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Palladium Books® Weekly Update – March 17, 2011
Palladium Books® Weekly Update – March 17, 2011
By Kevin Siembieda
Happy St. Patrick's Day! Don't get too crazy out there today, but have fun. ;)
As I wrote in a Murmur from the Megaverse I posted yesterday, I've been buried in the Thundercloud Galaxy™ manuscript, tweaking and writing away. My focus is to make this book epic, and get it to the printer by the end of next week. There are a lot of opportunities for unique and wild adventures in this Dimension Book, and we want to make sure all the possibilities are covered. The book may be different from what some people may be expecting, but I think the end result will knock your socks off.
When I work on a book, I more or less go from front to back, but on Thundercloud Galaxy™ I've been working Erick Wujcik style, jumping from section to section as the ideas hit me. That means I'm working on something like 7-9 files at a time, all in various states of completion, but none of them quite finished. I'm finally at a point where I can start wrapping up sections and hand them to Alex and Wayne for final editing. The Colony Creation section is much expanded, but should be finished today. Tomorrow, I hope to be done with the Monster Creation Tables and maybe the section on the mysterious Exiles. I expect to have a good sized chunk of the new Alien R.C.C.s ready for editing over the weekend – there are 20 of them plus new information about theDominators, Gene-Tech and Elder Races. There are now a ton of adventure suggestions, adventure tables and wild opportunities you would expect from an unhinged setting like theThundercloud Galaxy™. I know this title is delayed (which has set back everything else in our schedule, grrrr), but it will be worth the wait. We'll be working through the weekend to wrap this bad boy up.
The disappearance of Kevin Siembieda. Like I said, I have been so absorbed in my work on Thundercloud Galaxy™ that I have been absent from the Palladium Website. As a result, I have not been posting Murmurs from the Megaverse (until yesterday), I've been MIA on Facebook, nor have I been answering my private messages. I've even been dodging some telephone calls, or keeping them short, as I've been pounding away every second I have on Thundercloud Galaxy™ (okay, only 80% of my time has been spent on the book these past couple weeks). I've been putting in so many hours (8:00 AM till 11:00 PM most nights) that I even had a mini-burnout on Tuesday and had to go home at 5:00 PM to crash, rest and get some sleep. I'm fine. I just pushed myself a little too hard. We need to keep new product coming to keep everyone happy, so I'm feeling the pressure.
Online sales were pretty lousy this week. Without a new release in six weeks, sales went from excellent in February to in the toilet the past two weeks. I hope the release of four popular out of printtitles and the Rifts® Baseball Cap next week will help boost sales. Of course, we'll see sales rebound in April with the release of The Rifter® #54 (another great issue) and Thundercloud Galaxy™ around April 12. (I hope to send Thundercloud to the printer by the end of next week.)
BACK IN PRINT: The following out of prints books will be back in print next week (scheduled for March 24 release):
- Rifts® Baseball Cap
- Rifts® Dimension Book™ 6: Three Galaxies™
- Rifts® Black Vault™
- Rifts® Mercenaries™
- Aliens Unlimited™ – A Heroes Unlimited™ sourcebook
I just spoke to the printer and all of these titles are on schedule. In fact, we might get them as SOON as Monday!
UPDATE: The Rifter® #54. Wayne is working away on The Rifter®, the cover, by Mike Leonard, is done and is a fitting tribute to the end of the long running Hammer of the Forge™ series. Artwork has been assigned and is in the process of being drawn right now.
UPDATE: Palladium Website. As I think most of you know, we've been busy working on giving the Palladium website a new look. Our goal is to make it look great, offer more functionality, be easy to use, and be fun. Rex Barkdoll is the chief designer and has been a dynamo on this project. Thom Bartold has been working hard on it too. While Wayne and I weigh in on issues of look, form and function, as well as a number of technical and content issues, Rex and Thom have been doing all the heavy lifting on this project and they are kicking . . . um, they are doing a great job. Rex has been a godsend. Not only is he very talented and hard working, but he's a great guy. The new website is really getting there, but there are still more tests, tweaks and fine tuning before it can go live, but we are getting close. A lot of content changes and additions have to be done too, but those may be more of a work in progress. I want to say the site will be up by my birthday, April 2nd, but I do NOT want to rush the guys. Besides, with the Creators Conference starting April 7, and with Wayne and I still banging away on the next two book releases, I doubt we'll have time to get the necessary content done by then. Whew. A lot of activity going on at Palladium these days and all of it good.
UPDATE: Creators Conference. It is coming up too fast. Where does the time go? We are all very excited about this event and expect good things to come from it.
TODAY is the last day for those attending the Conference to reserve a hotel room at the special rate. If you haven't done so, do it today.
UPDATE: Colt the Outlander™/Rifts® Crossover Part Two. Wayne and I reviewed and approved the final version of the Colt/Rifts® comic crossover in Heavy Metal® Magazine. It looks great. Plus it means something special for me as Part Two is dedicated to "the memory of two fallen fathers," my Dad, Henry Siembieda and Dante J. Pacella. Thank you for doing that, RC and Dominic, it means a lot to me. We will let you know what issue the strip is to appear in as soon as we know, but it should be soon. The Rifts® Juicer story will also appear in an upcoming Colt the Outlander™ Collection from Heavy Metal®.
UPDATE: Hammer of the Forge™. Most people seem to like the idea of collecting the Hammer of the Forge™ and presenting it as a novelization with a game section featuring the stats for key characters, aliens, weapons, and other elements from the Forge series. It's an idea Wayne Smith and some fans have suggested and I'm thinking about. Is this a product you would buy?
UPDATE: Rifts® Lemuria. John Zeleznik submitted his tight pencil drawing and color sketch of the cover. Wow, is all I can say.
UPDATE: Robotech® New Generation™ Sourcebook. Apollo Okamura should be working on the cover. I spoke to Tommy Yune and he's excited about the upcoming book and our ideas for additional sourcebooks.
UPDATE: Kathy Simmons is feeling better and plans to work on a couple of new creations this weekend for her online store, queenofghouls.com. As most of you know, Kathy creates and sells one of a kind, life-sized Halloween props of zombies and other monsters.
UPDATE: Alex Marciniszyn. Alex and family continue to hang tough.
I think that's it for now. Have a fun weekend and game on.
– Kevin Siembieda, Publisher
Back in print next week – March 24, 2011
Aliens Unlimited™ – Back in print
A sourcebook for Heroes Unlimited™
Aliens Unlimited™ brings alien beings to your Earth-based Heroes Unlimited™ setting and enables you to take your Earth heroes to alien worlds. This sourcebook has everything you need to launch an alien based campaign, galactic adventures or introduce alien invaders, villains, heroes and campaign ideas.
Aliens Unlimited™ makes the perfect resource and companion to the Thundercloud Galaxy™ or any of the Rifts® Dimension Books and Minion War™ series. Looking for some new space aliens, villains and monsters to add to your Thundercloud Galaxy™ or Minion War™ campaign? Need some unique Splugorth slaves? Demon henchmen? Take a look at Aliens Unlimited™(and the Aliens Unlimited™ Galaxy Guide™ companion sourcebook); easy to adapt.
Rifts® Dimension Book™ 6: Three Galaxies™ – Back in Print
A guide to the Three Galaxies, this book takes a look at dozens of solar systems, notable planets, select alien races, people, civilizations and monsters, as well as space anomalies, spaceships and more. This is another sourcebook that is ideal for campaigns involving the Minion War™, the Thundercloud Galaxy™, Phase World® and adventures in the Three Galaxies.
Rifts® Adventure Sourcebook: The Black Vault™ – Back in Print
For generations it has been rumored the Coalition States maintains a Top Secret facility where it locks away and stores all the magic weapons and items it confiscates from adventurers and mages. The CS, of course, denies these rumors, but they are true. And the truth is revealed for the first time in this epic sourcebook packed with secrets and magic items. Do your characters dare to rob the Black Vault?
Rifts® Mercenaries™ – Back in print
This fan-favorite sourcebook presents everything you need to create and run a mercenary company on Rifts Earth. It includes creation rules, new Occupational Character Classes such as the Professional Smuggler, Thief, Safecracker, Spy, Bounty Hunter, Master Assassin, and others, plus a treasure trove of mercenary weapons, vehicles, gear and arms dealers.
"Rifts® Logo" Baseball Cap – Back in Print
Back by popular demand. A black Rifts® Logo on a khaki baseball cap with black trim. Looks great and fans love it! Makes a great gift.
Don't forget about the "Rifts® Logo" Dice Bag
Gold print on a rich black, faux velvet material. Looks gorgeous, a sturdy and well made drawstring bag. A big 7x9 inches, can hold a lot of dice.
New Releases Coming Soon
NEW! Rifts® Dimension Book™ 14: Thundercloud Galaxy™
– Ships April 12, 2011 – in final production
The Thundercloud Galaxy™ is a place of unparalleled adventure. It is where the Dominators once thrived and where the godlike beings were (mostly) destroyed. The people of the Thundercloud have suffered great adversity and more than one mass extinction, yet somehow the galaxy seems to have more habitable planets and diverse life forms than anywhere else in the Three Galaxies. Strange beings like the feline Shing, insectoid CheDive, and Whetu, who defy description, and monsters like the devouring Yboor are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg when it comes to life in this galaxy. It is also home to the Bushi Federation and the Splugorth Kingdom of Desslyth, and is a playground for space pirates, raiders, the mysterious Exiles and the dark forces of the Minion War.
As the civilizations of the Anvil and Corkscrew Galaxies scramble to colonize the Thundercloud Galaxy in a mad rush to grab as much as they can, they are beginning to realize the galaxy holds more riches, beauty, horrors and secrets than anyone has ever imagined, making it a place of exploration, discovery, adventure and treachery like no other.
Thundercloud Galaxy™ is a perfect companion to the rest of the Phase World®/Three Galaxies™ based Dimension Books as well as the Minion War™ series. Players can be pirates, raiders, brigands or hired guns, or they may be explorers, adventurers, Spacers, or any number of heroes trying to protect the colonists or the indigenous people of countless worlds and colonies. The possibilities are truly limited only by your imagination.
Publisher Kevin Siembieda vows the book will go to the printer by the end of March, which means a mid-April ship date. We apologize for the delay, but as is Palladium's policy, we will not release a book until we think it is worthy of our audience, and that means epic source material, adventure and fun.
NEW! The Rifter® #54
– Ships April 12, 2011
This is going to be another landmark issue of The Rifter® filled with epic source material, exotic places, strange critters, adventure settings and ideas.
The Rifter® is your doorway to unlimited imagination and numerous Palladium role-playing worlds. It offers new heroes, powers, weapons, magic and adventure for your games. It presents new villains, monsters and dangers to battle, and new ideas to consider.
The Rifter® #54 includes:
NEW! Rifts® World Book One:
Vampire Kingdoms™, Expanded & Updated
Kevin Siembieda is reorganizing, tweaking, expanding and updating one of the most popular Rifts® World Books ever published: Vampire Kingdoms™. This will include some new artwork and an expanded page count. The book will be updated and expanded in much the same way as Kevin did with Rifts® Sourcebook One a few years ago. Best of all, it will be accompanied by theRifts® Vampires Sourcebook™.
NEW! Rifts® Vampires Sourcebook™
All new source material
Trouble is stirring in the Vampire Kingdoms as ambitious vampire lords, ladies and misanthropes seek to expand their power to dominate more mortal life forms.
Written by Kevin Siembieda and a handpicked selection of other writers, this sourcebook explores the vampires of Mexico and their kingdoms in ways you never imagined. Tons of new data, adventure ideas and revelations.
NEW! Robotech® New Generation™ Sourcebook
This Robotech® sourcebook will be an early 2011 release.
NEW! Rifts® World Book: Lemuria™
At last, the underwater realm of Lemuria. The people and history of Lemuria, new magic, sea herbs and healing, sea monsters, and more.
NEW! Rifts® Megaverse® in Flames™
The Minion War spills across Rifts Earth, where demons and infernals hope to recruit allies and use the Rifts as gateways of destruction. Their influence shakes things up across the planet, especially at locations where demons and Deevils already have a strong presence. More details to follow, but for now, 'nuff said.
NEW! Rifts® Chaos Earth™ Sourcebook: First Responders
Data about the chaos and madness of the early days of the Great Cataclysm, and the brave men and women who tried to stem the tide of destruction and save lives, the First Responders.
Armageddon Unlimited™
for Heroes Unlimited™ and the Minion War™ – Available now
Armageddon Unlimited™ is the ultimate good vs evil setting and adventure. The fate of the world hangs in the balance and only you can stop its destruction as demons and Deevils fight for control of the Earth and bringing about the end of life as we know it.
Armageddon Unlimited™ is more than an epic world-saving adventure, it is also a sourcebook jam-packed with new powers, magic, weapons and Power Categories that can be incorporated into any Heroes Unlimited™ campaign. This book can be used as a standalone adventure sourcebook for Heroes Unlimited™ or as a pivotal plot in an expansive Minion War™ campaign. Get a freesneak preview of the book from DriveThruRPG.com.
PDF downloads from DriveThruRPG.com
This is a great resource for getting out of print Palladium titles and other select books. We've made 90 titles available as PDF digital downloads from DriveThruRPG.com. This is a great way to try Palladium products and get access to out of print RPG source material. Some notable titles include.
- Splicers® RPG
- Beyond the Supernatural™ RPG, First Edition Rules.
- Boxed Nightmares™ for BTS, First Edition Rules.
- Nightbane® Book Four: Shadows of Light™.
- The Mechanoids® RPG and The Mechanoid Invasion® RPG Trilogy.
- Palladium Fantasy RPG®, First Edition Rules and select 1st Edition sourcebooks.
- After the Bomb® RPG and sourcebooks.
- The Rifter® issues 1-48.
- The Best of The Rifter®
- Deluxe Revised RECON® RPG and Advanced RECON® Sourcebook.
- And more – go to DriveThruRPG.com and check 'em out.
2011 Releases
Available Now & Back in Print
- Armageddon Unlimited™ – New – Available now!
- The Rifter® #53 – New – Available now!
- Rifts® World Book 20: Canada – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® Dark Conversions – Back in print – Available now
- Palladium Fantasy RPG® – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® Game Master Guide – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® World Book 5: Triax & The NGR – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® Bionics Sourcebook – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® China One – Back in print – Available now
- Rifts® Megaverse® Builder – Back in print – Available now
March 2011 Releases
Note: All items listed below should be available by March 24.
– Rifts® Baseball Cap – BACK IN STOCK
– Rifts® Dimension Book™ 6: Three Galaxies™ – BACK IN PRINT
- Rifts® Black Vault™ – BACK IN PRINT
– Rifts® Mercenaries™ – BACK IN PRINT
- Aliens Unlimited™ – A Heroes Unlimited™ sourcebook – BACK IN PRINT
April 2011 Releases
- Rifts® Dimension Book™ 14: Thundercloud Galaxy™ – New – April 12
- The Rifter® #54 – New – April 12.
– Additional titles back in print.
May 2011 Releases
- Robotech® New Generation™ Sourcebook (tentative)
- Rifts® WB One: Vampire Kingdoms™, Expanded & Updated
- Rifts® Book of Magic (back in print)
June 2011 Releases
- Rifts® Vampires Sourcebook™ – New
- Rifts® World Book™: Lemuria – New
July 2011 Releases
- The Rifter® #55 – New
- Rifts® Megaverse® in Flames (Minion War™ crossover) – New
New Releases Coming Soon (tentative)
- Rifts® Chaos Earth™: First Responders Sourcebook (as soon as we can slot it in)
- Dead Reign™ Sourcebook Three
In the Pipeline
- Robotech® UEEF Marines and other Robotech® sourcebooks.
- Rifts® sourcebooks
- Rifts® Chaos Earth™ sourcebooks
- Palladium Fantasy®: Mysteries of Magic™ Two & Three
- Palladium Fantasy® other sourcebooks
- Warpath™ Urban Jungle RPG
- And other good stuff. Lots of other good stuff!
Recently Back in Print
Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game®
Rifts® World Book 20: Rifts® Canada™
Rifts® Dark Conversions™
Rifts® Game Master Guide
Rifts® Bionics Sourcebook™
Rifts® World Book Five: Triax and the NGR™
Rifts® World Book 24: Rifts® China One
Rifts® Dimension Book 7: Megaverse® Builder
The Queen of Ghouls: Life-Sized Halloween Props
Start planning for Halloween early as Palladium's very own Kathy Simmons will start to offer her 2011 selection of life-sized Halloween props (most are 6 feet or taller) that are to die for.
Each is an all-weather, life-sized Halloween prop that can handle rain and snow, and is a one-of-a-kind work of art (no two are exactly the same). Each looks frighteningly "real." All come apart and fold down to slightly larger than a king-size pillow for easy storage. Comes with easy instructions, a plastic storage bag, and the lawn stake to stand it up in your front yard. Indoor stand sold separately.
Types of "Ghouls" include: Zombies (all kinds!), killer clowns, wizards, witches, devils, grave ghouls, scarecrows, executioners, mad doctors, deadly nurses, vampires, werewolves, and more. Kathy's also now offering an array of hand-painted Halloween signs, signs with heads and bodies hanging from them, witch's brewing pots, Halloween centerpieces and more. Best of all, her high quality creations are much more affordable and imaginative than most competitors or mass produced items in a store, making them affordable Halloween fun.
If you think the photos online look good, you should see them in person. A typical "ghoul," as she calls her creations, costs $129-$259. You can see some of her work at her Queen of Ghouls™ Ebay store – queenofghouls.com.


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Exelon's Oyster Creek Generating Station resumed producing electricity on May 3 at 1:12 p.m. ET for New Jersey consumers and businesses after safely completing a maintenance outage.
FORKED RIVER, NJ (May 3, 2009) - Exelon's Oyster Creek Generating Station resumed producing electricity on May 3 at 1:12 p.m. ET for New Jersey consumers and businesses after safely completing a maintenance outage.
The plant was manually shut down at 6:04 p.m. ET on April 25 after an equipment failure occurred on one of the plant's two main transformers.
The team repaired the transformer this week and made additional modifications to its power supply to ensure future reliability. In addition, the station extended the outage to perform proactive maintenance to further ready the plant for peak summer operations.
Environmental experts also found and stopped two small leaks in underground pipes believed to be a main source of tritiated water found earlier this month in a concrete vault and groundwater on plant property. Station operators have replaced two lengths of piping, and continue to inspect pipes and a tank in the area as an added measure.
Daily samples of water from the plant's intake and discharge canals have shown no detectable levels of tritium. At no time has there been a threat to employee or public health or safety. For more information, please contact Oyster Creek Communications Manager David Benson at 609-339-9188.
Since 2000, Exelon has invested more than $100 million in the Oyster Creek's systems, components and structures to establish the platform for 20 more years of safe and reliable operations for the Garden State.
Oyster Creek is about 60 miles east of Philadelphia in Ocean County, New Jersey. The plant produces 636 net megawatts of electricity at full power, enough electricity to supply 600,000 typical homes, the equivalent to all homes in Monmouth and Ocean counties combined. In addition, plant workers, through their payrolls, are responsible for more $96 million injected directly into New Jersey's economy.

subset: commoncrawl


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So. What's my problem? Well, I'm all moved into my house, and that means that I probably need to start working on the things that I'm being paid to work on this summer. But I feel...
Ok, how do I explain this? My problem, when it comes to writing, is not that I think I'm a fraud or an impostor or those typical things. I generally have faith in my ideas, and I'm generally a person who has great ideas. (I know, I hate myself as I'm writing this, too. But really, that is a thing about me.) My problem, instead, is that I'll have this idea - this great idea. And I can see how it's supposed to be executed totally clearly in my head. I can see all the pieces of it, and I can see how awesome the thing could end up being. All good, right? But the problem is that there is (as you might imagine) a disconnect between the vision and my abilities to execute the vision.
Now, to be fair, nobody could actually execute the vision. That's the reason why it's important for me to actually get my hands dirty and to start working rather than to be all focused on the vision. But the problem with the fact that I haven't really been consistently thinking about anything other than home ownership since March is that I've spent approx. 3 months in the "vision place" and so now I'm.... Well, I'm whining instead of getting to work. So it's not fraudulence that paralyzes me... it's delusions of grandeur. At least that's what I've come up with after a few days of sulking.
But so this is the problem, I think, that goes along with the above. I think that because I've been reading people talking about their research progress over the summer (or progress with teaching or whatever) I've somehow stopped thinking of my sabbatical project as fun and I've started thinking of it as work and as somehow in competition with other people, as opposed to me just having the awesome opportunity to spend months trying to answer really neat questions. I need to believe that this is not work. And I know that's crazy, but that's how it was with my dissertation, and then the book manuscript.... This was how it was for me with my math homework in 3rd grade. If I think it's "work" then I suddenly can't do it.
Anyway, I'm going to try to do at least a little tomorrow and see where that leads me.
Other things that are bothering me:
- My favorite coffee shop just went out of business in May.
- Everybody is fucking getting married or getting engaged or having motherfucking babies and I am a desperate spinster with two cats and a fake relationship with a person whom I don't see.
- I feel stressed out by the programs in my DVR queue, and I think this is making me watch a lot more TV than I normally would.
- It is hot - too hot to breathe - every motherfucking day. 90+ degrees and always humid and miserable.
- [insert any other complaint here - I'm sure I've got more, but I'm tired of ranting.]


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Today I said goodbye to an old friend. My 2002 Ford Explorer Sport showed 241,000 miles on its odometer and I witnessed every single one. I was behind the wheel on 99 per cent of them. Here is the story of this spectacular truck, and its nearly identical replacement.
In 2002 I bought my third brand new Explorer in a row. My brother worked at Ford so A-plan was a bonus but Ken also worked on light trucks at Ford. He helped design the suspension in the Explorer. It's one thing to be able to consult a mechanic about your vehicle. It's quite another to be able to ask one of its creators.
The 2002 was merely another in a series, or so I thought. The previous two had been leases but something told me to buy this one. So, at the end of the contract, it was mine.
My Explorer rarely got far off road. The 4WD was primarily for bad weather and the times I felt like exiting in the morning without bothering to shovel my driveway. I even had it in 4WD Low a couple times but the bulk of my driving was in 2WD, while simply commuting.
It ran and ran. Much of it was during a time I had a commute of 100 miles, round trip, daily. The miles racked up quickly but the Explorer kept soldiering on. I brought it in for a new set of tires at 101,000 and the writer sheepishly told me I needed a brake job. He was worried I might think he was overselling. I looked at the disks – these Explorers have them on all four corners – and said fine. After all, this would be its first brake job.
Those tires did not make it as far as the factory set; I had to replace them at 189,000. I had long since forgotten about the warranty. The truck had never needed any warranty work. Never. I changed the oil religiously and watched underneath it for any suspicious leaks. Leaks that didn't appear for several more years. The only work it needed was windshields. A stretch of I-75 near Clarkston, Michigan, is used by gravel haulers to fire projectiles at my windshield. I replaced the windshield 3 or 4 times and then gave up. It just seemed a waste of perfectly good glass.
I took it up north to Michigan's Upper Peninsula quite a few times and made it over to Duluth once and Ironwood a few times. Once I was racing to a book signing in Escanaba and all along US-2 I counted cars in the ditch. I was still in 2WD because much of the pavement still had dry patches. The farthest north she ever made it was the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula.
On one occasion, two of my brothers and I did some exploring which did get us off road. It was one of those times where I chose to believe a map instead of my own eyes and we drove down a "road" that – outside the map – was actually a trail. Or, it started as a trail and then degraded.
Rick drove, Dave walked ahead with a handsaw and cleared branches, and I stood on the rear bumper and shouted nonsense at the two of them. At one point we crossed a dried river bed. It seemed odd but you know how those trips go – where you have gone too far to turn back? A mile later we understood the error of our ways and turned to retrace our steps. As we re-entered the mostly dried river bed, one of the front tires got sliced open on a jagged rock, followed by an obviously catastrophic hissing. Without blinking, Rick yelled to me, "Do you have a good spare?"
I yelled back, "Yes!"
Dave pointed to the middle of the riverbed. "Park it there." Just seconds later, the tire was completely flat with a huge gash in its side.
We changed the tire and made it back out to pavement a while later. Those miles are the only ones put on the truck where I was not at the wheel.
The Explorer continued rolling. I noticed a bit of a high-pitch whine that was moving from the range only dogs can hear to the one where it annoys the driver. I took Ken out to lunch one day and asked him. "Just gear noise," he told me. It was aesthetic. I could get the rear differential rebuilt or ignore it. I ignored it for a while longer but eventually did get it rebuilt when I had the truck's second brake job done, around 200,000 miles.
Somewhere in the 230s, I had to have the front hubs replaced. I told the mechanic to throw in a new serpentine belt while he had it. He went over and looked. He came back and said, "Don't bother. Looks fine to me." I told him it was original to the truck. He shook his head as if to say, "It's your money." He changed the belt.
Then, around the 12-year mark, the Michigan winters began taking their toll on the underside of the Explorer. One day I saw a drop of trans fluid under the front end. A close inspection revealed that the lines to the trans cooler were rusted and needed replacement. My trusty mechanic tore them all out and replaced them. A short while later, it was the fuel line. Turns out that one is a bit expensive and a hassle, but it needed to be done. Then, the final brake job. As I was pulling into my parking spot, something weird happened. I went to roll my truck back from the parking block and something stuck. A brake caliper had frozen in a mostly-closed position.
When I figured it out, I drove it to the mechanic (who is only a mile from home) and scared the daylights out of everyone within a mile or so of the devilish screech emanating from my front right brake assembly. Later that day we were back on the road.
It was getting clear that her days were numbered. An exhaust bracket broke. I replaced it with hangar wire. I have no shame.
One of the hinges on the back window broke. I used caulking compound to seal around it. A couple of pieces of trim fell off. I duct-taped them back on. Yes, I know. Somewhere around this time, I had crossed a line. I realized I was now keeping her on the road for selfish reasons. She was tired. It was time to let her go. Her odometer had recently rolled over to 241K. I have no photo of that but I did snag one at 240K.
Since she was still running, I was in no hurry to replace her. I did random Ebay searches and one day I stumbled across her near-twin. Another green 2002 Ford Explorer Sport. A one-owner vehicle that had spent its first 12 years in Florida. This one only had 70,000 miles on its odometer. How could I NOT consider it? I went and looked. It was shocking. The green was actually a different shade and there were some subtle differences but this one looked brand new. I climbed under it. The frame rails were shiny. I drove it. It ran straight and sounded healthy. Five minutes after returning from the test drive, the owner and I had struck a bargain. A few days later, I had two green 2002 Ford Explorer Sports parked next to each other.
I couldn't sell the old one to anyone to use as transportation – she had too many nuances to deal with. The door locks were broken. To get in, you had to use the door code on the driver's side, then go around to the passenger side and reach in and open the driver's door. That sort of thing. Looking back on it, I realize I might have spent a few hundred hours of my life dealing with little inconveniences like that. But it was worth it. Still, she had her original starter, water pump, and exhaust. And that engine would probably outlive us all if given the chance. I asked around and someone referred me to a guy who buys junked cars.
The guy came out with a flat bed and did a double take when he saw the two parked next to each other. I told him I had just bought the "new" one and he bent down to look under it. "Oh my. This thing was garage-kept, no doubt about it." Hey, a scrap dealer would know.
A few minutes later, she was being driven away, on the back of the flatbed. For once, she was the passenger. I realize now I only have one picture of me behind the wheel and I had a co-pilot. Don't worry; I don't let him work the pedals. Technically, I was the one driving.
That Explorer was the most dependable vehicle I have ever owned. She started every time on the first kick and never once stranded me anywhere. If only every car was built that well. Let's just see if the next 170,000 miles on my "new" Explorer are as trouble-free as they were on the last one. I will miss her but I have my memories.
Follow me on Twitter: @stevelehto
Hear my podcast on iTunes: Lehto's Law
Steve Lehto has been practicing law for 23 years, almost exclusively in consumer protection and Michigan lemon law. He wrote The Lemon Law Bible and Chrysler's Turbine Car: The Rise and Fall of Detroit's Coolest Creation.
This website may supply general information about the law but it is for informational purposes only. This does not create an attorney-client relationship and is not meant to constitute legal advice, so the good news is we're not billing you by the hour for reading this. The bad news is that you shouldn't act upon any of the information without consulting a qualified professional attorney who will, probably, bill you by the hour.


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A World without walls
everyday life while homeschooling overseas
Family Home Evening
For FHE tonight, we went bowling. Today's bowling scores:
Devin: 93
Emily: 87
Josh: 73
Claire: 80
Andrew: 66
Peter: 114
Looks like we've found Peter's vocation!
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As a Stay At Home Mom of 4 wonderful children, I have the amazing opportunity not only to home school them, but to do so in many different places! I am married to the most amazingly wonderful (and handsome) man in the whole world! Together, we seek out, every day, that Joy in the Journey that makes life exciting!
October 2019
My Favorites
Emily's books
by Dan Brown
I like that the plot twists and turns a lot...and it makes you think. However, I don't appreciate Dan Brown's endings in his books. I find the endings incongruent with the rest of his stories--why make it a romance for the last chapter...
I loved this book. I'm a sucker for fairy tales/fantasy. This was so well written! I can't wait to read all the rest of her books!
I'm reading this one again. I liked it the first time I read it. I'm still liking it for the second time around. I like all of Shannon Hales' books. **Still lots of fun the second time around! I do like this book for a comfortable...


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New York Jets lineman John Schmitt won a Super Bowl ring with the team in 1969, but he only wore the ring for two years. Now he has it back.
Schmitt, 68, lost the ring while surfing in Waikiki in 1971, just two years after his team pulled off its stunning upset of the Baltimore Colts, in the famous victory "guaranteed" by Joe Namath. He noticed it missing as soon as he reached the beach, but couldn't find it again.
"I got a snorkel and some flippers and I went out and I dove until I was blue," Schmitt said. "I'm not kidding you. It must have been three hours. I was out there looking. I couldn't find it anywhere. I was just exhausted. I virtually could not swim or flip my legs anymore. And I just went in broken-hearted."
U.S. & World
Schmitt couldn't find the ring, but at some point in the next few years a lifeguard named John Ernstberg did, according to Hawaii News Now. Ernstberg brought it home and gave it to his wife, who put it in a box where it remained for decades.
Ernstberg died in 1991, and his wife, Mary, died four years later. Ernstberg's great niece Cindy Saffery eventually inherited the ring and took it to a jeweler for appraisal. Once she and her husband, Samuel, learned the ring was real and belonged to a Super Bowl winner, they wanted to get it back on its rightful finger. They got hold of Schmitt through the team.
"It's a legacy," Samuel Saffery said. "He put a lot of hard work into this to earn this. This is not something that you just can buy off the street. This is something that you earn, so for Mr. Schmitt he earned this ring so by right it'll make me feel good to put it personally back into his hand."
Schmitt, who lives on Long Island, is thrilled to have the ring back just as his old team is making its drive to appear in the team's second Super Bowl.
"I couldn't believe it," he said. "I mean I honestly couldn't believe it. I mean 40 years. That that ring was found is a bloody miracle. It really is a miracle, you know."


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Unofficial Opinion 94-6
District 21
The Georgia Department of Medical Assistance must provide coverage for medically necessary abortions and may impose reasonable reporting or documentation requirements for abortions resulting from rape or incest.
This is in response to your request for an opinion regarding the above-referenced subject. As you know, Congress included as a general provision of the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 1994, language regarding the funding of abortions. Pub. L. 103-112, § 509, 107 Stat. 1082, 1113 (1993). This Section provides as follows:
None of the funds appropriated under this Act shall be expended for any abortion except when it is made known to the Federal entity or official to which funds are appropriated under this Act that such procedure is necessary to save the life of the mother or that the pregnancy is the result of an act of rape or incest.
Id. (Emphasis added.) The underlined language represents a change from the "Hyde Amendment," Departments of Labor, and Health, Education and Welfare, Appropriations Act of 1977, Pub. L. No. 94-439, § 209, 90 Stat. 1418, 1434 (1976).
The Medicaid program is a joint federal-state program for which the state receives substantial federal financial participation. Federal oversight of the Medicaid program is assigned to the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), a part of the Department of Health and Human Services. Enclosed is a copy of HCFA Medicaid Bureau Letter dated December 28, 1993, to State Medicaid Directors from Sally K. Richardson, Director of Medicaid Bureau. That letter implements the above-quoted provision of the appropriation bill. The HCFA directive provides as follows:
As with all other mandatory medical services for which Federal funding is available, States are required to cover abortions that are medically necessary. By definition, abortions that are necessary to save the life of the mother are medically necessary. In addition, Congress this year added abortions for pregnancies resulting from rape and incest to the category of medically necessary abortions for which funding is provided. Based on the language of this year's Hyde Amendment and on the history of Congressional debate about the circumstances of victims of rape and incest, we believe that this change in the text of the Hyde Amendment signifies Congressional intent that abortions of pregnancies resulting from rape or incest are medically necessary in light of both medical and psychological health factors. Therefore, abortions resulting from rape or incest should be considered to fall within the scope of services that are medically necessary.
Letter of December 28, 1993 (emphasis added).
The Georgia Medical Assistance Act of 1977, 1977 Ga. Laws 384, established the Department of Medical Assistance (DMA) and authorized it "to adopt and administer a state plan for medical assistance in accordance with Title XIX of the federal Social Security Act." O.C.G.A. § 49-4-142(a). Federal law requires that state medicaid agencies pay for medically necessary services. 42 U.S.C. § 1396; Doe v. Busbee, 481 F. Supp. 46, 49 (N.D. Ga. 1979). Because HCFA has in its December 28, 1993, letter defined abortions covered under this appropriations act as "medically necessary," Georgia must pay for those services or risk the loss of federal funds. Such a disallowance would be inconsistent with O.C.G.A. § 49-4-142(a), which authorizes the Department of Medical Assistance "to establish such rules and regulations as may be necessary or desirable in order to execute the state plan and to receive the maximum amount of federal financial participation available in expenditures made pursuant to the state plan." See also O.C.G.A. § 49-4-157; 1977 Op. Att'y Gen. 77-64.
You have further asked whether specific language may be put into place to assure that only women who are actually victims of rape or incest are added to the coverage of medically necessary abortions. The HCFA directive of December 28, 1993, would appear to allow the state to place reasonable parameters for reporting or documentation of the victim's circumstances. In this regard, HCFA has provided:
The definition of rape and incest should be determined in accordance with each State's own law. States may impose reasonable reporting or documentation requirements on recipients or providers, as may be necessary to assure themselves that an abortion was for the purpose of terminating a pregnancy caused by an act of rape or incest. States may not impose reporting or documentation requirements that deny or impede coverage for abortions where pregnancies result from rape or incest. To insure that reporting requirements do not prevent or impede coverage for covered abortions, any such reporting requirement must be waived and the procedures considered to be reimbursable if the treating physician certifies that in his or her professional opinion, the patient was unable, for physical or psychological reasons, to comply with the requirement.
See Letter December 28, 1993; see also Doe v. Busbee, 471 F. Supp. 1326 (N.D. Ga. 1979).
Prepared by:
Senior Assistant Attorney General


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While some lenders do utilize web-based proprietary systems (MortgageServ, Res.net, etc) for insurance and foreclosure tracking, the majority of the lenders in the US (including Bank of America, Aurora Loan Services, and OneWest) utilize the Fidelity LPS system, which is maintained by Fidelity National Financial. It seems almost impossible to believe all of our banks would allow a single point of failure in our nation's financial systems, however a certain level of cockiness is certainly warranted after successfully pulling off the largest series of cons in our nation's history.
The LPS system can be accessed several ways. Using Internet Explorer, Balboa and Assurant agents are able to query every field within the system via the web based Lending Portal Login for all of their clients. The information is then used to build all of the AxsPoint/Cool reports utilized to track Force Placed and REO information on the CCS & PAC systems. The tracker then places the information on Clientsource for the servicer to view.
These systems are all web-based, because while the banksters do practice "honor amongst thieves," each individual banks still likes to hide a certain level of information from each other to allow the possibility of stealing from each other while stealing from you. Web-based systems allow them to control the information visible to each other.
The LPS System
© 2010-19 FORECLOSURE FRAUD | by DinSFLA. All rights reserved.


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You are currently browsing the tag archive for the 'spaghetti' tag.
Bye, bye, Year 2009. You have brought us many changes, moments of overwhelming joy … and sheer terror. (Remember the Mashed Rutabaga with Cauliflower?) I have discovered my pyromaniacal tendencies and started to play with fire in the kitchen on a regular basis. Knives excite me just as much. Bring it on, Angelina! Who knew? All that led to turning our house into a science lab of food making. There have been plenty of experiments (steaks from a toaster oven is just one example), and so far Jason hasn't complained.
We have serious reason to be concerned about the future of our kids on this planet (Koyaanisqatsi), but there's still hope with the growing trend of getting fresh produce from local farmers (Feeling Peachy) and turning to alternative energy sources. We can get healthier with every bite of real food we put in our mouths and what we feed to our offspring. Preparing hearty meals with a variety of vegetables is not that difficult, and never boring. Every time I look at the photos of the Butternut Squash Risotto I made for dinner one night, or my Brussels sprouts on a Bed of Quinoa with a layer of Caramelized Onions, I experience such intense drooling that Jason is inclined to run for a stack of towels to cover the floor around me.
Do you want to hear about the best part? I lost about 15 lbs over the last year WITHOUT DEPRIVING myself of any food. There's no diet plan, no counting calories, NO STRESS! Sometimes I may overindulge a tad, but who wouldn't when served those scrumptious Veggie Balls over a bowl of Spaghetti Marinara? Duh! I eat whatever the hell I am in the mood for, and whenever my tummy screams HUNGRY. I hate fast foods with a passion. I avoid processed food products like the plague. However, I am on good terms with a bit of butter here and there. Cream poses no threat to me either. There are no sweets lying around the house, but it doesn't mean I won't occasionally get in the car and drive to the bakery for a piece of crunchy pastry when the craving strikes.
What I wish for myself, and for every single one of you, in 2010 is to live more in balance with Nature, stress less, laugh louder, breath lighter, and to age slower. Also, let's not forget to bring the inner monkey out to play more often.
May all of us see a major shift in the collective consciousness and finally learn how to live symbiotically with Mother Earth so our kids and future generations get to experience the joy and innocence we were granted when growing up.
Thank you for being a part of my 2009. I hope we'll be able to share and interact more in the upcoming year, and beyond.


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David F Turner
Booked Dated: 12/2/2019 12:45:00 AM
Booked Age: 34
Arresting Agency: Hamilton County
Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)
Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)
*The information presented here as a public service is gathered from open county sheriff's web sites in the Chattanooga area. The booking mug shots and related information are from arrest records in the order and at the time the data was collected. The people shown on this page have not been convicted of these crimes and should be presumed innocent until proven guilty. If charges are dismissed or reduced or the accused is found not guilty, people listed here can contact the Times Free Press at email@example.com and provide us with documentation. Your name and mug shot then will be removed from this site in 3-5 business days. Booking info is since 09/01/2010.


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January 2019
January 2019
Raffle Prizes
2nd Class stamps
A4 Card
A4 White Paper
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Sascha Kindred, OBE
The Hemiplegia Group
A signed postcard for the kids... and the staff too!
Jasmine up to her usual tricks
Sascha and Ruby
Sascha, Ruby and Jasmine
MBH Express
Term Dates 2019/2020
Click here for more Diary Dates
Patrons: Jo Brand Lady Foley Professor Tamar Thompson OBE Sascha Kindred OBE Ian Whybrow Bill Wiggin MP Colin Blunstone Linda TolchardMegan Baker House, Moreton Eye, Leominster, Herefordshire HR6 0DP Tel: 01568 616179 Charity No. 1141827 Company No. 06052737Scottish charity commission number: SC041763
Copyright © 2006 - 2020 "Megan Baker House" Privacy Policy Terms and Conditions Website design and development by Orphans Press


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Are you in the United States?
Visit our U.S.A. & International site for relevant pricing, distribution and product availability information.Go to StarTech.com
DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter - 4K
Connect your 4K HDMI display to a DP video source using this compact, passive adapter
Product ID: DP2HD4KADAP
- Astonishing picture quality four times the resolution of 1080p with support for 4K
- Maximum portability with a small footprint and lightweight design
- Hassle-free setup with plug-and-play installation
This DisplayPort™ to HDMI® adapter supports 4K video resolution, enabling you to connect DisplayPort devices, such as an Ultrabook™ or desktop computer, to a 4K HDMI display or projector.
Astonishing 4K picture quality
You will be amazed at how this adapter flawlessly manages your graphics-intensive content. With support for resolutions up to 4K - four times the resolution of high-definition 1080p - its lossless performance makes the adapter the ideal solution for high-resource applications such as graphic design, CAD & CAM design, or health care imaging (MRI, radiology diagnostics, etc.).
Plus, the 4K adapter supports 1080p displays, which makes it a great accessory for home, office or other workspace applications.
Arrive prepared, wherever you go
This DP to HDMI adapter is extremely portable, with a lightweight, small-footprint design. It's the perfect accessory to carry with your Ultrabook, fitting easily into your laptop bag or carrying case. Its ultra-portable design makes the adapter ideal for BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) applications at the office, and enables you to arrive prepared when you're presenting to a potential client, teaching off-site, or traveling to meet with a customer.
The DP2HD4KADAP is backed by a 3-year StarTech.com warranty and free lifetime technical support.
- Connect your 4K HDMI display to a DisplayPort output port
- Carry with your laptop for BYOD office applications
- Use an HDMI display as a secondary monitor for your DisplayPort computer
Product Numbers
SYNNEX Japan
UPC Code
Technical Specifications
|Warranty Information
|3 Years
|Active or Passive Adapter
|Adapter Style
|AV Input
|DisplayPort - 1.2
|AV Output
|Industry Standards
|DPCP (DisplayPort Content Protection)
HDCP (High Definition Content Protection)
DisplayPort 1.2
|Audio Specifications
|HDMI - 7.1 Channel Audio
|Maximum Cable Distance To Display
|49.9 ft [15.2 m]
|Maximum Digital Resolutions
|3840x2160 30Hz (4K)
|1,482,115 hours
|Supported Resolutions
|3840x2160 30Hz (4K)
1920x1080 60Hz (1080p)
1280x720 (720p)
|Wide Screen Supported
|Connector A
|1 - DisplayPort (20 pin) Male Input
|Connector B
|1 - HDMI (19 pin) Female Output
|Special Notes / Requirements
|System and Cable Requirements
|DP++ port (DisplayPort ++) required on video card or video source (DVI and HDMI pass-through must be supported)
|Operating Temperature
|0°C to 60°C (32°F to 140°F)
|Storage Temperature
|-10°C to 70°C (14°F to 158°F)
|Physical Characteristics
|Product Height
|0.4 in [1.1 cm]
|Product Length
|2.5 in [64 mm]
|Product Width
|0.8 in [21 mm]
|Weight of Product
|0.3 oz [7.5 g]
|Packaging Information
|Package Height
|1 in [26 mm]
|Package Length
|5.7 in [14.5 cm]
|Package Width
|3.9 in [98 mm]
|Shipping (Package) Weight
|1.3 oz [36 g]
|What's in the Box
|Included in Package
|1 - DisplayPort to HDMI adapter
Related Products
DisplayPort to HDMI 4K Audio / Video Converter – DP 1.2 to HDMI Active Adapter for Desktop / Laptop Computers – 4K @ 30 Hz
Connect an HDMI monitor to a DisplayPort video source
Product Support
Data Sheets
Frequently Asked Questions
Before You Buy
Unfortunately no, this device has an intended source and an intended destination. Refer to the title of the webpage for this order.
When you convert video from a source that uses DisplayPort or Mini DisplayPort to DVI or HDMI (for example, a computer to a monitor), you will need to consider the difference between passive and active adapters.
If the source supports dual-mode DisplayPort (also known as DP++), then you can use a passive adapter because the source can perform the conversion. If the source does not support DP++, then you need to use an active converter, which includes additional chips to perform the conversion.
Thunderbolt ports support DP++ natively. To run multiple monitors from the same computer, refer to the Active Adapters section below.
Passive Adapters
Passive adapters are less expensive since they do not need to include additional chips. A quick way to check whether you can use a passive adapter is to see if the DisplayPort or Mini DisplayPort source has the DP++ symbol above it. The symbol is a D with a P inside of it, with two + signs to the left, one on top of the other.
Active Adapters
Active adapters use additional chips to make the conversion inside the adapter, regardless of whether the source supports DP++. This means that active adapters are more expensive than passive adapters.
If you want to use multiple monitors with the same computer, you should use an active adapter because some video cards cannot run the maximum number of monitors while using DP++. This is especially true if the computer has more than one DisplayPort or Mini DisplayPort connection. Check with your video card manufacturer to confirm which type of adapter you need for the setup that you would like to run.
Note: You should use passive adapters with StarTech.com MST hubs, except when you are converting from DisplayPort to VGA, since that type of conversion requires active adapters. For more information on using adapters with StarTech.com MST hubs, refer to the following FAQ: http://www.startech.com/faq/mst_hubs_passive_vs_active_adapters.
Surface Dock
If you experience issues when you connect passive video signal adapters to the Surface Dock, Microsoft recommends that you use active video signal converters instead. StarTech.com offers an active video signal converter for DVI monitors (MDP2DVIS) and for HDMI monitors (MDP2HD4KS).
Note: This issue does not apply to the Surface Pro 3 Docking Station.
How to
To arrange extended displays on Windows 10, complete the following.
- Press the Windows key+R, type desk.cpl, and press Enter.
- Under the 'Multiple Displays' selection, select 'Extend Desktop To This Display.'
- Press 'Identify' to determine what number each display is assigned to.
- Drag and drop each display accordingly to the physical layout on your desk.
- Click the Apply button.
To arrange extended displays on macOS, complete the following.
- Navigate to the Apple Menu > System Preferences, click Displays, then click Arrangement.
- Make sure that the 'Mirror Displays' checkbox is not selected.
- Click on each display to determine what number each display is assigned to.
- Drag and drop each display accordingly to the physical layout on your desk.
Check that the device is not being used in reverse.
The display does not support the resolution set within Display Settings. Adjust the resolution to be the exact resolution and refresh rate recommended by the display manufacturer.
If a DisplayPort converter with audio is not passing sound from the source to the destination, complete the following:
- Make sure that the DisplayPort connection on the video card is the default audio playback device.
- Make sure that the video card has the DisplayPort audio codec installed. If not, visit the video card manufacturer's website to find out how to update the video card driver.
Common Issues
Using the On-Screen Display menu for the display, enter the Menu system and go into "Picture Mode" then "Aspect ratio" and change from "16:9" to "Just scan" or "1:1 pixel mapping." The wording may vary depending on the manufacturer of the display.
Compliance and Safety
Compliance Letters
Safety Measures
- If product has an exposed circuit board, do not touch the product under power.
- If Class 1 Laser Product. Laser radiation is present when the system is open.
- Wiring terminations should not be made with the product and/or electric lines under power.
- Product installation and/or mounting should be completed by a certified professional as per the local safety and building code guidelines.
- Cables (including power and charging cables) should be placed and routed to avoid creating electric, tripping or safety hazards.
* Product appearance and specifications are subject to change without notice.


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At the beginning of this year, HOT BODIES - TV invited a number of woodworking and motor vehicle mechanics students from the Saint Joseph Institute in Etterbeek. Gérald Kurdian joined forces with the Kunstenfestivaldesarts for this project. The group is now presenting a utopian fanzine as a conclusion of the collaboration.
Podcast for Introverts is a one-woman performance, a poetic guide to living in this media-saturated world. Esther Mugambi and Marloeke van der Vlugt invite you into the process of creating their podcast – an ironic self-help manual. Especially for WoWmen!, they aremaking a new episode: How to be fluid. they explore shifting gender identities, watery landscapes and the search for a suitable pronoun for individual and collective stories.
Why is it important to cast a spotlight on the marginalized history of feminism in Romania and Eastern Europe? And what might this mean for our collective, historical consciousness? With a collage of feminist voices, artistic gestures, historical avant-garde, and traditional songs, Eszter Salamon focuses on Romanian histories.
In her new creation, Mette Edvardsen explores interfaces with opera, flanked by composer and performer Matteo Fargion. Together, they deconstruct the mythological figure of Penelope, the woman who spent years waiting for her husband Odysseus. But her apparent passivity conceals tremendous power. Be whisked away to this intimate, minimalist dream world, where new relationships are forged between women, the world, and the other.
Bryana Fritz takes the position of an amateur hagiographer. In four different portraits, she makes a performative collage based on female medieval saints and the modes by which they subverted their enclosed and restricted lives, deaths and passions. Submitting her physical and digital body to holy echoes from the past, she dissects and harnesses the tools that give body.
SAFE begins as a concert and then evolves into a sophisticated audio play. Based on Todd Haynes' film Safe (1995) – in which a woman suffers increasingly intense allergic reactions – Ictus and Julie Pfleiderer sketch a picture of contemporary hypersensitivity. Join an immersive journey that will stimulate all your senses!
Trials of Money turns the theatre into a court of justice which does not yet exist. You're invited to take part in the Special Tribunal for Semi-Human Persons in order to undertake the trial of the thing called 'money'. The trial is conducted as a collective exercise: while the performers deliver their testimonies, they will respond to any question the audience has. Should money be found guilty, it leaves us with a very problematic question: what could be a just sentence?
Folkah! was born of the desire to bring two female artists around an ancestral dance from the Sahara: the Guedra. Meryem Jazouli is teaming up with her co-founder of the dance centre Espace Darja and with the renowned composer, producer and jazz singer Malika Zarra.
Plants, cups, books, chairs, lamps – these were the possessions bankers rescued from their Wall Street offices after the stock market crash. They are now the basis for a duet that questions the connection between object, art market, and crisis. Youness Atbane and Youness Aboulakoul explore the logic of language, movement and images.
Meg Stuart and visual artist Jompet Kuswidananto embark on a journey of artistic investigation through collective memories and implanted fictional traumas. Imaginary and invisible spaces – and the voices that make them resonate – are one of the starting points of an adventurous leap into unknown territories.
In this mini festival – conceived especially for the empty Kaaitheater hall – music resonates with a series of different disciplines. This time, they will start from the proposition that music is not just sound. Ictus is bringing together sound poetry, spoken word and modal music at the intersection of melody and rhythm.
A sudden and uannounced event can change the colour of whatever went before. unannounced – a performance for six dancers – plays with the way your focus shifts when a sudden apparition suddenly changes your perspective. The creators zoom in on the deep dark shades of the black box to look beyond the surface of the here and now. The anticipation of what is to come echoes the afterglow of the past.
How do we envision the art spaces of tomorrow? How can we reshape these meeting places and laboratories for coexistence? The artists of Damaged Goods set up camp in a former factory in Molenbeek – housing the Decoratelier of scenographer Jozef Wouters – to formulate some physical answers to these questions.
How should we deal with the universal human urge to be part of a greater whole? In a stylized, atomic universe, Frank&Robbert discover the laws of duality, beauty, and magnetism.
In this performance/cookery workshop, Feiko Beckers teaches you some cooking techniques using faulty instructions and impractical utensils. You can be sure that the result will be inedible, but in Feiko Beckers' world, failure is always a joy!
The visual artist Fabrice Samyn presents five of his seven Breath Pieces, which take breathing as their starting point. To the rhythm of the breathing, a number of different actions are performed that intensify your awareness of time, while attention is focused on all that is fundamental and uncontrollable about breathing. This show has been cancelled and rescheduled to season 2017-2018.
Especially for Performatik17, Grace Schwindt creates a performance for the theatre stage. She draws inspiration from Bernini's sculptural group Apollo and Daphne. Starting from the dynamic of this frozen scene, she creates a striking overall picture with music, song and acrobatics.
Syden means 'South' in all the Scandinavian languages. It evokes a Southern holiday destination: warm, cheap and with every amenity. The musician and composer Niko Hafkenscheid, the visual artist Hedvig Biong and the film-maker Pablo Castilla explore the mystery, authenticity and perversity of this parallel universe.
Mount Tackle is a movement in three parts for young and old: a 60 minute trajectory, some dance, and an open end. You can leave after one hour or stay. Relax, take the time and distance you need. Maybe walk around, scan and discover or just hang out.
During an improvised encounter, Meg Stuart and Tim Etchells negotiate, renegotiate and explore the themes and methodologies that characterize each other's work: from presence and absence, need and loss, to fragmentary storylines.


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4 ft. x 4 ft. Black Shorty Grow Tent with 9 in. Extension Kit
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J.J. Abrams taking the helm of the Starship Enterprise doesn't exactly qualify as news, it's more like a dispatch from the Forgone Conclusion Desk. Still, it's comforting to know that it's official.
Abrams, and "Star Trek" scribes Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, are finally ready to get down to business, with pre-production already underway, and a script said to be done by the end of the month, reported Vulture.
It seems to silly to say about a man as respected/loved as Abrams, but the guy's been on something of a roll, with "Star Trek" and "Super 8" standing as two of the better popcorn films of recent vintage, and he's serving as producer on two of this fall TV season's more intriguing shows, "Person of Interest" and "Alcatraz." We're never to speak of "Undercovers" again.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
Abrams involvement was never really in doubt, but all parties were waiting until Kurtzman had put the finishing touches his directorial debut, "Welcome to People," starring Chris "Capt. Kirk" Pine as a man who must deliver a $150,000 inheritance to a sister he's never met, played by Elizabeth Banks.


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According to the chinese calendar today starts the year of the (water) snake. And since last year's paper toy dragon was quite popular, I created a paper toy snake for this year! :-)
There are four different colors plus one blank version to color yourself. The special thing is: if you print page 2 multiple times you can make the snake as long as you like! :-D
Get the FREE templates on my blog.
Have fun and good luck for the year of the snake!
Views: 404
very nice one!!!
Thank you, SalAzad!
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Petite red plaid heart button, a fun trim!
Cute Carrot for any Snowman's or Bunny's Nose or Garden designs you stitch!
A grinning Black Cat's Face Button to add some extra FUN to your Halloweenie Embroidery and Quilting designs.
A tiny Mitten Button to add to Snowmen or Santa Designs.
A Bunny Button
A Red and White Checkered Heart Button
A cute little pup- face of a button. Size is .75" x .80"
A "baaatiful" button of an adorable sheep! Size is 1" x .75"
An adorable kitty button with Pink Ears
A Butterfly Button
As cute as a pig can get... a really sweet pink piggy face button. It just says "oink"!
A jolly orange Pumpkin Button to add some extra FUN to your Halloweenie Embroidery and Quilting designs.
A Bird Button
Adorable Gold Hammered Charms - Pack of 4 1/4" W x 1/2" H
"Made with Love" Silver Metal Heart Charms (Pack of 4)
7 mm x 7 mm
8 Red Petite (1/2") Buttons with "Stitching" Around the Edges.
12 Vintage-look Wooden Buttons (approx. 3/4") Random Assorted designs.
8 Red Petite (1/2") Star Buttons.
A single Snowflake button to create a whole snow flurry to Embroidery and Quilting designs.
Set of 4 Fimo Buttons for Snow Happy Book's projects or for ANY Winter Design!
8 Petite Blue (1/2") Buttons with "Stitching" Around the Edges.
A fat little Snowman Button complete with Carrot Nose for Winter and Holiday designs.
Very Tiny Red Heart Buttons - just 1/4" wide!
A bright FIMO bee button to add charm to your designs.
15 Wonderful Buttons to Spark your Snowman & Reindeer Quilt.
Colorful small glass ladybug beads for your needlework.
Red glass beads to add sparkle to your design.
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Pounds Sterling to Swiss Francs
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Britain's judiciary says that a 21-year-old sentenced last week for hacking into a U.S.-based Facebook account accessed the page belonging to teen actress Selena Gomez, who is the girlfriend of pop idol Justin Bieber.
"You are clever with a computer, and you hacked into the private part of somebody's Facebook account — that somebody was a singer, a celebrity called Selena Gomez," the sentencing judge told the defendant, The Telegraph reported.
Gareth Crosskey was jailed for 12 months Wednesday after pleading guilty to crimes under Britain's Computer Misuse Act. His victim wasn't identified at the time, but The Sun newspaper named her as Gomez.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
The tabloid said Crosskey posted the words "Justin Bieber sucks" to her Facebook page, prompting a torrent of abuse from the Canadian singer's fans. It also said Crosskey claimed to have intercepted messages between the pair.
The Telegraph reported that Judge John Price explained that the defendant had posed as Gomez's stepfather and manager in order to get her Facebook password.
Britain's Judicial Official on Tuesday confirmed that The Sun's story was accurate.
Gomez's U.S.-based representatives did not immediately return emails.


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Great Home Buying and Mortgage Advice From Around the Web
A weekly look at personal finance tips and insights others are offering.
My family and I moved to a new home the weekend before Thanksgiving. The entire process -- from the time we made an offer in September to the actual move (which took three days) a little more than a week ago -- was so stressful that I've decided that I never want to move again. Never.
DOWNLOAD: The Kip Tips iPad App
There's a good chance I'll stick to that decision. Having lived in two other houses, my husband and I now know what we really want in a home. The house we moved to suits our needs -- and our budget. I'm just ready for everything to be unpacked and in order so that I can relax and enjoy my new home.
In light of my recent move, I gathered advice from around the Web on home buying (and selling), mortgages, refinancing and more.
Buy a Home You Can Afford With the Mortgage Suitcase Trick [Wise Bread] "Every time you think about adding another feature or upgrade during your home buying decision, ask yourself if you really want to lug around the cost of that feature for the next 15-30 years."
Is Now a Good Time to Refinance Your Mortgage or Buy a New House? [LearnBonds] "We can give you a framework to think about mortgage rates and the likelihood of rates moving higher or lower."
Is Recasting a Mortgage Loan a Better Option Than Refinancing? [Money Crashers] "The process could save you money in two ways: by reducing your monthly mortgage payment, and by allowing you to avoid the cost to refinance."
A Smart Way to Play Interior Designer When Moving [Frugal Rules] "Making a house into a home can be quite the pricey task, especially when moving into a new place."
4 Steps to Take When You Realize That OMG! I Need to Sell My House [Len Penzo dot Com] "Whatever the catalyst may be, when you need to sell your home quickly do these four things."


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Poor Tom Hardy is one of those actors who not only gives his heart and soul into a performance, he also gives up most of body.
So you can imagine his happiness when shooting some of the calmer early scenes of "Inception" after taking real abuse in his fight movie "Warrior." The peace didn't last long.
"I had just come off a cage fighting film and had been pretty badly beaten up with broken toes and a rib," Hardy says of his "Inception" experience.
"It was nice to wear nice suits and a tan," he adds. "The pleasure was [that] there wasn't much action."
But you are dealing with a dream extractor, and these things tend to get crazy. So that peace and quiet came to an end faster than you can say suppressed subconscious thought. By the end of the shoot, Hardy was on a mountain in Calgary being pulled by a speeding snowmobile, on skis.
"I was introduced to a pair of skis for the first time and they tied me to the back of a skidoo which was inspiration to get the shot as quickly as possible," he says. "And they put me at the top of a mountain and then down it. And gave me claymores and a rifle."
Just another day at the office for Hardy.
"So it was back to business, which was a shame."
Not like he's going to get any rest. Hardy's next project is a remake of "Mad Max."


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( [I]See the bottom of the message for the 'Suggestion' part .[/I] )
Not all the experiments arise from the scratch every time )
– sometimes (and very often) one may have a serious need to do a set of routine changes in his or her previous experiments;
for example, one may look at shafi's post in
http://community.cedrus.com/showthread.php?t=45 , [0]
at bgon's post at
http://community.cedrus.com/showthread.php?t=57 , [1]
and at WSHorton's post at
http://community.cedrus.com/showthread.php?t=199 . [2]
Last but not least ),
I can also report that we have tens of old experiments,
having tens of 'events' stimuli in each, tens of "trials" and tens of blocks also .
( Making a brief note, I should say that using stimulus lists is not an option due to some technical reasons like lack of control )
I was told that making a set of simple uniform changes in all of them via the straightforward "click-and-edit" way took like one month of human time ,
though this amount can be slightly overestimated .
As it can be easily seen from [0] – [2] and
http://community.cedrus.com/archive/index.php/t-130.html [3] ,
Superlab users seem to have expected to be able to do such a "mass change" operation on experiment files .
Cedrus seem to admit that this feature is one of the most demanded
( [1], Hisham's answer ) , promising to implement sort of a solution in the upcoming intermediate SuperLab 4.5 release, but there is obviously not enough time to implement that yet:
http://community.cedrus.com/showthread.php?t=106 [4],
Hisham's answer in [2], and the FAQ link
http://www.cedrus.com/support/superlab/tn1501_faq.htm [5] ,
stating that the 4.5 version release date is estimated to be the Fall of 2007 .
At the moment I am writing this,
there is no evidence of version 4.5 in the list of the new updates
( http://community.cedrus.com/forumdisplay.php?f=13 ),
the 4.0.5 version release info also does not have any notifications about the new features from the "top demand" list
( http://community.cedrus.com/showthread.php?t=316 )
So the only solution to deal with "old" SuperLab 4.* files that is available at the moment is the Greg Shenaut's 'sl4util' [4] (manages only stimulus lists): officially unsupported by Cedrus ( see the Hisham's reply ) but sort of recommended to use (see [3] ) .
Before writing sl4util, Greg has also proposed to open the .sl4 data format (as an option, see [0] ), but at that moment this proposal was not accepted.
From the other hand, it looks like Greg's attempts to hack the SuperLab data format were encouraged by the Cedrus team ( [4] ) .
The Suggestion
Is obviously to open the .sl4 experiment file format: from the one hand, I personally can not imagine how the one can be used to run an experiment without the SuperLab software; from the other hand, we see (see the above links) that Cedrus obviously lacks the time to develop a solution for the "mass editing" problem, while the users (who can concentrate on their own needs) can sometimes do that surprisingly quickly (see Greg's report where he says it took like one weekend for him to make some significant progress even having no experiment file format description).
I do not call Cedrus to make any "stated in the stone" statements -- let it be something "unsupported" and "subject to change" -- basically, I personally just don't want to waste time hacking a thing that can be simply (and harmlessly) documented .
Actually, if there is a significant lack of time ( so it is hard to devote it to the .sl4 file format description), I might even suggest to open the code of the .sl4 file saving procedure (well, in the case if there are no solutions one will want to keep undisclosed).
Anyway, thanks for reading this,
PS. I'd like to say that the program itself is very nice designed, and, what impressed me even more – the support on the forum looks to have an immediate reaction .
This looks to be very positively accepted by the users, so I wish to Cedrus to go in a more intensive collaboration with them .


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Latina Magazine celebrated the "Hollywood Hot List" at Redbury Hotel in Hollywood, CA on October 3, 2013.
The "Hollywood Hot List" includes superstars Jennifer Lopez, Eva Longoria, Shakira and Demi Lovato, behind-the-scenes geniuses Guillermo Del Toro (Pacific Rim) and Cynthia Cidre (TNT's Dallas), the next wave of stars Aubrey Plaza (The To Do List), Dashca Polanco (Netflix's Orange is the New Black) and Natalie Martinez (CBS's Under the Dome), and TV queens Roselyn Sanchez, Edy Ganem, Ana Ortiz, Dania Ramirez, Judy Reyes (Lifetime's Devious Maids).
The twenty-six-year-old "Glee" star Naya Rivera, who plays Santana on the Fox show graces the cover of LATINA's October issue. Rivera wore her diamond engagement ring to LATINA Magazine's Hollywood Hot List. She and hip-hop star, Big Sean are engaged, the actress' spokesperson confirmed the news –Congrads to the newly engaged couple!
Some of the celebrity guests were Jennifer Lopez's beau Casper Smart, Carissa Rosario, Alexi Carra, Ana Ortiz, Becky G, Mayra Veronica, and Bella Thorne. The guests were treated to sushi from Hollywood hot spot Katsuya and makeovers in the CoverGirl suite by makeup artist Jackie Gomez.
Click play to watch the video below.
To keep up with Marina BerBeryan's style visit LA Fashion Judge online and follow…
Facebook: Marina-Celebrity Fashion Stylist
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Google +: @MarinaBerBeryan
LinkedIn: @MarinaBerBeryan


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Pages: 1
Other than Greybird, I am yet to find a theme that looks right on Marlin and Synaptic. Some look ok on one or the other, but never both. Does anyone know of any other themes that out of the box will not make my desktop look like I'm running Sawfish? Bluebird is pretty close, and man I wish Blackbird worked as well as Greybird, if that's ever finished it will be my theme of choice.
The Bluebird and Albatross themes have been updated with some Gtk3 support on the Shimmer Project's GIT page.
While not at complete as Greybird currently is, they more than get the job done.
adding myself here, as I found the GTK2/GTK3 theming issue same as annoying as the situation years ago (when some apps already switched to GTK2 while others still remained at GTK1). So to ask:
- Any themes worth recommending that work well and look the same with both GTK2 and GTK3 applications?
- Is there an estimated timeframe on when XFCE might be moving towards GTK3?
It's not really a functional issue, it's just, well, about inconvenience seeing that choosing a visually appealing _and_ working theme is a bit annoying at the moment.
Thanks in advance,
I have a small but growing GTK2/GTK3 theme catalog available here. The GTK3 themes are based off of high contrast, so they don't match the look of the GTK2 themes exactly, but they color-match well and still look quite nice. When I get some more free time, I'm going to try to convert the GTK3 components to being based on something more conventional, like Adwaita. As long as I find the time, it shouldn't be too hard, because GTK3 is basically just CSS. But maybe those will be of interest.
oh, you want eXtremely Fast Computing? thats Easy ...
Pages: 1


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Best Buy Results Jolt Investors
Best Buy Co., releasing what it called "clearly unsatisfactory" results, said it sank into the red for the fiscal third quarter on a restructuring charge. Adjusted per-share earnings, stripping out that charge, plunged 94 percent.
Last month, the struggling retailer had warned that its adjusted earnings would be "significantly below" the prior-year period, but markets were still taken aback, and shares fell 13 percent in Tuesday morning trading, to a new 10-year low. Through Monday's close the stock had already dropped 49 percent in the past 12 months.


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Cosmas and Damian had attracted very much attention. It wasn't because they were hungry for renown and consideration. They were influential but they did not seek the power of influence. They were powerful but they did not seek to manipulate or dominate others. This had attracted the attention–negative attention, for sure–of Diocletian. Consequently, they were arrested as enemies of the Empire within the Roman province of Syria. Though there were many of the outcast and needy that would have jumped to their defense, they agreed to be seized by the hand of the Empire. They turned their bodies over to the Empire that outlawed their faith.
What had gathered the attention of the Empire had been the work that Cosmas and Damian became so famous for: healing. It must have started small–like all of God's great works–with kind words, prayers, and needy individuals. However, their ministry spread like wildfire as they provided life and healing to people desperate for something different than the sanitized Imperial security that provided no life. Being a follower of Jesus–the one who has the words of life–they offered what no other could: life more abundant. Soon, many others were coming to them for healing and hope. They provided both in abundance without asking for any compensation. For some, this was prohibitive–how could they not give something for the grace and mercy they were being offered? For some, this is still prohibitive–what do you mean I can't do anything to save myself? Cosmas and Damian became known as "silverless" or "unmercenary" because they offered the love and healing they received out of the love born in their hearts through their ongoing conversion. For this work, they were arrested. The World will not stand by and simply watch people offer life and healing when all it can offer is control and something that looks like life. So, it handles the "problem" however it needs to.
Cosmas and Damian were given ample opportunities to deny their faith and affirm the Empire. Having tasted of the waters of salvation and conversion, though, they were unable ever to return to a life of security and control. Instead, they continued to proclaim the Gospel that had gripped and transformed them regardless of what they wanted. They were tortured slowly so as to allow for a change of heart but the Empire failed to realize that their hearts had already begun to be changed by something greater than anything they could promise or threaten. They were hung on crosses to cast fear and humiliation into their hearts but they only found themselves reminded of the love of their Savior who had died for them while they were yet sinners. Stones were cast at them to cause such pain as to make them hate and seek vengeance but they only found themselves reminded of the conversion of Saul who stoned Christians before being converted. Arrows were shot into their bodies to punish them for their faith but they remained steadfast in the face of pain because of a life more vibrant and real within them. Finally, they were beheaded because the Empire could no longer stand to look upon the products of conversion and know it could not produce the same with power, control, domination, and hatred.
from Blogger http://ift.tt/2xIpOJf


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In a move overdue since FaceTime over cellular launched in September, AT&T is finally letting most of its customers actually freaking use it. In a blog post, AT&T says it has extensively tested the feature and that it will be enabled to all customers on tiered data plans at no additional cost.
Previously, FaceTime was only available over cellular to customers with LTE or Mobile Share plans. The only people who get the shaft now are those with grandfathered unlimited plans. The company says the update will roll out automatically in the coming weeks. [AT&T]


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Zeiss Distagon T* 35mm f1.4 ZF.2 (Nikon)
Details matter. In fact, it is usually one decisive detail that generates a specific mood, emotion or expression in an image. As a photographer, you know how to draw focus to single elements and use depth of field to make details shine. And you know how to use them for maximum effect - with the Distagon T* 1,4/35.


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Google and Dish to Partner on Wireless Service
Despite owning the most popular operating system for mobile devices, Google appears to want a stronger presence in the smartphone race, as a new report claims that the Internet giant and satellite-TV provider Dish Network are in talks to partner on a new wireless service that could potentially challenge some of the nation?s largest networks.
First reported by the Wall Street Journal, the talks were apparently in the preliminary stage and could amount to nothing after all. However, a new report from 9to5Google helps confirm that plans for the service are well underway, with one source citing that the network could go live by mid to late 2013.
While the details haven?t been finalized, Google is supposedly planning to make the service data only, with VoIP services, such as Google Voice, to be used for voice and SMS. Being able to provide high-speed Internet access on mobile devices could result in increased ad revenue for Google, with its search engine and other online services available on faster networks.
The company has already moved into the wired Internet division with the recent launch of an experimental fiber optic network in Kansas City, KS, which Google aims to expand to the rest of the country in the future.
The news doesn?t come as much of a surprise considering Dish has been looking to build a cellular network with the wireless spectrum it has acquired since 2008. The company has said on numerous occasions that it is looking for a partner to help with this endeavor.
Though Dish Chairman Charlie Ergen has not commented on Google as a potential partner specifically, he has said that possible collaborators include companies that strive to be in the industry, but don?t currently have a wireless sector. Google would be a good choice for Dish, as the Mountain View, Calif., company easily has the means to build a nationwide network and perhaps turn its loyal users into subscribers.
By the same token, Google could benefit immensely from the joint venture by gaining some control of the wireless spectrum and ensuring the availability of services, such as Google Wallet, which is currently blocked by AT&T and Verizon, on its network.
With plans allegedly in progress, it will be interesting to watch what happens next.


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With the release of a new expansion there is always the question of the best places to get your character geared up and ready for more exciting content. So let's do a run down of the best gear to try to acquire before hopping into those raids. While there are tons of great item level 333 pieces of gear available from quests, I will skip over most of those but try to touch on the most important ones.
Reputation Loot
The new factions in Cataclysm provide a great starting point to start getting gear as you raise your reputation with them, either through questing or wearing their tabard while running level 85 instances or heroics.
The wonderful camel people in Uldum have a couple necessary upgrades for us, some that will probably last for a long time.
Arcanum of the Ramkahen – This is the Hunter's head enchant in Cataclysm, and if Wrath of the Lich King methodology stays in place, this will be the only head enchant for most if not all of Cataclysm. You only need Revered to get this bad boy.
Of course there are the sweet camels once you hit exalted, but let's face it, they don't increase our DPS. Only our ability to make Indiana Jones jokes.
Therazane down in Deepholm have another required item for proper gearing. Just like the beloved Sons of Hodir, Therazane has the enchants for all your shoulder item needs.
Lesser Inscription of the Shattered Crystal – The lesser version only requires honored which is super easy to get.
Greater Inscription of the Shattered Crystal – And the Exalted one.
Terrath's Signet of Balance – If you finish your rep grind and find yourself in need of a ring, although Mastery is not fantastic, you can grab this.
The Earthen Ring
The water-loving folks currently occupying Vash'jir have a couple pieces for us to pick up.
Signet of the Elder Council – This fine ring is available at Exalted with the Earthen folks and will be solid even with the mastery.
Softwind Cape – At the low cost of Revered with the Earthen Ring you can grab this amazingly strong cloak. No mastery, hit rating and haste. You will probably be able to hold on to this guy until you replace it with something that doesn't have hit once you are capped.
Mantle of Moss – To round out a strong trio of items, the Earthen Ring also offer us this great pair of shoulders highlighting critical strike rating and haste.
Guardians of Hyjal
If you chose to head to the lore-rich Hyjal as you started your new leveling process you no doubt acquired a vast amount of reputation with these guys. Luckily it pays off in the long run.
Treads of Malorne – A decent pair of boots highlighted by yellow socket with decent bonus. Feel free to reforge some of that Mastery away (until it gets buffed or something)
Acorn of the Daughter Tree – Acquired after reaching Revered. (Thanks to Steve in the comments, I missed this one)
Dragonmaw/Wildhammer Clans
The dueling factions in the Twilight Highlands have as much offer us as Hunters as the Guardians do.
Snarling Helm/Windhome Helm – Pick up this bad boy for your meta socket and no useless stats. Although until it gets patched, our meta requirements suck.
Hellscream's Reach/Baradin Wardens
Hellscream's Reach and the Alliance version in the form of Baradin Warden's are different than the previous factions as their tabard isn't a rep tabard, but rather a portal. Reputation with these two groups is acquired through doing Tol Barad dailies and acquiring commendations that are used as currency. There are a few notable items to mention from them. Don't feel bad if you ignore the weird items like the trinket that summons a grunt or the searchlight.
Sky Piercer – You can pick up this ranged weapon after reaching Revered with a smooth 85 tokens.
Ravening Slicer – If dual wielding is more your style, you can grab a pair of these axes for 85 tokens each, also after reaching revered.
Unsolvable Riddle – You can grab this bad boy for 125 tokens after hitting Exalted.
Spear of Trailing Shadows – 85 Tokens from your respective faction vendor.
Dungeon Loot and Justice Points
With all this reputation grinding and tabard wearing that is going on, surely there is other loot to acquire long the way! Well of course there is!
Chest Slot
Wentletrap Vest (Heroic) – Interestingly enough, this is the only chest piece that actually drops inside a dungeon for us. You can acquire this after fighting off the final boss encounter in the Throne of the Tides
Vest of the True Companion (2,200 Justice Points) – You can buy this piece for Justice Points from your appropriate vendor.
Dragonkiller Tunic (Crafted) – This epic piece is also courtesy of your local leatherworker, so seek them out if you want it crafted. The materials are sure to run a pretty copper however.
Luckily covering our feet with a great pair of boots is easier than finding chest armor.
Red Scale Boots (Regular) / Red Scale Boots (Heroic) – You can find these boots off of Dragha Shadowburner inside Grim Batol on both regular and heroic versions.
Haunting Footfalls (Heroic) – Take out Commander Springvale in Shadowfang Keep for a pair of these boots.
Boots of Crumbling Ruin (Heroic) – Located off of Anraphet, you will have to venture into the Halls of Origination to acquire these.
Getting a great pair of gloves shouldn't be a problem for Hunters either.
Traitor's Grips (Heroic) – You can snag these off of Baron Ashbury in heroic Shadowfang Keep.
Wrasse Handwraps (Heroic) – Avoid typhoons and water spouts and take out the first boss in Throne of the Tides to have a shot at these.
Gloves of the Passing Night (1,650 Justice Points) – You can buy this piece for Justice Points from your appropriate vendor.
Renouncer's Cowl (Heroic) – This helm drops off the 2nd boss in Blackrock Caverns.
Willow Mask (2,200 Justice Points) – You can buy this piece for Justice Points from your appropriate vendor.
Worgen Hunter's Helm (Heroic) – Pick up this shiny bad boy off the final boss in Shadowfang Keep. Bonus points if you are a Worgen Hunter.
Balkar's Waders (Heroic) – Pick these up off of the 2nd boss in the Lost City of the Tol'vir.
Hillside Striders (2,200 Justice Points) – You can buy this piece for Justice Points from your appropriate vendor.
Bloodpetal Mantle (Heroic) – Pick these off of Ammunae, one of the final bosses in the Halls of Origination.
Wrap of the Valley Glades (1,650 Justice Points) – You can buy this piece for Justice Points from your appropriate vendor.
Hail-String Belt (Heroic) – Pick up this pants-holder-upper from the 2nd boss in The Vortex Pinnacle.
Belt of the Dim Forest (1,650 Justice Points) – You can buy this piece for Justice Points from your appropriate vendor.
Corded Viper Belt (Crafted) – Find your local leatherworker to craft this bad boy.
Bracers of Some Consequence (Heroic) – Pick these things off of the younger VanCleef in heroic Deadmines.
Elementium Scale Bracers (Heroic) – Grab these off of Ozruk, the 2nd to last boss in the Stonecore.
Ranged Weapons
Kickback 5000 (Crafted) – Call upon your local engineer to craft this fine gun for you.
Lightningflash (Heroic) – This fine weapon comes from the final boss in The Vortex Pinnacle.
Overpowered Chicken Splitter (Crafted) – If guns aren't your thing, your friendly engineer should be able to craft this for you too.
Amber Messenger (Heroic) – Find this fine arrow flinger off the final boss in Blackrock Caverns.
Nautilus Ring (Heroic) – Acquired from the final boss in the Throne of the Tides.
Ring of Blinding Stars (Heroic) – You can get this from Isiset in the Halls of Origination.
Ring of Dun Algaz (Heroic) – Forgemaster Throngus drops this ring, inside Grim Batol.
Skullcracker Ring (Heroic) – Crack Rom'ogg's skull in Blackrock Caverns for a shot at this ring.
Cape of the Brotherhood (Heroic) – "Captain" Cookie is holding this bad boy for ya.
Cloak of Thredd (Heroic) – If the Captain doesn't have your cloak, perhaps this one from Helix Gearbreaker will drop.
Kaleki Cloak (Heroic) – General Husam, the first boss in the Lost City, is holding this cloak.
Twitching Shadows (Heroic) – The final boss in Blackrock Caverns has this cape waiting for you to take!
Melee Weapons
There are plenty of melee weapons, but for the sake brevity, I will list the 2-handed weapons. But be aware that dual wielding combos still exist if you so choose.
Darkling Staff (Heroic) – Find this fine staff off of the final boss inside the Stonecore.
Elementium Polearm (Crafted) – This fantastic looking polearm can be acquired from being friends with a blacksmith.
Rockslicer (Heroic) – Admiral Ripsnarl in the Deadmines is carrying this fine weapon.
Seliza's Spear (Heroic) – General Husam, the first boss in Lost City also is carrying this fine weapon for you.
There are a vast number of trinkets available depending on the size of your pocketbook or your professions. Jewelcrafters, for example, get a fantastic trinket through a fairly common drop. But here are the highlights that you definitely want to keep an eye out for.
Grace of the Herald (Heroic) – The non-heroic of this trinket is fantastic too. Look for this to drop off of the second boss in Blackrock Caverns.
Skardyn's Grace (Heroic) – Apparently we are graceful. And this gracefully drops off of the first boss in Grim Batol.
Tia's Grace (Heroic) – Seriously, everything is graceful? Grab this trinket off Siamat inside the Lost City. There is a regular version too.
Key to the Endless Chamber (Heroic) – This trinket doesn't have Grace in the name, so who wants it? Just kidding, with its gobs of hit, it can easily help fix the hit cap problem. Comes in Heroic and Extra Decaff.
If you felt like I missed any crucial pieces of loot for the aspiring raider looking to acquire gear, leave a comment and definitely let me know!