text:
You can read eBook content on your iOS device using a variety of apps. In this article, I'll give you some tips on finding some great free eBooks using a variety of iOS eReaders. The following steps assume that you have installed the app on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad.
Barnes & Noble NOOK
Free, iPhone/iPod touch: app2.me/2814, iPad: app2.me/2542; accesses the Barnes & Noble eBook store.
Find free eBooks:
- Open the app and tap on the Shop page in your eBook list.
- Tap on the NOOKbooks tab at the top of the page.
- Tap on Free NOOKbooks at the bottom of the first column of the pop-up menu.
- Find your eBook and tap on Get Free eBook to download it. (You will be asked to furnish a credit card number for future purchases, but it will not be charged for free eBooks.)
Borders eBooks
Free, all devices: app2.me/3652; accesses the Borders online eBook store.
Find free eBooks:
- Open app and tap the Store tab at the top of the page.
- Scroll to the bottom and tap on FREE eBooks.
- Find your eBook and tap on the download button below the title's cover page. (You will be asked to sign in to your account or create it if you don't already have one. You will not be asked to furnish a credit card unless you are downloading a paid title.)
Free, all devices: app2.me/2403; accesses Apple's iBookstore.
Find free eBooks:
- Open the app and tap on the Store button at the top left of the screen.
- Tap on the Browse button at the bottom of the screen.
- By default, all authors are listed alphabetically. You can tap the Categories button at the top of the screen and narrow your choices to History, Humor, Fiction & Literature, etc.
- Tap on the Free button at the top of the screen to display authors with free eBooks.
- Select your author of choice in the list. (Many authors give away free previews of several chapters of new books in the free section, but here you will find mostly classics.)
- Select the title of your choice and tap on the Free button, which changes to Get Book.
- Tap Get Book and enter your password to download it.
Free, all devices: app2.me/2482; accesses Amazon's Kindle eBook store.
Find free eBooks:
- Open the app, go to Kindle's Home screen, and top on the Shop In Kindle Store button in the upper right.
- In the left column of the screen, go to the Special Features section and top on Free eBook Collections.
- In the first paragraph of the center section, tap on the "most popular classics" link.
- Find the eBook and tap on the Buy link next to the price, which should be $0.00.
- Tap on the Buy now with 1-Click button in the right column. If you are not already logged on to your Amazon.com account, you will be asked to do so. If you have more than one Kindle device/app, you will be asked to select which you wish the eBook to be sent to.
Free, app2.me/218; accesses 15 online eBook stores (not including amazon.com).
Find free eBooks:
- Open the app and tap on the Get Books tab at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap on the Catalog tab at the top of the page.
- Select from a source in the free book section. Note that some of these sources also have paid content, and some of the sources in the Bookstores section also have free content.
- Once you have selected your title of choice, download and enjoy.
Sync eBook content using iTunes
The Kindle, Borders, and Stanza apps let you sync eBook content downloaded on your desktop computer with your iOS device. To use this feature, you must have the apps installed on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad.
Stanza is probably the best app for this because it lets you sync books downloaded from its eBook sources and other sites that offer content in the ePub format. (ePub is an open e-book standard by the International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF). Files have the extension .epub.) Many sites offer content in ePub format. Two of my favorite places to trawl for free sci-fi stuff are baen.com/library and tor.com (the latter requires an account to download free stories).
Sync to Stanza using iTunes
- Browse to one of the sites mentioned above on your desktop computer and download free content in ePub format.
Connect your iOS device to your computer and sync it with iTunes.
- Select your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad in the Devices list in the left column of iTunes.
- Tap on the Apps tab at the top of the screen.
- Scroll to the File Sharing section at the bottom of the screen and select the app you want to sync with in the Apps list—in this case, Stanza.
- Tap on the Add button below the document list and navigate to the free books you have previously grabbed.
- Select the book and click on the Open button.
- Click the Sync button back in iTunes to move it to your device.
My recommended free eBook list...
Note: Unless otherwise indicated, these books can be found at FeedBooks.com.
Rafael Sabatini: His stories often feature pirates that make Jack Sparrow look like a wimp. (Check out Captain Blood.)
Cory Doctorow: great cyber/sci-fi story teller, though his characters can get a bit preachy at times. (I love For The Win, and Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom.)
Nicky Charles: My wife likes the man/wolf pack stuff almost as much as the Twilight books. (I liked The Mating.)
Marc Horne: His edgy writing makes me think first and then laugh. I'm not exactly sure what I'd call the genre—maybe a kind of cyberpunk—but it's just cool. (Tokyo Zero was weird but good.)
Peter Watts: Most of his stories scare and depress me about the future of the world. I especially liked the notion of surviving under the sea described in his Rifters trilogy (Starfish, Maelstrom, and Behemoth).
Shayne Parkinson (smashwords.com): Sentence of Marriage, a freebie about a young girl in New Zealand, really reeled me right in. I might have to buy the next book (Mud and Gold) to find out what happened to Amy, her daughter, and no-account Jimmy.
The Book of 5 Rings by Miyamoto Musashi. Just look it up, get it, and read it. All you noob FPS and MMORPG gamers out there should start with this.
Harry Turtledove (baen.com/library/authors.htm): One of my all-time favorites. Some of his best reads can be had for free at baen.com.
Use Stanza to convert existing eBook content
If you already downloaded non-DRM eBooks to your computer, you can convert them to ePub format using the desktop version of Stanza (free, Mac, or PC versions available, lexcycle.com/desktop). Simply install the application on your desktop, open the desired eBook, and save it as an ePub file. You can then import it to your iOS device through iTunes. You can also use the desktop version of Stanza to create your own eBooks (e.g., class notes, interesting Web posts, compilations of free stories downloaded from the Web, etc.).
Grab Library ebooks using Overdrive Media Console
Want to check out eBooks from a nearby library? You can do that (audio and eBook reads) using the free OverDrive Media Console (free, app2.me/3685). You need a valid library card and internet access. You can search for a participating library or bookstore on this website (search.overdrive.com).


text:
Morales returns envoys to Europe after apologies
LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — Bolivian President Evo Morales says he's returning his ambassadors to Spain, France, Italy and Portugal after the European nations apologized for refusing to let his plane fly over amid apparent suspicions U.S. leaker Edward Snowden was aboard.
Morales told reporters Wednesday he's not fully satisfied with the apologies but maintaining respectful relations is important.
Bolivia says the countries forced Morales to make an unscheduled 14-hour stop on July 2 in Vienna where he eventually allowed Austrian border police to search it.
Morales says the countries were acting at Washington's behest.
He was returning home from Moscow, where Snowden has been holed at Sheremetyevo airport after his l disclosures about the U.S. National Security Agency's spying on its citizens and other nations.
Bolivia and Washington have lacked ambassadors since 2008.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
|2012-02-02, 21:30
|Link #1162
Takao Tsundere Cruiser
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Classified
|2012-02-03, 22:04
|Link #1163
Paper-Fan of DOOM!!
Join Date: Jul 2010
Don't know about you, but with the awareness of the Tuskeegee Airmen hopefully being raised by Red Tails, I for one would NOT mind seeing these African-American Sky-Warriors represented as the next Liberion Witch.
Why not? Fuso has Two Witches, and Karsland has THREE. And just as long as they keep the portrayal respectful and non-stereotyped (Nadia from Secret of Blue Water is a perfect example) it would be a breath of fresh air to see a non-light-skinned witch in possible future continuations of the franchise.
|2012-02-04, 12:29
|Link #1165
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Unfortunately I'm not sure the creators of Strike Witches are quite that progressive, though I wouldn't mind being proven wrong on that account.
The main artist for the Strike Witches 1940 and Strike Witches 1991 projects might like the idea though (assuming that movie is even available in Japanese). He's done character concepts for Strike Witches versions of several World War II films (such as Pearl Harbor and The Battle of the Bulge), and he seemed quite happy to take my suggestion for a Gallian Navy witch with African ancestory for his Strike Witches 1991 project. You can find her picture on safebooru. (If you're willing to put up with a NSFW site, you can find the picture with accompanying commentary on danbooru. Unfortunately her written profile isn't very detailed since I sent a very basic outline of the character with the intention of sending more details if the artist liked it, but so far I've had trouble getting help with translating those follow up details.*)
*Yes, I am hoping one of you might be able to help me with this. :P If you're willing then please send me a PM.
|2012-02-05, 12:35
|Link #1167
Takao Tsundere Cruiser
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Classified
|2012-02-05, 14:16
|Link #1168
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Spoken probably isn't the right word, we've communicated via messages on Pixiv. It's been a bit difficult because we really need a translator to do so properly. Solamarle does great work when he's around (those of you who have been reading translated Strike Witches 1991 character profiles on Danbooru have him to thank for most of them, as well as a good chunk of the translation work that was done for the Battle of Britannia doujin), but he tends to disappear for long periods of time.
Francesca's grand daughter Gabriella Luchinni, the aforementioned Gallian Navy witch Nathalie Sagna, and Baltland Air Force Viggen witch Alicia Eriksson are the results of the messages we've exchanged. (I've sometimes worried about sending too many suggestions, but he seems to like them.)
|2012-02-08, 07:23
|Link #1169
Takao Tsundere Cruiser
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Classified
Anyway, here's the Strike Witches movie trailer.
|2012-02-08, 09:28
|Link #1171
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Age: 28
Trailer looks good, new witches and Lynette is still in it <3
Out of interest, does anyone know if the 360 version of Strike Witches Shirogane no Tsubasa was any good? They're porting it to PSP and the LE comes with a Lynette Nendo which I might want ><
Last edited by Qikz; 2012-02-09 at 07:25. Reason: Added a question
|2012-03-17, 08:55
|Link #1174
Takao Tsundere Cruiser
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Classified
Strike Witches Film Ends With "To Be Continued" Note
Ohhh...maybe about the other witches?
|2012-03-19, 05:32
|Link #1176
Likely To End Up In Jail
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Your base,stealing your Knightmares.
I just hope whatever comes up next will get rid of the fanservice. Seriously,Shirley (or was it Charlotte) might be a great "pilot" and all that but I don't need to see her in a bathtub,it adds nothing to the plot.
|2012-03-19, 08:14
|Link #1177
An F-15 Fanboi
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Philippines
It's was a lighthearted title from the start with bonus action or something. I also wished for it to be more about the neuroi war initially.
But.. I accepted the cold hard fact, that Strike Witches is a fanservice anime and will always be like that. No more no less.
Maybe you could try some of the Africa Doujins though. They say it's somewhat a bit more balanced with more action/story.
|2012-03-20, 19:45
|Link #1178
Takao Tsundere Cruiser
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Classified
|2012-05-03, 11:46
|Link #1179
Takao Tsundere Cruiser
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Classified
Strike Witches Manga Spinoff Posted for Free in English
Now i'll just have to learn how register at Niconico...
|2012-06-28, 23:14
|Link #1180
Senior Member
IT Support
Join Date: Mar 2009
The Strike Witches Movie BD/DVD is set to release on October 26, 2012. I apologies for the freshman question, but is there a separate thread here for the Strike Witches movie?
|kemonomimi, light novel adaptation, magic, mecha, mecha musume
|Thread Tools


text: Wednesday, July 06, 2011 URL for Move Forward Consumer Facebook Page Updated The address for the Move Forward consumer Facebook page has been changed to www.facebook.com/moveforwardpt. When the page was initially launched APTA was only able to secure www.facebook.com/move4wardpt (with the number '4' and not the word 'forward' spelled out, as is the case with the association's YouTube and Twitter page addresses) for the consumer fan page. If you are currently linking to the consumer Facebook page through your e-mail signature or on your Web site, be certain to update the address. The old URL does not redirect to the new page.


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"Where America's Motoring Past Meets The Future - On Route 66."
The Official Mascot of Route 66 (and Chambless!) www.kicksters.com
Get your Kicks t-shirts and more at our official online store!
Old Route 66
Near of Chambless.
Chambless Facts...
When the Santa Fe Railroad established the towns along present-day Route 66 between Barstow and Needles, they named them in alphabetical order: Amboy, Bagdad, Cadiz*, Danby, Essex, Fenner, Goff, Homer, Ibis, Java, Khartoum.
James Albert Chambless
of Arkansas established a homestead at an intersection of Cadiz road with the National Trails Road in the early 1920's. The Automobile Club of Southern California reported a store in this location in the late 1920's, after the road was designated as part of Route 66. In 1932 the highway was realigned, and the business followed it; a gas station, motel and store were added, and by 1939 a post office, tourist cabins, and a café were operating here.
During World War II General Patton trained over two million men to survive in the desert (as they would in North Africa) in and around the 10 thousand square miles of desert near
. In the end, the Second Corps swept through North Africa as if they knew their way around-with no surprises their own desert hadn't already shown them.
Today the businesses have closed, but many of the buildings, including the store and tourist cabins, remain.
- The Route 66 Traveler's Guide by Tom Snyder
(*corrected information)
Chambless, CA
What it looks like today...
Route 66 - A Road to Remember
Before the Interstate highway system, there was Route 66, a principal east-west artery across the United States from Chicago to the California coast of the Pacific Ocean.
Its path was practical, traversing mainly prairie lands and temperate climates, convenient and comfortable for most travelers, whether they were tourists or truckers. Its history mirrors the nation's troubles in the 1930s and '40s, the Great Depression and World War II, and its emerging mobility and optimism in the Post War 1950s.
Ironically, says the National Historic Route 66 Federation, the need for rapid mobility and improved highways that made Route 66 so popular also brought about its demise. After 1956, with the federal interstate and defense highways system, highways would be divided, and they wouldn't take a traveler through the small, medium and large communities of the nation.
Farm-to-Market Road
Route 66 was planned by Congress in 1926, intending to connect the main streets of rural and urban communities. Its diagonal path through rural communities in Illinois, Missouri, and Kansas connected the farms in the prairies to Chicago. Truckers found the westward path easier to travel than routes farther north, due to milder weather.
The California Migration on Route 66
Route 66 carried many of estimated 210,000 Americans who migrated to California in the 1930s, fleeing the despair of the Dust Bowl.
Who built Route 66? Thousands of unemployed male youths from nearly every state were put to work as laborers on road gangs to pave the final stretches of the road during the financially lean years of 1933-38. It was a monumental job, and it helped prepare the nation for mobilizing troops for World War II. Route 66 was an efficient route to the West, the ideal place for military training bases.
Servicemen Move West on Route 66
Servicemen returning from WWII frequently chose to relocate from their past home states to the West and South, and Route 66 facilitated their moves. The Route 66 federation says one of those servicemen, Bobby Troup, wrote the song with the catch phrase, "get your kicks on Route 66." Troup was a musician who had played piano with the Tommy Dorsey band. The recording artist was Nat King Cole.
America Travels on Route 66
In the 1960s, although the interstate and defense highway system was under construction, Route 66 was still a favorite corridor. A new generation of motorists was ready to hit the road and stay in the new motor courts with swimming pools, as customers of the Route 66 restaurants, gas stations, and souvenir shops. Even if Route 66 was not outside your door, it was inside your living room on American TV. Route 66 was a popular weekly television show, starring Martin Milner and George Maharis.
Recapturing the Route 66 Mood
Today, Americans try to recapture the aura of freedom earlier generations felt when they traveled Route 66 by restoring the road itself, where possible, and preserving the 1950s and 1960s buildings that characterized the old Route 66. There are also commemorative post cards, tours, even festivals and associations formed in each state Route 66 traversed.
The Route 66 Encyclopedia
New from Drew Knowles. With this handy reference, novices and seasoned roadies have quick and easy access to essential information about this famous highway.
Route 66 Blogs!
Route 66 Chronicles
Building A Route 66 Library, Part One
2 years ago
Route 66 News
Big move is imminent
7 years ago
Spring Break 66
Route 66 in Oklahoma: Mile 69
10 years ago
Annees Vinyl 66
The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies - Our All New Season
Route 66 Links
Chambles Weather Report
National Park Service Program
KICKS-Official Mascot of Route 66
Route 66 University
Route 66 Magazine
Blog Archive
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text:
Last week, Mr. Craggs dared to express concern about the upcoming Tebow FOTF commercial. He got some mail. Here's a smattering of screeching protest, strident opinions and ridiculous insults about his post on Super Bowl XLI's most talked about ad.
The Calm
* Dear Tommy,
It will be a great ad. Relax and enjoy it. Why are you getting so upset? It will be a nice change from some of those ads.
Go Tebow.
sincerely, kathleen
* Mr. Craggs,
Your "Tim Tebow commercial" deadspin post is still asking the wrong questions. The intention of the commercial is not to convince people who are in danger from complications with pregnancy to not get abortions. The obvious intention of the commercial is to get people to think twice about aborting or not because having a child can be a great thing and a blessing to the parents. This is obvious when you have such a successful son like Tebow. So honestly, I hope you are smarter than you appear in this article and you are just making it a joke by trying to take it so literally. You don't have to be a Christian or practice any religion to have enjoyments in your life like that from a child.
* So what you're saying is that you don't believe in the 1st Amendment or capitalism. Or, you think that Pro-Life groups do not have a voice in this culture and that CBS can only air pro-choice ads in order to make money on Super Bowl Sunday, correct?
So do you have this same outrage when liberals attempt to indoctrinate through the use of film and television? Of course not.
Face it, you are scared of the truth. If Tebow and other Pro Life groups are just a bunch of quacks then you have nothing to be afraid of. Because if that's the case then people who see the commercial will just shake their head, see how irrational these people are and dismiss these people as idiots that just wasted millions of dollars while all of you Choice Americans could simply leave the room and get a beer out of the fridge.
* I'm a pretty open person. I read your "words" on the Tebow situation. I try not to discuss the abortion issue, even as a catholic, but after reading comments like the one below you have to understand why people are coming out against your brand of vitriol. It's not accurate, it's not funny, it's not valid. What it is, is sick.
"But the Tebows' message should be called for what it is, and what it is is outright quackery that doesn't differ appreciably from my going on television with a toy stethoscope and urging America to start treating itself with leeches."
sorry for you.
* Dear Mr. Craggs,
I love Deadspin and I am an avid reader of the site. I just read your post on Tebow, and I must say I'm a little surprised. I am a pro-life supporter, and a born again Christian, so feel free to disregard my opinion as biased and uninformed, however, the fact that this 30 second spot is recieving so much attention boggles my mind. We haven't seen the ad yet, which is part of the reason I find all of this debate ridiculous, but the big problem I have is this: Is the ad going to be graphic? I sincerely doubt it. Does anyone say that abortion should or shouldn't be legal? I doubt that as well. Are we being told anything that is untrue? By all accounts, no. I honestly don't see the issue here. Abortion might be a sensative issue, but a majority of Pro-life supporters, myself included, recognize that legal reform is never going to happen, so that's ridiculous. And, as far as encouraging women not to follow their doctor's orders? It would have to be a heck of an ad to make that happen. What's Tebow supposed to do? Not talk about how blessed he's been in his life? Saying this is a ploy seems overly harsh, especially since its one ad in a hundred. Maybe this is what happens when we move past beer and erectile disfunction commercials, but this kind of firestorm is asinine. He's not saying everyone should do it, he's not bashing people with aborted fetuses (like Sports Pickle talks about,) and he's not saying if it was right or wrong. Maybe I'll feel differently after I see the ad, but I doubt it.
One of the reasons Ali is considered such a great athelete was that he took a stand. Now, Tebow isn't Ali, and he'll never be the most recognizable figure in football, but I can't help but wonder if the reason he isn't being championed is because the majority of the media disagrees with his position. Charles Pierce, a friend of your site, claimed this was an "attempt to hijack the Super Bowl on behalf of anti-choice propaganda" on his blog. Isn't that at least a little harsh? You all could be at least a little more balanced, as well. But then again, what do I know? I'm just a twenty year old white guy from Tennessee.
I'm sorry to take up your time, and I hope that I didn't come off as bigoted or offensive, and I really do love the site. Keep up the good work.
God Bless,
* Tommy,
I just read your piece on the underlying message expected in the Tim Tebow / Focus On The Family Super Bowl spot. I'm a conservative southern Christian. I'm a former pro-choicer who's firmly in the pro-life camp now. I listen to Jim Dobson on Christian radio on a fairly regular basis and have read a couple of his books. I'm also a huge college football fan. All this to say, (and hold on to your hat here) I'm uncomfortable with what we all expect from this commercial for the same core reason you are. To use what ultimately happed in Tim's life after the Tebows chose life over abortion as a reason for others to make that choice sends a dangerous message. I imagine that you and I would differ on exactly why it is a dangerous message, but we agree that it is, in fact, dangerous.
I just thought you might get a kick out of hearing from someone of my profile who agrees with the core of your argument.
* I am a Rabbi and I agree with you 100%
I wrote almost the exact same thing you wrote on my blog.
Wondering what you think?
Tim Tebow's Pro-Life Superbowl Ad is Heartwarming and Reckless
Eliyahu Fink
* I haven't seen the ad (maybe I'll see it Sunday) but it seems to me that if a woman's doctor is recommending an abortion and she sees the Tebow commercial 'recommending' that she not abort the fetus it's still her choice. What's wrong with pointing out that if a woman opts to keep her child, it may turn out to be someone like Tim Tebow?
* Tommy,
I did have to chuckle at a certain part of your article on Tebow. When my 14
year old son's index finger was torn off in a boat hoist, he was told that
it was not attachable. The blood vessels were stretched to the diameter of
the tip of a sharpened pencil.
Needless to say, that my son pleaded for the surgeon to at least try to
attach it. The surgeon agreed to give it a try, but would not promise
anything. The finger came out of surgery dark grey. It didn't look good. You
know what saved it? You got it! LEECHES. Six days of them. You see, often a
limb, deprived of blood flow, will reestablish new capillaries to deliver
blood to the limb, if you can give it enough time to do so without the limb
dying. The leeches would attach at the end of his finger and draw blood
through it so that the finger would get the oxygen it needed while the new
capillaries were forming. Sure enough, after six days, his finger no longer
needed the leeches and started healing on its own. By they way, the leeches
also would have told the doctors if the finger were dead. They won't feed on
dead skin.
And yes, this was done at KU Medical Center, not at home.
They are also using lab grown maggots to naturally debride the skin on burn
Aside from all of this, I don't know why everyone is so taken aback by the
Tebow ad. Are you afraid that someone will decide against having an
abortion? Isn't that the whole point of being pro-choice?
Best Regards,
The Not-So-Calm
* Keep to sports and stay out of the abortion debate.
every surgical abortion occurs on a human larger than this
(and this is from video taken 40 years ago, so don't act like we don't know)
* I'm sure you've heard this before, (probably quite a few times), but you're wrong. Big time...in a big way. You sound simply mortified. I will pray for you.
I realize you're entitled to a misguided, inept, half-witted opinion, but you're wrong.
Have you not learned anything about what is right in life?
I guess not, because you're plain and simply wrong.
Have a nice day. Please don't hate.
* Dear Mr. Craggs: Have you ever stepped back and taken an honest, OBJECTIVE look at yourself? You call the Tebows "quacks" because they wish to air a message of their beliefs that happens to be against your own beliefs. So you want THAT ad not to be allowed to run, while you express your own views over and over and over. If the lack of freedom to express their beliefs applies to them, then why doesn't it apply to you?? What's good for the goose is good for the gander, isn't it? The last time I read the Constitution - which is recently and often, because I teach constitutional law - the First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech AND freedom of religion. You have the right under our great Constitution to believe anything you want and to preach it to your heart's content. But you don't want anyone who disagrees with you to have the same rights. Fortunately, our Constitution gives EVERYONE those rights. Grow up, Mr. Craggs, and become an American, the great land with a place for everyone who wants to subscribe to the freedoms - AND responsibilities - we offer. Disagree with anyone and everyone you please - but PLEASE, accord others the same rights you want and expect for yourself.
* Sounds like "Dead"-Spin is the correct name for your article. You anti-child pro-aborts are so predictable: you can't take it when a true-story puts a plug in for the ProLife-movement. For someone who considers himself pro-choice and pro-woman, you sure do have a low opinion of their collective intelligence. You think that women with high-risk pregnancies are going to die by the truck-loads just because they saw this story air during the Super Bowl? Women are smart enough to weigh the risks to their own health and safety when complications during pregnancy arise, no matter what media they have been viewing.
I didn't see you object to any 9/11 coverage of the firefighters who put their lives on the line to rescue people, so why are you so upset about the coverage of a woman who loved her son enough to risk her own life so that he might have a chance to live? There is nothing more or less heroic about one than the other. Why shouldn't she have taken the risk, and why can't we celebrate this victory for life and share it with others? You are correct, not every high-risk pregnancy turns out this happily, but what's wrong with taking a shot at saving both lives? Or are you afraid that once people start seeing that a baby's life is a very precious thing they will stop killing off their kids? Or is it because you're a guy and you don't want any of your one-night stands kicking you in the wallet for child-support?
* I just read your thoughts on Tim Tebow and his mom choice to
continue her pregnancy. I think she should be praised and not
admonished. Also, it should be none of you business if she wants
to be part of an ad that cost you nothing.
Buy you own ad and tells us why she made a mistake on this Super
Bowl or next.
* Sir, I don't know who you are or where you received your formation as a human being, but you way off base in your criticism of the focus on the Family ad. If your pro-choice stance is true and just why be afraid of a mother giving testimony to the birth of her son.
It 's true that people have always done abortions and that didn't really change until Christianity came into existence - it has to do with the absolute value of every human life, even yours. It is not cool to kill unborn children and it is unbelievably twisted that it is portrayed as a worse thing to shoot a partial birth abortion hack( which is still wrong) than what the guy did for a living. Do you have the honesty and guts to even consider the realities involved here. I hope so. Do you realize most of the concern for others, the environment, the development of education and science as we know it, our legal system and many freedoms would not exist without Christianity. Please read What's so great about Christianity by D'nesh Dsouza,minds are like parachutes... that works all ways. There is an objective truth and maybe you can find that out before it is too late. I'll say a prayer for you at Mass tomorrow morning.
* It's hard to believe this of you, but you REALLY ARE REALLY SCARED, aren't you? Scared of facts, from which viewers can draw their own conclusions. "Dangerous" you call the Tebow ad. There is definitely cravenness going on here, but not in the CBS camp. In yours. Arising probably from panic that the tide of public opinion has turned, and today more Americans oppose abortion than support it. What caused that? Facts. The ones that have turned you craven.
* My mother taught me to be kind to people with physical limitations, and because you are blind, I will be nice. Here's the real 'inconvenient truth': Life begins at conception, everything necessary for human life is present at conception and therefore a human being is present at conception. Using scientific terminology for the various stages of development doesn't negate the fact a human being is developing inside the mother's womb. I pray you will have an earth-shattering event that cures your blindness and opens your eyes to the real 'inconvenient truth.' May God help you. Steve
The Irate
* Yikes....What a low-IQ, left-wing JERKOFF you are !!!! Did you ever graduate from Ding Dong School ???
Fred Fittin
* Dear Mr. Craggs:
Notwithstanding the Senior Editor nameplate, I'm guessing Deadspin will have to cut you loose after your ignorant Tim Tebow diatribe – you should have stuck to actual sports, I suppose. Good luck!
Just for fun, try to let this bit of thought creep into your closed mind:
Does a non-famous sports blogger and his buddies have any business telling a national Internet audience, in crippled language or otherwise, that we should ignore the prerogatives of individuals to make their own choices and suffer or enjoy whatever the consequences may be?
I realize that's not a very "progressive" thought, since you and your toy
stethoscope microphone know best for all of us, but do try to think outside your box a bit, and see the wider world.
* Dear Mr. Cragg,
You are a pathetic excuse for a man. You ought to be ashamed of yourself for the abhorrent spin that you've put on the CBS Tim Tebow commercial to air Super Bowl Sunday. Isn't it wonderful to live in these United States of America where we can exercise our 1st Amendment rights? Enjoy, because it may not be a freedom in the very near future. You pro death folks just as the prolife are guaranteed one thing I can assure you. You will meet God face to face, like it or not believe it or not and He'll question you & ask why you did not defend His most precious gifts to mankind ;i.e., unborn babies. They are the VICTIMS of some who choose to murder them. The 5th commandment is Thou Shall Not Kill. To ignore the facts does not change the facts. Even the most liberal/radical scientists have come out & said "life begins at conception." I hope and pray for you and the like that you soon have a conversion so as to save your own soul from damnation. God have mercy on America because like Pope John Paul II said "A nation that destroys its own children is a nation without hope." Enjoy Tim Tebow's message. Learn from his God given talents, courage and fortitude. It's a wonderful opportunity for pro death people to ponder his mother's great decision to choose life.
* SUBJECT: Biggest Fuc*ing Jerk who has a Website
That's You !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And the ad hasn't even aired yet. Come Monday, I presume the online discourse will get more lively, with even more counter-strikes and loud-talking about it, hopefully from magna cum laude graduates of Ding Dong School .
Regardless of how you feel about Focus On The Family, they're clearly marketing geniuses.


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Aaron Parks always assumed he'd play college basketball somewhere on the East Coast. That notion, however, changed in a hurry for the Lake Clifton grad about one week ago.
Parks, who has spent the past year at Notre Dame Prep (Mass.), got a call from an assistant coach at Cal State Northridge inviting him to take an official visit to the Big West school. So the 6-foot-3, 198-pound combo guard packed his bags for Southern California over the weekend and returned home to Baltimore as the Matadors' newest commitment.
"I feel pretty good," Parks said Monday. "Just a weight lifted off my shoulders. All the hard work I put in finally paid off."
Parks, who also considered UNC-Wilmington and St. Bonaventure, is the first recruit for new Matadors coach Reggie Theus, the former Sacramento Kings coach and a long-time NBA player.
"My father and everybody knew who he was," Parks said. "Then I looked him up and I [saw] the type of background he had. He was the coach at New Mexico State. I did some research on him, found out he was a former NBA player and NBA coach. So I said, 'Dang, that's a big plus.'"
Even though he led Lake Clifton to the 2012 Class 2A state championship, and starred for Cecil Kirk on the AAU circuit, Parks said he had "not really that many looks" from colleges. A Baltimore Sun first-team All-Metro selection, Parks headed to Notre Dame Prep to "get more exposed" to Division I schools.
"It was a big difference, because when I played for Lake Clifton, I played out of position [as a forward]," Parks said. "I had to do what I had to do for my coach, Coach [Herman] Tree [Harried]. That's how we became champions. When I was [at Notre Dame Prep], I was ... playing point guard and shooting guard, able to expose my talents."
The new Cal State Northridge staff became aware of Parks thanks to his play at Notre Dame Prep. Theus -- who Parks said reminded him of Harried -- wants the former Lakers star to rotate between the 1 and 2, serving as a scorer and facilitator.
Parks said he loved everything about his visit to Northridge, which was his first trip to California. He's looking forward to spending the next four years out West.
"I never thought I would be able to go to the West Coast. Growing up in Baltimore, I always thought I'd be playing on the East Coast," Parks said. "[Cal State Northridge is] where I belong. ... Everybody is really happy for me. My family is really happy I'm able to go to school for free and fulfill my dreams."


text: I am relatively new to painting creating my first in 2012. I have drawn before this using graphite, coloured pencil and charcoal. A few drawing examples are posted here. I bought a set of acrylic paints in 2012 and give it a try. Landscapes, buildings and portraits. I paint and draw in the traditional realistic style. Sometimes this takes time to get detail correct so I work mostly from my own photographs and sketches at home. Living in Wales, United Kingdom my paintings are of that country with a few others from places I have visited. I hope to expand in the future with other locations. No exhibitions or artistic qualifications I`m afraid, I just enjoy the creative process, it gives me a lot of pleasure and relaxation.My paintings are signed Ken Williams.Email address: email@example.com


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OKANOGAN Months of investigative work, help from the public and Facebook posts assisted state wildlife agents in tracking down three local men suspected of killing deer, decapitating them and leaving their bodies to rot.
The case, dubbed the "Okanogan County Killing Spree Case" by wildlife agents, has been referred to the Okanogan County Prosecutor's Office for charging.
As of Sept. 23, no charges had been filed against the suspects, Garret Elsberg, 24; Ryan Bradshaw, 23, and Robert Bradshaw, 26.
Prosecuting Attorney Karl Sloan said the case "is in review for charging." He declined further comment.
After receiving several reports of dead and decapitated deer, wildlife "officers began to coordinate with each other on the possibility of a serial poaching," state Department of Fish and Wildlife Sgt. Dan Christensen wrote in a probable cause statement. "It appeared that these deer, from citizen reports, were being hunted at night with the aid of a motor vehicle."
The statement was part of a 571-page document submitted to Sloan's office. Christensen's printed copy is contained in a four-inch-thick three-ring binder.
"This has been a decimating event" to the area's deer population, Christensen said in an interview. Investigators have asked for charges related to seven deer deaths, but there may be as many as 29.
Christensen, one of several investigators, said one break in the case came when two outdoorsmen allegedly recognized the head of a 3x4 buck known as the "pitchfork buck" on Elsberg's Facebook page.
The mule deer buck, familiar to people in the Salmon Creek area west of Okanogan, had three antler prongs on one side in a shape resembling a pitchfork and four prongs on the other side in a more conventional pattern, with two of the prongs in a palmated pattern, Christensen said.
The two outdoorsmen also had seen a story in The Chronicle about a rash of headless deer carcasses being found and knew someone was poaching, the sergeant said.
"We were investigating all these headless deer complaints. The public kept pointing to" the same suspect, he said.
The biggest break came when wildlife agents, using one of several sealed warrants issued in the case, were able to seize a deer head and match it genetically to a carcass found in the Malott area, Christensen said. The carcass was found on the west side of the Okanogan River, but the head was located on the Colville Indian Reservation.
The case began last fall and continued through winter 2013 when several large mule deer bucks were found killed in the Okanogan-Malott area and left to waste, with only the heads removed, a probable cause statement by wildlife officer Jason Day said.
Among them, one was found at Rock Creek off Loup Loup Pass, two were found in an apple orchard near Okanogan, another was found on B&O Road south of Okanogan and one was found in a Malott orchard.
"With no modern firearm hunting seasons occurring at the time of the incidents and the meat being unlawfully left to spoil, the cases were each separately investigated as unlawful acts of poaching for trophy deer antlers," Day's report said.
Then, in mid-January, then-Sgt. Jim Brown received a tip from a "highly trusted confidential informant" with a photo allegedly showing Elsberg with a deer head believed to be from the pitchfork buck. Brown has since been promoted to North-Central Washington regional director of the state Fish and Wildlife Department.
The informant also provided photos of the buck while it was alive and living in the Salmon Creek-Green Lake area.
"As a Colville member, Elsberg can hunt under tribal rules east of the Okanogan River to the Canadian border, but west of the river, he must purchase a state license and follow state law," the report said.
Elsberg had not purchased a state hunting license, Day's report said.
The report also said two detectives with the North Central Washington Narcotics Task Force recognized the buck.
Investigators allegedly checked Elsberg's Facebook page and found photos of several other deer heads and quotes "implying a deer had been killed at night" and that one had been killed at more than 400 yards.
Day's statement said Elsberg had a domestic violence conviction and is prohibited from possessing firearms.
Other tips indicated young men had been seen loading deer heads into a pickup truck from a hole in the ground behind MNB Smoke Shop, 70 Rodeo Trail Road, Okanogan. The shop allegedly belongs to Elsberg's grandparents.
The report said photos of deer heads posted on Elsberg's Facebook page were determined to be taken at the smoke shop and the Malott-area home of Elsberg's friend, Robert Bradshaw.
Then, on Jan. 25, officers responded to a freshly killed and beheaded deer in a Malott apple orchard near Old Highway 97.
"The deer was still warm from being shot the night before," Day's report said.
Brown obtained a sealed search warrant, which was executed early the next morning. A mule deer buck head was found in the hole behind the smoke shop, the report alleged.
DNA samples were submitted to the Department of Fish and Wildlife lab in Olympia and found to match the body found in Malott.
"Information continued to arrive from informants in the community," the report said.
Another person provided a photo allegedly showing Ryan Bradshaw, brother of Robert, holding a large deer head, and Elsberg allegedly boasted of killing as many as 29 deer that year.
Another tip was received that many deer heads were in a horse trailer in the Kartar Valley, and a county jail inmate gave a recorded statement saying the Bradshaws, Elsberg and another man had been going out at night and shooting large mule deer bucks, but that only Elsberg and Ryan Bradshaw had killed them. The inmate alleged several dead deer were located at Robert Bradshaw's home near Malott.
The report said a vehicle tracker warrant was granted for Elsberg's vehicles, and a warrant was obtained for two houses in the Kartar Valley, the smoke shop, Robert Bradshaw's house and Elsberg's father's house on Salmon Creek.
Two dead deer allegedly were found at Bradshaw's home, and a .45-caliber bullet was removed from one deer.
Meanwhile, Elsberg was arrested for driving while suspended and a .45-caliber bullet was found in his pocket, the report said. Two .45-caliber handguns were recovered at the home of his ex-girlfriend.
The report alleged the girlfriend had taken a rifle after being tipped off about the search warrant execution, and that other people may have been involved in removing the rifle. The rifle was never found.
Eight trophy deer heads were recovered from a horse trailer in the Kartar Valley. DNA from three matched deer bodies previously recovered, including two found by investigators. One allegedly matched a headless body found at Robert Bradshaw's home.
Additional warrants were obtained for Facebook and cellphone information.
"Facebook information posted by Elsberg, Ryan and Robert Bradshaw, Angel Nunez and Zachary Arthurs indicates the pattern of night time hunting for trophy deer had been occurring over the entire winter," the probable cause statement said.
Fish and Wildlife "feels it has an excellent case against Garret Elsberg, Ryan Bradshaw and Robert Bradshaw regarding the unlawful hunting of big game animals. The pattern of repeated behavior meets the statutory requirements for spree killing, making each deer hunting violation (a) felony-level offense," the report.
No arrests have been made.
A separate probable cause statement seeks charges against Elsberg of first-degree unlawful hunting of big game (multiple deer killed unlawfully in closed season and/or at night, and exceeding the limit), second-degree unlawful hunting of big game (no licenses or tags), unlawful hunting on the property of another, spotlighting big game (multiple counts) and waste of fish and wildlife (multiple counts, with bodies left to waste).
Probable cause statements seek charges sought against Ryan and Robert Bradshaw of second-degree unlawful hunting without a license, second-degree unlawful hunting without a transport tag, second-degree unlawful hunting in closed season, second-degree unlawful hunting after hours, second-degree unlawful hunting with aid of a motor vehicle, spotlighting of big game, waste of fish and wildlife, second-degree unlawful hunting on the Colville Indian Reservation and criminal conspiracy.
"This case is still under investigation as it is very large and involves multiple crimes spanning a period of several months involving numerous witnesses and suspects," Brown wrote in an April report. "More suspected crimes are currently being uncovered during this investigation."
At least one deer apparently was taken to a meat cutter to be wrapped, and some deer were shot and moved without the heads being cut off, the agents' reports said.
In all, agents documented a dozen deer killed off reservation.
Similar illegal hunting apparently occurred on the reservation, they said.
"These are violations that would need to be investigated by the Colville tribal natural resource enforcement officers as violations of the tribal code," Brown wrote.
Agents also obtained hundreds of pages of Facebook "chat" strings under warrant requests to the social media site.
"It is unlawful to hunt after hours, during the hours of darkness," Christensen wrote in his probable cause statement. In December, January and February, when most of the headless deer were found, all state modern firearms deer big game seasons are closed, but the deer were found warm, indicating recent death.
Investigating wildlife officers were Christensen, Brown, Troy McCormick, Danyl Klump, C. Anderson, Chris Busching, Graham Grant and Calvin Treser.
"It came down to the media and alert people," he said. "People want fairness."
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Saturday, March 3, 2012 3:38am ET by Newsdesk
Coldplay regret 'Mylo Xyloto' album name
Coldplay have admitted that they are beginning to regret calling their last album 'Mylo Xyloto'.
The album, which was released in 2011, features a title which Chris Martin calls "two words that you couldn't even Google."
Despite the confusing name, the album went on to receive widespread commercial success - but Martin told Good Morning America that the band are beginning to regret the title. He said:
"It's just something that we thought looked really good but everywhere we go around the world people pronounce it in the most crazy ways and we're beginning to regret it now."
As previously reported, modest Coldplay have put their recent Best British Group BRIT Award win down to purely "still being together" - citing the demise of bands such as Oasis as the reason for their own success.
Watch Coldplay performing on Good Morning America below:
Latest 10 Coldplay News Stories


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Here are some wonderful summery finds for you to enjoy!
****Click to visit Nancy Ellen Studios
This bright cotton wide brim hat is perfect for keeping the sun off your head while you are outside in your garden or relaxing at the beach. It is constructed of a bright modern cotton fabric. I used two layers of interfacing for the brim. The inside cap portion of the hat is lined with muslin. The muslin is a great lining fabric because it is loosely woven light weight fabric which allows air to move through it - great for those sunny days.
Measures: 22" (55.9 cm) head measurement. The brim is 3 1/4" wide,(8.3 cm).
Measure circumference of head - start just above the top of your ears, wrap tape measure gently around head making certain tape lies midway on your occipital bone (that little bump in the middle of the back of your head).
It will be mailed in a high quality polyethylene mailing envelope, stuffed with paper to prevent crushing and wrapped in tissue paper.
****Click to visit Cage Free Fibers
For this fun summery cup cozy I put a bright yellow sun on this hand crocheted turquoise wool cup cozy. It fits most paper cups and glasses.
My cup cozies are each a unique work of art! I love creating each and every one. With a degree in Textile Design and years of experience my cup cozies reflect my love of bringing smiles and being eco friendly!
****Click here to visit Paper Moon Designs
Oh, the summertime... The hot sun, the bright colors, the cool drinks and sweet fruits, the friends as close as siblings, the vacation and relaxing time away from it all! A combination of moss green cardstock base, with a front covered by glitter flower and shimmer dots and stripes patterned papers; this card is decorated with fun die cuts.
This card measures 4in by 5.5in, comes with a white envelope and has a white blank insert, allowing ample space for you to add your own words for the recipient. For added protection, the card and envelope are inserted into a clear cello bag. The shipping charges cover First Class shipping in a bubble mailer to prevent damage.
****Click to visit Hot Dog Crafts
These earrings are FUN. Light and airy and swingy. See the matching ring in a separate listing.
This is a graphic under mylar....it is smooth. NOTE: These earrings are NOT waterproof.
The listing is for earrings with fish hook wire, but are also available as clip on earrings.
The 1 inch Fish Hook wire is Hypo-Allergenic. I also include a FREE pair of ear nuts ( the little plastic pieces on the end) because this type of ear hook does not like to stay in my ears.
The earrings are hand pressed by me on my professional quality button machine. Graphic is professionally printed on high quality paper.
The picture is covered with mylar.
Tutti fruitti fabric is available to make this adorable knot dress in sizes 3 through 5.. This carefree fabric is perfect for Spring and Summer fun. The top is a green and white stripe that coordinates perfectly with the blue floral skirt fabric. A matching headband will also be included with this dress. It will be made using both coordinating fabrics with a flower attached for adornment.
This set may be custom ordered and will be personally made by me in a smoke and pet free home. It will be made and shipped via USPS mail within two weeks of receiving payment. This dress is also available in sizes 3 through 5 with a custom order.
****Click to visit Design Twenty-nine SC
A precious hummingbird perches on this grapevine wreath to welcome your guests. A double bow of bright pink and pink florals sits under the hummingbird. The wreath is filled with beautiful Spring blossoms of pink, white, and yellow, along with green stems.
This is perfect for Spring and Summer, and would make a wonderful Mother's Day gift!
This exact wreath has sold. My wreaths are one-of-a-kind custom created pieces. I re-create each wreath after it sells, and each new creation varies slightly from the original. Your order will be very similar to the wreath pictured and you will love your custom creation!


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Follow RFF News on your cell phone. Text follow rff to 40404 you will receive txt messages with RFF News
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Yeah I agree with you beyondbreak. Pailin reminds me of Dustin but Natalie is not anywhere near Kandice standard, so I hope its the editing thing.
well the train I think takes about 16 hours so bus would be stressful ...and long!!But they have all day/night 5/24 to get there by midday 5/25... Except for the Chiang Mai pitstop these teams have now been running for 4 days w/ no real rest!
Quote from: jonnal on September 18, 2008, 09:36:35 AMYeah I agree with you beyondbreak. Pailin reminds me of Dustin but Natalie is not anywhere near Kandice standard, so I hope its the editing thing.yeah! and im quite surprised with her attitude..she's miss universe.. so she had probably been in more rough places before.. anyways, all the love to pailin, she really is the force to their team! im glad that she was a sport with all the attitude nat was giving
Natalie should not give up because there's always a point where the racers could get bunched. Good for Pailin for being level-headed. Thanks for providing the info, jonnal and beyondbreak.
POST OFFICEWhether youre coming to mail a post card or not is beside the point this ultra-grand French post office, finished in 1891, is one of Saigons great buildings. Inside the ornate peach-and-green interior a huge portrait of Ho overlooks the decidedly colonial-era setting. Note the recently renovated maps of Saigon et sus Environs (1892) and Sud Vietn Nam et Cambodge (1936) on either wall as you enter. Sending a post card or letter to the USA/UK/Australia is 9000/8000/7000D (US$0.55/0.50/0.45). Post cards available.2 Coq Xu Paris Q1, open 7am to 9pm daily
Thanks for the updates and spoilers , good job peach's and source on spoilers Oh I so want to see this
This blog has a few pictures, you can see the patterned plaza , thanks Jules.
Flight of the GibbonTheir first task is to travel to the village of Mae Kompong and do the Flight of the Gibbon Treetop Adventure where they will ride zip lines over the rainforest. Mai and Oliver found a willing passerby to let them stay in her house for the night thinking that the venue wont open till morning. Geoff and Tisha and Henry and Bernie took their time going there as well.
Going to VietnamNext task is to go to the Saigon Opera House in Ho Chi Minh City for their next clue.Ida and Tania arrived at the airport first and were able to secure the first earliest flight to Vietnam via Bangkok before other teams could arrive. Next fastest flight is via Siem Reap, Cambodia. Henry/Bernie, AD/Fuzzie, Geoff/Tisha, Niroo/Kapil and Sam/Vince boarded that flight.Even though Mai and Oliver arrived at the airport early, they werent aware of the plane to Cambodia. They got a ticket to Vietnam via Bangkok but it will leave Bangkok in the morning. Fortunately for them, they were joined by the Beauty Queens and the Koreans.Ida and Tania arrived in Ho Chi Minh early in the evening well ahead of the others and promptly find their next clue.
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Enrichment disputes hamper Iran nuclear deal
VIENNA (AP) — Nearly seven weeks after signing a landmark nuclear deal, Iran and six world powers hope to reach an agreement this week on its implementation. But differences over Tehran's push to improve its uranium enrichment abilities could delay its enactment and strengthen critics of the accord in Washington and Tehran.
Both sides say agreement is possible at a two-day meeting beginning Thursday afternoon in Geneva — with caveats.
European Union spokeswoman Maja Kocijanic said "some issues remain to be resolved" during the talks, a statement echoed by Iranian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham.
The meeting is formally being held by Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and EU senior negotiator Helga Schmid on behalf of the six world powers.
But the U.S. State Department has announced that senior U.S. negotiator Wendy Sherman would also attend — an indication that Washington wants to be in place if the two sides overcome their differences and announce a deal by Friday.
Asked if the U.S. anticipated agreement, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Wednesday that "there are just a few remaining issues, so we're working toward that."
Psaki did not go into specifics on the nature of the disagreements in keeping with the confidential nature of the negotiations.
But two officials told The Associated Press that Iran is coming to the table with demands to exempt a facility used for research and the development of uranium enrichment from the overall curbs on its enrichment. That is something opposed by the six powers which sealed the Nov. 24 deal with Tehran.
Depending on its grade, enriched uranium can be used either for reactor fuel or — at levels above 90 percent — for the fissile core of a nuclear warhead. Iran insists it has no interest in nuclear weapons only nuclear power but the United States and its allies are skeptical.
Limiting uranium enrichment is one of the core aims of the six-month interim deal meant to prepare ground for a permanent accord on Iran's nuclear program.
Under the November agreement, Iran agreed to limit its uranium enrichment to 5 percent — the grade commonly used to power reactors. The deal also commits Iran to stop producing 20 percent enriched uranium — which is only a technical step away from weapons-grade material — and to neutralize its 20 percent stockpile.
At the same time, the agreement allows Tehran to continue enrichment research and development — a loophole the two officials say Iran interprets as allowing it to continue producing 20 percent uranium at its research and development site at Natanz, south of Tehran.
Iranian negotiators say no additional 20 percent material will be accumulated, because any made at the site will be immediately neutralized, said the officials, who represent countries that are members of the Vienna-based U.N. nuclear agency monitoring Tehran's atomic activities. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss what is said at the closed meetings.
But representatives of the six powers — the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany — argue that the preliminary Geneva deal prohibits all enrichment above 5 percent, even for research and development purposes.
The two sides also are coming to the table Thursday with an additional dispute about what can be done at the Natanz site. As reported by the AP last month, Iran told representatives of the six powers that it had installed some advanced centrifuges at the facility after signing the Nov. 24 deal, asserting that it had a right to do so under the research and development provisions of the accord.
That is being opposed by the United States and its allies. They argue that installing any centrifuge that increases overall numbers, particularly a new model, violates Tehran's commitment to freeze the amount and type of enriching machines it has at Nov. 24 levels.
When the AP sought comment on the topic, the office of Reza Najafi, Iran's chief IAEA delegate, said he was not available to speak to non-Iranian media. Calls to Iranian officials in Tehran were not immediately returned.
Also Thursday, the Kremlin announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin had spoken by telephone with Hassan Rouhani, his Iranian counterpart, about the issues surrounding implementation of the Geneva agreement.
The disagreements reflect the difficulties in implementing the Nov. 24 deal, which outlines both Iran's obligations and moves by the international community to ease economic sanctions in return for Tehran's nuclear concessions.
Both sides have said they hope the interim agreement can come into force by late January.
A delay could strengthen hardliners in Tehran, who say Iran is making too many concessions for not enough rewards, as well as congressional skeptics in Washington who are pushing for new Iran sanctions. The U.S. legislators say Iran may be drawing out the diplomatic process as it edges closer to nuclear weapons capability.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's top leader, has backed negotiations leading to the interim deal and its implementation. But he harshly criticized Washington ahead of Thursday's talks, in comments apparently aimed at mollifying Iranian opponents of the deal.
On his website, he said that the negotiations revealed "the enmity of the U.S. against Iran ... once and for all."
At the same time, he said, Iran "will negotiate certain issues with the Satan to deter its evilness, if we deem it proper."
Associated Press writers Deb Riechmann in Washington and Lynn Berry in Moscow contributed.


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Freedom of Information
Right of Access
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 gives a general right of access to all types of recorded information held by public authorities, sets out exemptions from that right and places a number of obligations on public authorities.
Any person who makes a request to a public authority for information must be informed whether the public authority holds that information and, subject to exemptions, supplied with that information.
Individuals already have the right of access to information about themselves under the Data Protection Act 1998. As far as public authorities are concerned, the Freedom of Information Act will extend this right to allow public access to all types of information held. The individual right of access to information came into effect on 1st January 2005.
Public authorities will be required to adopt and maintain a Publication Scheme setting out the classes of information it holds, the manner in which it intends to publish the information, and whether a charge will be made for the information.
The purpose of a scheme is to ensure a significant amount of information is available, without the need for a specific request. Schemes are intended to encourage organisations to publish more information pro-actively and to develop a greater culture of openness.
The Act will be enforced by the Information Commissioner (the "Commissioner"), a post that combines regulation of both the Freedom of Information and Data Protection acts.


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DOVER — A second-alarm fire drew mutual aid from numerous departments Thursday night when heavy flames broke out at the banquet hall of the Cochecho Country Club on Gulf Road.
The blaze was reported just a few minutes after 7 p.m. as a fire-alarm activation alerted crews to fire in the roof of the two-story structure. The blaze was contained by 8 p.m., though crews continued to knock down flames and clear out the facility to begin an investigation into the cause.
Despite the extent of the damage to the building there were no injuries, as the facility was unoccupied when the fire broke out.
Upon arrival, crews discovered smoke on the first floor and that the sprinkler system had activated, according to Dover Fire Chief Richard Driscoll.
He said firefighters entered the building from the rear of the hall and fire had extended into the void space above the hall's attic and roof.
"It's pretty extensive," Driscoll said.
Damage was contained to the banquet hall and rear of the building.
Firefighters worked to vent the roof and attic areas as they chased the fire just after 7:30 p.m. to contain the flames in one area.
By 7:45 p.m. crews were accessing the still very active fire through the roof and continuing working through egresses of the structure.
Crews worked diligently to locate and attack the flames and continued to knock out the fire well into the evening.
A little after 8 p.m., crews were clearing smoke from the building.
Driscoll said the cause was not known on scene Thursday evening, though there had been word of workers performing some sort of construction or maintenance work in the facility.
Dover, Durham, Portsmouth, Rollinsford, Somersworth, South Berwick, Newington, and Rochester were all on scene assisting with the fire.
Additional tankers were called to the scene to maintain the water supply for the fighting the blaze.
Berwick and Durham departments also provided station coverage in Dover.


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ABC Orders Full Seasons of The Goldbergs, Trophy Wife, Cancels Back in the Game
Nov 1, 2013 9:21 PM EDT
ABC has picked up full seasons of its two Tuesday freshman comedies, The Goldbergs and Trophy Wife. Additionally, the network has ordered four more episodes of Rebel Wilson's comedy, Super Fun Night. Despite losing a significant amount of its Marvel'… Read more


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Dining Room Window Treatments
- Soft, diffused light keeps dining pleasant
- Fabric shades provide a natural, soft feel
- Wood and faux wood enhance a traditional look
- Add drapery for a luxurious setting
- Romans add a decorative touch
Presentation is an essential part of any meal and dining room window treatments can magnify the ambiance for you and your guests. Whether you are seeking a relaxed, casual look with wood blinds or cellular shades, or you lean toward a more formal dining experience, with roman shades or drapery, Blindsgalore has all styles covered. Make sure to consider the light that enters the room during different times of the day and night so that you may soften the glare and darken the space for each meal. By controlling the amount of light, you can control the mood for a romantic dinner or a happy Sunday brunch.
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Simply Chic 3/8" Double Cell Light Filtering Cellular Shades
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text:
Oracle's Advice for 3rd June 2018
Oracle's Advice - Tomorrow
: mysql_fetch_array() expects parameter 1 to be resource, boolean given in
on line
: mysql_fetch_array() expects parameter 1 to be resource, boolean given in
on line
Things to Be Careful About
Auspicious Activies to Do
3rd June 2018
20th May 2018
Kwan Yin: Miao Shan
Another story, possibly Taoist in origin, describes Kuan Yin as the daughter of a cruel father who wanted her to marry a wealthy but uncaring man. She is known as Miao Shan, and her father's realm allegedly Sumatra. She begged to be able to enter a temple and become a nun instead. Her father allowed her to work in the temple, but asked the monks to give her very hard chores in order to discourage her. The monks forced Kuan Yin to work all day and...
Kwan Yin in Full
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text:
Illinois cigarette tax falling short of estimates
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois' $1-per-pack cigarette tax increase isn't bringing in as much money as lawmakers had originally hoped, according to state figures.
The year-old tax that took effect last June raised the state levy on a pack of cigarettes from 98 cents to $1.98. At the time, officials said the money would bring in desperately needed revenue as well as discourage people from smoking.
But The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reported (http://bit.ly/17p767z ) Thursday that the tax is expected to bring in $212 million in extra money for the current fiscal year. That's about 39 percent short of the $350 million projection, according to the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability.
There's typically a decline in cigarette sales after a tax increase, as some people stock up before the rate hike, while others use it as a chance to stop smoking.
"This tax was discussed and talked about quite some time before it actually went into effect, so individuals went out and purchased in bulk a bunch of cigarettes, so more of those packs were sold under the lowered tax rate," said Jim Muschinske, the commission's revenue manager.
Total cigarette tax revenue for the year is expected to reach almost $788 million, up 37 percent from the previous year. The money from the cigarette tax is used for the state's general fund, Medicaid program and School Infrastructure Fund.
Because of the way the money is allocated, the lower-than-expected revenue means the state's school construction fund will get about half of the $60 million that was initially projected this year. A long-term care provider fund won't receive any money from the tax.


text:
Jan 30, 2006
Jan. 30, 2006
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - With a 30-19, 30-17, 30-21 victory over Lasell College on Saturday, the MIT men's volleyball improved its record to 4-2 on the year. Praveen Pamidimukkala and Scott Pollom led the Engineers' offense with 15 and 10 kills, respectively. Pollom paced the blocking corps with one solo and four assisted blocks.
Jordan Wan had a solid outing as he distributed 35 error-free assists and tallied a team-high three aces. Ryan Dean anchored the defense with eight digs while Michelangelo Raimondi collected three assisted blocks.


text:
|View Poll Results: Code Geass R2 Series Rating
|Perfect 10
|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 : Painful
|Voters: 812. You may not vote on this poll
|Thread Tools
|2008-10-04, 17:40
|Link #21
Attention Queen killer.
IT Support
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Pripyat, Ukraine
Animation quality:10 Nice drawings
Voice acting 7.5
Scripting: 1 Its too much easy too predict or lame twist.......... you can imagine what is gonna happen next
ending: 5 S1 was good but in r2 they rushed to the end.
|2008-10-04, 17:53
|Link #22
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Anyone who has ever complained about my ranting and ravings, just look at this, Klashikari, utterly destroyed Code Geass.
I have stated that I feel people are not hard enough, and you hit a home run, that was simply beautiful. I also can't find any real fault with your logic.
They didn't answer a whole lot, and as I stated except for about 5 characters the character development was crap.
While some of it can be blamed on the time change, a lot of it can't, they chose to empasize plot twists over actual story telling, they chose to ignore developing characters, and for that you have a ton of characters you hate.
A 10/10 shouldn't need defending since it should be perfect.
A 10/10 shouldn't have any characters you hate.
A 10/10 shouldn't include the words The Scrappy
A 10/10 shouldn't include the words Rescue from the Scrappy Heap
A 10/10 shouldn't leave you wondering what happened
An example my favorite manga is FMA, and I love every single character, I love the Chimeras, I love the soldiers, I love the plot, I love the villains. They don't have a lot of plot twists, because you don't need plot twists.
For that review you deserve a postive rep
I have given you your postive rep
Last edited by Klashikari; 2008-10-04 at 17:57. Reason: please do not quote the WHOLE wall of text
|2008-10-04, 18:29
|Link #23
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
I believe that the plot was brought to a relatively satisfying conclusion in terms of Lelouch's development as a character, and thus at its core the story definitely worked. Pacing problems became a real issue, especially towards the second half of R2, and that did affect the overall flow, but I never really felt lost and most of the necessary steps were taken to keep things focused on Lelouch's story. Still, certain events were dealt with too quickly, in particular the climatic confrontation with Charles and Marianne.
The last arc seemed to feel out of place, but was rehabilitated by the ending, even if unanswered questions and hanging plot threads of varying importance hurt the final result. Then again, I eventually ended up appreciating that the ending gives the viewer the ability to make up his own mind about Lelouch's fate, but I understand that's the kind of thing not everyone will like.
The animation was generally good and, in places, even great. Some frames did lack quality, but not to a bothersome extent. The character designs remained attractive and distinctive enough.
Music and Sound:
Code Geass R2 had good music, and for the most part it was used well within the show itself. The insert songs, in particular, were quite nice.
Lelouch, naturally, carried the show once again, and did so successfully to a certain extent. Suzaku and C.C. played the most important supporting roles, though I'm also one of the few people who would add that Kallen wasn't that mistreated either, and got some attention and closure in her own right. Granted, there were also some problems here and there, so some may find it more disappointing than others, but overall I'm okay with these four characters.
Sounds fine, but what brings down the score then? A huge cast which was mostly misused. The fact that too many secondary or tertiary characters were introduced, without giving them enough weight to stand on. Many of them didn't require too much attention in the first place, I can see that the story works fine regardless, but others, like Marianne and ultimately Schneizel, did seem to demand either more screen time or more convincing motivations.The pacing is also to blame for this, unfortunately, to a certain extent.
Entertainment Value:
Whatever else I may say, Code Geass R2 was an entertaining show, in many different ways, and I do not regret watching it.
All in all, I think R2 kept a lot of the spirit of the original, but stumbled quite a bit in practice, resulting in an enjoyable sequel that could easily have been equal or even better than the original with less characters and better pacing, but wasn't.
Overall: 7/10
Last edited by Kusaja; 2008-10-06 at 01:22.
|2008-10-04, 18:30
|Link #24
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Hockey Nation
Ha really, I don't know how else to say it.
I became far more interested in the characters than the story itself, mainly because I fell in love with this anime during the first season. However, even thought it started out strong, it felt like the second season just wasnt up to par with the first one. This is probably because the focus has been shifted.
While I indeed did enjoy some parts of it, the last third of R2 was rushed, leading me to believe that better planning earlier would have fixed this. For the most part, it almost felt like they had to finish it, rather than they wanted to finish it.
The sense of, you don't know what's going to happen, was replaced by a sense of, how are they gonna make it work, that was the crux of the season.
|2008-10-04, 18:39
|Link #25
~*Eternal Bakaness*~
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Cheesecake wonderland
I already have the Code Geass effect, I keep thinking there's another episode of CG tommorrow...way too used to waiting for Code Geass on a sunday...
While I except better animation from such a popular show, the animation is fine. Althought sometimes the story boarding gets a little off, like Spinzaku and Marianne random high kick.
Although Lelouch mouth looks real odd from time to time, I liked how Sunrise adapted Clamp art style. I prefer Sunrise own drawings compared to Clamp's. Clamp has some funny tastes for Emperor Lelouch...and Suzaku Knight of Zero battle clothes. I'm no expert when it comes to mecha, the mecha looks nice enough to me. But still...pink mecha for C.C? At least make it green...
Overall the animation is well done, so 8/10 (If KyoAni is rated 10/10)
Fukamaya Jun as Lelouch is just a perfect match, the speeches done by Zero, the emotional scenes with Lelouch is perfect. Unfortunately, Fukayama Jun can't sing ;P The other seiyuus are perfect. The only once I disliked is V.V.
Nothing is wrong with Code Geass voices, they're all perfect. But one problem I have with Code Geass seiyuus, is that when I hear them from another anime, I end up thinking it's Code Geass. The best example must be Fukayama Jun, when I heard him in Special A...I keep thinking to myself 'Why dont Kei just geass Hikari'. C.C seiyuu, Yukana is currently voicing a character in Soul Eater, and obviously I get reminded by it.
The OST sounds great, with or without Code Geass. R2 OST is definately better then the first season, which in some opinion this might be the only thing that is better then first season.
Sound : 10/10
The story is enough to make me want to know what happen next. The story got really weird after the Wakamoto rocket episode, I just don't understand anything after that. The China arc felt like a waste, despite I quite enjoyed that arc.
The script sometimes is very...how should I put it...interesting? I love how Lelouch said he'll use Rolo like a rag, and then throw him away like one too. But when he told C.C to die with a smile, felt very cliche. The script isn't the most unique, but I feel it does it job.
The ending however, I happy with it. Sunrise did leave a few things open, but I feel if they made a closed ending...it might rage the fans even more ^_^''
I'm not the best analyser for storyline and scripts. But there is enough twist to make me want more of it, despite sometimes being quite random. I wouldn't call R2 typical yet, but that might be because I watch other anime that is meant to be cliche.
Story 7/10
Overall, there's actually ALOT of problems when it comes to R2, mainly the twists, plot and character section. But it enough to make fans talk about and definately the most popular anime of the Spring-Autumn anime. It created many memes too (mainly Spinzaku). At the very least, I enjoyed it even with these problems. I would give it an overall 8.
|2008-10-04, 18:44
|Link #26
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
I thought R1 was a very good show. I enjoyed R1 a lot. But saying that....
R2 was a HUGE disappointment.
The Good:
-Good Animation
-Solid VA
-BGM was satisfactory
-I actually liked the ending despite not liking the entire second season.
The Bad:
-The plot was a mess.
-Plot twist, while unpredictable, were far fetched and too frequent
-Character personalities were abused and changed too many times throughout the series. Also they maybe added too many character in this second season.
Honestly, I had actually thought about dropping R2 many times because it became too silly. I couldn't take characters or the plot seriously after half way through the season. It ended up just being a very average watch for me.
|2008-10-04, 18:50
|Link #27
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Is it just me or are the people voting 10/10 not posting?
What the hell is the point of this thread, if people are just going to vote, and not post reasons. I am glad I am not the only person not voting a 6/10, but I would at least like to see someone defend the thing.
Are they afraid? We won't bite
|2008-10-04, 18:58
|Link #28
Spontaneous Retirement.
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: United States
It may be because all of you are posting really awesome reviews and why you think that way..
Heck, I mean, I feel bad now about my short post about why I thought that way.
They might be scared of being bashed or something for their short reviews.
Eh, dunno..
|2008-10-04, 19:04
|Link #29
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
If you look at the poll (overwhelmingly postive) and compare it to the thread (a wide range, with negative getting suprisingly good results), I just want to see someone explain to me why they voted 10/10 or 9/10.
|2008-10-04, 19:08
|Link #30
Attention Queen killer.
IT Support
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Pripyat, Ukraine
|2008-10-04, 19:08
|Link #31
Spontaneous Retirement.
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: United States
Let's not promote it,
It's entertaining to watch... For a while atleast..
|2008-10-04, 19:24
|Link #32
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Toronto
10/10 Script, Editing, VA
9/10 Anime Quality
I may be a booster compared to a lot of the posters here, but I think we can all agree that CG was unbelievably entertaining. All these people who say "it was a bit entertaining" or "meh, it lost its touch halfway", I know y'all was set up with your popcorn and drinks to the left, Tv set to perfect volume, and a comfortable position to enjoy the show which CG provided each week. That's not "decent entertainment". That's Good entertainment.
Scripting... Was brilliant. Yes, there were Lots of plot twists, Lots of things that were not necessarily cleared, but that's the thing. It shouldn't necessarily bother us to the end. You know, when I was watching Lulu get stabbed, and the whole operation of Zero Requiem happening, I wasn't sitting at my monitor, thinking, "Hmm.. Will C.C.'s real name be mentioned soon?" No. I let myself enjoy the show for what it is. I tell you, I've watched a lot of animes up till now, and Code Geass has been an extraordinary ride. No doubt this is true. It was intense, it brought the fans the excitement they needed. You can't have everything anyways. And with the scripting comes Editing, which was well done too, considering all of the commotion at early season and pre season.
VA was perfection - I can't speak for the entirety of the two seasons - I don't remember every scene and voice acting - but I can say that every moment of CG I can remember had splendid voices which matched character and mood. A good Voice Acting is one that doesn't take away attention from the show and plot - that's exactly what happened with CG. I never had to point out that Zero's voice was different at some point, or that C.C.'s voice seemed out of place; I didn't have any complaints with that. Sheer splendor.
The A Q is only 9 because of the drop at certain points. Also, due to the lanky character designs of the CG franchise, sometimes, things out of proportion were notable. But these minor flaws never took away from the suspense and the thrilling backgrounds, movements, and all scenes - Quality maintained its high standards pretty much through the entire show.
Overall ranking... Easy 10/10. CG was one of the few animes that always kept me on my feet. Very exciting and a great storyline. Once again, this masterpiece is a 10/10.
|2008-10-04, 20:00
|Link #34
Join Date: Jan 2008
Age: 30
the good:
the bad:
farfetchedness of the twists
china arc (wayyy too much time spent on this)
eps 1-23 would have gotten a 4 or 5/10, but the last two eps, especially the last one, redeemed it enough in my book.
Continued Story has played ~80 times since i got it last week.
|2008-10-04, 20:32
|Link #35
Retweet Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: ニュー・オーリンズ、LA
Eyes: 8.21/10...
Spoiler for thoughts:
Ears: 9.25/10...
Spoiler for thoughts:
Brains: 5.66/10
Spoiler for thoughts:
Obviously there is more I can get into (Suzaku's connection to geass, C.C.'s name, history behind Code or Geass [notably immortality], mismanagement of all the KoR's including KoR #9!?!, horrendous pacing at-times between the first and second half of the season, ambiguos ending that played right into the hands of the zealots), but at the end of the day it seems this show got trapped between being a Pop-show and a seriously unique show and the pop-culture side won out; whether it be by Sunrise's hands or the writers...I do believe the director though because his words just makes sense, however that's for everyone to judge...My final score would be 6.59 outta 10, but Ill round that up to a 7 since I don't watch 50 eps of a show that's just average or below unless it's GSD just to bash it until my masochistic tendency stops kicking in...I also think the most underrated aspect of the show was the mecha-fighting and over the last 10 eps it was incredible at-times and visually stunning which added some points to my final appraisal...Overall though, I'd have to say CG R2 had a chance to be one of those rare finds, but winds up being just another cool anime that's big now but unfortunately will be atop a haywagon cart tommorrow...
Last edited by wingdarkness; 2008-10-04 at 21:52.
|2008-10-04, 20:36
|Link #36
I gave it an 8/10.
Here's a quick rundown of what I thought:
VA was great. I loved how most of them voiced in Tales games.
Characters were good, while some were too stereotypical. I would've preferred if they went more in-depth with some of the side characters. Some characters felt a little wasted in my opinion.
Mecha was okay. Some were cool, some were overpowered, and some were bland.
Story was great until the R2 season. The China arc wasn't too interesting for me.
Ending was okay. I liked it, but the last few episodes leading into it were paced a little strangely. In fact, all of R2 was paced a little strangely. Especially when Lulu went to destroy all the people involved with the Geass after the China arc.
|2008-10-04, 21:21
|Link #39
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Mmm code geasss... where to start?
First season was pretty exciting I really liked it. Now on to the second season...
The animation wasn't all that great there were a lot of stick man looking figures for half the episodes. Uhm the plot twists were amazing for the first 10 episodes or so of R2. I couldn't keep my mind off CG for days after the episode was shown, I was constantly daydreaming about it. I think they went too far however, with the plot twists it just started getting stupid and ridculous. In the sense that at first you would go "Ohhh that's pretty cool" or "whoa didn't see that coming"... after a while you predict what's going to happen, then you flip the idea 180 degree and you'll predict the plot twist. What I mean by that is Anya has Marianne's memories, Nunnally being alive [after freya]....
There was also too much general retardedness in the anime than what I would have hoped to see. A "general" can get himself and his whole army killed in like 3 minutes.... without any tactics or strategy he just orders them to charge...
Overall I really liked this series, the fanservice, the comedy and the characters. The action and the mechs also deserve a honourable mention. I would have liked more character development for the minor character but it was decent. If the plot twists didn't get so ridculous this series would have deserved a 8 or above. In my honestly opinion carefully analyzing what was wrong and good about this series, I would only give it a 6.5 [In terms of plot / general satisfication]. I fortunately am not a professional rater, so I can be as biased as I want. I'll vote a 9 because of how the series and the characters stuck to me, how amazing the voice actors were, how I enjoyed this series for the past 2 or 3 years.
10 for the characters, because they were well created, I couldn't help but fall inlove with them or totally hate them. [Ougi needed to die kthx]. They were absolutely amazing
-1 for the fact that absolutely every character in this anime loved Marianne or highly respected her, and yet when we actually see her she was a idiotic tramp...
voted 9 / 10
|Thread Tools


text:
In a game that lived up to the pair's shared history, Ponte Vedra outlasted Bartram Trail in the girls soccer Class 3A regional semifinals 2-0 on Saturday night.
Ponte Vedra advances to the region finals, and will host West Florida on Tuesday night at 7.
"I told the girls after the game, enjoy this tonight, maybe another day, but we have to get back in three days to do it all over again," Sharks coach Dave Silverberg said. "Coming off such an emotional game like this against Bartram you have to really focus on getting back down off that high."
The score remained 0-0 entering halftime, but Brooke Sharp quickly took care of the scoring drought. The Sharks' (24-2-1) star took a pass along the right endline and snuck the ball past the Bears (18-3-2) keeper from that very spot.
Though Sharp's goal was the one to get Ponte Vedra the lead, it was an assist by her sister, Megan, that ultimately sealed the win. After a chaotic scrum in front of the Ponte Vedra goal, as header after header from Bartram failed to score, the young Sharp escaped with the ball down the left side of the field with only one defender trailing. After being boxed into the far corner arc, Sharp sent a centering pass that found the foot of junior Bailey Dotsikas, ending in the game's second goal.
Thankfully for the Sharks, maddeningly for Bartram, those two moments were the only times Ponte Vedra had the upper hand on the pitch. A controlling midfield presence by the Bears kept their action on the attack, forcing their opponents into making desperate clearances instead of forming an offensive attack of their own.
"It was really chaotic in the middle," Dotsikas said. "They were doing a really good job pressuring us and we weren't attacking enough to take care of it at first. Then at halftime we made some adjustments, focused on listening to our coach and to our backs to find the openings on the field."
Brooke Sharp has split time all year between the middle and front of the formation, generally depending on the opponent Ponte Vedra faces that given game.
Against Bartram, she started at center-mid - just as she had in the previous two pairings this year. But after failing to get so much as an attempt off while cluttered amongst Bartram midfielders in the scoreless first half, Silverberg moved her up to an attacking position, ending in just the payoff he was looking for.
"With Brooke, she's our most physical player on the team so having that in the middle helps us out a lot," Silverberg said. "Moving her to the front, without mentioning her scoring ability, it puts pressure on three of their players instead of just one in the middle. It makes them keep more players back, maybe keeps them from loading the offensive side with her threat at the other end."
Silverberg, a six-time state champion (four times at Nease and twice at Ponte Vedra, including last season), wore a smile after the game. Ever the perfectionist, as his record would indicate, he sees the shortcomings of his team's performance that go missed by most.
But not after that game. Beating their biggest rival for the third time this season, all by slim margins, Silverberg was just happy to escape.
"The first 20 minutes I thought we were fortunate, they took it to us," Silverberg said. "In that situation we're really just fortunate to escape the half at 0-0, because any one of those attempts could have gone in and all of a sudden they get momentum on their side. All of a sudden, they're not tired anymore. That was huge for us, honestly I was happy to be just tied at the half the way the game was going at that point."
For Bartram, the script sadly followed the same arc. Punch-for-punch, the Bears not only stayed with the defending state champions, they controlled the game. Pace, scoring chances, everything that normally translates to wins was in their favor except for the score at the final whistle.
Bartram coach Jen West left the game carrying a bag of soccer balls and a carrier of water bottles, passing the Ponte Vedra players gleefully soaking in an ice bath after their hard-fought win. It's the same story for her team, an encouraging start, then a hollowing defeat by one way or the other. She hasn't been able to find an answer for it, other than unlucky geography.
"Ponte Vedra is a strong team and unfortunately, we have to be in the same district as them," West said. "It's tough losing by one goal each time, it feels like, but that's what happened.
"What can you do? As I was walking off the field, I was still very proud of my team and the way they played. There's no shame in losing that way."
Ponte Vedra may have escaped its biggest postseason hurdle in dispatching Bartram. The Bears are the only team to beat them before the state semifinals, a 2010 regional semifinal where the Bears won 3-2 after edging the Sharks in penalty kicks 4-3.
Dotsikas was a freshman when the Bears were bounced in the state semifinals, and is fully aware of the trials that await them. But with their pedigree, and a little luck, they'll more than ready.
"We know what it takes to win at all, we've done that before," Dotsikas said, "It only gets tougher from here. It takes a lot of work, all the team's from here on out are going to give us games like this, but I think we'll be ready."


text:
Vanilla Bourbon Caramel Apple Crumble Pie
6 Dec
Oof. That's a long title.
I try to keep my titles as short as possible, but sometimes you just have to many good things that you have to mention.
My train of thought when thinking of said title:
Okay, so Apple Crumble Pie…no no…I've got to add that it's caramel apple pie. Wait, it's not just boring old caramel apple pie, it's got booze in it. I've gotta mention the booze! Boozy caramel apple pie? Are my readers going to start noticing how many recipes have the word boozy in them? Probably. Okay, fine, then it can be Bourbon Caramel Apple Pie. But its doesn't have a top pie crust, it has crumble topping, so it has to be Bourbon Caramel Apple CRUMBLE pie. Great, that's it.
5 seconds later…
Seriously, you do NOT want to be inside my head. It's exhausting.
I'm going to level with you. I made this for Canadian Thanksgiving which was, oh you know, in October (refer to previous post about my extreme neglect in regards to this blog.) So yeah, I'm a little behind. Luckily enough, if you wait long enough to post something, it might just so happen to be holiday that you can use said recipe for.
That being said…I give you
Thanksgiving Christmas Vanilla Bourbon Caramel Apple Pie…
Whether this was posted for the intended holiday or not, is neither here nor there. All I know is this pie is damn good.
Please note: I did not post a pie crust recipe with this for two reasons:
1. a lot of people already have a pie crust recipe they like to use or they just prefer to buy a crust to make it easier
2. I suck at pie crusts (my mom made this one for me)
One thing you can always count on from me is my brutal honesty!
Miss Delish asks:
What is your favorite type of pie to make around the holidays?
How do you feel about pie crusts? Do you like to make one from scratch or buy one? Or are you like me and get someone else to do it?
Vanilla Bourbon Caramel Apple Crumble Pie:
Makes one standard 9″ pie
For the Pie:
1 prepared pie crust, unbaked in a 9″ pie pan
1 cup prepared Vanilla Bourbon Caramel Sauce (half of recipe below)
5-6 apples, peeled, cored and sliced thinly. I like to use ambrosia apples but use whatever apple you like. Fuji are really good for pies too!
3/4 cup flour, divided use
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup cold butter
One egg, beaten
Extra white sugar for dusting the crust
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and make sure the oven rack is in the center position.
In a bowl, toss the apples with 1/4 cup flour and 3/4 cup prepared caramel sauce. Pour the coated apples into the prepared pie crust. Set aside.
In another mixing bowl, combine the rest of the flour with the white sugar, brown sugar, oats and butter. Cut the butter in with a pastry cutter or two knives, until the mixture is totally combined and the butter is in very small pieces. Carefully coat the top of the pie with the crumble mixture, making sure all the apples are covered. Make sure to brush off any crumbs that fall onto the exposed edge of the pie crust. Now brush the edge of the pie crust with a little of the beaten egg and then sprinkle lightly with the extra sugar.
Bake in your preheated oven for 40-45 minutes until bubbly and golden brown. When the pie is done, remove to cool on a wire rack. Once cooled you can slice into pieces and serve topped with a drizzle of the extra caramel sauce. Add ice cream or freshly whipped cream if you're feeling extra indulgent!
Vanilla Bourbon Caramel Sauce:
Makes 2 cups
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp bourbon
In a medium sized, heavy bottomed pot. Add the sugar and water over medium heat. Cook until dark golden brown without stirring, about 18-20 minutes. Remove from the heat and gradually add the cream, stirring the mixture while you do so. Add the vanilla, butter and bourbon and stir to combine. Transfer to a heatproof bowl or pyrex measuring cup to cool completely before using.
Note: If you are using this for the recipe above, you will only need half of the caramel, but I'm sure you will find something to do with the rest! May I suggest pouring it over vanilla ice cream? Or my personal favorite, spoon, dip, eat, repeat!
Nom Nom.
Bye till next week!