to the thesis that the metal is the best hedge against inflation and currency debasement as countries pump money into their economies, according to the New York-based firm that manages about $18 billion.
"The outlook for gold for us is really positive in the long term," Catherine Raw, a fund manager in London at BlackRock Inc., which oversees about $3.8 trillion globally, said in an interview yesterday on Bloomberg Television with Francine Lacqua. "The probability of inflation over the next five years is higher, not lower, than it was last year. Other things, such as cash losing money, the Cyprus event, savings being targeted, means people are looking for alternatives."
Copyright 2014 Bloomberg. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


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Start your meal right with our selection of delectable starters.
Crisp, yet soft with a thin crunchy shell that collapses with minimal pressure.
Made fresh from the kitchen.
Sweet things to end a sweet meal.
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Located in Bandar Sri Permaisuri, we are a quaint little Italian pizza & pasta restaurant dedicated to serving good food with heart.
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