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Starting with the initial skirmishes against the vanguard of Kabuto's forces and ending with the reveal of the real Uchiha Madara, the first part of the war managed to be one of the most disappointing in a series that was long in decline. What should have been exciting was instead often dull and, to paraphrase the Bard, full of sound and fury, all the while signifying nothing.
Things That Sucked: Sasori and Deidara are Pointlessly Humiliated
This was hilarious in how bad it was. Sasori and Deidara were among the greatest criminals to have ever come out of the five great nations, with Sasori having assassinated a Kazekage after leaving behind a famed career in the service of Sunagakure's Puppet Corps, while Deidara was an artistic prodigy who had studied under Ohnoki himself. Furthermore, in their time as living members of the Akatsuki, each had impressed in their respective showings. Naturally, one would expect them to factor strongly in the opening stages of the war.
Having become an undead corpse under Kabuto's spell, Sasori had finally achieved his goal of becoming an immortal puppet, the ideal towards which he had unsuccessfully strived for in life. In a sequence that was otherwise poorly executed, this was a nice little detail.
I could understand why the two didn't fight to their full potential. Deidara had always been arrogant, and in undeath this arrogance caused him to flat out avoid any defensive maneuvers, having come to the conclusion that all enemy attacks were pointless anyhow. Sasori was without any of his trademark puppets, and as a result, unable to use his most powerful Secret Red techniques (although considering how much access Kabuto had to items relating to his undead army, it's strange that he wasn't able to even scrounge up a couple of puppets, much less a storage scroll).
What happened to the two however, was beyond humiliating.
Despite being outnumbered, Sasori and Deidara were able to fight a brief skirmish against the commandos making up the Surprise Attack Division, although they failed to take out a single one of them. However, Sai was able to somehow get behind them and successfully knock them off the clay bird they had been standing on, in spite of the fact that they were supposed to be top class ninja and his having been right in front of and below them just a moment ago.
Prior to this point, Sasori had easily been one of the best characterized villains, and his shared back story with Chiyo had been one of the stronger elements of Part II. So to see him so quickly converted to Kankuro's way of thinking after being bested (contrary to what Kankuro claimed, the younger puppeteer did not display all that much to suggest he'd surpassed Sasori) and then give a short speech did not sit well with me.
Had there been more to the speech, and had the two characters possessed a stronger connection other than both being puppeteers who'd briefly met before, I wouldn't have minded. Perhaps if Kishimoto had given us more about whatever admiration Kankuro had for Sasori, there might have been something. Unfortunately, there was nothing more to the short talk Kankuro gave Sasori, and their connection was rather tenuous. If say, Chiyo had given him a speech, I could see Sasori having a change of heart the way he did.
As for Deidara, well, as arrogant as he was being, you would still expect better and smarter from a guy who was good enough to be a part of the Akatsuki. It was one thing for him to get up close with his clay bird the first time. But after having the ground raised from under him once, wouldn't it have been smarter for the guy to elevate himself so that he and Sasori wouldn't get knocked off their perch?
Things That Were Meh: The Seven Swordsmen Look Pretty
I'll admit that I was kind of hyped when the rest of the Swordsmen got summoned. Really, I was. I mean, sure the designs were kind of derivative of Kisame and Zabuza's, but I figured that it was more to show either Mist or group traditions.
And I admit to being a bit disappointed though with the nature of the swords. Samehada stood out because it was a sentient being that consumed chakra that it would then share with its wielder. Hiramekarei can shape chakra into whatever form the user wishes. And it was revealed later that Kubikiribōchō was capable of fixing itself by using the iron found in blood (a fucking vampire sword! Granted, the science behind this makes no sense, but fuck that, Zabuza sword can't be beat!). The rest of the swords felt rather mundane next to them (although as is implied, I thought it was cool how Zabuza didn't need any superpowers, just a sword he could always rely on). I suppose Kiba (not to be confused with the character of the same name) being capable of naturally emitting electricity to increase its cutting power was okay, but considering how many characters can use chakra streaming on their weapons; it's not all that special. Nuibari is a giant needle and thread that sews people together. That's not really a power, although I guess it's kind of suggested that it has amazing piercing power. Kabutowari is simply a hammer attached to an axe. Again, not really a special ability given that it's just a hammer and an axe. And Shibuki, well it's also kind of mundane, what with simply being a big ass sword with an unfolding scroll containing explosive tags on the side. Not a special ability so much as an impressive, if slightly impractical, bit of technological innovation. But I'll admit, it's pretty fucking awesome.
Still, of all the designs and swords, Jinpachi's was easily my favorite. Just look at the guy. It's like he was designed to be the most fucking awesome guy ever. Is he a ninja or a pirate? Ninja pirate or pirate ninja? Fuck if I know but it's fucking awesome (yes, I doubt that he was a pirate, but fuck you, let a guy dream). And his sword looks like something Michael Bay would design. Hey, how do you improve upon a big fucking sword? You add some big fucking explosions, that's what! And so it was, we got a sword that blows your fucking ass up when it's swung at you. Holy shitfuck that is awesome.
So anyway, after we got all hyped up, Kishimoto gave us a retread of Haku and Zabuza's story, although since things were rehashed, and the outline of it so overused in filler and bad fanfiction, it simply lacked the emotional punch that it deserved. I knew I should care, but I simply couldn't summon any enthusiasm for this particular part of the story despite having been hooked into Naruto by that earlier arc.
So after Haku and Zabuza got sealed, we got Kakashi implying that he was going to go on a rampage. Cool! Then we switched to another scene. Not cool.
I can't say that this part of the story sucked entirely, because there was an element to it that I liked, that element being seeing the Swordsmen in action. I also did like how Suigetsu's little expository speech was intercut with that part. I fucking love Jinpachi and his sword. But I also didn't care for everything else, but didn't really hate it all that much. Hence the meh score.
But as disappointing as this part was, at least it wasn't as horrid as what was to follow.
Things That Sucked: Forgettable Side Characters
The Gold and Silver Brothers are among the more forgettable characters introduced in the series. While the audience is given their history, there is little depth to them other than their being dishonest, egotistic brutes. Unlike villains in the past, there was little time to get to know them, and what little we did know was so wholly unappealing that in a story with so many interesting villains, these two were utterly forgettable.
During this time, we were also introduced to Atsui, whose gimmick basically came down to being a stupid braggart. Granted, in his limited screen time he was as much a character as Samui, that is, barely, despite her having been introduced about a hundred chapters beforehand. As a result of this lack of depth and time with which to get attached to them, when the two got sucked into the gourd, no one cared (it didn't help that Atsui was a dumbass of epic proportions).
This last bit feels all the worse considering how much the importance of bonds and the tragedies of war are emphasized in the story, so to have two characters the reader has no reason to care about suffer weakens what should have been an emotional moment for Darui. (plus, the two of them are rescued from the gourd later on anyhow)
As for Darui, well, what's to say? He didn't get much fleshing out during his introductory arc, and while Kishimoto tried to provide some depth to him during his fight, there was just so little for readers to work with that it becomes difficult to feel any emotional investment in this part of the story. Having to read through these chapters back when they were first coming out week by week was even worse.
Between the forgettable bad guys and the forgettable good guys, there was little reason to give a damn about anything that happened here. Part of what makes a good fight scene is the emotion behind it, as well as the audience's investment in the characters involved. Since each of the characters involved had so little depth to them, there is little tension as one goes through the fight. If not for the twins' possession of Kyubi chakra, the story could have easily done without them.
Things That Were Meh: Seeing Side Characters with Little Depth Fight
I didn't hate Mifune's fight. I still don't hate it even after rereading it a couple of times in print format. I wish I could like it. I really do. I mean, we got a short but sweet skirmish. We got to see a samurai look badass. We got a hint of Hanzo's true power. We got a good look at Mifune's worldview and how it relates to the pursuit of peace and dreams. We even got a really brief Pain flashback.
I just can't muster up much of an opinion of the entire thing because of how little we know the characters involved. As I said before, and I will say it again, although you should know the drill by now, when we see characters in a story fight, we are drawn in by the choreography and the actual fighting, but what allow fights to really affect us are the emotional factors that go into them, i.e. the characters.
Previously, as with Darui, we were introduced to Mifune during the summit, but he was not really given much characterization. As with Darui, Mifune was fleshed out in the course of his moment in the spotlight. There just wasn't all that much depth to him.
In contrast to the Gold and Silver Brothers though, Hanzo was a potentially interesting character (his name is Hanzo for crying out loud!). As a young man, he had been idealistic, believing that with his strength, he might someday succeed in uniting the disparate lands of the shinobi world. Eventually he became dictator of a small isolated nation that was constantly the site of various conflicts fought by larger nations. As a dictator, he would need strength and brutality in order to maintain power and order. This need to hold on to power by any means necessary would leech away at his ideals, and the paranoia associated with being a military strongman eventually caused him to go from an ambitious and highly gifted shinobi to a cynical, ruthless old man eager to hide away and rest on his laurels. As a result, his skills stagnated, easing his downfall and final defeat at Mifune's hands.
While I wasn't the biggest fan of how quickly Hanzo was beaten (especially in the light of how hyped he was), as the previous paragraph indicates, I could understand the reasoning behind his underwhelming performance. I also didn't care too much for how he arranged for his capture and sealing by committing seppuku, although that might have more to do with my surprise and bemusement at the revelation that underneath his flak jacket he was dressed like Sai. While already an old man.
Things That Sucked: Chōji Gets Pointless Attention
Poor, poor Chōji. After initially being introduced back in Part I's second major arc as a stereotypical big fat guy who likes eating, he was given greater depth during the attempted Sasuke retrieval and even managed to get a good fight out of it. This moment in the spotlight not only made him more than the cliché he originally fulfilled in the story, but also served as a fine example of the potential to be found in the story's supporting cast, whose own fictional lives added much to the story. Then Part II happened.
Chōji was, like his fellow peers of Naruto, shunted off to the side for the most part, with his purpose story-wise being more along the lines of moving scenery than an actual character. He did little during his earlier appearances in Part II, and when he did appear, his emotional connection (along with Ino's) to Asuma was given far less emphasis than Shikamaru's. However, this was to change somewhat during the war, as supporting characters were finally given some screen time, and even characters like Ino, who up to that point had been a mostly useless female cast member, were given a chance to shine. Unfortunately, Chōji's second moment in the spotlight was not to be as well executed as his first.
By all means the battle between Asuma and his former team should have been more than it was. In contrast to earlier skirmishes during the war, there was an emotional connection between the characters, and this had been and was still clear to even the audience. Unfortunately Chōji's role was what kept it from being a great scene.
What happened to Chōji was entirely unnecessary, given how his character arc up to this point had previously had him developing into a braver, stronger person who was willing to stick up for his loved ones. Sadly for Chōji, Kishimoto decided to have the poor bastard act like a scaredy cat during the opening stages of the war, as it suddenly became his job to be that one character who's all afraid before shit goes down and he has to man up. Then, when fighting Asuma, he turned into a load.
It's one thing to have a character unable to fight at their full potential against a loved one who is moving against their will. It's a whole other thing to have a character not only unable to fight at their full potential, but act like a whiny little bitch to the extent where other good guys are at risk for more than a couple of chapters when prior character development would imply that they wouldn't be acting this way if not for the fact that for some reason the plot required he act as such.
So Chōji finally gets his requisite man up moment, powers up into a butterfly form without needing that pill labeled "do not ingest because all potential unlocked comes at cost of life" (because fuck logical power ups and onscreen training), kicks Asuma's ass, and then proceeds to aid in the off-paneling of no less than Hizashi and fucking Kakuzu (poor guy just can't get a break).
I'm sorry, but Kishimoto went through the trouble of making us go through an unnecessary man the fuck up moment just so Chōji could have a crowning moment of awesome that was left off screen. It was Kakashi's rampage all over again, except even crappier.
Things that Sucked: Why Making a Theme of a Shonen Battle Manga "War is Hell" is Stupid
The acclaimed filmmaker François Truffaut once alleged that it is impossible to make an anti-war film. Basically, the idea is that it is impossible to make an anti-war film if said film involves a war being shown. If a movie has a message, it runs the risk of implicitly saying the opposite of what was intended as what is said comes into conflict with what is actually portrayed.
This sentiment not only applies to Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto, which is most assuredly not a movie, but is actually magnified by the constraints of the genre, said genre being the shonen battle manga. The very essence of any decent battle manga is to wow the reader with spectacular fights.
Since the days of Barefoot Gen, which actually did run in Shonen Jump, believe it or not, it appears that manga aimed at the shonen demographic have been becoming more and more censored in some ways as time goes on. As a result, violence in such manga appears to be less horrifying then it was in Gen. This has the impact of lessening the harm that war does to people. Instead of being shown a man with his intestines flopping all over the place while he bleeds out from the stumps that used to be his legs, characters are shown with a bit of blood and bandages on them, if we get that much. This results in a lack of impact about the costs of war.
But going back to the main topic of this section, the bread and butter of shonen fighting manga is the spectacular nature of the battles. Because of that, instead of war being a tragic waste of human life, characters are shown instead being brave and having their own individual moments of glory. Rather than vilifying war, shonen manga authors end up glorifying it. In this way then, attempting to criticize wars in such stories is nothing more than a fool's errand.
This is a problem that I have seen with not only One Piece, but also Naruto in its current form. If one wishes to make a point, it's best to ensure that both the medium and execution suit said point well. Otherwise one simply proves Truffaut right.
One of the more prominent themes of the manga as it went on is the futility and heavy costs of war. The use of bloodline users in conflicts caused reprisals among the populace of the Land of Water. A desire to gain an edge in military strength led to the creation of village jinchuriki, the potential costs of which are best illustrated in the character of Gaara. Konoha's victory against the Sound and Sand was not without its costs. Tsunade wound up losing the people she loved—her grandfather, great uncle, brother, and lover—over the course of multiple Shinobi World Wars. Kakashi's gaiden illustrated this theme up close when it showed readers the tragedy behind Kakashi's current philosophy and Sharingan. Itachi became obsessed with preserving peace at all costs due to being traumatized by the human costs of battle. Nagato's entire life was defined by the effects war had on him. Aside from a few individuals, much of the political maneuvering in the story has involved disparate attempts to preserve the peace, often in a harsh manner. The price of war has had its influence on various characters and events, and for this heavy a theme to be tackled in a shonen battle manga of all things would suggest that the climactic war arc continue this pattern in some shape or form (Nagato had even suggested this in his final monologue prior to his death, warning Naruto about war's costs, and how this might affect a generation that had grown up in times of peace).
So when Kishimoto proceeded to for the most part toss this theme aside, it was a slap in the face. The depiction of the war was far from the hell that Kishimoto continually made such conflicts out to be. Instead of focusing on the costs, readers were instead been treated to scenes of heroism and side characters finally getting a chance to shine. I'm sorry, but it's hard to consider the tragic consequences of war when a character who hasn't had significant panel time in years, if ever, is finally doing something awesome. Instead of focusing on how war has and will affect the people involved, we instead were treated to its positive side effects, namely the unification of previously warring peoples against a common foe. Instead of relating the war to the thematic conflict against old hatreds (and how said hatreds beget new ones), there was nothing of actual substance other than half-hearted attempts to connect Uchiha Madara and Kaguya with a fantastical history that was hard for anyone to relate to and move past. The enemy was made up of a bunch of synthetic plant men lacking any depth other than acting as Tobi's personal drones, zombified legends of the past that had little to contribute to the theme, and a bunch of all-out villains.
Visible injuries were at a minimum. At best, you might see a bleeding guy (and it's almost always a guy) lying on the ground and covered in marks and dust. What's so horrifying about that?
And there was little in the way of meaningful collateral damage. Every battle took place on an untamed piece of land free of any civilians. As soon as the good guys were victorious, the residents of the affected countries probably went right back to business. Remember when Pain detailed how the people of Amegakure were stuck in a warzone because the great nations didn't want to fight on their own home territory? Yeah, apparently this little issue would have been too heavy for the final battle against evil. I mean, it's not like the emotional core of the story revolved less around epic fights than it did the lives of characters and how they shaped, and were in turn shaped by the environment they grew up in.
Just because it's shonen is not an excuse for Kishimoto to suddenly wimp out when it comes to exploring one of his story's long running themes. He didn't have to be as graphic as the examples given, but he could have at least given us something. Because just about anything would have been more than what we actually got.
I believe it's safe to say that Kishimoto really dropped the ball on this particular matter, unless you want to make the argument that he made war seem less appealing to his audience by making it boring as hell. In which case, he succeeded admirably; as I doubt the impressionable young men and women reading this manga over in Japan would want to start a war knowing just how boring it would be.
Things That Sucked: A Lack of Pathos
After the end of the first day of fighting, Kishimoto decided to engage in more telling rather than showing—one that connects to my earlier point about the issue with exploring the high cost of war in a manga like Naruto. In this case, after a harsh series of opening battles, the plot slowed down a bit so as to give us the details on just what the numbers were. Unfortunately, due to a lack of emotional connection with the events going on, and by extension a lack of genuine tension, this moment fell flat. What makes it worse is the absurd number of casualties, which is cartoonish in its extravagance. It seems to suggest the high command of each side is pretty damn incompetent in matters of basic military strategy. I guess I could understand the huge losses for the villains, as we were consistently shown a number of Zetsu getting themselves killed onscreen as the resurrected ninja were sealed one by one. Unfortunately, because we didn't get all that much of the same for the good guys save for Tobi's rampage, it was hard to really connect the day's events with the high number of casualties.
To do such a thing right means giving the audience an emotional connection with the events to which they are witness. Take that series of moments at the end of the D-Day sequence in Saving Private Ryan. The contrast between the loud and chaotic battle scenes and the melancholy and quiet of the closing moments of that opening allows the tragedy of the entire thing sink into the viewers' heads. If you haven't seen that film, then what about that moment in say, the last Rambo (2008), which, after a gory but surprisingly awesome battle sequence, slows down to show the costs of the good guys' victory, be it the loss of innocence, the loss of friends, or even the realization that in order to protect what is good, deeds which could be construed as evil must sometimes be committed.
For a comics based example, one can even look to—SPOILER ALERT: SKIP TO THE NEXT PARAGRAPH IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED—that particular scene in Watchmen, after Veidt successfully launches his strike on New York. Several pages are devoted not only to the "alien" creature that caused the massive destruction, but also to illustrating the carnage resulting from its arrival. Background characters that the reader has had a chance to form some attachment to are left killed off in the back and foreground of the scene. It's simultaneously depressing, shocking, and horrific in its scale.
Now, bringing up the numbers by itself isn't entirely or even necessarily a bad thing. In many a war story, after the chaos of the battle comes to an end onscreen, what is sometimes done is that narration or some sort of text is used to inform the audience of the actual number of casualties. Done right, this can lend an even greater degree of emotion to a story. Unfortunately, Kishimoto failed in this regard.
For a manga based example, I'll bring up a certain moment in the manga Tokyo ESP (SPOILER ALERT: SKIP TO THE NEXT PARAGRAPH IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE SPOILED). In that manga, the villains successfully manage to drop a ship (a tanker to be precise) in the middle of a city. Unlike most other stories in the genre, the effects of this are made clear. Many panels (and by extension a few pages) are devoted to illustrating the scale of the damage done by the attack. The following chapters go further by not only bringing up the statistics on the actual number of casualties, but also the fallout from the attack, be it political, social, or even on a more personal level.
Kishimoto tried to add a human element to the mostly unnamed and undeveloped members of the Allied forces, but unfortunately, such attempts fell flat for the most part. First of all, aside from Kankuro, Sai, Kakashi and Team Ten, much of the focus was on side characters with little detail to them. As a result, it was hard feeling anything about their situations.
Darui and Mifune had only been recently introduced, and as a result, were mostly unknown quantities. Atsui was a dumbass on par with Jar Jar Binks who I didn't really mind seeing getting sealed away, while Samui was such a nonentity that I didn't really give a shit what happened to her. Also, there was that guy who got fodderized by that bakuton user.
Tajiki's death didn't mean spit to the audience simply because he had been introduced only to die at that very moment. Because of that, readers could not connect to either him or his friend. I know Kishimoto wanted to show that the story is so much bigger than the named characters it focuses on, unfortunately, because characters like Taijki and his friend are given exactly zero depth or detail, it becomes impossible to develop any empathy for them.
Anyway, due to this lack of pathos, the war up to this point had failed to communicate the idea that war is hellish, tragic, and wasteful.
Things That Sucked: Naruto Goes All Kung Fu Jesus on Us
So starting the first night of war, the Zetsu army finally began fighting smart and decided to engage the enemy by using their ability to replicate the appearance and chakras of those they had come into contact with. In doing so, they were able to sneak around and attack the good guys while in their midst. You know, like real ninjas would.
Unfortunately, Kishimoto never really made the Zetsu seem as big a threat as they should have. While it was nice that we got one whole chapter of Zetsu being sneaky, after that the number of Zetsu attacks shown dropped tremendously, to the point where the threat of them was all but forgotten. As a result, the suspense that should have been built up vanished, and we were left with a bunch of plant men doing shit off-panel.
Zetsu appeared even less impressive once Naruto entered the battlefield and starting offing these guys like it was going out of style. I know that Naruto was supposed to look really impressive there, but considering how easy it appeared for any random good guy to kill a Zetsu, Naruto's actions looked more like overkill than anything, even if his sensory abilities were a godsend.
We then got a hope spot in the form of Itachi and Nagato confronting Naruto and Bee. Naturally, everyone was hyped. And naturally, with Kishimoto being Kishimoto, the fight was handled quickly and in a manner most unsatisfying. That is all I will say about it.
Anyway, what made this part of the story suck was just how well it illustrated just how relatively unimportant all the side characters became in Part II. In Part I, there was a sense that Naruto's story was but one important part of a much larger world, as while his actions held great influence over the course of things, they were still occurring within the context of something much greater. When Suna and Oto invaded Konoha, Naruto's actions helped ensure that Suna's trump card failed to wreak too much havoc, while other characters, particularly Sarutobi, ensured that the Leaf would triumph. During the last arc of Part I, the primary source of tension was Naruto's bond with Sasuke, and their inevitable clash. However, what added to this was the role played by each of Naruto's team mates and the Sand Siblings in allowing him to get that far.
Here, we just had Naruto vow to fix everything himself before he proceeded to almost singlehandedly fuck up Tobi's army and a bunch of undead ninja. It made what the side characters had done up to that point seem utterly insignificant and pointless, and also made a bunch of his opponents look bad, as they were taken out by shadow clones, regardless of whether or not they were Zetsu or resurrected ninja. Granted shadow clones are just as capable as the original, albeit with a limited chakra supply, but even so, it left a bad taste in my mouth to see a legendary ninja from ages past get taken down by mere shadow clones.
Things That Rocked: Kicking It Old School
Things that Failed to Rock: Gaara's Dad: Massive Disappointment or Massive Disappointment?
I'm not particularly fond of this guy, whether in terms of his character, how he interacted with Gaara, or the contents of his fight.
The dude was an asshole, but we knew that since we first learned Gaara's history. What was underwhelming about the guy though was his lack of a personality, especially compared to the larger than life figures who accompanied him during the war. I understand that the importance of his appearance here had to do with his interactions with Gaara, but even then, aside from his patriotism and regret, there was so little to his character that I couldn't really get much of an impression from the man.
I also didn't care much for the revelations shown in his flashbacks, particularly the role he played in Yashamaru's demise. Gaara's backstory was meant to be one of the single most tragic things in the series, and this tragedy served to not only set him up as a foil to Naruto, but to also lend a theme to his own character arc, namely the pursuit and attainment of love by a person whose life up to that point had been devoid of it. In order to develop as a human being, he had to overcome his loveless background and face the future with the intent of reaching out instead of engaging in solipsistic destruction. This constructive approach was the new way in which he was then able to define his existence through his bonds rather than the indeterminate self he failed to recognize in his dying moments, was best exemplified in the gathering of Sand nin after his resurrection early in Part II.
To reveal that Gaara was loved by both his mother and his uncle (at least it seems so) felt like a copout, and needlessly sentimental (and it made the deceased Kazekage seem like an even bigger jackass than he had to be considering how poorly he was already viewed). Had his father's acknowledgment been the main idea here, I wouldn't have minded in the least, as it would have been enough to prove that Gaara was now a figure worthy of being treated as a person, and not the failure of a monster his father had deemed him.
The fight between the former Kazekage and Gaara was also rather underwhelming, as it was basically two stationary fighters manipulating particles of sand/gold. Not only that, but the fight went by quickly and without much fanfare, making the former Kazekage a rather lackluster threat physically speaking.
Things that Were Meh: Ma-Mi-Mu
Mu was an improvement over the Fourth Kazekage, although that is not really saying much. While he was far less memorable than the two kage who have yet to be discussed, he at least wasn't a total waste of space.
I still don't see why Ohnoki had to be the one to confront Mu. While I could understand the whole master-student thing that they had going on, the reasoning behind the matchup still doesn't quite work. Ohnoki claimed that only a fellow jinton user could confront Mu, but why is that? Gaara was able to help him just fine, and Naruto didn't have too much difficulty slamming a giant ball of chakra into the guy's torso. It wasn't like Mu had unique abilities that could only be countered by Ohnoki, save for knowledge of his fighting style.
While Mu didn't have much of a personality, and he didn't get all that much of a chance to do anything onscreen save for summoning Madara and giving minor side characters something to do, he was still an improvement over Gaara's dad, even if slight.
Things that Rocked: I'm the Raikage, Bitch!
After the less than impressive performances of the previous two kage, something had to give. The two remaining guys had less of a connection to the characters fighting and had been caught in Gaara's sand, something that had been avoided by Mu and briefly countered by the Fourth Kazekage. In order to make up for this disappointing early going, the they needed to put on a strong showing. They didn't disappoint.
The Sandaime Raikage, A's father, was basically the most over the top character to ever come out of Kumogakure. And that is saying something considering just how over the top major characters from Kumo seem to be. It's like their village's hat. Konoha is full of noble good guys or douchey villains. Kiri is full of badasses. Suna is made up of no-nonsense pros. Iwa has fodder (even their kages get beaten up to show how tough someone is). And Kumo is crazy awesome.
The guy died after fighting an army comprising of what was likely the majority of Iwagakure's military forces for three days. By himself. His flesh was like steel. His blood like iron. He somehow managed to get the Hachibi to acknowledge him in order to seal it into a pot every single time it went nuts. Black lightning was supposedly his thing, even if he never used it during the war. He only needed a finger to ruin your day. And the only thing that could hurt him was himself.
Holy shit.
The guy was less of a character than he was just a plain old folk hero come to life.
And sometimes, in a series that often tried (and failed) to present walking tanks as actual characters, seeing a walking tank who was clearly presented as nothing more was a nice change. I didn't need to see any personality from the Third Raikage to like him, because he didn't really have any. All I needed was for him to kick ass and take names. And that he did.
Things that Rocked: Trololololol
I'll be honest here. I fucking loved the Second Mizukage. In what little screen time he had, he not only was more amusing than his fellow kage, but among the various Mizukages revealed, he was by far the most memorable. I like the character so much that I was tempted to simply post a collage of his best moments in lieu of writing an entry out.
Aside from being the single most entertaining new character introduced during the war, he also added a certain lightness that actually brightened things up quite a bit in an otherwise grim (or at least it was supposed to be grim) situation. Comedy has never been one of Kishimoto's strengths, and attempts at humor in Naruto have been more miss than hit for as long as the manga has been running. I've cringed at more than a few jokes, with the armadillo dick being a particular low point for myself. Seeing the Mizukage make all sorts of comments and expressions that actually got a chuckle out of me was a breath of fresh air. Even when cornered in a pyramid made of sand, his only response was to turn it into a game of whack-a-mole.
It was also good to see an effective genjutsu user who wasn't an Uchiha, with the presentation of the giant clam summon (granted, the mythology behind it makes sense) adding more ludicrousness to what was already an odd character.
Even the name of his trump card was humorous: I believe (I might be wrong though) "Jokey Boy" is the phonetic pronunciation, and the bizarre physics behind the jutsu was just the cherry on top of what was simultaneously an impressive, yet very strange looking technique.
So of the four resurrected kage, we got one miss, one so-so effort, and two memorable characters. While things started off poorly with Gaara's dad and Mu's mostly unseen (no pun intended) efforts, the other two undead ninja more than made up for it, easily making their sequences some of the best parts of the entire war arc.
Things That Sucked: Feeling No Tension
To call Bleach's Winter War one-sided is to state the obvious. Part of the reason the arc is so maligned has to do with the lack of suspense that was clear from the start of that so called "war." Tite Kubo started things off poorly by setting a precedent with his opening battles, namely having side characters win their battles with no major losses. This continued throughout the arc as none of the good guys died while the enemy army was whittled down to just Aizen and Gin. Aizen then proceeded to whoop ass in the most obnoxious of ways, and even then failed to kill anyone fighting for the good guys. As a result, by the time the climax of that arc came around, there was little tension in the proceedings, as there was no sense of peril whatsoever, considering that all the good guys needed was a little healing while the villains were down to one.
The Fourth Ninja World War proceeded in a similar manner. There was zero dramatic tension to speak of. As with the Bleach example, none of the losses suffered by the Alliance were all that significant to the readers. Remember the lack of pathos I discusssed? Yeah, there's your first problem right there.
If at least a couple of characters that the readers cared about prior to this war were at serious risk from a dramatic standpoint, or at least suffered some sort of debilitation, then maybe this wouldn't be a problem. Even fucking Bleach had good guys losing limbs. Here, the only injuries were maybe some superficial cuts and bruises.
Even when the Zetsu were behaving like ninja, we never saw them as a genuine threat to named characters. In open battle they were basically fodder to be mowed down by the thousands, and those people they did kill we had known only for a couple of panels, tops. Judging from the establishing shots of the medic compound, Kishimoto wanted to suggest the paranoid atmosphere as doppelgangers killed off good guys, but was mostly left off-screen for extended periods, removing any suspense that might have been felt.
A good battle sequence has tension. Remember the battle of Yavin in Star Wars? One by one Luke's fellow rebels were taken out of the battle, and the newcomer to these events so much greater in scale than he could previously imagine was now left in the position of having to save the day. Those moments where Luke decides to trust in the force while Vader centers his targeting computer on the kid's fighter are fraught with the purest of tension. If Luke fails, then all the Rebels are dead. There's an emotional connection between the viewer, Luke, and the rest of the characters watching things from the Rebel base. We care about the characters at risk and genuinely worry about what might happen to them.
And because of this relative lack of tension in Naruto, instead of feeling emotionally invested in what was going on and eagerly anticipating the next chapter, I was simply counting the number of chapters until the war would reach its climax.
This arc served as payoff for some of Kishimoto's blunders throughout the story. First of all, by attempting to tackle the costs of war, the author found himself having to deal with the problem of communicating such a message in a series was centered around glorious combat. Second was the issue of not giving proper time to his supporting cast, which resulted in an arc that failed in many respects to make readers care about what was going on. Third was his tendency to sacrifice characterization for the sake of the plot, which in turn led to what should have been Chōji's moment turning into a farce.
Naruto had become visibly poorly written, although if there was any comfort to take from this arc, it was that at least the series was seemingly nearing its end. Or so readers thought.


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Paul Scholes believes Manchester United will benefit greatly from the return of Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie.
The attacking pair are back in the United line-up after varied injury layoffs and former midfielder Scholes feels that will help David Moyes' men climb the Premier League table provided they can keep all the others fit.
"I don't think the manager can legislate for the amount of injuries he has had to deal with," he told the club's official website.
"We've missed Rooney and van Persie for big chunks of the season. They are two of the best centre-forwards in the world and any team would miss them.
"When we finally got them both back for the game against Stoke, suddenly we had four centre-halves not fit to play.
"It's been a crazy season for injuries. Hopefully we'll get a bit of luck with injuries and I'm sure if we get all our players fit we'll get moving up the league."
For breaking stories and all the great banter like us on Facebook: facebook.com/tribalfootball

subset: commoncrawl


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Garlic-Mustard Grilled Beef Skewers
Chef's Note
"Yum, perfect for Father's Day or any warm, summer night! Be sure to leave the skewers on the grill long enough to get the beef nice and crusty on both sides. This means you have to be patient, and remember: Don't turn them often. Can also add grape tomatoes, mushrooms and chunks of red onion to the skewers. Sometimes I grill the veggies on separate skewers because they can cook quicker than the meat. Then I put all on a platter and let guests choose what they want. Plan ahead, needs to marinade for 30 minutes up to 4 hours. This is adapted from a Bobby Flay recipe. Prep time does not include marinade time."
READY IN:37mins
Ingredients Nutrition
Garlic-mustard glaze
- 1⁄4 cup whole grain mustard
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaf
- 2 teaspoons spanish paprika
- 1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1⁄4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Grilled beef skewers
- 2 lbs beef tenderloin
- 12 (6 inch) wooden skewers, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes
- For garlic-mustard glaze:
- Whisk together all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
- Add meat, cover,and marinade at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours before using. Bring meat to room temp before grilling.
- For grilled beef skewers:
- Heat your grill to high.
- Cut the tenderloin lengthwise in half, then cut the halves lengthwise in half again. Slice crosswise to make 24 equal pieces. Skewer 4 pieces of beef onto each skewer, keeping them together at one end of the skewer. (This will make the grilled skewer easier to hold and eat.).
- Grill the meat, turning once and brushing with the remaining glaze, for 4 to 6 minutes until golden brown, slightly charred, and cooked to medium-rare. Transfer the skewers to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Place the skewers on a platter and serve hot or at room temperature.
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Roberto Cavalli Vodka (700ml)
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Created by Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli, made entirely in Italy using Alpine water and wheat. Presented in a striking frosted bottled.


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View This category in: USA
Inside OregonArt & the Vinyard (Eugene)
Art & the Vineyard is the Northwest's top art, wine, and music festival, staged along the banks of the Willamette River in Eugene's scenic Alton Baker Park.
Ashland Independent Film Festival (Ashland)
The Ashland Independent Film Festival is an intense, five-day festival that actively promotes dialogue between filmmaker and audience in an intimate setting.
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A Celebration of Independent Cinema. Through our film festivals and awards, BendFilm provides brave and talented independent filmmakers exposure and opportunity.
India Cultural Association (Portland)
India Cultural Association of Portland, Oregon organizes various events relating to Indian culture, including Portland's annual India Festival.
Northwest Film and Video Festival (Portland)
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The Oregon Bach Festival is a summer event in Eugene, Oregon celebrating the music of J. S. Bach, directed by German choral conductor and Bach expert Helmuth Rilling.
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The Bite of Oregon 2009: The state's Premier Culinary Festival on the Portland waterfront. Benefiting Special Olympics Oregon.
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Feinstein: A Last-Minute Push for Censure
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, February 12, 1999; Page A23
The leading Democratic advocate of censuring President Clinton for his conduct in the Monica S. Lewinsky scandal made a last-minute appeal to the Senate yesterday, saying that Clinton's behavior was "immoral, deplorable and indefensible" and that it merited "strong condemnation and censure."
In a statement announcing that she will vote to acquit Clinton on both articles of impeachment, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said the censure resolution that she and others have been laboring on for weeks would not express "legal conclusions" about Clinton's behavior but would be "a legislative measure expressing our moral conclusions regarding the president's conduct."
But with the votes on the impeachment articles now set for today, Feinstein and her allies faced a daunting task that seemed almost certain to fail. She said that following the votes on the articles, she will try to get the Senate to consider a censure resolution immediately by suspending its rules, a step that requires a two-thirds vote.
If that gambit falters, which yesterday seemed likely, the Senate could consider the resolution later in the year, although many senators say there will be little appetite to return to the Lewinsky matter once the impeachment drama is over. Another option would be for senators to sign an unofficial "declaration" condemning the president.
Feinstein emerged as a leading proponent of censure after several weeks of apparent uncertainty last year over how to respond to the burgeoning Lewinsky scandal. The second most senior among the six Democratic women in the Senate, the 65-year-old Californian is known for her independence and has been mentioned as a possible Democratic vice presidential candidate in 2000. For a brief time, her loyalty to the president appeared seriously in doubt, raising questions about Clinton's fate in the Senate.
Feinstein and California's other senator, Democrat Barbara Boxer, were in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in January 1998 when Clinton issued his finger-waving denial that he had had sexual relations with Lewinsky.
"I believed it and I believed it totally," Feinstein later recalled. "And so for seven months that was something that was very important to me."
When Clinton acknowledged last August that he lied about his relationship with Lewinsky, Feinstein was stunned. She later described her feelings as "a gut-level sense of betrayal" and disclosed that she had rejected a White House offer to speak privately with Clinton.
In an interview yesterday, Feinstein said she never considered calling for Clinton's resignation despite her "visceral" reaction to his admission of lying. She also said that it was an opinion article by a Republican -- former Senate majority leader and GOP presidential nominee Robert J. Dole -- that first drew her interest to censure as an alternative to removal from office.
"I thought that if they can't prove obstruction of justice and perjury, censure does make sense," she said.
In tandem with Sen. Robert F. Bennett (R-Utah), Feinstein has worked furiously during the last few weeks to gather support for a censure resolution. She said that the proposed resolution has been through 25 versions, with one section becoming increasingly tougher on Clinton for his conduct in the Lewinsky matter, and that a majority of senators would vote for it if they had the chance.
But all the revisions have not won over the remaining critics, who can throw procedural roadblocks in the way of considering the resolution immediately.
"Some on our side think it's too strong," Feinstein said. "Some on the other side, I'm sure, want it even stronger, although it's about as strong as I think you can gather a majority around."
Some Republicans have also charged that a censure resolution is intended only to provide "political cover" for the Democrats who vote to acquit Clinton, an assertion that Feinstein said she found "vexing," while others, including Democrats, see little point in the entire exercise.
"I don't think censure would make any difference," said Sen. Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii). "If you support censure you can go up there and make a speech."
But Feinstein argued, as she has to her colleagues, that "at some time it is important to say how we see this. It's a mega-decision."
For Feinstein, voting to acquit but approving a censure resolution remains probably the best way to reconcile an abiding admiration of Clinton the president and a deep dismay over his personal conduct.
"You're terribly conflicted," she said. "I basically believe he's been a good president. So it's very hard. It leaves a wound."
"I've watched this president," she added. "In terms of public policy he's one of the brightest people I've ever seen. He's been very encouraging to us. He's gone beyond the pale to help at times. It's hard to forget all that. When in our country a friend is in trouble, you don't want to be the one to knock him down. This is not an easy situation for any of us."
© Copyright 1999 The Washington Post Company


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How to Clean Your Vinyl Records Using Wood Glue
Categorize this cleaning solution in the "huh, really?!" realm. Apparently quite a few avid vinyl collectors swear by the technique of using wood glue as a vinyl cleaner. The wood glue is applied and dried directly onto the vinyl while on a (backup) turntable and then peeled away to reveal a practically brand new looking platter of tunes.
We're not sure if we're ready to give our vinyl a cleaning with this technique, but the at the AudioKarma discussion board are adamant it's a tried and true technique, even going so far to provide audio before and after proof.
By the way, that first photo in the before is after the record was cleaned with an Audioquest brush. The wood glue used is composed of polyvinyl acrylate, similar to the material used to manufacture vinyl records. Check out the full how-to instructions over at audiokarma.org
[via The Daily What via Christy Gurga]


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Rules:In the city of Vesperville, twilight is feared by all.
Due to the constant lynchings that were occuring here, the police department was quickly forced to send cops from other cities to investigate the mob. The situation was so bad that this only elicited a reaction of fear in the city. The riots that ensued after this massive import of cops took the life of a lot of citizens. This cannot last anymore. A state of alert has been declared and the cops are to be on the lookout for the Mafia that is inciting the riots at all times. There's a lot of those though, and some might be corrupt...
Keep wary, and trust only yourself, for otherwise the nights in here will be tainted red.
Have faith in your insight, Cops. You will need it.
- The game starts at Night 0. Night 0, while being a night phase, doesn't include a Mafia kill.
- Each day, you must vote to lynch someone. Once you vote, you cannot revert to no-lynching. The day ends only after the deadline is reached, and whoever has the most votes by then dies if they have a number of votes superior or equal to half the living players rounded down.
- Mafia communicates via PMs.
- There are 4 Mafia and 7 Cops. Game ends when one of the two factions reaches a win condition (eliminating all the Mafia, or have their numbers be equal or superior to the number of non-Mafia by the end of any phase).
- Alive:
- Dragonite
- Satel
- pkdragon
- Dead:
- Sven: Lynched Day 1, Defender Cop
- HPD: Killed Night 1, Paparazzi Cop
- MysteriousLad: Lynched Day 2, Investigator
- Hawkesnightmare: Killed Night 2, Jock Cop
- Linkman: Lynched Day 3, Framer
- Gentleman of Dread, Killed Night 3, Corporate Cop


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Arson Causing Increase in Fires in Weitchpec and Pecwan Areas, Says Cal Fire
This is a press release from Cal Fire:
Fortuna –There has been an increase in wildfires in Humboldt-Del Norte Unit. CAL FIRE uses aircraft as a critical element of our initial attack efforts. Our key to safety in the aviation program is use of an Air Tactical plane. The Air Tactical serves the air resource coordinator, keeping the aircraft working the fire in sync. Additional help form the Air Tactcal goes to support the firefighters on the ground as an observer, as well as reconnaissance for early detection of fires when they are small. Our area has long response times for ground resources so aircraft is imperative for the fire fight.
CAL FIRE DOES NOT use the Air Tactical plane to participate in marijuana eradication. The Air Tactical Plane is used as a firefighting resource to spot fires, route incoming resources and organize the incoming aircraft. This includes coordinating water drops from helicopters as well as air tanker retardant drops, safely and effectively. The increase of wildfires in the Pecwan, Johnson and Weitchpec areas is directly related to the increase fo arson in those areas. CAL FIRE continues to investigate each fire and therefore its cause. Other incidents have been directly related to large marijuana grows, started by incorrect wiring of generators or other non-permitted construction. The CAL FIRE Air Tactical plane does respond to all wildfires but DOES NOT aid in marijuana eradication.
CAL FIRE urges the public to take extra precautions while recreating this summer especially since we are in the fourth year of a drought and the fuel moistures are lower than normal. Visit us at www.ReadyforWildfire.org<http://www.readyforwildfire.org/> to be ready for a wildfire and follow us on twitter @CAL FIRE_HUU and get local updates on our webpage http://www.calfirehuu.org.<http://www.calfirehuu.org>


text: Founded by Bryan Grismer, Focused Space is a specialist bag brand renowned for its innovative, organizational and travel-focused designs. Inspired by everything from thrift markets to sports, the label offers a look that rethinks contemporary minimalism with a range of eclectic twists. Set to make a statement in any modern setting, men's Focused Space backpacks are brimming with functional details. Padded pockets, structured bodies and reinforced base panels are just some hallmarks of the line; ensuring men's Focused Space backpacks are both aesthetic and high-performing.


text: Hello guys. Yes, I have an MP3 blog and I would like to implement a protection script for my hotfile links. This is to avoid my files being reported and deleted. Right now I'm using lix.in but is not enought.. I need something more. Can you do it? PM me with any suggestions or offers. Thanks!


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Aiming for >90% Critical Average
Ninja Theory's planned reboot of the Devil May Cry franchise caused a media storm when it was announced last September, but not entirely for the right reasons. Series fans were vocally dismayed by youthful Dante's new (old?) look, and many wondered whether Ninja Theory has what it takes to deliver an experience that does the original games justice. To allay our fears, a Capcom staffer has spoken out to state that they're aiming for the "perfect" Devil May Cry... as well as the best game in the series to date.
Capcom have outsourced the fifth DMC title to Ninja Theory, the first western developer to be involved in the franchise. The change in developer, along with controversial art direction and setting, caused a massive fan backlash, but a Capcom staff member known as onlyonet has taken to the official forums to suggest that it's actually beneficial. In fact, he states that Capcom (and other Japanese studios) have been sadly lacking in recent years, and that the fresh blood will actually be able to accomplish many things that Capcom simply couldn't manage by themselves.
Ninja Theory] are renowned for the quality of their production everything from motion capture, scripting, design and performance, areas perhaps areas that Capcom have been criticised over the past few years?
Capcom bring to the table years of experience with design of fighting systems, characters and the little things that make DMC, well DMC.
He also states that the collaboration will serve to create the best Devil May Cry title of all time... and that it will trounce its predecessors in terms of critical reception. Apparently they just "weren't perfect."
Combine all the best elements of Capcom and Ninja Theory you will have one of the greatest DMC titles ever created... and that people is what we're working towards.
Lets be honest they were great games (averageing [sic] in the low 80's on metacritic) but not perfect. We're now aiming to make the perfect DMC game that gets 90's.
The proof will be in the pudding, but there's no denying that Ninja Theory are well versed at creating mechanically-excellent third person brawlers. Capcom's partnership with Canadian Blue Castle Games served to create the superlative Dead Rising 2, and we have high hopes for this title. Even if Dante looks like a bit of a tit. [Capcom Forums via CVG]
Are Ninja Theory onto a winner? Is Devil May Cry in safe hands? Have your say in the comments!


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The series of MRI examinations demonstrate an enlarging intramuscular haematoma that regresses completely within a year. Haematomas can have extre..."
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Employment Change Form
An important part of probation/parole supervision is keeping your PO informed of changes in your situation. One possible change could be your employment/unemployment, or how you support yourself (Public Assistance, Social Security, Workman's Compensation, etc.). The form below was created as a tool for you to be able to clearly report such a change to your PO.
Please choose a PO from the box below and complete the displayed form.
Press the Submit button to have the information submitted to your probation/parole officer.
It is important that all information requested be completed and that it be submitted in a timely manner.


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Ecclesiastes 2:26
For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
Solomon's talking about an eternal preference over a fleeting one. The joys and passions of anything that isn't the wisdom and knowledge of God is characteristically unsatisfying. We accept the illusion of satisfaction. The gift of God is a) wisdom in the first place, and b) that that wisdom should come to be solidified ("He lays up solid wisdom (aka "substance") for the righteous (Prov 2:7),"), come to be felt inside of us, and thus come to "fill the void" in a much more real way than worldliness can, which is meaningless, wind for fools to go chase.
Practically, what this means is, whenever I am tempted to sin or wickedness or anything that will not please God, I ought to focus on the fact that by choosing the right way, and pleasing Him, I will get a little nugget of solid wisdom down in the hole of my stomach. I ought to pause, and concentrate. Feel the void, search for the hole, and then reach out and grab the pebble of wisdom myself. That is what a choice for right or wrong amounts to- taking a piece of solid wisdom and putting it inside of me forever. Forever. I keep that. I don't lose it like Solomon lost his temples and fields, like sinners lose their "treasures." The knowledge and wisdom of God will open our eyes to understand what is true, what is false, what is real, what is not, what ought to be, and what is. If we are willing to change absolutely everything about how we see the world.
This is part of the Word of Wisdom Series


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The Newsletter for Research Professionals
March 2012
cancer research
Far Reaching Potential
There is a tremendous amount of research being conducted on all frontiers of oncology, ranging from cancer cell biology to chemotherapy treatment regimens and optimal palliative care and pain relief. This makes oncology a continuously changing field. A Duke oncologist is warning that the emphasis on comparative effectiveness studies may present obstacles for the field of cancer research, Scientific American's Observations blog reports. At the recent American Association for Cancer Research confab, Duke's Amy Abernethy outlined several obstacles, starting with the obvious notion that while oncology is increasingly moving towards personalized treatment, comparative effectiveness research is based on large populations. Therefore, patients whose tumors' molecular abnormalities are not as common might fall through the research cracks.
There is also a dearth of evidence to actually direct physicians to the most "medically effective and cost-effective treatment for individual patients." In addition, drugs being used off-label present their own dilemma. Observations notes, quoting Abernethy as saying between 50% and 70% of cancer drug prescriptions fall into that category. There is very little quality research focusing on those uses.
Suggestions for tackling the problem, in addition to randomized clinical trials: better data gathering from physicians and patients on the ground, and an "e-ecosystem" to encourage the electronic flow of information between all the parties involved in cancer research and treatment. Information in this article from The Wall Street Journal blog online.
Just as the largest library, badly arranged, is not so useful as a very moderate one that is well arranged, so the greatest amount of knowledge, if not elaborated by our own thoughts, is worth much less than a far smaller volume that has been abundantly and repeatedly thought over.
-Arthur Schopenhauer
Dedicated researchers seek better treatments and cures for diabetes, kidney disease, Alzheimer's and every form of cancer. But these scientists face an array of disincentives. We can do better.
Michael Milken
Need a Research Professional?
Michael Milken
Need a Research Professional?
Clinical, legal, academic, marketing, quantitative, consulting, scientific, consumer! Every niche available to the research community is represented within our job search database. This is the most complimentary reflection we at ResearchNetwork have of our success in matching the right research candidates with the professional organizations that need them. Our service providers are the best in the industry. Our service buyers know this and that is why we are the most trusted employer/employee match-making service on the internet for research professionals.
We are proud to call some of the most dynamic companies in the world, with a focus on excellence in staff recruitment and management, our clients. If you are an employer interested in joining the ResearchNetwork network, we invite you to browse our site, become a member and join in our success.
To all of our members and guests, we welcome you and thank you for your ongoing interest. We hope you have enjoyed the information provided here. We would love to hear your thoughts on this and any other aspect of our site, please contact us anytime.


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In this segment from The Motley Fool's everything-financials show, Where the Money Is, banking analysts Matt Koppenheffer and David Hanson discuss the current state of smaller bank stocks and tell investors where they see the best value.
To follow the Fool's coverage of financial stocks on Twitter, click here!
Alison Southwick has no position in any stocks mentioned. David Hanson has no position in any stocks mentioned. Matt Koppenheffer has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends BofI Holding. The Motley Fool owns shares of BofI Holding, Huntington Bancshares, and KeyCorp. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days.
We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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The Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communications published regulations on the Vietnam Information, Communication and Technology Awards (VICTA 2010) in Hanoi on 6 January 2011.
Thirty-two awards will be presented in six main sectors of information technology (IT), including telecommunications, IT industry, IT human resources training, IT applications and digital information security to foreign businesses for their active contribution to the development of Vietnam's ICT and to domestic businesses for the benefit of community development.
This year's awards will honour new businesses credited with high growth rates and good services. Two awards will be given for the first time to those providing best security services and solutions.
There are also prizes for units of ministries and departments which have best applied IT in their work.
VICTA 2010 is focused on the quality, growth and effective operation of businesses involved in mobile telecommunications, Internet, software and digital information sources.
The deadline for businesses and units to send in their dossiers is March 6.


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Weight loss: Are you being honest with yourself?
What lies are you telling yourself as you journey along the road to weight loss? Maybe more than you realise. It's time to get honest, because those untruths may stand in the way of you reaching your goals.
Think about your goals
"People may set unrealistic goals or deprive themselves in extreme ways that are very difficult to maintain," says psychologist Bethany Teachman. "It's no wonder so many people lose weight initially but then have difficulty keeping the weight off."
Here we address the most common myths that undermine a healthy approach to weight loss -- along with tips on overcoming them to achieve success.
I need to go on a "diet"
"The whole concept of a 'diet' sets us up to think we will be 'on a diet' then 'off a diet,'" says Teachman. Instead, think of your weight-loss plan as a lifestyle commitment to healthy eating and exercise, for the long haul.
I'll get back on track on Monday/after the holidays/when the sun comes out
There's no day like today. If you slip, just pick up where you left off. Persistence works wonders.
All my problems will be solved when I lose weight
Losing weight may leave you feeling healthier and happier -- but it won't make you more lovable or turn you into a runway model. Be clear about why you want to lose weight. "It's far more motivating to strive toward being fit and energetic than it is to strive toward being a size 0," Teachman says.
Fat people don't deserve to eat
Do you forego the office pizza because you're afraid people will think you shouldn't be eating? Seeing yourself through others' eyes in a harsh, critical way "is a sure-fire way to blow a weight-loss plan," says Teachman. Instead, she suggests to focus on developing a more loving relationship with your body.
I shouldn't wear swimmers until I've lost all the weight
Lots of people of all different sizes enjoy sexy clothes. "When you love yourself, you start enjoying life," says Teachman. Break big goals into smaller ones, and reward yourself along the way. Rather than saying, "I need to lose 10 kilos," say, "I'll buy a new cozzie, one size smaller."
The less I eat, the faster I'll lose
Wrong. The less we eat, the slower our metabolism gets, and the slower we lose the weight. "Deprivation makes us unhappy and actually causes us to overeat and overindulge," adds Teachman. A slow and steady approach — including treating yourself to your favourite foods, in moderation -- is your best bet for building a healthy relationship with food and reaching your long-term goals.
So stop telling yourself lies that sabotage your efforts. Instead, start living your life with a weight-loss plan that works for you. You'll feel better about yourself, your confidence will grow, and you'll keep the weight off.
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Washington's Blog
May 17, 2010
Everyone knows that the dispersants being dumped into the Gulf oil are toxic. As I wrote Friday:
Highly toxic dispersants have been used to try to break up the oil. See this and this. Not only are dispersants being released underwater, but the air force is also dropping dispersants on the slick from above.
The official information for the dispersant reveals problems:
OSHA requires companies to make Material Safety Data Sheets, or MSDSs, available for any hazardous substances used in a workplace, and the ones for these dispersants both contain versions of a disturbing statement.
Both data sheets include the warning "human health hazards: acute." The MSDS for Corexit 9527A [the dispersant apparently being used in the Gulf] states that "excessive exposure may cause central nervous system effects, nausea, vomiting, anesthetic or narcotic effects," and "repeated or excessive exposure to butoxyethanol [an active ingredient] may cause injury to red blood cells (hemolysis), kidney or the liver." It adds: "Prolonged and/or repeated exposure through inhalation or extensive skin contact with EGBE [butoxyethanol] may result in damage to the blood and kidneys."
Indeed, the specific dispersant being used is more toxic and less effective than other alternative dispersants, perhaps because of BP's connections to the manufacturer.
In addition, new questions have arisen as to whether the dispersants might actually being increasing damage from the oil itself.
As the Christian Science Monitor notes today:
More relevant could be the dispersant that BP is applying to the oil at the source. BP officials have hailed the process as a success, noting diminishing oil at the surface. But the dispersant breaks the oil into smaller drops, which might instead be spreading throughout the water column, instead of rising to the surface.
It is not clear what this would mean environmentally, though past research indicates that oil can be trapped in the seabed for decades after oil on the surface is cleaned away.
Shouldn't the use of dispersants be stopped until scientists figure out whether they will make things better or worse?


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Box 7 - Newspaper career - student journalism award established by Dix
Folder 9 of 14
6 items
Newspaper clippings of articles about the winners of the Dix Awards, for the best human interest stories. The annual award was established in March 1928 by Mrs. George Gilmer (Dorothy Dix) for exceptional journalism students at Tulane University.
1. "20th Story Contest Nears." Samuel Lang and Prof. George E. Simmons…" The Times-Picayune- States, Sunday, April 25, 1948.
2. "Co-ed Wins Dix Essay Prize. Diane M. Farrell to Get '48 Award." The Times-Picayune- States, May 16, 1948.
3. "Minor Wins Dix Feature Award. Tulane Senior's Story of a Mother Adjudged Best in Annual Contest." Title of story is "I called on Elsie Johnson," Times-Picayune, May 16, 1943.
4. "Dorothy Dix Prize Stories – One hundred dollars is given each year by Dorothy Dix…department of journalism at Tulane University…Times-Picayune has endowed a chair of journalism in the university for ten years," ns.,nd.
5. "Award for Journalism." Dorothy Dix extends a friendly, helpful hand to students in the Tulane School of Journalism by giving an annual award for the best human interest story submitted during each year's course [Times-Picayune-States] nd.
6. "Dorothy Dix Journalism Prize Awarded- $100 Award Captured by Luba Bersadsky, Newcomb." An interview with a blind broom peddler earned her the award given annually by Dorothy Dix (Elizabeth Meriwether Gilmer). Times-Picayune, May 18, 1941.


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High-end professional camera maker Red has announced its plans to enter the smartphone market. In fact, the company has sort-of unveiled their first offering: Hydrogen One. The USP of the device is that it features a holographic display.
"It is no longer necessary to carry (or charge) another device to enjoy multi-dimensional content," the company says, adding that the device features "nanotechnology that seamlessly switches between traditional 2D content, holographic multi-view content, 3D content and interactive games."
The device runs Android. Red says there's a proprietary algorithm embedded in the OS that converts stereo sound into multi-dimensional audio. What's more, the handset is also modular, allowing for future attachments for shooting high quality video and images. Needless to say, the phone will also be compatible with Red's cameras like Scarlet, EPIC, and Weapon.
As for specifications, nothing much has been revealed, except that display size is 5.7-inch and there's a USB-C port. The image also confirms a headphone jack. Coming to pricing, the device starts at $1,195 (that's for the Aluminum variant), with the Titanium model costing $1,595.
The company says the current pricing is for limited time only, and those ordering early will also receive a "special small token." Shipments are expected to begin Q1 2018.
Source | Via


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For added color and texture, serve with a mixed green salad tossed with your favorite KRAFT Lite Dressing.
Sold fresh by the bunch, epazote is a wild herb with flat pointed leaves.
Divide the pasta mixture among 6 plates before topping with eggs and remaining ingredients.
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New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday condoled the death of legal luminary and former attorney general of India Goolamhoossein Essaji Vahanvati.
In a message to his wife, Nafisa Vahanvati, Mukherjee said: "I am extremely saddened to learn about the passing away of your husband."
Vahanvati died Tuesday following a cardiac arrest.
"Vahanvati rendered distinguished services as the attorney general and the solicitor general of India. Starting his practice in Mumbai, he ably handled various matters involving important constitutional issues," he said.
The President added that in his death, "we have lost a highly respected and an eminent personality, whose contributions to the field of law shall always be remembered".
"Kindly accept my heartfelt condolences and convey the same to other members of your family. I pray to the Almighty to give you and your family the strength and courage to bear this irreparable loss," he added.


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Date: Wednesday, February 15
Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Location: A004 Blount Hall (BLNT)
The Office of Research and Engagement, in partnership with the University of Tennessee Libraries and the Graduate School, is pleased to announce the return of the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Lunch Series to be held in room A004 of Blount Hall this fall. We believe this series will be of interest and value to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville research community, and we highly encourage graduate students in pursuit of professional development to attend and earn a Responsible Conduct of Research Education Participation Certificate.
Responsible Conduct of Research is defined by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as the practice of scientific investigation with integrity. It involves the awareness and application of established professional norms and ethical principles in the performance of all activities related to scientific research. Responsible conduct of research is an essential component of research training. This series is designed as a survey of basic topics that individuals will need to understand as they enter and continue their practice of research.
The objective of this training series is to provide awareness and application of professional norms and ethical principles in the performance of all activities related to scientific research, including mechanisms to promote honesty, accuracy, efficiency and objectivity in research. A similar series is scheduled for the spring.
Registration is open and suggested for all faculty, students, research and academic administrators, and other individuals attempting to complete their specific NIH and National Science Foundation (NSF) RCR requirements. It is also a good opportunity for those who have completed CITI or another form of online RCR training to continue their education, and for those who are interested in pursuing research work and increasing their understanding of ethical research practices.
Each of these sessions will be held in room A004 of Blount Hall, the home of the Office of Research & Engagement. In order to receive this second semester certificate, graduate students must attend all six topics in the semester or pursue an alternative credit opportunity.
Pizza will be served and discussion is encouraged!
Please register using this form.


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A Manhattan man has been given 19 years to life in prison for stabbing his estranged wife to death in a parked SUV in 2008.
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance announced the sentence for William Davila Thursday.
The 48-year-old Davila pleaded guilty last month to second-degree murder. His lawyer didn't return a message seeking comment.
In May 2008, the body of 44-year-old Leonida Nunez Davila was found in a parked SUV in SoHo with multiple stab wounds to her throat and chest.
Prosecutors say an order of protection against Davila was found in the car, next to her body.
Davila was arrested after surrendering to police in the Bronx two days after his wife's body was found.


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I'm Kimberly, your average mid to late 20 something year old whom has to what others would assume is a book addiction problem, but hey to me that's a good kind of addiction, right? I currently have 150+ physical books in my collection an it still continues to grow each month as new ones are released. Told ya, I have an addiction. *wink wink* I used to not always be a book worm though, but now as I am older, you will probably catch me about 95% of the time curled up with my fluffy pillow on my corner of the couch reading a good juicy book with a delectable hero whom will make you swoon like there is no tomorrow.
I am a huge lover of history – even going as far as watching historical documentaries on tv an indulging in the latest and greatest historical movies / tv shows. Wither its Medieval, Renaissance, Georgian, Victorian, or Edwardian time period – I'm all in for it. But my utmost favorite eras would be during the Revolutionary, Regency, Civil War, and mid to late 1800's with your 'ol renegade cowboys, gunslingers, and desperadoes littering the west.
I love history and the times long ago so much, that I will go as far as to say that I feel like I was born in the wrong era, that I should of lived a lifetime ago in another time. That is why I love to take a nose dive into well written novels about a time long forgotten. I secretly wish I could wear lavish beautiful ball gowns with feminine gloves and be swirled around the dance room by a dashing man dressed equally as elegant as I in knee high boots. To be wooed and courted by a chivalrous gentleman (or perhaps a devilish rogue) with old fashion manners. And to live in a beautiful an elegant plantation. Oh how lovely and charming that would be!
As for my taste in history romance novels, anything will do (except anything older than medieval) as long as the synopsis is entertaining, the characters are engaging / humorous, and most of all, the books I read must have BANTER. I love me a good banter between a man an a woman. Within the last couple of years, I have been trying to broaden my tastes of books and journeying in to the contemporary territory, but I am very selective on whom I read in this genre as not all contemporary books will do it for me.
Aside from reading and watching historical's, I also like to dabble in gardening, web designing, and bettering my skills as a human an animal portrait artist.


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So I was chatting to my boss today about Microsoft Mediaroom. Basically, Microsoft has created a system that enables digital television over IP. So what's the big deal with that? It means you can receive digital television via DSL with software decoding plus upstream that enables you to customise your viewing experience. BT and AT&T have both signed up to Mediaroom, with BT allowing you to use your Xbox to connect to the latest games and multimedia.
Check it out... www.microsoftmediaroom.com
Technorati Tags: Microsoft Mediaroom, Mediaroom, IP TV


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Between Present and Future: Cullberg Ballet's New Route
by Rosella Simonari
March 19, 2006 -- Teatro Communale, Modena, Italy
Since 2003 Johan Inger has been the artistic director of Cullberg Ballet, one of the most prestigious dance companies in Europe. Founded in the 1960s by Birgit Cullberg, the company has achieved a cult status thanks to the choreography of Cullberg's son, Mats Ek. Following his mother's sense of humour and wit, Ek has developed a unique style made of a solid classical base mingled with everyday gestures. He is mostly known for his adaptations of classical ballets such as "Giselle," "Swan Lake," "Sleeping Beauty" and "Carmen." Inger's past work has been complex and demanding, and his creativity promises a splendid future for the company.
At the richly decorated Teatro Comunale in Modena, Cullberg Ballet presented two works by Inger, "Empty House" (2002) and "Negro con Flores" (2005), alternated with the most recent piece that Ek created for the company, in 2005, "Aluminium."
"Empty House" is a very energetic choral piece where the dancing perfectly combines with the ravishing music by Félix Laijkó. It starts off with a single female dancer on stage front right, dressed in an acid green skirt, with her torso bent and a man walking around her. In the stage back there is a big panel made of a sheet-like texture and another one starts unfolding in the shaded light of the stage.
The rhythm becomes faster and faster and other dancers join in, performing phrases of their own. They do not look at each other and when they finish their movements they often stay still with their back to the audience. The lighting design by Erik Berglund is carefully arranged, consisting of lateral spots placed on the wings which are closed by black curtains. According to Inger, the inspiration for this piece came from when Jiri Kylián left the Netherlands Dans Theatre where Inger worked as a dancer. "It's about a state of loneliness of the kind you find in a big train station at night – people are sharing a space but never meeting."
"Aluminium" is an abstract piece whose dominant colour is silver, the likeness of aluminium. There is a table with a pile of plates on stage front right and a woman dressed in a wide grey skirt. She approaches the table, performs some battements and bends in second position with her arms straightened. She then dances a series of steps actively using the table. With an abrupt gesture she throws away all the plates, the music starts and a man enters. They begin a convoluted pas de deux where the plates are placed between their faces. They are soon joined by a group of dancers whose movements in unison create a refined counterbalance. According to Ek the key word in "Aluminium" is resistance, "not necessarily in the political sense but more as a general attitude to daily life." And the tension created in the duets as well as in the group pieces well embodies this concept. An intimate section follows; there are two couples performing a sequence which is nearly the same but with a few counts' difference. This is followed by an explosion of energy with the full group dancing a high-paced piece with different tables moved and thrown.
"Negro con Flores" [Black with flowers] is quite different from the other two pieces. As the Spanish title suggests, it has to do with darkness and moving into the darkness that is a difficult period of one's own life. Inger also created the costumes -- coloured tops with baggy trousers -- and the set design made of a pendant lamp and of a television screen with images of faces. What is particularly interesting is Inger's combination of movement and lighting. As he has stated in an interview with dance critic Ermanno Romanelli, it is "an experiment" and its structure is unusual and dependent on the source of light. Movements take place under the light of the lamp which is repeatedly turned on and off.
Another source of light consists of a kind of torch which is taken and moved by the dancers themselves. Their dance is made of wide ronde de jambe and fluid movements of the whole body. One of the dancers enters with a bunch of red flowers, which maybe represents a touch of colour in the darkness of the piece. There is a duet between two men and the flowers are thrown on stage where they create a coloured field. "Negro con Flores" is also characterised by irony as a female dancer repeatedly runs across the stage as if she were running a marathon. It is full of nice choreographic inventions. If Mats Ek's figure is still today connected with the name of Cullberg Ballet, Johan Inger's talent is definitely promising for the future of the company.
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Queensland Power Transmission Supplies are now distributing Orange Shield Motor Covers. The Results of Orange Motor Covers are real – a major Prep Plant cut its motor failure by 60% in just the first year after installing Orange Shield Motor Covers.
Orange Shield Motor Covers maximize the heat transfer efficiency of the cooling fins resulting in more heat being transferred. Thousands of Orange Shield Covers have been installed in paper and pulp mills, fertilizer plants, coal mines and other industrial environments.
Orange Shield Motor Covers increase airflow by 140% through the cooling fins . Independent studies for IEEE proved the use of Orange Shield Motor Covers produces a 140% increase in surface airflow through the cooling Fins . This results in lower drive –end bearing temperature and lower internal winding temperatures.
Orange shield motor covers make maintenance easier by keeping debris off your motors. You will spend less time cleaning motors and your motors will require less maintenance with Orange Shield Motor Covers . Unlike Heavy steel covers, Orange Shield Motor Covers are lightweight so one person can handle them. Orange Shield Motor Covers have a snap-on design makes installing and removing the Orange Shield Motor Covers a breeze.
Features of Orange Shield Motor Covers:
- Lowers internal winding temperatures
- Keeps motors clean for easier maintenance
- Increases airflow in cooling fins by 140%
- Lowers drive –end bearing temperatures
- Lightweight snap-on design for simple installation
- Independent test for IEEE proved the benefits of Orange Shield Covers are real .
- Used for over 10 years in Paper Mills, Coal Mines , quarries , Pulp Mills , and other industries world wide .
- Standard stock sizes for IEC/NEMA Frames
- Will note rust or corrode


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- Home
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- Lavender Essential Oil
Product Description
Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia)
Bulgaria-steam distilled
This is our favorite essential oil for our henna body art recipe. This is considered a "terp". A terp is the term used to describe certain essential oils that give henna paste a richer color. Our lavender is one of them. It's also the most mildest, and safe for use on pregnant women, elderly, and children.
This Lavender possesses a beautiful fresh and sweet powdery aroma. Lavender is one of the most versatile oils there is. Lavender is analgesic, anti-microbial, anti-fungal anti-inflammatory and has for centuries been used for its beneficial effect on skin, soothing burns and healing wounds, stimulating the growth of skin cells, treating eczema and psoriasis. Lavender is used as an anti-depressant and the high linalool and linalyl acetate in Lavender have been demonstrated to have anti-anxiety, stress reducing effects. Diffused Lavender oil has also been reported to relieve tension headaches.
Do not take essential oils internally.
Product Reviews
Great Quality
Posted by Nikesha Wilson on 22nd Nov 2017
I use this oil in my henna paste for tatoos....smells so great! The quantity is also really good too. This bottle will last for a long time.
Posted by Ursula ~ The Henna Gypsy on 13th Sep 2017
Perfect with red raj. Very high quality essential oil♡♡♡
still the best lavender oil
Posted by Rachel aka bellahenna on 8th Sep 2017
Love this oil! I'm not sure why, but this lavender oil seems to give a much darker terped effected to the henna stain than any other I have used. Smells great too. Highly recommend.
best lavender out there
Posted by BellaHenna on 18th Nov 2016
Best Lavender Oil for terping henna I've used...plus it smells wonderful!
Posted by Lacey on 30th Nov 2015
I am so happy I decided to add this to my order last minute. The lavender oil smells so good it smells sweet! My husband loves lavender and after sniffing the bottle he used some on his back before going to bed and slept the entire night instead of his usual Rossi and turning. I will be keeping a steady stock of this in the house! Can't wait to add to my henna for my next treatment
Calming Scent
Posted by jude from the mid-Atlantic on 10th Aug 2013
Lavender is a calming scent. My skin is dry and itchy. I add a few drops of this organic lavender essential oil to my DIY skin exfoliant and body butter.
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