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Hi,I am using a plugin named countperday to see the traffic in my website. My website is 5/6 days old. Is this plugin reliable?
Wordpress is renowned content management system which provides simple platform to publish content on the World Wide Web. It has so many plug-ins and features which assists to create attractive and search engine friendly web page. Counter per day is reliable wordpress plug-in which provides you site visitor's related information such as total visitors, visitor per day and month, readers per day, visitors per post and browsers information similarly like Google analytics.
Friends, I need a help. I am a content writer and my website is a word press cms Site, while most experts and SEO strategists suggest Wordpress, one of my competitor(also my friend) says that wordpress sites will not rank well on Google, while compared to simple static site. Is this true? and furthermore whenever i try to edit and increase the existing contents on a page, it results in some strange errors. The errors include pictures and sometimes the banner getting disappeared, while on homepage the bullets(linking to inner pages getting disordered) Pls help me out.. thanks in advance.
Furthermore regarding plugins, I installed "all in one seo" seo plugin and another plugin for ms word support. But my developer says these plugins are making the trouble.
Don't know about the actual plugin but I'd opt for a robust stats option rather than just a counter. Personally I use Google Stats as a default, your host probably runs a server side stats program too. You can install this plugin and link it to your Google account easily.
SEO is a mixed bag as the criteria can change. As a general rule the same thing has always applied, have good relevant content, don't use covert tactics, dot your i's and cross your t's and your website will rank as good as any. Wordpress powers a huge number of the internet's websites and I've ranked up the top of searches with them so there's no problem there.
As for your errors, there are so many different installs and configurations of WP that it is impossible to be much help here. If your links aren't working chances are that they either aren't uploading properly or they're not being linked properly. It's also possible that any styles operating on them are screwing it up too.
As for the All In One SEO plugin. It is a pretty solid plugin but it won't work for everyone for the same reason I stated above - Wordpress sites can be heavily customised. Sounds like you may have some plugin conflicts happening already.
Heay Thanks alot mate, sorry i just now checked your reply. Since your frank and helping by nature i also have another question(or rather i need your support), I have a dirty competitor who's website ranks much higher than mine. After doing some research, i made a shocking discovery that he is posting backlinks on 3rd rate sites(like Pornographic websites) and getting alot of traffic, and even so with in just a matter of 5 months he has build more than 1600 backlinks. His strategy (as explained by my SEO friend) is to draw in more traffic from those sites to increase his page rank and use that as a factor to attain high SEO rankings. Pls give me some ideas on how to beat him back.
Further info: My site has just 2 do follow backlinks and around 100 nofollow links; and yet my site ranks fairly good for many keywords(GEO targeted). I will also be happy if you can give me some do follow forums, blogs and article sites where i can do the gentle men part of SEO and avoid the so called 3rd rate black hat tactics.
hello Naeem . I was using Wassup for traffic stats. But I don't like it. Are you still using Counter per day ? Is it working great for you? Please give me some feedback if you are still using this plug in. Thanks
You can use [Yoast , which is best researched SEO plugin and which also come with Google SiteMap, Updated [URL="http://yoast.com/wordpress/google-analytics/"]Google Analytics](http://yoast.com/wordpress/seo/) (this is the one which insert code into header rather then old conventional footer).
If someone suggest you with this, its not completely wrong to be ignored.
People looking for WordPress driven site for easy management of website content as well as design otherwise there is no harm using HTML to build a Static website. WordPress got everything, all SEO tits/bits, it is on developer responsibility to make the WP site perfectly SEO. Without proper Plugin or proper coding, the site may bring negative result of your $$ investment on developers to get a perfect seo site.
WordPress powered many well known websites which are highly ranked in SE's. So with a proper coding and management, a WordPress site is incomparable to other, its the best cms to make a seo site. Its on us, how we utilize it.


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Honolulu Transportation
Honolulu is the capital and largest city in Hawaii and covers most of Oahu's southwestern shore. Note that Waikiki is actually a neighborhood located within Honolulu. Spanning roughly 1.5 square miles, Waikiki is where you'll find the majority of Oahu's hotels and resorts. Consider renting a car at the Honolulu International Airport to experience all of Honolulu and beyond. You can also arrange for Honolulu Airport transportation that includes, shuttles, private cars and taxis.
Convenient public transportation options include TheBus (http://www.thebus.org) and the Waikiki Trolley (http://www.waikikitrolley.com). Taxis are another great way to travel when in a group and the cost can be shared. You can find taxi stands at hotels, most major shopping malls and at the airport. Note that using taxi stands and calling for pick-ups by phone or via hotel concierge is the norm in Hawaii rather than hailing a cab. Find more Honolulu transportation options below:

subset: commoncrawl


text: For the second time in as many months, Paul Nassif and Adrienne Maloof's son Christian has been injured and Child Protective Services called. In this incident, three of Christian's fingers were broken in what is described as mysterious circumstances, so the doctor in the emergency room called CPS. Adrienne allowed workers at the hospital to interview her son, but CPS is still going to investigate. I don't see Adrienne breaking three of her son's fingers although she did break Paul's balls for years.


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Grammy-winning British songstress Adele is to perform the Oscar-nominated theme song from 007 blockbuster Skyfall at next month's Academy Awards show, organisers have said.
The performance will be the first time she has sung the song live, and her first US television appearance since last year's Grammys. The tune is nominated for Best Original Song at the February 24 event.
"It's an honour to be nominated and terrifyingly wonderful to be singing in front of people who have captured my imagination over and over again," said the singer.
"It's something I've never experienced and probably only ever will once!" she added.
The 85th Academy Awards show's producers, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron said in a statement: "We have enormous respect for Adele's unique artistry as a songwriter and a singer.
"She is currently one of the most successful recording artists in the world. We believe that her performance ... will be an exciting Oscar moment for audiences watching at the Dolby Theatre and on television screens around the world."
Earlier this month Adele made her first red carpet appearance since giving birth last October.
Attending the Golden Globes, Hollywood's biggest pre-Oscars awards show, she was surprised and amazed at winning a gong.
"Honestly, I've come out for a night out with my friend Ida. We're new mums … We've been pissing ourselves laughing," she admitted onstage.
Her rivals for best original song at this year's Oscars are Suddenly from Les Miserables, Pi's Lullaby from Life of Pi, Everybody Needs a Best Friend from Ted, and Before My Time from Chasing Eyes.
Adele sang at last year's Grammy awards, where she swept the board with six awards and gave a storming rendition of her hit Rolling in the Deep, which won best song.


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Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a virus that causes infections of the lungs and respiratory tract. It's so common that most children have been infected with the virus by age 2. Respiratory syncytial (sin-SISH-ul) virus can also infect adults.
In adults and older, healthy children, the symptoms of respiratory syncytial virus are mild and typically mimic the common cold. Self-care measures are usually all that's needed to relieve any discomfort.
Infection with respiratory syncytial virus can be severe in some cases, especially in premature babies and infants with underlying health conditions. RSV can also become serious in older adults, adults with heart and lung diseases, or anyone with a very weak immune system (immunocompromised).
Signs and symptoms of respiratory syncytial virus infection typically appear about four to six days after exposure to the virus. In adults and older children, RSV usually causes mild cold-like signs and symptoms. These include:
Respiratory syncytial virus can lead to a lower respiratory tract illness such as pneumonia or bronchiolitis — an inflammation of the small airway passages entering the lungs. Signs and symptoms may include:
Infants are most severely affected by RSV. They may markedly draw in their chest muscles and the skin between their ribs, indicating that they're having trouble breathing, and their breathing may be short, shallow and rapid. They may cough. Or they may show few, if any, signs of a respiratory tract infection, but will eat poorly and be unusually lethargic and irritable.
Most children and adults recover from the illness in one to two weeks. But in young babies, infants born prematurely, or infants or adults who have chronic heart or lung problems, the virus may cause a more severe — occasionally life-threatening — infection that requires hospitalization.
Most cases of respiratory syncytial virus infection aren't life-threatening.
Seek immediate medical attention if your child — or anyone at risk of severe disease — experiences difficulty breathing, runs a high fever or turns blue, particularly on the lips and in the nail beds.
Respiratory syncytial virus enters your body through your eyes, nose or mouth. It spreads easily when infectious respiratory secretions — such as those from coughing or sneezing — are inhaled or passed to others through direct contact, such as shaking hands.
The virus can also live for hours on objects such as countertops and toys. Touch your mouth, nose or eyes after touching a contaminated object, and you're likely to acquire the virus.
An infected person is most contagious in the first few days after infection, but respiratory syncytial virus may spread for up to a few weeks after the start of infection.
By age 2, most children will have been infected with respiratory syncytial virus. Children who attend child care centers or who have siblings who attend school are at a higher risk of exposure. Susceptibility is also greater during the peak RSV season, which typically begins in the fall and ends in the spring.
People at increased risk of severe — sometimes life-threatening — infections include:
Complications of respiratory syncytial virus include:
You're likely to start by seeing your family doctor or your child's doctor. Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment, and what to expect from your doctor.
For respiratory syncytial virus, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, don't hesitate to ask questions during your appointment.
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions. Being ready to answer them may reserve time to go over any points you want to spend more time on. Your doctor may ask:
If your child has a fever, you can give him or her acetaminophen (Tylenol, others). Have your child drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Keeping your child upright and the air moist with a humidifier also may help ease congestion.
Your doctor may suspect respiratory syncytial virus based on a physical exam and the time of year of the infection. During the exam, he or she may listen to the lungs with a stethoscope to check for wheezing or other abnormal sounds.
Your doctor may also use:
Treatment for respiratory syncytial virus generally involves self-care measures to make your child more comfortable (supportive care). But in severe cases, hospital care may be needed.
Your doctor may recommend an over-the-counter medication such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) to reduce fever. He or she may also prescribe an antibiotic if there's a bacterial complication, such as bacterial pneumonia.
Otherwise, keep your child as comfortable as possible. Offer plenty of fluids and watch for signs of dehydration, such as dry mouth, little to no urine output, sunken eyes and extreme fussiness or sleepiness.
Hospital care for RSV in severe cases may be necessary to provide intravenous (IV) fluids and humidified oxygen. Hospitalized infants and children may also be hooked up to mechanical ventilation — a breathing machine — to ease breathing.
In some severe cases, a nebulized bronchodilator such as albuterol (ProAir HFA, Proventil-HFA, Ventolin HFA) may be used to relieve wheezing. This medication opens air passages in the lungs. Nebulized means it's administered as a fine mist that you breathe in.
Occasionally, a nebulized form of ribavirin (Virazole), an antiviral agent, may be used. Your doctor may also recommend an injection of epinephrine or a form of epinephrine that can be inhaled through a nebulizer (racemic epinephrine) to relieve symptoms of RSV infection.
You may not be able to shorten the duration of a respiratory syncytial virus infection, but you can try to relieve some signs and symptoms.
If your child has the infection, do your best to comfort or distract him or her — cuddle, read a book or play a quiet game. Other tips for relieving symptoms include:
Try saline nasal drops. Over-the-counter (OTC) drops are a safe, effective way to ease congestion, even for young children.
Drip several drops into one nostril to loosen hardened or thick mucus, then immediately suction that nostril, using a bulb syringe. Repeat the process in the other nostril. Do this before feedings and before putting your baby down to sleep.
No vaccine exists for respiratory syncytial virus. But common-sense precautions can help prevent the spread of this infection:
The medication palivizumab (Synagis) can help protect children under age 2 who are at high risk of serious complications when they get RSV, such as those born prematurely or with congenital heart or lung disease.
The medicine is given monthly for five months during the peak season. The medication isn't helpful in treating respiratory syncytial virus infection once it has developed.
Scientists are working to find a vaccine against the respiratory syncytial virus not only in infants but also in older adults and high-risk adults.
Original article: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/respiratory-syncytial-virus/basics/lifestyle-home-remedies/CON-20022497
Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below.
Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit organization and proceeds from Web advertising help support our mission. Mayo Clinic does not endorse any of the third party products and services advertised.
A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.org," "Mayo Clinic Healthy Living," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.


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Video: Removing Tile Grout
Simplify ceramic tile grout removal by using a carbide-grit blade in a reciprocating saw or an oscillating tool. Both speed up this tough, tedious chore.
How to Remove Grout With a Dremel
If you have grout that's stained or moldy, you may get lucky and discover that cleaning chemicals can handle the problem. Skip the traditional solutions like vinegar, bleach and baking soda, though—they don't work nearly as well as a powdered oxygenated cleaner mixed into a paste (OxiClean is one brand). Or try commercial grout and mold elimination products from the home center. If chemicals work, great. If they don't, you'll have to remove a layer of the old grout and replace it with new.
After chemicals failed for me, I tried everything else: a grout removal attachment for my rotary tool, a grout removal blade in my reciprocating saw, a pulsating tool with a triangular carbide bit, and a tool that looks like an electric engraver with a chisel tip. All of them either destroyed tiles or were painfully slow. Plus, they all kicked up a gritty dust storm. I finally figured out the easiest and fastest combination for the job—an oscillating tool fitted with a diamond blade (about $10). One source for oscillating tool diamond blades is fitzallblades.com.
You'll need at least two diamond blades depending on the size of the job. You'll also need a scraper blade for your oscillating tool (such as the Dremel MM610 Multi-Max Flexible Scraper available through our affiliation with amazon.com) to scrape away caulk at the inside corners (Photo 1). Next, it's worth fabricating a cooling system for the oscillating tool. I built mine out of inexpensive drip irrigation parts (see "Build a Cooling System" below). Since you'll be working with water, plug the tool into the nearest GFCI-protected outlet. If you don't have one, buy a GFCI-protected extension cord. Don't do this project without GFCI protection.
Next, remove the grout (Photo 2). Your goal isn't to remove all the grout—only about 1/8 in. deep or so. Make several light passes until you reach the preferred depth. That'll be deep enough to embed the new grout. Once you're done grinding, clean the tile and let it dry before applying the new grout.


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The historic arts district of Old Town Scottsdale will be the site of new co-working community for artists that is the first of its kind in the United States. The Creative Center of Scottsdale is a community for artists including sculptors, to painters, to photographers, to graphic designers, mixed-media artists as well as businesses and organizations that serve the arts community.
"We have been working to develop this concept for quite some time," said Michelle Pelberg, creator of The Creative Center of Scottsdale, "It was important to us that this facility not only serves the needs of the next-generation artists in our community, but also preserves the history, architecture and legacy of the building and the district," she said.
The Creative Center works similarly to an incubator-a collection of creative minds exchanging ideas and insights with one another in a common space. Their goal is to use collaborative co-working as a tool to build the Phoenix area art scene into a thriving hub of opportunity.
The Center is designed to be a flexible workspace for the vast and varying needs of all kinds of creative minds. Artists can work and create in their open workspace, focus at their private desk, create and showcase their work in gallery-like private studios, store their equipment in private lockers or recharge at the Center's onsite coffee shop, SIP. With monthly rates ranging from $125-1,422 there is a space that works for everyone. All options include free Wi-fi, a full kitchen, and access to 2 conference rooms.
Housed in the iconic Scottsdale landmark, Mandall's Shooting Supplies store, the Creative Center of Scottsdale will proudly participate in the City of Scottsdale's Green Building Program. Scottsdale-based Architect Christina Noble of Contour Architecture is spearheading the building design and implementing unique green building resources and protocols.The Program encourages a whole-systems approach through design and building techniques to minimize environmental impact and reduce the energy consumption of buildings while contributing to the health of its occupants. The Creative Center is focused on adaptive reuse through preserving the original structures as well as sourcing their materials responsibly. All fixtures and materials were selected looking at the proximity of their creation to the space.
"The Creative Center of Scottsdale is one of the first new buildings to be built according to the City of Scottsdale's Green Building program," Nobel said. "We are working closely with the city to make The Creative Center a model for all future green building in Scottsdale," she said.
The Creative Center of Scottsdale is the answer for those looking to escape the home office, the kitchen table, or the unpredictable realm of public spaces. With their artist-friendly environment and beautiful studio spaces designed to showcase work, the Center aims to be a haven for those who create and work in the creative field.
The Creative Center of Scottsdale is expected to open in early 2014. The center is taking reservations for workspace and gallery space now.


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Milwaukee Event Calendar
Shen Yun Performing Arts
Feb. 19, 2013 7:30 p.m.
Shen Yun brings to life 5,000 years of Chinese civilization through classical Chinese dance and music in an exhilarating show you will never forget. This production features nearly 100 artists, 400 costumes, and the only orchestra in the world featuring both classical Western and Chinese instruments as permanent members.
Milwaukee Theatre500 W. Kilbourn Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53203
Venue Description:The Milwaukee Theatre is a 4,100-seat assembly, concert and theatrical venue in Downtown Milwaukee. Built in 1909 as the Milwaukee Auditorium, the building was extensively renovated from 2001-2003.


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Washington : Government Printing Office
|Public Law 86-247
|Klamath Termination Act, amendment.
|Public Law 86-247
|25 U. S. C. 564w-1.
|Public Law 86-247
|48 Stat. 451.
16 U. S. C. 718-718h.
Page 887
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in order to
Page 888
permit an immediate payment of the purchase price of the Klamath Marsh, the title to which was taken by the United States by the Act of August 23, 1958 (72 Stat. 816), and thereby make possible partial distribution of funds to the Klamath Indians who have elected to withdraw from the tribe, which will lessen the need for making interim loans to such Indians, subsection 28(f) of the Act of August 13, 1954, as amended (72 Stat. 816), is hereby amended by changing the effective date for the taking of title by the United States from April 1, 1961, to the earliest date after September 30, 1959, when the Secretary of the Interior determines that funds for the payment of the purchase price are available from the sale of stamps under the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act of March 16, 1934, as amended (16 U. S. C. 718).
Approved, September 9, 1959.


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With MDA's support, scientists have made significant progress toward understanding and treating the inherited myopathies.
Not long ago, many people with myopathies that cause temporary symptoms were told they had psychological problems or were accused of being lazy. MDA-funded scientists helped show that these are treatable, physiologic medical conditions.
In the 1990s, researchers discovered that ion channel defects were at the root of several myopathies; that defective filament proteins give rise to nemaline myopathy; and that defects in or loss of a previously unknown protein called myotubularin cause X-linked myotubular myopathy.
The following decade, an MDA research grant to Rabi Tawil at the University of Rochester (N.Y.) helped lead to the identification of potassium channel abnormalities as the basis of Andersen-Tawil syndrome.
More recently, MDA-supported researchers have found that centronuclear myopathies encompass a larger group of diseases than just X-linked myotubular myopathy, and that these often have a better prognosis than the X-linked disease.


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We all have challenges in life, from balancing work with family to juggling our health and schedules. Each day we tack on ever-increasing years and mileage just by being present. Sometimes falling short is the best we can do, sometimes going bigger than we could imagine is asked of us with no more warning than the arrival of the sunrise. I've always on some level viewed success in life as having control of my destiny that day when I first see the sun, but that's just the goal, a vision, and sometimes just being awake is more of an achievement than we give ourselves credit for.
On September 15th, I was scheduled to enter my first ultra-marathon, a 50-miler that would take place in the La Sal Mountains of Utah and end in the slickrock paradise of Moab — The M.A.S. 50. After hitting some major trail running goals this summer, I elected to take the next step in my mountain-obsessed career and try this. Trying something new and unleashing the process that has allowed me to throw myself at so many bizarre goals is a yearly struggle for me and brings about occasions I fight to rise to. I hate to lose as much as I hate to quit, but sometimes my goals look more like I hate myself, although that is not actually the case (I really just want to know what I'm made of). What looks like punishment from the outside is actually just evidence of emerging flaws within — weakness, doubt and uncertainty that I hope to purge. This process challenges me to constantly conjure a willingness to move forward despite obstacles and in that process, man, I feel good when I execute.
Sure, the above sounds inspiring but this is not a story about the M.A.S. 50, I did not toe the line on that day — September 15th. In fact, I did not complete one mile on that trail that day, and I didn't even go to Moab. I met a greater representative of who I am inside, and learned to appreciate a different virtue — vulnerability on such a greater scale — just three days before that day I had prepared for with a single-minded focus. On September 12th, my wife and I welcomed a son into the world, eight weeks early.
My wife gives me credit for all the years I spent negotiating life and death situations in the mountains sometimes when I deal with something in a way others may not. However, on this occasion, all of that training saved our son's life. It was just one simple decision to stop and get gas before speeding an hour and a half down the Telluride Valley to Montrose, Co. that made the difference. Her water broke after dinner, we packed a bag, said goodbye to our dogs at 7:10 and out the door we went, her in an immeasurable amount of pain coupled with the fear and anxiety of a premature birth and far from the world of advanced medicine and OBGYNs.
As any mountain guides know, when things go wrong, making quick decisions can alter the course of action to irreversible. I could tell that this situation was getting intense so we called our doctor in Grand Junction, asked for some advice and as I poured a cup of coffee in the gas station, grabbed my wife a cold water and pumped a few $4 gallons into our car — the five minutes of letting the situation unfold properly passed like an eternity. That five minutes to look at the situation clearly dictated the next two hours. Rather than deliver our son in the car and on the way to the hospital, we safely took an ambulance to the Telluride Medical Center where my wife and an extraordinary team delivered a 4lb 8 oz. boy — one of the few babies since 1964 to be born there. He was welcomed into the world just moments before his first chopper ride to Grand Junction, Co. and a month long stay in the NICU of the hospital.
So, no race that weekend. What I was actually training for was here early and I am proud of him as he showed me that being barely able to do anything on his own, being completely vulnerable, completely helpless, unable to really even live without so much help was OK. We saw a lot of sunrises as he stayed in the NICU in the hospital for almost a month with my wife and dedicated mother-in-law keeping constant vigil over his every breath. Each day was a small step forward as he learned to eat, breathe and keep his eyes open. He taught me it doesn't take amazing physical feats in the mountains to uncover the human spirit, it is here already everyday — in each of us. He is the best proof I could ever have that life goes on, that moving forward is not always easy, but it is possible, and that life itself is the goal. The situation also taught me that dumb luck trumps the best laid plans; had he been delivered in the car he would have not have made it, drowning in fluid that filled his lungs. To top if off, we had to move our family two and half hours away to Grand Junction, Co. until he can come home in 4 to 6 months.
But that is not the end of the story. Life is about doing what you can even when it seems like you can't. I always remind myself that patience and an eye for opportunity will overcome the present day at some point good or bad. It helps me to freak out a little bit when it's bad, get over the adjustment and then pick it up and motor to the next of however many phases there are to whatever new challenge surfaces.
So two weeks later than The M.A.S. 50 in Moab, with my wife's permission, I toed the line of a 50 Mile race for the first time. This race — The Devil Mountain Ultra in Pagosa Springs Co. started at sunrise on 9/29/12. It was just above freezing at 6 a.m. and after two weeks of very little sleep, being on high alert and a gut wrenching uber dehydrating food poisoning episode two days before, I covered 50.87 miles on trails, climbing and descending 8300′. The most memorable part of the race was spent under a tree on a mountainside during a scary electrical storm that drenched me to the core and lasted 45 minutes at mile 42. Accompanied by another shivering and damp racer, Roger Youngs, who shared the same fear of being hit by lightning, I stood back up with a stiff and riddled body to give it what I had and climbed 800′ back up to the saturated plateau that led for another 8 miles to the finish.
Although the circumstances were not ideal, I never questioned why I was here doing this. I was lucky to meet Roger Youngs that day and hang out for way too long under that tree while the storm raged above. He had destroyed his feet in minimal running shoes, I had hobbled, run and overcome a massive blow to the outside of my right foot at mile 8 that made it swell up and bruise like it had literally been run over or beat with a sledge hammer by mile 23. These were newbie mistakes that put us both at the back of the pack with fresh legs and motivation to finish, but mistakes I could accept easier than telling my wife I had been gone for a couple of days and not really done anything but bruise my foot to the point where I couldn't run for two weeks.
When we arrived at the last aid station at mile 44.5, I gave Roger my more cushioned shoes and put on a fresh pair I had waiting in a drop bag there. We plunged downhill into approaching darkness and I finished that day by headlamp at 13 hours and 8 minutes, 3 minutes behind Roger who I made a believer in the Brooks Pure Grit shoe that after 45 miles in his other non-cushioned shoes might as well have been hovering above the trail with soft marshmallows under his riddled feet. Running slowly in the darkness with nothing more than the distantly faint sound of music and people around a feast at the finish that I was too late to enjoy, I had no idea if I could finish or not and that was not an easy feeling. I didn't know if my foot may just completely collapse under a catostrophic stress fracture and totally take me down as the last three miles stretched onward to mile 50, and then there was an extra .87 miles to go past that. I knew I could try until it did and when I finished, it was pretty anticlimatic except for that my foot had not broken in half. I didn't feel anything at the finish line and wasn't overly fatigued, kind of like when I summit a peak and have all the way down to go, there was gas in the tank but this time the vehicle had no tires. Despite what you might think there was no sense of relief or accomplishment, no excitement, no hunger, nothing. Well, take that back, I felt my foot and I felt a sense of urgency to ice it. This was OK for me and something I am used to, if you are of the mindset to complete a 50 mile race, delaying gratification is probably in your DNA as well.
Sometimes we have to balance a lot in life, we have to go an extra .87 miles, we have to work harder than others, we have to overcome ourselves and the mistakes we make, we have to push our limits with pain in every step. In this case, I didn't so much overcome the mileage or the fear, I overcame my expectations and took control of one day of my life at sunrise in the midst of an otherwise out of control plot I am living. Just because I made it to that finish line that started so far away that day only meant that race was over. I had no emotion because the moment it was over, I thought about someone else and hisr accomplishment and was excited to be a part of it. I thought about my wife and my boy and I realized that in order to feel anything like what I thought I might, I would have to be with them. I liked that, realizing that for the first time something that seems like such an individual accomplishment would at least this time hold nothing more than a lackluster statistic of being some guy who finished in the back of the pack, as usual, a display that the only real talent I have to show for my athletics is heart. Beyond that, the true and quantifiable result of running that first 50 miler wasn't just to realize I could go the distance, but to realize that the distance from my family would be the one that would hold the most meaning and it was time to jump in the car and get moving forward with my life again. This was not the time to pat myself on the back and get too comfortable. After all, there was another sunrise to catch and each one for the last 38 days has been better than the one before.


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Selena Gomez opens up about Bieber break-up
Listen to Selena Gomez on iHeartRadio
Selena Gomez isn't about to give up on love after her high profile breakup with Justin Bieber.
In an interview with Harper's Bazaar out on newsstands on March 19th, the singer and actress is opening up about what went wrong and how she's moving on.
Selena says she and Bieber tried to make their relationship as normal as possible in such an "abnormal lifestyle." But she insists that the doubly magnified media attention was not a factor because "unfortunately you can't control that."
For Selena, there's no such thing as celebrity love. She says that people may look at Jay-Z and Beyonce and see a perfect couple, but "at the end of the day their love is just like everybody else's love."
The "Spring Breakers" star told Harper's Bazaar that she still believes in love, now that her two-year relationship with the Biebs is officially over.
Apparently hanging out with Katy Perry has been helpful. She says, "It's cool to see someone older believe in love too. She is all about it, and that's how I will always be."


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Course Room Tour
Take The Tour
At Capella, you will enjoy the flexibility of earning your degree on a schedule that fits your life. In our online course rooms, students and faculty participate in discussions at different times throughout the week. You will not attend class at a specific date and time, but you can expect to complete weekly assignments, reading and participation requirements.


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It's been a long ten weeks of competition, but the time has finally come to announce the winner of "Dancing with the Stars: All Stars."
With the season finale upon us, the final three contestants of "Dancing with the Stars: All Stars" put their best foot forward on Monday's (November 26) episode.
So just how did Melissa Rycroft, Shawn Johnson and Kelly Moncao stack up on the night's scoreboard?
Kicking off the semi-finals with a bang, the remaining five couples on "Dancing with the Stars: All Stars" performed two new dances in one night.
On Monday's (November 19) episode, the dancing duos first had to mix unusual themes and styles together for a unique act, before later performing a more traditional ballroom number while paying tribute to Michael Jackson's hit album, Bad.
Dancing their hearts out while showing appreciation for our past and present service men and women, the stars of "Dancing with the Stars: All Stars" rocked the ballroom in a special Veteran's Day themed episode.
For this evening's dances, each couple was responsible for performing a military-inspired performance as well as teaming up with one other person for a trio dance. So just who walked away with the highest scores?
As if this season of "Dancing with the Stars: All Stars" wasn't demanding enough already, this week the contestants were pushed to their limits during "Fusion Night."
On Monday's (November 5) episode, the all-stars - along with their pro partners - were asked to combine two dances into one unforgettable performance.
Continuing to bring their A-game to the small screen competition program, the remaining nine couples on "Dancing with the Stars: All Stars" once again impressed on Monday night's (October 15) all-new episode.
During the course of the dancefloor action, each partnered pair had the tough task of performing a number picked by another competing couple while also being critiqued by a special guest judge, as Paula Abdul joined the panel of regulars.
With one of the most unforgettable dances in the history of the show, Shawn Johnson and Derek Hough gave a performance on Monday's (October 8) episode of "Dancing with the Stars: All Stars" that will forever raise the bar for competitors.
The fall television season is almost upon us and Entertainment Tonight is giving fans a sneak peek of the "Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars" cast.
A new featurette shows several cast members talking about their return to the stage and spotlight.


text:
Photo gallery: Dodgers Visit Muir High School
PASADENA - On the 65th anniversary of Pasadena's Jackie Robinson breaking through Major League baseball's color barrier, three generations of Dodgers gathered with Muir High School students on Friday to honor the Hall of Famer and Muir alumnus.
The Dodgers came to Muir for a panel discussion ahead of Sunday's Jackie Robinson Day, baseball's annual celebration of Robinson's landmark feat with the then-Brooklyn Dodgers.
In his honor, all major league players will wear Robinson's No. 42 on Sunday, and Muir students were invited to Dodger Stadium to see it there.
Star shortstop Dee Gordon and outfielder Tony Gwynn Jr. headlined the Muir panel as the current generation of Dodgers.
"I'm a big Dodger fan. Dee Gordon is one of my favorite shortstops, and it was really nice to get to talk to him and hear what he had to say about it," said Nico Resendiz, a Muir shortstop. "It was also great to hear all these other Dodger players."
Former Dodger Derrell Thomas moderated the panel and, along with Ken Landreaux, represented Los Angeles natives who won the 1981 World Series.
From the 1960s era, Tommy Davis and "Sweet" Lou Johnson represented those who knew Robinson and played a few years after him.
"He wasn't just a ballplayer, he wanted to start things right," said Davis, referring to Robinson's influence on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movement.
This year marks the first time the Dodgers organization has returned to the place where Robinson honed his skills as a youth, Muir Principal Sheryl Orange said.
"I'm hoping it won't be the last," she said. "Our young men particularly need to see their heroes, their forefathers, their ancestors, the people who paved the way."
Muir baseball team members were among the students who attended the discussion in the school library, with the backdrop of Robinson's jersey, posters and yearbooks.
Most were simply happy for a chance to talk with Dodgers past and present.
"I enjoyed it because I got to hear how baseball really is, all the aspects of it," Muir second baseman Jonas Pulley said.
Robinson's legacy is part of everyday life at Muir, and baseball coach Robert Galvan said he makes sure his players know it.
"I constantly remind them every day they should have honor, a little bit of humility ... why they shouldn't take baseball for granted, why they have what they have today," Galvan said.
Throughout the discussion, the panelists stressed the importance of education as a complement to athletics.
"Dude was unbelievably intelligent," Gwynn said of Robinson. "I think he took care of things in the classroom first, and that presented him with the opportunity to do other things in sports."
The greatest part of Robinson's legacy, Johnson said, is that race can no longer be used as an excuse for not succeeding.
To Orange, that's an important message for today's students.
"I like the fact that it's no longer about the color barrier," she said. "It's about what you make of yourself and how you do that."
626-578-6300, ext. 4475


text:
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text:
Lanier Islands
7000 Lanier Islands Parkway Buford, GA 30518 770-945-8787
SweetWater Brewery and Lake Lanier Islands Resort partner together for this annual SweetWater Shrimp Fest at Sunset Cove! We are highlighting all-things Georgia at this year's event-- your favorite SweetWater drafts, delicious Georgia-raised shrimp and seafood, beautiful views of Lake Lanier, local restaurants and food vendors-- you get the picture. The top 10 local restaurants will be featured, live muic, and more! It's fun for the whole family with a Kids Zone and volleyball games!
Join in on all the fun by boat or by car. Check out www.ilovethecove.com for tickets and more information!


text:
Washington : Government Printing Office
|Chap. 164
|Paul and Anna High Horse.
|Sec. 2
Page 527
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Interior is authorized and directed to issue to Paul High Horse and Anna High Horse, of Wanblee, South Dakota, a patent in fee to the following-described land situated on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in the State of South Dakota: Allotment numbered 6902, north-west quarter, section 24, township 36 north, range 25 west, of the sixth principal meridian, South Dakota, containing one hundred and sixty acres.
(a) The lands herein described shall not be sold after the date of enactment of this Act to any purchaser, other than the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of Indians of the Rosebud Reservation of South Dakota or a member thereof, unless (1) at least sixty days prior to such sale the Superintendent of the Rosebud Agency shall have been served with notice of the terms thereof and a copy of such notice, together with a description of the lands, shall have been posted by the superintendent in a conspicuous public place at such agency and have remained posted for a period of sixty days, and (2) prior to the expiration of such sixty days no bona fide offer in writing to purchase such land upon the terms specified in such notice, or upon terms more favorable to the owner, shall have been made by the said Rosebud Sioux Tribe or any member thereof and a copy thereof served upon the Superintendent of the Rosebud Agency.
(b) A certificate of the Superintendent of the Rosebud Agency
Page 528
stating that notice of the proposed sale was served upon him and was posted by him for a period of sixty days in accordance with the provisions of clause (1) of subsection (a) and that no offer was received in accordance with clause (2) of such subsection, when filed and recorded in the office of the register of deeds of the county in which such lands are situated shall be conclusive evidence of compliance with this section. The superintendent shall furnish the certificate to the purchaser for filing and recording.
Approved, May 5, 1950.


text:
Thursday, March 28 2013 - Get Involved
Tour de Peace, 2013
For immediate release.
Online: http://tourdepeace.org
Contact: David Swanson email@example.com 202-329-7847
Sheehan and other riders are available for interviews.
WHAT: Gold Star Mother and "peace mom" Cindy Sheehan will lead a Tour de Peace bike ride across the United States from the grave of her son Casey in Vacaville, Calif., to Washington, D.C., following the mother road, historic Route 66 to Chicago, and other roads from there on to D.C. Bicyclers will join in for all or part of the tour, which will include public events organized by local groups along the way. Complete route: http://tourdepeace.org/the-route.html
WHEN: The tour will begin on April 4, 2013, nine years after Casey Sheehan was killed in Iraq, and 45 years after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was killed in Memphis. It will conclude on July 3, 2013, with a ride from Arlington National Cemetery to the White House.
WHY: This August will mark 8 years since Cindy Sheehan began a widely reported protest at then-President George W. Bush's "ranch" in Crawford, Texas, demanding to know what the "noble cause" was for which Bush claimed Americans were dying in Iraq. Neither Bush nor President Obama has yet offered a justification for a global war now in its 12th year. The Tour de Peace will carry with it these demands:
To end wars,
To end immunity for U.S. war crimes,
To end suppression of our civil rights,
To end the use of fossil fuels,
To end persecution of whistleblowers,
To end partisan apathy and inaction.
Watch the trailer: http://youtu.be/2uBctq4dzss
Some of the latest endorsements are from 9/11 Family Members Lorie Van Auken and Mindy Kleinberg. Here are some more:
"As a 9/11 First Responder, I am all too familiar with the 9/11 atrocities and how they have been used and abused. Right now, the 9/11 First Responders are fighting to make sure the sequester doesn't affect monies from the James Zadroga 9/11 Health & Compensation Act, an Act we spent years fighting for. I wholeheartedly support Tour de Peace, and I want these wars to end." - Reggie Cervantes, 9/11 WTC Survivor Rescue Worker
"Any event or title with 'Peace' in it, well then, I am a supporter and believer." - John Feal, 9/11 Responder & Advocate
"I am so in awe of Cindy Sheehan's perseverance and constant creativeness in devising actions and efforts to raise the public's consciousness of the costs and horrors of war, war crimes, and war profits—along with the public and private corruption on every level that always accompanies the pursuit of imperialist EMPIRE (or rather as we now call it: "full spectrum dominance") and which is rotting the U.S. from the inside. Blowback! I have always loved bicycling and even have competed in triathlons since my 40's. So, even though the 'Tour' doesn't come through Minnesota, I will try to figure out a way to join some portion of it down south. At the very least, I will participate in spirit. If nothing else, I can order and wear the 'Tour de Peace' t-shirt in the various Minnesota triathlons this summer and maybe lead a bike ride in solidarity! So go ahead and add Minnesota to the list of states that the 'Tour de Peace' is coming through!" - Coleen Rowley, Former FBI Agent, 2002 Time Person Of The Year, 9/11 Whistleblower
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author, who is solely responsible for its content, and do not necessarily reflect those of 911Truth.org. 911Truth.org will not be responsible or liable for any inaccurate or incorrect statements contained in this article.
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text: Apple has announced a new model of the highly popular MacBook Pro series of laptops, the MacBook Pro with Retina Display. The newest and greatest MacBook to date (did I mention insanely expensive too? Starting at $2199) comes with the latest Intel i7 ivybridge CPU, 8 GB of RAM, 256 GB solid state hard drive, USB 3.0 and thunderbolt connectors packaged into a slim 3/4″ thick aluminum body. Continue reading


text:
Slidely offers tools for creating cool slideshows from your videos and photographs. Soon they'll add an awesome feature that allows you to also make collages.
When you arrive at the site, you'll need to scroll down the page to check out all the cool things you can do with Slidely.
In order to Create (blue button at the top of the page) you'll need an account. You can F-connect with Facebook or sign up with your e-mail address (fill out a form and create a password).
Once you're logged in you can start creating your slideshow. The cool thing is that you can create one from photos you've uploaded to different social media networks like Facebook, Instagram, and Flickr. You can also source images from Google or upload images from your space in the Cloud. Click the Sort Photos button at the bottom to arrange them in the order you want them presented.
After you've selected your photos, you'll select music. The options are to search YouTube and SoundCloud if you have a specific song in mind. You can also upload a song or pick from the songs they provide in Pop, TV, and Hits.
Then you can put on the finishing touches like deciding how fast the images play, how long (duration of the song or for as long as there are images), and a theme. Then you'll click the Save button and decide whether you'll share it over Facebook or e-mail.
You can check out the one I made as a test here [1].
http://slide.ly/ [2]


text:
They Worked Me
On 11.11.11, I was booked to spin a sweet 16 Birthday party in Tiburon California. The host of honor requested I show her a play list of the songs I would be programming for her party and I informed her that I don't have play list, I play spontaneous. She responded that's great but can I see a list. I told her I have over 7000 songs on my computer and that she was welcomed to look through them all. She was surprised by my response to her but I could to think of any other way of letting this young lady that I had things covered. She ask me repeatedly if she could see a list and I responded with the same answer. As the night started to take shape and as her school mates and peers begin to show their presents she came to me once again and ask if I was going to play "this" type of music for long. I was playing a current dance hit from the radio. The type of music that I was playing at the time were many of the songs that she requested along with current hits and genres of her generation. I assured her once again that I got the music covered and to relax and enjoy your party. Friends arrived. The music increased in volume and the room became completely dark for the exception of the glow sticks that were handed out as party favors to her guest. LMFAO Shots was the very song the solidified that her night along with mine was going to be unforgettable. That group of teenagers worked me all night long and I loved it!
415 370 3014


text:
Upcoming Birthdays
(next 10 days)
7/26 -
Star Wars Celebration Europe II (2013)
7/27 -
Donnie Yen
TFN Interview:
Author John Jackson Miller
Posted by
August 27, 2013
at 10:00 AM CST |
Star Wars: Kenobi
, which was released today, has already been earning rave reviews from many fans and bloggers. Its author, John Jackson Miller, is well-known to comic fans for his work on the
Knights of the Old Republic
Knight Errant
, and
Lost Tribe of the Sith
series. In
, his second EU novel, Miller moves into the Dark Times era and explores the first part of Obi-Wan's hermitage on Tatooine. He uses brand-new characters in a frontier community to show us how Obi-Wan begins dealing with his new role as a solitary guardian.
"He's here acting as Clark Kent, not acting as Superman," Miller explained in my interview with him. "He's still doing heroic things; he's just doing it in such a way that we don't immediately look and say, 'Aha! Lightsaber! Jedi!'"
Below, check out a lightly-edited transcript of my interview with Miller -- but
beware of
When did you first conceive of the idea that became this book?
I think it was 2006. I had been working on
Knights of the Old Republic
, was writing stories for its second year, over at Dark Horse, and I was working with Jeremy Barlow, my comics editor over there, looking at a number of possible other projects that I could do. This was getting close to the period where I was going to quit to write full-time, so I was looking to get some more projects in there. One of the things that we talked about is some original graphic novel ideas and I came up with two or three of those. There was a Boba Fett one. There was this Ben Kenobi idea. This really sprang from our mutual love of old Westerns. It occurred to both of us that really, Tatooine is very much a frontier Western setting. Obi-Wan, as the stranger wandering into town, fits very comfortably into what is a familiar archetype.
I worked up several drafts of that. Each one got successively longer as I added more and more to the book. It soon became obvious that it was not going to fit in a comic book and it really was better designed for a prose presentation. Secondly, we weren't really sure whether we could get near this part of Obi-Wan's continuity because we had things like the
Star Wars
live-action TV series being discussed at the time. That was potentially out there. My editor ended up transferring to the Indiana Jones line and he offered me the chance to write the adaptation for the
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
movie for [the] comics. That filled the spot that would have been the Kenobi story.
At the time it was called "Ben" because it was about how Kenobi turns into "Old Ben." I put that on the shelf for several years. I mentioned it once to Shelly Shapiro at Del Rey after I had done
Knight Errant
. We didn't think it was the right time just then for it, but once we got to 2012 and I suggested it again, now we were in a phase where they were looking for more material on these iconic original characters. It no longer looked like some of the concerns that we'd had in the past about continuity were in place.
It was great to get to do it. It is a different kind of book. It is told mostly from the point of view of people whose lives Obi-Wan affects. He's certainly got his point of view in there too, but the scale of this book is certainly much different from your usual planet-destroying threat-of-the-week kind of stories. This is more personal. This is about Obi-Wan dealing with his new situation and dealing with his grief over the past.
Why Obi-Wan? What do you think makes him such a popular character?
We'd just gone through the Prequel movies, and the Prequel movies were in part about establishing the tragedy of Anakin Skywalker ?? his tragic fall. It struck me that the circumstances that Obi-Wan faced were equally tragic if not more so, because he retained his values and yet had to live with all of the consequences of his inaction or his inability to see and understand what Anakin was turning into. Our first chapter, or rather the prologue, takes place during Episode III, while Obi-Wan is delivering Luke Skywalker to the Lars family.
The wounds that he's dealing with are very fresh. The shock that he's dealing with is very fresh. He has lost the Republic. He has lost the Jedi Order, all the friends that he's ever had. He's not only lost, in Anakin, his brother, but he believes at this point that he killed him. He does not know about Darth Vader yet. There's very definitely room for elaboration on his state and how he starts the process. This is what this book really, I think, does. He starts the process of learning to live in isolation and not [being] overcome with grief over having to go back [to Coruscant] and undo all the wrongs that are being done right this second.
This book clearly has a "Western frontier" feel to it. Did you look to any specific Westerns for inspiration?
I think we were just capturing the feeling. Obviously the one movie that everybody remembers from the 1950s is
, with Alan Ladd as the gunfighter who is running away from his past and trying to hang up the six-shooter and gets wrapped into a range war, because his natural inclination is to help people, to defend people against what he sees as bad men. That's one of them, but there certainly are a lot of other Westerns out there with the loner who's mysterious and rides into town.
The other thing that I tried to evoke as well is ... Larry McMurtry, who wrote the
Lonesome Dove
stories, really tried to present a complete world. We're not just seeing the gunfighters; we're not just seeing the rangers. We're seeing the people around them: the cooks and the people who make up their world. It's very much an environment. That's what I wanted to present with this book. We have these three point-of-view characters ?? a merchant, a farmer and landowner; and a Tusken Raider ?? all of whom see Obi-Wan through the lens of their particular lives on Tatooine.
But we also give you quite a bit about their lives to show you what it's like to live in the fringes of galactic society, as this is. That's the sort of thing that we've seen readers ask for quite a lot: "We'd like to see the regular Joe and what they're going through." The problem with doing that was always finding a way to do that and have it have some impact on the greater storyline of Star Wars. It just so happens, though, that Obi-Wan living in isolation gives us the opportunity to take some time and do that. Because he's going to be in this place an awful long time. He's got to learn to live in isolation. He needs to see some other people who have survived out here.
Was it always your goal to not actually include standard point-of-view passages for Obi-Wan?
That was really always in the story. He was always going to be this stranger that had come in from wherever. Initially, in the comic book design, the meditations did not exist at all. There was a meditation in the story where we hear him talking, and people who read the story will see which one of those it is, because it is a plot point ?? the fact that he's talking to Qui-Gon. The idea of putting them throughout the entire story came along when we got into the prose part of the process. It was Jennifer Heddle at Lucasfilm who suggested, "It would be cool to see what his take is on these situations," and certainly as I got farther into it, I realized that the only way we were going to find out anything about what was happening with Anakin and the Empire and all of these other things was through Obi-Wan.
Because nobody else knew. We're way far away from any Internet connections out in the Oasis. [laughs] And the Tuskens certainly don't have it. So if we want to elaborate on Obi-Wan's feelings in connection with these things, he has to have a voice. I put that in there and it just worked completely naturally. It did not interfere with the way that I wanted to do the rest of the story, which was to show him acting in a way where the readers would know he's acting as a Jedi, but the other people wouldn't know that. He's here acting as Clark Kent, not acting as Superman. He's still doing heroic things; he's just doing it in such a way that we don't immediately look and say, "Aha! Lightsaber! Jedi!"
The nickname of Annileen, one of the main characters, is Annie. There's a line that she says to Obi-Wan that I have to mention, because it's so perfect: "You think poor little Annie gets bored with Tatooine, and the first time a stranger from off-world comes along, it's off to the races?" Why did you want to include these kinds of little reminders of Obi-Wan's past?
Well, I purposefully did quite a few of those. I didn't want it to be overly cute, but as many times as possibly, [I wanted to] give him a pang of remorse or regret or some sort of reminder that would take him out of where he is and remind us that he's always walking around and living with these memories. Certainly, the whole Annie nickname thing was intentional in the beginning. I have to say, that particular line is what they call "refrigerator genius." It's something that I didn't intend to come out that way, and then I looked at it, and it's like, "Wow!" In particular, the off-to-the-races connection with young Anakin, and the stranger coming in from off-world.
It was originally just going to be a matter-of-fact comment that Annileen made, because it really does connect to her storyline, which is that she's trying to escape the prism that she's been in for twenty years. That's the common thing between the two of them, and it's why, I think, she's an important person in his life. Anybody who reads and says, "Well, this is just a storekeeper, why do we care?" is, I think, not looking at some of the subtext.
The two of them are both prisoners, in a sense, to a situation they did not entirely cause. They both feel responsible for people besides themselves. In her case, she felt that she could not let her late husband's business go down the tubes. She felt she could not abandon it [or] walk away from the community that relies on her. The two of them are in an equivalent place. Where the drama comes from in the story is that, where her natural reaction is to say, "Let's while away these years together," his situation is a lot more complicated. He's got a lot more going on that she doesn't know about.
A major theme in this book is Obi-Wan trying to prevent the people in this small community he visits from succumbing to the darkness that brought down Anakin. The way he counsels Annileen and Orrin makes it clear that he has learned specific lessons from his failure with Anakin, including certain behavioral signs to watch for. Tell me about your goals in terms of bringing out that reflection and recognition within Obi-Wan.
Well, Obi-Wan is always thinking. He's always looking to see how he could have prevented the previous situation. But he's not about wallowing in remorse or regret. That's one of the reasons why I didn't want to tell the story with him as one of the point-of-view characters, because that would be a danger, with him constantly second-guessing himself and thinking out loud, "Ah, I need to turn this young man away from a path of darkness," or "I need to put right what I once did wrong." I didn't want that to be so overt, but certainly it is the case that I intended, with some of the other characters that he's meeting here, that he's building relationships that are very similar to the relationship that he formed with Anakin. He's certainly trying to keep both eyes open and make sure that, if there's anything he can do to turn away somebody who is on the road to ruin ?? to get them to "Turn back now," which is one of the lines in the book ?? he's going to give that person every chance.
He also has to learn ?? and I think he does learn in this story ?? the point at which it's no longer his fault. Once you've given somebody every possible opportunity ... he does not take that on his conscience anymore. That is one of the big moments that he has here. What he's going through is a process. This is only the first step in the process. I've said before [that] this entire novel, with the exception of the prologue, takes place during one sentence of
The Life and Legend of Obi-Wan Kenobi
by Ryder Windham. This is a part of his story ?? but I think it's a critical part of his story.
You mentioned that Obi-Wan learns that there's a point where something is no longer his fault. That seemed to come during a moment when Annileen said to Obi-Wan (about another character), "There's still good in him." In response, Obi-Wan firmly tells her that that can only be used as an excuse for so long.
I don't want to get too far into what happens to individual characters, but one of the things that I wanted to explore was ... The Empire can only come to power ?? and can only do what it does ?? with the complicity of particular individual people. We always hear the stories of Nazi Germany and people asking, "How could this happen ?? one madman taking over this country?" Well, a number of people had to have been complicit in what happened. One of the things that I realized while doing
Lost Tribe of the Sith
was that it's very difficult for an individual following the Sith philosophy to get a lot of other people to buy into his ruling the galaxy. The whole Sith philosophy [is] about the elevation of the individual and the suppression of everybody else. It's hard to get other people to go along with you.
Of course, what the Emperor did was he hijacked an existing power structure. That's the conclusion that the characters in
Lost Tribe of the Sith
came to, that that's what you would have to do, you would have to find something that was already out there already. But taking over the Republic was not enough. It required people in the Republic or outside the Republic to go along for their own advancement, to be complicit or to help out.
I think we see, with one of [
]'s characters, that he could very comfortably transition into the mode where his persuasion, his voice, could be given over to advancing the Empire. There are always those characters, when a totalitarian state takes over, [who], for their own advancement or for whatever other reasons, are able to see the advantage in becoming one of their useful tools. It really doesn't matter whether you're a baron living on Coruscant or just a local power broker out on the frontier. There is that potential, for everybody in the galaxy right now, to have to make this decision [about] whether they're going to become complicit in what's going on with the Empire taking over. Obi-Wan is confronted, here on Tatooine, with a very small, microcosmic moment that he knows is being repeated all across the galaxy. Other people are being tested and other people ?? both powerful and not ?? are in danger of becoming tools of the Empire.
You also have Obi-Wan refer indirectly Darth Sidious' grand deception in a conversation with Annileen toward the end of the book. He also tells her, "There's nothing worse than losing a home you've known for years." Do you think Obi-Wan blames himself for failing to see that coming like he failed to save Anakin?
I think he's asking himself about that in the story: Whether there was something in their traditions, in the way that they handled situations, that might have had something to do with this. I think he's only beginning to ask these questions, and he's going to be asking them for the next nineteen years. He definitely broaches the issue here. One of the things that he talks about is, was it [the Jedi Order's] rigidity on the issue of not having love or significant others ... that helped to set up the conflict that Anakin was facing? It may well be that it was just an excuse for Anakin ?? that if it wasn't this particular conflict, it would have been something else that he was going to run into ?? but he is questioning and wondering, "Was the fault in ourselves?" It's one of the things that he's out here trying to work out.
Where do you come down on that question of attachment, families, and love? Was the Jedi policy a problem? Could it even be the reason Anakin fell?
I think it is very strange, and Obi-Wan voices this: On the one hand, the Jedi have this understanding that attachments cause problems; they cause you to divert your attention from the Force. And yet we also have this other situation where ... parents that have the ability to use the Force tend to have children who have [that ability]. Obi-Wan asks himself, "Does the Force really know what it wants?" Because otherwise ?? with the exception of Force powers spontaneously generating in people, which may happen ?? you would wonder, "Why are there as many Jedi as there are?" I believe that this was a rule that was always being debated. It was always in flux out there.
This issue is discussed in the
Knights of the Old Republic
comics, because I was told that, right at the beginning in 3,968 BBY, there was no rule that Jedi couldn't date. There was a movement that was looking at what had happened in the Sith War in 4,000 BBY and wondering, "Maybe we should change the rules [and] block off as many possible off-ramps that [we] could possibly face which would make [Jedi] fall to the Dark Side." As the story takes off, I'm not sure that the
Knights of the Old Republic
characters entirely agree ?? that it's just naturally a trip to the Dark Side to fall in love.
The rules are different in [the Prequel] era. They're established. But Obi-Wan is able to look at his own choices. I think he believes he made the right choices, but he's also beginning to look at everything and say, "Was this particular obstacle really necessary?"
This book is definitely Tusken-heavy, and you do a great job exploring the anxieties of A'Yark's Tusken community living on the outskirts of civilization. At one point you reference the overnight disappearance of a powerful Tusken camp, which we know was wiped out by Anakin. What appealed to you about writing Tuskens? Were they hard to give voice to, given how alien the movies make them out to be?
It was something that, as I began to get into it, I got a lot more comfortable with. I realized what I wanted their defining characteristic to be. Yes, I wanted them to be alien and different, and I wanted to avoid the more common native storytelling devices that you'll see in these kinds of stories. I really felt that the key to their existence was the feeling that they were under a bond to Tatooine, a bond to the land, that forced them to live in what they themselves recognize is a miserable state. They believe that they're under a curse and that they will never get out from under it ?? at least, this particular clan does. I made it very plain that there may be other groups of Tuskens that view life differently, because I don't want to block off any avenues for other writers.
But it seemed to me that they had an understanding of their role in the universe and they also had an understanding that the role of the settlers was to be their victims. They're not nice people; I didn't want them to come off as sympathetic. They come off more pathetic. They have their own story, and as they see their place in the story right now, they think they're close to the end of the line. The events which you referred to ?? Anakin's slaughter ?? have crushed the spirit of all of the Tuskens around. They know that something supernatural happened. At the beginning, we find them in close to an apocalyptic end-times situation.
It ties in really well to Obi-Wan's situation, because for one part, Obi-Wan represents something that they've seen before: the Jedi who has come to join them and bring them out of a time of trouble. That, of course, happened with Sharad Hett back in the backstory to
, the Dark Horse comic years earlier. There's that thing going on, and then there's the fact that Obi-Wan still does not know what happened [with] Anakin and the Sand People that sort of precipitates his fall in Episode II. He is still figuring this stuff out a bit at a time. The fact that he doesn't know yet was already established, because I had other benchmarks that were already out there, mileposts that were already in the continuity. But there was nothing wrong with having Obi-Wan start to put the pieces together and realize that these Tuskens are a victim of what Anakin did, but so too is the rest of the Republic.
What was your goal with the lead Tusken, A'Yark?
I wanted to set up that A'Yark was a parent and someone who had responsibility for a much larger group of people, just the same way that all other the characters in the story have. Every other major character in the story is a parent and also a leader, or has a community that relies on them. Annileen, Orren, Obi-Wan. They all have those strings pulling on them.
Also, I wanted to show that, at this point, for this particular clan, all of the old rules are falling by the wayside. All the old traditions are falling away. It's because their situation is dire enough that it is causing them, not rethink things, but to continue to go forward. The person who has the strength to lead is going to lead if they're going to survive. Whatever previous rules about who the leader could be ?? that's got to go. A'Yark has an arc [leading to] that realization that "I might actually be the strong person that this clan needs."
There's a moment where Annileen mentions to Obi-Wan that she remembers a desert hermit who lived out in the Jundland Wastes, didn't wear a hood, and showed up in town "looking twenty years older." Later you show Obi-Wan removing his hood and staring up at the suns. Is this your attempt to explain why Alec Guinness' Obi-Wan looks so much older than Ewan McGregor's?
Well, if that's what you read, that's what I meant. [laughs] Yeah, yeah, that is ... That is a problem! I mean, it's nineteen years. I wanted to put that out as a possibility. There might be other reasons. ... What is Obi-Wan concerned about at this time? He's concerned about being recognized. He's hooded through a lot of this story, but certainly the faster that he can begin to look like somebody who lives around here ?? and has lived around here for a long time ?? the better. Remember: Right now, he has no idea how long he's going to be on this planet, but he's ready to be here for quite a long time.
When Annileen learns Obi-Wan's last name, she says that she recalls several customers with various spellings of "Kenobi" coming to her shop. Was that your attempt to explain why Obi-Wan's surname wouldn't give him away, even in hiding?
Just go to Wookieepedia and there's, like, nine guys with the same first or last name, because there's only so many different ways you can go! It occurred to me that there almost certainly must be other names that sound like "Kenobi." I certainly wasn't trying to throw out there that this name is Smith in the Star Wars universe, because we really haven't seen the name that many places. But we don't have to have seen the name that many places; somebody on Tatooine, in the Oasis, has to have seen the name ?? a similar person with that name ?? and react to it. That's really all it takes. The other thing is that they live so far out on the fringe that they are not watching the exploits of these Jedi Knights on HoloNet News. That's just a whole different world to them. There are not a lot of Jedi who are household names [out there].
When Obi-Wan and Annileen spot a stormtrooper in Bestine, Obi-Wan compares him to a clone trooper with slightly different armor. Obviously he was pretending to be less worldly than he actually was, but I've been wondering, could this actually be the first time he's seen an Imperial stormtrooper?
Well, it may well be, once we get into the timeline, but the problem is, I don't know and I'm not trying to establish when the uniforms switch over. We know that the uniforms switch over at some point; we assume that it's going to be a gradual process. But [Obi-Wan] also encounters clone troopers in
the "Incognito" story
which we did for
Star Wars Insider
#143. I tried not to get into too much detail, except that you would imagine that a clone trooper who's going to go visit Tatooine is going to change up the outfit ?? if it isn't already beginning to change on the Imperial side of things.
Again, we're not specific as to exactly when these events take place. They are, though, in that very early period when he's there; certainly within the first year, definitely within the first month or two. We do convey that a lot of time has passed in between his visits to the Oasis sometimes, but also a lot of the events in the story take place within a very short timeframe. The last third of the book takes place over thirty-six hours. It was never the intention to show, from young Ben to old Ben, every moment in there. No, this is about the earliest moment.
About halfway through the novel, Obi-Wan reflects on the fact that "for many people, the smaller struggles are just as important to them as our larger ones are to us [the Jedi]." How do you think that living on Tatooine has affected Obi-Wan's view of the galaxy at this point in his hermitage?
Well, the conflict is there in Jedi teachings: It's the Living Force versus the Unifying Force. As I understand it, the Living Force is about the people who are around us today, and the Unifying Force is about eternity, everything, and here on into the future. The Unifying Force is what Yoda was teaching Obi-Wan, and we hear Qui-Gon telling Obi-Wan to become more in tune with the Living Force. It is that conflict, I think, that is central to ... all the big events in
Star Wars
relating to the Jedi. It does get into this [question of] bringing into balance these two different things.
Luke is told by Yoda and Obi-Wan, "If you go to save your friends, you may destroy the cause you're fighting for." That is what they teach him. But if Luke had not gone to try to save his friends, he would never have confronted Darth Vader [and] he never would have gotten his hand lopped off. And when he finally did have his confrontation with Vader, he would not have had that moment where he comes back from the brink of falling to the Dark Side by looking at his own gloved hand. He made the right decision before; that, I think, is the Living Force at work.
That was one of the conflicts that I try to play on in
Knights of the Old Republic
. It was Zayne [Carrick] who was about "people who are around me now, my friends, my schoolmates," versus the Covenant Masters, who were Unifying Force times ten. They were so worried about the Sith taking over that they were willing to victimize people who were alive today and were innocent.
This is very much something where Obi-Wan is trying to reconcile these things. If he had paid more attention to Anakin the individual, would that have profited the Jedi in the bigger picture overall? He's definitely worried about both of these things.
What he says is a truism anyway, that for these individuals, their problems are as big to them as these larger problems in the galaxy are to "we Jedi." I did want to throw in there another opportunity for him to think about how, "We really need to make sure that what we do as Jedi for the future still is in service to the individual people living today."
I love your little references to the movies in this book. There are so many moments that make the reader smile because of their meta-knowledge of the Star Wars saga. There's the exchange between Annileen and Obi-Wan about Obi-Wan's bantha that mirrors the one between Han and Lando about C-3PO in TESB. There's also the moment where Annileen says, "The planets still existed, for sure; she doubted Chancellor Palpa-whoosit or anyone he was fighting had the power to change that," which is obviously a wink at the Death Star. I just wanted to thank you for throwing in those little Easter eggs.
Kenobi, more than any other work that I've ever done, is aimed at the movie viewer. It's aimed not just at the EU reader, but at the person who has never read anything else in the EU before. I figured that they would appreciate these little connection moments like this. You never want to have it be cute, and we have a general policy of never using flat-out [movie] lines just to echo the films, but moments like this, I don't have any problem doing.
There are also lines that speak to the important continuity in
Star Wars
. One is when Obi-Wan tells Annileen that he'll call on his allies to help him face a particular challenge. He doesn't say who his allies are, but it seemed to me that he was referring to the Force the way Yoda did ("My ally is the Force"). That nod seemed to be getting at the idea that there are common ways for Jedi to refer to their relationship with the Force.
One of the things that I was taught when I started working on
Star Wars
at Dark Horse ... my first story was a Darth Vader story, and [
Star Wars
editor] Randy Stradley recommended that I have Darth Vader speak as little as possible, to give every line that he says weight. You can have too much of a good thing, and you can make it more commonplace by having that character speak too often. Obi-Wan does not say a lot here, in part because he doesn't want to give away too much about himself. I really tried to make sure that, when he does speak, there's something behind those words that the reader can study more closely and interpret.
This was only your second
Star Wars
novel (not counting the
Lost Tribe of the Sith
collection). How are you finding the novel-writing process different from the comic-writing process?
There are the obvious ways: I'm having to come up with what the characters and the settings look like in their entirety.
It's nice that I'm able to get into some more of the inner workings of these characters' minds, talking about their hopes and fears in ways that can be conveyed other than by only using their actions. With both comics and prose, you want to show and not tell, but you have a few more opportunities for quieter moments in a novel where you can get inside a character's head and see what they're really thinking. We don't really use the thought balloon that much anymore for the comics world.
I'm enjoying the opportunity to be able to elaborate on some things that, in the past, would have been relegated to the Campaign Guide for the
Knights of the Old Republic
roleplaying game, or the inside back pages, the letters pages [of the comics]: the wonkier stuff about how the vaporators worked and that sort of thing. You wouldn't want to stop anything on a comics page to do that, and we try to not stop the action here in prose either, but certainly you can do some things that you probably wouldn't do quite the same way in a comic.
Do you have ideas for other
Star Wars
novels you'd like to write?
Oh yeah. One of the things that I was never even considering when I was working on this was doing anything further with Kenobi. I thought that this story was ?? and it is ?? a standalone piece, but as I got to the end of it, I realized that it opens up a number of questions about some of the characters that are in it that could be addressed later on. There are also other lessons that are out there for Ben Kenobi to be able to learn about Tatooine and about himself and about what's happened in the rest of the galaxy. I would definitely welcome the opportunity to return to this world again. It was a great place to stay.
Of course we have the sequel trilogy coming along and I certainly would enjoy the opportunity to work on some piece of that. Then there are all the other possible stories that are out there in
Star Wars
that I'd like to be able to do. I've sort of parked the
Knights of the Old Republic
characters at a certain point, but they are ready to go whenever the call comes. I look at Aaron Allston ?? I think, what was it, eleven years in between
[Ed. Note: It was thirteen years, between Starfighters of Adumar in 1999 and Mercy Kill in 2012.]
But he was able to come right back to those characters. I should hope it wouldn't take so long to get back to some of these other guys. But if it makes sense for everybody, it would be an absolute blast to do that.
You've written in the Old Republic era with Knight Errant and now the edge of the Rise of the Empire era with
. Are there other eras that you want to explore?
Well, I'm pretty interested in what's happening with the sequel era. I don't know whether it is a benefit or a handicap, but I have the curious situation of having worked in this realm for a lot of years, but I've never touched anything after
Return of the Jedi
. I did one story which was set between
Star Wars
, and that was that very first story, that issue of
Star Wars: Empire
. The Kenobi story is set in the very, very early Dark Times. I also did a supplement for the roleplaying game,
Sword of the Empire
, that was set during this period. But that's as far as it goes. I do come at the later period fresh, to a degree, without a whole lot of continuity already established that I would be looking at, trying to work in. That could be interesting.
Knight Errant
, there are certainly more stories to be told there too. It's just a matter of whenever it makes.
Another interesting Kenobi-related movie tidbit that recently surfaced was the rumor that Ewan McGregor is interested in a spinoff film. As a devoted student of Kenobi, do you have any thoughts on when an Obi-Wan spinoff film should take place and what events or conflicts it should cover?
I think it'd be really interesting. A lot of people have been saying, "Use the Kenobi novel!" I think it would be much different in a lot of ways. The formats are different. You can do a lot of things in the "mind space" of a novel, [whereas] on a bigger screen you would want to have a different tempo [and] different kinds of action pieces. I do think, however, that the basic elements would be there in both [books and movies] anyway because of the situation. He's going to be dealing with the same past that he's trying to live down. He's got the same limitations that are on him.
I really hope that we don't have a situation where the character gets to leave Tatooine frequently. If he leaves frequently, that makes the sacrifice of staying much less poignant ?? if he's able to get out of jail and go on vacation. While that's interesting and I can see some ways that it would be done ... I really think that his role, as he understands it, is to stay on this planet protecting this child and to stay in the shadows. Whatever would happen, he would have to remain in the shadows. He would certainly have to be very concerned with what's going on with Luke.
I think there's also an inclination to not have Tatooine be Grand Central Station, where there's a whole lot of characters coming to the planet. You run into the danger of the place turning into Gilligan's Island, where everybody comes to Obi-Wan but he can never leave. There's plenty of dangers on the planet already. It will be touched by the Empire; we know it is touched by the Empire at some point in the future. So you have those things out there.
Again, this is just me spit-balling about the possibilities that anybody writing the movie would face. It would certainly be a lot of fun to see and to be involved with, but I don't have any more information about what's going on than anybody else right now.
What are you working on right now?
I have a few things coming out. Just released is the
Overdraft: The Orion Offensive
, which people can find on Amazon. It's going to start showing up in regular bookstore chains pretty soon. It's a science-fiction novel that I did immediately after writing
. That thing was a blast. It's set in our universe in the twenty-second century. Aliens and armored mercenaries take on Wall Street. It's the first time I've done anything that's in my own sandbox as opposed to somebody else's [universe].
I've been trying out some other sandboxes for a change of pace. I've got
a Conan story
coming out in the anthology that Dark Horse does,
Robert E. Howard's Savage Sword #6
. It is the first time I've been teamed up with Philip Tan, the artist that worked on my Iron Man run almost ten years. I've seen the art on that and that's really wonderful. It's just solid fun to get to work on something like that.
And a really fun change of pace for me is [that] I have
a Star Trek novella
that I just finished. This is in the
Star Trek: Titan
series, which follows the adventures of Captain William Riker who gets the Starship
after the end of
Star Trek: Nemesis
. He's the commanding officer, and we also have Deanna Troi, his wife, on that ship. As his foil [and] sidekick in these stories, we have Tuvok, from the
Star Trek: Voyager
series. There's a real Kirk-Spock dynamic that we get from Riker, who is such a fun character, and Tuvok. He, again, is the guy to be right there with the exact Vulcan saying at the right time. I really enjoyed doing that. It's a novella. It's going to be an eBook release with Pocket Books. We don't have the actual date on that yet.
I'm open to doing more, but all of these things have to fit in with the schedule and where I think I'm going. I want to continue to do licensed fiction and
Star Wars
. I'm also just making sure that I remember to do something that's my own every so often.
Big thanks to John Jackson Miller for taking so much time to talk to me.
Star Wars: Kenobi
is on sale now, and in my opinion, it's a must-read.
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20 Fun Holiday Gifts for Kids: Holiday 2011
We've got the perfect gifts for kids of all ages!
-Brittany Roshelle Davis
What do an adorable baby, a gorgeous little girl, and a surly teenage boy have in common? We've created a stocking stuffer guide to fit all of your unique family needs. Grab some eggnog and get ready to become Santa:
Little kids:
1. Sozo Santa bunting and cap set ($26.99, toysrus.com). Now everyone can have a picture with Santa.
2. Nanoblocks! These sets of tiny little building blocks range from the simple to the super-complicated are are enormously satisying to put together. Chances are Daddy and Mommy will love playing with them too! Pictured above is the the 200-piece Eiffle Tower set ($19.98, Amazon.com) but you can also find them at Toys R Us and specialty stores.
3. Cable knit sweater ($80, jacardi.us). A sweet and fashionable wool blend sweater. Perfect for the future fashionista.
4. Boo Boo Bling sephora collection ($6, sephora.com). Adorable crystal designs to add a little sparkle to your bandage or cast.
5. Slatkin and Co. Wallflowers pluggable home fragrance starter Snowflake night light ($8.50, bathandbodyworks.com). It casts a gentle glow all winter long. Use the wallflowers scented bulb to make the bedroom smell extra yummy.
6. Cherokee girls' bear hat ($9.99, Target stores nationwide). Keep her head warm and looking cute throughout the cold months ahead.
7. Marvel Comics Captain America stainless steel time teacher watch ($31.19, amazon.com). What a fun way to learn how to tell time!
8. Boys Plush Monster slippers in Footstep ($7, Old Navy stores nationwide and at oldnavy.com). Now you'll know he'll use these slippers.
9. Rescue Child's School Supplies donation ($20, rescue.org). Make a donation to help other children buy school supplies in your child's name.
10. The Man in the Moon, by William Joyce. An exquisitely illustrated and beautiful told story, perfect for extending the magic of Christmas through the long winter. ($10.76, Amazon.com) or head to your local bookstore.
11. Happiness Is…Peanuts: Snow Days DVD ($8.99, barnesandnoble.com). You'll find yourself watching it too.
Big kids and teens!
12. The Sony eReader Wi-Fi. With this e-reader, you can wireless borrow books from the library. And the price is right — until December 24th, they've dropped the price from $149 to $99, and if you have an old e-reader to trade in, you get an additional $50 off. ($99, Sony.com)
13. Style Time bangle watch ($15.50, charlotterusse.com). This gorgeous enamel watch looks uber expensive, but it's not. It also comes in black and silver.
14. Philosophy Sugar Plum Frost set ($14, sephora.com). Philosophy's delicious sugar plum scent in a sheer lip gloss and their multi-use shower gel/shampoo/bubble bath.
15. The Unwanteds, by Lisa McMann. Described as "The Hunger Games" meets "Harry Potter," this new young adult novel by best-selling author Lisa McMann is one you'll want to borrow back! ($11.55, Amazon.com) or a bookstore near you!
15. Sonya Kashuk Holiday 4 piece purse set ($14.99 target stores nationwide and target.com). She can use the "big girls" brushes to create her look. The makup bag can also double as an evening clutch- it's like two gifts in one!
16. Avon Sport Headphones ($14.99, avon.com). In camoflage or hot pink, this gift will be used all year long.
17. Star Wars tee ($34, junkfoodclothing.com). You can never go wrong with Star Wars.
18. Helzberg Diamonds red crystal heart pop ($49.99, helzberg.com). Pop Expressions charms come in a variety of colors and designs. Give her one for special occasions. It'll be a tradition she looks forward to continuing.
19. Angry Birds tee ($24, macys.com). If they can't get enough of the game, they'll love this tee.
20. Ovesized plaid scarf ($17.99, gap.com). This 100 precent acrylic scarf will keep him warm all winter and you won't have to worry about cleaning it.
Brittany Roshelle Davis is a freelance writer who specializes in all things fabulous. For weekly contests, visit her site!