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Posted 7 years ago
(1 item)
This is a rare date on this item Oct 28 1862 just five days after the stamp was issued,It is a new find found by me this year and certified by the APS as the earliest 5 cent imperf used on Document,If not the EDU.I am writing a story about this item because of it's importance. According to the Boston Revenue Book some single imperfs only(not Multipals)could have been delivered with the perf ones.But according to the Boston book as of the date written(1899) none had been found up to date.That was not back dated.This one was found in a little city in Canada.The APS and everyone I have talked about The item was concerned about the delivery time,It being only 5 days after the stamp was sent out how could it reach this fare destination in time to be used.I during my research has found the stamps were sent by Express trains the could have delivered the stamps with only a delivery time of only 16 and a half hours,the stamp would have been in the town in plenty of time to be used.Also look at the notation on the left of the document written dark ink 2nd use.Written at the closing of the agreement 3 years later.Also look at the date issued and read the agreement The agreement was supposed to be paid just a short while later not years.The person the money was borrower of was a bank clerk and Mr Pool saw him every day in town.The stamp was placed on when the agreement was made,Then Mr Pool paid two years worth of interest on the next time he did business with the clerk .It was written in pencil and his name was closed out in pencil.And on the last year or 1865 the 2nd use was written on the the left side over the pencil amounts,and on the back it is written in the same dark ink as paid,and the name on the front is closed of in dark ink over the earlier pencil.With this information I have came to the conclusion that the stamp was indeed used on the date of Oct 28 1862 when issued.There are another thing as well, like a fold in the document and stamp that was made when the stamp was first used.Notice the fold in the stamp,You can tell it was folded when it was wet by the lack of the breaking in the stamp,If it had of been a dry fold the stamp would have almost been broken in half. Witch it is not.
With that my conclusion is This is defiantly a 5 cent EDU.And the only known so far.


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subset: commoncrawl


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MOSCOW – Investigators are examining flight recorders and other evidence to try to determine the cause of the airliner crash in Moscow that killed four people.
The Tu-204 belonging to Russian airline Red Wings was carrying eight people, all of them crew members, when it careered off the runway Saturday while landing at Moscow's Vnukovo Airport. It went partly into an adjacent highway, broke into pieces and caught fire.
The four survivors were reported in critical or serious condition in Moscow hospitals.
Vladimir Markin, a spokesman for Russia's main investigative agency, was quoted by Russian news agencies Sunday as saying the data recorders were being examined, along with fuel samples. In addition, he said flight documents for the plane have been taken from the airline for examination.


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By Jonny Hogg and Ed Stoddard
GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) - When Congo's government army retreated in panic from the eastern city of Goma last month, many observers blamed the poor morale and leadership, ill discipline and corruption that have sapped its fighting capacity for years.
In the hours before Goma fell to M23 rebels on November 20, drunk and terrified Congolese soldiers roamed the streets or huddled in doorways before melting away, witnesses said.
M23's 11-day occupation of the city was one of the worst battlefield defeats for Democratic Republic of Congo's armed forces (FARDC), which at 150,000-strong are among the largest in Africa. They are also backed by 17,000 U.N. peacekeepers.
As recriminations swirl over the Goma defeat, which forced President Joseph Kabila to accept talks with a group he says is a creation of Rwanda, allegations have emerged that betrayal in the army's ranks may have precipitated the rout.
The government has launched an investigation but says it has reached no conclusions; little evidence has come to light beyond anonymous allegations against officers from subordinates who accuse their commanders of selling them out. The general blamed by some denies any such deals with rebels he once commanded.
But the scandal alone shows how deep suspicion runs within an army that has absorbed successive waves of former enemies as a series of civil wars has ended.
One senior FARDC officer who fought the M23 uprising said he believed Goma was lost because of what he called sabotage of the army's fighting capability.
"All of our intelligence was given to M23," the officer alleged, saying that throughout the fighting "there was intense communications with them" from within the government ranks.
Speaking on condition of anonymity because army regulations forbid him from commenting publicly, he said he was convinced former land forces commander, Major General Gabriel Amisi had been in contact with the rebel side. He said he had served alongside the general in the field.
A member of Amisi's military entourage said the general "rejects categorically" allegations of betrayal: "He could never do that, he wants nothing from the rebels," the aide said. "He only just escaped with his life, five of his own men died."
Amisi himself, dressed in colorful robes and sandals, greeted a Reuters reporter at his guarded residence in Kinshasa on Friday. He declined to discuss the allegations. The aide said the general had been ordered by President Kabila not to talk to media about the subject.
An army spokesman, Colonel Olivier Hamuli, said "many factors" led to the debacle, which is being investigated: "As to whether there was treason by General Amisi, I can't say yes or no to that."
Amisi, widely known as "Tango Four" from his old radio call sign, was suspended just days after the rebel capture of the city following a report by U.N. experts alleging he sold weapons to armed groups accused of killing civilians.
Amisi's ties to a previous, Rwandan-backed eastern rebellion during Congo's 1998-2003 war highlight the confused integration process over the last decade that has seen the FARDC absorb tens of thousands of former rebels and militia fighters.
M23 itself is formed largely of men who were rebels, then were brought into the army and then mutinied again, accusing the Kabila government of breaking a deal signed on March 23, 2009.
Congo's army is widely seen as a symptom of the vast central African nation's dysfunctional state, weakened by years of mismanagement, graft and conflict.
This has produced a security vacuum, particularly in the volatile eastern borderlands, a tinderbox of ethnic conflicts where regional powers and local elites compete for political influence and also for resources of gold, tin and coltan, the latter used in the making of mobile phones.
FARDC spokesman Hamuli said the defeat at Goma was "understandable" because "we were fighting the Rwandan army".
Experts tasked by the U.N. Security Council have issued reports alleging Rwanda, Congo's small but militarily powerful eastern neighbor, created, trained and equipped M23 and directly supported its capture of Goma.
Rwanda has repeatedly dismissed this as "fiction".
M23 fighters withdrew from Goma on December 1 under a deal mediated by regional states. But there is little confidence inside or outside Congo that the city can resist a fresh M23 assault.
Reuters journalists who covered the fighting around Goma in November noted the contrast between M23's well-armed fighters, with crisp uniforms and practical rubber gumboots, and the often rag-tag government soldiers, some shod only in flip flops.
M23 rebels showed reporters the abandoned FARDC barracks in Goma - ramshackle buildings littered with fly-infested garbage, where tall marijuana plants grew among military maize plots.
"You see how the Congolese army lived. What kind of army is this?" Amani Kabasha, M23's deputy spokesman, said.
Nevertheless, observers on the ground still struggle to fully explain the abruptness of the army's collapse at Goma.
The FARDC's flight led to MONUSCO peacekeepers choosing not to go on resisting M23's advance. U.N. chiefs rebuffed intense criticism, saying their men could not back an army that was no longer present on the ground.
"They put up a formidable fight the first day, then for reasons we don't understand, they just stopped fighting, turned their backs and left," said Hiroute Guebre Sellassie, who heads the local office of Congo's U.N. peacekeeping force, MONUSCO.
Congo government spokesman Lambert Mende said the inquiry would probe allegations of racketeering and betrayal among the commanders: "Questions of loyalty have regularly been asked, not just about Amisi," he said. "But there has to be proof."
The FARDC officer who denounced Amisi's role highlighted one incident early in the battle for Goma when he says the general ordered his men to stop fighting after inflicting heavy losses on M23 at Kibumba, 30 km (20 miles) north of the city.
"Suddenly we received the order to stop," the officer said.
"It didn't make sense; it just gave them the chance to regroup and pull together a force that went on to take Goma."
Rejecting the allegations on Amisi's behalf, the member of his entourage in Kinshasa blamed the difficulties of fighting a rebel force that, he alleged, was being supported from beyond the border with Rwanda that runs through Goma's suburbs.
"We didn't have the orders to attack Rwanda, even though we were being fired on from there," the aide to Amisi said.
"You saw the morale of our men - everyone was fleeing pell mell. That's when we realized we couldn't hold Goma."
Despite Rwanda's denials of any backing for M23, a Reuters reporter in Goma during the rebel occupation came across several fighters who did not speak local languages, including one who said: "I am Rwandan, a soldier, we're here to help M23.
"There are lots of us and more are coming every day."
Amisi is a former commanding officer of many of the M23 fighters. He fought with them in an earlier, Rwandan-backed rebellion as a member of the RCD (Congolese Rally for Democracy) during Congo's 1998-2003 civil war that sucked in neighboring states and in which several million people died.
Independent analysts say he has been under suspicion before.
"This is not the first time Amisi has been accused in undermining the army. There is deep suspicion among officers that he has been a fifth columnist for Rwanda," said Jason Stearns, a Congo expert and author who has written a study of M23 for the Rift Valley Institute's Usalama project.
The integration of rebel and militia fighters into the Congolese army was a major plank of the peace accords that ended the last Congo war. This has meant rebel groups often maintaining command structures - and loyalties - once inside the FARDC. That is the case with M23, which includes Tutsi commanders and fighters who participated in a 2004-2009 rebellion led by Tutsi general and warlord Laurent Nkunda.
M23 commanders like Sultani Makenga and Bosco Ntaganda, who is sought for war crimes by the International Criminal Court, were given high ranks in the army after their re-integration following Nkunda's rebellion. They have now rebelled again.
"While desertion is considered the gravest form of indiscipline in other armies, in the DRC, defected units and commanders have instead regularly been welcomed back into the army - often even rewarded with better opportunities when reintegrated," said Maria Eriksson Baaz, a researcher at the Sweden-based Nordic Africa Institute.
She said this was "very demoralizing" for the troops.
Critics say Kabila has little incentive to improve the national armed forces because a strong military could eventually turn against him.
In April, a report by international and Congolese NGOs said the failure to reform Congo's large and ill-disciplined army had kept much of the civilian population in poverty and insecurity despite billions of dollars of foreign aid for the country.
As a result, more than $14 billion of international aid over 5 years had ended up having "little impact on the average Congolese citizen", the report noted. It faulted international powers for not pushing the government to reform the army.
A little over one percent, or $85 million, of official development aid for the Congo was spent on direct security sector reform between 2006 and 2011, according to the report.
Without reform, Congolese soldiers often act more like predators than protectors and whatever the government probe into allegations of treachery may find, people around Goma remain fearful a cycle of revolt and violence will continue.
Residents in the nearby town of Minova spoke of a three-day rampage of drinking, shooting, stealing and rape by thousands of retreating government troops last month. One local man, Mbogos Simwerayi, recalled: "Everyone suffered with the army here."
The U.N. said on Friday investigations showed FARDC soldiers raped and pillaged in Minova, but it added M23 insurgents also killed civilians and looted when they held Goma.
(Editing by Pascal Fletcher and Janet McBride)


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While HeyZap has been used to help Android gamers connect with their fellow Android gamers and to share what they're playing, for some of those multiplayer games, especially turn-based ones, finding players can be difficult. That's why HeyZap is introducing a new feature to help make discovery easier: Add Players, the ability to add usernames for various games in order to help find new players. This means that players can add their Words With Friends and Hanging With Friends names to HeyZap, and then friends and other HeyZap users can find their name to play them.
HeyZap CTO James Smith says "We saw a lot of
latent demand for 'Add Players' prior to its
implementation, so it's no surprise that this has been a
popular addition to the app.†As well, he says that "On average, each user adds 2 new players through the 'add player' system." This may not sound like a lot for developers, but that's two new players to regularly play the game with, meaning that users are spending more time playing the game. The update is available now from the Android Market.


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About this font family
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It is used to embellish and animate as variously as web-site titles, posters and fliers design or greeting cards, all various sorts of presentations, menus, certificates, letters. It was specially drawn to accompany our medieval and renaissance fonts, like 1462 Bamberg, 1509 Leyden, 1538 Schwabacher, 1543 Humane Jenson, 1557 Italique, 1589 Humane Bordeaux, 1592 GLC Garamond and others, giving them an historical additional genuine touch...
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by John Calvin (compiled by John H. Kromminga)
Bible Text:
Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. —II Timothy 2:19
It is true that we do not presume to enter into the secret counsel of God, to know thoroughly his wonderful secrets; but if we do not know that God chose us before the world was made, this deprives us of a comfort which is not only profitable for us, but more than necessary. The devil could find no better means to destroy our faith than to hide this article from us. Why?
I ask you, what kind of situation would we be in? And especially nowadays, when there are so many rebels, so many hypocrites, yes, and such as look for wonders at men's hands, might we not think that the like might befall us? But then how should we be constant to rest ourselves upon God, and commit ourselves to him with settled hearts, not doubting that he will care for us to the end?
How could we do this unless we flee to this election as our only refuge? For it would seem that God breaks his promise to us which he gives us touching his gospel, and that Jesus Christ is hunted out of the world. This is the chiefest cause and best means that Satan could find to bring us out of touch with the gospel.
Therefore let us hold fast these weapons in spite of Satan's teeth. For these must be our defense; let us be confirrmed, I mean, in the election of our God, and let us make it available, and see that it be not taken from us, if we value and love the salvation of our souls.
And let us take these weapons all from our deadly enemies who would hide such a doctrine from us, knowing that the devil stirs them up to deprive us of a comfort which if we lack we cannot be assured of our salvation; which, notwithstanding, we have to desire more than anything else. —Sermons
John Calvin was the premier theologian of the Reformation, but also a pious and godly Christian pastor who endeavored throughout his life to point men and women to Christ. We are grateful to Reformation Heritage Books for permission to use John Calvin's Thine Is My Heart as our daily devotional for 2013 on the OPC Web site. You can currently obtain a printed copy of that book from Reformation Heritage Books.
Dr. Joel Beeke, who is editorial director of Reformation Heritage Books, has this to say:
"Calvin shows us the piety of a Reformed theologian who speaks from the heart. Having tasted the goodness and grace of God in Jesus Christ, he pursued piety by seeking to know and do God's will every day. He communed with Christ, practicing repentance, self-denial, and cross-bearing. Moreover, his theology worked itself out in heart-felt, Christ-honoring piety. The selections of this devotional bear this out, and hopefully will be used by God to direct pious hearts in our own day."
These devotional readings from John Calvin were compiled by John H. Kromminga. Be sure to read his "Introduction" to John Calvin's Thine Is My Heart.
|© 2018 The Orthodox Presbyterian Church
Chaplains and Military Personnel


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Clayton Donaldson addresses the game designers, gamers, game journalists, etc who for some ungodly reason try to defend Aliens : Colonial Marines.
Maybe because they disagree with you? Not everyone is as put off by a game's flaws as the next person, or some people are just more forgiving. It's all subjective.
I've absolutely adored it.
It has mild technical bugs, yes. Know what else does? Half Life 2. AKA the (widely considered) greatest FPS of all time.
Everyone is obsessed with polish nowadays. Yes, there are flaws that shouldn't be there. However, it is HARDLY enough to make me wish I didn't buy it. I had a blast doing campaign on Ultimate Badass, and multiplayer has enough content to keep me going.
I'm NOT saying this is an amazing game. It's still fun though. That's what games are about. It's a shame they didn't polish it more, but it's really not a huge loss.
I totally recommend this game 100%
I have a feeling if you're a big fan of the franchise the game is a lot more enjoyable. Like all of the Dragon Ball Z games. I love those games, but I wouldn't really recommend them to anyone except hardcore fans.
This kind of thing worries me.
It's like in the beginning of the Wii, when Wii games kept getting docked because they weren't and couldn't be run at 360 or PS3 Specs.
-It seems kind of Short sided and hurtful to the industry.
I am sure other people with other console preferences get this but being a Nintendo Fan and conversely, a PC Gamer, you learn that Graphic-Styles, Photo-Realism, and Max Graphics are not the purpose for buying and playing games-
FUN (is the reason).
I do understand that things ruin/hurt the experience.
But some people are able to get over mistakes if the Game does what it is supposed to-


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Heavener football team looks to bounce back with home win over Checotah Friday night
The Heavener Wolves football team was in perhaps the best game from a fan's perspective so far this season. The Wolves ended up being in a shootout last Friday night on the road against the Roland Rangers, who ended up prevailing 40-32."Offensively, we played pretty well," said Carl Lee, Heavener's first-year coach. "Defensively, we struggled a bit at times in our secondary. From a fan's standpoint, it was an pretty exciting game. From a coach's standpoint, it was a game in which I was trying to not get a heart attack."If the Wolves (3-2 overall, 1-1 in District 3A-8) want to keep hopes of winning a district title and/or a home playoff game alive, a win this Friday night against Checotah is a must."If we want to reach our goal of winning a district title and get a home playoff game, we really have to win this game," said Lee, whose Wolves entertain the Wildcats at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Harvey Stadium. "It's not a must-win game because everything is still out there on the table, but it's a game we really want to win."The 'Cats (4-1, 1-1) won their first district game last week, pummeling the Valliant Bulldogs 57-6 after suffering their only loss of the season in their district opener against the Rangers 22-20.— — —District 3A-8 StandingsTeam District Overall +/-Stigler 2-0 4-1 +29Roland 2-0 4-1 +10Checotah 1-1 4-1 +13Heavener 1-1 3-2 +7Spiro 1-1 2-3 0Eufaula 1-1 1-4 -7Idabel 0-2 1-4 -22Valliant 0-2 2-3 -30


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This curriculum uses an inquiry-based Earth system science approach, and leverages Project BudBurst, a citizen science phenology project, to engage students in authentic research on plant and ecosystem responses to climate change. Students collect... (View More) local data then analyze that data in the context of NASA regional and global data sets and satellite imagery to understand their data in personal, regional, and global contexts. The curriculum is divided into four units: The Earth as a System; Identifying the key changing conditions of the Earth system; Earth system responses to natural and human induced changes; and Predicting the consequences of changes for human civilization. Each unit consists of several activities with accompanying teacher answer sheets. (View Less)
Materials Cost: $1 - $5 per group of students
This is a set of two improv-style activites that encourage participants to participate in learning about living and nonliving things. Learners will get to know each other through an icebreaker activity and state their ideas and previous experience... (View More) with living versus nonliving things. This will help prepare them to explore how scientists define and look for life in worlds beyond our own. It also includes specific tips for effectively engaging girls in STEM. This is the icebreaker activity in Explore: Life on Mars? that was developed specifically for use in libraries. (View Less)
This is an activity designed to develop a working definition of life. Learners will conduct a simple experiment, looking for signs of life in three different "soil" samples. The experiment introduces children to the difficulty that scientists face... (View More) in defining life. By observing the soil samples, participants try to determine if any contain signs of life and work to identify, refine, and create a set of characteristics that may be used to identify living versus nonliving things. The activity concludes with the development of a group definition of life. This group definition will be referred to in subsequent activities. It also includes specific tips within each activity for effectively engaging girls in STEM. This is activity 1 in Explore: Life on Mars? that was developed specifically for use in libraries. (View Less)
This is a lesson about the categorization of the three domains of life on Earth and how they relate to the study of astrobiology. Learners will explore, compare, discuss, and explain the basic differences between organisms assigned to the... (View More) eukaryotic, bacterial, and archaeal domains. Topics in astrobiology are explored through projects, vocabulary reinforcement, and drawing assignments. Includes teacher notes, learning objectives, and assessment of prior knowledge and preconceptions. This is Lesson 1 in Exploring Deep-Subsurface Life. Earth Analogues for Possible Life on Mars: Lessons and Activities. (View Less)
Materials Cost: $1 - $5 per group of students


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HOUSTON (AP) — A 22-year-old man has been charged in the shootings at a Houston-area community college campus that left him and two others wounded.
A statement from the Harris County Sheriff's Office identifies the suspect as Carlton Berry. Spokesman Alan Bernstein says Berry is charged with aggravated assault but remains hospitalized with wounds suffered in the shooting.
Bernstein said no other identities are available.
Investigators say a fight between two people erupted in gunfire Tuesday at a Lone Star College campus in suburban Houston. A maintenance man was caught in the crossfire, and students and others were sent cowering in classrooms.
No one was killed, but the volley of gunshots heard shortly after noon fear of another campus massacre just over a month after 26 were killed at a Connecticut elementary school.


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HOUSTON (AP) — Former President George H.W. Bush continues to recover at a Houston hospital where he's in the third week of treatment for a bronchitis-related cough.
Methodist Hospital spokesman George Kovacik (koh-VAH'-chik) said Monday that the 88-year-old Bush remains in stable condition. Kovacik says Bush continues to make progress but no discharge date has been set. Further details were not released.
The 41st president has been hospitalized since Nov. 23.
He and former first lady Barbara Bush divide their time between homes in Houston and Kennebunkport, Maine.


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Robert M. Gates collection | Purdue University Libraries, Archives and Special Collections
Extent: 1.0 Items
Subjects (links to similar collections)
Scope and Contents: Front cover of Purdue Alumnus, December 1943, vol. XXXI, no. 3, features Robert M. Gates receiving the coveted "M" from Admiral Howard L. Vickery, Vice Chairman of the U.S. Maritime Commission. Page one also features a column about Gates.


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5 Beautiful Berry Lipsticks
5 Beautiful Berry Lipsticks
Reader Brittany requested a five ways post for berry lips, so here are five of my picks for berry lipsticks (and I'll do glosses next!) 🙂 My trick for wearing darker shades like this is to keep eyes soft and neutral–think your-lid-but-better kind of colors with a medium-dark brown, taupe, or plum in the crease.
- MAC Rebel Lipstick — really rich, vibrant red-based berry
- Guerlain Gigolo Rouge G Lipstick — luxurious berry-red with ruby micro-shimmer
- MAC Odyssey Lipstick — medium-dark berry with a hint of plum
- NYX Violet Ray Lipstick — deep, dark berry with red tones
- Thierry Mugler Dream Rouge Unique Lipstick — purpled berry with a very glossy finish


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Tuesday is unofficially Massachusetts Brush Burning Day, a time of tribal celebration, sacrificial hot dogs and a chance to legally spread fear through your neighborhood.
I have written way too much about the joys of brush burning. I know I am a bad influence on people with matches and too much time on their hands, and I am sorry for that.
Brush burning is something of an obsession, and sadly my promoting it as a redneck leisure activity may have contributed to husbands leaving their wives and neat-as-a-pin yards to move in with women who have acres of overgrown fields that need tending.
I am fortunate. My yard has many dying trees that have dropped, by my expert mathematical and statistical calculation, a boatload of branches and twigs in the 28 years I have lived here.
Fallen tree matter is my joy and entertainment. I occasionally solicit material from neighbors and friends, but always have plenty of my own to burn. There always seems to be just as much from one year to the next.
But like I said, I have written too much about brush burning season, which begins Jan. 15 and continues until sometime in the spring when the Fire Department determines that too many people have set the woods on fire.
I could go on and on about the healing effects of burning brush, how it is a natural cure for various strains of the flu and the equivalent of catnip for guys and a natural attractant for certain types of women. I have been burning brush in the winter since before the Internet was invented, and I hope to be remembered someday as "that crazy 100-year-old guy who fills the neighborhood with smoke each January."
But like I said, I have written way too much about brush burning, and I never want to bore the reading public. They have enough to bore them in life, like listening to Congress or watching golf on television. They really don't need to be put to sleep by some annual brush-burning column.
So this year I decided I needed a topic that people would talk about and put on their refrigerators.
As my weekly deadline approached, I found the perfect topic — rubber duckies.
Tomorrow, Sunday Jan. 13, which is 1-13-13 (queue up oohs and aahs on Facebook) is National Rubber Ducky Day (and more oohs and aahs).
That's right, it is National Rubber Ducky Day. For those of you who don't know what a rubber ducky is, you might want to take a course in popular culture. But to be kind, I will say that rubber duckies are duckies made of rubber.
Rubber Ducky Day celebrates the joys of the iconic bath toy made famous in 1970 by Ernie on "Sesame Street." Those of you who don't know who Ernie is should also read up on popular culture.
In studying the human condition hoping to find amusing anecdotes for my brush-burning columns, I have determined that most people, other than New York Yankees fans, like to take baths. I know I do, and nothing gives me more pleasure than playing with my rubber duckies while loudly singing Bob Seger songs.
"Katmandu, quack, quack, quack, that's really, really, where I'm going to … quack, quack … I'm going Katmandooooo!"
Holding a special day for little rubber ducks may seem silly, but interesting ducky facts include that in 2009 a boatload of about 29,000 rubber duckies (and also red beavers, green frogs and blue turtles) fell off a ship in the Pacific Ocean, and some traveled around the world. Also, NASA uses rubber duckies to study glaciers in Greenland.
So if you are planning to celebrate, maybe with a little roast duck and a glass of wine, remember that rubber duckies are not just simple bath toys. Someday they could save us all from global destruction.


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Logan & Mason Grand Sale
Our Best Prices on Luxurious Bedlinen
For over two decades Logan & Mason has been inspiring homes with luxurious materials and imaginative design, and this standout collection is no exception. The quilt cover sets featured are characterised by bold prints, vibrant patterns and decorative embellishments in myriad styles to suit all homes and ages. There are fun and whimsical motifs that nurture and embrace your child's creativity, glamorous and exotic designs with a boho-luxe vibe, fresh contemporary flora for a more feminine feel, plus classic stripes and aquatic shades to suit a coastal theme. Pair with Logan & Mason's bedding basics and sheet sets, and tuck into a cocoon of comfort nightly.
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Pfizer plans to demolish Groton building 'just part of the process'
Groton - Pfizer Inc. is moving ahead with plans that could lead to the demolition of its sprawling former research headquarters even as the pharmaceutical giant continues to market the property.
Pfizer submitted plans for a Coastal Site Plan Review last month, the first step needed before it applies for a demolition permit for the nearly 1-million-square-foot Building 118 complex off Eastern Point Road. The coastal site plan is being reviewed this week by the Planning and Zoning Commission.
"This is just part of the process," Town Manager Mark Oefinger said. "I'm not more or less distressed today than I was a month ago when they made their announcement."
Pfizer said last month it would apply for a demolition permit for the former lab and office complex while "aggressively marketing" the property for lease or sale.
Pfizer spokesman Steve Danehy said Tuesday that marketing efforts continue in earnest and that the demolition process was started as a precaution. A decision is not expected until the end of the year.
Oefinger and City Mayor Marian Galbraith both said they continue to be encouraged by interested parties who have made second and third visits to the facility while new interested parties continue to come forward. Both remain in contact with Pfizer representatives.
But town officials are also acutely aware of the timeline and the potential tax implications for the town. The Building 118 complex, one of several facilities at the site, is worth $123.7 million, according to town records. With an assessed value of $86. 6 million, Groton stands to lose $2.15 million if the complex is taken off the tax rolls.
"The order of magnitude is huge," Oefinger said.
Oefinger said the town is doing everything it can to market the property and has been in contact with both the governor's office and the commissioner of the state Department of Economic and Community Development.
The town and city have also met with representatives from local colleges.
City of Groton Planner Barbara Goodrich said the Coastal Site Plan Review is needed because a portion of Pfizer's complex under consideration for demolition falls within 1,000 feet of the Thames River. Goodrich said the plan needs to address issues such as erosion control measures and water contamination for the protection of the coastline.
The land-use commission may or may not suggest revisions to the plan, Goodrich said.
Pfizer to seek demolition permit for building it is trying to sell
State: Find entrepreneurs and funds will follow for incubator at Pfizer's Groton site


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Hi everyone,
Could someone explain to me how the AV companies determine the name of a new virus they find?
Here is a link to Symantic naming conventions
Mad Beaver
Well.. that was fast but I'm not talking about Suffixes and Prefixes .. I meant the NAME of the virus. Like Mydoom, Beagle or Netsky... what determines the choice of those names?
How about this
The first virus with a given set of characteristics that mark it as a distinctly new entity receives a "family" name. Virus researchers draw the family name from some identifying quirk in the virus--a text string, perhaps, or a payload effect.
From http://www.infotech.siu.edu/csc/howt...virusnames.htm
This should answer your question
Forum Rules


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Please use the sidebar at the left to find information about the services we offer to Faculty and Staff.
See the Registrar's office Topical Directory for help in determining who to contact.
The services we offer to faculty and staff are also available on the Records and Registration Blugold Insider site. Please note: you may be asked to login.
If you have a non-urgent question, feel free to send a message to firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Book Vs. Film: Howl
In the wake of all the tragedy and sadness that occurred in in Japan last week, we're going to attempt to kick off this week with a new feature here at The Cult. So turn off CNN for ten minutes and read something that hopefully makes you a little happier for the hour.
This idea is something that's been at the back of my mind on and off throughout the years, but it took Tina Estlin Page, one of our more reclusive journalists, to jolt it back into the forefront. She put forth the idea of reviewing the 2010 adaptation of Allen Ginsberg's controversial writing piece Howl, which was directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman and stars James Franco as Ginsberg. And thus, the idea for this feature was born.
I'm going to call this new feature Book Vs. Film, but as you know, Howl is not a book at all, but a poem. Now, I'd love to actually call this a column, but I don't know with what sort of frequency we'll be able to keep up with. A lot of that will depend on you, the readers, and how well you respond to it. So here we go! - Dennis
A roommate of mine once had to fish her flailing cat, spitting and slicing dread, up and over a banister by the same leash that had bound him to a second floor railing. The leash was meant to keep him still and set limits for his enjoyment and just stay right there, cat, please. I had predicted that this would happen, in the way that pessimists always predict everything, as long as the outcome is disastrous.
"He's gonna fling himself over that rail, Lindsay. Seriously. And then the leash...It makes me nervous," I told her. Imagining the disastrous things. Saying sooths.
As it turns out, I wasn't present for the spectacle. She recounted the turn of things for me the following day, her gauze-wound right hand the punctuation of the goings.
"I don't think he meant to do it. He was scared, you know? But where he caught me, it just exploded with infection."
"I am never going to forget that," I said, and recoiled. Imagining sooth.
What I got out of that was that you could say anything awful, but if you said it well it was memorable. That's pretty similar to how I feel about Howl, Allen Ginsberg's most memorable of poems. It is exploding with infection. Monstrous and absurd in its speech, written it is no less imprintive, its structure and repetition pleasantly pushy but petulant, remarkable in its remarking and lousing in profanity. So that is how you spell gyzym? I'd have never.
It stayed with me ever after, its who who's and Moloch's and hyperactive punctuation, and when I heard there'd be a movie about it, I got worried quick. You either read it, or you hear it, or perhaps take it in an installation, but you don't film that which Howls. Because it does not make sense when you move something already moving just to say, now look at it! Sooth: it will not end well. Later it was clarified that it would be about the obscenity trial surrounding the poem; which is to say, oh. Well, okay. I supposed I was interested, then, but out of duty to the written word.
Then it was further said to be about Allen Ginsberg. Like, it was about Ginsberg and seminally called Howl and it would get around to addressing the trial, but, Ginsberg. And James Franco would play the man.
The previous incarnation was portrayed by David Cross in the Dylan collage, I'm Not There.
Let your math do its sums; I was dubious. Are we just going to pretend? Okay. You're going to insist; fine. I like the guy and he can be capable. The casting of Don Draper followed, and Jeff Bridges, and Mary Louise Parker, and I went, yes, alright, continue. I saw a trailer tacked onto Never Let Me Go (ugh) and I was, at the very least, anticipating. Of course it never came out anywhere near where I live and I finally watched it with the rest of the plebian tier of film critics when it became available to the unwashed masses on Netflix.
It is worse than you think, imagine. I said my sooth and it stood, and it was worse. This is the cat, over the rail. This is Howl, not exploding with infection.
Instead, Howl the movie hauls around Howl the poem's remarkable language gauchely, as if the language carries with it not explosive infection but unintelligible, grotesque, pitiful disease asking simply for a bandaid: here is a literal transcription of Howl. In drawings. The disease is surprisingly histrionic. Drawings animated and forced to shamelessly throw themselves down the reel while Franco recites Howl. Drawings rendered by New Yorker favorite Eric Drooker, the perfect pick for an already absolutely stupid choice, clearly asking no questions like, so, where he says machinery of night you literally want me to just? Just? Like it's leprosy.
I am embarrassed to be watching this, embarrassed I involved other people in watching it. We sit stricken with the embarrassment. I keep saying No, no, as if by my own mortification I could reroute celluloid. Like this wouldn't keep happening. Like I could pull the cat back over the rail and no one would be the wiser.
Alcohol and cock and endless balls, Franco recites, sliding already toward an eleven of loud and earnestness. Literally, endless balls in the frame.
"Oh, God. Wait 'til they get to Moloch," sooth'ed I.
Five minutes of this and Howl the movie switches back to its courtroom setting. Wait, but what about the group of kids Ginsberg is reciting to? Ginsberg and co. are nowhere to be seen. They could have made a documentary, they said, but didn't. Don Draper preens, Mary Louise Parker is pious. But Howl is moving on, no questions. We flash to Ginsberg, we flash to the court, we flash and cringe through more of this truly terrible animation and, like, that's just your opinion, man. The point is, those other two parts confuse each other and read like well-made 45 minute pieces that somebody hacksawed in edit to place parts of Howl, the actual Howl--that is to say, this here Howl, presented like this. The reading with the drawing. The Howl that was exploding with infection that now just limps that disease through Howl and asks, who is there? Who? Waving genitals? Ultimate cunt? Mustard gas of sinister intelligent editors? And then shows you those things, illustrated, obvious, just in case you aren't listening or could not understand or even fathom. Especially when you can't fathom. Here, here, let us fathom for you the unfathomable poem!
They get to Moloch, alright. They are with the soothsayers in Rockland. Imagine that. "Just turn it off," someone bleats, shielding their view of the television with a palm. "Just stop." I don't: principle. People walk out of the room to stop the imagining.
All of this is to say, no matter how you feel about the poem Howl, you will be offended by the movie Howl, and its diseased showing. It insists you are more stupid than can be imagined. There is a title card that informs you that everything is factual and from sources and recreated for you, as it sooths you might be woefully incapable of imagining where people come up with this stuff, I mean where do they get it? This talking and gesturing stuff. And, of course, it beats you mercilessly with Howl, imagining the angelheaded hipsters for you, so you don't have to imagine, or even read. And where Howl fails as a movie, it is at least fit to look upon in parts. The obscenity trial portion is needless, made especially exhausting by the fact that it reads directly from the transcripts and is just as boring as that sounds, no matter how many pretty people you place in scene with historically correct clothing and eyewear, and even if you light them correctly. The only thing interesting from a thinking person's perspective is the guise of people thinking hard about Howl and all its cussing. The biopic portion holds all the good there is to get of the parts; Franco did his homework. He sounds like the man when he reads aloud, and when he is being interviewed. He is certainly charming. But make no bones. If there hadn't been all this Ginsberg just lying around, especially all this Ginsberg that the movie just boorishly lifts from interviews and readings and transcripts like it was a no brainer and this writing stuff is for the birds, then we might have to call a spade a spade. I smell that most of those who make it to the end of Howl do so to watch Ginsberg finally fit the felching with his sexuality, which is to say that what in turn could have been sweet or sentimental instead just reassures (or, probably, thinks it informs) that yeah, he's gay by the end and Franco totally makes out with another charming, well-lit, fashionable and wildly facially fictionalized representation of another man.
No parts that actually involve Howl, the poem, are fit for the looking. There are the few that are, and then there is everything else. The everything else includes Howl. Never the twain. As an adaptation it fails on absolutely every single level. Howl, the poem, exploded with infection; it was awful things said memorably, provided the possibility to imagine. This is an embarrassment. Embarrassment. Just being in the same room as this movie is too much to bear, its oppressive catering to my perceived intellectual helplessness so burdens the constitution. It doesn't say anything awful memorably; it is just awful.


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Catch All Zippered Pouch - Blanket of Blooms Fabric
Regular price $13.50
Keep your cosmetics, power cords, charges and other items safe in your Borsa Bella® handbag with our clever Catch All Zippered Pouch. These Catch All Bags have a waterproof lining fabric and features a zipper to allow easy access to its contents. Fill these handy bags with travel items or gift certificates and give to your favorite college student, teacher, hairdresser, or hard to buy for family or friend.
NOTE: Fabric Placement will vary. I take great care when placing the fabrics on these fun Catch All Bags.
- Exterior measures 8" x 5"
- Waterproof lining Fabric
- Light padding
- Washable
- Made in the USA


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All Posts
UF researchers develop blood test for fatal disease of boas and pythons
Published: January 29th, 2014
UF researchers have developed a simple blood test to identify the presence of a usually fatal disease that strikes boas and pythons.
New forensic pathology fellowship fills key gap in veterinary sciences
Published: January 16th, 2014
Dr. Nanny Wenzlow is UF's first veterinary forensic pathology fellow in a new, nationally unique program.
UF veterinarians seek dogs for stem cell studies to treat chronic orthopedic disease
Published: December 11th, 2013
UF veterinarians seek dogs with chronic orthopedic disease for two studies focusing on the use of stem cells as an alternative to surgical treatment.
UF veterinarians successfully remove massive tumor from dog face
Published: December 9th, 2013
A 5-year-old mastiff mix named Bubbles' health burden is lighter and her future brighter, thanks to UF veterinarians who removed a 9-pound tumor from the dog's skull on Nov. 25.
Horse beats odds to survive, recuperates after unprecedented surgery at UF
Published: December 3rd, 2013
A year after UF veterinarians removed a piece of bone from her broken shoulder in a procedure believed to be the first of its kind, a 9-year-old quarter horse is finally home with her owner.
UF researchers: Tail vaccinations in cats could save lives
Published: October 31st, 2013
An alternative to a widely accepted vaccination protocol in cats could literally move the needle in terms of feline cancer treatment, UF researchers say.
New program helps UF veterinary students, enhance business skills
Published: October 15th, 2013
A practice management externship is the capstone of a new business certificate program now being offered to UF veterinary students.
UF researchers report cats may be the key to human HIV vaccine
Published: October 1st, 2013
Researchers report the surprise finding that blood from HIV-infected human subjects shows an immune response against a cat AIDS virus protein.
Cat has rock removed from windpipe in rare procedure
Published: September 5th, 2013
A cat is recuperating well after receiving a procedure to remove a rock from its windpipe at UF.
New species of parasite discovered as disease agent in domestic cats
Published: July 17th, 2013
UF researchers have identified a new species of Tritrichomonas in domestic cats. The parasite was long thought to be the same agent that affected both cats and cattle.


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MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) - An Oregon woman has been indicted by a grand jury in Tennessee on charges of incest and child rape that occurred while she lived in Murfreesboro more than a decade ago.
The Daily News Journal reports 50-year-old Angela Elizabeth Montgomery of Portland, Ore., was indicted on 38 sexually based charges last week.
Police initially charged her with two counts of child rape in August after her two children gave police detailed statements about rapes and sexual assaults they suffered when they lived in Murfreesboro more than a decade ago.
The new charges returned by the grand jury indicate that additional crimes may have been committed against two other children as recently as 2009. She is scheduled to appear in court next Monday.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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He has boldly challenged the establishment incumbent and career politician Tom Cole, for the U.S. Congress seat representing the Fourth District of Oklahoma.
Tomorrow (Sunday, Sept. 20th) I will have the exciting privilege of interviewing Mr. Harris live at 7:00 pm Central Time (8 EST / 6 MTN).
The interview will stream live over the Internet via Blog Talk Radio, and you can listen to the show here or just visit here again at The Humble Libertarian where I will have a widget ready to play the show live for you.
Sorry, I will not be taking calls for the show, but if this works out well and I decide to do some live shows more frequently, I would love to take callers in the future to discuss politics and current events.
You are encouraged however, to discuss and respond via Twitter using The Humble Libertarian's hashtag: #THL
If you are free tomorrow for just thirty minutes between 7 and 7:30 Central, please take this opportunity to get better acquainted with a candidate we can count on to diminish the role, size, and influence of the United States government.
See you there!


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Russian Club
2012-13 Russian Club is underway!
The UAF Russian Club meets on Wednesdays from 7-8:30 pm in the Language Lab, rm. 609 Gruening. If you are interested in Russian language and culture, and would like to join the Russian club, please contact club advisor Trina Mamoon at email@example.com or (907)474-5460.


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Photo prompts calls for reunion
WHEN Mirelle Heinemann submitted an old photo to The Chronicle for the Way We Were section she had no idea the sensation it would cause.
The photo showed a mock debutante ball held by the Mt Tyson Junior Farmers in the early 1960s.
"My phone didn't stop ringing and everyone wanted a reunion," she said.
Recently about 50 former Mt Tyson Junior Farmers travelled from as far away as the Sunshine and Gold Coasts to get together at the Wilsonton Hotel and reminisce about an organisation they all adored.
"It would be 50 years since we last saw some of them and it was great to catch up," she said.
"It wasn't just the young people who loved Junior Farmers back then but the whole family would get involved.
"We met each month at the Mt Tyson Hall and would organise fundraisers such as dances and themed nights. We travelled all over Queensland for conferences and even had one conference on a steam train between Brisbane and Cairns."
In the 1960s there were Junior Farmers groups all over the Darling Downs, providing a means for young people to interact and learn more about specific aspects of farming.
Mrs Heinemann said the group was educational as well as social.
"We were educated about various types of crops and what the plants looked like. We would help set up displays showing all aspects of farming."
Mrs Heinemann said the Mt Tyson Junior Farmers would host another reunion next year.
The Junior Farmers was renamed Rural Youth for information about joining email firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Stand Alone ExpressionEngine Authentication
Posted in Code, Programming on August 08th, 2011 by Eric Lamb – 1 Comments
I had a small task come to me recently wherein a site needed to allow for verification of ExpressionEngine credentials but couldn't use the normal controllers for access. The challenge was in how ExpressionEngine encrypts the passwords and replicating that behavior. Taking a look at the Login controllers made things very clear though; as usual ExpressionEngine was very well written.
Here's an example of how to do it (note that this will only work within the CP):
<?php $user = 'test'; $pass = 'test'; $this->EE->db->select('members.password, members.unique_id, members.member_id, members.group_id, member_groups.can_access_cp'); $this->EE->db->where('username', $user); $this->EE->db->where('member_groups.site_id', $this->EE->config->item('site_id')); $this->EE->db->where('members.group_id = '.$this->EE->db->dbprefix('member_groups.group_id')); $query = $this->EE->db->get(array('members', 'member_groups')); if ($query->num_rows() != 0) { $password = do_hash($pass); if ($query->row('password') == $password) { //good user credentials <img src="http://blog.ericlamb.net/images/smileys/smile.gif" width="19" height="19" alt="smile" style="border:0;" /> } else { //bad password/good username } } else { //bad username } ?>
According to the site admin who passed this my way the above won't work outside the CP. He was kind enough to send along an example that worked fine for their situation:
<?php $this->EE->load->library('auth'); $this->EE->lang->loadfile('login'); $authorized = $this->EE->auth->authenticate_username($this->EE->input->post('username'), $this->EE->input->post('password')); if ( ! $authorized) { set_status_header(500); exit(lang('unauthorized_request')); } ?>


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SAP NEWSBYTE — SAP AG (NYSE: SAP) today announced the cooperation with Beijing Jiaotong University pertaining to the establishment of a University Competence Center (UCC) in China, which will support local universities by offering students access to the SAP software. The announcement was made at China SAPPHIRE, held November 20-21 in Beijing.
The inaugural partnership will bring together SAP and Beijing Jiaotong University, one of the top-ranking universities in China under the direct administration of the Ministry of Education. This cooperation will help ensure that the 7 million students graduating from Chinese universities can have hands-on experience with SAP software.
"Combining our strength as a national key university in China with innovative technology solutions from SAP will help prepare our students for today's workforce," said XingChen Zhang, vice chancellor, Beijing Jiaotong University. "We are committed to ensuring our graduates are at the top of their field with the knowledge and experience they gain through this partnership."
"Expanding our long-standing SAP University Alliances program to students at Bejing Jiaotong will allow us to further engage with students from around the world," said Mark Gibbs, president of SAP Greater China. "With hands-on experience using technologies like SAP HANA, our goal is to empower students with the highest level of technology understanding when entering the workforce."
The partnership also extends the reach of the SAP University Alliances program, which has helped donate SAP licenses to more than 1,450 program member institutions and provided training to university professors. Since 2008, 60 universities have joined the SAP University Alliances program in China and with the establishment of the UCC, SAP hopes to reach 100 member universities in the country by the end of 2014.
For more information, visit the SAP Newsroom. Follow SAP on Twitter at @sapnews.
Media Contact:
Christina Zhang, +86 1380 100 9944, email@example.com, GMT+8
Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "intend," "may," "plan," "project," "predict," "should" and "will" and similar expressions as they relate to SAP are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. SAP undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. The factors that could affect SAP's future financial results are discussed more fully in SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including SAP's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates.


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President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will travel to the Community College of Allegheny County in Oakdale, Pa., on Wednesday to talk about new efforts to link up job training with what employers need.
The White House said the programs will help people who train for jobs have a better idea that there will be jobs available when they're done. The new programs focus on community colleges and apprenticeship programs.
The two programs are part of the executive actions Obama is taking that don't require decisions from Congress.
One is a $500 million job training grant competition for community colleges. The grants will be awarded to schools across the country that identify areas where jobs are available and link up with employers to figure out what skills they're seeking. The program also encourages colleges to give credits for demonstrated skills rather than the amount of time students spend in school.
The other program is $100 million in grants for efforts to get more workers into apprenticeship programs. The funding will come from fees employers pay when they request H-IB visas for highly skilled workers.
According to federal data, 87 percent of apprentices are employed after completing their programs and their average starting wage is more than $50,000 a year. The grants will go to training providers that set up apprenticeships in high-growth fields such as information technology, health care and advanced manufacturing.


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A few weeks ago, I took advantage of a promotional offer from AncestryDNA. I have been tested with 23andMe and have blogged a lot about that, but I have held off with Ancestry because of their lack of allowing chromosome browsing. However, the promotional offer was good so I went for it. I am amazed that my results are already back in. They just received my sample July 28th! That was a far shorter turnaround period than I expected.
I've only had a few moments to take a look, but you know what? As I have been learning how to do Google Hangouts On Air (HOA), I did a short test tonight. I made a broadcast to go through my results so I could share it with my mother. I can't believe I'm posting it (and keeping it public for all to see), but here goes! I might as well kill two birds with one stone.
In doing this HOA, I am using my wi-fi, which is not recommended, so the video is grainy. I'll hook up with a wire next time. And yes, I am sitting on my bed. It's bedtime ya know… 😀
Many thanks to my partner in crime, Patrice for really getting me on a roll with doing Google Hangouts On Air! Not only am I looking forward to further exploring my DNA results but I am also going to be doing more with Google HOA. Stay tuned….


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M. Jeanne Lucke papers, 1968-1985 | Purdue University Libraries, Archives and Special Collections
Extent: 0.25 Cubic feet
Subjects (links to similar collections)
Forms of Material (links to similar genres)
Scope and Contents: The M. Jeanne Lucke papers (1968-1985; 0.25 cubic feet) reflect Lucke's 20 years of employment with the TRW Systems Group in the 1960s-1980s. The types of material consists of an Apollo, Pathfinder and 2 Spacelab Mission adhesive patches, photographs with detailed descriptions of rocket launches and photographs of the planet Saturn taken from Voyager, along with a Titan IIIE/Centaur D-1T diagram and description. Also included among the items are a Voyager Encounters Jupiter booklet published by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The papers are organized by type of material within 5 folders.
Detailed Description
Box 1: Mission Module and Description, Adhesive Patches, Voyager Booklet and Photographs, 1968-1985
Box 1: Mission Module and Description, Adhesive Patches, Voyager Booklet and Photographs, 1968-1985


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Be glad you're not a cyclops!
Try an experiment. Cover or shut one eye and try to thread a needle. Even a BIG needle. Now try it with both eyes open. Isn't it a lot easier with both eyes?
Or, using only one eye, try pouring water from one container into another—especially into one with a narrow opening. Better have a mop ready! Now try it with both eyes.
Shut one eye and the world looks flat—2-dimensional. Keep both eyes open, and the world takes on a whole new dimension! 3-D, or stereo, vision helps us tell how far away things are.
Human stereo vision is a good thing for engineers to try to copy in making robots that can get around on their own.
Because your eyes are separated by a few centimeters (a couple of inches), each eye sees a slightly different image. Your brain, however, combines the two images into one, using the extra information to tell you how close or far away things are.
Roving robots, too, must be able to tell how far away things are. Otherwise the robot will bump into things and have a hard time reaching its target.
Urbie can see and navigate by itself, with no help from humans. Urbie would also make an ideal space explorer.


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Last September I posted about the new sofa I had bought from J.C. Penney. I loved it! It was exactly what I was looking for - a 3-cushion, white, slipcovered sofa at a reasonable price.
It was a little scary buying something online without sitting on it first, but it had so many excellent reviews I was more confidant that it was the right purchase. Other buyers had even posted photos online of the sofa after they had owned it for several months and that helped boost my confidence as well.
As soon as I got it home and put together, I knew I had made the right decision.
It was the perfect couch for playing Wii!
Just kidding... Kinda...
I loved how comfy and spacious it was for watching movies with friends and just hanging out and talking. When I got strep throat back in May I hardly left this cozy couch. Take a gander at how the sofa looked when I first brought it home last year.
Once a cover is washed, I pull it out and hang it up to dry. This usually takes a few hours and I put the covers back on while they are still a little damp and smooth out the wrinkles.
So far I've removed dirt stains, red frosting (dried on), blood stains (yep, you read that right and no, I don't know how they got there) and more with no problem. It also just feels nice to put on a clean slipcover. =)
It's been fun seeing how much the living room has changed in the past year.
So there you have it, I still love the couch! And here are some more gratuitous pictures of the living room.
Is there a purchase you've made in the last year that you love and would like to share?


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WASHINGTON — Do you have what it takes to be James Bond?
You can test yourself at the new exhibit "Exquisitely Evil: 50 years of Bond Villains," which just opened at the International Spy Museum. It runs through 2014.
The character of James Bond was created by the late British writer Ian Fleming, a former Naval Intelligence officer during World War II. The character has become an icon known worldwide.
"When Ian Fleming wrote his books, in particular when the books began to be turned into films, nobody knew anything very much about British intelligence at all," says Dame Stella Rimington, former director general of the British Security Service MI-5. "In those days the government didn't even acknowledge that MI-6 existed, so the films came into a sort of blank world, and told us that British Intelligence contained men wearing black ties and dinner jackets and looking extraordinarily elegant and drinking martinis, shaken not stirred. I do believe that people actually thought that was true for a good long time."
Starring six different actors over 50 years, the 23 Bond movies have always changed their villains to suit their times. Megalomaniacs, evil global tycoons, men set on wiping out all of mankind, and, on a more personal level, disaffected secret agents have all run up against Bond — and failed.
This exhibit tells their stories.
"Exquisitely Evil" starts with Fleming artifacts, including a one-of-a-kind walking stick with a golden-eye grip. Props from all the films are represented. Many will remember the steel teeth belonging to Jaws from "Moonraker," elaborately handled torture knives, and a small-scale model of the Aston-Martin DB5 first driven by Sean Connery in "Goldfinger."
"James Bond's films exceeded by several billion dollars all the other franchises in Hollywood history," says Milton Maltz, who founded the International Spy Museum 10 years ago.
His original concept for the museum was that it be about espionage in the real world, not fiction. So, along with Bond, "Exquisitely Evil" includes 15 video clips from former CIA agents including Valerie Plame, whose cover was blown by the George W. Bush administration, and Robert Baer, author of "See No Evil," explaining how intelligence gathering really works. The clips are called "My Bond Moments."
Rimington says, "As the films have moved on, the world has moved with them, and they've moved with the world. So with the latest film, 'Skyfall,' it's a very different, different picture that's presented." The closing room is devoted to the dangers of modern day cyber-warfare.
Museum goers will enjoy the interactive exhibits. There's "Can you hang?" where you can test how long you can hang onto a metal bar — which starts to slowly turn after a certain point.
Anna Slafer, director of the museum, says they wanted to make people "reflect on 'how have I been affected by fiction over the years.'" One question from an interactive poll is "007 has a license to kill. Do you think that real intelligence officers have a license to kill?"
Another question: Would today's intelligence services accept James Bond as an agent?


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DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syria's government accused rebels of firing a chemical weapon on Tuesday for the first time in the 2-year-old civil war, calling it the "first act" of a newly announced opposition interim government.
Rebels quickly denied the report and accused regime forces of firing the chemical weapon. Neither of the accusations could immediately be verified.
Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi said 16 people were killed and 86 wounded in the missile attack on the village of Khan al-Assal near the city of Aleppo.
If confirmed, it would mark the first time such weapons have been used since the uprising against President Bashar Assad began in March 2011.
One of the international community's top concerns since fighting began is that Syria's vast arsenal of chemical weapons could be used by one side or the other or could fall into the hands of foreign jihadist fighters among the rebels or the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which is allied with the regime.
The minister al-Zoubi said the missile containing "poisonous gases" was fired from Nairab district in Aleppo into Khan al-Assal village.
The reported attack was in an area just east of the city of Aleppo that had seen fierce fighting for weeks before rebels took over a sprawling government complex there last month.
The facility included several military posts and a police academy that Assad's forces have turned into a military base that regularly fires shells at nearby villages.
In comments made to the pro-government Al-Ikhbariya TV station, the information minister held the international community responsible for arming the rebels and described it as a "dangerous escalation."
"This is the first act by the government announced in Istanbul," he said.
Syria's opposition coalition early Tuesday elected a little-known American-educated IT manager to head an interim government to administer areas seized by rebel forces from Assad's troops.
In his first speech after his election, Hitto ruled out dialogue with the regime.
"We confirm to our people that there is no place for dialogue with the Assad regime," he said in a speech to media and members of the opposition Syrian National Coalition in Istanbul.
He said the interim government will be headquartered in rebel-held territories in northern Syria and urged international recognition for the new entity.
Anti-regime activists denied the government allegations of using chemical weapons.
An activist in Khan al-Assal said rebels had recently seized much of the village including a facility that housed a military academy.
The Aleppo Media Center, affiliated with the rebels, said there were cases of "suffocation and poison" among civilians in Khan al-Assal after a surface-to-surface missile was fired at the area. It said in a statement the cases were "most likely" caused by regime forces' use of "poisonous gases."
An activist in Aleppo province who identified himself as Yassin Abu Raed, not his real name, confirmed the attack and said there were at least 40 cases of suffocation in the area and several deaths.
But he said no details were available as casualties were being taken to a government-controlled area in Aleppo.
Abu Raed declined to give his real name because of security concerns.
He said it did not make sense for the rebels to fire a chemical weapon at an area they had recently seized, and accused the government instead.
"Why would the Free Syrian Army bomb themselves with a chemical weapon?" he asked.
As rebels make gather momentum with the capture of military bases and other strategic sites, concerns have mounted over the security of the chemical weapons arsenal.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said recently that the longer the war goes on, the greater the danger of its institutions collapsing and extremists getting their hands on chemical weapons arsenal.
Karam reported from Beirut. Ben Hubbard contributed to this report from Istanbul, Turkey.


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Some forums have started to register problems with excessive growth of transaction logs for databases hosting the mailboxes of iOS devices that have been upgraded to iOS 6.1 For example, this note describes a situation where upgraded devices seemed to go into a loop and ended up by generating some 50 GB of transaction logs.
Another interesting report indicating that some form of synchronization loop can happen was posted to the forum used by folks who support the F5 load balancers that are often used to front-end large Microsoft Exchange Server deployments.
I've picked up a few other reports that cannot be publicly attributed at this point that also refer to excessive transaction log generation after iOS 6.1 devices are introduced into Exchange 2010 or Exchange 2007 environments. I assume the same is true for Exchange 2013 as the underlying cause is likely to be in Apple's mail app code that calls ActiveSync to synchronize with a user's Exchange mailbox, with some indications being that the problem is once again associated with calendar events. You'd think that Apple would have learned after the iOS 6.0 calendar hijack fiasco.
In any case, for now the best idea is to tell users not to upgrade to iOS 6.1 until the situation becomes clearer. Consider implementing an ActiveSync device access rule to block iOS 6.1 clients connecting if people won't listen to the advice not to upgrade. It just doesn't make sense to allow some rogue devices to wreak havoc on your infrastructure.
Follow Tony @12Knocksinna


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Ever found yourself wandering around your favourite boutique, uncertain which rail was menswear and which was aimed at the fairer sex? That shouldn't be a problem come next Spring as, if Saint Laurent Paris's New Year menswear range is anything to go by, androgyny is in. The newly rebranded ready-to-wear arm of the legendary Yves Saint Laurent fashion house has …
Topman turn to tweed for AW12 Premium Suiting Collection
Looking for a new suit to see you through the winter months? Topman's newly revealed AW12 Premium Suiting Collection doffs its cap to traditional styles, using coloured herringbones and houndstooth, multi flecked birdseye, tweed and fine Italian fabrics for a classic, nostalgic look without breaking the bank. Consisting of the Harris Tweed line, the Made in England range and the inaugural …
Reiss "The Great Tailoring Movement" lookbook shows off A/W 2012 suit trends
The nights are pulling in, our tops are getting thicker; Autumn is now in full swing. Reiss are the latest brand to reveal their Autumn/Winter collection, showing off their late-season suits under the heading "The Great Tailoring Movement". Taking its cues from the continued retro-renaissance, Reiss are getting in early on The Great Gatsby style-shift that's sure to follow Baz Luhrmann's …
Frencheye reveal Men's Autumn/Winter 2012 tailoring collection
We've just experienced our allotted two days of British summer (barely enough time to shake the cobwebs off our deck shoes and shorts!), and so it's now time to turn our attention to the Autumn Winter trends for 2012. Frencheye, a London-based tailoring brand who take their inspiration from continental brands like Zegna and Canali, are touting their latest range of …
Spencer Hart collaborate with Samsung
A few weeks ago we were invited to one of our favourite Savile Row tailors, Spencer Hart, to learn about their recent collaboration with Samsung. The collaboration involves integrating mobile technology into the traditional craft of Savile Row design and lifestyle tailoring. To be perfectly honest I was a bit skeptical at first, but as soon as I saw how …
Sneak peak: Disorder features Example on the cover of the Dapper issue
One of our favourite independent magazines, Disorder, just sent us an exclusive sneak peak at the October/November Dapper Issue…. and damn it is good. Some how they have managed to get urban musician, Example, out of his trademark bomber jackets, t-shirts, into tailored suiting!!! If you have ever need proof that a little tailoring can do wonders, here it is. …
Behind the Seams with Joseph Abboud & Hart Schaffner Marx
Hart Schaffner Marx have launched their Fall/Winter 2011 collection, with a great short video featuring Joseph Abboud as he takes the viewer behind the scenes of collection photo shoot. I have been a big fan of Abboud's classic yet sophisticated design for some time now, so was quite excited to see what he has in store for this coming season. …
Paris Menswear: Lanvin SS10 Catwalk Show
You can rely on Alber Elbaz and Lucas Ossendrijver to deliver a great collection and they did. This collection for Lanvin was typically elegant affair, with the très chic suits and kimono-style jackets. Irreverent touches like trousers and suits made from tie silk reinforce Elbaz's gentle sense of humour and sandals worn with socks gave a geeky twist to the look.
Brandish Watch + WISHLIST: 'Priceless' S/S 09- Topman Tailoring by Antony Price
Topman is great for its designer collaborations and its 'Priceless' range, designed by celebrated fashion designer and tailor Antony Price, delivers every season. The range has just gone up on Topman.com and with its wonderful waistcoats, brilliant blazers and perfectly pleated pants (in the American sense of the word,) I can't wait to get a piece of the action!
WISHLIST: H&M A/W 2009 Crushed Velvet Coat
The more I write about summer clothes, and slowly accept that summer isn't actually coming, I look to next winter and start structuring my cold wardrobe. Coats are a notoriously hard thing to get right and a single inch too short or too long can ruin not only an entire look, but an entire wardrobe (well, almost.)
Stella McCartney Menswear? Yes, Please!
Since turning up at the Met's Costume Institute Gala with a trinity of her Hollywood girlfriends, Stella McCartney has had a whirlwind week involving everyone from Simon Doonan (creative director of Barneys) to Michelle Obama.
While chatting to the gloriously over-the-top Doonan, Stella was asked about lending her ethical hand to a menswear collection…
WISHLIST: Button-detail 'Belushi' shirt from b Store London
Over coffee the other day, I was talking to a friend who suffers from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder.) Listening to the misery of days spent not knowing what to wear each morning (friends will know of how immense the impact of fashion is upon my life!) I decided to go on the lookout for a designer who can deliver trans-seasonal clothes that will carry us males throughout the year.
Eco Chic or Recycling Freak? Coke Can Tux
When you see a photo of a teen wearing a prom tuxedo jacket fashioned entirely from Coke cans, you have to wonder what the teen in question does with their free time. This guy, a Napoleon Dynamite-lookalike with a penchant for commercialism, has decided to venture into eco-friendly fashion and after the jump you can witness the entire creation of the waistcoat and jacket (plus bowtie!) from metal to masterpiece. Sadly, this look is more Sideshow Bob than Stella McCartney.
Pick of the Blogs: waistcoats, craft and Grand Central Oyster Bar
Click image to enlarge
Even if you can't offer you handy, crafty, tipster services have a look at the video on Sunday Best, it features singing, montages and a nifty ye olde effect. For those who can, roll up your shirtsleeves and send in a contribution, it's the perfect Christmas holiday project [The Sunday Best]
Celeb Style: Ashton Kutcher at 'Flawless' Premiere
Ashton Kutcher is one of my low-key style icons. Firstly, he started out as a model and it was he who introduced the now infamous 'trucker cap' to the fashion scene. Rumours were rife of a fashion collaboration when he was spotted note-taking in the front rows of fashion weeks and now he has provided us with even more style inspiration.
Brioni bring their tailoring expertise to the Royal College of Art
Italian menswear label Brioni has agreed to renew their sponsorship of the Menswear fashion Design course at London's Royal College of Art.
Jack Wills 'Classic British Tailoring' Collection
Jack Wills is a label synonymous with public school brats and pink polo-shirts with faux-Rugby Club logos. However, beneath what appears to be a rather empty and shallow brand image, every now and then Jack Wills releases a couple of items that can be put together to form fashion-friendly looks. I, myself, have a skinny scarf that is a perfect blend of stripey knit and dove grey silk- it never fails to improve an otherwise boring look.
In time for the Christmas period, the high-street chain has released their 'Classic British Tailoring' collection featuring gems such as the Lewington Tails and Oakington jacket.
Continue reading for full product details, links and more information about the collection!
AskMen.com Explore the Sartorial Savvy of Gianni Agnelli
Gianni Agnelli is a man constantly sourced as style inspiration to fashionistos across the world. From his flair for fine tailoring to his edgy take on accessories, this man had a look that was extremely well-executed and so timeless that it is still being copied on the catwalks of today. Agnelli's grandson, Lapo Elkann, continues to wear all of Agnelli's bespoke suits and it is no coincidence that Elkann has, in recent years, been hailed as a modern style icon by the likes of US Vogue and Esquire.
The article is full of great style advice such as, "if you want to dress like an iconoclast, your first step is to dismiss all of the old rules of fashion — just like Gianni Agnelli did when he wore his wristwatch over his sleeve cuff."
Click here to read the full story.
Tavi Tells The Truth: A Man And His Gold Coat
Tavi, the girl-wonder-blogger with a fashion sense so incredibly brilliant I feel like crying when I 'm reading her blog, has found this picture and decided that she wants to marry the wearer of this great, gold jacket.
Andre 3000- I'd Vote Just For One Of Your Bow-Ties…
Andre Benjamin (also known as Andre 3000) is taking part in the latest 'Declare Yourself' campaign which urges American youths to cast their vote as to who should be the next President of their country.
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The Arcane Tome of DOOM™
Note from the Editor:
There are simply far too many great threads on this board to cram them all in stickies at the top of the first page. So I've spent the last three hours sifting through the 66+pages of this board to dig up the best nuggets of information I could find. If you read through them all, you'll find I've posted on almost all of them. This listing might be biased then, but I make a habit in posting in the threads I think are helpful, and I'm trying to assemble those threads here. You also may find that I've written a few of the threads myself. I put them in this compilation as an act of sheer hubris, but I hope you find them useful.
The beautiful thing about a link thread is that you can peruse it as you please, and read bits of information as a time. It will be long, but not nearly as long as collecting all the information in one post. If you come across anything I missed that you want in here, or if a new great thread comes out, simply leave a post here and I'll edit it in as fast as I can. Enjoy reading some of these posts, many you may have missed, and others simply forgotten.
EDIT: Just for those of you who've skimmed this over a few times, I'm placing a marker next to the threads that are new to the compilation! These markers will be removed after the thread has been updated twice.
Table of Contents:
Section One: READ THIS FIRST
BLM 101 -BlastolaQuetz FORMER STICKY!! READ!!
My apologies to Blastola for usurping his spot. This an EXCELLENT guide, and I recommend every Black Mage worth his salt to read this post. It's long, so set some time aside.
Black Mage Mentor Program -Pokemauler
This is a great idea. Come here if you are new to this job and want to find someone in game to help you out.
BLM: Debuff/Buff/Nuking/Partying/etc -KudomaBooYah
An older guide that contains a wealth of information, as well opinions from respected BLM forum posters. It has some slightly controversial views on BLM debuffs, but this doesn't detract from it's overall excellence.
How to Easily Magic Burst 100% of the Time! -Pullo
An older guide, but contains useful information for those starting out.
Stopping a Spell Midway -noneedforaname
Short but sweet, a tip even us veterans forget from time to time.
Guide for BLM/WHM level 25+ going to Yuhtunga Jungle -AtrU
Just getting out of Qufim? Check this out.
My name is Larry, and I am a Galka Black Mage -thewierdo
Racism hurts us all. Please, think of the Galka.
Vana'diel Monsters Weakness Table -link provided by Progenitor
The most complete listing of weaknesses AND strengths I've seen. Run it through =Babel Fish= to make sense of all the nuances. Not 100% accurate, I don't think, but you'll never need another table.
Manaburn: For Dummies v3 -President
If you want to get a manaburn going for the first time, I suggest reading this.
Another updated version, NOW WITH 66.23% more info!
Mana Burn Party (MBP) alternate leveling sites -OmegaManOne
A good guide for levelling areas, Manaburn or otherwise.
Dynamis guide for BLMs needed. -FriendlyGiant
What started as a request has become a guide of its own.
This is good information for those of you just hitting end-game.
BLMs Guide to Dynamis -AtrU
All the information you need compiled into one easy to read post! SNARF!
ENM Mine Shaft LV60 Solo BLM Guide -xAkuNeko
Want to know how to make 2000EXP in five minutes soloing as a BLM?
Deathtaru's Mini Guide for Easy SOLO BlackMage! -Deathtaru
A good guide showing mobs that are easy pickins.
Just a small amount of info... -Faulkon
A good, printable list of what level you get spells, WSs and abilities.
Section Two: Just Because You're a Mage, Doesn't Mean You Get To Run Around Naked
I've got a mogsafe full of armor and nothing to wear! -Progenitor
A General Guide to End Game equipment.
Progenitor's Guide to BLM level cap 20 gear -Progenitor
Progenitor's Guide to BLM level cap 30 gear -Progenitor
Progenitor's Guide to BLM level cap 40 gear -Progenitor
Progenitor's Guide to BLM level cap 50 gear -Progenitor
A very good series of equipment threads with Chains of Promathia areas in mind.
Duracell's Guide to Black Mage Equipment and Advanced Macros -DuracellPheonix
A good guide for the rich Black Mage. Recently updated with CoP info!
Black Mage Equipment Guide -Cesium
A brand new list, written for the frugal player. If you are just starting the game as a Black Mage, this is the equipment guide to read.
Moldavite Earring: A Guide -Ragnard
Great guide. You will want this sooner or later.
Uggalepih Pendant and Tonberry Hate -Rahskala
Definite proof that this droolicious neck piece gives a flat rate to MAB.
Food & Drink - What are best to use? -Zomye
No mage should go hungry.
Black Mage Spell Locations Guide -Seriiyah
If you're going to nuke, you need something to nuke with.
Printable BLM spells guide & locations -Fhqwghads
This is hard to read unless you print it, but it contains much more information than the stickied guide.
Blm AF Walkthrough -Ollorin
The one stop shop for BLM AF.
Weesol's Style Guide -Weesol
A great guide with good suggestions and up-to-date items.
Guide for Endgame BLM Gear: ADVANCED PLAYERS -itchblm
The ultimate guide for all you min/maxing power players.
Max Possible Stat Equipment List for a 75 Black mage -itchblm
Actually, THIS is for all you min/maxing twinking phreaks.
Section Three: What Every Black Mage Should Know...Your Stats
Your Stats and How They Affect you (Facts from Theories) -Sloppysue
I wrote this with the average player in mind. I hope it's clear enough.
Our Primary Stats and How They Affect Damage -Elmoreb
This goes much more in depth, and shows the damage formula.
The Revised Damage Formula -Sloppysue
As good as Elmoreb's post is, we've learned some things about the damage formula since there. This is me adding to it what we've learned.
Elemental Theory 101 -Pensive
Mmm...oops. I was supposed to add this months ago. Its great and full of useful information, make sure to read it!
Conserve MP - Progenitor
First glance at this elusive stat.
Passive Ability Details for Conserve MP
Read some of the comments in here, some great information on the ability.
Conserve mp and Conserve mp gear (Test results)-SirJac
Very recent info on the subject. Well done tests.
Testing Conserve MP: some results, and request for more data -MargavineLiselle
Excellent information, and not from a Black Mage!
Section Four: A Treatise On Magic of The Ancients
Ancient MB and Efficiency -SiddAlex
A fair and technical look at the efficiency of Ancient Magic.
Tips for an Effective AM-MB -VirAphelion
If you're going to do it, do it right.
Section Five: Black Mage Only spells, and their quirks
AE Damage VS Differing Numbers of Targets - Bayler
A pretty old thread I found. Illustrates -ga damage on multiple enemies.
Elemental Enfeebles: A Different Strategy -RydiaJademist
An interesting way to think about our Enfeebles. I suggest reading it.
A guide to the elemental enfeebles(Shock, Burn, ect.) -Onionsoldier
A good guide to enfeebles that clears up some of the most commonly asked questions on the forum.
Elemental Enfeeble Misconceptions? -Nivlakian
Some good footwork by Nivlakian. To sum it up:
The stat reduction from Elemental Enfeebles does not wear off gradually.
Abusing Tractor -Bisquick
What's the point of power if you can't abuse it once in a while?
I'm stupid for not knowing this before, but good tip... -Sloppysue
Something interesting I found out about sleep, a year too late.
I'm stupid for not knowing this before, but good tip...Pt II -DuracellPheonix
Duracell keeps contributing with this good tip about Escape.
Sleepga II: A guide -Omalika
Do you want Sleepga II, but don't want to deal with exorbitant AH inflation to get it? This is the guide for you!
Section Six: Those Wonderful, Powerful, Expensive Pieces of Crap
Elemental Staves & Resists -CevanCerberus
The first real test I've seen on the subject that gives evidence towards staves effecting resists.
Elemental Staves, Damage, and You -Taaniel
One of the first useful threads I found on the subject.
Elemental Staves, a Break Down -Scrow
Very helpful link, laying out the hidden benefits of the staves.
Clear Up Elemental Staves, Resistance -Dassureth
Lots of information in here. Nivlakian finds something out about the bonus damage.
Dark Staff, Sleep Experiment -Telesis
Bet you didn't see this coming...
How to skill your staff skill solo from 0-215 -Troille
Sadly, this thread is no longer relevant. I'm keeping it here just because Troille deserves props for his contributions.
Section Seven: Die, Old Man, Die.
Beat Maat Guide (Level 70 Cap) -hccmike
One of the first good Maat Guides I found.
How I defeated Maat: A Black Mage Testimony -Rison
The best Maat Guide I found.
How not to beat Maat - Now with 100% more video! -Ryotu
Have you been beating Maat too often? Check this out!
Section Eight: Technical Crap (AKA The Start of it All)
Nuke HP/MP Efficiency Study -Bayler
The trend setter. This got the ball rolling.
INT and You! -Sloppysue
My first attempt at statistical methods with video games.
Watch me jump to all sorts of conclusions.
INT and You, my results -Progenitor
Another useful and often quoted study.
Elemental Skill and you -Progenitor
Definitely proof that Elemental Skill doesn't affect damage.
Also evidence of it's effects on resistance.
Magic Damage Explained? -Progenitor
The first appearance of the damage formula on these forums.
Section Nine: Appendix
Psychological Profile of a Black Mage -OmegaManOne
This is a fun post by OMO, give it a read over if you want to be entertained.
Future BLM additions? (videos + pics) -Alamine
There haven't been enough inane threads about this lately.
Galka Shooter Flash Game!!
I guess this one is out of action. I kept the link because now there are other games on the site.
Right click on the window and select Play to give it whirl.
[/Yellow]The life of of air elemental -Onionsoilder[/Yellow]
An interesting thread with stories in it. Give it a read ;)
And that's all I have. I hope you enjoy, and above all, find it useful. Let me know if you feel a link should be added or taken out.
EDIT1: Ollorin's AF Walkthrough added! How did I miss that?
EDIT2: Added Duracell's Equipment Guide and a Conserve MP study.
EDIT3: Added Elemental Weakness List.
EDIT4: Added Level Area Guide, General BLM guide, and changed some flavor text.
EDIT5: Added Cesiums equipment guide.
EDIT6: Added a Staff Skilling tip.
EDIT7: Added Nivlakians useful thread on Enfeebles.
EDIT8: Added a flavorful psych profile by OMO, and a Manaburn guide. I also added Fqwghads spell list a while ago...
EDIT9: Added two new tips in Section 5
EDIT10: Added a Dynamis thread.
EDIT11: Added a Dynamis guide, and ENM60 guide.
EDIT12: Added a thread that shows staves effect resists.
EDIT13: Added Uggilepih Pendant thread, an enfeeb guide, and a humorous Maat guide.
EDIT14: Been a while, but I finally added the requested threads!
EDIT15: Added Sleepga II guide!
EDIT16: Added some stuff. Look for the cool smiley.
EDIT17: WOW! The Tome EXPLODED. That took a while to fix. Oh, added more stuff.
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A respected engineer and retired Navy officer sexually abused a teenage relative for more than a year, a Charleston County jury found.
Erick Alberto Arroyo, a 54-year-old Mount Pleasant man, was convicted Friday on two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor and lewd act on a minor. Arroyo must undergo a psychological evaluation prior to his sentencing to determine if he will be classified as a sexual predator.
A 13-year-old girl came forward in 2009 with information that Arroyo, a relative, had abused her for more than a year. Prosecutors said the girl's mother found Arroyo on top of her daughter. The girl, now 16, testified that Arroyo told her he wanted to teach her about sex so she wouldn't have to experiment with boys, prosecutors said. His abuse progressed from fondling to sex.
Assistant Solicitor Elizabeth Gordon said the girl took a risk by speaking up, and some family members disowned her because of it.
"It took a great deal of courage to confront the man who had done this to her and to have to testify in great detail in front a room full of strangers about abuse that she so desperately would prefer to forget," Gordon said in a written statement. "It was obvious the victim was telling the truth, and I am very pleased that the jury could see that."
The jury heard five days of testimony before deliberating less than four hours to return its guilty verdict, according to prosecutors. Arroyo's defense attorney, Andy Savage, pointed to a lack of physical evidence in the case but also noted that he did not question the jury's verdict.
"I'm afraid that the legal system is now skewed that (it) not only ensures conviction of the guilty, which it should, but also does not demand the same quality of evidence in terms of law enforcement investigation and in terms of hard science, that other crimes do," Savage said.
Ninth Circuit Solicitor Scarlett Wilson pointed out that sex crimes often rely on testimony as opposed to medical reports, a point reinforced by expert testimony during Arroyo's trial. "Many, if not most, sexual assault cases do not yield evidence of trauma," Wilson said. "It is not common for there to be physical injury. Females bodies are designed for sexual intercourse and for birthing children. Their bodies can withstand a lot before there is evidence of injury."
Arroyo faces up to 20 years in prison on the sexual conduct counts and up to 15 years in prison on the lewd act count.
Reach Allyson Birdat 937-5594 or Twitter.com/allysonjbird.