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Categories > Cartoons > X-Men: Evolution > Extermination
Brotherhood Attack1 Reviews
Takes place 2 years after Apocalypse, 1 year after the Phoenix. The mutant problem has grown and a obscure general named William Stryker thinks he has a solution. Has Scott/Jean, Wanda/Kurt, Kitty/...
Chapter 3: Brotherhood Attack
The Brotherhood of Mutants had undergone many changes within the last year. For Todd Tolensky, Freddy Dukes, Lance Alvers, Pietro Maximoff, and Wanda Maximoff the past two years had been quite hectic for every one of them in terms of complications between the X-men, family, and an ever more hostile society. After the Brotherhood fought alongside the X-men against the ancient mutant known as Apocalypse, a dramatic shift occurred in the overall structure and goals of the Brotherhood. Upon being released from her mind control, Mystique had tried to make amends with her two children, Kurt and Rogue. However, after so many complications and so many bad choices on her part...They rejected her. Nobody, including Mystique herself, could have known how devastating a blow that their rejection would leave. It ended up having a profound impact on Mystique and greatly affected the Brotherhood that she had helped found.
She and Magneto once again agreed on friendly terms...Mainly because he too was greatly changed by what happened under Apocalypse's control. The Brotherhood also developed a less hostile view of the X-men and took many steps to avoid fighting them after succeeding as a single team against Apocalypse. Mystique also willingly used her own money to fix up the run down boarding house and pay off all the debts that had accumulated in her absence. She also used her influence to get the boys and Wanda back in school. When the five members of the Brotherhood questioned these generous actions, Mystique gave no response...But they didn't complain. It was clear that something profound happened to the shape-shifter while she was under Apocalypse's control. She never talked about it, but it was obvious that it still dominated her mind. The bitter, angry Mystique that the Brotherhood members had come to known...Was replaced by a depressed, solemn, and withdrawn woman who kept to herself pretty much all of the time. Few residents of the Brotherhood complained because to them, she was nicer than the old Mystique. She almost never yelled at them anymore and spent most of her time in her room or going out to meet with Destiny and Agatha. Sometimes she would converse with the residents, mainly Wanda. But it was clear that some of this was done out of a secret yearning to be with her own children once again and make up for all of her sins. However, given the blue mutant's secretive nature...That wasn't always easy.
Mystique never confided in anybody...But that was kind of her nature. She never talked to anybody about what happened while she was under Apocalypse's influence. However, she was still haunted by horrible nightmares day by day...Nightmares about her under that heinous mutant's influence and all the horrible acts that she had done in the past. Now, her conscious was catching up with her after many years of suppressing it. Guilt was now eating her alive...And it weighed very heavily on her soul. She had once thought that she was a woman that was dead of all emotion...But after what happened with Apocalypse and her children...All the emotion that she wasn't supposed to have was coming back with a vengeance. There were few instances within the past year when she didn't replay that day in Egypt again in her mind...Wondering what would have happened if Kurt and Rogue actually believed in her sincerity. But whenever she contemplated a different outcome...She would remind herself of horrible things she had put them through...And didn't consider herself worthy of such forgiveness. Either way...Life was in a very hazy stage for Raven Darkholm. And it was unclear what the future would bring for both her and the Brotherhood.
A long, black limousine pulled up in front of the Brotherhood boarding house as most of five residents slept soundly in their beds. In the back, three female figures sat in the comfortable, luxurious seating after another long meeting. One woman was Irene Adler, also known as Destiny, a blind middle aged burnet that carried a walking stick with her wherever she went. The other was Agatha Hawkins, an old woman with many wrinkles wearing a long blue veil over her body. And finally, the last occupant was Mystique...Whom had come to see her old friends once more.
"You will call me if you start having any more of your dreams, won't you Irene?" said Mystique as the limo stopped out on the curb near the mailbox.
"Of course Raven, I can assure you that you will be the first to know...Should I sense something. But ever since the Phoenix incident...The future has been very unclear and I cannot be certain what will happen now for you, or anybody else for that matter."
"All that I'm concerned about is the future of my children," said Mystique sternly, as if to make sure that her associate knew that, "I have done enough horrible deeds to them as it is...But you know that I regret them now."
"Indeed we do Raven," said Agatha in her low, somewhat hoarse voice, "And that is why you must not forget what happened to you while you were under Apocalypse's control."
"Don't remind me..." replied Mystique sharply as she prepared to leave, "I hate thinking about as it is!"
"But remember..." said Agatha as her old friend prepared to leave, "That incident had a profound effect on you. If you were to forget the events that transpired during that time...Then you may fall back in to the same pattern of hurting your children again...Which I know you don't want."
Mystique was silent upon hearing that...Obviously torn by her words. On one hand, she was greatly haunted by memories of the horrors that Apocalypse had put her through while he manipulated and controlled her mind and body. But on the other hand, if she were to forget these heinous recollections, she would probably revert back to her old ways and further hurt the children that she had tried to win back. Thinking about such conflict made Mystique even more tired than she already was. She hadn't slept in three days...She hadn't wanted to because she knew that the nightmares would haunt her. But either way, it was beginning to take a toll on the shape-shifter...A toll that she was uncertain she could stand much longer.
"I'll call you both later..." sighed Mystique, not wanting to talk about this anymore.
After that, Mystique shifted into a small black bird and flew out of the window back toward the boarding house.
"Take care old friend..." said Destiny with an ominous hint of sadness in her tone as the limo drove off away from the area.
As soon as the boarding house was out of sight, Agatha turned towards her associate with a questioning look on her old, wrinkled face.
"You're a very good liar Irene...You even had me nearly fooled," commented the old woman.
Irene Adler was silent as she contemplated her next words. She wondered if Mystique knew of this and simply chose to ignore it...But what concerned her more was whether or not she was doing the right thing.
"All that matters is that Raven believes it," responded Irene, "I...I feel somewhat guilty about lying to my friend. But she's a very different woman compared to the one we knew two years ago."
"That she is...But you must still consider...Does she have a right to know?"
Destiny went over the situation in her mind again...Asking herself over and over the same questions that had been plaguing her mind for some time now. She knew what Agatha meant by her words, but now it seemed that neither way would have made a difference in what she had tried to tell her friend...But didn't.
"The choice has already been made Agatha...It cannot be unmade," stated Irene, as if she knew something that she wasn't telling Mystique or Agatha for that matter, "Last night I had a dream...A dream that abruptly stopped at some point...But a dream none-the-less. Our decision...Is for the best. However..."
Then, Destiny was cut off in mid-sentence by the sound of a police siren from behind the limo. Instinctively, the driver stopped and pulled over to the side of the relatively uninhabited road. Agatha noticed a strange, unreadable expression on Irene's face...But without saying anything...It was clear in it's meaning to the old woman. Neither of them said a word as two officers, one male and one female, walked up to the side of the long black car with flashlights drawn. The driver rolled down the front window on his side while the female officer tapped on the window in the back where Destiny and Agatha were sitting.
"Is there a problem officer?" asked Agatha as she rolled the window down.
"Actually yes...There is," responded the woman as her male counter-part appeared to be doing the same as her with the driver. "We got a report that a series limos were being used in drug smuggling operation and we're stopping each limo on these narrow back roads to see that none of these drugs can make it to the streets."
"Officer, I can assure you that we know of no such things," said Agatha as the female officer shined a flashlight in to the limo.
Agatha looked over at Irene, who had a strange, unreadable expression on her face...One that looked somewhat full of sorrow for some reason. The old woman knew something...But she didn't seem to want to say anything. The female officer then turned towards her male partner who seemed to be asking the same questions to the driver. She gave him a simple hand signal and the man nodded casually in reply as the female officer turned back towards the two women in the limo.
"Well, everything seems to be in order here...But you must understand that we have to take something like this seriously. Hell, just recently we pulled over a limo just like this with enough pot for a football team. In fact, this limo matches the exact description of the one we pulled over. I have a picture of one of the guys suspected running this whole thing. Perhaps you know him?"
Then, the female officer proceeded to reach in to her side pocket to fish for a picture. Unknown to the two women in the limo, the male officer was doing the same. Part of their story seemed a little odd...But they went along with it anyway. However, Irene's expression didn't change for some reason...If anything, it grew increasingly dim. Agatha was about to question this when the female officer then beat her to it.
"Ah here it is...Maybe you ladies can take a look at it and..."
Shots suddenly rang out as both the male and female officer pulled out two Colt 9 millimeter pistols instead of pictures and opened fire on the occupants of the limo. The bullets hit both Agatha and Destiny in the head...Killing them instantly...But even after they were dead, the two supposed police officers continued to empty the entire clip of their guns in to the dead, bleeding bodies. A small grin of satisfaction came across the two officers, both of which had embalms of the Friends of Humanity on their fake police badges. Once they ran out of bullets to shoot the already dead occupants of the vehicle, the male officer took out a pocket communicator and began to speak.
"General Stryker...This is the night patrol...The raven has returned to its den. I repeat, the raven has returned to its den."
"Excellent," responded Stryker over the encrypted line, "Now, dispose of those unsightly remains and return to the main group. The time to strike is almost upon us!"
As Mystique entered the Brotherhood boarding house, she was greeted with a relatively silent dwelling. It seemed as though most of the residents were sound asleep. Silence was always a rarity in a place that housed five mutant teenagers, so for Mystique it was a time to relish as best as she could. However, it really didn't make much of a difference to her...Given her disposition. While she had shown that she did care on some level for the Brotherhood, her solemn nature somewhat distracted everybody from that. The thought of going to sleep wasn't sounding too appealing for the blue shape-shifter, not wanting to have another one of the horrible nightmares that had been plaguing her for the past two years. Instead, she decided to head towards the kitchen for a late night snack...In hopes of avoiding sleep for as long as possible.
As she entered the kitchen, Mystique was somewhat surprised to see Wanda sitting at a table in the dark, eating some leftover chicken from the other night.
"Couldn't sleep Wanda?" asked Mystique as she walked towards her.
Wanda, who appeared to be deep in thought, was somewhat startled by her sudden entrance. But none-the-less she greeted her.
"Mystique! Please don't do that," she said as the surprise quickly wore off, "I get enough of that from Pietro."
"Sorry..." said Mystique as she poured herself some tea, "So what are you doing sitting here in the dark at this hour? Bad dreams again?"
Wanda Maximoff didn't like to talk about her dreams, so she simply sighed as she nodded in response. A hint of understanding came over Mystique as she sat down next to her. Wanda had been having a series of bad dreams lately, and it was beginning to seriously affect her demeanor. Most of her dreams were unclear flashes of strange, incomplete memories of being thrown away in to a dark, dingy cell by her father. At first she thought they were simply nightmares...But as time went on, they became increasingly vivid and hard to handle. She didn't like to talk about it, but on occasions she would discuss it with her twin brother, Pietro, or sometimes even Todd. However, this didn't make the dreams go away.
"Want to talk about it?" asked Mystique in a somewhat melancholy tone.
"No...I don't," said Wanda as she shook her head in a quick response.
Mystique didn't push her to say anything else. She could easily relate to the effect bad dreams had on one's mind. Ever since these dreams started, Mystique had done her best to help Wanda through it even though it sometimes made things harder for herself. While she didn't know the exact nature of what had been done to her mind to alleviate her anger towards her father, she didn't want to make her feel any worse by telling her the truth. Through this, Wanda had developed a fairly close friendship with Mystique. She was the only one that the shape shifter ever really talked to in the Brotherhood. It was strange because Mystique acted so differently compared to the way she was two years ago. She barely even got angry anymore, which was the most shocking change in the eyes of the Brotherhood. She often seemed too depressed and withdrawn to show anger. It was as if all that desire for hate and violence was replaced by remorse.
"So did Destiny and Agatha have anything to say?" asked Wanda as she finally broke the silence.
"No...Nothing of any real concern," answered Mystique as she felt her exhaustion start to get the best of her, "Oh, and Agatha says hi."
That got Wanda to smile somewhat, being as how Agatha Hawkins had been the one to help her finally gain control over her powers. On occasion she did meet with the old woman, but mostly to simply check up on her powers and to help her manage her emotions. In two years Wanda had improved by leaps and bounds thanks mainly to Agatha for helping and Mystique for being there in the first place.
The two women continued to sit in silence as the time neared midnight. Wanda planned to go back to bed in a short while, but Mystique seemed to be hell bent on staying awake at all costs. As bad as her nightmares were, Wanda still managed to get at least some sleep. But this was not the case for Mystique. To her, sleep in any way, shape, or form led to nightmares that she desperately wanted to avoid. Wanda could see that it was definitely starting to take a toll on her...But it seemed that Mystique was already well aware of that. In her opinion, these horrible nightmares were punishment for her deeds. And as much as she wanted to make amends for them, in the end she just didn't know how.
As Wanda finished up the last of the chicken that she had been eating, a sudden gust of wind blew through the room and a new presence entered.
"Hello ladies! What's up?" said Pietro Maximoff in his usual, hurried tone.
Once again, Wanda was startled by his unexpected entrance and felt somewhat annoyed as she turned towards her twin.
"Pietro! How many times do I have to hex you into the wall to get you to not do that!?" said Wanda in a tired, exasperated tone.
"Sorry sis, compulsive habit. I was just thirsty and didn't know you were down here," replied Pietro innocently as he walked over to the refrigerator to get a bottle of water.
"Well I am! So please be more careful next time!" said Wanda as she slumped back in her chair.
Mystique just rolled her eyes at the familiar scene. It used to make her angry whenever Pietro used his speed to enter a room. But after two years of this, Mystique had kind of grown accustomed to it and now it was just a simple annoyance. It still made Wanda angry for some reason even though she had put up with it a lot longer, but that could simply be attributed to the simple nature of siblings...In particular, twins.
"So why are you up anyway? Nightmares again?" asked Pietro as he sat next to Wanda.
"Ugh..." groaned Wanda as she rested the weight of her head on her arms, "I don't want to talk about it."
As obnoxious as Pietro was at times, he still had a genuine concern for his sister. The worry in his tone was quite apparent as he noticed the dark circles under Wanda's eyes. Ever since he had decided to fight along with her and the X-men, Pietro's relationship with Wanda had improved dramatically. It got to the point where they actually felt like real siblings despite their somewhat opposite nature. Even though Pietro would never openly admit it due to his cocky personality, he enjoyed having a decent relationship with his sister. It helped him feel less alone and gave off a sense of family that had always been hard to come by for him. But that still didn't change the fact that he knew what had been done to her by their father, Magneto. However, he just couldn't bring himself to tell her the horrible truth. He knew that if Wanda found out what he had been keeping from her, she would hate him more than ever and they would never be brother and sister again. For two years he had held on to these lies because in return, he got his sister back. But that didn't make him feel any less guilty over what had been done to her. Pietro always cursed his so called "Father" for putting Wanda through so much torture in the first place. He blamed him for taking away his family and leaving him all alone and bitter, but deep down the speed demon mostly blamed himself for going along with that horrible man in the first place.
"Have you talked to Father lately?" asked Wanda as she managed to lift her tired head once again.
Pietro slightly cringed at the mention of Magneto as he felt a sharp sting of bitterness towards the father that had betrayed the both of them so many times in the past.
"No...I haven't had a chance," answered Pietro, his tone much slower now.
"Haven't had a chance, or are you simply avoiding it?" questioned Mystique as she looked at the speed demon skeptically.
Pietro shot Mystique a dirty look, even though there was a certain amount of truth in her words that he couldn't deny. Looking back over at Wanda, he simply sighed as he slumped back in to his chair.
"Well, a little of both if you must know," answered Pietro as he took a large gulp of water.
"What do you mean by that?" asked Wanda.
Pietro hesitated briefly...A rare event for somebody who lived as fast as he did.
It caught Wanda's suspicions, but she was uncertain why. Pietro was still the one Magneto contacted if something went down. For a brief while, it had been Mystique instead...But since she often went off to visit Agatha and Destiny, Magneto quickly shifted back towards his son. From the speed demons point of view...He was trying to gain his trust again. However, seeing as how he had betrayed him before and done so much to hurt him...It wasn't easy. After Apocalypse, the evident change in Mystique and Magneto left Pietro torn. A part of him wanted to trust his father again...But another part continually reminded him of what had happened in the past every time he believed in him. But two years had done a lot...And uncertainty now dominated the young mutants mind as he remained torn between his twin sister and his father.
Wanda wanted to ask Pietro more about the issue of Magneto, but she was too tired now and felt that it could wait until morning. As she threw the plastic dish that she had been eating out of in the sink, her twin seemed to follow suit while Mystique remained seated, still not willing to give sleep a chance.
"Well, I don't know about you girls, but I'm going to try and get some shut eye," said Pietro as he threw the bottle of water in to the trashcan, "You should try too Mystique...You look like shit. When's the last time you slept anyway?"
Mystique simply groaned in exhaustion as Pietro seemed to remind her just how tired she truly was.
"I can't even remember..." answered Mystique as she turned towards the window, seeing her hallow reflection.
Pietro was about to say something else, but then Wanda placed a hand on his shoulder and shook her head. Wanda knew that the blue shape shifter felt bad enough as it is, and any more comments about it would only make things worse. Pietro knew that Wanda had developed a fairly friendly relationship with Mystique in the past two years. It was evident because Mystique only willfully conversed with her and nobody else. He suspected that maybe it was because Wanda was the only other girl in the house, but part of it was also because she was simply an easy person to talk to when she doesn't let her emotions get out of control. He knew this because he himself enjoyed talking to her more than most of the other residents of the Brotherhood. Pietro used to talk to Lance fairly often after the Apocalypse deal, but after his relationship with Kitty went sour...He just became too irritable to be around. That, and Wanda was still his twin...No matter how different things got, that would always be so.
The Maximoff twins were about to leave Mystique alone for the night in hopes that she would somehow force herself to get some rest...But as Pietro followed his sister out of the kitchen...She suddenly froze as her gaze shifted towards the kitchen window.
"Wanda?" asked Pietro, not knowing what she was looking at. "Wanda, is something wrong?"
This caught Mystique's attention as well as she got up from her seat and saw the confused look on Wanda's face. Her gaze was locked towards the window as both Mystique and Pietro turned to see what she was looking at. Immediately, the same look of confusion came over them as well as they watched a strange event unfold in the skies outside. In the distance, large red flares were seen coming up from over the horizon and getting ominously larger with each passing second. Then, a sudden hint of understanding came over Mystique as she recognized exactly what this strange phenomenon was.
"Mystique...What the hell is..." began Wanda, but she was soon cut off in mid sentence by the blue shape-shifter.
"We have to get out of here..."
"What?!" yelled Pietro, not sure if he had heard her right just then...But then he turned to notice the deadly serious expression on Mystique's face.
The flares in the sky grew larger and the clock neared the exact hour of midnight. A deathly stillness soon gripped the three mutants as time seemed to stand still. Suddenly, a gentle rumble could be felt as the air around them grew hot with tension. Mystique seemed to understand, but Wanda and Pietro were still confused...Uncertain of the definite meaning in her urgent words. Then finally, the realization hit them...
"WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE NOW!!! HURRY, GO!!!" yelled Mystique as she shifted in to a raven and promptly flew out the window.
Following his basic instinct, Pietro grabbed his sister and used his super speed to run them out of the house just as the clock struck midnight. Then...A deafening bang and a blinding flash shook the whole area as Mystique, Wanda, and Pietro were thrown back nearly a dozen feet into the air by the shockwave as the boarding house for the Brotherhood of Mutants exploded in a ball of fire.
Dazed and confused, the three mutants soon came to...But were quickly horrified as they saw more bombs and shells hit the already inflamed structure. They watched helplessly as their home erupted in a huge blast of flame while flares from the sky fell down upon the land and started to pelt the area around the house. The three mutants were blasted further away from the structure by the shockwaves as they looked back at their now demolished home.
"My house..." said Mystique in a dazed voice.
"NO!" yelled Wanda as she arose to her feet, "The others!! What about Todd, Freddy, and Lance?! We have to..."
"No Wanda! Don't try and..." but Pietro was soon cut off when another explosion from a bomb that hit the already burning structure.
Wanda covered her mouth to keep herself from letting out another pained scream as she thought of her friends...Who were still in the house when it erupted in flame. She shook her head in disbelief, hoping that this was all a bad dream...And she would wake up any moment. But her hope was in vain...For she knew this was real.
"No...It can't be...They're gone..." said Wanda as tears began to form in her eyes as she watched the area around the Brotherhood house transform into a smoking crater.
"This...This can't be happening!" yelled Mystique, feeling as though her world had been shattered like a bullet through a mirror.
Then, the ground around them began to rumble as a cloud of dust formed in the distance from both directions. Small stones near their feet began to vibrate and move as the cloud of dust got closer and closer to their position. The three dazed mutants felt the air around them became immersed in the stench of death as they saw figures in the growing cloud form. They appeared to be some kind of vehicles...Mainly military from the looks of it. There was everything from tanks, to armored personnel carriers, to mobile artillery convoys. There were dozens of them...Hundreds of them, as they started to surround the area.
The vast line of military machinery continued to fire brief bursts of mortar and artillery blasts on the area even though their target looked completely destroyed. But they kept on going at it, by direct orders of the field captain. Soon, as the lead vehicles drew closer towards the main area with the rest of the advancing units, the captain saw something in his binoculars and quickly radioed base.
"General Stryker...The Brotherhood house has been destroyed. But it looks like three of the freaks escaped from the blast!"
Through the static, William Stryker received the frantic message from the field captain. Using the real-time video feed from the aircraft flying over the area, he zoomed in on the front lines to get a better view. Stryker remained calm and collected as he spoke back to his subordinate.
"Can you make out the identity of the escapees?"
"Not from this distance sir! What should we do?" yelled the captain over the noise of the engine.
"Close in on them from all directions and take them down. Do NOT let them get away," replied Stryker in a subtle, yet stern tone of voice.
"Sir, yes sir!" said the captain as he switched the channel on his communicator to radio the rest of his units, "Attention all units! We have three rogue mutants that seem to have escaped the blast. By direct order of the general, we are to take them down by any means necessary! All units arm your rifles and all support vehicles, ready your machine guns!"
All throughout the vast line of military vehicles, soldiers prepared their guns and manned their armed battle stations in preparation for the encounter with the surviving mutants. Their orders were shoot to kill now...And as they drew closer to the now charred area, the figures of their three remaining targets came in to view. Each one of the soldiers readied their guns and prepared to take aim at their human targets. There were hundreds of them...And only three mutants...Already dazed from what had just happened.
Mystique, Pietro, and Wanda were quickly becoming surrounded by dozens of armed men and women in uniform. Everything had happened so fast that their minds struggled to process the world around them. But Mystique was soon able to snap herself out of it and knew that they had to get away...However, that wouldn't be easy with the army division in their way.
"Shit! It's the army! We have to get out of here!" yelled Mystique.
Her words seemed to snap Pietro and Wanda out of their daze and soon followed Mystique as she started to run off to the east end of the area where some trees and wooded areas would give them some cover. However, Wanda seemed to hesitate as she just kept looking back at the now destroyed boarding houses...Thinking of her three friends that had been inside when it was first hit.
"Wanda, come on! We have to go!" yelled Pietro as he tugged on his sister's arm.
"No!" yelled the Scarlet Witch in reply as she tried to shake herself free from her brother's grip, "We can't just leave! What about the others!? What about..."
"They're gone Wanda...There's no way they could've survived..." said Pietro with a heavy heart.
"No...We can't just..." but Wanda couldn't finish her sentence as the realization finally began to set in for both her and her brother.
"I know...But if we stay...We'll die too. Now come on Wanda! Let's go!"
Wanda just kept shaking her head, not wanting to accept it. Pietro too wished that this was all a bad dream...Nothing more than a horrible nightmare that he couldn't wake up from. But he knew this was real...And if either of them stayed, they too would be killed at the hands of whoever was behind this heinous act.
Then, gunfire was heard in the distance and bullets began to fly near the area where Wanda and Pietro were still standing. Reacting on an impulse, Pietro grabbed his sister and used his speed to catch up with Mystique and quickly took cover with her in the wooded areas off to the side of the rubble that had once been their home. And although they didn't know it, their actions were seen from above by the high flying unmanned aerial vehicles providing reconnaissance for Stryker's men. Back in Washington in the depths of the Pentagon, the general saw this and quickly radioed his men.
"Attention bravo division...The three mutants that escaped from the blast have taken cover in the wooded areas off to the east. All small, 4 by 4 vehicles follow them and I want two groups of marine foot soldiers to provide cover. Remember, your orders are shoot to kill," said Stryker over the communications link.
"Sir, yes sir!" said the field captain as he and the rest of the division surrounded the rubble of the boarding house, "All armed humvees and jeeps, listen up! We've got three mutant targets in the woods and by direct order of the general we are to take them out! I want all capable vehicles to surround the area and I want marine groups 5 and 6 to provide cover! Cut off their escape and box them in! These freaks aren't getting away that easily!"
From that order, dozens of small off road vehicles, many armed with a 30 caliber machine gun on the top or back, sped in to the woods in search of the three mutants that had escaped the blast. Marines began to pour in to the area, each one armed with a fully loaded M-16 rifle. It definitely didn't look good for Mystique and the Maximoff twins as they continued to run through the woods in the darkness of the night trying to escape from the pursuing soldiers.
"Hurry! This way!" yelled Mystique as she saw Pietro and Wanda following close behind.
"Wait! Just where the hell are we going anyway?!" yelled Pietro in response.
"As far away from this place as possible!" answered Mystique, "There's a clearing up ahead! If we get to it, we should be able to find a path out of here!"
"Sounds like a plan!" said the speed demon as he used his speed to run out ahead of the shape-shifter.
However, they didn't get far before they were stopped by a blinding flash of headlights from an oncoming jeep. Then, over a loudspeaker, they heard a booming voice.
Then, a sudden burst of gunfire erupted from the mounted machine gun on the back of the vehicle. The bullets would have surely hit...But then Wanda used her hexing powers to divert the oncoming projectiles away from them.
"Shit! We can't go that way!" said Mystique as she turned and ran off to the right of the path that she and the twins had been following, "Over here! I know another route!"
Using her powers as a quick tactic for diversion, Wanda and Pietro managed to follow Mystique back through a more rugged path that led over a small creek. But thanks to night-vision goggles, the men in the jeep never lost sight of them and radioed the field captain.
"Sir! We have the enemy on the run! And we have one of the renegades identified! It's the Scarlet Witch!"
It only took a few seconds for the captain to give a response upon hearing this new data.
"Stay on them, but switch to attack pattern B! The Scarlet Witch is a tricky little devil! And be careful of the other two!"
"Sir, yes sir!"
More headlights from other vehicles were seen in the distance of the night as the Maximoff twins followed Mystique further toward what they hoped would be an escape route. However, the armed jeeps were closing in fast and gunfire began to litter the area. The three mutants tried to keep their heads down as the speeding projectiles whizzed past them at blinding speeds. As the turned past another muddy ditch, one of the bullets grazed Mystique's arm and she let out pained grunt...But kept going.
"Mystique!" yelled Wanda, seeing the blue mutant clutch her arm.
"I'm all right!" assured the shape shifter, "Just keep going!"
Through the sting of the wound she kept running as a path soon appeared in the distance. It seemed like a faint beacon of hope for the three surviving mutants that had escaped death from the initial bombardment that destroyed their home and killed three of their friends.
"Hurry! We're almost there!" yelled Mystique.
But no sooner had she finished saying those words did a concealed jeep with its lights off make its presence known. The front lights were promptly turned on and quickly surprised the three mutants as it blocked their path. The armed vehicle was a mere 12 feet away from them as the man behind the machine gun now saw his three targets clearly in the night. The man was in a different uniform compared to the other soldiers and his clothing bore emblems that differed greatly from traditional military symbols. As he looked at Mystique, Pietro, and Wanda...A sinister grin spread across his face as he gripped the trigger of the powerful gun.
"End of the line freaks!"
"Fuck you!" yelled Wanda as her eyes began to glow.
Then, the soldier unleashed a powerful barrage of bullets upon the three mutants...But once again Wanda's powers diverted the projectiles. But as this happened...Something else began to occur in the trees behind them. Six armed marines quickly and stealthily made their way closer towards the three surviving mutants. They all had their guns pointed directly at Wanda, who was busy handling the machine gun fire from the jeep. The Scarlet Witch seemed oblivious to this as the group leader then gave the signal to prepare for the assault. However, the light from the gun battle had partially illuminated the area around them...And Pietro got a brief glimpse of the approaching Marines. Time began to slow down for the speedster as he saw them aim their guns directly at his sister. His heart began to race as he saw the look in the eyes of the soldiers...And then looked back towards his twin sister that had already been taken away from him once before. Despite all the mistakes he had made, despite all the flaws in his character, and despite all the secrets he kept from her...Pietro Maximoff sprung in to action. The men then fired their guns as Wanda remained engrossed in the firefight with the man in the jeep. Using his super speed...Pietro lunged forth as the bullets neared his sister's body and let out a loud yell.
Before the Scarlet Witch could react, she was shoved out of the way of the bullets that were meant for her...And Pietro felt an intense surge of pain as the red-hot projectiles tore through his young body. Upon seeing this Wanda let out an agonizing scream as she watched her twin fall to the ground in a bloody heap.
"PIETRO!" yelled Wanda as the horrible scene unfolded before her.
Mystique too looked back in shock as she watched the bullets tear through the young man's body. In seeing this, an uncontrollable rage was unleashed within Wanda as she looked at the callous men that had shot her brother and now turned their sights towards her.
Suddenly, the ammunition in the magazine of the guns unexpectedly exploded...Blowing all six marines and the man that had been at the machine gun on the jeep back with a powerful shockwave.
"Retreat! Fall back! Fall back!" yelled the Marines as they made their way back towards the other edge of the woods.
Using this confusion to her advantage, Mystique jumped upon the opportunity to get out of here and attacked the two drivers in the front of the jeep. Each man pulled a Glock 9 millimeter semi-automatic pistol on her, but she managed to use her skill to kick the weapons out of their hands and knock them out of the jeep. Quickly, she jumped in the driver seat and turned towards the Maximoff twins. Wanda had keeled over in shock at her brother's side as she saw the numerous bullet wounds that now littered Pietro's body. He was beginning to bleed profusely and a pool of his own blood began to form around him. It was a truly ghastly sight for Wanda as a sudden surge of fear gripped her mind...The fear of watching her twin brother die right here in this horrible place. Those bullets were meant for her...Not him. He had stepped in and saved her life...A heroic act that most people wouldn't expect of Pietro. But he had done it anyway...He had done it to make up for his past mistakes. Tears began to form in Wanda's eyes as she carefully turned her brother's still body over and gasped in horror. There were so many wounds...So many bullet holes. How could anybody survive this? But she was soon shocked when she heard Pietro's sudden gasps for air. He was still breathing...But only in short labored breaths. Blood was seeping out of his mouth and there rest of his body was eerily still...But he was still alive.
"Pietro...No," said Wanda as she looked down at her bloody brother, "Don't do this...You can't leave me. You..."
Then she heard something come from Pietro's labored breathing. It sounded like he was chocking on blood that had accumulated in his lungs, but he was still trying to say something. His words were slurred and hard to make out...But Wanda heard them clearly as Pietro struggled too tell her something.
But that's as far as he got as he started coughing on his own blood again. Wanda was unsure what he meant by that...But she was too concerned with the prospect of him dying to figure them out. The Scarlet Witch felt paralyzed with everything that had just happened. Her home had been destroyed, three of her friends had been killed, and now her brother was on the verge of dying. A harsh lump formed in Wanda's throat as her mind struggled to function. Then, she was bought out of her trance by the urgent words of Mystique.
"Wanda! Come on!" yelled the shape shifter, "Bring Pietro in here! Hurry!"
The headlights of other jeeps could be heard in the distance as Wanda swallowed her despair and quickly scooped her brother up in her arms. He weighed very little as raw adrenalin rushed through her system. She quickly jumped in the back seat of the jeep and laid her brother out as his breathing became more erratic. As soon as he was secure, Mystique slammed her foot on the gas and sped out of the woods on to a secluded dirt path away from the area where the soldiers now controlled. Once they were far from the army that had invaded their home, attention was quickly diverted to Pietro's condition.
"How is he?" asked Mystique as she sped along the pathway at high speeds.
Wanda was getting hysterical as tears continued to form in her eyes. The fear of losing her twin brother was a sickening feeling that continued to grow in the pit of her stomach. She struggled to remain fully aware as she looked at Pietro's bloody body.
"Please Wanda, focus! You have to for Pietro's sake!" yelled Mystique, trying to keep Wanda from going in to shock.
The mention of Pietro's well being seemed to have jolted Wanda out of her daze...But her mind was still stick with worry over her brother and tears were still streaming down her face.
"I...I don't know..." said Wanda as she swallowed hard at the grim sight before her, "There's so much blood I..."
"Just find something to cover the wounds, apply pressure front and back, and keep his legs up," said Mystique knowing full well how to treat gunshot wounds, mainly from personal experience, "And whatever you do...Keep talking to him! Don't let him pass out or fall asleep...Or he may not wake up."
This did not raise Wanda's hopes too much as she took some cloth from the floor of the back seat and covered Pietro's wounds like Raven had instructed. But she knew that he needed more help...He wouldn't last much longer in this state.
"We have to get him to a hospital Mystique! He's dying! My brother's dying..."
The pained words came out of her in a tortured tone...But Mystique knew that the hospital option was not viable. If the army had taken their house, they probably had a great deal of control throughout the area to organize the attack. It was only logical that this control would probably extend to medical facilities as well...And taking Pietro to one of them would most likely mean certain death. He was a mutant...They all were. And not everybody was willing to help mutants. This left them with only one option...
"We can't go to the hospital Wanda...The officials there will kill him faster than the bullets," responded Mystique.
"But we have to do SOMETHING!!!" yelled Wanda, "We have get help! I am not going to just sit by and watch my brother die!!!"
"Calm down Wanda!" urged Mystique as she gave the jeep more gas, "We have only one choice...The institute. If they haven't attacked it as well...Then that's Pietro's only hope...And that's where I'm going. My children are there too..."
"If that's what we have to do to save Pietro then do it! Step on it!" yelled Wanda.
The Scarlet Witch then turned back to her brother and began speaking to him...Desperately trying to keep him from leaving her.
"Pietro...Pietro can you hear me?" said Wanda desperately as she tried to keep her brother awake, "Whatever happens don't fall asleep...Don't pass out. Just listen to me...Stay with me. Don't leave me please. Please Pietro...You're my twin...You're my brother...Don't leave me."
Pietro's time was running out. Both Mystique and Wanda knew it. It was unclear to them who were behind this heinous act, but now that matter was pushed in to the back of their minds as Wanda's thoughts remained focused on her brother. For Mystique, however, her mind was now focused mainly on Kurt and Rogue. If they had hit her...Then it was almost certain that they had hit them as well. Looking back at Pietro, she worried about the state of her children. She had been trying to make amends with them...Be a mother to them...But failed so many times because she made the wrong choices and let her emotions get the better of her. If they died...She may never get a chance to make up for her mistakes. She wanted them to forgive her...She wanted to forgive herself.
'Please be okay...' thought Mystique as her fear for Kurt and Rogue now dominated her mind, 'Please, please be okay. I'm so sorry for not being there...I'm so sorry for a lot of things. You have to be there...I have to tell you I'm sorry. Please...'
AN: Well the X-men have been hit and the Brotherhood have been hit. That leaves only one more target left...Magneto. So what do you think so far? I'm aware that some of you will hate the fact that Lance, Todd, and Freddy were killed in this along with all the others in the last chapter...But remember, this is AU! This is just a story! And I did give you all fair warning ahead of time. I know this chapter was really long, but I kind of wanted it to be in order to set the stage for future developments of the characters. I know they may seem a bit OOC, but part of their actions were based on what I noticed at the end of the episode "Ascention II." I'm sorry if some of you don't like this other side of Mystique and the Maximoff twins, but that's just kind of how the story goes. And stay tuned! It's far from over! Stryker still has Magneto targeted! See how the master of magnetism has changed in this story and prepare to see more action and suspense! Don't forget to REVIEW! I'd love to know what you think so far! Please send your feedback to me via email or post it on the fanfiction website! I love getting reviews so please send me your thoughts on my work! Well, thanks for reading! I really appreciate it and until next time, I wish you all the best!


text:
An experimental study of wine consumers' willingness to pay for environmental characteristics
AbstractThe reduction of pesticides use is becoming a priority for the public authorities in many countries. We conducted an experiment with wine consumers to see whether end-consumers value the dissemination of information about environmentally-friendly production practices. The experiment was devised to (i) evaluate whether there is a premium for environmentally-friendly wines, (ii) determine whether or not consumers are sensitive to label owners who implement and guarantee the environmental actions, (iii) and assess the impact of public messages about the consequences of pesticide use. Some 139 participants were divided randomly into two groups. One group had no specific information about the current state of pesticide use in farming. The other group was given information about pesticide use in farming before making their valuations. Becker-DeGroot-Marshak mechanisms revealed that (i) the environmental signal is valued differently depending on who conveyed the information, and that (ii)dissemination of information about the environmental repercussions of farming methods does not significantly affect willingness-to-pay.
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Bibliographic InfoPaper provided by European Association of Agricultural Economists in its series 2008 International Congress, August 26-29, 2008, Ghent, Belgium with number 43651.
Date of creation: 2008
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:ags:eaae08:43651
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Web page: http://www.eaae.org
More information through EDIRC
Related researchKeywords: Willingness to pay; Wine; Effect of information; Experimental economics; Environment; Demand and Price Analysis; Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety;
This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:
- NEP-ALL-2008-11-25 (All new papers)
- NEP-CUL-2008-11-25 (Cultural Economics)
- NEP-ENV-2008-11-25 (Environmental Economics)
- NEP-EXP-2008-11-25 (Experimental Economics)
ReferencesReferences listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
- Chiara M. Travisi & Peter Nijkamp & Raymond J. G. M. Florax, 2004.
"A Meta-Analysis of the Willingness to Pay for Reductions in Pesticide Risk Exposure,"
Working Papers
2004.101, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
- Raymond J. G. M. Florax & Chiara M. Travisi & Peter Nijkamp, 2005. "A meta-analysis of the willingness to pay for reductions in pesticide risk exposure," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Foundation for the European Review of Agricultural Economics, vol. 32(4), pages 441-467, December.
- Florax, Raymond J.G.M. & Travisi, Chiara M. & Nijkamp, Peter, 2005. "A Meta-Analysis of the Willingness to Pay for Reductions in Pesticide Risk Exposure," 2005 Annual meeting, July 24-27, Providence, RI 19524, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
- Misra, Sukant K. & Huang, Chung L. & Ott, Stephen L., 1991. "Consumer Willingness To Pay For Pesticide-Free Fresh Produce," Western Journal of Agricultural Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 16(02), December.
- Bohm, Peter & Linden, Johan & Sonnegard, Joakim, 1997. "Eliciting Reservation Prices: Becker-DeGroot-Marschak Mechanisms vs. Markets," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, Royal Economic Society, vol. 107(443), pages 1079-89, July.
- Anne Rozan, 2004. "Willingness-to-pay for food safety: an experimental investigation of quality certification on bidding behaviour," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Foundation for the European Review of Agricultural Economics, vol. 31(4), pages 409-425, December.
- Lusk,Jayson L. & Shogren,Jason F., 2007.
"Experimental Auctions,"
Cambridge Books,
Cambridge University Press, number 9780521671248, 9.
- Lusk,Jayson L. & Shogren,Jason F., 2007. "Experimental Auctions," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521855167, 9.
- Erik Magnusson & J. A. L. Cranfield, 2005. "Consumer Demand for Pesticide Free Food Products in Canada: A Probit Analysis," Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, Canadian Agricultural Economics Society/Societe canadienne d'agroeconomie, vol. 53(1), pages 67-81, 03.
- Shogren, Jason F. & Seung Y. Shin & Dermot J. Hayes & James B. Kliebenstein, 1994.
"Resolving Differences in Willingness to Pay and Willingness to Accept,"
American Economic Review,
American Economic Association, vol. 84(1), pages 255-70, March.
- Shogren, Jason F. & Shin, Seung Youll & Hayes, Dermot J. & Kliebenstein, James, 1994. "Resolving Differences in Willingness to Pay and Willingness to Accept," Staff General Research Papers 701, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
- Cranfield, John A.L. & Magnusson, Erik, 2003. "Canadian Consumer's Willingness-To-Pay For Pesticide Free Food Products: An Ordered Probit Analysis," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association (IAMA), International Food and Agribusiness Management Association (IAMA), vol. 6(04).
- Loureiro, Maria L., 2003. "Rethinking new wines: implications of local and environmentally friendly labels," Food Policy, Elsevier, Elsevier, vol. 28(5-6), pages 547-560.
- Noussair, Charles & Robin, Stephane & Ruffieux, Bernard, 2004.
"Revealing consumers' willingness-to-pay: A comparison of the BDM mechanism and the Vickrey auction,"
Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier,
Elsevier, vol. 25(6), pages 725-741, December.
- Noussair, C.N. & Ruffieux, B. & Robin , S., 2004. "Revealing consumers' willingness to pay: A comparison of the BDM mechanism and the vickrey auction," Open Access publications from Tilburg University urn:nbn:nl:ui:12-377937, Tilburg University.
- Roosen, Jutta & Fox, John A. & Hennessy, David A. & Schreiber, Alan, 1998. "Consumers' Valuation Of Insecticide Use Restrictions: An Application To Apples," Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 23(02), December.
- Charles Noussair & Stéphane Robin & Bernard Ruffieux, 2001. "Comportement des consommateurs face aux aliments «avec OGM» et «sans OGM»: une étude expérimentale," Économie rurale, Programme National Persée, vol. 266(1), pages 30-44.
- Jason F. Shogren & John A. Fox, 1996. "Consumer Preferences for Fresh Food Items with Multiple Quality Attributes: Evidence from an Experimental Auction of Pork Chops," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 78(4), pages 916-923.
- Delmas, Magali A. & Grant, Laura E., 2008. "Eco-Labeling Strategies: The Eco-Premium Puzzle In The Wine Industry," Working Papers 37325, American Association of Wine Economists.
CitationsCitations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
Cited by:
- Patrick Etievant & France Bellisle & Jean Dallongeville & Fabrice Etile & Elisabeth Guichard & Martine PADILLA & Monique Romon-Rousseaux, 2010. "Les comportements alimentaires. Quels en sont les déterminants ? Quelles actions, pour quels effets ? [Rapport d'expertise]," Working Papers 37803, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, France.
- Schmit, Todd M. & Taber, John T. & Rickard, Bradley J., 2012. "Consumer valuation of environmentally friendly production practices in wines considering asymmetric information and sensory effects," Working Papers 128813, Cornell University, Department of Applied Economics and Management.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Why Is It Most Motherboards Don't Have Built-In Wi-Fi?
The cheapest new motherboard for a PC is about $40. On that motherboard regardless of OEM you will find a built-in network interface that allows for 10/100Mbps wired Ethernet connectivity. For any other higher-priced motherboard you would buy, it would also have built-in wired networking. In fact it's probably true you'd have a hard time finding a PC (meaning not server) mobo without an Ethernet LAN port.
Here's a challenge for you: Find a motherboard with built-in wireless networking on the board. Do they exist? Yes, but it will be something like this, and it's not cheap.
Now of course you could just say "install a wireless card" or "use a wireless USB stick", both of which are cheap and readily available, but why do we have to do that? Given how cheap wireless networking is, why is it not included on every motherboard just like wired networking is?
In the notebook/netbook/tablet dept., there isn't a single one made today that I know of that doesn't have wireless built-in, so it's not an issue of whether OEMs can place the technology on them. It's also not an issue of driver support since both Windows and Linux support many different wi-fi cards.
Does anyone have a good explanation as to why wi-fi isn't included on every PC motherboard?
21 responses to Why Is It Most Motherboards Don't Have Built-In Wi-Fi?
Renegeek May 26th, 2011 at 2:15 pm
This MOBO i own. has WiFi.
Rich May 26th, 2011 at 2:16 pm
…and it's out of stock. Gee, I wonder why.
Bryan "bytehead" Price May 26th, 2011 at 3:44 pm
In stock.
I remember looking at an ASUS motherboard with built-in WiFi. I don't think they're hot sellers.
Rich May 26th, 2011 at 3:45 pm
That's the same one I pointed to in the article.
Bryan "bytehead" Price May 26th, 2011 at 4:14 pm
Sorry. My bad!
Rich May 26th, 2011 at 4:20 pm
Nah, my bad. Should have made the link more obvious. Easy to miss.
Brad Copeland May 26th, 2011 at 2:51 pm
Possibly because of the interference inside of a desktop computer case that might occur if they didn't have a bulky antenna sticking out of the back. This bulky antenna might increase the risk of failure upon delivery of the desktop computer. Another factor might be that since WiFi is 'not ready for Star Trek' that desktop users would be disproportionately likely to want to choose their own NIC.
Rich May 26th, 2011 at 3:27 pm
Well, I'd assume if built-in wi-fi were there, an antenna whip would be bundled with the board, but not attached (it would come in a small plastic bag similar to how SATA cables are shipped with hard drives) so it could be shipped proper. I don't think there would be any way to have an antenna-less way of going about it since PC cases are so different from model to model.
Bryan "bytehead" Price May 26th, 2011 at 3:42 pm
The rear panel only has so much space and the fact that for best results you need to to move the antenna around a bit, and possibly have a large metal case blocking most of the signal. I guess you could add a four foot extender so the antenna could be moved around on the desk, but I suspect that by that time the costs won't be too competitive, and whoever buys it would rather have taken that extra money, bought a USB WiFi, and pocketed the savings.
Rich May 26th, 2011 at 3:47 pm
Dell desktop PCs that ship with wi-fi have simple whips that seem to do the job fairly well without an extender. Not saying it's great, but it works.
Bryan "bytehead" Price May 26th, 2011 at 4:13 pm
That's one of the issues though. The slightest degradation slows your wireless speed down, it doesn't matter what letter you're using. My wife used to be wired, and now she's wireless. I upgraded her to N for starters and then played with extending and getting the USB where it got the best signal. Otherwise, copying files from my wired 1 gigabit port to her G WiFi was like waiting for a 56K modem connection.
There can be quite a difference between working, working well, and working great.
Rich May 26th, 2011 at 4:31 pm
Ruling out if it's a channel issue (if on 3, go to 6 or 9, etc.), if the whip simply couldn't grab a signal, then yeah the extender is definitely required.
Bryan "bytehead" Price May 27th, 2011 at 2:41 pm
My router already picks the best channel to use every time it gets reset. Granted, it can still be an issue, but that's why I use InSSIder and see what the other networks are around me, and if it looks crowded, I'll reset and forget. There's really only three channels in the B/G spectrum that are interference free from each other anyway, which is a sad part of the specification. I'm still running in compatibility mode here, but I'm thinking about making the N part all N, and the guest part G only. It's currently an open AP, but I'm thinking about making the N part WPA2 and leaving the G open. My biggest worry was over my wife's communication, but she uses VPN, so going over an open AP isn't a big deal.
jdeb May 26th, 2011 at 3:52 pm
I think has to do more with cost. It would probably cost the mobo manufacture more to integrate on motherboard than to buy an add on card or USB device.This would put the motherboard in a higher cost range which would slow the sales. Asus WiFi boards are a good example. Back in the early 2000′s Intel was going to do it but they could not get
a favorable manufacturing cost and they scrapped the idea because it
would make their boards $60.00+ more expensive.
Rich May 26th, 2011 at 4:00 pm
Eight years ago, you're right, absolutely not do-able without hiking the price. However I do wonder if it would really add that much of a per-unit manufacturing cost to add in the wi-fi now.
Anonymous May 26th, 2011 at 7:41 pm
A few years back I had a mobo with wifi… the Asus P5K-E if I recall correctly. You plugged the antenna to the board via a foot long wire and had it sit on your pc. The problem? Like most wifi units, it took a fair amount of work and tech calls for a newbie (like me) to get it to work properly. By the time I had figured it out I had bought a wifi router instead… I think board manufacturers don't want to have to field hundreds (thousands?) of customer complaint calls over issues they don't control anyway.
ps: This is an issue that car manufacturers are already facing from irrate customers complaining about their wifi/bluetooth toys not properly synching with their new car… whose fault? Car manufacturer, phone/tablet makers, bluetooth, wifi? Someone will need to ramp up customer service centers to massage angry egos…
Rich May 26th, 2011 at 7:55 pm
Touching on the automobile issue for a moment, it's generally true that the latest tech concerning wi-fi technology in cars is usually at least 5 years behind what you can buy off the shelf now – and that's because it takes a lot longer to design, finalize and deliver a car compare to a desktop or mobile computer. Car wi-fi will get better by around 2015.
anonymous May 26th, 2011 at 8:38 pm
I think this is a quite silly discussion…Nobody buys a truck and asks why they can't go boating in it (they in fact do make truck-boat-trucks…). Same thing about buying a boat and wanting to drive it on the road. These are possible, but in no way in demand.
Buying a laptop implies mobility, thus a wifi adapter should be built-in to the mobo. Buying a desktop implies that the machine will be located in the same place for the next few years, requiring only a wired connection.
If somebody actually prefers to use a slower, less secure connection on their desktop because they find it difficult to run an Ethernet cable, they probably need to re-asses their computing needs and buy a notebook instead.
Rich May 26th, 2011 at 9:19 pm
I'm sure all those with media center PCs will be happy to know you'd rather have them drag wires across the floor to their entertainment centers, because your "assessment" requires them to do so.
anonymous May 27th, 2011 at 1:55 pm
Why would you connect a Media Center at such slow speeds when you could easily achieve gigabit performance with proper wiring? I can't help it some people are lazy and don't want to take the time and effort to properly wiring their buildings (even renters can use baseboard/raceway solutions w/o any infrastructure changes).
Bryan "bytehead" Price May 27th, 2011 at 2:47 pm
Wired will still beat wireless, and if I'm streaming with a media center PC and not just watching transfered files, you'd either be wired, or you'd better have the router pretty close and with a clean signal. And with HD, even more so. In theory, yes it sounds like there shouldn't be a huge problem. But in reality, it's a different thing.


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Rob Bell's Judgmentless "Gospel"
- Monday, February 28, 2011
In 2003, I was a college student in Romania in need of some encouragement from pastors and teachers back in the U.S. An American pastor friend of mine recommended I listen to the preaching of two pastors: Rob Bell and James MacDonald. (Amazing that just eight years ago the ministries of these two men were seen as complementing each another!)
I downloaded dozens of Rob's sermons from his early years at Mars Hill. I liked his preaching style and enjoyed his sermons from Leviticus. His most memorable message, "The Goat Has Left the Building," ended with a powerful illustration of the truth that Christ bears our sins.
Two years later, I was less impressed with Rob's teaching. I read Velvet Elvis as charitably as I could, but I was concerned by some of Rob's affirmations. Rob likes to ask questions that appear to lead in one direction; he then pulls back and says something more akin to Christian teaching. (The "virgin birth" section, for example.)
The last time I listened to a Rob Bell sermon was in 2006. Rob had come under criticism because some were saying he denied that Jesus is the only way to God. Answering the criticism, Rob told his congregation: Let me set the record straight. Jesus is our only way. After that, I tuned out. "Jesus is our only way?" That was Rob's way of having his cake and eating it too. He sidestepped the question in a way designed to deflect criticism, but leave the door open for pluralism.
Is Bell a Universalist?
In 2008, I read The God Who Smokes: Scandalous Meditation on Faith by Timothy Stoner. In the book, Tim recounts a conversation with some friends about Rob's view of people without Christ:
"Okay," I said, "I get that it is important to listen to other 'stories.' I get it that other points of view need to be given dignity. And I agree. But" - and here I took a breath for dramatic effect - "at the end of the day, is Rob saying that there are other stories that can lead to God? Is he just creatively repeating that old line from the 1900's that led to the split between liberals and fundamentalists? Does he believe, down deep, that those who sincerely follow other roads, who pursue justice and compassion, even though they reject Jesus, will be saved?"
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text:
After Rudy Gay's trade to the Sacramento Kings, the thinking was it could be the beginning of the Toronto Raptors' rebuild.
The team could be close to making their second move with that in mind.
According to a report from ESPN, the Raptors are trying to construct a deal with the New York Knicks that would involve Kyle Lowry.
Lowry has started all 20 games for the Raptors this season, this his second year in Toronto. The point guard has averaged 14.6 points per game and 6.7 assists.
The seven-year veteran has averaged 10.8 points and 5.1 assists per game over his career.


text:
Brooklyn Decker's Hottest Red Carpet Looks
From steamy to polished, check out Brooklyn's best fashion and beauty feats!
Met Gala Gorgeous
When we asked Brooklyn how she chose her Tory Burch 2012 Met Gala dress, she explained, "Actually her and I created it together...really every step of the way, the shape of the dress, the embellishment, the color, everything."
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For those who haven't seen it yet, my most recent article on the opportunity costs of military spending is up on mises.org today.
Military Spending and Bastiat's Unseen
Santorum: JKF's 1960 Speech On Religion Made Me Want To Throw Up
So he tells George Stephanopoulos:
Here are the offending passages from Kennedy's speech:
I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute; where no Catholic prelate would tell the President — should he be Catholic — how to act, and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote; where no church or church school is granted any public funds or political preference, and where no man is denied public office merely because his religion differs from the President who might appoint him, or the people who might elect him.
I believe in an America that is officially neither Catholic, Protestant nor Jewish; where no public official either requests or accept instructions on public policy from the Pope, the National Council of Churches or any other ecclesiastical source; where no religious body seeks to impose its will directly or indirectly upon the general populace or the public acts of its officials, and where religious liberty is so indivisible that an act against one church is treated as an act against all.
Where, in these passages or in the rest of the speech, does Kennedy call for the exclusion of people of faith from the public square? Failing that, which one of these principles is so offensive? Does Santorum plan to accept orders from the Vatican? Does he want priests and ministers to tell the people in their churches whom to vote for? Does he want the government to fund Catholic schools?
One last question: Why did Stephanopoulos not ask him any of these questions?
Ron Paul and the Future of the Republican Party
With 80% of precincts reporting, Ron Paul is in 3rd in Michigan (92,624; 12%). In Arizona, he's in 4th with 72% of precincts reporting (33,819; 8%).
Even though he finished well behind Romney and Santorum, the mainstream media is slowly realizing that Dr. Paul and the movement coalescing around him is a powerful political force.
Paul is — as we have written before — a very dangerous man to the Republican party. If he runs as an independent in the fall, every poll we have seen suggests that he would hand President Obama a second term.
Republicans need to find a way to bring Paul and his supporters under their tent — and soon.
[Rep. Justin] Amash, the second-youngest member of Congress after 30-year-old Aaron Schock, is a sort of 21st-century version of Mr. Paul. Like Mr. Paul, Mr. Amash opposes the war in Afghanistan and wants to abolish the Federal Reserve. The two are among the least reliable Republican members of the House, often bucking party leadership when voting on defense, civil liberties and other issues…
The GOP primary has been bitter so far, exposing fault lines between the party establishment and many rank-and-file voters. Mr. Amash exemplifies the changing Republican forces.
His district—which includes the state's second-largest city, Grand Rapids—once sent staid, reliable Republicans like Gerald Ford to Washington. But in 2010 it gave 60% of the vote to the tea-party-backed Mr. Amash, the son of a Palestinian Christian immigrant.
From The Christian Science Monitor:
How about this for a poll shocker: While everybody in US politics has been preoccupied with the Michigan primary, Ron Paul has sneaked up on President Obama and for the first time leads the incumbent in a head-to-head survey.
Libertarianism's Future in the Republican Party: Jack Hunter on the Contrasting Visions of Rick Santorum and Jim DeMint
In a new video format:
Ron Paul: No Deal With Mitt Romney
Dr. Paul tries to quell the rumors in an interview with Larry Kudlow:
New Left-Wing Idea: Heat Swimming Pools With Burning Corpses
In Worcestershire, England, the local government has decided to to use the heat from the incinerators at the crematoria to warm a local public swimming pool. Sir George Young, the leader of the House of Commons, likes the idea and has assured the media that, "The Department for Energy and Climate Change will shortly be publishing its heat strategy and this will explore the potential for better recovery and reuse of wasted heat in schemes such as this one."
Carole Gandy, the leader of the local city council, doesn't really understand why a local trade union official called the proposal "sick and an insult to local residents." She explained, "I'm supportive of it because I think it will save the authority money and, in the long-term, save energy which is what we're all being told we should do."
Yes, let's all do what we're told and harvest the heat from burning corpses.
Rick Santorum Shakes Ron Paul's Hand Like Crazy Person
(Hat tip Robert Wenzel)
Quotes of the Day
The eternal downturn continues and no real recovery is in sight, yet the advice from Paul Krugman always is the same: borrow, spend, pretend. Pretend what? Pretend that borrowing and essentially printing new dollars is the same thing as actually having a productive, prosperous economy. Print money and get rich!
Mr. Krugman's unfamiliarity with history is disturbing.
One thing I find interesting, however, is this: in the space of less than two weeks, the two most prominent anti-interventionists on American television, [Pat] Buchanan and Judge Andrew Napolitano, found themselves without a platform. Of course, it's just a coincidence this occurred at precisely the moment when the war hysteria in Washington is reaching a fever pitch – or is this a case of clearing the decks before the shooting starts?
I am excited to continue my run with TBS because they have been fantastic partners…This means I'll be taping episodes of 'Conan' well into the Ron Paul presidency.
Ron Paul Debate Highlights 2/22/12
See especially after the 18:00 mark for what I believe was Dr. Paul's best defense of his foreign policy that he's ever offered at one of these debates.
Santorum's Worldview Not Influenced By Books
The Huffington Post has dug up an old magazine article that quotes Rick Santorum as saying "I was basically pro-choice all my life, until I ran for Congress." I'm not too surprised by this find–the former senator has admitted to smoking pot, after all.
More revealing, I think, is Santorum's answer to the next question. The interviewer explains:
I asked Santorum if throughout his life he had encountered any book or movie, any cultural or intellectual touchstone, to inspire his political worldview. He starred at a fixed point on his desk for several seconds, then looked at his press secretary.
'I wouldn't say there was any book,' he said finally, pausing again. 'I'd say Martin Luther King, and what he was speaking about had a profound influence on me, his commitment to bringing the races together.'
"I wouldn't say there was any book." You don't say.


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I stayed for a night in this hotel.Location is good. Owner is very helpful and friendly person. There is free coffee, tea and small cookies everytime.Inside the room needs renovation but which is enough.I go to German coclonie and Bahai Gardens by foot from the hotel. I like this hotel and recommend it.
- Reservation Options:
- TripAdvisor is proud to partner with Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com, Travelocity, Priceline, Tingo, Agoda, Odigeo and Venere so you can book your Eden Hotel reservations with confidence. We help millions of travelers each month to find the perfect hotel for both vacation and business trips, always with the best discounts and special offers.


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Definición de joyriding en inglés:
joyridingSaltos de línea: joy|rid¦ing
Pronunciación: /ˈdʒɔɪrʌɪdɪŋ /
sustantivo[mass noun]
The action or practice of driving fast and dangerously in a stolen car for enjoyment: the crackdown on joyriding [as modifier]: a series of joyriding incidents
Más ejemplos en oraciones
- Many of the younger criminals have graduated from joyriding and burglary in their teens to crimes such as drug-dealing.
- Residents have complained that the area has become run-down, suffers at the hands of thugs intent on joyriding and burglary.
- As a child and adolescent, he had numerous encounters with law enforcement for joyriding, theft, burglary, fraud, assault and battery.
- Más ejemplos en oraciones
- Police on the street would deter burglars and vandals and joyriders.
- Yesterday's conversation was all about hooligans, criminals and joyriders.
- The vehicle was burnt out and the incident has prompted calls for a crackdown on the gangs of youths and joyriders.
Definición de joyriding en:
- el diccionario Inglés de EE.UU.
Obtener más de Oxford Dictionaries
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Palabra del día flagitious
Pronunciación: fləˈdʒɪʃəs
(of a person or their actions) criminal; villainous


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Solange Knowles' winter style is 'doing badly'
Solange Knowles is finding it difficult to style herself for winter and insists she's been doing ''really badly''.
Solange Knowles is ''doing horribly'' dressing for winter.
The 27-year-old star - who is the younger sister of superstar Beyonce Knowles - is finding it difficult to find a look which caters for the frosty season, especially since she's been receiving samples from designers who are working on their summer collections.
She told the New York Post newspaper: ''I'm doing horribly. All the designers send you spring samples and it's really hard trying to make the transition into winter looks.
''I've been doing really bad. But I did see [Vogue Japan's editor-at-large] Anna Dello Russo walking up in a strapless tube dress with no jacket on the street, so I am not a champion.''
Solange was appointed creative consultant of Puma last year and her 'Girls of Blaze' collection is set to be released later this month.
She teamed up with Gerlan Marcel, Darlene and Lizzy Okpo of William Okpo and Hisham Bharoocha to create a Brazilian inspired reinterpretation of the classic Puma Disc trainer.
She previously said: ''It is in my new role that I am able to express my love for not only design but the conception of creative ideas, and the execution of them by curating amazingly talented teams.''
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Training for any intense sporting event can be a daunting task. There is your diet, work out schedule and regiment; not to mention the never-ending bark of your trainer or partner.
Nonetheless MINI is hoping to make one of your training sessions enjoyable. The new MINI Takes the States (MTTS) campaign gives entrants the opportunity to actually have a day to train side by side with Michael Johnston, a paratriathlete and U.S. Paralympic Team hopeful, during the rally from New York to Los Angeles. Don't worry Mini is requiring you to run like Forrest Gump across the Nation. They are offering a unique training session in each of their pre-organized event locations.
Training spaces are limited, and interested participants should visit www.minitakesthestates.com for full details and to register (click on "Sign Up Now For The Michael Johnston Challenge" at the bottom of the homepage).
A portion of every MTTS general registration fee ($30) will be donated to the U.S. Paralympic team to support the Paralympic athletes who will compete in the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, as well as Paralympic hopefuls as they train. In addition, the money raised by the Michael Johnston Challenges during MTTS will go to the Challenged Athletes Foundation® (CAF), a non-profit organization that supports athletes with physical challenges in their athletic endeavors.
To add a cherry on top of entering to attend a training session MINI is giving entrants the opportunity to win a trip for two to the 2012 London Olympic Games for a three night trip accompanied by two Olympic Games Passes for three events of your choosing (also includes airfare, hotel and meals). Full sweepstakes details and alternative method of entry can be found at www.minitakesthestates.com.


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Bastyr Herb and Food Fair Saturday June 2nd
Herb and Food Fair at Bastyr University on Saturday, June 2nd. http://www.bastyr.edu/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=202
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BASTYR UNIVERSITY INTRODUCES MASTER OF ARTS IN COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY Degree program set to begin in fall 2012 Kenmore, Wash. (December 13, 2011) – Bastyr University is pleased to announce it will add a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology degree … Continue reading
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Economic Study Shows Bastyr University adds $136 Million to Local Economy
BASTYR UNIVERSITY'S $136 MILLION ECONOMIC IMPACT New statistics from economic report shows University's value to local community Kenmore, Wash. (October 12, 2011) –Bastyr University is pleased to report some good news during these difficult financial times. The results from a … Continue reading
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This conversation is closed.
Does the world need Wikileaks and people like Julian Assange?
Does the world need Wikileaks and people Julian Assange? Or should we continue living in the reality created by media.
Topics: julian assange wikileaks
Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation.
Oct 6 2012: I will approach this topic with this post in a different manner, for a different reason. There seems to be a misconception, usually made by the "general public", that by releasing all information to the public, wars and other "bad things" can be prevented. That simply is not true as long as there are THREE or more "players" playing a "game". Yes, it revolves around Game Theory. But is a fundamental understanding of recognized experts in disciplines like Military Doctrine, Economics (both private, business, and nation-state oriented), and other fields.
I'll address this concept from the Military Doctrine perspective. In another conversation (topic thread0 taking place here on TED, I referenced this link so people could get a better understanding of why wars occur.
Please read paragraph 3.5, "Multilateral Bargaining Failures". Note that on page 20, the following statement is made (and explained):
"What is clear, however, is that with three or more countries the fact that there is complete information, divisible outcomes, and an enforceable bargaining technology does not preclude war."
You may need to read the entire link to understand what it means, but here is a short description. When there are 3 or more "players" in a "game" (whether it be people or countries), even having COMPLETE INFORMATION...no secrets between anybody...does NOT guarantee a war will not happen. NO CORRUPTION needs to take place. Having "no secrets" can even INCREASE the probablility of a war starting. This same "truth" can apply to economic systems and numerous other disciplines where Human Nature...people making decisions...are involved.
Despite Mr. Assange's "good intentions", his philosophy of releasing all information to everybody...especially the type of information he released...can actually INCREASE humanity's problems. I'm sorry, but Mr. Assange is quite mis-guided in his beliefs.
Respectfully submitted.
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Many American women deliver their babies by cesarean birth, which means the baby is born through a surgical incision made in the mother's abdomen and uterus. At one time it was thought that once a woman had a cesarean birth, she would always have a cesarean birth in any subsequent pregnancies.
Today, that thinking is changing. Many women who have had cesarean births can attempt to deliver vaginally (referred to as a VBAC or vaginal birth after cesarean) if no risk factors are present. In fact, 60 to 80 percent of these women go on to have successful vaginal deliveries.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, VBAC can be a safe option for many women. However, it is not the right choice for all women, and there are some risks.
Less risk. A vaginal delivery usually has fewer complications for the mother than cesarean birth. A cesarean delivery requires major surgery and is performed under anesthesia. With a vaginal birth, there is no abdominal incision, so there are none of the risks associated with surgery, and the anesthesia risks tend to be lower. The major risk of VBAC is that the cesarean scar on the uterus may tear during labor. Some types of incisions on the uterus used in cesarean deliveries are more likely to rupture during vaginal delivery than others.
Shorter recovery. The mother's stay in the hospital often is shorter after a vaginal delivery, and she usually will have less discomfort than after a cesarean birth. Recovery at home is usually faster after a vaginal birth, too.
More involvement. Some women wish to be awake and fully involved in the birth process. Since general anesthesia is sometimes used during cesarean delivery, the mother cannot always remain awake and experience the actual birth. There also may be more limits on the presence of others in the delivery room during a cesarean birth.
Of course, there are a number of other factors to consider before you and your doctor decide if you are a good candidate for VBAC delivery. The factors that could influence your decision include the type of incision made in the uterus during previous cesarean birth(s), multiple births, the size and position of the baby in the womb, and medical conditions, such as high blood pressure or diabetes. Most hospitals are now requiring a separate consent to be signed for a vaginal birth if a woman has had a previous cesarean birth. Women attempting a VBAC should begin labor with close medical supervision in a hospital capable of emergency C-sections. VBAC should only be attempted in a hospital where an emergency C-section can be set up in less than 30 minutes.
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