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We Now Stock Skullcandy Headphones!
A lil' bit of info about Skullcandy headphones...
Skullcandy began back in 2003 by a guy called Rick Alden who wanted to design a range of headphones which were specifically tailored to the style and demands of the action and sports lifestyle. By browsing through their different ranges of headphones, from in-ear headphones, noise cancelling headphones you can see distinctive designs tailored to the tastes of BMX riders, surfers, skaters and skiing & snowboarding fans. Since 2003, the Skullcandy brand has grown massively in popularity, and now boasts patented technology and big name collaborations with artists, bands, DJ's and action sports athletes from Metallica to Snoop Dog to Thrice.
What makes Skullcandy headphones special?Aside from their awesome designs, Skullcandy have a patented system called LINK System, astouding sound quality in their discreet earphones and a lifetime warranty. The Skullcandy iPhone app gives you faster access to the lifestyle you love.
LINK System
The LINK System is Skullcandy's patented system, which allows you to connect to your audio device and mobile phone simultaneously, using your headphones for a pure hands-free experience. Some of the headphones in the Skullcandy range include a built-in microphone specifically for use with iPhones/Blackberrys/Androids and other mp3 phones!
The sound quality on Skullcandy's discreet earphones is astounding! Selected Skullcandy iPhone compatible earphones include a mic inline with the earphone cables that allows you to talk hands-free without having to stop what ever pursuit you're on.
Your Skullcandy headphones and earphones will be backed by a lifetime warranty. If they break whilst in use, send them back to Skullcandy for a replacement and they'll send you a new pair!
Skullcandy iPhone App
Dan Levine, Skullcandy's Vice President says about the iPhone app, "Skullcandy has always been about making the action sports lifestyle better and our free app is just another reflection of that. We hoped that if we built something we loves, our fans would love it too!" The app gives users the latest surf or snow conditions, find the nearest skatepark to you and listen to free streaming music. You can also find a daler locator, visit the mobile store and watch Skullcandy TV!
Skullcandy Ranges at Dolphin Music
Here are a few of our favourites!
Skullcandy GI - now £64.99
Skullcandy GI 3.5mm Stereo Headphones - Rasta, White Elephant, Brown Stripe or Black. No soldier on record has ever lost a battle while wearing the G.I. headphones. Ever. And why would they with DJ articulation and classic over the ear studio design!
Skullcandy Hesh - now £49.99
Skullcandy Hesh 3.5mm Stereo Headphones - Shattered Blue, Shattered Grey and Shattered Rasta. Fisticuffs with the boss could potentially be confused by some at the office as a sign of insubordination. Vigorous dancing on his desk with exotic facial contortions and frequent airborne double-bird fist pumping hand gestures while wearing Hesh headphones is probably a more diplomatic way of saying, Leave me alone so I can rock again.
The Skullcandy Hesh DJ-Style Stereo Headphones have an exotic look to set you apart from the rest of the crowd. Equipped with explosive 50mm Drivers, Enhanced Parabolic Sound and Soft Leather Ear Pillows they will leave you bedazzled with the sound.
And with the handy satin travel bag you never need be parted from them again.
Skullcandy Icon - now £29.99
Skullcandy Icon 2 3.5mm Headphones - Grey Houndstooth, Magenta Print. You know youve made it when someone calls you an Icon. It means you stand for something. It means you're darn near irreplaceable. It means that when somebody looks at you, they know you're the Best In Class, the Cats Meow, we're getting off track.
The Icon from Skullcandy is all of that... plus it is completely GRIMY. Skullcandy have constructed the Icon with the same double headband design that youve come to know and love. These ultra light sport headphones supply ridiculously clear sound.
Skullcandy Lowrider - now £32.99
Skullcandy Lowrider Headphones 3.5mm - Purple/Black, Green/Black, Orange, Pink/White and White/Black. The Skullcandy Lowrider headset is a cross between the professional audio headset used by the DJs and a high end HiFi headset.It is very stylish and gives you an exceptional audio quality.
The Lowrider headset has 2 speakers that can be oriented at 90°, thus you can use in pure DJ style and has an excellent fit. They are equipped with Enhanced Audio Drivers, Soft Leather Touch Ear Pillows they will leave you bedazzled with the sound.
Skullcandy TI - now £64.99
Skullcandy TI 3.5mm Stereo Headphones Glen Plaid. Narcissus was so in love with himself, that he drowned in a pond while trying to embrace his own reflection. The reflection is rumoured to have been wearing a pair of Skullcandy Ti headphones.
The Ti is fashioned with precision 40mm Titanium speakers delivering clean, crisp, highs and monster bass, these headphones will blow you away. Superior form combines with premium sound to bring Ti to the front of the audio revolution.
The Skullcandy T.I. headphones have an exquisite finish with the unique TI design. They are light weight with a padded design for superior comfort and excellent noise shielding and they 90° tilting cups for added comfort. And with the in-line volume control you don't need to fumble for your device to pump those tunes.
See our entire Skullcandy headphone range...


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To organize and keep track of your travels around the world, Moleskine presents the Travel Journal, the notebook designed for people who love to travel. The notebook begins with pages of checklists, calendars, international airports, time zones, climates and temperatures, followed by subject sections for wish lists, planning, weekends, short trips and long trips. Inside there is space for notes, photos and thoughts before, during and after each trip, so you never forget those memorable moments of your explorations. There are 5 blank sections you can personalize with pages for notes, addresses, sketches and drawings.
The cover is stamped with a detail that instantly conjures a traveling mood, an airport departures board. The double pocket at the end, perfect for boarding passes and important documents, holds 3 sheets of adhesive labels.
The Travel Journal is part of the Moleskine Passions collection Recipes, Wine, Books, Film, Music, Wellness, Baby, Style, Gardening, Dogs, Cats), a series of notebooks dedicated to the passions of life.

subset: commoncrawl


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Our mission is to develop opportunities for Disneyland® Resort Cast Members and their families to contribute personal time, expertise and effort to make a positive impact on our community while furthering the ideals of The Walt Disney Company.
Disney VoluntEARS History
In 1983, Disneyland® Resort Cast Members expressed a desire to form a team focused on providing meaningful service to the community. This idea soon culminated with the creation of the Disneyland Community Action Team. This dedicated group assisted many nonprofit organizations in Orange County, California.
The team achieved great success in their support of charitable organizations, and the momentum led to a company-wide launch of the Disney VoluntEARS in 1992. Today, Disney VoluntEARS work on meaningful projects across the globe, with a primary focus on communities where Disney business units operate.
Disneyland® Resort Projects
- Disney VoluntEARS focus efforts primarily on projects benefiting children and families, with other key areas of focus including support of education, health, the environment, arts, social service initiatives and military outreach.
- Disney VoluntEARS accomplishments from 2015 include:
- Cast members volunteered more than 83,000 hours at 235 local events.
- Each year, dozens of organizations nominated by cast members receive more than $350,000 through the employee-managed Disney VoluntEARS Community Fund grants.
- EARS to You, a program that allows cast members to turn their hours of volunteer service into a financial contribution to a nonprofit organization of their choice, granted more than $200,000 to local nonprofits.


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The Houston Dynamo announced today they have acquired defender and Texas native Hunter Freeman. The Dynamo acquired Freeman's rights in a trade with the New York Red Bulls, and he has signed a multi-year contract. Per team and league policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. Freeman will be formally introduced at a 2:30 p.m. press conference today at the Dynamo offices.
GET MORE: Hunter Freeman player bio
In the trade, the Dynamo sent allocation money to New York in exchange for the rights to Freeman, who left MLS after the 2008 season to play for IK Start in Norway, and New York's natural third-round pick in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft.
"I'm very happy to acquire Hunter," Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear said. "I've always liked the way he plays. He can play on the left or right, he likes to attack, and I enjoyed his company when I worked with him on a Generation adidas trip. So I'm happy to see him come back to MLS and playing for us."
Freeman, who will turn 26 in January, was born in Tyler, Texas, and grew up in Allen, northeast of Dallas. He spent two years in the U.S. U-17 residency program in Bradenton, Fla., and three years at the University of Virginia. Freeman signed a Generation adidas contract with Major League Soccer and was taken with the No. 7 overall pick of the 2005 MLS SuperDraft. The Dynamo are his fourth MLS club, following the Colorado Rapids, New York Red Bulls, and Toronto FC.
The Houston Dynamo are a Major League Soccer club that has won two MLS Cup championships in its first five seasons and represented the United States in international competition four consecutive years from 2007-10. For more information, log on to www.HoustonDynamo.com or call (713) 276-7500.
-Forever Orange-
Position: Defender
Height: 5'11" Weight: 170 lbs.
Date of Birth: January 8, 1985
Birthplace: Tyler, Texas
Hometown: Allen, Texas
Citizenship: United States
College: University of Virginia
Last Club: IK Start (Norway)
How Acquired: Signed on December 17, 2010 after rights were traded from New York for allocation money.


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RICHMOND — On a party line vote, the Virginia Senate has killed legislation that would require local social services agencies to screen welfare recipients for possible drug use and subject some to drug tests.
Senate Bill 721 is sponsored by Sen. Bill Carrico (R-Grayson County).
The bill died on a 20-19 vote, with all of the Senate's Democrats opposing it. One Republican senator was not present for the vote in the evenly split Senate.
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Car News
2014 Kia Sorento SX: Long-Term Introduction
Following back-to-back long-term tests in a Volvo S60 and BMW 328i, which coincided with the birth and shockingly fast growth of my first child, I figured it was only logical that I graduate to a larger and more versatile crossover to match my family's growing needs. Enter the 2014 Kia Sorento, the newest guest in AutoTrader's long-term garage.
What's New?
Though the previous-generation Sorento garnered a strong following thanks to its updated styling and gutsier powertrain, the 2014 model introduced over 80 percent new or redesigned parts -- most of which were disguised behind relatively minor changes to the front and rear fascias. Among the alterations, a new direct-injected 290-horsepower V6 replaces its 276-hp predecessor, while the base 4-cylinder engine also gains direct injection.
Kia says the Sorento's all-new chassis offers both stiffer and smoother riding, with better handling, to boot. Perhaps the most easily recognized improvements, however, are to the Sorento's interior, which sees a redesigned instrument panel, a next-generation UVO eServices multimedia system with an available touchscreen that's bigger than its predecessor and more upscale materials.
Why We Chose the SX V6
Until relatively recently, Kia was pigeonholed as a bargain basement brand with substandard build quality and uninspiring offerings. But radical improvements to its design and engineering have helped make Kia one of the most upwardly mobile brands on the market, moving the Korean automaker from wannabe to wunderkind.
Since the Sorento is a key player in Kia's bid to move upmarket, this crossover comes in a broad array of trim levels, from the front-drive $24,100 LX all the way up to the 4-wheel-drive $39,700 Limited model. Hoping to experience as many of Kia's new bells and whistles as possible, we opted for the highest trim level available at the time: a $36,800 SX model with all-wheel drive. Before balking at the SX's starting price, consider its lengthy equipment list, which includes leather upholstery, heated and ventilated seats, a panoramic sunroof, rearview camera and parking sensors and Kia's first ever power lift gate. The Sorento SX's only major option is a $1,200 third-row package, which boosted our tester's MSRP to $38,000.
Our test car was delivered with 2,838 clicks on the odometer, and we plan to pile on the miles with a wide variety of day-to-day driving, from around-town errands with plenty of kid seat action to road trips and long-distance drives. We've also got a big move coming up, which will help us evaluate this crossover's ability to fold down its rear seats and act as a makeshift moving van. But most of all, we look forward to finding out if this upscale ride can live up to the expectations set by its surprisingly elevated price point -- which might prove to be the Kia Sorento's toughest test of all.
Stay tuned for our upcoming long-term reports on the 2014 Kia Sorento SX.


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home > archive > 2004 > this article
The GOP Mod Squad: Moderates early nomination favorites
By W. James Antle III
It's beginning to look a lot like – well, not only Christmas, but the early stages of the 2008 presidential race. Yes, yes, most normal Americans are happy to have the 2004 campaign over and done with and George W. Bush hasn't even been sworn in yet for his second term. But some of us just can't help ourselves.
A subtext of the Bernard Kerik debacle has been the presidential prospects of former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. Giuliani successfully lobbied the White House to name Kerik secretary of homeland security, and has been ubiquitous in the news stories about both the nomination and its subsequent withdrawal. Some wonder if the abrupt implosion of Giuliani's protégé will become a liability to a man widely believed to be seeking a transition from "America's mayor" to America's commander-in-chief.
John Podhoretz, writing Sunday in the New York Post, claims "(t)he Kerik fiasco isn't even a bump on the road" for Giuliani's presidential ambitions. Hugh Hewitt reported in the Weekly Standard that Rudy already appeared to be the heavy favorite at a recent National Federation of Republican Women gathering.
The Giuliani boomlet comes at the same time as renewed interest in Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). McCain has capitalized on the Major League Baseball steroids scandal by threatening to introduce legislation early next year unless professional athletes lay off the juice. The headline on an Associated Press story says it all: "McCain's Steroids Push Puts Him in '08 Mix."
Both McCain and Giuliani are very popular Republicans with strong support among independents and moderate Democrats. Both campaigned hard for the GOP presidential and other Republican candidates, some of them quite conservative, in 2004. Both were given prominent speaking slots at this year's GOP convention in New York City and delivered well-received speeches.
Yet neither of them is very conservative. Giuliani, as is well known, supports legal abortion, gun control and generally holds socially liberal positions. McCain has, for the better part of the last decade, offset the good work he has done trying to trim pork from the federal budget by supporting (constitutionally dubious) big-government/national-greatness legislation on everything from campaign finance reform to stamping out steroids. On social and cultural issues (save those related to immigration and the national question, his voting record is good but he has never shown much leadership or interest.
If you are among the small but growing number of conservatives with doubts about our Iraq adventure, neither candidate is an improvement over the status quo. In fact, both would probably run an equally neoconservative foreign-policy shop.
It's understandable why people like these two men. They are both skilled politicians with appealing personalities. McCain served his country valiantly in Vietnam, spending more than five years as a prisoner of war in the Hanoi Hilton, and can point to some solid accomplishments on behalf of the conservative movement during his legislative career. Giuliani deserves significant credit for taming the crime problem in the "ungovernable city" and slightly improving the business climate with the most fiscally responsible leadership possible in a major Democratic urban center. He also provided strong moral leadership in the aftermath of 9/11, even if some of his substantive homeland-security decisions as mayor deserve a closer, more critical look.
What isn't clear is why conservatives don't have a strong alternative to McCain, Giuliani and the rest of the Moderate Squad – credible but somewhat squishy governors like New York's George Pataki, Massachusetts' Mitt Romney and, in the extremely unlikely event of a well-timed constitutional amendment, Arnold Schwarzenegger. The GOP is a predominantly conservative party. Social conservatives – the kind of people who believe in the right to life, traditional marriage and the idea that separation of church and state does not mean totally expunging religion from the public square – are the largest single group within any Republican majority. Yet if anybody much to the right of McCain is a presidential possibility, I haven't seen the evidence.
To be sure, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) has been sending signals to conservatives on judicial nominations. He may have played a key role in gaining concessions from soon-to-be Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-PA). But he hasn't struck anyone as Barry Goldwater or Ronald Reagan material so far in his decade-long Capitol Hill career.
There also are cases to be made for Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) and even some of the Moderate Squad – Gov. Romney, for example, fought hard on marriage following the Bay State Supreme Judicial Court's Goodridge decision.
But there appears to be a shortage of movement conservatives with national stature. Colorado Gov. Bill Owens, once pronounced the nation's best governor by National Review, appears to be a non-starter due to marital problems and low name recognition outside of his home state and the Beltway right. Even Republicans will be likely to suffer anti-dynastic "Bush fatigue" that would make a run by Florida Gov. Jeb Bush seem untenable.
In politics, you often have to settle for less than you want in order to get anything. But my sense is that a candidate to the right of President Bush on some key questions – such as immigration – could probably win a national election. Certainly, a Republican to the right of Rudy Giuliani could do so.
A period of four years is like a century in contemporary American politics. Will there be a viable conservative candidate who will answer the call in 2008?
W. James Antle III is an assistant editor of The American Conservative and a senior editor for Enter Stage Right. The views expressed above represent his alone.
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Unofficial Events
ARL's Third Annual Leadership Institute, January 19–21, 2007
The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) is hosting its third annual Leadership Institute in conjunction with the American Library Association (ALA) Midwinter Meeting in Seattle, January 19–21, 2007. The Leadership Institute is a component of ARL's Diversity Initiatives, which aim to support member library recruitment efforts by promoting careers in research librarianship among underrepresented groups in the US and Canada. The Institute of Museum and Library Services and ARL member institutions provided funding for this event.
The Leadership Institute will have three distinct programmatic tracks, focusing on (1) MLS graduate students, (2) subject specialists who are currently enrolled in MLS programs, and (3) mid-career librarians. The institute will provide an opportunity for participants to gain exposure to current issues and trends in research libraries. The program will focus on transitioning into and building career networks in research libraries and will include presentations from library directors and other leaders in the field.
For more information and to register for the institute, visit http://www.arl.org/diversity/symposium.html
Friday January 19
1:30 pm – 4:30 pm (Friday)
OCLC Symposium: Who's Watching YOUR Space? (Sheraton Seattle, Metropolitan Ballroom) - Hear what three experts have to say about social networking in this symposium moderated by Michael Stephens, Instructor, Graduate School of Library and Information Science at Dominican University. Speakers: Howard Rheingold, Marc Smith (Microsoft Research), danah boyd (Yahoo!) Registration


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Uncharted 2 has no rival on the PS3. There's no other game, despite Killzone 2 on the visuals, with the same level of quality as Naughty Dog's newest game. The rhythm of the game is fast-paced and action-packed, and includes some fun, well-thought-out dialogue. The game is almost perfect in every stage, and it has online coop and deathmatch; there's no doubt that it's one of the top three games for the PS3, and one of the five best games of this year. [via Metacritic]
currently sitting on 97 average lol.
edit: @ nForce
lmao, I know. since when is 12-13 hours short? There's always something to nitpick.
Yeah, I'm surprised that OPM UK still isn't up..even still, its doing well at 97
Be patient, Eurogamer and Edge still didn't published their review, it still have chances to drop to 80-82.
Uncharted will hopefully score high on Metacritic, personally i hope it scores above 9.8, so it becomes historical moment for gaming industry. It's what Naughtygod deserves and hopefully will result in shi**load of sales.
I won't judge any reviews til i play the game myself. Only then will it become clear who actually is biased or not.
so gllllaaaaadd i have a pppsss33!!!!!!!
isat 97 now... but surly it should be 98?
why with ps3 games people make up ridiculous negatives to hide the fact that cant find any just so not to give a ps3 game a perfect score?
The fact that GTA4 has a 98 is proof enough that they mean nothing. I mean I've seen overrated games before but that REALLY doesnt deserve it.
I'm pretty sure Uncharted 2 does deserve the scores it is getting because Drake's Fortune is the closes't thing to 100/100 perfection that exists in gaming.
The reasons for the minus .5 point are pathetic. Sorry, but they seem to have simply tried to justify their reasons for not wanting to give the game the perfect score it deserved.
Action games are rarely as long as uncharted 2, that's even without forgetting the multiplayer
Edge are on a bit of a roll as far as PS3 reviews go this generation. They will have no reason to mark this game down but then again they have found reasons to do so in the past with other games.
If a PS3 game isn't as innovative and fun as LBP it doesn't stand much of a chance of a fair review in Edge. Perhaps Uncharted 2 will be just a bit too good for them to mark it down.
A game literally has to be getting game of the year awards to be taken seriously on the PS3 in Edge, how did they arrive at that policy?
Most are reporting 12-15 hours. Most single-player games today aren't able to get that level of play through even with hunting for hidden flags/clues/whatever and forcing you to spend time backtracking over area you've already covered.
Just finished my first time through Batman AA and it took me only a few hours, would have taken a lot less without looking for the Riddler items and the need to backtrack once I had all the bat gadgets for getting to them in each location. Regardless, the game wasn't too short for what it was and is still a great game (9/10 for me).
So, very confused why anyone would complain about 12-15 hours on a single-player element of the game that also has multiplayer attached to it.
Apparently a 13 hour PS3 game is short but an 6-8 hour 360 game (just about EVERY 360 game) is just fine :/
Basically, they gave docked it 0.5 points for being longer than most games...
Seems similar to how IGN took 0.5 points off of U2 for it not explaining stealth that great... Yeah, that's really worth docking half a point for...
its pretty ridiculous that ps3 exclusives have to do EVERYTHING right and are nitpicked to death when we know that if it was a multiplat game that these miniscule points would just be ignored
Why is everyone boasting about the 97% on Metacritic for Uncharted 2? It's based off three reviews and it's definitely not going to last. Gears of war 2 has the same score when it was first released and I bet you that GameSpot, Edge and GameTrailers will shoot Uncharted 2 down.
You may argue there is four reviews on Metacritic but I don't count the PlayStation Magazine because they automatically give every PlayStation exclusive a 10/10 with no good reasons whatsoever. How it's on Metacritic is outstanding.
12-13 hours is too short, but Halo 3: ODST's 6-hour campaign and rehashed multiplayer is perfectly respectable? Talk about a double-standard. >.>
Day one. =D
"but I don't count the PlayStation Magazine because they automatically give every PlayStation exclusive a 10/10 with no good reasons whatsoever."
Uhhh don't you look silly...
OPM Review Scores:
SOCOM Confrontation: 7/10
Resistance 2: 8/10
Motorstorm PR: 6/10
Infamous: 8/10
Warhawk: 6.5/10
Heavenly Sword: 8/10
Lair: 5/10
Motorstorm 1: 8.5/10
Time Crisis 4: 8/10
Uncharted 1: 8/10
R&C Future: 9.5/10
WOWW... those are ALLL 10s!!!
but especially an action game that is so groundbreaking and spectacular in every other way, it can't be like 25+ hours, for the type of game it is and for how rich every other aspect is, 12-13 hours is not only adequate, it's impressive.
Perfect scores are the hardest to get when the game actually deserves it. U:2 is only being nitpicked because it is so outstanding.
heck if i can get an action movie that lasts 13 hours.. da damn~
great score, but I STILL don't understand this:
- Story Mode which is short (approx. 12-13 hours)
since when is that short......
nobody minds a 9.5, but give it a real reason!
I know. That's longer than most action games I've played recently and a very acceptable length when you consider it's longer than the first game AND on top they added brilliant MP.
Unless they thought it was that amazing they never wanted it to end and knocked off.5 to spite ND for not giving them more! Or they mostook it for an RPG?
What did Meristation think of ODST or COD4's length in SP?(honest question as IIRC they're a pretty tough marking lot)
I completely agree with Mastiffchild. Everyone forgives ODST's and COD's short campaigns, while a 12 hour campaign for Uncharted 2 is considered too short?
You guys have understand that most reviewers must have a "GOOD" and "BAD" comments on their actual review. For this reason, they post stupid comments like " Naughty God has to rest" and "Ummmmm Short campaign??" comments because there just really isnt anything BAD about this particular game. And commenting NONE on "BAD" wont sound so professional imo.
Because of the way they reviewed this game, it clearly deserves a 10 imo. By saying saying that Naughty Dog is going on a vacation doest justify .5 points taken away.
Pssh. And ppl once told that there is no such thing as a perfect game...
maybe Uncharted 2 is so good that they are forced to invent cons.
pathetic. really..
-History mode is short (12-13h aprox.)
-Naughty Dog has to rest instead of putting already to do another game
Meristation never gives a perfect puntuation to the exclusives ps3 games. (MGS4 & LBP only).
I havent clicked on the link but this one...
"-Naughty Dog has to rest instead of putting already to do another game"
really? did they really write that?
Am I the only one who is a bit concerned that Naughty Dog decided to include revenge attribute to the online play? (also known as martyrdom). It pretty much makes melee kills obsolete.
today it still stands as a testimony of the true power of the PS3. There is no game on the betabox360 that comes close to rivalling it.
And now Uncharted 2 has arrived. Its sheer superiority will never be surpassed by the flopbox.
Uncharted 2 blows away all the crap thats on the 360.
Can't argue with that.
Unrivaled 2 stands on a 97 on meta (it's only 5 reviews but still) while Gaylo 3: Go Go power rangeeeeeeeers, dooo dooo dooooo doodoooo, Go Go power rangeeeeeeers, mighty morphin power raaaaangeeeeeeeeeeeeers, is on 85.
Although Uncharted graphics where and still are awesome, I have to Disagree.
I Think that Gears of War 2 Easily Matches and in many aspects, out-performs Uncharted 1 Graphics Wise
But thats just my Humble Opinion, Then Again I'm willing to bet you have only Played Uncharted
While I have played both.
Gears 2 uses bloom to hide the fact that every object and character in gears 2 is low res. Hell, Drake's hair alone has more polygons than an entire level of gears 2.
So dont lie, bot.
Shane, I agree. Let us not forget that 85 metacritic on XBOX standard is in reality only worth a 6.5 if Halo ODST came to the PS3.
So a 9.5 for Uncharted 2 would be equal to a 13/10 on XBOX 360.
You Can Take Your Humble Opinion
Write it Down on a Sheet of Toilet paper
Pass it Over to me
And i'll Wipe my Ass with it
Thy Silly little BoT
That his opinion is humble. In fact, so humble, to the point of ignorance and worthlessness.
Anyway, the lighting, the colors, the AI, the interactivity, the polygon count, the textures, the soundtrack, the animation, the gameplay and the fun are on another level, Gears can't really compete. Objectively, the polygon count is twice as high per character, and the textures are twice as detailed.
Maybe all PS3-exclusives are expected to set the new standard for the industry, which they ALWAYS do. Then again what were they expecting?
95/100 is a very good score considering Meristation don't hand out 9s that often.
12-13 hrs are not short lol. Most games these days have only 6-10 hrs single player campaign.
12-13 hours short?
Thats like twice as long as other games in that genre. Shouldnt be a negative point. Thats just silly.
12-13hrs is a long time considering many people will probably play through the game many times. I am glad to see Uncharted 2 getting the scores it deserves...
Being spanish i regularly check this web. It's one of the bigs in Spain and they deserve being checked as they show no big bias. Before clicking i was convinced their score would be 9,5. This is how they handle great ps3 exclusives. Avoid 10 at all cost (which they don't on other platforms) because they have lots of 360 readers that whine every good ps3 review. So, knowing Meristation, i know their 9,5 truly means 10.
We're getting a lot of 9.5's all over the place, I wonder what does it take to get a 9.6 or a 9.7?
I will take for 2009 -
KillZone 2
Uncharted 2:Micro$oft are Thieves
Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2
Demon Souls
MLB 09:The Show
God of War:Collection (Blu-ray, God of War 1 & 2!!!)
Flower[For the Death of the ChatBox 360]
Shatter[xBots Dreams]
Fat Princess[Gabe Newell]
Everybody's Mini Golf
Hustle King's(F-ME!!! It Looks REAL!!!) ;-P
WipeOut:HD+Fury (on Blu-ray)
KillZone 2 '3 DLC Pack' (Well the ChatBots call their DLC Full Games on this!!!) ;-D
+ All the other Multi-Format games which Look better on the PS3(+FREE Online play to!!!)... ;-P
you and me know 2010 will be bigger then 09
@El Botto
I agree. Even the first Uncharted has no match on the 360 and uncharted 2 wipes its ass with all their exclusives ;)
if uncharted 2 was coming to x360,everybody would say that is the best game of all time.
Seriously i find it hard to disagree with you. 360 games have had to do less to be given good scores.
Edge gave Halo ODST a 9. They gave Killzone 2 a 7.
ODST was one of the most ridiculous $60 games on the market. In my town, everyone is trying to sell the campaign disc for $30 on craigslist while keeping the map disc to themselves.
As much as I love the Halo franchise, I do agree that it takes a lot less to get high scores on 360 games, while games on the PS3 are required to break new ground in order to get the same scores as 360 games. It's really absurd.
I just don't get it. Microsoft just milks the same old franchises over and over again. In that sense, they're turning into Nintendo. How many more tennis games do we need? How many more mario carts? At least PS3 games try to innovate with new IPs, but get docked for doing it.
12 hours is lengthy, longer than both Halo & Gears. Plus there's access to jump back into a level for treasure hunting. 3 player Co-op online, awesome Multiplayer and DLC coming too.
It has plenty of fill. If 12hrs is short then ODST is the length of a demo.
You don't get it...its not about length...its PS3 exclusive...it gets more scrutiny because of that...just ignore and admire the fact that PS3 has such an AMAZING game =D
O.o 97 on meta critic?! is this like...the BEST GAME EVA?! =O
Still early days....only 4 reviews are up so far. Hopefully most reviews are 95+, this game deserves it
The only two other games that have scored that high this gen are Grand Theft Auto IV (98) and Super Mario Galaxy (97).
And neither of those games deserved it.
GTA IV got boring within a week and SSBB is way more fun than Galaxy.
The only game this gen that deserves that score is Drake's Fortune and MGS4. Some others like Killone 2 and gears of war are great too, way better than GTA IV
to the guys who say gears of war GFx are the same better get to specsavers quick and tell the THC CELL sent you i promises you free spec the size of jam jars
How long was COD4 campaign again?. 5hrs?. What about the rest of big x360 games that were below 10hrs like Gears and Halo 3?.
It is virtually impossible for most PS exclusives to get their due from reviwers. If this was a wii or x360 exclusive it would have gotten 10 across the board.
sorry to sound like a broken record on here but how can a single player game with 12+ hours gameplay be a negative...it seems there is just no pleasing some people
brought the new neep for speed otherday on ps3 and on hte installation only went to 98 but after that no picture came up have any of you guys experinced that problem i will be getting uncharted 2 in few weeks with $ up front looking forward to it
The problem is that U2 feels short because it´s happening so much in the game, and when it´s finished, you want MORE and MORE and MOOOORE. When you have fun the time runs fast, when you are bored, the time runs slow. That´s a fact.
"Uncharted 2 has no rival on the PS3"
not only on ps3...stop the dammage control, tell them the truth.
So far all the reviewers gave Uncharted2 a 9 and above, even Meristation realized that Uncharted2 is a well deserve game. The only pathetic fukers out there are gamereactor's losers reviewer discrediting the game! Although an 8 is still a good score, but to be the same as ODST? gamereactor outlets must be run by monkeys.
Nah, only by scandinavians who loves sucking american d!ck.
That's the criticism? There are only a handful of non-rpgs that are even close to that length. Killzone, Halo, Gears, Resistance, COD4, all peter out around the 8 hour mark on your first playthrough.
There are a few open world games that are longer like Far Cry 2, GTA 4, and Assassin's Creed, but you'll spend half your time getting to the action.
The only comparable linear action game I can think of that betters 12-13 hours on your first go around is MGS4.
You're all correct that 12-15 hours is a perfectly respectable time but even if it weren't I still wouldn't be too bothered. I completed Drake's fortune for the first time last night and as soon as the end titles finished I started a new game and happily played from the very start for a few hours even though I have a bunch of other games I haven't finished yet. Unbelievable game. Still though let's not get spoiled by all the perfect reviews, 95 is still a great score.
I've had Drake's Fortune for 2 years now and I haven't stopped playing it. I think it's partly due to it being seamless and having no loading screens so you can just keep playing and playing, another reason is the attention to detail in the game means you notice something new each time you play it, getting the platinum trophy and playing with all the cheat options is another reason, and finally, the real reason I play it so much, It's just so unbelievably fun. The gameplay is unrivaled even by MGS4, Killzone 2 or a similar shooter Gears of War. I had a lot more fun with Uncharted than any of these games (especially gears with it's clunky movements and stupid locked camera angle, which makes melee no fun)
ages on the first one, even first time thru. Trying to get everything. It was suppose to be ten hours but it felt longer. till that ending then I missed it like an old friend. Or those comfy slippers you end up throwing out because they have become more hole than sole! Hell look at me the poet!
- Story is short (12-13 hours)
- Naughty Dog has to rest instead of putting already to do another game
Since when was 12-13 hours short? Have they ever heard of online multiplayer?
And what's wrong with releasing a squeal 12 months (1 year) after Drake's Fortune if it's going to receive over 30 E3 Awards?????
But Drake's Fortune was released almost 2 years ago, you wrote one.
Well, everyone has already said it but let me add that a 12 hour game isn't 'short' by any stretch of the imagination (but of course on PS3 it's a cardinal sin).
Never mind the fact that I'm still playing the 'short' first game (which I bought upon it's release) now as it has massive replay value (and that one didn't even have multiplayer).
And EDGE gave HALO ODST a 9? seriously? A 9? Honest? That must be one hell of an "innovative" FPS then!!!
Now, in this case, I agree with you guys. Calling 10-12 hours short is downright laughable. Why the hell is this considered "short" and games like ODST, Gears 1 & 2, and others aren't critizized for this at all? ODST in particular was nothing but a 6 hour campaign, Halo 3's multiplayer, and a few new modes that quite honestly should have been DLC for Halo 3 (Warhawk added two entire game modes to the game in a free patch).
This is absurd. Good score, but I don't understand why PS3 games seem to have to spawn real life flexible morally-ambiguous Asian women in order to be given good scores. This uphill battle PS3 exclusives have to fight is stupid.


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Uma Thurman & Christian Slater: 'Nymphomaniac' Photo Call & Press Conference
Uma Thurman steps out at the photo call and press conference for her new film Nymphomaniac held during the 2014 Berlinale International Film Festival at Grand Hyatt Hotel on Sunday (February 9) in Berlin, Germany.
The 43-year-old actress was joined by her co-stars Christian Slater, Shia LaBeouf, Stacy Martin, and Stellan Skarsgard, as well as director Lars Von Trier.
PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Uma Thurman
During the press conference, Shia caused quite a stir when he answered his first question with an unrelated quote before leaving the room.
FYI: Uma is wearing a Chanel sweater with Alaia leggings.
10+ pictures inside of Uma Thurman, Christian Slater, and more in Berlin…


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R-Point (US - DVD R1)
The Army vs. Poltergiest. Gabe wishes for a proton-pack while visiting R-Point
Based loosely on actual events, R-Point (not to be confused with the classic, side scrolling spaceship videogame, R-Type) follows the story of a group of Korean soldiers selected to search for a missing platoon in 1972 Vietnam, who disappeared after a distress call from the titular 'R-Point', an area considered sacred by the Vietnamese. There was not supposed to be any danger in the area, as the Vietcong refuse to infiltrate it. The plot thickens as the rescue team begins to encounter supernatural and unexplainable phenomenon.
The story elements of R-Point, like those of most Asian Horror flicks, are secondary to the atmosphere and scares. So secondary that I really could've described it as simply as army guys fight ghosts, that's really all it comes down to. The idea isn't an original one, as anyone who's seen Below, Deathwatch, or The Bunker can attest to (I've actually seen none of them), but it is intriguing. What else, after all, is more horrifying than war, especially the guerrilla, trap-them-and-kill-them styled war of Vietnam. Why not introduce some supernatural horrors to the mix as well?
R-Point is a very well made, well-acted, atmospheric little film. It succeeds mostly through its haunting visuals. The cinematography is simply beautiful, mixing all the best elements of jungle warfare (rich, textured greens and earth tones), and spooky horror (oodles of fog and mist), creating a mesmerizing and oddly beautiful world. Visually and aesthetically, there's nothing wrong here.
The only visual element I could've done without was coincidentally linked very much with my favourite story twist. The malevolent spirits don't attack the men directly, but possess them one at a time, forcing them to attack each other. This creates a John Carpenter's Thing-like scene of doomed mistrust among the soldiers. The platoon leader knows what's happening and continues to demand each soldier identify himself, as the spirit moves throughout the room. The scene is very tense, but the unneeded poltergeist point-of-view shots hamper the flow. The film isn't exactly the most original affair, but these Evil Dead-on-downers POVs kind of reeked of dashed creativity.
R-Point is, for better or worse, not exactly a thrill machine. The fear factor is left mostly to the audience's imagination and the eerie sense of doom that soaks every scene. This style horror film is very respectable, but in the end never really scares me personally. What I can say in the film's favour is that it is not another entry in the overflowing Ringu rip-off genre, and has more in common thematically and stylistically to film's like The Shinning, and more recently, Sessions 9. Again, these are great, respectable films, but they've never really affected me in that intensely scary way they're meant to. It really comes down to personal fears (see my Filmophobia article for the kinds of films that scare me).
For the most part, R-Point looks great. The anamorphically enhanced, 1.85:1 transfer is crisp, and detail levels are high. The transfer's greatest triumphs coincide with the film's, in that the cinematography is gorgeous. Some of the night scenes are grainy, and there is a touch of low-level noise in some of the darker backgrounds, but these are most likely original element problems and not digital authorization errors. The main detraction is the transfer's overall dimness. Though the film is obviously meant to be a dark one, there are highlights that could've used a little highlighting.
Creepy soundscapes were made for the digital format. Tartan has included both a DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound on this disc, presented in the original Korean. Though the soundtrack avoids too many cheap scares, there is an abundance of subtle, atmospheric sounds. There's even a nice action sequence towards the beginning of the soldiers' journey involving a firefight with an off-screen machine gun. I'll always enjoy the visceral thrill of hearing bullets flying over my head and crashing into the screen in front of me. The music often involves deep, throbbing bass notes that vibrated the room effectively, without overtaking the rest of the soundtrack. Though neither track is overtly aggressive, both are everything a viewer should expect from the format.
Tartan gets a big 'A' for effort here in the extras department. All the special edition stand-bys are present, director's commentary (which actually includes another crew member, who I don't think is identified appropriately, but am assuming is the producer), 'The Making of R-Point', 'Creating 1972 Vietnam', a special effects featurette, the original theatrical trailer and Tartan Asia Extreme new release trailers.
The extras are inclusive, no doubt, but not the most rewarding to watch. The commentary is informative, and the chat is pretty constant, but only really comes to life when the participants remember the hardships of filming in the jungle (bugs are bad). The track is subtitled, as the commentators are speaking Korean, and this made me remember how nice subtitled commentaries can be, especially when the speakers aren't as engaging as, say, John Carpenter, or Kurt Russell.
The three featurettes are more of the same, informative, and thankfully subtitled, but not the most exiting. The first, The Making of R-Point, is kind of a glorified press packet, and the interviews are more meant to titillate the expectations of the film. The two shorter featurettes are studies of set and prop design and make-up effects. Again, things are informative, but not what I'd call exciting or intriguing.
Overall, I have to admit some disappointment in R-Point, a film I had hoped would be visually engaging and horrifying, based on its promising premise. One out of two ain't exactly bad, and the film is worth a glance from genre enthusiast. The disc is decent, with a two great surround tracks and a crop of informative, if not entertaining, supplements.
Review by Gabriel Powers
Bodhi Member Join Date: February 2005 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 403
Cheers min. Aye like you say, it's good to see an Asian horror that doesn't follow the predictable long-haired pale girl route. I'm more into my atmospheric horrors so you've persuaded me to check this out.
Great analysis.
Great analysis.
Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian
Disc Details
Release Date: 14th February 2006
Discs: 1
Disc Type: Single side, dual layer
RCE: No
Video: NTSC
Aspect: 1.85:1
Anamorphic: Yes
Colour: Yes
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1 Korean, DTS 5.1 Korean
Subtitles: English
Extras: Director's Commentary, The Making of R-Point, Creating 1972 Vietnam, Special Effects Featurette, Original Theatrical Trailer, Tartan Asia Extreme New Release Trailers
Easter Egg: No
Feature Details
Director: Kong Su-chang
Cast: Kam Woo-seong, Son Byung-ho, Oh Tae-kyung
Genre: Horror
Length: 107 minutes
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National Catholic Register - North Haven, CT
Washington - A shift in rhetoric by key Democrats over the past few months has left some wondering whether the party is willing to embrace a more life-affirming stance on abortion.
From Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean declaring that he wants "to make a home for pro-life Democrats" to Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y, saying abortions should be done "only in very rare circumstances," the opportunity seemed ripe for some action to back up the words.
Seizing the opportunity, the pro-life Democrats for Life of America presented a plan, known as the 95-10 Initiative, that they predict will reduce abortions by 95% over the next 10 years.
"We think this is a good way to work within our party to help women make better choices than abortion and let them know there is support out there - that abortion isn't the only option," said Kristen Day, Democrats for Life's Executive Director.
Several pro-life Democrats, including Congressmen Tim Ryan of Ohio and Bart Stupak of Michigan, and former Congressman Tim Roemer of Indiana, appeared at Democratic National Committee headquarters April 21 to unveil the proposal, which should be introduced as legislation on the House floor by early June, Day said.
Among other things, the initiative would:
1. Collect confidential data on women who volunteer to take part in a study by the National Institutes of Health on why they choose abortions, with the findings announced within five years to Congress.
2. Promote a toll-free number that would direct a woman to organizations that provide support services for pregnant women and direct women to adoption centers.
3. Provide grants to school districts that are in need of funds to administer effective, age-appropriate pregnancy prevention education, including abstinence.
4. Ban insurance companies from listing pregnancy as a "pre-existing condition."
5. Require pregnancy centers and women's health centers that provide pregnancy counseling and that receive federal funding to provide adoption referral information.
6. Provide grants to nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations for the purchase of ultrasound equipment to provide free examinations to pregnant women.
7. Increase funding for domestic violence programs.
8. Prohibit transporting a minor across a state line to obtain an abortion.
9. Provide grants to states to help in the promotion and implementation of "safe haven laws," where a mother in distress can drop off a newborn anonymously at designated locations. Forty-six states have some type of safe haven legislation.
10. Mandate State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) for pregnant women and their unborn children.
11. Mandate insurance coverage of contraception approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Catholic Response
Day, who is a recent convert to the Catholic faith, said pro-life Democrats hope that if most of the initiative becomes law, the abortion rate might decline by 95% in a decade.
Stupak said he doesn't think cost will be an issue when the future bill comes up for consideration.
"A lot of these programs exist," he said. "What we're having difficulties doing is making [people] aware [of them] and making sure they're accessible."
Response from Catholic pro-life groups was mainly positive, except concerning the issue of contraception.
Although Father Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, said he supports "in principle" pro-life Democrats' efforts to reduce the abortion rate, he emphasized that the initiative needs more refinement and modification. His organization is in contact with both parties, and will be offering input as the various recommendations are hammered out in more detail, he said, including the issue of contraception.
"No measure designed to reduce abortion should facilitate contraception, for the simple reason that such an approach doesn't work," he said. "Every society that opens the doors wider to contraception sees an increase, not a decrease, in abortions - not to mention the fact that so much 'contraception' is, in fact, early abortion under a different name."
He added that he doesn't question the sincerity of pro-life legislators who want to reduce abortions, but he challenged both parties to resist the temptation to "dodge" the abortion issue.
"Abortion must not only be limited," Father Pavone said, "it must be ended."
Mark Adams, communications manager for the Culture of Life Foundation, agreed with Father Pavone's assessment that the initiative was, for the most part, positive - with the exception of the contraception issue.
"My fear is legislation like this is going to be put forth as middle ground," Adams said. "I don't see this is middle ground. To get to middle ground, we have to overturn Roe v. Wade."
Another of Adams' concerns was regarding the proposal to ask the National Institutes of Health to conduct a study on why women choose abortions.
"We don't trust the National Institutes of Health," he said. "I know the staffing, in general, at NIH [consists of] people who are not sympathetic to our point of view."
Day said she expects Congress to hold the agency accountable to the accuracy of the proposed study. Regarding contraception, she said there is a conscience clause in the proposal that would give insurance programs the opportunity to opt out for moral reasons.
"We felt like we came up with the best possible language we could," Day said. "As we try to move this along, we may compromise and find better language to put in that really addresses people's concerns" on contraception.
Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for an organization that supports abortions and contraception recently said the proposal is mainly focused on services after a woman is pregnant, and was not enthusiastic about it.
"The only way to reduce the number of abortions is to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies," Susanne Martinez, vice president of public policy at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, told the National Journal in late April. "I think [the initiative] is a facade, and I think people will see through it pretty quickly."
Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., said if the majority of Democrats in the House don't get behind the legislation it would be an indication of their "extreme ideological position, which is abortion on demand."
That would be "disappointing," he said in an interview, but he praised the Democrats who stepped forward to present the plan.
"It's a terrific plus to have folks from the other side of the aisle put forth an agenda that, candidly, is not part of the mainstream of the Democratic Party," Santorum said, "but one that creates opportunities for bipartisan working together."
Carlos Briceno is based in Seminole, Florida


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Sporting out to contain surging Impact
Kansas City, KS – Sporting Kansas City returns home to Sporting Park on Saturday with the tough task of trying to contain the surging Montreal Impact.
Montreal has enjoyed a perfect start to the 2013 MLS season, taking 12 points from its first four matches. It is just the seventh time that an MLS team has started the season with a perfect record through four games.
A debut season in MLS saw the Impact finish with a 12-16-6 record, but a coaching change has turned the club's fortunes around. Marco Schallibaum has helped alter the culture in Montreal, but he is not resting on his laurels.
"When you're doing well, there are 18 other teams that want to be in your place," said Schallibaum. "You have to defend your position when you're on the top of the mountain. When you're there everything is sunny, but when you're on the bottom, its rainy, or here maybe snowy. So, you can't take things lightly, you have to be ready to defend your position."
Montreal's most recent victory came in the form of a 1-0 defeat of Red Bull New York. Marco Di Vaio grabbed the lone goal of the affair, scoring for the second consecutive match.
"He did a lot of good work up top," Schallibaum said of the Italian striker. "He put himself in really good scoring chances, but unfortunately was unable to score a second goal. You have to remember he is an experienced player, so he needs rhythm and pace. He is an extraordinary athlete."
Sporting could just be the right team to stop Di Vaio in his tracks. Kansas City is coming off of two straight scoreless draws, one against the Chicago Fire at home and another against the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium.
While Peter Vermes' side has not conceded a goal in 249 minutes of action, he was left to bemoan Sporting's lack of offensive production in New England.
"I don't like the fact that we didn't score a goal, but I also know that it's hard when a team puts 11 guys within 30 or 40 yards of their goal and it's difficult sometimes to break that down," said Vermes. "I just liked from the first minute to the last minute how we played our last game. I think [Saturday] with the guys who jumped in, they were locked into the game. Now, we all know it wasn't pretty soccer by anybody's imagination but it's good because they were in the game."
Facing Montreal should make the play a bit more open on Saturday as the Impact will be eager to get forward in search of a goal to preserve their perfect start.
Sporting struggled to create much on the offensive end while Graham Zusi enjoyed a tour with the U.S. national team, but the midfielder returns to the fold to give the club a much-needed boost going forward.


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OldEurope needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 198 designs submitted by 52 freelance designers.
ShopClever.de is a website that will be launchend in April 2010 in Germany. It authors will publish the best possible deals for several consumer products found in different online shops.
Shopping affine people age 20-40. Bargain-Hunters. People who frequently compare prices and look for good deals on the web.
The contest hat been reopened because the favoured design (#42) couldn't be used because it included a copyprotected clip art.
We are looking for a clean and modern logo for our new shopping-deals website ShopClever.de The platform presents the best daily, weekly and special offers found in Online Shops + up to date Discount-Codes.
Should include an extra eye catching logo for a good branding. We are open for a cute, friendly NOT cheesy comic character or animal as logo that gives the visitor a positive feeling.
For example a Fox carrying shopping bags or a little man carrying a filled shopping bag... It should represent clever shopping and saving money. Feel free to use "%", "barcode", "sale" or "€" as design elements.
- ShopClever, Shopclever or shopclever possible
- Include tagline: "Einfach clever einkaufen" (meaning something like: "easy and clever shopping")
- Logo must be in a rectangular format to fit in the header position of the website.
- Clear and modern font not flourish or cheesy
- NO Clip Art
- NO stock images
- No Shopping-Cart
The files we will require are an original vector file and JPG file.
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


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Giant Lipoma
I joined today for the first time and have two questions to ask that I will post separately. I have an 11 year old female English Springer Spaniel named Pepper, who I adopted 2+ years ago from a shelter. She is in my avatar. Unlike most shelter pets she was an owner surrender due to the fact he was going into a nursing home. When she arrived we found that she had lumps in several locations on her body that had been diagnosed as Lipomas. My vet agreed with this diagnosis and told me that they shouldn't cause a problem and they were common in some dogs.
One of the lipomas is behind her right shoulder and has grown very large. She has been examined by my vet on several occasions and each time we have discussed surgery. This particular lipoma has now grown to the size of a soccer ball and still appears to have no malignancy involved. My vet has had a lot of experience removing Lipomas but she is very reluctant to operate on Pepper because of the potential for bleeding post-op. She is afraid that with the size of this one, Pepper will bleed to death during surgery. The largest one that my vet has removed is about the size of a softball and she says she has never seen one that is as big as the one Pepper has.
Does anyone have any experience with a giant lipoma, what course of action was taken, how did your pet do after surgery. I did find one post here in the forum about a Giant Lipoma and the surgery, and if you refer to the pictures in that post, Pepper's is very similar. (I can't post URL's yet).
At the moment my vet is saying no to surgery but she is really on the fence about it. She has now decided that I need to bring Pepper in every 4 weeks to check it and knowing my vet the way I do after 17 years of caring for my pets, I think she will decide to operate (with my permission of course) after seeing Pepper a few more times. I don't want to lose Pepper, but this "lump" is getting way out of control and will impede her movement before too long, I expect.
Thanks for any information! :)
Welcome to the forum!
I believe that there was a post last year that was similar to this - somewhere on here.
The largest one I have removed was an 8 pound basketball sized lipoma. The dog was a golden retriever that was about 11 years old. The lipoma was so large it was 50% the thickness of her hind end. The owner decided on surgery because the poor dog kept falling over due to the weight. The dog did fantastic. I have not ever had problems with excess bleeding with lipomas. Even without the use of a laser, typically they can do very well. (the 8lb one was done without the use of a laser).
Lipomas are benign fatty tumors. When you look at them they are almost all fat with very little blood supply. In fact if during surgery, large blood supplies are found, then the concern of malignancy would be raised. The largest complication I have had with giant lipomas is closing the space that the lipoma once filled. It takes a lot of time, often removal of excess skin and for giant lipomas, the addition of penrose drains.
As with all major surgeries, platelet count, protein level and bleeding times should be done preoperatively.
You said the tumor was behind (caudal) to the shoulder? Not under the arm pit correct? Under the armpit is a much more difficult surgical area. If the mass is behind the shoulder where the ribs are - this is actually a fairly good surgical area. Post operative exercise restriction can help with minimizing post operative swelling and drainage.
To date, I have never had excess bleeding issues with giant lipoma removals. Of course every case is different. If your vet and you are concerned about the surgery, then perhaps consultation with a local surgical specialist may help. :pawprint:
Thanks so much for answering Dr Lee. I found that post you refer to and was very interested in your response to it - that is actually the reason I decided to finally join and ask about it.
The link to the other post you mentioned is:
and from the pics I see there the last picture at the bottom is almost identical to the position of the mass in January of this year and it now has dropped down so that the top of it is about 4 inches lower exposing a normal curve from her spine. It is growing quite rapidly now but my vet saw her yesterday and felt that it was still all lipoma.
If I was able to post some pics I would take them and post them but I think at present because I am new I can't post attachments. I will see about taking a few and posting them on my website with a link to them.
Unfortunately at the moment Pepper is suffering from an injury that occurred last Sunday when I fell on her and may not be too co-operative with pictures being taken. However, I will find a way to post some.
thanks again!!
If you would like you can also PM the pictures to me here or directly to my email address (I can give to you). Then I can look at them and also post them on here for you and everyone else to see. I cannot PM you - I wonder if that is the reason you are having problems loading pictures. Perhaps someone else that understands the computer stuff better than I can help out. I usually just click on the button 'manage attachments' just below this box and I am able to place pictures in. :pawprint:
Thank-you Dr Lee, unfortunately I haven't got an IM program active at the moment and it would take me longer to install and get it ready to use than posting them on my website. I posted them here:
[URL="http://firstname.lastname@example.com/Pepper/Pepper.html"]Pepper[/URL] and hope they are enough for you to see.
She was not at all co-operative because she is trying to avoid me when I am standing because of my fall on her and every time I went to take a picture she got up and walked away or just gave me dirty looks. She wouldn't stay standing long enough to take one of her standing but maybe I can get more later.
I think you can probably save the pictures I took to your hard drive so that you can study them.
I really appreciate this, you have no idea how much!
thanks again :)
BTW I think the reason I can't post them by attachment is the restriction because I am new here. Maybe soon I will be able to use it after more posts.
Pictures show up nicely. That is indeed a large or 'giant' lipoma. Assuming that she is in otherwise good health, that should still be removable. With the concern of your veterinarian in mind, do you have a surgical specialist in your area?
Thank-you so much! I took some more pictures tonight when she was lying on her side. They show more of the location and size of the Lipoma and when I was trying to feel her armpit I found it difficult to get my hand between the mass and her arm. Usually when she is feeling fine she rolls on her back but right now she isn't doing that. If I remember correctly from the last time she was on her back (I wasn't looking for the location of the mass at the time) her arm appears to be beside the mass but it is hard to tell if it might originate in her armpit. However, it would have to be small because she walks normally even with the huge mass. I will add the pictures to my website tomorrow as it is late here and I am sure you have signed off for the night.
The Canadian Veterinary College is about 100 miles from me and I know there are surgeons closer because my previous dog had several surgeries of different kinds including one laser surgery, before she passed away at 14 1/2. My vet has offered to send Pepper for a surgical consult because I know she doesn't have a laser in her practice and this may be why she is apprehensive about the bleeding.
Thanks again I will upload the rest of the pictures tomorrow and would appreciate any feedback if you have time to review them. I appreciate all of the help you have given me already, it is wonderful! :D
:thumbs up
Sorry to hear about your dog. Hope all works out for you. :fingerscr
Isn't Dr Lee the best :lovestruck:
Nice to meet you Love4himmies :) Yes Dr Lee is just fabulous! :angel: I never expected to hear from the experts when I posted :D
Dr Lee I said I would upload more pictures today but for some reason the card I saved the pictures on was damaged when I went to upload them. I will try to take some more if you think they would help you in any way, but it appears to me from what you said that you don't really need any more pictures. My only question now would be if there is a possiblity it is in her armpit.
As I said she came to me when she was 9 years old through a shelter, but I did get her directly from the family who had her since birth. For some reason her tail was never docked and her eyes droop and my vet tells me these are usually fixed/done shortly after birth. I know that she was adopted from an unknown breeder by the wife who died shortly after Pepper came to live with them and this may be the reason. Otherwise her health is good and the only medication she is on is UbaVet which is a glucosamine mixture I get from my vet and the Previcox at the moment. She does have a lot of ear infections, but my vet says this is normal for a Springer.
I really appreciate all the help you have given me ...as above you are an :angel:
dbg,wow,that looks huge:yell:hopefully it can be removed safely,she would feel so much better:pray:
I agree about Dr Lee,it's great he visits us ever now and then,with some expert advice:thumbs up
Love4himies, dbg10, and chico2,
Stop you guys! :flirt: You are making my doggies jealous!
It is a true pleasure to be on this website. It is wonderful to be able to interact with so many terrific pet owners. I love all you guys!:pawprint:
[QUOTE=dbg10;594441]...I was trying to feel her armpit I found it difficult to get my hand between the mass and her arm.[/QUOTE]
I didn't mean to worry you about this. I was wondering the placement due to the veterinarian's concern of surgery and the fact that I had not seen the pictures at that time. Since the lipoma is not 'mainly' under the armpit (if at all) is great - what I was previously concerned about, does not really apply with your case - so just ignore what I had asked previously. Sorry if I caused any concerns! :pawprint:
Thanks for your caring thoughts chico2 and yes it is huge and getting bigger all the time. I have considered making her a sling to hold it up. :)
Thanks Dr Lee, I appreciate you easing my worries. I actually didn't think it was in her armpit because she can walk normally and jumps up on her hind legs to get to food on the counter, so far anyway. If it was in her armpit I would expect her to only be able to walk on 3 legs and certainly not able to stand on her hind legs.
I expect my vet is concerned because she does not have a laser as far as I know. When my last lovely lady needed surgery at the age of 12 1/2 she sent us to a specialist for laser surgery. I still think she may be reluctant just for that reason, and why she is so concerned about the bleeding. It is a very large mass as you can see and when it is removed it would be a very large area to control bleeding. (I was an RN before I retired so I'm well aware of the possiblity for bleeding). I know if I ask her to send us to a surgeon, she will do it but she also recognizes the costs involved and knows I am on a fixed income. (she's always looking out for me as well as my pets ) :)
I intend to give her all the information you have given me and the links to this and the other discussion here on Giant Lipoma's and see what she thinks. She is familiar with Lipomas but has not removed one larger than a grapefruit.
Thank-you again, please give your doggies a hug for me :thumbs up
Good luck with the operation , if I may give you a little suggestion : I give my guys some liver before and after surgery , it helps them with blood loss that can happen during operations.
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Here are the pictures of Pepper's lipoma. I can now post attachments so I wanted to post them here so they don't get lost.
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a few more - thanks for looking at them and a big thanks to Dr Lee! :thumbs up
OMG,poor Pepper,that is huge,I've never seen anythng like that,these pics show it much better.
I don't suppose surgery has been booked yet,but you know,we will be here and comfort you and Pepper when it takes place,we will all be thinking of Pepper and you:pray:
Thanks Frenchy and chico2 I appreciate the advice and the good wishes. Believe it or not those are the same pics that were on my website just appear larger here. Also Pepper doesn't seem to know it is there as she is now feeling better from her shock of having me fall on her last week and jumped up on the kitchen counter today to check out the food that was being prepared. It amazes me how active she is especially where food and treats are concerned.:)
My vet is off for the long weekend and I will have to talk to her before getting a referral to a surgeon. I expect she will want her fully recovered from the shock of last week, before sending her to a surgeon, so it may be awhile before we go. Pepper is scheduled to see her in 3 weeks and unless there is a drastic change in her condition I probably won't take her in early. My thinking is that it took 2 years for it to get this big, it probably won't increase too much in the next 3 weeks. Right now she is still a little stiff at times, and as soon as I stand up she gets up and moves away so she is still afraid that I will fall on her again.
I am anxious to discuss what Dr Lee said with my vet, but I don't want to scare poor Pepper any more than she is at the moment. She allowed me to take the pictures you see very reluctantly and that is why her eyes are drooping so much. When she is smiling, you don't see the droop, but when she is scared or sad they look very bad.
I appreciate the fact that you all will be here to support us through the hard times and that is more than I can ask. I will keep you posted on what is happening. I hope I am able to return the favour sometime though I don't wish any health problems on any of your families :eek:
Thanks for your prayers! :)
Dbg, Pepper is gorgeous :lovestruck:
While Barkley (my Springer) has never had any limpomas that size, he did have one in the same place as Pepper, as well as beneath his armpit. They were large enough to cause him trouble when running and playing so we decided to have them removed, and he came out of the surgery just fine! :thumbs up
You're right about the ear infections, they are quite common in Springers - more so when they swim a lot.
:fingerscr:goodvibes: for Pepper!
Thanks meg4050, she is a very nice looking puppy and it is the first time I've had an ESS. My previous dogs were a Golden Retriever and a beautiful lab/shepherd/collie mix. I love Pepper's personality and from what I read and hear she is typical of the breed. Is Barkely male or female? black or brown?
I bet Barkely is beautiful too. :)
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They do have pretty awesome personalities :) Barkley is my second Springer, we had a brown and white named Candy before him. Barkley is brown and white as well! Here's a pic..from you're avatar they look pretty similar in the face!
:o Sorry, I didn't think it would be that big!
WOW do they ever look alike! Pepper was due to go to the groomer last week but missed it because of my fall. She looks just like him when she is all clean and prettied up :) I'll try and take a pic of her tomorrow when she's not tired and post it in another thread for you to see. He is beautiful!
I still think they look awfully cute between groomings when they're all scruffy :cloud9:
[QUOTE=dbg10;595133]WOW do they ever look alike! Pepper was due to go to the groomer last week but missed it because of my fall. She looks just like him when she is all clean and prettied up :) I'll try and take a pic of her tomorrow when she's not tired and post it in another thread for you to see.[/QUOTE]
I'll hold you to that ;) There are lots of Barkley on the site if you look hard enough :laughing:
[QUOTE=meg4050;595135]I still think they look awfully cute between groomings when they're all scruffy :cloud9:[/QUOTE]
LOL I think they look cute anytime even when covered in mud :D
She wasn't up for a picture today. When I picked up the camera she left the room and I knew I would get another "if looks could kill" if I went ahead with the picture. So maybe tomorrow she'll be in the mood :) She must be having a bad hair day...:laughing:
To bring everyone uptodate about the Lipoma. First of all I don't think I gave Pepper's history. I adopted her from a man who was going into a retirement home in Feb 2006. His sons had listed her with a local shelter so despite the fact she was never in the shelter, I met the owner of the shelter when I paid for her. I have kept in touch with the original owner's sons who are the ones who brought her over when I adopted her. In this way I have all her medical history and know that the 'lump' was diagnosed by Pepper's previous vet as a Lipoma, as well as my vet. The Lipoma was large when I got her but was not as visible because it didn't stick out the way it does now.
History over.... The shelter I got her through is at Petsmart on Saturday afternoons. so I also saw the owner of the shelter when I went there to buy her new water bowl yesterday. She gave me the name of a vet who is actually a horse vet, but does small animals as well . She is in a small town north of here and does laser surgery at a more reasonable price than a specialist would. Apparently she does all the work for the shelter's animals and may be willing to remove Pepper's Lipoma.
I am very excited to hear this because if the vet does all the work for the shelter, she is obviously very good. I intend to discuss it with my vet next week.
Keep your fingers crossed for Pepper, that she will agree to operate on the Lipoma.... :thumbs up
Oh,I remember Pepper,hope all goes well and she can have that awful Lipoma removed safely:pray:
Thanks Chico2 I'll keep everyone in the loop when anything new happens. :thumbs up
pepper is beautiful:lovestruck:and i hope all goes well with the surgery if she can have it:goodvibes::fingerscr
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Teresa Giudice and her husband Giuseppe "Joe" Giudice, two stars of "Real Housewives of New Jersey," each posted $500,000 bail Tuesday morning in federal court in New Jersey, where they stand accused of financial fraud and more.
The Giudices face a combined 39 charges alleging they conspired to commit financial fraud to obtain mortgages and other loans, and hid assets and income when they were going through bankruptcy proceedings in 2009. Joe is also accused of failure to file income tax returns in 2004 through 2008.
Though the charges were read aloud in court Tuesday, along with the potential penalties, the couple will not enter their pleas until their arraignment on Aug. 14, the New Jersey Star-Ledger reported.The two had to surrender their passports and had their travel restricted to New Jersey and New York.
A short, by-the-book hearing doesn't mean the day was uneventful, however. Plowing through a sea of media, Joe slapped away a camera on the way into the courtroom, much to his lawyer's chagrin, the New York Daily News reported. Afterward, his parents cussed at reporters, and his dad flipped the bird at photographers.
One twist, in addition to the maximum 50 years or so behind bars the couple could face if convicted on all counts: Having come to the U.S. legally as an infant, Joe is actually an Italian citizen and, if convicted, could face deportation back to his home country.
[For the record, 1 p.m. July 31: The headline on this post previously said the bond amount was $500 million each. It is $500,000 each.]
Taylor Swift, Carly Simon share 'You're So Vain' duet
Nicki Minaj on DJ Khaled's marriage proposal: 'He was kidding'
Katy Perry discusses Kristen Stewart-Robert Pattinson, John Mayer
Follow Christie D'Zurilla on Twitter and Google+. Follow the Ministry of Gossip on Twitter @LATcelebs and on Facebook facebook.com/ministryofgossip.
PHOTOS: Celebrity portraits by The Times
PHOTOS: Royal visit to New Zealand and Australia
PHOTOS: 2013 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show


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Really, the frustration began at last year's Belmont.
That's when Animal Kingdom, Graham Motion's finest horse to date, was cut off and, while veering away, clipped heels and almost tossed his jockey. It took a thunderous run at the end – the colt's specialty – to place sixth after winning the Kentucky Derby and finishing a close second at the Preakness.
Animal Kingdom was injured in that race, suffering a fracture in his left hind leg that would require surgery. He spent the rest of the year resting and rehabbing.
He returned to the track and won at Gulfstream in February, only to have his planned trip to the Dubai World Cup canceled when a stress fracture in the same...


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Former Whitley workers will get help in transition
INDIANAPOLIS - The filing of a WARN notice by Whitley Products may signal the ultimate end of the company but by doing so workers will have at least a little help.
The Federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) act was passed in 1988 and part of that law requires that companies that have 100 or more employees file a 60 day notice of any plant closing or mass layoff. The notice is given to employees and filed with the Indiana Department of Work Force Development.
While it does not give employees a legal recourse, it does set several things in motion to give a hand to those who will soon be out of work.
"What the notice does is it allows us to mobilize a rapid response team," said Joe Frank, a spokesman for the Indiana Department of Work Force Development. "We will get a group up there as fast as we can to begin making presentations and talking to workers trying to help them make a transition into other employment."
The DWD will have resources to help workers with the next step.
"There are different kinds of services and programs that they are going to be eligible for," said Frank. "We'll get involved and try to help everybody figure out just what programs apply to them."
Frank did have some immediate advice.
"The best thing that workers can do is get into the local WorkOne office as quickly as they can and start the process."
The entire notice can be viewed at http://www.in.gov/dwd/2567.htm


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Cites Federal Appeals Court Ruling Holding Similar Law Violates Free Speech Rights
Los Angeles, CA – MALDEF announced yesterday that it has sent – on behalf of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) – the first wave of demand letters to a dozen municipalities across California threatening legal action if they fail to repeal laws limiting the right to solicit employment, business or contributions in public areas. While applicable to everyone, these laws have generally targeted day laborers seeking work.
Several similar laws have been challenged and struck down by courts over the last decade. More than 50 cities have enacted legislation that fall under the prohibition outlined in the Ninth Circuit's ruling in Comité de Jornaleros de Redondo Beach v. City of Redondo Beach ("Redondo Beach"). Redondo Beach is binding precedent throughout the western United States.
MALDEF President and General Counsel Thomas A. Saenz stated, "The binding en banc Ninth Circuit Redondo Beach decision was issued six months ago. Cities with similarly unconstitutional ordinances must act now to ensure that the First Amendment free speech rights of day laborers and others are acknowledged and protected. Even laws that are not enforced regularly can deter constitutionally protected expression. We look forward to working with cities to ensure that repeal of these illegal laws moves forward apace."
Saenz requested that the cities inform him of their intent to repeal the unconstitutional ordinances in order to avoid the high costs of litigation on the issue. Cities contacted include Alhambra, Buena Park, Calabasas, Fontana, Fountain Valley, Lemon Grove, Monrovia, Moorpark, Ontario, Sunnyvale, Tustin and Turlock.
Last month, the United States Supreme Court let stand the September 2011 ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals holding that such laws are a facially unconstitutional restriction on free speech and are not narrowly tailored to serve a significant government interest. Redondo Beach was originally filed by MALDEF on behalf of NDLON.
"We have always known it is immoral to criminalize the act of seeking work, and it is now clear anti-day laborer ordinances are illegal too," said Pablo Alvarado, National Coordinator for NDLON. "Day laborers are members of our communities, their work should be valued and appreciated, and above all, their Constitutional rights must be respected."
MALDEF continues to fight similar restrictions on free speech in multiple states across the U.S.
Founded in 1968, MALDEF is the nation's leading Latino legal civil rights organization. Often described as the "law firm of the Latino community," MALDEF promotes social change through advocacy, communications, community education, and litigation in the areas of education, employment, immigrant rights, and political access. For more information on MALDEF, please visit: www.maldef.org.


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|Episode Description
|Wednesday, Jul 3, 2013 - 10:30 PM
"Tomato Basil Fettuccine & Grilled Corn Salad"
Joanne gets her student Ron "fired-up" in this hands-on class featuring tomatoes. Ron learns to create both a hot and colorful pasta dish with a bit of crunch and a grilled corn and arugula salad tossed with an intriguingly delicious smoky tomato vinaigrette. Recipes: (1) GRILLED CORN AND ARUGULA SALAD WITH SMOKED TOMATO VINAIGRETTE, (2) FETTUCINE WITH TOMATOES, BASIL AND CRISP BREAD CRUMBS. D
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WASHINGTON - Rep. Gabrielle Giffords has resigned from the House with a standing ovation from her colleagues, more than a year after she was gravely wounded by a would-be assassin.
The Arizona congresswoman formally resigned after a series of tributes from her colleagues. She's stepping down to focus on her recovery from a gunshot wound to the head.
As Giffords sat in the chamber's front row, lawmakers praised her dignity, grace and perseverance. Her mother, Gloria, and husband, retired Navy Capt. Mark Kelly, watched from the gallery. Giffords stood in the well of the House as her close friend, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, read her resignation letter. Other members of the Arizona delegation surrounded her. And Rep. Jeff Flake held her hand. An emotional Wasserman Schultz said Giffords would return one day.


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GREENVILLE, Tenn. – The King University softball team suffered a pair of heartbreaking losses at Tusculum College on Monday night. The teams played a two eight inning games with Tusculum winning game one 4-3 and game two 11-10.
King started the scoring early in the first game as Octavia Lewis-Rand was hit by a pitch to start a rally. Christina Melcher followed with a double down the left field line before Hannah Smith came up with a two-out, two-run single up the middle. The Tornado took a 3-0 lead on an Aubree Hutt single to center field that scored Cassie Ringstaff who singled earlier in the inning.
Tusculum got on the board on an Alex Kruel run scoring single in the fifth inning. Carolyn Williamson evened the score later in the frame when she laced a two-run single to left field. Neither team was able to score in the sixth or seventh innings, and the game went to extra innings.
With a runner placed on second, the Tornado sacrificed Stephanie Rodriguez to third, but couldn't get a hit to score her. The Pioneers cashed in in the bottom of the eighth as the leadoff hitter ripped a double to right field to give Tusculum the 4-3 walk-off win.
Hannah Light tossed all seven innings, giving up three earned runs on seven hits while striking out five. Melcher and Ringstaff led King with two hits apiece.
The Tornado (17-23) struck first again in the nightcap as Ringstaff laced a triple to right center that scored Hutt in the third inning.
However, the Pioneers (23-14) answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning, highlighted by a two-run double by Paige Sneed.
Tusculum didn't hold the lead long as Tori McComas crushed her third home run of the season over the left field fence to score three and give the lead back to King. Melcher and Fallon Thomas recorded run scoring singles later in the inning to give the Tornado a 7-4 advantage.
The Pioneers kept the runs coming as they scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. With the bases loaded, Kaytlin Stroinski ripped a bases clearing double to left field that put Tusculum back on top. After four innings, the Pioneers held a 9-7 advantage.
It looked as the Tornado would cash in again in the fifth as they loaded the bases with only one out. Nevertheless, Pioneer pitcher Leah Powell got a pair of groundouts to end the threat.
The Tornado didn't go down easily as Melcher led off the sixth inning with a single, and Thomas followed with a home run to right field to even the score at nine apiece.
Tusculum quickly regained the lead with a run in the bottom of the sixth, but the Tornado had an answer. Hutt started the inning with a single, and Ringstaff moved her to second with a sacrifice bunt. Melcher came up with the big hit, a double to right field that tied the game at 10-10. Then Light worked around a Tusculum double in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to extra innings.
After King was unable to score in the top of the eighth, the Pioneers sacrificed the runner that was placed on second base to third. After a walk, Katie Brennan hit a fly ball to right field that scored the runner that was on third to give Tusculum the 11-10 win, and the sweep.
Melcher went 4-for-4 with two runs batted in to lead the Tornado while Thomas went 3-for-5 with three runs batted in and two runs scored. McComas and Smith chipped in with two hits apiece.
The Tornado return to Conference Carolinas play on Wednesday when they travel to Lees-McRae College. The doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m.


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The diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorders may be changing to exclude many high-functioning adults and kids, according to The New York Times. For the first time in 17 years, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, commonly know as the DSM, which helps define the criteria for being on the spectrum, is being refined by an expert panel selected by the American Psychiatric Association. Although the new edition won't be finalized until later this year, the panel is considering narrowing the criteria so it would no longer include many of those currently diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome or Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (aka PDD-NOS), both considered less severe forms of autism.
Plus: Guide to Autism Spectrum Disorders
The stricter criteria are a reaction to worries about the ballooning rate of autism, currently estimated to be about one in every 100 kids. While some of the increase may be real, much of it is most likely due to better recognition of the disorders by professionals and the public. A more narrow definition of the disorder will bring the rate down, but will also mean that many high-functioning but still affected patients will no longer qualify for government services. Experts disagree about what percentage of those currently diagnosed with an ASD would be affected.
Plus: The Story Behind the False Autism-Vaccines Link
Read about the various Autism Spectrum Disorders and the differences between them here. Is your kid on the spectrum? How would these proposed changes affect your family?


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Get ready for more "Girls." The controversial but critically lauded, Golden Globe-winning show will return for a third season. While HBO has not officially confirmed the renewal, the cast and crew of "Girls" have made it abundantly clear the show will be back.
This weekend, Lena Dunham spoke with Alec Baldwin for his podcast, "Here's the Thing," and inadvertently confirmed the show's pick-up. "We're starting season three at the end of March. I'm so excited," she said. During the conversation, Dunham also revealed she has a six-year contract with HBO, meaning there may be lots more "Girls" to come.
The pick-up does not come as a huge surprise. In an interview with The Times in December, Dunham said she was already working on scripts for season 3. Executive producer Judd Apatow also let the cat out of the bag in an interview this month when he revealed that "we're about to shoot the third season of 'Girls.'"
Although only about 900,000 viewers tune in to watch "Girls" live when it airs Sunday nights, the audience is closer to 4 million when DVR, on-demand and repeat viewings are factored in.


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Dean Boyce, Liberate cosmetic and reconstructive surgeon based in Wales, performs Male Breast Reduction or Gynaecomastia. These are Before and After Pictures of Male Breast Reduction also known as a "moob job" or "moob reduction."
Our breast enlargement, breast reduction, breast uplift and nipple correction procedures are all carried out by BAAPS and/or BAPRAS member surgeons, and our post-operative care is second to none.
With Liberate, you can choose your surgeon, based on your individual requirements.
You'll get to know each other well in advance, and your surgeon will remain with you throughout the whole process.
Learn for yourself why thousands of women each year choose to have breast surgery. Contact Liberate and take the first step towards your new shape.
Whether you're thinking of a tummy tuck, liposuction, thigh lift or tattoo removal, you can trust Liberate to help you achieve the look you want.
All Liberate surgeons are fully qualified and experienced cosmetic surgery consultants, who are members of either BAAPS and/or BAPRAS.
Unlike many other organisations, we allow you to choose whichever surgeon you'd prefer, throughout the UK.
That's the Liberate difference.
Liberate offers a wide range of facial procedures including facelift, brow lift, neck lift, eye bag removal, nose reshaping (rhinoplasty), chin implants, scar revision and ear reshaping.
Liberate surgeons are highly qualified and experienced in these procedures and you can choose which surgeon you see.
Whatever procedure you are considering you can feel confident you'll make the right choice with a Liberate cosmetic surgeon.
There is no reason why men shouldn't take care of their bodies and look their best. If you're thinking about having cosmetic surgery then look no further than Liberate.
We have achieved some fantastic results for our male clients and we're confident that you'll be delighted too.
If lines and wrinkles are affecting your self confidence, give us a call and we will show you how they can quickly and easily be corrected.
With line and wrinkle treatments, dermal fillers, skin peels, scar removal, laser hair removal and thread vein removal, your Liberate surgeon can help you achieve the look you want.


text: Full length ambient file – may be good for background in slidshows, presentations, websites, videos and similar. Please have an ear on "backing01" and "backing03" . These two files are made in the same atmosphere to combine each other – if you want. bar: 4/4 tempo: 60bpm length: 4:52 key: G-Dur


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In 1513, Juan Ponce de León discovered the islands located about 70 miles west of Key West. He called them Las Tortugas because of their abundance of large sea turtles. The word "dry" was added later to warn mariners of the lack of fresh water on the island.
Because of Dry Tortugas' strategic location in the Florida Straits, the U.S. military started the construction of Fort Jefferson in 1846. However, the invention of the rifled cannon made the fort obsolete and it was never completed.
During the Civil War, Union warships used the harbor in their campaign to blockade Southern shipping. The fort was also used as a prison, mainly for Union deserters.
In 1992, the islands became Dry Tortugas National Park in an effort to protect their historical and natural features.
Information provided by the National Park Service Web site.