text:
I tend to view life as being something like a high wire act at the circus.
We balance ourselves on that high wire and attempt to walk through life. We're carrying a lot of weight to make the balancing act even trickier – children, marriage, and other responsibilities.
Eventually, something happens and we fall. Something interfered with our walk – a personal failing, a job loss, or something else entirely.
When we fall, there's a safety net there to catch us. Some of us have family wealth or personally accumulated wealth. Others are surrounded by family and close friends for support. Still others have built up a long history of professional contacts. Skills and personal attributes also make up a part of that safety net.
Not everyone can draw upon all of those threads to weave their safety net, though. For some of us, the threads are much stronger. For others, they're weaker, and for still others, there's nothing there at all.
So, what does all that mean?
Some people can afford acrobatics on the high wire, while others cannot. The person who isn't burdened by responsibilities and has an extremely strong net to fall onto can manage things in life that the person who is carrying a great deal of responsibility with a weak safety net cannot.
A single, healthy child of a supportive and wealthy family can easily dive into career paths and education without any sort of short-term return without having to worry too much about it.
On the other hand, I know of at least one older sibling who is barely twenty and is caring for her two younger siblings. There is no money for them and no functional family. That person has a great deal of burden and no safety net. That person cannot afford to take many risks at all on the high wire, so that person is consigned to getting the best possible paying job now and living with whatever it is.
It is completely unreasonable to think that the same financial and career plans would apply to these two people. They simply live in different worlds. Even things that they could both utilize, like being very frugal with their money, applies much more strongly to one than the other.
Whenever you read about personal finance tactics and you recognize that some of them don't apply to you, remember that they do apply to people carrying different burdens and to people with a stronger – or weaker – safety net than you have.
This all leads to a pretty straightforward question: what can a person do to improve their safety net? There are several steps anyone can take.
First, build up an emergency fund. Try to get to at least $1,000 in cash in a savings account and just let it sit there. When an emergency happens in your life, you have the cash to deal with it.
Beyond that, focus on paying off debts and not acquiring new ones. If you don't have a safety net, minimizing your bills and maximizing the amount of money you can save each month is your best path.
Second, build a strong social circle and be there for the people in it. The best thing you can do is identify people that seem reliable and, when they need a hand in their life, step up and give them a hand without expecting anything in return. Do that enough to other reliable people and you begin to build a relationship with them, one that will be there for you when you stumble and fall.
When a person loses a job, help them find another one. When a person is moving, help them to move. When a person needs help with something, just step up and help, even if they don't ask for it. There is no better way to build a lasting and valuable relationship with someone than actually helping them when they need it.
Third, take your work seriously, even when it seems trivial. Yes, sweeping the floor is a very simple task and it's boring, but do it with focus and strive to do it well. If you have a task to do, don't just do the minimum to get it "done." Try to get it done as well as you can within the alloted time (or within reasonable time). If you're standing around with nothing to do, look for something to do.
Sure, some of the stuff you do will be overlooked, but it won't be long before you begin to establish a pattern of excellence and the people who rely on you in the workplace will notice. When your chips are down, that pattern of excellence will be the thing that sets you apart and gives you the help you need.
Finally, stop wasting time and energy on things you can't control. Sure, someone else might have a wealthy and supportive family while you do not. Don't waste a second being jealous of them or wishing you were in their shoes. Instead, focus on what you can control, including the things above.
We're all walking the tightrope, but the journey is a little different for each of us.
The post The Strength of Your Safety Net appeared first on The Simple Dollar.


text:
Hart: A little mystery over primary opposition to judge
Houston attorney Debra Norris, who aspires to run for judge someday, received a tantalizing phone call from a local political consultant last October.
The caller, Justin Jordan, told her that leaders in her neighborhood recommended her as a judicial candidate. Furthermore, he assured her if she ran against a particular incumbent, State District Judge Steven Kirkland, Houston attorney George Fleming would provide sufficient campaign contributions.
Intrigued, she met both Jordan and political consultant Bethel Nathan, whom Jordan identified as his former employer, at a Starbucks. Their message to her was "we have funding, we're looking for the right candidate and you are it."
Though she was "flattered," Norris said she decided against the race. "I talked to other people and everything I learned is that he (Kirkland) is an outstanding judge."
The story provides important context as the May 29 Democratic primary approaches. Kirkland, a Democrat first elected in 2008, finds himself battling a well-funded opponent, Elaine Hubbard-Palmer. In her last financial report, her sole contributions, totaling $35,000, came from Fleming's law firm or the political action committee he funds.
Kirkland and Fleming are far from strangers. The judge recently issued a decision, now on appeal, that could cost Fleming's firm as much as $13 million in lost earnings. The firm was sued by former clients over $41 million in fees it collected after winning a settlement against the pharmaceutical giant, Wyeth, regarding the diet drug, Fen-Phen.
The clients say Fleming unfairly saddled them with trial expenses that should be covered by his fee. Now, as various lawsuits filed by clients against Fleming wind their way through various Harris County courts, the dispute appears to be spilling over into courthouse politics.
Fleming graciously accepted my phone calls, and flatly denied recruiting any candidates to run against Kirkland. He told me Tuesday he didn't know Norris, and had never directed any political consultant to seek a candidate to run against Kirkland.
'A minor deal'
Why would two political consultants claim to speak on his behalf? "I don't know," Fleming said. "You'll have to ask them." He acknowledged Nathan has performed work for his political action committee in past election cycles.
Were the contributions his way of signaling displeasure with Kirkland?
"No, no," Fleming assured me. "The way I show displeasure (with a judge) is I appeal his rulings." Palmer, he insisted, "is well-qualified and I think she'd make a good judge."
What about the 2008 reprimand issued by the State Bar of Texas, which ordered her to take an ethics course after she failed to file a lawsuit on behalf of a client? A "minor deal," that occurred a long time ago, he said.
"She has practical experience with clients. She has a good feeling for the types of clients I represent," he said.
Fleming noted that he has a long history of funding Democratic candidates. "I went to the 1964 convention in Atlantic City," he said. "I've been active in Democratic politics ever since."
Party unity at stake?
But State Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, fears the inter-party fight will ultimately harm Democratic unity. He notes that Jordan has publicly worked for Republican candidates and causes. And Fleming, he said, "minces no words when it comes to Steve and his desire to defeat him." The winner of the Democratic primary will face Republican Ken Shortreed in the November election.
At the time of the deadline for her January campaign contribution report, Palmer had received $35,000 in contributions from two sources: $7,000 from the Fleming law firm and $28,000 from a political action committee named Texans for Good Leaders. Fleming, it turns out, is the chief contributor to Texans for Good Leaders: He dropped the group a $25,000 check on Dec. 14 - the day before it wrote Palmer a check for $23,000.
The size of those contributions exceeded the limits of Texas' Judicial Fairness Act. As a result, the Texas Ethics Commission issued an order permitting all candidates to raise unlimited funds.
An expensive race
That's small consolation to Kirkland, who said he expects to raise and spend $150,000 to remain competitive with Palmer. She's been running radio ads and sending expensive direct mail pieces across the county. "A countywide race in a contested primary is expensive," he noted.
I could not reach Jordan or Nathan, but Jordan's Linked-In profile mentions Republican affiliations, and says he is an employee of Bethel Nathan Communications.
Harris County Democratic Chairman Gerry Birnberg sees the Kirkland-Palmer race as disheartening on two levels. It is sapping limited resources. And it demonstrates the inherent flaws in the election of judges. Unlimited campaign contributions allow individuals to "get rid of a judge" because they have a "personal stake," Birnberg noted. "Welcome to the election of judges."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Netflix Skylanders Academy Renewed For Two More Seasons
Hey Addicts!
Recently we got the news that the popular cartoon series Skylanders Academy is coming back to Netflix for not one but two more seasons. We can expect to see Season 2 in the fall of 2017 and Season 3 the following year. Check out the official press release provided by Activision below.
Attention All Skylanders! Activision Blizzard Studios Expands "Skylanders Academy" To Season 3
Netflix Renews the Critically Acclaimed Animated Series for a Third Season
SANTA MONICA, Calif. – February 2, 2017 – Activision Blizzard, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) today announced that its Netflix original series "Skylanders™ Academy" has been renewed for a third season. Production on the third season of "Skylanders Academy"—the first television series developed and produced by Activision Blizzard Studios—will begin in February, with animation again created by the renowned TeamTO studio in France.
"Activision Blizzard Studios celebrates the opportunity to bring another season of quality programming to families around the world," said studio Co-President Nick van Dyk. "We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Netflix on this iconic franchise."
Season 3 will launch in 2018. This year, audiences can enjoy Season 2 of "Skylanders Academy," which brings back Justin Long as Spyro, Ashley Tisdale as Stealth Elf, Jonathan Banks as Eruptor and Norm Macdonald as Glumshanks.
New addition Felicia Day (The Guild, Supernatural and Buffy the Vampire Slayer) will join the cast in Season 2, voicing the role of Cynder, a new cadet at the Academy with a mysterious past. The Diamond Minecart (Daniel Middleton) will reprise his role as Cy and Daniel Wu returns as King Pen. Additional voice talent in Season 2 includes Susan Sarandon, Parker Posey, James Hetfield, Catherine O'Hara, Bobcat Goldthwait, Chris Diamantopoulos, Jonny Rees, Harland Williams and Richard Horvitz. The series features the exclusive song "Harmony" (Skylanders Academy Theme) produced by GRAMMY® Award winner Timbaland and performed by Timbaland fet. Dalton Diehl.
"Response to the show has been incredibly enthusiastic, and we've taken a lot of creative inspiration from fans' excitement," said studio Co-President Stacey Sher, "We have a lot of fun in store for season three and are thrilled to give audiences even more of the characters they love."
Based on Activision Blizzard's record-breaking $3.5 billion Skylanders® game franchise1, "Skylanders Academy" is high quality entertainment for the whole family. This Netflix original series follows the heroic adventures of Spyro, Eruptor, Stealth Elf, Jet-Vac and Pop Fizz as they travel the vast Skylands universe, protecting it from evil-doers. The award-winning Skylanders franchise, created by Toys for Bob, has sold through more than 300 million toys since pioneering the toys-to-life category in 2011(1), and late last year Activision launched Skylanders® Imaginators, the latest innovation in the franchise.
Activision Blizzard Studios launched last year to create original content based on the company's extensive library of iconic and globally-recognized intellectual properties, which includes some of the most popular entertainment franchises in the world. "Skylanders Academy" is the first production by Sher and van Dyk, who are joined by Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick as the series' executive producers.
About Activision Blizzard
Activision Blizzard, Inc., a member of the S&P 500, is the world's most successful standalone interactive entertainment company. We delight over 500 million monthly active users around the world through franchises including Activision's Call of Duty®, Destiny and Skylanders®, Blizzard Entertainment's World of Warcraft®, Overwatch®, Hearthstone®: Heroes of Warcraft™, Diablo®, StarCraft® and Heroes of the Storm®, and King's Candy Crush™, Pet Rescue™ and Farm Heroes™. The company is one of the Fortune "100 Best Companies To Work For®." Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Blizzard has operations throughout the world, and its games are played in 196 countries. More information about Activision Blizzard and its products can be found on the company's website, www.activisionblizzard.com.
This is great news for the franchise that gives us portal masters hope that the rumors of the series being cancelled are just that rumors. Until next time catch you on the SKYSIDE!
Sonic Meets Michael Knight
Check out this cool video!
Gotta love 'em doppelgängers.
via LEGO Dimensions – Sonic Meets Michael Knight — NintendObserver
Activision Switching It Up! Skylanders Imaginators Coming To Nintendo Switch
Hey Addicts!
Happy New Year Portal Masters! This year has started off rocky for us Skylanders fans with all the rumors going on about the series being canceled. It has had the community on edge to say the least. There seems to be a glimmer of hope for us just yet with the announcement of Skylanders Imaginators being released on the Nintendo Switch console as a launch title this coming March.
Yesterday Activision announced on their blog that they have developed a version of Skylanders Imaginators for the Nintendo Switch and boy does it sound AWESOME!!! New exclusive functions have been added to this version of the game making it more user friendly. The biggest addition is that we won't need a portal! That's right you read it correctly NO PORTAL REQUIRED!!! The new scan function exclusive to the Nintendo switch now allows us to scan our 300+ physical toys into the game and store them in a digital library for on the go Skylanders action!
The innovative design of the Nintendo Switch also introduces a new mechanic for Skylanders: No Portal of Power? No problem! With the Nintendo Switch you can load and store more than 300 toys from the Skylanders universe in a digital library, allowing players take the Skylanders and their adventures on the go.
Since Skylanders Imaginators and the Skylanders Creator app launched, fans have created and customized more than 25 million Imaginators, and we can't wait to see what they do with the Nintendo Switch. Paul Reiche, co-founder and studio head of Toys for Bob said, "We've seen some amazing Skylanders created, and as kids' collections continue to grow, we're proud to offer more depth and variety to fans in ways never before possible with this new system."
Not only are we getting a new version of the game but we are also getting new figures, a new Adventure/Level Pack, and Skylanders Academy will be returning for a second season as well! By the way, if you haven't had a chance to check out the show on Netflix you should it is totally BOOMTASTIC!!!
Also coming for Skylanders Imaginators in March will be the Cursed Tiki Temple level pack. This new pack takes players on an all-new adventure where they can unlock more than 100 new offerings for their Imaginators. The pack includes a new Sensei character, Wild Storm, a life Creation Crystal, and an Imaginite Mystery Chest.
And later this Spring players will be introduced to another new Sensei, Grave Clobber. Once a great pharaoh who ruled the Golden Desert long ago, Grave Clobber was buried by his seven jealous brothers in an underwater tomb while he was sleeping. He eventually rose from his watery grave, clobbered each of his brothers and became the perfect choice to be a Sensei trainer for the Brawler Class.
Skylanders Imaginators for Nintendo Switch will be available for a suggested retail price of $59.99 when the system launches, and The Cursed Tiki Temple level pack will be available for $29.99 MSRP on March 12 at participating retailers nationwide.
I'll be on the hunt for these two for sure! We now will be able to open all of the hidden islands with the release of this new level pack and I can't wait! Doesn't Grave Clobber look so Boss? If you noticed this Adventure/Level pack will be different than the previously released ones in this series it will include a Mystery Chest.
Are you going to be getting the Nintendo Switch? I know I am not just for Skylanders either. You can pre-order the Nintendo Switch and the new version of Skylanders Imaginators now at GameStop and other participating retailers. I provided a link below for those of you that are interested. You can read the full article from the Activision blog by clicking the source link. Until next time I'll catch you on the SKYSIDE!
Source: Activision Blog
Crash Bandicoot Coming To Skylands
Hey Addicts!
E3 has kicked off and today we should be getting some more Skylanders info. Some images and other things have leaked all over the internet. The biggest leak that has had Portal Masters in a frenzy is that the beloved fan favorite Crash Bandicoot is coming to Skylands. The Italian Skylanders site added a Crash tab to there page leaking the secret that crash would be a Playstation exclusive.
Following in the footsteps of Nintendo and the "SKYMIIBO" figures Playstation is getting one of there own. Hopefully they will also work like the Amiibo Skylanders with the switchable base. We don't have much details on this starter pack or what element Crash will be but once we do I'll be sure to post about it.
We also have learned the names of the images of the the other Skylanders Imaginators we have been seeing. But this time we are seeing them in toy form Ambush who is a Life Knight, Ember who is a Fire Sentinel, and we now have an image of the regular version of Wolfgang who is a Dark Bowslinger.
I really can't wait to see what other news we get today stay tuned for more updates as I get them. Are you excited about Crash coming to Skylands? Who else would you like to see come to Skylands? Leave your comments here or sound off on our social media pages. Thanks to Dotty and the crew at The United Sites of Skylands for keeping me updated. Until next time I'll catch you on the SKYSIDE!
Get Ready To Customize! Skylanders Imaginators Revealed
Hey Addicts!
The past few days have been so awesome for us Skylanders fans. I am pretty excited about the new installment of the Skylanders game. Yesterday we saw leaked images from the Asian Gamer @thereal8bittheater (mistakes happen). Well today we got full conformation about the new game here is everything you need to know about the new game thus far. First let's check out the press release sent over by Activision.
The Only Way to Bring a Gigantic Flaming Chipmunk-Headed Tornado Twisting Dino-Legged Turtle-Shelled Bowslinger with a Robot Voice and a Jet Pack to Life!
Fans to Submit their Skylander Designs for Chance to have Creations Featured in Game at Launch!
Since the launch of Skylanders®, kids around the world have sent Toys For Bob, the pioneers of the toys-to-life category, hand-drawn Skylanders with one special request – please bring my Skylander to life.This October, Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI) will make that wish a reality. For the first time,Skylanders® Imaginators will empower Portal Masters to unleash their imaginations by giving them the freedom to create their own Skylander.
"Since we launched the very first Skylanders game, we have received countless letters and drawings from kids all over the world sharing their vision for their own Skylanders. No matter how in touch with our 'inner kids' we might think we are as adults, nothing comes close to the endless creativity that springs from the mind of an inspired kid," said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing, Inc. "We've turned this year's game into the ultimate blank canvas for kids' imaginations so they can create and play their own Skylanders."
Skylanders Imaginators gives players immense possibilities — including appearance, powers, abilities, names, catchphrases, musical themes and much more — to create the wildest Skylanders imaginable. The amazing depth of the creation system could allow for more than a googol distinctive characters.
With the evil Kaos on a new quest to take over Skylands, it's up to Portal Masters everywhere to create their own Skylanders – known as Imaginators – using the new elementally-aligned toy type called the Creation Crystal. Creation Crystals allow players to transport their Imaginators to consoles at anytime, anywhere!
Skylanders Imaginators introduces Skylanders Senseis, all-new heroes who represent 10 powerful Battle Classes such as Knight, Sorcerer, Bowslinger, Brawler and more.
Skylanders Senseis help train created Imaginators by offering a range of benefits including unlocking super-cool Imaginator weapons, providing access to special areas in the game, as well as bestowing Secret Techniques across the Battle Classes. Senseis also have their own unique benefits including the extraordinary ability to unleash Sky-Chi – the ultimate Battle Class super move. There are a total of 31 Senseis, which include some fan-favorite villains who have been reformed and now fight for good!
"Skylanders consistently delivers on innovative gameplay experiences. With customization a dominant trend in the consumer market, the fact that Skylanders Imaginators will allow kids to bring their own creations to life is a game changer and one our customers will enjoy," said Richard Barry, Global Chief Merchandising Officer, Toys"R"Us, Inc. "We are proud to continue to serve as a marquee Skylanders destination, and look forward to fans' excitement when the new Skylanders Imaginators game arrives this holiday season."
To celebrate imaginations coming to life, Activision is kicking off the
"Skylanders Art-to-Life Contest." Starting today, Portal Masters are invited to submit drawings of their own created Skylanders for a chance to have their characters represented in the Skylanders Imaginators game at launch! To participate, fans simply draw their imagined Skylander and submit it via Instagram or Twitter with the dedicated hashtag#SkylandersArtContest, or to us directly at firstname.lastname@example.com.
The judging panel will include Toys For Bob who will determine a grand prize winner. For more information, including rules, visit: Skylanders.com/SkylanderArtContest.
Starting today, fans can pre-order Skylanders Imaginators Starter Packs which include two new Skylanders characters, a Creation Crystal, Portal of Power®and the full AAA game. Skylanders Imaginators will be available on Xbox 360™ and Xbox One™video game and entertainment systems from Microsoft, PlayStation® 3 and PlayStation® 4 computer entertainment systems and Nintendo's Wii U™ system.
Now that is a lot to soak in right? Seriously though how sweet is that we get another chance to create a character that will be in the game!? Ok you may still have some questions so I'll try to clear up as many of them as I can in this post. If you have any more questions after you read this just leave a comment and I'll do my best to get you an answer.
So far we know that the game is called Skylanders Imaginators. The game will feature 20 new Skylanders and 11 villains for a total of 31 figures minus the variants. No reposes this time, which is great! Finally we get our favorite villains in figure form. I so can't wait to own a Kaos figure!
What's included in the starter pack?
Included in the starter:
- 2 Skylanders – King Pen and Golden Queen
- 1 Imaginite Creation Crystal- Fire Element
- 1 Poster
- 1 Portal of Power
- Skylanders Imaginators Game
Will there be a Dark Starter?
Yes! Included in the Dark Starter:
- 3 Skylanders- Dark King Pen, Dark Golden Queen, Dark Wolfgang.
- 3 Imaginite Creation Crystals- Fire, Life, and Dark.
- 1 Two sided Collectors Poster- Includes all the Skylanders Imaginators
- 1 Portal
- Skylanders Imaginators Game
- and More!
How many Battle Classes are there?
There are 10 Battle classes. The names of each class are as follows:
- Brawler
- Knight
- Sorcerer
- Ninja
- Bazooker
- Quickshot
- Swashbuckler
- Sentinel
- Bowslinger
- Smasher
Will the game be released on Wii and 3DS?
As of now there is no release of the game on Wii or 3DS. Could this change? Maybe. If it does of course I'll let you know.
What are the game modes?
- Long single player adventure
- Local two player co-op adventure
- Multiplayer kart racing
No word yet on Elemental Zones or any other game modes, e.g. Digital vehicles are available for racing if you don't own Supercharger Vehicles.
How does the portal work?
Portal Supports two creation crystals, two character toys or one of each. The "Fan Favorite" Swap Force portal returns Portal has no trap slot. All previous portals are supported.
What can be customized?
Just about everything! From the arms and legs, to the size and color. You can even create custom catch phrases.
Collect Imaginator parts throughout the game
- Common
- Rare
- Epic
- Mythic
Part drops are randomized to support multiple playthroughs. Two players cannot create characters at the same time completed Imaginators are not saved in the game they exist solely in the Creation Crystal.
How much will this cost me?
As mentioned in the press release the price of the regular starter pack is $74.99. The Dark Edition will be $99.99. You can pre-order now if you do you will get the Kaos figure as a pre-order bonus.
Sensei Skylanders will be $14.99 and Creation Crystals will be $9.99.
Can I still use my vehicles from Superchargers?
Yes of course, but the vehicles will only be used in the racing option of the game. Traps will work as they did in the Superchargers game.
When will it be released?
It will be released on October 16th in the US, October 14th in the UK, and October 13th in Australia and New Zealand.
I'm excited to get this game. The game play and figures look amazing! I'm not too sure how I feel about the customizing option. It is a really cool idea something that the fans have been wanting, but not sure how this will feel in game. I will have to play around with it to be able to have a better opinion on the feature. Check out the awesome reveal video below if you haven't seen it yet.
Official Skylanders Imaginators Reveal Gameplay Trailer
How do you all feel about the new game? Will you be entering the contest? Let me know in the comments section or on any of the Skylander Addicts social media pages. Special thanks go to Dorothea, Titus, Justin, Rob, and all the others who are apart of the United Sites of Skylands. You guys rock! Thanks a lot for your help supplying me with extra info and images. Until next time I'll catch you on the SKYSIDE!
Skylanders Battlecast Finally Coming To Stores
Hey Addicts!
Been a while since I've posted been really busy with the new baby. I wanted to share this tidbit of information. If you remember a while back I posted information about the Battlecast game being released March 1st. Unfortunately for us the game was pushed back for unknown reasons. Many of us were left wondering what happened anticipating the release while some of us ordered from overseas sellers
Thanks to my sources and the info posted by Skylanders Character List we can now see that a new date has been set for the release of Battlecast at Toys R Us stores that date being May 24th. That is exactly the same day the last remaining Skylanders figure Thrillipede and vehicle Buzzwing are set to be released it's also one day after my birthday so you know what I'll be asking for.
I'm really excited to get this game, as I know some of you are as well. I am also excited to get some Skylanders 6 info at E3, which is coming up soon. What do you think the new game will be called? Do you think it will tie into the new cartoon series Skylanders Academy or maybe the comic book series? Only time will tell I just know that I am over amped! Guess I'll have to keep playing Superchargers and Battlecast for the time being. If you haven't already make sure to go and download the Battlecast app so that you don't miss out on anything. Until next time I'll catch you on the SKYSIDE!
Brick Rack Takes Displaying Collectibles To Another Level
Do you have a major collection addiction? Having trouble finding cool ways to display your collection? Well the folks over at Doss Industries have the perfect solution for you.
I came across this company by chance I was contacted by a rep of the company to see if I would be interested in their product the Brick Rack. At first I was thinking to myself what the heck is a Brick Rack. I figured it was a display shelf for LEGO's. Boy was I surprised to see that LEGO's isn't the only thing you can display with the Brick Rack.
So what is a Brick Rack? Well to put it in simple terms it is a specially made shelf rack that has up to 7 slots. Each slot is custom designed to let you slide Lego pieces in them so that you the collector can create a one of a kind wall display. So for those of you out there that have a bunch of LEGO pieces lying around and can't seem to figure out what to do with them here is your chance to put them to good use.
This the description of the Brick Rack that you can find on the website:
BRICK RACK features 7 custom grooves designed to hold LEGO bricks. You can quickly build a custom wall display that is as versatile as LEGO!
LEGO estimates that, on average, every person on EARTH owns 86 LEGO bricks. You've probably got 3 or 4 bins of unused LEGO somewhere in your home.
If not, we also sell LEGO bricks to make shelves with!
Not only has Doss Industries created a new and innovative way to display your collection(s), but as stated above they also sell Lego pieces if you need them. What's even cooler is that this product was created for collectors by collectors.
Owner and Creator of the Brick Rack Gary Doss has over 20 years experience collecting and displaying toys, so you know he knows his stuff.
He also is the owner and curator of the Classic Toy Museum and the Burlingame Museum of PEZ Memorabilia, his passion for collectibles inspired him to create the BRICK RACK Display System.
Designed to work with Lego bricks (arguably the most abundant resource found in the home), collectors can easily assemble, build, and construct a custom wall display to share and celebrate their unique passion.
The Brick Rack can be used to display numerous things such as Skylanders, Amiibo, Lego Dimension, and Disney Infinity figures. As well as Funko Pops! Hot Wheels, Golf Balls, Shot Glasses, Marbles, Spoons, and more!
There are over 15 different step-by step instructions to building shelves with Lego bricks available on their website free of charge. Another added bonus is that your figures will "Snap" right into place. No worries about your figures accidentally falling off the shelf and creating a tragic situation.
But LJ what if I hate dusting my collection and want to enclose my collection? No problem Brick Rack has you covered. Lego creates all kinds of clear bricks and wall elements that can be used to keep you collectibles dust free!
Normally each model 7 Brick Rack is $69.95, but because I love you all so much I was able to get our readers a 10% discount if you order using the provided link below. I think this is an ingenious idea! Makes you wonder why no one else has thought about this. I for one will be looking at adding a Brick Rack or two to my display room to keep things tidier.
If you choose to order make sure to use the link so that you save some money and let me know what you think of the product. Give us a Like or a Follow on your favorite social media platforms and until next time I'll catch you on the SKYSIDE!
Buy Link:
Skylanders Day! Power Blues And More At Gamestop
Hey Addicts!
Just wanted to give you all a friendly reminder that Skylanders Day is tomorrow at Gamestop. There are lot's of good deals to be had. If you don't already own them this is your chance to add the Power Blues to your collection. Save $30 on all starters and get 2 free Eon Elite figures. And the best deal in my opinion is the release of the Land Action Racing pack at 50% off! You also get a really cool poster with your purchase. Check out the ad below to see all the deals to be had on this one day event. Until next time I'll catch you on the SKYSIDE!
Hey Addicts!
Been a little while since I have posted some of you may know I'm expecting a new addition. Pretty much all my time has been taken up getting ready. I know this is old news to most of you, but I got an email from Activision earlier today. Enclosed was the official press release for the partnership between Activision (Skylanders) and Autism Speaks. Quick briefing to help celebrate and show how much Skylanders supports the cause a special set of Skylanders figures will be released on March 1st pretty much everywhere Skylanders are sold, though some stores have already been stocking the shelves with these beauties. They are what I have reported about for a while now the Power Blue Supercharger variants. Here is the full scoop about this awesome release of figures!
Leading into World Autism Awareness Day on April 2,
Collaboration Brings Attention to Important Cause
that Supports Affected Kids and Families around the World
To support the millions of families affected by autism, Skylanders®, the beloved kids videogame franchise, and Autism Speaks, an organization dedicated to autism science and advocacy, invite fans to "Light it up Blue" with one-of-a-kind toys. Through this creative collaboration for April's Autism Awareness Month, Skylanders and Autism Speaks are raising awareness for an important cause — and in true Skylanders fashion, are having fun while doing it.
"Autism affects one in every 42 boys and one in 68 children in the U.S. We're proud to work with Skylanders, an iconic franchise that's known for bringing joy and magic to kids and families," said Peter Morton, vice president of Corporate Development at Autism Speaks. "This year's Light it up Blue campaign for World Autism Awareness Day marks our first alliance with a videogame and toy, and we couldn't be more excited."
The new series of Skylanders SuperChargers toys are blue and white to reflect Autism Speaks' official colors. The "Power Blue" Skylanders SuperChargers feature Splat and Trigger Happy, as well as their SuperCharged vehicles Splatter Splasher and Gold Rusher — all of which appear in-game as their special colors. The toys are on store shelves now at participating retailers in the U.S. and Europe and will be available starting April 1 in Canada.
"When my son was diagnosed with autism, I felt very alone. From my first Autism Speaks Walk, I felt the power of community, and this partnership with Skylanderswill bring awareness and belonging to kids and families in a unique way," said Matt Asner, director of Corporate Development, Autism Speaks.
In addition to creating the Power Blue Skylanders SuperChargers and bringing them to life in game, Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI) is launching employee education and employee-donation matching programs in connection with Autism Awareness Month. Additionally, in recognition of World Autism Awareness Day, employees will have the opportunity to participate in the Autism Speaks Walk on April 2 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Activision is also making donations to non-profits that are making a difference in the autism community.
I think it says something about Activision that they are supporting and awesome cause and giving us portal masters a chance to add something unique to our collections. I know a lot of parents that read this blog with a child or children with Autism so I know this is an issue that hits home. I have seen some of you express how awesome this is of the Skylanders game to partner up with Autism Speaks just makes you warm all over doesn't it?
I will be getting more than one set of these to help support the cause. I hope that a lot of you will be supporting the "Light It Up Blue" campaign by purchasing a set or two of these as well. Until next time I'll catch you on the SKYSIDE!
Producer of 'Django Unchained,' 'Erin Brockovich' Named Co-President of Activision Film Studio | Re/code
Well this is interesting news! It looks like the producer of a bunch of Quentin Tarantino movies and the Academy Award nominated movie "Erin Brockovich" has become the new co-president of Activision Blizzard Studios.
Stacey Sher along with former Disney executive and co-president Nick van Dyk will be developing shows for television and films based on popular Activision Blizzard games such as Call of Duty, Starcraft, and our favorite franchise Skylanders!
This news makes me hopeful that the Skylanders series will be good. The Warcraft movie already looks sweet! I can't wait for COD and Starcraft trailers!
What are your thoughts on Stacey and Nick operating the new Activision Blizzard Studios? Do you think this is a good or bad thing for the company?
I think this is a great start in the right direction. Both Stacey and Nick are awesome at what they do so in my opinion nothing but good things can come from this.
Click the link below to read the full article from Recode. Until next time I'll catch you on the SKYSIDE!
via Producer of 'Django Unchained,' 'Erin Brockovich' Named Co-President of Activision Film Studio | Re/code.


text:
Today, after more than 130 years, Olathe is still producing quality boots for cowboys. At Olathe Boot Co. they recognize the needs of the working cowboy. If someone needs a durable piece of equipment for working and riding, they serve those needs with emphasis on quality combined with time-honored traditions of hand-crafted boots. Building each boot by hand, they continue the tradition that boot lovers have come to expect and demand in a genuine handcrafted all leather cowboy boot.
Olathe Custom Rough Stock -RS4
Price: $349.99
Call us for any special needs you may have.


text:
An Online Survey is Seeking Youth Inputs for the UN Secretary General's Youth Initiative.
The United Nations is developing a System-Wide Action Plan on Youth. This Action Plan will affect the way the whole UN system will work with and for youth in the coming years.
The Action Plan will focus on the five priority areas identified by the Secretary General:
Before developing this Action Plan, the United Nations is reaching out to youth, youth-led organizations and others for their inputs.
Tell the UN what you think. The questionnaire is available in all UN six official languages:
Source: DESA - News
The Brussels based United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe - UNRIC provides information on UN activities to the countries of the region. It also provides liaison with institutions of the European Union in the field of information. Its outreach activities extend to all segments of society and joint campaigns, projects and events are organized with partners including the EU, governments, the media, NGOs, schools and local authorities.
United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe (UNRIC Brussels)
Residence Palace, Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 155, Block C2,7th and 8th floor, Brussels 1040, Belgium
Tel.: +32 2 788 8484 / Fax: 32 2 788 8485


text:
Check BulbaNewsNOW for up-to-date Pokémon news and discuss it on the forums or in the Bulbagarden Discord server.
| Charon
プルート Pluto
Art from Platinum
|Eye color
|Hair color
|Trainer class
|Member of
|Team Galactic
|Game animation debut
|The Magma Stone
|English voice actor
|Keith Silverstein
|Japanese voice actor
|Kōsei Tomita
|Anime debut
|Saving the World From Ruins!
|English voice actor
|Herb Lawrence
|Japanese voice actor
|Ken'ichi Ogata
Charon (Japanese: プルート Pluto) is one of Team Galactic's four Commanders, introduced in Pokémon Platinum.
- 1 In the games
- 2 In the anime
- 3 In the manga
- 3.1 In the Pocket Monsters DP manga
- 3.2 In the Pokémon Adventures manga
- 3.3 In the Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Adventure! manga
- 4 In the TCG
- 5 Trivia
- 6 Names
- 7 Related articles
In the games
Pokémon Platinum
Charon is first seen along with Mars at Valley Windworks to get energy from the windworks. During this encounter, it is revealed that he joined the team after Mars. It's also here where the player discovers that Charon is, in fact, one of the four Commanders, though the fact that he is the most junior among the Commanders' ranks is not revealed until the Stark Mountain subquest. He made a minor appearance in the Team Galactic HQ in Veilstone City right next to Saturn, where he was in front of the button to release the lake guardians.
Charon's role in the game expands after the player defeats the Sinnoh Elite Four and obtains the National Pokédex. Upon seeing Cyrus and Saturn being defeated by the player, he sees that the team should have plans that complement his intelligence. After Cyrus retreats into the Distortion World, Charon takes over Team Galactic and becomes the new leader. He takes Mars and Jupiter with him to the Battle Zone so he can retrieve the Magma Stone from inside Stark Mountain and capture Heatran. However, once the player encounters them, Mars and Jupiter quit because "things were more exciting when Cyrus was the leader." It is also at this time that the international police officer Looker, who had been hunting Team Galactic since the beginning of the game and appears from inside what previously appeared to be a rock, arrests Charon. He is not seen or heard from since.
According to a journal in a secret room in the Eterna Galactic HQ, Charon discovered information on Rotom's alternate forms. There is also a second notebook, which may or may not be Charon's, that details the initial encounter with Rotom.
In Rotom's Room, there is a mysterious notebook written by Charon, and a second, old notebook.
Mysterious notebook
The first is a mysterious notebook lying on a table. It reads:
- "There is a mysterious notebook here. Its age is impossible to tell."
- "It was by pure chance that I obtained information about the Pokémon Rotom. Remarkably, Rotom has the ability to enter and merge with special motors. It's now known that Rotom can stay inside a motor almost indefinitely. However, it will emerge if it enters a Union Room or Wi-Fi Club. Rotom will also emerge from the motor if it is left at the Day Care. Rotom may also forget certain moves when it leaves a motor. This Pokémon requires exhaustive observation and analysis. To ensure I get all the credit, my Rotom research must be kept secret. They will come to recognize me as the scientific genius Char..."
- "The rest of the notebook is blank."
Old notebook
The old notebook is located in a chair in front of a machine. Whether this notebook belongs to Charon is not known. It reads:
- "It's an old notebook. There's no telling how old it is."
- "Our encounter was a sudden one. It was when I found my toy robot, one that I had earlier misplaced. At that instant, a Pokémon startlingly emerged from the lawn mower's motor! Clutching my robot, I stared, transfixed by the peculiar Pokémon.
- The Pokémon hovered in the air, held aloft by a power unseen. As if curious and unafraid of my presence, it floated toward me. Crackling sounds accompanied it, as if from static electricity in the air. Remarkably, it seemed the Pokémon was the source of this power! In alarm, I flinched, certain that my face would be subjected to a shock. Much to my surprise, the Pokémon seemed to favor me with a smile.
- Finally, I came to realize that the Pokémon only wished to be friends. I have decided to name this most wondrous Pokémon 'Rotom.' Simple though it may be, Rotom emerged to me from the motor of a lawn mower. Motor and Rotom... Surely the link is obvious?
- Rotom is a Pokémon that is simply sensational. The fact that it can turn invisible is simply the beginning. What makes Rotom unique is its ability to enter and operate machinery!
- Rotom and I became fast friends. We were perpetual companions. The electricity from its body forbade contact, however. We could not touch, let alone hug or hold hands, but we cared not. For we were bonded on a much deeper, incorporeal level.
- A feeling of mischief got the better of me one day. Seeing Rotom hovering, I decided to startle it--normally I would not. Perhaps frightened, Rotom discharged power beyond its usual range. I fell, stunned, into the arms of unconsciousness...
- When I came to, to my horror I realized that Rotom had disappeared. I searched high and low for my friend in dismay and desperation. 'Don't chastise yourself. The fault is mine. No harm done. Let us play as we always have.' Though my words poured out, my friend could not be found to hear them...
- My search for Rotom carried me far from home. It was in the town's rubbish heap that I again found my old toy robot. Curiously, our eyes met, then the robot waved a hand as if in greeting. I knew then that I had found my lost friend. I ran to it and hugged Rotom tight, talking on and on.
- The robot's eyes lit up happily as I held it. I'm certain that, within it, Rotom was emitting lots of electricity. Somehow, I felt I could understand Rotom's thoughts better than before. Also, I realized that we would remain friends throughout our lives..."
- "The notebook ends with this page..."
- "My, my. Lose to a child, will you? But, no matter. We've collected plenty of electricity. With the power we obtained, we can do something quite spectacular. It seems quite obvious to me, Charon, the genius even the boss recognizes. Now, Mars, we should be going."
- "Fuhyahya! Those Pokémon of the lakes, where do you suppose they would go?"
- "Nothing. Pay it no heed. A new world isn't overly interesting. What of it? If Cyrus is right, then Team Galactic will rule that new world. That's when it will be interesting. A chance to enjoy its sweets. I surely hope that our visionary Cyrus realizes his dream. I look forward to whatever our beloved leader has planned atop Mt. Coronet."
- "Humph. Saturn and even Cyrus fall to a mere child... Team Galactic's state of affairs is worrying... That plan of Cyrus's atop Mt. Coronet, too... Who knows if it will work. ...Hmm. Perhaps another option needs to be considered. One befitting the genius of Charon!"
- "Sigh... So impressionable and impetuous. What do they see in Cyrus? Immature, overthinking buffoon. He goes through the trouble of assembling Team Galactic for what? Ultimately, he destroys his own creation for his ludicrous vision. It's no thanks to him that I have to struggle with the pieces."
- "...But that's fine. The young can live with their dreams. I prefer to remain firmly in reality. And for that, money is paramount. You there, child. I'm not dealing with you. After all, the other Galactic members who did all suffered consequences. We'll be off to collect the Magma Stone. It's all for the money!"
- "...Cyrus disappeared. Mars and Jupiter quit. Saturn said he would look after what remains of Team Galactic. But he won't join me. So foolish of him! So very foolish of the rest of them! Throwing away Team Galactic! After all the effort we took as a team to make it grow... That power could have made us rich beyond imagination. But, enough of that. The Magma Stone will be mine."
- "Eh? What's this, then? Chased me here, have you? I like seeing children try their best, but too bad for you — you're too late. With this Magma Stone, I will awaken the legendary Heatran! I will control the volcano's eruptions to extort money by the millions! Fear me! For I am Charon! The boss of the reborn Team Galactic!"
- "No! The Magma Stone! What?! What is going on?!"
- "Gah... what a mess... ...Uh, International Police? What are you saying? I know nothing! A new Team Galactic? Extorting with Heatran? Merely the blathering of this harmless old man! All said in jest! Besides, among Team Galactic's Commanders, I was the most junior..."
Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
Although Charon himself does not appear, a copy of the mysterious notebook is present in a basement room of Silph Co., where Rotom's forms may be accessed as well.
| Intro sprite from
| Overworld sprite from
In the anime
In the main series
Charon debuted in Saving the World From Ruins!, albeit not in a speaking role. He was monitoring the Iron Island mission from Team Galactic HQ.
Charon made his first full appearance in Gateway to Ruin! along with Saturn to find the Spear Pillar on Mt. Coronet. While they located ruin site, it was not compatible with the Spear Key, so they left the mountain.
From Unlocking the Red Chain of Events! to The Battle Finale of Legend!, Charon assisted in the final stages of the Red Chain project. He was not arrested, unlike the other three Commanders at the end of the arc, and presumably escaped.
He appeared briefly in Memories are Made of Bliss! in Team Rocket's fantasy with all the other members of Team Galactic.
Charon was often seen with a laptop computer and did much of the technical work for Team Galactic's plans, such as monitoring energy levels and other statistics. He was not heavily invested in Team Galactic's new world ideology, namely because he was aware of Cyrus's true selfish intentions, and was simply focussed on the scientific discoveries. Compared to the other Galactic members, he is the most laidback and upbeat, which often caused one-sided squabbles between him and Saturn.
Voice actors
In Pokémon Generations
Charon appeared in The Magma Stone, where he was seen awakening the Legendary Heatran at Stark Mountain in an attempt to revive Team Galactic. He was revealed to be leading what was left of the organization after Cyrus's disappearance. Although Looker had hunted him down to arrest him, and despite his and Buck's successful intervention in stopping Heatran, Charon managed to escape with the help of two Galactic Grunts.
Voice actors
In the manga
In the Pocket Monsters DP manga
Charon appears in PMDP60 as the leader of Team Galactic.
| Charon is shown to have a Zubat, Bronzor, Toxicroak, and Gengar. They were beaten after Red and Clefairy slammed the door on them.
None of Charon's Pokémon's moves are known.
In the Pokémon Adventures manga
Diamond & Pearl chapter
Charon is one of Cyrus's top scientists and is responsible for the creation of the Red Chain. During most of his appearances Charon is either shadowed or has his face obscured by a person or object. It isn't until Cyrus is defeated at the Spear Pillar where he finally makes his first full appearance.
After Cyrus is defeated by the hands of Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, Charon can be seen watching them from a distance. Charon notes how Diamond has a Regigigas and wishes to steal it from him. However, he is spotted by Diamond and the machine he was holding is taken by the Gym Leader Byron. Unfortunately, Charon's machine causes a disturbance in the hole in the sky that was created by Dialga and Palkia's fighting and mysterious tentacles shoot from the hole and pulls Cyrus, Palkia, and Dialga inside of it. Charon uses the distraction to introduce himself to his captors and escape. As he leaves the vicinity, his notebook detailing the information of Legendary Pokémon is stolen by Diamond's Kit at the last moment.
Platinum chapter
Charon is seen with the Galactic Grunts looking for the Legendary Pokémon Heatran. After he manages to trick Buck into uncovering the Magma Stone that seals Heatran in Stark Mountain, Charon steals it and uses it to attack him. When Looker arrives to help Buck, he is forced to defend himself from the attacking Charon and his small army of Grunts. After Looker manages to capture Charon, he begins to question his motives. Charon replies that he is looking for the Distortion World and is capturing the Legendary Pokémon in order to prepare an arsenal to get there.
The aftermath of the battle is not shown but it is seen that Buck and Looker were seriously injured and were sent to hospital after being rescued by Platinum's Pokémon.
Later, Charon arrives in Eterna City after Giratina enters the real world and begins going on a rampage. He appears before Diamond and Pearl and tells them of his plan to capture the Legendary and Mythical Pokémon of Sinnoh. He sends out Heatran to battle the two in an attempt to take Diamond's Regigigas. As the battle continues, Charon forces Giratina to attack Pearl with Shadow Force, but Diamond pushes him out of the way and is hit instead.
With Regigigas's Trainer dead, he tries to convince it to join him, only for it to turn around and leave instead. Charon teases Pearl over the death of his friend, sparking the boy's anger. He tries to attack Charon, but is sent flying by an attack from Charon's Slowking. Despite knowing that he might lose, Pearl decides to attack Charon, shocking him by revealing that he has one of the Pokémon Charon wanted, Rotom.
However, before Pearl can attack, Regigigas soon returns with Rotom's appliances so that Rotom can attack Charon in its rage. Together, Regigigas and Rotom force Charon and Giratina to retreat back into the Distortion World. Later, he encounters the other Galactic Commanders who are angry at him because he doesn't care about Cyrus, and only wants the Legendary and Mythical Pokémon.
Charon lies to them by claiming that he is searching for Cyrus too, but his search is impeded by a group of people that were attacking him. He asks for their help and convinces them to fight off the people that were attacking him and they comply.
After Dialga and Palkia are freed from the cage Giratina trapped them in, Charon reveals he has Darkrai under his control as well and sends it and Heatran to battle against the other Legendary and Mythical Pokémon. The battle quickly gets chaotic, leading into a big brawl between ten Legendary and Mythical Pokémon along with an unwilling Shaymin. The sight of all these Pokémon sends Charon into a giggling frenzy, to which he exclaims that he intends to capture them all.
When Platinum tries to stop him, Charon faces her with his Slowking, only for it to lose easily to her Pokérus-infected Pokémon. Disappointed in how an "ordinary" Pokémon fights, Charon abandons his Slowking and goes to the Legendary and Mythical Pokémon, only to see Heatran being defeated by Regigigas again. Charon has Darkrai put everyone to sleep with Dark Void so that Giratina can get in an attack with Dragon Pulse. Shaymin joins in the fight and uses Worry Seed to wake everyone up, allowing everyone to redirect Giratina's attack at Charon, destroying his flying machine in the process.
Charon decides to retreat, and has Giratina fly the both of them out of Distortion World so that he can leave everyone trapped inside. Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, and Shaymin chase after him, but neither are fast or powerful enough to catch up to Giratina, allowing Charon to escape. However, just as he does, Charon and Giratina are greeted to a powerful Draco Meteor used by Cynthia's Garchomp, which defeats them in the process.
Although Giratina is defeated, Charon tries to escape once more in the same way he did on the Spear Pillar, but is cornered by Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum. Charon tries using his machine to control their Pokémon again, and forces them to fight each other. Suddenly, a toy robot crashes down onto the machine, destroying it in the process. When Charon tries to smash it with a boulder, the toy shocks him, revealing itself to be Rotom in the process.
After everyone that was left behind emerges from the Distortion World, Charon tries to lie to Cyrus by claiming that he intended to gather the Legendary and Mythical Pokémon for Team Galactic's sake. Cyrus reaches down to Charon, which Saturn and Mars think it means he's going to pinch him. However, Cyrus only takes the machine, and praises Charon for his technological genius. The records reveal that he has been using it since the battle on the Spear Pillar, which angers Saturn into figuring out that he was attempting to use the machine to control Dialga and Palkia into opening a hole to the Distortion World, to which Charon denies.
Cyrus speaks to his four Commanders once more and reveals that he is disbanding Team Galactic, and takes Mars, Saturn, and Jupiter away with him. Angry, Charon says that since they're bad guys, they should be arrested, to which a faraway voice agrees. The voice is revealed to be a now-healed Looker, who arrests Charon once and for all.
| Slowking is the second Pokémon that Charon is known to own. Slowking first appeared when Charon arrived in Eterna City. Charon used Slowking to provoke Giratina into attacking Pearl. Later, when Pearl tried to attack Charon when Diamond was "killed", Slowking sent him flying. Later, he was used to battle Platinum's Pokémon in the Distortion World, but he was quickly defeated by them. Angered at his defeat Charon abandoned Slowking for the Legendary and Mythical Pokémon.
Slowking's known moves are Trump Card and Psychic.
|The Final Dimensional Duel I
Formerly owned
| Heatran, also known as the "Lord of Stark Mountain" (Japanese: ハードマウンテンの主 Head of Hard Mountain), is one of the Pokémon that Charon researched on and captured. He was freed from his seal on Stark Mountain by Buck after he removed the Magma Stone. Charon then took him for his own gains and used him to attack Buck and later Looker. Later, he fought Diamond's Reg at Eterna City, but was nearly defeated by its Crush Grip. Later, he fought the other Legendary and Mythical Pokémon in the Distortion World, where he eventually betrayed Charon to help fight Giratina. After Charon's defeat, Buck and his friends decided to take him back to his home.
Heatran's only known move is Magma Storm.
|Clobbering Claydol
Giratina first appeared after the battle on the Spear Pillar, where its tentacles emerged from the Distortion World to drag Dialga, Palkia, and Cyrus into its home. Later, it came to the real world to wreak havoc in Eterna City. With the help of Regigigas and Rotom, Diamond and Pearl managed to drive it back inside, but Diamond was hurt and sent to the Distortion World in the process.
In the Distortion World, Giratina got into a huge battle between several other Legendary and Mythical Pokémon, along with Heatran and Darkrai on Charon's side. When the battle was going in the enemies' favor, Charon had Giratina escape to the real world, only to be defeated by a Draco Meteor used by Cynthia and her Garchomp. Defeated, Giratina left to the Distortion World, but gave up its plans to get revenge on Dialga and Palkia.
|Double Trouble with Dialga and Palkia VI
| Darkrai was originally owned by Sird, but she released it into the Distortion World due to it being "uncontrollable". Using his machine, Charon took control of it and used it against the other Legendary and Mythical Pokémon, along with Giratina and Heatran. After Charon was defeated, Darkrai was released from his control and left to parts unknown.
Darkrai's known moves are Dark Pulse, Hypnosis, and Dark Void, and its Ability is Bad Dreams.
|Double Trouble with Dialga and Palkia IV
In the Pokémon Diamond and Pearl Adventure! manga
Charon first appears at the end of A Surprise Visit from Hareta's Father! as a silhouette. He is the leader of "Neo Team Galactic" following the departure of Cyrus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, and plans to capture Kaisei in order to enter the Distortion World and capture Giratina.
In Charon Must Be Stopped!, Charon is seen battling for the first time in any canon, using Pokémon he specially conditioned to be fighting machines.
| Charon used an experiment in order for his Onix to defeat any opponent.
None of Onix's moves are known.
|Charon Must Be Stopped
| Charon used an experiment in order for his Rampardos to defeat any opponent. Charon sent them out to prevent Mitsumi, B-2, Mars, Jupiter and Jun from escaping. Jun holds them back with his Dragonite.
None of Rampardos's moves are known.
|Charon Must Be Stopped
| Charon used an experiment in order for his Stunky to defeat any opponent. Stunky also served as exploding bombs but were stopped by Koya's Absol and Hareta's Minun's Sing.
None of Stunky's moves are known.
|Charon Must Be Stopped
| Charon used an experiment in order for his Drapion to defeat any opponent.
None of Drapion's moves are known.
|Charon Must Be Stopped
| Charon used an experiment in order for Koya's Growlithe to become isolated towards Koya. However, the machine controlling Growlithe was more difficult than the ones controlling Charon's Pokémon. It was able to reunite with Koya after Empoleon's Surf caused the machine to stop.
Growlithe's only known move is Endure.
|Koya's Sad Reunion
In the TCG
This listing is of cards mentioning or featuring Charon or his Pokémon in the Pokémon Trading Card Game.
| Related cards
Cards listed with a blue background are only legal to use in the current Expanded format.
Cards listed with a silver background are legal to use in both the current Standard and Expanded formats.
| English
| Japanese
|Charon's Choice
|Rising Rivals
|Bonds to the End of Time
- Charon and Cyrus are the only Team Galactic members to not be named after a planet. However, unlike Cyrus, Charon is directly named after a solar system object. Though being the only Commander not named after a planet denotes his subordinate status in both English and Japanese.
- In Japanese, his name is Pluto, after the recently demoted dwarf planet of the same name, whose planetary status was challenged after the discovery of a more massive object, Eris, orbiting at around the same distance from the Sun.
- In English, his name is Charon, after Pluto's largest natural satellite, which Pluto forms a binary system with, due to their incredibly similar size.
- His English name Charon may also derive from the greek ferryman of the dead, a mean-spirited old man who collects money.
- In the games, aside from miscellaneous Grunts and Researchers, Charon is the only member of Team Galactic that never battles the player. It is unknown if he has any Pokémon at all.
|プルート Pluto
|From Pluto, a dwarf planet.
|English, German
|From Charon, Pluto's largest moon.
|From Pluton, Pluto.
|From Plutone, Pluto.
|Plutón / Charon*
|From Plutón, Pluto. / Same as English name.
|플루토 Pluto
|Same as Japanese name.
|Chinese (Mandarin)
|冥王 Míngwáng
|From 冥王星 Míngwángxīng, Pluto. Literally means "King of Hades".
|Transliteration of his Japanese name
Related articles
|This game character article is part of Project CharacterDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each character found in the Pokémon games.


text: Nick Lang is a paraplegic with a secret. The secret is, he isn't actually handicapped. He's just been pretending to be paralyzed so that he can reap the benefits that come with having a fuckilicious doctor like Aletta Ocean taking care of him day and night. During a physical exam, an erection gives Nick away and Aletta decides to have her way with him before tossing his ass on the street.


text:
America's 'gun culture' comes under fire
Washington --
The shooting rampage in Newtown, Conn., reignited the long-dormant debate over the place of firearms in American society, with gun control advocates and political leaders demanding solutions to gun violence but stopping short of proposing sweeping new legislation.
"I hope and trust that in the next session of Congress there will be sustained and thoughtful debate about America's gun culture and our responsibility to prevent more loss of life," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., author of a 1994 assault weapons ban, which lapsed in 2004.
President Obama brushed away tears as he offered condolences to the families of the victims.
"We're going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics," the president said.
Feinstein's assault weapons ban was adopted in the outraged aftermath of the 101 California St. shooting spree in San Francisco in 1993. Eight people were fatally shot before the gunman took his own life. The ban outlawed 19 types of military-style rifles as well as high-capacity ammunition magazines. Feinstein has called for reintroduction of an "updated" assault weapons ban.
But Friday's horrific slaughter did not, at least on the day of the attack, stir politicians to insist on tighter controls over the sale of weapons. Even gun-control organizations like the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence merely called for a discussion.
"We're a better country than this," said Brian Malte of the Brady Campaign. "We're optimistic that the American people have had enough. We're optimistic the American public wants to have this conversation, that voices of Americans will be heard throughout the country after what happened today."
Obama's spokesman, Jay Carney, responded to questions about gun control by saying "I don't think today is that day" for such a discussion.
But New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, an advocate for gun restrictions, said now is exactly the time to act: "Calling for 'meaningful action' is not enough. We need immediate action. We have heard all the rhetoric before."
Gun-rights advocates for the most part were mute. The National Rifle Association did not return a phone call seeking comment.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade organization for U.S. gun manufacturers, importers, wholesalers and retailers, has its headquarters in Newtown. It released a statement saying, "Our hearts go out to the families of the victims of this horrible tragedy in our community." But spokesman Michael Bazinet declined further comment "out of respect for the families, the community and the ongoing police investigation."
The guns recovered at the scene, two pistols and a semi-automatic rifle, are the types that have become standard weapons of recent mass-shooting incidents. The two pistols, a Glock and a Sig Sauer, are popular with law enforcement officers and the military.
The semiautomatic rifle, a variation of the AR-15 (which is modeled on the U.S. military's Vietnam-era standard M-16), is made by Bushmaster in Ilion, N.Y. Capable of holding a 30-round magazine, it was the weapon of choice of the D.C. sniper, John Allen Muhammad, who was executed in Virginia for his reign of terror in 2002 in which he killed 10 victims at random along with his young accomplice, Lee Boyd Malvo.
Because the Connecticut shooter, Adam Lanza, killed so many people in such a short time, firearms experts wondered whether he used high-capacity magazines - the kind favored by James Holmes in his movie theater shooting spree in Aurora, Colo., in July, where 12 people were killed.
Six states, including California and New York, either ban or limit the use of high-capacity magazines.
Most models of the Glock and Sig Sauer have a normal magazine capacity of up to 15 rounds, according to the manufacturer's websites. With larger magazines, the capacity can rise above 30 rounds.
Tom Diaz, a senior policy analyst at the Violence Policy Center, which favors gun control, said shooters of such weapons don't need high-capacity magazines to inflict incredible damage.
"Whether Glock or Sig Sauer, it's the number of rounds and ease of reloading that makes them so lethal," he said. "If you can reload and you have four-five magazines, you've got firepower to unload a hundred rounds."
With such weapons, Diaz said, a mass murderer doesn't "need a hundred-round drums" similar to what Holmes used in Aurora.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Dan Freedman is a reporter in the Hearst Newspapers Washington bureau. E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
The Mutt Matching Leather Dog Collar
Capturing the essence of a dog's life, The Mutt leather dog collar draws on the charm images of The Mutt Charm Photo Bracelet, including "Zelda's Song Heart", "Bone", Hydrant", "Hissing Cat", "Stick" and "Ball".
These ornaments are riveted by hand into the soft but durable Italian leather - the same used for the Leather Cuff Photo Bracelet and the Molly Photo Bracelet.
The Mutt is 3/4" wide in sizes 12", 14" and 16"; 1" inch wide in sizes 18", 20" and 22".
All sizes are available in either Raspberry, Black or Brown - with matching leather leashes.
See the Collar Size Chart below for The Mutt sizing.
We offer 2 services to the US and Canada, both with expedited options: Priority Mail from the United States Postal Service and UPS.
Within the United States, Priority Mail and UPS offer tracking from door-to-door.
Within Canada, UPS ONLY offers tracking from door-to-door. If you select the United States Postal Service Priority Mail, I cannot be responsible for tracking information beyond the US border.
Canadian customers please note that you are responsible for any taxes and duty charges for your item - these charges are NOT included in the cost of your jewelry.
For all customers, we will notify you via email when your item goes into the mail with tracking information.
Returns, Refunds and Exchanges Policy
If you are not happy with your product when you receive it, contact me as soon as possible so we can figure it out. In order to issue a complete refund, we will need to have the item returned. Refunds are processed through the appropriate payment gateway within 24 hours of confirming the refund; it may take a few days for the processor and your bank to return the funds to your account.
Rarely, there are issues with a link or clasp - no problem, we will replace that or send you a new item. If you can send us a photo of the problem, there is no need to return the item.
Because we confirm the cropping of the photo and the engraving content, we can't refund or replace the item after you approve it. However, it is possible at times to replace a photo or engraved charm for a nominal fee.
For our Canadian customers - if you experience a product defect, please contact us asap (with a photo if possible) so we can work out a solution.


text:
- Description
Check out this new Kutvek snowmobile decal wrap kit!
- printed on high quality vinyl
- UV resistent ink is used
- laminated with a thick 12 mil clear laminate for a maximum of durability
- fast shipping - within 10 business days
This kit fits: 2012-up Arctic Cat ProClimb, ProCross & SnoPro
All our graphic kits are available for all the models we carry. If you see a design on our site that you like but that is listed for a different sled model, simply contact us and we will be glad to print it for your specific vehicle at no extra cost.
Wraps are produced to order and shipped within 10 business days of payment cleared.
Please note that although the gaps between our graphic kits pieces are fairly small, the original color of your sled may still show a little. Please choose your design accordingly. This item is shipped from CANADA.


text:
A new range of decorative elements
- Year: 2016
- Location: Gothenburg
Bik Bok in the shopping centre Kompassen in central Gothenburg is the first shop to adapt the lighting concept with a new range of decorative elements.
The lighting concept is based on an idea of illuminated surfaces and contrast using LED-tubes. Fagerhult presented a range of luminaries to choose from, custom made for Bik Bok, to achieve the feeling they were looking for. By using different T8 lookalike LED-tubes a modern and creative design was achieved. Marathon spotlights are used as accent lighting and the combination provides a fresh and modern shop.


text:
DPatel304 wrote:If it was just an average restaurant, then perhaps this news could be a good thing. I just hope they don't try and go for something super high-end.
Totally agree... We have enough of that already.
I always get smirked at with this suggestion, but I'd LOVE to see a Snuffers move into the CBD somewhere. Perhaps the Drever would make a good spot.


text:
Acid Reflux
Latest Innovations. Subspecialty Care. Strength in Patient Follow-Up
Acid Reflux refers to flow of stomach juices into the esophagus. While the periodic presence of the stomach's liquid contents in the esophagus is normal, the amount of these juices, their acidity, and the frequency with which this reflux takes place can often become excessive. The result can be creates irritation of the lining of esophagus.
At the juncture of the stomach and esophagus is a sphincter muscle that closes to
prevent too much of the acidic liquid in the stomach from entering the esophagus. Sometimes this reflex for closing off the upward movement of stomach acid functions poorly (and the valve opens at inappropriate times) or the contents of the stomach become to acidic, or both, resulting in a sensation of burning in the chest or throat.
When the condition is chronic, it often referred to as GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). Regular or serious reflux can also affect the throat (pharynx, causing sore throat) and even the voice box (larynx, causing hoarseness). In severe cases it can lead to significant complications, such as inflammation, ulcers, strictures, pre-cancerous tissue changes, chronic cough, or other problems.
If the acid damages the cells on the lining of the esophagus, these cells can become abnormal, causing a condition called Barrett's esophagus. The cells loose their pink coloration and gradually take on a reddened appearance, as they become, microscopically, more like the cells within the stomach. Only a minority of people with GERD has the condition long enough and severely enough to develop Barrett's. And, of those who do, only small portion (less than one percent) will go on to develop cancer of the esophagus as a result.
Causes/risk factors
Reflux disease affects tens of millions of people in the U.S. with varying degrees of severity. It is not know for certain why some people are more disposed to high stomach acidity or retrograde flow of peptic juices. A few risk factors are known:
- age. The development of at least mild, and sometimes severe, reflux starting in the 30s, 40s, or 50s is common, in part as the pyloric sphincter valve loses conditioning.
- diet and lifestyle. Many types of foods and spices, as well eating patterns and habits can contribute to acid reflux.
- pregnancy. Reflux is more common in women during pregnancy, presumably due (at least in part) to changes in pressure within the abdomen.
- weakened esophageal muscles. Certain neurological and other conditions can weaken the valve-like function of the top of the stomach and bottom of the esophagus.
- hiatal hernia.
- and smoking. Smoking can increase the acidity of stomach contents.
Signs & symptoms
The primary manifestations of acid reflux are:
- frequent and persistent heartburn (burning sensation in the esophagus or deep in the throat, often after eating);
- backflow of acidic stomach contents or a sensation of regurgitating stomach contents into the esophagus (sometimes leaving a sour or bitter taste in the mouth);
- difficult or painful swallowing;
- change in voice quality;
- and discomfort or poor sleep at night;
History of the symptoms and observation of their response to noninvasive treatments such as antacid medications are the best indicators of reflux disease. In addition to taking a medical history and performing a physical examination, physicians may request the following diagnostic procedures in order to diagnose ulcers:
- upper endoscopy;
- 24-48 hour measurement of the degree of acidity in the esophagus (via tiny sensing devices placed in the esophagus);
- esophageal motility testing, gastric emptying studies, or acid perfusion tests;
- CT scan.
Treatment for acid reflux falls into three main areas:
- diet and lifestyle. Patients can identify foods that trigger reflux and can eliminate them from their diets. They may also learn to change other habits, such as eating smaller amounts, avoiding fried and fatty foods, losing weight (to take pressure off the stomach), not eating within three hours of bedtime, elevating the head of their beds, avoiding physical activity after eating, avoiding clothes that fit tightly around the stomach, and stopping smoking. Stress reduction can also play a roll for some patients.
- medications. Over-the-counter and prescription antacids or acid-controlling drugs are the most widely used class of medications in the U.S., other than analgesics. Conventional over-the-counter antacids can be useful for occasional, situational reflux. People who suffer from chronic reflux disease, may use one of the newer or stronger classes of agents by prescription of OTC. These drugs, which have proven safe for long-term use, include H2-blockers (to reduce the amount of acid in the stomach by blocking histamine, a powerful stimulant of acid secretion) and proton-pump inhibitors (to more completely block stomach acid production by stopping the stomach's acid pump, the final step of acid secretion).
- surgery. Patients who have severe disease, or significant symptoms that have not responded to other conservative treatments, or who have significant damage to the esophagus or stomach as a result of acid disease may need surgical treatment. For example, surgery to restructure and tighten the area where the esophagus enters the stomach is an effective treatment for many patients in this group. Surgeons can use a laparoscope, introduced orally, to perform this operation endoscopically, with minimal invasiveness. (Some patients, however, experience recurrence of reflux some years after such an operation.) Other patients with acid disease may need more extensive forms of surgical treatment of the esophagus or surgical treatment of the stomach. The surgical specialists in Aria's Division of General Surgery are highly experienced in offering these operations.


text: Ken Jeong (Community) spent his time in The Hangover as a mean, naked gambler that hit so hard; he returned in The Hangover Part II, but [spoiler alert] spent the better part of the movie presumably dead. In The Hangover Part III, Jeong's role will be substantially more involved. Plot details are being kept under wraps at the moment, but we do know that the story takes place in Tijuana and may include breaking Alan (Zach Galifianakis) out of a mental institution. Jeong's schedule is being massaged to avoid conflicts with Community, which shoots this August, while The Hangover Part III is set to begin in September. THR also reports that the threequel will feature the return of Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and director Todd Phillips.


text:
With MyR1S1 you can create your own individual MyR1S1 Account
Create an account
Search Properties for rent, for sale, foreclosures, bank owned and new construction projects.
Sort Properties by County, City, Community as well as by rent/price and property style.
View Properties View detailed property information as well as pictures via slide show.
Save Search You can save your favorite listings and photos and retrieve them at any time.
Email your favorite listings to your friends and family.
Share with your friends and family through Social Media.
Watch YouTube Videos of select properties and communities.


text:
The Great Wall is one of those sights that you've seen and heard so much about that you know reality is going to have a tough time living up to the hype. But having made it all the way to Beijing, it seems perverse to ignore this overblown landmark, so arm yourself with a thermos of tea and catch a bus north from the capital to Simatai, one of several sections of this 4800-kilometre-long structure which has been restored.
It's easy to find bad things to say about the Great Wall. The work of China's megalomaniac first emperor Qin Shi Huang, over a million forced labourers are said to have died building the original around 250 BC, and this seven-metre-high, seven-metre-thick barrier didn't even work. History is littered with "barbarian" invaders who proved sophisticated enough to fight or bribe their way around the wall's 25,000 watchtowers, most notably the Mongols in the thirteenth century, and the Manchus – who went on to become China's final dynasty – in 1644. Indeed, the Manchus were so unimpressed with the wall that they let the entire thing fall into ruin.
And yet, you'll be blown away. Not even swarms of hawkers and crowds of tourists can ruin the sight of this blue-grey ribbon snaking across the dusty, shattered hills into the hazy distance, beyond which one end finally runs into the sea, while the other simply stops in northwestern China's deserts. You can spend hours walking between battlements along the top – in places, following the contours of the hills up amazingly steep inclines – until restorations give way to rubble, and even then you can't quite believe that such a solid, organic part of the scenery is only an artefact, built by simple human endeavour. If ever proof were needed of Chinese determination, this is it.
Many sections of the Great Wall are accessible as day-trips from Beijing: regular tourist buses run to Badaling (daily 9am–4.30pm), Mutianyu (daily 8am–4pm) and Simatai (daily 8am–4pm).
For hundreds more ultimate travel experiences, get Rough Guides' Make The Most Of Your Time On Earth
Top image: © zhu difeng/Shutterstock


text:
Want an easy(and cheap) way to display your Christmas cards? I've got the solution!
What you need:
- Ribbon
- Holiday Paper
- Glue
- Scissors
- Clothes Pins
What you do:
1. Cut strips of paper the size a clothes pin.
2. Glue paper to clothes pins.
3. Hang long strips of ribbon (mine are hanging in my dining room.)
4. Attach clothes pins to ribbon
Can't get any easier than that! All skills required for this were learned in kindergarten.
You'll have to use your imagination here because we have only received two cards so far. The more cards that I receive the more ribbon I'll hang. I hope to have the curtains covered by the end of this Holiday season!


text:
Chinese New Year
Following the great success of last year's celebrations we bring you a great day of festivities. Join Burgh House in celebrating the Chinese New Year of the Dog. We begin at 11am with the breath-taking Lion Dance on the high street outside Barclays Bank, then back to Burgh House there will be craft for all ages, stalls, demonstrations and
entertainment with a Chinese theme. Teachers from Sishu School will offer activities for families that will include making little doggies from clay, brush painting, Chinese calligraphy and traditional Chinese
And you can join us in the cafe for some chinese treats in the cafe all day on Sunday!


text:
Eric Reed / AP
In this photo provided by Cedars-Sinai, Stephen Hawking gives a talk to workers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, on Tuesday, April 9, 2013.
By Alicia Chang, The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — Stephen Hawking toured a stem cell laboratory Tuesday where scientists are studying ways to slow the progression of Lou Gehrig's disease, a neurological disorder that has left the British cosmologist almost completely paralyzed.
After the visit, the 71-year-old Hawking urged doctors, nurses and staff at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center to support the research.
Hawking recalled how he became depressed when he was diagnosed with the disease 50 years ago and initially didn't see a point in finishing his doctorate. But his attitude changed when his condition didn't progress quickly and he was able to concentrate on his studies.
"Every new day became a bonus," he told a packed room.
Cedars-Sinai received nearly $18 million last year from California's taxpayer-funded stem cell institute to study the debilitating disease also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. ALS attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control the muscles. People gradually have more and more trouble breathing and moving as muscles weaken and waste away.
There's no cure and no way to reverse the disease's progression. Few people with ALS live longer than a decade.
Diagnosed at age 21 while a student at Cambridge University, Hawking has survived longer than most. He receives around-the-clock care, can only communicate by twitching his cheek, and relies on a computer mounted to his wheelchair to convey his thoughts in a distinctive robotic monotone.
A Cedars-Sinai patient who was Hawking's former student spurred doctors to invite the physicist to glimpse their stem cell work. "We decided it was a great opportunity for him to see the labs and for us to speak to one of the preeminent scientists in the world," said Dr. Robert Baloh, who heads the hospital's ALS program.
During the tour, Hawking viewed microscopic stem cells through a projector screen and asked questions about the research, Baloh said.
Cedar-Sinai scientists have focused on engineering stem cells to make a protein in hopes of preventing nerve cells from dying. The experiment so far has been done in rats. Baloh said he hopes to get governmental approval to test it in humans, which would be needed before any therapy can be approved.
Eric Reed / AP
In this photo provided by Cedars-Sinai, Clive Svendsen, left, director of the Cedars-Sinai Regenerative Medicine Institute, leads Stephen Hawking, third from left, on a tour of the Regenerative Medicine Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on Tuesday, April 9, 2013.
Renowned for his work on black holes and the origins of the universe, Hawking is famous for bringing esoteric physics concepts to the masses through his best-selling books including "A Brief History of Time," which sold more than 10 million copies worldwide. Hawking titled his speech to Cedars-Sinai employees "A Brief History of Mine."
Despite his diagnosis, Hawking has remained active. In 2007, he floated like an astronaut on an aircraft that creates weightlessness by making parabolic dives.
Space exploration is important "for the future of humanity," he told the audience.
Hawking said he did not think Earthlings would survive "without escaping beyond your fragile planet."
And he gave some advice: Look up at the stars. Stay curious.
"However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at," he said.
Doctors don't know why some people with Lou Gehrig's disease fare better than others. Baloh said he has treated patients who lived for 10 years or more. "But 50 years is unusual, to say the least," he said.
More about Stephen Hawking:
- Stephen Hawking and CERN scientists win big prizes
- Why Stephen Hawking is such a bad gambler
- Cosmic Log archive on Stephen Hawking
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
This story was originally published on Tue Apr 9, 2013 9:45 PM EDT


text:
Twice a month, we ask the experts at the Museum of History and Industry for a tidbit about Seattle's history. Here's the latest from MOHAI's Phyllis Franklin.
On December 10th, MOHAI invited the Seattle community to the museum for a day of sharing. An amazing array of stories emerged, some heart wrenching, many humorous, and all vitally important to the larger story of Seattle. One of the attendees related how, at the age of fourteen, she and her family were incarcerated at Camp Minadoka, a Japanese relocation camp in Idaho. Inspired by this story, MOHAI decided to explore the experiences of other camp incarcerees during the Christmas of 1944, just as camp residents learned that they would be freed within weeks.
Rumors had been circulating that the order was coming, and on December 18th, 1944, it finally came: the residents of Camp Minidoka could leave, beginning January 1st, 1945. The camp's official newspaper, The Minidoka Irrigator, reported that, along with news of imminent relocations (six families had already applied to return to Seattle), camp residents should observe Christmas. The celebration would be for the children and for the adult sons of camp residents whose U.S. patriotism put them in harm's way on the European front lines. The editors encouraged camp families to look forward to the day when their sons could return to their true homes, rather than the camps.
Along with announcements of marital engagements, movie screenings, and casualties of war, The Minidoka Irrigator also reported that 29 camp divisions, called "blocks," had registered for the best Christmas decoration contest. Each team was provided with a tree, ornaments, and a Santa Suit that would be used to create the most artistic Christmas scene. Three top prizes would be awarded, and winners would receive a full Chinese dinner, served by waiters and waitresses, accompanied by entertainment. The first prize winners won with the theme of "When the Lights go on Again," a popular song of the era which longed for peace and a return to life as it was before the war. The Santa suits were used by "Block Santas" who handed out hundreds of gifts to the children of the camp, gifts which had been donated from all over the country — a fact not lost on camp residents. A carol service was scheduled for Christmas Eve, but the newspaper made no mention of events for Christmas. It is easy to imagine the day was spent planning for the future.
On December 30th, the Minadoka Irrigator reported that 500 families had expressed interest in returning to Seattle, despite claims that some families were already facing opposition when they attempted to return home. According to The Seattle Times, the first family to return to Seattle, the Kinoshitas, would arrive January 12th. Though the transition wasn't always easy, the former incarcerees forged new lives for themselves, still carrying painful memories of their camp years. Many, have only now begun to speak of their experiences.
This holiday season, MOHAI encourages you to spend time thinking about, and – more importantly – sharing the stories that have defined you and your family.
For more information on the incarceration of Japanese-Americans during World War II, visit MOHAI this holiday season or check out www.densho.org.
Got a question for next time? Send it here.
More Ask MOHAI:
Enough snow to collapse St. James Cathedral? It happened in 1916
What might have Seattle's first Thanksgiving been like?
Seattle had a golden age of chicken ranching?
Where are Seattle's historic haunted hot spots?
What were Seattle's real speakeasies like?
What were Seattle's earliest schools like?
Was Seattle ever a jazz city?
Eddie Bauer and Seattle as the birthplace of quilted down parkas
The tale of Seattle and bicycles – a love story
How did Capitol Hill get its name?
How did Washington women convince the electorate to give them the vote?
Where was Seattle's gay culture born?
Bad dad? To the Lazy Husband Farm you go
Seattle was sexy long before the Lusty Lady, will it be after?
Beer and baseball: Why they go way back in Seattle
What is the oldest building in Seattle?
What did the census reveal the year Seattle became a small city?
Has Seattle ever had a female mayor?
A history of charity: How Seattle Children's Home got its start
What was the Puget Sound area's most famous kidnapping?
When did the UW win its first Olympic gold medal?
What was Seattle's most disruptive construction project?
Who started Seattle's Christmas Ship Festival — and why?
WTO: What other civil unrest has marked Seattle's history?
What was the first legal drinking age in Washington?
What was the first book ever checked out of a Seattle public library?
Looking back: How Seattle handled another flu outbreak
What's the oldest public art in Seattle?
Why is it called "grunge"?
Who was Seattle's most popular mayor?
Why is a Seattle community garden called a 'P-Patch?'
Why are there so many motels on Aurora Avenue?
What's the weirdest thing that's happened to the Space Needle?
How long has Seattle supported gay rights?
Why are cars allowed to drive on Pike Place?


text:
Legislature Targets Smoking Legislation (Dec 11, 2012)
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Oklahoma health officials say a proposal that would allow cities and towns to restrict smoking will be the state health department's top priority when the Legislature meets next year.
Cities and towns are now prohibited from passing tougher smoking restrictions than what's in state law. A similar measure died in a state Senate committee earlier this year.
The Oklahoma Board of Health met Tuesday and discussed its legislative priorities for the upcoming session.
A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control singled out Oklahoma City and Tulsa for not having indoor smoking bans.
« back


text:
Pista green flowers of Euphorbia millii, commonly known as crown of thorns or Christ plants. Being precise the hybrid variety of these euphorbia varities are named as Eak Wilai. The hybrids of the ornamental plants are mostly from Thai gardeners. The plant is not that common in Europe or the US.
The hybrids of these water retaining spiny garden shrubs varies in the colour and sizes of the flowers. Petal sizes and shapes along with the nature of the plant stems and leaves differs on each hybrid varities. Some of the cultivars have no spines at all and some have dense sharp spines throughout the fleshy stems with popping out long leaves in between. Usually the spiny garden shrub grows upto heights of a few foots.
The pista seed coloured Flowers. Light green flower bunch of the euphorbia milliis from gardens of Kerala. Some of the plant hybrids of these euphorbias can produce flower bunches that are densely packed like the hydrangea flowers.
The natural garden Bouquet of milliis. Light greenish flower bunches from the garden pot plant Unlike other milliis these ones have a little longer leaves. Seems the flowers are freshly bloomed and not more than a few days old.
Euphorbia milliis plant hybrid names and flower types
- Sun Cris - purple bordered flower petals with yellow towards the flower core. The flowers are relatively big in size. 2 petal flowers
- Money Money - Rose bordered petals with yellow flower center. Bigger flower size. 2 petal flowers.
- Small Red - Tiny pure red typical euphorbia milliis. The flower appears in small oval shape with red petals. These are one of the common variety found in Kerala. Dense spiny stem. 2 petal flowers
- Red Cups - Rose coloured curly cup like petal formation in bigger flowers. 2 petal flowers
- Small Pink - Flowers simillar to the small reds. Petals are pink in colour. Dense Spiny stems. 2 petal flowers
- Variegate - green dotted decorative leaves. No stem thorns. Not sure about flowers
- Ponyingai - big twin petal flowers with pink coloured petal with white dots.
- Nida - Twin petaled rose flowers.
- F1 - Light rose and white colours blended into the petals. Big twin flower petals.
- Maha Heng - Light pink flowers with big twin petals.
- Sub Sompod - Red paper like flower petals. Twin petaled big flowers.
- Boonsangsom - Shiny rose curly flowers with big twin petals.
- Maneejintana - Light red flowers with big twin petals.
- White and Green - White flower petals with green lines. Brown flower core.
- Tongprasert - Light rose flowers with slight white colour blend on the petals.
- Purple Hybrid - Purple and white colour blended flower petals.
- Sinsub - Curly petaled dense purple flower bunches with slight white petal border.
- Ponchita - light rose and white blended flowers. A little small flowers.
- Siamdiamond - pinkish white flower petals. Flowers appear as packed bunch.
- Srisupharat - Bright reddish flower bunches.
- Doung Itsaree - Rose petals with fluorescent green lines.
- Subjareansuk - Rose flowers with wide petals.
- Rungjareansub - Pinkish petals with fluorescent dots.
- SRR hybrid - reddish towards flower center.
- Siam Ruby - Bright pink coloured flowers.
- White - pure white flowers
- Sun Bird - mild white flowers with a little pink blend.
- Numchai - pinkish light brown flowers with green dots
- Udomthong - Creamy white flowers with brown lines
- Yadphet - white and rose colour blended flower petals with red core.
- F2 - pink flowers with red core.
- Pon Jareansuk - rosy petals with white bleanding
- Doung Narumon - white and purple flowers.
- Doung De - Rose curly petals
- Brink - pink and slight white colours on petals
- Tubtim Wilai - pink flowers with white border on petals
- Ploy Chompoo - neat rose coloured flowers
- Rose - Rose flowers
- Mongkol Diamond - rose, white and green colours blended onto the flower
- Thidaramun - pink and white petal colour
- Queen Lucky - light red and white petaled flowers
- Numchoke - yellow flower petals with red dots
- Debutant - light rose petals with red petal border lining
- Eak Wilai - pista green flowers
- Udomsub - white flowers
Olden times poisonous sap from some of the varieties are used to smear on arrow head points, and also the plant sap is used to make fishes drissy for easy catch. Sap from some of the plant cultivars can be used in medicines too.