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Easy Forex is aimed squarely at the beginners side of the trading spectrum. Their simple platform allows you to speculate on a range of currencies, metals and indices. The Israeli company behind Easy Forex launched in 2003, and has its headquarters in Cyprus.
Easy Forex Trading Europe is licensed by the Cyprus Stock Securities and Exchange Commission (CySec). In Australia, they are licensed under the ASIC. The company is not regulated in the U.S and therefore doesn't accept U.S clients at the present time.
You can get started on Easy Forex by opening a standard account and placing a minimum deposit of $25. Accounts are available in most major currencies. The standard account offers fixed spreads from 3 pips for the majors and is designed with the newbie day-trader in mind.
- Standard – $25 upwards, minimum deal size 0.05 lots
- Premium – $2,000 upwards, minimum deal size, 0.1 lots
- VIP – $20,000 upwards, minimum deal size, 1 lot
The premium accounts do require a higher deposit amount and have a greater dealing size. On the other hand the spreads are lower and you'll be offered additional VIP services such as personalized training and priority support.
In addition, all accounts, including the standard come with the following:
- Personal account representative
- Live support
- SMS alerts to your mobile device
- Access to research and educational material
All accounts have guaranteed stop losses on Easy Forex's platforms so you know the maximum amount you can lose in any single deal.
Guaranteed stops Stops are not normally guaranteed by brokers because of the risks. When the market "gaps" the quote may pass right through your stop level without executing. For example, when breaking news happens over a weekend/holiday and the market opens at a new level with no trades in between.
These events can potentially cause a loss much greater than the amount invested, especially when high leverage is involved. When guaranteeing stops, the broker carries this risk – but keep in mind this is usually offset with higher trading fees.
Spreads and Charges
While there are no deposit or withdrawal fees at Easy Forex, the spreads on the standard account are fairly high compared to the industry average. You do have to bear in mind however that these spreads are fixed.
They won't fluctuate under challenging market conditions such as low liquidity or high volatility as variable spreads would. But it does mean a higher percentage of rejected orders. For example, when there's high volatility and the broker has to change the fixed quote before an order is received.
In addition to spreads, trades left open overnight are subject to a "renewal" or "roll-over" fee regardless of whether the interest rate differential is in the trader's favor or not.
The renewal fees are very high, at 7.2% annually of the nominal amount. These can really add-up especially if you have many open positions with substantial leverage. This makes Easy Forex better suited to day traders rather than position traders.
Dealing Desk
If you're going to use Easy Forex as your main broker, another thing to be aware of is their means of trade execution.
Easy Forex use what's called "Dealing Desk" execution. What this means is that when you trade, Easy Forex is your counterparty. Your gains are their losses and vice versa.
They are the market maker in every deal transacted on their system. Trades are on their books, so keep in mind that any P&L you have may be at risk if they default.
This is in contrast to non-dealing desk execution (NDD) or an ECN broker. Many traders believe these are preferable – because there are no conflicts of interest.
With non dealing desk execution, your broker isn't the counterparty and doesn't, in principle, assume any risk at all in the transaction.
They obtain quotes from a number of liquidity providers (usually international banks and currency dealers) and simply broker the transaction adding on their spread or commission.
Pros and cons There are pros and cons to everything and dealing desk execution is no different. The main advantages of using a "dealing desk" are fixed (or lower) spreads and guaranteed stops. Plus you do at least know and can asses the risk of your counterparty.
Conflicts The downside however is that it raises a potential conflict of interest. As counterparty and market maker, the "dealing desk" knows your position; they can see your stops and your limits.
This setup is designed with the beginner in mind so that they can see how much is at risk when they trade. It makes it easy to see how much exposure you have.
If you don't want dealer intervention in your trades, you can use the MT4 platform instead. Easy Forex states that MT4 accounts use straight through order execution and trades will bypass the dealing desk. Using MetaTrader also allows the use of expert advisors to automate your strategy.
Easy Forex Platforms
You'll have the choice of five alternative trading platforms including an online webtrader, the downloadable MT platform, and two mobile apps, one for iPhone and an MT4 app for Windows phones.
I found the webtrader a bit quirky, but once you get the hang of it, it's pretty simple to use. You don't enter stops and limits directly for each trade. Instead, it asks you for the amount to trade and your chosen margin (the amount you want to risk). This establishes your leverage.
The system then calculates the stop level automatically based on your given settings. Each position trades with its own margin and leverage. And the margin gets locked from your overall free balance.
Example Say you're selling EUR/USD and choose the smallest trade size of EUR 5,000. If you set the margin at $25 the system would automatically set your stop loss at +50 pips from the spot price. Your free balance is then temporarily reduced by $25 to cover your margin for the trade.
This setup is designed with the beginner in mind so that they can see exactly how much is at risk when they trade. It makes it very easy to see how much exposure you have. The position is guaranteed to close out at the chosen level, so you always know the worst case P&L you can achieve.
Freeze There's also a useful feature on the trade panel called "freeze rate". What this does is it allows you to temporarily fix a rate just before you enter a trade. This is helpful in fast moving markets. However be aware that it's not always guaranteed to freeze at your desired rate. Plus it only freezes the price for a few seconds.
The choice of instruments you can trade will depend on your platform – all are available on the webtrader or mobile app. The complete selection includes:
- Currencies
- Indices
- Precious metals
- Commodities
- Futures contracts
- Forex options
Currency Options
Easy Forex allows you to trade options on a range of currency pairs. Opening a new position brings up the options trade tab (in easy mode). One side is for trading put options, and the other calls. If you click the button at the bottom it brings up a scenario generator.
The attraction of trading options is that the loss is limited to the amount paid for the option premium. However due to the high gearing, the upside can be enormous.
In here you can enter a range of expiry levels against your given strike price. The chart and tables will show you the expected payoff and potential cash flow from the option.
By default, the tool only displays options with strike price at the money (at the current spot price). If you want to trade in the money, or out of the money options you can click the "create trade" button. This takes you to the advanced panel where you can create a customized option.
Just enter your required strike price as a percentage away from the current price or as an actual value. Next enter the option's expiry date. The scenario tool will then show you your potential payoffs.
With the tool you can also create and trade your own option strategies or use those of others.
The attraction of trading options is that the loss is limited to the amount paid for the option premium. However due to the high gearing, the upside can be enormous. This is especially true with options which are deeply out of the money and which are close to expiry. Having a high probability of expiring worthless, these options are more speculative.
There's a huge range of trading tools and resources on Easy Forex. However most are beyond the scope of this review. I'll only summarize a few of them here.
Insider View This gadget lets you see how other people are trading at any given instant. Just select the pair you're studying and "up pops" a little graph telling you how many people are buying, and how many are selling that currency pair right now. Click the "structure" tab and that will tell you where the average stops and limits are.
This is useful for deciding how to setup your own trade. It gives you an edge because you'll have additional insight beyond just charts and fundamentals.
Trade Controller The little graphic tool that appears when you modify a trade is called the "trade controller". It lets you graphically adjust the stops and take-profit levels for the trade. The bar underneath the graphic tells you your potential profit or loss with your chosen values.
It's a useful tool that lets you visualize your profit scenarios and adjust your risk-reward settings.
The charts which are integrated into the trading panel are a bit on the small side. They also don't have any indicators or analysis tools. You need to open the full charting section for that. If you're using the webtrader it's frustrating because you have to keep switching from one page to the other.
Research and Analysis
This is probably the most useful part of the site. When it comes to research, a lot of brokers either provide a mass of unorganized information that's too difficult to digest or they provide summaries which are too short.
The nice thing about Easy Forex's research section is that they have the relevant data in a concise form, plus a link to the original report. I find the UBS Morning Advisor to be a good "heads up" for the day's trading events.
The UBS report usually arrives at 7a.m. and it summarizes the important announcements and critical events for the coming day. This includes important economic releases as well as central bank statements.
It also has a nice technical summary which gives trend forecasts for several currency pairs using their own proprietary charting models.
If you're in need of a forex crash course, or just fancy a refresher, there's a free eBook that you can download from the user's area.
The eBook provides a decent introduction to the subject and covers all of the essentials including trading basics, spreads, pips, leverage, fundamentals, and charting. It also explains the key factors that can influence exchange rates such as interest rates, inflation and the economy.
All of the examples are geared around and contain references to their own platform. Nevertheless the book is a worthwhile read and summarizes a lot of important concepts very nicely.
To Sum Up…
While Easy Forex doesn't offer the most competitive spreads, they do offer other things that will appeal to some traders, especially those who're new to forex. Fixed spreads and guaranteed stops help to eliminate uncertainty. However traders need to weigh this up against the "dealing desk" mode of trade execution which is used.
There's a nice selection of trading tools and access to extensive research material that will help traders keep abreast of market developments. Easy Forex also lets you trade the forward markets as well as currency options.


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Level III Club Sport Regulations (all clubs not listed above)
i. There is no expectation for funding from regular College sources.
ii. There are no paid coaches
iii. Athletic facilities will be provided only after all demands for level I, level II, and departmental needs are satisfied.
Requirements for a club to move from one level to the next
i. Level I to varsity sport status
- The introduction of "new" varsity sports at Middlebury should not be anticipated by any group.
- Full funding to cover all coaching, travel, officials, equipment and other related costs must be available within the Athletics Department budget or approved by appropriate College officials.
- The program must show proof of at least a three-year period of sufficient student interest to ensure a viable program, but such proof should in no way be assumed to make varsity status inevitable. The activity must be defined as an emerging conference (NESCAC) or national (NCAA) sport for at least 3 years.
- Proof of feasibility of scheduling "natural rivals" must be provided. 75% of the other schools in the conference the club will compete in must have varsity status (to assure varsity competition availability)
- Adequate facilities for practice and contests must be available without negatively impacting any existing programs sponsored by the Department of Athletics.
ii. Level II to I
- Demonstrate the ability to meet all requirements expected at level I.
- There must be continued student support for 3 successive years.
- All schedule obligations must have been met during this time period (no forfeits).
- There can be no disciplinary incidents during that 3-year time period.
- There must be availability of facilities and funding to accommodate the program without negatively impacting any existing programs sponsored by the Department of Athletics or existing level I clubs.
iii. Level III to II
- Demonstrate the ability to meet all requirements expected at level II.
- There must be continued student support for 3 successive years.
- All schedule obligations must have been met during this time period (no forfeits).
- There can be no disciplinary incidents during that 3-year time period.
- There must be availability of facilities to accommodate the program without negatively impacting any existing programs sponsored by the Department of Athletics or existing level I or II clubs.
Club Sports
Middlebury College offers a wide variety of club sports administered through the Student Activities office. Club sports are an essential part of the overall Middlebury experience, providing a diverse array of competitive and recreational opportunities where no varsity options exist. Club sports will not be approved in areas where a varsity sport exists. Approval for new club sports is contingent upon the availability of appropriate facilities, storage, and staff oversight. Approval given to a new club sport does not automatically guarantee funding.
Contact: Derek Doucet x3103
General Procedures and Guidelines for Club Sports
In order to use the name of Middlebury College and access College services, club sports must comply with the following regulations:
- Club Sports are subject to all of the same policies and guidelines which govern other student organizations
- They must receive approval of a constitution from the SGA Constitution Committee of the SGA through Student Activities (SA). A constitution does not guarantee funding. The SGA Finance Committee will not contribute funds for compensating staff positions (i.e., stipends to coaches of club sports), operating facilities, capital projects to support club sports, or overnight accommodations.
- Participants must be regularly enrolled undergraduates.
- Academic commitments always take precedence over club sports events, including post season and championship play. The Student Activities Office in no way approves, authorizes or condones absences from academic commitments for any club sports purposes. Any conflicts between academic commitments and club sports are to be addressed by the student with the involved faculty member. While students and faculty are always free to work through conflicts on a case by case basis to their mutual satisfaction, it is important to note that conflicts due to club sports activities are not considered Explained Absences.
- Club sport teams involved in intercollegiate competition must adhere to College, NESCAC and, where applicable, NCAA policies.
- Participants must conduct themselves in a manner that will reflect positively on the College.
- A coach is required for contact, equestrian, and water sports. Contracts and wages must be negotiated and authorized by the director of club sports in consultation with the director of athletics and the director of human resources.
- Club sport teams must make arrangements with the Athletics Operations & Events Manager for the use of athletic facilities and properties of the College at times when they are not otherwise needed by the Department of Physical Education and Athletics.
- Before competition or practices begin, or within 10 days of the beginning of a season, signed waivers must be submitted to the Student Activities Office, and schedules and rosters must be updated in MiddLink.
- Club sport teams must notify the director of club sports prior to canceling, postponing, or rescheduling a scheduled contest.
- Level 1 club sport teams must provide adequate protective equipment and pre-season medical screenings, arranged through the Department of Sports Medicine, for all strenuous and/or contact sports.
- College travel forms and releases must be completed with the appropriate coach or director of club sports before private vehicles are used to transport participants to away matches. The use of College rental vehicles is always preferable.
- On a limited basis, Club sports teams may request to return to campus before the beginning of the fall term for preseason practice. These requests will be reviewed by the Early Return Committee. First-year students may not participate in preseason practice.
- See "Vehicle Rentals" policy in this Manual for policies and procedures regarding use of College or rental vehicles.
- Where appropriate, must have SFAPS/CPR-trained personnel in attendance at all games and practices scheduled when the training room is not staffed.
- Club membership does not entitle a student to class excuses.
Fund-raising by club sports is limited to on-campus efforts and is subject to Finance Committee Guidelines. (See Fund-Raising on College Premises in this Manual.) No group may solicit alumni and friends of the College for money to support club teams without permission of the director of club sports in consultation with the director of Student Activities and the College Advancement office. If permission is granted, those solicitations will be limited to sales and services with group mailings organized through Student Activities at specific intervals. Direct solicitation of funds is prohibited.
Violations of any of the above procedures will subject the group to loss of club status and the individuals to disciplinary action by the College.
Level I Club Sport Regulations (Rugby, Crew, Water Polo, Sailing)
i. SGA and club dues provide funding for equipment and uniforms.
ii. The club will have a coach for supervisory and/or safety purposes. The coach will be salaried through College approved sources. The coach will be hired and evaluated by the director of club sports. The coach may not be a student.
iii. The club must be affiliated with a national/regional governing sports body.
iv. The director of club sports in conjunction with the Athletics Operations & Events Manager must approve all club match/game schedules.
v. Games/matches should be confined to a 300-mile radius--further only at the club sport director's discretion.
vi. The Athletics Department may provide practice and game space after scheduling Varsity programs needs.
vii. Recruiting activities limited to responding to prospective student inquiries only.
Level II Club Sport Regulations (Cricket, Cycling, Equestrians, Fencing, Ultimate Frisbee, Volleyball)
i. SGA funding, club dues and approved fundraising will be the means of financial support at this level.
ii. There are no college-paid coaches at this level, though clubs may elect (with approval from the Director of Club Sports) to hire a coach using gift funds, and the presence of a club advisor may be required at practices and competitions for risk management purposes.
iii. The Athletics Operations & Events Manager must be consulted regarding the use of athletic facilities and all events will be scheduled through her/him. This will happen only after the level I Club Sports needs are met.

subset: commoncrawl


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Featured Pet Insurance Review – Peace of Mind!
5/5 Stars
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-Rebecca M.


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Pauline is spending the summer at World's End, a cottage somewhere in the middle of England. This year the adjoining cottage is occupied by her daughter Teresa and baby grandson Luke; and, of course, Maurice, the man Teresa married. As the hot months unfold, Maurice grows ever more involved in the book he is writing - and with his female copy editor - and Pauline can only watch in dismay and anger as her daughter repeats her own mistakes in love. The heat and tension will lead to a violent, startling climax.
In Heat Wave, Penelope Lively gives us a moving portrayal of a fragile family damaged and defined by adultery, and the lengths to which a mother will go to protect the ones she loves.
- Penguin
- Published 3rd November 2011
- 192 Pages
- mm x mm x mm
- g
- £9.99


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Rhodesia: Can the Bishop Win?
To have lived in Rhodesia is to have experienced a feeling of helplessness. Sensible men gloomily surrender to the inevitability of increasing disharmony and bloodshed. A sterile desire to allocate moral blame gives way to an empty sadness that the two conflicting cultures—of Europe and of black southern Africa—seem unable to mix happily, however much people of good will may wish it.
The white man neurotically attempts to instill order and discipline into the unyielding and wayward African bush, where timetables, straight lines, and supposed European logic are defied. The white man remains reluctant, nonetheless, to submit to the broken telephone system, to the potholes and wild driving, to the apparent yearning for ramshackle, easygoing consensus government and windy rhetoric that tend to characterize emergent black Africa. Meanwhile, the black man, itching to be free of the colonial boss, however paternalistically benevolent or brutally oppressive he may be, resents the assumption that the norms of Europe—Western-style democracy and liberalism—are what he ought to want.
Now, fifteen years after Ian Smith came to power to keep Rhodesia white, his constituents are groping toward the once-mocked policy of racial "partnership," which many blacks have long since rejected as an inadequate substitute for naked power. Abel Muzorewa, often seemingly more a muddled pawn than a Methodist bishop, now plays the awkward role of conciliator of the illmatched cultures. No dazzler, he frequently appears to be outshone by his rivals: Rev. Ndabaningi Sithole, erudite, cunning, but irrational; Robert Mugabe, incontestably clever, his professed Marxism tinged with a bitterness that sets him uneasily in authority over a guerrilla army whose leaders have proved more effective at killing nationalist rivals than white soldiers; and Joshua Nkomo, avuncular, experienced, the veteran of Zimbabwean nationalism, friend of multinationals and Moscow alike. Through no special fault of his own Nkomo has been reduced now to the leadership of a minority tribal bloc and a tribal army as implacably opposed to Mugabe as it is to Muzorewa, despite the recent hatching of urgent plans for military unity between the two distinct guerrilla forces.
Democracy as defined in the West (and as it was betrayed by Ian Smith) means little to any of the competing nationalist leaders. Among them there is a preference for the traditional consensus hammered out—often conspiratorially—within a one-party structure. But a wider tolerance of dissent is bound to be promptly sacrificed on the altar of brute political expediency.
The bishop, it is true, is probably the gentlest of the leading four. He is by nature reformist, not revolutionary. He is keenest to keep white people on Zimbabwean soil, to redirect Rhodesia's resilient and efficient institutions, so that, rather than collapse, they may benefit principally the black majority, under the tutelage of the growing black bourgeoisie and those whites who can adapt to black Africa.
But the bishop is aware that in black…
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Michigan State Basketball: 2011 Campaign Requires Victory in ChampaignJanuary 18, 2011
The Michigan State Spartan basketball team is up-and-over the halfway point in the 2010-2011 basketball season yet still in search of a season defining victory.
Some might argue the victory against No. 11 ranked Washington achieved this task. Others will claim the comeback victory against rival and "Spartan Daddy" (Pedro Martinez terminology) Bo Ryan defined the season and pulled the slumping Spartans out of the gutter.
If Jim Mora was a prophet of mine (he is actually), I would say a victory over Washington meant "diddly-poo" and the Wisconsin game "sucked."
The home wins against Northwestern and Wisconsin were nothing more than skin of their teeth wins that didn't collapse a season (with a loss) already on life support. Don't get me wrong, that Wisconsin game was very necessary; I'd like to refer to it lovingly as the Spartans' own Achilles Last Stand. The Wisconsin win helped to avoid digging the hole any deeper. Now, they can return to homeostasis with a regular season cross to bear, instead of having to crawl out of the grave.
Am I a spoiled Michigan State fan? Anything is possible, but I would counter I am the exact opposite. I know what this team needs, and it has yet to get it. Year after year, Izzo has spoiled Spartan nation with his ability to turn seemingly incompetent teams into the feel good story of March Madness.
The reality of college basketball is the regular season means very little outside the locker room: a team on paper can have a very average regular season on the court, but their worth will be determined by how they rally together when the games count. This happens when the season is shortened to less than or equal to six games and greater than (hopefully) or equal to on, i.e. during March Madness.
Teams are remembered for what they do in March. Just ask Chris Webber. Better yet, how about the legacy of Korie Lucious? Talk about a great example of fortunately and unfortunately.
Fortunately, Lucious was clutch enough to give Spartan fans a legendary March Madness moment—perhaps just short of Mateen limping back onto the court like the champion he was against Florida for the title. Unfortunately, Lucious can turn the ball over at will, brick horrific three's all year and continue to be too small to defend other teams' guards without that necessary chip on his shoulder.
His legacy is set. Everyone will remember his three against Maryland. Even against his resume of carelessness and absolute refusal to take care of the basketball any other time. There are no one hit wonders in basketball…fortunately and unfortunately.
I'm starting to fear this team believes their legacy is slotted prematurely as well. They will coast through the regular season and ratchet themselves up a notch when the games count. After all, that's what everyone else seems to think?
Well, folks, everyone thinks wrong. This year is not the same at all.
This team needs to find the March Madness swagger immediately. Every great March Madness run is complimented by a necessary regular season hootenanny and jamboree proving to themselves that Spartan success is a possibility.
These are my demands to restore confidence in this year's Spartan basketball team:
1. Split Purdue/Illinois road stand
2. Win all remaining home games
3. Slaughter Penn State for retribution
4. Return the rebounding prowess (please!?)
It's not too much to ask if this team has any inclination to play past the Sweet 16.
It starts tonight with Illinois. Characteristically, this is a game that finds me mourning for about a week or so after a decimating beat down amongst a sea of orange in a poorly lit arena across my television screen. These Assembly Hall games in Champaign, IL are as ugly as they come. A betting man should take the spread against the Spartans without remorse in this match up if past history has anything to do with tonight's game.
Thus far, this season has been a lot of the same, only without the safety net Izzo teams usually have. Let's go out and get that safety net, guys…or, perhaps this year just isn't your year, and everyone in the preseason was gravely mistaken in their projections allowing such tragic expectations.
I just keep hoping this team is different for a reason.
If you enjoyed this and would like to read more from Ryan C. Zerfas be sure to check out his blog aptly titled Ryan C. Zerfas at http://ryanczerfas.blogspot.com/


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eGamer Awards 2012: The Most Underrated Game
While we had plenty of fantastic games this year, we also felt that some passed by under-appreciated or without getting some deserved attention. In this award, we'll be looking at what we consider to be the most underrated games of the year that actually turned out pretty decent or even good, but first let's take a look at the rundown to see what we look for when we nominate games for this award.
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The Rundown
We understand that there is a fair amount of subjectivity to an award like this, but we believe that it's an important one to hand out simply because there are some relatively good games out there, or hidden gems, that get trampled over and tossed aside like trash when they're not actually that bad. You could even say they're misunderstood, or dismissed unfairly. However, we usually look for games that weren't hyped that much prior to their release, or games that no one was really looking forward to. Most gamers dismissed it, and critics maybe weren't interested enough to give said game a fair review. However, we thought differently to the majority, and felt that the game actually ended up good enough to deserve better treatment, and that's what we look for when we nominate games for this award.
The Nominees
Lollipop Chainsaw
From the outset it would be easy to see why this game was dismissed, as it looks rather tacky and arguably silly. However, what we felt those gamers were missing out on was a special game filled with top-notch humour, a fantastic sense of style, vibrant colour and a quirky nature that really made it charming to play. It may have been easy to dismiss Lollipop Chainsaw as being too silly to bother with, but by that same token it was just as easy to love the game for its obscure idea of entertainment.
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones was critically panned upon its release, and many dismissed it entirely and barely even cared about it. It was slammed for its combat, graphics, technical faults, and not being for everyone. But we felt that the extreme harshness probably came down to many critics not really being invested with the source material enough to enjoy such a game. Sure, you may argue that if a game is good it should be able to be enjoyed by anyone, but this was a game made for fans, and yet that little fact seemed to be quite forgotten. Fans who were familiar with the book series would have especially enjoyed the clever, gripping story, characters and game world. Sure, those who weren't fans should most likely have avoided the game, but it gave fans of the series a very memorable experience that was a worthy addition to the legacy. Giving it a chance and a bit of leniency on its shortcomings was key.
Spec Ops: The Line
Most gamers who dismissed Spec Ops: The Line thought of it as nothing more than a run-of-the-mill, generic shooter that simply filled the space in an endless genre. Now, we wouldn't quite hold it against anyone who thought that, because from the outside it's easy to see why Spec Ops fits that particular bill. However, what all of those gamers and critics were missing out on was the powerful, haunting and excellent narrative. As far as we're concerned, it was tremendously important for growing up the modern war shooter genre, and video game narrative as a whole. If you looked at it purely as a shooter, then sure it hardly did anything for the genre, but if you let yourself experience it, then this wouldn't be a game that you forget all that easily, but treasure. We'll certainly remember it fondly.
Silent Hill: Downpour
Silent Hill: Downpour had a difficult time when it was released because the series these days usually spells disappointment and missed opportunities. However, we felt that Downpour corrected that, returning the series to greatness. Still, critics dismissed it and faulted it for its combat, monsters, gameplay and various other things. We wouldn't at all say that select critics had no grounds to stand on with these complaints, but we felt that the game received rather harsh treatment, especially given the state the Silent Hill series was in after Homecoming. The game may not have been a revolution in the horror genre and definitely wasn't the best game in the series, but we felt that it successfully managed to drag the franchise out of its depressing slump and deliver a genuinely good, compelling horror game driven by a strong narrative and great ideas for scares. It was hard to put down, and worth playing.
And The Winner Is…
It wasn't Spec Ops: The Line, because the game wasn't too badly rated in the end and we could see that it became more noticed and relevant as the year went on, and it even became a talking point for some famous names such as Yahtzee in his Extra Punctuation columns.
Truthfully, Lollipop Chainsaw and Silent Hill: Downpour could have been front-runners for this award, but in the end we simply felt that our winner was the most deserving.
Game of Thrones
This probably would come as a surprise to many, but we felt that Game of Thrones was the game that deserved a bit more appreciation than it ended up getting. We felt that as a game made for fans, it certainly fulfilled that purpose, and that the compelling and excellent narrative was severely overlooked when brushing this off as simply another licensed cash-in. Game of Thrones had a lot to offer the fans who decided to give it a chance and maybe have a little leniency on its shortcomings, and we felt that what it lacked in budget and polish, it made up in story and character. This was a game for the fans, and we felt they definitely would have enjoyed playing it and gotten something meaningful out of it. All of this makes Game of Thrones our choice for the most underrated game award of 2012.
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London 2012 opens Young Games Maker volunteer applications
Today the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) calls on teams of dedicated and passionate 16 to 18-year-olds to begin applying for Young Games Maker roles through the generalist recruitment process.
The search is on for over 2,000 young people from across the UK to take up volunteer roles vital to ensure the successful delivery of the Games. Approximately 250 teams of young people, who must be aged 16 or over on 1 July 2012 and under 18 on 1 January 2012, will join the adult Games Makers next summer to help stage the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
From today, generalist applications are open for roles such as Field of Play Assistants in the Olympic and Paralympic Athletics competition where duties include carrying athletes kit to and from the field of play. Or Technology Print Distribution Team Members, who will ensure athlete competition results are circulated to those that need them.
Generalist applications can be made from 8am on 22 September 2011 through until midnight on 31 October 2011 at www.london2012.com/young-games-maker
Having spent the summer carefully considering the roles on offer and what is required, team leaders from organisations such as youth or sports clubs, community and volunteering groups along with schools and colleges who are part of the Get Set Network are invited to apply.
Sebastian Coe, Chair of LOCOG, said: We are looking for exactly the same qualities in our Young Games Makers as we are with our adult volunteers; they must be the very best team players ready to step forward and give their all to making the Games great.
In return, these young people will get a once in a lifetime opportunity to play their part in delivering a world class event. The memories and experiences that they will take away with them will last a lifetime, as will the sense of pride and achievement and the friends they will make. As a result, I hope we inspire our Young Games Makers to volunteer or stay involved in sport long after the Games have finished.
Applications are invited to be made by Team Leaders such as teachers, coaches and youth group leaders, on behalf of their team of young people. Team sizes range from role to role and can vary between two and 18 young people, with a Team Leader on board for every 10 young people.
The team approach will ensure the young people are able to focus on their roles and have a great experience during the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and that LOCOG is best able to fulfil its duty of care commitments to the young people involved.
Erica Chamberlain, Team Leader from East London Business Alliance, whose pilot Young Games Maker team volunteered at the Beach Volley Ball test event during the summer, explained: Volunteering at the Beach Volley Ball event was an incredible experience for our young people. To be sharing the stage with world class athletes and knowing that our team were vital to the smooth running of the sport was such an honour and left everyone with a real sense of achievement.
Volunteering can have such a positive impact on a young person and we have seen for ourselves how our young people have thrived as a result. They have grown in confidence; bonded as a team, having never worked together before and are motivated to find further opportunities to volunteer. There was such a buzz of excitement after finishing and now we cant wait to submit our application for Games time.
Hugh Robertson, Minister for Sport and the Olympics, said: The Young Games Maker programme will give those aged 16 to 18 a fantastic opportunity to play a role in the worlds greatest sporting event and gain worthwhile experience in volunteering. I would encourage everyone to get involved and gain a valuable addition to their CV.
Once applications have closed, successful teams will be invited to a team selection event which will incorporate Team Leader interviews to be held between November 2011 and February 2012. Teams will be put through a series of skills-based tests to demonstrate their ability to perform and show they have what it takes.
Schools and colleges wishing to submit a team application for any Young Games Maker role will need to be a member of the Get Set network. Find out more about the programme that recognises and rewards schools and colleges for the work they have done around the Olympic and Paralympic Values at www.london2012.com/getset
Since 25 July 2011, specialist recruitment has been underway for Young Games Maker team roles being appointed direct through partners such as National Governing Bodies of Sport. Roles being recruited through these channels include those for sports such as Cycling, Triathlon and Judo where the roles require a high level of sport specific skills, a large training commitment or only a small number of Young Games Makers are required.
The Young Games Maker programme supports LOCOGs commitment to inspire young people to choose sport and leave a volunteering legacy. The programme will allow young people already involved in sport to experience sport at its highest level and explore opportunities that exist outside competition; whilst encouraging those not necessarily involved in sport now to participate and develop their skills.
For further information, please contact the London 2012 Press Office on +44 (0)203 2012 100 or visit the website at www.london2012.com. Find out the latest from London 2012 HQ on our blog http://www.london2012.com/blog or follow us on Twitter
Notes to editors:
As it heads towards its £2bn budget for staging the Olympic and Paralympic Games, LOCOG has seven domestic Tier One Partners - adidas, BMW, BP, British Airways, BT, EDF and Lloyds TSB. There are seven domestic Tier Two Supporters Adecco, ArcelorMittal, Cadbury, Cisco, Deloitte, Thomas Cook and UPS. There are now twenty-eight domestic Tier Three Suppliers and Providers Aggreko, Airwave, Atkins, Boston Consulting Group, CBS Outdoor, Crystal CG, Eurostar, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, G4S, GSK, Gymnova, Heathrow Airport, Heineken UK, Holiday Inn, John Lewis, McCann Worldgroup, Mondo, NATURE VALLEY, Next, Nielsen, Populous, Rapiscan Systems, Rio Tinto, Technogym, Thames Water, Ticketmaster, Trebor and Westfield.
There is one domestic Tier One Paralympic Games Partner, Sainsburys and one domestic Tier Three Paralympic Supplier, Otto Bock.
The Worldwide Olympic Partners signed up for London 2012 are Coca-Cola, Acer, Atos, Dow Chemical Company, GE, McDonalds, Omega, Panasonic, Procter and Gamble, Samsung and Visa.
This news content was configured by WebWire editorial staff. Linking is permitted.
News Release Distribution and Press Release Distribution Services Provided by WebWire.


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View more videos at: http://nbcwashington.com.
Monday, a bus in suburban Maryland plowed into a taxi, then into a Silver Spring house, sending passengers to local hospitals.
Now you can watch the event as it happened, from the perspectives of the driver and the passengers. WRC-TV/NBC4 released this video -- and it's harrowing.
The taxi was empty but the house was occupied at the time of the accident. Toye Olamide told the Washington Post he was sleeping two rooms from the site of the crash:
"I thought it was an earthquake," he said. "My initial reaction was to run out the front door."
When he got to the living room, he saw the bus crashed through the door.
Other Montgomery County buses have also hit buildings, WTOP reported Wednesday:
There have been two other incidents since March 2011 when a bus hit a Gaithersburg townhouse. In May of the same year, another bus slammed into the side of a Kentucky Fried Chicken on Georgia Avenue near the Glenmont Metro station.
Both crashes were preventable and caused by driver error, says Sue Tucker, a spokeswoman with the Montgomery County Executive's office.
Monday's crash is now under investigation.


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Originally posted by skepticconwatcher
reply to post by Klassified
Well, thanks for responding. Honestly, I don't know what to believe. Maybe a few months from now, I will be with you and see them as evil. Who knows ? I am getting to the point where I just don't believe anything anymore.


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Forgive the language in the video please but just had this happen to me. Anyone have any idea how this could have happened?
No Appo Bug
Report here the bugs you experience in Blood Bowl 2.
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This guide will help people with partitioning their sd card using Ubuntu (Linux Live CD). You can make your Fat32, ext2/3, and linux_swap partitions. The software is free and you do not need to install anything. These instructions should be easy to understand but if anyone still has any questions feel free to ask.
What is needed:
* A computer
* Ubuntu
* Blank CD-R
* Software to burn a .iso image
* G1 or a card reader
1. Go to www.ubuntu.com and download Ubuntu 9.04.
2. Once downloaded you will have a .iso file so you will need a burning software capable of burning .iso files. I use nero but you can use whatever you like. There is other free software you can download to burn the file like www.freeisoburner.com.
3. Now that ubuntu is burned to a disc we can boot it up. Place the disc into the cd tray and turn off the computer.
4. Turn on the computer. When the computer starts up the very first loading screen where you see Dell/Compaq/HP/etc. (the same screen where you would hit f8 to go into safe mode) hit f12 to go into boot mode. Once your boot menu appears select your cd drive. Some computers will boot the cd right away when hitting f12.
5. When the cd boots up it will ask you to select your language. After that it will ask you if you want to try Ubuntu without installing. Hit enter on that option so you won't install anything. Ubuntu will then load.
6. Put your sd card in the reader or connect your G1 to the computer and mount it.
7. At the top of the screen click System > Administrator > Partitioner Editor. And then Gparted will open up.
8. Click the drop down box to select your sd card. (NOTE - make sure to select your card and not your computer hard drive. Easy way to tell is if you have a 8 gig card choose the one that is 8 gigs. Common Sense)
9. Your sd card will now be displayed. If you already had it partitioned you will see the partitions. Or if it is a brand new card it will say unallocated.
10. If you already have a partition or partitions on it right click each partition and choose unmount. Do that for every partition until you see the keys gone beside the partitions.
11. Right click every partition and choose delete until all partitions are gone and it says unallocated.
12. Right click unallocated and choose new.
13. A box will appear to create your first partition. Create your Fat32 partition first. Click the drop down box and click Fat32. Choose the size you want to make it (I just subtract 1000 from the number to save for my ext partition). And leave it as primary. Now click apply.
14. You will now see your Fat32 partition and unallocated.
14. Right click unallocated again and choose new.
15. This time we will set up our ext partition. Click the drop down box and choose ext2 or ext3. You can leave the size alone and make sure it is also on primary. Click apply.
16. If you are wanting to you can create the linux_swap partition to but it is not necessary.
17. You are now back at the box with Fat32, ext2/3, linux_swap and unallocated. Now click apply. A confirmation box will appear and click apply again.
18. It will format your card and then you are done.
19. You can now click the power icon in the upper right hand corner to turn off Ubuntu and restart into windows.


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While reading a piece in the New York Times today on the summer of
2001, it occurred to me that this was just about the time that Bush went
on the first of his unusually long vacations.
Consider first
what href="http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/28/politics/28PANE.html">the Times
said today:
March 28, 2004
9/11 Panel Provokes a Discussion the White House
Hoped to Avoid
By DAVID JOHNSTON and ADAM NAGOURNEY, New York
WASHINGTON, March 27 - In the summer of 2001, according to
witnesses interviewed by the independent commission investigating the
Sept. 11 hijackings, President Bush was told repeatedly of terror
warnings pouring into American intelligence agencies, mostly about
threats overseas.
The director of central intelligence, George
J. Tenet, who briefed Mr. Bush on threats almost daily, "was around
town literally pounding on desks saying that something is happening,
this is an unprecedented level of threat information," said Richard
Armitage, the deputy secretary of state, who was quoted in a
Congressional report last year.
But even as the warnings spiked in June and July that year, there
appeared to be little sense of alarm at the White House, officials of
the Central Intelligence Agency told the commission. It was not until
Sept. 4 that Mr. Bush's national security team approved a plan intended
to eradicate Al Qaeda and not until Sept. 10 that Mr. Tenet was told to
put the plan into effect.
Now let's look back at what Bush was
doing about these warnings from Tenet:
From href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/august01/2001-08-03-bush-
vacation.htm">USA Today, August 3, 2001
White House to move to Texas for a while
By Laurence McQuillan, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON - Six months after taking office, President Bush will begin a
month-long vacation Saturday that is significantly longer than the
average American's annual getaway. If Bush returns as scheduled on Labor
Day, he'll tie the modern record for presidential absence from the White
House, held by Richard Nixon at 30 days.
I think these facts speak for themselves.


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"I still feel, and I think a lot of people feel- of feeling misperceived…"
Tim Burton, 1997
Tim Burton has always considered himself an outsider. As a child he would spend hours watching old Hammer horror films and drawing, completely enveloped in his own world. He seemed to relate more with the monsters of the Hammer horror movies than with kids his own age, and he found salvation in drawing and creating his own worlds (Salisbury 6). Now he is able to materialize his visions through his films. From the cult favorites, Pee Wee's Big Adventure and Beetlejuice, to box office hits, Batman and Batman Returns, to critical applaudits, Edward Scissorhands and Ed Wood, and finally to the visual breakthroughs, Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas and Mars Attacks!, Tim Burton has created a film repertoire that is truly his own. Considered by most as odd, eccentric, and dark, he is commonly described as an "auteur". By examining a number of his films, it becomes clear that there are certain themes and visual elements that define Tim Burton as an auteur. Such thematic principles as the "outsider" character, "split worlds" and 1950's horror themes, as well as such visual styles as gothic expressionism and the live-action cartoon concept are key terms when describing the world of Tim Burton.
Burton's first feature film Pee Wee's Big Adventure, was released in 1985 and was a commercial success, later gaining cult status (Salisbury 20). The movie is a big screen adaptation of TV-show personality Pee Wee Herman, who ends up on an adventure on a quest for his stolen bicycle. The first theme of the movie is the concept of the protagonist being an outsider.
Pee Wee is very much the outsider. He lives in his own bizarre, childlike playhouse, full of toys and inventions. He doesn't need parents or a girlfriend; he only has love for his precious bike. (Denby 22). He is innocent like a child, and is oblivious to the odd characters he meets while on the road, such as the escaped convict and the ghost truck driver, Large Marge. He is sometimes ridiculed because he is naive, for example when he believes the fake fortune teller. It is as if the "normal" world outside is strange for him, and he can only function comfortably inside the world of his playhouse. However, the characters he meets are touched by him because he is pure, and he inspires them to follow their dreams, just like he will find his bike. His character though, remains fundamentally unchangeable throughout the movie, and in the end he retreats back to the comfort of his own world (Denby 22). Even though he has become a movie star, he still insists on going to the drive-in on his bicycle.
The character of Pee Wee also represents the Burton visual motif of a live-action animation film. Like the main characters of classic comics, he is always himself; dressed in a silver-gray suit, a white shirt and tiny red bow tie with a powdered face, reddened lips and molded black hair, he is unvarying, seemingly untouchable (Denby 22). His world resembles a cartoon world because the film functions within a semi-surrealist, sunny anarchy where anything goes (Hassler-Forest). Full of primary colours, shapes, exaggerated signs, toys and cheerful neighbours, it truly resembles the colorful fantasy world of a cartoon. There is also stop-animation used to illustrate Pee Wee's nightmares about his bike. It is used to show the darker side of the bright sunny world and also reflects the common Burton theme of "split worlds".
The theme of a split world is an essential part of Pee Wee's character. He lives in his own "normal" sunny world filled with toys, however when his bike is stolen, it represents the outer world disrupting his own world. The stop-motion animation reveals his nightmare and the anxiety he feels over the loss of his bike. Evil satanic clowns, animated dinosaurs, and the devil molest his bike and haunt him throughout his adventure. This "dark side" provides a strong contrast with the bright cartoon"ish" world, and reflects the split world of the character.
This dark flip side shows another characteristic Burton visual element: gothic expressionism. Like the German Expressionist films of the twenties, the nightmare sequences contain distorted perspectives, jagged angles, sharp contrast between light and dark and stylized lighting (Hassler-Forest). The Hammer horror films of the 1950's also influenced Burton, which is apparent in dark scenes such as with the ghost Large Marge, whose eyeballs bulge out of her head.
The theme of the outsider and split worlds as well as the visual aspects of a live-action animated film, 1950's horror and gothic expressionism are all reflected in Pee Wee's Big Adventure. These are the key elements of style that would become more prominent in the Burton pictures to come.
Edward Scissorhands was released in 1990 and was a commercial and critical success (Salisbury 43). The film tells the story of Edward, a young man who lives alone in a dark castle whose inventor died leaving him unfinished with only scissors for hands. When a local Avon lady, Peg, discovers Edward, she brings him home with her, and he becomes the popular subject of the neighbourhood. Like Pee Wee's Big Adventure, there is the theme of the outsider.
Similarly to Pee Wee's pure intentions of retrieving his bike, Edward is also the well-meaning outsider, innocent and naive. He has lived his whole life inside his castle and has been closed off from society. He is brought down from his gloomy castle, his "world", and into the suburban home of Peg and her family, where everything is completely alien to him. The neighbours initially accept his unusual appearance and demeanor, and he befriends them by cutting their hair, their hedges and barbecuing. Despite his good intentions though, he always ends up hurting people from wanting to touch them (Hassler-Forest). This leads to a misunderstanding in the end, and when the neighbours turn against him, he is forced to retreat back to his castle. Much like Pee Wee, Edward's character is unchanging, and realizes that he can only be safe in his own world.
Also, like Pee Wee's Big Adventure, there is the thematic concept of split worlds. Similar to Pee Wee, Edward is most comfortable in his own world, away from society. Again the two worlds are strongly contrasted using the same two forms of design from Pee Wee. There is Edward's castle, alone standing outside the town on a hill shrouded in fog and clouds. Its dark gothic architecture is exaggerated against the pastel colours of the suburb (Hassler-Forest). Much like Pee Wee, the bright, sunny, pastel colour-coordinated suburb is similar to a stylized cartoon. Certain elements have been carefully exaggerated, such as the perfect lawns and smiling neighbours. The visual contrasts underline the difference in character between the sweet, trusting Edward and the backstabbing hypocritical neighbours (Hassler-Forest).
One final thematic concept of Edward Scissorhands is the 1950's horror theme of the mad scientist building a well-intentioned but misunderstood creature. "Another slight inspiration was the Hammer horror films from the 50's and 60's. There was always an ambiguousness to their character. They were always separate, very serious and separate" (Breskin 330). The serious and lonely tone of Edward is an obvious theme inspired by these Hammer horror films and they help build his character as an outsider.
Edward Scissorhands reflects the common themes and visual imagery of a Tim Burton film. There is the protagonist outsider, the themes from Hammer horror films, as well as the gothic world, which contrasts with the cartoon world. Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas also relies heavily upon these themes and concepts, and further establishes his reputation as an auteur.
Released in 1993 Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas was a hit at the box office and with critics (Salisbury 70). It was the first modern stop-motion animated feature film and musical (Hirshey 228). The story revolves around Jack Skellington, the pumpkin king of Halloweenland. However, he feels bored with his life, so when he discovers Christmastown one night, he has Santa kidnapped and decides that this year he will be in charge of Christmas. Once again, like Pee Wee and Edward, Jack is somewhat an outsider. He does not feel at home in Halloweenland, where he knows he belongs, so he tries to adapt and fit in with the world of Christmastown by becoming Santa (Hirshey 229). Although his intentions are good, like those of Pee Wee and Edward, he is misunderstood as a scary impersonation of Santa and shot out of the sky. Much like the way Edward was chased back to his castle, Jack realizes his place and returns to his world of Halloweenland.
The theme of split worlds is again, very apparent in this film. Both Halloweenland and Christmastown literally exist in two different worlds, each with their own entrance, their own look and their own morality (Hassler-Forest). Halloweenland is very twisted, dark and gloomy, full of German Expressionism: distorted perspectives, stylized lighting and backdrop. Christmastown on the other hand is full of joy, snow, toys, elves, bright lights, and trains filled with candy. These two worlds can easily be compared with Pee Wee's bright, colourful, toy filled world versus his nightmares, and Edward's lonely, dark castle versus the pastel suburbs. By having two such different worlds, the outsider immediately stands out, and it becomes evident where they truly belong.
The 1950's horror theme of the mad scientist and the misunderstood monster are also at play in this film. Jack's friend Sally is the creation of a mad scientist whom she is constantly trying to escape, turning to Jack for support. However, once Jack returns from Christmastown, he doesn't quite understand what he has seen and conducts many experiments, acting like a mad scientist. When he decides to become Santa, he in doing so creates a monster out of himself, and it is Sally who tries to dissuade him. This Hammer horror theme works well in this film because it helps develop the relationship between Jack and Sally. Along with the themes of the outsider, split worlds and the visual concepts of gothic expressionism and stop-motion animation Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas truly reflects the style of Tim Burton, very much the auteur that the title of this movie advertises.
Tim Burton has often said that the most important parts of a movie for him are the characters and the images. "The only thing that keeps me going through a movie is that these characters mean something to me. I get a feeling out of them that I find to be very meaningful, and thematic…" (Breskin 328); "The thing that's always been very important to me is the visuals as story. The images, for me, are the story…" (Breskin 340). By examining only three of his films, the character concepts and visual images become very clear. There is the constant theme of an outsider, good hearted but misunderstood. There is the theme of a split world, the world which separates the outsider from the "normal" world, of which they learn they can never be a part. The influence of the 1950's Hammer horror films are reflected through such images as the bulging eyeballs and the concept of a mad scientist creating a misunderstood monster. Finally there are the visual images, dark, gothic German Expressionism in contrast with a bright, cartoon"ish", exaggerated world. By exploring the weird and wonderful world of Tim Burton and pulling together these common themes and images, one can conclude that he is indeed an auteur, perhaps the most unique of his generation.
Works Cited
Breskin, David. Inner Views: Filmmakers in Conversation. Da Capo Press: New York, 1997.
Denby, David "The Cartoon World Of Tim Burton". Premiere: July 1989. vol. 2 no.11. pg. 22
Edward Scissorhands. Twentieth Century Fox: 1990
Hassler-Forest, Dan. Dan's Definitive Tim Burton Page. www.euronet.nl/users/bramb/dan/burton/title.html.
Hirshey, Gerri "Tim Burton". Vogue: June, 1994-pg. 228, 229
Pee Wee's Big Adventure. Warner Bros: 1985
Salisbury, Mark. Burton on Burton. London: Faber and Faber, 1995.
Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. Touchstone Pictures: 1993


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Scarlet Heart: Ryeo Episode 8 & 9: And Now Everything Falls Apart
Hello everyone and welcome back to the Scarlet Heart: Ryeo Drama Club! This week we were thrown into a loop with rain rituals, Hae Soo having some dilemmas with potentially changing people for good (hopefully) and more! Join Tiara, Logan and I as we discuss this week's episodes!
Tiara: Finally 4th Prince has gain the trust of the King and the people after becoming the "savior" and bring forth the rain. I'm super happy for him getting the attention and love he's been missing. Of course, Hae Soo is the reason behind his new behavior with helping him cover up his scar. Which that scene was a highlight of the episodes this week.
June: I agree! That particular scene felt like a turning point for So and Soo. For So, he started to trust Soo and it meant a lot for him to let her even touch his scar, let alone his face. For Soo, this is where because of the success of the rain ritual, she is now seeing visions of So becoming Gwangjong. I feel like what bad timing that So is finally getting the trust of the people, only for Soo to start becoming afraid of him.
Logan: Totally bad timing! It made me so uncomfortable to watch because Wang So has this newfound freedom and confidence in getting the acceptance that he's always craved, especially from his father, and Hae Soo was the first one who truly treated him as a person. Now that he's opened up and let her in, she's pulling back. I was sure that he was going to go into a flying rage and revert to an even worse mental state when she essentially rejected him, but instead he just asked her not to treat him like everyone else had. His reaction was surprising to me.
Tiara: It's a tad annoying for Soo to tell So to trust her and she'll not betray him, but turns around after these visions or whatever they are to betraying him at a drop of the hat. Those looks into the future are scary sure, but those don't mean they can come to past. Why isn't she questioning where they are coming from? If she was going back to her current timeline and remembering about this time period, I probably wouldn't be wondering who's behind these visions to her. Don't evening get me started on her wishy washy of trying to change the past one minute to Soo saying she thought she could change the past but can't. She hasn't evening tried changing the past. She's been freaking out for 60 minutes and telling So not to kill people and be nice isn't trying either.
June: I totally agree!!!! I can't at Hae Soo saying she wants to change the past and what not but a all she is doing is pushing him away even further. I think that is worse than just acting normal and trying to figure out a way to make things better. Like I know those visions are scary but it's like this was a part of history and there has to be a reason why she was magically sent back to this time period. Her freaking out this whole time was really a downer for me because it made it seem like she was just like everyone else who talks bad about So. Also she kept telling Wook to stay away or be careful of So. Ok like that's not going to raise any suspicions of So! I just cannot deal with this turn around of Soo. I'm hoping it gets better in the next week episodes.
Logan: I feel the same way as both of you. I was frustrated with Hae Soo for how she was reacting. I understand it might be a little terrifying to have visions of Wang So like that, but what makes her think the visions are real anyway? I have to keep reminding myself that So does have the capability for evil and murder. It's hard because he's so empathetic and we've seen his wounded side, but he's already murdered dozens of people. Granted, they weren't innocent either, but then there was that horse that he killed in the beginning of the drama for seemingly no good reason. I really hope that Soo doesn't consent to a romance with So just because she thinks it'll change him. I know it would eventually turn into authentic love, but it would just break my heart a bit.
Tiara: Soo just needs to take Astronomer Choi advice and do nothing or just continue to live her life. She's already making a ripple in the pond by just being in contact with all the Princes. However, she's probably already started in motion So becoming the King of Blood by telling Wook to be careful of his brother. It's clear So's feelings for Soo have grown with the time they spend with each other. She's given to him the things he wanted from his parents, siblings, and the people. She never feared him, cared, and worried for him, but when she turned and started being afraid, So acted out with desperation and forth kissed her. I wished we didn't get that type of kiss, but I can't understand his need to want to keep the one person since his return to the palace with him. As So said to Soo, he's hers and she is his.
June: Ugh I really wish that kiss would have not happened. It was forced and you could tell Hae Soo was not about it at all. I could tell So was desperate but this probably will not make things better quicker. I am wondering with So asking the King to give him Soo what will happen with the romance thing going on with her and Wook. This is one love triangle that is about to get really complicated. As for changing things, I feel like things are probably already on course for things Hae Soo might be changing. I was just wondering, what is So does go on that crazy quest to becoming King because Hae Soo ultimately rejected him and he is on a raging rampage. That would be crazy!
Logan: I think the reasons for Soo coming to Goryeo are becoming more and more obvious. I'm certain that So is never going to fulfill his destiny as Gwangjong. Hae Soo has given and will continue to give him that crucial element that he was missing that would have lead him down that path - unconditional love. That kiss, though, I was not a fan either. I hate forced kisses. It totally sends the message that love can be coaxed. Although I will admit as far as forced kisses go, I understood this one a little. She does care for him whether it's love yet or not and he was trying to break through her haze of fear and denial. Still, consent is important!
Tiara: It makes me wonder what Wook will start to do with the warning from Soo. He's wondering where his place may happen to be and we know his sister has been eyeing the throne for him. I get the feeling Wook will be grabbing for things he wouldn't have been grabbing for if Soo didn't give her warning. 8th Prince has never thought of the throne, but now I'm wondering if he will start looking at it which will cause Soo to slowly back away from their relationship.
June: I'm interested as well to see where Wook goes with this information and how it will affect his relationship with Soo. I know at some point their relationship is going to fizzle out but I can't help and think what exactly will be that point. Well one thing is for sure I need more of these episodes! The drama is intensifying and I want to know what is the catalyst for So if he does end up being the crazy king who killed his own family for the throne.
Logan: Tiara, I was having the same thought about Wook. Truthfully, I feel like he has a larger potential to become infected with evil and blood lust than Wang So because there's something in him that is disingenuous. You can just feel it. I have a feeling that his jealousy is going to be rearing its head in an ugly way when he finds out about So's feelings for Soo and if Soo rejects Wook in favor of So, it's going to be scary. I also felt really heartbroken for the 10th prince this week. He's forced to get over his first love on a moment's notice and get married to someone else. I hope that he's able to get along well with the general's daughter.
Tiara: I really like Soon Deok a lot and I hope we'll see more of her and a friendship with Soo. She's got brains and skills to protect her family. Her dad is the biggest teddy bear towards his daughter and I take delight in their scenes together. I like her comments to Dad about being the one to protect her family if Eun can't. As for Eun, I understand his crush on Soo, but he knew his love was one-sided and wasn't ever going to happen. I hope to see him grow up a bit about these things, but I also hope for him to keep his childish like views because if Soo is right I worry for his future.
June: I am also worried about Eun and the visions Soo had of him and his wife. I will be really sad if it comes true. As for Eun and Soon Deok, I think they will start to get along better within the next few episodes! I think they match each other and she really cares for him for sure.
Logan: She is a good match for him. It's nice to know that he doesn't have to suffer a one-sided crush and I think he'll grow to be a good husband to Soon Deok. He's got so much love to give and he's kind underneath it all. We also got another glimpse into the growing relationship between Baek Ah and the "Forest Princess". It's funny that she doesn't know he's a prince. I wonder if she's really some sort of princess in her own right or if that was just a nickname. Either way, I can already tell they're a great match.
Tiara: She's a mystery for sure Logan. I'm wondering what her endgame happens to be. I'm looking forward to seeing this relationship between her and Baek Ah grow. Their little bantering is cute and enjoyable to watch. I'm more concerned about the Wicked Queen and Yo planning on killing the Crown Prince again. Can I say they are horrible villains? If they are wanting to use So to do the deed, you can't just be nice to him for an evening and expect him to do your betting.
June: Those two are despicable and I can't stand them at all. I swear I like hiss every time they are on the screen, especially the Queen. I seriously cannot stand that woman at all. Also Jung said it best! She should have never given birth to them if she was going to raise them to be enemies. Poor Jung had to deal with all that mess at the dinner. Again So was treated like crap by those two and made him feel bad about himself. Poor guy can't catch himself a break.
Logan: Haha. Hissing is an appropriate association for those two. I was so proud of Jung for finally standing up for what was right by leaving that dinner. I hated that he was part of their circle when I knew his heart didn't match up with theirs and now it's confirmed. I really want to see him take the side of Wang So even further. Slowly, So is building a network of people on his side. Even the king has started showing him favor which is what he has always wanted.
Tiara: A good network of people is a great way to survive the palace. I'm worry for Soo if/when Court Lady Oh will succumb to whatever she's been illness happens to be. She's clearly in pain and I don't think the doctors can't do anything for her. I'm glad of the concern she has for Soo as she sees herself in her. I'm hoping instead of punishing Soo all the time, she starts to teach her how to survive the palace too.
June: I hope so too! I really hope that she gets better and teaches Soo the ways of the palace. I just know that Queen will do whatever she likes to Soo if Court Lady Oh were to ever go away.
Logan: I would just really like to see Hae Soo doing something besides being a court lady. It's a dangerous position and it seems like there's always someone around to scold her or someone who outright hates her. She already has some formidable enemies.
For more from the Scarlet Heart: Ryeo Drama Club check out:
Tiara: Aja-Villa.tumblr | Aja-Villa.blog | Past Drama Clubs |
Logan: Blog |Tumblr |Instagram| Producer |Cheer Up! |Moorim School | Entertainer | Doctor Crush|
June: Blog |Twitter |Instagram |Tumblr |
Catch up on our past Drama Club posts!
Episode 1, 2 & 3 | Episode 4 & 5 | Episode 6 & 7 | Episode 8 & 9 | Episode 10 & 11 |
Episode 12 & 13 | Episode 14 & 15 | Episode 16 & 17 | Episode 18 & 19 | Episode 20 |
Scarlet Heart: Ryeo
Starring Lee Joon Ki and Lee Ji Eun (IU)Add to Queue Remove from Queue Watch Now


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This section is necessary to comply with legal requirements - and to make a few things clear to the reader.
Amazon Affiliation
Ever since they appeared as an online seller and well before I started this blog, I've been ordering from Amazon. They are reliable, have a great return policy, and I can save on shipping by ordering from my local Amazon store. Until a few days ago, I've always provided links to Amazon USA, as most of visitors are from the States.
Just recently, I discovered that I may receive compensation from Amazon if I link to a product. I've already been doing this for years, but simply by replacing existing links, I can increase my radio budget and can afford to purchase more radio equipment.
As a result, links pointing to Amazon are affiliate links now. This comes at no additional cost to you, and as always, I only recommend products I would recommend to a friend. Ripoffs never had an Amazon link, even if they were from Amazon, and I won't change that practice. Manufacturer links have always been provided, and I will continue to do so.
Akos Czermann is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Manufacturer Support
I've bought equipment and got supported later, or received review samples from the following manufacturers and individuals:
- Nooelec,
- rtl-sdr.com,
- FlightAware,
- SDRPlay,
- Outernet,
- Thumbnet,
- Adam 9A4QV,
- eBay seller Novakx5,
- eBay seller Janilab,
If an item is a review sample, this fact is clearly noted in the review.
I do not receive any monetary compensation from any of the equipment providers listed above.
No allegiances
Absolutely. I use equipment, which I buy from my own money, or receive as a sample. Before a manufacturer sends me a sample, I make it clear that I will write what I think. If the maker does not agree, I refuse to do a review. I 'm not a magazine, I don't have to write nice things to get advertising revenue.
I trust what I recommend. I recommend products I use and happy with, and don't recommend products I don't like.
I recommend Nooelec, because their stuff are high quality. If they are terrible in comparison, I note that.
I recommend rtl-sdr.com, whenever it's warranted. The maker knows that the SMArt's cable is longer and better quality, so won't be offended when I state that fact.
I recommend Adam's accessories. I bought my first LNA4ALL, then bought many other preamps and received samples from Adam later on - still, when I need a reliable preamp, I reach for an LNA4ALL.


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Tom Brady wowed Michigan players during last summer's surprise visit
Credit: Matt West
Patriots undrafted rookie linebacker Cameron Gordon explained it best while reflecting on last year's unexpected encounter with Tom Brady on the Michigan campus.
"We just came to a meeting, and there goes Tom Brady," Gordon said today. "It was great."
Brady spoke to his alma mater's football program last August before the Patriots' preseason loss to the Lions in Detroit. His message hit home with Gordon and seventh-round wide receiver Jeremy Gallon, who are now Brady's Pats teammates.
Gordon changed positions from wide receiver to safety to linebacker before he was overlooked in the draft, and Gallon was a seventh-round pick. Brady, a sixth-rounder in 2000, really hit home with the pair.
"Just hard work and dedication," Gallon said to sum up the purpose of Brady's speech. "He was a late-round draft pick. He came here and he was determined for greatness. It took a lot of hard work and dedication to get where he is. I just want to follow in those footsteps. What I got from that speech was to have hard work and dedication. Don't give up on your dream. No matter what round you get picked in, just continue to play football. You come here and you learn what you've got to learn, and you get your opportunity. You've got to take advantage of that."
- More On:
- Patriots


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Glamorous Burberry Trench Coat
A trench coat is a heavy duty type of outdoor garment.
This Burberry trench is of metallic gold boucle with Napoleonic collar, and double-breasted button front. It has long sleeves with button-tab cuffs, a left gunflap with button, self tie waist, front welt pockets and back button flap.
do try and have fun with earth colors!
Run away from black.
You can wear with your t-shirt & jeans!
The military coat is all about structure.
The sleek straight lines, trendy buttons and tailored fit is a chic style with lots of visual appeal.
Chic and Stylish Coats in 2011
But I love the most is this!
Old turquoise green navy...
so stylish!!


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Missing Sudbury prisoner Martin Dawson charged over Newport robbery
An absconded prisoner has been charged with a bank robbery and a string of other offences.
Martin Dawson, 49, was arrested on Tuesday over an armed robbery at the Britannia Building Society in Newport, Shropshire on 29 June.
Mr Dawson was charged with four other offences, including another robbery and one count of escaping lawful custody.
He had absconded from HMP Sudbury, Derbyshire, on 24 June, where he was serving a life sentence, police said.
Mr Dawson, of no fixed abode, was arrested in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire on Tuesday and charged with two counts of possessing a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence.
He was remanded in custody after appearing before magistrates in Telford on Friday and is due to appear at Shrewsbury Crown Court next month.
Mr Dawson has featured on the BBC Crimewatch programme, which police said helped progress the investigation.


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Will Stewart – April 2017
RUSSIA'S president Vladimir Putin is reinforcing his border with North Korea by relocating troops and equipment, according to reports.
Video footage is said to show one of three trains loaded with military equipment moving towards the 11 mile-long land frontier between Russia and the repressive state.
Another scene shows military helicopter appearing to move towards the North Korean border and manoeuvres across rough terrain by army combat vehicles.
Other reports suggest there have been military moves by road as well.
There have been concerns that if a conflict breaks out Russia could face a humanitarian exodus from North Korea.
But Putin has been warned, too, that in the event of a US strike on Kim Jong-un's nuclear facilities, contamination could swiftly reach Russia.
"Railway trains loaded with military equipment moving towards Primorsky region via Khabarovsk have been noticed by locals," reported primemedia.ru in the Russian far East – linking the development to the North Korean crisis.


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Yash Kumar Mishra Wiki, Biography, Age, Family, Wife, Filmography - Yash Kumar Mishra Latest News, Photos, wallpaper & New Upcoming Movies 2018 and 2019 List
Yash Kumar Mishra is an bhojpuri Singer and Actor. He is Debut in bhojpuri film industry with Anjana Singh in film 'Dildaar Saanwariya'. Yash Kumar Mishra was born in 29th September 1986 at Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, India and She is one of the best actor in Bhojpuri Cinema.
Yash Kumar Mishra Biography
Yash Kumar Mishra Personal Information
Yash Kumar Mishra Awards
Yash Kumar Mishra is an bhojpuri Singer and Actor. He is Debut in bhojpuri film industry with Anjana Singh in film 'Dildaar Saanwariya'. Yash Kumar Mishra was born in 29th September 1986 at Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, India and She is one of the best actor in Bhojpuri Cinema.
Yash Kumar Mishra (Hindi: यश कुमार मिश्रा)
Birthday 29th September 1986 (Age 31)
Next ReleasingEk Rajai Teen Lugai.
|Yash Kumar Mishra was born in 29th September 1988 at Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, India. Yash has Marriages With Actress Anjana singh. Her girl born on june 2015 and his name is aditi. Yash Kumar Mishra is worked with bhojpuri cinema top actress and Actor like Dildaar Saanwariya, Raja Ji I Love You, Dil Lagal Dupatta Wali Se with Anjana Singh, Pratigya 2, Dariya Dil with Rani Chatterjee, Bin Bajawa Sapera With Pawan Singh. Yash Kumar Mishra popular album is Dil Laga Bewafa se".
|Name :
|Yash Kumar Mishra
|Birthday (Date of Birth):
|29th September 1986
|Place of Birth :
|Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, India
|Occupation :
|Actor, Singer
|Debut Film :
|Dildaar Saanwariya
|Awards :
|Marriage Status:
|Marriages With Actress Anjana singh
Yash Kumar Mishra Upcoming Filmography
|Upcoming Bhojpuri Movies In 2018 and 2019.
|Movie Name
|Co. Stars (Actors and Actress)
|Ek Rajai Teen Lugai
|Yaskh Kumar Mishra, Tanushree, Nisha Dubey, Awadhesh Mishra, Manoj Tiger, Kiran Yadav
|Yash Kumar, Pawan Singh, Akshara Singh, Poonam Dubey
|Kasam Paida Karne Wale Ki
|Yash Kumar Mishra, Ritu Singh and Anand Mohan
|Dupatta Wali I Love You
|Yash Kumar Mishra, Anjana Singh
|Yash Kumar Mishra, Anjana Singh
|Mehandi Laga Ke Rakhna 2
|Pradeep Pandey 'Chintu', Yash Kumar, Richa Dixit, Manoj Tiger, Rajnish Jhanji, Jyoti Pandey & Anjana Singh
|View Completed Upcoming Movies List
Yash Kumar Mishra All Filmography
|Movie Name
|Co. Stars (Actors and Actress)
|Humka Ishq Hua Hai Yaaro
|Rangdari Tax
|Poonam Dubey, Awadhseh Mishra
|Priyanka Pandit, Rani Chatterjee
|Hero Gamchawala
|Yash Kumar Mishra, Anjana Singh, Rajan Modi, Vipin Singh, Sangeeta Tiwari
|Bin Bajawa Sapera
|Pawan Singh, Yash Kumar Mishra, Anup Arora, Brijesh Tripathi, Manisha Singh, Neelam Pandey, Prakash Jais, Ritu Singh
|Laagi Tohse Lagan
|Yash Kumar Mishra, Anjana Singh, Anara Gupta, Kajal Raghwani, Viraj Bhatt
|Dariya Dil
|Yash Kumar Mishra, Kunal Singh, Rakhi Tripathi, Rani Chatterjee, Neelima Singh, Sanjay Pandey, Rakesh Pandey
|Dil Lagal Dupatta Wali Se
|Kajal Raghwani, Akshara Singh, Pawan Singh, Khesari Lal Yadav, Smirti Sinha, Vishnu Shankar Belu
|Raja Ji I Love You
|Yash Kumar Mishra, Anand Mohan, Manoj Tiger, Anjana Singh, Pakhi Hegde, Seema Singh, Kunal Singh, Sanjay Pandey, Mantu Lal
|Dildaar Saanwariya
|Anjana Singh, Yash Kumar Mishra, Alok Yadav, Sanjay Pandey, Shilpi Shukla, Sonia Mishra, Zafar Khan
Yash Kumar Mishra Albums
|Dil Laga ke Bewafa se (2015)
|Also Try:-... Don't Miss
|List of Upcoming Bhojpuri Movies in 2018 & 2019 With Release Date
|Dinesh Lal Yadav 'Nirahua' Biography
|Khesari Lal Yadav Biography
|Pawan Singh Biography
|Ravi Kishan Biography
|Kajal Raghwani Biography
|Priyanka Pandit Biography
|Also Try: Bhojpuri Movie Best Actress Biography and Filmography.
|Amrapali Dubey
|Akshara Singh
|Anjana Singh
|Kajal Raghwani
|Madhu Sharma
|Mohini Ghosh
|Monika Batra
|Neha Shree Singh
|Pakhi Hegde
|Pallavi Singh
|Payal pandey
|Poonam Dubey
|Priya Sharma
|Rinku Ghosh
|Subhi Sharma
|Priyanka Pandit
|Rani Chatterjee
|Seema Singh
|Smirti Sinha
|Tanu Shree Chatterjee
|Nisha Dubey
|Also Try: Bhojpuri Movie Best Actors Biography and Filmography.
|Anand Mohan
|Arvind Akela 'Kallu Ji'
|Ayaz Khan
|Awadhesh Mishra
|Baleshwar Singh
|Brijesh Tripathi
|Dinesh Lal Yadav 'Nirahua'
|Khesari Lal Yadav
|Kunal Singh
|Manoj Tiger
|Manoj Tiwari 'Mudul'
|Pawan Singh
|Pradeep Pandey 'Chintu'
|Ritesh Pandey
|Rakesh Mishra
|Ravi Kishan
|Umesh Singh
|Viraj Bhatt
|Yash Kumar Mishra
|Namnit Tiwari 'Chintu'


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To avoid a more technical discussion in this post, I moved the discussion to here. These are my comments to tphaggerty.
This is the animation that I was talking about. Note that the panels drain from bottom to top.Originally Posted by tphaggerty
So a little refresher on hydraulics seems in order. Static head is the most important thing here. Let's start with a thought experiment to illustrate what is going on.
We have two 23' pipes, one is capped at the top one is capped at the bottom. Both are filled with water but the one capped at the top is also in a bucket of water. The one capped at the bottom wil have a PSI pressure at the top of the pipe of 0 PSI since the top is open. At the bottom, the pressure will be +10 PSI.
For the second pipe that is capped at the top, the pressure at the bottom is now 0 PSI since it is effectively at atmospheric pressure of the bucket of water. However, the pressure at the top of the pipe is -10 PSI. There is still a 10 PSI difference but because the reference has change so has the absolute pressures. By the way, a 2" PVC pipe behaves in the same way as a straw. Try it yourself. It will not drain until air enters the top but you have to pull the pipe straight up out of the bucket of water.
Now on to the solar panels. For a moment, let's assume that the pump has just shut off but the instant before the vacuum release valve has opened so there is no dynamic head and only static head. Pressure decreases with elevation so at the lower end of the roof near the gutters, let's say it is 11.5' above the water level, is at -5 PSI. The pressure at the top of the roof, let's say again it is at 23' above water level, is -10 PSI. So the starting pressure at the very top of the roof is less than the lower part of the roof. Hopefully you can see at least this part. By the way, I have measured the pressure at the top of my solar panels and indeed as predicted by theory, the pressure is lower by the height of the building divided by 2.31. I always like to see theory in action.
Now, at this stage introduce the vacuum release valve. Now, the PSI at the lower part of the roof is at 0 PSI so the weight of the water will pull the water out of the ower pipe. The bottom of the roof is at 0 PSI but because the top of the roof is higher and it is still a closed system no air at the top of the panels yet, the pressure is still at -10 PSI due to the water weight on the return side. So there is still a negative pressure at the top of the roof as so water will flow up the panels to the top of the roof and out the return.
You can prove this concept to yourself with a small amount of hose and bucket of water. Clear hose works the best since you can see that it is full of water and you can see which way it flows out. Hold the hose completely under water until it fills. Bend in a loop such that you keep both ends in the water but the loop extends above the water. No water will flow out at this stage since air cannot get it. Place your thumb over one end and slowly pull it out of the water but make sure you keep the other end in the water. The end in the water is the return side for the solar and the end with your thumb is the vacuum release which has not opened yet. So you should have a tube filled with water and one end in the water and the other end with your thumb over the end and the center of the tube higher than your thumb. Now release the end of the tube with your thumb and no water will come out that end because it drained up and over the loop back into the water through the return side.
Hopefully this is much clear now and you have a way of proving it to yourself.


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We most likely do! We accept just about every major PPO dental insurance including the following:
- Aetna
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Aetna is one of the largest dental insurance companies in the world and we are happy to accept Aetna insurance. For more information on Aetna please visit https://www.aetna.com/about-us/aetna-facts-and-subsidiaries/aetna-facts.html. We also take many other PPO dental plans, please contact us for more information about your specific insurance company and plan. We will explain your insurance to you, determine when your benefits reset, and assist you in maximizing your insurance dollars because we know how valuable they are to you. We will also file your insurance claims, track them, follow up on any claim delays, and help you jump through the hoops when dealing with multiple insurance plans for one family.
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From Our Editors
There's literally no sweeter war won than cupcake war. Just ask Ruthie and Ron Bzdewka, who in 2008 founded House of Cupcakes in Princeton, New Jersey after taking home top honors from the second season of Food Network's Cupcake Wars. The owners' cupcakes are even more in demand than they were before their victory on the show, which is why they now fling them at celebrities during special events including the MTV Music Awards. The secret to Ruthie and Ron's success: their grandma's cupcake recipe, which is the basis for increasing selection of more than 45 unique flavors, such as the award-winning Espresso Brownie, Salted Caramel, and Coconut Vanilla Snowball.
Not limiting their expertise to cupcake orders, baked goods-lovers can delight their palette with the tastes of other creations, including push-pops, cake-pops, cookies, mini-cupcakes, gourmet banana pudding, and brownies. Gourmet handmade ice cream sandwiches are also available, and are made from scratch with a choice from 15 different cookies, brownies, and 30+ ice cream flavors. Their large selection can be produced into custom orders for any event, such as color-coordinated cupcakes for weddings, logo-emblazoned pull-apart cakes for corporate outings, and tailored treats for baby showers or birthdays.


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At the beginning of the school year, senior Rosalyn Rae Hatlen wasn't thinking about being valedictorian.
Her family had just relocated to North Carolina from Wisconsin, leaving her friends behind at the beginning of her senior year.
She was a good student in Wisconsin, but she wasn't sure some of the advanced classes she took there would transfer to Knightdale High School.
They did. And she ended up with a 5.0417 GPA.
"I certainly didn't expect to just come in and be valedictorian," Hatlen said, who had a 4.5 GPA at her high school in Wisconsin.
Hatlen, the daughter of Roger and Lori Hatlen, was worried because her old school didn't offer as many Advanced Placement classes as Knightdale High School. She thought she wouldn't be as far into the curriculum as her new classmates. There were some classes that she never had to take in Wisconsin, like civics, that she had to take later than her classmates.
However, weighted classes, which include honors and AP classes, from Wisconsin and Knightdale managed to bump Hatlen into her top spot.
She took some classes, like AP Chemistry and AP European History in Wisconsin and then took other AP classes, like environmental science, at Knightdale High.
"I just took them because I'd rather be in classes that challenge me mentally," Hatlen said.
Hatlen said one of her favorite classes she took in high school was AP Chemistry, known among many high schoolers as one of the hardest AP classes.
"It was one of the fun ones because i really like chemistry," she said. "It went in depth about the stuff we had done and how they were related. I really like that analytical part of it."
Hatlen is planning to continue studying chemistry when she attends N.C. State in the fall. She plans to study chemical engineering and possibly focus on pharmaceuticals as a possible career path.
N.C. State, although close to her new home, was always on Hatlen's list of colleges to consider, among choices like Brown and Cornell.
In addition to her classes, Hatlen plays tennis (her doubles partner is Knightdale's Salutatorian, Shelly Guo) and is a member of National Honor Society, where she is a student tutor.
Hatlen will graduate with her classmates on June 10 at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh.


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Obviously I think that there is some insight with the 7 deadly sins and those characteristics do play a major role in the state of chaos the world sees today. I find it odd that many churches are up in arms over things such as gay rights and abortion, meanwhile the 7 deadly sins are raping and pillaging the world's population. To me I'm thinking, you know there's this massive elephant in the room over there and no one's paying any attention to him at all.
Originally posted by Symbiot
reply to post by AQuestion
Now don't get me wrong, the child is a reward in my mind, but for those who cannot afford him he becomes a burden and this is something I find very disturbing about how society views the value of life. Are we saying that mans creations are worth billions, but Gods creations worth nothing?
Many are happy to legislate against abortion, but are willing to do absolutely nothing to help a parent raise a child they cannot afford to raise. Is parenting not work, is it not a job? Many are happy to legislate against abortion under the guise that they value life, so they would prefer that a child be born only to starve?
Being as how you are a member of a church I'm sure you are privy to more intimate information regarding activities than I, but I feel that we are not witnessing the death of the church, but its stagnation. In my eyes the church has never truly understood and I say this because there was a time when the church felt burning witches was a good idea. A time when the church felt that kings and queens had a birth right to a thrown. Not that it's only the church, as a race we used to think that drilling a hole in a persons head to alleviate a headache was a good idea. As a race we've grown with knowledge and the church has done the same, but in this day I see that growth appears to be stagnating. I have seen little in the way of new ideas from churches, new understandings. I see only new ways to fight for the survival of old ideas. In my eyes we are a family, all children of the same father, God, but in many ways we look at one another as though they are foreign where to me they are not, but as close to me as my very own brother, as close to me as I.
Originally posted by Symbiot
reply to post by AQuestion
I think what I meant is not that the old sayings be forgotten, but a greater understanding be granted. Rather than teach that one goes to hell for not following, but why one goes to hell for not following. We may be likely to disagree here, but it is of my opinion that hell is not a place a person goes to after they die, but a place a person puts themselves into by committing sin. So the punishment for sin is not eternity in hell after death, but the sin itself for when we are jealous we hurt ourselves, when we murder we hurt our family and by extension ourselves, when we judge we hurt our family and by extension ourselves. Hell is a state of mind, a state of being that a person commits themselves by the very act of denying the love of the family, the very act of hating the children of God.
You speak of war and how killing is glorified these days and that is true, but look at the world around us. What hell could be worse? We've placed ourselves into never ending conflict, a never ending cycle of hatred and in so doing we've cursed ourselves to a life spent feverishly defending ourselves from the backlash. Committed ourselves to a life of fear, fear of our enemies and our enemies have done the same. I read articles of nuclear submarines sitting on sea beds leaking radioactive materials into our waters. Corporations dumping toxic waste in the cheapest place possible in a bid to out do their competition. We try to defeat each other in so many ways and in so doing we destroy our planet, our livelihood.
It is in my opinion that our punishment does come from God, but not in the form of judgment after death, but in the form of natural consequences for ones actions. We waged war and so war was waged on us. We demand life or death corporate competition and so we reap cheap products with ill considered toxicity. We not only allow, but demand a vast disparage in wealth and we reap wealthy rapists who simply are not used to refusal, poor gang members who cannot seek acceptance anywhere else, theft from those who cannot afford housing. This is hell and it is our doing.