text:
Mid-March Check: Manhattan Real Estate Ticker
A: Many asked, so here it is. This is a snapshot of the Manhattan real estate ticker as of 10pm March 15th. There are still plenty of bids out there as evidence by the 7-day and 30-day CONTRACTS SIGNED row. Check it out.
The Manhattan Real Estate Ticker
For newbies, the UrbanDigs Manhattan market ticker counts all the notable REBNY exclusive listing status changes as they occur in real-time. If you ever wondered how many contracts were signed so far today, this is your tool. It updates up to 7x a day as all REBNY members update their exclusive listings. As you can see by the above snapshot, it also tells you:
YEST --> Yesterday's total capture
7-DAY --> A 7-day moving total
30-DAY --> A 30-day moving total
To see 304 new contracts signed in the last 7 days is very encouraging. We should also note that the pace of new active listings has been rising the last week or so; another welcome trend for buyers out there frustrated with the lack of well priced quality product. Hopefully some new stuff recently made its way to market. As of now, current demand is tracking very nicely with new supply as this 'active season' continues to be, active.
Since contracts signed data is also lagging, representing the end result of weeks of negotiations and attorney due diligence, any meaningful change out there that may be happening today will have to wait a week or two to show up on our ticker. As it stands now with 982 signed deals in the last 30 days, this market will have to stay hot to maintain these levels.
Year to date, the 2011 Manhattan Market trends are (click the links below for some free charts):
Active Inventory --> UP 10%
Pending Sales --> UP 14%
Pace of Listings Being Removed From Market --> DOWN 11%
The data doesn't lie!
**Subscribe here to unlock all the Manhattan real estate charting tools**
Thank you for the informative post you have here. So, we will be monitoring time to time for changes update?


text: Mircea Eliade, Traité d'histoire des religions (1949; Eng. trans., Patterns in Comparative Religion, 1958), is a standard work with much information on worship. James G. Frazer, The Worship of Nature (1926), is a classic work but is now out of date. Walter Harrelson, From Fertility Cult to Worship (1969); and F.H. Hilliard, How Men Worship (1965), are popular, brief treatments of worship in the major religions. John S. Mbiti, Concepts of God in Africa (1970), has valuable source materials but is difficult to use because of the variety of materials placed together. Geoffrey Parrinder, Worship in the World's Religions (1961), is a popular work, accurate and helpful, but brief. H.H. Rowley, Worship in Ancient Israel (1967), is a standard and comprehensive work. Evelyn Underhill, Worship (1936), is a standard work, still valuable, but now out of date. Geoffrey Wainwright, Doxology: The Praise of God in Worship, Doctrine and Life (1980), argues that all Christian themes come to a focus in worship.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
|Never has something so small been so big. No other full frame, interchangeable-lens camera is this light or this portable. 36MP of rich detail. A true-to-life 2.4M OLED viewfinder. Wi-Fi sharing. It's all the full-frame performance you ever wanted—in a compact size that will change your perspective entirely.
World's smallest & lightest interchangeable lens full-frame cameraSony's Exmor image sensor takes full advantage of the Full-frame format, but in a camera body less than half the size and weight of traditional full-frame DSLRs
Ultimate full frame 36.3 MP resolution with gapless sensor lens designThe unrivaled 36.3-effective-megapixel resolution and outstanding optical lens performance are optimized by removing the optical low-pass filter. In combination with the new BIONZ X image processing engine, this design enhances the reproduction of the finest of details. In addition, the sensor includes a new gapless lens design that fills the space between neighboring pixels to significantly increase light collecting efficiency and realize high corner-to-corner image quality.
Fast Intelligent AF for responsive, accurate, and greater operability with full frame sensorThe high-speed image processing engine and improved algorithms combine with optimized image sensor read-out speed to achieve ultra-high-speed AF despite the use of a full-frame sensor.
New Eye AF controlEven when capturing a subject partially turned away from the camera with a shallow depth of field, the face will be sharply focused thanks to extremely accurate eye detection that can prioritize a single pupil. A green frame appears over the prioritized eye when focus has been achieved for easy confirmation. Eye AF can be used when the function is assigned to a customizable button, allowing users to instantly activate it depending on the scene.
Fully compatible with Sony's E-mount lens system and new full-frame lensesTo take advantage of the lightweight on-the-go body, the α7R is fully compatible with Sony's E-mount lens system and expanded line of E-mount compact and lightweight full-frame lenses from Carl Zeiss and Sony's premier G-series.
Direct access interface for fast, intuitive shooting controlQuick Navi Pro displays all major shooting options on the LCD screen so you can rapidly confirm settings and make adjustments as desired without searching through dedicated menus. When fleeting shooting opportunities arise, you'll be able to respond swiftly with just the right settings.
High contrast 2.4M dot OLED EVF for eye-level framingView every scene in rich detail with the XGA OLED Tru-Finder, which features OLED improvements and the same 3-lens optical system used in the flagship α99. The viewfinder faithfully displays what will appear in your recording, including the effects of your camera settings, so you can accurately monitor the results. You'll enjoy rich tonal gradations and 3 times the contrast of the α99. High-end features like 100% frame coverage and a wide viewing angle are also provided.
3.0 1.23M dot LCD tilts for high and low angle framingThe tiltable 3.0" (1,229k dots) Xtra Fine™ LCD Display makes it easy to photograph over crowds or low to capture pets eye to eye by swinging up approx. 84° and down approx. 45°. Easily scroll through menus and preview life thanks to WhiteMagic™ technology that dramatically increases visibility in bright daylight. The large display delivers brilliant-quality still images and movies while enabling easy focusing operation.
Simple connectivity to smartphones via Wi-Fi® or NFCConnectivity with smartphones for One-touch sharing/One-touch remote has been simplified with Wi-Fi®/NFC control. In addition to Wi-Fi support for connecting to smartphones, α7R also supports NFC (near field communication) providing "one touch connection" convenience when transferring images to Android™ smartphones and tablets. Users need only touch devices to connect; no complex set-up is required. Moreover, when using Smart Remote Control — a feature that allows shutter release to be controlled by a smartphone — connection to the smartphone can be established by simply touching compatible devices.
PC control w/ remote video capture controlRemote Camera Control allows you to control your α7R from your PC using a USB cable. Feature control has also been updated to include video capture control.
14-bit RAW output for rich tonal gradation14-bit RAW image data of extremely high quality is outputted by the α7R. This data fully preserves the rich detail generated by the image sensor during the 14-bit A/D conversion process. When developed with Sony's Image Data Converter RAW development software, these images deliver the superb photographic expression and rich gradation that only 14-bit data can offer.
New BIONZ
Sony proudly introduces the new BIONZ
Full HD movie at 24p/60i/60p w/uncompressed HDMI outputCapture Full 1920 x 1080 HD uncompressed clean-screen video files to external recording devices via an HDMI® connection in 60p and 60i frame-rates. Selectable in-camera AVCHD™ codec frames rates include super-smooth 60p, standard 60i or cinematic 24p. MP4 codec is also available for smaller files for easier upload to the web.
Gapless, optimally positioned on-chip lensesSony optimized the design and positioning of every on-chip lens (OCL) covering every pixel to significantly enhance light-gathering efficiency. A gapless on-chip lens design eliminates the gaps between the micro-lenses to collect more light. Moreover, each on-chip lens is optimally positioned depending on its location to accommodate the sharper angle of light entering the periphery, which is caused by larger sensor dimensions being teamed with the E-mount's short flange-back distance.
Multi-interface Shoe for flash and microphone flexibilityUnlike conventional cameras, the α7R features the advanced Multi-Interface Shoe that dramatically expands compatibility with Sony digital imaging accessories, thus raising the potential for photo/movie shooting.
4K Still image output by HDMI
Enjoy Ultra High Definition slide shows directly from the camera to a compatible 4K television. The α7R converts images for optimized 4K image size playback (8MP). Enjoy expressive rich colors and amazing detail like never before. Images can be viewed via an optional HDMI connection4 or via WiFi.
TRILUMINOUS™ color outputs wider color gamut to compatible devicesTRILUMINOS™ Color technology, allows you to experience photos and movies in rich, natural colors on any TV equipped with a TRILUMINOS Display™. The expanded color gamut immerses you in those unforgettably colorful moments, from the complex shades in a shimmering blue sky to the delicate skin in a baby's face.
PlayMemories™ Camera Apps allows feature upgradesPersonalize your camera by adding new features of your choice with PlayMemories™ Camera Apps. Find apps to fit your shooting style from portraits, detailed close-ups, sports, time lapse, motion shot and much more. Use apps that shoot, share and save photos using Wi-Fi that make it easy to control and view your camera from smartphone, and post photos directly to Facebook or backup images to the cloud without connecting to a computer.11
Image Data ConverterAdvanced features enable manipulation, conversion and management of full-resolution RAW images. You can expertly adjust exposure, white balance, tonal curves, saturation, contrast, hue and sharpness — as well as apply DRO and vignetting compensation. Bundled Remote Camera Control software also lets you remotely activate and deactivate still/movie recording and control various camera settings from a PC.
Vertical Grip CapableEnjoy long hours of comfortable operation in the vertical orientation with this sure vertical grip, which can hold two batteries for longer shooting and features dust and moisture protection.
|Lens Compatibility
|Sony E-mount Full Frame, operation with Minolta / Konica Minolta Maxxum A-mount lenses confirmed via optional LA-EA3/LA-EA4 adaptor9
|Camera Type
|Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera
|Lens Mount Type
|Sony E-mount Full Frame
|Imaging Sensor
|Exmor CMOS sensor (35.9 x 24.0mm)
|BIONZ® X image processor
|Anti Dust
|Charge protection coating on optical filter and ultrasonic vibration mechanism
|Pixel Gross
|36.8 Megapixels (approx.)
|Effective Picture Resolution
|36.3 Megapixels (approx.)
|Color Filter System
|RGB primary color filters
|Media Type
|Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo, Memory Stick XC-HG Duo, SD memory card, SDHC memory card (UHS-I compliant), SDXC memory card (UHS-I compliant)
|Color Space
sRGB standard (with sYCC gamut) and Adobe RGB standard compatible with TRILUMINOS™ Color
xvYCC standard (x.v.Color™ when connected via HDMI cable) compatible with TRILUMINOS™ color
|Still Image Mode
|RAW, RAW & JPEG, JPEG Extra fine, JPEG Fine, JPEG Standard
|Still Image Max Effective Resolution
|36.4 Megapixels
|Still Image Size 16:9
35mm full frame:
L: 7360 x 4144 (30M), M: 4800 x 2704 (13M), S: 3680 x 2072 (7.6M)
L: 4800 x 3200 (15M), M: 3680 x 2456 (9.0M), S: 2400 x 1600 (3.8M)
|Still Image Size 3:2
35mm full frame:
L: 7360 x 4912 (36M), M: 4800 x 3200 (15M), S: 3680 x 2456 (9.0M)
L: 4800 x 3200 (15M), M: 3680 x 2456 (9.0M), S: 2400 x 1600 (3.8M)
|Panorama Still Image Size
Horizontal Wide: 12,416 x 1,856 (23M)
Horizontal Std.: 8,192 x 1,856 (15M)
Vertical Wide: 2,160 x 5,536 (12M)
Vertical Std.: 2,160 x 3,872 (8.4M)
|Video Mode
|AVCHD format Ver. 2.0 compliant / MP4
|Video Resolution
PS - 1920 x 1080/60p@28Mbps
FX - 1920 x 1080/60i@24Mbps
FH - 1920 x 1080/60i@17Mbps
FX - 1920 x 1080/24p@24Mbps
FH - 1920 x 1080/24p@17Mbps
HD - 1440 x 1080/30p@12Mbps
VGA - 640 x 480/30p@3Mbps
|Video Signal
|NTSC color, EIA standards
|Audio Format
|Dolby Di ital (AC-3) / MPEG-4 AAC-LC
|Built-in stereo microphone or ECM-CG50 / XLR-K1M (sold separately) / Built-in monaural speaker; volume settings in 8 steps between 0 and 7
|Still Image File Format
|JPEG (DCF Ver. 2.0, Exif Ver.2.3, MPF Baseline compliant), RAW (Sony ARW 2.3 format)
|Lens Type
|Sony E-mount Full Frame
|Lens Mount Type
|Sony E-mount Full Frame
|Digital Zoom
|Yes, approx. 4x
|Direct Manual Focus
|Exterior Finish
|EV Compensation
|+/-5.0 EV (in 1/3 EV or 1/2 EV steps), with exposure compensation dial: +/-3.0 EV (in 1/3 EV step)
|1/2-inch (1.30 cm) XGA OLED color electronic viewfinder
|Diopter Adjustment
|-4.0 m-1 ~ +3.0m-1 (diopter)
|Field of View
|Approx. 0.71x with 50 mm lens at infinity, -1m-1 (diopter)
|LCD Type
|3.0" (7.5cm) TFT LCD (921,600 dots) with tiltable design
|Brightness Control
|Manual (5 steps between -2 to +2), Sunny Weather mode
|Live View
|Continuous Live View
|Real-time image adjustment display
|Yes (On / Off)
|Yes (On / Off)
|Yes (Level setting: High / Mid / Low / Off, Color: White / Red / Yellow)
|Grid Display
|Graphic Display / Display All Info. / No Disp. Info. / Histogram / Digital Level Gauge / Shooting information for viewfinder mode
|Grid, Histogram display, Digital Level Gauge, Grid Line, Magnified display for playback
|Focus System
|Contrast-detection AF
|Focus Points
|25 points (contrast-detection AF)
|AF Modes
|Single-shot AF (AF-S), Continuous AF (AF-C), Direct Manual Focus (DMF), Manual Focus
|Focus Area
|Multi Point (25 points) / Center-weighted / Flexible Spot (S/M/L) / Zone
|Focus Sensitivity
|EV 0 to 20 EV (at ISO100 equivalent, with F2.8 lens attached)
|Manual Focus Assist
35mm full frame: 7.2x, 14.4x
APS-C: 4.7x, 9.4x
|Focus Features
|Lock-on AF, Eye AF, Focus lock, Eye-start AF (only available with optional LA-EA2 or LA-EA4 attached), AF illuminator (built-in, LED type, range: Approx. 0.30-3m), AF micro adjustment, AF ON
|AF Illuminator
|Yes (with built-in LED type)
|Picture Effect(s)
|13 modes: Posterization (Color, B/W), Pop Color, Retro Photo, Partial Color (R, G, B, Y), High Contrast Monochrome, Toy Camera, Soft High-key, Soft Focus, HDR Painting, Rich-tone Monochrome, Miniature, Watercolor, Illustration
|Auto Exposure Lock
|Available with AE lock button. Locked when shutter button is pressed halfway. Can be disabled from the Menu.
|Color Temperature
|2500 – 9900K with 15-step each Magenta/Green compensation (G7 to M7), Amber/Blue (A7 to B7), Custom
|Creative Style
|Standard, Vivid, Neutral, Clear, Deep, Light, Portrait, Landscape, Sunset, Night Scene, Autumn Leaves, Black & White, Sepia (Contrast -3 to +3 steps, Saturation -3 to +3 steps, Sharpness -3 to +3 steps)
|D-Range Optimizer
|Off, Dynamic Range Optimizer (Auto/Level (1-5)), Auto High Dynamic Range: Auto Exposure Difference, Exposure Difference Level (1.0-6.0 EV, 1.0 EV step)
|Exposure Bracketing
With 3 frames in 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV, 2/3 EV, 1.0 EV, 2.0 EV or 3.0 EV increments.
With 5 frames in 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV or 2/3 EV increments
|Exposure Compensation
|+/-5.0 EV (in 1/3 EV or 1/2 EV steps), with exposure compensation dial: +/-3.0 EV (in 1/3 EV steps)
|Exposure Settings
|AUTO (iAUTO, Superior Auto), Programmed AE (P), Aperture priority (A), Shutter-speed priority (S), Manual (M), Scene Selection, Sweep Panorama, Movie
Still images: ISO 100-25600 (ISO numbers up from ISO 50 can be set as expanded ISO range),
AUTO (ISO 100-6400, selectable lower limit and upper limit)
Movies: ISO 200-25600 equivalent, AUTO (ISO 200-6400 equivalent)
|Advanced 1200-zone evaluative metering
|Metering Modes
|Multi-segment, Center-weighted, Spot
|Metering Sensitivity
|EV 0 to 20 EV (at ISO100 equivalent, with F2.8 lens attached)
|Noise Reduction
|Long exposure NR: On / Off, available at shutter speeds longer than 1 sec., High ISO NR: Normal / Low / Off selectable
|Scene Mode(s)
|Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Sports Action, Sunset, Night Portrait, Night Scene, Hand-held Twilight, Anti Motion Blur
|White Balance Mode
|Auto WB / Daylight / Shade / Cloudy / Incandescent / Fluorescent (Warm White / Cool White / Day White / Daylight) / Flash / Color Temperature (2500 to 9900K) & Color Filter (G7 to M7: 15 steps, A7 to B7: 15 steps) / Custom / Underwater
|Continuous Shooting Speed
|Continuous shooting: Max. 1.5fps, Speed Priority Continuous shooting: Max. 4.0fps
|Drive Mode
|Single shooting, Continuous shooting, Speed Priority Continuous shooting, Self-timer (10/2 sec delay selectable), Self-timer (Cont.) (10 sec. delay; 3/5 exposures selectable), Bracketing (Cont., Single, White Balance, DRO)
|2-sec. or 10-sec. delay
|Shutter Speeds
|1/8000 to 30 seconds, bulb
|Shutter Type
|Electronically-controlled, vertical-traverse, focal-plane shutter
|Flash Bracketing
With optional external flash:
1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 1, 2, 3 EV steps, 3/5 frames (1.0/2.0/3.0 EV: only 3 frames) selectable
|Flash Compensation
With optional external flash:
±3.0 EV (switchable between 1/3 and 1/2 EV steps)
|Flash Coverage
|With optional external flash: 16 mm (focal length printed on lens body)
|Flash Metering System
|With optional external flash: Pre-flash TTL
|Flash Modes
With optional external flash:
Flash off, Auto flash, Fill-flash, Rear Sync., Slow Sync., Red-eye reduction (On/Off selectable),
Hi-speed sync, Wireless
|Flash Type
|Optional external flash
|Self Timer
|Red-Eye Reduction
|Media/Battery Indicator
|Power Save Mode
|Still Image Playback Options
|Single (with or without shooting information, RGB histogram & highlight/shadow warning), 9/25-frame index view, Enlarged display mode (Maximum magnification L: 23.0x, M: 15.0x, S: 11.5x), Auto Review (10 / 5 / 2 sec, off), Image orientation (Auto / Manual / Off selectable), Slideshow, Panorama scrolling, Folder selection (Still / Date / MP4 / AVCHD), Forward/Rewind (Movie), Delete, Protect
|Video Playback Options
|Forward / Rewind (Movie)
|Multiple Language Display
|Face Detection
|On, Off, Face Registration, Face Selection; maximum eight faces detected
|Smile Shutter™ technology
|Smile shutter (selectable from 3 steps)
|Image Stabilization
|Lens-based (where applicable)
|Intelligent Auto
|Superior Auto
|Tracking Focus
|Anti Motion Blur
|Auto High Dynamic Range
|Yes, (Auto Exposure Difference, Exposure difference Level (1-6 EV at 1.0 EV step), off)
|Priority Setting (for Face Detection)
|Yes (eight faces max)
|Sweep Panorama
|Horizontal (Wide / Standard), Vertical (Wide / Standard)
|Headphone Jack
|Microphone Input
|Remote Commander
|Yes, via optional RM-VPR1
|Accessory Shoe
|Yes, via Multi Interface Shoe
|PictBridge Compatible
|A/V Remote Terminal
|Yes, via Multi Terminal interface
|BRAVIA® Sync™
|Yes, via HDMI® with compatible BRAVIA HDTV (link menu)
|Yes via optional AC-PW20AM (sold separately)
|HD Output
|HDMI® Type D micro connector
|Memory Card Slot
|Memory Stick PRO Duo, Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo, Memory Stick XC-HG Duo, SD memory card, SDHC memory card (UHS-I compliant), SDXC memory card (UHS-I compliant)
|Yes (NFC Forum Type 3 Tag compatible, One-touch remote, One-touch sharing)
|PhotoTV HD
|Yes, with BRAVIA Sync enabled HDTV and HDMI® cable
|Tripod Mount
|Yes, 1/4" (20 thread count)
|USB Port(s)
|USB 2.0 Hi-speed (mass-storage, MTP)
|Dimensions (Approx.)
|Approx. 5 × 3-3/4 × 1-15/16" (126.9 x 94.4 x 48.2 mm) (W/H/D) excluding protrusions
|Weight (Approx.)
|With battery and Memory Stick PRO Duo Approx. 1 lb. 0.4 oz. (465 g)
|Weight(Approx) (Main unit only)
|Approx. 14.4 oz. (407 g)
|Battery Type
|InfoLITHIUM® NP-FW50 (7.2V)
|Battery Capacity
|1080 mAh
|Number of Still Images
|Approx. 340 images with LCD monitor (CIPA standard)
|Power Requirements
|One rechargeable battery pack (NP-FW50)
|Supplied Software
|Supplied Software: PlayMemories Home, Image Data Converter Version 4
|Operating System Compatibility
Image Data Converter 4.0:
Microsoft Windows® Vista® SP2, Windows® 7 SP1, Windows® 8 (Pentium 4 or faster)
Mac OS X (10.6-10.8) (Intel Core Solo/Core Duo/Core 2 Duo or faster)
PlayMemories Home:
Microsoft Windows® Vista® SP2, Windows® 7 SP1, Windows® 8 (Pentium III 800 MHz or faster; for playing/editing HD movies: Intel Core Duo 1.66 GHz or faster/Intel Core 2 Duo 1.66 GHz or faster, Intel Core 2 Duo 2.26 GHz or faster (AVC HD (FX/FH))
Mac OS X (10.6-10.8) (Intel Core Solo/Core Duo/Core 2 Duo or faster)
|Limited Warranty Term
|1 Year Parts & Labor
|Multi Interface Shoe
|Yes, via optional RM-VPR1
|Lens compensation
|Peripheral Shading, Chromatic Aberration, Distortion
|External power
|Yes via optional AC-PW20AM (sold separately)
|Compatible standards
|Exif Print, Print Image Matching III, DPOF setting
|14bit RAW
|Disp. Basic Info, Histogram
|Brightness Control
|Auto / Manual (3 steps between -1 and +1)
|PlayMemories Camera Apps
|Send to Computer
|View on Smartphone
|View on TV


text:
Lee Camp — a liberal comedian and activist — appeared on Fox News yesterday morning. At the end of the segment, Camp said, "What is Fox News? It's just a parade of propaganda, isn't it? It's just a festival of ignorance." Caught off guard, the Fox host offered a feeble defense of the network. Immediately after Camp's comments, Fox promoted a segment about Star Trek's Captain Kirk and his purported ability to woo beautiful women. Watch it:
Liberal comedian tells off Fox News live on Fox.
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text:
Posts Tagged 'animals'
Top 6 Lessons the WWE can Teach the WWF
March 11, 2013 | Lists
We're still baffled when we hear announcements like, "Leonardo DiCaprio has signed on to tour internationally with the WWF." He's too old to be one of those agile wrestlers who jump around a lot and doesn't have the size to believably work with the bigger guys.
Then we recalled that back in 2002, the World Wrestling Federation, the WWF up until then, changed its name to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), presumably so nobody mistook it for an organization that would sweat the fate of the earless water rat. The World Wildlife Fund has been the lone WWF ever since.
Any ties between the two entities would seem to end there, but a closer look reveals how much they still have in common. Both are involved in great struggles, though one tends to employ more pyrotechnics and body oil. While the outcomes of pro wrestling bouts are predetermined, the same cannot be said for the fates of many species under threat on this planet (and maybe others, too — we just don't know the science).
If the number of naked environmentalists spotted in public spaces is any indication, the WWF is losing its struggle. All sorts of species are vanishing and the environment is facing a crisis more epic than any Wrestlemania marquee, with the exception of the historic showdown between Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant at the third installment of that event.
If the WWF is going to reverse this trend it needs to make drastic changes and for a role model it need look no further than the company it once sued for trademark infringement — World Wrestling Entertainment. The WWE may have roots in guys punching out drunk hillbillies in circus tents, but today it's a global media conglomerate with major cable television deals and its own division dedicating to producing terrible films. The WWF may have once sued to avoid any association with the WWE, but the latter's success shows which of the two groups has the winning formula. Here is what the WWF can learn from the WWE:
1. Villains Mean Money
In the WWE as in action films, the villains are usually more entertaining than the fan favorites. Seeing a villain torment a good guy and carry out dastardly deeds against him that would be considered felonious in most states is what draws viewers in and is the cornerstone of the company's success. Hurting the WWF's promotional efforts is the fact that the organization does not have any villains. All animals are, in effect, good guys.
The WWF should select a few animals on its endangered species list that would not be missed if they disappeared off the planet completely and actively campaign for their extinction. Red imported fire ants would be a good choice. These ants, according to the US Department of Agriculture, "cause significant economic losses in livestock and agricultural production and poses a serious threat to human health". In short, who needs 'em, save for a small handful of sadistic members of organized crime syndicates looking to extract information? The WWF could enjoy wider public support for the animals worth keeping around by supporting the decimation of this species.
2. Officials are Often Corrupt
Referees in the WWE are a notoriously dodgy lot. As we mentioned in our Rules for Wrestling Refs, a storyline that has repeated several times over the years involves a referee making a biased call in a match to screw over the hero, resulting in him losing a major bout, his title, pension, etc. This sets up the inevitable confrontation when the good guy avenges his loss by pounding the tar out of the much smaller referee to the audience's howling delight.
The WWF should take the shady practices of WWE referees as a warning about what can happen when power is placed in the wrong hands. While officials may give sweet reassurances at press events, behind the scenes they could be the very ones putting on bibs to chow down at the exotic animal cafe.
3. Name Changes Save Careers/Lives
Wrestling has proven time and again that species once thought extinct, like Hulk Hogan, can prove resilient and surprise everyone with many more lucrative runs (or tabloid scandals). All you have to do is change a person's name or gimmick. After fans sickened of ten years of his catchphrases and horrible color red and yellow color combinations, the Hulkster became a villain, changing his name to Hollywood Hogan and taking on a darker appearance (notably, by applying something to his face more commonly used to tar driveways).
Similarly, the gray wolf was nearly hunted to extinction, but has since made a comeback. This has not been happy news for ranchers in the business of trying to get products to market that the gray wolf would rather devour. So while the wolf is back, it's negative reputation has proceeded it. An easy way around this: change its name to "The Large Siberian Husky-Like Fully Grown Puppy". Now even the most rifle happy rancher would think twice about training his sights on a creature with a name like that.
4. The Face of the Organization is Crucial
Every organization needs a public face. For the WWE that was once Hulk Hogan and is now John Cena, in both cases the most commercially successful wrestlers of their respective generations. The WWF has the panda, a disastrous choice in many respects. The WWE always has a backup in case their top star decides to jump ship to inflict a horrible movie on an unsuspecting world, and the WWF too needs a succession plan for the slow-witted, slow-moving panda, which has an ice cream in the hot sun chance of surviving over the long term.
As evolutionary biology has taught us (well, not us specifically – we're too busy), more than 90 percent of all organisms that have ever lived on Earth are extinct. The panda is unlikely to defy these odds, considering it only eats bamboo and consuming only one thing, from an evolutionary standpoint, should ensure that this overgrown, lazy dichromatic raccoon chows down on its last shoot soon enough. (If the WWF really wanted to get attention and mess with people's minds, it could turn the panda into a villain. After all, they are Chinese and some of the WWE's most popular wrestlers have been jingoistic flag-wavers beating up foreign interlopers.)
The shark, by comparison, is a less discriminate eater than people who enjoy The Olive Garden, and more evolutionarily evolved than the panda. It's also under threat, giving the WWF a cause people can rally behind and the possibility of having a far more kick-ass logo than the wimpy current one.
5. Music Matters
The WWE has been very effective with its musical endeavors. Witness The Land of 1000 Dances, none of which, thankfully, are performed by the wrestlers unless you count the Magnificent Muraco at 1:27 (see below). The track was featured on The Wrestling Album, which also featured Russian-speaking Nikolai Volkoff denouncing western music (he probably had a point here). Despite its questionable musical value, the album was a major success and the WWE has went on to even more popular ventures, such as Motorhead penning the excellent entrance music for Triple H.
The WWF on the other hand, put out No One's Gonna Change the World, featuring liner notes by none other than Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh, way back in 1969, about as uncool a contribution as one could imagine, and another benefit album in 2006. Music penned by and for environmentalists may be soothing and assist in one's bathroom delivery, but it won't make an impact on iTunes. Might we suggest that the company makes use of this piano playing elephant?
6. Problems are Best Settled in a Cage
Two wrestling adversaries engaged in a long and bitter feud often have their final showdown in a steel cage match. Fans enjoy these matches because they don't happen very often and when they do are sure to involve a shifty manager slamming the door shut on the head of the hero, wrestlers hitting each other full bore in the face on the top of the cage without plummeting to a broken neck on the floor and plenty of instances of body parts being bashed against steel. An enjoyable spectacle all around.
The WWF could make use of similar events, pitting the beasts they are trying to save against those who threaten their existence. For example, we could have Wealthy Hong Kong Fin Soup Eater Vs Shark in a closed aquarium death match, though a purist might argue that the odds would be unfairly stacked against the soup eater. Hemingway against all of the large mammals of Africa would have been a surefire moneymaker back in the day.
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Top 10 Reasons Sharks are Better Than Popes
February 27, 2013 | Lists
In case you're wondering why that white cassock went up for sale recently on Roman Craigslist, we have news for you: the current pope, Benedict, has decided to retire. Evidently he wanted to give someone else the chance to say: "What? Someone trying to modernize the faith and bring us in line with contemporary laws around the world? To the popemobile, my lovelies!"
Benedict, who many will remember from the various Dark Sith comparisons at the time of his selection, is said by news agencies to be the first pope to retire in 600 years. (Actually, as any pedant who isn't complaining to a newspaper about the deteriorating quality of its crossword puzzles will point out, he was the first to retire in 598 years). It's a position that has drastically less power than it did back then – a time when a pope could press the impression of his ring on a bowing supplicant's forehead without fear of reproach. It's still a position that holds sway in many parts of the developing world with inadequate access to cable television, and involves overseeing vast stores of wealth and regular placement in doomsday prophecy programmes.
We have compared sharks favorably in the past with rabbits and cats. And since the animal kingdom has just as much business having foreign embassies as the Vatican, we decided to do the same with popes. Here are the Top 10 Reasons Sharks are Better Than Popes!
1. The pope is increasingly irrelevant to today's youth, while the last youngster to question a shark's relevance was unable to wave down a rescue boat with both arms.
2. A shark warning on a beach is enough to send people home. A pope warning on a beach would require paramedics to stand by to treat the old man in the layered robes for heatstroke.
3. No sports teams are named after popes (likely due to copyright concerns, but still).
4. The run-up to the selection of the new pope draws tedious media attention and speculation that finally it won't be an old European guy who looks like he was shoeing horses before he got the call. The media only pay attention to sharks after a mauling or during Shark Week on Discovery Channel, which features lots of fun footage of guys getting terrorized on boats.
5. A fin cuts a more ominous silhouette than a pope hat.
6. If the rhetorical question is to be believed, popes shit in the woods. A shark does its business in the ocean, which is like dropping one in a giant pool with no repercussions.
7. Sharks are constantly on the move, gliding through the seas and picking up speed when prey is in sight. Popes are old men who move slow (even when stalking prey) and can only pick up the pace in a "Popemobile", which is the lamest "-mobile" ever.
8. Torturing an old European man for inclusion in a soup would appeal to only the tiniest minority of well-heeled Hong Kong wedding goers.
9. People's view of sharks improves with education.
10. The pope may be infallible, but the Helicoprion, left, a shark that lived 270 million years ago, had teeth like a bloody chainsaw. Who would you rather see glaring you down at the other end of the aquarium?


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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
oldwisemonk said...
I agree that it was something you wanted to think about before deciding PVE or PVP. But there was a time you had to consider that you'd never have a mount if you wanted to be a Tauren. There was a time when we had to consider alliance or horde based on if we wanted to play a paladin or a shaman. Sometimes, things can change that were very much a part of WoW for us old-timers. Usually, they are okay in the end.


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I am so pleased to have been awarded the Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor - just another reason to come visit us to experience the best of the Food and Wine of Umbria!
I am so pleased to have been awarded the Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor - just another reason to come visit us to experience the best of the Food and Wine of Umbria!
Posted at 10:21 PM in Articles About Me, gastronomia, Tourism, Umbria | Permalink | Comments (0)
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So... yesterday I went to the forbidden land... you know that neighbor to the north of ours that begins with a T.... and yes, if you are wondering, my husband (good Umbrian that he is) did threaten to change the locks on the doors.
That's right. I went to Tuscany (gasp!). The lovely town of Pienza to be exact (double gasp!). I had been hearing a lot about Pienza from passing tourists and since some friends of mine wanted to check it out, I thought I would tag-along.
Now, it really bothers me when journalists treat Umbria as a sort of lowly step-sister to Tuscany, but I have to admit, after my visit yesterday, I kind of get their mentality. I could compare Pienza to my favorite Umbrian town, Bevagna. Both are medieval towns set in the idyllic Tuscan/Umbrian countryside. They are similar in size, as well as aritistic and historic offerings. But, there was one big difference: Pienza was OPEN FOR BUSINESS. Enotecas and restaurants started tastings at 11:30. Shops were alive and inviting, not to mention open all day (a shock for someone like me who lives in the land of the never-ending pausa). The sun was shining, the wine was flowing, it was a perfect Tuscan afternoon... but yet, something was amiss...
Where were the Italians? Ok, obviously the shopkeepers were Italian (all of whom, right down to the gas station attendent, spoke perfect English (and probably German as well)), but where were all of the old people sitting around on their plastic chairs, where were the men arguing about local politics in the piazza? Where was the real Italian life? Where was the bric-a-brac hardware store, and the alimentari? Everything was just a little too slick and polished and the town seemed to be created for tourists. This feeling was confirmed when, getting a coffee, I asked the barista where she liked to eat. She couldn't tell me one place (as she neither lives in, nor frequents Pienza) and so referred me to the owner, who gave me a glazed over 'all of the restaurants are good' answer. Hmmmmmm.
It seems to me that both regions have to work on their toursim a little bit. Tuscany has certainly paved the way to greatness, but has gone off the rails and now seems to have a Disneyland type mania going on. Tuscany is a brand. I engaged in a conversation with a tourist from New York, and, when I told her that I lived in Umbria, the next region over, she said to me (as do many tourists) "Oh yes, I just love all of Tuscany!" That kind of thing breaks my heart, while at the same time makes me happy that Umbria is not saturated with these hapless "UnderTheTuscanSunTourists". Umbria, on the other hand, could learn some things about marketing and attracting tourists: swinging wide open those doors and shaking off that closed 'member's only' feeling... and maybe cutting down the hours of the mid-afternoon pausa - we can't eat four hour lunches every day. Time to throw your hat into the ring, Umbria!
On to the important stuff, here's where I ate:
La Bottega di Pienza: we stopped in here for a tasting of local cheeses and Ercolani wines produced by this family. At €5.50 for a jumbo size glass of wine and tons of cheese, this was a bargain - the wines, however, were unexceptional in my opinion.
La Buca di Enea: Lunch. Cute little trattoria with good local food - we had a Fonduta of Pecorino with porcini mushrooms and lardo di Colonnata, Pici (the local Tuscan pasta) with duck ragù, and Ribollita (Tuscan bread soup). The food was decent, but rushed - I still had my pasta in front of me when the owner slammed down 3 bottles of digestivi on our table - nice touch, but we had been thinking about trying one of the meat courses, let alone dessert - I guess not! That is something that will never happen in Umbria - they don't even think about turning tables, in fact they seem to get really annoyed if they have to reset a table during service!
La Bandita: Not satisfied with the wines we had consumed so far, we decided to try one more place. La Bandita is a modern restaurant/wine bar in a boutique hotel of the same name (owned by Americans). It is worth the trip alone just to sit outside on their patio, sip wine, and watch the chef pick fresh herbs for your cheese plate.
Posted at 08:19 PM in gastronomia, Other Regions in Italy, Spring, Tourism, Umbria, vino | Permalink | Comments (2)
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It's the first of May, which means you are either reincarnating the ancient pagan festival of Beltane or celebrating International Workers' Day... here in Italy we lean towards another excuse for a spring picnic. But the weather was a litte iffy today, so instead of risking a wet picnic, I went out for a bike ride and came across some wonderful edible blossoms from Acacia and Elderflower trees. And since it is May 1st, which means we are just that much closer to bathing suit season... I thought, screw it! I'm gonna fry these blossoms up!
Fritelle di Fiori di Acacia & Sambuco (fried Acacia & Elderflower blossoms)
In a bowl, mix together flour, sugar, milk and egg yolk. Fold in beaten whites. Dip blossoms into the batter and coat well. Deep fry in oil over medium-low heat until golden brown (if the oil is too hot, the batter will not cook in the center). Drain on paper towels. Dust with powdered sugar. Forget that bathing suit season is right around the corner.
Posted at 07:00 PM in gastronomia, Recipes, Spring, Tourism, Umbria | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Well, not so elusive this year... I'd say there was plenty of wild asparagus in Umbria to go around for everybody! Below you will find a little photo blog post of my asparagus picking adventures, and to follow a recipe for my pickled wild asparagus.
Pickled Wild Asparagus
Wild Asparagus - as much as you can find
500mL white wine vinegar
250mL white wine
250mL water
40g salt
bay leaves, ripped into small pieces
hot pepper, cut into small slices
extra virgin olive oil
small sterilized jars
Wash the asparagus and break off the woody stem (where it breaks naturally).
Bring to a boil the vinegar, wine, water and salt.
Add the asparagus and boil until just tender.
Remove from liquid and let dry completely on a clean towel.
Place asparagus into jars with a piece of bay leaf and hot pepper.
Cover completely with olive oil.
Using a wooden skewer, press down the asparagus to make sure that there are no air bubbles and to ensure that they are completely covered with oil.
Screw on lids.
Wait at least one month before consuming.
Can be stored for up to 12 months, in a cool, dark place.
Posted at 09:29 PM in gastronomia, Spring, Tourism, Umbria | Permalink | Comments (0)
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What is Nutella? Nutella is that heavenly chocolate-hazelnut spread that you find everywhere in Italy - a staple on both the breakfast table and as a spread on a pizza for dessert. I first encountered Nutella while backpacking through Europe many moons ago. As the train pulled into Italy, I realized that I had finished my trusty jar of peanut butter that I had had in my backpack (I was 22...and on a budget). Perusing the shelves of the supermarket, I quickly realized that Italy had not yet discovered peanut butter... but, there was a jar of something spreadable with a nut on it... and chocolate, which I figured I could suffer through....
Flash forward 15 years and Nutella is now banned in my house, much to my husband's dismay. It falls into the category of "Once you pop, you can't stop." And, let's face it - for all the promoting the Italian National Soccer team does to push the product as a healthy start to your day, this stuff is packed with hydrogenated oils, sugar, and obviously calories. It is now something that appears only on a birthday... or if we need new glassware.
Glassware? Oh, yes. Open the cupboard of anyone's kitchen in Italy and you surely find a collection of fine Nutella glassware. If you purchase the super-sized Nutella it will come in a plastic tub, the normal size however is always sold in a glass. The glasses come either plain (for when you have guests over), or painted with the latest animated character or sports figure.... now that I think about it the new 2014 Winter Olympic glasses should be coming out just about now.... I might just have to splurge....
**The local option: Artisan chocolate producers in Italy have now started to make their own chocolate spreads (or Nutella ripoffs, as my husband lovingly calls them). One of my favorite producers is Muzzi, based out of Foligno here in Umbria. Apart from the classic chocolate-hazelnut, they also make a wide variety of flavors which can be sampled in their stores, but I'll save you some time - go for the Pistacchio!
Posted at 02:43 PM in Foligno, gastronomia, Umbria, Winter | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Sing along to "A Partridge in a Pear Tree" aka "A Coppa di Testa (Stuffed Back into a Pig's Head)":
♪ On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me... ♬
11 liters of extra-virgin olive oil
8 pounds of curing meats
6 (00) grams of white truffles
5 Rotting Persimmons (perfect by Italian standards)
4 Slimy eels (they're for Christmas eve)
... and a Coppa di Testa (Stuffed Back in to a Pig's Head)!
Happy Holidays!!!
Posted at 02:47 PM in Cose Strani (strange things), gastronomia, Holidays/Feste, Umbria, vino, Winter | Permalink | Comments (1)
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Lining the back of my fireplace, or camino, are two iron plaques: one is of a griffin, the symbol of Cannara and also Perugia (which makes sense, as we live in the town of Cannara in the Province of Perugia...); the other, however, is the image of a large ship (like an Argosy...or a Clipper... or maybe a Galleon.... ship identification is not my area of expertise...), which I would like to believe is maybe the symbol of some other province, and placed there as an homage to the seafaring life that person had lived before transferring to land-locked Umbria. From my 6 minutes of research that my infant and toddler allowed my to complete, I found that both Rimini and Savona have ships as their symbols. The one from Savona looks a little a bit more like my ship, but I will have to investigate this further (which means getting the gossip from some of my older neighbors) at a later time.
So, in honor of the nautical side of my fireplace, I decided to make Zuppa di Pesce con Pasta alla Chitarra (Fish Soup with pasta made on the Chitarra), a dish from Abruzzo. Cooking this slowly in the fireplace gave the soup an even richer flavor. Here is the recipe:
Pasta alla Chitarra
Posted at 05:25 PM in Autumn, becoming Cannarese..., Cose Strani (strange things), gastronomia, Other Regions in Italy, Recipes, Umbria, vino | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Quince, or mela cotogna (the cottony apple), is one of those fruits whose season I both look forward to... and dread. I look forward to it, because I see the quince as a challenge: what can I do with this thing other than make jam (here in Umbria they basically only make jam for crostate, while other regions make cotognata, mostarda, liquori, etc); I dread them because they are a pain to deal with - plus half of them are usually going bad (from the inside out, so you can't tell) by the time I get around to cooking them... instead of just displaying them as a fragrant centerpiece on my table... There is one more problem. The season lasts 10 seconds. No, 5 seconds - basically, as soon as I get inspired, and get my quince groove on, there are no more to be found.
I began with quince paste, a form of Cotognata, as it is know in Southern Italy. In Puglia, they cube it and serve it as a little dessert, but I like to add some savory ingredients and serve with cheese. Here is my recipe:
Then.... take some more quince... to make sweet and sour Pickled Quince! This will be great served with roasted pork.
I also got tips from friends about baking the quince with honey, but, alas, as soon I had a chance, I found that the season was over, as always, in the blink of an eye. Until next year, Quince!
Posted at 01:23 PM in Autumn, gastronomia, Recipes, Umbria | Permalink | Comments (0)
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This weekend is the Weekend of the Dead, or I Morti, as it is commonly called here in Umbria, and it is a BIG holiday weekend... I'm actually having trouble choosing between events as, of course, there are the standards, but some new festivals are popping up too.... and let's not forget the big elephant in the room, Halloween.
Here is a fairly complete list of festivals in Umbria for the weekend of November 1:
Posted at 05:12 PM in Autumn, Events, gastronomia, Holidays/Feste, Tourism, Umbria | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Wait! Aren't summer truffles usually considered to be the lesser truffle? Well, usually, yes. Summer black truffles are always around - they don't taste like much, tend to be dry and kind of woody, and they are cheap (or, cheaper, than their winter cousins). These are the truffles that get thrown into all of those salse tartufate, or truffle "sauces" that one sees around.
But that was then, and this is 2013, the year I am proclaiming "The Year of the Summer Truffle!" If you have been following Umbrians or tourists in Umbria on any social media platform from about October 2012 - June 2013, you probably nocticed a common thread amongst posts: RAIN. So. Much. Rain. And that rain did a lot of damage to property, crops, tourism, everything. But it seems to have done something good as well: the truffles this year are AMAZING!
I recently toured a group through a little farm in the hills above Cannara, and novice truffle hunter, Filippo, age 11, was there showing off his early morning find - a giant black truffle! When we grated* some off for our pasta (investigative work is hard!), we discovered not the usual big, loose white veined summer truffle, but a dark beauty with tiny, tight, barely visible veins - like a winter truffle! And the taste - a delicious fruity nuttiness - very unexpected. If the summer truffles are this good now, I can only hope this fall will produce a bounty of black gold as well!
*Note that I said grated, not shaved. Black truffles, unlike their white cousins, are rarely served shaved. This is because their texture, even in their finest moments, can be a little woody. The correct way to serve black truffles is grated and cooked with olive oil, garlic, and parsley, as the cooking process helps to bring out the flavor. Then, for appearances, you can shave a few on top. If someone serves you a heaping plate of tagliatelle with only uncooked shaved black truffles, know that this is INCORRECT. Only white truffles can be eaten in this manner.
Posted at 05:41 PM in gastronomia, Summer, Tourism, Umbria | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
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Breaking Away TONIGHTBreaking Away TONIGHTYour name is...fearAnd you demand that I abide by your despair~I gave you everything that you have ever askedAnd I never got a thing in return for ANY of thatBut you still managed to continuously stab me in the back~Your name is...remorseAnd you wish for me keep true to this damaging oath~I was nothing but a puppet; I was just your personal scapegoatThese sinister strings guided me to cast aside all forms of pride and hopeI considered us to be friends because you were all I used to know~Your name is...sorrowAnd all you want is to darken the brightest tomorrow~I was your undying sacrifice; the one and only reoccurring offeringYou had an unquenchable thirst for my untimely, man-made sufferingThere's countless times where I put you before myself- it's so god-damn sickening~Your name is...taintedAnd you believe that we are fated~I've remained here, behind your bars, locked up and
Promises Of TodayPromises Of TodayThe sands of time can be unpredictableBut to mold them is impossibleAnd being let down is typicalI, for one, know what it's likeHaving that unrelenting doubt dwell insideAnd withstanding all of those tears that aren't driedWith that saidI want to help you, my dear friendFor the hope of happiness is within the reach of your hands-I need to apologize for not always being thereIt's because I have my own slateBut now I'm finally hereI'm sorry I'm lateI've been where you areI've seen what you've seenAnd I was able to break through the darkBut I'll go back for you, just to help you believeThat it can get betterIf you truly want it toThe era of fear can be overIt just all depends on youBut I knowThat not all of us are strong enoughAnd that's why a lot of people tend to let goSo I am here to lend my rough hands to help you upYou are so importantEven if you don't see itYou're such a wonderful personSo I know you deserve to make it through this-
Aura: The RadianceAura: The RadianceI wore this pain like a crown / I was so brokenI kept on falling down / I felt my soul shatteringI couldn't hear anything / listening to my own twisted thoughtsI was blinded from everything / witnessing my own tragic downfallI stopped dreaming of better days / I ceased believing long agoMy countless nightmares wouldn't fade / I was left in this dark world aloneI guess this is how I really pictured my own endI just want it to finally be over with, I won't resent deathTo the end of this long, and lonely roadDangling on my unfinished ropeLift me up, lift me up, lift me up, and don't let me go!Hold me high, hold me high, hold me high, and give me hope!-Revive the lightInside the darkGiven a second lifeResurrecting my heartCascade of colorsFade away the grayOpen up a new worldWhere shame has no placeStanding up to society's face'sTakes every ounce of courageNever damaged or discriminated againstBecause we're all going throug
Rain Of ThunderRain Of ThunderI took the gift of light for granted-Assuming I would always seeBut when my world darkened-My fears took the best of meAnd I would give anythingJust to see a spark or a glowBut my faith was also fadingWithering away like my hope-The only sight I hadWas beyond the walls in my mindBut they were just figments from the pastA false savior that I could only hide behindThe shadows were becoming my maskIt was shielding me from living my lifeThe skies rumbled ominously / Like cries echoing sorrowfullyI felt rain falling endlessly / Like infinite liquid apologiesReality shed the blackness / The roars fiercely piercedMy eyes ignited the darkness / The heavens suddenly burstWhat once was lostCan also be foundFor effects without a causeNothing would ever be returnedOur paths will once again crossFor destiny is bound-The lowest of the low-I have seenThrough
A Wish For FreedomA Wish For FreedomI, a child birthed in chainsRaised in a cageBut on this day- they will break-I was taught self-hatredLearning that the differences were dividedAmong the people who are considered "civilized "Forcefully combining my fear and envyAs I was raised in the middle of this societyMy power and pride were deprived of meI was only an empty vesselBelieving that all promises were fabledBut once upon a calm- I witnessed hope's revivalWings sprout from my tongue / Words from my soul are sungA new voice's journey has begun / Let the era of silence be undoneObtaining peace of mind / Experiencing freedom of heartAllowing the colors to shine / The future will blind the scarsI had to fight the system; I had to stop the cycleIt was either my downfall or survivalSo I reversed this downward spiralCare not, for those w
Rain Of ColorRain Of ColorAll of the struggles I had to endureI always desperately held onIt was a day after day ritualLearning to stay strongDifferent advice from the wiseI had to fuse it all togetherAnd make sense of every voiceI couldn't allow my hope to wither-Believe in the soulEmbrace the heartIt's what makes you wholeIt defines who you really areEnvision the dreamsAs if they're realRemember where you've beenKnow that every wound will healEvery scar tells a story / Every step is towards gloryThere's always a chance to triumph / There's always a time for resonanceWe always pick ourselves back up / There's no such thing as enoughBorn to live free / Alive to feel peaceHold onto that sparkEven if it's not muchIt'll guide you through the darkIt'll help you when you're lostCompare not to othersLive at your own paceIt always gets betterFaith never really fades-I've made it to this placeWhere finally I realizeI've journeyed through the painAnd I have
To Save Your LifeTo Save Your LifeHeroes are hard to come byEspecially in this day and ageBecause of you- I am still aliveHail, the vanquisher of pain-I fought as long as I could haveBut I sank into the weakness belowAnd I felt my sorrow's wrathThe helplessness took overMy fists let goOf the resistanceI fell from hopeThe light faded in the distanceIt was all a dreamA wish...A simple false beliefI hid...-Hands dangled frantically / Tears dripped endlesslyI needed a hero to save me / I yearned to be set free-A hand reached outHeld tight...I was finally foundRelieved sigh...I rose back to graceAnd the darkness brightenedThe savior I awaitedLifted me up and triumphedI prayed as much as I neededEven when I was beyond drowningI knew a kind soul would pay heedEvery mourning human deserves saving-
The Road Of YesterdayThe Road Of YesterdayThese closed eyes have weptOver the pain I've keptAccepting I'll always be far from perfectI'm tired- just too tiredA moment of peace is all I desireToo long have I tried; too long have I enduredI just want to collapseAnd let these be my last footstepsAllow me to go where all tears are sent-I've always been out of breathBut I still continued to treadAnd I feared to look in the eyes of deathI'm sore- just so soreA final sunset is what I selfishly yearnToo long have I searched; too long have I resided within the eye of the stormI refuse to ultimately breakI don't want to believe in the flaws of my faithI won't be swallowed by this void that I have made-As I reach the end of my despairI realized that life's fractures can be repairedAnd when I shed that last tear I let go of my fearTh
A Moment Of LoveA Moment Of LoveThis is a perfect chance of weakness to finally tell you that this isn't just a crushIt's not all about lust; I've always wanted to confess to you that I care about you so muchI apologize for being hesitant all of the time; it's just very hard to say you're my one true loveI yearned to say it out loud, but the words couldn't escape my mouth, that's what my fear doesI tried to say it to you in every lucid dream, that's how strong these feelings areAnd I found myself waking up to tears of joy, because a true sense of hope is in my heart-I want to win you overAnd I will never give upBecause you make the dark brighterAnd you're always there no matter whatEvery time you smile at me, it makes my dayEvery time you laugh with me, it completes my nightEvery time you speak to me, my problems fade awayEvery time you're with me, it betters this hopeless lifeYou've done a lot for me that you don't even know aboutLike when you told me that I was never aloneYou've
UnsolidUnsolidEven when I'm at my weakestI still lend you my strengthEven when my eyes are their darkestI still look out for you the best way I can-I'm not the hero of the dayI just know what's rightI'm not some selfless saintSomeone has to bear the lightI don't expect any praiseAll my deeds are of the same kindI need not your thanksNo relief can fill this void in my lifeNo rest for the wicked / No love for the abandonedNo hope for the innocent / No pain for the departedI'll give you my all / I'll rise while I fallI'll answer your call / I'll serve until there's no pulseI'm not looking for acknowledgmentRemember not my faceI don't consider labels an accomplishmentForget to speak of my nameI will leave none a victim of relinquishmentYou will not witness that painI'm merely here to cure the inhumane infectionsFor we are all one in the same-Even when all seems hopelessI will come to turn the tidesEven when I'm left powerlessI will always be
The Peace SeekerThe Peace SeekerWhispers that no one hearsThe world is deaf from despairThe sun becomes my throneAs I watch reality become undone-Someone can be another person's heroIf only love existedDusk will break with a darker tomorrowAnother day of being two-facedEvery second- a promise is brokenEvery minute- a tear is takenEvery hour- a smile is forcedEvery day- a child is bornI stitch my mouth shut / I finally had enoughSilence is my sin / Truth is my friendSeal my eyes wide / Lies can finally hideI will witness no evil / I will force another smileAnyone can be someone's demonBecause greed insists itPeace is not real to a planet of villainsNeeds cannot be resistedEvery chance- wrongs replace rightsEvery opportunity- delusions will igniteEvery wish- is for more of the sameEvery hope- is for someone else to blame-Screams that will echo onThe voices of war will succumbThe moon becomes my beaconAs I await for the answers I'm seeking
A Sleepless NightA Sleepless Night(That Will Never Alight)This same old nightmare that I grimly fearAn image of my life haunted by your shadowsI'm frozen in place, waiting for daylight to soon appearBut I don't know if I'm ready to take on another loveless tomorrowWhy am I the one who suffers when you're not even really here?I should not have to be the one inflicted by your falsely bestowed sorrow-You made and broke every one of those promisesYou left even though you knew that you'd be greatly missedYou were not the one saying that you're so sorryYou were not the one who was left crying uncontrollablyYou didn't feel your heart being ripped awayYou never considered the other side of the painFor you I completely broke downFor you I remain in countless pieces nowBut I vow to never go through that againBecause I will never give my heart to someone in vainI want you to know that this is the costFor I am the outcome of when you throw away your love-This cage named my he
I'm Almost ThereI'm Almost ThereStrung outBut soberDrunk with rageBroken downThe oppressorAltered by painThey say...They say...They say the prison is here to save us!To cage...To cage...To cage up the thoughts that are dangerous!-Weeping for the hollowedCan't live through tomorrowMy pride I swallowedAnd I put on cold smileMy choice is my ownAn addiction to being hurtI want help, but I don'tI wanna change, but I won'tI have too many dark secretsFlowing in my veins of concreteThis is what they've done to meThe product I like to call "a perfect tragedy."-Blank stareToo peacefulSyncing with blameA mirrorSo pitifulSoon to breakI said...I said...I said it's too late!I want...I want...I want it to end this way!
Alcohol Fueled WordsAlcohol Fueled WordsBlame can go a long waysWhen the problems stay intactGuilt always refuses to fadeAfter another hurtful attackRegret has an unquenchable thirstWhile voices are thrown every directionRage is tightly bottled up until the next outburstThough the tears dry, the reasons for them won't be easily forgiven-You bring out those secret, false words I don't even meanYou push me over the edge, and get rid of my sense of controllabilityYou expose hidden feelings that are supposed to be locked deep within meYou pull me into a downward spiral, to release my brutalityYou choose innocent targets to go for, but you leave their faces blurryYou lock me within a state of mind that consumes all of my untapped furyYou turn me into a monster, so heartlesslyYou change morals and intentions too quicklyYou win every time; hail to your addictive victories-Intoxicated emotions are limitlessWhile they continue to riot away insideResistance is rendered uselessWhen the
Plead For ReleasePlead For ReleaseGod, I hope I'm doing this rightI was never really one for prayingGod, Please look at me in my eyesI'm sorry, I'm just so sorry for everythingEven though I'm just another one of your creationsI wonder why I was born surrounded by destructionI know nothing of your pityBut I still want to try and believe in thee-I crumble down to my kneesAnd I beg of you, pleaseDestroy every nightmare that I have ever sleptBreak and shatter every mirror in existenceSo I don't have to dream of what I've become to beSo I don't have to see what has finally become of me-God, I was never really one for confrontationsBut this is where I have to draw the line in lifeBecause hearing the truth is like learning an important lessonJust like when I was told that it's all okay, it's okay to cryBecause everything just seems to happen for a reasonBut now I know nothing, nothing except griefI just hope this life of pain is not an inheritanceBecause I've become so
UndeceasedUndeceasedIt's just a matter of timeBefore I leave myself behindI've almost pushed everything away from myselfAnd soon there will be no more reasons to beg for helpI'm slowly dissipating, and as this continues on there will be nothing elseI am just too tiredThe ending is all I desireI quiver as the waves of life crash against my hollow shellStriking endlessly, and after living through this I don't even fear the depths of hellBecause being this strong means I've accomplished killing every emotion I've ever feltThis life of mine shall be undoneMy era of hopelessness has begunI could be so more much than thisI do have a purpose, yet I still resistI yearn to have it all but I don't even wish to exist-So let the day of the rapture comeBut leave me be, the lone soul who is numbI contain my own apocalypse in my palmsBut I will never release it, I
I'm So Far Away From HopeI'm So Far Away From HopeSociety told me the world is black and whiteI didn't want to believe itBecause I want something more than a narrow minded lifeI need something differentFeeling as if I was truly alone in this worldIt's hard to keep believingFeeling as if I no longer could move forwardIt's difficult to keep breathingI'm stuck between the realms of discrimination and beliefI had to lock away my tears in a prisonFor I am the only one who can keep my resolve safeBut I'm such a fragile person-I knew I couldn't take any of it / I knew everyone is so swift with judgmentI knew I would fall to the hatred / I knew everyone's morals are blinded-Maybe it is meantTo be like this from beginning to endTo endure without cryingTo practice the art of sufferingI wanted to find changeBut I'm not strong enough for this painThe hollowed promises won't be foundBecause I was taught to despise myself-I was told that there was nothing here for meI failed right
Snow AngelStars are quiet.They don't say a word....Snow whispers when it falls.But so quietly no-one hears....And like them, I am also quiet.No-one is listening....I lay myself down to the frozen ground.Earth is sleeping.Having one eye still open waiting for spring....I have both of my eyes closed, but I am listening.I hear nothing....I start moving my hands slowly.Snow rustles....I notice my legs moving too.Not in sync with my hands....I made a snow angel. But I don't stand up to look at what I have made....I keep lying inside the angel....I am where no-one but the stars can see me.And there.There I am an angel.......An angel just by myself....The cold pinches my cheeks but I feel warm....When I finally stand up and start leaving home step by step it is already dark.Fairies start lighting up lanterns to the tree branches....As I am walking home in the deep snow, I have no wings.As I am walking home in the deep snow, I don't have a beautiful gown on me....
Sobriety's RiseSobriety's RiseI exiled you from my veinsYou will never affect me againTake with you the very worst of meI will no longer be a part of thee!-Too long have my eyes been closedSo many years have passed in vainI couldn't let the road ahead get any worseI'm no longer a victim of your taintI dwell no more- in those old woesThough I regret the pain I allowed myself to sustainMirrors don't snare / Family doesn't glareThis hope I bear / I've made it hereCleansed my spirit away / Allowed scars to fadeEmbraced the change / Unlocked the cageMy dreams no longer weepThe nightmares refuse to reimmerseI can move forward if I really believeI was able to get passed the hurt'cause I forgave myself for being weakI am not drowning myself anymore!-Deemed my recovered soul worthyI accepted the gift of clarityToday- I am aliveWatch me rise!
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text:
Sign in to 'manage account in cydia.
It's right under installable purchases.
BTW, Cydia states that I am unable to purchase and that it is not supported by my software version. I am running 5.0
The developer is already working on that issue and a few others. I've been in contact with him. Very responsive, this can be a very nice package, imo.
Nice! Thanks and how does one go about beta testing? Mention on twitter??
I am one of the contest winners and have had iMedia added to my cydia count. I have tested it on my iPhone 4 iOS 5 and it doesn't appear to yet work on iOS 5 yet. I have tried taking pics, video and even voice recordings but no files appears in iMedia's app. Has anyone else tried it on ios 5 and have it working. Appears to be a great app hopefully gets updated soon.


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Find great deals on quality Caceres, Spain hotels & resorts, or indulge at one of our luxury resorts. Take advantage of the many amenities that can be included with your stay such as in-room internet access, wifi, room service, fitness center, pool, hot tub, steam room, and shuttle services to and from the airport. Browse our Caceres, Spain hotels and resorts and plan your Caceres, Spain vacation today!
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Caceres, Spain Hotels & Resorts - Built in 2010, the City Hotel Consists of a Total of 113 Rooms. Facilities Include a Conference Room, Restaurant, Café, Wlan Internet Access and Vending
Caceres, Spain Hotels & Resorts - Barcelo Caceres V Centenario is located approximately two miles west of the city center and 200 miles west of Madrid Barajas Airport.
Caceres, Spain Hotels & Resorts - New and Modern Hotel of Four Stars in the Center of Caceres, He Has 127 Rooms, Spa, Lounges For Conventions, Cafeteria, Restaurant and Parking.
Caceres, Spain Hotels & Resorts - The Hotel Was Developed With Respect For the Original Make-Up of the Building, With the 18 Guest Rooms Replacing the Original Rooms in the House and the
Caceres, Spain Hotels & Resorts - The Hotel is Nestled in a New Building With Modern Apartments. The Apartments Have Reception Service 24 Hours. Children Under 12 Years Stay Free Using
Finestrat, Spain Hotels & Resorts - Mountain Hotel in Finestrat, centrally located to all Costa Blanca Climbing area. Sella, Calpe, Echo Valley, Puig Campana minutes away. Quality rooms with ensuite bath, a/c, heating, TV, swimming pool, private terrace view to mountain and sea.
Madrid, Spain Hotels & Resorts - Ada Palace Hotel is the perfect option for holiday stays and business trip alike, owing to its location in the historic quarter of Madrid.
Puerto Alcudia, Spain Hotels & Resorts - The beach hotel provides 244 guest rooms. All rooms have air conditioning at the manager
Madrid, Spain Hotels & Resorts - The Petit Palace Ducal Chueca Hotel is located in an old palace dated from the end of the 19th century at the city center on the corner of the Gran Via
Malaga, Spain Hotels & Resorts - Hotel Atarazanas Malaga is located in the heart of the historical centre of the city, next to the emblematic central market of Atarazanas...


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Sure-Lites STL 2-Lamp 32W T8 Fluorescent Stairlite Stairwell Light Fixture, 700 Lumens Emergency
Product Info
The StairLite System is designed to satisfy all stairwell lightingrequirements in one easy-to-install package. StairLite consists of asurface-mounted, two lamp fluorescent fixture that incorporates anintegrally mounted ultrasonic motion detector, a system display panel, and optional full battery backup. The StairLite System will deliver vastly reduced operating and maintenance costs due to virtually no power consumption. It will enhance the usefulness, safety, and reliability of any emergency lighting system. The StairLite System is designed for use in any area of a building where the occupancy level or usage would be considered minimal.
Activation: Adjustable Ultra-sonic motion sensor
Application: Stairwells, restrooms, laundry rooms
Ballast Type: Electronic T8 Class P Thermally Protected
Bulb: (2) 32W T8 (not included)
Depth: 2-1/8 in.
Family Brand Name: STL, Stairlite
Industry Standards: UL 924, Life Safety NFPA 101, NEC/OSHA, most state/local codes
Lamp Holder: Medium Bi-Pin
Length: 51 in.
Lens Color: Acrylic
Lumens: 700 Emergency
Occupancy Time Out: 15 sec. to 30 minutes
Voltage: 120
Width: 10 in.
No accessories available
Be the first to review our Sure-Lites STL Stairlite Stairwell Light Fixture, 700 Lumens Emergency


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TAC Air chooses FlightAware FBO Toolbox
FBO chain Tac Air has added Flight-Aware's FBO ToolBox at its 13 FBOs in the U.S. The ToolBox enables FBOs to enhance FlightAware aircraft tracking information with fuel uplift calculations and historical visitor counters, according to FlightAware, to aid an FBO's marketing efforts. The ToolBox also employs Amstat's aircraft ownership/operator data, which provides FBOs with up-to-date contact information. The new fuel uplift calculator shows how much a fuel a customer aircraft has burned during the flight to the airport and estimates the fuel required for the next leg of the trip, thus giving the FBO the opportunity to sell more fuel to the customer. The ToolBox shows historical data on arriving aircraft, including whether they are stopping at area airports instead of the FBO's airport. FlightAware recently added Nexrad weather overlays to its flight planning service.
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cc: US Soccer, email@example.com
cc: Women's Professional Soccer, email@example.com
Dear Santa,
I tried to hit you up on twitter, but 140 characters just isn't going to do. Plus, I think you might have blocked me on accident.
I realize that my appearances in the Naughty List may prevent you from considering my Christmas list this season, but I think my many years of living in the Nice List outweigh a few indiscretions. I hope you'll find it in that big ol' heart of yours to grant me some leeway. Really hoping you'll overlook that rock-throwing thing. To be fair, you can't really be certain it was MY rock that hit the police car.
Here are a few "wants" I have and I'm hoping — since you're such a swell guy — that you can help me with some of them.
- I want US Soccer to sanction WPS for 2012. I'd really love it if US Soccer sanctions WPS because it sees the value Women's Professional Soccer brings to soccer development in the US and not just because "it's the right thing to do," but I'll take the sanction. Beggars, choosers…
melksham 'mɛlk-shʌm\ (verb) melksham·ed or melksham·ing
1. to perform in an incompetent and inconsistent manner
2. to blatantly or obliviously insert oneself into the affairs of others
The epitome of DIS BITCH.
Ali didn´t leave alone after the game today.
Niki Cross was sitting in her car. Hope she was able cheer her up after Kahlert screamed at Kriegs and subbed her out for Ria.
Ali getting screamed at?
Happy Birthday Whit!!!


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Dead Island Digital Comic Released SuperCheats News
Deep Silver today announced the release of a six-page digital comic that reveals the events that lead to the highly anticipated outbreak that is the subject of game play in the upcoming survival-horror action-adventure epic game Dead Island, which places players amidst a terrifying zombie outbreak in the tropical holiday island paradise of Banoi.
The comic introduces the character of Roger Howard, a journalist who has traveled to Banoi to investigate claims of the illegal exploitation of the island's resources. As often happens when editors agree to send reporters to island paradises, during his investigations in the Royal Palms Resort hotel he discovers a terrible surprise that no one could ever have expected�
The decision to release the limited edition comic book in digital form in order to make the backstory widely available to gamers was a really good idea, considering that previously you would only have had access to the paper version if you were one of the lucky few (relatively speaking) who was able to attend Comic Con 2011 in San Diego...
The increasingly popular subscription-based digital comic medium is doing a lot to revive the dying art of the comic book, and while it is true that you cannot hold them in your hands, if you have an iPad or a tablet PC you can still read it on the toilet... We're just saying...
The story was created by the artistic and comic wizards over at Marvel Custom Solutions, and specifically by the creative team that consists of writer William Dailey, along with artists Jorge Lucas, Juan Santacruz, Diego Olmos, Carlos Rodriguez, and Sergio Arino. Many of the artists who worked on the comic have well-established reputations for creating art that is of particular interest to gamers, so we thought we would include the comic cover art with this coverage to give you a taste of what you can expect in the Dead Island Comic!
This is not the cover to the Dead Island Digital Comic, though it does feature one of the artists, Sergio Arino, who worked on the Dead Island Comic and how about that for sneaking in a half-naked girl with tacit justification?
The comic also features an eye-catching cover by Christian Nauck, and was previously only available as a printed limited edition special and restricted piece of Swag at the recent San Diego Comic Con, and as you were not there you did not get one, so they decided that it would be an idea to make this digital version so you would not feel left out...
The Dead Island comic can now also be read here: http://www.marvel.com/digitalcomics/view_white.htm?iid=22757 so don't you feel included now?
About Dead Island
Dead Island, the upcoming gruesome zombie action game with RPG elements by renowned developer Techland, combines first-person action with a heavy focus on melee combat, character development and customization of a vast array of weapons.
All of these game play features are presented in a dark story inspired by classic zombie movies with a gritty and engrossing campaign that can be played with up to four players in co-op mode.
Set in an open world tropical island, hordes of different festering zombies await players around every corner while they embark on a variety of thrilling missions through the holiday resort.
With firearms and ammunition being scarce the player must rely on discovering and utilizing items as weapons for self-defense and fighting off zombie hordes in intense melee combat. A diverse range of items can be collected and will later serve to transform the player's ordinary makeshift weapons into serious instruments of destruction.
For more information about Dead Island check out the Official Website over at www.deadisland.com or the games page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/deadislandgame . If you are a tweeting tweetmeister who actually knows how to use Twitter you can twit at http://twitter.com/deadislandgame if you want to... Go ahead, we won't tell on you!
Gaming Update has been following the development of this title even before we checked the game out at E3 -- and you can find our coverage over at the Gaming Update Dead Island News Page -- so go ahead and do that now...
Are you stoked for the upcoming release of Dead Island? Can you just not wait to start killing zombies? Tell us all about it by leaving a comment below!
Posted: 30th Aug 2011 by CMBF
Tags: Dead Island, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC,
Log in above or register here to comment on this story.
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City of Madrid, IA
Madrid is located in Boone County in Iowa. The median income is $49,500 and the median home value is $103,500. The unemployment rate is 4.45% compared to the 6.1% unemployment rate for the United States (as of August 2014). Workers commute an average of 24 minutes to work each day. The population is 100% White, 0% Black, 0% Asian. 0% of residents are of Hispanic or Latino origin. 0% identify as another race or ethnicity, or two or more races. For more on schools, business, and healthcare in Madrid, see each of the tabs to the leftabove.
Median Household Income$49,500
Median Home Price$103,500
SchoolsIn Madrid, Iowa
The quality of a school district if often a top factor for parents considering where to live. Strong school systems attract new residents and help their cities prosper. See how Madrid rates.Public Schools in Madrid, IowaPrivate Schools in Madrid, Iowa
BusinessIn Madrid, Iowa
Being a great place to live and being a great place to work, often go hand-in-hand. Here's what the business and employment climate is like in Madrid.Major industries in Madrid, IowaEmployment in Madrid, Iowa
HealthIn Madrid, Iowa
Access to quality hospitals, doctors and healthcare providers are just part of what make a healthy community. Here's how to get and stay healthy in Madrid.Healthy lifestyles in Madrid, IowaDoctors in Madrid, IowaHospitals in Madrid, Iowa