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The 6 Least Useful Superhero Abilities in Comic Book History
You'd think it would be pretty easy to come up with a new power for a superhero -- just look around your room, choose an object, and make up a power around it. Congratulations, you just invented Liquor Cabinet Man and his nemesis, Puke Stain on the Carpet Woman.
However, when you're a comic book writer and your job depends on you churning out thousands and thousands of heroes and villains, you eventually get patently stupid ones like ...
#6. Paste-Pot Pete (Marvel Comics) -- A Bucket of Glue
A Human Torch villain and one of Stan Lee's proudest creations, Paste-Pot Pete has the brains of a scientist but the wardrobe of a homeless Ebenezer Scrooge. He carries a paste gun and a pail of fireproof superglue that he accidentally created while working as a research chemist. Instead of starting a legitimate door-to-door business selling a miracle adhesive, he decides to commit crimes with it. Here Paste-Pot Pete demonstrates the potential of his glue gun by shooting a cop in the dick:
"But once I remove this, my thighs will be smooth, like a baby's."
In Strange Tales #104, Pete robs a bank and then attempts to steal a missile in order to sell it to foreign powers, presumably all in the same day. He wards off the Human Torch, sticks him to the aforementioned rocket, and launches him into space. Let us repeat that: Paste-Pot Pete manages to beat the Torch, a guy who can shoot fire from literally every part of his body, despite the fact that his superpower is basically a pot full of Gorilla Glue.
Gorilla Glue, and rhyming, too.
Luckily for America (and the readers, because it means the comic is almost over), Human Torch regains control of the situation and melts Paste-Pot's missile truck. He was arrested and charged for attacking police, treason, and the unrelated robbery of a sperm bank.
The vas deferens on the gun was just coincidental.
Throughout the years, Paste-Pot Pete has returned to get his ass kicked by the Fantastic Four over and over again. It probably has something to do with the fact that all you have to do to defeat him is knock over his flimsily secured bucket of glue. We'll remind you now that this guy's only talent is knowing how to attach things to other things.
"My hands! The gloves do nothing!"
Later on, presumably after learning to Google himself, he decides to change his name to something with more "dignity" and "drama to it" ... so he goes with the Trapster. He also upgraded his costume by adding wrist-mounted launchers, but this had more to do with the fact that his wrist bones have been nearly obliterated by years of wanking into a pot.
At least he decided to stop trying to sound like a legit comic title.
#5. Turner D. Century (Marvel Comics) -- The Power of Nostalgia
Turner D. Century is motivated by his hatred of progressive social change, so he's basically a Free Republic poster with powers. What powers, you ask? Well, he's equipped with a handlebar mustache, a lovely straw hat, and a tandem bicycle with a fake woman on the back, which would be the saddest thing we've ever heard if we didn't have the certainty that he also ravages that faceless doll every night. His motivation is that he wishes that it was the year 1900 again.
A time of simpler pleasures, like driving through windows and yelling at strangers.
In Marvel Team-Up #120, Spider-Man and a senior citizen version of a D-list antihero named Dominic Fortune join forces to take down Turner D. Century. Dominic is invited to Turny D's pad and gets a first look at his new invention: a horn that kills anyone under 65.
It plays Pat Boone and Jim Reeves records, causing immediate death.
Other than pointing out the stupidity of killing off everyone who is paying for your Social Security, not to mention dooming mankind by rendering inert all genitals that actually work, Dominic distracts Turner until Spider-Man breaks through the window. After initially dismissing the time horn's effectiveness, Spidey is suddenly struck with an overwhelming urge to fall on the floor.
Spidey bravely struggled to stay alive just long enough to utter "N-no ... you're gay ..."
Turner takes to the skies and attaches his time horn to his bicycle built for two, honking every young person in New York to death. Dominic Fortune eventually catches up with him and knocks him off the bike. He's about to beat Turner to a pulp, but falls over in exhaustion due to his oldness. Suddenly, Spider-Man comes back from the dead and webs the shit out of him.
Dude, you can shoot fire from your umbrella? Why wouldn't you make that your villain theme?
Yep, turns out Turner's time horn didn't even work, because the theme of this issue is that old people are useless. Spidey was fine, Dominic recovered, and everyone in town just casually got back up after being knocked unconscious for a bit. Turner put them through the same ordeal they go through every year after New Year's Eve, including the part where they wake up in Times Square without their wallet.
They considered exacting great vengeance on all old people, but basic biology had that covered.
And that was pretty much the end of Turner D. Centu- ohhh, we just got it.
#4. Polka-Dot Man (DC Comics) -- Polka-Dot-Based Weapons
Polka-Dot Man, aka Mr. Polka-Dot, is a Batman villain from the '60s who wore a white costume covered in colored dots. That's an almost sensible wardrobe choice for a Batman enemy, but what makes Polka-Dot special is that when he rips the dots off of his costume, they turn into some bizarre weapon or device. The official scientific explanation for his power is "No one thought anyone would be reading this bullshit 50 years later."
Detective Comics
Even in the 21st century, however, science has yet to fully understand polka.
He first appears in Detective Comics #300 to terrorize Gotham City with one of the silliest gimmicks ever invented for comics, and the dumbest part is that for some reason Batman and Robin are fucking terrified of him.
Detective Comics
There goes a Bat-nipple. One down, one to go.
This guy's appearance creates so many unanswered questions. Where is he keeping all this shit? How does he keep track of which dot does what? And also, is there a limit to the things he can create out of tiny little dots? On the cover and the above panel alone, we have a flying saucer contraption, a literal sun, and a buzz saw. Next thing you know, he throws a whole bunch of them at Robin and they all turn into little floating fists.
Detective Comics
All of which start taunting Robin with wanking movements.
Anyway, Batman eventually figures out that if you dot out all of his crimes on a map of the city, it forms ... well, can you figure it out, kids?
Detective Comics
An envelope? A big "W"? Two bears high-fiving?
Yes, the puzzle Polka-Dot Man was so sure no one human mind could solve was that the map forms a stick figure, and the head corresponds with the location of his next target, a map company. Batman tracks him down and punches him right in the goddamn face, without even sticking around to hear about how stealing a bunch of atlases fits into his master plan.
Detective Comics
Knocking out his eyes seemed a bit much. But, you know. They were dot-shaped.
Polka-Dot Man made other appearances, including in a recent Batman cartoon, but nothing will ever compare to the time he almost fisted an ice-skating Robin to death.
Detective Comics
All eight hands will be played on the big screen by a masturbating Matt Damon.


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Turning the Tides Boat Shoe
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With its athletic inspired bottoms and uppers, the Turning the Tides Boat Shoe is a comfortable men's shoe with a modern twist on a classic silhouette. Wear this comfortable men's boat shoe all summer long, and then toss it in the washing machine for quick cleaning. The Turning the Tides Boat Shoe is crafted in bold colors with sneaker like comfort thanks EVA midsoles and footbeds that mold to your feet and help reduce leg fatigue, and ADIPRENE® by adidas sport technology that helps provide all day comfort. Strobel Construction® helps provide forefoot flexibility and a rubber outsole helps provide a durable grip, so you are well prepared on deck if the waves get rough. Finally, a shoe that feels even better than going barefoot.
- Rubber outsole helps provide a durable grip on a variety of surfaces
- Lightweight EVA outsole helps absorb shock to help reduce foot and leg fatigue
- Strobel Construction® helps provide forefoot flexibility to aid the walking motion
- EVA footbed conforms to the shape of the foot to help provide a personalized fit
- ADIPRENE® by adidas sport technology for all day comfort with shock absorption in the heel
Highly shock-absorbent cushioning protects the heel at impact
Engineered construction with stain-resistant, machine-washable leather

subset: commoncrawl


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|1975 West El Camino Real
Suite 203
Mountain View, CA 94040
United States
|Full Time
|Engineering / Product Dev / Science
|Web Site:
|1975 West El Camino Real
Suite 203
Mountain View, CA 94040
United States
|HyTrust is a leader in policy-driven proactive security controls, multi-tenancy, and compliance for cloud infrastructures. HyTrust Appliance is purpose-built for the dynamic nature of virtualized environments, enabling them to be secure and operationally ready as physical environments. HyTrust, Inc. headquartered in Mountain View, CA is backed by top tier investors, Granite Ventures, Cisco Systems, Trident Capital and Epic Ventures; and its partners include VMware, Intel, CA, RSA, and Symantec.
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When your own mother is your first customer, you'd better have a lot of confidence in your products.
Charlie Robbins' mom had difficulty reaching some of the pots and pans in her Fern Creek kitchen, and his career as a commercial real estate attorney didn't give him the know-how to help her. But since opening Kentucky's only ShelfGenie franchise, he has made her kitchen more functional and easier to work in.
"I was with a firm in Nashville for 18 years, but never really liked being an attorney. It paid the bills and allowed me to travel, which I did enjoy," he said. "The recession that came in 2008 gave me a chance to get out. I left Nashville and spent over a year figuring out what I wanted to do next."
He talked with franchise consultants and examined almost a dozen franchise concepts, from mobile drug testing to power washing.
"I wanted something that I believed in and had good people — a business I could get behind whole-heartedly," he said. "After hearing about ShelfGenie, I went to the headquarters in Marietta (Georgia) and talked to them in person."
ShelfGenie has approximately 51 franchisees around the country, with factories in Texas and California. It sells and installs custom shelving solutions for existing cabinets in order to create more space, easier access and better organization.
The company's Glide-Out shelves hold up to 100 pounds, even when fully extended.
"They're custom-made to the millimeter," he said. "Kitchens, especially pantries, are the first place people think of putting them; but bathrooms, linen closets and even furniture are other possibilities. Anywhere there's a drawer, we can put a Glide-Out shelf."
Charlie purchased the franchise last September, took the required training, and opened for business on New Year's Day.
"These shelves are great for people like my mother, who want to upgrade without tearing everything out and starting over," he said. "And it isn't just a question of convenience: people who have access issues — such as physical limitations and those who want to 'age in place' — appreciate the way the shelves roll out effortlessly and let them reach items without straining."
Glide-Out shelves in multiple tiers make the most of under-sink space.
Even a "blind" corner cabinet can be turned into an easy-to-reach storage area by means of a pair of perpendicular shelves — when the front shelf rolls outward, the one around the corner can slide sideways, bringing pots into view.
"We've already done three home shows. At the one in January, a lady said, 'I always have to send my three-year-old back in there to get things.' But they don't stay little forever. When I told that to a man at the February show, he laughed and said, 'That's why we keep having kids,' " Charlie said. "Well, this is a more economical solution for accessing those kinds of corners."
The sides of ShelfGenie shelves can slope upward to ensure that tall items won't tip over. The company also manufactures accessories such as spice racks, file boxes, towel bars and drawer dividers.
"Business has been unbelievably good. I've already exceeded my initial projections, with calls from people in southern Indiana as well as Kentucky.
March 20 will be the 80th day since we opened, and our 100th appointment is already set for that day," he said. "I'm planning to move to a bungalow in St. Matthews. And when I find the right one, I know what my first home improvement project will be."
For more information about ShelfGenie, phone Charlie Robbins at 502.794.0794 or visit www.shelfgenie.com.


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Healthy Eating: Mighty Minerals
In This Article:
Chloride is another electrolyte that works closely with potassium and sodium. Chloride also helps regulate body fluids in and out of body cells. Chloride joins sodium in surrounding the fluids outside the cells. This mineral is a component of stomach acid that helps with the digestion of food and the absorption of nutrients. Chloride also helps to transmit nerve impulses.
A deficiency of chloride is rare since salt, which is made of sodium chloride, is such a large part of the typical American diet. The deficiency symptoms of chloride are similar to those of sodium. As stated earlier, many salt substitutes also contain chloride in the form of potassium chloride.
Every cell in the body needs magnesium. Magnesium is a requirement for more than 300 body enzymes, body chemicals that regulate all kinds of body functions. This mineral helps maintain normal nerve and muscle function, keeps heart rhythm steady, and helps keep bones strong. Magnesium is involved in energy metabolism and protein production.
Magnesium deficiency is rare in the United States. When magnesium deficiency does occur, it is usually due to excessive loss of magnesium in urine, gastrointestinal system disorders that cause a loss of magnesium or limit magnesium absorption, or a chronically low intake of magnesium, Deficiency can also result from an increase in urine output (like that caused by diuretics), poorly controlled diabetes, and alcoholism. Symptoms can include irregular heartbeat, nausea, weakness, and mental confusion.
Too much magnesium is not harmful unless the mineral is not excreted property due to disorders such as kidney disease. Signs of excess magnesium include mental status changes, nausea, diarrhea, appetite loss, muscle weakness, difficulty breathing, extremely low blood pressure, and irregular heartbeat. The UL for magnesium is 350 mg per day for adults over eighteen. Magnesium can be found in a wide variety of foods. The best sources include legumes, nuts, avocados, wheat germ, and whole grains. Green vegetables can be good sources, too.
Phosphorus is second only to calcium in terms of its abundance in the body. Phosphorus contributes to the structure of bones and teeth. It helps generate energy in every cell in the body and acts as the main regulator in converting dietary carbohydrate, protein, and fat to energy. Phosphorus is vital to growth, maintenance, and repair of all body tissue. This mineral is also a component of many proteins. It helps activate B vitamins and is a component of the storage form of energy in the body.
Fact: Soft drinks contain as much as 500 milligrams of phosphoric acid, which can contribute to excessive intake if consumed regularly.
A deficiency of phosphorus is very rare. However, absorption can be reduced by the long-term and excessive use of antacids containing aluminum hydroxide, increasing the risk of deficiency. Symptoms can include bone loss, weakness, loss of appetite, and pain.
Too much phosphorus can lower the level of calcium in the blood, which can really be a problem if calcium intake is already low in the diet. This can result in increased bone loss and an increased risk for osteoporosis, or brittle bone disease.
Phosphorus is found in almost all food groups. The best sources are protein-rich foods like milk, meat, poultry, fish, and eggs. Legumes and nuts are also good sources. Whole grains can also be good sources of phosphorus.
Phosphorus has a daily UL set at 4 grams for adults aged eighteen to seventy, 3 grams for adults over seventy, 3-5 grams for pregnant women, and 4 grams for breastfeeding women.
Calcium is one of the most abundant minerals in the body. The average healthy adult male body contains about 2 to 3 pounds of calcium; the average healthy female body contains about 2 pounds. Of course this amount depends on body composition, the size of the body frame, bone density, and on how much bone has been lost through the aging process. About 99 percent of the body's calcium is in the bones. The remaining 1 percent is found in body fluids and other cells.
Calcium's primary function is to help build and maintain bones and teeth. In addition, calcium helps blood clot, helps your muscles contract and your heart beat, helps regulate blood pressure, plays a role in normal nerve function and nerve transmission, and helps regulate the secretion of hormones and digestive enzymes. Calcium works in conjunction with vitamin D, phosphorus, and fluoride to help promote strong and healthy bones. Vitamin D is necessary for the absorption of calcium in the body.
Fact: A constant supply of calcium is needed throughout life, especially during growth spurts in childhood, during pregnancy, and while breastfeeding. But these are not the only times calcium is needed. It is important to get adequate calcium throughout your life.
Low levels of calcium intake can lead to osteomalacia (softening of the bones) and an increased risk of osteoporosis. A deficiency in children can interfere with growth. Even a mild deficiency throughout a lifetime can lead to a loss of bone and bone density. A decreased intake of calcium can also contribute to muscle spasms and leg cramps, as well as high blood pressure.
Calcium has a UL set at 2,500 mg per day for adults and children. No UL is established for infants. When consuming supplements up to this amount, no adverse effects are likely. However, higher doses over an extended period of time may cause kidney stones and poor kidney function, as well as reduce the absorption of other minerals such as iron and zinc.
Essential: Label claims on food packages can tell you a lot about the vitamins and minerals they contain. The terms "high," "rich in," and "excellent source of" mean the food has 20 percent or more of the daily value. The terms "good source," "contains," or "provides" mean 10 to 19 percent of the daily value is provided. And the terms "more," "enriched," "fortified," or "added" mean the food provides 10 percent or more of the daily value.
Some of the best sources of calcium are foods in the dairy group, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt. In addition, some dark green leafy vegetables, such as broccoli, spinach, kale, and collards, are also good sources. Other good sources include fish with edible bones, such as sardines and salmon, as well as calcium-fortified soymilk, tofu made with calcium, shelled almonds, cooked dried beans, calcium-fortified cereals, and calcium-fortified orange juice.
More on: Nutritional Resources for Families
Copyright © 2002 by Kimberly A. Tessmer. Excerpted from The Everything Nutrition Book: Boost Energy, Prevent Illness, and Live Longer with permission of its publisher, Adams Media Corporation.
To order this book visit Amazon.com.


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If you're one of our Zappos VIP members and love the retro-classic style of
KangaROOS, well you're in luck! For only two days, Zappos VIP members will be
able to purchase exclusive KangaROOS
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Zappos is an exclusive online retailer for KangaROOS, and we're the only place
you can find these fresh exclusive styles. You'll be sporting some VIP status
when you're the first of your friends to get your hands on these exclusive
styles. Check them out here. Hurry,
the clock is ticking!


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2012-532, Appeal of Dr. Kevin D. Boulard, D.M.D. <<< Affirmed in part, vacated in part.
The investigators found that the petitioner failed to maintain an operable automated external defibrillator (AED) and maintained an emergency medical kit that was incomplete and contained expired medications.
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Tutorial Sections
The tutorial includes an introductory section, six main sections, and a quiz:
- Introduction provides an overview of the tutorial itself.
- Libraries describes the UNC-Chapel Hill system's libraries, collections and services.
- Topic provides tips on choosing and developing your topic.
- Searching for Information introduces you to important information concepts and useful search techniques.
- Finding Articles outlines the different types of articles you may need for your research and explains how to search for and access articles through the library's electronic research tools.
- Finding Books introduces you to the library's online catalog. This section explains how books are organized in the libraries and how to search for them.
- Using Information will teach you how to evaluate information and how to avoid plagiarism.
- Completing the Quiz will help you to evaluate your learning.
While the sections are arranged in a logical progression, each section can stand on its own, so it is not necessary to follow them in sequence.
The last section of the tutorial is a quiz. You may be assigned to complete the quiz for class credit. If so, be sure to log in using both your first and last name.
Some of the questions will require you to search different areas of the UNC-Chapel Hill Libraries website. You can either click on the "Start Here" link provided or open a new browser window to find the correct answer. If you leave the quiz, your score to that point will be lost and you will need to start over.
As you answer the questions, your responses will be graded and your score tallied. In order to receive a printable certificate, you must score at least 70 points.


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I have just installed wordpress (last version) on /var/www/wordpress on a default ubuntu server 12.04 LAMP installation.
Every time I want to load something on this wordpress (even the login screen) the browser says "waiting for 127.0.0.1" or "waiting for localhost" for at least 10 seconds! (Then the page loads very fast)
I have been looking for an answer online for almost 3 hours, also tried to reinstall twice, eliminated IPV6 entries from hosts.conf, changed database host on wp-config.php from localhost to 127.0.0.1 and checked apache2 default configuration, enabling modrewrite and reviewing configuration files for default and default-ssl sites.
I'm about to give up... Why does it go so slow? I have also a drupal install on /var/www/drupal and it doesn't have this delay!
(Note the ubuntu install is in an Oracle Virtual Box with 1 core and 1GB of RAM assigned, and the delay is the same if I load the page from the host browser using the virtual interface ip)
[EDIT] After asigning 4 cores to the virtual machine instead of just one, the delay goes down to only 1 second. The CPU isn't busy at all during this time, though, which makes it even more mysterious...


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In this exciting and unique experiential learning opportunity, students
spend an entire semester in D.C. working in the federal government and
taking an accompanying seminar on government lawyering. Applications for the fall term are due to
SJI by 2PM today. Interested Students may view more
information, including complete application instructions, on the SJI website.
© Copyright 2016, The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York.
For questions or comments, please contact the web administrators.
435 West 116 Street, New York, NY 10027 — 212-854-2640


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Ready to roll from car to buggy!
Unsure which car seat adaptor you need? See our matrix here
Not currently available in this region.
This car seat adaptor will allow you to attach your Graco Snugride 22 or Graco Snugride 35 car seat to your MB mini or swift stroller, creating a travel system for your baby.


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Identify the collective noun in the sentence: "Students have to take their entire school books home on the last day of school."
I couldn't find any credible sources stating that "school" is a collective noun or otherwise (although The Free Dictionary seems to say so).
So, in the given sentence, is "school" a collective noun? If not, what is?
EDIT: The sentence is from my grammar book, and not something I invented. Bad book I guess.


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With Our Compliments:
We stock a wide variety of yarns and accessories for your knitting and crocheting pleasure. We also carry an extensive inventory of handpainted needlepoint canvases, as well as a large selection of fibers for stitching even the largest pieces. We are pleased to offer an ever-expanding selection of products for online sale. Please contact us if you don't find what you are looking for here on the website, by phone at 612.925.2454 or by email at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Our fiber expertise is renowned — whether you want assistance with fibers for your canvas or yarn substitution for your sweater or help with simply picking up a dropped stitch. We are delighted to assist fiber enthusiasts of all interests and abilities. See What's New for news about new products and events.
In addition to the selected products offered on this site, we stock much more at our southwest Minneapolis location. We also offer a wide selection of knitting, crochet and needlepoint classes — you may register for any of them online, by phone or in the store. In addition, we provide expert finishing services for needlepoint projects, both locally and nationwide.
We hope you enjoy your shopping experience with Needlework Unlimited. Please contact us with any comments or questions.
Needlework Unlimited 4420 Drew Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55410Call: 612.925.2454
Hours: Monday–Wednesday: 10am–5pm Thursday: 10am–8pm Friday: 10am–5pmSaturday: 10am–4pm;Sunday: noon–4pmAlso open by appointment.
For general questions or questions about orders, email Karen at firstname.lastname@example.com.
For questions about the site, email firstname.lastname@example.com.
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I am looking for advice. We have a social group. Our president chose to leave our group, (do not wish to name the name). This president founded the group and choose the name. The group pays dues and has annual parties of which the proceeds go back to the group for other functions. The president stole the money. When we confronted the president, they quit the group. I have checked and the name is not trademarked. We want to trademark the name to prevent the former president from having a claim to the money under the group name. Can we do this legally?
Can we trademark the name of our group of which the founder and president is no longer associated? [closed]
closed as off topic by Ben Hoffman May 11 '11 at 12:30
Questions on Webmasters Stack Exchange are expected to relate to webmastering 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.
Yes. In cases of dispute, this disparity of rights is often referred to as "first to file" as opposed to "first to use." In most systems, a trademark can be registered if it is able to distinguish the goods or services of a party, will not confuse consumers about the relationship between one party and another, and will not otherwise deceive consumers with respect to the qualities of the product.
The owner of a registered trademark may commence legal proceedings for trademark infringement to prevent unauthorized use of that trademark. However, registration is not required. The owner of a common law trademark may also file suit, but an unregistered mark may be protectable only within the geographical area within which it has been used or in geographical areas into which it may be reasonably expected to expand.
In the United States the registration process entails several steps prior to a trademark receiving its Certificate of Registration.
You can read more on Trademarks on Wikipedia
Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer. All information given is from Wikipedia. You should consult with a lawyer.


text: Hey there art lovers, here's my very 1st tutorial on love tattoo design. Each and every one us have ever fall or surely going to be fall in love sometime in our life. I've made it on the basic level. You can always add some more to the letters. N at last I'm waiting for your suggestions and comments on this one. If u didn't like it, just say it, I'll try to give my further best in my next one. So enjoy this tutorial. N one more thing, I have a thing to share; don't try to complete your piece of art in just one sitting. Split it into 2-3 sittings. That way, you're going to be more creative and obviously not get bored.


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by Melissa Brunner
Talk about feeling like home! Even my mom in Wisconsin was impressed with how quickly the snow piled up around northeast Kansas last week. Follow it up with another round of winter weather this week, and it felt a bit like a return to my former residence!
Of course, what I like best about Kansas winters is that we see the snow and then it usually melts away pretty quickly and we warm up - and it appears we'll do just that this week! But before we return to bare fields and idle sleds, let's reflect on the winter blast we just experienced.
I have to saw I was impressed with how both the local and state crews around Topeka did in clearing the streets and highways. A huge help to them was how many people stayed off the roads Thursday. Schools, businesses and organizations canceled and closed plenty far in advance, keeping people at home and giving the plows an unobstructed path to clear. By Friday, it wasn't too tough to navigate the city and get where you need to go.
I will admit that I didn't do much driving around the residential areas, so your experience might have been a bit different. However, we usually receive a bunch of complaints to the newsroom about street clearing and I only know of one or two this time around. To me, that's indicative of how most people seemed to take these twin storms in stride, keeping their patience and senses of humor intact.
One lesson we learned - Kansas law apparantly does not make a provision to delay an election due to weather. It does allow for changes in polling locations, which is why the Shawnee Co. Elections Commissioner moved all voting to a single spot Tuesday. The issue turned out not to be so much about streets being so bad people couldn't travel, but about convenience. Let's face it - are you more likely to vote if your polling location is a two-minute drive down the street or a 15-minute drive? I suppose it could be argued that this is why we have advanced voting and mail-in balloting and you should take advantage of those opportunities if you're concerned about weather becoming an issue, but I'm among those who still finds tradition in casting a ballot on election day. I know there are pros and cons in making provisions for postponing an election for weather purposes - the obvious plus side is removing any potential barriers to participation, while, on the downside, it could create a lot of logistical nightmares to secure locations, staff and volunteers for an entirely different day, to extend campaigns further and to address the trickle down effect on future ballots and other legal issues. Any such action must not be taken lightly and, granted, the need for it is rare, but do you think it might be an issue worth examining? I'd love to hear your thoughts.


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United States Department of Agriculture
Agricultural Research Service
1a.Objectives (from AD-416):
This research will identify steroid profiles for fish used in spawning efforts. The goal is to identify patterns and concentrations of steroids in these fish to provide better management tools to producers.
1b.Approach (from AD-416):
Sera samples from fish will be collected and the steroid profiles compared. Reproductive success will be measured and correlated to steroid profiles.
3.Progress Report:


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Campus Printing Services
Campus Printing Services!
Campus Printing Services is the centralized computer printing and copying office for the University community. We offer many services (listed below) to assist faculty, staff and students with their projects and/or assignments. If you do not locate a service listed that you need, please contact us and we will be glad to assist you.
Services Available:
|Computer Services
|Full Color Copying
Request forms are available at the front counter of our office. Please fill these out in detail, explaining all necessary information. If any special verbal explanation of the work is required, please let one of our employees know at the time work is requested; if a written explanation is enough, please write it on the work description slip under "Special Instructions." After the instructions are completed place the project, with the work slip attached, in the appropriate drop bin located at our counter.
Click "Place an Order" and fill out all the information in detail. We will send you a confirmation e-mail when your work is either done or when it will be done.
We prefer 24 hours' notice or as much time as possible on all work. For any rush jobs, please put the DATE AND TIME DUE IN YOUR SUBJECT LINE and we will get to it as soon as possible. If you would like to pick up the work yourself, please put "HOLD for Pickup" under Special Instructions.
502 E. Boone Avenue
Spokane, WA 99258
College Hall, Lower Level
Room 011
Hours: Mon - Fri
7:00am - 5:00pm
Phone: (509) 313-6881
Fax: (509) 313-5718


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5 Creepy Forms of Mind Control You're Exposed to Daily
One of our favorite subjects is the way marketers can use psychology to manipulate you into doing what they want (we don't think "brainwashing" is too strong a word).
We know what you're thinking: You're far too cynical to fall for the ads you fast forward through on your DVR or the little tricks employed by marketers and politicians to push your subconscious buttons. But are you sure? Because science has found ...
#5. The Color of a Pill Can Trick You into Thinking It's Working
Remember when Neo got to choose between the red pill and the blue pill? The blue pill would have put him back to sleep in the fake world of cubicles and steaks in the Matrix, where the red pill would wake him up to the real world and its industrial womb factory. You probably just chalked that scene up to another case of Hollywood turning a complicated situation into a simplistic metaphor, but what you probably didn't realize is that you're living out your own little Matrix scenario every time you go to the pharmacy.
"I really hope being swallowed by a mirror is covered by my insurance."
What? How?
Did you notice how the red pill would let Neo "wake up" to the real world, but the blue pill would let him stay "asleep" in the dream world? Now go to your pharmacy. What color are all of the sleeping pills?
Blue, blue and blue -- if not the package, then the pill itself. That's not coincidence; researchers have found that the color of a pill makes a difference in how it works. In one study, every patient was given the exact same sedative, but some patients received it in a blue pill and others in an orange pill. The blue pill takers reported falling asleep 30 minutes faster, and sleeping 30 minutes longer, than the orange pill takers.
What the hell? It's yet another weird manifestation of the placebo effect. You probably already know that you can give a guy with a headache a Tic Tac and tell him it's medicine, and there's a good chance it will fix his headache just like an aspirin would, for reasons science doesn't completely understand. Well, it turns out that that already illogical and somewhat insane phenomenon is also affected by the color of the pill. The reason is that how you perceive effectiveness affects effectiveness -- and when it comes to stuff you consume, color matters.
So, in a different experiment, subjects were told they were going to get a sedative or a stimulant, when in fact they were getting neither -- all of the pills were placebos. Yet 66 percent of the subjects who took blue pills reported feeling less alert, compared to only 26 percent of those who took pink pills. That's because we've been trained to think that blue = sleep.
Also blue = drowning, and certain types of poisonous reptiles. Sweet dreams!
In a different study, when researchers put various fake medicine packages in front of subjects, the subjects picked certain colors of boxes over others. Warm colors like brown and red were perceived as more potent, especially if the shades were darker. Green and yellow, on the other hand, might as well have been 7Up-flavored Tic Tacs as far as the subjects were concerned. And this is why heart medicines are often red and brown, while skin medicines are yellow and sleeping pills are often blue or green. Painkillers, on the other hand, are often white ... maybe to remind us of opium? We're not sure.
All we remember is consuming ghosts whole, and then the long silence.
Wait, it gets even stupider. Color associations are also cultural. Maybe in America blue is a calming, peaceful color, but in Italy it's associated with the national soccer team. So researchers found that, rather than making him drowsy, a blue pill would send an Italian man screaming and singing and rioting into the night.
#4. "Priming" Can Play Us Like Puppets
Quick: When's the last time you bought flowers at a grocery store? Never? Yet when you walk through the door at most grocery chains, what's the first thing you see? Here's what's right inside the door at Whole Foods:
And here's Kroger:
What the hell? These are grocery stores, people are there to buy food. Why would they lead off with a fringe product that 99 percent of the shoppers probably won't even look at? It has to do with the subtle science of mind control known as priming.
Yes, it is entirely possible to manipulate people into certain behaviors without them knowing it. We're not talking about subliminal suggestion, the disproven gimmick that claimed it could make people buy products by inserting hidden messages in movies. No, the real technique is priming, and it's as sinister as a windowless white van at a playground.
"It's goddamn tangerines and muesli again. That van guy is the worst."
What? How?
The idea behind the flowers is that, as we've touched on elsewhere, hitting you with a product that is highly perishable yet fresh will "prime" you into thinking of freshness, and that you will carry that "freshness" mindset with you all the way back to the discount meat case. It sounds like bullshit -- humans don't connect completely unrelated ideas like that, right? Yet it's confirmed pretty much every time they test it.
Sometimes "priming" is as simple as finding that people will keep a room cleaner if it smells like disinfectant -- that subtle reminder is enough to make people think, "This is a clean room, I should keep it clean." But when you see how far they can take this, it gets weird.
"Can we try to keep the murder room confined to one area, please?"
In one study, scientists instructed volunteers to form sentences using words associated with old people, under the guise that it was a language proficiency test. So, one sentence could have been "The Depends were too elderly (in Florida.)" That's just an example we made up. So these hip, presumably liberal young college students were pumped with terms associated with the elderly, and guess what happened next?
No, they didn't hike up their pants to their nipples and start watching Jay Leno. But as they left the study, they walked slower than the students who were given neutral words earlier. The students primed to think of elderly stereotypes took on characteristics they associated with the elderly. Seriously, this happened. And you can get the same result in infinite ways; in another experiment, those who were primed with words conveying rudeness (like "aggressively," "bold," "rude," "bother," "disturb" and "intrude") interrupted the experimenter more frequently during a conversation after the tests.
They also found a clipboard embedded in their foreheads later on, but that was probably just a coincidence.
Wait, it gets stupider than that. In yet another study, researchers set up a devious experiment where students accidentally bumped into a klutz on the way to the session. Their bump partner held either a hot or a cold drink, which he or she asked the unknowing patsy to hold for a second while they collected their shit. When the students actually got to the study, they were asked to rate a hypothetical person's personality. The subjects who had held an iced tea earlier were more likely to call the fake persona "cold" or "selfish" than the students who held a cup of hot coffee. Some base association with cold and warmth at the subconscious level was enough to affect their conscious judgment.
"Hmm. I'd say the person was fuzzy and likely to consume their young."
So the next time you see an ad on TV, take a moment to notice the show or scene preceding the ad. Because advertisers are paying more for placement that will prime the viewer. For instance, OnStar ran ads for its emergency vehicle service during a commercial break that came right after a car crash scene in The Bourne Supremacy. It was worth it, because studies show that that little bit of priming makes people twice as likely to buy the product.
#3. Our Views on a Subject Depend on How It's Phrased
You're probably already aware that minor changes to the wording of a survey can alter people's opinions. During the health care debate, for example, four separate organizations conducted polls to see what percentage of Americans supported a so-called "public option." Their results ranged from a measly 44 percent to 66 percent support, due in large part to differences in wording. Calling it a "government administered health insurance plan -- something like the Medicare coverage that people 65 and older get" garnered 66 percent support. And calling it "a government-run health insurance plan" plummeted support to 44 percent. Calling it "Just what Mussolini would have wanted" reduced the number to 2 percent.
"Ha-HAAAAAAAH! NOW I'VE GOT YOU!"
You might think that it's just a matter of people not actually understanding how the system works ("I said I wanted Medicare, not GOVERNMENT!"), but it really is all about how the brain can be manipulated with very subtle differences in wording, regardless of your knowledge level.
What? How?
In this study, social psychologists sent out surveys to several hundred registered voters before an election. Half the recipients were asked if it was "important to vote." The other half were asked if it was "important to be a voter." With this one difference, the people who read the word "voter" were nearly 14 percent more likely to actually vote on Election Day. The researchers suspected that using the word "voter" caused people to identify themselves with the word. Since these people considered themselves to be voters, they were more likely to get out and vote.
"I was called a motherfucker, too, but that's on everyone's manifesto."
On the other hand, using the word "vote" implied that the survey was asking the people to perform a task. Even if they answered "yes" to the question, they felt no association with the word (i.e., they weren't voters, they were just being told to vote), so they were less likely to follow through. One was about a simple action, the other was about being a type of person.
So what happens if someone implies that you're a "gamer" or a "runner" or a "hooker"? You do the math.
If you're a "mather."


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Put Mary White in the Hall
Unfortunately, we wait to recognize and sing the praises of people until they aren't able to hear of it. Although it is overdue, I hope the Waterbury Hall of Fame finds a spot for someone who has given far more than most people will ever know, yet all of us will benefit for generations to come.
The person I write of is Mary White. Mary has been involved in making a difference by doing, not talking. I have had the privilege of working, in several capacities, with Mary for more than 30 years. Mary served as a Board of Education commissioner and union president, and had major positions with the Mattatuck Museum, WARC, community clubs and many other organizations. I have never known a time when Mary considered what was in it for her, yet she was always the one who worked hard and contributed a great deal. Her commitment to the children of Waterbury is second to none, and her wisdom and practical approach made everyone privileged to work with her better for the experience.
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GEARY COUNTY, Kan. (WIBW) -- A local shelter has reopened after several dogs came down with a dangerous and highly contagious virus.
Lisa Junghans, the director of the Junction City/Geary County Animal Shelter, said four puppies were dropped off on July 27, 2012 and they seemed healthy. After being evaluated and vaccinated, they were placed in the general dog population. A few days passed and the pups, a boxer/lab mix, started to get sick. They ended up testing positive for the parvovirus.
Without the resources to treat the dogs at the shelter, the four puppies were euthanized, along with another sick puppy, a Shar-Pei mix, that was being housed in the cage next to theirs.
As a result of the virus, the shelter quarantined 35 dogs, closing its canine population to the public for two weeks as staff members continuously sanitized the building and monitored the dogs for any symptoms in an effort to control and eradicate the disease. Patrons could still drop off and adopt cats and other pets besides dogs during the incubation period.
Junghans said no other cases of the virus emerged during the quarantine and shelter reopened for dog adoptions on Monday, August 20, 2012.
She says the shelter cannot take any animal surrenders from dog owners right now since the facility has reached its full capacity for dogs and still must accept stray dogs that are brought in by Animal Control.


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Doris Evelyn Gray Cunningham, 96, died on May 1, 2012, in Wilsonville, Ore., where she had lived for the past two years. Doris was born on a farm south of Palmyra on July 8, 1916, to Abbye Hall and Fred Gray. After the family moved to the Hillcrest farm near Unadilla, Doris graduated from Unadilla High School. She attended Peru State College then the University of Nebraska where she graduated in 1939 in home economics.
She married Roger Cunningham June 15, 1940 and moved to Kearney. She taught home economics at Minden High School until 1942. The family lived in Scottsbluff then Lincoln, where she became active in numerous organizations, including PEO, Westminster Presbyterian Church, DAR, and Home Extension Club.
She developed her millinery talents, making hats and teaching hat classes, before moving to genealogy during her retirement years. She and Roger enjoyed traveling.
He preceded her in 1999.
In 2001, Doris moved to The Legacy in Lincoln, where she lived until moving to Oregon in April of 2010. She enjoyed time with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Doris is survived by brother Denver Gray (Bob Anne) of Atlanta, Ga.; children Robert Cunningham (Sally) of Kenilworth, Ill., Susan Cunningham Moreland (John) of Hamilton, Mont., John Cunningham (Cat) of Eastsound, Orcas Island, Wash., and Nancy Cunningham of Lake Oswego, Ore.; grandchildren Kristen Cunningham Szczerba (Steve), Kellie Cunningham O'Neill (Terry), Kathlene Cunningham, Matthew Moreland, Mandy Moreland Robertson (Kaz), Lynn Cunningham, Adina Cunningham Kobayashi (Jonathan), Emanuel Cunningham (Jule), Sara Cunningham Farish (Adam), Chris Brown (Lusha), Lindsay Brown Tosky (Brian) and Abbye Brown; great grandchildren Gwendolyn, Eleanor and Dickson Szczerba, Riley and Emily O'Neill, Zoe Robertson, Sophia, Joshua and Sachiko Kobayashi, Daniel Berger, Kiyomi Farish, Matthew and Jason Buehler, and Olivia Tosky; and one great-great grandson, Hayden Buehler.
A memorial service was held in Lincoln in October. Memorials are suggested to Westminster Presbyterian Church in Lincoln.
Location, ST | website.com