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Google's suggestions feature (that is, when you start typing something in and it guesses in advance what question you're going to ask) is a great way to get a snapshot of things the world is thinking, by showing what search queries tend to be on people's minds.
For example, while watching the Olympics over the weekend, I did a quick search during a commercial break to find out more information on Ryan Lochte, the gold-medal winning swimmer. Notice the second suggestion:
You can read a lot into "I'm Feeling Lucky."


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Search cars for sale using our app
Find your next car using our app
This is where you can view and compare all the cars in your list.
It's quick, easy and safe.
Tell me more
Search cars in your local area:
Search within:
No thanks, show me all cars

subset: commoncrawl


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10 Things Girls Do Wrong When Dating. - 01-11-2012, 07:32 PM
10. Honesty is the Best Policy
Dating isnt always the easiest thing to do. Sometimes you think that you know the person youre on a date with, but maybe something unexpected comes up and youre completely thrown off by the guy. If this is the case, honesty is the best policy. Women often like to pretend that they are still interested in the guy even though they really arent. Telling the truth during the dating stage is very important. Remember, be honest.
9. Date One Guy at a Time
This mistake may not be as common, but Ive definitely heard my share of girls that have done it. Generally you hear it most from men in the form of bragging. Some girls decide to date multiple guys at the same time. While these guys may not be considered boyfriends, dating many guys at once can cause an issue. Try to stick to dates with one guy. Once you realize that he isnt the one or you just arent interested in him, you can move on to the next one and wish for better luck.
8. Only Trust Reliable Resources for Advice
If youre one of those females that has a lot of female friends, it is very likely that you have run into this mistake. Say its Saturday night, youre at a friends house with all of your other girlfriends. The conversation switches to advice about dating and men and without thinking, you probably let your mind soak in all of this advice that is thrown around. Hello, mistake! Asking advice from people who know nothing about dating is a very common mistake. Maybe its just me, but girls with boyfriends generally arent spending a nice Saturday night with a bunch of their girlfriends. If you want dating advice, ask someone who knows about men and relationships. (This excludes ex-boyfriends, and parents!)
7. Stay Sober
If youve been on enough dates, your date has probably invited to take you to a bar or offered to buy you drinks for the night. Though it may not seem like one, this is most definitely a mistake. While it may be nice to have someone else pay your alcohol tab for the night, allowing your date to buy you unlimited drinks is a mistake! As great as it may be, by the end of the night, especially if you dont know your limits, you might just find yourself drunk. If your date wants to meet at a bar, try to pick a new location. Drinking may be nice, but ending a date drunk and waking up the next day without remembering much isnt fun.
6. Dress Appropriately
A few days before the date, you and a friend are at the mall shopping. You realize that you have money to spend, so you decide to put it towards an outfit that you think will make you look the best on the day of your date. While clothes may look good in the shop, dont assume that they look good on you. The mistake here is buying the wrong clothes and not trying on what you buy. Though you might think your date will enjoy all of the leg that you are showing off, try to dress classy as they put it. Dont go all out, your date isnt looking for you to be wearing Cinderellas dress, but dont under-dress either.
5. Be Conversational, but Keep it Interesting
During a date, talking is probably one of the most important yet nerve-racking (for some) things to do. Some women prefer that the guy lead the conversation and ask the questions, some prefer that they lead the conversation, and others want a fine balance between the two. If youre on a date, keep in mind what youre talking about. Its safe to say that your date doesnt care to hear about your first pet, your entire life story, or stories that you and your friends find funny. Sparking boring conversation is a big mistake that girls make while on a date. If the guy asks you a question, answer it and make sure that you dont find yourself going off on a tangent. Keep it simple and understandable yet interesting.
4. Dont Jump Ahead
Once youve gotten over the bump of the first date, many girls like to pick up the phone and yap about how special and nice this new guy is. Before you know it, and without even realizing it, youre calling this man your boyfriend. Wrong! Not only is this a bad mistake, it could really ruin the relationship that the two of you had made in the course of a day. To put it easily, going on one date and calling a guy your boyfriend is just crazy. It just makes you look clingy and way to into the relationship. You can at least save all of that for when the relationship really starts!
3. Dont Become Infatuated
Another mistake that many women make is jumping the gun and thinking that a guy automatically likes them. The date is over, youre feeling the butterflies still, and all you can think about is the look that he gave you. You call your best friend and the OMGs and perfects seem to spew out of your mouth. Mistake! Maybe he just had something in his eye, or maybe he was just being nice and trying to make eye contact with you. No matter what, its fatal (not really) to jump the gun and assume that the guy automatically likes you. As much as we all want to believe in the lovey-dovey love at first sight thing, its very doubtful that a man has his mind made up right after the first date. Dont assume anything, for you are dating a man, and for the simple reason that you dont want your hopes to come crashing down.
2. Know Where to Find a Date
A common mistake that girls make is simply looking in the wrong places for men. Thats right, this mistake takes place way before the dating even begins. Really, do you think that youll find your dream man at the mall, the grocery store, or the local town festival? Id say no, but I guess its all personal opinion. Though looking in the wrong places are generally the easiest places to find men, try stepping outside of the box (the box being a mile away from your home.)
1. Be Patient
Right before the date is over, maybe he asks, or maybe you offer to give your phone number to him. In your head fireworks are going off, your heart is pounding and youre excited. Once he has the number and the date has ended, you keep tabs on your phone as if it was your source of oxygen. You wait and wait until your ringtone goes off. Big mistake. Even though he might have asked for your number or accepted it, it doesnt mean that he is going to call you in an hour, four hours, or even the next day. Dont expect or even assume that he is going to call you; its definitely way too much stress! Fact is most men wont call when you want them to.
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Home > Peugeot > 2009 Peugeot 308 SW
Below you will find the high resolution car wallpapers for 2009 Peugeot 308 SW. You may use the car wallpapers for any of the following widescreen screen resolutions:
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2009 Peugeot 308 SW
The interior and the design of the fascia panel, identical to that of the hatchback create a sense of well-being entirely in keeping with the overall design of the passenger compartment. Its sloping design and fl owing lines, its elegant and impressive styling, reinforces the impression of space and on board comfort. A key feature of the concept vehicle and the interior ambience is the impressive panoramic glass roof, which on the Peugeot 308 SW now extends beyond the heads of the second row passengers, and can also be enjoyed by the occasional occupants of the third row seats. It increases the total glazed surface area of the vehicle to 5.58 m2.


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Facebook acquires Oculus Rift developer for $2 billionWritten by: / / 6 Comments
Facebook has announced that the company has reached an agreement to acquire virtual reality headset developer Oculus VR for a total of $2 billion in cash and shares, with plans to complete the transaction by the second quarter of 2014.
Oculus VR has been making headlines recently with the release and development of the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset. Currently available as a development kit with a full, final retail version of the hardware expected to hit the market in the coming months, the Oculus Rift has drawn major acclaim from game developers and gaming hobbyist for roughly two years thanks to new levels of immersion that the technology is able to provide.
Oculus VR has grown by leaps and bounds in the last year especially, even attracting videogame development veteran John Carmack away from id Software and encouraging dozens of developers to create custom VR versions of their games.
Facebook Acquires Oculus Rift Developer, But What Plans Are Afoot?
Facebook has more expansive ideas for the Oculus technology over and above gaming, though, with plans to apply the immersive capabilities of the Oculus Rift to other forms of entertainment as well as education and communication. Facebook founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, said of the tech:
"Mobile is the platform of today, and now we're also getting ready for the platforms of tomorrow. Oculus has the chance to create the most social platform ever, and change the way we work, play and communicate."
"After games, we're going to make Oculus a platform for many other experiences," Zuckerberg continued. "Imagine enjoying a court side seat at a game, studying in a classroom of students and teachers all over the world or consulting with a doctor face-to-face – just by putting on goggles in your home."
Oculus VR co-founder Palmer Luckey also commented on the deal, writing:
"When Facebook first approached us about partnering, I was skeptical. As I learned more about the company and its vision and spoke with Mark, the partnership not only made sense, but became the clear and obvious path to delivering virtual reality to everyone.
"Facebook is run in an open way that's aligned with Oculus' culture. Over the last decade, Mark and Facebook have been champions of open software and hardware, pushing the envelope of innovation for the entire tech industry. […] This is a team that's used to making bold bets on the future."
According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, Oculus VR's headquarters will remain in Irvine, California, and the team is "excited to work with Mark and the Facebook team to deliver the very best virtual reality platform in the world," according to co-founder and CEO of Oculus VR, Brendan Iribe.
Pretenders to the Throne
Oculus VR isn't the only high profile company currently chasing the virtual reality dream, because as Valve continues to research the technology and compile lists of best practices for experiences using VR headsets, Sony Computer Entertainment also recently entered the VR space with the announcement of 'Project Morpheus,' the codename for the company's own VR solution.
Different to Oculus Rift, Project Morpheus is built specifically for use with the PlayStation 4, as well as the PlayStation 4 camera in conjunction with a DualShock 4 controller or PlayStation Move controllers.
Speaking to Develop, Oculus VR co-founder Nate Mitchell immediately praised the announcement of Project Morpheus, saying that Sony's headset will continue to drive interest in virtual reality:
"We're super excited to have more companies in this space," said Mitchell. "More developers and more companies investing in virtual reality means more resources put towards games. I think the audience is going to get into VR faster, which means more people to sell to."
How do you think the acquisition of Oculus VR by Facebook will affect the development of the Oculus Rift, and the pace at which the company had been working up until now?
Do you think that refocussing virtual reality on implementations other than games will see Oculus veer away from its original vision?
Source: WSJ
Tags: acquisition, facebook, johncarmack, oculusrift, oculusvr, palmerluckey


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Beats me, but isn't it cool that we're in October and the scary movies are about to take over? Didn' think so, let's move on.
Tod Browning's FREAKS (1932) on DVD. Though the victim of studio interference it's amazing even the butchered-and-censored version we still have was even allowed to make it past a very conservative Hollywood studio system (even in the pre-Hayes code era). Forget clowns, B&W images of physically-impaired and/or odd-looking people interacting with unlikable characters (can a movie be darker than 'noir' before the term even came to prominence?) make "Freaks" the type of disturbing spectacle that gets you at a gut level few movies today even attempt to go to. Between this and the original "Dracula" (a very atmospheric but dry movie that's carried by an iconic Bela Lugosi performance, IMO) Tod Browning had the then-nascent horror genre covered, figuratively, from A to Z.
THE LAST RUN (1971) in 35mm at NYC's Anthology Film Archive for the first time. A retired-in-the-Mediterranean getaway driver (George C. Scott) is asked to come back for one more dangerous job sneaking a crook (Tony Musante, appropriately dickish) and his girlfriend (Trish Van Devere, i.e. the much-younger-than-him woman Scott would marry as soon as he finalized his divorce from Colleen Dewhurst, who appears in the movie as a prostitute) across the border to France. Recalling 2011's "Driver" in attitude and clinical observation of the life of a man in a dangerous profession, "The Last Run" compensates for its rather-predictable story (what you expect to happen does happen when you expect it to happen) with workmanlike-direction by Richard Fleischer, a neat score by Jerry Goldsmith, great practical driving stunts on a car (1956 BMW 503 convertible) seldom seen in movies and decent actors treating their roles as more than a travelogue-for-hire vacation.
TERROR IN THE AISLES (1984) on Cinemax-HD for the first time. The opening of "Scream 2" makes a lot more sense to me now. Seeing Donald Pleaseance and Nancy Allen interact with a group of Z-grade actors pretending to be a crowd in a movie theater watching a horror movie (with whom Donald interacts as if they're Shakespearen thespians) is either horrible and/or amusing enough. But then this 'clip' movie (a short-lived nostalgia fad of the post-"That's Entertainment!" era before home video firmly took over) has the chutzpah to (a) mix movies like Abel Ferrara's "Ms. 45" with (b) non-scary movies like "Serpico" along (c) a ton of Universal-Paramount movie clips (including a generous heaping of context-less Hitchcock movie scenes and words from the man) that the producers then proceed to (d) butcher the scary/classic feelings by substituting some key music scores with generic music (it's amazing how much less scary "Halloween" scenes are without John Carpenter's score). The result is cheese atop of cheese dressed in the trappings of an attempt to pay homage to horror, when in fact "Terror in the Aisles" was the then-latest attempt to milk the fans for cash in exchange for very little work.


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Wolcott Tech sharpshooter has sights set on 1,000 points
Wolcott Tech senior Luke Pergola is having a stellar season for the Wildcats, upping his offensive numbers from last season when he averaged just under 20 points.
"I've been pretty consistent and have been improving every year," said Pergola, who is among the area's leading scorers with 21.9 points average. "I was hoping to get over and above what I did last year."
Pergola has been doing it with an inside-outside game, but is quick to point out who deserves a lot of credit for his suscess.
"I couldn't do it without the help from my teammate, Jake Munson (a four-year starting point guard)," said Pergola. "He sets me up with the ball really well. We're like a one-two duo."
Pergola also credits his dad, Dean Pergola, an assistant coach with the Wildcats. Dean Pergola is a 1987 Wolcott Tech graduate who scored just under 1,000 points in his high school career.
"I believe my dad was one game shy of 1,000," said Luke Pergola, who currently stands at 853 career points with 11 regular-season games left. "I think he is trying to relive his dream through me if I can grab (the milestone) this year.
"Having my dad on the coaching staff has made me comfortable," said Pergola. "He's always putting positive thoughts in my head and is always telling me to try and be the best player that I can be on the court. He's always motivating me to strive to do better."
Earlier this season, Pergola scored a career-high 33 points against Wilcox Tech of Meriden. As a junor, Pergola was a second-team All-Constitution State Conference selection.
Calming influence: In the Naugatuck Valley League, senior guard John McCarthy is making a major impact, too.
Torrington boys coach Eric Gamari likes McCarthy's demeanor from opening tip to final buzzer
"I always have said about John is that you can't tell if we are up by 20 or down by 20," said Gamari. "He just plays the game."
The three-year starter is one of the main reasons the Red Raiders are off to a strong start at 6-3. The seventh-leading scorer in the NVL with a 20-point average, he has doubled last season's average.
"Last season he led the team in assists and almost had 100," noted Gamari.
"His focus as a sophomore and junior was to get the ball to David Canny (now a freshman center at Eastern Connecticut State University). But now he's doing what a senior should do. He's going to the rim and playing aggressively. I'm pleasantly surprised. He's been really consistent."
On the mend: In the Berkshire League, Housa-tonic senior forward Jesse Mohring, the fourth-leading scorer at 16.4 ppg., has been idle the past week with a left ankle sprain. Housy is 3-5.
"Jesse was having a very good year before getting a little banged up," said Housatonic coach Spike Magyar. "He was able to get off crutches Saturday. He's been day-to-day. We're hoping that he can practice this week. ... He's becoming a more well-rounded basketball player. He always been a super athetic kid and has good skills, and is using them to the best of his abilities to make everyone him around better."
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Both Torah and the Old Testament relate to Jews. How different or similar is Torah and the Old Testament of Bible?
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closed as off topic by wax eagle♦ Jun 18 '13 at 15:50
Questions on Christianity Stack Exchange are expected to relate to Christianity within the scope defined by the community. Consider editing the question or leaving comments for improvement if you believe the question can be reworded to fit within the scope. Read more about reopening questions here.If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
I've found "Judaism 101" at jewfaq.org to be a reasonably sound site when looking for answers to questions about Judaism. Here's their basic definition of Torah:
In everyday usage, speakers commonly use the word "Torah" as a synonym for what Christians sometimes call the Book of Moses.
Worth noting is the fact that the Torah is one of many central texts used in Judaism -- the Talmud, Mishnah, and other texts are also significantly important. Book one of Edersheim's The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah explores the topic in significant depth.
Torah in it's simplest definition is the first five books of Hebrew Bible (Tanakh). In its broader sense, it could also mean the whole Jewish teachings and practices.
List of books accepted by Jews and Christians are almost similar with some little differences. Canonization may be different but the individual books are same, only the list is different.
In short, Torah and Old Testament is relatively the same. It's all about the Jews and their history. For the Jews, it is their history and the Laws given to them by God. For the Christians, it is a shadow of the New Testament which fulfills its prophecies regarding the Messiah and many others.
First of all: what is in Torah are the teachings of God to Israel. Torah today contains these teachings. There are no Torah scrolls older than the 10th. cent. Most of Torah is oral teaching, which was passed down orally until the 3rd. cent A.D. when the oral Torah was finally written down.
The Church in the 3rd. century were pressured to include the OT as part of the Bible, in order to counter the arguments of Gnostic religions. The Church scholars, who were Greek at that time, could not refer to the Hebrew writings because Hebrew scholars in the Church had left the Church.
The Church wrote the "Old Testament" - the version that is in most English Bibles - from a 3rd. cent. B.C. Greek document called the Septuagint, which was a translation of Jewish documents with a few Greek additional books thrown in (actually they used Origen's Greek version in his Hexapla which included three Greek versions including Septuagint.) Septuagint was universally condemned by the Judean authorities, and it was forbidden to even study Greek in Jerusalem. Later in the 5th. cent, the Church revised the Old Latin translation of the Greek Septuagint using Hebrew writings translated into classical Latin by Jerome. This version of the OT is currently part of the Latin Vulgate Bible which was translated by Cambridge scholars into English in the 16th. cent. (the Duoay-Rheims Bible.)
To see the differences between a Christian OT and Torah, you must read a Jewish "bible" - The Chumash Stone Edition, or the Etz Hayim, for examples. These are five times thicker than the Pentateuch in the English Bible, as they contain both Written and Oral Torah, which are equally sacred.


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Study: Fracking Exploration Could Create 47,000 Jobs in Illinois
Natural gas exploration in shale formations could create more than 47,000 jobs in Illinois and spur $9 billion in statewide economic development, concludes a new study released by the Illinois Chamber Foundation.
The study was conducted by Dr. David Loomis, a widely recognized expert in energy and telecommunications economics, who is director of the Center for Renewable Energy at Illinois State University.
"Accessing natural gas in Illinois could produce many direct and indirect benefits and thousands of jobs," said Loomis in a press release. "Illinois is in a great position to participate in this dynamic energy renaissance."
Thousands of New Jobs
The study provided estimates for three separate scenarios of economic impact based on different levels of exploration. A low level of exploratory activity would create more than 1,000 total jobs; a medium level would create more than 10,000 jobs; and a high level of exploratory activity would create more than 47,000 jobs. Each of these scenarios would be help stem a statewide exodus of jobs and workers, the study found.
The job creation numbers are consistent with job creation already realized in Texas through natural gas production in the Eagle Ford shale formation, which is known to be similar in geology to the New Albany shale formation in Illinois.
In addition to job creation, natural gas exploration and production would raise land values and create economy-wide benefits, the study observes.
Conservative Job Estimates
Kyna Legner, Illinois field director for Energy in Depth, a public outreach campaign launched by the Independent Petroleum Association of America, said the study illustrates the benefits of natural gas production.
"At a minimum, the study estimated that simply allowing companies the opportunity to explore New Albany for resources would create 1,000 jobs in Illinois, which already has an unemployment rate that is a full percentage point higher than the national average," said Legner. "Is there any other industry that can create that many jobs simply by allowing it to explore for an opportunity? No production, just exploration."
Legner said job creation may actually be higher than reported in the new study.
"The Loomis study was conservative in that it only looked at natural gas possibility, but the New Albany has attracted interest because of its liquids potential. Liquids plays are receiving a great deal of industry attention," said Legner. Who Will Get the Jobs?Local activist groups such as Southern Illinoisans Against Fracturing our Environment (SAFE) said many of the jobs would go to out-of-staters who would be lured to Illinois.
Natural gas production through hydraulic fracturing "is a technically specialized kind of drilling mastered by Texas oil and gas service companies, such as Halliburton and Baker Hughes. Who, then, are the Illinois drilling companies that can qualify for this drilling work...?" SAFE asked in a press statement.
Legner dispelled the myth of jobs going to out-of-staters. Illinois, said Legner, has a long history of energy production and has an ample supply of qualified workers.
"Our state has been producing oil and gas for a hundred years. To say that Illinois does not have the expertise to participate in shale development is an insult to the thousands of men and women across the state who are employed by Illinois companies who develop oil and natural gas."
Legner added, "Let's not forget that Caterpillar, one of the major suppliers to the oil and gas industry, has its global headquarters here in Peoria, Illinois."
Legislative Activity
Legislation regulating hydraulic fracturing—also called fracking—sailed through the Illinois Senate last year but became stuck in a House committee after House Speaker Mike Madigan added 101 pages of taxes and additional regulation that shocked energy companies.
In response, the oil and gas industry—which cannot begin its investment until regulations are certain—suggested compromise legislation incorporating some of Madigan's provisions. It remains unknown whether the legislature will act on it in 2013.
Taylor Smith (firstname.lastname@example.com) is a policy analyst at The Heartland Institute.
Internet Info:
Loomis, David G., "The Potential Economic Impact of New Albany Gas on the Illinois Economy," December 2012, http://news.heartland.org/sites/default/files/illinois_fracking_study.pdf
Articles By Taylor Smith
New Law Means Pennsylvania CO2 Regulations Will Require Legislative Approval
Washington Senate Reexamines Solar Power Incentives
Massachusetts Granted a "Grace Period" for Obamacare Implementation
James Taylor to Discuss Renewable Power in Ohio
Kansas House Committee Considers Softening Renewable Mandates


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Western Education, from left: drummer Mark Ragusa, singer/keyboardist Greg Alexandropoulos, guitarist Georgio Broufas and bassist Will Hunt.
Greg Alexandropoulos '14 knows his way around the ever-faster world of technology, but it was an old-fashioned flier stuck to a bulletin board in Durgin Hall that set one of the region's most buzzed-about bands in motion.
The flier sought fellow musicians to form a band. It would be his first.
"And the guys in the band now were the only ones who answered," says Westford native Alexandropoulos, the band's singer/keyboardist, with a chuckle. "One and done!"
And now, the quartet of former and current UMass Lowell music students known as Western Education has released its debut CD, "Let Your Secrets Out." Influenced by the likes of New Order, Depeche Mode and The Killers, the disc (available at Newbury Comics, or digitally, through iTunes) has more hooks than a bass-fishing tournament. It arrives just a couple months after the band reached the semi-finals of the Boston Rock 'N' Roll Rumble.
"If you took UMass Lowell out of it, none of this would have ever happened," says Georgio Broufas, Western Education's guitarist, who is pursuing a master's degree in music education at UMass Lowell.
Broufas and Alexandropoulos, who graduated in May with a bachelor's degree in music business, are joined by bassist Will Hunt and drummer Mark Ragusa, who have both undergraduate and graduate degrees from UMass Lowell.
"I heard my first Killers single at 11, began taking piano lessons at 12 and studied singing at UMass Lowell," says Alexandropoulos.
"We all come from different backgrounds musically," says Broufas. "There's '80s new wave, metal, I am more into alternative rock—I guess it's a little bit of everything that makes us pretty flexible.
"But, you know, in the end, the song is king, basically. We're hard on ourselves. Can we make the chorus stronger? Can we do this, that? Are we done? You can't just have one hook and call it a song. There's more to it. And we all write and really know the process and I think a lot of who we are has a lot to do with going to UMass Lowell."
Sound Recording Technology visiting professor Mike Testa calls them "not only great musicians, but really humble and nice people," and "a good representation of UMass Lowell."
And there's one more UMass Lowell connection. Music business student Regina Alongi did the album's artwork.
The reviews sing the band's praises.
The band's "knack for constructing an album that contains the essentials astonished me," wrote Jed Gottlieb in the Boston Herald.
Fans can see—and hear—for themselves when Western Education plays Lowell's Last Safe & Deposit Co. on Aug. 22.
University Relations - Cumnock Hall, 31 University Ave., Lowell, MA 01854
Phone: 978-934-3224 Fax: 978-934-3033 Contact Us


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The history of life and the biological
processes responsible for this history are extraordinarily complex.
To understand these processes, scientists apply a variety of standard
tested and proven methods for understanding the natural world. The
most important and commonly known of these is the scientific method.
This way of approaching problems underlies much scientific research,
and is one of the ways science is distinguished from other means
(philosophical or religious) of understanding the universe. Science
begins with the process of observation. This observation can be
as simple as noticing that the sun always sets in the west. Scientists
then create hypotheses to explain these observations. In this case,
scientists in the past argued over whether the western setting of
the sun was due to the motion of the sun or the motion of the Earth.
Often more than one explanation is possible.
At this point an experimental scientist
will take the most important step, testing the different hypotheses.
These tests are designed so that each hypothesis has the opportunity
to pass or fail. This is especially important because it allows
scientists to exclude explanations that fail to pass certain tests.
(A hypothesis may fail a statistical test, or it may fail to explain
another important but independent observation.) If a particular
hypothesis survives repeated testing, it may become generally accepted
by the scientific community. Such hypotheses are called theories.
(Although commonly you may hear the phrase "it's just
a theory," scientists use the term much differently.) Theories
are "predictive." They generally encompass groups of
hypotheses that link together many observations and provide a means
to make statements about the way the world works (though rather
than predicting the specifics of what will happen, theories generally
predict how things will happen, the underlying "rules.")
Rarely, some theories (such as the theory of gravity) may be so
universal that they are termed laws.
There also is a vast body of science that
is "comparative" rather than "experimental."
This includes most of paleontology. Comparative science makes observations
and poses explanations for those observations. Unlike scientists
who work with experimental systems, however, scientists working
with comparative approaches to understanding the world cannot physically
manipulate the world through designed experiments. Rather, they
bring together their observations, develop hypotheses to explain
patterns, and make predictions of what they are likely to find next,
based on what they already know. Then, as further research and discovery
proceeds, new findings must remain consistent with existing hypotheses,
in effect serving as tests of these hypotheses. New findings help
refine these explanatory tools. Evolutionary theory is largely based
on comparative biology rather than experimental biology, although
it clearly includes both kinds of approaches.
Scientists also have developed specialized
sets of words to describe the organisms that are the products of
millions of years of evolution. Perhaps the most familiar is taxonomy—the
system used to give names to different species. Taxonomy gives every
organism two names, or a binomen, with one name for the genus and
another for the species. The name Tyrannosaurus rex, for
example, refers to a dinosaur with the genus name Tyrannosaurus
and the species name rex. The names are usually formed
from Latin or Greek roots, but other languages are frequently used
today. The binomen is always italicized to make it stand out as
a proper name, with the genus name capitalized and the species name
in lowercase.
Taxonomy allows every scientist to use
the exact same name when referring to the same organism, whether
the scientists speaks English, Italian, or Chinese. But taxonomy
alone is merely a list of names, similar to a phone book. A separate
system places all these names into context. This system is called
classification, and it lets scientists put species together into
groups depending on how they are related to one another. Smaller
groups are placed into larger groups, and they are all tied together
through their evolutionary histories.
The original system of biological classification—the
Systema Natura—was developed by the Swedish scientist Carolus
Linnaeus in 1735. The Linnaean system organized all species into
a hierarchy, from the smallest units (species) to the largest (kingdom).
In between were different levels, each given a name. Thus kingdoms
were composed of phyla (sing. phylum), phyla were composed of classes,
classes of orders, orders of families, families of genera (sing.
genus), and genera of species. Tyrannosaurus rex is a species
in the genus Tyrannosaurus. The genus Tyrannosaurus
is a member of the family Tyrannosauridae, and that family is part
of the order Saurischia. Saurischia is an order within the class
Reptilia, and Reptilia forms part of the phylum Vertebrata within
the kingdom Animalia.
More recently, some scientists have begun
to develop a new system of classification. This phylogenetic system
dispenses with particular levels such as orders. Instead, species
are classified according to the pattern of descent as revealed by
study of evolutionary relationships. In this system, species still
exist but they are not lumped into a series of fixed groups in a
rigid hierarchy. Scientists called systematists try to piece together
these bits of data into a single coherent picture—a "tree"
of the history of life on Earth.
This tree is more properly called a phylogeny,
and it represents the branching pattern of lineages resulting from
the evolution of life over time. Let us imagine a single species—the
ancestor—that represents the trunk of the tree. As that species
evolves, some of the individuals become distinct from the rest.
These individuals eventually become isolated from the original group,
so that they no longer can breed with them. This marks the formation
of a new species. At this point we would indicate a split in the
trunk of the tree, with two main branches representing the two species
now present. As this process is repeated over billions of years,
countless new branches are created on the tree of life.
How is it possible to diagram this tree
when we can see only some of the branches? In fact, we see only
the tips of the branches—we cannot see directly how they are
connected to one another. Systematists use the principles of inheritance
and similarity to reconstruct the tree of life. They examine many
different species and look for patterns of homology. They may notice
that two species both have horns, or wings, for example, and must
determine if these structures are homologous or analogous. The most
easily interpreted homologies are those that are shared by a few
species but absent in most others, clearly linking the species that
shared them. By tallying up as many of these similarities as possible,
systematists can calculate which species are most closely related
to which others. Once many species have been studied, part of the
tree of life can be reconstructed.
In recent decades, molecular biologists
have learned a great deal about the genetic structure of organisms.
In particular, it is now clear that the genetic code resides in
a few key molecules such as DNA and RNA. These molecules carry the
genetic identity of each individual in their molecular pattern,
but they also carry information about the species and genus of each
individual as well. Molecular systematists now use this information
to try to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships or organisms,
just as traditional systematists use the physical features of those
same organisms. Often the two forms of data can be combined to produce
a more accurate picture of the tree of life.
The genetic code also allows scientists
to determine how fast evolution occurs by examining the rate of
change in DNA between one generation and the next. In the 1960s,
geneticist Motoo Kimura proposed the neutral theory of molecular
evolution. This theory suggests that many genetic changes are adaptively
neutral and have little or no effect on the function of the molecule
for which the genes code. By having no effect on molecular function,
the mutations can survive—they are invisible to natural selection.
The neutral theory holds that changes within a species (polymorphism)
and changes between species (divergence) are really two phases of
the same process. Later, Linus Pauling and Emile Zuckerkandl proposed
that, if this theory is correct, molecular evolution should occur
at a constant rate and it should be possible to calculate a molecular
"clock." In other words, the degree of genetic difference
between two species can be used as a measure of the time elapsed
since their evolutionary divergence.
The neutral theory and the molecular clock
hypothesis remain controversial. It has become clear that molecular
evolution does not always occur at a constant rate. As a result,
it is necessary to develop different "clocks" for different
groups of organisms. A recent advance has been the use of paleontological
data to calibrate these "clocks." Because certain divergence
times (for example, the split between humans and chimpanzees) can
be estimated from the fossil record, the rate of genetic change
between certain species can be calibrated to these times before
the "clock" is used for other studies.


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Broward County has more than 1.7 million residents. Of special concern during the hurricane season is the approximately 250,000 residents that live in mandatory evacuation zones, and approximately 40,000 mobile home residents.
Speakers Bureau
Free training and presentations on emergency preparedness are available to the general public on request. Speakers Bureau
SKYWARN ™ –The National Weather Service conducts spotter training classes to the general public to feed valuable local weather information to the National Weather Service. Basic and advanced classes are offered to train storm spotters on weather events and what information is needed at the local weather service office.
Call 954-831-3900 for more information and a schedule.


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What are the most effective ways to increase flexibility for karate kicks?
I am a huge fan of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching. It is what I used to be able to do the splits cold.
Ideally you need a partner for it, but most of it can be done by yourself although you will have slower or limited results doing it solo.
The premise of the stretch is to relax the target muscles, then force them to tighten and do work, then relax them again - going deeper into the stretch.
There are a couple of points to note though:
Here is a reasonable Youtube example I've posted before, you can follow the Youtube trail to find more examples.
PNF is great! I started using it about 10 years ago and it has done wonders for me and some students. It is tough to show this method to students in class to most as there are different skill levels, and sometimes a new student or two.
I try to incorporate this into my karate program as well as yoga poses in the beginning and at the end. I also use straps and a ballet bar and it works wonders too.
Catering to adults over 40 flexibility is key, in karate or just for overall health and wellness; prevent injuries and improved the range of motion.
Just as stated above, in many traditional styles of karate, such as goju ryu karate, head kicks aren't performed due to the close range fighting techniques, but if you can do it well you will definitely hurt your opponent.
And, yes, if you get lazy and don't maintain your flexibility you will lose it; I'm guilt of that, however, over the past 3 months regained much of it through my own classes.
In my own experience, dynamic stretching is really effective for kicking flexibility. For kicking, you need a dynamic motion in your limbs and joints, so that is what you practice.
For example, rest a hand against the wall for balance, and do leg swings. Keep your leg straight, relax your muscles and lift it up until you feel a stretch, for a number of repetitions. When you begin to feel fatigued (around 10-15 reps), stop and do the other leg or a different exercise. If you do karate, this is very similar to mae keage geri, but the difference is that you should not push it as high as you can from the first go, but only as far as you feel comfortable with a light stretch.
This exercise is done similarly to the sides and back. I also do roundhouse kicks while balancing myself against the wall, with the same set of mind – a steady pace, until my leg tires (usually 16-20 reps).
An added bonus for these exercises, is that you do something related to your class – kicks (but perhaps slightly different techniques). While you perform them, you don't just increase your range of motion, but also your balance, strength and possibly technique (depending on how you'll do the stretches).
Note that the goal here is not static flexibility, but range of motion and warming up the joints and muscles, which is why they should be done in the warmup, or immediately after.
It will also be a good idea to do static stretching, like front splits and side splits, but do it after class. This is because you are extending your muscles beyond their maximum stretch. This will not only tire it and damage it slightly, but it may lead to injuries if you jump up and do dynamic motions right after. Static stretching however, when done right, will increase your maximum flexibility, so should not be overlooked.
I highly recommend reading "Stretching Scientifically" by Thomas Kurz. It explains in great detail not only how to stretch, but also why specific stretches are beneficial for which athletes, and most importantly how to avoid injuries.


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Hall was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1948 and later lived many years in New York's Hudson River Valley. In high school he was three-time National Science Foun- dation scholar. At Notre Dame University he studied physics, but later transferred to Loyola College. After a time at Loyola, he left school to pursue a full-time career in music. By 21 he was writing and composing music for Broadway and off-Broadway productions. He then became a session musician and songwriter, spending time with artists such as Janis Joplin, Seals & Crofts, and Bonnie Raitt. Then in January 1972, at about age 24, Hall became a founding member of Orleans, forming the group at Woodstock, New York in Ulster County. Other members at the time included Wells Kelly and Larry Hoppen. Lance Hoppen, Larry's brother, joined the band later that year. Another member Jerry Marotta, also joined later. Hall served as the group's songwriter and as one of its guitarists.Orleans soon became a top 1970s American rock band turning out hits such as: "Dance with Me"(1975), "Still the One" (1976), and "Love Takes Time" (1979). Orleans had started out touring clubs and colleges in the northeast U.S. However, the group soon had a recording contract with ABC Dunhill Records, releasing Orleans, a debut album in 1973. Their first Billboard Hot 100 hit came in early 1975 with "Let There Be Music" on Asylum Records. "Dance With Me" followed, rising to No. 6 on the pop charts. "Dance With Me" placed the group in a "soft-rock" category, and they toured with Melissa Manchester, but also with bands such as Little Feat.
In 1976, another big hit came with "Still the One." The single peaked at No.5 on the charts as Orleans then did a major cross-country tour with Jackson Browne. The ABC television network, meanwhile, made "Still The One" its theme song for a 1977 promotional campaign, giving the song continuing and wide exposure to a large national audience. The song was also used in TV advertising spots and movie soundtracks. However, within Orleans, some internal stresses emerged, and John Hall left the group to pursue a solo career. He formed the John Hall Band and released two albums, but this venture disbanded after limited success.
Celebrities in
This story is one in an occasional series that will periodically feature famous people — sports stars, Holly- wood actors, musicians, TV personali- ties, and others — who are not initially involved in politics, but who later, given their fame or other public notoriety, enter or influence politics at the national and/or state levels. Among those profiled in this series will be those who run for and/or attain political office — from U.S. President, Congress, and the U.S. Senate, to various state-level races and governorships — as well as those who may receive political appointments, judgeships, ambassadorships, and other similar posts. Celebrities who rise to positions of national political influence, though unelected, may also appear in this series, as well as notable leaders in other countries who come to their posts via celebrity or other media fame.
Music Player
Orleans – "Still the One"
John Hall, Activist
John Hall, meanwhile, during his music career, had become active in the anti-nuclear movement, co-founding Musicians United for Safe Energy (MUSE). He co-produced "No Nukes" concerts that were held in Madison Square Garden in the late 1970s. He was also involved in successfully fighting a proposed nuclear power plant site on the Hudson River in Greene County, New York. Living in Saugerties, New York, he co-founded Saugerties Concerned Citizens and helped write the town's first zoning law. When Ulster County announced plans for a 200-acre solid waste dump to be sited on a historic farm, Hall led the opposition. By 1989, Hall was elected as an Ulster County legislator. In the late 1990s he was twice elected to the Saugerties Board of Education, later becoming Board president.
During this time, however, Hall had not abandoned his music. He continued writing songs for other artists and reunited with Orleans in 1990, 1996, and 2000. In 2005, he released Rock Me on the Water, an album of songs inspired by an extensive sailing trip he'd taken. He also formed another band named Gulf Stream Night. But politics soon became John Hall's central gig.
Bid For Congress
In 2006, Hall set his sights on higher public office, then concerned for the future of the Hudson River Valley and disillusioned with the war in Iraq. He ran in the Democratic primary for a seat in the U.S. Congress representing New York's 19th congressional district. He won the primary with 48 percent in a four-way race and then faced incumbent Republican Sue W. Kelly in the fall elections. In October, the New York Times — noting he was a musician, but "not a posturer or political dabbler" — endorsed Hall for Congress. "His platform is ambitious and coherent," said the Times, "with calls for universal health coverage, a return to fiscal discipline and a full-bore national effort to achieve energy independence. He blends a deep-blue idealism with a crisp command of details…"
However, his opponent, Republican Sue Kelly, had been a popular, six-term incumbent, who was well funded in her races. She had won handedly in 2004 with 73 percent of the vote. Nevertheless, Hall defeated Kelly in November 2006 with 51 percent of the vote, beating her in her home county of Westchester to help pull off an upset victory. He was only the third Democrat elected in the district since WWI.John Hall was helped in his election win by 1,200 volunteers who did door-to-door work and manned phone banks prior to the election. Some of Hall's old rock 'n roll fans turned out as well — a few amazed at the novelty of voting for a former rock star. Offered one New York blogger at "Fred Sez,"Hembeck.com, in the run up to the 2006 election: "Tomorrow, I get to do something I've never had a chance to do before: vote for someone who I first saw perform live on stage back in the mid-seventies, and then whose records I bought…" But there was also a separate $500,000 campaign by businessman Adam R. Rose that also contributed to Hall's victory. Rose, an openly gay real-estate developer bankrolled the Majority Action group which ran negative advertisements against Hall's opponent, Sue Kelly, because of her support for the Federal Marriage Amendment, which would ban same-sex marriage.
Muscians Help
The Basketball Diaries full In his campaign, Hall also had the support of fellow musicians, some of whom helped raise money for him (see box below). Others gave concerts on his behalf. Singer Jackson Browne, for example, gave concerts for Hall. Browne did four benefit concerts for Hall in New York, June 2-4, 2006, which also included Dar Williams and Pete Seeger. On August 20, 2006, Browne again performed on behalf of Hall in New York city, along with Rosanne Cash, Steve Earle and Nanci Griffith.
Rockers for Hall
In the spring of 2006, musicians Jackson Browne, Graham Nash, and Bonnie Raitt, wrote a fundraising letter on behalf of John Hall's bid for Congress. Here's the text of that letter:
Dear Friend,
Our longtime friend, fellow No Nukes/MUSE artist, John Hall, whom you may also remember as a leader of Orleans (Dance With Me, Still the One) is running for Congress in the 19th District of upstate New York. John's been a lifelong activist and right out of the starting gate, is emerging as a very welcome and successful candidate in debates and testing so far. He's up against a very tough contender, the six-term incumbent Republican (and Tom DeLay crony) Rep. Sue Kelly, and of course needs to raise as much money as possible early in this primary race.
A bunch of us MUSE folks and other music industry friends have already lent our support and I'm writing to ask if you would consider contributing to help get John Hall elected. John is extremely smart, articulate, committed and in our minds, would absolutely bring a much needed fresh and clearheaded voice to our muddled political quagmire. Please spread the word if you agree and thank you so much for your support.
You can check out his positions and background at http://www.johnhallforcongress.com/, contribute on line at http://www.actblue.com/page/johnhallforcongress/ or send your contributions to "John Hall For Congress," PO Box 377, Dover Plains, NY 12522.
As you may know the limit for personal contributions during the primary period is $2100 (MARCH 31st is the end of the 1st Quarter FEC filing period so act quickly please), and an additional $2100 may be sent to his General Election Escrow Account, which will be returned with interest if he does not win the nomination.
We think it's fantastic that John has decided to set aside his music career for the time being and dedicate himself to politics for the better of us all.
Thank you for your support. We can make a difference,
Bonnie Raitt, Graham Nash and Jackson Browne
P.S. Any amount that you contribute will help. If 2000 people send $50 each, John's campaign will receive a $100,000 boost. This will keep him in the game to carry the message of peace and diplomacy, economic justice, government and corporate accountability, healthcare for all, environmental protection and alternative energy.
Once in Congress, John Hall served as a progressive Democrat. He became a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and in his first term, among others things, he voted to raise the minimum wage and supported federal funding of stem cell research. He also became engaged in the daily work of serving his constituents on a variety of fronts, from veterans' rights to help for public schools. Nor did Hall forget the issues in his home state that had brought him into politics, calling for closing the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant, for example, and continuing that fight and others in Congress.
Nuke "Bailouts"In October 2007, during his first term, Hall also took part in a gathering of rock 'n roll artists who came to town to lobby against federal loan guarantees for nuclear power plants. In his younger days in the late 1970s, in the wake of the nuclear plant accident at Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania, Hall had joined with rock musicians Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne and Graham Nash and others to organize the "No Nukes" concerts at Madison Square Garden that helped stir public opposition to nuclear power at that time. In October 2007, these musicians and others reconvened to hold a press conference and lobby Congress to oppose the loan guarantee provisions in a pending energy bill. "Thirty years ago, we felt that this monster was dead," Graham Nash told an Associated Press reporter. On Capitol Hill in Washington, the musicians warned that a Senate version of the energy bill contained the loan guarantees provisions, which they called a "virtual blank check from taxpayers" to help build more nuclear plants. They noted, however, that the bill as a whole contained some very good provisions, including those for renewable energy sources and improved energy efficiency standards. The musicians' group had also launched a petition drive and a YouTube music video as part of their campaign. A number of environmental groups lent their support, along with dozens of other music artists and rock banks, including R.E.M., Ben Harper, Maroon 5, Pearl Jam, Patti Smith and Wynton Marsalis. Their petition drive had collected more than 120,000 signatures to present to Congress. The Nuclear Energy Institute, meanwhile, dismissed the effort, saying nuclear energy was on the brink of a revival due to increased energy demands and concerns about global warming. "It's almost as if they're in a time capsule [from the 1970s] and they've been transported forward," said Steve Kerekes of Nuclear Energy Institute. But Reps. Edward Markey (D-MA) and John Hall said they expected that the musicians group would provide more positive lobbying muscle on the energy bill. The nuclear power industry continued to push Congress to expand federal loan guarantees for building new nuclear power plants.
Targeted in '08
In the 2008 election campaign, meanwhile, John Hall drew numerous potential challengers for his re-election bid, including former Rep. Sue Kelly and Emily Pataki, daughter of former popular Republican Governor George Pataki. At one, point, Republicans had sought former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer to oppose Hall, but Fleischer declined. Hall had also been targeted by the National Republican Congressional Committee in the fall election. A Republican newcomer, Kieran Lalor, became Hall's opponent. On November 4, 2008, John Hall was re-elected, defeating Lalor with 58 percent of the vote.Hall's Congressional website as of July 2009 notes that he opposes privatization of Social Security, and supports a swift and orderly withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq combined with a renewed emphasis on diplomacy. He supports intensive efforts to produce more renewable energy, better funding of veterans' programs, universal health care, and full funding of the No Child Left Behind legislation. Hall currently serves on three House Committees — Transportation and Infrastructure, Veterans' Affairs, and The Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. Hall is married to Pamela Bingham Hall, a graduate of Vassar College and an attorney who has worked as General Counsel to the Tennessee State Treasurer and as Tennessee Assistant State Attorney General.
Man-Thing movie download One final item on a musical note. During the national presidential campaign in 2008, Hall took a shot at Republican Presidential candidate John McCain for using the Orleans song "Still The One" in his presidential campaign without asking for permission. Four years earlier as well, in late October 2004, Hall had criticized the campaign of President George W. Bush for using the same Orleans song at his campaign events without permission (Bush had a similar problem with a Tom Petty tune). In the case of Bush, formal cease-and-desist letters went out to the Republican National Committee and the Bush-Cheney '04 Campaign and the song was later dropped from the campaign's playlist.
Stay tuned to this website for future stories on politics, music, and culture.
Please Support
Thank You
Date Posted: 10 July 2009
Last Update: 10 July 2009
Comments to: email@example.com
Article Citation:
Jack Doyle, "Orleans-To-Congress, 1972-2009,"
PopHistoryDig.com, July 10, 2009.
Sources, Links & Additional Information
Website of U.S. Rep. John Hall, U.S. Congress.
"Orleans," Wikipedia.com.
"John Hall," Wikipedia.com.
"An Endorsement for Congress,"(Westchester), New York Times, October 22, 2006.
Katrina vanden Heuvel, "He's Still the One," The Nation, Wednesday, October 25, 2006.
Andrew Miga, Associated Press, "Rockers Renew 1970s Anti-Nuke Theme," USA Today, October 23, 2007.
Harvey Wasserman, "No-Nukers Sing a New Green Tune," The Nation.com, November 9, 2007.
Margaret Menge, "Cornwall Lays KJ Pipeline Issue at Feet of Freshman Rep. John Hall," Cornwall LocalOnline.com, Saturday, February 23, 2008.
Union of Concerned Scientists, "Massive Federal Loan Guarantees for New Nuclear Power Plants Would Put Taxpayers, Ratepayers at Risk,"March 4, 2009.
Abby Livingston, NBC / Domenico Montanaro, First Read, "Rep. To McCain: Stop Using My Song!," MSNBC.com, Friday, June 13, 2008.


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String Block Printing
- String or rope
- Small blocks of wood
- Tempera paint, liquid
- Shallow pan
- Paper
- Wrap string or rope several times around a small block of wood.
- Tie it in place (make sure the rope is distributed evenly over the block, not gathered in one spot).
- Have your child press the string block into liquid tempera paint, then press onto paper.
- She should move the block around in different directions and add colors to vary the design.
More on: Activities for Preschoolers
Copyright © 1998 by Patricia Kuffner. Excerpted from The Preschooler's Busy Book with permission of its publisher, Meadowbrook Press.
To order this book visit Meadowbrook Press.


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Dual Enroll: Earn college credit while you're in high school
High school students can enroll in courses at Davenport University in our Dual Enrollment program under the Postsecondary Enrollment Options Act. Credits earned through dual enrollment can be simultaneously applied toward high school and college.
Benefits of Dual Enrollment
- Get a taste of college life
- Ensure a smooth transition from high school to college
- Get tuition at a reduced rate, or even free (check with your high school)
- Expand your range of classes
- Get a head start on college graduation
Student Eligibility
- Student must have a minimum cumulative 2.5 GPA (based on 4.0 scale)
- Online courses require ACT scores of 19 for English and 18 for Math
- Desired Davenport courses must be unavailable at the high school
- Student's schedule must have appropriate time slots available on a weekly basis
for course meetings
- Student accepts responsibility for designated prerequisites for desired course.
Acceptance Process
- Submit Davenport University Application Parent's signature required
- Make an appointment with an admissions representative: Call 800-686-1600, chat live, or email firstname.lastname@example.com
- Pay Application Fee ($25)
- Submit Dual Enrollment Agreement
- Submit Dual Enrollment Billing Authorization
- Have your transcript sent to Davenport University Registrar's Office.
Payment Process
- Student will receive an ebill via student email.
- Student should ignore payment option (on tuition bill) only if school district has
arranged to pay the total tuition bill. If the student is responsible for paying tuition bill,
please have student contact Davenport University to make payment arrangements.
- High school will receive billing information if school district is responsible for paying
tuition bill.
Transcript Guidelines
Students must provide an official copy of their high school and all previous college transcripts on file at Davenport University. Any students registering for classes without the official transcripts on file accept responsibility for ensuring that they are not duplicating courses that might be brought in as transfer credit. All transcripts must be sent from the originating schools directly to Davenport University, and become the property of the University.
Admission as a Dual Enrollment Student
Michigan students enrolled in courses at Davenport University via the Postsecondary Enrollment Options Act are permitted to register through the entirety of their participation in the dual enrollment programs providing they have met the State of Michigan requirements for participation. Learn more from the Michigan Department of Education website. High school students may attend the University when they provide written permission from their high school principal or legal guardian. The student is subject to all policies, procedures, fees, and tuition costs of the University.


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Should My Young Daughter Get the HPV Vaccination?
In This Article:
Q: Would you get the HPV vaccination for your daughter?
Yes. I think it's great, and every girl should be vaccinated.
Yes, despite some reservations.
No. I'd be worried about possible side effects.
No. I have moral objections to it.
No, but for reasons other than those stated above.
744 Total votes cast.
Since the 1980s, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) have become an increasingly publicized health concern in America. With the advent of HIV and AIDS, sex has become a very risky business. STDs can cause many health problems — anything from itchiness, to genital warts, to cervical cancer, to death. In spite of the skyrocketing rates of STD infections, many people are still having premarital sex — and the majority of these people are teenagers. Adolescents are at greater risk of contracting STDs than adults, for a variety of reasons. Thankfully, science is continually making advances on this front: new methods of STD prevention, detection, and treatment are constantly being developed. One relatively new development in STD prevention is Gardasil.
In 2006 the FDA approved the release of Gardasil to the public. In tests, nearly 100% of participants vaccinated with Gardasil remained free of the types of HPV covered by the vaccine. This is an astounding statistic, and you may well be asking yourself, "Why then has there been so much debate about Gardasil?"


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Common Problems Encountered by Breastfeeding Women
In This Article:
Assure that your infant is properly positioned to nurse and grasps your breast correctly. Carefully review the detailed guidelines for correct positioning and latch-on. Cup your breast in a C-hold, with four fingers below and thumb above. Make sure your fingers are placed well behind the areola. With your baby well supported, aligned with your breast, and turned completely to face you, gently tickle her lips with your nipple. When she opens her mouth wide, quickly pull her toward you so that she grasps a large mouthful of breast, with the nipple centered in her mouth. Do not let your baby munch onto your nipple or just grasp the tip without any surrounding areola. That is a sure setup for discomfort and ineffective milk extraction. It's always better to remove your baby and let her reattach to your breast than to continue to let her nurse with an improper grasp. The football hold makes it easier for a baby to attach correctly since this position affords the mother a good view of the baby's mouth on her nipple.
Begin feeding on the least sore nipple to trigger your milk ejection reflex. Once milk flow has begun and your baby has taken part of her feeding, she will be less hungry when brought to the second, more painful side. Your baby will nurse less vigorously after the let-down reflex has been triggered, making breastfeeding more comfortable. As soon as possible, resume alternating the breast on which you begin feedings to prevent a lopsided milk supply.
Frequent, shorter feedings are preferable to lengthy nursings spaced at wider intervals. Temporarily, limit feedings to ten minutes per side if your nipples are very sore. Many women with sore nipples postpone feedings because they dread the pain associated with nursing. However, this can result in a ravenously hungry baby who nurses more frantically and produces more trauma. Also, the longer feedings are postponed, the more engorged the breasts become, and the harder it is for the baby to correctly grasp the breast. Finally, less frequent feedings can diminish a mother's milk supply, which already has a tendency to be low in women with sore nipples.
Gently pat your nipples dry with a clean cloth after nursing to remove surface wetness. Excessive moisture on the skin surface can delay healing and cause chapping. If you wear breast pads, change them as soon as they become wet, and remove surface moisture after each feeding. However, don't go to extremes and excessively dry your nipples, as this can worsen the condition of your skin. In the past, many breastfeeding experts gave erroneous advice that led to excessive drying and cracking of nipples. Women were advised to use a hair dryer on a low setting or to expose their nipples to prolonged air drying in low-humidity environments. We now recognize that, just as excessive drying can crack and split chapped lips, it can contribute to breakdown and delayed healing of damaged nipple skin.
If you have cracks or other breaks in the skin, keep your nipples covered with a soothing emollient to maintain internal moisture. Applying a soothing ointment to sore, cracked nipples will protect them from excessive moisture loss and will speed healing. A coating of USP Modified Lanolin (medical grade) is the superior emollient to use on your nipples. This ultrapure grade of lanolin is sold as Lansinoh for Breastfeeding Mothers and PureLan. Apply the lanolin to your nipples after each feeding just as you would keep chapped lips covered with lip balm to maintain the normal moisture present in the skin and promote healing. Emollients like medical-grade lanolin are particularly effective in climates with low humidity to protect nipples from excess drying.
Many breastfeeding experts tout the well-known healing properties of milk itself. They recommend expressing a few drops of milk after each nursing, and gently coating the nipple with it, then allowing the milk to dry on the nipples. Although I have little firsthand experience with this practice, the many proponents of the technique claim it promotes healing of sore nipples. However, the nipples of nursing mothers inevitably are bathed in milk much of each day, affording them the benefit of milk's anti-infective properties. The reason I don't routinely recommend coating damaged nipples with milk after nursing is my belief that cracked nipples are similar to chapped lips. The constant wet-to-dry effect that results from frequent licking of chapped lips only provokes more drying and cracking. Rather than allowing milk to dry on nipples, it would seem prudent to remove surface wetness and then keep nipples protected with lanolin to avoid the wet-to-dry cycles that further damage skin.
Health professionals who specialize in wound healing have found that the use of moisture-retaining occlusive dressings are effective in promoting healing of wounds in other body sites. Recently some physicians and lactation specialists have tried this treatment with sore nipples. They are reporting good results using hydrogel dressings applied to the nipples between feedings to maintain a moist environment for nipple healing.
Wear wide-based breast shells over your nipples between nursings. These devices minimize discomfort from a crack or open wound and accelerate healing by preventing direct contact with nursing pads or your bra. Without these devices protecting your nipples, your bra or nursing pad might stick to a cracked or irritated area of nipple skin, causing the wound to reopen every time you remove the covering.
If your nipple pain is so severe that you are unable to tolerate nursing your baby, a hospital-grade rental electric breast pump can be used to express your milk comfortably. Pumping provides a convenient means of emptying your breasts and maintaining or even increasing your milk supply, while allowing your nipples to heal. Previously, I had been taught to believe that "no pump is as gentle or as effective as your nursing baby." We now appreciate that not every baby necessarily nurses correctly or effectively. Persistent pain during feedings is a sign that healing is not occurring. Trying to be tough and enduring the pain just subjects your nipples to continued trauma. In this case, the best electric pumps probably will be more gentle and more efficient than your baby's improper, uncomfortable sucking. We are fortunate to have highly effective hospital-grade electric pumps to break the devastating pain cycle, preserve milk production, promote healing, and provide the option of returning to breastfeeding after calm has been restored to a family. I recall one woman whose nipple pain was so excruciating that she admitted in private: "I expected breastfeeding to make me feel more connected to my baby. Instead, I look at her and dread the thought of having to feed again. The discomfort of breastfeeding is straining my relationship with my baby." This distraught woman was elated when pumping proved to be pain-free. Her whole attitude improved and she began to enjoy her baby more when she stopped associating her infant with pain. While her nipples healed, she fed her expressed milk to her infant, then cautiously resumed breastfeeding with expert guidance to assure proper technique. For this woman, breaking the pain cycle was the key to her ultimate breastfeeding success.
Blood in breast milk
I also recommend pumping instead of nursing when the breast milk contains blood from a cracked nipple (or other causes). Although many babies ingest blood-tinged milk without parents or health professionals ever knowing about it, drinking bloody breast milk is not entirely benign. For one thing, blood is irritating to the gut and can have a purgative effect. I recall a newborn who was admitted to the hospital for "bloody diarrhea" and was subjected to numerous diagnostic tests to determine the cause before it was found that the blood being passed was the mother's and not the infant's. The mother had been unaware that her painful, cracked nipple was bleeding, nor that her baby was obtaining bloody milk with breastfeeding. Ingested blood also can increase a newborn baby's bilirubin level, worsening infant jaundice. Furthermore, blood in breast milk can increase a baby's risk of acquiring certain infectious diseases while breastfeeding (if the mother is infected herself).
In general, hand pumps, battery pumps, and small electric pump models are not as comfortable or effective as the hospital-grade rental electric pumps.
If you decide to use a pump to interrupt breastfeeding and allow your nipples to heal, plan to pump your breasts every time your baby needs to be fed. This will be a minimum of eight times in twenty-four hours. You will want to express at least as much milk as your baby requires to be satisfied. A more generous milk supply is even better, and the excess milk can be frozen. When a mother's milk supply is abundant, her baby obtains milk more easily and is less likely to damage her nipples. Beginning about two to three weeks postpartum, the amount of milk you should expect to get from both breasts combined is about an ounce for every hour that has elapsed since you last pumped or fed your baby. Thus, if you pumped after a three-hour interval, you should get about three ounces. If you slept for a five-hour stretch at night, you would expect to pump about five ounces when you awoke. You can feed the expressed milk by bottle, cup, or other method approved by your baby's doctor. Keep in mind that a healthy baby shouldn't require more than thirty minutes to complete a feeding.
If you use an electric pump to heal sore nipples, I must emphasize the importance of obtaining expert help with your breastfeeding technique when you are ready to return to nursing. I recall one woman who spent nearly a week pumping and healing her severely cracked nipples, only to have the wounds reopen when she resumed nursing her baby using the same inappropriate technique that had damaged her nipples in the first place. Synthetic oxytocin nasal spray can be used to help facilitate the let-down reflex in women with sore nipples. As mentioned earlier, the pain of sore nipples can cause a woman to tense up at feeding times, resulting in inhibition of the milk ejection reflex. This only compounds the problem of sore nipples because a baby sucks more vigorously before milk lets-down. You can try simple strategies to help trigger your milk ejection reflex, such as breast stroking and massage, drinking a beverage, or using relaxation breathing. Synthetic oxytocin nasal spray is an additional aid that might prove helpful to some women with sore nipples by triggering their milk let-down.
First Do No Harm
One of the most important principles in medicine is "first do no harm." The sad truth is that inappropriate treatments often prove worse than no treatment at all. Over the years, some nipple creams have been marketed that were useless at best or that actually aggravated sore nipples. Many women are sensitive to the additives in various nipple creams. Some that were used in the past contained alcohol and other drying agents. One reason I recommend USP Modified Lanolin (medical grade) is that it is free of any other ingredients to which a woman might react. Although a popular belief exists that women who are allergic to wool will react adversely to lanolin, dermatologists insist that true lanolin allergies are very rare. Most women "allergic to wool" are sensitive to the fibers. If you suspect you may be allergic to lanolin, apply a small amount to your inner arm to see if you react before trying it on your nipples.
Most breastfeeding experts agree that medical-grade lanolin is the most effective and safest substance that can be applied to sore nipples to promote healing. PureLan and Lansinoh for Breastfeeding Mothers are the purest and safest brands of USP Modified Lanolin and do not need to be removed before feedings. I cannot recommend other creams, ointments, or topical applications because they are not as effective and some are not safe for infants.
Some breastfeeding counselors recommend applying ice to sore nipples. They claim that ice treatments temporarily desensi-tize sore nipples sufficiently to allow some women to tolerate nursing. While I advocate ice in the treatment of engorgement, mastitis, sports injuries, and other conditions, I do not recommend it for sore nipples. First, I don't believe in numbing the pain to make nursing tolerable. Discomfort while nursing is a warning sign that the baby is latched on incorrectly or that mechanical trauma is continuing and is preventing healing. I also think there is some risk of ice causing cold injury to the sensitive skin of the nipples.
From Dr. Mom's Guide to Breastfeeding by Marianne R. Neifert. Copyright © 1998 by Marianne R. Neifert. Used by arrangement with Plume, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
To order this book visit Amazon.


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I am just getting started with using quickly and I have a small project that's starting to take shape.
Right now I would like to add a translation to my project. I already noticed that quickly automatically generates po/.pot but I can't quite figure out how/where to add the language-specific .po files.
I tried creating en.po / de.po / es.po manually inside the po/ sub-directory but - even after I run quickly share - quickly (using quickly run or the installed .deb) doesn't seem to recognize / use the translations.
Am I missing something really obvious/stupid? Any help would be highly appreciated!
Cheers, Marcel


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$10 off purchase of $30 or more at ThinkGeek
Psst. Ten bucks off purchases of thirty smackers or more with ROBOTNIK until eleven fifty-nine eastern in the evening of fifth day of the third month of the year.
(That's today.)
4 Comments add a comment
Dead. When you try to checkout, it says that the coupon has reached its maximum number of uses.
Still worked at 8:52 ET
I just tested it and it worked for me (9:11 ET).
I didn't have any trouble using the code. I received the $10 off with no problems! :)
(Either they refreshed the page or perhaps you made a typo?)


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Let's define polynomial $P(x)$ as $ P(x)=x^3+2x^2-4x+2 $. My main question is to prove that it is irreducible and that its discriminant is $-140$, from the definition of polynomial discriminant and using cubic method of discriminant. Here is a picture:
How can we show that it is irreducible? Thanks a lot.


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I was wondering how to get information about the following things from the command line in Linux:
- word (i.e. the size that the CPU can process at one time, which may not be the OS bit-depth),
- address size (i.e. the number of bits in an actual address),
- address bus size (not sure if it is the same as address size by definition, but I think they are different and may not agree),
- data bus size,
- instruction size?


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NEW YORK (AP) — Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling has been banned for life by the NBA in response to racist comments the league says he made in a recorded conversation.Commissioner Adam Silver said he will try to force the controversial owner to sell his franchise. Sterling has also been fined $2.5 million, and Silver made no effort to hide his outrage over the comments.He said a league investigation found that the league's longest-tenured owner was in fact the person on the audiotapes that were released over the weekend."We stand together in condemning Mr. Sterling's views," Silver said. "They simply have no place in the NBA."Sterling acknowledged he was the man on the tape, Silver said.Sterling is immediately barred from attending any NBA games or practices, be present at any Clippers office or facility, or participate in any business or player personnel decisions involving the team.He also cannot participate in any league business going forward."This league is far bigger than any one owner, any one coach and any one player," Silver said.The fine will be donated to organizations dedicated to anti-discrimination and tolerance efforts that will be jointly selected by the NBA and the Players Association, Silver said.Sterling's comments were released over the weekend by TMZ and Deadspin, and numerous NBA owners and players have condemned them. Even President Barack Obama weighed in on the crisis, the first of Silver's brief tenure as commissioner.Before Silver took the podium, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban tweeted out a photo of the NBA Constitution, saying "It exists for a reason."The announcement of the sanctions came just hours before the Clippers will play Golden State in Game 5 of a knotted-up Western Conference first-round playoff series.Several sponsors either terminated or suspended their business dealings with the team on Monday, though individual deals that some of those companies have with Clippers stars like Chris Paul and Blake Griffin will continue and were not affected. Still, it was a clear statement that companies, like just about everyone inside the league, were outraged.The issues raised when the tapes were released over the weekend represent just another chapter in Sterling's long history of being at the center of controversy.In the past, he's faced extensive federal charges of civil rights violations and racial discrimination in his business dealings, and some of his race-related statements would be described as shocking.He has also been sued in the past for sexual harassment by former employees, and even the woman who goes by the name "V. Stiviano" — purportedly the female voice on the tapes at the center of this scandal — describes Sterling in court documents as a man "with a big toothy grin brandishing his sexual prowess in the faces of the Paparazzi and caring less what anyone else thought, the least of which, his own wife."Page 2 of 2 - Stiviano is being sued by Rochelle Sterling, who is seeking to reclaim at least $1.8 million in cash and gifts that her husband allegedly provided the woman.
Location, ST | website.com


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Possible Duplicate:
How can I repair grub? (How to get Ubuntu back after installing Windows?)
I had Ubuntu installed. When I installed ubuntu I completely formated the hard disk and then I made 3 partitions, one for root, one for home, and one for data.I left 25 Gb unused. All partitions were ext 4. After some months now I have installed the Windows 8 in the free space(24GB) . Now it directly boots Windows 8 and does not ask for the choice between Windows 8 and ubuntu . I can only access the partition in which I have installed the Windows. I want it to ask for choice between Windows 8 or ubuntu or some other way to run ubuntu or to access the data in the other partitions . Because I have very imported data there. I'm using Hp Pavilion dv6 i3 . 320gig hard disk.


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Revel in the Return of Tiny Fuppets
Collect 'em all!
The not-quite-Muppets are back! Gracias, Internet!
Collect 'em all!
The not-quite-Muppets are back! Gracias, Internet!
Constance Wu Slams Matt Damon's Great Wall Film for Perpetuating a 'Racist Myth'
LeBron James Reportedly Stopped Justin Bieber From Performing at the RNC
John C. Reilly Is Giving One of the Best Performances in TV Comedy Today
American Sniper Fans Are Upset Bradley Cooper Attended the DNC
Malia Obama, America's Coolest Teen, Spent Her DNC at Lollapalooza
Gwyneth Paltrow Wants to Consciously Uncouple from Goop
1776 Versions of Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer React to Hillary Clinton's Nomination
Jeremy Renner Is Hollywood's Greatest Negotiating Tool (But He Deserves Better)
There's an Actual Correlation Between Reading Harry Potter and Hating Donald Trump
What's New on Netflix: August 2016
Universal was really planning on more Jeremy Renner movies.What's New on Hulu: August 2016
You're the Worst! The Wine Show!How '80s Are the Names on Stranger Things?
Barb. Nance. Joyce.Behind the Making of Indignation's Thrilling, 18-Minute Argument Scene
"When you're a director watching an 18-minute scene unfold, you can come up with a lot of notes, let me tell you."Orlando Bloom Follows Up DNC Stardom by Joining Andy Samberg's Tour de Pharmacy
He's part of a packed cast that also includes John Cena and Mike Tyson.In Praise of the Stand-alone Episode of TV
They jolt us out of complacency.The Music Video for YG's 'Word Is Bond' Comes With Japanese and English Subtitles, Is Amusing
Awkward uses of language, please laugh.Drake's Current Nemesis, Joe Budden, Is More of a Match for Him Than He Looks
Is Drake finally losing his temper?The DNC Ratings Bested the RNC's Overall, But Trump's Speech Still Came Out on Top
A word to the wise, though: Don't use this to predict November's election results.Constance Wu Slams Matt Damon's Great Wall Film for Perpetuating a 'Racist Myth'
"Our heroes don't look like Matt Damon."
It's a dramedy set on a crappy spaceship.What's New on Netflix: August 2016
The Little Prince! Slow TV!Morgan Freeman Is Just the Right God(father) for Disney's Live-Action Nutcracker
Meet your Drosselmeyer.Malia Obama, America's Coolest Teen, Spent Her DNC at Lollapalooza
Cashmere Cat trumps Hillary Clinton.Here's Kanye's Video for 'Wolves' With Sia, Kim, and Many Models
Sad Kanye returns.Faith Evans, Charles Bradley, Jidenna, and More to Perform on Luke Cage
Jidenna and other artists will also contribute original songs to the Netflix show.The Chanels Will See You Now in the New Scream Queens Promo
Made of slice, dice, and everything nice.What's Leaving Showtime: August 2016
Good-bye, Up in the Air.John C. Reilly Is Giving One of the Best Performances in TV Comedy Today
Check it out!The Best Cosplay We Saw at San Diego Comic-Con
So much Harley Quinn.


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I want to simulate a click on any link on a page using JavaScript. If that link has some function binded to its 'onclick' event (by any other JS I don't have any control over), then that function must be called otherwise the link should behave in the normal manner and open a new page.
I am not sure that just checking the value of the 'onclick' handler would suffice. I want to build this so that it works on any link element.
I have no control over what function maybe binded to the onclick event of the link using whichever JS library (not necessarily jQuery) or by simply using JavaScript.
EDIT: With the help of the answers below, it looks like it is possible to check for event handlers attached using jQuery or using the
onclick attribute. How do I check for event handlers attached using
addEventListener / any other JS library so that it is foolproof?


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5 Superheroes Rendered Ridiculous by Gritty Reboots
Comic book characters get stale after a while. It's true, it happens. Peter Parker can't be an awkward high school student forever, right? We get that. We understand that, occasionally, the powers that be need to shake things up a little bit and change some stuff around to keep their characters fresh. Sometimes, like with the new gun-toting Captain America reboot, it's fucking awesome.
But other times, it's... well, this list.
#5. Wonder Dog Goes on a Rampage (Teen Titans )
The Character:
Equal parts Astro and Scooby Doo, Wonder Dog is the loyal, harmless sidekick to the Super Friends circa 1970.
The Plan:
"Let's slide Wonder Dog into a modern setting in Teen Titans. But let's make him edgy and tough, for teenagers! Scooby Doo is for babies!"
The Problem:
In case you're not immediately familiar with 1970s superheroes, we'll give you a crash course. The Super Friends were a conglomeration of superheroes and Wonder Dog was a dog. The poor man's Wonder Twins to Wonder Dog's poor man's Gleek came in the form of two kids named Marvin and Wendy, whose super powers included "taking care of Wonder Dog" and "not having any superpowers."
If the dog you're "taking care of" has superpowers, your only responsibility is cleaning up his shit.
Recently, the writers of Teen Titans decided to reintroduce Marvin and Wendy as the caretakers of the Titan's secret hideout: a giant building shaped like a T, (for "Titan." Or "Teen." Or "ReTarded."). Because no one wants to watch two irritating, non-fucking teenagers in a cartoon about superheroes, Wonder Dog was re-introduced as Marvin and Wendy's adorable pet.
Little known fact: "Muh muh" is the only sound one can make when faced with pants-shitting terror.
Now, if you compare this photo to the one above, clearly there are a few differences right off the bat. First, you can tell that Wendy's doing her nails differently, and that Marvin got rid of that awful haircut. Also, Wonder Dog turned into the Hound of the Fucking Baskervilles and ripped out Marvin's sternum, murdering him in the process. Apparently in this version, Wonder Dog was invented by an evil mastermind to use his adorable lovability to win his way into the hearts of the Teen Titans immediately before tearing them out.
This character reboot is a rare case that seems like it was brought on for absolutely no one. Who would want this? Nostalgia-loving fans of the original dog will be heartbroken to see a piece of their childhood distorted so profoundly, and the kids who actually read Teen Titans will be traumatized beyond pissing their pants. They'll have transcended straight on through to a new level of fear wherein they piss their own souls.
Why would anyone want that?
#4. Santaman! (Superman: At Earths End)
The Character:
Superman, arguably the most famous comic book character of all time, is an orphaned alien who stands for Truth, Justice and the American Way. He embodies an ideal man in his morals, dependability and convictions--the kind of person every American should strive to be like.
The Plan:
"It's the 90s and Superman's morals, dependability and convictions are starting to look dated. Let's sacrifice all of that for a badass and tough Superman that doesn't take any shit!"
The Bonus Plan:
"Also, let's give him a crazy beard so he looks like Santa!"
The Problem:
Oh, gosh, where to begin? Probably with the general creation of this story. As stated, it was the 90s when this comic was written. Alan Moore and Frank Miller's darker, grittier comics were already huge in America. Everyone was more inclined to damn The Man and less inclined to salute him, and so Superman's principles of justice and truth and whatnot were looking more and more old fashioned every day. Instead of stepping up to defend, you know, the law, the creators decided to toughen/crazy Superman up by moving him into the future. In a post-apocalyptic Gotham, where children are hunted by robots, Superman shows up angry and beardy and ready to fight. The robots were created by "The DNA Diktators," designed to wipe out the human race so we can start over. These Diktators have also taken to cloning the late Batman's DNA so, in addition to child-murdering robots, there are a bunch of evil Batman-clones flying around, and none of this is sitting too well with the newly re-vamped version of homeless Superman.
"A Superman," we wish he'd said.
So, Superman heads underground to track down the DNA Diktators and stop them, as the Man of Steel is wont to do. Spoiler alert: The DNA Diktators are twin clones of Hitler.
Not only did this comic decide to clone Hitler (twice), but they also decided to retcon American History by saying that these clones had been alive for hundreds of years and, as a result, WWII never officially ended.
It's actually sort of a powerful moment. Superman has a fairly strict no-killing policy, as that would interfere with his ironclad moral code, it's sort of what makes him who he is. On the other hand, it is the future and he's faced with two clones of arguably the most evil man on the planet, and also he has a beard. This is, we can say, the toughest and beardiest test of Superman's willpower. Will he stick to his code and turn the Hitlers over to the authorities to make sure that justice is done?
No. He finds the biggest most impractical gun in the world and shoots the piss out of them. Like, right out of them. And the shit frosting that tops off this abortion cake? He celebrates his victory against the Hitlers by retrieving Batman's corpse...
...and cremating himself.
Yep. No more Truth, Justice and the American way. The creators felt that Superman's moral, by-the-books boyscout routine was getting a little hokey, so they went ahead and violated everything that Superman stood for by having him grow a wicked beard, go shithouse-crazy on a couple of Hitlers and burn himself alive, and it was still one of the worst comics of all time.
#3. Iron Man becomes Nazitron (Civil War)
The Character:
Tony Stark, the brilliant billionaire, is also Iron Man, the invincible super hero, which makes him more likely to get ass than you on no less than two levels.
The Plan:
"Let's get Iron Man out of crimefighting and into ridiculous bureaucratic political bullshit!"
The Problem:
What, the plan didn't tip you off? Alright, then let's start at the beginning. Regular comic-readers already know what we're about to say: Iron Man (the movie) was the best thing to happen to Iron Man (the comic) ever. Ever. Robert Downey, Jr. is a suave, quick-witted and charming son of a bitch; the kind of guy it's impossible not to like, and he brought a lot of that to Iron Man. If you didn't know any better, you just might think that Tony Stark was a likable, lady-killing badass.
But you do know better, don't you Comic Book Nerd?
To the comic-reading audience, Iron Man was always sort of a massive tool; a bland billionaire who built a super-suit because one day he decided he was bored of just spending his days sitting atop a giant pile of money with many beautiful women. He was Batman without any of Batman's cool edge or interesting flaws or troubling homoerotic undertones. Sure, he had his alcoholism, but that just sort of enhanced his dickishness. The folks behind Marvel needed something more. So gradually, they started shifting Iron Man's priorities away from supervillains and towards international affairs. He held a political office, ignored supervillains and had entire comics where he just sat around talking to Professor X and Dr. Strange.
Stark's political arc hit a fever pitch in the Marvel crossover event Civil War, which involved a new law that required superheroes to register themselves, including their secret identities, or face the consequences. Iron Man, not content with the level of dickishness inherent to being born into wealth, decided to head up the task force charged with apprehending superheroes who refused to reveal their secret identities--willingly. He chased down his former friends and tried to arrest them on the grounds that they were bad for America even if the guy he was arresting was, for example, Captain America. But he didn't do it alone, he created and hired The Thunderbolts, a group that was exclusively made up of supervillains that lived in a hollowed out mountain with their own personal army. And since that wasn't nearly insane enough, he made Norman Osborn (the Green Goblin) their overseer. It went about as well as you would expect.
It gets worse. Once Tony and his army of hired supervillains rounded the heroes up, guess where he put them. Prison? No. Protection? Nope. He permanently interred them in an extra-dimensional concentration camp in "The Negative Zone," a dimension of infinite evil revolving around the Giant Vortex of Doom. No trial, no bail, no chance of ever leaving, which makes Iron Man sort of like Hitler, but in a giant metal suit.
And this comic was done because the old Iron Man was so bland and boring and, apparently, un-Hitler-like.


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Meaning of "setting" - Learner's Dictionary
(Definition of "setting" from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)
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a delicate, soft type of cloth made from a thread produced by silkworms, or the thread itself


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Top 10 financial hacks
There is no point being a successful entrepreneur, or selling a startup if we have no idea how to handle the money we get. So here is my top 10 financial life hacks.
- Spend less than you earn, no matter what that amount is. The net result is happiness.
- Allocate cash to savings & investments before anything the day you get your profits, pay or dividends.
- Never go into debt for anything which does not appreciate in value.
- The real definition of an Asset: Anything that puts money in your pocket. The accounting definition of an asset is flawed.
- Do not trade stocks. Trading makes the broker and tax man rich and you poor.
- The greatest financial instrument is 'compounding'. It only happens when we hold assets, not by trading them.
- If you can't afford a consumer product in cash, you can't afford it.
- There is no such thing as 'financial engineering'. It was invented by Wall street to trick you.
- The best type of share investment is an Index Fund. They are investments in civilization. If that fails, we have bigger worries than our money.
- Invest more in education than entertainment & 'things' and you will outdo society financially.