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A quarter-century ago, quiet Sunnyvale, California, decided it was time to do what every self-respecting suburb was doing: build an indoor mall. Away went the downtown street grid with its clusters of stores and restaurants. In its place arose the Sunnyvale Town Center, a hulking, boxy, brown structure. The town, located in what would become the heart of Northern California's Silicon Valley, was just keeping up with the rest of modern America.
The mall still stands at the heart of the city, near Sunnyvale's train station. These days, however, the mall is far from the pinnacle of commercial development it was meant to be. Few cars cruise into its parking lots. Many of its stores have folded, leaving empty, lifeless retail spaces. The shoppers who do come do not tarry long in the dreary corridors. "This mall was a disaster to begin with," says one resident. "The place right now is like a ghost town."
Once seen as the future of the city's retail sector, the mall has gradually become a symbol of everything that's wrong with Sunnyvale's downtown: boring, shoddy, ugly, and a poor substitute for the street grid it destroyed in 1976. Now, after more than two decades of downtown stagnation, the town is finally poised to take action. Following the lead of suburbs from Atlanta, Georgia, to Pasadena, California, Sunnyvale's leaders are talking these days about urbanizing their suburbia. Out with the bland, uninviting suburban streets devoid of people, say urban planners and city officials, and in with the traditional street grid, dense with pedestrians, shops, apartments, and the general bustle of people buying, selling, talking, yelling, and laughing.
This new vision of community life can be seen in the city's Urban Design Plan, which was unveiled in March. The plan intends to create "an enhanced, traditional downtown serving the community with a variety of destinations in a pedestrian-friendly environment." In part, it's a bid to keep Sunnyvale competitive with neighboring suburbs like Mountain View and Palo Alto, which either have or are creating "traditional" downtowns to attract businesses, shoppers, and residents.
After months of deliberation, the plan was approved by the city council and is now undergoing an environmental impact review. Whether it will deliver on its promises, however, is hotly contested by both residents and experts. Some critics doubt whether urbanization schemes like Sunnyvale's offer anything more than band-aid solutions to the problem of suburban sprawl. After all, they point out, urbanizing Sunnyvale ? a twenty-five-square-mile concatenation of single-family houses, strip malls, office parks, and the scattered remnants of orchard fields that were once its hallmark ? will be a massive undertaking, requiring much more than just a spiffy new plaza and a few office buildings. For its supporters, however, the city's plan for downtown is the best remedy to what they see as a declining standard of suburban life. Over the years, traffic snarls have worsened, and land has become too expensive and far-flung for the old practice of building low, sprawling developments. The hope is that the increased density of buildings in the proposed downtown layout will ease housing demand and create a more livable environment. "Sunnyvale has a need for a place that it can call its own," says Robert Paternoster, Sunnyvale's director of community development. "There's no 'there' there."
City on the edge
On Charles street, "the city has got that much
closer to our backyard," says a resident. (Nick Hoff)
Sunnyvale (population 131,000) calls itself the "Heart of Silicon Valley" ? a reference to its geographic location along the Palo Alto-San Jose corridor and to the hundreds of technology companies that make Sunnyvale their home. No longer merely a suburb, Sunnyvale is part of what urban planners call an "edge city" ? a suburb in a dispersed region that has all the jobs and retail its residents require, making a traditional urban core unnecessary.
Critics of sprawl hold that edge cities suffocate cultural and communal life with their low building densities and automobile-centric designs. Another oft-cited problemis "unifunctional zoning" ? regulations that allow only one kind of building, like single family houses, to be built in a given area. "Before unifunctional or negative zoning dictated land use," writes sociologist Ray Oldenburg in Celebrating the Third Place, "little stores, taverns, offices, and eateries were located within walking distance of most town and city dwellers, and those places constituted 'the stuff of community.'"
Today, most suburbanites have nothing within walking distance but a 7-Eleven ? if they're lucky. They have no public spaces that are a pleasure to be in, no places where they can walk and want to walk, no places where they can meet people and feel comfortable talking to them. In today's anonymous suburban landscape, there are no places with nooks and crannies and walls that create and define spaces, that make you feel like you are somewhere ? not lost in a sea of lawns or undefined streets or whizzing thruways.
Sunnyvale bears the telltale signs of suburban isolation. Its bleak downtown mall, rambling subdivisions, countless strip malls, and lack of a street grid have destroyed whatever pedestrian-friendly prospects the town might have had. Sunnyvale has instead become a broad, monotonous blanket of one- and two-story single-family homes, sliced by major traffic arteries and their attendant Safeways, Wells Fargos, and Blockbusters. In the new Cherry Orchard strip mall (named in honor of the trees it supplanted several years ago), residents sip lattes in the faux authenticity of Starbucks, where the "graffiti" on the milk and sugar stations and the dark (cherry?) wood tables attempt to create precisely the sense of authentic place that Starbucks and Sunnyvale don't have.
According to locals, the only pleasant part of downtown is a block-long section of Murphy Avenue. Constructed at the turn of the century, the street was built for humans, not automobiles. The street's width is approximately the same as the height of its buildings ? a rule of thumb for well-proportioned thoroughfares. The buildings come right up to the sidewalk, and there are no garages to break up the flow of shops. From this pedestrian-friendly design arises a sense of enclosed space ? a sense of place ? that makes people feel comfortable being there. It is therefore the hottest spot to go in Sunnyvale for a beer, a cup of coffee, or a plate of pad thai.
The rest of the downtown, approximately thirty square blocks, is made up of small homes, a couple streets with one-story Town and Country shops, and the gargantuan eyesore that is Sunnyvale's mall. Originally dubbed the Sunnyvale Town Center, the mall nowadays is officially known as the WAVE (Walking and Village Entertainment), though some residents prefer to call it other names ? "the manure pile," for instance.
The Walking and Village Entertainment mall, built in 1976. A quick walk-through of its brown-tiled interior reveals empty store after empty store chained up, dark, and littered with the unwanted paraphernalia of the last tenants. Macy's, JC Penney, and Target are flanked by desolate parking lots on each of the mall's four corners.
Sunnyvale's new plan calls for removing the mall's roof and opening it to pedestrian traffic from adjacent Murphy Avenue. But the mall itself will not be razed: city planners and consultants argue that its anchor stores are great assets. "If you wanted these department stores today, we'd have to spend millions of dollars to get them here," says Paternoster (even though, he concedes, "you wish you could start from scratch."). Besides improving the general aesthetics, the mall remodeling effort is aimed at attracting higher-end stores like Barnes & Noble and the Gap, as well as a large multiplex.
Renovating the mall is only one part of the much broader downtown redevelopment plan. The plan also calls for increased density in the surrounding thirty-block area by zoning for over 2,000 units of apartment buildings and five blocks of six-story office buildings. A public plaza, now under construction, will greet train riders returning from work (and, planners hope, arriving to work) in the new downtown. The plaza will also open onto the courtyard of a planned eight-story apartment complex, which will also house retail stores on its ground-level floors ? only a stone's throw from three office buildings already nearing completion. (So far the only elements of the plan under construction are the office buildings, the plaza, and the two-story parking garages on the mall's corner lots, all of which were already zoned under Sunnyvale's current general plan. The other elements are proposed zoning changes that will await a developer if the plan is approved.)
For a city that until recently had no building more than three stories in height, the redevelopment plan promises a radical transformation. And not surprisingly, many Sunnyvaleans ? especially residents who live near downtown ? are concerned about the proposed changes. Even though some of them profess their preference for more traditional, denser downtowns like those in nearby Palo Alto or Los Gatos, they fear that any modifications to Sunnyvale's center might spell the end of their quiet suburban neighborhoods. In particular, they worry about the increased traffic that a vibrant downtown will inevitably bring.
Sunnyvale resident Mark Matizinger is among those who oppose the plan's dramatic scope. A forty-two-year-old hardware salesman, Matizinger lives within view ofthe three office buildings already under construction. "I bought my house to get the neighborhood flavor and the convenience of downtown," he says. "But the city has got that much closer to our backyard."
Andy Maloney says he is all for a "traditional downtown," but insists that the plan is a disaster. Maloney is co-director of the Friends of Sunnyvale, a citizens group that says it is in favor of "smart growth" ? that is, development that avoids sprawl. Maloney argues that the plan's proposals for six- and eight-story buildings will create "stone canyons," rather than the "traditional" downtown that could be achieved with three-story buildings. Further, the proposed high density will bring such increased traffic that few will enjoy going downtown. The plan will not address the downtown's central problem ? its lack of a street grid ? because it refuses to uproot the mall, whose stores and parking lots have gobbled up the old grid. As a result, claims Maloney, the plan will do little to boost pedestrian traffic or improve the circulation of cars in the downtown area.
Supporters of the plan counter that something has to be done to improve the downtown situation. Among their numbers are a few long-time Sunnyvale residents, like Monica Davis, of the Charles Street 100 Neighborhood Association, who looks forward to walking to dinner, movies, and concerts in the new plaza. Many of the plan's supporters, however, are newcomers to Sunnyvale ? young, educated professionals who work in the hi-tech industry that now dominates the region. "I can't stand sprawl," says Daniel Simms, a twenty-nine-year-old computer programmer. "I hate driving everywhere. It always feels like more urban areas have a tighter sense of community."
Driving to your 'walkable' community
Sunnyvale's downtown dwellers will still
depend on their SUvs, sedans, and sportscars. (Nick Hoff)
Even if the numerous proposals for Sunnyvale's downtown were all carried out, however, they would not change one crucial fact: Most Sunnyvale residents will still have to drive to get downtown in the first place. And so some critics say that the city's vision of a pedestrian wonderland is just a pipe dream ? beyond the power of Sunnyvale, or any other municipality for that matter, to realize, unless more profound changes in the nation's outlook and habits take place first. "There will not be much new urbanism if we don't address our dependence on the automobile," says Peter Bosselmann, professor of architecture and city and regional planning at the University of California at Berkeley.
In the absence of specific policies to decrease America's reliance on cars, says Bosselmann, suburban city planning initiatives across the country will at most create small urban oases amidst vast seas of sprawl. Residents will still drive everywhere; it's just that apartments and offices will be closer together, piled on top of huge parking garages. Given the dominance of the automobile, there's also reason to doubt that these new urban centers will even be able to get off their feet. When everyone has a car, there's no incentive for businesses to relocate to more central, and more expensive, locations.
Getting around Sunnyvale will certainly not be any easier if the city's plan is fully executed. Sunnyvale's public transit amounts to a sparse bus system, used only by those unfortunate enough to not have access to a car. The denser housing called for in the plan will increase traffic but won't substantially reduce the number of times that residents will need to get in their cars every day. Even those who live within the new "walkable" downtown will need to drive to buy groceries and other necessities, and probably to get to work. What's more, the proposed new apartment complexes will need to be equipped with either completely underground garages ? which the mayor of Sunnyvale thinks might be too expensive for developers ? or partially underground garages that take up valuable street-level space.
Sunnyvale's chief planner, Robert Paternoster, recognizes that "a lot of mistakes were made" in this country's last century of city planning, when the "automobile was given precedence over people." But, he notes, in this automobile-dominated culture, urban planners must accommodate the car if they hope to attract people to their projects. Since Sunnyvale, in his opinion, doesn't and never will have the kind of transit system that could make owning a car unnecessary, Sunnyvale's plan must welcome the car ? otherwise no one will live downtown or visit there.
Even if the plan can't do much to change people's reliance on automobiles, Paternoster sees good things coming out of its proposals. The increased building density, he thinks, will give residents the opportunity to live within walking distance of their jobs and favorite restaurants. Most, he concedes, won't work downtown and won't eat their meals at those restaurants ? "but they'll eat some." It seems, then, that if the plan creates just a touch of walkable vibrancy it will be deemed a success.
Whether residents will be satisfied is another question. Daniel Simms will still have to drive most everywhere — and to create a sense of community, he insists, you must at the very least "get out of your cars and see people." Of course, he and other local residents, if they come to the new downtown, will certainly have the chance to get out of their cars — as they walk to Murphy Avenue from deep within the mall's new two-tiered parking lots.
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With Fire's 2005 Campaign Finished, Two "Men in Red" Move On to National Team Duty
November 8, 2005 - Major League Soccer (MLS) - Chicago Fire News Release
DĂ©jĂ vu for Fire as Chicago's Season Again Ends at New England The Chicago Fire saw its 2005 season end in all too familiar fashion last Sunday, as the Fire dropped a heartbreaking 1-0 decision to the New England Revolution in the MLS Eastern Conference Championship in front of 18,118 fans at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA. Revolution midfielder Clint Dempsey's finish in the fourth minute would surprisingly stand for the duration of the match that saw the Fire press the issue but fail to capitalize any of its 14 shots, seven of which were on frame. An offside call in the second minute of second half injury time erased what would have been an equalizing goal off the foot of Fire rookie defender Gonzalo Segares, adding to a disappointing ending to the Fire's run towards a possible fourth appearance in MLS Cup. The match marked the third time in the last four seasons that Chicago's campaign was ended by the Revolution either in the regular season or MLS Cup Playoffs.
The Pipes Are Calling Fire Forward Chris Rolfe for U.S.'s Friendly at Scotland on Saturday
U.S. Soccer announced today that Fire forward Chris Rolfe is one of 20 players tabbed by U.S. Manager Bruce Arena to represent the "Red, White & Blue" this Saturday, Nov. 12 in the country's final match of 2005 against Scotland at famed Hampden Park in Glasgow, Scotland (10:00 a.m. CT, Fox Soccer Channel). The 22-year-old Rolfe is coming off a stellar first year with the Fire in which he garnered the 2005 Fire/Honda Golden Boot Award by leading the squad with eight goals while also contributing five assists. His effort this season helped the University of Dayton product finish as one of three finalists for the Gatorade Rookie of the Year award after he ended the campaign second among the League's rookies in goals scored and tops in assists. In addition to Rolfe, former Fire players DaMarcus Beasley (PSV Eindhoven) and Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham) and Arlington Heights, IL natives Brian McBride (Fulham) and Jonathan Spector (Charlton Athletic) also made Arena's 20-man roster for the friendly.
Reiter Could Help Slovakia Write New Chapter in World Cup History in Playoff Series Against Spain
Fire forward Lubos Reiter has departed for his native Slovakia, who will be looking to qualify for its first-ever appearance in the FIFA World Cup finals next summer when it takes on a heavily-favored Spain side in one of three UEFA region playoffs that will determine Europe's final spots in Germany '06. The Slovakia-Spain series will begin this Saturday, Nov. 12 at Vicente Calderon Stadium in Madrid, Spain at 3:00 p.m. CT (10:00 p.m. local), with the return leg being played at Tehelne Pole Stadium in the Slovakian capital of Bratislava next Wednesday, Nov. 16 at 1:15 p.m. CT (8:15 p.m. local). Reiter has served largely as Slovakia's "super-sub" during World Cup qualifying, a role that has boosted the 30-year-old striker's international numbers to 28 career appearances and nine goals. Slovakia is looking to qualify for a spot in its first major international tournament since the split of the former Czechoslovakia occurred 12 years ago.
RED ALERT! 2006 Season Tickets at Bridgeview Stadium Now on Sale
The Fire has kicked off its public on-sale for 2006 Season Tickets at Bridgeview Stadium, giving fans the opportunity to choose their seats for the club's inaugural season at the new, world-class facility, located on the corner of 71st Street and Harlem in Bridgeview. Fans can pick out their seats by checking out the Bridgeview seating chart in the Ticket section at www.Chicago-Fire.com. For more information on the public on-sale and the Bridgeview Stadium project, please call 1-888-MLS-FIRE or visit www.Chicago-Fire.com.
Fire Coaching Staff to Branch Out During Busy Weekend of Collegiate Conference Championships
While the Fire's season has only been over for two days, the club's coaching staff is already focused on its search for new talent for the 2006 edition of the "Men in Red." Fire Head Coach Dave Sarachan and assistant coaches Denis Hamlett, Daryl Shore and Craig Reynolds will be traveling across the country this week to scout players at five different NCAA Division I conference championships - Atlantic Coast Conference in Cary, NC (Nov. 8, 9, 11 & 13); BIG EAST Conference in Storrs, CT (Nov. 11 & 13); Big South Conference in High Point, NC (Nov. 10, 11 & 13); Colonial Athletic Association in Norfolk, VA (Nov. 11 & 13) and Big Ten Conference in suburban Evanston, IL (Nov. 10, 11 & 13).
Monarcas Morelia Learns of Draw for 2006 InterLiga Tournament
The Fire's Mexican First Division sister club, Monarcas Morelia, has been grouped with Monterrey, Pachuca and Veracruz in Group A of the 2006 InterLiga Tournament, the qualifying tournament that will determine Mexico's two representatives in the prestigious Copa Libertadores. InterLiga 2006 will be held from January 4-15, 2006, with all matches being held on doubleheader dates across Texas and California. Morelia will begin play on Jan. 5 against Monterrey at La Joya Stadium in La Joya, TX, before heading north to the home of FC Dallas, Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, TX, for a tilt against Pachuca on Jan 8. The "Monarchs," who qualified for the tournament based on their combined record in the 2004 Apertura and 2005 Clausura seasons of the Mexican domestic league, will round out group play on Jan. 11 against Pachuca at The Home Depot Center in Carson, CA, a venue that will also host the tournament's Finals on Sunday, Jan. 15.
- One of the squad's four remaining "Fire Original" celebrates another birthday this week, as midfielder Jesse Marsch turns 32 years old today, Nov. 8.
- More and more progress is being made at the Bridgeview Stadium site everyday, and updated photos in the "Stadium" section of www.Chicago-Fire.com are up to prove it! In addition to a new set aerial photos taken in late October, fans can check out the preparations of the stadium field, which is just weeks away from being covered with an immaculate natural grass turf that should be installed by the first week of December. In addition to the newest pictures, fans can also check out the Bridgeview Stadium webcam, giving fans a chance to see up-to-the-minute progress at the future home of the Fire.
- Monarcas Morelia saw its two-game winning streak snapped in a wild 4-3 loss to Necaxa last Saturday at Morelos Stadium in Morelia. The "Monarchs" were able to knot the match after trailing by two goals, but its second attempt at erasing a two-goal margin fell short, putting a heavy dent in the squad's postseason chances. Now at 5-8-2 (17 pts.) and in fourth place in the Group One table with two games remaining in the 2005 Apertura season, Morelia will have two weeks off from Mexican First Division play while the league takes a hiatus during the upcoming FIFA international play window. Morelia will come stateside this week, taking on fellow First Division stalwart Cruz Azul at Spartan Stadium in San Jose, CA, in an exhibition contest on Wednesday, Nov. 9.
• Discuss this story on the Major League Soccer message board...
Major League Soccer Stories from November 8, 2005
- Latin Pop Singer Sabrina Joins MLS Cup 2005 Festivities - MLS
- With Fire's 2005 Campaign Finished, Two "Men in Red" Move On to National Team Duty - Chicago Fire
- MLS Cup 2005 To Reach Television and Radio Audiences in English and Spanish - MLS
- Fire Rookie Forward Chris Rolfe Named to 20-Man U.S. National Team Roster for Nov. 12 Friendly - Chicago Fire
- D.C. United to hold introductory soccer clinic Wednesday, November 9 - D.C. United
- Shock Upset as Rapids Fall 2-0 to LA in Conference Championship - Colorado Rapids
- MetroStars Midfielder Eddie Gaven Named to U.S. National Team Roster - New York Red Bulls
- Three Wizards Named to U.S. Roster for Scotland Match November 12th - Sporting Kansas City
- Carroll, Olsen and Quaranta called to U.S. Men's National Team - D.C. United
- MLS Disciplinary Committee fines three - MLS
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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Folks, look. We live in Northern Arizona, not Night Vale. The recent earthquakes (I think there were a total of 3 around Oak Creek Canyon) have no direct connection to the recent foggy weather. Earthquakes are in the ground. Fog is in the air. So, please take a deep breath and drive carefully.
We should see a couple of storms roll through over the next week. With each, we should have some rain and some snow in Flagstaff. I think Snowbowl should get some very nice snow out of it.
UPDATE 8:23pm, 12-10-2014 – If everyone could just calm down. Reading alternate meanings into my use of the word "direct" is not worth your time. There is no link. The government didn't cause the earthquake. Nobody is fracking under Sedona. There is no fog-earthquake connection. Please, no more emails on this topic tonight. Thanks.
Second UPDATE 5:58am, 12-11-2014 – Seriously, Night Vale is a fictional podcast. It is not real. It is not about Flagstaff. Snowmaking at Snowbowl did not cause the Sedona Earthquakes. Snowmaking isn't causing the fog, either.
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The Tire Rack One Lap of America started early on Saturday morning, April 30, in Indiana. The event also finished up there one week later, on May 7th. In between, participants drove from one venue to another, competing at each for points. Well rounded performance was a key for all, as competitions included wet and dry skid pad results, time trials at several different road courses, bracket and drag racing.
Many of the runs between different stops were in the range of fourteen to eighteen hours, emphasizing endurance and reliability as well as competitive performance. So, prepping a car for an event like this is largely a matter of getting everything right. No misses and no excuses.
For FM3 Performance Marketing's Jimi Day, the preparation for his first One Lap event began with his 2006 Chevrolet Z06 Corvette. With some substantial mods already in place, the car's LS7 was quite healthy as it was, but some updating and tuning at West Bend Dyno bumped the joy to 578 RWHP and 572 RWTQ at 6800 RPM.
Looking at the competitive action they would be taking on during the event, a new twin disc clutch from Centerforce and suspension upgrades from Pfadt Engineering, including competition coilovers, sway bars and replacement bushings, were called for. All performed flawlessly throughout the event.
Stoptech brakes and a new Optima Redtop battery proved to be particularly inspired changes. With the new engine tuning and power, the need for reliable braking increased in lockstep, while the crew's platoon of electronic support devices demanded peak electrical performance throughout the event. Nobody was disappointed.
With his teammate, Steve Kepler from Waukesha, Wisconsin, Day would take on the event, participating in 18 events and racking up 3,900 miles on the car in eight days. For their first time out, the "puppies" ended up 23rd overall out of 76 entered teams. If you're wondering what it all looked like from the inside, there's nothing better I can do than let Jimi tell you directly.
"As One Lap "puppies", the term for rookies, we really didn't know what to expect other than a lot of driving. What we experienced over the week was so much more! First and foremost, we made friends we'll have for the rest of our life. The One Lap participants are some of the most generous car enthusiasts on the planet. They say there's no support vehicles allowed on The One Lap, but we felt everyone there was our support! From giving sage advice on a certain track or route, to loaning tools and equipment, we were never alone. And our hats are off to Brock Yates, Jr. for making us feel at home and welcome – and being confident enough in our skills to include us in this elite group."
"Secondly, both Steve and I are much better competitive drivers. When you spend that much time on a track in such a short period of time with some really good drivers, you can't help but pick up a few things. If we had a question, there was always someone with an answer. If we were struggling with a really tricky section of track, someone was there to point out the fastest line through and why. We'll never be professional race car drivers, but we're a heck of a lot faster than we were!"
"Next – and I think we already knew this but just confirmed it – the Z06 Corvette is a phenomenal vehicle for this type of competition. It was a monster on the track and it was tame and manageable on the street. We went nearly 165 mph on the high banks of Daytona and we sat for hours in Chicago rush hour traffic with the A/C on listening to XM satellite radio! Not many vehicles can claim this kind of all-around performance."
So, there's little doubt that if you have an opportunity to participate in next year's One Lap event, go for it. If not, look for something similar and if the opportunity doesn't present itself, just go and do it. Jimi and Steve say you'll have a great time.


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The Fifties Spiritual Marketplace: American Religion in a Decade of Conflict
Fishwick, Marshall, Journal of American Culture (Malden, MA)
The Fifties Spiritual Marketplace: American Religion in a Decade of Conflict. Robert Ellwood. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 1997. 272 pp.
The Fifties were boom-time for religion. Bestseller lists were crowded with religious titles, and 99% of Americans said they believed in God. Popular religion produced superstars on three fronts: A Roman Catholic (Fulton Sheen), a liberal Protestant (Norman Vincent Peale) and an evangelical Protestant (Billy Graham).
Well-informed and well-intentioned, Robert Ellwood, who began his own ministry in a small Nebraska town in 1957, divides the decade into three periods:
The Years of Dark and Dreaming, 1950-1952 Shadows at High Noon, 1953-1956 Signs Appearing in Heaven, 1957-1959
Having sketched in the major events and themes of these three segments, what does Ellwood conclude? That the Fifties were quiet, confident, but troubled: the last "Modern Decade" in religion. Just what does "modern" mean here? He suggests two metanarratives: that of the emancipation of humanity by progress, and a second of the unity of knowledge. These essences of modernism were best spelled out by Jean-Francois Lyotard in The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge (1984). …


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Sensational progressive metal artists Animals As Leaders and Periphery are bringing their signature sounds to the Newport Music Hall!
Periphery was formed in 2005 by guitarist Misha Mansoor and has become renowned for its heavy, progressive sound which employs poly-rhythmic patterns and soaring melodies. It's considered of the pioneers of the djent movement within progressive metal. The band went through numerous lineup changes during its early history and is currently composed of Misha (guitars, programming), Jake Bowen (guitars, programming), Matt Halpern (drums), Spencer Sotelo (lead vocals), and Mark Holcomb (guitars). The band has numerous influences such as Deftones, Meshuggah, Veil of Maya, Tool, Sikth, Hiromi, Shane Gibson, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Dream Theater, Ion Dissonance, Nevermore, Guthrie Govan, Between the Buried and Me, Nobuo Uematsu, Devin Townsend, Opeth, Porcupine Tree, Gojira, Mats/Morgan, Refused, Ron and Bobby Jarzombek, Textures, Return to Forever, and Paul Ortiz. All of the band's material is self-produced and it's had a stellar career with 4 studio albums, 2 EPs, 9 singles, 7 music videos and several members are involved in other projects as well (Spencer is lead vocalist of post-hardcore band From First To Last, Misha and Mark are members of Haunted Shores, and Jake produces electronic music). The band's latest album (Periphery III: Select Difficulty) comes out in July 2016.
Don't miss your chance to see this dazzlingly technical band originally formed as the recording project of extreme progressive metal innovator and guitar wizard Misha "Bulb" Mansoor!


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Vienna (Apr. 10)
The living conditions of the Jews residing in DP camps is too much like the conditions which existed in Nazi concentration camps, Bronislaw Teichholtz, president of the International Committee for Jewish Refugees in Austria, said today in a Passover broadcast over the Austria state radio. Teichholotz thanked the Allied military authorities for the assistance they have given the displaced Jews, but said that the basic solution of their problem is resettlement in Palestine, which is still barred to them.


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College Faculties A Most Liberal Lot
Back in 2005, The Washington Post reported a study, "College Faculties A Most Liberal Lot" showing that 72 percent of university professors were liberal and only 15 percent conservative. Howard Kurtz of the Washington Post reported on March 29, 2005, "The disparity is even more pronounced at the most elite schools, where, according to the study, 87 percent of faculty are liberal and 13 percent are conservative.
Robert Lichter, a professor at George Mason University and a co-author of the study, said, "What's most striking is how few conservatives there are in any field. There was no field we studied in which there were more conservatives than liberals or more Republicans than Democrats. That's why you need diversity, not just of race and gender but also, maybe especially, of ideas and perspective." In matters of race and gender, colleges practice affirmative action to employ more minority and female professors and attract more students with these characteristics. Why won't they do the same for conservative professors and students in the name of diversity, pluralism and academic freedom?
The findings, by Lichter and fellow political science professors Stanley Rothman of Smith College and Neil Nevitte of the University of Toronto, were based on a survey of 1,643 full-time faculty at 183 four-year schools. Rothman saw the findings as evidence of "possible discrimination" against conservatives in hiring and promotion. The most liberal faculties are typically those devoted to the humanities and social sciences: English literature, philosophy, political science and religious studies.
Just a relatively short time ago, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) took on a student-led class at the University of California at Berkeley, "The Politics of Poetics of Palestinian Resistance." In the class description, the instructor warned, "Conservative thinkers are encouraged to seek other sections." Of course, the UC-Berkeley department would never permit a course description that warned liberals not to apply. At the birthplace of the free speech movement, campus radicals of the 60's have become the faculty, and today's "radicals" say that their professors have been preaching multiculturalism and diversity while creating a political monoculture on campus.
Daniel Klein, an associate professor of economics at Santa Clara University and co-author of a study of voter registration records, found a nine-to-one ratio of Democrats to Republicans on the faculties of Berkeley and Stanford. In this study, he found the ratio especially lopsided among the younger professors of assistant or associate rank: 183 Democrats versus 6 Republicans.
The political imbalance on faculties has inspired a campaign to have state legislatures and Congress approve an "academic bill of rights" protecting students and faculty members from discrimination for their political beliefs. The campaign is being led by Students for Academic Freedom founded by the former Communist radical turned staunch conservative David Horowitz, who helped start the 1960′s antiwar movement while a graduate student at Berkeley. "Our goal is…to take politics out of the hiring process and the classroom. Right now, conservative students are discouraged from pursuing scholarly careers, because they see very clearly that their professors consider Republicans to be the enemy," said Horowitz.
Thomas Reeves of the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute has said "conservatives are discriminated against routinely and deliberately" in faculty hiring, making some highly qualified teachers virtually unemployable because of their political and social views. This guarantees a perpetuation of a one-dimensional approach to most subjects
Professors have been moving further and further left, as evidenced by their campaign contributions. Berkeley, and other universities, provided unprecedented financial support for the Democratic Party in the 2004 election. For the first time, universities were at the top of the list of organizations ranked by their employees' contributions to a presidential candidate, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan group. In first and second place, were the University of California system and Harvard, whose employees contributed $19 to the John Kerry campaign for every dollar for the George Bush campaign.
Stephen H. Balch, a Republican and president of the National Association of Scholars, published two faculty studies in the journal, Academic Questions (online at www.nas.org). In one study, Professor Klein and Charlotta Stern, a sociologist at the Institute for Social Research in Sweden, asked the members of scholars' professional associations which party's candidates they had mostly voted for over the previous decade. The ratio of Democratic to Republican professors ranged from 3 to 1 among economists to 30 to 1 among anthropologists.
A study by Stanley Rothman of Smith College looked at a random sample of more than 1,600 undergraduate faculty members from 183 institutions of higher learning. It found that across all faculty departments, including business and engineering, academics were over five times as likely to be liberals as conservatives. Furthermore, a new national study by Swedish sociologist Charlotta Stern and Santa Clara University economist Daniel Klein found that in a random national sample of 1,678 responses from university professors Democratic professors outnumber Republicans 3 to 1 in economics, 28 to 1 in sociology, and 30 to 1 in anthropology. Their findings were published in Academic Questions, the journal of the National Association of Scholars.
In an article written by Dennis Prager, "Professors as Inquisitors," he states, "Students can minor in Marxist Studies at University of California Riverside. A class in 'Marxist Literary Theory' is offered at Rutgers University. There is 'Black Marxism' at University of California Santa Barbara, and 'Taking Marx Seriously' at Amherst College. 'Engaging Cuba: Uncommon Approaches to the Common Good' is a course at the Evergreen State College that glorifies Castro's Cuba for its successes in education, health care, and agricultural production. These courses are more than partial to communist theory, they are actually like Red propaganda sessions. Capitalism, along with its accompanying institutions, is roundly portrayed as the source of all greed, inequality, and evil in general," writes Prager.
In Dennis Parger's book "Tenured Radicals" he writes, "With a few notable exceptions, our most prestigious liberal arts colleges and universities have installed the entire radical menu at the center of their humanities curriculum at both the undergraduate and the graduate levels. Every special interest–women's studies, black studies, gay studies, and the like –and every modish interpretative gambit–deconstruction, post-structuralism, new historicism, and other postmodernist varieties of what the literary critic Frederick Crews aptly dubbed 'Left Eclecticism'–has found a welcome roost in the academy, while the traditional curriculum and modes of intellectual inquiry are excoriated as sexist, racist, or just plain reactionary."
Since the 1960s colleges and universities have more and more been home to what Lionel Trilling called the "adversary culture of the intellectuals." The goal was less reflection than rejection. Gender Studies, Ethnic Studies, Afro-American Studies, Women's Studies, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Studies: These are not the names of academic disciplines but political grievances. They exist only to allow radicals to express their grievances to young brains full of mush.
Prager concludes, "Students pay a heavy price for this state of affairs. In certain fields like political science, it is simply impossible to receive a good education unless exposed to conservative thought. Nor are students likely to receive an adequate appreciation or understanding of the conservative perspective if it is only taught by those hostile to it. According to a survey by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, almost half of students reported hearing only one side of political issues in their classrooms and that professors often use their positions to promote personal political views."
Unfortunately, fixing this problem will take a very long time. It is certainly not amenable to a legislative fix, such as a quota for conservatives. The only thing that will help is to shame universities into treating intellectual diversity the exact same way they now treat race and gender. The masses have to scream loud enough for the elites to see and thus finally admit that they have a bias problem. Then they must insist on real change.


text:
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The cans themselves
by Madcat
I was wondering why the cans seem to be twice the length of normal cans.
Posted on Jun 2, 2012, 6:44 AM
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They appear to be 24oz cans (NT)
Deckmaster, Jun 2, 2012


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Letterpress, wood, type, letter, red, design, typeset, vintage, collection


text:
We don't expect a car to start unless the gas tank is filled, and we shouldn't expect a child to function at her best if her "emotional tank" is running low. Here are the three things that fill a child's emotional tank: eye contact, gentle touch, and undivided attention. (excerpt from Jan Hunt's "22 Alternatives to Punishment")
#DadsRule Question of the Day:
Have you filled your children's emotional tank today? How did you do it?
Make a commitment to not have your kids running on empty and see how they operate on a full tank or at least half full … Let's be reasonable.


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Augustine Hwata and Eddie Chikamhi Sports Reporters
CAPS United yesterday doused the flames that have been engulfing their house for the past two weeks after the club's players and the technical staff were paid their salaries.
The Green Machine has been battling turmoil in its camp, triggered by a protest by players last week who threatened not to fulfil their league match against Bantu Rovers until their outstanding dues had been met, and matters came to a head when they were hammered 0-6 by FC Platinum in a Commander ZNA Charities Cup final at Mandava.
But CAPS United yesterday secured the funds to pay their players and coaching staff after they received payment for finishing as runners-up in the Charity Cup while the club's leadership also got money from other sources to meet the bill for the players and coaches.
This means that the Green Machine will now fulfil their Chibuku Super Cup quarter-final against FC Platinum at Mandava tomorrow, a game that had been hanging in the balance with players saying they will only fulfil it if they are paid.
Given that the Chibuku Cup is sponsored by the league's main sponsors, Delta Beverages, a boycott of tomorrow's match by the Green Machine, whose president Twine Phiri is also the chairman of the league, would have been a huge embarrassment to the top-flight league leadership and strained their relationship with their chief backers.
CAPS United brand manager Joyce Kapota said they were now planning for the trip to Mandava.
"We have managed to settle what has been owing to the players. I can say normalcy has returned to our camp," Kapota told The Herald.
"Now we are looking forward to the game in Mandava and we hope we will atone for the defeat last week."
CAPS United boss Phiri met with the Green Machine captains — Tapiwa Khumbuyani, Tafadzwa Dube and Tendai Samanja — last night where he discussed the challenges that have been rocking the club and wanted assurances that the players were in the right frame of mind to compete in their next game tomorrow.
FC Platinum said yesterday they will not be distracted by problems which have been rocking their Chibuku Super Cup quarter-final opponents CAPS United as they plot another success story against the Harare giants tomorrow at Mandava.
The platinum miners are still in high spirits after inflicting Makepekepe their heaviest defeat in the ZNA Charity Cup final last Saturday at the same venue with a comprehensive 6-0 winning margin.
This was only the second time FC Platinum had managed to pull a victory over CAPS United since they gained promotion in 2011.
Kugona Kunenge Kudada feel the chickens are coming home to roost, having beaten the Green Machine for the first time this year when they edged them 2-1 at Mandava in the first round of the league championship.
FC Platinum skipper Daniel Veremu yesterday said they will not look much into Makepekepe's woes.
The former Warriors defender said they were looking forward to maximise on home advantage.
He said CAPS United will always be a big threat despite beating them by a wide margin last week.
"Of course, we have the advantage of playing at home because we know our turf but CAPS United also have supporters countrywide.
"One thing for sure is they are coming here better prepared following that defeat.
"CAPS United are a big team and what happened last week should have been very humiliating to them as an institution. So coming back here they would surely want to erase the bad memories, probably by registering a big win.
"So we need to be on our guard. It's a new game, there shouldn't be complacency because, if you look at the records, this was only our second win over CAPS United since FC Platinum came into the league in 2011.
"CAPS United have been tough opponents throughout the years. That is why I am saying statistics sometimes don't count for much in football, especially in cup games," said Veremu.
FC Platinum thrashed Bantu Rovers 3-0 in the first round of the Chibuku Super Cup through goals from Qadr Amini, Ashley Mukwena and Zambian Aaron Katebe.
Veremu said they are looking to add the Chibuku Super Cup to the Independence Cup their won earlier in the year.
The spirits are high in their camp as new coach Norman Mapeza looks to turn around the fortunes of the team following a slow start under Lloyd Mutasa.
"There is great competition in the team because the new coach has made it clear that only those who put maximum effort will earn their places in the team. He has his philosophy and you simply have to fit into his style of play. So no matter how good you are, you still have to prove yourself at training. Everyone is working hard; it's healthy," said Veremu.
CAPS United made it to the last eight with a 3-0 win over Chapungu.
Newboys Honey Chimutimunzeve and Nicholas Alifandika were on target while Ronald Pfumbidzai scored the other goal.
Their coach Taurai Mangwiro has had tough time this week trying to motivate his players to focus on the next chal- lenge.
Two matches will be played at the stadium tomorrow to allow broadcast on SuperSport. Harare City and Chiredzi will set the stage alight with a lunch-time kick-off.
The games will move to Bulawayo on Sunday where Highlanders engage giant-killers How Mine at Hartsfield. The programme for the quarter-final matches winds up on Monday when Black Rhinos and Triangle clash at Ascot.
Chibuku Super Cup Fixtures
Chiredzi v Harare City (Mandava, 1:00pm, SS), FC Platinum v CAPS United (Mandava, 3:00pm, SS)
How Mine v Highlanders (Hartsfield, SS)
Black Rhinos v Triangle United (Ascot, SS).


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We all know the economy is awful…
Everyone's looking for deals or shopping at places with big discounts and strong value. Even major concerts are on Groupon at 2 for 1 prices. Shopping malls and entertainment districts ONLY see crowds on weekends.
If then.
Well. The Legends at Village West has made its move and it's working.
"We have a strong increase in almost every area of sales right now, the changes and additions are working well," says Amy Craft, marketing director for the area.
Amy and her staff have done a tough job well.
She's slowly moved Legends forward towards the goal of being "the shopping and family entertainment spot for Kansas City" And you can now see the upswing with your own eyes.
Many people didn't initially like the "Outlet Concept" of some big name brands at Legends.
Though the stores look and seem normal, almost all of the biggies are outlet stores. However the street talk is GREAT! People want to shop and play at a large shopping city that has it all at a price. The stores and shops – and not all are outlets – look very nice.
I've been out there for just over four years.
Outside of the first year, the area has been under the same pressures that we see on THE PLAZA, at OAK PARK MALL, ZONA ROSA and all the rest of the area malls; very slow daytime business except weekends.
Restaurants are down, especially at lunchtime (almost non existent for most areas now). However Legends/Village West has tons of fast food. Names you know like McDonald's, Taco Bell, Chick-fil-A, and 20 more. Plus a nice mix of name restaurants like Yard House, Styx, Jazz, and 40 more, including BBQ such as Arthur Bryant's and Famous Daves.
There's something for everyone.
And this summer the daytime traffic even on weekdays has doubled.
Nike is almost always packed, same with Adidas and opening next week, perfromance gear retailer Under Armour – that's a huge one. The crowds of shoppers are often pretty thick now. I didn't see that much the last three years.
And this despite the 100 degree heat!
THE BIG EVENTS: Legends / Village West has added many big events and that have started to work. NASCAR sadly draws large crowds but they don't spend much time away from the track. LiveStrong, the soccer stadium is another story. Upscale ticket buyers are eating,shopping and spending money at the center like crazy. Stanford's even gets some of them on game days and nights.
Of course, they've added huge concerts like Farm Aid starring Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews. A sure sell out for August 13th.
Concert promoter Chris Fritz straightened me out on KANROCKSAS. It will have several stages, VIP rooms and on-field crowds just like Rock Fest. It will be a sight and sound explosion. By now we all know that million dollar a night guy Eminem will headline the show. One of only three he will do in the USA this year. Muse will be the other nights big name stars along with a boatload more.
So these new stores – with more coming from the water cooler talk I hear now – proves that Legends, KCK and Village West is on the move to becoming the top spot in Kansas City. And maybe even faster than I thought.
PS. THERE'S NO CRIME. It's the safest, large entertainment district in the Kansas City area – no argument.
Great job by KCK law enforcement they don't allow any B.S.


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bill-swift - July 16, 2013
Boulders aren't exactly the most comfortable things to sit on, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out. So when CTRL ZAK and Davide Barzaghi came up with the Quarts Armchair, they clearly want to mess with everyone's head because this piece of furniture that looks hella uncomfortable might just be the most comfortable thing you'll ever sit on.
The boulder cushion pieces are all removable, and each one fits into a specific slot on the wooden frame. So what's the point with having removable cushions? Well, they'll all come in especially handy when you have guests and visitors and not enough chairs. Simply remove the boulder cushions and pass them out for people to sit on and use as stools.
This might very well be one of the most expensive armchairs around, because it's priced at $14,000.
Check It Out: $14,000


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The Genworth Foundation makes a direct investment in the community by helping to provide nonprofits with the funding and organizational support they need.
Due to the large volume of requests, the Genworth Foundation is unable to grant every proposal. Qualification considerations include geographic location, synergy with Genworth areas of giving focus and involvement of Genworth associates.


text: > The following program crashes on NetBSD/i386-1.5.2. I expected malloc() to > return NULL and setting errno to ENOMEM instead of getting a crash. Is there > any explanation for this, or is it a bug? Bug. On NetBSD/1.5.1 this malloc() succeeds if there is sufficient memory or fails correctly setting errno to ENOMEM as required. If this doesn't work on 1.5.2 then there's an introduced problem, it would seem. Can someone else verify on 1.5.2? Cheers, Giles #include <errno.h> #include <stdio.h> #include <stdlib.h> int main(int argc, char *argv[]) { int m = 0xbfbfdc50; char *borkenbuf; fprintf(stderr, "m = 0x%x\n", m); fprintf(stderr, "I'm still alive\n"); borkenbuf = malloc(m); if (borkenbuf == 0) fprintf(stderr, "error return: errno == %d\n", errno); else fprintf(stderr, "malloc succeeded\n"); return 0; }


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Sestriere is a fabulous ski resort in the Italian Alps, on the Milky Way circuit. It was purpose built for skiers of all abilities
My family and I have skied all over Europe and have our own special favourites, but this year we tried Sestriere for the first time. It was brilliant, and, with our ages ranging from 16 to 55, we found something challenging for each of us. Sun, snow, perfect powder, well-groomed pistes and plenty of variation on the slopes – including several 2006 Olympics-runs - combined to fulfil our need to ski! For those taking young children, there is a kids snow park and a very well run children's ski school.
Where to stay
Being Christmas, we decided to opt for 4-star accommodation and selected the Cristallo hotel. The newly-built Cristallo enjoys an exceptional location right by the ski lifts and ski school, and only a minute from the main shopping street. Initially disappointed not to get a room with balcony (despite the brochure pictures, all balconied floors are private apartments), we were pleased with the quality and comfort in the rooms. Each had en suite, mini-bar (expensive), satellite TV, phone and safe, as well as excellent furnishings and superb maid service. There is a small fitness suite, sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi all at no cost. I found the evening meals slightly 'over-engineered' but there was good choice and plenty of it. Breakfast was the usual continental buffet, but the staff were pleased to cook to order. Restaurant service was always superb. The Cristallo has a comfortable if somewhat reserved bar, and they serve complimentary afternoon tea and cakes every day. Best of all, the main ski lift is directly across the road. We'd stay here again, definitely.
The skiing
The Milky Way lift pass covers the resorts of Sestriere, Sauze D'Oulx, Pragelato, Claviere, Sansicario, Cesana and the French resort of Mont Genevre, so you will not be bored! You can only ski in France for one day though, and any repeat visits must be paid separately. At 179 euros for a six day pass, it is not cheap but the range and variation is well worth it. We tried the three Olympic runs in Sestriere first. Access by chairlift from the town centre is quick and easy, and the runs exhilarating. The long cable car from Sestriere gives direct access to Sauze and a day's skiing there. Mont Genevre is a bus ride away, but again offers a full day's fun there.
There are enough Blue runs for newbies, although the resort better suits intermediates/experts. Sestriere has lots of good, tree-lined red runs, but the real fun runs are from the top of M. Motta, including the Olympic Downhill route Black 31. These slopes have an excellent snow record all winter, as well as glorious sunshine. Ski school starts opposite the Cristallo and runs half a day for six days.
If you love skiing, you will love Sestriere. With typical Italian exuberance and hospitality, superb snow-sure conditions and excellent piste grooming, it is hard to beat. Despite a lot of button lifts, transiting the pistes is quick and efficient, with good signage and sufficient watering holes. There are restrictions (enforced by lift pass confiscation) to off-piste skiing, because of avalanche danger, but guides are available for the more adventurous. Oh – and boarders will love it as well! There is an extensive board park in the bowl opposite the town centre, as well as above Sauze, at Sansicario, and three at Mont Genevre.
The après ski
Pinkys Bar in the main square does a good range of fresh-cooked pizzas and pastas, as well as beers and wines. Ski boots are allowed and a there is a very lively, friendly atmosphere. It is just five minutes' walk from the slopes. They do charge a 3.50 euros service charge for diners though, adding significantly to a group lunch. On the piazza above the ski school assembly point is a parade of shops, restaurants and pizzerias. They are all good, with lunch for five coming in at about 50 Euros including drinks. I also recommend the Du Col bar, Irish Igloo bar, Tabata's night club, après ski drinks at Bar Sestriere, the Brahms pub for Irish beer and the Osteria Barabba wine bar. But be warned – even soft drinks start at around 3 euros and house wine from 8 euros per bottle.
The resort has an ice rink and offers cross country and heli-skiing. I advise you shop around locally for equipment hire, as the obvious one - Rent and Go – is not always the cheapest (www.rentandgo.it ). We found the inclusive package from Nielson was cheaper. The transfer from Turin is around 1hr 45mins by coach.
All in all, definitely a resort we would return to but maybe only when the recession ends!


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Company: Trulli Italy in Puglia
Name: Trulli Italy in Puglia
Street: Strada Chirulli-Stabile (Zona D)
City: Martina Franca (Ta)
State/Province: Puglia
Country: Italy
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In face of modern constraints of time and space, and occasionally the weather, that shouldn't mean you step out draby and crinkled clothes. With Hesstar Dryer HD-610 White, clothes are now dried faster without crinkles, creases and lint. Step out dress in confidence and show off your style today.
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One very practical and convenient solution in drying a variety of fabrics, powered by a high speed rotating turbo fan, you can be assured that your clothes are taken care of with the Hesstar Dryer HD-610 White. Gentle, simply manage the dryer by the turn of the visible temperature and setting knobs.
Energy efficient, the Hesstar Dryer HD-610 White intelligently powers up, utilising energy that's only needed with the cycle. The PTC heating element dries clothes efficiently and quickly, without unnecessary overheating from happening. A double layer tint filter prevents flint from sticking on clothes once dried.
Economically drying up to an 6kg load of clothing, the Hesstar Dryer HD-610 White is also compact. Not needing a large space to place the dryer, simply mount it on the wall above the dryer with the wall mounting kit. Also featured on this dryer is a child protection lock, preventing from unnecessary opening and closing during the cycle.
Depending on the applied Return policy, you may return your item to us within 5 calendar days. Countdown starts from the date you received the item to the post stamp stated on the parcel you return to us.
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Effective 1st April 2015, all goods and services may be subjected to GST 6% upon checkout.
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text:
The BIG Seasonal YOU Choose Sale | Retiring Actions and Presets
*Processed with the creative action from Fair Haven Antiqued II.
Mega Matte from Memento (Not retiring.)
Madness folks! I have clearly lost my mind. I am practically GIVING away actions here. I have never hosted a discount this deep on my "I want it All Actions bundle". I may never again, but it is the season of Thanks and giving and I can't help myself.
For this week, you can either choose to take 80% off the Photoshop Actions and Lightroom Presets leaving the shop OR you can get the entire Collection of Photoshop Actions for only $99.00. Less than $100.00. That includes actions NOT retiring and here to stay for probably years to come.
The best part is there are no codes to remember. Just add to cart and check out. And due to the deep discounts here, you can unfortunately not use any special codes with this promotion.
Oh, and the actions + presets that are 80% off?? They are some of my most popular still after all of these years and only EIGHT BUCKS!
So what is going??
I am linking it below.
The actions are as follows:
Fair Haven // Fair Haven II // The Photographer's Tool Box // Newbie Fix // The Keepsake Collection
Presets are:
And of course the amazing BUY ALL MY ACTIONS AT ONCE Bundle HERE:
The sad news in all this?? Once it's gone… it's gone for good. So don't wait, friends! This won't be available and neither will these actions when this ends.


text:
For the latest Borderlands game, which takes place between the events of the first and second games, Gearbox President Randy Pitchford pushed for the name "Borderlands 1.5". The team eventually decided on "The Pre-Sequel" because, from a gameplay perspective the game is far closer to Borderlands 2.5.
Yep, 2.5, not 3. That's a pretty honest assessment of an upcoming game from a company president, but that's one of the great things about Pitchford, who was humble and humbled by the fanbase at PAX. Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is a full, brand-new Borderlands game, but it's based heavily on the foundation Gearbox built with Borderlands 2.
It also isn't strictly made by Gearbox. The Pre-Sequel is a collaboration between Gearbox and 2K Australia, who previously worked on all of the Bioshock games. "We were given a brief 'we want to go to the moon, throw out ideas,let's start talking,' so it was a really good starting point," 2K Australia Producer Joel Eschler told me during an interview. "We're talking every single day, we're going to each other's studios all the time. We're working on this game together and designing this game together. It's been a really organic relationship so far."
So yeah, for Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, 2K Australia and Gearbox are taking us to the moon. That means low gravity, oxygen tanks, and a sci-fi slant that justifies things like laser beams and freeze guns. "It's the moon of Pandora, it's not the moon of Earth," Eschler explained. "You can expect some pretty varied environments as you're playing through the game. And you don't just play on the moon, you actually go up to the Hyperion space station as well."
During the PAX East panel, Pitchford told the story of trying to get freeze weapons in Borderlands 2, how they couldn't do it, and how 2K Australia managed it in a couple days. "One of our programmers actually figured out a way to procedurally freeze and smash the guys so it's different every time," Eschler explained. He didn't deny that their experience working on BioShock helped a little bit.
2K Australia's influence is felt in the storyline as well. During development the team sent Gearbox sequences with placeholder voice acting featuring really bad attempts at American accents. At Gearbox, they couldn't tell that the voices were American accents at all, and after a laugh, decided that the moon denizens would be Aussie. So in the Borderlands universe, Australia is the moon.
That also means some of the writing will be coming from a different place this time around. "Anthony Burch is writing some of it and giving creative feedback, but Joel's team has two writers as well," Gearbox Producer James Lopez told me.
While I've always enjoyed the Borderlands games, I also found the cross-chat between the characters problematic. It was enough of an issue in Borderlands 2 that I had to write about it, as I couldn't really appreciate the funny writing when characters constantly talked over each other. "That is something that from a system level we have done a bit of work to try and help with," Escher assured me. Not everyone has had this issue (as the comments on that article clearly indicated), but I'm glad 2K is addressing it anyway.
The Pre-Sequel may be more like a side-game than a full-on sequel, but the 2K collaboration and the moon setting seem to be leading to a refreshing experience. Low gravity allows for things like double jumps and stomp attacks, while 2K's previous work has helped to freshen up the weaponry. You're the bad guys this time around, too, working for Handsome Jack along his rise to power. You'll even be able to play as Claptrap!
All-in-all, whether you can't get enough of Borderlands (despite the endless DLC releases), or you've had your fill, The Pre-Sequel looks fresh enough to be on anyone's radar. That is, assuming you didn't — as Pitchford apologized for at the Gearbox panel — sell your 360 or PS3 for a next-gen console.
Enjoy random thoughts about the latest games, the Sega Saturn, or the occasional movie review? Follow me @JoeDonuts!


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Extortion plot: Duo target Mumbai Pizza Hut with 'lizard in pizza' ploy
Two men have been arrested for allegedly trying to extort Rs 5 lakh from a popular fast food outlet in north Mumbai after 'finding' a lizard in their pizza
Two men were shocked to find a lizard in their pizza at a popular fast food outlet in north Mumbai suburb of Kandivali. But the story took an unexpected turn after the store manager apologised to the customers. The duo then demanded Rs 5 lakh from the manager.
The incident occurred on Sunday evening at around 8.00 pm at the Mahavir Nagar Pizza Hut franchisee store.
This store manager, Manoj Mohan Kotapirat, captured the entire episode on his mobile phone and registered an extortion case with the Kandivali police. The police have arrested the duo – Mirza Mudassar Iqbaal Beg (24) and Yusuf Samil Sheikh (23), both of whom are residents of Oshiwara.
A spokesperson of the fast food chain said, "This incident seems to be a clear case of conspiracy and extortion and a serious attempt to malign our brand. The franchisee store has filed a case of extortion and conspiracy. The matter is being investigated by the relevant authorities. It is impossible that a foreign object of such a size and state/nature would go unnoticed through our stringent quality checks at the store and in the kitchen."
The spokesperson added, "At Pizza Hut, customer safety is our top priority and we ensure that the highest standards of quality and hygiene are maintained at all of our restaurants. Will leave no stone unturned to ensure that the wrong doers are nabbed and justice is restored. We have the highest respect and regard for the law of the land. We are cooperating fully with the authorities and all should await the results of the investigation from the authorities."


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"Whoever does not accept Christ's teachings should be honest with themselves and excommunicate themselves from the Church," said Bishop Mario Grech of the diocese of Gozo at a recent meeting of parish priests in this small island off the Maltese coast.
Bishop Grech was alluding to a recent decision by openly homosexual political candidate Dr. Ing Patrick Attard, who excommunicated himself from the Catholic Church to protest the Pope's end of year sermon to senior Church leaders, in which the Holy Father pointed to the fact that the two genders are part of the "language of creation."
"When the Church speaks of the nature of the human being as man and woman and asks that this order of creation be respected, it is not the result of an outdated metaphysic," said Benedict XVI.
These remarks were interpreted as an attack on homosexuals, although the pope did not specifically address the question of homosexuality in the talk.
In the context of a talk urging Christians to take part in political debate, given to the clergy during a visit by President Eddie Fenech Adami to the College of Parish Priests in Gozo, Bishop Grech said the disintegration of the fusion between faith and reason has led society to believe that those who participate in politics cannot not think in Christian terms. This, said the bishop, is a false idea.
"It is in this context that the Church is eager to cooperate with society to help in the whole development of its citizens," Bishop Grech said, but also warned that, "We cannot have a Church that does not distinguish itself from the rest of society. It is worrying if a Christian does not distinguish himself with his lifestyle, in a bid to conform."
Speaking of the decline of Christianity in many Western nations and the difficulty in integrating faith and public life, the Bishop encouraged people "not be disheartened that the Church was no longer one for the masses, but was becoming a minority" and gave the example that even a small witness to faith was like "a bit of salt that went a long way to enhance the taste of food."


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What is a 'Monopolist'
A monopolist is a person, group or organization with a monopoly. In other words, an individual or company that controls all of the market for a particular good or service.
BREAKING DOWN 'Monopolist'
A monopolist probably also believes in policies that favor monopolies since it gives them greater power. A monopolist has little incentive to improve their product because customers have no alternatives. Instead, their motivation is focused on protecting the monopoly.


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Document / Publication
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
This book presents case studies designed to assist Pacific Developing Member Countries (PDMCs) of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to adapt to climate variability and change, including extreme events. It intends to show why and demonstrate how reducing climate-related risks is an integral part of sustainable development. The case studies were chosen to highlight the range of levels at which adaptation takes place, and the linkages between them. The levels are i) project, ii) regulation and compliance, iii) short- and midterm policymaking and planning at subnational level, and iv) national strategic development planning.
The book presents case studies that demonstrate the climate proofing of infrastructure and community development projects, and the mainstreaming of climate change considerations into national strategic development plans. The case studies thus include assessments of both the risks arising from current climate variability and extremes and from future, incremental changes in those risks that will result from longer-term changes in climate. Significantly, the case studies incorporate assessments of adaptation strategies and specific measures that can be used to reduce unacceptable risks, including analyses of their benefits and costs. One aim of these analyses is to determine, in a rigorous and quantitative manner, the incremental costs of adaptation to climate change.
Permalink: https://www.preventionweb.net/go/15303


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The Supereme Court Rules USA National healthcare/Obamacare is legal. Facts on why Obamacare is bad And Update On The Kayak and Kayaking Bill Status
Virginia Tourism: Senators Open Chinawa Trail To Kayakers
To Increase tourism and kayak tourism nearby kayakers can now look forward to kayaking on the grea Chinawa Trail. Kayaking has been a long standing passion in Virginia and has seen a boon in the past few years with tourists picking the sport up and growing interest. Finding a kayak is easy in Virginia there are many differing kayaking stores and the best kayak can be found through one of the locals. However there are different locations to find other kayaks. For example a popular hobby which is kayak fishing allows tourists to take advantage of virginia for their fishing expeditions. The best fishing kayak can be found there and you can follow this link to find the best fishing kayak for you.
Basically the claim is that the mandate forcing everyone to buy health insurance is not illegal since the fines you would have to pay are a tax. It's ironic since leading up until now the Federal Government denied it being a tax over and over again. So yes if you can't afford health insurance and you don't fall within the range to get government help then you will likely be in a lot of trouble. So everyone wonders what's so bad about national health care. I've actually gone over this before and a few months back had a huge debate with some friends about it. I'll highlight all of my biggest problems here to show why this will only make things worse. The biggest problem is the fact that state governments work with the American Medical Association to purposely limit the number of doctors which medical schools can train.
This practice has been in effect for years now and was done with the claim to make sure that doctors are properly trained. The problem is that states haven't really allowed the number of doctors per year to keep up with population growth. So now the population has continued to grow while the number of doctors being trained per year has stayed about the same which clearly is bad. Back in 2002 the Doctor to Person ratio in the country was rather terrible for a developed country rating at about 2.3 doctors per every 1,000 people. When you stop to think about it quickly comes to you about just how serious a problem this is. And remember this was back in 2002 and the population has grown even more since then. So how exactly are two doctors supposed to realistically provide excellent care for close to a thousand people. This isn't factoring in problems such as doctors leaving the job, the fact that half of the doctors working now will be 65 by 2020, that people are living longer and need more extended care.
Now I know people say well Canada does it but Canada is even worse. In ranking in terms of doctor to patient the US ranked 52 while Canada ranked 58. People pretending that a lack of doctors is not a problem is a fantasy honestly. The lack of doctors is all directly caused by government and you can't have a good system when there is a lack of people. That's basically like having two employees run an entire McDonald's by themselves during their busiest rush hour. This is honestly one of if not the biggest problems and countries like Canada do the exact same thing which the USA is doing which is adding to the lack of able bodied doctors
Next is the unfair monopoly which the Federal and state governments give to drug companies. Drug companies have zero competition since people are not allowed to buy prescription drugs out of the country. On top of that drugs which you can buy over the counter in places such as Mexico you need to get a prescription here. The Federal Government, Drug companies and Insurance companies are heavily involved in what type of treatments patients get and what doctors are allowed to do. Doctors by law are actually not allowed to practice a variety of treatments even if a patient is dying and wishes to try an alternative or experimental treatment. Now you can see the big problem with the very same drug companies who make money off of people getting certain treatments. And they are helping places such as the FDA decide what treatments patients are allowed and that's it. Along with this the process of getting new treatments given the okay by the FDA is long, slow, tedious and expensive taking about four years and costing millions of dollars. The FDA tends to be very lax in giving the green light to treatments for new drugs.
But places such as a medical clinic in Texas which was offering a natural stem cell treatment it was a different story. If you don't know what stem cells are the basic explanation is that they are cells created by your body which help in the healing process. A clinic developed a treatment where they withdraw blood from a person, use a machine to separate stem cells from the blood, then returns the blood and inject the stem cells into wherever you are injured to promote healing. Now keep in mind the blood is never altered, changed, drugs added or anything. Well basically the FDA came in claiming that because the machine which was used for the treatment had a part which was built out of state and the blood has to pass through the machine that this was a type of drug treatment which needed to go through the FDA approval process. The absurdity here of saying that a persons own blood and cells is a drug is rather astounding but they did. That is just one of a long list of similar cases where the FDA goes against anything not given the green light by big drug companies.
Things such as limiting the number of doctors and denying patients all treatments except a select few hand picked by the government and drug companies clearly makes no sense. So when people tell me that free health care is a step in the right direction and I pointed out of all this no one gave me a good answer or explanation. National health care will not fix any of this. It might make insurance companies a lot of money. But we'll still have the monopoly of health care and the lack of doctors so the quality of health care will degrade. Even worse is the fact that the system is unsuitable. Counties in Texas for example are already reporting a lack of able body doctors to help patients. Canada is seeing a shortage of doctors as well. On top of this a country simply cannot afford it especially not a country such as ours which is drowning in debt. Greece for instance had free healthcare and this is believed to have largely helped lead them to their current financial state.
Now the USA is heading down the same path. What I find most concerning is people tell me how good this is but when I bring up these points no one was able to give me a valid answer to fixing this. Just that this is the right thing to do and a step in the right direction. I guess we will see where it leads. My friends have asked me if there is anything which can be done. At this point it really lies with state government. To my surprise my home state of Ohio and twenty four other states have already passed or are in the process of passing legislation against national health care which they are within their right to do so. Now if the federal government will respect this or if they will simply barge in just as they do with California and marijuana remains to be seen. But things are far from over. Either way I do suggest that everyone keeps an eye open on what happens with Obamacare and gives serious thought on what it will do for the future of our country.
" He also contrasted his plan with a $4 billion proposal offered by some Republican Senate leaders, which features new taxes on fuel, and a $2 billion proposal House Republicans offered Friday, which relies heavily on the higher fines on bad drivers, on borrowing money and on more than $550 million from an anticipated general fund surplus." The transportation ministry also deals with different tourism sports such as kayaking which has seen a boon in subsidies offered by the senate.
More fishing kayak information Here


text: On Fri Dec 17, 2004 at 10:28:00AM -0800, Jeremy C. Reed wrote: > I want to place a DSA key file on a server not maintained by myself. It is > pass-phrase protected, but still I don't want the file used. > > What is the easiest way to encrypt a file with a key to decrypt? > > I have used zip and pgp and gpg to encrypt files. But what other ways do > you suggest? > bdes is ok. You can use a keyfile with "-k" otherwise it will ask for a keyphrase. encrypt: bdes < file > encryptedfile bdes -k /tmp/keyfile < file > encryptedfile decrypt: bdes -d < encryptedfile > file bdes -d -k /tmp/keyfile < encryptedfile > file -- Courtney R. Spencer


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Andreas Cornelius is determined to make up for lost time after returning to FC Copenhagen and here he shows Cardiff fans just what they're missing out on.
The 20-year-old failed to score in 11 games during his time in south Wales - after securing a £7.5million switch last summer - and moved back to his former club last month.
His arrival was thought to be one of the reasons for the breakdown in relations between Malky Mackay and Vincent Tan but this hat-trick shows there is some talent there after all.
Cornelius' first in the 4-0 friendly win over Slovan Liberec is a powerful left-footed drive and he soon bags his second - after missing a penalty and then the rebound - before finally finding the net.
The Dane completed his hat-trick in the second-half with a cheeky lob and will soon get rid of his 'flop' tag if this form continues.


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Pregnant @ 17well like most 17 year olds i never thought i would have a child at this age i got pregnant when i was 16 the father is 21 and well i didnt think it would happen to me . i am not 10 days away from my due date and i am so thankful for my daughter. its kinda sad that it took getting pregnant to make me stop drinking, getting high everyday and to realize how important school really is...i am curetly on leave from school for a few months to be able to take care of my daughter untill she is old enough for day care but i am so lucky to have her and i am happy i finally broke out of thoes stupid old habits. to all girls out there that think it wont happen to you NEWS FLASH! nature dosnt care how old you are or if you are ready for a child so if you arnt seriously! be smart about it use protection and birth control is NOT! 100% effective!!!!!!!!
i am very excited to meet my daughter and to finaly be able to see her beautiful face. i have had people tell me im to young and cant handle a child well all i have to say to thoes people is you have no idea what i am capable of and have no right to tell me what i can and cant do. all i have to say to girls my age that are pregnant is 1) 9 months honestly flys by and your child will be here in no time! 2) stay or get back into school! it is VERY important! and 3) if you ever need someone to talk to send me a message and i will reply i have been thru alot in my life and in these past 9 months including dealing with my baby daddy who is addicted to pain killers so if you have any issues or just need someone to listen when things get to much to handle (witch they will ALOT! trust me)
Chantelle17 18-21 1 Response 2 Jan 14, 2011
People who tell you you can't handle a baby alone are... right! Age doesn't matter. Nobody can raise a child alone. You will need help and lots of it, so start lining it up. It will be there for you. Good work kicking the booze and drugs, by the way. You are stronger than you know.


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There is a war going on for the future of our country. Most people know that. What they may not know is that if Christians lose, the result won't merely be enduring public policy we disagree with—it will be a prison sentence for those who oppose it. We've all seen the attack coming. First the Supreme Court said kids can't pray in school. Then the Ten Commandments were ripped from the classrooms. Now pastors are being removed from their pulpits and put in jail for speaking out against homosexuality (Sweden). And things are only getting worse. How in the world did we get to this place? And why is it that Christians are singled out in this assault on morality? Serving as a wake-up call for America, this book will expose the truth that Christianity is being criminalized—and that we must stand up against it now .
As a Christian in this country, you may be understandably reluctant to speak out on moral issues like abortion, homosexuality, or pornography. But while we have the right to remain silent, that's not what God calls us to do.
Because if the world can silence the truth, it will silence the gospel.
Story Behind the Book
In 1997, Janet Folger heard a speech by Bob Knight of the Family Research Council in which Knight said that the ultimate goal of the homosexual movement was the criminalization of Christianity. At the time, Janet considered his comment to be an overstatement. But then she watched, listened, and learned. Now pastors in Sweden are being thrown into prison for speaking against homosexuality from their own pulpits. Canadians are being fined tens of thousands of dollars for refusing to print materials they are morally opposed to. Can an intensified assault in the U.S. be far behind?


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|Box Score | Season Stats | Quotes | Highlights | Photos
Jan. 17, 2014
Gopher Women Blank Minnesota State
Final Stats | Quotes | Photo Gallery
MINNEAPOLIS - The top-ranked Minnesota men's hockey team outlasted Big Ten conference foe Ohio State, 1-0, in a defensive struggle to win the Hockey City Classic at TCF Bank Stadium Friday night.
The 45,021 fans on hand gave the game the largest attendance ever for a hockey game in the state of Minnesota.
Minnesota netminder Adam Wilcox stopped all 21 shots he faced to earn his second shutout of the season and the fifth of his career. The victory improved the Gophers' record to 16-2-3 with a 6-0-1 ledger in league action, giving them a seven-point first place lead in the standings.
The game opened with a first period that lacked offensive chances as the teams combined for 15 shots. The best scoring chance came when OSU's Ryan Dzingel snuck in on a shorthanded breakaway with just over a minute to play. Wilcox outwaited the Buckeye forward to turn the opportunity aside.
After being outshot 8-7 in the opening period, Minnesota came out firing in the second, recording the first eight shots of the frame.
At the 4:20 mark, Gopher freshman forward Taylor Cammarata ended the stalemate when his shot from the slot beat OSU goaltender Matt Tomkins and trickled across the goal line. Junior captain Kyle Rau and senior Justin Holl picked up assists on Cammarata's fifth tally of the season.
The Gophers outshot Ohio State 14-8 in the middle stanza, but both goaltenders stood tall in a penalty-free period.
Just like the first period, neither team generated much offense in the third. OSU outshot Minnesota, 6-4, but was unable to solve Wilcox even after pulling Tomkins for an extra attacker in the game's waning moments.
Minnesota is now 13-1-0 all-time against the Buckeyes.
The two teams wrap up their weekend series Saturday at 5 p.m. at Mariucci Arena as a part of Hockey Day Minnesota. The Gophers' resume play next weekend against in-state rival and third-ranked St. Cloud State to open the North Star College Cup tournament at the Xcel Energy Center.
-Pride on Ice-
Gophers Rally for Overtime Tie Against OSU
2/17/2018 - M. Ice Hockey
Minnesota (19-13-2 overall, 10-10-2-1 Big Ten) is now unbeaten in the last four games (3-0-1) and is now 6-1-1 in the last eight contests.
Live: Gophers vs. Buckeyes
2/17/2018 - M. Ice Hockey
Follow the action as the Gophers host Ohio State at 3M Arena at Mariucci on Saturday afternoon. Puck drop is set for 4 p.m. CT.
Gopher Open Weekend with 2-1 Win
2/16/2018 - M. Ice Hockey
The Gophers close out this weekend's series with Ohio State with Senior Day on Saturday, Feb. 17. Puck drop is set for 4 p.m. CT.


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How does knowing more than one language affect our brains? Does it make our minds disoriented or sharper? Let's find out.
On the first day of my German language course, the teacher wrote his name on the board and started introducing himself in German. I sat there not understanding a word he was saying, and as I looked around the class, we all had blank looks on our faces. Our first day consisted of a combination of hand gestures and helping each other understand words that were completely alien to us.
A week into the course, I began to understand a few words; I went from staring hard at the teacher to get an idea of what he was saying to recognizing what he was talking about. It was fascinating how fast my brain learned to process sounds into words.
This revelation got me thinking, how are our brains affected by the knowledge of more than one language? And does our way of thinking and behavior change from one language to another?
In the UAE, many of us are bilingual, and a big portion of the population can easily switch between Arabic and English. There are those who believe that because of this we are losing the ability to be stronger Arabic speakers, and that knowing more than one language weakens our ability in how well we use each language. While this might be true in some cases, there is also the reality that being bilingual enhances the way our brain functions and gives us an advantage over monolingual speakers.
Professor Ellen Bialystok, a distinguished researcher in the field of psychology at the University of Toronto, conducted a study on the effects of bilingualism on the mind. Bialystok's research shows that bilingual children develop a better ability to concentrate and tune out distractions and that learning a second language at a young age shows signs of stronger cognitive abilities and sharper observational skills.
There have also been experiments conducted to determine if our brain processes languages differently and how that affects our thinking and behavior. An experiment conducted by psycholinguistic scientist Susan Tripp on English-Japanese bilingual women showed that when asked to answer questions or complete sentences the women responded differently in each language. When asked to finish the sentence "When my wishes conflict with my family…" in Japanese the women replied with "it is a time of great unhappiness" but in English their response was "I do what I want". What these results demonstrated was that when responding in Japanese these women thought like Japanese and responded in a way that was Japanese. Yet their response in English, like the language, was more direct and to the point.
Personally, I have always felt that I have a slightly different personality depending on what language I am using. At my previous job in the UAE, I worked with a variety of people that came from different nationalities. When meeting a representative of an entity that wanted to strictly communicate in Arabic, I would always be very cautious of using the proper titles and addressing the present company in proper Arabic. This caused me to be more reserved and eager to finish the business at hand. Meanwhile, when I had meetings that were conducted in English, I felt more comfortable to start the meeting with small talk and have a somewhat less formal approach while conducting business. Though most of the time this switch would occur unconsciously, my brain would dictate my behavior based on what language I was using.
Now that I am living in Germany and it is a necessity for me to know the language, my brain makes an extra effort to process all the new words and sentences I am learning. I am still in the very early stages of learning the German language, but even my knowledge of simple sentences is expanding my mind because of the extra work it now does to construct sentences in German. When ordering food at a restaurant or making an appointment, I will first think of what I want to say in Arabic or English and then translate it in my head to German and then try to sound as confident as I can be speaking German out loud.
It's a process and hard work but a journey that I am excited to be on. I truly believe having the ability to understand and switch between different mediums of communication is an advantage that should be encouraged. If you get the opportunity to learn a new language, take it and push your brain to the potential it most definitely has.
Bialystok, E. (1999). Cognitive Complexity and Attentional Control in the Bilingual Mind. Child Development , 70(3)636-644 .
Vince, G. (2016, August 7). Why being Bilingual works wonders on your brain. Retrieved from The Gaurdian: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/aug/07/being-bilingual-good-for-brain-mental-health
Mariam Al Hosani (@mariamralhosani)
Latest posts by Mariam Al Hosani (@mariamralhosani) (see all)
- Anxiety; The Modern Epidemic - August 24, 2017
- The Millennial's Path To Success - August 2, 2017
- The Wondrous World of Bilingual Brains - June 12, 2017


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AUSTIN (KXAN) – It is one of the greatest shipwreck discoveries off the coast of Texas and soon it will be the centerpiece exhibit at the Bullock State History Museum.
Archeologists from around the world admired it during a sneak peek Friday in Austin as part of their annual international conference.
KXAN was permitted to go along with an exclusive first look at the Wreck of La Belle.
The ship was part of LaSalle's colonization expedition to Texas, but a storm brought it down in Matagordo Bay in 1686. The 54-foot ship was no match for the gale and all 16 hands were lost.
In 1995, using an old Spanish map and modern technology, such as a magnetometer and super metal detectors, the wreck was found by Dr. Jim Bruseth with the Texas Historical Commission. It was carefully salvaged over the next two years.
"When you find a shipwreck under water, the water at that point preserves the wood," Dr. Bruseth points out. "You just can't pull the pieces out and dry them, the wood will warp and disintegrate."
Thanks to scientists from Texas A&M, the pieces of the ship were first covered in a polyethelene coating, and then freeze dried just as you would do for coffee.
Bruseth explains, "That technique is wonderful for removing water and water logged wood and making the wood stable again."
There was all kinds of booty found: weapons, tools, trinkets for Indians and the essential building kits to make a new world colony.
When the exhibit opens in October, they will begin to assemble the pieces of the hull in plain view of the public.Once the ship is fully reconstructed, it will be placed in a case for permanent exhibit. That process should take about seven months.
The visiting archeologists were impressed.
Dr. Ian Burrow, with the Hope Research Project in New Jersey, says, "This is significant for everybody, significant in Europe, significant for the rest of us doing historical archeology in North America, and it's a big deal for Texas."
It is also a big deal for the Bullock Museum.
"Lovers of maritime treasures travel all over the world. They go to England to see them, they go to Sweden. This puts us in the same world class, as a museum," Special Projects Director Dave Denny said.
In fact, before the museum was even built, developers knew the La Belle would be coming as the crown jewel exhibit. The museum was thus designed and built with the central atrium in mind as the ship's final resting place.
Scientists from Texas State University took part in a dive for a sunken shipwreck in the Gulf of Mexico earlier in April. The Okeanos robotic submarine got an up-close look at a ship that sank in the early 1800's. Their search has ended but the Okeanos has other dives planned. You can watch their live stream by clicking here.