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Even more than the style of play and the various gadgets that can impact the overall experience during battle, the Drebin system touches a primal collection urge within players, where they get a sense that running out and gathering every single pistol, rifle and grenade is innately tied to their survival in the midst of battle. However, it also establishes Snake as another cog in the war economy, one who will exploit the system from the inside in order to protect the rest of the world from its ravages by any means necessary. In some ways, this extends to Snake's ability to gain allies on the battlefield. It may sound like a strange concept, but the fact that the world is engaged in factionalized warfare means that Snake can sometimes exploit this division to his advantage. As you move throughout the various environments in the game, you'll come across different militia troops that are fighting the PMCs for control of their locations. Players essentially are presented with two options in this situation: on one hand, players can retain a lone wolf focus, proceeding on their own, fighting PMC and militia alike. This is perhaps the most traditional way of fighting through a Metal Gear Solid title, and will add an extra challenge as just about every single person in the environment will be hostile to Snake.
On the other hand, they can attempt to gain the trust of these local troops by fighting alongside them, attempting to gain their trust by attacking the PMCs. By building a reputation as a freedom fighter that believes in their cause, the militiamen will aid you in your mission, providing additional fire support during skirmishes and even eliminating PMC soldiers for you. What's more, the PMCs will help Snake out by giving him different items, such as ammunition or health items in battle. However, you'll have to be careful with your aim in the middle of a fight. If you accidentally wind up endangering the militia troops, you can ruin your standing with them, turning them into enemies. That forces you to try to regain their trust after a while, or attempt to bypass their attacks with careful disguises that make you appear to be one of their organization.
All of the above elements contribute to the compelling plot of Metal Gear Solid 4, which is nothing short of incredible for two primary reasons. First of all, as the final chapter in the Solid series, it wraps up every single loose end that has been included within the franchise. Players that have been looking for answers to questions that may have been raised within previous games will find them within MGS4, which is an incredible feat. Many of the mission briefings not only explain where you're going in your next mission, but also cover large sections of topical information to the series. The Patriots, Foxdie, Metal Gear -- somehow, the Kojima Productions team managed to condense all of the franchise's obscure concepts into easily digestible plotlines that players can follow and understand. That's not to say that it will be perfectly clear for beginners, but it does its best to explain as much as possible. In a way, some of the cutscenes play out like CliffsNotes for the Metal Gear Solid universe, providing additional details for those players that have been actively following the franchise while summarizing and explaining what's going on for newcomers. In some ways, this provides more than enough impetus for franchise beginners to fully acquire and explore the previous games in the series, such as the Metal Gear Solid: Essential Collection.
Secondly, while Metal Gear Solid games have always been resonant with issues of the day, MGS4 is particularly layered with allegories and topics both to previous games in the series and the real world that reveal a subtle amount of depth. Kojima weaves a tale that explores complex elements such as the horrors of war and its effects on civilians, technology gone horribly awry, mental manipulation and control (whether by technology or an organization) and personal sacrifice into a tour de force experience. In many ways, the number of topics addressed within the title and how they are handled within the title and franchise are large enough to be worthy of a dissertation on its own. There is a caveat to the exploration of these topics, which is that the cutscenes or dialogue sequences that occur around the exposition of these plot pieces can be somewhat lengthy. In fact, the longest cutscene within the game clocks in around 45 minutes, which can be rather daunting by the numbers. However, the scenes themselves are engaging enough that most players won't pay attention to the clock, although you can pause the cutscenes if you need a break or life interrupts, which is an excellent addition for this title.
All of these features contribute to an excellent gameplay experience, but additionally striking are its visuals, which make MGS4 one of the best looking titles to date in gaming history. It's apparent that Guns of the Patriots squeezes every pixel possible out of the PS3 and renders them beautifully. As a result, players are witnesses to one of the finest games ever created on any console or PC. Character models are large and impressively rendered in real time, and transitions between cutscenes and gameplay are seamless and natural. What's more, certain action sequences are just as sharp and framed as well as many Hollywood action movies, and there are some moments in particular which surpass film in the way the story is told. Much of this has to do with camera angles that showcase the game action exquisitely – it's rather obvious that from Subsistence on, Kojima Productions has focused on creating a camera system that works exactly the way you want it to, allowing players to experience the entire game from first person if they so choose, or swapping between shoulders with a click of the right analog stick.


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Most pet store puppies come from puppy mills, and puppy millers pose as small, local breeders online. Puppy mills are inhumane, commercial dog-breeding facilities where dogs are typically kept in small wire cages for their entire lives, are given very little food and water and often do not receive veterinary care. They are usually bred continuously and are discarded or killed when they can no longer breed anymore. You can help by adopting from a shelter or rescue, or by buying a dog only from a responsible breeder who will let you meet the parents of the puppy in person.
Here's how to find the right dog for you:
Find your perfect companion at a local shelter or rescue group. Shelters have purebreds in addition to loveable mutts, and rescue groups exist for just about any breed you can think of.
If you get your dog from a breeder, visit the puppy's parents at home to see what the living conditions are like. Reputable breeders will welcome your visit; the sleazy ones will make excuses.
I will do my part by:
1. Choosing not to buy my next pet from a pet store or Internet site.2. Refusing to buy supplies from any pet store or Internet site that sells puppies.3. Always considering adoption first.
Signed,[Your Name] [Your Address] [City, State ZIP]
Enter your mobile phone number below to sign up for text alerts (standard rates apply)
© 2019 The Humane Society of the United States
The Humane Society of the United States is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Contributions to The Humane Society of the United States are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. The HSUS's tax identification number is 53-0225390.

subset: commoncrawl


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Brandon, my little man, is the best little guy ever.
Brandon will always have a special place in my heart cuz he's my only boy.
I tell them all they are special...
Kathryn is special cuz she made me a mama.
Brandon is special cuz he's my only boy.
Ashlyn Grace is special cuz she's my last baby.
I am so in love with all of my kids.
Branner is a bit of a scare dee cat. He HATES when someone jumps out and scares him, and he wont watch scarey movies. He's really a lot like his mama. I am a HUGE chicken. Well he went to a friends house the other day, and they showed him this Email and all of a sudden this scarey face jumps out at you and he let out this scream and was bawling his head off. His poor friends thought it would be funny, but then were really upset that Brandon got upset. You have to know these kids are the best behaved kids ever and would have never done that to him had they known how much he gets scared. My poor little man was then connected to my hip all night. Which I didnt mind because I love to cuddle him, and since he's such a big busy boy, I dont get to do that often.
Also, my Bran changes so dramatically with his likes.
We have had our share of hair styles. He has had long hair,he wanted a "reverse mohawk" so he could look like his grandpa Jim. He's has has a buzzed head, a shaved bald head, a mohawk, and now he wants to grow it long again and pierce his ear. Im not sure about the pierced ear, but we have plenty of time to talk about it before his hair is long again. I just love how fun he is.
Raising a boy, is so much different than raising a girls.
Luckily though, he is turning out more and more like his daddy every day.


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You probably have never heard of "Shila's Voice – Breaking the Silence" blog; but, it's hot and discussed all over the Internet. This 20-year-old poly girl openly writes about her active casual sex life in her "Shila's Voice" blog and posts sexy photos of herself online for everyone to see.
As this "Shila's Voice" can not be found, it's hardly possible to verify the authenticity of the story; some readers don't believe it's true:
write watever she like… no one can proves that its true and had happened… as she had wrote" believe me if you want to…" she is sick, in a way that, she could jus write whatever she want,and to show off in a way…but never get caught..eventhough it might not be true…
Some felt bad for her,
too naive, too materialistic, too horny, too young. no future.
I'm not sure; this could be a manipulated story. According to STOMP, it was alerted of this blog; but all blog posts seem to be written about a year ago. The ShiLa's Voice blogger alerted them herself? No one could recently actually take a screen capture of that blog as it's gone already.
I can understand if it's true; over 7 billion people on the planet, it's not that hard to have any kind of person.


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FEATURE Part Four: How did the day of action go for police?
Here are the results from the operation from January 13, 2015.
• A man from Nottinghamshire was reported for summons for trespassing in the pursuit of game in Deeping St James.
• A teenager was reported for summons for hare coursing at Sutton St James.
• Also at the above incident a man from Surrey was given a formal direction to leave Lincolnshire.
• A man suspected of being involved in hare coursing was given a fixed penalty notice for having no MOT and given a formal direction to leave Lincolnshire.
• Four men from Derbyshire were given a formal direction to leave Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire.
Chief Inspector Jim Tyner, the force lead for rural crime, said: "Today was a good example of joint working to tackle a problem that cuts across many rural communities.
"Further days of action are planned and the message from me is that if you come to Lincolnshire to take part in hare coursing, you are not welcome."
Anyone who spots hare coursing should call Lincolnshire Police on the non-emergency number 101, or 999 in an emergency.
Read more:
Part One: On patrol to disrupt hare coursing.
Part Two: Dealing with hare coursers.
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A Look Back In Talladega History: An Exclusive Club
Mark Martin knows a thing or two about winning races at Talladega Superspeedway. As a multi-race/multi-series winner at the 2.66-mile tri-oval, he is in an elite group of drivers. Only Dale Earnhardt, Davey Allison, Bobby Labonte and Martin have won in three or more racing series at Talladega. And, as the only driver to win in four different racing series at NASCAR's Most Competitive Track, Martin is in a league of his own.
While other drivers earned more wins, Earnhardt (14 total) and Allison (8 total) for example, only Martin can say he has competed and won in each of the four series currently racing at Talladega (ARCA RE/MAX, NASCAR Craftsman Truck, NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Sprint Cup). Earnhardt, Allison and Labonte recorded wins in three separate series, (Earnhardt – 10 NSCS, 1 NNS and 1 IROC, Allison – 3 NSCS, 4 ARCA and 1 IROC, Labonte – 1 NSCS, 1 NNS and 2 IROC).
Martin however, has five race wins at Talladega (2 NSCS, 1 NNS, 1 NCTS and 1 ARCA) and has seen both the cars and the track change over time. Martin's first start at Talladega came in the 1981 ARCA 200, a race in which he qualified second and would go on to win. His next win would not come till 14 years later in the 1995 Winston Select 500 (now Aaron's 499). In 1997, Martin swept both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR Nationwide races during the Winston Select 500 weekend. In doing so, he also set a record for the fastest 500 mile race run in NASCAR, with an average speed of 188.354 mph. Martin's final win at Talladega also came during a significant milestone in the track's history, the inaugural NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race.
Martin's winning ways may not be over at Talladega Superspeedway either. In 2008, he announced he would be driving for Talladega juggernaut Hendrick Motorsports in 2009. Hendrick leads all car owners with ten team wins at Talladega.
Talladega Superspeedway proudly celebrates forty years of the most competitive racing in NASCAR. While the track has seen changes made to the cars that circle its high-banks, the surface that they race on and the grandstands that thousands of fans fill twice a year, one constant remains; Talladega Superspeedway is authentic NASCAR racing at its finest.
Race fans should make plans now to experience part of Talladega's history in 2009 during the triple-header Aaron's Dream Weekend, featuring the ARCA RE/MAX Series, the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. For tickets, visit www.talladegasuperspeedway.com or call 1-877-Go2-DEGA. For our hearing impaired guests, please call TDD 1-866-ISC-TRAK (1-866-472-8725). Tickets also are available in person by visiting the Talladega Superspeedway Ticket Office from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. CDT, Monday- Friday.
- Talladega's New Race Operations Building Being Constructed Outside, High Above Tri-Oval
- Transformation Infield Project into Overdrive for New Talladega Garage Experience
- Elliott Ready for an Even Better "Home" Talladega Experience Upon Return in October
- Value-Priced Concessions Offered in the Talladega Garage Experience, Coming Fall 2019
- Bye Bye Winner's Circle! Bobby Allison Starts Demolition of 'Dega's Gatorade Victory Lane


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One hundred less-developed countries attracted US$ 62 billion in clean energy investments from 2009 to 2013, according to a new report by the US-based Pew Charitable Trusts.
At US$ 2.2 billion, Peru's clean energy market ranks 5th amongst non-OECD countries.
Released Tuesday, the report Power Shifts: Emerging Clean Energy Markets uses data from Bloomberg New Energy Finance and says clean energy investment in Peru is spread across a range of technologies.
Nearly nearly US$ 750 million was invested in biofuels, or one-third of the total, and the most amongst less-developed countries.
In 2009–13, investment in small-scale hydropower amounted to about US$ 670 million, the second-highest, while solar and wind received US$ 410 and US$ 250 respectively.
Only a very small of Peru's total energy supply is from clean sources, however, with 63 per cent supplied by mostly large-scale hydroelectric dams, according to the German Agency for Technical Co-operation, GTZ.
Large hydropower, while renewable, can cause substantial ecological damage and release large amounts of methane and other greenhouse gases.
The country is speeding ahead to develop its massive gas and hydroelectric potential, but the government does have programmes to equip isolated communities with solar power.
Currently, less than a third of rural households have electric power.
According to the World Bank, demand for electricity in Peru is growing at 9 per cent per year, requiring about 500 megawatts in new supply, much of it destined for heavy industry.
Chile took Peru's lead in installed capacity for clean energy in 2014, Pew says.
Originally from Peru This Week


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Decorative Knot Boards to Make Nautical Theme Home Decor Ideas
- 0.1 Decorative knot boards are not only a beautiful example of nautical decor, but they can be educational as well.
- 1 Knot Boards
Decorative knot boards are not only a beautiful example of nautical decor, but they can be educational as well.
Knot tying remains one of the true art forms practiced by sailors. For thousands of years, the skills of knot tying, line handling, and sewing were necessary skills for those who manned the great sailing ships of old. Knot boards are a popular piece of nautical decor and are actually replicas of teaching tools used to advance the craft of knot making and splicing.
Whether you want to accent the theme of a single room or entire house, decorative knot boards and nautical decor has something for everybody.
Knot tying is an essential skill for any sailor. Names used for various knots are thought to come from several sources. The name would describe the type of knot. Bends, hitches, bowlines and loops all have specific uses and can be seen in various configurations. Most often, the name is synonymous with the shape of the knot boards.
The most basic type of knot boards is the square knot. Also known as a reef knot, the knot takes on a square shape when it is properly tied. Square knots are quite strong and are used to join rope of equal size. A wrongly tied square knot is called a granny knot. When faced with two lengths of rope of different diameters, a sailor would use a sheepshank or sheep bend. The manner in which the ropes wrap around each other creates a very strong bond.
Knot boards, in addition to being decorative can be educational as well. As a piece of nautical decor, the knot board is a great way display the ancient and important art of knotting, splicing, and decorative weaving.


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Generally, in schools and colleges the attendances of the students are taken in oral passion by maintaining attendance register. Sometimes the students may malpractice the attendance system in the class room by answering other's attendance. Not only in colleges, in companies or factories should the management maintain the attendance of each and every employee for their monthly payrolls. Here, also the employees may sign other absentee signature.
Maintaining the attendance manually is a big headache for big organizations. To avoid the malpractice in the attendance system, the management of the organization should appoint person to monitor the attendance register. The above idea seems to be creepy; here one solution which removes the above problems is by using biometric finger print based attendance system and security provision system using 8051 microcontroller.
In this system, each person finger print is taken as their unique identification to avoid the mal practicing in the attendance system. This system maintains the finger print database of all employees/students. Whenever a person places his figure on the finger print module, the microcontroller circuit takes the finger print data and perform mapping with the database. If the finger print is matched with the existing database then it automatically updates the attendance. This system not just maintain the attendance of each and every person, it also ensures that only authorized persons may enter into the room by opening the gate automatically. So that by using this system, security to the organization is provided.
In this project, the SM630 finger print module is used for scanning finger prints of each person. The algorithm design in the system can add, delete the records of the persons. The 89s52 microcontroller is used to initiate the finger print module, reads the finger print scanned by the module and provides the security by controlling the door of the room. The automatic door open and closing is shown by using stepper motor. A LCD is used to show the finger print entering status of a person. RS-232 cable can be used send the serial data if any PC interface is needed.
Block diagram for Finger Print based attendance system with security provision using 8051 Microcontroller (89s52+SM630)
|Finger Print based attendance system with security provision using 8051 Microcontroller (89s52+SM630)
Tags: Biometric Finger print SM630 module, 89s52 microcontroller, rs-232 interface, power supply, LCD, finger print based attendance system, finger print based security system, low power finger print based attendance system, automatic door control using stepper motor, payroll system in companies, serial communicaiton, PC interface, java


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This week I will be having the time of my life at Broadway Con in New York City. In between all of the excitement and fun, I will also try to get some reading done. It would be smart to get a few eBooks with me to go, but I always need to have a physical book with me. I'm going to be taking 3 books with me to fill up space so I don't bring back books, and also to have some variety.
I like to take a poetry book with me because it's easy to stop and start. The poems in this books are short and sweet. I have read this one before but the message hasn't really sunk in yet, so I'm giving it another go! They are poems about women, being a woman and everything that comes with it.
Of course I'm going to take a play with me. I got this gem from the library (thank god for withdrawals). In Williams's most recognized plays every character is dealing with an inner struggle. At a party for one of the characters everything comes out into the open and the family is forced to deal with their demons.
Out of all the YouTuber books that have been published, Connor Franta's "A Work In Progress" is my absolute favorite. I just love this book to pieces and it's coming with me. Yes it's a memoir, yes he's young. I love how he acknowledges this fact in the book. He also knows how to use the intelligence he has. It's a weird sentence, but I know incredibly smart people that have not a clue how to use their smarts. Connor Franta is not one of these people.
Do you take books to travel?


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You are here:
Staff and student representatives are elected annually to hold positions on the Council for a one year period.
The Council welcomes interested members of the wider community with specific expertise to join and to assist the Council or its sub committees. We understand that people are committed to many activities these days, but any time that can be spared to help in any Council activity is greatly appreciated.
The Adelaide High School Governing Council works in partnership with the staff at the school to ensure effective governance and management. The Governing Council aims to ensure relationships between parents, students and staff are positive and trusting, and supports the focus on achieving constructive outcomes for our children. The Adelaide High School Governing Council operates within the guidelines and conditions outlined in the South Australian Association of State School Organisations (SAASSO) Handbook and a locally developed framework for Strategic Planning and Local Management.
The Governing Council supported the decision for the School to undertake the Council of International Schools (CIS) accreditation process. The review by the team of international teachers accredited Adelaide High School as an international standard school. This is a great credit to the whole School community and celebrates the pride the students, staff and its community takes in Adelaide High School.
The Governing Council also works directly with the District Director to conduct an annual appraisal of the Principal.
In order to focus our work, we have developed a Code of Practice for the Adelaide High School Governing Council.
Alex Lovat
Governing Council Chairperson


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Fulfill your adventurous side on-board Royal Caribbean's two of the most bold and innovative ships on the water. Boogie board in Basseterre and go out for a gallop along Chukka Beach in Jamaica. Island hop and save big on Oasis and Allure of the Seas®. With 50% off second guest and their deposit — plus a bonus of up to $250 in instant savings.
Booking Window: July 12, 2016
Sailing Window: Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas sailings departing between August 12, 2016 and December 31, 2016. .
Offer details:
o Buy One Guest, Get Second Guest 50% Off
o 25% Savings for 3/4 guests
o PLUS 50% reduced deposit
Up to $250 Off per stateroom savings:
· Interior/Oceanview -$75 Off per stateroom
· Balcony- $150 Off per stateroom
· Suite – $250 Off per stateroom
Contact us at email@example.com today to book this amazing one day sale! Offer ends TODAY July 12, 2016!!


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WHAT: Town hall style meeting to learn more about VT Google Apps at Virginia Tech
WHEN: September 19, 2012 – please choose ONE session:
WHERE: Haymarket Theatre in Squires Student Center – seating is first come, first served
FOR: Members of the Virginia Tech Community – students, faculty, and staff
WHO: Hosted by Kevin Davis and University Computing Support along with members of the VT Google Apps Project Team
AGENDA: Each session will provide information regarding VT Google Apps and address questions from the audience about VT Google Apps. Questions regarding VT Google Apps may be emailed to email@example.com prior to the meeting.
Announcements >


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G'day every one, rain or shine fishing is always fine. This last week has produced some interesting fishing conditions. Just a reminder for everyone to exercise caution when going offshore & thru the Bars. A lot of Pelagic species are out & about. The ever present Spotty Mackerel, school mackerel ,occasional Bonito & Tuna and talor have been showing themselves all week. Look for the birds circling & diving for bait fish & usually they aren't far away. Just need Lazerpro Spinners or 20g chrome slugs, quick reflexes & keep the tension on the line. These fish are easy to catch once you got the knack for it. They have been showing near Mud Island, Green Island, & not far from Fisherman's Wharf the back side of peel.
A school of Pike were spotted by a bloke fishing for Tailor off the southern end of Coochiemudlo Island, he managed to land one Pike & three Tailor using hardbodied lures & hardyheads. He was shocked to catch a Pike on a 3inch lure as the pike was only 6inches long. The colder weather has really brought the Snapper on the bite, many areas around all the Bay Islands, have been nailing some decent sized fish using either fresh Squid & mullet fillet.
Winter Whiting have been very plentiful, with catches been reported off the Jetty & banks around Victoria Point, Redland Bay & Cleveland. In the Bay the Whiting have been caught using fresh Squid or prawns or even a bit of oxheart, close to sand banks & close to shore. Whiting have also been caught just before the drop off at Harry's, banana banks, pelicans banks. Mud crabs & sand crabs are still around just more undersized & females that turn up in the pots. We got 2 decent sized males in a few pots that we put along the banks near Browns Bay. Really a hit & miss with the crabs. It's definitely worth the effort if you can get a few.
The Prawns are finally starting to show by schooling up in better numbers from northern end of Russell Island right thru to the red beacon near Cabbage Tree Point, to Rudy Maars around the boats. They are still in the process of shelling themselves & coming out of the mud. The water temperature has not dropped below 20deg yet so they should be still showing up for a few weeks. Definitely hard work to catch your bucketful. Keep an eye out for the prawns on the sounder & as soon as you spot them throw the castnet, bearing in mind that if you are prawning around a lot of other boats, be respectful & drive carefully.
Jewfish were caught around Short Is on live mullet. One weighed in at 18kg & the other at 22kg. Also there has been a few Jew caught in the 15kg range from the sticks at the Pin Bar. School Jew have been caught at Marks Rocks & Giants Grave between 70-80cm so make sure your measure properly as the legal size is 75cm. The boys & a few mates managed to go offshore during the week to the Pin Bar Reefs, when we had some great weather early morning before the wind picked up. We caught some Sergeant Bakers & we used the fillets & caught a few Pearlies, some plate sized Snapper. For bait we were using pilchards, mullet fillets & soft plastics.
I hope u can get out over the week, from the crew at VP Bait & Tackle, Frandon, Jo & Justin.
Frandon Heseltine.
Weekly Report 14 May 13
84 Shipper Dr, Coomera Qld 4209
ph: 07 5502 6200
ph: 07 5502 6200
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Re: Weekly Report 14 May 13
Bit new to fishing here in Queensland and i was wondering what gauge hooks were being used for whiting as i seemed to do a lot of fish feeding last weekend. i caught a flounder but not a lot else. We were fishing off Wellington point and as we don't have a boat we are land based.
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©Cari Stewart 2011. Cari takes us on a journey of preparing for a VBAC at home (also called HBAC: Homebirth After Cesarean) and shares with us her experience of transferring for another c-section. (Photo heavy at the bottom, might take time to load).
"It's early morning. Why am I awake? I roll over and look at my phone: 6am. Sigh. I roll back over and notice my back has a slight ache. And then I get a light Braxton hick. I find this strange because even though I've experienced them 10 minutes apart for weeks, they start at 5pm {on the dot} and end around 11:30pm. I lay there with anticipation. After 10 minutes go by, I get another, and another and another.
At 7am I get out of bed and go to the bathroom. I am about to stand up and feel something come out. Shoot out really. I wipe again and see blood and clear mucus. I panic. This is it. This is really it. Everything I have been preparing for, for years. This is my VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean). This is my moment. I cry and ask Eric if he thinks I can really do it. He tells me he has perfect faith in me. He knows I can do this. That's all I need to hear. I pull myself together. It is January 13th. I am 38 weeks.
I call my midwife to let her know things are moving. My contractions are between 7 and 10 minutes apart and getting stronger. I decide to see my chiropractor for a quick adjustment. I have to take a shower first and while I am in there, I am getting hit over and over again by contractions. I feel everything in my upper belly. They are so strong that I am already vocalizing. I start to worry if it is normal or not.
We get in the car to start our 30 minute drive. I'm a bit uncomfortable but I manage to stay relaxed and keep my mouth slack and open. I go in, get adjusted and my amazing chiropractor gives me wonderful encouragement and a big hug. It is exactly what I needed at that moment. She has been adjusting me since about 27 weeks. I am very grateful for her.
After I am adjusted I am rocked by 3 contractions that are 3 minutes apart. I decide that I want to swing by my midwife's birth center and have her check to see if my waters had broken. I decided not to have her check my dilation as this was an issue in my previous birth. She found that my waters had not broken. We got back into the car and drove to Target to get a few last minute supplies. Once there, my contractions were 5 minutes apart and hard. I was stomping my foot through them and banging my hand rhythmically on the cart.
I think my 3 year old Aaron was a little freaked out! But it was helping me cope. It was now around 12pm. I had one contraction that was stronger than anything I had yet experienced. I told Eric it was time to go, now! We head home, eat lunch, get Aaron down to nap, make some calls and try to rest. But I couldn't lie down. It all just felt worse lying down.
Being a doula myself, I had access to a few doulas for my birth. One was my sister, Jaclyn, who would be traveling over an hour to get to me. The other, Amber, is one of my best friends. Allison was another close friend. She was "head" doula. She had been keeping in touch with me all day. Texting, calls, she was keeping tabs. Around 4pm she came over to time me. I was between 4 - 8 minutes apart and very vocal. They were getting longer, stronger and closer together.
Aaron woke up from a nap and my other sister Niki came over to help out. I needed some space so she took him out to eat and play. Eric started to set up the tub and this is where things get hazy for a bit.
Allison asked if I wanted to get into the regular tub while Eric blew up our birth tub. She made me some chicken noodle soup and I ate a ton of it. She took pictures and I called my mom and Amber, who got there around 6:30. I was very active. I think they were around 3 minutes apart, like waves crashing and taking me out to sea.
Allison called my midwife, Adrian, and her apprentice, K, and told them they need to get here NOW. I didn't know it until much later but Allison and Amber were preparing to catch this baby. It seemed as if I was about to give birth.
I have to say that Eric was the most amazing birth partner. He was my rock and the only thing that got me through the contractions at times. His whispered words of encouragement, his kisses holding my entire body weight through contractions. I am so blessed we had this experience together. I know we are capable of anything as a team. I am very luck to have him.
Adrian and K get to my home around 8:30. I know most of what I'm about to tell you from my birth record. Once they got there I was in the tub. They checked the baby's heart rate, perfect 140's, and did the usual stuff. My contractions spaced out to around 7-8 minutes. My sister Jaclyn arrived. I zone out in the tub for an hour or two. They ask me to get out. I sit in the rocking chair. Things get heavy. Really heavy. I cling to Eric. I loudly vocalize through every contraction. Searing pain that I can only pound my fist to rhythmically to cope. I look up at Adrian and say, "I don't want to do this." She grabs my previous birth records and writes on the back "I CAN do this!" She puts it next to me to read. I am shaking and hot and cold. They tell me this is transition.
I tell them I want to get into bed with Eric. I am tired. Its 12:30am. I get back in the tub and the contractions space out. They gave me a few spoonfuls of honey and some coconut water. Adrian asks me if K can check me. I agree. Lets see how much longer we have. I have a killer contraction and jump out of the tub, waddle to my bed and am hit with another. I lay down and she checks me to see that I'm at 9cm, -2 station, bag of waters bulging.
I begin to cry. "I'm not broken! My body can do this! I can do this!" I get back into the tub and wait. And wait. And wait. They give me toast. They change my positions. Contractions continue to space out. It's now 3:30 am. I'm in bed with Eric again. They ask me to try pushing a little to see what happens. I get up on my knees and push. I have a large gush of fluids. I am scared but thrilled this is almost over.
Nothing else happens. I get back in the tub. I fall asleep, wake at the top of a contraction, and then fall back asleep. My midwife asks if she can check me to see whats going on in there. Its now 4:38am. What she finds is more devastating than I have words for at the time. I am only 4-5cm. Baby high at -4 station. Waters are not broken. I cry. I am heartbroken.
My contractions space out to 10-11 minutes apart. My midwives leave to get some rest. I am angry. I am scared. My sister asks me if I can take anything to help me sleep. Eric calls Adrian at 7am and she agrees. I sleep until she calls back 2:38pm. I feel rested. I am still contracting every 10 minutes. I take another sleeping pill and sleep until 5:30pm when Allison calls and says she will bring us dinner. I ask for a cheeseburger.
She had gone home as well earlier, got called to another birth, and then came back to me. Doulas are amazing! I go back to bed and send her home to get some sleep. Eric and I have long talks about what is happening. I feel we should make plans in case of a transfer. We fill the birth tub with fresh hot water, have a glass of wine and wait for something to happen. I am exhausted to tears.
We call Adrian back around 9:30pm to tell her the contractions are picking up again. I am excited. I tell her not to come yet but that I wanted her to know they were finally 5-8 minutes again. They space back out again. I tell Eric I am done. I cannot do this anymore. It's 4am. I want to transfer. We decide to transfer to the hospital close to Adrian's birth center and stop in to see her first and maybe have her check me. She finds I am 5-6cm and we are all encouraged. I am making progress, even if it is slow.
She asks me if I want to rest in the tub and let Eric get some sleep. I do and while I am in the tub she comes in to talk. She tells me how she became a midwife and tells me stories. She sits quietly while I breathe through contractions and rubs my belly when they end. Midwives are beautiful people. I wish everyone had access to Adrian for her births. She did a rebozo on me and we order breakfast.
After I eat, contractions get started again. They get as close as 2-3 minutes. My chiropractor comes over to adjust me again. We talk about my fears and I feel better. Contractions space out again. I slowly feel my VBAC slipping away. I take herbs. I do nipple stimulation. I squat. I do everything and anything. Nothing works. At 7pm we decide to have her check me. I am still 5-6cm. I decide to transfer. I cry harder than I can ever remember. I still feel a lump in my throat now as I write this. I know that I have lost my VBAC. I feel failure like I have never known.
Adrian talks to me about where I want to transfer. I can go to the hospital down the street, but she doesn't know the OB on call and she doesn't know how we, a VBAC home birth transfer, will be treated. She tells us about a hospital that is an hour away. They are amazing, she says. She knows the OB's there. They will give us the things that we feel are important during a c-section. I look outside and see it's snowing. I find it ironic that I had been telling our son Aaron my entire pregnancy that it would be snowing when his brother or sister was born.
We get in the car and suddenly it's a whole new ball game. Contractions are coming every 2 minutes and lasting 2 minutes. I am screaming. I have no coping skills left. I am begging, pleading, for the pain to stop. I'll do anything, please just make it stop. I hate this. I want to throw myself out of the car. I yell at Eric, punch the seats and the ceiling, anything to escape the pain. It is like nothing I have ever felt. It's snowing hard. We are on back, winding roads, in a New Hampshire blizzard. And stuck behind a sanding truck. You can't make this stuff up!
We get to the hospital and I jump out of the car and run. Well, I felt as if I was running; it was more like a fast waddle. I tell Allison to help me. Please help me! I feel something come out of me. I tell her I think my water broke. She feels my legs and says she can't tell. So, in the middle of the parking lot I pull down my pants to check. I don't care. Modesty be damned! Its just a lot of bloody show. Allison tells me to ask to be checked and if I have dilated we will leave and I will push the baby out in the back of my Subaru because this hospital has a VBAC ban.
We get inside and the OB checks me and says I am still only 6cm. I feel more crushing failure. It takes them 5 tries to get an IV going. They finally hold me down and put it in my wrist, at the part where your hand meets your wrist, which is not a good spot. They gave me pain meds, but they did nothing. I am still screaming. I am embarrassed about how loud I screamed. I really didn't care at the time though. My back was on fire. They had to get 2 bags of fluid down before they could do surgery.
At some point I just gave up. I withdrew into my self. I stopped fighting and let the pain wash over me. It was all I could do in the situation. There was no running left in me. I had lost my VBAC and now all I wanted was for the pain to just stop. I was half sitting on the edge of the hospital bed. Allison asked me to have them check me again. My midwife told me to as well. I might be 9cm and could still do this. It will remain one of my biggest regrets that I did not. They could clearly see I was in transition. Because when I stood up to walk to surgery, my waters really did break. It is with a heavy heart that I tell you I walked into the OR after that moment.
My surgery went well, or at least as well they can go. They dropped the curtain for me to see the delivery. They let Eric announce the sex, another BOY! And they let me have my amazing doula Allison be there, too. She held my hand and rubbed my face. She sang Amazing Grace to me to make it a better experience for me. The OB leaned over the sterile drape to tell me that my uterus had torn along the incision line, a 3cm extension and that I will never be able to attempt another vaginal birth. My heart was crushed and I died inside. Avery David was born at 12:16am on January 16th, 2011, weighing 8lbs11oz and 19 inches long.
It still hurts me. Yes, I have a beautiful son. Yes, he is healthy. But that's not all that matters. My experience matters, too. I hope one day I can try for a VBA2C, regardless of what the OB said. I hope one day I will know what it feels like to push my baby out into the world. I want to hear someone say, "Cari, grab your baby" and have my messy baby placed on my chest and know I am the first person who touches my baby. I wish no one ever knew the pain of a failed birth. I hope one day I will feel okay with everything that happened and the choices I made. I hope one day I can say proudly that I am not broken. I know I am a great many years from reaching that point.
I am forever grateful to everyone who supported me through my pregnancy and labor. Without you, I wouldn't learned all I did about myself and my abilities. I know I left out a lot of stuff. Some of it was too personal and close to my heart to share and some I forgot. But this is it. All 67 hours of labor. It may not be the perfect labor but it's mine. And I am proud of it now."
|After 52 hours of labor
|At the hospital, preparing for another c-section
|C-sections might be necessary in some situations, but they can still be humane. Mothers can request that the cloth is dropped to view their baby being born.
|First touch
|While mama is in recovery, daddy can do skin to skin bonding.
|Love is everywhere!


text: A young man is standing chest-deep in a grassy field poring over an electronic tablet. Living in the neglected backwoods of China, Zhou Shuguang (alias "Zola") is one of more than 500 million Internet users in the country. Harnessing the power of instant information access and dissemination through networks like Twitter, he and other citizen journalists have learnt to bypass the strict codes of conventional Chinese media to provide readers with first-hand, unmediated accounts. Tiger Temple, a 50-something activist with a legacy of political dissidence in his family, reports on plights faced by farmers in the agricultural hinterland, whereas Zola, a back-chatting blogger with a slightly inflated ego, gravitates towards more urban and sensational stories. Lioness director Stephen Maing follows them over an extensive period, through arrests, airport inquisitions, and nagging parents. It's a fascinating, all-access story of how two people fueled by idealism cope with pervasive state control.


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Delivery & Returns
Delivered in a unique Victoria Ragna box
Consult our shipping methods and costs, delivery times and accepted payment methods here. Residents in the UK can expect to receive their scarves in about 3-5 working days. We also offer free returns within the UK.
Taking care of your scarf
Preserve the beauty of your scarf
Store your item untied and ensure that accessories are not touching the scarf in order to help preserve the integrity of the fabric. Avoid contact with rain and harsh chemicals, and entrust it to a specialised professional for cleaning.
The Fabrics
Each fabric is sourced from the finest producers
- Silk Scarves Our silk is sourced from silk worm farms located in China, known for producing some of the world's finest silk. The fibres are then sent to a factory near Lake Como in Italy where they are dyed, woven, and sewn to become our beautiful scarves.
- Wool Scarves Our merino wool is imported from Australia, which is known for producing high quality merino wool. The wool is sent to Scotland where it is dyed and woven using a jacquard technique to bring out the patterns.
- Cashmere ScarvesOur cashmere is dyed and woven in Scotland using a Jacquard technique. After weaving, the fabric is then cut and finished to become our soft and warm cashmere scarves.


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Ladies of all ages are invited to hang out on the first Friday of every month. Each time we create different crafts, play games and eat snacks. Come get to know other ladies of the faith here at Capstone! Feel free to bring a snack, but don't feel obligated.
For information about this month's craft, email .


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|VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA (director/writer: Irwin Allen; screenwriter: Charles Bennett/story by Irwin Allen; cinematographers: Winton Hoch/underwater photography John Lamb; editor: George Boemler; music: Paul Sawtell/Bert Shefter; cast: Walter Pidgeon (Admiral Harriman Nelson), Robert Sterling (Captain Lee Crane), Barbara Eden (Lieutenant Cathy Connors), Peter Lorre (Commodore Lucius Emery), Joan Fontaine (Dr Susan Hiller), Michael Ansara (Miguel Alvarez), Frankie Avalon (Chip Romano), Regis Toomey (Dr. Jamieson), John Litel (Vice-Adm. B.J. Crawford), Howard McNear (Congressman Parker), Henry Daniell (Dr. Zucco, U.N. science chief); Runtime: 106; MPAA Rating: PG; producer: Irwin Allen; Twentieth Century--Fox; 1961)
a film to be
enjoyed for
its DeLuxe Technicolor eye candy visuals."
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
It's a film to be enjoyed for its DeLuxe Technicolor eye candy visuals, trick photography, special effects and its sometimes campy effects such as casting Peter Lorre as a noted scientist/commodore (he walks a shark in an aquarium). Irwin Allen ("Five Weeks in a Balloon"/"The Story of Mankind"/"The Lost World ") directs from his story and cowrites it with Charles Bennett.
At the North Pole, genius eccentric scientist/Admiral Harriman Nelson (Walter Pigeon) launches his experimental nuclear-powered research submarine, the Seaview. When it emerges from tests under the Arctic ice-pack, the admiral discovers that the sky is on fire and attributes it to a passing comet having lit up the Van Allen radiation belt which circles the globe. This incident causes intense heat on the Earth, to such a degree it has only three weeks to survive. It's up to Nelson to save the world. The plan he proposes to the U.N. is to detonate a Polaris nuclear missile whose blast will remove the belt on a backward path into a far off point in space. Problem is that the U.N. science chief Dr. Zucco (Henry Daniell) and other world scientists vote to reject the idea as too dangerous. This causes Nelson to act on his own to save the world, as he tries to reach his objective launching point in the Marianas Trench. His ship crosses half way around the world, as the Earth's temperature rises significantly with blistering heat and the Seaview battles giant sea octopi, pursuing submarines from the world's navies, WWII mines, a saboteur, a religious fanatic and a mutiny from his crew who object to his iron-hand of rule.
Aboard the Seaview, the world's most respected physicist, Lucius Emery (Peter Lorre), supports Nelson, while the ship's skipper Captain Lee Crane (Robert Sterling) opposes the plan. Crane is engaged to Nelson's pretty secretary Cathy Connors (Barbara Eden), who is caught in the middle not knowing whether to be loyal to her boss or future husband. Also aboard are a pretty psychiatrist Susan Hiller (Joan Fontaine), who raises questions about Nelson's sanity; a playful trumpet playing young officer Chip Romano (Frankie Avalon) who doesn't take kindly to all the strict rules; and the rest of the large crew. The sub picks up a survivor, a voice of doom religious nut and scientist, Miguel Alvarez (Michael Ansara), who believes that the missile strike goes against the will of God.
This childish sci-fi film ignores basic science even though it pretends to be informative (the main plot point is flawed, since "the Van Allen Belt exists outside of the Earth's atmosphere, so it could not possibly burst into flame as there is no oxygen to support fire"). Considering how limited is the screenplay, the acting is about as good as can be expected.
It was turned into the TV series Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964-8).
Dennis Schwartz: "Ozus' World Movie Reviews"


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Integumentary Assessment
A patient's skin needs to be assessed often for breakdown. A common scale for rating a person's tendency to have skin breakdown is called the Braden Scale (listed below). The six main categories looked at in this scale are sensory perception, moisture, activity, mobility, nutrition, and friction & shear.
The breakdown of the scoring is as follows:
- Very High Risk: Total Score 9 or less
- High Risk: Total Score 10-12
- Moderate Risk: Total Score 13-14
- Mild Risk: Total Score 15-18
- No Risk: Total Score 19-23
During my assessment, I look over the patient's skin. Are they any rashes, bruises, or other abnormalities? How is the temperature of their skin? Do they have any drains? What is draining and how much? Do they have any wounds or pressure sores? What dressings are in place for these wounds?
Example assessment: The patient has a heat rash on their chest from their fever. They have a skin tear on their right wrist from an old IV bandage that is covered with gauze, antibiotic ointment, and a Kerlix wrapping. They have a stage I (non-blanchable area) skin on their coccyx that is red and intact. I have been repositioning them every two hours to avoid further breakdown.


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Notre Dame Catholic School is composed of an elementary campus for students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade and a middle/high campus for sixth through twelfth grade. The traditions of the institution are drawn from the Sisters of Saint Mary of Namur who, in 1904, founded the original school which was known as the Academy of Mary Immaculate. Notre Dame Catholic School is the parish school of Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church and Sacred Heart Catholic Church and serves students from ten other Catholic parishes in the three-county area. The student body is 76% Catholic. Tuition Assistance is distributed to 86% of the student body. The average class size is 14.
Notre Dame Catholic School is accredited by the Texas Catholic Conference Education Department and AdvancED. Notre Dame is recognized as accredited by Texas Education Agency under Tarrant County, Diocese of Fort Worth. Memberships include the National Catholic Education Association, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, and the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools.


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Digital and International Events
The Dubai International Film Festival - The DIFF kicks off this weekend on 9 December, showcasing excellent talent from around the world. Send me some sun if you go :)
The Guardian's London Films - The Guardian recently offered up the fourth and final double bill of its London cult films via Distrify. The final pair is London and Radio On. Check out the previews and watch both here. Thanks to Nicole at MyDirty30's for the tip!
Sound City
One for the music fans, this is an incredible documentary about the Sound City music studio, which was the birthplace of some of the greatest albums ever. It includes great in-studio and interview footage with Tom Petty, Trent Reznor, Stevie Nicks, Dave Grohl, Butch Vig, and many more. As a fan of most of the people in this doc, watching this trailer makes me drool. The film isn't just an "ooh, awesome!" collection of brilliant musicians. It also addresses how the tech age has changed the human element and human approach to music, as nowadays, anyone is a push-button musician, author, or any kind of artist.
Love, Marilyn
Of the bazillion and a half films, docs, books, TV specials, magazine articles, conferences, and random public events, this has to be one of the very best Marilyn Monroe docs I've ever heard of. This is because it so gracefully connects the universal responsibility we all have of living our lives in the present moment, with the story of a woman who has always been identified via her deliberately crafted persona, Marilyn Monoe. A wonderful group of actors joins in on reading from and interpreting the recently discovered journals and other personal papers that belonged to Marilyn all these years after her death.
I, Anna
I have no idea what's going on here either, but apparently the story goes like this: Charlotte Rampling is a noir "femme fatale" who is lonely and looking for a new fella. Somehow in the process she ends up connected to a murder, which then links her in more ways than one to Gabriel Byrne, the detective on the case. Looks promising.
Storage 24
Part Alien, part "Storage Wars", this film does seem to have the tension (and the dubstep) in the right place, though I am almost damn sure they gave away the ending in the trailer. Or maybe in the premise itself, haha.
Let Fury Have the Hour
An excellent documentary about the connection between art, the tech age and social action.
Star Trek: Into Darkness
If you don't want to exhaust yourself wading through all the bogus and fan-made trailers, click on the poster image below for the official announcement trailer for the new Star Trek. I'm already angry at the film for two reasons: 1) there's a trend now of using the "threat from within" plot, which I think should have gotten its coup de grace with Skyfall, and 2) there's an equally boring trend of Photoshopping the shit out of a film franchise's logo to incorporate it into a scene of urban destruction in the promotional posters.
Don't let me down, JJ. You're hanging by a thread with ol' konstruksjon ...


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NPR's All Things Considered
NPR's Marketplace
NPR's Morning Edition
The Atlantic
Bloomberg BusinessWeek
El Pais (Spanish)
Le Monde on Jay Last (French)
Le Monde on Corporate Benefits (French)
NPR on the First Web Page
New York Times
Financial Times
NPR's Talk of the Nation: Science Friday
San Jose Mercury News
WGBH: Innovation Hub
CSPAN-2 BookTV (ID# 187717)
Voice of America
Inside Digital Media
TechNation (KQED, San Francisco)
Articles for General Readers
Why Silicon Valley Continues To Rule, Medium
Tech Legend Bob Taylor Invented "Almost Everything," Wired
Time-Lapse Reality, an essay on biography for Powells.com
Tracing Silicon Valley's Roots, San Francisco Chronicle
How the Valley Start-Up was Invented, San Jose Mercury News
Robert Noyce and the Tunnel Diode + Finding Noyce's Notebook, IEEE Spectrum
Go Off and Do Something Wonderful, Core
Why Noyce Matters, Computing Unplugged
The Microchip Turns 50: Lessons for Innovators
Apple Through The Years, San Francisco Chronicle
When Steve Jobs Was a "Joker," Bloomberg Echoes
Sophie L.: A Life in Five Moves, Medium
New York Times Columns (Sunday Business Section)
Prototype – Kicking Reality Up a Notch, New York Times
Prototype – Location, Location: It Still Pays to Be Near, New York Times
Prototype – A Web That Speaks Your Language, New York Times
Prototype – Software That Monitors Children's Virtual Playgrounds, New York Times
Prototype – Try, Try Again, or Maybe Not, New York Times
Prototype – Running a Business After Doing Time, New York Times
Prototype – Cell Phones as Credit Cards? Americans Must Wait, New York Times
Prototype – The Comics Are Feeling the Pain of Print, New York Times
Prototype – Lessons of Survival, From the Dot-Com Attic, New York Times
Prototype – If No One Sees It, Is It an Invention? New York Times
Prototype – We'll Fill This Space, But First a Nap, New York Times
Academic Articles
Draper Gaither and Anderson: First Venture Capital Firm in Silicon Valley, Making the American Century: Studies in 20th Century Culture, Politics, and Economy
Robert Noyce and Fairchild Semiconductor, 1957-1968, Business History Review


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I would consider myself against violence.
But a column called "Teach Your Daughters to Hit People Who Touch Them," by the Houston Press's Jef Rouner has been pretty persuasive.
I'll admit reading this headline made me uncomfortable at first.
Isn't violence always wrong? Does punching have to be the answer?
But as I kept reading, I grew more convinced.
Rouner mentions how the saying used to be if something were wrong, your child should go to the teacher.
Sounds about right… But is it?
Should your daughter go tell a teacher?
A woman is suing Houston because her rape kit sat untested for five years, Rouner wrote.
Countless Harvey Weinstein-esque stories have appeared in the news lately of women either reprimanded for speaking out or too afraid to speak out.
Even public officials are being accused, and it's barely tainting their reputations.
Plus, human resource departments often prioritize the company's best interest over its employees'. I don't really blame them for that, but it still sucks.
All these instances exemplify vulnerable individuals looking to authority for help and being totally screwed over.
So I'm sorry. But my trust in authority is a little shallow right now.
Plus, telling people about the problem after doesn't stop the problem during
In reality, would I teach a young girl to tell officials if someone touched her? Yes, I would. Because I choose to be optimistic — even if naively so — that they'd do something about it, that there would be some form of justice.
But confiding in leadership would not be the only task. I want girls to feel like they don't have to solely rely on others for protection. I want them to feel like they could do something to protect themselves, God forbid they had to.
As Rouner eloquently wrote:
Is violence the ideal answer to sexual harassment? Of course it isn't. The ideal answer is living in a world where this sort of thing is swiftly dealt with at all levels of authority with a zero-tolerance policy. Anytime y'all want to make that happen, you let me know. Until then, I'm teaching my daughter the proper way to throw a punch, and if you don't like it, teach your kids the proper way to act.
If she's punished, so what
If for some disgusting reason the school decided that your child was out of line for throwing a punch at a guy who tried to touch her without her consent, then yeah, she'll probably be punished.
But you know what? It'll be better to have a mark on her record than a mark on her well-being.
So yeah, parents. Teach your daughter to punch people who touch her.
Like All the Moms?
We need to encourage our girls to raise their hands in class
First hijab-wearing Olympic fencer Barbie to hit stores in 2018
How to stop being a 'fixer' parent and raise a problem solver
Single dad asks Reddit for tampon advice for daughter. Hearts melt.


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The dominion of printed bits and pieces is nonmoving unexceeded. You can not just see it but as well touch it, trace it, and transport it beside you. Text, drawings, pictures photos and colours have -each in their own way- an colossal consequence on those and the aptitude to transport information, a statement. Even more than so, the joyful or aim of the message can be corroboration by the way it is printed or powerless.
However, back you can start the effective printing of a project, a lot of sweat goes into designing the product; transferral words, colors and structure to simplistic "white" serious newspaper. Of course, this is excessively easy. It requires a lot of skills, abilities and cognition to gear up a task in such a way that it is successful in carrying its communication and too fitting for writing.
Marketing agencies or other specialists habitually do the shape of a project, but printing companies do paperwork the entire printing aspect; they have babies numbers on treatise and otherwise unoriginal and are frequently up to our necks in the guidance towards the designers but as well in the distribution of the definitive service to various consumers and locations.Post ads:
Plugable USB 3.0/2.0 SATA Hard Drive Docking Station / Brother TN-210Y Toner Cartridge - Retail Packaging - / WolVol LIME GREEN 7" Mini Netbook Laptop Notebook Netbook / Cable Matters Gold Plated Premium HDMI to VGA M/F Active / AmazonBasics USB 2.0 4-Port Ultra Mini Hub / GMYLE Aqua Green Rubberized-see-through Hard Case Skin for / Bear Motion 100 Percent Genuine Leather Case for iPad Mini / WD RE4 2 TB Enterprise Hard Drive: 3.5 Inch, 7200 RPM, / Livescribe 8 GB Echo Smartpen Pro Pack (APX-00007) / For Apple Ipad 2 New Premium Reusable Screen Protector / Bamboo Duo Stylus + Pen for iPad (CS110K) / Apple MagSafe 60W Power Adapter for MacBook MC461LL/A with / QQ-Tech Removable Detachable Wireless Bluetooth ABS / CrazyOnDigital Screen Protector Film Matte Clear / HP 940XL 3 Color Combo (CYAN, MAGENTA, & YELLOW) Officejet / Ibex 17 Inch Notebook Backpack / Kinivo BTD-400 Bluetooth 4.0 USB adapter - For Windows 8 / / Bundle of 6 Stylus - Red, Purple, Pink, Blue, Sea Blue,
There is no specified piece as one average printing practice. Depending on an assortment of factors, distinguishable processes are untaken to guarantee maximal aspect and impinging.
To afford you an idea, a short and snappy overview of the leading processes and their specifics:
1: Engravure* Used for in flood paperback crop with a lot of pages, like catalog's and magazines. The Press is fed by a physical of thesis.Post ads:
Replacement Laptop AC Adapter/Power Supply/Charger w/US / Skinomi TechSkin - Screen Protector Ultra Clear Shield for / HP Envy 17-3290NR 17.3-Inch 3D Laptop (Silver) / ASUS TF700T-C1-CG 10.1-Inch Tablet (Champagne) / VideoSecu Universal LCD/DLP Projector Vaulted Ceiling / Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K760 for Mac/iPad/iPhone / Razer Deathadder Black 3500 High Precision 3.5G Infrared / Brother DS-600 DSMobile Scanner - Retail Packaging / EVGA GeForce GTX 660Ti SUPERCLOCKED 2048MB GDDR5 DVI-I, / Canon PG-240XL Office Products FINE Cartridge Ink / Seagate Backup Plus 3 TB USB 3.0 Desktop External Hard / Rotating iPad 2/3/4 case: Detour 360 by Devicewear - Black / Canon PIXMA Pro9000 Mark II Inkjet Photo Printer / ADATA Superior Series S102 Pro 16GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive / Western Digital WD Nomad Rugged Case / Case Logic DLC-115 15.6-Inch Laptop and Tablet Briefcase / Logitech G600 MMO Gaming Mouse, Black (910-002864) / Actiontec My Wireless TV WiFi / HDMI Multi-Room Wireless
- Typical written language run: > 500,000 copies, > 20 pages (letter scope). Other veritable products: Catalog's and Magazines. The start up reimbursement for engravure are (very) last. On a good-coated daily the written communication superior of engravure is one of the uppermost of all processes.
*(In specific engravure Companies, the technique is too utilized for the harvest of stuff materials like-minded drinkable cartons and food wraps)
2: Web offset Used for soaring decibels production, similar reporters. In this route too, the pinch is fed by a solid of dissertation.
- Typical written communication run: > 30,000 copies, > 16 pages (letter scope). Other typical products: Magazines and Brochures. The embark on up reimbursement are way demean than engravure but yet extensive. The written choice depends a lot on the weekly that you single out for your hang over.
3: Sheet fed offset This procedure is used for lower paperback crop which requires the matchless quality, same Annual Reports. The press is fed with sheets of thesis. Sheet fed presses can print on a 24lb paper hackneyed but also on timeworn as gooey as a 24pt pushcart plate near peak massiveness of 28 x 40".
- Typical written communication run: betwixt 500 and 30,000 copies, ≤ 16 pages (letter immensity). Other archetypal products: Magazines, Brochures, Flyer's, Presentation folders, Posters, Postcards, Boxes, etc. Start up reimbursement are way less than web kickoff. The competence can be severely soaring on the justified unsubstantial cattle. In addition, utmost bigger sheet fed companies have a lot of equipment in quarters to decorativeness your jut out over with die cutting, embossing and frustration.
4: Digital printing Digital writing is favorite for incredibly low noise crop beside an intermediate quality, similar flyer's. The laser copier is fed next to sheets in controlled weights and proportions (maximum 12pt, 14 x 20")
- Typical written communication run: relating 1 and 1,000 copies, ≤ 4 pages (letter sized). Other model products: Brochures, Small Posters, etc. Start up reimbursement are low, which makes it apt for inexpensive projects.
5: Screen-printing Screen-printing is utilised for low decibels crop on a thick mixed bag of stock, like yard goods and plastics.
- Typical written communication run: involving 1 and 1,000 copies. Typical products: Signs, Clothing, Posters, etc.
Regardless of what you privation to print, form confident you use the act compelling for your wares. This is not merely value efficient, it will too tender you the prize you are sounding for.
Most printers will recount you they are able of doing your extend beyond even if they have to outsource it to other people. If you privation to skirt the spare costs that this outsourcing will generate, always ask if the skilled worker has the apparatus in house for your finicky job.
If you don't worry that the printer of your conclusion is outsourcing your undertaking because of your relation near him, take on in worry that the skilled worker has to mark up the fee he pays to the camaraderie that does the very job. Mark up is required because the printer you matter next to remainder liable for all worries that may pass and is as well financially prudent.
A few examples may bequeath you an cognitive content on how to govern your printing projects in expeditious and cost-friendly way:
Lawn Signs: Don't ask a web showtime trained worker to written language prairie signs for you. He doesn't have the rigging to do that and if he takes the job, he will outsource your labor perfectly. Going directly to a Screen skilled worker will stockpile you fortune.
Brochures: If you ask a web first skilled worker to black and white 100,000 brochures next to a apart wrapping that is embossed, he will most sure enough don't have the gear to do the embossing and to written communication the coat. However, as relation of a utter hang over it complex second-best if he is in insinuation of the outsourcing to a side fed skilled worker. He knows all the requirements for your project and for you it is easier to have singular one interaction for all your questions.
Choosing the exactly company Once you have striving the comely practice for your writing needs, you frozen have a lot of printing companies to choose from. How do you cognise what guests meets your necessarily best?
There are a few points to write off as that will bequeath you a "feel" what organization to plump for for:
How extensive is the corporation in business? A institution beside a long-lasting long-ago must do something right, right? A long event in company channel a lot of education. Don't waste time to ask for examples of their trade so you can get an perception of what they are surefooted of devising.
Does the guests commit in the hottest technologies in his field? If you single out a printer sort assured you have admittance to a existing writing company, one that has endowed more than any opposite organization in your metropolitan area in hi-tech upgrades. Make sure the industrial unit has modern, promptly make-ready presses. Don't suspend to ask for a plant jaunt. Most companies are more than elated to make clear their patrons say and superior almost their innovative technologies.
For example, if a Sheet fed pressman doesn't have CTP profession (Computer-To-Plate), he is way trailing in the activity and best certainly his some other apparatus is too of the early period.
All constrict tools in a factory should be compatible - which enables the pressman to put your project on any grasp beside consistent, utile superior results. If the presses are compatible, the printer is as well able to run a project at the same time on two or more distinct presses and be 100% encouraged in colour meeting.
Is the printer's select predictable? Printers who are able to do every facet of your labor inside their own works won't cooperation the element of your extend beyond by hauling for outsourcing purposes. In addition, it is easier to livelihood a cover up exterior on all feature and state of matter of your extend beyond.
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When deed in communication beside a printer, see if they are voluntary to impart you suggestion and reports even before you lodge an demand. That will provide you a nice hollow of their keenness to be a biddable counsellor.
Do you poorness to go Environmental Friendly? Nowadays we are all mindful of the state of affairs and the impact our behavior has on moral fibre.
For a printer, watchful productivity delivers the top benefits in the perennial run. Some printers have an effectual and hard-and-fast proposal for characteristic and environmental direction. All accomplishments are carried out according to exact procedures.
For example, they cycle all plates and lavish quality newspaper and they keep up a panoptic solvent and ink-recycling programme. These printers as well try to use, as markedly as possible, environmentally hail-fellow-well-met produced tired.
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If the environment is your concern, these printers are competent to equip you near jelled info give or take a few their line. You can scrutinize at (Canada) or at (USA) if the pressman of your evaluation is FSC documented.
Of flight path near are other than aspects that power your verdict of pressman as well, like entity. However, the six aspects that are mentioned above can be greatly adjuvant to bring in your initial selection and support you to shirk costly mistakes.


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Rector's Reflection
The gospel reading for today is so rich that it spawns a ton of sermon ideas, but it also spawns lots of reflection ideas, not the least of which is asking Jesus' question – 'Who do you say that I am?' – right here, right now, to you and to y'all. Y'all is the Church responding to the question. You is you, deep down and personal, replying along with Peter, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."
We all know Peter's story… brash, assertive, likely to put his mouth in motion before his brain was in gear. Little did he know that this confession would change his life in unimaginable ways forever. Following '… the Messiah, the Son of the living God' ultimately meant giving up his agenda for the agenda of God.
Our confessing… your confessing… "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God" means the same thing.
The late English Christian leader and Anglican cleric John Stott warns us of the consequences of such a confession when he asks whether we are following Jesus or asking Jesus to follow us.
"Jesus never concealed the fact that his religion included a demand as well as an offer. Indeed, the demand was as total as the offer was free. If he offered men his salvation, he also demanded their submission. He gave no encouragement whatever to thoughtless applicants for discipleship. He brought no pressure to bear on any inquirer. He sent irresponsible enthusiasts away empty. Luke tells of three men who either volunteered, or were invited, to follow Jesus; but no one passed the Lord's test. The rich young ruler, too, moral, earnest and attractive, who wanted eternal life on his own terms, went away sorrowful, with his riches intact but with neither life nor Christ as his possession…
"The Christian landscape is strewn with the wreckage of derelict, half built towers – the ruins of those who began to build and were unable to finish. For thousands of people still ignore Christ's warning and undertake to follow him without first pausing to reflect on the cost of doing so. The result is the great scandal of Christendom today, so called nominal Christianity. In countries to which Christian civilization has spread, large numbers of people have covered themselves with a decent, but thin, veneer of Christianity. They have allowed themselves to become somewhat involved, enough to be respectable but not enough to be uncomfortable. Their religion is a great, soft cushion. It protects them from the hard unpleasantness of life, while changing its place and shape to suit their convenience. No wonder the cynics speak of hypocrites in the church and dismiss religion as escapism…
"The message of Jesus was very different. He never lowered his standards or modified his conditions to make his call more readily acceptable. He asked his first disciples, and he has asked every disciple since, to give him their thoughtful and total commitment. Nothing less than this will do." John R.W. Stott, Basic Christianity


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Statistics and Credentials
Let all things be done decently and in order."
+ 1 Corinthians 14:40
The Department of Statistics and Credentials is responsible for collecting and maintaining certain critical data about the missions and parishes of this Archdiocese, and using that data to determine the voting rights, and standing of each community.
Every two years the department will issue a request for census data from each community which results in a record of the number of "baptized souls" that are reported by each mission and parish.
This data is used at the biennial Convention to determine the number of votes that are allotted to each mission and parish. In addition, the department is responsible for determining the presence of a quorum at the General Assembly, and for distributing and validating all voting proxies to every individual who is eligible to vote.
Finally, the department is responsible for conducting and tallying the results of all balloting that might take place at the General Assembly of the biennial Convention.


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Park Place Luxury & Supercar Showcase
Dallas-Fort Worth's premier luxury lifestyle and automotive event will return this fall to the Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas. The second annual Park Place Luxury & Supercar Showcase is set for 10 am – 4 pm Saturday, October 13, 2018.
Open to the public $25 – $50 for general admission — $100 for VIP All Access, including the VIP Lounge with complimentary food and beverages. Tickets at LuxurySupercarShowcase.com.
The event benefits the Momentous Institute, owned and operated by the Salesmanship Club of Dallas since 1920, which is committed to building and repairing social and emotional health for children so they can achieve their full potential. Each year, the organization directly serves more than 6,000 children and family members through its nationally acclaimed Momentous School and innovative Therapeutic Services.
Within the family-friendly event will be a juried Collector's Showcase featuring a diverse selection of rare supercars, luxury, and classic cars from private collectors. Trophies designed by Dallas sculptor Brad Oldham, best known for the Traveling Man installation in Deep Ellum, will be awarded to Best of Show, Chairman's Choice and Salesmanship Club Choice winners. Trophies will also be given to Best In Class and First and Second Place winners in each of the individual categories.
The event will feature fashion from Highland Park Village, live music, specialty boutiques, and a Kid's Concours area presented by Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, featuring the North Texas Diecast Collectors Club's interactive Hot Wheels track, freshly popped popcorn, soda pop truck, and games.


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Events Calendar For Brandeis IBS Students And Community
Basic functions of mass communication can be divided into broad three classes: informing, persuading and entertaining. IT as a organization catalyst: IT can leverage the energy of details and the efficiency of the most recent technology to catalyze any organization to accomplish their business goals and toning ecosystem. Nonetheless, it has now become clear to me that the majority of contributors to this blog initially perceived their main revenue stream as being derived from the recruitment of other individuals into the business.
Rick Scott of Florida proposed rewards for little enterprise in his 2014-15 fiscal year spending budget, like decreasing the tax price on commercial rentals, increasing the corporate revenue tax exemption from $50,000 to $75,000, and lowering annual corporate filing fees for all businesses by more than $33 million.
I know what the expenditures are simply because for the next four or 5 days I will nevertheless be a Kleeneze distributor myself Next Thursday or Friday they will be obtaining the fairly telephone contact from me as my pack in date was always going to be six months soon after I began my new organization to make certain it worked out.
Peter signifies management desires (i) a multi-billion dollar upfront payment and (ii) an earn-out structure (a tradable contingent value appropriate CVR see, for example, right here ) that would capture royalties from the sales of PV-ten (and PH-10 and other Rose Bengal-based therapeutic applications) through existing patent expiration of 2031 and potentially beyond.
IT is a lot more like the Digital Brain" of the organization: Due to the fact data permits you to develop an actionable insight, to assist the company make proper choices at every level, to capture insight & foresight for the future of the organization.
Within a partnership arrangement it is not necessary for you all to be of the exact same discipline, it is more often advantageous to have a range of diverse capabilities and educate every single other in what you each are capable of. That way the Monetary guy can see where your expertise could assist a company to save funds and suggest your services.


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Xbox One Exec Acknowledges Failure to Communicate
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Xbox One Exec Acknowledges Failure to Communicate
Microsoft Corporate Vice President Marc Whitten says the petition calling for the return of Xbox One DRM tells him "we need to do more work to talk about what we're doing."
Remember how angry gamers were about the Xbox One in the wake of Microsoft's E3 press event? Angry enough to force Microsoft to change direction on some very fundamental aspects of the console's design. It was a victory for consumers - a victory for freedom! - and then a funny thing happened: People (presumably other people) got angry that Microsoft capitulated and gave up on its a vision of a better future for all of us, and launched a surprisingly popular petition to bring it all back.
It's undoubtedly a frustrating situation, but Whitten took a measured approach in an interview with IGN, saying that Microsoft has to "talk more [and] get people understanding what our system is."
"I see people feeling like we've moved away from digital, when certainly I don't believe that's the case. I believe we've added on choice for people. It was an addition of a feature onto Xbox One, not a removal of a feature," he said. "And I understand people see things like Family Sharing and they're like, 'Wow, I was really looking forward to that,' which is more of an engineering reality time frame type-thing."
Whitten said the petition calling for the return of the Xbox One as it was originally envisioned reflects a problem with the perception of what Microsoft is doing more than anything else. "When I read some of the things like that petition, from my perspective we took a lot of the feedback and, while Xbox One is built to be digital native, to have this amazing online experience, we realized people wanted some choice. They wanted what I like to call a bridge, sort of how they think about the world today using more digital stuff," he explained. "What we did, we added to what the console can do by providing physical and offline modes in the console. It isn't about moving away from what that digital vision is for the platform. It's about adding that choice."
"Frankly, I think we need to just do more to let people see how the console works, what they're going to be able to do for it," he said. "I think a lot of the things they're wishing for are frankly there."
Source: IGN
What I read here is a whole lot of nothing.
He didn't tell us anything. All he did say basically boils down to: "We didn't change that much to the Xbone as we announced it and we'll tell you more about it at some time when it suits us best."
And it's digital native.
You think?
At the pre-E3 press conference, you could ask five different Microsoft reps the same question and get five different answers. Even after they clarified some of the stuff at E3, there were a LOT of questions that they just, for whatever reason, felt were not worth answering.
The Xbox One had some neat potential but you needed to convince us that the negatives (DRM, Kinect, etc.) were outweighed by the positives (Cloud gaming....and...uh.....I'm sure there's more). You failed. You not only failed, you failed in the most spectacular way you could.
You were the heavy favorites in this next-gen boxing match and not only did you not even get into the ring, you fell over and knocked yourself out on the ring post when you were show-boating coming in...also, your pants fell down before a bird flew into the arena and pooped on your head.
By surprisingly popular, you mean in the same sense that a Call of Duty game is "surprisingly popular", right?
As in, no one is surprised that there are a lot of stupid people who want this stupid idea to come back?
There will always be stupid people who want stupid things. They should not be catered to.
Wow, that might be the first reasonable statement an MS exec has made since this console came out.
They didn't "remove" any of the features that the console offered. They "removed" its pointlessly restrictive DRM policy that prevented the resale of used games and required an internet connection to make the console work. NOTHING in the update suggests that the programs people want to see returned, like Family Sharing, were even dropped in the first place. We only learned of that AFTER Marc Whitten came out and said it, presumably with a large pout face as he took his ball and went home.
And what's more, they're already considering reversing that decision and bringing back Family Sharing anyways, WITHOUT the return of the restrictive DRM. So why is this petition still a thing at all?
This is absolutely gorgeous, we made them squirm under the knife the one way and now we've turned them completely around and we're still making them wriggle. There is nothing more beautiful than hearing an exec have to 'sincerely' defend something they just u-turned on.
You could feel sorry for Microsoft, afterall they're got bad press for choosing the first path. and now they're still getting bad press after going back and choosing the other route. But for some reason that small file in My Heart labelled CompassionForMicrosoft seems to be corrupted and I didn't make a backup.
It would be a lot more awesome if he acknowledged the failure to communicate ala Strother Martin in Cool Hand Luke.
Ok enough references from movies almost a half century old.
"Man, we fucked up introducing our system. We didn't explain all the good that can come from it. Let's acknowledge those fuck-ups, but let's not actually fix them. We won't add anymore clarification. It's probably because none of us know what the fuck is going on. Uh, just buy it!"
Sony's got it right by making one person in charge of it all. Cerny has a vision which he can bullshit and make out that there's a confident plan behind it.
Microsoft's mess of executives are confident that they know nothing. They've got at least 10 different people saying 20 different things because no one actually understands this corporate glob of a product. I have no idea why they all still have jobs.
Ahh so now they learn the value of actually talking to their consumers (Although they didn't really because he didn't explain too much in that interview) bit too late now though. Next gen is just a massive rip off I'll wait till one console actually offers me something worth my money or, more likely, becomes stupidly cheep.
Still not convinced that this "petition" isn't done by hardcore Sony fans to completely destroy Microsoft.
I'm not going to lie, as a hardcore Sony fanboy I was really tempted to sign it just for the giggles of seeing Microsoft go through all that crud again
EDIT: Although I think we can agree, if Microsoft caved in to this petition, they'd clearly be too stupid to live
Call me crazy but I'm glad Microsoft won't be the ones to usher in an all-digital future where they control everything.
The funny thing is that most people who sign the petition admit they only do it to troll XBOX fanboys.
Maybe someone should have read the comments. :D
I would have thought that not talking would be Microsoft's best plan of attack. For the past few months now they have failed to make people understand what the hell they are trying to accomplish with the Xbone, even they don't know what the hell it is. Maybe it just jumped out of the Dungeon Dimensions one day and a MS exec figured they'd try and sell it, whatever it is, as a games console.
Right now they just need to lock up all of their employees until the Xbone launches, deny them any means of communication with the outside world and hope it doesn't fail as hard as it already has done. Consider it damage control.
Most of the people who signed that petition were either trolls or retards. Largely the former.
You know, the way Microsoft is acting right now, I think that's how they wanted the consumers to feel. Powerless and not in control of their own property. It's good to know that when our freedoms are threatened, we have the power to defend ourselves.
Someone, please, just make a movie where the Xbox One gets sold with it's online policies intact and then a super-large-ginormous hurricane storm with EMP lightning cripples the digital infrastructure of the United States, rendering it without internet for the next six months.
I even have a good title for it: "Always Off"
Wasn't the petition started in order to get the sharing of digital library games back since MSoft pulled support for that idea when they took away the DRM?
The loss of the DRM took away a lot of things, very good and awesome things that didn't get enough attention. Accessin digital libraries from anywhere on your account. Not needin discs in the drive to play non digital games. Really cool ideas that got axed because apparently MSoft felt that if they couldn't 100% guarantee someone wasn't a dirty pirate then no one got the cool toys.
-__- has anyone even looked at the petition?
It's people trying to get microsoft to add those things back to make their console fail. Seriously, go read what people are saying on/about the petition. They are almost all saying they just want to see microsoft screw up again by adding those terrible ideas back.
I have a free tip for Microsoft
Don't even say anything, at all, just don't.. it will come out wrong!
I have read this piece and.. eh.. no I am still not positive. And they still seem to think their DRM was a great idea. No it wasn't! It isn't and it will not be!
And another tip for Microsoft, buy Sony shares... you really are doing them a big favor right now.
I was wondering if someone was going to post that. Thanks, man.
No, you guys communicated. You communicated all too well. You showed your true colors. And people rejected it.
Small thing about not needing a disk. You would need to download the full game to the system. That would take time. So you'd come home from the store and want to play your game? Too bad. Wait one hour. Maybe it'll be ready. Which completely undermines one of the tenants of console gaming. Pick up and play. And the system has a 500 Gigabit hard-drive, which can't be removed. How many full games will that hold?
Not gonna lie, I was upset about the 180. Not because I liked the ideas, but because they are so bad that they need to be seen as salting the Earth. I wanted the Xbox One to launch with those features, crash and burn. To be so bad that all future console developers would realize that a console with those same features would be doomed to failure. So that no one else will try to implement online requirements and DRM.
Now, I fear, they will only think that we weren't "ready for the future" of gaming. And maybe next time, no one will care. And considering what we've seen, I'm not hopeful.
Ah, gotta love corporate speak. When the speaker knows he's talking crap, the reporter knows he's hearing crap, the editor knows is publishing crap and we all know what we're reading.
Nothing to see here, move on.
The thing is, not every gamer bothers to keep on the up-and-up about his or her rights. A lot of supposedly hardcore types are frighteningly casual, when you dig into their awareness of the corporate sides of the culture. You find a complete lack of it in most cases; as though MS, Sony et al. were nothing but merchants of hopes and peddlers of dreams and guilt-free fun times. The people who actually support the petition aren't the same who've bothered to try and figure out just what the Hell DRM means - these are the people who are angry that a few very superficial convenient aspects got taken away.
Dig around, and you'll find the usual cries of "BUT MY GAME SHARING! I WANT MY GAME SHARING BACK BECAUSE IT WAS NEW!", in complete ignorance of the 30-day policy between friends or of the fact that this effectively enforced and supported the Xbone as an always-online device. There's also the usual droves of fairly entitled idiots who have trouble understanding that not everyone has access to a top-tier broadband connection, simply because they and their close circle of friends and relatives all do own an ADSL or cable connection.
What *we* know is that sometimes, it's better to be a bit on the retrograde side of things. There's one heck of a difference between fearing change and fearing that your rights as a consumer are going to be trampled in the name of some vapid and frilly features - as well as the corporate wallets out there.
I can share the sentiment, but I doubt it would've turned out like this. A big share of gamers don't even come to sites like this one and, like I said, a lot don't bother to stay abreast of the development process or legal aspects of a game's early lifespan. All they care about is more of their favourite franchise. They'll gladly let their rights be trampled, they'd come in big enough numbers to vindicate Microsoft in its choices - and they wouldn't voice the slightest complaint.
Why? They just don't give a shit. All they want is more Halo, more CoD, more whatever. They would've had it, even with the Xbone's pre-reversal incarnation.
Considering, I'm glad the policy reversal happened. It's more or less the lesser of two evils, and it might educate those careless gamers out there on the necessity to keep an eye out for crotchety practices.
As an aside, I know a guy who very honestly loves The War Z. He's not a hacker or a troll or anything like that - the game just fit his standards and his wallet. It's a shame, but this is why I said we need to educate the rest of us.
Gaming isn't just a wee hobby anymore. I think it requires its own form of consumer advocacy.
I think digital is a good way to go, eventually. But, I can't help but think that the people behind this petition have absolutely no idea just how bad the Internet infrastructure is in most countries. Or that it wouldn't support the Xbone's old stripped out features.
It would hold about two or three AAA games or maybe only one if it's really big, since a 500 Gigabit hard drive would only equate about 59 Gigabytes[1] of storage. Now a 500 Gigabyte hard drive would hold about ten games if we assume that next gen games will be about that size (as I've heard in rumors), and that would only be if you could use the entire 500gigs as storage space; which you can't.
[1] There are 8 bits in a byte, 1024 bytes in a Kilobyte, 1024 Kilobytes in a Megabyte, 1024 Megabytes in a Gigabyte, and 1024 Gigabytes in a Terabyte. A bit and a byte are not the same thing.
They weren't even in the same goddamn room.
Oops. Used the wrong term. Spell check doesn't catch that kind of thing (and it totally should).
Anyway, that's another point. Add in the OS, Kinect's programming, game saves, browser, Skype, TV related things, and whatever Apps you have on it, and how much of that 500 Gigabyte will be left? Even assuming it could hold ten games, how many people have more than ten games?
Sure, you could delete them off the hard-drive after the fact, but then, if you ever wanna play them again, you have to download them all over. You know what's great about all my old systems? I can plug them in, pop in a game, and play. Something that is lost in Xbox One.
[1] There are 8 bits in a byte, 1024 bytes in a Kilobyte, 1024 Kilobytes in a Megabyte, 1024 Megabytes in a Gigabyte, and 1024 Gigabytes in a Terabyte. A bit and a byte are not the same thing.
Yes, you were very bad at communicating, but the best you could have done is polish the turd better.
There was nothing good forconsumers about 24 hour forced checkin (and eventual total system death when servers are shut down) or adding no-use DRM to disk based games.
Microsoft, I think you need to talk less.
"engineering reality time frame type-thing" What the hell does that even mean?!
Everything you people say and do either pisses us of or confuses us. What you need to do is to observe Sony's statements from and since E3, they have been a whole lot more clear on matters that we actually care about.
I think it's worth pointing out that two of the most popular "signatures" on this "surprisingly popular" petition include such lines as:
Are there people who were genuinely interested in some of Microsoft's digital features? Yes, absolutely.
Are they anything like a majority, or even a significant minority...? No, and probably not. And even of the ones who liked some of those features, there seems to be an awful lot of picking and choosing from the earlier policies. "Oh, it's great it's no longer region locked, but I want to be able to share games digitally!... I'm glad I'll be able to trade in physical games again, but I want always-on networking for cloud computing options!" And so on. If you're looking for people who whole-heartedly supported everything Microsoft was bringing to bear, you're going to be looking at a sub-group of a sub-group of a fringe.
Admittedly, I'm biased. I'm still not 100% sold on the "inevitability" of this all-digital marketplace- and I'm sure as hell not interested in the version Microsoft wants to own.
So they pulled a Ultimo Dragon?
Okay, that's unfair to Ultimo. All he did was trip on his cape.
This one cracked me up:
Obvious troll, but the COD dog bit had me in stitches.
Microsoft... want to communicate to me why you think it's acceptable to have your system be $100 more expensive because of a negative-value device that I'm not sure I can actual set up anywhere where I have my console?
Want to communicate why no two people in your PR structure have the same answer to some basic questions?
... except the petition wasn't a real one and was trolled to hell?
I said it. I freaking called it the second I read how so many people thought it would be for the lulz to troll and sign this thing. And you guys did it anyway, and now they are rethinking things.
Great. Keep doing what you're all doing. It was so funny in the moment and you gave stupid people more fuel for the fire. Lovely.
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