text:
"Thank you for coming, Dr. Skyvir," one of the Great Beings greeted their guest, motioning her to take a seat at their table. She was a lithe biomech, clad in armor of frost and obsidian.
Skyvir sat down. Having visited a number of their starships many times in the past, she was quite comfortable with the environment. She unlocked her briefcase, and placed several holographic notes on the table, watching the surface integrate the data and display the information as a three dimensional hologram.
"Thank you for inviting me back," Skyvir replied. "As you can see from this hologram, my scientific research team has compiled vast amounts of information about your biology. Through the dissection and study of those Great Beings who have perished on our planet, I have theorized we can develop an agent to neutralize the virus that invades your systems."
The Great Beings glanced uncomfortably at one another, muttering back and forth until one of them stepped forward to speak. "We have studied your world of Circumstance for quite some time now and we are convinced we have learned a sufficient amount. The rarity of a world that supports sentient life is not wasted on us, but it is clear your biomechanical society is on the track to achieve wondrous things. On behalf of my brothers and sisters, we are grateful for your discovery of the atmospheric virus that causes our kind to fall ill and slowly perish. It put us at ease to learn a seemingly invisible killer was merely microscopic."
"Yes…right," Skyvir said. "If there's any way you could provide me with your own knowledge regarding microbial viruses, Circumstance could surely make bounds in the medical science field. With the proper resources, and time, there's no doubt"-"Stop there, Doctor," the Great Being interrupted. "As I tried to explain a moment ago, we are convinced we have learned a sufficient amount about your civilization and Circumstance as a whole. We are ready to depart…tomorrow."
"Tomorrow!?" Skyvir replied in shock. "Too many Great Beings died due to the atmospheric dangers our world presents to your kind! Should those losses have been for nothing?"
"Calm yourself, Doctor," the Great Being said softly. "We have mourned the fallen and knew the dangers this cosmos would promise when we first took to the stars. In time, long from now, we may return to Circumstance. If biomechs come to tell us they have developed something that allows us to safely breathe the fresh air, we can only hope it was you that made our protection possible."
Skyvir removed her holographic notes from the table and the three dimensional holograms faded out of sight. Packing her briefcase, she clicked the locks into place and politely stood up. "I assure you, I will find a way to make that dream a reality. And wherever you journey next, I wish you safe passage."
"Your genuine kindness warms my heartlight, Doctor," one of the Great Beings said, smiling. "To assist your efforts, I wish for you to keep the remaining deceased brothers and sisters we have locked in stasis since their death. These are shells of the spirits we once knew happiness with and we have no use for empty vessels."
"Thank you," Skyvir replied, pushing in her chair. "Good luck."
Doctor Skyvir squinted into her microscope's eyepiece, studying the immeasurably tiny life forms on the slide tray, momentarily refocusing the lens. Sixty two cycles had passed since the Great Beings departed Circumstance, leaving Skyvir to fulfill her vow of making her home world safe for their kind. She had grown close to the Great Beings during their stay, being the first scientist to become interested enough in their deaths to speak with them on the matter and actively begin researching methods of preventing further losses. The alien entities from the stars told her society that their creations called them the Great Beings, imbued with untold powers and capable of marvelous feats. After they displayed their ability to create life where none had been before, the title was adopted by Circumstance biomechs as an appropriate name (replacing the former label of "the aliens").The laboratory doorway flew open and Skyvir instinctively glanced up, somewhat taken aback by the unknown visitor. "Excuse me, but this is a private facility. Do you have clearance to this room?"
The biomech frowned, his black and gray armor glowing from the fluorescent lights above. "I was sent here on behalf of the Federation government. I have notified the facility staff that they are being let go and that the funding for Project Sky Shield has been effectively cut."
Skyvir felt her mouth hanging open and suddenly became furious. "You can't cut the funding to this project, whoever you are! We're working on finding a way to make Circumstance safe for the Great Beings and you want to throw cycles of research out the window now? We're so close!"
"I didn't personally cut the funding, ma'am," he replied, "but most project assets were reappropriated this morning and the federal budget intends to allocate the funds to other, more pressing matters. You know better than anyone, Doctor, that the Great Beings didn't intend to return any time in the next centicycle and we still have a society to care for. Pardon my bluntness, but it's highly unlikely you or I will be alive when the Great Beings return to Circumstance."
"That doesn't mean their safety on our world isn't our problem. I can see there will be no arguing my case with you, though. The Federation has made their decision."
"You do have the option to appeal the Federation's decision through a legal procession, though I can't promise any action will be taken in a timely fashion. I recommend you take your case before a Federation Elite. They often work outside Federation law and make decisions on matters that our government's…bureaucratic, legal system would take much longer to address."
"I've placed too much of my life into this project," Skyvir said, fuming. "I just need more time."
Skyvir stood before a grand window at the hub of the world, studying the vast cities below. Beneath the thin veil of emerald and cobalt clouds, vehicles soared through the lower atmosphere and biomechs went about their day. They had little to no concern for what Skyvir was fighting for, and even her scientific team had taken new positions elsewhere. She knew the odds of getting everything she wanted were slim, but she had to try. Unlike the biomechs in the city streets, unlike the scientists that had assisted her for over six decacycles, it was Skyvir alone that vowed to protect the Great Beings from the harmful atmosphere of the world. She had traveled that morning to the Federation's capitol building, Verve Tower, to petition an Elite for the rights to her research property and the return of her project's funds.
She tightened her grip on her briefcase and departed the window, boldly walking off to Elite Arcander's chamber. She flashed her visitor pass to the identity verification screen on the wall and the doors slid open. The Elite sat at his desk, with a biomech standing at a podium before him. On both sides of the room, other biomechs were seated, waiting for their case to be heard. Skyvir's case wasn't due to be taken for a few minutes, but being late to a meeting with an Elite was unacceptable. She took a seat near a gunmetal and silver biomech, who smiled at her more with his bright green eyes than his lips.
Arcander was an imposing figure even seated, his black and gold armor pitted and scarred from battle. Elites were required to be office workers now and again, most often assigned to hear cases from Verve Tower, but they were soldiers at heart, quelling small insurrections against the Federation or putting down renegades that were a thorn in the government's side. The biomech at the podium handed him several papers to look over and it was apparent to everyone in the room that Arcander would've preferred to be anywhere else. He scanned the documents and set them aside, waiting for the biomech to finish up.
"As you can see, we need a larger police force in the cities to prevent these petty crimes. I recognize that Elites such as yourself and presently existing police units handle more large-scale issues, but if the federal budget could allow to bring in more patrolling biomechs, I know the crime rates would be reduced globally."
Arcander sighed. "We don't have funds to hire larger police forces right now, sir. I'm not blind or deaf to the widespread petty crimes that occur in cities across the Federation, but we do have larger problems to tackle. The Federation will review this case again in several months, during which time I think it would be wise to investigate the possibility of making it a law that civilians be properly armed to prevent these kind of crimes and attacks."
"Are you kidding me?" the biomech said in shock. "You want to demand biomechs go out and buy a laser blaster just because your budget won't accommodate a few more officers to keep them safe!"
Arcander shot him a glare. "Sir, I was merely suggesting that a society that knows how to arm itself is a safer one. And you'd be wise to watch your tone."
"Don't tell me what to watch! Elite or not, you're a public servant, which means you listen to me. Maybe if the Federation wasn't blowing through money every time you pop some crazy insurrectionist in the head, we might have some money left to keep them safe at night!"
"Sir, you are testing my patience," Arcander growled. "The Federation will review the case again in several months. Now, if you'll excuse me, I do have other cases to hear."
"You Elites are all the same," the biomech said, a haughty laugh escaping his mouth. "You can't teach a gunner how business works."
Arcander leapt from his seat, lunging over the podium and dragging the biomech along the floor. "I am removing you from this chamber for your blatant disrespect." Arcander kicked the door open and hurled the biomech out into the hallway. Everyone heard the sound of him crashing against the far wall and Arcander slammed the door, storming back to his desk. He swept the documents he'd been handed into the trash and scanned his schedule for the day.
Arcander looked up, glancing around the room. "I apologize for that, but I think you're all smart enough to know that I didn't volunteer to be here today. Next case I'll be hearing is Dr. Skyvir's request for scientific funding on Project Sky Shield. Please step up to the podium."
Skyvir picked up her briefcase and stood at the podium, turning over several documents to the Elite. "Thank you for hearing my case. As you can see from those papers, I have been working tirelessly for over six decacycles to create a viable defense for the Great Beings against our dangerous atmosphere. Obviously, it poses us no harm, but I promised them that I would make Circumstance safe for their kind."
Arcander studied Skyvir's face for a moment. "Oh…so you were the doctor that was leading that project. I remember hearing something about it shortly after the Great Beings left, but I don't read as much news as I'd like. Let me finish skimming these papers and we'll resume our discussion." Arcander ran his finger along the papers, flipping back and forth through them, looking for the general idea of what Skyvir wanted.
"I acknowledge that the amount of funds each cycle is…considerable, but I don't need many more cycles to finish my research. We were coming so close."
"Yes, you made a point of saying that in some colorful ways throughout these pages, several times as a matter of fact. Despite the urgency you express toward this project, however, I'm hard-pressed to agree with you. Tell me, when did the Great Beings say they'd return?"
"Well," Skyvir started uncertainly, "they didn't. They said it would be many cycles, but I don't recall a specific number."
"That doesn't suggest they'll be back tomorrow. It could be millecycles if they return at all, ma'am," Arcander replied. "Frankly, I don't find this Project Sky Shield to be of much global importance right now. That said, I must decline to see the funding restored."
"You don't understand," Skyvir said helplessly. "I was betting everything on this meeting. This project has kept me up so many nights…so much discovery…so much deciphered about Great Being biology. Consider what we're throwing away, please."
"We're throwing away the key to protecting an advanced race of aliens from our atmosphere. Here's a question, Doctor. Why didn't the Great Beings find a way to protect themselves from our atmosphere?"
"I'm glad you asked," Skyvir said with a slight grin. "The Great Beings did not harbor an inclination to find their own cure, for Circumstance was merely another world to them. They saw the potential in our society, but nothing worth lingering for. Even the technological advancements they provided were intentionally limited, so as not to 'greatly disrupt the natural order.' The Great Beings seemingly had all the answers and thought we would be more satisfied in eventually finding them for ourselves. Once they realized the air was toxic, they seldom left their starships, at least having the foresight to spare themselves further harm."
"They didn't care about Circumstance enough to find a cure and you seem to think we should be spending all this money to show them we care? Doctor, it would be financially irresponsible of the Federation government to continue funding this project on that premise and I can only promise you greater difficulty in trying to get that decision overturned. We have to take care of ourselves before we can start benefitting others, do you understand?"
Skyvir was on the verge of tears. "I understand. Thank you for your time, Elite."
Arcander returned her documents to her and frowned. "I'm sorry."
Skyvir quietly departed the chamber, returning to the window and staring out it once more. Too preoccupied with her thoughts, she neglected to notice a green-eyed biomech follow her out, silently approaching her.
"Do you have a moment, Doctor?" he called out.
She turned, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry. I just had cycles of research pulled out from underneath me. I'm not really feeling a conversation at the moment."
"Good, I have your attention at least." He marched up to her very deliberately, holding a smile all the way. "What would you say if I could acquire the necessary funding to complete your research and the assets involved?"
Skyvir gave him a curious look. "I would ask who you are and how you have access to those kinds of resources."
"My name is Mionaph and I am the leader of the Paragon Corporation. As a member of the scientific community, Doctor, I am certain you've heard of us."
"Paragon is a private sector business that donated funds to my project for several cycles about a decacycle back. I remember my benefactors well, sir," Skyvir replied, extending a hand.
Mionaph shook and smirked at her. "Clearly. Were you aware that my company is, as we speak, building the first space station in orbit above our world?"
"A space station, huh? Why?"
"My research and development teams encountered some setbacks to working in Federation districts. Outside the Federation, of course, the land is run by mercenary gangs and I can't have my scientists working around those brutes. Space seemed the logical location to work where prying eyes would no longer be a problem. Suffice to say, I entered the private sector when I realized not all of my corporation's practices would be legal as the Federation might define it."
Skyvir took a couple steps back. "Why are you telling me this?"
"I had to cease donating to your research when my company's space program began, but understand that I remain very interested in your findings on the Great Beings."
"Interested enough to provide me with the funding to continue and rehire my"-
"Easy, Doctor," Mionaph interrupted. "I can have your Great Being stasis corpses reacquired from the Federation government, but I agree with Elite Arcander that preventing the Great Beings from being harmed by our atmosphere is not of the utmost importance."
"Why don't you just get to the point then," Skyvir replied, becoming short-tempered.
Mionaph gave her a sinister grin. "I want to use the encapsulated Great Beings to bring my dream of building a new one to fruition. If the Great Beings could create life from the tips of their fingers and the thoughts within their minds, could we not create a Great Being from the remains of their kind? It was a theory too radical to present to the Federation, but aboard a station I am paying to construct…nothing is impossible. Imagine a Great Being that is free from the partially organic shortcomings of its precursors."
"A robotic Great Being…interesting," Skyvir mused, playing off how disturbing the idea seemed in her mind. "Do you really need me to make that happen though?"
"The mechanical Great Being will control my space station from the heart of the construct and I need someone to oversee the machine and ensure it runs properly. The Great Beings wished for you to protect them all those cycles ago and I think it is only fair that you are the biomech to control the first evolved Great Being. It will take orders from you and you will control the station through it for a full cycle, after which time we will be able to deem it capable or incapable of running the station. I am offering you this lofty responsibility because I trust you to accurately see the task through. If you are willing, I would like you to work closely with my research and development teams, exchanging and comparing notes about the design and biological makeup of the Great Being corpses and what you've learned thus far. If you've been doing research for over sixty cycles now, I'm sure that while my station is built over the course of the next nine, you will only discover more."
"It'll take nine cycles to complete the space station?"
"Roughly," Mionaph replied. "I spread my resources thin from time to time, but I keep my interests open as well. As I was saying, Doctor, if we work together, we won't have to wait for the Great Beings to return and ask them to unlock more secrets of the universe. If this project is successful, they will be asking us."
Skyvir smiled. "If you will allow me to finish Project Sky Shield after my cycle aboard your station, I wholeheartedly accept."
Mionaph smirked. "Fair enough. You've got yourself a deal, Doctor."
Skyvir awoke aboard Paragon Station, starting the one hundred fifty eighth day of the contractual cycle she had promised to Mionaph nearly a decacycle prior. She groggily left her tiny bedroom and entered her laboratory, paying close attention to a mysterious object on the desk. The station had retrieved it from space a couple weeks earlier, peacefully drifting by. The object was a small, crystalline orb, covered in spines that constantly shifted around one another. Made up of golden pieces that contained a glittering, lemon-colored energy within, the crystal core resembled a star. Skyvir had been tampering with the object since it had been brought inside, experimenting on it and trying to unleash the power it possessed. For reasons beyond her, however, it did not respond to her methods.
Skyvir continued into the station's central control room and watched the mechanical cocoon in the middle of the room expose the artificial intelligence inside, studying her as she sat down at one of the control panels.
"Hello, Doctor Skyvir," the intelligence greeted.
While it spoke, it easily ran through several standard routines for maintaining the station, staying vigilant for any unwanted activity. It was the culmination of cycles of hard work and research, a mechanical Great Being with pieces of the bodies and minds of those that had perished on Circumstance.
"I have been watching you since you woke up. You require further sleep."
Skyvir didn't find the AI's words too disturbing. It watched everyone and everything on the station. It was merely concerned for her well-being.
"I got by on a few hours of sleep back home, Zelacrix. I'll be fine."
"I am required to promote a healthy lifestyle in all station crew, Doctor. Tell me, why did you stare out the bedroom window for so long last night? I wish to better understand biomech culture and I feel your answer may be beneficial to that mission."
Skyvir logged herself into the system and tapped her chin a few times. "Begin recording, Zelacrix."
"Acknowledged," Zelacrix replied. "Audio log will commence when you begin speaking."
Skyvir spun around in her chair to face Zelacrix' cocoon, staring up at the machine attached to the ceiling. The station hub provided the AI with ample energy to remain active and contained a platform that could disconnect from the core for extended periods, capable of making repairs to the station that could endanger biomechanical crew members.
"I was gazing down at Circumstance. When I agreed to spend a whole cycle aboard this station, I hadn't considered I would miss my home as dearly as I do now. The atmosphere's shades of deep blue, bright green, majestic violet - they're such beautiful colors. It saddens me to think our world was an inhospitable realm for some of the most mysterious entities I have ever known."
"You are referring, of course, to the Great Beings," Zelacrix said. "After extensive study, I have theorized the possibility that they possessed supernatural abilities."
Skyvir chuckled. "As a scientist, I have never placed much stake in the notion of magic or the paranormal. That said, what the Great Beings were able to display was a grasp of science so beyond me and the millions of other biomechs on Circumstance, I questioned for a time if they truly possessed supernatural powers of some kind. In truth, their esoteric understanding of the universe and its manipulation was centicycles beyond us. The blueprint of the cosmos seemed burned into their minds, and when it became apparent that our atmosphere was killing them, it was all I could do to research a cure. Despite my background in biology, the Great Beings were so alien to what I had been educated in, I could not engineer a viable way to allow their survival on Circumstance."
"At which time they bid you farewell," Zelacrix replied. "I downloaded the news article a few months ago. I also downloaded an article about your research with the Paragon Corporation and my eventual creation. Any pertinent information to my origin seemed worth further analysis."
Skyvir nodded. "Indeed. Now, let's run through some of our standard questions. What is your name?"
"My name is Zelacrix. I am the first and only Neo Great Being, activated one cycle ago."
"What is your purpose?"
"I have been tasked with maintaining and protecting the Paragon Space Station from all threats to the structure and its mission to study the void outside Circumstance. The station is an extension of my form, the monitors my eyes, and external microphones my audio receptors. It defends me from the harshness of space and I defend it from disrepair."
"That's enough for today," Skyvir said quietly. "You appear to be functioning properly. I'll access your memory core in the afternoon and perform an in-depth analysis."
"Do I require more information to ensure my integration with biomech culture?"
"Another time, maybe," Skyvir replied. "I need to do some more research on the crystal core we found. Telling you about biomechs was not the primary reason I came up here."
"Your primary reason was fulfilling a contractual obligation to the Paragon Corporation's head executive," Zelacrix reminded her. "You have imparted enough to explain how biomechs treat such written agreements. It does not appear you had a choice."
Skyvir frowned. "The funding for my project was cut and my staff was let go, leaving me not only jobless, but feeling as though my government had turned its back on the work I devoted just over six decacycles to. I was reluctant to come aboard and monitor his AI program, but I recognized Mionaph's offer wouldn't be given a second time. I left my laboratory, my colleagues, and my friends behind, travelling by shuttle to reach a station almost exclusively controlled by…you."
"Do you not trust me to successfully operate this station?" Zelacrix asked.
Skyvir stared hard at Zelacrix for a moment, considering her response. She helped to build a synthetic god and, while it possessed none of the organic parts of the Great Beings it came from (as they were biomechanical entities), her first encounter with it felt as alien as the day several starships landed on Circumstance.
"Yes, I trust you. Still, I'm here to keep tabs on you, which means someone else doesn't trust you. When the cycle ends though, I'm sure we'll have determined you are a competent AI."
"One cannot trust an unknown variable, which the Paragon Corporation still considers me. A vote of confidence from you suggests I will prove to be useful when the cycle term concludes."
"We can only hope," Skyvir replied, turning the chair back to the computer panel. The neighboring screen suddenly lit up with a transmission notification and Skyvir opened the line. The engineering deck had contacted her and she smiled politely at the face of the head engineer, a teal and grey armored biomech named Riendov.
"Good morning, Skyvir," he said cheerfully.
"Need something down there?" Skyvir asked, momentarily returning to the other screen and putting in a few commands.
"I was curious about the AI's primary processor. You said it would be repaired a few days ago and my connection to the Paragon network is still running pretty slow."
"Oh, that," Skyvir nodded, still trying to work while half-listening to her call. She knew the engineers didn't think very highly of a lead scientist that was so erratic at times, but she was comfortable multitasking and life aboard the station hadn't changed that. "I was…working on it."
"It'd be nice if you worked faster, Doctor," Riendov said with a chuckle. "Relegating the AI to run commands through the wireless processor is negatively affecting Zelacrix's ability to analyze data sent from the Paragon network.
Skyvir slid her chair out of the monitor's sight, typing a few commands into another computer terminal and making some noises with the cables on the floor. She then kicked the wall and slid back, smirking at the engineer. "I just fixed it. Any other problems I need to address?"
Riendov glanced at his nearby computer terminal. "It's not showing any changes."
"Give it time," Skyvir reassured him. "Zelacrix might need a moment to reestablish a solid connection."
Riendov sighed. "Okay then. Thanks for the help."
The engineer ended the call and Skyvir went back to focusing on what she considered more important matters, scanning the station for any integral issues.
"Doctor, I have detected that my primary processor has not been repaired. Why did you tell the lead engineer otherwise?"
Skyvir kept her eyes on the screen, replying with, "You and I know I was asked to make that repair last week, but I've been preoccupied with other things. Everyone seems to have suddenly forgotten about the crystal core we miraculously retrieved from outside the station. This object has so many mysterious properties, it's the most important scientific discovery since the Great Beings arrived on our doorstep and the engineers want to put that on the back burner to read their Paragon network messages a little faster."
"Despite the importance of this crystal object, why would you tell the engineer something that is not true? More curious, how does your programming allow you to do this?"
"I suppose my earlier mention of getting to biomech lifestyle later can start now. I lied to him, Zelacrix. Lying is something biomechs do when the truth is found inconvenient for one reason or another. In this case, I would prefer that if any engineers ask you about your primary processor, you tell them the repair has been made. They can handle a slower network for a day or two more while I finish my research on the energy core."
Zelacrix paused, analyzing the command he had been given. He was required to take any directive from the Doctor, but this was proving difficult. "I will inform him the processor is repaired."
Skyvir smiled at the AI's cocoon, into his primary visuals. "Thank you."
Zelacrix was very preoccupied for the rest of the day, unable to focus on Skyvir's study of the crystal core. The AI released itself from the cocoon hub and began to walk the station halls, physically observing the other workers. The machine possessed no inclination to learn more about lying from the biomechs onboard the station, but from what the Paragon network allowed it to investigate about the civilization on Circumstance, Zelacrix had arrived at the conclusion that all biomechs lied. Virtual messages public and private could be traced to falsehoods, some determined to be conscious deceptions. All this rampant avoidance of the truth perplexed Zelacrix, and without a primary processor to regulate information through, simple perplexity felt like more of a full-on mental struggle.
"Zelacrix, are you listening?"
The AI zeroed in on the audio's source and turned the nearest monitors toward it. Zelacrix studied the biomech in his sights and verified his identity as the station's lead engineer, Riendov. "Hello. How may I be of assistance?"
"My connection to the Paragon network is still pretty slow. I spoke to Skyvir this morning and she told me it was repaired so I'm guessing it may just be an issue with you at this point."
Zelacrix took less than a second to retrieve the audio memory of Skyvir's chat with him that morning. …if any engineers ask you about your primary processor, you tell them the repair has been made. …tell them the repair has been made. …the repair…has been made."
The repair has been made," Zelacrix said evenly. "Doctor Skyvir made the repairs this morning."
Riendov gave the monitor a suspicious look. "O-kay. Any idea what's slowing my connection?"
Zelacrix processed possibilities to a problem that didn't exist, running through the listed troubleshooting steps until finding a suitable explanation. To cover the first lie, the AI required a second. "The feedback satellites located on the external hull allow us to contact the network. I will adjust them and attempt to restore a stronger connection."
Riendov nodded. "Right. Let's hope that solves the issue."
Edited by Cederak, Feb 10 2014 - 07:15 PM.


text:
Release Date: February 27, 2013
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The International Pharmacotherapy Education and Research Initiative (IPERI) will recognize UB Global HIV Research Day with a keynote presentation from Stephen Becker, MD, deputy director of HIV in the Global Health Department of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Becker's address, "The Bill & Melinda Gates Approach to HIV: A Global and Public Health Perspective," will take place from 9–10 a.m. March 11 in the Bruce Holm Commons at UB's New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, 701 Ellicott St., Buffalo.
It is free and open to the public.
"We are very pleased to have Dr. Becker deliver the keynote," said Gene D. Morse, PharmD, professor of pharmacy practice, associate director of the center and director of the Translational Pharmacy Research Core.
Morse is co-director of IPERI with Charles Chiedza Maponga, which was established in 2006 by Morse and Maponga, directors of the UB-University of Zimbabwe (UZ) AIDS International Training and Research Program (AITRP).
"Dr. Becker is a leader in the global efforts to defeat infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria," said Morse. "He is, as well, a member of the UB-UZ AITRP Scientific Advisory Board, and in this role he contributes to the review of the AITRP's HIV research training and capacity-building efforts."
Individuals with an interest in global health, including those from the community, government and academic settings, are the target audience for this presentation, according to Morse.
Becker has pursued research in HIV pharmacology and pharmacogenomics, and is the author of numerous publications in HIV therapeutics, pharmacology and clinical outcomes research. He has initiated, led or participated in more than 150 clinical trials.
Currently working as a senior program officer, Becker's responsibilities include clinical development activities for pre-exposure prophylaxis, antiretroviral dose optimization approaches, HIV pharmacovigilance and global resistance surveillance.
Before joining the foundation, Becker worked for 25 years as an academic clinician, clinical researcher and in the biotechnology field, where he led development teams for two novel classes of antiretroviral agents. He most recently was chief medical officer at Koronis Pharmaceuticals and previously served as medical director and HIV team leader at AnnorMED.
Becker previously was a faculty member at the University of California, San Francisco, where he led an academic private HIV practice and clinical research site.
He received his medical degree from UB's School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
He is board-certified in internal medicine following training at the Cook County Hospital. He was selected as a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar at the joint program of the University of California, San Francisco and Stanford University Medical schools. He joined the faculty of the University of California, San Francisco following completion of his fellowship training.
Becker also has been a member of the editorial board of several peer-review journals and served as a grant reviewer for an HIV philanthropic foundation.
Becker's research and clinical practice are a perfect fit for IPERI.
"The mission of IPERI is to provide a mechanism that facilitates collaborations between the New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences, UB's School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, and universities and their investigators around the world," said Morse.
He said that the goals of IPERI are to promote technology transfer in support of evidence-based clinical pharmacology and to share with resource-limited settings (like developing countries) successful medication management strategies that have been established in developing countries.
"Ideally, the program will shine a spotlight on the efforts that UB has led and has contributed to in terms of a global health community seeking to achieve an AIDS-free generation," said Morse.
For more information, contact Bonnie Lesinski at email@example.com or 716-881-1704.
Sara Saldi has retired from University Communications. To contact UB's media relations staff, call 716-645-6969 or visit our list of current university media contacts. Sorry for the inconvenience.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Ten years ago, the Atlanta Falcons mortgaged their future to acquire Michael Vick with the first pick of the NFL draft.
In hindsight, given Vick's crimes and premature exit from Atlanta, the decision was regrettable. But the Falcons' football judgment was sound.
Not perfect. But certainly sound.
In five full seasons as a starter, Vick has made four Pro Bowls and quarterbacked his team to the playoffs three times. His teams, the Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles, are a combined 47-31-1 when he starts in the regular season, 2-3 in the playoffs.
All this despite wasting two years of his prime.
Hall of Fame credentials they are not. And when you trade three draft picks and a player for the rights to pick a quarterback No. 1, as the Falcons did in 2001 with the San Diego Chargers, you hope for a Hall of Famer.
But the question then about Vick was whether his unique skills would translate to the NFL. He was the fastest quarterback ever, and, at age 20 after two seasons as Virginia Tech's starter, the youngest No. 1 pick in history.
"I just hope and pray I can learn the offense as quick as possible," Vick told us that draft afternoon in New York, "because that's the key right now. ... I realize there's a lot of things I need to do to become a dropback passer. That's the easy part. The hard part is adjusting to the speed of the game."
Another Vick quote from that day.
"I know there's a lot of expectations. But I know how to conduct myself. I know how to handle myself."
In some regards he did. In others, sadly, he did not.
In his second pro season, his first as a starter, Vick led Atlanta to the 2002 playoffs, and the Falcons became the first visiting team to win a postseason game at Green Bay's storied Lambeau Field. His skills did translate, poor work habits notwithstanding.
Two years later, Vick quarterbacked the Falcons to the NFC championship game, where they lost to his current employer, the Eagles.
And whom might have been a wiser No. 1 pick than Vick?
Well, with the No. 5 pick acquired from Atlanta, San Diego drafted Texas Christian running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who's scored 159 touchdowns and rushed for more than 13,000 yards in a career that continues today with the New York Jets.
At No. 6, the New England Patriots chose Georgia defensive tackle Richard Seymour, an anchor of their Super Bowl-winning teams and a six-time Pro Bowler.
But the real Brink's jobs of the 2001 draft came later in the first round.
At No. 17, the Seattle Seahawks picked Michigan guard Steve Hutchinson. Now convention dictates that guards rarely, if ever, merit top-10 or top-five consideration, but Hutchinson has made seven Pro Bowls combined with the Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings.
Most notably, at No. 30 the Indianapolis Colts nabbed Miami receiver Reggie Wayne. He's caught 787 passes for 10,748 yards and 69 touchdowns, supplanting Marvin Harrison as Peyton Manning's go-to guy.
Wayne and Vick both made the Pro Bowl last season, and 10 years after their draft day, both figure to be marquee players in 2011 — if there is a season.
Busts are a story every April, and the 2001 draft had its share. Michigan receiver David Terrell at No. 7 to the Chicago Bears and Florida State defensive end Jamal Reynolds (injuries) at No. 9 to the Green Bay Packers are two examples.
Michael Vick is not.
"I'm a professional now," he said on draft day. "I have to show it."
True then. True now.


text:
BNI Dynamics – a business and professional networking organization that offers members the opportunity to share ideas, contacts and most importantly to gain new business by the passing and receiving of referrals.
BNI members, on average, increase their business 20% the first year. Our chapter is a dynamic, committed group of business people who know how to refer business to each other.
We meet on Friday's from 11.30am to 1pm (most people arrive 10 to 15 minutes earlier and some may linger to chat 5-10 minutes after). You will have the opportunity to meet approximately 20 other business people, and have a great lunch too. We meet at JC's Banquet Hall, 1686 Ellesmere Road, Scarborough, Ontario, M1H 2V5. There is free underground parking (enter from Grangeway Avenue).
There is a meeting fee of $25, and a visitor host will be there to greet everyone at 11:15am.
We have open categories for individuals who will bring enthusiasm and integrity to our meeting. Just one person per professional specialty is allowed in each chapter.
We have referrals for the following:
1. Car Sales & Leasing Representative
2. Bookkeeper
3. Computer Sales & Service
4. Commercial Banker
5. Business coach
6. Massage Therapist
7. Florist
8. General Contractor
9. Business coach
10. Personal Trainer
11. Photographer
12. Painter
13. Home Inspector
14. Virtual Assistant
15. Psychotherapist
16. Caterer
17. Landscaping, Garden & Lawn Care
18. Vehicle sales / leasing consultant
19. Moving company
and many more.
Come for our meeting -- stay for the referrals!!!
Meeting fee of $20 - payable at the door
Business attire or professional business casual is fine – there will be a range of professions and professionals present with a range of attire. Remember to bring about 30 business cards!


text:
We just added some new items to the downloads page so be sure to check them out. We added 5 new userbars that you can use in your signatures either here or on other sites you visit to show your support for SA.
I'll be adding more buddy icons and userbars this weekend so keep checking back for more cool stuff. Hopefully we'll be able to add a some more wallpapers in the near future too. As always if any of you Graphics guru's want to submit some work we'll be happy to check it over and see about loading it up on the downloads page. You'll of course get full credit for it as always.


text:
Pecan-Wood Smoked Pork Tenderloin
|Vegetables, Meat
|Day Part
|Cuisine Type
Source: Recipe from Chef Carlos Guia
This recipe from chef Carlos Guia of Las Vegas' Commander's Palace includes smoking instructions for the pork tenderloin, as well as recipes for the Mustard Glaze and Spicy Pepper Relish.
1 gal. ice water
1⁄4 cup sugar
Kosher salt
1 tbsp. curing salt
3 (11⁄2 lb.) pork tenderloins
Pecan-wood chips, soaked
Ground white pepper
1⁄4 cup vegetable oil
Spicy Pepper Relish (recipe follows)
6 wedges herbed polenta
Sugarcane-Creole Mustard Glaze (recipe follows)
Spicy Pepper Relish:
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and julienned
1 large yellow bell pepper, seeded and julienned
1 large poblano chili, seeded and julienned
1 large red jalapeño chili, seeded and julienned
2 green jalapeño chilies, seeded and julienned
1⁄2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
Salt and ground pepper
Sugarcane-Creole Mustard Glaze:
1 cup sugarcane syrup
1⁄2 cup Creole mustard
Salt and ground white pepper
1. Stir water, sugar, 1⁄4 cup Kosher salt, and curing salt in pot until sugar dissolves. Add tenderloins, pressing to submerge completely in brine. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove tenderloins; pat dry.
2. Place rack at highest position in smoker. Build a small charcoal fire in smoker; fill water tray with ice cubes. When coals turn gray, scatter soaked wood chips over coals.
3. Place tenderloins on grill rack. Cover smoker, sealing all but one small vent. Smoke
tenderloins to desired flavor, about 2-4 hr., replenishing charcoal and wood chips to maintain temperature around 90°F. Remove tenderloins from smoker. Cover and refrigerate.
4. Lightly sprinkle tenderloins with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy skillet until very hot. Add tenderloins; brown on all sides, about 5 min. (they will not be cooked through). Place skillet in oven and roast 10 min., until meat thermometer registers 140°F. Transfer tenderloins to work surface; set aside 5 min. Cut each tenderloin crosswise into 6 equal slices.
5. Spoon some Spicy Pepper Relish onto center of 6 dinner plates. Arrange one polenta wedge atop relish; spoon on more relish. Arrange 3 pork slices around polenta and relish; drizzle with Sugarcane-Creole Mustard Glaze.
Spicy Pepper Relish:
Heat oil in heavy skillet over med-high heat. Add shallots and garlic; sauté 30 sec. Add all peppers, chilies, and thyme; sauté about 5 min. Remove from heat. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground white pepper. Spoon mixture onto baking sheet; refrigerate until cold. Rewarm in saucepan just before serving.
Yield: 2 cups.
Sugarcane-Creole Mustard Glaze:
Stir syrup and mustard in small bowl to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Yield: 11⁄2 cups.


text:
|2006-07-03, 16:20
|Link #1
Junior Member
Nintendo Wii
So you can post news about wii here
Some info about Wii:
- Nintendo's Wiimote (controller) uses unique motion sensoring.
- It has rumble and speaker build in And of course it's wireless.3D Pointing.
- Sensors understand up, down, left, right, forward and backward.
- Tilt Sensitive controller can be rotated or rolled from side-to-side.
- Wii supports sd memory cards and maybe some other?
- Prize will be around 250$ according to rumors...
- Launch date 6. November 2006 according to rumors.. (again)
- Controller uses bluetooth, so bluetooth headset is supported too.
- Four controllers hooked up at once using Bluetooth.
- Wireless signal detected at 10 metres from console.
- WiiMote has an expansion bay to attach peripherals such as the Nunchuk.
- WiiMote has a D-Pad and the following buttons: A, B, 1, 2, Power, Home, -, and +.
- Nunchuk has an analog control stick, C shoulder button, and Z shoulder button. And it has own motion sensor. Example you can use nunchuck as shield and wiimote as sword maybe.
- Some rumors say that Wii has build in camera.. but who knows..
- More info about Wii coming in Tokyo Game show 2006 (Official launch date and prize etc.)
- You can play some classic games on wii. Like snes and sega games. It's called virtual console and you can use virtual console controller
- Wii uses Opera browser.
- You can download some stuff to wii and ds.
- Ds can be used someway on wii maybe controller or extra display? dunno.
Upcoming Games:
Bleach Website
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 Screens
Call of duty 3
Dragon Quest Swords
Elebits Screen1 Screen2
Excite Truck
Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles - Crystal Bearers
Madden 2007 Screen1
Mario kart wii
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption Video
Need for Speed: Carbon
One Piece: Unlimited Adventure Scan?
Orb Screen1
Pokemon Battle Revolution Video
Project H.A.M.M.E.R
Raid Over the River Website
Rayman Raving RabbidsWebsite
Red Steel Screen1
Skatto Golf Pangya
Sonic Wild Fire Website
Spiderman 3
Spongebob Squarepants: Creature from the Krusty Krab
Super Mario Galaxy
Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz Screen1
Super Smash Bros. Brawl Trailer
Super Swing Golf PANGYA
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Fishing video Screen1 Screen2 Screen3
Tony Hawk: Downhill Jam Screen1 Screen2
Trauma Center: Second Opinion Screen1 Screen2
WarioWare: Smooth Moves
Wii Sports Airplane video
Wii pictures:
Note: Some information can be wrong or only just old, so dont get angry to me if something is wrong and if you have something to ask just ask :P :P
Last edited by TaMs; 2006-07-14 at 15:10.
|2006-07-03, 17:46
|Link #2
Just Married, Oct. 28th!
Join Date: May 2003
Age: 40
The Virtual Console games are said not to be free, but cheap.
Some other items of note.
The Wii has a built in profile picture maker where you can make a picture of your own face which will be used in some games. Wii Sports, for certain, uses this face texture as the face of your player in the game.
This may be just rumour, but I heard that there will be some sort of hobbyist game developer kit for the Wii, letting gamers make their own games for people to download. I've no idea if this is true, and if it is then how powerful the developement kit will be.
|2006-07-04, 00:00
|Link #3
wolfen programmer
I've heard the Wii will download new levels and characters (ect...) for your games while you're not using it, so when you turn it on (It still probably get's power even when it's off like the TiVo) you'll see new levels and stuff that wasn't there to keep you playing.
Hell, i'm getting the Wii regardless if that is true or not.
|2006-07-04, 00:39
|Link #4
Junior Member
|2006-07-04, 08:01
|Link #8
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2004
|2006-07-04, 17:25
|Link #9
Just Married, Oct. 28th!
Join Date: May 2003
Age: 40
I hope they don't get into patching games, it's an awful situation with PC games where the games are rushed out without proper QA to make sure the bugs are caught, with the mindset that they can just patch them later.
And yeah, you'd think they would, wouldn't you? Still, I've seen so many companies ignore the most obvious money makers.
|2006-07-05, 10:25
|Link #11
Just Married, Oct. 28th!
Join Date: May 2003
Age: 40
Just plain, old DVD. Should be fine, larger formats are only really neccessary if you stuff the game full of FMV. Or use High-def resolution textures, and since the Wii only goes up to 480p that's not an issue. If the Gamecube's mini-DVD format was enough to deliver some of the best looking games of this passing generation, I'm sure DVD will be much more than enough.
|2006-07-06, 20:37
|Link #13
Just Married, Oct. 28th!
Join Date: May 2003
Age: 40
The Gamespy article also links to an interesting CNN article that goes into more detail.
|2006-07-07, 11:43
|Link #14
Junior Member
|2006-07-07, 12:26
|Link #15
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Don't want to sound like a flame baiter. But my personal opinion about Wii is that it's going to pretty much fail the same way gamecube did in that it will have the least 3rd party developer support, and the least sales out of the three next-gen consoles. I draw my conclusion because the Wii still doesn't support dvd playback, has pretty much the same half-assed online promise the gamecube had, has current-gen graphics, and is overall the same thing as the gamecube but with a gimmicky controller and new console design.
|2006-07-07, 12:46
|Link #16
Bishoujo Game Enthusiast
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Belgium
Age: 32
2) Most people already have a DVD player
This time Nintendo is fully supporting it with Wifi.
The controller is not gimmicky, it's innovative.
|2006-07-07, 13:07
|Link #17
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Why you replying like your Mr. Fact? I gave my opinions that's all. Doesn't matter if YOU think it's right or wrong. lol loser
|2006-07-07, 13:07
|Link #18
wolfen programmer
You tell him Benoit, you get to actually get your ass of the couch and kill some bad guys (you could still sit for some games if you want). Red Steel has an awesome system where the gun is held almost exactly the way you're holding the remote.
I'm not sure if this is true, but it has a computer monitor cable support, you can plug it in to your computer screen (the end connecters are usually blue with screws on the left and right). That way i'll get a digital signal and get a sharp image on my LCD monitor. My TVs suck so that will help me out.
Those are facts, HoplessLover. He's right. Benoit isn't stating opinions, they're facts.
|2006-07-07, 13:13
|Link #20
wolfen programmer
I'm tired of you fanboys.
You were right about the GameCube,
But Benoit was only stating facts.
My opinion is the Wii will rock despite it's name.
It's quite obvious you came here to argue pointlessly-
you only wanted to get a rise out of people.
If you don't have anything constructive to say,
please post in this thread no more.
Of course you'll ignore me and reply,
but mabye you can understand one day.
Leave us in peace.
|console, wii
|Thread Tools


text:
Carol Pinchefsky contemplates commercial skipping DVRs, and other tales of really good technology that vanished, in 7 Awesome Bits of Tech That Just Freakin' Disappeared. As Pinchefsky writes: "...It got me thinking about awesome technology that we somehow ditched. The airship? Awesome. Slide rules? Awesome awesome. Mir Space Station? Boss-level awesome. And now just thinking about wristwatches with calculators makes me suffer a sense of short-term nostalgia (as in Douglas Coupland's Generation X). Here are some of the coolest features and products that we've lost along the way to 2012.
To view parent comment, click here.
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
That was one of the reasons my third Palm device was a Sony Clie, it had a built in high output CIR transmitter that worked with Sony's own universal remote app. It also worked with custom apps available around the 'net. It made for a great replacement for the three remotes in my living room.
Time was when I could whip out my PDA in a lobby, and while browsing the (admittedly limited) mobile web via WiFi, I could surreptitiously change the TV to something besides Bloomberg or the Country Music Channel.
Yes, I've grown up since then.


text:
From a cannonball to a jelly doughnut and dragon scales, entertaining images from Mars amuse scientists and excite conspiracy theorists and alien fans. more..
You could be eating lab-grown meat by the end of 2018 video - CNET
From burgers to chicken nuggets, several companies are producing meat from a petri dish. more..
Ranking the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies - CNET
CNET's Eric Franklin ranks all 18 movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and asks that you try to prove him wrong. more..
Watch every Marvel Cinematic Universe movie in the perfect order - CNET
Every Marvel movie and TV show currently airing or announced -- and the absolute ideal order for watching them -- so you can check out the next Marvel movie super-prepared. more..
A spider's erection, and other cool things trapped in amber - CNET
The translucent substance literally offers a window for seeing back millions of years. Here, a few of the most amazing sights the fossilized resin has sealed in time. more..
The best free movies you can stream right now - CNET
Whether you want to curl up on the couch or watch on the go, these gems won't cost you a penny. more..
Zip me up, Scotty: 50 years of Star Trek uniforms - CNET
The colourful uniforms worn by the crew of the Starship Enterprise count as some of the most iconic looks ever. Here's how they've evolved over the past 50 years. more..
'Orange Is the New Black' season 5 isn't the Litchfield we love - CNET
The latest season of Jenji Kohan's dark comedy is still missing what made the first two seasons great. Warning: some spoilers ahead. more..
20 weird things you forgot about the original 'Twin Peaks' - CNET
"Twin Peaks" returns for its decades-late third season in May, so it's time to look back at all the quirky happenings from the original television series. more..
A Farsighted look at Iron Man suits, VR and tech worth investing in (Farsighted Podcast, Ep. 7) - CNET
The Farsighted crew is joined by Adam Draper, founder of Boost VC, which invests in startups working on a real hoverboard and other technology straight out of science fiction. more..
These far-out animals fascinate and amuse scientists - CNET
The animal kingdom lets loose with some its strangest creations, from a bizarre underwater orb to a very long-lived albatross. more..
'Class' takes 'Doctor Who' back to school with extracurricular aliens - CNET
The edgy spin-off features a smouldering teen cast and splashes of gore among the snarky gags and a Capaldi cameo. more..
This cat is as mesmerized by optical illusions as you are - CNET
A famous optical illusion doesn't stand a chance against the hunting instincts of a bored housecat. more..
A Farsighted look at Elon Musk's plan to make us cyborgs, and 'Cyborg' on the big screen (Farsighted Podcast, Ep 6) - CNET
The crew discusses Neuralink, which will pursue a brain-machine mind meld, as well as which superhero franchises most excite and frustrate us. more..
Meet the new Harry Potter as 'The Cursed Child' cast changes - CNET
Meet the actors playing the Potter, Weasley-Granger and Malfoy families in a continuation of JK Rowling's wizarding story on the London stage. more..
Bumblebees make US endangered-species list for first time - CNET
In buzzworthy news, the US Fish and Wildlife Service now protects the rusty patched bumblebee. more..
Online 'flaming' insurance introduced in Japan - CNET
An insurance company in Japan lets you protect yourself against the dark side of the internet. more..
Watch a gator carry its massive prey across golf course - CNET
An ambitious alligator startles a group of golfers by carrying its catch of the day across the grass on its way to take a dip. more..
Watch these Oscar-nominated films online - CNET
Catch up on the movies that could take home an Academy Award on Amazon, Netflix and iTunes. more..
Japanese app lets you know if your colleagues are hogging the bathroom - CNET
New software from Japan will let you know if the toilet cubicles in your office building or shopping mall are occupied. more..
Someone just bought an oil tanker on China's eBay - CNET
You can buy anything you want on Taobao, including sea vessels... if you have $11 million to spare. more..
Would you pay $8,000 for a dancing J-Pop robot? - CNET
If so, you're in luck! more..
Michael Keaton on lessons startups can learn from 'The Founder' - CNET
The star of "The Founder" on how the true-life tale of a little 1950s startup called McDonald's reminded him of a certain social network. more..
Star Wars Force Friday strikes back before 'The Last Jedi' - CNET
May the unboxings be with you when Disney unleashes a slew of new Star Wars products to feed the consumer fervor for "The Last Jedi." more..
Source: CNET


text:
Five feared dead after Colorado plane crash
MONTROSE, Colo. – Authorities on Sunday had yet to recover the bodies of five people feared dead after their small plane crashed into a southwestern Colorado reservoir a day earlier.
Sonar images showed the fuselage appeared to be intact and the wings still attached, Ouray County spokeswoman Marti Whitmore said.
Authorities worked to get additional crews and equipment quickly in place to aid the recovery work that continued through Sunday and will resume Monday, Whitmore said.
The identities of those aboard weren't immediately released.
The single-engine Socata TBM700 was heading from Bartlesville, Okla., to Montrose, about 180 miles southwest of Denver, when it went down around 2 p.m. Saturday, Whitmore said. It crashed into Ridgway Reservoir, about 25 miles south of Montrose.
The flight took off from Gadsden, Ala., before stopping in Oklahoma, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said. The cause of the crash isn't yet known.
On Sunday, dive teams from Denver and Gunnison marked the location of the wreckage as efforts focused on finding the victims and the main body of the aircraft, Whitmore said.
"It's in deep water and it's in cold water, and we don't have the right resources in the county" to recover the plane, she said.
The spokeswoman said earlier Sunday that the aircraft was about 90 feet from shore in 60 to 90 feet of water in the reservoir in Ridgway State Park, which will remain closed through Monday.
Eyewitness statements were turned over to the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board for their investigations.
The plane is registered to an Alabama corporation. Messages left for the company weren't immediately returned.
The crash occurred several weeks after three people died when a plane crashed after taking off from the Telluride airport, less than 50 miles miles south.


text:
Write your own story.
A comforting cocoon of intoxicating sandalwood and tender florals.
Expected availability date:
*This is the approximate date that back-orders will begin to be filled. The date that your specific backorder is filled may be several days later. If you wish to cancel your order prior to shipment, please contact customer service to obtain a full refund
An uplifting homage to the wonder of a nurturing soul: gentle, comforting, and peaceful.
Honeysuckle nectarPink peonyComforting sandalwood
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Save enchanting images of the inspiration behind the fragrances.
Discover a tale
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The YOUNIQUE™ fragrance collection captures the essence of lasting love. Learn more about these three special fragrances and hear Melanie Huscroft explain how her remarkable love story was transcribed into enthralling scents.
Write your own story.


text:
1 or more
2 or more
4 or more
ABOUT THIS PRODUCT: Gourmet Style Chocolate Dipped Vanilla Macaroons. Kosher for Passover Kof-K Parve. Each 6 lbs tray has about 100 pcs. Great for parties and Passover gifts. Pair them up with Passover Candy Bags, fill the bags with macaroons and you'll have a colorful Passover novelty. 0 trans fat, Lactose Free, Gluten Free, may contain traces of nuts.
6 Lbs tray ~ pictured with mixed berries.
It would be our pleasure to ship it to you!
Free shipping and more discounts! Chocolategelt.com is your online source for Passover Macaroons CHOCOLATE DIPPED Kosher Parve (BULK 6lbs). We serve schools, synagogues, non-profit organizations, as well as individuals. Passover Macaroons CHOCOLATE DIPPED Kosher Parve (BULK 6lbs) sold retail and wholesale, you can see price break depending on quantity you buy on each product page. Our popular products are dreidels, chocolate coins also known as gelt, candles and party gifts for Chanukah. Our selection also includes wide variety of Purim supplies Thank you for shopping at our store!
- Wholesale - Contact/FAQ - Testimonials


text:
Global Rating: 5.00 from 2 reviews.
Add your own review for this product
|city state/province country
|Bonza briefs (5/5)
|Jun 26, 2012
|Gary Visser
|Sydney NS AU
|Even though I had to waite longer than I expected for them to arrive, was worth the waite, great fit and look better in person than on screen.
|Awesome (5/5)
|Aug 26, 2011
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|Pa pa
|I am 15 and i hate Briefs I always wear boxers so I decided to try briefs after not wearing them for 5 years and these breifs are so comfortable. They have a working fly and are mid ris breifs they fit just right and are strechy because they contain 5% spandex they have a pouch that is just the perfect size. I would recommend for a friend or yourself.
DC Comics Originals Superma...


text:
Site members can log in to view member content (Blogs, Forums), edit preferences, password and email subscriptions. Please enter your email address and password in the form on the right hand side of this page to access this area.
If you would like to be a member of this site please complete the Contact us form using the link at the top of the page and choose Become a Member in the Contact about selection.


text:
The UL924 emergency lighting control relay (ERC) mounts in the ceiling and features an automatic diagnostic feature to replace the need for an accessible test switch. When lighting is turned off in a room, the emergency luminaires stay on for an additional 2.5 sec to verify the emergency power source and that lighting is functioning correctly. The UL924 emergency lighting dimmer control (EDC) turns lights on to full brightness in an emergency. The EDC is available in 120V and 277V models and includes a test switch. The UL924 emergency lighting control relay (panel-mount) (EPMC) is a universally compatible device available in 120V and 277V models. The test switch allows user to test their emergency lighting system with the press of a button, and a green LED confirms wiring connections and power availability.
Schneider Electric
For more information, visit www.schneider-electric.com/us.


text:
I'm going back to work next month and will be doing mostly pumping during the week. My question is, should I be pumping for the equivalent of each time my girls eat (twin girls)? I've read that some people were able to "drop" a pump at some point. How does that work? I can really only go 4 hours at the most without pumping before I feel like I might explode.
Right now I pump after each feeding or I pump at each feeding if the girls are getting expressed milk. I only skip one feeding, which means I pump 6 times a day.
Any advice is appreciated!


text:
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text:
Another year has past here at TechRepublic, and we've finished another season of TR Dojo. As those of you who hang around until after the credits know, among all that footage there are a lot of bloopers.
Here on TR Dojo, we're once again celebrating the year holiday season with an episode dedicated entirely to my mistakes. You'll see me flub my lines, make a few mostly-failed attempts at humor, and deal with a host of interruptions.
Enjoy and Happy Holidays!
If you'd like to see more footage of me screwing up, check out the TR Dojo bloopers for 2008, the TR Dojo bloopers for 2009, and TR Dojo bloopers for 2010.
Bill Detwiler has nothing to disclose. He doesn't hold investments in the technology companies he covers.
Full Bio
Bill Detwiler is Managing Editor of TechRepublic and Tech Pro Research and the host of Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show. Prior to joining TechRepublic in 2000, Bill was an IT manager, database administrator, and desktop support specialist in the social research and energy industries. He has bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Louisville, where he has also lectured on computer crime and crime prevention.


text:
Hey guys, its me again, the ameture.
well, ive got something for you, if your ever in seneca missouri. its called hoffman's mansion, and there is some spooky stuff that happens there.
#1 BACKGROUND, let me give a little background. Hoffmans mansion was origionally created sometime in the late 1800, around 1580-1868, and served as a home for an immigrant family. After the deaths of the origional owners (nothing suspicious, from what i can tell) it was purchased by the hoffman family. The hoffmans lived there, with a caretaker in a small house to the side, for sometime, until tradegy struck (circa 1920's) and then, years later, was sold to a family from california (circa 1960) after serious restoration. the family stayed at the residence for about 6 years, until they moved away and never returned.
#2 WHAT HAPPENED THEN?so what was the tradegy? well, when the hoffmans owned the mansion, they ran a camp for kids in the summer. one summer the caretaker went insane, tortured kids to death, and then hung himself from a huge tree in the front of the cemetary. much later, the family moved out after experiancing several phenomenan like moving beds, objects flying off shelfes, so on and so forth. many years later, around 2001, a drug deal, on the property went bad, and a younger man, (no older than me, im 25) was shot to death and then burned in his van. all of this death and tradegy in such a relatively small place. its spooky to look at when driving by, let alone to get out and walk around in.
#3 WHAT HAPPENS NOW? Now, the place is full of negative energy, that is VERY obvious when you simply drive by it. when i went there, we drove there, parked in front of the gate, and stood outside and looked in. from outside you could see a statue of jesus christ, with its head, hands, and feet cut off and descrated lying on the ground. while i am sure that this is obvioulsy the work of vandals, that area seems to be a focal point of energy. When we were out there, we heard something moving. not something small, either, something big, moving fast, in circles around us while we were parked on the side of the road. Also, our team-lead, t-buck, took off for the truck after looking at the gates in, saying "its breathing on me" and that "it" is energy, which we think is daemonic. after t-buck got in the truck, we took off, but right as the driver was putting the vechile in drive, we heard screams. not just any screams, but screams that would chill your blood. they were so loud that it was like they were inside your head, and they felt as though they pierced your soul. until the day i die i will not forget those screams, they sounded like thousands of voices wailing out in agony in a single second.
CONCLUSION After being there and feeling and hearing what i did, i would like to return, this time with equipment, (and with holy water and crufixes) and get access to the inside. as it is privately owned, and the grave is a family grave now, im trying to get ahold of the landowners to get permission for paranormal reaserch there. my southern baptist beliefes make me feel that if it is a daemon, or daemonic energy, then my faith in god will protect me, and if its just a malevelont spirit, it would be nice to send him twoard the light and give him peace. (or her if its applicable) In all, i will return, with both science and religion as my tools, and hopefully can ease the great torment this place has obvioulsy undercome.
"Science without religion, is theory, religion without science, is myth" a friend of mine always uses this statement, and i am beginning to beleive in it. i think my return trip to hoffmans will either prove or disprove this statement either way.
I know who owns the property and i live very close only about 5 miles away from it i have been there many times and i mean inside the gate actually walked through the rubel of what is left of the old house


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text: My baby is 10 months now and she is mostly feeding off just the right breast now. I've tried starting her on the left side and occasionally she will get a bit of milk out of it but other times there is barely anything there. How do I know if she's getting enough milk? Do I need to start supplementing with formula?


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Fix some CSS Issues in a responsive woocommerce site
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Just built this web site from a template: [url removed, login to view]
There are some CSS issues on Mobile and one issue on Internet Explorer for Desktop:
1) (Wish list) page when looking at the items in the wish list you cannot see the stock status or the add to cart button
Steps to reproduce: On mobile version, add a product to your wish list and then tap on the "heart" icon in the navigation to see your wish list
2) (View cart) page has the same issue where the described item is cut off where it indicated the price and the X to delete the selection, the apply coupon button and field
Steps to reproduce: On mobile version, add a product to your cart and then access this page: [url removed, login to view]
3) (Last page at checkout) Subtotal, Shipping and Tax are cut off so you cant see them.
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4) Desktop: Internet explorer categories don't load on the home page
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The MSI U115 Hybrid offers both a solid state drive and a hard drive. You can opt for an 8GB SSD accompanied by a 120GB conventional hard drive, or ramp it up to a 16GB SSD with a 160GB hard drive, which surely should satisfy those of us watching lots of movies and TV series on our netbooks while on the go. The U115 Hybrid has a few more tricks up its sleeve to make sure the ordinary hard drive doesn't drain all the battery power; when in Eco mode, the system will disconnect the hard drive from the system, and will transfer all writes to the SSD.
The rest of the system comes straight from the default netbook setup, which is not surprising as the U115 Hybrid is just a Wind with an additional hard drive. In other words, it packs an Intel Atom processor running at 1.6Ghz, it has a 10" 1024x600 LED-backlit display, comes with 1GB of memory (chipset supports up to 2GB), and all the wireless communication stuff you'd expect. There is no information on battery life yet, though, so it's probably less than a normal Wind (else they'd be touting it in the press release).
It comes with Windows XP Home, and there's no word on a Linux model yet (but note how every news site mentions the lack of a Linux model!).


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|View Poll Results: Critique of Episode 19
|10 out of 10 : Nearly Perfect...
|9 out of 10 : Excellent...
|8 out of 10 : Very Good...
|7 out of 10 : Good...
|6 out of 10 : Average...
|5 out of 10 : Below Average...
|4 out of 10 : Poor...
|3 out of 10 : Bad...
|2 out of 10 : Very Bad...
|1 out of 10 : Torturous...
|Voters: 106. You may not vote on this poll
|Thread Tools
|2012-11-11, 02:23
|Link #141
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Cairo, Egypt
Age: 23
|2012-11-11, 02:28
|Link #142
Join Date: Mar 2006
I thought the explanation for the "illusion" was pretty obvious: Kirito is a broken player. He's basically using corrupted SAO data combined with the ALf data. It's not unusual at all in the computer world for strange errors and glitches to appear when data is messed with. Heck, a lot of MMO exploits arise from that.
A normal player would appear as an illusion, however he's anything but normal. Obviously this makes him a bit of a Gary Stu, but he's not invincible and can get his rear handed to him even with all of his advantages so it's not so bad.
I thought some of the more interesting bits came from Kirito's lines. It's pretty easy to see that he's got PTSD from his time in SAO, and his speech after the fight was somewhat hypocritical considering he doesn't seem bothered about his glitched advantages. Granted, exceptional situation and all (and the narrative needed an excuse to skip the leveling up montage), but he didn't seem to reflect on it much. At least he admitted he sounded arrogant.
As for his sister, I feel really bad for her. I enjoy her character, but it's like watching a trainwreck in slow motion. Talk about rotten luck.
Recon grates on my nerves something fierce. <--random comment.
|2012-11-11, 02:35
|Link #145
Deadpan Rambler
Come to think of it, Kirito is becoming more of a broken player by having that transformation spell.
On the other hand, no Asuna on this episode, its so sad!
But hey, at least Im not gonna rage again for being molested by the Fairy King
|2012-11-11, 02:43
|Link #146
→ Wandering Bard
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Grancel City, Liberl Kingdom
Hmm...the initial battle with the Salamanders without context really seems out of place, making Kirito just having fun killing people LOL. Inner monologues really make things a lot clearer.
And considering how hard it is to even attempt the main quest of getting to the top of Yggdrasil, I think it makes sense for Kirito to take this side track and get involved with the high level politics of the game on the way to Aurun. Get some positive points from 2 race leaders LOL.
|2012-11-11, 03:01
|Link #149
Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Woo the explanation get complicated very quickly.
IMO "Illusion magic" is just a category like fire magic, healing magic. I can accept that a magic with real transformation properties under the "illusion magic" skill tree. Especially when i assume that all races have access to basic illusion magic (suguha casted the fake wall), Spriggan that is specialised in illusion magic will have unique, special feature for them.
|2012-11-11, 03:15
|Link #150
It's purpose is to intimidate or fool a enemy so he/she has a spare time to either cast an attack skill or escape.
Kirito's illusion skill is not only visually intimidating but physically... It made him as if he's physically the monster itself.... I think something went wrong there....
|2012-11-11, 03:27
|Link #151
Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
|2012-11-11, 03:43
|Link #153
Last edited by NoemiChan; 2012-11-11 at 03:54.
|2012-11-11, 03:44
|Link #154
Kamen Rider Muppeteer
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Unknown
Age: 34
There are plenty of games where illusions CAN harm people. D&D comes to mind.
|2012-11-11, 03:51
|Link #155
Join Date: Sep 2012
I'm guessing that the Illusion spell works on whatever the players imagine themselves are. Kirito probably imagined the scariest monsters he had ever come by, and since Gleam Eyes was the one who so nearly killed him, the illusion took form of the boss instead. The stats of the boss are most likely the same as Kirito's of course.
I'm starting to think that Illusion Magic is a really convenient tool. The problem most people has with this Illusion spell is most likely that their imagination and the belief in that imagination is pretty weak. You know it's a game, you know it's not real, so whatever Illusion spell that takes place was only a halfhearted attempt that failed very quickly. But Kirito was one of the players who has experienced life and death in one of these 'simple, harmless' games, and so he treats the Virtual World with equal, if not more importance than reality ever was to him. Hence the absolutely terrifying transformation of Gleam Eyes that was realistic enough to scare the shit out of the normal players.
About the issue on the urgency to rescue Asuna.
From what I could see, Kirito is facing a number of dilemmas. One, he is unsure about his own worth and feels as if he's unqualified for Asuna. There is an obvious difference in status between him and Sugou, and no matter how terrible an ass the guy is, if we're simply considering about marriage stability, economy and all those future shit, Sugou is infinitely the better person for Asuna. Obviously he loves Asuna, but he wasn't sure about his own abilities to support her towards the future (remember that old fisherman who lost hope about returning to his own world, because of things such as unemployment and stuff?).
The meeting with Sugou also made him realize just how powerless he is even though he's a 'hero' who saved the lives of those who were trapped in SAO. He was simply nobody in real life, and there's absolutely nothing he can do there to save Asuna. That was why he jumped at the opportunity to investigate 'the girl who looked like Asuna' trapped in a bird cage at the World Tree. It was escapism, and I'm not saying it's good. Considering the circumstantial evidence it was a pretty good lead, but if he had been an adult he would've realized that unconsciously, he was trying to escape the possibility that he might lose Asuna forever. And he would've despaired. People save themselves by not knowing things they don't need to know.
And then there's this element of uncertainty. Kirito feels pretty sure that the blurry image he saw could very well be Asuna, but how could he be sure? It was just a random image post on a random website that happen to have a connection with Sugou's company. It was suspicious as hell, but just how could he be sure? Also, while Kirito was very worried that Asuna might never wake up from her sleep, there's no hint that Asuna was under any kind of a direct threat except 1) time will kill her eventually, and that time is plenty considering that Asuna has the best medical treatment, 2) married to Sugou.
That is the problem. From Kirito's PoV, he couldn't see a direct threat and negativity towards Asuna. To Kirito, the only thing at stake here was his love for Asuna, and the possibility of deprivation of Asuna's freedom of choice. So Sugou might be an ass, so what? He doesn't know what Asuna thinks. Maybe Asuna likes him. The guy puts up a good show in front of her parents after all, and he most likely would put up a good one in front of her. Maybe he would continue to do so if they get married. Would Asuna be happy then? Would Asuna have a more comfortable and happier life with Sugou? Does he want to force such a weakened Asuna to go against her family's decision right after she wakes up, for the sake of their love alone?
Love doesn't win everything. Love is sometimes not worth it at all to lose your family. Love is not worth it to lose a lifetime of happiness. Love is not many things.
Don't forget that Sugou is a researcher too. From a completely objective PoV (and excluding the fact that he's the one who imprisoned Asuna in the first place), Sugou is one of the best chance Asuna has to wake up from her 'sleep'. Kirito is a person who's willing to sacrifice his own love for Asuna if it means a chance to wake her back to real life and save her from a slow, slumbering death.
There are too many doubts and uncertainties as of now for Kirito. You guys said that you don't feel the 'urgency' in saving Asuna, that he gets sidetracked a little too easy, that he's being a little too happy playing in ALO. I'm telling you that that is wrong.
|2012-11-11, 03:58
|Link #156
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Cairo, Egypt
Age: 23
There's something that really, really bugging me in this eps. Anyone realized that the bridge where they are in fighting is huge? And if you can sprint so fast like in the ending, ignoring and slipping through the front line tanks (It's just 3 guys, leaving so much gaps for a single soul to pass through), slaughtering the back line mages is the more logical way in dealing with it. But i won't complain too much for that. After all, Kirito, as the cool protagonist must have to follow the rule of cool and spearhead the enemy tanks and wait for his plot armor to activate.
Last edited by Insane; 2012-11-11 at 04:15.
|2012-11-11, 04:38
|Link #157
a random Indonesian otaku
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Xanadu
Age: 26
excellent episode....
although I really want them to stick on 'saving-Asuna' mission, this kind of twist is kinda necessary because it holds a strong connection about how to reach the tower..
I guess, Kirito will be the center of big alliance between those three races... then because of his strong ambition to reach the tree, they will assist him...
I do remember Lyfa mentioned about how all of races need to work together in order to reach the tree.
If Kirito can hold this matter, Sylph, Cait Sith, Salamander, and Spriggan (Kirito) already on his side... (maybe just need some revelation about what he has done in Sword Art Online)
ah! that Gleam Eyes is awesome... that's what you got from messing around with hero, Kirito-kun
|2012-11-11, 05:21
|Link #158
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
I bet that Salamander guy that Kirito has given the loot to, will play an important role later on...
Surely he's gonna vouch for him in the rows of Salamanders or something.
And then all the races united, will go save Asuna! xD
Honestly, I'm sad at the lack of urgency Kirito shows to save his girlfriend
Poor Asuna....
Gotta hate Lyfa for distracting him from his main mission. Would like ALO much more if it was only Kirito.
|2012-11-11, 05:49
|Link #159
Seeking alliance is good though...
Regarding Lyfa... I pity her for her hopeless romance...
|2012-11-11, 06:10
|Link #160
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Gaining the trust of other races may be beneficial to his main mission in the long run, assuming the theory no race alone can reach the world tree is true. Kirito also learned from SAO that having good partners (eg. Asuna) is easier than soloing, especially at higher levels.
|Thread Tools


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July 21, 2012–January 20, 2013
Artists were captivated by the drastically changing industrial landscape of America during the Machine Age, the period from the early 1910s to the late 1940s. They represented factories, gas tanks, skyscrapers, and steel mills in a range of styles and techniques.
This exhibition presents photographs, prints, and drawings that focus on these increasingly visible modern marvels, celebrating the monumental grandeur of industry in America.