text:
Weapons in Dynasty Warriors 7 and 8 behave in a different manner than previous iterations of the series. Like the Strikeforce titles, characters can simultaneously equip two weapons at once and can switch between them at will. Players can store weapons in their inventory and (in 7) switch the weapons they're using to change to another in reserve mid-battle.
A quick switch between the two weapons triggers a "Switch Attack". Depending on the weapon, the motions for the attack will vary. Switch Attacks are unblockable and provide invincibility frames when executed, but cannot be used to reverse out of hitstun unlike with Musou Attacks.
An "EX Attack" becomes available when a character is equipped with their personal weapon of choice (colloquially known as an "EX Weapon"). The method for inputting these attacks are shown to the player through the weapon's action listing in the game's pause menu. A simple way of spotting the EX Attack or a character's weapon of choice is by noting the letters "EX" with the weapon icon. When it's selected, the golden letters will notify the player. There is one "EX Attack" available per character (2 in Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends). EX Attacks however, are some of the few non-Musou-based Attacks that cannot be cancelled into Switch Attacks, and will reset the charging stage of any chargeable Switch Attacks upon their execution. In the said eighth installment, both EX Attacks and Switch Attacks are the only non-Musou Attacks to bypass affinities and will cause any units hit by them to flinch.
Even if characters have a preferred weapon of choice, however, the producer stresses that any weapon can be freely equipped for any character. A character's preferred weapon may not always be the best one for each character since it may not cover all of the character's weakspots. For an example, he compared Guan Yu and his trademark Green Dragon Crescent Blade. The weapon may cover a wide range but it's also slow and leaves Guan Yu open to attacks. To counter this, the producer suggested equipping Guan Yu with a speedier weapon type to make him more flexible. The weapon system strives to grant players the freedom to counteract these type of imbalanced traits at their own will and preferences.
Since the movesets themselves are ingrained with the weapon and not the character, all of the characters in this title will have similar movesets. This means anyone using a set of gauntlets, for example, will act in the same manner as Ding Feng or Meng Huo, the EX users of the weapon type. The known traits to separate EX users from the rest of the cast are their EX Attacks and specialized Musou attacks. Musou attack animations for all of the characters will display their EX weapon, regardless of whatever weapon they are currently using. The producer remarked that players can make any type of joke they want about how this is even possible. In the seventh title, gender plays a part with Greatswords and Chain Whips in deciding which characters can use them.
Unique weapon designs also exist in the seventh game. For instance, both Zhuge Liang and Sima Yi have feather fans as their weapon of choice, but their appearances in cutscenes differ from one another, whilst either fan is able to equipped when acquired. Wang Yuanji's throwing daggers for her downloadable costume will change their look but act the same. These "unique" effects are purely cosmetic.
Weapons can be earned by defeating enemy generals in battle or by purchasing them at a weapons store. Defeating playable officers may drop their weapon of choice. Some weapons may be exclusive for the player in one mode.
|EX User
|Introduced in Dynasty Warriors 7
|War Fan
|Twin Swords
|Double Voulge
|Great Sword
|Throwing Knives
|Chain and Sickle
|Shaman Rod
|Iron Fan
|Sword and Shield
|Flying Swords
|Zhong Hui
|Lu Bu
|Twin Axes
|Zhang Liao
|Deng Ai
|Twin Rods
|Taishi Ci
|Dian Wei
|Curved Sword
|Zhou Tai
|Zhang He
|Sun Ce
|Sun Shangxiang
|Chain Whip
|Bao Sanniang
|Arm Cannon
|Guo Huai
|Ma Dai
|Cai Wenji
|Dynasty Warriors 7 DLC
|Dagger Axe
|Yueying (Next)
|Dong Zhuo (Next)
|Short Pike
|Han Dang
|Pang De (Next)
|Great Axe
|Xu Huang (Next)
|Pugil Stick
|Daqiao (Empires)
|Spiked Shield
|Cao Ren (Empires)
|Lightning Sword
|Sima Shi (Empires)
|Arm Blade
|Huang Gai (Empires)
|Zhurong (Empires)
|Circle Blade
|Ding Feng (Empires)
|Introduced in Dynasty Warriors 7: Xtreme Legends
|Orb and Scepter
|Guo Jia
|Wang Yi
|Xiahou Dun
|Dragon Spear
|Zhao Yun
|Crescent Blade
|Guan Yu
|Twin Pike
|Zhang Fei
|Introduced in Dynasty Warriors 7: Empires
|Siege Spear
|Xiahou Ba
|Sword and Hook
|Xu Shu
|Introduced in Dynasty Warriors 8
|General's Sword
|Cao Cao
|Bow and Rod
|Xiahou Yuan
|Dual Blade
|Cao Pi
|Nine Rings Blade
|Sun Jian
|Swallow Swords
|Lu Xun
|Three Sectional Staff
|Ling Tong
|Double-Edge Trident
|Jiang Wei
|Shadow Fan
|Pang Tong
|Horsehair Whip
|Sima Yi
|Striking Sword
|Sima Zhao
|Short Rod
|Zhuge Dan
|Extension Blade
|Yuan Shao
|Talisman Cards
|Zuo Ci
|Wheeled Halberd
|Li Dian
|Dual Hookblades
|Yue Jin
|Lu Su
|Flail Sword
|Zhang Bao
|Guan Xing
|Dual-Headed Mace
|Guan Yinping
|Throwing Axes
|Jia Chong
|Wired Gloves
|Zhang Chunhua
|Wen Yang
|Dynasty Warriors 8 DLC
|Flame Blade
|Sun Quan (Empires)
|Revolving Crossbow
|Deng Ai (Empires)
|Guan Suo (Empires)
|Emei Piercers
|Wang Yi (Empires)
|Yueying (Empires)
|Paired Fans
|Xiaoqiao (Empires)
|Introduced in Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends
|War Trident
|Yu Jin
|Flame Bow
|Zhu Ran
|Woven Cloth
|Fa Zheng
|Art of War Scroll
|Chen Gong
|Crossed Pike
|Lu Lingqi
|Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends DLC
|Meng Huo (Empires)
|Mandarin Duck Hooks
|Lianshi (Empires)
|Dragon Column
|Liu Shan (Empires)
|Introduced in Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires
|Formation Wand
|Xun Yu
|Normal Attack
|Strong Attack
Ground MovesetEdit
- : Hits enemy with sword handle to break their guard.
- , : Slashes the enemy into the air, jumps up, and strikes them back down.
- , , : Slashes horizontally a few times, stunning the opponent.
- , , , : Sends forth a horizontal air wave.
- , , , , : Stabs into the ground and sends the nearest foes flying.
- , , , , , : Spins around clockwise while performing a half-circular swing to the front, creating a shockwave to knock down opponents.
- , , , , , : Does two overhead swipes before turning around, followed by two more swings that set into the front arc, a frontal stab, and a wider swipe.
- Dashing : Jumps forward while slashing the opponent.
- , : A downward swipe.
- Dash: Rolls forward in the air once.
- Switch Attack: Sends forth a diagonal air wave. Can be used to cancel attacks in Next.
Horse MovesetEdit
- : An anticipated swing to the right side, then another to the left.
- , , , , , : Six swings to the right side.
- Dynasty Warriors 8
- , : Flips around in mid-air before diving down and stabbing the earth to produce fissures.
- Storm Rush: Inflicts multiple swipes in front of the enemy, ending the assault with a spinning slash.
- Switch Counter: Dodges incoming assault and retaliates with a two-hit spin attack.
- Shin Sangoku Musou Blast
- Normal Attack: Swings sword in a broad angle three times, with each swipe releasing an energy wave traveling forward.
- Charge Attack 1: Inflicts two wide slashes while rotating diagonally. The Blast version adds an extra slash while slightly increasing attack coverage.
- Charge Attack 2: Triggers a minuscule explosion by stabbing the ground. The Blast version causes a pillar of flame to rise up from the impact of the attack.
Fighting StyleEdit
The sword moveset is considered to be the jack-of-all-trades of this game since almost every character has this weapon at their disposal with either a two-star or three-star skill level. It has moderate range, relatively good attack speed, and is extremely user-friendly. C3 is the most recommended for one-on-one duels and combo-making, while C4 and C6 are quick, albeit small, crowd-clearers. C5 is useful for some last-resort surprise attacks (as well as combo building, like C3), and C2 makes it easy to link with some characters' aerial Musou attacks.
Ground MovesetEdit
- : Grabs the enemy and pushes them forward. Does very little damage, but is useful in breaking the enemy's guard.
- , : A quick lunge followed by an upward slash.
- , , : A very quick series of diagonal slashes. Enemies attacked by the first will be unable to escape the full combo.
- , , , : A horizontal slash which sends opponents flying.
- , , , , : Does three quick lunges forward.
- , , , , , : Sends an energy wave forward. This attack can break the enemy's guard.
- , , , , , : A quick combo made up of thrusts and slashes.
- Dashing : Hits foe while dashing forward.
- , : Does a quick lunge in mid-air.
- Dash: Rolls forward while in the air.
- Switch Attack: Sends forward countless energy lunges. Can cancel strong attacks in Next.
Horse MovesetEdit
- : Does one lunge to the left.
- , , , , , : Does five jabs to the left and ends with three more stabs, only more powerful than the previous ones.
- Storm Rush: Does multiple jabs followed by a twirling slice that unleashes several slash marks upon the target.
- Switch Counter: Backs down before unleashing a quick short thrust forward.
Fighting StyleEdit
A fighting style comprised mostly of lunges, the rapier is one of the least accurate movesets in the game. It is useful in crowd fights because the player does not have to focus on precision, but is very ineffective against officers due to its weak attacks. However, its speed is useful when cornered as it covers all areas around the player.
War FanEdit
Ground MovesetEdit
- : Flings out a wind blast forward that turns into a stationary tornado when it impacts a surface.
- , : Flings out a fiery explosion on the ground.
- , , : Summons lightning bolts within a small area.
- , , , : Sends forth a thin beam of energy.
- , , , , : Sends out a ball of wind forward that launches enemies up into the air.
- , , , , , : Sends forth three large energy beams.
- , , , , , : Sends out six wind blasts via continuous fan swipes in a row, while stepping forward for each one.
- Dashing : Swings fan in a leaping inward turn for a wind blast that knocks down.
- , : Shoots three lasers on the ground, causing fissures to erupt. Each shot can be aimed at different directions.
- Dash: Flips forward in mid-air.
- Switch Attack: Sends out a stationary tornado to attack nearby foes. The tornado effect is omitted in Next, though it can be used to cancel attacks despite its very short range.
Horse MovesetEdit
- Dynasty Warriors 8
- Note: All motions are now done with the fan in the user's right hand instead of their left hand.
- , : Waves fan and creates a short gust of wind damaging enemies below.
- , : Previous air attack from seventh game.
- Storm Rush: Waves fan continuously, enveloping the user within a violent gust of wind.
- Switch Counter: Unleashes a powerful twister to repel opponents.
- Shin Sangoku Musou Blast
- Normal Attack: Unleashes three chains of wind at the opponent.
- Charge Attack 1: Generates a tornado that remains stationary for a brief moment of time. The Blast version enlarges the tornado and causes it to move at a slow pace.
- Charge Attack 2: Summons two small lightning bolts. The Blast version causes three pillars of lightning to rain down four times on a designated position.
Fighting StyleEdit
The war fan Moveset is heavily influenced by Zhuge Liang's movesets in all prior installments. It consists of medium-close ranged attacks consisting of air gusts (each with a small knockback effect) and thunder-based magic strikes which generally serve as crowd-clearers. Its main weakness is the relatively obvious openings between attacks despite its medium speed. A secondary weapon which strikes fast and leaves few openings is recommended.
Twin SwordsEdit
Ground MovesetEdit
- : Slashes downwards with both swords. Stuns the enemy.
- , : Jumps while alternately slashing with both swords. Launches the enemy as well as the user.
- , , : Twirls both swords in front, then stabs with both of them simultaneously. Dizzies the enemy.
- , , , : A double spinning slash.
- , , , , : Stabs both swords into the ground, sending an air wave forward that launches enemies upward.
- , , , , , : A turning horizontal slice. If it connects, the user stabs the enemy before finishing up with a slash to the legs. It cannot be blocked.
- , , , , , : Six alternating slashes with both swords.
- Dashing : Jumps forward while rapidly spinning with both swords.
- , : Launches several jabs diagonally downward before releasing a cross-shaped energy wave.
- Dash: Rolls forward in the air while holding swords on both sides.
- Switch Attack: Emits a shockwave to knock away nearby opponents. In Next, the attack is an angular spinning slash used for canceling attacks and building combos.
Horse MovesetEdit
- : Swings swords simultaneously on both sides.
- , , , , , : Sends out six small air waves to the left side.
- Dynasty Warriors 8
- , : Swipes both swords in a cutting motion.
- , : Previous air attack from seventh game.
- Storm Rush: Slashes repeatedly back and forth before thrusting both swords forward.
- Switch Counter: Steps back and does an outward cross slash.
- Shin Sangoku Musou Blast
- Normal Attack: Unleashes three consecutive energy waves towards foes.
- Charge Attack 1: Performs multiple alternating swings accompanied by a powerful thrust. The Blast version inflicts more damage while including additional swings.
- Charge Attack 2: Leaps up and stabs the ground to cause a minor tremor. The Blast version causes bolts of lightning to spread out in a fan formation once the user lands.
Fighting StyleEdit
The moves of this weapon are taken directly from Liu Bei's Dynasty Warriors 6 moveset, with the attacks mixed together to match the charge attack system. Compared to other weapons, the twin swords' attack power is relatively weak, but makes up for it by having nearly every attack hit twice. Overall, it is an excellent weapon for clearing crowds thanks to its extremely powerful C4 and dashing attack. It loses much of its usefulness against officers, as it is very difficult to juggle with this weapon, but it is nonetheless still powerful.
Ground MovesetEdit
- : Spins spear around within a full radius while finishing up with a pose on the left knee, breaking the opponent's guard. Can be held down to deal more damage and cannot be phased by attacks (with the exception of Musou attacks). Deals little damage.
- , : Strikes upward with blunt end of spear. If it connects, the user will continue to spin around the opponent, strike their legs, and send them flying to the air. The user then smashes the opponent down on the ground.
- , , , (): Stabs quickly three times before doing a dashing strike to the right. Pressing again will cause the user to add more stabs to the attack.
- , , , : Pulls back and shoots a narrow energy wave across the ground. If is held down, the user will send a wider arced energy wave instead.
- , , , , : Will swiftly charge spear up and down, emitting a large ground explosion and send opponents airborne.
- , , , , , : Executes a half-circular strike from right to left while also emitting a radial shockwave around the user. If is held down, the user will swing to the right instead. This version is more powerful and generates a much larger shockwave.
- , , , , , : Strikes to the left while simultaneously crossing the right foot between the left. The user crosses their legs back to normal while striking to the right, then swings directly from left to right before launching a frontal hit.
- Dashing : Dashes forward and strikes to the right.
- , : Jumps and sweeps from right to left in the air.
- Switch Attack: Plants spear into the ground and swings forward, causing a supposed dropkick into scissoring the opponent's neck with feet used as an anchor. From here, the user extends their spear at full length and spins around counter-clockwise within a wide radius before slamming the victim into the ground with a headscissors takedown by doing a somersault. It resembles Zhao Yun's deadlock attack from Dynasty Warriors 6. The move loses its grappling quality in Next, though it can be used to cancel strong attacks.
Horse MovesetEdit
- Dynasty Warriors 8
- Holding : User performs a stronger spin attack imbued with the cyclone element.
- , , , Holding : User performs a sweeping spin motion that shoots out a blade of energy.
- , , , , , Holding : User performs a charge thrust followed by a circular slash.
- Storm Rush: Stabs forward repeatedly, ending the attack with a final thrust.
- Switch Counter: Dodges incoming attack in time for a quick strike forward.
- Shin Sangoku Musou Blast
- Normal Attack: Swings spear three times in a row.
- Charge Attack 1: Twirls spear upward, generating a protective tornado; once the twirling ends, the wielder follows it up with a leaping overhead swing. The Blast version produces a more violent tornado and increases swing's hit range.
- Charge Attack 2: Dives forward at high speed. The Blast version has the wielder deliver repeated thrusts and a diagonal swipe right before the dive attack.
Fighting StyleEdit
This moveset is a slightly modified version of Zhao Yun's moveset from Dynasty Warriors 6 and shares many of the same strengths and weaknesses. A good overall style for beginning players to use, it is highly mobile with good crowd clearing attacks, decent speed, and range.
Ground MovesetEdit
- : Sends forth an air wave along the ground, breaking the enemy's guard.
- , : Hits the nearest enemy with rear end of weapon. It if connects, the victim will be struck by the blade end before being tossed into the air. Cannot be blocked.
- , , , (): Two leaping spin slashes followed by a horizontal slash, stunning the enemy. Can be done twice in a row.
- , , , : A mighty left-to-right slash forward.
- , , , , : A small hop followed by a downward chop.
- , , , , , : Twirls weapon overhead, then a diagonal slash upward.
- , , , , , : Does six alternating swipes from left to right.
- Switch Attack: Slams the ground with rear end of pike, brings down the nearest enemy, then violently lifts weapon upward to throw the downed victim into the air. Can be canceled with another hit string in Next.
Horse MovesetEdit
- : Swings vertically to the right and left.
- , , , , , : Launches several vertical slices six consecutive times.
- Dynasty Warriors 8
- , : Spins around in the air before slamming the ground with enough might to produce fissures.
- Storm Rush: Swings weapon diagonally back and forth, unleashing a piercing strike at the end of the attack.
- Switch Counter: Dodges attack before countering with two or more twirling slashes and a wide frontal swing.
- Shin Sangoku Musou Blast
- Normal Attack: Slices the opponent three times.
- Charge Attack 1: Launches a shockwave traveling on the ground. The Blast version sacrifices the shockwave's speed in exchange for more power.
- Charge Attack 1 (Zhu Huan): Does a round swing to the left. The Blast version has a wider swing and release two fireballs; one of the fireballs moves away in one direction while the other follows the wielder.
- Charge Attack 2: Performs a spinning slash followed by a wide frontal swipe. The Blast version adds a second spin while slightly increasing the range of each slash mark.
- Charge Attack 2 (Zhu Huan): Spins around and releases an energy wave. The Blast version creates a stronger energy wave that quickly travels at a farther distance.
Fighting StyleEdit
The pike is a modified version of the polearm moveset in Dynasty Warriors 6, though it also carries similarities to the spear moveset. It now boasts a stronger square chain and like the spear moveset is relatively user-friendly and has good range. However, it suffers from a somewhat slow attacking speed and has few knockbacks.
Double VoulgeEdit
Ground MovesetEdit
- : Pounds the ground in front with one end of the weapon, breaking the guard of nearby foes.
- , : An uppercut with the left-hand blade.
- , , : A series of zig-zagging slashes done while moving forward. Ends with a stab with the right-hand side of blade.
- , , , : A semi-circular heavy slash into the front arc with the right-hand blade.
- , , , , : Spins weapon violently like a propeller to the front.
- , , , , , : Twirls weapon overhead, ends with a fierce right-to-left slash forward.
- , , , , , : Three alternating slashes from both blades, ending with a spinning slash.
- Switch Attack: A half-circular right-to-left slash. Can be used to cancel attacks in Next.
- Switch Effect: User's attack range temporarily increases when switched to this weapon.
Horse MovesetEdit
- : Slashes diagonally to the right and left.
- , , , , , : Twirls voulge diagonally from left to right repeatedly.
- Storm Rush: Unleashes multiple cuts by twirling weapon continuously. The user then proceeds to roll in the air and pound the ground.
- Switch Counter: Jumps back and repels opponent by stabbing the ground.
Fighting StyleEdit
The double voulge moveset is heavily influenced by Wei Yan's movesets prior to Dynasty Warriors 6. It consists of mediocre crowd clearing abilities with its C1 to C4 moves, while the C5 is an excellent one-on-one officer killer (since every one of its spins is elemental). Its C6 is good for crowd control, allowing the user to break out of massive flocks of enemies.
Great SwordEdit
Ground MovesetEdit
- : Swings sword aside to break guard. Hold to perform an overhead smash.
- , : Raises weapon upward before pausing.
- , , : Slams sword's front edge towards opponent.
- , , , : Sends forth a mighty air wave.
- , , , , : Slams the ground with enough force to lift up enemies.
- , , , , , : Raises sword to perform a shockwave, followed by a powerful wave of air.
- , , , , , : Unleashes three revolving slashes, a ground slam, and two powerful swipes.
- Switch Attack: Does an overhead chop. Can be charged for greater damage. The attack loses its charge feature in Next, though it can be used to cancel attacks instead.
- Special Effect: After performing any strong attack, holding down will activate either C4 or C5.
Horse MovesetEdit
- Storm Rush: Spins around with enough force to produce a whirlwind. The attack ends with the user chopping the ground.
- Switch Counter: Steps back and launches an upward arcing slash.
- Special Effect: When performing any strong attack holding , then releasing when sword is behind the user will cause them to slash horizontally and release a wave of energy. Continuing to hold past the mid mark will end the attack with an overhead smash instead.
Fighting StyleEdit
Throwing KnivesEdit
Ground MovesetEdit
- : Smashes the ground to trigger a weak explosion.
- , : Kicks the opponent into the air.
- , , : Throws three fans of paralyzing knives into opponents.
- , , , : Kicks the enemy away.
- , , , , : Smashes the ground to send enemies flying upward.
- , , , , , : Fiercely throws two fans of daggers onto the opponent.
- , , , , , : Pelts enemies with five knives in a row several times.
- Dashing : Throws knives in the air, kicks them when falling down onto the opponent.
- , : Throws two fans of knives down to the opponent.
- Dash: Rolls forward while in mid-air.
- Switch Attack: Sends a fan of daggers that daze any nearby enemies. In Next, the attack staggers foes instead and can also be used to cancel strong attacks.
Horse MovesetEdit
- : Hurls an array of knives from both sides.
- , , , , , : Throws daggers down at opponents from the left side.
- Storm Rush: Rapidly chucks a shower of knives towards nearby opponents, finishing the barrage by tossing more knives within the user's front view.
- Switch Counter: Tumbles back before throwing multiple knives in a fan formation.
- Shin Sangoku Musou Blast
- Normal Attack: Hurls three knives in a row thrice.
- Charge Attack 1: Throws an array of five knives twice in succession. The Blast version releases red-colored knives that do more damage.
- Charge Attack 2: Slams the ground hard. The Blast version causes the wielder to toss a knife that generates a wide gravity field to knock surrounding foes away.
Fighting StyleEdit
The throwing knives moveset is quick and strong at mid-range and short-range combat. Not only does it offer excellent combo capabilities, its attacks can easily fill up the Musou gauge. Unfortunately, the throwing knives are not good to use if the player is surrounded at all sides as it lacks strong knockback attacks and generally only hits enemies in the front. This leaves users of this moveset highly vulnerable to attacks from behind. It also has a hard time breaking blocks and guards but can easily juggle opponents if they are already airborne.
Chain & SickleEdit
Ground MovesetEdit
- : Rolls forward and makes an anticipated throw to the front. If it hits an enemy, the user will slash at their ankle.
- , : Flails sickle upward.
- , , : Rams shoulder forward.
- , , , : Does four wide criss-cross slashes to the front, ending the attack with a stronger slash forward.
- , , , , : Wraps chain around a small group of enemies, violently yanks them upwards, then creates a small explosion that sends them all flying.
- , , , , , : Launches sickle diagonally to attack foe.
- , , , , , : Lands two frontal slashes against the enemy before hurling sickle in varying directions.
- Dashing : Throws the sickle out to the front, causing a small spinning slash.
- , : A downward swipe while leaping in the air.
- Dash: Rolls forward in the air.
- Switch Attack: Leaps into the air and comes back down, sending forth an air wave which stuns all enemies caught in its path. Can be used while being attacked by enemies. Next changes the move into a crouching overhead swing capable of canceling strong attacks.
Horse MovesetEdit
- : An anticipated swing to the right side, then to the left.
- , , , , , : Six rotating swings to the right side.
- Storm Rush: Flails weapon back and forth several times, sending it out at the end of the attack.
- Switch Counter: Flips back into the air before sending out energy waves upon landing.
Fighting StyleEdit
While the chain and sickle has great range, its large sweeping swings can leave gaps in the user's attack through which an enemy can take advantage of at higher levels. It also does not provide full coverage. Thus, it works best when equipped together with a fast-striking or wide-ranged secondary weapon.
Ground MovesetEdit
- : An anticipated throw into the front arc. Breaks the enemy's guard.
- , : Turns once and hits an enemy upwards.
- , , : Does two anticipated diagonal swings.
- , , , : A small hop followed by a ground smash.
- , , , , : Grabs the nearest foe, twirls them around, and slams the ground with enough force to send the victim airborne.
- , , , , , : Hooks up enemies in the front. If a single enemy is caught, the user swings weapon in an overhead fashion and slams them to the ground. If more than one foe is hooked up, they will be swung overhead and tossed away instead.
- , , , , , : Spins flail back and forth, twirls it around further, slams the ground, and thrusts it forward.
- Switch Attack: Sends forth an air wave along the ground. Can cancel strong attacks in Next.
Horse MovesetEdit
- Dynasty Warriors 7 Empires
- , , : Swings flail upwards, then slams it down on the ground at full force.
- , , , : Turns body in the air at an angle and then spins around, slamming the flail head into the ground and repeating the process with each consecutive jump. can be mashed to extend the attack to 5 slams total.
- , , , , , : Flail grapples onto enemies and spins around multiple times. user then jumps up into the air as they fling the grappled enemies into the air.
- Dashing : Twirls flail around users body while still running a short distance. can be mashed to extend the run and add additional swings.
- Shadow Sprint: Performs a short flying kick.
- Storm Rush: Spins weapon around several times, slamming it unto the earth at the end of the assault.
- Switch Counter: Evades attack before swinging weapon towards the enemy.
- Shin Sangoku Musou Blast
- Normal Attack: Strikes at the enemy back and forth before launching a gyrating blow.
- Charge Attack 1: Spins forward twice, striking the ground during the first turn and swinging diagonally at the end of the move. The Blast version adds more ground strikes, causing the user to travel further than usual.
- Charge Attack 2: Swings flail in a circular motion, then slams it unto the earth. The Blast version adds fire to the attack and causes fissures to erupt during the final hit.
Fighting StyleEdit
In Dynasty Warriors 7: Empires, the flail gains a change in attacks to match the fighting style of its new EX owner Gan Ning.
Ground MovesetEdit
- : Rolls forward knocking any foes in the way.
- , : Flings the nearest opponent into the air.
- , , : A double spinning swing done counterclockwise followed by a clockwise swing.
- , , , : Sends enemies flying with a strong swing.
- , , , , : Grabs the nearest enemy and throws them up in the air, swinging them away upon their descent.
- , , , , , : Does a mighty overhead smash on the ground.
- , , , , , : Slams weapon on the ground, thrusts three times, launches a swing, and does another slam.
- Switch Attack: Swings at full strength, sending an air wave traveling along the ground. Can be used in the middle of performing other attacks in Next.
Horse MovesetEdit
- Storm Rush: Pounds the earth multiple times.
- Switch Counter: Rolls backwards before hopping forward and launching a quick overhead swing.
Fighting StyleEdit
The club moveset is a modified version of the mace moveset found in Dynasty Warriors 6. It has moderate range, but its moves are slow and unwieldy even with characters who have maximum proficiency ratings for the weapon. C3 is the most commonly recommended move as it can quickly build up combo hits. Its strong attacks have a chance of sending an enemy flying away, though this may be a disadvantageous for those who wish to build up decent combo chains.
Ground MovesetEdit
- : Two bashes and a punch. Has guard-breaking properties.
- , : An uppercut swing, sending the nearest enemy upwards.
- , , : Launches rapid kicks down to up and accompanies it with a rising uppercut.
- , , , : Performs a roundhouse kick, then an anticipated swing to the front.
- , , , , : A few heavy swings into the front arc, then jumps and performs a roundhouse kick.
- , , , , , : Does a spinning bash forward, then leaps up time to perform a frontal swipe.
- , , , , , : Executes multiple swipes in varying angles.
- Dashing : Releases a cutting wave to the front with a turning smack, then sends out another.
- , : Sends a cutting wave downwards with an outward swat. Halts aerial momentum unlike other normal midair attacks.
- Dash: Rolls forward while leaping in mid-air.
- Switch Attack: Sends forth two diagonal air waves. Can be used to follow-up strong attacks in Next.
- Switch Effect: User's attack speed temporarily increases when switched to this weapon.
Horse MovesetEdit
- Storm Rush: Flails weapon around several times, repelling affected enemies by the end of the assault.
- Switch Counter: Somersaults back before unleashing two hits and a single kick.
Fighting StyleEdit
Ground MovesetEdit
- : Does a quick forward spin kick.
- , : Lifts one end of the staff upwards, knocking enemies into the air.
- , , , (): Runs forward while twirling the staff to both sides twice before finishing with a stunning spin kick. Activates elements on the final blow.
- , , , : Turns around, then quickly strikes twice horizontally. Activates elements.
- , , , , : Spins and jumps upward while striking horizontally with the staff, launching both foe and user into the air. Activates elements.
- , , , , , : Leaps in a spin to sweep-swing a large cutting wave forward. Activates elements.
- , , , , , : A series of spinning and twirling strikes. The final blow activates elements.
- Dashing : Does a quick low horizontal swing.
- , : By pressing twice, the user strikes diagonally upward four times in a row, then nosedives into the ground to trigger a small tremor.
- Dash: Spins around once while in the air.
- Switch Attack: A quick sweep-strike to the left aimed diagonally downwards. Can also be performed while in the air where the user will instantly land on the ground. In Next, the attack has attack-canceling qualities though it cannot be used in mid-air combat anymore.
Horse MovesetEdit
- Storm Rush: Swings staff in front of the enemy repeatedly before leaping up in time to strike at them.
- Switch Counter: Turns around backwards and attacks opponent with a few horizontal twirls.
Fighting StyleEdit
The staff is based on Zhou Yu's moveset from Dynasty Warriors 6. It both covers a large area and is relatively fast, making it a good choice for clearing crowds. The staff also has surprisingly high attack power and is quite powerful against officers. The only disadvantages lie in the quirky hitboxes some attacks seem to have, particularly the fourth and fifth part of the attack string. It is not rare to miss enemies with these attacks because of the high position of the hitbox. It is therefore advised to fight enemies either on level or from lower ground.
Ground MovesetEdit
- : Clangs both fists together to produce a small shockwave, breaking the enemy's guard.
- , : Grabs the nearest foe and tosses them into the air.
- , , : Grabs the nearest enemy, swings them around, then tosses them away.
- , , , : Holds onto the nearest enemy by the ankles, spins twice on the spot, then tosses them away.
- , , , , : Jumps onto the nearest enemy, and slams them to the ground with the help of the character's legs.
- , , , , , : Grabs the nearest foe, pounds them twice (once to the front and once to the back) on the ground (with each pound generating a shockwave), then tosses them out.
- , , , , , : Does four alternative hook punches, one minor ground smash, and a straight punch.
- Dashing : Grabs the nearest enemy by the shoulders, vaults over them, and slams the victim to the ground.
- , : Reaches down to grab a foe, somersaults in mid-air, and hurls them away.
- Switch Attack: Punches forward with both fists, sending forth an air wave. Can also be performed while airborne. Although the attack loses its aerial function in Next, it can be used to cancel non-grappling attacks.
Horse MovesetEdit
- Storm Rush: Punches surrounding enemies repeatedly, ending the combo by thrusting both fists forward simultaneously.
- Switch Counter: Dodges attack before countering by forcefully pushing the enemy back.
- Shin Sangoku Musou Blast
- Normal Attack: Punches at the opponent three times.
- Charge Attack 1: Dashes forward like an animal and claws at approaching enemies before landing violently on the ground. The Blast version prolongs the dashing part of the move.
- Charge Attack 2: Shakes fist momentarily before striking the earth with enough force to cause a tremor. The Blast version causes the cracks of the impact to produce smaller fissures for more coverage.
Fighting StyleEdit
The glove moveset has short range, but it boasts the most numerous grapple attacks among all weapons from C2 all the way to C6. Every one of these grapple attacks are, as with all grapples within this series, unblockable by any opponent. Therefore it is regarded as a very effective close-range weapon with moderate attack speed.
Ground MovesetEdit
- : A swift leaping inward roundhouse kick with the right leg that pierces through the enemy's defense with slowed hitstun.
- , : Fires an arrow on the ground in a one-legged stance which emits a launching quake.
- , , : Fires a directed stunning arrow at an enemy in a low posture shot, akin to Huang Zhong's old C3 from the fourth and fifth installments.
- , , , : Fires a barrage of arrows in a row from left to right. Inflicts crashing knockback.
- , , , , : Jumps up with a backflip and fires an arrow to the ground that causes a launching-away quake.
- , , , , , , (): Shoots a volley of arrows that rain down above the closest enemy targets, while the second input fires an extra rain of arrows surrounding the player.
- , , , , , : Fires three arrows in a fanning arrow per shot for each input, with the last input being a delayed shot that knocks down. Warriors Orochi 3 converts the finishing shots into being blue aura homing arrows instead that split in accordance to the amount of targets in range.
- Dashing : Leaps forward with a diving-jump-in kick with the left leg.
- , : Fires an arrow to the ground diagonally.
- Dash: Backflips forward while jumping.
- Switch Attack: Backflips in midair and shoots in down in front for an arrow to the ground. Attack is always ice elemental regardless of the original weapon, though Next omits it in favor of canceling strong attacks at will. Changed back to the original version in the eighth installment.
Horse MovesetEdit
- : Shoots an arrow upward, and it comes down as a fiery rain of arrows around the player.
- , , , , , : Fires exploding arrows from the left side of the horse.
- Dynasty Warriors 8
- Note: Every grounded arrow attack that is fired forward is now fired in accordance to the user's elevation level.
- , , : Same as before, only a volley of multiple arrows are fired at once which gives it more overall area-of-effect.
- , , , , , : Same as before, though only the initial input may have a chance to not fire any arrows should it be conflicted via target priority.
- , , , , , : Same as before, only the arrow on the final input only appear when there are enemy targets within a specific range of the user; otherwise, the hitbox is nonexistent. Now only fires a single piercing white aura shot on the final input.
- , : Flips in midair and fires two shots of arrows diagonally down to the ground. Unlike its Warriors Orochi 3 version, it now fires 5 arrows per shot in a fanning pattern, while also carrying much more aerial momentum compared to other jumping charge attacks.
- Storm Rush: Fires a volley of arrows continuously before releasing a more powerful shot towards the opponent.
- Switch Counter: Hops back and shoots at the enemy while sliding down on the floor.
Fighting StyleEdit
The bow moveset incorporates many attacks from its previous incarnation and has a good range and moderate knockbacks. However, it renders the user immobile and most of its charge attacks are only moderately powerful. C6 is the most commonly suggested move for area clearing, thoug smart usage of its dashing function can allow for deft players to easily re-position themselves with ease, as it excels in full-frontal combat.
Shaman RodEdit
Ground MovesetEdit
- : Sends forth a beam of light across the ground, breaking the guard of any foe caught in it.
- , : Slams the ground once to create a small fiery shockwave.
- , , , (): Strikes the ground twice to create two fiery explosions. The first explosion stuns enemies, and the second one sends them flying.
- , , , : Sends forth several targeting projectiles that explode on contact.
- , , , , : Sends forth a short but wide beam of light.
- , , , , , : Raises weapon overhead and releases a semi-circular shockwave to the front, sending nearby opponents flying. Has fire elemental properties.
- , , , , , : Does a quick jab, four quick strikes, then raises rod to conjure a bolt of lightning.
- Dashing : Performs a forward flip while slamming rod against the ground, knocking nearby enemies into the air.
- , : A downward swipe done while leaping in the air.
- Dash: Rolls forward while leaping in the air.
- Switch Attack: Slams rod on the ground to produce a dozen orbs of light following the user and exploding shortly. In Next, the impact of the rod causes it to trigger a small explosion instead, causing fire damage and canceling attacks instantaneously.
Horse MovesetEdit
- : Raises weapon overhead and sends a shockwave to each side.
- , , , , , : Swings to the left side six consecutive times.
- Storm Rush: Produces multiple geysers rising in different spots before sending out more to repel enemies away from the area.
- Switch Counter: Steps back and retaliates by conjuring an explosion in front of the user.
Fighting StyleEdit
Iron FanEdit
Ground MovesetEdit
- : Conjures a quick unblockable whirlwind, leaving the enemy stunned for several seconds.
- , : Thrust fan upward, swinging the target upward along with it.
- , , : Throws fan outwards and low to the ground, stunning the target. Afterwards, the fan returns after spinning around the player, hitting more surrounding enemies.
- , , , : Causes the fan to travel around the user, knocking away nearby opponents.
- , , , , : Conjures a massive whirlwind, sending enemies as well as the player into the air.
- , , , , , : Stuns and grabs a foe with an unblockable attack while spinning around while showered in flower petals, then knocks them in the back of the head.
- , , , , , : Repeatedly swipes with the edge of fan in a dancing motion until the sixth hit knocks the target down.
- Dashing : Throws fan a short distance ahead of the user, knocking any enemy out of the way.
- , : A short swift attack aimed at an enemy on the ground.
- Dash: Turns around once while jumping.
- Switch Attack: Throws the fan a short distance away; it will spin in place to create a temporary whirlwind which will then juggle any opponent caught within it. Can be used in conjunction with the harp's attack string to produce traveling sound waves. In Next, a short-ranged air wave is hurled instead, though it can be used to cancel attacks.
Horse MovesetEdit
- : Tosses fan downward to the right, where it spins on the ground from right to left before returning to the user.
- , , , , , : Does multiple quick swings to the right.
- Dynasty Warriors 8
- , , , , , : User jumps up and throws fan down towards grounded foes at an angle. Taken from Xiaoqiao's moveset in Warriors Orochi 3.
- Storm Rush: Flings weapon back and forth. At the end of the assault, the user jumps forward and does a round slash against the victim.
- Switch Counter: Flips back and performs an aerial somersault attack.
- Shin Sangoku Musou Blast
- Normal Attack: Smacks the opponent with round swipes.
- Charge Attack 1: Throws fan in a circular motion; travels counter-clockwise while lifting foes caught in its path. The Blast version adds more speed and coverage.
- Charge Attack 2: Spins into the air at a slanted angle to juggle enemies. The Blast version traps the victim within a petal whirlwind that remains in place for several seconds before disappearing.
Fighting StyleEdit
The iron fan moveset is one of the weaker movesets in the game, primarily due to the lack of range in its normal attack string and low weapon attack power. Charge attacks are mediocre at best. Nonetheless, it is an overall balanced moveset with one-on-one attacks (normal attacks, C2, and C6) as well as crowd clearing moves (C3, C4, and C5). Its most useful move is C5, which serves as both an area attack and an escape maneuver. Its C4 is also an excellent officer-killing attack when coupled with the lightning element and several offensive seals.
In Dynasty Warriors 8, the iron fan has been decreased in size while gaining a greater increase in attack speed. It now generates small blades of air around the fan when striking to increase weapon range.
Sword & ShieldEdit
Ground MovesetEdit
- : Rams enemy with shield.
- , : An uppercut attack using the shield.
- , , : Does four overhead slashes that end with a shield ram.
- , , , : A shield uppercut followed by a diagonal sword slash.
- , , , , : Shield guards user's front as they propel themselves skywards.
- , , , , , : Throws shield into the air and does a strong horizontal slash with sword.
- , , , , , : Does two overhead slashes, a shield ram, and a diagonal slash followed by a rising shield bash. The final hit is a frontal stab that ejects a wave of energy forward.
- Dashing : Boomerangs the shield into the front arc.
- , : Dives from a considerable height and smashes shield unto the ground, colliding against nearby foes below.
- Dash: Flips around in mid-air while jumping.
- Switch Attack: If the user is switching to this weapon, the character will raise their shield. Using this weapon to switch causes the character to instead perform a quick shield bash forward. Next turns the move into an air wave attack traveling at close-range, also giving it the ability to cancel strong attacks (except for C5) at will.
- Switch Effect: Switching to and from this weapon temporarily increases the user's defense.
Horse MovesetEdit
- : Throws shield to have it boomerang around horse.
- , , , , , : Inflicts a series of sword slashes to the right.
- Storm Rush: Inflicts numerous slashes back and forth before ramming target with shield.
- Switch Counter: Stands back momentarily before lunging forward.
- Shin Sangoku Musou Blast
- Normal Attack: Swipes sword twice before hitting target with shield.
- Charge Attack 1: Does an ascending swing at the enemy using both shield and sword while turning around. The Blast version generates a slow-moving shockwave capable of inflicting heavy damage against nearby enemies.
- Charge Attack 2: Performs several slashes followed by a sudden shield ram. The Blast version raises the attack's overall potency, knocking more foes than ever.
Fighting StyleEdit
Flying SwordsEdit
Ground MovesetEdit
- : A quick forward slash using all swords.
- , : An uppercut which sends the enemies flying.
- , , : Tries to stab an enemy with one sword. If the attack succeeds, the other swords immediately follow suit, resulting in major damage.
- , , , : Does a sideward slash from both left and right, using two swords for each side.
- , , , , : Jumps forward surrounded by all swords.
- , , , , , : Causes swords to charge forward, then while returning to the user, also hit any foe from the rear.
- , , , , , : A quick combo that ends with five lunges at the same time.
- Dashing : A quick diagonal slash.
- , : Nosedives on the ground with all swords surrounding the user.
- Dash: Spins in the air once.
- Switch Attack: Swords rotate while flying forward, slashing those nearby. In Next, the attack causes a large energy sword to rise from the ground, knocking foes off balance.
Horse MovesetEdit
- Dynasty Warriors 8
- , : Causes swords to swing to the right while leaping.
- , : Previous air attack from seventh game.
- Storm Rush: Coordinates the swords to move in a slicing motion repeatedly before unleashing them forward.
- Switch Counter: Evades incoming attack by leaping back and aiming swords at the assailant.
- Shin Sangoku Musou Blast
- Normal Attack: Uses all five swords to perform three round slashes.
- Charge Attack 1: Pokes an enemy using all five swords. The Blast version extends the attack by revolving the swords around the wielder to juggle nearby enemies.
- Charge Attack 2: Performs a horizontal corkscrew spin, then leaps into the air with all swords pointed upward. The Blast version adds more speed and power.
Fighting StyleEdit
Ground MovesetEdit
- : Raises weapon upward with both arms to release a small whirlwind effect that breaks through guards. A variation of Lu Bu's original C1 from the third installment.
- , : Performs a scooping slash to the right with both arms. Based on his original →, → + /Release ↓ + , from the first installment or his second installment C2. Can activate elements.
- , , , (), (): A series of right-handed flailing slashes to the right per step forward, before a final two-handed swing to the right that stuns and can activate elements. An inverted-motion version of Lu Bu's C3 from the fourth and fifth installments.
- , , , : An upward diagonal slash to the right that sends enemies flying with crashing knocbkack. Activates elements.
- , , , , : Stabs the nearest enemy and rapidly twirls spear at them via a criss-crossing pattern. The user impales them again to hook them onto the spear before slamming the victim to the floor, which causes a launching tremor. The first part counts as a grab only at close range, but far range will cause knocback to occur while guard-breaking instead. Activates elements on both the stab and the quake.
- , , , , , : Does an upward diagonal slash to the right akin to C2, followed by two pairs of criss-cross slashes to the front, and follows it up with a large radial shockwave from a battle roar that guard breaks and activates elements. A variation of Lu Bu's original C6.
- , , , , , : An outward flailing strike, inward crossing swing, downward chop, another outward swing, inward crossing swing, before a final strike akin to C4 that activates elements. All motions are done single-handed with the user's right hand.
- Dashing : Swings weapon from right to left via an overhead flailing motion. Can be used to gain a small bit of height upon being executed.
- , : Slashes outward while in mid-air vertically downward.
- Switch Attack: A mighty horizontal slash to the front which causes foes to stumble until the crumple to the ground. Can be fully charged to add a cutting wave that can travel along surfaces. The attack loses its charge feature in Next, though it can be used to cancel non-grappling attacks instead. Charging stage will be at stage 1 whenever it is released during an EX Attack.
- Switch Effect: Switching to this weapon temporarily raises the user's attack speed and movement speed, while also causing afterimages to trail them (indicated by an empowering pose), but will instantly wear off when weapon switching.


text:
[In Peru] in the worst times of terrorism (1980-1992), there was a journalist who had a weekly column where he wrote about flowers, bees, sunshines and smiles. One day, a reader sent him a very long letter asking him if it was worth it to write about flowers, bees, sunshines and smiles when our "brothers" were killing each other on a daily basis. The answer was very simple and short: Yes.
I'm not basking in detached silence. I have stopped blogging only because I can't add or detract any value in terms of commentary on the recent turmoil in my homeland. In the meantime I've been reading vigorously what my younger fellow countrymen and countrywomen are writing. I have to acknowledge my admiration to their relentless spirit and their unbending belief in a better tomorrow. I have to also thank some of them for piloting me back to reading in Arabic, something, in my opinion, I neglected far too long for lack of quality. But quality and class they have, and brains and the tenacity to forge their way forward and not float in stagnant water with a false sense of security and perpetual bovine bliss. Politics is not my field. As a matter of fact, and after raising my hat to the new breed of gutsy Syrian bloggers, I should also bring to the attention of the venerable armchair political writers and totalitarian apologists that their silence at this moment in time would be their greatest gift to humanity.
On a distant February day this year I bought a DSLR camera, envisioning all the wonderful places I'm going to visit once I'm back in Syria. I rightly thought that with spring at the door I'll have a chance to learn and hone my photographic skills. I imagined the infusion of pictures and words on my blog and contemplated on how, since I've resigned from my job earlier, time would be my own again. I'd dedicate more of myself to this blog, I reckoned, and I'd start my endeavor by documenting how inspiring spring in Syria is. Alas, taking my camera on a Friday and driving a car through towns and villages or riding a motorcycle across the countryside in search of that magical shot couldn't be described as the safest hobby at the moment. I regret the missed personal opportunities but I don't feel any remorse in the grand scheme of things. If it were not for the waves of the sea and for the flow of the river, water would become brackish. The Syrian Spring has turned out unimaginably more exalting than I could've dreamed.
There's always a calm before the storm. What we tend to overlook is that there's always a calm after the storm too. When the winds are howling and in the immediate aftermath of a tornado we might despair from the horrid devastation around us. Yet we have seen humanity triumph over and over again and we shall too. "All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another"*.
*Anatole France

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Federal News Radio
June 23, 2012
The Transportation Security Administration already shares intelligence it collects with airports. Now a House bill would expand TSA's intel sharing to local mass transit systems as well.
Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), the bill's sponsor, said the legislation is a "common sense approach" to fighting terrorism. The House passed the bill May 30 and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is now considering the bill.
In an interview with The Federal Drive with Tom Temin and Emily Kopp, Speier said the bill creates "fusion centers" where TSA can provide intel to local law enforcement and emergency management officials.
"We have put in place through TSA a very elaborate system [in airports]. We all go through those metal detectors and those secondary searches. And we've put a lot of focus on the airlines for good reason. But we have neglected the mass transit components, generally speaking," she said.
The Reopen America Back to School Special is now live! Earn double Patriot Points on our hottest items!


text:
World Congress 2015
The 6th World Congress of Education International (EI)
The World Congress, held every four years, is the supreme governing body of EI. It provides an opportunity for representatives of all EI affiliates to meet and strengthen the bonds of solidarity between teachers and education workers throughout the world. Delegates consider the major contemporary issues affecting their organizations, the international education union movement, and the ongoing struggle to achieve quality public education for all.
The theme for the 6th World Congress is Building the Future through Quality Education, and was determined by Education International's Executive Board. This theme builds on EI's mission to provide a free quality public education for all children. As the global union federation representing education workers worldwide, EI seeks to improve the welfare and status of teachers and other education employees, including Education Support Professionals. Please note that while ESPs are a part of some EI affiliates, the term "ESP" is not commonly used in the global community, rather "education workers" encompass all job categories.
For more information, including the application, join the NEA International Groupsite.


text:
Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter
Does Beloved Consort Wish to See This Prince's Face?
Feng Yu Heng's guess caused the person listening to suddenly become covered in sweat. He unconsciously balled his hands up into fists then relaxed them and repeated this a few times before finally managing to forcefully repress his feelings of horror and nervousness.
But Feng Yu Heng continued to speak, saying: "His Majesty demoted you to the position of stablehand, and the family's resources have decreased. It's understandable that you dismissed some of the servants, but apparently, you cannot even afford the hidden guards that you had in the past?" While saying this, she laughed, "This was just something that was done on the surface, right! It was done for people to see. In reality, although you have gotten rid of your former hidden guards, you have brought in some new people. Apparently, the expert currently at father's side is someone from Qian Zhou?"
Feng Jin Yuan was extremely shocked and suddenly exploded with anger: "You're monitoring me?"
Feng Yu Heng nodded enthusiastically, admitting: "That's right."
"You-" Feng Jin Yuan's words were jumbled. If his daughter quibbled, he would be able to say a bit more, but she had admitted to it readily. How should he respond to shit? In truth, Feng Jin Yuan had prepared himself a bit for being monitored by Feng Yu Heng. He knew long ago that this second daughter was quite savvy and had already noticed it. Also, his previous hidden guard had mentioned to him that he had occasionally seen the second young miss' people in the manor. But there was nothing that he could do. In the end, there was a difference in strength between the two sides. They could not catch them, but they had vaguely seen them a few times, but they also did not have any real evidence. Moreover, it was not that he had not sent people over to Tong Sheng pavilion to investigate. Helpless against their guards, he had not succeeded even once.
The accusation of "You're monitoring me" caused Feng Jin Yuan to become speechless, but Feng Yu Heng's following words caused him to cough up blood. Feng Yu Heng said: "I guessed correctly!" When she spoke, she snapped her fingers and had a ruffian's aura, but it was still quite good looking.
Feng Jin Yuan felt a fishy-sweet taste surged into his mouth. After trying desperately a few times to swallow it back down, a bit of blood still trickled down from the corner of his mouth.
So it was all from guessing!
But how could she guess so accurately?
Feng Jin Yuan suddenly felt a bit of regret. If he did not place his hopes in Feng Chen Yu and had instead placed them in this second daughter, would the situation today be different?
Unfortunately, all of his regrets were too late. Three years in the Northwest in addition to the attempt to assassinate on the way back to the capital created a feeling of running counter to this daughter. There was no room for reconciliation.
He blankly looked at Feng Yu Heng and could not speak for a long time. Feng Yu Heng, however, was puzzled and asked him: "Father, I am truly very curious. What exactly do you have?"
Feng Jin Yuan subconsciously shook his head and squeezed out a word between his teeth: "Nothing."
She chuckled, "Father said there's nothing, which means that there is. In truth, things were not that clear in the beginning. I was just testing father's reactions, but father allowed me to speculate over this." This had to be the real reason that Kang Yi wanted to marry Feng Jin Yuan, right? Feng Yu Heng though that perhaps it was also the reason that the Emperor had not touched Feng Jin Yuan for all of these years.
She had become curious long ago about the Emperor's attitude toward Feng Jin Yuan. This person indeed had some knowledge; otherwise, it was impossible for him to be the top scholar of his year, and he also contributed to the court. Otherwise, it would be impossible for him to have reached the position of prime minister. But he was also sufficiently stupid. When it came to handling certain matters, he would stand in opposition to the Emperor. Based on the Emperor's personality, even if Feng Jin Yuan was even more talented, it would be impossible to tolerate him for so many years. The only explanation was that Feng Jin Yuan had something that he wanted.
But what exactly was it?
Feng Yu Heng furrowed her brow slightly; however, she lost the need to continue speaking with Feng Jin Yuan. That thing in his hand was not something that had been in his possession for a day or two. At this point, she trusted that even if she used death to threaten him, it would not be revealed. Because once he mentioned it, there really would not be any reason to continue living.
When Feng YUuHeng left, Feng Jin Yuan continued to foolishly standin place. She just left by saying "Take care of yourself." She then quickly left the room.
This new Feng manor was just as disgusting as the former. She brought Huang Quan and left. Song Kang was already waiting at the entrance. After the group gathered, they immediately got in the imperial carriage and quickly left.
The sky had already turned dark a long time ago. Inside the Yu Palace, a certain prince was leaning against a spirit wall with his arms crossed across his chest. He had a gloomy expression while waiting for his wife to return home.
When Feng Yu Heng entered, she immediately saw her future husband with a bitter expression. Three words were clearly written across his face: I am unhappy!
She tapped her head and sneaked forward, using a finger to poke him: "Hey."
The husband did not move.
She poked again: "Hey, hey."
The husband still did not move.
Huang Quan tugged Song Kang's sleeve and quietly said: "Let's leave!"
Song Kang nodded and followed Huang Quan away.
Only Feng Yu Heng and Xuan Tian Ming remained at the spirit wall. Even the gatekeeper closed the gates then went somewhere else to hide.
Feng Yu Heng looked around and made sure that nobody was around. She then raised a foot and kicked at Xuan Tian Ming. As a result, before this foot could find its target, it was stopped by another leg. She was then twisted to the point that she lost balance and fell into her husband's embrace.
Feng Yu Heng suddenly felt a bit of despair. She felt that no matter how bitter she felt, she would never be able to beat Xuan Tian Ming in martial arts. She grieved with a bitter expression: "If we fight in the future, I truly could not defeat you."
Xuan Tian Ming raised an eyebrow: "Why would we fight?"
"Aren't we fighting right now?" She pointed at her leg, "Are you planning to not let go?"
Xuan Tian Ming rubbed his nose and bragged: "This is not called a fight. This is called the husband giving you a lesson."
She gritted her teeth in anger: "I give you a bit of face, and you want to distort it? Don't believe that I truly can't defeat you!" She felt a little guilty saying this. She did not even have the courage to look at him.
A smile appeared on Xuan Tian Ming's face, and he immediately held her in place with a serious expression, saying: "This prince heard that you saved Han shi? Why save her? Just let her die to end all worries. In the future, worry a little less about the Feng family's matters. If another person has undisciplined thoughts, this prince will have the entire family cut up, not leaving a single one alive."
She was speechless, "There are still plenty of good people. You will cut them up too? Also," She paused a little, her expression becoming serious, "I feel that the reason father Emperor kept Feng Jin Yuan is that he should have some other purpose. I also suspect that Feng Jin Yuan has something in his hands, and this is something that Qian Zhou wants. It is also something that Da Shun wants."
As she said this, a knocking suddenly came from the door. Someone was knocking on the gate. The gatekeeper that had gone to hide to the side rushed out with a smile and greeted the two before opening the gate.
The two looked back and found that the person that had hastily come in was Wang Chuan.
That day, Xiao Jing was brought out, and Feng Yu Heng had sent Wang Chuan with a group to find her. Seeing Wang Chuan's appearance upon returning, her heart chilled by a bit.
Sure enough, Wang Chuan arrived in front of the two and said: "This servant was lacking. That woman from Qian Zhou could not be found."
Although Feng Yu Heng felt that it was a pity, she did not think that it was unexpected. Since she had analyzed that Xiao Jing was not a normal servant, it was expected that she disappeared without a trace.
Wang Chuan was a little embarrassed over not being over to find her and could not help but put forward her own thoughts: "Could it be that lord Feng has hidden her?"
Before Feng Yu Heng could speak up, Xuan Tian Ming snorted coldly then said: "Since there are people from Qian Zhou gathering around him, who knows what sort of things he has done in secret. But it's hard to say. The person that hid her could be a third party."
Feng Yu Heng did not find it strange that Xuan Tian Ming knew about Feng Jin Yuan having people from Qian Zhou at his side. Even her hidden guards could find out, much less Xuan Tian Ming's.
The two did not say anything else, only telling Wang Chuan to pay attention to all movements. The two then returned to their room. Upon entering, Feng Yu Heng immediately told Xuan Tian Ming about the speculation that she had said to Feng Jin Yuan. By the end, she was still unable to guess at what Feng Jin Yuan had that would cause Qian Zhou to devote so much time to him, thus she asked Xuan Tian Ming: "You should also guess. Help me analyze this."
Xuan Tian Ming glared at her, "You returned late today, and this prince's anger has not yet diminished."
She helplessly said: "For the sake of hiding the truth, Han shi pushed Xiang Rong into the water. If it was not for my people finding her in time and saving her, perhaps my third sister would have perished. Xiang Rong could not tolerate this, nor could concubine mother An, but seeing concubine mother An want to tear Han shi apart, I had to provide some help. As for me helping Han shi give birth to this child, it's just to disgust Feng Jin Yuan. Even if he does not want to wear this green hat, he has no choice. Also, I must make it known to all that he is wearing it."
"Make it known to everyone?" Xuan Tian Ming's lips curled up into a wicked arc, "Good! Then just let everyone know about it. Beloved consort, this prince will help you."
Feng Yu Heng looked at her husband's fox-like smile appear once more and knew that this guy had all kinds of bad ideas surging forth. But she was not too interested in how to disgust Feng Jin Yuan. At this moment, what tangled her the most was what sort of bargaining chip did Feng Jin Yuan have that could have Qian Zhou and Da Shun care so much?
She urged Xuan Tian Ming: "Think quickly!" While saying this, a thought appeared: "Think about it like this, it seems that her Highness the Empress did not just send her two nieces to the Feng manor with the goal of currying favor with me. What do you think?"
Xuan Tian Ming smiled and patted her hair, "The little girl has finally found the entrance."
Feng Yu Heng exploded, "You know about this before, didn't you? You know what Feng Jin Yuan has, and you know what Qian Zhou wants that Da Shun is also considering. in fact, the Cheng shi sisters entered the manor with more than one goal. You knew about all of this?"
She was a little angry. She always believed that there was nothing hidden between her and Xuan Tian Ming, but this matter that she finally grasped today was something that he had known about all along. This sort of feeling was very hard to describe. It was as though she had brought something amazing over to her best friend, only to find that this friend was already holding it in their hand. It was very frustrating.
Seeing that this girl's mood was dropping quickly, Xuan Tian Ming quickly explained to her: "It's not as you think. Do not misunderstand. I don't know about it all. It's just a guess, the same as yours. It's just because I guessed that I wanted to send someone to investigate. After some investigation, there was some progress. But after everything was said and done, they were all just rumors. I also just heard about it today. At that time, you were in the Feng manor."
With him saying this, Feng Yu Heng felt much better, but it was impossible for her to recover so quickly. There was nothing that Xuan Tian Ming could do. After thinking a bit, he coaxed her, saying: "Beloved consort, how about this prince promises you something that you have been looking forward to?"
Feng Yu Heng raised an eyebrow: "What is it?"
He moved closer and raised a hand, gently prodding his golden mask. He placed his other hand on her shoulder then leaned forward and said with a tempting voice: "Didn't beloved consort want to see this prince's face?"


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'I really love having friends over. Eating and drinking and having kids around," actress Kathryn Erbe, 47, says of the sprawling 3,000-square-foot Cobble Hill penthouse that she shares with her two children: Maeve, 17, and Carson, 9.
Erbe also opened up her Brooklyn condo to the castmates and crew of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," on which she starred as hard-boiled detective Alexandra Eames for a decade, until last year. During the WGA writer's strike in 2007, when production ground to a halt (and just a few months after she'd purchased the place), Erbe had more than 40 of the cast and crew members over for a meal.
"I like just putting a big pot on the stove. Easy stuff. I don't have lofty aspirations as far as cooking goes. It was awesome," Erbe remembers. "Plus, we had just moved in so there wasn't that much stuff around."
Previously, she lived in a Park Slope townhouse with her ex-husband, actor/director Terry Kinney. She'd wanted to stay in the neighborhood, but "finding a three-bedroom that was affordable, relatively speaking, in that neighborhood was very difficult," she says.
Erbe had been in contract to buy an apartment, on Seventh Avenue and St. Marks Avenue, and was in the middle of a bidding war but had to walk away from it when she learned the owners built an extension disregarding the historic preservation laws. "It had a little thing on top with a private deck where we could see the water," she says. "They had to take it off. When I saw that, I walked away."
It became clear Erbe would have to extend her search, and that's when she discovered Cobble Hill. "There was a tornado in Brooklyn five years ago, and Maeve and I went apartment-hunting on that day. This was the first place we looked at, and we looked at each other and said, 'Oh, this is it.' "
Housed in a former church, the space is dramatic. From the three-story master suite, whose ceiling soars a whopping 75 feet, to the large, stained-glass window in the loft-like living room, the three-bedroom, 2 1/2-bathroom triplex feels more like a country house than an urban dwelling. This feeling is accentuated by Elena Madden's lush waterscapes (five oil paintings and two digital prints), which hang in the living room amid cozy antique furniture. Her great-grandmother's couch, which has been passed down through generations and survived a flight from Nazi occupation, sits in her office on the second floor.
Much of the city can be seen from the top floor of the master suite, which offers 360-degree views. The vistas include Governors Island, lower Manhattan, Staten Island and both the Brooklyn and Verrazano bridges, but the water has a particular draw for Erbe.
"I love water, and I love looking at water," says the Boston-area native. "When I thought about trying to find a place that's my own with my kids, one of the things I really wanted was to be able to see water. I didn't know how I would accomplish that in New York."
The water reminds her of childhood summers spent on Goat Island, a small island in Newport, RI. "The one place I like to go doesn't take dogs though, so I don't go anymore."
Erbe is quite attached to her two dogs, Lilah and Tallulah, rescues from the North Shore Animal League. She even takes them to work, which most recently was Union Square's Vineyard Theater, where Erbe played Pat Nixon in Douglas McGrath's acutely observed drama, "Checkers." (The play, which also starred Anthony LaPaglia as a dead-on Richard Nixon, just finished its run.)
Erbe was so comfortable in the first-lady costume, she wore the extensive getup outside the theater. "I walked the dogs in my costume, wig and everything," she says. (And the acting bug even rubbed off on Lilah, who has become the poster dog for North Shore, promoting the virtues of shelter dogs.)
And while Erbe and her kids were initially reluctant to leave Park Slope, they have embraced Cobble Hill.
"It reminds me of the way it used to be in the Meatpacking District," an area where Erbe spent a lot of time acting in plays pre-"Law & Order."
"I love doing theater more than any other acting because it's so instant, so hard and so fleeting.," she says. "The things that make it difficult almost make it more worthwhile."
Kathryn Erbe's
* Her children's artwork
* Her family photos
* The 360-degree views
* The couch that once belonged to her great-grandmother
* A Wedgwood Wellesley china set


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Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Broccoli: My favorite food
My father just taught me a technique to avoid overcooking broccoli. When it is finished steaming and is just the right firmness, he said, leave it in the steamer basket and drizzle a little bit of cold tap water over it. The cold water will stop the cooking process so that the broccoli won't get any softer. This is similar to the concept of blanching but without full submersion which would likely make the broccoli too water-logged.
I love broccoli, it's been my favorite food since I was a child and I used to call them "trees." I've never met a broccoli dish I didn't like. My preference is plain, undoctored broccoli - No butter, no salt, no nothin'.
5 comments:
- jocelyn said...
We roast it.
Toss fresh broccoli (cut up, of course) in olive oil and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Roast at 400 for 15 minutes. Best finger food ever.
We do the same with asparagus, green beans (adding thyme, parmesan, and balsamic), and other veggies. Times vary slightly, as does the temp, but it's pretty easy to figure out. Asparagus gets 375 for 20 minutes, green beans at 450 until you can't resist them any longer.
- Unknown said...
I love broccoli too! And, I tried to make my nearly vegan potato broccoli soup again and this time, was extremely successful! It was delicious! I ate some, L ate some, and we froze the rest for good times at a future date! Here's how I did it:
Cut broccoli, stalks and all into bite-sized pieces.
Chop or thin slice one red onion, or other medium sized onion-type vegetable, such as a cipollini, shallot, spring onion...whatever's your favorite...
Cut two large potatoes into bite sized pieces (I left the peel on, which is fine, because I blended it)
Use two-three tablespoons of butter, depending on how many vegetables you are using and melt it on medium in a soup pot. Throw in the onions until soft, along with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. I love pepper so do about fifty twists, no lie. For the kosher salt, I used about two tablespoons. Some folks would use less, do ti to taste.
Then throw in the broccoli. Mix it around on medium heat until bright, bright green, and you can smell the stink of broccoli cooking!
Throw in the potatoes, stir for a few more seconds, then fill the pot up with about four cups of water.
Boil softly for twenty minutes, then take it off the heat and let the pot cool down.
Puree and eat! If the soup is thick, thin it with water or heavy cream, whichever you desire! Yum!~
- ByTheBay said...
Jocelyn - I've never tried that with broccoli but that's how I make green beans and asparagus, too! I love it. So simple and so tasty. They get all caramelized and yummy. I'll have to try it with broc.
M - That soup sounds tasty. Very tasty. I need to start making more soups
- Lynn Barry said...
Great tip...thanks to your dad.I hate mushy "trees" too.
- Gili Warsett said...
As soon as I move into my place, I'm going to start following your recipe suggestions. I realize that's kind of ambitious since I hardly cook, but it's a new goal as of now.


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The Cleveland Orchestra Bramwell Tovey, conductor Tracy Dahl, soprano
GERSHWIN Overture to Strike Up the BandBERNSTEIN "Glitter and Be Gay" from CandideBERNSTEIN Three Dance Episodes from On the TownGERSHWIN (arr. TOVEY) "They Can't Take That Away from Me" from Shall We DanceGERSHWIN (arr. TOVEY) "A Foggy Day" from Damsel in DistressGERSHWIN (arr. TOVEY) Fascinating RhythmTOVEY Urban RunwayGERSHWIN Catfish Row: Symphonic Suite from Porgy and Bess
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Introduced for Blossom Music Festival concerts in 2011, The Cleveland Orchestra's "Under 18s Free" program is designed to encourage families to attend Cleveland Orchestra and Blossom Music Festival concerts together.
At Blossom, this program offers free "Under 18s Free" Lawn Tickets (two per regular-priced adult paid admission) to young people to any Blossom Music Festival concert each summer. (Please note that free tickets are not available with discounted adult tickets.)
How to Order: These tickets can be ordered online or through the Ticket Office (in person or by phone) at the time you purchase your regular tickets. (Individual tickets for the 2017 Festival season go on sale in May.) Alternatively, you can request your Under 18s Free tickets once you arrive at Blossom, via the Blossom Box Office or the Lawn Ticket Booth.
With Lawn Ticket Books: Under 18s Free tickets are available to those who have pre-purchased Lawn Ticket Books. For each Ticket in your Lawn Ticket Book, you can order two Under 18s Free tickets for young people to attend the concert with you. To order these, visit The Cleveland Orchestra Ticket Office in-person at Severance Hall or by calling 216-231-1111 during weekday business hours.
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Windows. For Windows, again DO NOT use triple leafed systems. Also, apply the concepts of air tightness, mass, mechanical decoupling, cavity absorption, and differentiation of materials. A simple but effective design for a window is to build a deep frame in the wall (in excess of 4"s) and line the interior with cloth covered 703, do not make the two sides of the wall more mechanically connected than they already are, then install two panes of heavy glass in different thicknesses resting on neoprene bumpers as far apart as the frame will allow (at least 3.5"s), finally caulk around the gap at the edge of the panes with butyl rubber to make the window air tight on both sides. Laminated glass panes are an excellent choice for this sort of system.
Some folks slant one pane of glass – but others think this is a bad idea and recommend that maximum air gap be maintained, follow up by defeating flutter echo off the glass by treating the opposite wall with absorption or diffusion.


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You've got the ideas and we have the ability to make it a reality! Customize this Crop Hoodie with whatever your heart desires! Slap your face onto it, your bosses face onto it, that sick drawing you drew during math class, or some team tees for your annual company baseball game. It's up to you! Upload your artwork and we'll handle the rest!
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Species In-Depth
At the Aquarium
The awesome whale shark is not exhibited at the Aquarium. This information is available so you can learn more about the largest fish in the world and its conservation needs.
Geographic Distribution
World wide in tropical and warm temperate waters most commonly between latitudes 30o N and 35o S in oceanic and coastal waters with the exception of the Mediterranean Sea. Reported in about 124 countries.
The whale shark is considered to be a pelagic open water fish, but it is frequently seen in shallower inshore waters associated with lagoons, bays, and coral reefs. It prefers warm tropical water, in a range of 21 to 25o C (69.8 to 77o F), but is more content when the warm water is interspersed with cooler, nutrient-rich upwellings that provide a good source of food.
Physical Characteristics
The largest of the sharks, it is well proportioned and beautifully streamlined even with its large, broad, flat head. Its large mouth, which can be up to 1.5 m (4.9 ft) wide, extends the full width of the head. Unlike most sharks in which the mouth is on the undersurface of the head and set well back on the snout, the whale shark's mouth is almost at the very front of its head. Short barbels protrude from its nostrils. It has a mouth full of small, sharp, almost scale-like teeth. Its relatively small eyes (about the size of a golf ball) are located a short distance behind the angle of the jaw and at about the same level. The spiracles are behind the eyes at a similar distance. Five large, vertical gill slits are present just forward of and above the origin of the pectoral fin. The two dorsal fins are placed well back on the body. The first dorsal fin is much larger than the second. The caudal fin is semi-lunate (semi-crescent shaped) with the upper lobe much larger than the lower. A very distinctive characteristic on each side of the upper body is the presence of three parallel, horizontally oriented ridges that start at about where the gill slits end and run the length of the body.
Coloration and color patterns vary from one shark to another. The underbody is white or cream colored. The sides and back have a darker base color with shades of blue, gray, and brown. Vertical and horizontal lines of cream or white create a checkerboard appearance with round spots in the squares giving the impression of checkers on a board ready for play. The dark shaded fins are irregularly marked with round, light colored dots.
Reports about size and weight vary considerably, probably depending on the mode and circumstances of measurement. A male specimen accidentally netted off of Bombay in 1983 was measured at 12.2 m (40 ft) and reportedly weighed 11 metric tons (24,250 lb). A larger specimen was reported from the Gulf of Siam and estimated at 18 m (59 ft), a questioned figure. Most whale sharks observed are 6 to 12 m (19.7 to 39.4 ft) in length. As is the case with many shark species, females tend to be larger than males.
It is interesting that the largest fish in the world utilizes small food items for its nutrition. Although its mouth is huge, its gullet is small and limits the size of prey that it can swallow. The whale shark is a filter feeder and its modified gill rakers can remove food particles from sea water down to 1 mm (0.039 in) in diameter, but most of its food comes in larger dimensions. Along with the small forms of phytoplankton and zooplankton that are caught in its filtering system it will also eat sea jellies, small crustaceans, squid, and small fishes such as anchovies, sardines, mackerel, and similar species.
The whale shark uses a feeding technique very similar to that of the large baleen whales. While the whales use baleen plates as strainers and whale sharks use gill rakers, both open the mouth wide, engulf a large quantity of water and prey, then close the mouth and force the water through the mucus coated strainers that hold food preparatory to swallowing.
This filter-feeding shark may feed passively by simply opening its mouth while it is swimming. It may also feed actively by jutting out its jaws, gulping water into its mouth, closing the mouth and forcing the water through the filtering system and out the gill slits. These sharks have been observed hanging vertically in schools of baitfish while sucking the baitfish into their mouths.
What the 300 rows of small teeth in each jaw do in the feeding process has not been definitely determined. Some biologists suggest that in instances when food is too large for the shark to swallow, the teeth may be used to process the food into a smaller, more manageable size.
Not a great deal is known about the reproductive process of whale sharks. Males, identified by the presence of a pair of claspers near the pelvic fin, appear to become sexually mature when they reach a length of 8-9 m (26.2 to 29.5 ft), but the size of females at maturity is not known. If, or where, there are specific breeding grounds is also a mystery. It is generally accepted that the species is ovoviviparous (aplacental viviparity), a method of reproduction in which eggs developed inside the female's body hatch internally. The embryos have no placental connection to the mother, and are supported nutritionally first by the yolk sac and then by fluids called uterine milk secreted by villi in the internal uterine wall. When the embryos come to term, they are live born.
One female whale shark harpooned off the coast of Taiwan contained about 300 embryos in her two uteri that ranged in size from 42 to 63 cm (16.5 to 24.8 in). It is suggested that newborn pups generally range in length from 55 to 64 cm (21.7 to 25.2 in). As is the case with other sharks, there is no parental care of the pups.
There is some evidence that the southeast waters off Taiwan and areas in the Philippines may be important birthing areas during the summer months.
There is much to be learned about the behavior of whale sharks. Although thought to be highly migratory, little is known about their migration habits or patterns other than that they seem to appear in certain places at certain times. Their movement has been attributed by some researchers to timing with plankton blooms and changes in water temperature. They are primarily solitary animals, but on rare occasions are observed in aggregations of 100 or more individuals. The reasons for the aggregations are not well understood.
They tend to spend most of their daytime hours cruising at shallow depths, apparently feeding, sometimes right at the water surface. During night hours and when they are swimming over distances they tend to go deep and have been recorded to 980 m (3215 ft), the maximum the instrumentation used could measure. They are slow swimmers usually moving at no more than 5 kph (3 mph). Their swimming pattern is different than most sharks in that instead of using just the caudal fin for primary propulsion, they use the full posterior two-thirds of their body length.
When approached by divers, whale sharks seem to be indifferent or mildly curious. They do not object to being approached by divers but it has also been reported that they are not especially accepting of direct contact and should not be touched. If a human remains in close proximity for an extended period of time, a shark will sometimes slowly make its way into deeper water.
The whale shark is well adapted to its environment. Its monumental size is its greatest protection and adults have little to fear from natural predators except for humans. It has a very efficient feeding mechanism and its somewhat opportunistic diet provides a broad base of food supply.
The size of an adult whale shark's eye is about that of a golf ball, small for such a large animal. It has no eyelid or protective membrane. If the shark perceives the possibility of injury to an eye, the eyeball is rotated backward into the eye cavity and is covered by a flap of skin that slides forward over the opening.
The whale shark, along with other shark species, has a sixth sense provided by the presence of specialized nerve cells, located primarily in the head region, called the Ampullae of Lorenzini. These cells are sensitive to and can detect electromagnetic fields transmitted by other animals. These cells assist the shark in finding food at close range, even in poor visibility conditions.
Estimates of whale shark longevity vary from 60 to as long as 150 years, but the maximum age is really unknown.
Because of their size adult whale sharks have little to fear from natural marine predators, although observers have reported seeing scars that might indicate a large shark such as the white or tiger or even a killer whale might have attempted a larger meal than it could handle. Juveniles are subject to predation by larger fishes and sharks. One juvenile was found in the stomach of a blue shark and another in the stomach of a blue marlin. Orcas have also been mentioned as predators of juvenile whale sharks.
By far, the most serious threat to this species is from humans. The meat of the whale shark is considered a delicacy in Taiwan. It is marketed fresh, salted, and smoked and sells for very high prices. That fact plus the value of the fins, hide, liver oil and the cartilaginous skeleton all add up to a very high value per animal taken. There are a number of countries that permit the commercial taking of whale sharks and some fisheries target the species. They are occasionally taken as bycatch. Protected in a number of countries, they are frequently fished illegally because of poor or non-existent enforcement of existing regulations.
Whale sharks are exhibited in several aquariums worldwide. Swimming and diving with whale sharks in locations where their appearance is predictable has resulted in an ecotourism business in several parts of the world such as Western Australia, Bahia de los Angeles, Mexico, Belize, and the Philippines.
Populations have declined largely due to harpoon fisheries and bycatch. The whale shark is listed by the IUCN Red List as vulnerable. It is listed in CITES Appendix II. It is protected in Australia, the Maldives, the Philippines, and the United States.
Special Notes
A whale shark photo-identification library uses a software program that 'analyzes' photographs of the unique-to-each shark skin patterning behind the gills and any scars of an observed shark to distinguish between individual animals. The database helps researchers to learn more about these awesome and mysterious sharks such as population determinations, migratory patterns, breeding areas, etc.
One reason given for the unique checkerboard pigmentation of the whale shark is an adaptation for radiation shielding, an advantage in animals that spend a significant amount of time near the surface of the water where they are exposed to high levels of ultraviolet radiation.
Known as a deity in a Vietnamese religion, the whale shark is called CA Cong, which translates to "Sir Fish".
The skin on the upper surfaces of an adult whale shark may be in excess of 100 mm (3.9 in) thick. It is highly valued for the production of high quality leather.


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We'd lost interest in the Matt Damon/Emily Blunt vehicle Adjustment Bureau because it transformed a Philip K. Dick tale into a "love story." But the casting of Daniel Dae Kim and John Slattery, plus new details, adjusted our attitudes.
Kim, best known for playing Jin on Lost (as well as a slimy lawyer on Angel), will play a "mysterious staffer" at the Bureau of Adjustments, according to the Hollywood Reporter. (And if the movie is anything like the Dick story it's based on, this Bureau actually revises a fabricated reality around people.) And Mad Men's Slattery plays a high-ranking Bureau executive.
And there's a new plot synopsis: Damon plays a congressman who's on the rise in politics. Michael Kelly (Law Abiding Citizen) plays Damon's campaign manager and best friend. Damon falls in love with a ballet dancer (Blunt), but discovers a strange organization is keeping them apart. [THR]


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We've been digging Toshiba's line of Excite tablets, and the newest member of the family has a lot to offer. Not only does it appear to measure up to its competition on specs, but this ten-inch tablet only costs $350. Color us intrigued (which is kind of a brownish red).
The Excite 10 SE has a 10.1-inch AutoBrite HD screen (1280x800), and a 1.5GHz quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor. It has stereo speakers with SRS Premium Voice Pro (though they're on the bottom of the device, which could lead to lap-muffling, if you're not careful), dual cameras, 16GB of built in storage, and yes, a micro SD card slot for expanding the built-in storage for all you content/app hoarders out there.
It will launching running Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean), which includes Google Now, and is usually very smooth thanks to Project Butter. That said, Toshiba may put their own UI on top of it, which could slow things down. That remains to be seen. It is 0.4 inches thick and weighs 22.6 ounces. Not bad, but for $350 it's something we're definitely going to want to take a good hard look at. That's 50 bucks cheaper than the aging iPad 2, and 100 bucks cheaper than the last Excite. Toshiba's last batch of tablets were really well made, they were just priced high enough that no one really looked at them. This could change things. It will be available at retailer starting December 6th and also from Toshiba Direct. [Toshiba]