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The Google Philosophy - When Founded
Apart from some often repeated corporate cliches, the main philosophies that used to make Google a non-corporate organisation are given as:
You Can Make Money Without Doing Evil
The very hyped statement by the founders, that made Google look so good, and Microsoft well, not so good, has been Google's key work philosophy. Google capatalized on Microsoft's negative corporate image in the end user mindset by this statement and acting accordingly, at least for a couple of years.
You Can Be Serious Without a Suit.
The statement which reflects Google work culture. Flexlible working hours, pets allowed in the workplace, twenty percent of working time for a project of your own are the few of many attractions one gets while working for Google. This made Google the best place to work for.
No Pop Up Ads
The plain and simple interface with just the text relevant ads, without any pop-ups or graphics-intensive ads, won the hearts of users throughout the world.
Actually Google put so much focus on publicising as being 'good', that it became a synonym of goodness.
Google Criticism and Controversies
Google's every action at every point in time has been highly critiqued. Here are a few controversies that occured in the recent past.
Google Book Search
Google book search is Google's very ambitious project to digitize all the information available in text with the help of five university libraries. There has been a lot of chaos from very start over this issue, as people feared the potential infringement of copyright issues by Google.
Other Copyright Issues
A number of organizations have used the Digital Millennium Copyright Act [.pdf] to demand that Google remove references to allegedly copyrighted material on other sites. Google typically handles this by removing the link as requested and including a link to the complaint in the search results.
There have also been complaints that Google's Web cache feature violates copyright. However, Google provides mechanisms for requesting that caching be disabled. Google also honors the robots.txt file, which is another mechanism that allows operators of a website to request that part or all of their site not be included in search engine results. The U.S. District Court of Nevada ruled that Google's caches do not constitute copyright infringement under American law in Field vs. Google [.pdf] and Parker vs. Google [.pdf].
Agence France Presse and Other Disputes
In March 2005, Agence France-Presse (AFP) sued Google for USD 17.5 million, alleging that Google News infringed on its copyright because, "Google includes AFP's photos, stories and news headlines on Google News without permission from Agence France-Presse". It was also alleged that Google ignored a cease and desist order, though Google counters that it has opt-out procedures which AFP could have followed but did not.
According to the Canada Free Press, "Google Inc. is now attempting to remove all postings of Agence France-Presse material from its site, although AFP spokesmen say that even if this is done, the lawsuit will continue. It seems that the basis of the lawsuit is just the abstract notion of copyright without any real damages to justify the action." The article concluded, "It would be a sad day for those who look to the Internet for news if AFP is successful in limiting what Google can display. AFP's lawsuit, if successful, is bound to have a major impact on how news is delivered on the Internet."
On February 21, 2006, in a similar lawsuit involving adult online site Perfect 10 [sexually explicit, see disclaimer], a U.S. District Court Judge ruled that Google's image search function had violated the law by copying, without permission, photographs created by Perfect 10.
Google China Dispute
Controversy has occurred over Google's decision to adhere to the Internet censorship policy in mainland China, colloquially known as "The Great Firewall of China". Google.cn search results are filtered so as not to bring up any results concerning the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, sites supporting the independence movements of Tibet and Taiwan or the Falun Gong movement, and other information perceived to be harmful to the People's Republic of China. This is interpreted by some activists as against the "Don't Be Evil" corporate philosophy of Google.
Google News Controversy
In early 2006 Google removed several news sites from its news search engine because complaints were received about various articles that were critical of Islam. These included The New Media Journal. Other sites removed included MichNews and The Jawa Report.
These sites remain accessible from Google's main search page as normal, but are no longer included in Google News. Google responded by stating that "We do not allow articles and sources expressly promoting hate speech viewpoints in Google News, although referencing hate speech for commentary and analysis is acceptable".
Page Rank System
Google's central PageRank system has been criticized. Some call it "undemocratic". Common arguments are that the system is unfairly biased towards large web sites, and that the criteria for a page's importance are not subject to peer review. PageRank is a largely automated system which is impartial in so far as it knows no personal bias. However, Google's system also relies on a certain degree of human oversight, and use of company names on Adwords. Furthermore, the deletion of critical sites from Google results (for example, sites critical of Scientology) is decided by individual human beings according to company policy. It remains unclear whether any process could assert the importance of a page in a way that would draw less criticism than the current PageRank system.The system is also susceptible to manipulation and fraud through the use of dummy sites.
Gmail - No Deletion Policy
Google's Gmail privacy policy points out that your email will be retained even after you close your account: "The contents of your Gmail account also are stored and maintained on Google servers in order to provide the service. Indeed, residual copies of email may remain on our systems, even after you have deleted them from your mailbox or after the termination of your account."
This stired a wave of anxiety among Gmail users, and suggested some potential evil use of the information by Google. However, Google maintained that no individual shall be reading the e-mail and a crawler is used to generate relevant text based ads as per the content of the e-mail.
The YouTube Controversy
Youtube.com, a subsidary of Google Inc. and a major video sharing website, has been the centre of controversies since its inception. Youtube has been banned in more than five countries, mainly due to copyright infringement allegations. On April 16, 2007, Google's CEO Eric E. Schmidt presented a keynote speech at the NAB Convention in Las Vegas. During the Q&A, Schmidt announced that YouTube was close to enacting a content filtering system to remove infringing content from the service. The new system, called "Claim Your Content," will automatically identify copyrighted material so that it can be removed.
Once again Youtube is under controversies, by claiming the user content in their new Terms and Conditions.
"By submitting the User Submissions to YouTube, you hereby grant YouTube a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicenseable and transferable license to use, reproduce, distribute, prepare derivative works of, display, and perform the User Submissions in connection with the YouTube Website and YouTube's (and its successor's) business in any media formats and through any media channels."
DoubleClick Controversy
Google's association with controversial companies, continued with the recently proposed acquisation of DoubleClick. DoubleClick has been accused of gathering user information without their prior knowledge, acknowledgement or agreement. DoubleClick's modus operandi includes setting up a cookie which is set to track the user visits to different websites and record what commercial advertisements they view and select while browsing.
Google-Turning Evil?
Google was established by two stanford Phd's, Sergey Brin and Larry Page with a clear mission in their minds: Help computer users find exactly what they want on the Internet. A plain, simple search engine that was both powerful and intuitive. More sophisticated techies and press came to appreciate Google's computational elegance and algorithmically achieved efficiency. Within months, Google became one of the most popular sites on the Web - and not long after that, "Google" became a verb. Today, Internet users spend about 15 million hours a month on the site. Google.com logs more than 28 million visitors each month, nearly as many as Yahoo! and MSN. Nearly four out of five Internet searches happen on Google or on sites that license its technology.
From the start, Google's informal motto has been "Don't Be Evil" and the company earned cred early on by going toe-to-toe with Microsoft over desktop software and other issues. But make no mistake. Faced with doing the right thing or doing what is in its best interests, Google has almost always chosen expediency. In September, Google handed over the records of some users of its social-networking service, Orkut, to the Brazilian government, which was investigating alleged racist, homophobic, and pornographic content.
So the question is not whether Google will always do the right thing; it hasn't, and it won't. It's whether Google, with its insatiable thirst (Google is not known to delete any data they have ever collected ) for your personal data, has become the greatest threat to privacy ever known, a vast informational honey pot that attracts hackers, crackers, online thieves, and perhaps most worrisome of all, a government intent on finding convenient ways to spy on its own citizenry.
Every search engine gathers information about its users, primarily by sending us cookies or text files that track our online movements. Most cookies expire within a few months or years. Google's, though, don't expire until 2038. Until then, when you use the company's search engine or visit any of the myriad of affiliated sites, it will record what you search for and when, which links you click on, which ads you access. Google's cookies can't identify you by name, but they log your computer's IP address; by way of metaphor, Google doesn't have your driver's license number, but it knows the license plate number of the car you are driving.
And Google knows far more than that. If you are a Gmail user, Google stashes copies of every email you send and receive. If you use any of its other products, Google Maps, Froogle, Google Book Search, Google Earth, Google Scholar, Talk, Images, Video, and News, it will keep track of which directions you seek, which products you shop for, which phrases you research in a book, which satellite photos and news stories you view, and on and on. Served up a la carte, this is probably no big deal. Many websites stow snippets of your data. The problem is that there's nothing to prevent Google from combining all of this information to create detailed dossiers on its customers, something the company admits is possible in principle. Soon Google may even be able to keep track of users in the real world: Its latest move is into free wifi, which will require it to know your whereabouts (i.e., which router you are closest to).
Google insists that it uses individual data only to provide targeted advertising. But history shows that information seldom remains limited to the purpose for which it was collected. Accordingly, some privacy advocates suggest that Google and other search companies should stop hoarding user queries altogether, but we can only hope that Google does not use its collected information for unethical corporate benefits, as their is nothing more dangerous than a gaint with power and will to do the evil.
Disclaimer: "http://www.perfect10.com" may contain sexually explicit material, which may be illegal in some countries and/or offensive to some individuals. The reader is advised to view the source website only if the local law and regulations permit it.About the author:
Mohit has recently completed his bachelors degree from VIT, Vellore. He is passionate about blogging and is widely known as a freelancer. Recently an admission in an high iq society www.highiqsociety.org has made him interested in becoming a mensa.
If you would like to see your thoughts or experiences with technology published, please consider writing an article for OSNews.


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In an increasingly visual world, it's imperative for brands to think outside of the box in order to differentiate themselves from competitors and stay ahead of the curve. Hotels in particular are able to do this in a unique way, since every hotel has some sort of defining quality that sets it apart from others.
Joie de Vivre hotels (JDV), which means "joy of life," strives to create innovative hospitality services and products, and has designed numerous one-of-a-kind boutique hotels, restaurants and spas.
Last summer, they transformed the standard hotel check-in process into a musical experience when they launched "Singing for an Upgrade."
At several Southern California hotels, guests were encouraged to (literally) sing in attempt to receive an upgrade on their reservation. Not only that, all entrants were put up for a vote, American-Idol style, against other "competitors." JDV awarded daily prizes for the first guest to sing a specific song each day, while performances were also captured on video then uploaded to YouTube and Facebook
Even if an upgrade had already been redeemed for a specific day, guests were still eligible to enter the video contest for a chance to win the grand prize. Over 60 people entered, and once the videos were posted online, people voted for favorites and the selected winner received a two-night stay.
Southern California hotels participating included Shorebreak Hotel in Huntington Beach and Pacific Edge Hotel in Laguna Beach who were among participating Orange County properties, while Los Angeles properties Hotel Angeleno in Brentwood and Hotel Erwin in Venice also partook. Each hotel provided a variety of songs from which guests could choose, and the singers were allowed to read lyrics as they performed.
This boded well for the brand's social media presence as humanized the brand and depicted its light-hearted vibe, as well as solid guest interaction (both online and off) and pure entertainment. It helped deflate the "stiffness" that some major brands display.
It proved to be a far more successful hotel marketing campaign than they had originally thought.
This past June, Travel + Leisure debuted the Social Media in Travel + Tourism Awards (SMITTYS). Eligible entrants included hotels, resorts, cruise lines, airlines, travel boards/CVBs, attractions, tour operators and car rental agencies.
The judges sifted through hundreds of submissions across three categories: Best Use of a Social Media Platform, Best Single Social Media Promotion, and Best Social Media Promotion of Travel Deals. The initiation of these awards by an established travel publication really emphasizes that social media in the hospitality industry is here to stay and be taken seriously.
Major brands including Ritz Carlton, Hilton and Disney accepted honors, while JDV's "Singing for an Upgrade" took the top prize for Best Single Social Media Promotion.
Congratulations to Joie De Vivre hotels on a job well done! What are some other authentic ways hotels can use video as part of their hotel marketing efforts?

subset: commoncrawl


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For Animation Studio, a Hit or Turkey?
As Hollywood Flocks to Cartoons, the Latest Entry Is Reel FX With 'Free Birds'
With "Free Birds," an animated movie about time-traveling turkeys that opens Friday, Reel FX Inc. is entering a mobbed market where results are often feast or famine.
The film will be the 10th animated feature out of Hollywood so far this year, and the first original full-length release for Reel FX, even though the Dallas-based animation shop has been around for 20 years.


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Official Website of the Chelsea, Massachusetts Police Department
Welcome to the brand new website of the Chelsea Police Department! This mobile-friendly portal will serve as a digital gateway between the men and women of the department and the community members we serve.
Today, more and more local urban police departments must look for community-based problem solving initiatives aimed at deriving solutions to address the challenges of modern policing and the complexities of diverse communities such as the City of Chelsea. These local departments are united in the collective belief that our role goes well beyond simply enforcing the laws. Key issues like public education, community development and crisis intervention are extremely important to the quality of life in the community. In partnership with the residents, business and political leaders, community and faith based organizations within the City of Chelsea, we shall continue to be committed to the implementation of the ideals and philosophy of Community Policing.
Chelsea Police Department
Chief Brian Kyes
19 Park Street
Chelsea, MA 02150
Police Business: 617-466-4855
Fax: 617-466-4850
Crime Tip Hotline: 617-466-4880
In case of emergency, dial 911.


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Geil Black Dragon DDR3 Gaming Series PC3 12800 2x2GB Review
The introduction of Intel's Nehalem architecture opened up a new era for high performance DDR3 memory. No longer would voltages of 2.0v and higher be acceptable for use with its latest flagship processors. The voltage recommendation from Intel was 1.65v maximum. This had memory manufacturers scrambling to find compatible ICs that would work at the same speeds with the lower voltage specification. Fast forward to September 2009 and Intel dropped the mainstream version of its Nehalem architecture, the socket 1156 Core i5 and I7 8 series processors and P55 equipped motherboards. While the flagship 9 series made use of a triple channel memory controller, the mainstream variant was limited to a dual channel setup with the same voltage constraints to keep the integrated memory controller happy. That leads us to what I will be looking at today, a dual channel set of memory from Geil. The Black Dragon PC3 12800 2x2GB gaming series modules are rated to run at latencies of 8-8-8-28 using just 1.6 volts. Kind of right around where many performance modules are running these days. What's different about these modules is that they have been run through Geil's Die-Hard Burn process to ensure that these modules can perform in even extreme conditions. Let's take a look and see how well they perform.
Closer Look:
The Geil Black Dragon modules come in a retail package that is gold themed and carries the image of a dragon on the front. This set of modules is part of the DDR3 Gaming series and has been subjected to Geil's in house DBT process that enhances the lifespan of the modules.The rear facade has a couple of windows so you can see the modules and the specifications sticker. The back also lists the part number and latencies. The DBT logo is again on the lower side of the panel with the slogan "Tough on Performance Tougher on Reliability."
The modules are sealed in a clamshell blister pack and come with a small caution label that talks about the SPD (Serial Presence Detect) settings that are programmed on the modules' SPD chips and how they may differ from the rated timings. The voltage part of the label educates the consumer on following the Geil recommended voltages and where you can find the rated voltage.
The Black Dragon Modules are part of Geil's DDR3 Gaming series of memory. These modules are available in a variety of speed and latency combinations. This set is rated at DDR3 1600MHz (PC3-12800) and are shipped with timings of 8-8-8-28 at 1.6 volts. The modules use a black PCB that has the outline of a set of the dragon's eyes in gold. The modules have a red LED at each corner that gives the modules a little bit of flash on top of the gold and black theme. Once installed, it's easy to see where the modules are. These LEDs are lit full time and do not flash with activity like Crucial's Ballistix Tracer lineup.
With the modules installed it's time to see if the dragon has teeth!


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HINDMAN — This is the season for family reunions in Appalachia, when people come home to celebrate kinship, community and the mountain culture that shaped their lives.
There's a big reunion in Knott County this week. Many of the 100 people there have been attending for years, if not decades. Few are related by blood, but they're family just the same, bound together by Appalachia's storytelling tradition and the magic of words.
Ask participants at the 32nd Appalachian Writers Workshop what it's like, and they use the word "family" a lot. They come for inspiration and advice on the craft from some of the best writers these mountains have produced.
The workshop was started by two Knott County writers, novelist and folklorist James Still, and poet Albert Stewart. Others associated with the annual gathering have included poet Jim Wayne Miller and novelists Wilma Dykeman and Harriette Arnow, author of the 1954 classic The Dollmaker.
"It's a central part of my year that I never want to miss," said novelist Silas House, who was a participant from 1996 to 2001 and has been on staff ever since.
Participants apply and submit writing samples in May. There are always more applicants than spaces; the 102-year-old Hindman Settlement School's cabins can hold only so many people.
Each morning, participants gather in small groups according to interest: poetry, novels, short stories, non-fiction, memoir and children's literature.
When I visited the workshop Tuesday, poet and writer George Ella Lyon was in one room talking about the challenges of publishing books for children. In another room, novelist Karen McElmurray discussed using memoir to explore universal themes. In another, novelists Ann Pancake and Laura Benedict explained storytelling techniques.
Afternoons are for group readings and individual coaching from the staff of published writers. Everyone eats together, then washes dishes. There's writing time throughout the day, and bull sessions late into the night.
"It's an intense week," said journalist Jason Howard, who is here for a fifth year. "There's a great sense of family, and a lot of spiritual detective work going on."
Mike Mullins helped start the workshop in 1978, soon after he became director of the historic settlement school that now provides literacy and cultural enrichment programs. He marvels at the workshop's success.
"I think there's always a crying need for all of us to express ourselves, to tell our story or a story we've made up," said Mullins.
A few of this year's participants are college students, but most are much older — academics and blue-collar workers, business people, housewives and retirees. Some are beginners; others have published several books.
Mountain life has always been a popular subject in Appalachian literature. But many now write about the mountains themselves and what has been happening to them over the past half-century. Hundreds of thousands of acres have been leveled by mountaintop-removal coal mining or scarred by strip-miners.
"What we do to the land, we do to the people," said Don Askins of Clintwood, Va., whose poetry focuses on the coal industry's environmental destruction.
House and Howard, who both come from coal-mining families, recently wrote the book Something's Rising about opposition to mountaintop removal within the region. Howard also edited a collection of essays, poems and songs called We All Live Downstream.
Many writers here are women who have raised families or had careers. "They come with this full lifetime of experience and a passion to write about it," McElmurray said.
Benedict first came to the workshop 20 years ago. "I had only been writing for a year or so, and I was looking for a cheap vacation," she said.
What she found was a calling — and a husband, Pinckney Benedict, who was on the workshop staff. "We didn't start dating until after the conference, but I gather we scandalized a few people," she said with a smile.
The Benedicts were back this week as staff members. He is a novelist and short-story writer who teaches at the University of Southern Illinois and at writing workshops across the country. She recently published her second novel.
"There's a sense of community, a spirit of cooperation here," she said. "They read a lot, and they all take their work very seriously."
But unlike some other workshops, Benedict and McElmurray said, the writers here don't take themselves too seriously. There's no "staff table" at meals, no caste system based on publishing success.
But Benedict has discovered one advantage to being on staff: "I don't have to do dishes."


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NEW YORK — The Oakland Raiders lead the NFL with seven players selected for the Pro Bowl.
Quarterback Derek Carr, wide receiver Amari Cooper, center Rodney Hudson, defensive end Khalil Mack, safety Reggie Nelson, guard Kelechi Osemele and tackle Donald Penn were picked from the Raiders, who are in first place in the AFC West going into Week 16.
The Raiders had three players selected from their offensive line, a big reason the team has finally ended its long playoff drought.
"It means a lot. It's a great honor to be recognized for what you do," Hudson said. "It's very humbling. I give a lot of thanks to our teammates because you can't do any of it by...


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9:00 am
Super Why! "The Ugly Duckling" Princess Pea's twirls are falling flat, and her dance recital is fast approaching! The Super Readers soar into the story of the Ugly Duckling, who's having just as much trouble trying to swim! With a little hard work, the Ugly Duckling hits his stride, and Princess Pea learns that practice makes perfect!G
9:30 am
Dinosaur Train "The Wing Kings/The Big Mud Pit" The Wing Kings - The Pteranodon family stretches their wings at Quetzalcoatlus Canyon, where Mr. Pteranodon flew when he was younger and nicknamed, the "Wing King." Now, the Pteranodons and Buddy meet Quincy Quetzalcoatlus and his Dad, another Wing King, a huge flying bird. Together, the two "Wing Kings" wow their kids with some sensational aerial acrobatics. D
10:00 am
Sesame Street "Wild Nature Survivor Guy" Wild Nature Survivor Guy is accustomed to surviving in the wilds of nature and thinks he needs to "survive" out on Sesame Street. Elmo and Rosita are confused. He is not alone and he's not in the middle of nature, but he is convinced nature is all around them! First, Wild Nature Survivor Guy finds a tomato plant and bites into a ripe tomato. D
11:00 am
Sid The Science Kid "The Dirt On Dirt" In an Earth Day themed episode, Sid wants to know what makes dirt so dirty? At school, Sid and his friends discover that dirt is really important to the Earth because it helps things grow, and it's also filled with tiny rocks, pieces of leaves, and even living things like bugs and worms!. D
11:30 am
WordWorld "Superhero Sheep/Pirate Ship" Superhero Sheep: Sheep becomes Word World's first superhero, saving the day with the letter "S"! Duck is eager to be her trusty sidekick, but Sheep repeatedly points out that "superheroes don't need help." But Sheep learns that everyone needs help sometimes when she gets stuck on top of Pig's barn and it's up to Duck to save her. Pirate Ship: While playing on the beach, Sheep, Duck and Shark find a message in a bottle. D
12:00 pm
Caillou "Step By Step!" When Leo forgets his brand new toy dinosaur in the park, Daddy and Caillou go looking for it, with no success. So Caillou, with Mommy's help, puts up a Lost and Found Poster, and then, finds 'Dino' at the Park Office Lost and Found! When the washing machine needs fixing, Caillou ends up helping Bob the repairman. Inspired, Caillou helps Dad hammer a nail and glue the leg onto a wobbly stool too! Caillou accompanies Grandma to the Senior's residence where he finds out 'driving' the meal cart is more fun than driving his toy truck. D
12:30 pm
Barney & Friends "The Magic Caboose and Bj The Great" The Magic Caboose: Melanie is sad because she misses her friend who is visiting relatives in India. Barney shows his friends that it's fun to go to new places and see new things by taking them on an imaginary journey on the Magic Caboose! Educational theme: An introduction to different countries. BJ the Great: BJ wants to be a great magician, but he doesn't want to spend any time practicing. D
1:00 pm
Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That! "Sniff and Seek/Aye Aye!" Sniff and Seek - Nick's most favourite smell is chocolate chip cookies! But what is Sally's? She's not sure. What better way to find out than by playing sniff and seek with a skunk! Cat introduces Nick and Sally to Whiffy, and in the adventure of finding Sally's favourite smell they discover how good Whiffy is at protecting himself with his very own special smell. Aye Aye! - Nick and Sally are making Halloween masks, but they want to make them really scary. D
1:30 pm
Zoboomafoo "Humans" A whole class of kindergarten kids arrives in Animal Junction to help Zoboo learn about what it's like to be human. After the teacher invites the Kratt Brothers into the classroom, Zoboo determines that being human involves lots of things that animals never do.G
2:00 pm
Curious George "Dj George/Curious George Paints The Desert" DJ George - It's George's lucky day when the Man with the Yellow Hat wins tickets to a Bonnie Smooth concert over the radio. But at the radio station, George's luck turns when he accidentally locks himself into the DJ booth just as Bonnie Smooth herself is scheduled to call in for an interview. Can a DJ teach a monkey how to operate a radio station through a sound proof window in time for the big call? Curious George Paints the Desert - While visiting the Quints during their desert vacation, George is thrilled when his new Native American friend makes a colorful sand painting of the happy monkey. D
2:30 pm
Martha Speaks "The Long Rotten Summer/The Case of the Shattered Vase" The Long Rotten Summer - For TD, summer always goes by too quickly, so he decides to spend this summer in the only place where the days never end: school. But is sitting alone in an empty classroom the best place to way to spend summer? Vocabulary: (E) moment(s), endless, infinite, eternal, interrupt (I) minute, hour, day, tomorrow, never, forever. The Case of the Shattered Vase - Helen shouldn't have watched that scary movie right before she went to sleep. D
3:00 pm
The Electric Company "Jules Quest" Jessica discovers an ancient scroll that leads her on a scavenger hunt throughout the neighborhood. Will the scroll lead Jessica to hidden treasure. or an even bigger surprise?. D
3:30 pm
WordGirl "The Birthday Girl's Monstrous Gift/Hal The Haggler" THE BIRTHDAY GIRL'S MONSTROUS GIFT - After being captured by WordGirl and locked safely in a jar on the hottest day of the year, The Energy Monster convinces Eileen to free and feed him so that he is able to continue terrorizing the city and ruin the Summer Winter Carnival. WordGirl must recapture The Energy Monster but will she be able to do so when an angry Eileen turns into The Birthday Girl after her new pet is taken from her? Vocabulary Words: Guzzle, Monstrous. HAL THE HAGGLER - While doing chores to save money for a new unicorn figurine, WordGirl must stop Granny May from stealing Cleopatra's Bed out of the museum. D
4:00 pm
Wild Kratts "Walk on the Wetside" When Chris and Martin locate an amazing water-walking Basilisk lizard in Costa Rica, they try to replicate its actions in order to learn how this rare lizard is able to walk on water. They discover that by using its wide feet, churning its legs to create water pockets and keeping up a certain speed, the Basilisk is able to run on water in order to escape from predators. And when Donita Donata begins capturing basilisks, Martin and Chris us their new water walking powers to rescue these rare lizards. D
4:30 pm
Cyberchase "Spellbound" When Wicked casts a spell on the Pompadorians to make them all adore her, Jackie and Digit must reproduce the only symbol that can break it - without being able to see what the symbol looks like. Matt and Inez can't get to Pompadoria to help, so they describe the symbol through their Skwak. But how can they describe the odd-looking spell-breaker accurately so Jackie can make a reproduction that works?. D
5:00 pm
Fetch! With Ruff Ruffman "How Much Frosting Can You Bear?" Grandma Ruffman takes over today's show. Her friends Fig and Tucker's person is getting married, so she calls upon Ruff and the FETCHers to help her with the wedding gifts! She sends Rubye and Jay to meet up with some experts at the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center to engineer a bear-proof picnic basket for the couple. Meanwhile Shreya, Emmie, Marc, and Marco bake the bride and groom's actual wedding cake!. D
5:30 pm
Nightly Business Report Sell in May and walk away; summer's usually not a good time for stocks. New York Correspondent Suzanne Pratt looks at whether small investors are following that advice this year. The markets are nervous about whether Spain will be able to pay for its mounting debt. D
5:56 pm
NewsHour Promo NULL
6:00 pm
PBS NewsHour NULL
7:00 pm
Antiques Roadshow "Atlanta, GA - Hour One" Highlights include a decorative egg with a Faberge mark, purchased for $15,000 that may not be all it seems, and a 1787 land grant signed by Benjamin Franklin. A New York Chippendale corner chair, purchased as part of a large collection for $785-$800, is valued up to $300,000. Part 1 of 3G
8:00 pm
Antiques Roadshow "Providence, RI - Hour One" A rifle, powder horn and log book attributed to premier New England gunsmith Welcome Mathewson of the early 19th century and handed down through seven generations of a Rhode Island family is valued up to $120,000. Part 1 of 3G
9:00 pm
Globe Trekker "Puerto Rico" Zay visits San Juan, the El Yunque National Forest, the Camuy River Caves National Park and the coffee-producing central highlands. He discovers why Puerto Rico is known as the "island of enchantment," boasting sun-kissed beaches, dramatic mountains, a rich colonial history and distinctive music.G
10:00 pm
History of Science "What Is The World Made of?" Michael Mosley demonstrates how the modern human society is built on the search to find the answer to what makes up everything in the material world. The story moves from the secret labs of the alchemists and their search for gold to the creation of the world's first synthetic dye - mauve - and on to the invention of the transistor.G
11:00 pm
Charlie Rose NULL


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SEVIERVILLE, TENN. – The Coker women's golf team finished their final day at the Smoky Mountain Invitational on Tuesday (Sept. 10) with a two-day score of 656. The score was good enough to tie the team for 12th place.
Leading the way for Coker was sophomore Taylor Demby. In the second round, Demby topped her day one score by two strokes and finished with a 76. Demby's two day score of 154 placed her in the top-20 for individual scoring.
Sara Allen finished with the second lowest score on the team and totaled 169 for the tournament. Senior Krista Thorpe and freshman Tensley Clowser each shot a 171, while Mallory Thompkins signed off on a scorecard of 173.
The Cobras will next travel to Hilton Head, S.C., to compete in the Lady Bearcat Invitational.


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Sir Terence Conran is one of the world's best known designers, restaurateurs and retailers. Born in 1931, he founded the Conran Design Studio in 1956 and later the Habitat chain of home furnishings stores that revolutionised the UK High Street in the 1960s and 1970s by bringing intelligent, modern design within reach of the general population.
In 2009 he opened the Boundary in Shoreditch, a restaurant, rooftop bar & grill, cafe, bakery and foodstore with 17 individually designed bedrooms and also Lutyens on Fleet Street, a large restaurant and bar on Fleet Street with a charcuterie counter, 130, crustacea and sushi bar, members club and 4 private dining and meeting rooms.
Terence designs furniture for Content by Conran and Benchmark and has written over 30 informative books that broadly reflect his design philosophy, selling over 20 million copies of his publications worldwide. They include The Essential House Book, Terence Conran on Design, The Ultimate House Book, Easy Living, Design: Intelligence Made Visible, Outdoors and Terence Conran's Inspiration. Terence has always been a great supporter of education in design and founded the Design Museum in London and is currently the Provost of the Royal College of Art.


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Ever since I realized that I was stifling Kaia's creativity and sense of independence by dressing her in my style (yes, that's right, my daughter doesn't want me, the fashion director, to pick out her clothes anymore), there have been many style rules broken. She wears water shoes with dresses, hides her skinny jeans under the bed (she prefers elastic-waisted cotton shorts), and has seriously asked that I buy her a pair of pajama jeans because they are "as soft as a baby's blanket" (thank you, infomercial!). I am trying to grin and bear it. I want her to be herself. I want her to feel control over this part of her life, but watching her walk out the door some days in outfits that I think are best served as "lounge around the house" clothes is tough.
Thankfully, in the past couple of weeks, we've had a bit of a breakthrough. She's taken a liking to vests. She first asked to wear one when we were getting dressed for my best friend's pool party. Sure, she was wearing a bathing suit and beach cover up, but I have to admit... it looked good. She even threw on a pair of Harajuku Mini cat-eye sunglasses (imagine the smile on my face, it was huge!). I am sure our fellow party-goers thought it was a bit strange. After all, it was 90 degrees and she was wearing a furry vest, but I was incredibly proud. Since then, vests are popping up regularly in her outfit choices. Could she be developing her own signature look? My biggest fear was that she would try to conform to the norm to fit in with her peers, but I was wrong. She doesn't care what anyone thinks she should wear (myself included), but you should see the look on her face when I high-five her and tell her that I love her style. It's not just me who's proud, my little girl is holding her head up high knowing that her style is earning mad respect. Not that she would change it if it didn't. True trendsetters don't conform, not even to their fashion director mamas. And whaddya know, there might just be a mini trendsetter growing up right before my very eyes.
Check out some cool versions of Kaia's favorite fall fashion staple: 1. Vest with Bow 2. Faux Leather Vest 3. Navy Vest 4. Striped Vest 5. Fiona Vest
Does your child still let you pick out clothes? What does she wear that makes her stand out (and you secretly love)? Let's discuss!


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Scouse pop wonders The Zutons are set to begin work on their new album
Scouse pop wonders The Zutons are set to begin work on their new album, after being dropped by long term home Deltasonic.
The Zutons were part of a wave of groups who emerged from Liverpool. With The Coral breaking new ground, a whole host of bands both good and bad came stumbling in their wake. The Zutons are perhaps the best known of these, and certainly the most successful.
Which is why their departure from Deltasonic was so surprising. Based in Liverpool, the label was intrinsically linked with The Zutons who supplied the imprint with many of its biggest hits. The band even wrote the decade's biggest single, with 'Valerie' becoming a hit twice over after Amy Winehouse covered the song.
But The Zutons haven't let the situation affect them. The band have already been booked to play a number of festivals, including a headline slot at Leicester's Summer Sundae Weekender. Alongside their well loved hits, however, could lurk some exciting new material.
In a new interview saxophonist Abi Harding has revealed that The Zutons are working on their new album. "We're writing a new album at the moment," she told the Liverpool Echo. "We've just moved rehearsal rooms( To Dolphin Music's very own buildingg), so we're pretty busy. We've had a bit of time off. Now we're just concentrating on writing."
Poor sales of the band's last album 'You Can Do Anything' are thought to be the reason behind the group's departure from Deltasonic. Harding did not state how far The Zutons were into recording the new album, but did state that it could have an afrobeat feel.
"I've been listening to loads of music – some mad instrumental stuff from Africa, some great stuff from Fela Kuti," she said.
"It's nothing like what I play, but I love listening to it. Maybe it inspires a bit of what we do. But that's always been the thing with the band – what we play changes all the time. It feels like we can play anything we want."
Harding also took time to dismiss rumours that she is engaged to Zutons drummer Sean Payne.
"I keep reading that I'm engaged," she said. "I don't know where that came from."
Source: clashmusic.com


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SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 22, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LifeVantage Corporation (Nasdaq:LFVN), a company dedicated to helping people achieve healthy living through a combination of a compelling business opportunity and scientifically validated products, including its patented dietary supplement Protandim®, the Nrf2 Synergizer®, introduced at its Elite Academy in San Antonio its newest healthy living product, Canine Health, a supplement specifically formulated for dogs to combat oxidative stress through Nrf2 activation. The product is also formulated to support joint function, mobility, flexibility and cognitive function.
The Canine Health product was developed by LifeVantage in conjunction with renowned veterinarian and authority on animal nutrition, William Barnett, DVM, who has nearly 40 years of experience in veterinary medicine and in bringing products to market designed to improve animal health. Canine Health includes the same natural active ingredients as Protandim, at dosage levels specifically formulated for dogs, as well as omega-3 fatty acids and Type II collagen. These ingredients have been shown to reduce oxidative stress, support brain, heart and eye function, as well as normal joint structure and function.
"Protandim was developed to promote healthy living by helping people reduce age-related symptoms at the cellular level," said LifeVantage President and Chief Executive Officer Douglas C. Robinson. "Like humans, dogs suffer from oxidative stress, and research shows that canine companions can benefit from the same active ingredients contained in our patented flagship product, Protandim.
"Canine Health has been clinically tested in collaboration with Dr. Craig Woods, DVM, of Animal Health Consultants in Prescott, Arizona in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-site study that demonstrates the safety and benefits of the product." Robinson added, "We have also gone a step further—adding vital ingredients already widely used to maintain pet health—to make Canine Health a convenient, all-in-one supplement and the only product in the world that is specifically formulated to treat oxidative stress in pets."
According to a leading authority on oxidative stress in pets, Dr. Maureen McMichael, DVM, DACVECC, Associate Professor of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois, "LifeVantage Canine Health meets all criteria for a safe, easily administered, appealing product that targets multiple oxidative stress pathways in canines. My primary research focus has been the cause and treatment of oxidative stress in animals and humans so I am very excited to recommend this product to pet owners. Based on my research and on statistics from the American Pet Products Association, which show 39 percent of U.S. households have dogs—numbering more than 78 million—I believe there is a great need for Canine Health among pets."
LifeVantage products, including Canine Health, which is available for purchase effective immediately, are sold through a network of LifeVantage Independent Distributors. LifeVantage is a proud member of The National Animal Supplement Council (NASC), a trade association dedicated to protecting and enhancing the health of companion animals committed to the highest standards of quality for animal supplements.
About LifeVantage Corporation
LifeVantage (Nasdaq:LFVN), a leader in Nrf2 science and the maker of Protandim®, the Nrf2 Synergizer® patented dietary supplement, is a science based nutraceutical company. LifeVantage is dedicated to visionary science that looks to transform wellness and anti-aging internally and externally with products that dramatically reduce oxidative stress at the cellular level. The Company was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The LifeVantage Corporation logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=11617
Forward Looking Statements
This document contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words and expressions reflecting optimism and satisfaction with current prospects, as well as words such as "believe," "anticipates," "look forward to," "should" and variations thereof, identify forward-looking statements, but their absence does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements we make regarding the demand for, the expected safety and the benefits of Canine Health in dogs. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance and the Company's actual results could differ materially from those contained in such statements. These forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current expectations and beliefs concerning future events affecting the Company and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause the Company's actual results or outcomes to be materially different from those anticipated and discussed herein. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, the Company's inability to successfully expand our operations in existing and other markets and thereafter manage our growth; the Company's ability to retain independent distributors or to attract new independent distributors on an ongoing basis; the Company's ability to expand its product offerings; violations of law or our procedures by the Company's independent distributors; the potential for third-party and governmental actions involving the Company's network marketing efforts; the potential for product liability claims against the Company; the risk that government regulators and regulations could adversely affect the Company's business; future laws or regulations may hinder or prohibit the production or sale of the Company's existing product and any future products; unfavorable publicity could materially hurt the Company's business; the Company's ability to access raw materials for its Products as it grows; and the Company's ability to protect its intellectual property rights and the value of its product. These and other risk factors are discussed in greater detail in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q under the caption "Risk Factors," and in other documents filed by the Company from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company cautions investors not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this document. All forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to the Company on the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this document, except as required by law.
CONTACT: Investor Relations Contact: Cindy England (801) 432-9036 Director of Investor Relations -or- John Mills (310) 954-1105 Senior Managing Director, ICR, LLC
Source:LifeVantage Corporation


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IndyCar returns to Oregon in change to 2018 schedule
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Portland International Raceway is back on the IndyCar Series schedule in 2018.
The Sept. 2 race on the 1.967-mile permanent road course will be IndyCar"s first trip to the Oregon track since races were held from 1984-2007 under CART and Champ Car sanction.
""As a young man, I had the opportunity to attend the Indy 500,"" Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said. ""I remember well the excitement and thrills that INDYCAR racing bring to a city and to race spectators. The return of INDYCAR racing to Portland will give us terrific international exposure, a great deal of revenue, new jobs, and an exciting experience for race fans.""
The race will be operated by Green Savoree Racing Promotions, which also promotes the IndyCar events at St. Petersburg, Toronto and Mid-Ohio.
Portland replaces Watkins Glen, New York, on the schedule.
""Portland International Raceway has produced thrilling road racing throughout Indy car history - the 1997 finish still stands as the record for the closest finish on a road or street course - and the timing of our return couldn"t be better given the bold new look our cars will have in 2018. We expect this will be a show fans won"t want to miss,"" Mark Miles, CEO of series owner Hulman & Company, said in a statement Thursday.
The 1997 race became memorable when Mark Blundell passed Gil de Ferran - who celebrated too early - for a photo-finish victory. It was the first win for PacWest Racing.
Currently active IndyCar Series drivers who competed in the last race held at PIR include Sebastien Bourdais (winner), Will Power, Simon Pagenaud and Graham Rahal.
There were no other major changes on the 17-race schedule as IndyCar sought stability in assembling its 2018 calendar. The race at Phoenix is returning to the first weekend in April. The race had moved this year to avoid conflicting with the NCAA men"s basketball Final Four taking place in nearby Glendale, Arizona.


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|2013-01-29, 18:06
|Link #31801
The True Culprit
Maybe Yasu disagrees, but to me, loving someone definitively includes not wanting someone's suffering to continue unnecessarily, and since his entire situation is her fault she has a moral obligation to do something about it regardless.
|2013-01-29, 18:55
|Link #31802
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
After all a person can acknowledge he made a mistake in his previous theory and... well discharge it for another that, according to him, is the one stright answer.
If we never revised theories... well I don't think we would get very far and it would make discussing Umineko pretty pointless...
My theory is:
- Tohya solved the message bottles
- Tohya has recovered some memories of Rokkenjima and the people in it
- he used his solution, his knowledge of facts post Rokkenjima and his memories to write the tales
- it's possible that in the tales there are some facts that really happened on Rokkenjima... however I wish you good luck in figuring out which one exactly are.
- No idea how much memory Tohya recovered while writing the tales and how much in denial he is about being Battler. The Meta might imply some turning points but as this depends on how you interpret them for now I'll let this up to speculation.
So how Tohya writing forgeries based on Yasu's messages would insure he knows who the culprit in Prime is?
But Tohya as a writer knows who the culprit is in his tale... and the culprit is Yasu.
It's entirely possible that Tohya didn't wrote his tales giving at the end a straight answer so that when you read Banquet, Alliance and End you don't know who exactly the culprit is. It's possible in Banquet he tried to use the popular theory of Eva-culprit to 'cover up' his truth, so that people that read it were faced with a setting in which Eva was definitely suspicious and maybe she even killed Battler in the book too, but an Eva solution didn't solve every murder so that the fantasy of the witch is preserved unless you attack Banquet with the Yasu-culprit theory.
It's just an interpretation though. As I said I'm still considering theories over the Meta as none seems satisfactory enough as of now.
As in the Meta the gamemaster was also the one who made up the story I honestly didn't bother searching for a new definition.
Sure, likely Eva had been suspected and people in her and Ange's inner circle might have continued suspecting her even without the forgery craze but, after 10 years, if it hadn't been for the forgerers and the witch hunters likely the interest of the rest of the world would have died down which probably would have been good for Ange as she wouldn't have to continuously deal with conspiration theories.
Interesting enough the fact that Eva was having financial problems might also prove she didn't receive the bank account code or refused to use it or it was only a thing presented in the games (this would imply that Ange's talking with people receiving it might have been purely fictional).
Anyone has suggestions? Theories? Whatever else?
|2013-01-29, 20:07
|Link #31803
Blick Winkel
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Gobbled up by Promathia
I personally disagree with applying Occam's Razor when it comes to storytelling. In general, I think it's useful for picking hypotheses in the natural sciences, but it shouldn't become the main justification for a theory in this story. Its use is hard to avoid in a story like Umineko, though.
That said, Shkanon is still the most plausible explanation for thematic and logical reasons. And personally, I think Ikuko was -intended- to be Yasu, and the moral issue was an oversight on Ryukishi's side. That said I choose to believe that Ikuko was a stranger for reasons described already.
|2013-01-29, 23:40
|Link #31804
Senior Member
|2013-01-30, 01:17
|Link #31805
The True Culprit
|2013-01-30, 06:43
|Link #31806
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Gnawing away at Rokkenjima
But rereading it again I can pinpoint the thing about that particular part that I've always found strange: That is that it's the bottle the fisherman found that caused the bottle the police had to go public. What caused the police to release their bottle only after the fisherman's was found?
I don't simply 'discard given information', I just absorb it precisely. It's not "the police found a bottle", but rather "the police reported having found a bottle some years ago, and produced something that appeared to be that bottle." That's the 'information given'. I don't see a need for a hint that the police are lying, because I don't assume they are telling the truth. It's simply a matter or the relative plausibility of their story being true or false. Of course, all other things being equal, the police are a very trustworthy organization. But there are other factors.
Ange in that same scene later surmised that the writer would probably have to be the culprit based on what she knew. So, three possibilities:
A) The information she has is good, and her reasoning is good. This means the writer really is the culprit. Logistically, this is the most sensible explanation, by far. However, I find this difficult to accept from a narrative standpoint.
B) The information she has is good, but her reasoning is bad. I don't think it is, because I share her reasoning that pre-incident authorship points to the writer being the culprit.
C) The information she has is bad, but her reasoning is good. I'm pretty sure this means that the police lied.
I prefer 'C' & 'B' to 'A' for entirely thematic reasons. And I prefer 'C' to 'B' for both logistic and thematic reasons.
Basically, aside from discarding 'A' rather arbitrarily, my theory is actually based on deductive reasoning.
Bought what's out so far of the EP8 manga. Just finished chapter 6, and here's a couple spoilers got from it for anyone who doesn't already know them.
Last edited by Wanderer; 2013-01-30 at 09:07.
|2013-01-30, 09:37
|Link #31807
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Yasuko discusion stopped interesting me a while ago, but this EP8 news is very nice.
I've actually always been against the conclusion that the letter was addressed to Natsuhi specifically, because I figured the culprit would have no way of knowing whether she would be the first to notice and read it, but I guess I've been proved wrong on this one!
|2013-01-30, 10:43
|Link #31808
Join Date: May 2009
It's a good thing she was taunting Natsuhi and not somebody of marginal intelligence like Eva or Kyrie. "I'll wait in the entrance hall" is practically code for "circle around from the other exit to the parlor and shoot me in the back of the head" for anyone with tactical sense. Not that this would've helped if the gun weren't loaded, though I imagine Kyrie would've checked that.
|2013-01-30, 16:01
|Link #31809
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
After watching through EP4, I realized that they said that one of the bottles was found on the island, and the other was found at sea later by the fishermen.
Yet, EP1 ends with the bottle being found five years later.
I was a big proponent of Bottles = Episodes, but now this makes the ending to EP1 make no sense whatsoever.
However, it does imply pre-incident authorship if the bottle was already there.
I think someone made a joke about the contents of Natsuhi's letter when we were speculating about it earlier, mentioning the portrait specifically.
As far as the fact that Natsuhi's gun was never loaded... wow, that wasn't anything I've ever expected. And I thought the VNs did confirm what Rudolf's "I will be killed tonight." meant.
|2013-01-30, 16:16
|Link #31810
Join Date: May 2009
|2013-01-30, 16:25
|Link #31811
Blick Winkel
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Gobbled up by Promathia
EP1 and EP2 are retellings of the events (or alternate interpretations) by some author (PRESUMABLY Yasu). EP3-6 are supposedly forgeries by Hachijo Tohya. But what is the Meta-World, and how come EP2 and the forgeries share the same continuity?
EP2 is really an interesting case. It is the intersection between "message bottle" and "forgery". In other words, the themes of the entirety of Umineko and the Shannon/Kanon deal is directly addressed in EP2. I think that EP2 is actually a "forgery" directly based on the message bottle.
Think of it this way: if EP2's message bottle made any mention of Shannon and Kanon's love troubles (the beginning of EP2) then the 1998 characters would have a strong lead of Yasu as the culprit or would at least make special mention of them. Because this does not seem to be the case, I think EP2 is also a forgery in some sense. That is, EP2 is just a "story" built into the events of the second message bottle. EP1 is straight mystery, but since Beatrice/Battler make explicit mention of EP1's events in the later Episodes, maybe EP1 is a forgery too?
I personally imagine EP1-EP6 (maybe further?) as a series of forgeries by Hachijo Tohya. EP1-EP2 are based on the message bottles, whereas the rest are either based "the result" (Eva surviving in 1998) or are pure fabrications. THAT is why we are given a straight thematic continuity ("Yasu is the culprit because of the love duel").
Did Hachijo Tohya construct the Shkanontrice solution out of thin air? What is the purpose of such a random solution from an authorial position? (lolRyukishi aside)
I personally think that Ikuko "drove the Hachijo Tohya team to write with Shkanon as the solution because SHE HERSELF wanted Battler-Tohya to remember." This makes her a colossal asshole, but I personally find this to make sense with my interpretation of the visual novels.
Of course, the fundamental assumption behind all of this is that the meta-world is a part of the forgeries as a structure for continuity. The meta-world could ALSO be detached from the forgeries and could actually represent the interactions between various forces in 1998+ (that is, it is pure metaphor: Battler = Tohya, Beatrice = "Yasu" or possibly Ikuko, etc.)
I know this isn't terribly convincing, I don't think I did a good job describing it. But that's how I interpreted it. What is the consensus about the meta-world?
|2013-01-30, 17:07
|Link #31812
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
It's nice to know it really existed.
Actually she might have done it even after she killed Nanjo and Co.
We know they went to check because they heard Maria singing... but we don't know if the phonecall came from that phone. It's possible the trick here is similar to the one used with Jessica. Once she left the room and closed it with her key she went to another phone put on a tape Maria's voice singing a song and then did the call. When Battler and Co reached the room and found Maria singing and the phone in such position they didn't suspect the call could have come from another room.
If I'm not wrong the best we all agree (I think) is that it is meaningful, it's probably some sort of psychological metaphor (though there are variations on how this applies so take this as some sort of very lose definition) and... what else?
|2013-01-30, 17:09
|Link #31813
Join Date: May 2009
We don't actually know which stories were the message bottle stories. As far as I know, Ange never explicitly entitles them or describes their contents with specificity (that is, things like "one of the message bottles features a First Twilight where all the parents but Rosa are killed in the chapel and their bellies stuffed with candy," something presumably unique to Turn).
So it's possible both Legend and Turn aren't the message bottle stories... but they're sort of portrayed as being that, so...
|2013-01-30, 17:12
|Link #31815
Guitar Man
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Brazil
The stuff that comes before is probably not included in the bottles
|2013-01-30, 17:20
|Link #31816
The True Culprit
I mean, shit, they don't even bother to look into the birth records of Shannon and Kanon. They clearly don't give a shit.
This raises buckets of problems and doesn't give any answers. What does Meta-Ange mean and how come no one talks about her role in them? Why doesn't any Witch Hunter, ever, mention the Meta-narrative, or the implications it makes?
How come people still ask questions about things in the forgeries that the Meta-World literally spells out for us real-world readers?
Whatever the Meta-World is, I guarantee it's not part of the Forgeries. It falls apart before you even reach the EP6 meta-meta-meta narrative.
|2013-01-30, 17:22
|Link #31817
Join Date: May 2009
You can't merely remove that part, because scenes like Kanon fighting for Jessica and so forth don't make a lot of sense with those bits removed yet are definitely part of the October 4th/5th narrative. So those parts would also have to be removed or changed... meaning that, well, how do we know which parts are added in and which parts were "originally" in the Forgery?
|2013-01-30, 17:44
|Link #31818
Blick Winkel
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Gobbled up by Promathia
I mean, it seems most likely that the Meta-World is its own thing, like the upper-most layer of the story (the closest to us and Ryukishi), and exists so there's an actual consistent STORYLINE. I'm just giving my explanation for the interpretation I gave earlier. I'm not asserting it as truth, just a possibility for fun.
I don't see how it's unreasonable that Hachijo Tohya could write stories about fictional 1998's. EP3 could be a forgery, EP3's 1998 is just a fictional extrapolation based around the "real 1998".
Furthermore, the META stuff in each of them is connected, but need not have any real basis in reality. The fictional meta stuff is a part of the series that Hachijo Tohya constructed as "the means to illustrate the literary or thematic parts of the story."
Though about Meta-Ange, well, you have a point. Maybe Ikuko and Tohya had an author-battle about what they wanted the story to be about? Ikuko wanted to focus on Yasu, Tohya wanted to focus around Ange's struggle, and all of Umineko is Hachijo Tohya fighting about what the purpose of the story is (joking)
Anyway, making Ikuko = Yasu just seems like something Ryukishi would do. Not that I'm really a fan of that idea.
edit: whoa, think I got lost in my own logic, nevermind >_>
|2013-01-30, 17:59
|Link #31819
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Kanon deciding he loves Jessica out of nowhere and sacrificing himself with no prior motivation? Sounds like fanfiction to me...
Also what is the Jessica room trick someone referred to?
|2013-01-30, 18:05
|Link #31820
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
ALso I haven't thought about this theory at all yet, so it may fall apart, but maybe the metaworld is like the in-universe representation of general online theories and debate, as viewed by Touhya. Getting lost in the sea of meta could be him losing the belief that he actually knows what happened and just giving in to the general wash of theories. Angie did let herself get chewed apart after all.
Besides, the trial of Natsuhi always screamed trail be media, and meanwhile the only solid evidence Battler can argue with is "I just feel it isn't true". And we know how much this forum likes that argument.
|Thread Tools


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Over the last year, as Crain's energy and environmental reporter, I have interviewed and sat in editorial board meetings with many people representing environmental, business and utility companies.
I also have read all the reports, received all the press releases, heard and seen all the radio and TV ads – over and over until near exhaustion, as have many of you.
What can I tell my blog readers about this experience?
First, as I have told many people, I am glad I am not a political reporter.
It seems as if Ballot Proposal 3, which would extend the 10 percent renewable energy mandate that expires in 2015 another 10 years to 25 percent, has turned into bad political theater.
This is not to say the other five ballot proposals haven't become warnings that the end of the world is upon us and that the campaigns have sometimes deviated from facts, because they have.
Second, the claims that the utility companies have made that voting "yes" for the proposal will cost ratepayers (meaning anybody who turns on a light in their home) some $12 billion is far from the complete story.
I score this statement as a partial truth. What they don't tell you is that DTE Energy and Consumers Energy will spend billions of dollars anyway to maintain their existing generating and transmission system from 2015 to 2025.
I asked them this question two months ago and never got an answer.
Rates will go up over the next 10 years even if this initiative fails.
The proposal caps at 1 percent the costs the utility companies can pass along to ratepayers to fund additional wind farms and solar power plants, along with other renewable energy sources.
I assume this means the utility companies will eat those costs above the 1 percent cap, which most likely could be paid for out of their bottom lines.
However, the proposal has a built-in safeguard to protect utility company profits.
If it appears that utilities might have to exceed that 1 percent cap, the Michigan Public Service Commission could grant annual extensions to comply with the 2025 deadline to reach 25 percent.
FYI, DTE received MPSC approval for 13.5 percent rate increase this year. DTE says it could increase rates another 30 percent by 2015. Consumers Energy also has proposed to raise rates 20 percent by 2015.
Before I go to my next point, I would like to provide a link here to show that DTE – and so does Consumers – really supports generating electricity through wind power.
DTE is not opposed to wind or solar generation. They just don't like being forced to do it as would Proposal 3 do. (DTE's wind energy web page).
Three, the job creation claims that the renewable energy folks like to tout - 74,000 "job years" created, is by my estimation a major stretch of the imagination.
If there are 150,000 to 200,000 jobs nationally from wind and solar, as the various industry groups contend, I predict maybe 10,000 jobs created in Michigan if this proposal is approved by voters.
Four, the renewable energy folks say Michigan's Proposal 3 is similar to what other states have done.
I grade this partially true as well. No other states have implemented energy policy into their constitution through a ballot initiative. There are three states – Colorado, Washington and Missouri – that have approved ballot initiatives to change their energy policy.
But those initiatives created state statutes, not constitutional amendments.
Some people have a problem with changing the constitution to change energy policy. They believe only elected politicians should be able to change state constitutions when it comes to "policy" issues, whatever that term encompasses.
Others think the long-term goal of weaning the utility companies in Michigan off coal is a worthy goal. They say other states that have done this have experienced rate reductions or a slower pace of increases.
The Illinois Power Agency found moving that state to a "25 by 2025" renewable energy standard has reduced electric prices and "total load payments" by $176 million.
But a report by a utility-funded consulting firm found that renewable energy costs at least 67 percent more than conventional power.
I am not sure exactly what conventional is, but I believe they mean coal, gas and nuclear.
My research shows this is a complicated issue that both sides can claim to hold the higher ground on.
Five, here is a fact that no one can dispute. There are vast health benefits to humans that can come by moving from a state where 60 percent of the power is generated from coal to a state that produces energy from 41 percent coal.
Calculate this: Fewer asthma-related illnesses and deaths, fewer heart attacks and strokes from less arsenic, mercury and particulates in the atmosphere and water by moving away from coal.
Aside from lessening human suffering and death, the money saved in reduced health care costs by cleaner air and water by moving away from coal in Michigan can be substantial.
I hope everyone who votes has researched all the issues and votes based on facts and what they think is best for their children and their children's children.
You can read about Proposal 3 from those supporting the initiative, and from the opponent side.
Have fun Tuesday.


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As the capital and largest city within the state, Indianapolis, or "Indy" as some locals call it, is the second most populous state in the Midwest, just after Chicago. The city is often referred to as "Circle City" and the "Racing Capital of the World" thanks to its growing niche markets in amateur sports and auto racing. Of course, the city is most well-known for hosting the Indianapolis 500 race, the largest single-day sporting event in the world!
Those who have experienced living and working in "The Crossroads of America" can tell you that Indianapolis is the perfect balance of big-city style and small town charm, and it's not just for racing fans! With such a diversity of activities to choose from, Indianapolis is a place that sports-fans, history buffs, foodies, and art critics alike can all call home. In fact, the city maintains the largest collection of monuments dedicated to living and deceased war veterans outside of Washington D.C. From historic memorials to Colts' games, all the way to the giant L-O-V-E statue in front of the Indianapolis Museum of Art, there's something for every resident to enjoy in Indianapolis.
Rental rates within the city of Indianapolis remain at pretty affordable levels, depending on whether you choose to furnish your apartment on your own, go with a fully furnished apartment, or need a short-term lease in Indianapolis. A typical rental rate is $869, with unfurnished one bedroom apartments renting for about $784 per month and two bedroom apartments renting for about $920 (August 2016).
Indianapolis has six distinct cultural districts, each with its own unique personality and amenities. The first, Canal and White River State Park, is anything but your typical park. This 250-acre park contains some of the city's most inspiring museums and celebrations. Go on a relaxing stroll with your family, a stress-reducing jog, or attend an outdoor concert! The next neighborhood area, Fountain Square, is home to some of the city's most unique shops and restaurants, plus a variety of small studio apartments. The people are welcoming and the vibe is eclectic, though still strangely reminiscent of a small European village.
Head west towards Downtown and you'll hit Indiana Avenue, a district that stretches between Central Canal and White River. Here, you'll get a feel for Indy's rich African-American heritage. If you enjoy Downtown, stay a little longer and check out Market East, one of the newest districts that's quickly emerging as a hub for green living, but with a historical twist. Our last neighborhood, the Wholesale District, is Indy's hub for entertainment. Expect bright lights, doormen in tuxedos, luxury apartments, and the latest shops and attractions!
Ready to be a "Hoosier?" Get ready for stunning sunrises and sunsets, neighbors that bleed blue for their beloved Colts, and a never-ending list of awesome things to do!
Search recently listed furnished apartments in Indianapolis, or compare studio apartments, corporate housing options, and even furniture rental prices in Indianapolis below! Your perfect apartment home is waiting. Don't forget to mention ApartmentSearch when you move in too. You could be eligible for up to $200 in rewards!


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I'm going to be adding stuff to this thread little by little. I need some money to buy myself a car for college.
AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket Otterbox Defender Case w/ Clip Gray / Knight
Logitech G300 Mouse USB2.0 Optical Wired 2500 dpi 9 Button(s) Black 910-002358
That's it for now, I'll be adding a couple more things real soon.
Edited by Onion, 18 December 2012 - 12:26 PM.


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According to her guardianship petition, Gray, who was also removed from her mother's custody 20 years ago and placed in a foster home as a result of abuse charges, claims Workman has "slapped, hit and pushed" Ariel, as well as abused her in the form of "vile name calling, personal insults about [her and her weight], attempts to 'sexualize' minor, deprivation of food, etc. for an extended period of time," reports E! News.
Ariel's mother, Chrystal Workman, claims that her daughter fabricated the charges because Workman took a stand against her relationship with 18-year-old actor Cameron Palatas.
Ariel, who spends the majority of her time working while most children are in school, is not protected by the network that she works for the way that other children are protected by the school system. Teachers and school faculty have an obligation to report such abuse to authorities; however, big entertainment companies are not held accountable for the well-being of their child actors in the same way.
According to Slate.com, the president of the Disney Channel (which owns ABC) said that the network's place in a child's well-being is unclear: "We're really clear on where our role begins and ends," he told the Hollywood Reporter. "We have things like a one-day seminar called Talent 101, where we bring in security experts, psychologists, showrunners, and life coaches. It's usually after the pilot but before the series launches. But at the end of the day, it's the parents who really have to be parents. We give them all of the tools they might need, but the network is not responsible for raising
their children."
Do you think that TV networks should be held accountable for the well-being of their child stars? Tell us in the comments.


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I love my wife, Diane, like crazy. But I still wanted to pull my hair out sometimes.
What did we fight about? Money, for one. I was used to spending at will; she insisted every purchase be made together. Another flash point was the in-laws. They tended to butt in, and we weren't on the same page about them.
Diane pushed therapy; I pushed back. I hated doctor's offices. We had no time. So Diane, a Google fanatic, found a Skype counselor.
Neither of us had used Skype before, so it didn't feel natural at first. We spoke with our therapist at night after our kids were asleep. It was more helpful than I expected. The most useful trick I learned was to clarify what my wife meant—mirroring—before I replied. And I learned how to tell a complaint from a criticism. A complaint like "There are socks on the floor again!" isn't a personal attack.
Had we not started Skype counseling, we'd have made each other's lives hell for a lot longer. Now we have a budget we compromised on. We set up boundaries for our in-laws. We are out to build each other up, not get each other.
At the seventh one-hour session, we spent more time laughing than addressing problems. The counselor said, "You don't really need me anymore, but reach out if you ever do." When we hung up, I said, "I guess we graduated!" That felt pretty cool.
Online Therapy: Yay or Nay?
"My Skype clients are more relaxed and focused than those I meet with in person," says New York City therapist Clay Cockrell. "They're in a familiar setting, so they don't need to 'warm up' with chitchat." Adds Austin, TX, life coach David Cantu: "Aside from the ease, the biggest benefit is that folks can choose the best counselor for them and not be limited by who's nearby."
Cockrell says it could be too convenient. "When things are really easy, people tend not to value them," he says. "But working at something, taking time and traveling to a therapist's office, may feel like an investment in your marriage." Cantu adds that the Skyping itself is not always seamless. "About a third of my clients have technical difficulty at one point or another," estimates Cantu. If you've never used a video-chat app before, play around with it and troubleshoot before you make a counseling appointment.


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Survey Shows Mixed Feelings on Outsourcing
Our joint survey on contracting-out production, R&D and other functions finds a lot of mixed feelings.
Outsourcing provides options for food and beverage manufacturers to grow their businesses, fill niche product lines and execute many functions more efficiently — from production to product development R&D to maintenance. Yet, new survey findings indicate outsourcing is not favored by all; and for many, it has left a bad taste on their company palates.
Food Processing and Grant Thornton LLP, the audit, tax and business advisory firm, collaborated on this survey, taken in August and September of 2008. Some analysis was provided by consultants MPI Group. There were 115 respondents of all sizes and from all segments of the food industry (see methodology for details).
We hope if offers insights to help you evaluate your own outsourcing prospects and challenges.
Outsourcing production
As measured by sales volume, nearly one-third of food and beverage manufacturers (32 percent) indicate that none of their production is outsourced. Another 54 percent report that one-quarter or less of their sales volume is outsourced. Just 11 percent have outsourced a majority of their production and 6 percent outsource all production.
Firms that don't outsource often do so to maintain control of their product. As one executive says, "By not outsourcing, we control all elements of our products, quality, cost, research, etc."
Another offers: "I believe that we can assure the quality of our products by not outsourcing." He goes on to indicate his firm currently uses some outsourced warehousing but "are in the process of remedying that."
Among food and beverage firms that do outsource some production ("production outsourcers"), a majority (58 percent) indicates they do so to "increase/develop production capacity." One satisfied food executive explains, "Contracts with outsourcing contributed to our success of expansion to gain market in other areas."Another adds, "We have outsourced in the past to find capacities that match the volume. For example, [our] organic business is small, therefore smaller contractors can handle that much more efficiently, and we have been generally satisfied with the results."
Other top reasons for outsourcing production were to gain "access to technology/equipment" (46 percent) and to "lower costs" (37 percent).
Most firms that outsource production rely on more than one vendor: 40 percent of food and beverage manufacturers use two to three firms, 13 percent use four to five firms, and 31 percent use more than five partners.
Among all respondents, the dollars spent on outsourced production are likely to increase among 43 percent of survey respondents; 7 percent indicate it will increase significantly; 51 percent report no change in the volume of outsourcing and 6 percent predict it will decrease.
Among only those already outsourcing, 53 percent will increase the dollar volume of outsourced production and 40 percent will maintain current levels.
Looking ahead to 2009, 41 percent of survey respondents will increase outsourcing and 49 percent indicate no change in volume of outsourcing. Among current production outsourcers, 46 percent will increase the volume of outsourced production and 41 percent will keep it the same.
Production outsourcing does not necessarily solve production ills; in fact, it can create a variety of problems for food and beverage manufacturers.
Precisely one-quarter of firms that outsource indicate their most significant problems are higher costs; another 25 percent cite poor product. Another 17 percent said problems involve late deliveries and/or poor lead times.
"Outsourcing brings a loss of product control, dilutes/eliminates brand integrity and opens the door to product recalls and/or contamination," says one food and beverage executive.
Yet others are "very satisfied." "[Nearly all] product is delivered when requested. Overall quality is consistent and meets specification requirements. Suppliers are very cooperative and easy to work with. [We] have had very few problems," wrote one.
Another executive says his company is so happy with its contractor that he "intends to move all of our production to them."
Many food and beverage manufacturers are implementing best practices to better manage their contract manufacturers, even when they no longer control actual production.
Common best practices in place at a majority of outsourcers include:
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December 01, 2009: Audacity 1.3.10 released
The Audacity Team is pleased to announce the release of Audacity 1.3.10 (Beta) for Windows, Mac and Linux/Unix. This release removes a significant number of crash or freeze problems and other major bugs. It brings us very close to our goal of a new 2.0 Release.
1.3.10 is strongly recommended for users on Windows Vista and 7, rather than 1.2.6 Stable. We ask everyone to help us test 1.3.10 and let us know of any problems you find. Advanced users are encouraged to test our latest fixes as we make them by downloading our Nightly Builds. We hope a final 1.3.11 Beta will follow soon. Please subscribe to receive news of all our releases.
Summary of Changes in 1.3.10:
- Imports/Exports bug fixes:
- Freeze importing audio files in Pitch (EAC) view
- Corrupted WAV or AIFF imports and WMA exports
- Metadata Editor appeared before the Export window
- Effects bug fixes:
- Crash/hang using Equalization; errors in Reverse and Truncate Silence
- Nyquist: Excessive memory consumption; errors in European locales; inaccurate text box values
- VST effects remained in menu when no longer available
- Other bug fixes:
- Spurious "not writable/disk full" errors when saving projects
- Desynchronized playback/data loss when using multiple tracks
- Crash opening Preferences when no valid devices present
- (Windows) Audacity sometimes did not come up on top at launch
- (Linux) Crash when undoing or redoing label edits
- Improvements:
- Improved copying/pasting of label-with-audio and system clipboard text
- Contrast Tool now modeless, intuitive handling of multiple project windows, various other improvements
See Changes in Audacity 1.3.10 for more on 1.3.10 and the Beta series. Note: This release does not support Windows 98 or ME, for which 1.3.7 is still available.


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Unemployment Extension July 14, 2010 Update – Millions of unemployed Americans have been clamoring for a tier 5 unemployment extension ever since their unemployment benefits expired months ago. However, until now, July 14, 2010, no unemployment bill has been passed yet. Republicans are not in favor because they claim that the $34 billion costs associated in passing it would just add to the government's enormous budget deficit. Technically speaking, the bill would need a majority of 60 votes in the Senate to pass.
The most urgent issue right now in the passage of this unemployment extension bill is how fast an interim senator could get appointed that would replace the late Senator Robert Byrd from West Virginia. As of the latest update, Governor Manchin could get to appoint an interim replacement by Friday at 5 p.m. ET or by Sunday the latest.
The next most important issue lies from the hands of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on when the Senate adjourns for the week, or when they work through the weekend to file for cloture on the motion to proceed to the unemployment bill. When the cloture motion is already"ripe" which is technically one hour after the Senate convenes on the second day after it was filed, the Senate will now need to gather votes on whether or not to continue with the debate despite Republican opposition.
We cannot do anything about it but to wait. It will all depend on these politicians on how fast will they act to pass this unemployment bill. Let's just hope that they will prioritize it since this is one of the most important issues affecting millions of unemployed Americans.


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Re: Buddhist response to Western ontology
Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2012 6:30 pm
What is described in the quote is a mode of perception called "radical phenomenology," in which at any given moment the opposite perception would not occur. So for instance, where one is perceiving arising one is not perceive ceassing. And where one is perceiving ceassing one is not perceive arising. This is probably how the Buddha and arahants relate(d) to things at all times. They are just right there, without ponder something other than their direct perception. Also "world" is not what exists, but what is perceived via the five senses and the mind. He is not making any statements about being here per se. He is saying don't get involved. When he says "... this world is supported by (takes as its object) a polarity, that of existence & non-existence ..." he is saying having an ontological view is a type of wrong view, inasmuch as the views are based on the five senses and the mind feeding on the polarity, causing further proliferation, and don't lead to the ending of suffering (see DN 11).perkele wrote: When you read the sutta carefully you can see that there is a reason, there is a justification for "avoiding these two extremes"
I do not state there is not a justification within the Buddhist teachings, but that that does not amount to an ontological doctrine, nor does it do anything to disprove other ontological doctrines. Not engaging in the debate does not disprove the points of the debate.
perkele wrote: And based on that, far from being quietistic, he states something to the extent that "ontology ultimately doesn't make sense".
Another debate, then, would be why ontological arguments are not skillful tools. I am not opening that debate, but just saying it is possible.


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For the first time, 50 women graduated from Iraq's police officer training academy yesterday, alongside 1,050 male peers. Prior to a change in the Iraqi government's rules earlier this year, women were barred from joining the elite officer's corps and were instead only allowed access to low-level police jobs like directing traffic or searching women at checkpoints, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Graduating First Lieutenant Farah Hameed told the New York Times that especially in investigating crimes like sexual abuse and rape, women police officers are more likely to be effective than men. "Everyone says men are able to do everything, but that's not true...In investigations, especially with women, women use their compassion with victims to get them to answer questions clearly," she said.
"Some people have a view of Iraqi women that for them to join the police academy is a shame," graduating First Lieutenant Alla Nozad Falih told the New York Times. Many of the women graduates received threats from men in their communities while they completed training. Despite these threats, Lieutenant Falih said, "It's been my desire since I was a kid to be a police officer, and now I am one...We are proud to be officers, and we encourage other women to be officers because it's a great job."
Media Resources: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 11/10/09; New York Times 11/9/09
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