text:
Kingsbury unveils his 1st TX Tech recruiting class
First-year coach Kliff Kingsbury's staff got a late start in
recruiting, yet they came away encouraged Wednesday after signing
players who will fit Texas Tech's immediate needs on the offensive
Kingsbury said Wednesday that some of the five offensive linemen
could play right away.
"We think it's one of the best classes that we've had around
here probably in quite some time, just based on size and stature,"
said Kingsbury, one of the youngest coaches in Division I at 33.
"Guys that we expect to come in and play right away. That was a
big need going into it."
He also stressed speed on defense and offense and believes his
staff, some of whom played with him at Texas Tech, accomplished
"Speed is one thing you can't coach," he said. "We're trying
to be the fastest team in the Big 12. That's our goal, the way we
want to play on offense and defense."
Kingsbury, a former Red Raiders standout quarterback who last
year coached Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel at Texas A&M,
was hired in December after Tommy Tuberville left for Cincinnati.
Rivals.com ranked the Red Raiders signing class 50th, a significant
drop from Tuberville's last two years when the website ranked them
26th in 2012 and 20th in 2011.
Devin Lauderdale from Houston Bellaire, a 5-foot-11, 170-pound
receiver, is the program's lone Rivals.com four-star recruit.
Lauderdale had offers from five other Big 12 schools as well as
Alabama and Ohio State.
He'd withdrawn his commitment to Tech after Tuberville left. But
co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach Eric Morris succeeded
in landing him, Kingsbury said.
Morris, a former Red Raiders receiver, "made (Lauderdale) feel
like this was the best situation for him," Kingsbury said. "With
his speed it's at a national level. That's something that we really
need here. We're excited to get him on the field and see what he
can do."
The new regime also made inroads in Georgia, at the opposite
side of the state from where former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach
used to recruit at Valdosta State.
Trey Haverty, a former Red Raiders receiver who now coaches
safeties, knew a player from Martin Luther King High and used his
connections to get three players to come to Lubbock – receiver D.J.
Polite-Bray, offensive lineman Josh Outlaw and linebacker Jacarthy
"They're three great players, guys that really fit our systems,
so it just worked out," Kingsbury said.
The Red Raiders also got a quarterback, Davis Webb of Prosper.
The 6-foot-4 Webb, who threw for 23 touchdowns and 2,722 yards his
senior season, probably will redshirt.
Expected starter and redshirt sophomore Michael Brewer, last
year's backup to Seth Doege, could be more of a threat on the
ground than his predecessor even as the Red Raiders are expected to
return to the Air Raid offense Leach made famous.
The ages and experience of Texas Tech's coaching staff – five of
Kingsbury's staff are former Red Raiders – helped in the recruiting
effort, Kingsbury said.
"A lot of them aren't too far removed from being real
successful players on the college level, and I think when you speak
on that level to a high school kid there's a little more street
cred involved when you can talk about your experience as a player
at college in the Big 12, and even in the NFL in some cases," he
said. "It's been well received by everybody we've been in contact


text:
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Psychology of Clutter
What Different Types of Crowded Closets Suggest About Their Owners
Jennifer James and her husband don't have a lot of clutter—but they do find it hard to part with their children's things. The guest cottage behind their home in Oklahoma City is half-filled with old toys, outgrown clothing, artwork, school papers, two baby beds, a bassinet and a rocking horse.
"Every time I think about getting rid of it, I want to cry," says Ms. James, a 46-year-old public-relations consultant. She fears her children, ages 6, 8 and 16, will grow up and think she didn't love them if she doesn't save...


text:
Trend Setta
Trend Setta
On episode 9 Trend Setta drops by the Young Future radio show to talk about all things Trend Setta during an exclusive interview with The Young Future on The Young Future podcast.
The Young Future team is made up of Sir Young Prezzy, DJ Mikey, DJ K Yung and OG (behind the scenes). With every show The Young Future delivers the most requested interviews, the most hilarious prank calls, the craziest conversation, FIRE mixes and so much more.
Follow The Young Future on ALL SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS @YoungFutureNV and right here on www.TheYoungFuture.com for all updates regarding The Young Future.


text:
Imperator militibus subsidium ____________________(submitto, submitti, submittere) cupiverat.
This is the question in Caesar a legamus transitional reader. The key says that submitti is correct and the sentence should be translated this way:
The general had wanted aid to be sent to the soldiers.
Why can't submittere be correct and the sentence translated this way:
The general had wanted to send aid to the soldiers.
I'm sure there is some obvious reason that I'm not seeing.
Thank you!


text:
Roundup: Unobtrusive Humidifiers
With the winter season in full-stop, our heater tends to dry up our house a great deal. Thinking about the awful design of humidifiers that we used to have when I was young, I shuddered at the though of adding one to my room! I remember huge, ugly devices that I wouldn't want displayed prominently anywhere! That's not the case anymore!
Humidifiers have grown up a bit, especially in their design. Here are five that might help relieve the seasonal dryness, but not offend other sensibilities!
- The Oskar Humidifier from Stadler Form looks more like a modern day electronic component than a humidifier! Available here from Wayfair, it clocks in at $149 (down from $174) making it one of the pricier options. It's pretty fantastic design, though, for something that may sit prominently in your room for an entire season!
- Also from Stadler Form, who seem to corner the market on handsome humidifiers, the Fred Humidifier is a playful take on modern design. Macy's offers the device in multiple colors, which adds to the toy-like flair of this item.
- The Air-O-Swiss Evaporator Humidifier is the priciest of the bunch, at $251 from Sears, but touts a sleek design as well as high energy efficiency.
- The Stadler Form Hydra Humidifier has a more traditional look for a humidifier, but stays subtle and unobtrusive in design. At $99 from Wayfair, it sits solidly in the middle of the price range and promises mold prevention, demineralization and a large room spread for humidification.
- The Coway MHS-U2201 Humidifier, seen for $69 at Housewares Only, rings in at the least expensive of the crew. It has a sort of futuristic vibe with it's pod shape, and is just over 8" wide by 11" high, creating a pretty small footprint. The compact design makes it pretty easy to blend in with home decor.
Apartment Therapy supports our readers with carefully chosen product recommendations to improve life at home. You support us through our independently chosen links, many of which earn us a commission.


text:
Join Oda May today with a few tips for rotary cutting!
Rotary cutting is an essential part of quilting (thank goodness! I would hardly get anything done if I had to cut everything out with scissors. Patience is not my strong point.) Rotary cutters are also probably the most dangerous part of quilting. I personally have the quilter's trademark squared off index finger so I've come by these tips honestly.
- Always cover the blade with the built-in cover when you set it down. Every single time – even if you're just setting it down for a second. Make it a habit.
- Always cut away from your body.
- Replace your blade when it stops cutting well. Working with a dull or damaged blade can cause you to cut in an unsafe manner – using excess pressure to cut through your fabric, etc. and that's a recipe for disaster.
- Only use the rotary cutter for its intended use.
- Keep your fingers well away from the edges of templates and rulers while cutting. You don't want a squared off index finger like me. (Plus blood stains can ruin your beautiful fabric.)
- Plan your cutting before you start to minimize waste.
- Press and starch fabric before cutting.
- Square up fabric edges before you start cutting.
- Use the lines on your ruler or template for a straight edge, not the lines on the mat.
- Save yourself some back pain by cutting on a counter-height surface.
Did I leave anything out? Let us all know your safety and cutting tips in the comments!
Safely Sewing,
Oda May
Pre-cut Guru at Moda Fabrics/United Notions
The Moda Bake Shop is a division of Moda Fabrics that provides online recipes which you can use with the wide range of Moda Pre-cuts. All sizes and types of projects will be featured from various designers and shops. Tutorials for various Moda projects sheets will be illustrated with step by step pictures. Some techniques and products will also be featured throughout, so check back often for what is "baking" here at Moda Fabrics.
Latest posts by Oda May (see all)
- Building Blocks: 4-Patches - September 26, 2018
- National Sew a Jelly Roll Day - September 15, 2018
- How to Make: Continuous Bias Binding - September 2, 2018


text:
"Jonathan, I am free any time after 1PM. Let me know if you want to play. Jeff"
13 members32 Comments 1 Like
Jeffrey DeCarlo has not received any gifts yet
Hey, you should probably join this group, if you want to be able to find partners. http://tennisopolis.com/group/poughkeepsieplayers
Trying to find partners in the forums is difficult, if not impossible.
© 2018 Created by Mark / The Mayor. Powered by


text:
Back to the Future: Sioux Falls Pheasants are the Sioux Falls Canaries – Again [AUDIO]
Sioux Falls baseball fans are welcoming back an old friend. The Pheasants are changing their name back to the Canaries.
A previous ownership group abandoned the Canaries moniker before the 2010 season, saying the Pheasants represented a tougher, more imposing mascot.
But when ownership changed again last May, the new group says it was inundated with calls from fans to restore the Canaries name, which has been a part of the Sioux Falls baseball landscape since 1902.
ESPN 99.1's Jeff Harkness spoke with Canaries Co-Owner Tom Garrity, who says, despite an attendance increase of more than 70% last season, the changes was needed.
The Canaries also unveiled images of their new uniforms at Tuesday's press conference.
The Canaries open the 2013 season in Sioux City, May 16th, with the home opener May 17th against Sioux City at the Sioux Falls Baseball Stadium.


text:
Ivor Novello award winner Iain Archer chooses Liquid Mix
"At the age of 13 I picked up a guitar and started writing songs about anything and everything," remembers Iain Archer about what was certainly a life-changing moment. Since then, he's recorded four solo albums, played support to legends like John Martyn and Nils Lofgren, collaborated with The Amazing Pilots and Jacob Golden, joined Snow Patrol "for a year and a half during which time we wrote material for their breakthrough album Final Straw" and consequently won an Ivor Novello award. Like we said: life changing…
But as important as that guitar certainly was in the grand scheme of things, there's one other piece of studio gear that Iain now can't do without: his Focusrite Liquid Mix.
"When I discovered what Liquid Mix could do I realised it could really transform how I work and increase the results I was getting," says Iain. "I rely heavily on plug-ins and have learnt just how crucial it is to have options. To have great sounding EQ and compression that barely taxes the system makes for a very free approach to mixing as you go – which is how I always work really."
"It doesn't take long to sap all available processing power with standard plug-ins. It used to be that I would have an idea in the middle of a session, but I would have to go through a convoluted procedure of printing audio and chucking plug-ins away to free up enough poke to carry it out. Now it's instantaneous which means the idea doesn't get lost."
"My approach to recording is all about experimentation. I don't always approach a recording with a definitive concept – I'll record an instrument or a vocal, then I'll push it and pull it sonically, to see if there something extra I can pull out of it. To have so many options within one unit is fantastic. The simplicity of the vintage EQs is wonderful to work with."
"This is the only product I know that gives you the ability to simultaneously run compression and EQ on every track without demanding copious amount of memory. Add to that the superior sounds and there's no question."
"I used the Liquid Mix on a track I self-produced recently for a Nick Drake tribute album which is to be released in the States featuring John Martyn, Richard Thompson, Beck, Jason Lyttle from Grandaddy to name a few. I was going for that woody, boxy, picked acoustic very akin to those original Nick Drake recordings. Using a combination of the Old Tube 3 EQ and the Class A1, I was able to achieve a real warmth to the sound without it getting too soupy (as picked acoustics can sometimes). The guitar was surrounded by other odd instrumentation like handclaps, autoharp and bass but sat beautifully as a result of these features."
Iain recently worked on The Freelance Hellraiser album Waiting for Clearance, which also features Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol and Jan Hammer among others. His new solo album, Magnetic North, which he co-produced with David Kosten is out in October.
"I'll be playing live and promoting the album. I have a couple of bits of production and co-writing work to come later in the year too. I'm working with Grammy Award winning songwriter Victoria Horn on her own solo material. And check out www.myspace.com/iainarcher to hear what I'm talking about."
Iain's top recording tips
"Like I say I am very playful in the studio. I don't have any formal recording training and as a result my approach is generally fairly unorthodox. I have had the opportunity of working with and learning from some fantastic producers like David Kosten, Steve Osbourne, Guy Massey and Dave Lynch. But I am always looking for 'feel' over purity. I work alone a great deal and I just push things in an effort to spark some creative excitement in myself – when a recording starts to take shape and sound original and interesting I know I'm onto something. I don't really care about rules or rudiments. And I'm always learning."


text:
Dr. Raymond M. Gibbons Jr., 91, longtime Buffalo dentist
Aug. 9, 1921 – June 14, 2013
Dr. Raymond M. Gibbons Jr., a prominent Buffalo dentist with a passion for firefighting and collecting its memorabilia, died Friday in Harris Hill Nursing Home, Clarence, after a short illness. He was 91.
Dr. Gibbons conducted his dental practice for more than 60 years from his office and residence on Linwood Avenue in Buffalo, which became a firefighting shrine, complete with hose nozzles, fire-alarm boxes, a scanner radio that entertained waiting patients and a shiny brass fire pole descending three floors from the attic to the waiting room. He even owned two fire engines that he drove during parades all over Western New York.
"Stuff just seemed to come along," he told The Buffalo News in 1985. "Gifts, friends who called and said, 'I heard about this great buy.' And then I was into it, and I thought 'Gee, what a nice hobby.' "
He often told of walking with his father as a young boy past Engine 9 at East Tupper and Washington streets, spurring his lifelong interest in firefighting. It eventually led him to specialize in forensic dentistry, serving on the scientific staff of the Buffalo Police Department and the Forensic Sciences Unit of the New York State Police, as well as a stint as chief forensic odontologist for Erie County Medical Center.
Born in Buffalo, Dr. Gibbons graduated from Canisius High School, Canisius College and the University of Buffalo Dental School, and served in the Navy Dental Corps during World War II and the Korean War. He was a retired commander in the Naval Reserve.
He was a life member of the American Dental Association, the Dental Society of the State of New York and the Eighth District Dental Society. He served as president of the UB Dental School Alumni Association and International Dental Study Club, and a fellow in the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, International College of Dentists and American Academy of General Dentistry. He also served on the Erie County Board of Health.
Dr. Gibbons was a board member and chairman of the AAA of Western New York and a longtime member and director of the Buffalo Club. He was a Eucharistic minister at St. Louis Catholic Church, and every Sunday morning for decades he delivered communion to patients at Buffalo General Hospital.
For the past several years he lived in Clarence, where he also served as a Eucharistic minister at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church.
Survivors include his wife of 42 years, the former Virginia Schlee; two daughters, Kathleen Buescher and Nancy Laughlin; a son, R. Michael III; and a sister, Janet Collins.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 a.m. Tuesday in Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church, 8500 Main St., Clarence.


text: Click here to view our Summer/Fall 2018 Calendar Booklet. Click here to download the PDF version. Events for July 5, 2017 Events Search and Views Navigation Find Events Event Views Navigation View As List Month Day Events Search Day Of Search No events scheduled for July 5, 2017. Please try another day.


text:
Tackle any weather, yet feel beyond comfy.
Look good after your game too: these pants feature a special water-repellency treatment for powerful protection from dirt and stains. Straight cut, with belt loops, plenty of pockets and a designated anti-slide scorecard pocket, these pants have all it takes to make playing in the dirt more fun. However, these clean looks should also feel nice; that's why we've made the inner layer super soft and comfortable, so they are a pure joy to wear.
Sizes 54 and up have two additional belt loops.
- Front pockets
- Back pockets
- Belt loops
- Anti-slide scorecard pocket
- Straight cut
Double-weave 4-way-stretch fabric Fast-drying fabric
Face Fabric
90% Polyester, 10% Elastane 1-layer fabric
DWR treatment
Machine wash 30°C gentle
Do not bleach
Do not tumble dry
Cool iron
Do not dry clean
Midlayer stretch fabric that quickly absorbs and wicks away moisture, distributes it broadly on the outside to accelerate evaporation and blance the body temperature.
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Customers also bought


text:
The Meeting House
Body and Meaning
Surface gloss
The ancestors of the Maori immigrated to New Zealand over 1000 years ago, when Polynesian sailors sailed southward from the Island of
Hawaii.1 The Maori are divided into about 50 tribes who trace their descent to individuals who arrived in the first canoes (called
the "founding canoes"). Over the generations these tribes developed into complex social groups known as waka,
which in many instances were named for the founding canoes. Tribal affiliation is more important than a sense of national identity.
In fact, Maori is not an ancient name, but came about as a result of their encounters with voyagers from the northern hemisphere from
the 18th century onwards. The word Maori means clear, fresh or natural; it also means usual or ordinary. The original
inhabitants described themselves as ordinary (maori), as belonging to a collective group clearly different from the new (and
extraordinary) arrivals.
The Maori's first sustained contact with Europeans happened on October 6, 1792 when the British Captain Cook and his crew landed in Poverty
Bay in New Zealand. As a result of this visit, the British decided to colonize New Zealand. The Maori resisted these colonization
efforts, and warfare with the British continued until 1865 when the British, having superior weapons, finally overcame them. Similar
to the course of events in North America, within a few decades the native people were forced to give up most of their land, and to see
their culture and language undermined by European influences. They also fell victims to the European diseases brought by the new
settlers, with the result that the Maori population decreased dramatically during the 19th century. Both Catholic and Protestant
missionaries were active in New Zealand early on, so that by 1840 almost all the Maori had become Christians.
In recent decades there has been a concerted effort on the part of both the government and the Maori people to revive their language,
traditions and art forms, and they now have representation in parliament. The native Maori population is also increasing.
Maori meeting house
The Meeting House
The most important building in any community was, and still is, the meeting house, the community's most powerful statement of
identity. The primary purpose of traditional Maori art is to make this house beautiful. The meeting house itself symbolically
represents a particular ancestor, whose spirit is enclosed by the building. The ridge-pole is likened to the ancestor's backbone,
and the rafters to the ancestor's ribs. All ceremonies and decisions concerning the community take place here.
This stately figure was the principal carving in a meeting house of the Hawkes Bay region on the eastern coast of New Zealand's
North Island. (This building no longer exists and was probably destroyed by fire.) Its Maori name is poutokamanawa, a term
given to the post incorporating an ancestral figure that supports the main ridge-beam of a carved house. Poutokamanawa have
the sacred ceremonial duty of welcoming the community and receiving guests as they enter the building. Consequently, all who enter
are enfolded by the ancestral spirit.
Another example of a meeting house carving.
House Panel
About 1880
Wood, shell
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Roll over the image to see details of body and meaning found on the Maori Post Figure: Poutokomanawa
Another Maori figure which shows similar body characteristics
Tekoteko Figure
Wood, mother-of-pearl
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Close-up of surface patina from the Maori Post Figure: Poutokomanawa
Body and Meaning
Like all sacred carvings, a poutokamanawa was made by highly skilled carver-priests, observing very specific rituals and
ceremonial restrictions. Poutokamanawa are not completely naturalistic because they represent ancestral spirits, whose role
is to comfort and watch over their living descendents.2 The head is disproportionately large because the Maori consider the head to
be the center of personal power. The large hands spread over the abdomen emphasize the center of the body, the navel, believed to be
the center of life force. It is marked on this statue by a raised disc. The navel (maori-ora) was considered to be the link
between the people still on earth and their ancestral spirits. Individualistic tattoo patterns incised on the face may replicate
those of a specific ancestor. The hair is bound up in a topknot, characteristic of a warrior chief, and the stern eyes are inlaid
with paua shell, which adds life and fire to the gaze of the statue. This figure escaped mutilation during the 19th century by zealous
missionaries, who regarded such carvings as creations of the devil.
Surface gloss
A post figure is eagerly caressed and embraced by the Maori, who press their noses against its nose, showing deep respect and
affection. It is given a protective coat of varnish that produces its high gloss finish, and is further polished by generations of
affectionate touching.
This poutokomanawa was carved in the 1840s, and was later given to Archbishop William Williams (1800-1878) about the time
he retired to Hawkes Bay in the 1880s, as a tribute to the love and friendship he showed his parishioners.3 It is one
of the few post figures that remained privately owned until it was acquired by a museum (The Minneapolis Institute of Arts).
1 Starzecka, op.cit., 30. Return to Text
2 For a complete description of poutokomanawa and the relative Maori terminology, see
the entry 162 in Sotheby's Auction Catalogue, Important African and Oceanic Art, New York, Nov. 22, 1999, pp. 25-28.
Return to Text
3 His grandson, Dr. A. H. Williams, brought the poutokomanawa to England sometime in the 1880s,
where it remained in the possession of successive family members. Return to Text
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text:
Difference between revisions of "Sword of Ruthlessness"
(→Proposed Canon)
|Line 4:
|Line 4:
The sword is described as conveying [[Leadership]], [[Combat]], and Ruthlessness.{{erf|1|106}}
The sword is described as conveying [[Leadership]], [[Combat]], and Ruthlessness.{{erf|1|106}}
Parson his sword by tossing it into a of molten lava at the conclusion of book 1.
Revision as of 01:41, 14 July 2009
Proposed Canon
Parson received a sword in three consecutive Stupid Meals starting on his third day in Gobwin Knob. He received the hilt firstErf-b1-p077a, the forte (blade near the hilt) secondErf-b1-p086, and the foible (blade away from the hilt) lastErf-b1-p106.
The sword is described as conveying Leadership, Combat, and Ruthlessness.Erf-b1-p106
Parson destroyed his sword by tossing it into a lake of molten lava at the conclusion of book 1.
It is not known how real or magical the powers of the weapon are. It certainly acts as a killing weaponErf-b1-p133, but it gives no overt signs of exceptional magical auras or ability. Parson's eyes glow redErf-b1-p106 upon first receiving the completed blade, but what that actually means is left to the reader, one interpretation being that at that moment, the Ruthlessness was conveyed to him. Since Parson's leadership bonus existed before he got the sword, it is reasonable to believe that his unit leadership ability is not reliant on the sword's magic, but is possibly amplified by it.
When Parson throws the sword into the lavaErf-b1-p150, as the sword melts, there is what looks like a stream of energy leaving it, similar to the sparkles seen when spells are cast.


text:
Mexico's 2012 Presidential Favorite Announces Candidacy
He's known for his movie star looks and is married to a telenovela star and now the man who most Mexicans believe will be elected their next president has finally said publicly that he wants the job.
Enrique Peña Nieto, the former governor of Mexico State, told the Televisa network late Monday that he plans to seek the nomination to run in the July 2012 election as the candidate of the once all-powerful Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI.
His announcement four days after leaving the governor's office left Mexico abuzz Tuesday with one of the most-anticipated bits of non-news. Everyone knew he would run, and polls say that if the election were held today, he would win.
"Surprise," Jesus Zambrano, president of the leftist Democratic Revolutionary Party, or PRD, joked in a statement. "We almost fainted."
Peña Nieto, 45, is seen as the PRI's best chance to regain the presidency it held for more than 70 years before losing to Vicente Fox in 2000 and then Felipe Calderon in 2006, both of the National Action Party, or PAN.
Until Monday, Peña Nieto had never directly said he planned to run.
He told the Televisa network he will work hard for the nomination, calling the polls that put him ahead just a "snapshot" of the moment.
He also put out what many expect to be his campaign message: That he represents a new generation and not the ruling PRI of old, which was nicknamed the "perfect dictatorship" by Nobel literature laureate Mario Vargas Llosa.
Peña Nieto said he expects to prove "that we can renew hope among Mexicans, that we can build a better nation, that we can live in a county of quiet and peace."
Potential candidates from other parties polling far behind him have left their other posts and have been pre-campaigning for weeks now, including former Finance Secretary Ernesto Cordero, former Sen. Santiago Creel and former Congresswoman Josefina Vazquez Mota, all for the PAN.
The only presumed candidate who is still in office is Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard of the PRD, who matched the news about Peña Nieto on Tuesday with his own coincidental platform — his last State of the City address. Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who narrowly lost the presidency to Calderon in 2006, has also said he will again seek the PRD nomination.
The PRD, meanwhile, demanded on Tuesday to know why Peña Nieto was being protected by the Estado Mayor, Mexico's equivalent of the Secret Service, if he's a private citizen.
After using media blitzes over the last five years to tout the accomplishments of his administration in Mexico's most populous state, Peña Nieto had been lying low since the election of his successor, Eruviel Avila, in July.
Mexican law requires presidential candidates to leave other political posts in advance of the campaign, and prohibits official presidential campaigning until February of the election year, when all parties officially choose their candidates.
Senate President Manlio Fabio Beltrones is also expected to seek the nomination for the PRI.
The PRI, founded in 1929, ruled for seven decades with the president operating like a monarch, virtually appointing his successor, state governors and the mayor of Mexico City by naming PRI candidates who faced little electoral opposition. If they did, the party was known for both buying and stealing votes.
But now nearly a third of Mexico's registered voters are under age 30, meaning the PRI hasn't been in power since they became eligible to vote. Instead, they see the PRI as a change from the PAN, which has been in power for nearly 12 years and has left voters disillusioned with a wave of drug violence.
Not everyone sees Peña Nieto as fresh, however.
"He's not very modern," political analyst Jose Antonio Crespo said. "At least his behavior has nothing to do with a renewed PRI."
For example, Crespo said, Peña Nieto interviewed all aspiring candidates for governor in Mexico State before choosing Avila to run in the old style known as the "dedazo," or hand-picked.
Peña Nieto is married to the popular Televisa soap opera actress Angelica Rivera, nicknamed the "Seagull" for her role in a top TV show about a tequila-producing family, "Destilando Amor."
Her reputation as one of Televisa's biggest moneymakers has led many to speculate about Peña Nieto's relationship in a presidential campaign with Mexico's most powerful television network, where he chose to make his announcement on a late-night news program.
Based on reporting by the Associated Press.
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U Program Turns Youth into CEOs
The Minnesota Daily featured Junior Entrepreneurs of Minnesota where 60 percent of youth participants go on to higher education.
By Amanda Bankston
Minnesota Daily
Last summer, Immanuel Jones walked through the doors of the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management as a shy 16-year-old struggling at Wayzata High School.
This summer, he entered those same doors as a small business owner and CEO.
The Wayzata, Minn., senior markets his own small-scale farm and community garden called EcoCity, which he founded last summer.
Though becoming a businessman was something he said he always dreamed and prayed about, he attributes his success to the Junior Entrepreneurs of Minnesota summer program he participated in last year.
"The people around you determine who you are and who you become," he said, fiddling with his first batch of business cards. "I found real people at JEM: mentors."
For the full article, click here.


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MIAMI (AP) Dwyane Wade scored 22 points on 10 for 14 shooting, LeBron James finished two assists shy of a triple-double and the Miami Heat improved to 4-0 at home for the first time in franchise history by beating the Brooklyn Nets 103-73 on Wednesday night.
James had 20 points and 12 rebounds in only 30 minutes, and Rashard Lewis scored 13 points for the Heat (4-1). Miami - which plays its next six games on the road - has won its four home games by an average of 17.8 points.
Kris Humphries had a double-double by halftime, then was silent in the second half and finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Nets (1-2). Deron Williams scored 14 for Brooklyn, which got 12 off the bench from MarShon Brooks.
The Nets had 19 turnovers, which Miami turned into 31 points.
Miami started 3-0 at home in four other seasons, always falling in the fourth game. Not this time. The Nets held the lead four times in the opening quarter, but all by one point and lasting a total of 2:33.
Other than that, all Miami. The Heat started 3 for 12 from 3-point range, then made seven of their last 12, giving them 40 makes from beyond the arc in their last three games.
Brooklyn didn't lose sight of Miami in the first half, still being within five with less than a minute remaining until the break, before the Heat got late scores from Wade and James to take a 50-41 edge into the locker room.
And as was the case against Phoenix (with a 23-6 run) on Monday, the Heat used the third quarter as the springboard.
It was a 54-46 game after Keith Bogans made a 3-pointer for Brooklyn early in the third, but after that, all Heat. Miami needed just 91 seconds to put together a 10-0 run - two baskets by Wade started it, and 3-pointers from Shane Battier and Mario Chalmers finished it, putting the Heat up 64-46.
The outcome was never again in doubt. Chalmers extended the lead to 20 when he sliced down the lane for a nifty layup with 3:45 left in the third, and James made a stepback 3-pointer as time was running out in the period for what was then Miami's largest lead, 79-56.
By then, the only drama was whether James would get his 33rd regular-season triple-double, which would have been his first since March 29, 2011.
Instead, he remained on the bench in the fourth, the Heat comfortably ahead the whole way.
NOTES: Wade sent his mother, Jolinda, flowers during a second-quarter timeout as a video message played on the overhead scoreboards. ... The Nets were without Gerald Wallace, who missed his second straight game with a sprained left ankle. Brooklyn is hoping he may be able to do more before its game Friday at Orlando. ... Heat F Udonis Haslem was poked in the left eye in the first half, dropping to his knees in pain when he got hit but staying in the game. ... Wade drew laughter after the morning shootaround, pretending he was miffed about Nets part-owner Jay-Z not attending the meeting when the team tried wooing him as a free agent in 2010 - but that the rapper appeared in person for James' sit-down that summer with the team. ``True,'' James said.


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Elegant evening dress red 2018
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Veterans in Fruit Belt to get help with home repairs
Military veterans living in Buffalo's Fruit Belt neighborhood and in need of home repairs will get that help during July and August through a special project sponsored by several local organizations.
"We will be working with various coalitions throughout the Fruit Belt to identify veterans who need help," said Breona Jones, a Summer VISTA Program member coordinating the effort.
The program also involves the Service Collaborative of WNY and the Buffalo Federation of Neighborhood Centers.
The project is based at the "Neighborhood House" at 97 Lemon St., where Jones can be reached by calling 856-0363.
Volunteers who want to be part of one- and two-day home repair projects such as painting, flooring and plumbing are also being sought and should contact Jones, who can also be reached at email@example.com.
"We will also be reaching out to retailers asking for their support and for donations to complete these projects," Jones said.
"But our first steps are to identify veteran and military families who need help and put together a volunteer labor force to do the work," Jones added.


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Opinion: Congress's Online Sell-Outs
Assistant editorial page editor James Freeman on whether Congress will vote to impose an online sales tax. Photo: Getty Images
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... welcome back to Opinion Journal why Mary Kissel ... there's nothing share in life and death and taxes but do Americans really needed Internet sales tax ... on top of what we are and pay ... even more portly are Republicans going to support this bill ... as it moves to the Senate this week ... assistant editorial page editor James Freeman joins me now is James ... Republicans are testing a system issue of fairness were on the purses and mortar ... retailers have to collect this tax the Internet ... retailers don't use this solution here ... a proportional to the ... prom ... I would say no ... you're right said basically a fight or whether ... we should give new power to state and local governments to reach outside their borders in force a remote in are net sellers to collect their sales taxes for them and a ... in terms of what what is the upside if you really think increasing tax collections is a great thing ... are you talking about that twenty twenty five billion year coming out of consumers' pockets and a setting in state local government ... one percent of what state local governments collect each year in revenue so op ... it's not a huge game changer on the revenue side of the light more government revenue but the of the risk is that you put incredible burdens their ninety six hundred state and local governments and a ... if a small Web retailer had to ... be answered all those governments pretty messy ... you've been working her sources on Capitol Hill and a lot of Republicans are saying to you don't worry ... when making fixes in this pellets can be very simple you will have to deal with thousands of jurisdictions ... is that really what's going on behind the scenes the promise of that is that of that software can now make it all simple for every retailer but ... you wonder about the dog ... if there's any dispute to ... the bill the base bill says ... any state ... I'm ... basically each year could all of the day with her ... so ... that's fifteen with an audience the year plus whatever the IRS has in mind for your business in it I think that's probably enough to kill some businesses but ... if that's not enough ... but now that the piece of legislation that's going to be voted on termite ... has been rewritten essentially in the Senate back room by Harry Reid ... and what he's included in the new definition of state's use of any tribal organization according ... to a part of the U S code have ... the House resources Committee there are almost six hundred ... tribes and wrecking federally recognized tribes and Alaska Native corporations so ... the definition of state ... it looks like we could be talking about potentially six hundred dollars per year If give everyone of these taxing authorities wanted to come after him is like in this well we got lesson and laughed our Republicans to vote this ruinous and in the last one it's can be interesting ... just how many votes it does get a sentiment that will probably pass I think a lot of people on the fence and a house that they just look at the cost of this in terms of ... potentially really screwing up Interstate Commerce an unprepared for go for ... storing up interstate commerce let's hope they don't do that since school is acting up as it is ... this is the editorial page editor James Freeman thanks so much for her on the show ...


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Thinking back to my school days, I was wondering why people hate anime so much. I mean, really, they're pretty cool, so what's to hate?
My group of otaku tend to get teased about our likings, but I don't really understand why. What do you guys think?
tfw im back with membership lmao
Lol don't worry I get teased on whith most people se anime as Hentai. Or loot people all so like. Country and are like stay out Frunze things
No shour. I'd this is dub feed
❀ One by one the penguins are stealing my sanity ❀
(anime n the sorts seem to be pretty popular around here)
i think some ppl think its childish or weird n call it "cartoons"
or maybe their just jealous u can be that awsome?
it takes 42 muscles to frown but only 4 to bitch slap that motherfucker
From my experience, it's usually the fans, not the anime. And to be honest, I have to agree.
I've noticed that a lot of us anime fans tend to act like a bunch of raging dorks.
there are just those people who dont like it. i knew a few guys who hated it but they admited that FLCL was awesome and praised me for having the cds.
i always get; ~the fuzzy end of the lollypop~
For me, growing up it was in elementary/junior-high (1-9) that kids were teased about watching anime. In high school all the kids pretty much watched an anime. Hell my high school had an anime club, a manga club and a club where they'de draw their own anime skits, render them frame by frame -- old school style -- and at the end of the year the whole school got the afternoon off to watch the year long production of said anime skit(s).
Watching Anime, drunk.
humans tend to dislike the things that they don't know much about or can't understand
like math ..if you don't understand it, you hate it ._.
they haven't seen much of anime..if they did ,they would like it
Wow hate is pretty over the top expression. I have grown past my teen years and I suppose as you grow older you learn to respect the likings of others and engage upon your similarities rather than your differences. Just because I like anime doesn't mean I can't be on the same wavelength as those who don't and vice versa.
Well as far as I can say, you like what you like and as long as its not something bad then keep it. I'm sure you'll find others who will appreciate you for what you like, just no need to flaunt your preferences I guess
Beasting and feasting :)
There are plenty of reasons to not like anime, but the only reason invalid these days is that anime is supposedly targeted at kids. I say these days because the anime available for viewing, outside the internet, was to be targeted for kids. Looking back now we can see that some series were altered in some ways to make them more kid friendly if they were just a bit above their level.
But yeah, side tracked.
The art, story telling, the fact that it's animated in general.. There's plenty of reasons to dislike it.
don't worry bout it, the people who tend to say that they hate it or make fun of it, but actually in some way like it. A lot of people who tend to make fun of it are the young generation (teens) and they do that because they want to feel they are mature and not watching a cartoon (although there is a big difference between anime and something like spongebob which a lot of them teens always say they watch). But non the less most of them loved a anime, hell I was talking to a friend one day who said he didn't like anime and then was randomly talking about dragon ball z with another friend and he over heard and was like DUDE I LOVE DBZ I GOT THE BLU-RAY DVD AND EVERYTHING and he continued to say hell I guess I do like anime and then continued to say "well I guess other people here can't deny it either because everyone's always at my house and we watching DBZ", so it's just a matter of a lot feel its a maturity thing, hell if its always thought like that, look at family guy, its a "cartoon" that everyone likes thats even less mature then most animes xD so isn't that just ironic? xD
Mature themes in "cartoon" format. I agree with AZFox, most people think of animation as something for kids. But it's ok to let your kids watch superhero movies.
Searching for a divergence of 1%
AZFox wrote:
There are plenty of reasons to not like anime, but the only reason invalid these days is that anime is supposedly targeted at kids. I say these days because the anime available for viewing, outside the internet, was to be targeted for kids. Looking back now we can see that some series were altered in some ways to make them more kid friendly if they were just a bit above their level.
blaise0316 wrote:
Mature themes in "cartoon" format. I agree with AZFox, most people think of animation as something for kids. But it's ok to let your kids watch superhero movies.
I agree, most people still think animation is something for children. But I've found that anime is more widely accepted now more than ever. I don't think people hate anime or anime fans, they just don't understand them.
Living life in the Far Far West
People who "hate" anime don't understand it... The TV they are used to are not visual novels. That's how I see anime. Its like reading a book but actually being able to see the story unfold. Most animes take a few episodes to actually get into the story and the world that the mangaka have created, and the average person won't give something another shot if they watched one episode and had already decided they didn't like it. That's one of the biggest problems in the world today I believe... People don't give things a second or third chance, since they've already judged that they do not like something based on their initial interaction. Then they are just set in their ways.
That and its not the "cool" thing to do.
Everything in existence can, and most likely is disliked or liked by people. Their really isn't something out there that all people like, even valuables that you can think of, their are most likely people in the world that dislike it, even if their reason for it is considered stupid to you, they still dislike it. Anime is no exception to this, there are those that love it, then there are those that dislike it with a passion. It's something we just have to accept, and simply move on~!
College life mixed with video games and anime
Usually they don't appreciate the art or the story line. They few it as "childish" because they've only experienced cartoons, and plus some of the fans and merchandise targeted for kids, while adults have them make them believe they're correct in their pov. I pay no mind to people like that anymore because anime and manga are too awesome to give up just for some jerks.


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Heavener Wolves get momentum with win over Talihina, but no one to play this week
The Heavener Wolves got what may have been the biggest win in quite a while last Friday night, beating the Talihina Golden Tigers 27-13 at Doc Robinson Stadium."It was a good win for the kids," Heavener Coach John Thompson said. "The kids went in and played like they were supposed to. They played like they wanted to win. They started out that way, and they never let up. It was the best game we've played this year."The bad news is that the Wolves have to wait a week before getting to play again. For the second straight season, the Tahlequah Tigers junior varsity canceled out on them.The two teams were to have played tonight at Harvey Stadium. Instead, the Wolves will have to wait until next week when they return to action against Panama. However, Thompson said that's not all that bad a thing for them, since they do have some injuries."It's good and bad,:" he said. "'It does let us get healthy, and lets the healing-up process take place."So, the Wolves aren't doing too much this week."We're going to have a light week of practice," Thompson said. "We'll just have normal practices, so we can let our bumps and bruises heal. This was the same thing that happened to us last year (the Tahlequah JV forfeited to the Wolves), and it worked out to our advantage. Our kids are going to be fired up and ready to go when we face Panama next week."


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A memorandum Obama issued requires the OMB director to work with the Defense secretary, NASA administrator, General Services Administration chief, Office of Personnel Management director and others to develop guidance on strengthening contract oversight, ending unnecessary no-bid and cost-plus deals and maximizing competition in procurement. Obama said these reforms will save taxpayers $40 billion annually.
The guidance, due by Sept. 30, must clarify "when governmental outsourcing for services is and is not appropriate." The memo stated that OMB Circular A-76, the government's playbook for public-private job competitions, was based on the "reasonable premise" that taxpayers might get a better deal if activities that are not inherently governmental are subject to competitive forces.
"However, the line between inherently governmental activities that should not be outsourced and commercial activities that may be subject to private sector competition has been blurred and inadequately defined," Obama wrote. "As a result, contractors may be performing inherently governmental functions. Agencies and departments must operate under clear rules prescribing when outsourcing is and is not appropriate."
The Bush administration strongly supported competitive sourcing and engaged in a number of legislative skirmishes to push the initiative and defend it from congressional detractors. Lawmakers have continued to fight public-private competitions, however, most recently with a provision in the fiscal 2009 omnibus spending bill that would suspend new Circular A-76 competitions.
The provision also would require agencies to review current contracts and issue guidelines for considering if new projects can be performed by federal employees, or if previously outsourced work can be brought back in-house.
The House approved the omnibus bill last week. Senate Democrats are scrambling to get their version passed and signed by President Obama by Friday, when the continuing resolution currently funding most government programs expires.
"We hope this is the end of the era of privatization during which agencies were forced to contract out regardless of cost or quality, and at the expense of integrity and accountability of federal programs," said John Gage, president of the American Federation of Government Employees.
Angela Styles, former administrator of OMB's Office of Federal Procurement Policy and now a partner at the Washington law firm Crowell & Moring, said the Obama administration is facing a conflict between its desire to bring certain activities back under the government fold and the massive amount of contracting that will occur under the economic stimulus plan.
"It's all going to be behind the curve," Styles said. "It's hard to balance these two issues. The best you can do is say, 'We're going to clarify,' but by the time you do, you have huge amounts of dollars that have already gone out the door. And once it's out the door it's difficult to bring it back in."
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, agreed with Obama that contracting is plagued by cost overruns, fraud, and a lack of oversight and accountability. But he said these problems will be exacerbated by the rapid spending required under the $787 billion 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
"The solutions President Obama is offering to reduce waste and abuse pale in comparison to the new levels of waste and abuse created by his massive spending spree," Issa said.
Styles said OMB's undertaking will be even more difficult given the critical political positions that remain unfilled governmentwide. Obama has yet to nominate an OMB deputy director for management to replace Nancy Killefer, who withdrew for tax reasons, or an OFPP administrator, for instance.
"By getting presidential involvement you probably have a better chance of solving [these issues] but each individual one is just a huge task in and of itself," Styles said. "Career people have known about these issues for quite some time, [but] you really do need leaders in place in each of these identified areas and … I haven't heard of many announcements of substantive government acquisition officials at the political level."
During a speech announcing the procurement reform effort, Obama also endorsed legislation introduced last week by Sens. Carl Levin, D-Mich., and John McCain, R-Ariz., that would require the Defense Department to re-examine contracts if costs increased by more than 25 percent from the initial estimate. The department's 95 largest acquisition programs are an average of two years behind schedule and have exceeded their original budgets by a total of almost $300 billion, according to Levin.
Obama said he wants the 2009 Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act passed quickly and has asked Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Deputy Secretary William Lynn to work with Levin and McCain.
Stan Soloway, president of the Professional Services Council, a contractor association, said Obama's memorandum had "constructive ideas and is a way to move the new face of government forward," but warned that "any review of the procurement process must be fact-based and not caught up in the myths perpetuated about government contracting."


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Knowledge Illuminates is the first module from GM Games and the kick-off for the author's One-Shot Adventure Series line. The module is written for 1st and 2nd level characters with a suggested maximum of 8 levels. Tim and Ivy were kind enough to send me a review copy, so let's get started!
Tim Shorts is a DM. I know this because I've read his module. It's always a pleasure to see a DM at work! :)
The module opens with introductory and background material, consisting of, amongst other things, an Alchemist's Doom, Marvelous Substances, a Dangerous Artifact and a Wicked, Metal Looking Demon! There are some cool ideas here, which can be expanded upon and used throughout a campaign. Some of these might readily be developed and become major focal points during the PC's careers. This material, along with several possible adventure hooks, sets the stage for the second and third parts of the module.
The adventure begins for the PC's, with an outdoor area to explore. The DM is provided with a keyed Hexmap, on a scale of 1 Hex = 1/4 Miles. A page of the module is devoted to presenting the Hexmap, which shows the features of the area, elevations and 7 keyed areas for the PC's to find. Hexcrawl time, baby!
Along with the Alchemist's Workshop they're looking for, the players will probably run into some monsters, interesting sites and find themselves some treasure, as they go about exploring the out-door area. There are opportunities for combat, as well as ways said combat might be avoided. Some of the encounters could turn a bit bloody and there's a possible encounter with an Ankheg, in particular, which I would expect to kill at least one character.
The aforementioned Alchemist's former Workshop will eventually be found and serves as the Dungeon for the adventure. It's accompanied by a map which is scaled 1 square = 5 feet. Again, a page is devoted to the presentation of the map and there is a second, smaller copy of the dungeon map on another page, which is handy and still big enough to be perfectly usable with my middle-aged eyes.
The dungeon is a short, straightforward affair, with 11 keyed areas. It's rather linear, but I think that's fine for a small dungeon. Tim gives us some traps, monsters, nasty tricks, cool dressing and a little bit of weirdness. Overall, our author makes good use of his dungeon and it should prove to be a lot of fun! Again, things are likely to get a little hairy (Undead, man! Undead!) and the players are going to have to be sharp. They will run across some magic items (some really cool arrows in particular) which should help them deal with the worst of it, if used judiciously. This section ends with a Concluding the Adventure wrap-up, which offers some suggestions for further developments.
The final and fourth section, lists new spells, creatures and magic items which the reader should find generally useful and there's some cool stuff here.
As mentioned above, the maps are by Robert Conley. For those not familiar with Mr. Conley's cartography, this means they're very, very good!
The text is two-columned and features a few drawings from The Forge Studios. Monster stats are in bluish shaded boxes and a few sections have additional advice for the DM, given in italics. I noticed one typo. I found the overall layout and design to be pleasing to my sensibilities. :)
The module instructs the DM to call for a Skill Check roll, at certain points and at the beginning of the module, Tim advises the reader to ignore these if he wishes. The DM will probably already have a way of handling this sort of thing and the usage implies, pretty much, how the Skill Check and associated Difficulty Level are to be utilized, but I would have appreciated a bit more information, regarding the author's intentions, here. A newbie DM might find himself at a loss, as to how to handle this.
The Cool, Metal-looking Demon mentioned above isn't a foe in this adventure, though he is described and his minions do show up. I still would have liked to see a Monster Block write-up for the fellow, because I like reading stats for Cool, Metal-looking Demons!
I enjoyed Knowledge Illuminates and if you're in the market for a low level/starter module, recommend picking it up! I think it'll prove to be quite fun to Run and will also be useful for ideas, inspiration and general reading pleasure! This is another PDF, which I'll be printing out. Congratulations Tim and I'm looking forward to your next release!
Larm is an accessory for Labyrinth Lord, easily convertible, of course, published by Brave Halfling Publishing. It is written by Moritz Mehlem, with art by Andy "Atom" Taylor. The PDF, which I bought a couple of weeks ago at RPGNow, runs 27 pages in all, and details a village of 112 inhabitants, providing several small adventures which, are designed to introduce beginning players to the basic concepts of adventuring in a D&D world and the mechanics of game-play. Two mini-dungeons, a wilderness encounter, and a couple of investigatory "city" pieces are provided. The village is well detailed, with 33 keyed locations, associated NPC's, a rumour table, historical information and a map of the village. We get a quick overview of daily life in Larm, providing us with information on the sort of commonplace events that the villagers engage in throughout the week. There are lists of goods, with prices, for the various stores. All 112 NPC's living in Larm are listed in their associated key entries. Many are provided with an economical, yet effective presentation of their personality, background and motivations. Some are just mentioned, as in the case of children, acolytes, etc. Larm also features three maps of the adventure sites and a Mayor's Proclamation player's handout. Aside from the cover piece, which is reproduced on the title page, there are 12 other illustrations, two of those being very small equipment type pieces.
There are nice little touches throughout Larm. The rumor table entries, also list, when applicable, the location key number associated with the person, place or thing being gossiped about. A table near the beginning of the book, lists all the places which appear in the key entries, along with the number of NPC's which are associated with the location. There's some great role-playing opportunities in Larm and player's may find themselves involved with some more light-hearted interactions, as well as with more serious dealings.
While more experienced groups will find the two dungeons to be rather rudimentary in and of themselves, the role-playing aspects can make these worthwhile, even for seasoned players. They also serve to provide further details of life in Larm, as well as the history of the village. They're great for introducing new players to the basics. The wilderness adventure, while simple, will require some thought and tactical planning, serving as a nice adventuring 101 lesson, which, should also be involved enough to engage more experienced players. I may be biased on that last observation, as I really enjoy this particular type of set-up and the necessities involved for success. The investigatory adventures, while pretty basic, as well, provide excellent role-playing opportunities. Of course, any of this can easily be adapted to the needs of the DM and his/her group.
If you're introducing new players to the game, then Larm's adventures are perfect for showing them the ropes. Some are of the over and done with type, others are wedded to deeper events and concerns, or, the history of Larm. Once the newbs get an idea of what their doing, they'll then be ready for the DM to create more involved adventures. Larm will serve as a useful, friendly spot of civilization for the characters to call home, serve as a base for forays into more dangerous lands, nearby, allow the characters to make some friends and perhaps, some enemies, as well.
If you need a well designed village environment, Larm is a solid choice and should serve you, very well. A lot of information is provided, in an economical, well thought-out fashion. Overall, I found Larm to be Charming, very Useful and Pleasing to my DMing sensibilities. I like Larm a lot and encourage everyone to check it out.
During the first few months of last year, my cash flow was a little restricted. So, when RPGNOW put The Dungeon Alphabet pdf on sale for a little over $5, for GM's day, I bought it and printed it out. I was quite happy with my printout, but when I heard that the first printing of the HC had Sold Out, The Collector spoke up and immediately wanted a copy! A couple of weeks later, when tooling around on ebay, I found the copy mentioned above and snagged that sucker! It arrived yesterday and The Collector is quite pleased!
Ah, but the book itself! It's an Old School Feast! A dream tour of the Archetypal Dungeon. A delightful gestalt of Imagery, Essays and Random Tables, which combine to form a most inspiring whole.
There's a short essay for each letter of the alphabet. C is for Caves, U is for Undead and so forth. The little essays discuss the topic chosen for the letter, describing its place in the overall idea of the Dungeon and discussing how it might be encountered, or experienced in the underworld. Each page features Old School art, wonderfully illustrating the subjects of the alphabet entries. Lastly, each entry has a Random Table, providing excellent ways to manifest these ideas in your dungeon! The entry for B has two tables and some of the tables have multiple parts or sub-tables.
My Favorite entry, is Y Is For Yellow! The accompanying Peter Mullen Illustration is superb! The Essay and Random Table, combine with the art, to splendidly evoke the sinister nature of that weird color. I enjoyed every single entry, of course and I'm itching to sit down and design a Dungeon!
The Sepher Yetzirah, a famous Qabalistic work, describes how God created the Universe, utilizing the letters of the Hebrew Alphabet. The rich information found within The Dungeon Alphabet, will serve any DM well, as he/she goes about the business of creating a Dungeon Masterpiece!
If you appreciate Old School, you'll love The Dungeon Alphabet.
The first of the Advanced Adventures line, from Expeditious Retreat Press, RPGNOW tells me that The Pod-Caverns of the Sinister Shroom was first made available on their site in 2006. So, it's been around for quite some time and if you're into OSR stuff, you probably already have a copy. But, new people are finding our corner of the gaming universe, everyday and even if you've been around for the past several years, maybe you've neglected to check this out.
If so, Fie! Fie I say! You've been depriving yourself of quite a treat.
Pod-Caverns is a dungeon adventure, three-levels large. To give you an idea of the size, there are 52 keyed areas. The main monster in the dungeon is the Sinister Shroom, of course, and if you're not familiar with these fellows, you can download a free copy of the excellent Monsters of Myth and get the skinny on Shrooms and their freaky Pod-men servants. They're evil, genius, magic-using mushroom-men. Mwa-ha-ha!
Mr. Finch has designed the dungeon to easily facilitate either a surface, or underground approach to the area. The module can be introduced in a more typical fashion, with the adventurers heading underground to check out the nefarious goings on, or the site can easily be placed as an expansion to an already existing dungeon, serving as an alternate route to, and obstacle in the way of, the surface-world. An underground river runs through the levels and will readily serve as transportation to the area, or as a means of travelling deeper underground, if the party entered the area from above.
There's some awesome adventure to be had in these three levels, with plenty of interesting places to explore, a nice mix of cool monsters, nasty traps and well-placed terrain hazards. There're also incidents of wonderful high weirdness, secrets to be discovered, odd things to play with, opportunities to make some friends and a well placed mix of level appropriate magic-items. The Shroom makes for a very cool opponent and if he manages to escape the adventurers, he has all the makings of the kind of recurring villain a DM dreams of.
The design of the various challenges delighted my DM sensibilities and I think that the module would prove fun as all hell to run or play. Adept players will find the module challenging and have ample opportunity to display their skills. Neophytes might find themselves in a little over their heads, but still, I wouldn't hesitate to throw babes into these particular woods. They'll learn a few tricks and this is the kind of adventure that is just too good for the gamer soul to miss.
The maps are nicely done, in old school standard black & white and so detailed as to help in explicating the descriptive text for some of the more involved terrain features. There is no scale given, but I'm assuming the standard 1 square = 10', though I suspect the author left this a little nebulous on purpose.
The overall atmosphere of the dungeon is pleasantly eerie, with some welcome touches of horror and that aforementioned weirdness, which Mr. Finch does so well! It evoked the kind of mood that I associate with the creepier sort of fairy-tale.
The Pod-Caverns of the Sinister Shroom hits all the right notes and plays them sweetly, indeed. Buy it! Buy it Now! Then Run It and let us know how it went!
The follow-up to the well received Blood Moon Rising, The Inn of Lost Heroes places the party in a well realized location of horror and madness. As shown in his previous release, our author knows how to bring a "stage" to life with well thought out details and happenings and like his previous module, Mr. Spahn has created an adventure here, that's fun to read and one in which DM's will find much to appreciate. I do have some issues with the execution, as we will see.
The format is double columned and I only noticed one typo. The maps are serviceable and while there's a scale bar, I alway prefer graph-paper squares or hexes, which aren't given. No big deal, as the maps are of fairly small areas and we're not talking about a dungeon here. There are a few B&W illustrations, which are workmanlike but pleasant. I like the dog, in particular.
The adventure takes place at the Inn, which was once the kind of warm, pleasant refuge from cold, dank dungeons, which any adventurer would welcome. Cheery surroundings, good food and drink, other adventurers and the proprietor, an ex-adventurer himself and his family. When the party first encounters the Inn, this is indeed what they find. Of course, the Inn is actually a haunted location and all this warmth and light is going to twist into a nightmare in short order, as the Inn in the Living World changes into the Inn in the Ash World and finally, the Inn in the Burning World.
Once this happens, the characters will be trapped within the Inn, along with some NPC adventurers, doomed souls and the very angry spirit of Evelyn Mortigan, who formerly owned and ran the Inn with her family. The PC's must find a way to escape the ghost-world they're trapped in and if successful, they'll have a chance to free the souls of dead adventurers, trapped within the Inn.
The characters' task hinges upon the failed designs of a cleric, who is now trapped within the nightmarish Inn himself. They must find and restore the parts to a magical medallion, that will allow them to escape and has the potential to set things to rights, once and for all. The cleric flat-out tells the party what they're looking for and why.
In both this and his previous module, the author takes strict steps to maintain the integrity of the sandbox and insure player agency. But giving them the wherewithal to work out what their choices are is also important and always preferable to having an NPC repeatedly show up and give them their formula for success. As a plot device, it feels a bit clumsy and I would prefer other methods of providing the characters the clues they need. But, there's a second bit of clerical exposition, which would be harder, but still possible to replace, given the nature of what the characters are going to be asked to perform.
The Inn and its inhabitants, the weird goings on, supernatural encounters and elements of horror are mostly well designed and come together nicely. The author gives the DM a lot of material to work with, with random encounters, keyed encounters and situation based ones. Like Blood Moon Rising, you're given a nice, varied, palette of material, with which to work. All in all, the author's approach gives the DM not only plenty of options, but elbow room and a DM who's into this kind of adventure will have a lot of fun. Also like Blood Moon Rising, the depth of the material means repeated readings will be required by the DM, as well as some note-taking. A plus, in my book.
Accomplishing their first objective will be a little tricky for the players, as individual party members may have to undergo some fairly stiff penalties in order to progress, though there are ways to avoid those.
If successful, they can choose to simply escape but may instead, try and put all those tortured souls to rest. Again, the helpful cleric tells them what they must do, which feels even more awkward this time, because this whole last bit feels so artificial.
It's revealed that ghostly Evelyn seeks a consort and the players must fight each other to the death, so one of them can prove their worth and get close enough to Evelyn to use the Medallion to defeat her once and for all. If the characters balk at this, our helpful cleric makes some intimations, meant to reassure the party that everything will work out for the best. Of course, if the characters go through with it, any PC's killed by their fellows find that once the dream is over, they are indeed allright.
As the author mentions, this gives the party a chance to have a battle-royal, without consequences and might indeed be a lot of fun. But the first thing needed here, is some foreshadowing. The whole "ghost seeking a mate" thing, tacked on suddenly at the end, rings rather false. Part of this is probably because there was no foundation laid for the reader of the module to expect this. When combined with the battle-royal idea and the cleric coming on stage to tell the party what to do, the whole set-up of this part feels more than a little contrived. Some excellent horror could be brought into play, by foreshadowing Evelyn's ghostly desires.
If you like the idea of a far-out, ghostly adventure, then I would recommend The Inn of Lost Heroes, but with the caveat that I would feel it necessary to make some changes. There's a lot of really good material here, which I would like to and probably will use, but I would want to smooth out those rough spots.
When I sat down down to read Blood Moon Rising, I wasn't really in the mood to read anything. I mention this, because within a few pages, Mr. Spahn had sucked me in and I was thoroughly enjoying myself. A singular accomplishment, as I'm very stubborn when it comes to being in a funk! But, as I read our author's depiction of the details of the Feast of St. Garan, its history, present day circumstances and current timeline, The DM was enticed to ignore his bad mood and get down to business! So, I quickly found myself dealing with a module that was both fun to read and got my DM juices flowing. That puts Blood Moon Rising into the recommend category, right there!
The action takes place in the village of Garanton and its surrounding area. It's the Feast of St. Garan, a five-day festival in honor of a local hero. Travelers, entertainers, vendors and all sorts of folk attend the Festival, including Fighters, seeking the blessing of the Saint. Of course, things aren't all as they seem and past events are coming back to haunt the happy little village and it's festival.
The module opens with the backstory and history of St. Garan, then gives an overview of the village and the area where the action will unfold. From there, the module gives a Timeline of the Festival. Both the planned festivities, like Parades and Honor Games, as well as other events, like murder and slaughtered cows. There's quite a bit going on, with plenty to see, do and experience. The five-day festival is quite eventful and I've barely scratched the surface, so as not to give away the whole module. True to Old School philosophy, the module presents the NPC's, events, locations and situations simply as they are, leaving it up to the Players to decide what to do about it!
There are also some random encounters and events for the Labyrinth Lord to throw in, as he sees fit. From there, encounters and adventuring sites outside the village are detailed and the characters may soon find themselves local heroes, or soon-to-be forgotten victims of the horrors which lay behind the history of St. Garan and his Feast. This is followed by a section on major NPC's and groups, such as a rival adventuring party which might be used to cause the PC's some consternation. Lastly, an appendix with new magic items and monsters, completes the module.
Blood Moon Rising packs a lot of detail into its 32 pages (34 with the covers) and the Labyrinth Lord will find everything he needs to bring The Festival to life and keep his players busy and entertained! From competing in the Honor Games, to forging friendships or rivalries. They'll probably find themselves sucked into what's going on behind the scenes, possibly unraveling forgotten secrets and putting an end to an ancient evil. There are a lot of little events and details, that can come into play, helping to bring the village, festival and NPC's to life.
Details on the village itself are kind of sparse and some of the locations on the area map aren't precisely indicated. The DM automatically filled in these details as he read, but someone new to running a game might fret a little. A time or two, an event or NPC were introduced in such a way as to raise some questions, until they were returned to and fully explicated in another section.
The text is two-column, clear and legible and an easy, well flowing read. I noticed no typos. The maps and interior art are a little smudgy, an artifact, I presume, of the software used to make the PDF.
The module advertises that it's a mix of Urban, Wilderness and Dungeon encounters, but I should probably mention that the Dungeons are two small areas, so don't expect a Dungeon Crawl.
Blood Moon Rising provides a well orchestrated Event for your PC's to attend and one which they should find quite memorable. It would serve as a great campaign kick-off, for a larger party at least. One encounter in particular will be rather hairy for 1st level characters.
Kudos to Mr. Spahn, for a well-made, thoroughly enjoyable adventure!
Previously, I've reviewed Peter's The Inn of Lost Heroes and Blood Moon Rising. I thought highly of both and when Peter sent me a copy of Pyramid of the Dragon for review, I knew I was in for a treat! Peter's design approach meshes perfectly with my own DMing style of giving the players 100% agency while a busy, bustling world revolves around them. As in his previous offerings, in Pyramid of the Dragon, our author strives to give DM's everything necessary to pull off this sort of in-depth Sandbox play within the limitations of a module.
The adventure begins with the Characters witnessing a Red and Black Dragon fighting overhead, culminating in the fall of the Black. Investigating the corpse will draw them right into the adventure, but if they're feeling cautious, the author provides another opportunity for the Adventurers to become involved.
Years ago, I saw a forum signature which read "Meddle not in the affairs of Dragons, for you are Crunchy and Taste Good with Ketchup!" If the players become involved, they will indeed find themselves meddling in the affairs of Dragons! The two appearing at the beginning of the module were fighting over a powerful magical item and the Red is not the only Dragon still alive, who has an interest in the MacGuffin.
The adventure will have the players travelling through a dangerous swamp, then to an ancient, non-human city, where they'll have to deal with both current inhabitants and a visitor. The Pyramid referred to in the title hosts traps and monsters which are neatly arranged. It's short, as dungeons go, but well thought-out and I liked it. A visit to human civilization will most likely be called for, as well. The party will meet all sorts of interesting folk, like Snakes, Rot Grub, corpses, a rival NPC party and may indeed find themselves fighting their first Dragon!
As in previous Small Niche modules, there's a very useful mix of planned and random events/encounters, with plenty of activity and the kind of attention to detail, which really helps bring everything to life! Our author excels at those little touches that add depth, verisimilitude and atmosphere to encounters and sites and as one DM to another, I really appreciate how Peter's mind works and his approach to adventure design.
The black dragon Narratch was gravely injured, but not quite dead when it crashed to earth. As night began to fall, a flock of stirges settled onto the dying dragon's body and started feeding on its blood. The stirges feed until morning. If disturbed by excessive light or sound, they take to the air and attack.
Not content to give us a static, black-dragon corpse, Peter adds some life and dynamism to the Adventurers world. There's more Action within that one little scene as well, but I don't want to give away too much. Connections, tie-ins and interactions between the various elements of the adventure create a gestalt, providing the DM with a rich piece of material, with which to work.
The text is two columned. I didn't notice any typos, though there's a minor formatting issue in the last sentence of page 20, which doesn't effect legibility or comprehension in any way. The maps are rather simple, no frills affairs, but serviceable. Aside from the cover and page borders, there's no other art in the module, which is my only (minor) complaint. I'd like a little art strewn about the text.
As with Peter's earlier modules, close attention and repeated readings will be required of the DM. But, if you're willing to put some work into Pyramid of the Dragon, I think it will play out beautifully! Opportunities for further development are also present, as the Characters might find themselves becoming further embroiled in the "affairs of Dragons."
As usual with reviews, I could go further in-depth, but am loathe to do so, for fear of giving away the author's show. Buy this! I recommend it quite whole-heartily and will be printing-out my copy with an eye towards running Pyramid of the Dragon!
I had been intending to pick up some of the Expeditious Retreat Press Advanced Adventures modules, for quite some time. While I had my eye on Mr. Finch's The Pod Caverns of the Sinister Shroom, when White Dragon Run appeared on RPGNOW, the preview sold me! I bought the PDF and printed it out.
White Dragon Run is exactly the kind of module I prefer. It details a village on the edge of civilization, with its surrounding area, then provides a couple of small adventure sites, with more ideas for further expansion by the DM.
First, an overview of the area is given, along with a hexmap and several encounter tables. The hexmap takes up about half a page, with the map scale being 1 hex = 1 League. There's also a table given, for generating the content of "empty" hexes.
The Village itself is then presented, with a keyed map, a description of the major NPC's, location details and information on the rest of the population. A map and description of the local Inn/Tavern is part of this section. Some history, rumors, flavor and whatnot are given for the area and village, providing the DM with plenty of entertaining material to riff off of.
After the setting information, two small dungeons are provided. Both of these tie into the background of the area. The dungeons and their denizens are basic stuff, but well done. They're solid low-level adventure sites and serve their purpose of helping the DM get things started. An appendix, being excerpts from a local book of lore, provides some more adventuring ideas and history for the region.
As always, Peter Mullen's cover art is a welcome addition and looks quite nice printed out from the PDF. There are nine interior illustrations. The various maps are well done and serviceable, though the grid on the Village Map printed out too light on my laser printer.
My only real complaint, is that the Publisher formatted the front and back color covers as one page. I have plenty of printing resources at the moment, which has led me to purchase several PDF's, when shopping for OSR items. I would much prefer to receive my PDF's with separate pages for the front and back covers. Especially when we're talking about covers with Peter Mullen art, which I'm certainly going to look forward to printing out! :) It's kind of a hassle, to separate the cover pages for a traditional printout.
Mr. Boney has done a damn fine job, with his 14 pages. Today's time-harried, Old School DM will find White Dragon Run to be a solid basis for a new campaign. The whole design comes together very well and I enjoyed the overall atmosphere of the location. With, for example, the addition of a self-designed mega-dungeon, or one of the commercial or freely available ones, you'll find yourself all set to go!
New DM's will find White Dragon Run to be quite accessible as well. In providing the bottom part, for a bottom-to-top designed milieu, the modules contents will serve as a firm support for the neophyte DM, as he goes about the business of building upon the setting and learning his chosen craft.
If you enjoy modules that are non-linear, mini-settings, then you'll probably find White Dragon Run to be quite appealing. If the idea of taking this type of set-up and Running With It, strikes your fancy, then White Dragon Run is exactly what you're looking for.


text:
Set the 2161DS network speed and duplex to match the network to which it is attached.
To configure the 2161DS Console Switch hardware network configuration, perform the following steps:
Access the Terminal menu.
Figure 1
NOTE: Before making any changes work with the onsite network admin to determine the proper network configuration settings.
To ensure optimal video quality you will want to configure the 2161DS Console Switch with the same settings as the network switch. For example, if the 2161DS Console Switch is set to Auto-Negotiate, then the network switch must be set to Auto-Negotiate both speed and duplex. If the 2161DS Console Switch is set to 100MB - full duplex, then the network switch must be set to 100MB - full duplex.
Once you have made these changes, you may need to refresh/flush the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) tables in the network before you establish a new connection with the 2161DS Console Switch, especially if the 2161DS Console Switch has been in use within the hour preceding these changes.
To refresh the ARP table, do one of the following:
Wait approximately 10 minutes for the ARP tables to rebuild automatically.
Clear the ARP table entry in a video session viewer workstation and ping the appliance at its IP address. This can be done from a DOS window.
If the PING is successful, the 2161DS Console Switch is ready for operation.
NOTE: For more information on configurations and settings, please refer to the User's Guide located at https://support.dell.com.
Identificación del artículo: SLN32233
Última fecha de modificación: 08/02/2010 12:00 AM
Muchas gracias por sus comentarios.


text: This nice, slow, meditating and peaceful music contains two traditional Christmas songs: Carol of the bells, and God rest ye merry gentleman. It may brings some memories back to the listener. It would be good for a short film, for a commercial or a webpage. It contains piano, flute, duduk, clarinet, bells and some strings. And a male singer sings the lead through the songs.


text:
Canterbury 5' Curved bed
w219 x d166 x h130cm
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text:
PromoteMyGroup necesitaba un nuevo diseño de página web y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 95 diseños de 26 diseñadores freelance.
We are an online alternative medical school who needs a website
Online Alternative Medical College
We are a Natual Healing College
We offer degrees in natural healing. Our school is like a medical school but the courses we offer are in alternative medicine.
We offer:
Associate degrees
Bachelor of Science in Holistic Health
Masters Degree in Herbology
Holisitc Health Practitioners - Become a Holistic Health Doctor
things like that.
Here are some examples of sites we like:
http://www.gcnm.com AND THESE
Some of our programs look like this - Just look at the products. we're not crazy about the site...but the products are close.
Try to remember...we want people to know we are a Alternative Medical College... Ayurveda, Nutrition, Herbalists, healing sciences, Alternative medical, counseling, massage, and much more
When people graduate from our schools they can work in the holistic health world such as owning their own alternative health medical practice, work at a spa, become an herbalologist, become a natritional consultant and much more
All of our classes are taken in their own home. These are home study courses. We send the books etc. to them.
- We are a real college and we want our web site to look like a professional online alternative medical school
- We would like to see students, people graduating, Herbs, doctors No Surgeons and medical pictures...Science etc.
- links , Home, Programs, Tuition & Fees, Accreditations, Student Services, Admissions, About Us, Contact
- We need a Very Visible Get Started Button
- We need a nice medical logo with the initials NHC on the site.
- Make sure the site is NO More than 775 px wide
- The site should want them to become an Alternative Medical Doctor etc
- Make Sure the Courses are listed On the HOME PAGE
- Only use Real Images
- Have fun with it ask questions if you have any!