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Earlier this week I had the good fortune to be in Boston for LEET09, a workshop on exploits, malware, and large-scale trends. I presented on PhoneyC, the Python honeyclient I've been working on. The paper describes the architecture and features of the tool and a real world evaluation and test. The talk was well received, and many thanks to the organizers of the conference and the PC for their helpful reviews.
Usenix has made the full paper available to all for free. Read more »


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Tuesday, April 7, 2009
When should PvE titles be removed?
At the same time I'm a little worried that this post may have the undesired affect of throwing me into the Hardcore vs Casual debate that seems to crop up every couple of months around the WoW Universe. However, I'm having a hard time getting away from this question. When should PvE titles be removed to maintain some of thier value?
I want to get one thing straight up front. I am not one of those chronic Hardcore QQers. I don't care if casual people can get hardcore equivalent gear with emblems. The only way I care about content nerfs is if it is nerfed before I clear it on the harder mode. I am in full support of dropping attainments and making all of the content accessible to all types of players.
However, titles are different in my opinion. They have no practical value and only serve the purpose of saying, "Hey, look at me." They are just an indicator of one's accomplishments, and therefore no one is being deprived of anything if they are removed. So this is the standpoint from which I am view this question.
The Arguments for Removing Titles:
There is really only one argument for removing titles. At some point the titles become meaningless if you allow them to remain in game for to long. Obviously Blizzard recognizes this to some extent since they removed the Champion of the Naaru and Hand of A'dal titles with the release of patch 3.0.2.
Having the title of Twilight Vanquisher means a lot right now because Sarth3D is the toughest encounter in the game right now, but that won't be true a year from now. In a year my Mage will be level 80 and can probably get in a pug that can kill Sarth 3D. Does he deserve the title of Twilight Vanquisher, because he's running with a mixture of Mains and Alts that have gear that is greater then the content? I don't think he does.
A year from now, T8 will have been farmed for months at least and T9 may already be out. I wouldn't be surprised if a T9 geared tank will be able to absorb a breath from Sarth with out any special abilities. The T9 DPS will be able to kill each Drake before the next one spawns. I'm not saying Sarth3D will be a piece of cake but it will definitely be easier then it is today. Thus the title will be devalued.
The Argument for Keeping Titles:
The main argument for keeping titles is that not every person or guild has the same opportunities to get the titles, and just because you could use an over geared tank or some such doesn't mean that you do or that the achievement is significantly easier. For example, Sarth3D is a also a coordination fight. Even if you have the best DPS in the world, if you don't master the flame walls and such you will wipe. This is the exact reason that there were some BT geared guilds that couldn't kill Vashj or Kael. Those fights required huge amounts of coordination and I say very well geared players in full T6 wipe raids because they couldn't hold back on their aggro.
The fact of the matter is that after Ulduar is released there is still going to be guilds that are running Sarth 3D to get that first kill, and they will likely be in instance appropriate gear with a few upgrades. The hard part is still learning the fight. So, is it really that much less of an accomplishment for a guild to clear content after new content has been released? In some cases no, it is not, and in my opinion some of these people deserve the title.
Obviously it is pretty easy for me to say that they should pull all the titles since I have them all. I wouldn't be losing anything. For the same reason I don't have a problem with them pulling the Proto-Drakes from the Glory of the Raider Achievements. I think some things in the game should be rare to signify an accomplishment.
However, I have experienced the other side of the argument. I have both Champion of the Naaru and Hand of A'dal. I feel like I worked very had to achieve those titles, but I argue with myself some times if I really deserved them.
When I got Champion of the Naaru, my guild had been raiding SSC and TK for months. However, I had killed Mag may times before I got the title and the only thing that held me up was finding a group to run the heroics needed.
For Hand of A'dal, I didn't kill either Vashj or Kael before the attunements were lifted. I killed Vashj a month or so after that, and the guild was still geared in mostly T5 gear. Kael on the other hand I didn't kill until about a month before 3.0.2 was released and it was with my current guild that was fully geared in T6 and many of the people in raid had already killed him once.
However, part of the reason I missed them was due to guild drama. When ever we started to put serious effort into the tough bosses people would stop showing up after a couple of weeks, and we would have to recruit new people and start all over again.
I guess what it comes down to is that I'm glad that I have them, but they don't really mean anything to me anymore. If I see someone walking around Dalaran with the Champion of the Naaru title I automatically think of them as a casual player because that title was so easy to get in the end. I wish I was able to think "that guy was a serious raider back in the day."
There are a few possible compromises though. I don't know how possible they are technically but I will throw them out there anyway.
1. Change the titles: Instead of removing the titles completely, why not just change them for people that complete the achievement after the patch is released. Blizzard could change Twilight Vanquisher to Aspect Protector or something similar. The old title would date when you did the achievement, but the new title would still give the people that were a little late something to shoot for. Possibly remove the titles completely after two patches are released.
2. Put an ilvl requirement on the Achievement: Blizzard is already doing this with the [Herald of the Titans] achievement in Ulduar. This would prevent having a couple of really well geared players carrying the rest of the raid, but it is still a little cheap in my opinion. The ilvl for T7.25 raids would have to be 226, but there will be tons of Ulduar gear at ilvl 226. The Twilight Vanquisher will still be easier after 3.1, and it would also create some what of a nightmare for raid leaders trying to organize theses runs.
What do you guys think?
13 comments:
I'm with you gray... even though there's an excellent chance I will not get Immortal before 3.1, I'm very much in favor of removing the titles all together after new content is released. It massively cheapens the title when suddenly anyone can get it with a decent pug group.
Tsunamee - Firetree/US
- April 7, 2009 at 12:23 PM
- CC said...
I couldn't agree more. My priest just got Twilight Vanquisher. We worked our butts off on that, and while I do think everyone who kills Sarth+3d should be recognized ... I don't know. Doing it pre-nerf should be recognized differently.
I love your blog; you're one of my bibles for my up-and-coming boomkin. Best.
- April 7, 2009 at 1:55 PM
- Kulat/Kriyet said...
I'm of two minds about this, because I'm in a small part-time guild. We progress, but at two nights a week in only 10-player raids, at a much slower pace than the bigger or hardcore guilds.
I was totally for removing the BC titles at the expansion - leaving them in for 75s and 80s to get would have made them trivial. We were so close - and just missed them, but I still feel that was right.
On the other hand, yanking these titles away in Wrath feels different. Having run some 25-player and some 10-player content, I feel the 25-player was actually easier. So a big guild gets through the Heroic stuff, picks up Valorous gear, and gets the title. Smaller, slower guilds don't get access to the 213 gear, still get through the 10-player content, but may miss the title. This time that doesn't seem fair.
Looking at what they're doing to Ulduar, I'd be much happier if they made that kind of change, where the title is still available, but only to those who attempt the event in the gear that was available at release.
- April 7, 2009 at 2:59 PM
I think the idea of item level restrictions solves all the issues and would address everyone's problems.
That way if you're in a guild that's slowly progressing through the content, or you want to get an old title from previous content, you can still do that while legitimizing the difficulty since you'd be in gear that is the correct level for the place.
Also, it doesn't cause the first wave of achievers who got the title to feel cheated out of their hard work.
- April 7, 2009 at 4:34 PM
This is a tough one for me, my guild is currently working on the 3 drake sarth. We are having the same issue you stated you in BC with guildies stopping showing up when we can't down a boss. We have also had some of our top geared players migrate to other guilds. The majority of our core players came from another guild where the leadership was horrible and we started our new guild. This pushed back our Naxx clears rebuilding and reforming the guild. We have everything but 3 drake on farm, we have yet to get undying due to lack of attendance and having to bring along new people repeatedly and gear them up. All that is holding us back is good enough dps to take drakes down quick enough which is due to inconsistent raid attendance. I am pretty much Decked out as much as I can just need new rings.....Patch/Grob hate and won't drop my strong handed ring. There are many in the guild that are in same position as me and are mostly BiS geared. All we need is time and we can get this done, so me personally I feel they should stay for selfish reasons. But I totally understand people like you who have worked your butt off for that achievement not wanting Uldar gear trivializing it.
Side note: For me the 3.1 talent changes for MM hunters will buff my dps and I would like that buff for chance at title
- April 7, 2009 at 5:43 PM
- Lissanna said...
Clearing all of the current content is still going to be hard for most of the WoW playerbase even when they have access to Ulduar. I would think that when the level cap is raised, THEN you would want to remove the titles for the achievement you could out-level by 10 levels.
Taking away the super fancy mounts for doing achievements, and moving them to the hardest content, makes sense to me... but taking away titles people are still working on doesn't seem any better for the people who won't really get into Ulduar until likely weeks/months after it comes out because they are still working on clearing the older instances...
- April 7, 2009 at 5:58 PM
- Jormundgard said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- April 7, 2009 at 7:12 PM
I am personally quite annoyed by titles & achievements, and have actually taken a mini-hiatus from WoW because of it.
I got invited to my guild because I am "the girlfriend". This did not put me off right away, because my in my old guild on my old server, I was also invited as "the girlfriend" but quickly proved to be a much better player than the majority. However, xferring from low pop to high pop server means there's a lot more GOOD players out there, and I have retained my self-appointed status of "noob" in the guild. Not only do we have 2 other major raiding boomkins that are T7.5 geared, they have *time* to raid. I'm a full-time college student that works 2 part time jobs. So I can't raid, run heroics, etc to get the gear to go on the raids that are for the sole purpose of getting achievements. I was never invited to 3D Sarth because my dps wasn't high enough. They're doing Immortal now, and I'm still not invited, never mind that I'm pro at safety dance and don't blow slimes up in the raid.
Should achievements be removed? No.
Should titles be removed? After a patch or two, yes.
Should there never be any titles ever again? Only for things that do not have a large majority of the content be soloable. Key quests, cooking, holiday events, etc should be kept. But something that needs 25 people?
I can't even run a casual Naxx to get the rest of my T7.5 because everyone's already run it for Immortal by the weekend when I have time to play.
- April 7, 2009 at 11:00 PM
Might as well remove the Jenkins titles then. Don't really see how it's fair to go in there with a level 80 and get it. Sorry, but I just don't agree with the logic of removing them. The titles are so pointless. I don't show my Hand of Adal title. It means jack shit to me and the only reason I show a title is if it means something to me personally. Not to show off that I did something before others. If someone wants a title for their name more power to them I say. I think server first kills are something different and those titles are really fine since it's not like you have some arbitrary deadline to meet, it's a race. These titles they are removing aren't anything special and I don't see why they should be treated as anything special.
- April 8, 2009 at 1:36 AM
- Shem said...
I don't think there's a need to remove titles as long as there's another tier of content that differentiates the cutting edge from the rest. Titles degrade in value over time and as long as there's new titles, that's entirely fine.
Champion of the Frozen wastes within a week or two after WotLK was released was a big deal. But over time it got replaced by Twilight Vanquisher, which now on my server at least has been replaced by "of the Nightfall" or "the Immortal". Twilight Vanquisher isn't really respected much as a title on my server anymore due to its prevalence (especially compared with the others mentioned).
Once the Ulduar titles are out most cutting edge raiders won't want to be walking around with "of the Nightfall" on anyway, they'll want to show off their newest titles from the newest content. "of the Nightfall" will become less popular, but casual players will more easily be able to get the title and wear it if they want.
I don't think there's any real need for title decay. You can tell who the really good players are by looking at the dates on their achievements.
- April 8, 2009 at 2:59 AM
Titles is one more way to keep you involved in the game for obvious reasons,(e-...is)etc.
Some like them, some not.
I'm a casual raider and I don't think that is a contradiction in terms anymore. I like to have a last name (Jenkins, any time I see it it makes me laugh) or having a title that suits me like Elder :D.
On the other hand I understand the need to show any skills I have as a player, so I will agree with you that some hardcore titles should be renamed and/or have a requirement put in them.
As for removing them completely? Although I would cry for a title I liked or having an ingame item I wanted and not being able to have anymore , well, isn't that what real life is like? You count your "losses" and move on.
So,there goes my two cents.
Keep up the good work!
- April 8, 2009 at 5:22 AM
The _only_ reason why these achievements will become easier to get as time passes is because of improved gear.
So I think they should give the title to successful raids whose members do not wear _any_ gear above ilvl 213.
This will preserve the difficulty of the achievement while at the same time rewarding the same level of effort.
People who play wow after 3.10 should not be penalised.
- April 15, 2009 at 4:35 AM
- Zupa said...
I agree, the titles should be removed or changed before they become devalued.
If they are removed, then that removes some goals from the game that people may have, which isn't a good thing.
That's why i like your idea that they are changed in some way when they become easier to attain, either because the encounters get nerfed or a new season of gear makes them trivial.
Interesting post, thanks :)
- April 16, 2009 at 7:58 PM

subset: commoncrawl


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So, here's me and Poppet snuggled up ready to watch The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.
Ten said I looked like a princess, so I let him take the photos. Although we all know who is the real princess in this house. Poppet is the young pretender. But she will have to wait, much like Prince Charles does.
And this is what it looks like OUTside the window…
That's at best, actually. Most of the time it's been pissing it down. Poppet has had to get wet most walks, which means drying off, which she doesn't like. It's her own doing a lot of the time, since she actively walks into puddles and the day we found the dog she went into a really big one up to her middle. Of course, stray dog one upped her by falling in the canal, but in reality, it was Poppet who nudged her in. They were scampering about playing and stray dog was quite jumpy and lithe, and Poppet is a clumsy tank. It was bound to happen. Just lucky the little blighter didn't drown.
Christmas is now over, with minimum fuss, and we still have The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest to watch today so I'm calling it a good one and will be ready to move on to the new year PDQ.
We are now bickering about lunch, and one of the options is salad and the other is Caribbean curry, so I think we are done with the Chinese theme of Jews Go to the Cinema Day even if we're not finished with the viewing.
Ten and I both have TASKS to get on with, but I'm not sure we will get onto them today since we still have the trilogy to tidy up. All Dogs Matter phoned this morning, and it looks like we are going to be getting a foster dog after all. Or at least, we are going to try a dog with Poppet. She's a pretty good hostess in general, but we're narrowing the field to a calm male staffie type dog, just for optimization. ADM get a lot of staffies, so it's not going to be a case of waiting for one to come along. I don't know if we are cut out for fostering, but I'm quite into giving it a go.
My mum gave me a Kobo for xmas, which I asked for. It's pocket sized. I don't carry bags, so was quite drawn to the pocket-ness. My brother gave me money which, naturally, I have already spent. So now I am waiting for a parcel from Brand Alley. They do discounted stuff from a whole slew of brands, and this one is a fancy Danish one, so I will be appropriately attired when Borgen comes back on the telly.
I looked up the brand name DAY Birger Et Mikkelsen on Yelp and the two reviews were in Norwegian. I had google translate them for me and they were both really grumpy, not just complaining about the prices but also the snooty shop assistants. Ah, the joys of shopping online!


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Many of today's farmers inherited agricultural production as a profession — becoming the second- or third-generation to pursue farming as career.
But even with the accumulated knowledge passed on to the new generation of farmers, modern business management and communications practices are changing at a rate that necessitates continuous education and fresh skills to become fully successful — and it's important not just for producers, but for all segments working in agriculture.
Since 1989, the Rice Leadership Development Program has equipped more than 140 young men and women for rice industry leadership roles at the local, state and national level.
John Deere Company, RiceTec, Inc., and American Commodity Company sponsor the program through a grant to the Rice Foundation, the research and education arm of the rice industry. The USA Rice Federation administers it.
The program provides future leaders with a comprehensive understanding of the rice industry, with an emphasis on personal development and communications skills.
During a two-year period, seven class members — five producers and two industry-related professionals selected from rice-producing states — attend four one-week sessions designed to strengthen leadership through studies of all aspects of the rice industry.
The hands-on sessions take participants through instructional visits with producers, processors, millers, as well as legislative and regulatory representatives. In addition, class members visit water management specialists, wildlife conservation organizations, trade associations, and the Chicago Board of Trade, a key entity in the marketing of U.S.-grown rice. The group also tours the world headquarters of John Deere in Moline, Ill.
In addition to the guidance from industry segments, the group receives communication skills development preparation, including public speaking and media training. Many of the graduates of the leadership program are now serving on various committees and boards on a local, state and national level.
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"The program gives individuals the tools to hone their leadership skills so they can be strong, well-versed, knowledgeable representatives of the U.S. rice industry," said Chuck Wilson, director of The Rice Foundation. "I have always said that an industry is only as strong as its leaders. The program helps build a base of strong, young leaders."
Each year, a new leadership class is announced during the USA Rice Outlook Conference in December and the completion of their two-year training program is marked with a special graduation ceremony at the USA Rice Government Affairs Conference in February. This continuous effort to train and inspire participants increases the likelihood that the rice industry will have strong representation in the future.
"I am looking forward to sharing ideas and visions with other leaders in the rice industry and working together to make a difference," said Brendan O'Donnell, sales manager at Bunge Milling and a member of the 2011 program class.
Going Overseas
A new element of the leadership program is an international session, added in 2009 after RiceTec, Inc., became a sponsor. The session enables participants to study a specific country's rice market and observe its rice import and distribution systems as well as review industry marketing activities in the region.
Participants also meet with key U.S. agriculture and government officials responsible for importing food and providing food security. The international session is available to graduates of the program who have, since graduation, applied their leadership skills to industry service.
International session participants recently traveled to Istanbul, Turkey. During the weeklong visit, the group met with executives from Akel Company, a major U.S. rice importer and Turkey's rice market leader, and Pakder, the Turkish Rice and Pulses Packers Association that has more than 70 members. Participants also met with executives of Tugider, the Turkish Food Foreign Trade Association, which works closely with USA Rice to ease import restrictions and address import bans; and Samet Serttas, a U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service representative.
Turkey was chosen as the destination for the session because of its growing importance to the U.S. rice industry. Turkey purchased $151.9 million (342,097 metric tons) in U.S.-grown rice from January through November 2010 and is the third-largest export market by volume for U.S. rice exports over the same time span.
The program's success is based on the principle of giving back — from the corporate sponsors who make the program possible to the producer and industry members who give generously of their time and expertise to make each session productive and rewarding. It's an opportunity for the industry to impart in-depth knowledge, training and experience that reaps rewards when class members use their leadership skills to benefit the U.S. rice industry.
"When there are issues in the industry, I try to think about how it affects all segments — producers, merchants, millers, and end users of rice," James said. "The program showed me that each segment relies on the other and that we must work together to keep U.S. rice industry a thriving part of our economy."


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How to disable hardware acceleration?
How can I disable hardware acceleration in Firefox Android beta? What value in about:config do I need to change? layers.acceleration.disabled or layers.acceleration.force-enable did not work, about:support still shows OpenGL-acceleration enabled. This causes display issues on my Nexus 10 (so I suspect) that the release version doesn't have.
Datos adicionales del sistema
- Agente de usuario: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64; rv:22.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/22.0
Más información
It should start with gfx if its hardware accel, have you tried that?
Autor de la pregunta
Thanks, but I couldn't find a single option that sounded like acceleration there.
I dont even think you can opt out of hardware accel, anyways if you are having graphical glitches with the Nexus 10, you should file a bug anyways.
Autor de la pregunta
You're right, of course. I was hoping for another way, because I'm somewhat in a fix right now: Since the update to Android 4.3 the release-version of Firefox experiences frequent crashes, and the beta, while _not_ showing the crashes, has these graphic problems.
Right now, I cannot use any Firefox browser on my Nexus 10. I'm not exactly keen to move all my passwords and bookmarks to another browser, either. :-(
Can you try the nightly version before writing a bug.
Autor de la pregunta
Thank you, good tip!
The current nightly does not show the graphic issues, and so far it hasen't crashed on me, but it still freezes on occasion like the release version. (I suppose "freeze" isn't quite the right word: The menu and URL bar is still working, thus I can exit Firefox or go to another page. But I can't scroll a page any more. If I call a system page (about:config will do) and return, scrolling (on the previous page) works again.
I don't even know how many seperate bugs I should file any more, and on which editions. :-(
Modificadas por VGER el
Respuesta útil
Im also guessing you updated your tablet to Jelly Bean 4.3, thats likely why the release version of firefox is acting up
Autor de la pregunta
Yes, I quite agree; while before not everything was all roses (there always have been random crashes) the current behaviour is definitly new.
The developers would probably already be aware of the issues, wouldn't they? I'm pretty sure I'm not the first guy running 4.3. :-)


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Ilee_se1 needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 218 designs submitted by 47 freelance designers.
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Ok.. on the left are Seleucid Hetairoi(Companions), on the right are Seleucid regular Cavalry. Why the hell are the Companions monsters? Btw, I looked at other cav units and they seem to match the Seleucid Companions in size. so is it the regular Cav that is off? cuz it looks like their riding donkeys instead of horses.
In this one, I think theres something wrong with the sword texture.


text:
CFI is a Moab non-profit educational organization designed to cultivate youth awareness and appreciation for the Colorado Plateau. "Eastern Utah Community Credit Union supports our local businesses and nonprofit agencies," EUCCU officials stated in the news release.
"We are happy to be a part of this great community and recognize the benefits of CFI's contributions."
The partnership between EUCCU and CFI will help increase the number of local students who can attend the outdoor education programs, CFI officials said.
For more information, contact CFI at 259-7750 or visit the website at www.CFIMoab.org.


text:
Large Explosion in Hezbollah's Beirut Stronghold
A large bomb exploded in the heart of Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah's southern Beirut stronghold. The bomb raises fears of retaliation over the group's support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in a country where the Sunni majority support the opposition in neighboring Syria. Nour Malas reports.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
I ... the the ... write to the whole of Hezbollah's stronghold in southern battery ... they see as evidence yet he has been targeted because of support ... for the government's forces in Syria ... no malice is joining us from Lebanon ... on the Hezbollah has been talking to the fall though doesn't it ... yet made it certainly not the earth ... and here yet I'm still rental up a knock ... at just a few weeks ago ... it ... is a meteor ... and for ... that then looked around and and the ... stock ... on it it's it's the cutest along its resting with a car bomb sort either ... the booby head chopped vehicle reduce vehicle or that Barclays under a car ... and is the scene of the major security breach for neighborhoods in and the use of these other ... above the stronghold and ... in the usually had quite a security measure ... was UBS's moments ... so they're an R rated debt so far that Lebanon's interior minister the health Minister and interior ministers from the scene ... that it has ... fifty names are ... we to the tothe hospital where most of the injured were being taken ... to the injuries ... were caused by a aam glass and ... concrete falling into their homes ... amid the bomb went off to actually in the parking lot to determine if this is a fee of bustling residential area ... where it clear that from the one on faster every after eleven am the one ... thing off ... not yet found it now he is rebels operating on both sides of the board are both in London ... in in Syria and Lebanon ... have been vowing for many months not just right hairstyle of ... which is deeply involved in on the side of the Syrian government found me you know it's a been involved in the third but has ramped up ... its military this is the government troops in recent months helping the government re taken strategic town along the border and just a few months ago so the rebels agree on a beach chair app on the onthe think I can strike back at it ... is no evidence so far the DVD have been able to do anything against Hezbollah in Lebanese territory they certainly made those kind of ... threats and then you know you talk to residents of this case the summer which is a Shiite stronghold to many of them are ... are are have the support as they say they have not done their mind that this is that you know consequences serious or ... that it is not the rebel carrying out these attacks and the rebels backers ... Saudi Arabia the end of the United State peace and in this is all basically to ... weaken Hezbollah domestically also didn't detract from its eighteenth year in ... May this is of course because is ... very closely on a on ... a new online as well ... truly a fridge a few meters away from an area called among the security square which is really getting the scene and impenetrable ... interestingly enough ... and I were to have the bug on television station ... in calling a car bomb under their name the partner you can tell what kind of fun and it ... may be because you know the thing that calling it a car bomb and ... eight tantamount to ... a weekly acknowledging that kind of the ... increased security breach I'm ... I'm the and the impact of the bond with their either that or the theme ... of storefronts were shattered and ... in the entire neighborhood ... there and then a handful of cards or mangle ... but there were no depth report PDF so ... just a PC on and on ... does anybody think ... of attacks like this ... Barrington and only a handful ... of ... military unit that be the order ... and it had a lucky that ... and that the expected they were expecting the kind of impact After rocket landed ... then that the neighborhood a few weeks ago ... and they're warning the market to come in the meantime you know they hate us ... I think he'll be there to messages ... what you really try to get into that are meant to ... target your fingers or you know ... and in the company an ... unofficial ... dollars target and ... in Lebanon have been ... on edge for well you know up to you know that the conflict and they started ... and that when it reaches the brain that kind of cool about ... this ... and when to run on Friday at the beach don't wanna fight each other in London or indeed how different the repeating of ... actually fighting each other interior twenty five and ... I know I really want the conflict you are beginning to turn it ... on with the territory north thank you so choose ...


text: Rethinking the Fall of Easter Island New evidence points to an alternative explanation for a civilization's collapse Terry L. Hunt Every year, thousands of tourists from around the world take a long flight across the South Pacific to see the famous stone statues of Easter Island. Since 1722, when the first Europeans arrived, these megalithic figures, or moai, have intrigued visitors. Interest in how these artifacts were built and moved led to another puzzling question: What happened to the people who created them? In the prevailing account of the island's past, the native inhabitantswho refer to themselves as the Rapanui and to the island as Rapa Nuionce had a large and thriving society, but they doomed themselves by degrading their environment. According to this version of events, a small group of Polynesian settlers arrived around 800 to 900 A.D., and the island's population grew slowly at first. Around 1200 A.D., their growing numbers and an obsession with building moai led to increased pressure on the environment. By the end of the 17th century, the Rapanui had deforested the island, triggering war, famine and cultural collapse. Jared Diamond, a geographer and physiologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, has used Rapa Nui as a parable of the dangers of environmental destruction. "In just a few centuries," he wrote in a 1995 article for Discover magazine, "the people of Easter Island wiped out their forest, drove their plants and animals to extinction, and saw their complex society spiral into chaos and cannibalism. Are we about to follow their lead?" In his 2005 book Collapse, Diamond described Rapa Nui as "the clearest example of a society that destroyed itself by overexploiting its own resources." Two key elements of Diamond's account are the large number of Polynesians living on the island and their propensity for felling trees. He reviews estimates of the island's native population and says that he would not be surprised if it exceeded 15,000 at its peak. Once the large stands of palm trees were all cut down, the result was "starvation, a population crash, and a descent into cannibalism." When Europeans arrived in the 18th century, they found only a small remnant of this civilization. Diamond is certainly not alone in seeing Rapa Nui as an environmental morality tale. In their book Easter Island, Earth Island, authors John R. Flenley of Massey University in New Zealand and Paul G. Bahn worried about what the fate of Rapa Nui means for the rest of human civilization: "Humankind's covetousness is boundless. Its selfishness appears to be genetically inborn . But in a limited ecosystem, selfishness leads to increasing population imbalance, population crash, and ultimately extinction." When I first went to Rapa Nui to conduct archaeological research, I expected to help confirm this story. Instead, I found evidence that just didn't fit the underlying timeline. As I looked more closely at data from earlier archaeological excavations and at some similar work on other Pacific islands, I realized that much of what was claimed about Rapa Nui's prehistory was speculation. I am now convinced that self-induced environmental collapse simply does not explain the fall of the Rapanui. Radiocarbon dates from work I conducted with a colleague and a number of students over the past several years and related paleoenvironmental data point to a different explanation for what happened on this small isle. The story is more complex than usually depicted. The first colonists may not have arrived until centuries later than has been thought, and they did not travel alone. They brought along chickens and rats, both of which served as sources of food. More important, however, was what the rats ate. These prolific rodents may have been the primary cause of the island's environmental degradation. Using Rapa Nui as an example of "ecocide," as Diamond has called it, makes for a compelling narrative, but the reality of the island's tragic history is no less meaningful. full: http://www.americanscientist.org/template/AssetDetail/assetid/53200 -- www.marxmail.org


text:
Who: Former Home & Away and Alias star Melissa George
Where: At a cocktail party hosted by Donatella Versace for the opening of the new Versace SoHo boutique in New York
Wearing: A black Versace skirt with cross details paired with a black knit top, a black Versace trench coat, velvet Versace heels, gold accessories and a cute black studded clutch
Verdict: Wow, Melissa George is looking stunning here in head-to-toe Versace. I love everything about this moody look – but the stand-out piece has to be the trench coat draped over her shoulders – seriously hot!!!
Who would have thought that the former Aussie soap star could pull off a fierce rock chick vibe? I have to be honest I am blown away by her look – she was definitely my best dressed out of the stellar celeb crowd that included models galore *see below*, as well as Alexa Chung, Jennifer Hudson, and Helena Mattsson.
Of course it couldn't be a Versace party without a host of models – there were a lot from Tali Lennox to Leigh Lezark, and even one of the original supermodels Linda Evangelista was in the house, but my three favourite model looks has to go to Doutzen Kroes, Coco Rocha and Karolina Kurkova.
Doutzen wore a gorgeous black Versace coat with flared skirt covered entirely in Swarovski crystals from the autumn/winter 2012 collection; Coco went for the Versace's little black dress with metallic detailing also from the autumn/winter 2012 collection; and Karolina looked divine in a black leather Versace bomber jacket with intricate floral detailing teamed with the matching pencil skirt.
Do you rate Melissa's look? And which model gets your vote?


text:
What is happening to our childhood?
- 30 Posts
- Age 24
"Have you seen my Childhood?
I'm searching for that wonder in my youth
Like pirates in adventurous dreams,
Of conquest and kings on the throne..."
Childhood - Michael Jackson
I see that most of the writers here are between the ages of 18 to 23. I guess we have (almost) the same childhood stuff in common, like the same hero, favorite movies, and others. We loved to play hide-and-seek and other "traditional" games. However, I am sad to discover that most children nowadays are becoming trapped in this "growing up too fast" phenomenon. It can be caused by so many factors; technology, society, shifting of cultures, the media, etc. Their childhood time is shorter than mine, or even ours, I guess.
I'm afraid that if they are growing up too fast, there will be some childhood phase that they are missing out on and it will negatively impact their mindset and the way they think. It also affects how they solve problems and how they see the world. Is it that huge? Oh yes, I can guarantee it will be that huge. I'm not talking about a child, but I'm talking about a generation. I have to admit that I don't really have any idea about how to solve this problem because I guess at the end of the day, everything will go back to normal. It depends on how a child's parents treat them. If their parents just follow the current trends of technologies, then we can expect that children will be safe.
One thing that cannot be forgotten is how war and conflict can
affect the childhood of many children. Can you imagine living in
fear every day? Have you ever imagined witnessing a murder when
you were just 5? I am concerned about their psychological
condition and I'm also afraid that they will suffer
post-traumatic stress due to the violence they have witnessed and
gone through.
It also breaks my heart, when I hear that some children are
abused, even for something that they didn't do. Many people take
an advantage of them: using them to make a living, or even asking
them to go to the street to earn money. Those people have taken
their time and taken their childhood.
Peace and love are two important things that must be used when
raising a new generation, so that they will produce another
generation of love and peace. They also need direct care so they
know how to treat people and be good members of society. We have
to realize that those children are our hope, they are the next
agents of changes that we wish to see in this world.


text:
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text:
Dear Governor LePage,
The streak lives! For the fourth consecutive year, Forbes Magazine has ranked Maine the worst state in the country for business.
Now, I know there are a lot of people out there (see: Maine Republicans) who don't think Forbes' latest annual smackdown of the Pine Tree State has any news value whatsoever.
In fact, since we're talking about headline grabbers here, I totally thought the talk of this weekend was going to be your promise to shave your head if state employees raise $350,000 this year for charity.
More on the Chrome Dome Challenge in a minute. First, let's take a look at what Forbes has to say about us in its latest "List of the Best States for Business."
"Maine ranks last for the fourth straight year. Not much has changed," wrote Kurt Badenhausen, the magazine's chief nattering nabob of negativism. "It is still burdened with an aging population and a weak economic forecast. Job growth projections are the worst in the U.S. and only Vermont is expected to have slower household income growth over the next five years, according to Moody's Analytics."
Only one household-income rung above Vermont? Home of that socialist (not that there's anything wrong with that) Bernie Sanders?
Honest to God, Governor, if I were you I'd put out a statement dismissing these annual "rankings" as a bunch of mindless hooey that deserve no place in a serious economic-policy discussion. I can see the headline now: "LePage to Forbes: Rank This, Pencil Pushers!"
Excuse me? No can do?
Oh right, I forgot. Had it not been for Maine's first last-place ranking in fall of 2010, there's a good chance you'd never have made it to the Blaine House.
Remember how loudly you and your Republican roosters crowed that the 2010 Forbes list, released with Election Day right around the corner, couldn't have come at a better time? How, in this era of democracy by sound bite, "worst state for business" was synonymous with "manna from conservative heaven?"
You guys were right. More than a few political scientists have posited that without Forbes, you'd have spent the last two-plus years tearing up the fairways of Florida and swearing at little old ladies in golf carts.
Then came 2011 and another last-place finish, which you attributed to high energy and welfare costs. You knew this, you assured us, because that's what Forbes said when you dispatched an aide to find out what the heck they were talking about.
That dodge worked until Forbes' Badenhausen banged out a blog that accused you of making stuff up. (You? Make stuff up? It's a wonder you didn't sic the Bearded Ladies on that pathetic little number cruncher, huh, Big Guy?)
Then came 2012 and another last-place finish, along with Badenhausen's ominous assessment that "Maine's problems run deep." (Little did he know …)
Your stoic response to Maine's three-peat: "I am disappointed but not surprised. We will continue to be on the bottom until we make structural changes."
I know, Governor, that's code for "Cut taxes on the rich!" and "Kick those bums off welfare!" But kudos to you for keeping it civil!
And now here we are, little more than a year away from your re-election bid, and this Badenhausen jerk is back on your pant leg like a Maine coon cat in heat. "Not much has changed" indeed — except this time, the last-place ranking might as well be tattooed to your forehead.
Your take this time around: "After four decades of liberal rule that has burdened Maine with high electricity rates, high taxes, overregulation and a hostile business climate, it's no wonder that Forbes would put our state at the bottom of the list."
Pssst … Governor … didn't you already cut taxes, eliminate miles of regulatory "red tape," erect all those "Certified Business-Friendly" community signs and declare war on wind power because you think it will cause a spike in electricity costs? And yet you keep digging …
"This is just a start," you continued in your carefully worded statement. "It will take more than two-and-a-half years to reverse 40 years of economic damage inflicted by liberal politicians."
Geez, Guv, I wish you'd told us that back in 2010. That way I wouldn't have spent the last two years, eight months and 24 days (but who's counting?) waiting to see Maine's fiscal ship begin to rise from the bottom.
But enough with the excuses. Between me, you and your political adviser, Brent Littlefield, it's pretty clear all this Maine-hating by Forbes is about to become one heck of a political boomerang.
Useful as "worst state for business" was to you in knocking off Democrat Libby Mitchell and independent Elliot Cutler three years ago, so will it now be a weapon in Cutler's and Democrat Mike Michaud's hands as we hurtle toward your day of reckoning a year from this November.
Say what? Enough about Forbes already?
Done. Let's talk haircuts. I don't know what impressed me more on Friday — Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Patty Aho's pledge that she'll dye her hair pink if this year's Maine State Employees' Combined Charitable Appeal tops $300,000, or your subsequent promise that you'll do her one better and shave your head should they raise $350,000.
Part of me wants to go with Aho: Call me a sentimentalist, but the specter of Maine's industry-friendly environmental watchdog bathing her own head in chemicals makes me feel tingly all over.
But the other part of me is rooting for you, Big Guy: Just over a year ago, you called Maine's state employees "corrupt." Now, straight razor in hand, you're offering them a once-in-lifetime opportunity to cast you as a meth-crazed chief executive on "Breaking Bad."
Sheer brilliance, Governor, sheer brilliance. In fact, if it all goes as planned, "Governor LePage Meets Uncle Fester" could well rank among the nation's best political stunts of Election 2014!
Quick, someone call Forbes.
Bill Nemitz can be contacted at 791-6323 or at:
Auditions for 'Annie — the musical' set for Feb. 2-4
L.L. Bean donated $4 million to nonprofits last year
Varsity Maine
Brunswick boys basketball starts strong, holds off Lawrence
Our View: Lack of affordable child care is holding back Maine families
'Is that real wood?'


text:
Before the Turkey: 8 Breakfasts for Thanksgiving Morning
You likely wake up on Thanksgiving morning with quite a lot of cooking to finish, which is why you need
a sous chef
a good breakfast. These are all things you can make in advance that are nourishing, not too heavy, and easy to grab-and-go while you work.
• 1. Weight Watchers Glazed Pear Muffins. Light and lower in calories—not exactly what you think of on Thanksgiving Day, but nevertheless a good way to start.
• 2. Frittata Squares. Full of vegetables and easy to bake the night before, then cut into individual portions and reheat.
• 3. Cranberry or Parmesan Scones. Two great options: one sweet, one savory.
• 4. Whole Wheat Raisin English Muffins. Beautiful, wholesome, and more in the spirit of Thanksgiving than running out to the bagel store at 7 a.m.
• 5. Crustless Mini Quiches. A perfect pop-in-your-mouth option when you're busy.
• 6. Cheddar and Leek Muffins. Have you made them yet? We have, and they're delicious (even a few days later).
• 7. Hearty, Healthy Apple Muffins. These are made with whole wheat flour.
• 8. Pumpkin Spice Latte. You know, if you didn't make muffins ahead of time. This is still quick, festive, and good for a little boost.
(Images: See linked posts for full image credits.)


text:
A Developer.com Site
An Eweek.com Site
This week computer viruses celebrate 20 years of causing trouble and strife to all types of computer users.
The above sentences are produced by the propaganda and indoctrination of people manipulating my mind since 1987, hence, I cannot be held responsible for this post\'s content - me
I think they've (the worms and viruses) have been celebrating for about 5 years now.
And they invited even more party guests. Now, the question is .. when will they go home so we can clean up this mess??
That aside, it's interesting to see how they've changed over time and how much they affect what we do.
Goodbye, Mittens (1992-2008). My pillow will be cold without your purring beside my head
Extra! Extra! Get your FREE copy of Insight Newsletter||MsMittens' HomePage
They should do a nice video, with the top 100 virii and worms of the past 20 years...with the timeless ballad of "Wind Beneath My Wings" playing in the background, and show the top 100 frustration faces people make due to these little bastards of the computer world ...Sorry just me being silly.
Creating further mindless stupidity....through mindless automation.
Ahh thats great. 20 Years is kinda uncomprehending to me right now. I think its eeally weird though, 10 years ago computers seemed really slow for me. Now its just amazing how far it has gone. Maybe in the next 20 years things will be different.
Yes, I agree.
The news will blow anything like this out of proportion.
Its almost like chinese whispers with the media. Because they are always the last to know about computer related incidents by the time they get it "She sells sea shells on the sea shore" has become "Bill gates is the anti-christ and has a plan for world domination in involving the a-team a computer virus and a worm capable of firing cabbages."
I mean why doesn't some newspaper hire an actual IT literate person to write about computer crime.
Incidently the book that started the whole virus trend is available in e-book format
Heres A Part of the same
Preface to the Electronic Edition
The Little Black Book of Computer Viruses has seen five
good years in print. In those five years it has opened a door to
seriously ask the question whether it is better to make technical
information about computer viruses known or not.
When I wrote it, it was largely an experiment. I had no idea
what would happen. Would people take the viruses it contained and
rewrite them to make all kinds of horrificly destructive viruses? Or
would they by and large be used responsibly? At the time I wrote,
no anti-virus people would even talk to me, and what I could find
in print on the subject was largely unimpressive from a factual
standpointlots of hype and fear-mongering, but very little solid
research that would shed some light on what might happen if I
released this book. Being a freedom loving and knowledge seeking
American, I decided to go ahead and do itwrite the book and get
it in print. And I decided that if people did not use it responsibly, I
would withdraw it.
Five years later, I have to say that I firmly believe the book
has done a lot more good than harm.
On the positive side, lots and lots of people who desperately
need this kind of informationpeople who are responsible
for keeping viruses off of computershave now been able to get
it. While individual users who have limited contact with other
computer users may be able to successfully protect themselves with
an off-the-shelf anti-virus, experience seems to be proving that such
is not the case when one starts looking at the network with 10,000
users on it. For starters, very few anti-virus systems will run on
10,000 computers with a wide variety of configurations, etc. Secondly,
when someone on the network encounters a virus, they have
to be able to talk to someone in the organization who has the
detailed technical knowledge necessary to get rid of it in a rational
way. You cant just shut such a big network down for 4 days while
someone from your a-v vendors tech support staff is flown in to
clean up, or to catch and analyze a new virus.
Secondly, people who are just interested in how things
work have finally been able to learn a little bit about computer
viruses. It is truly difficult to deny that they are interesting. The idea
of a computer program that can take off and gain a life completely
independent of its maker is, well, exciting. I think that is important.
After all, many of the most truly useful inventions are made not by
giant, secret, government-funded labs, but by individuals who have
their hands on something day in and day out. They think of a way
to do something better, and do it, and it changes the world. However,
that will never happen if you cant get the basic information about
how something works. Its like depriving the carpenter of his
hammer and then asking him to figure out a way to build a better
At the same time, I have to admit that this experiment called
The Little Black Book has not been without its dangers. The Stealth
virus described in its pages has succeeded in establishing itself in
the wild, and, as of the date of this writing it is #8 on the annual
frequency list, which is a concatenation of the most frequently
found viruses in the wild. I am sorry that it has found its way into
the wild, and yet I find here a stroke of divine humor directed at
certain anti-virus people. There is quite a history behind this virus.
I will touch on it only briefly because I dont want to bore you with
my personal battles. In the first printing of The Little Black Book,
the Stealth was designed to format an extra track on the disk and
hide itself there. Of course, this only worked on machines that had
a BIOS which did not check track numbers and things like that
particularly, on old PCs. And then it did not infect disks every time
they were accessed. This limited its ability to replicate. Some
anti-virus developers commented to me that they thought this was
The Little Black Book of Computer Viruses
If anyone would like this e-mailed in full and in pdf pm me. (1.4 mb)
Ahh thats great. 20 Years is kinda uncomprehending to me right now. I think its eeally weird though, 10 years ago computers seemed really slow for me. Now its just amazing how far it has gone. Maybe in the next 20 years things will be different.
At least you did not date yourself
Aaahhh. I can still remember the good ol' days when ByteBandit and LamerExterminator were running rampant. I think Lamer was one of the first polymorphic stealth virusses I ever saw. It was awesome to see how they did it. Now where did I leave my Seka assembler?
Oliver's Law:
Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.
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text:
RIAA's Excessive Loss Claims Unconstitutional?
from the legal-logic dept
The RIAA's questionable math has been discussed at length in the past -- where they love to trot out the claim that each shared song is worth somewhere between $750 and $30,000 in "losses." While the number is completely bogus for a variety of reasons, it is the number that the industry uses when suing the thousands of people they've sued. Now, Declan McCullough points out an analysis suggesting that these high dollar claims are unconstitutional by being so excessive. Because of this, the writer argues, the RIAA should not be allowed to sue for such a high amount. This would mean that more accused file sharers would likely be willing to challenge the lawsuits in court, rather than settling for a few grand just to get out from under the possibility of owing millions. In other words, some of these cases might actually get argued on the merits -- something the RIAA doesn't seem all that enthusiastic about, despite being the one bringing all of the lawsuits.


text:
|System: X360, PS3, PC
|Review Rating Legend
|Dev: Gearbox Software
|1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid
|4.0 - 4.4 = Great
|Pub: Ubisoft
|2.0 - 2.4 = Poor
|4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
|Release: Sep. 23, 2008
|2.5 - 2.9 = Average
|5.0 = The Best
|Players: 1-20
|3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
|ESRB Rating: Mature
|3.5 - 3.9 = Good
by D'Marcus Beatty
May 24, 2007 - Going through a rough, dangerous situation together bonds individuals like few other experiences can. That is the concept behind the upcoming FPS, Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway, which places you in the shoes of a soldier in Operation Market-Garden, the largest Airborne invasion ever.
One of the goals of Hell's Highway is for the player to establish a rapport with the other soldiers in your unit. Each soldier has a distinct identity, and the game is actually based on historical events. You control the squad and give each team orders, such as where to go or whom to shoot. Orders are contextually based, so sending a group of soldiers to wall and they'll creep over to it, stealthily if they haven't been seen by the enemy yet. Highlight a door, and the team will open or smash the door in. You also have the option of using a tactical map to plan your strategy and give your orders. Your team also has great A.I. from what I witnessed, as they take orders and react realistically and don't blindly follow orders. Order them into an exposed area and they'll find the closest cover regardless of your orders and without waiting to be told.
Author and soldier Colonel John Antal is the game's consultant for authenticity and from the few minutes of the demo I witnessed, it showed. Weapons sound like their real-life counterparts and the game feels like you're actually in a warzone. One way that this is expressed is in the fact that cover is destructible. At one point in the demo, the character targeted an enemy soldier stationed behind a wall and shot him, the bullet piercing his makeshift cover effectively. This means that neither the player nor the enemy can take cover indefinitely, as the weaponry, including bazooka and mortar crews, have the option of destroying nearly anything used as protection.
There are also other little touches to enhance the gameplay. One is the inclusion of a circle above the heads of the enemies that show their state of suppression. Effective covering fire keeps the enemies from being able to retaliate, and the circle above their heads shows how well you're doing in that respect. Conversely, whenever your character is out in the open and vulnerable to fire, the screen takes on a blurred, red tint that indicates that you're in danger, which does a good job of recreating that exposed feeling for anticipation of danger. Another addition is the superfluous but extremely cool explosion effects. If you throw a grenade or call in a particularly potent bazooka attack, either of which creates a spectacular kill, the game zooms in on the action, showing your foes propelling from the blast in slow motion. It almost seems like an ESPN slo-mo replay, but with explosion and death instead of slam dunks or homeruns.
The close of the demo had the protagonist making his way into an building and battling foes within. Eventually he makes his way to the upper floor, where he finds a mounted turret. He mans the turret and takes out the reinforcements advancing on their position, sometimes destroying the sandbag cover they hid behind. After beating back the enemy, an explosion drives the protagonist to the ground, and the screen shows a mysterious bespectacled figure watching him. This is where the demo and presumably the stage ended, but it obviously shows that the game will have a story behind the gameplay.
Even at this early stage, Hell's Highway is looking great. There is a lot of detail in the character models, and they all animate realistically. When undetected, your squad moves stealthily but swiftly, with everyone whispering the orders or the confirmation. During firefights, the squad moves much more dynamically.
Hell's Highway is also promising online multiplayer as well as a stunning single player campaign. Although the multiplayer wasn't shown, the game will have a number of game modes, including free for alls and squad based battles as well.
Overall, Brothers in Arms: Hell's Highway is looking like a great and immersive gaming experience. Combining its realistic, tactical gameplay, squad based combat, next-gen visuals, historical accuracy, and intense firefights, Hell's Highway is definitely shaping up to be a game to watch this holiday.
D'Marcus Beatty
CCC Co-Site Director


text:
PORTLAND — National Public Radio political correspondent Mara Liasson is delivering the keynote speech at this year's University of Maine School of Law graduation ceremony.
Ninety-seven students are being awarded J.D. law degrees at Saturday's commencement at Merrill Auditorium in Portland. Two students are being awarded advanced L.L.M. law degrees.
Liasson has worked at NPR since 1985 and provides extensive coverage of politics and policy from Washington, D.C.
Also at the commencement, the school will present the 2013 L. Kinvin Wroth Award to the U.S. District Court John A. Woodcock Jr. The award, named after former law school Dean L. Kinvin Wroth, honors a Maine law graduate who has achieved distinction in his or her career.
Our View: To save football at some Maine schools, eight could be more than enough
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Lady Pirates Go for First Ever Trip to State
The Davis High School Lady Pirates now have an oppenent for Friday nights regional game in Wenatchee. The Pirates, who won their first ever district title last week with a win over Moses Lake will play 9th ranked Lake Stevens Friday night at 8 o'clock at Wenatchee High School. The winner will advance to the 8 team state 4A tournement in the Tacoma Dome next week.


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I am posting for my son: He has won the last two USTA Mens Open Singles Tournaments in the Mid Atlantic. He trains daily, has his own coach in Mclean and played # 2 singles for his College team in his first year. He is home for the summer. We live in Woodbridge and have lighted courts. We are willing to travel to hit with a good player. Please have tournament and or college experience. He is a lefty with heavy top spin.
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I am a former div 1 play and graduated in 2008. I still play at a 5.0+ level.
I live in Foggy Bottom DC, but I do own a car so can potentially meet you.
call/text 716.946.5289
I am 5.0+ player just moved to DC.
I live in Cleveland Park but work at Courthouse, so I could do before/after work.
Text 202 716-6180 or email firstname.lastname@example.com.
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A young Jeffrey Bogart MD was a new resident in the early 1990s when Betty Brown worked as a nurse in radiation oncology at Upstate. Today he is professor and Chair of Radiation Oncology. Brown remembers in 1998 when Upstate added a new device called the gamma knife to deliver high-dose radiation to brain tumors.
Always healthy, Brown never imagined one day turning to former colleagues to help save her life. But shortly after retiring from a 30-year nursing career, Brown was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was August 2010. She underwent surgery with Kara Kort-Glowaki MD and then chemotherapy.
"I was well until this summer, Memorial Day," recalls Brown, 68, of Fayetteville. "I started having some issues. My family said I was not acting correctly, not talking right, that type of thing." Her daughter, who also works in the medical field as a speech language pathologist, feared she was having a stroke.
At the emergency room, computerized tomography scans revealed a few small tumors in Brown's brain. She wasn't having a stroke. The breast cancer had spread. Brown became a patient of Dr. Bogart, and he recommended two weeks of radiation followed by treatment with the gamma knife, a procedure that is often used as an alternative to brain surgery.
The gamma knife directs 192 concentrated beams of radiation through healthy tissue and into a target, usually a tumor. Even though the gamma knife does not cut through the skin, the procedure is considered surgery, and Brown prepared by not eating or drinking after midnight.
She arrived at the hospital wearing comfy sweats. Nurse Gail Cali gave her medication to help her relax, and then neurosurgeon Walter Hall MD and radiation oncologist Seung Shin Hahn MD fitted her for a helmet-like stereotactic frame. Then Brown underwent magnetic resonance imaging. The scan would show the precise location of the tumors so the two doctors and medical physicist Daniel Bassano PhD could plan Brown's treatment.
Cali explains that the gamma knife team uses the MRI scan "to plan where the beams of radiation will be directed to treat the tumor or tumors. The beauty of this is we can treat one or many tumors that are seen that day on the patient's scan. This allows for the treatment to be done in one day."
Brown remembers "I came in that morning and went home that afternoon with very, very little side effects."
She lay down the whole time, her head in a special holder that helped her keep her head still. She listened to a disc of Tony Bennett duets she brought from home. After the procedure, Brown was in recovery for about a half hour or 45 minutes and then allowed to go home.
Brown had a followup MRI a month later. "The lesions were still there, but very tiny," she reports. She is taking chemotherapy again, and another followup MRI will be done soon. Cali said the goal is for tumors to decrease in size or stop growing, and that's what has happened in Brown's case.
"So far, so good," she says. "Except for a couple of days after the chemotherapy I'm able to do all of my activities."
Those activities include gardening, cooking, doing her own laundry, and golfing. "I didn't have the strength and energy to play 18 holes of golf, but I played nine holes a week, sometimes twice, and I played in various tournaments."
Brown is grateful for her health, for the gamma knife technology, and for the caregivers and friends she once called colleagues.


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The drive to Ohio is long and tedious, much like a New York Mets summer the past three years. Went back home to visit my father, who was hospitalized, and apologize for the lapse in posts.
My mind was on other things.
I am anxious for the World Series to start, and I would like to see the Cardinals because that would complete one of the great comebacks in baseball history. The Cardinals have what it takes to complete history.
Either way, if the Rangers won, that would also be a compelling story, especially for Mets fans who still have a fondness for Nolan Ryan.
The Cardinals have the best pitcher and player in the Series in Chris Carpenter and Albert Pujols, plus the extra game at home. Both teams are sizzling at the right time.
In looking at the two teams, it is easy to see what separates them from the Mets, and, of course, you have to wonder how far our boys are away.
Both teams have a stud hitter in Pujols and Josh Hamilton, reliable starters in Carpenter and CJ Wilson, good bullpens and support throughout the batter orders.
The Mets have David Wright and Mike Pelfrey, holes in the order and are shambles in the bullpen and rotation. If everybody in the NL East stands pat, and you know they won't, at best the Mets are fourth in the division.
Bringing back Jose Reyes won't change that, either. So, it was interesting to read the ESPN report of Chip Hale's assessment, and that of some NL scouts, on Ruben Tejada's development.
One scout said Tejada is ready to play and the best decision for the Mets would be to plug him in, let Reyes go and spend the money patching their numerous pitching holes.
I've been saying that since the trade deadline.
It's not that I dislike Reyes. To the contrary, he's been one of my favorite Mets to deal with, but realistically, he has limitations and the team has other priorities. If Tejada was a lost cause, it might be different, but there is promise there.
The Cardinals and Rangers wouldn't be here without Pujols and Hamilton, respectively. Reyes, and also Wright, don't carry the same weight with the Mets.
At one time, Reyes and Wright represented the Mets' core, but times have changed. The team has lost key complementary pieces while both players have declined and have had health issues.
Sandy Alderson was brought in here to rebuild this franchise, and it is becoming clearer that both Reyes and Wright or no longer cornerstones. Too bad, but that is the reality.
Another reality, is Alderson knew the guidelines when he took the job. Not much got by Alderson, if anything, when he was working in the commissioner's office. He got the job on the strong recommendation of Bud Selig, so he had a strong sense of the Wilpon's financial issues.
When he came here he said it would take time, rebuilding wouldn't come over night and the Mets' culture had to change. That would include handing out massive contracts.
That is why I would be shocked if Reyes was brought back, wouldn't be surprised if Wright isn't dealt, and why the team would love to cut ties with Johan Santana and Jason Bay.
We knew 2011 and 2012 would be written off, and we wouldn't have a clearer idea of the future until 2013 at the earliest.


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OSCEOLA, Iowa — Republican Rick Perry is shifting his opposition to abortion, saying he opposes it even after rape or incest.
Perry on Tuesday told potential caucus-goers in Iowa that he has changed his mind.
Previously, he believed abortion was acceptable in cases of rape, incest or when the mother's life is at risk. Now, he says abortion in all forms should be prohibited.
Perry told a pastor who asked him about his views that, in his words, "you're seeing a transformation."
Perry says he recently watched former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's documentary about abortion. He says he met a woman in the film and that she told him she was the result of rape and that her life has worth.
Perry says that encounter led him to rethink his position.


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Formula Drift's tech event was at the Irvine office of European Car's Source Interlink Media corporate overlord last weekend. By the time I got there the lot had filled up with several hundred cars, everything from stock machines to modded-out monsters. The event was presented by: Super Street, Modified, Import Tuner, European Car, and Honda Tuning. There were also four food trucks (Sexy Burger, DogZillaDos, Chinos, Frozen Ice) providing hungry enthusiasts with enough fuel to enjoy the hundreds of cars. To help you get a flavor for the event, I waded through the lot and picked out several that caught my eye, talking with several of the proud owners of the slick European cars below.
Albert Roxas brought his 2009 Audi R8 to the show, all decked out in an "Iron Man" theme (the R8 had a starring role in the first "Iron Man" film). The V-8 powered model is lowered on 20-inch Modurlare wheels, and has an ECU remap, intakes, and exhaust by Stasis (an Audi aftermarket tuning expert). He also added a set of H&R springs, and to complete the look the R8's signature side blades are carbon-fiber. Purchased used, Roxas decided he wanted more than the stock R8 offered and is now finished with all the mods he wanted to add.
One of two Lotus cars I saw at the show (including mine) was this 2005 Lotus Elise owned by Chris Schrieder. This is no ordinary Elise, as the list of mods is pretty extensive, including: a Bamani supercharger (water cooled) bringing it to 270 hp, some carbon fiber pieces, BBS rims, tubular GT3 style exhaust, and a Gut rear spoiler. Schrieder hopes to change the front clam to possibly an Exige or even an add-on that has a GT4 look. And if 270 hp wasn't enough for such a light weight car, Schrieder wants to add more down the line.
This brightly colored BMW is a 2013 328 owned by Anthony Shores. The bright blue color is a BMW blue that is actually wrapped around the original white color. Shores says the rims are from Avant Garde and are wrapped in Hankook tires, other than that it's pretty much stock. In the future he hopes to install an intake to help boost performance and possibly new front black grille inserts.
Here are a few other cars that caught my eye while wandering around the lot that didn't have owners available to talk with:
One of the only Mini Coopers I saw at the show, this car has plenty of interesting add-ons, including a dealer installed JCW package and rally accessories.
This 996 Porsche Turbo is another one of those less-is-more cars I saw at the show. Its looks are understated compared to others, but it caught my attention.


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2013 Top Truck Challenge: Awards Presentation With Day Five VideoPosted in Top Truck Challenge: 2013 on October 11, 2013
About the Tank Trap:
The Tank Trap is legendary, often spoken of in hushed, reverent tones. Tank Trap is a regular feature at the Hollister Hills SVRA, but for one day each year it's significantly modified for Top Truck. In its basic form it's a quarter-mile-long natural valley that climbs approximately 195 feet in elevation. For our once-a-year thrashathon we dig seven giant holes and we fill 'em with 120,000 gallons of water, which significantly increases the challenge level of the course. Here's how it works: Shortly into the course, competitors have to navigate two deep water holes that are preceded by steep dirt hills. Next up is the "Canyon." This evil 100-yard section is quite narrow and bordered by steep walls. The Canyon contains slippery rock waterfalls, ledges, and the ghosts of former competitor's hopes and dreams. But the worst is yet to come. Ahead are five more strategically-placed water holes, each separated by steep dirt hills. And if that doesn't suck the will out of competitors, there's a nasty, often underestimated thing we call the "Crevice" located between the fifth and sixth water holes. But wait, there's more. The crown jewel is the final hill, which steeply rises just past the last water hole and guards the finish line. Add to all of this the fact that competitors are given only 30 minutes and you have a recipe for some world class action and drama. And no, we don't let competitors see the course in advance. Strategically, Tank Trap is a major player because it's worth more than double the points of the other events.
See Our Tank Trap Coverage here:
See Our Original Coverage Below:
Top Truck Challenge 2013 is now in the record books and all the competitors have long earned a lifetime of battle scars and great campfire stories. We know you want to know more about Top Truck Challenge so we've decided to give you coverage of the awards ceremony at Top Truck Challenge! Each and every competitor worked hard and long all week and as such deserve a ton of respect from all of us since they battled the trails and challenges with such positive attitudes!
John Retzloff and Ken Retzloff finished the week in First Place in their 1977 GMC K15 Sierra. Their consistency and the fact that they communicated and worked so well with each other throughout all the grueling events this past week is what earned them top honors at this year's Top Truck Challenge. Where others struggled, the Retzloff's made up a lot of ground on the rest of the competitors and never looked back.
Matt Huit and Jared Harmer did an awesome job wheeling all of the technical trails of Top Truck Challenge in their 1981 VW Rabbit Pickup but ultimately a set back in the Frame Twister as well as the Tank Trap kept their Monstrous VW Rabbit from taking home the victory. They did however put on a great show for everyone and managed the only finish in the incredibly tough and slippery Coal Chute which helped earn them a hard fought 2nd place finish.
Josh Middleton and Tony Monalto fought their way to a third place finish at this year's Top Truck Challenge in their '79 Ford Bronco. It was exciting to watch these two run through the Frame Twister especially since they wheeled their way through it while blasting AC/DC's Hells Bells cranked all the way up to 11. Although we couldn't tell from all the hard charging driving that they were doing, the duo was plagued with engine troubles that left their oil pan full of water at the end of every day. Not ones to give up, they changed the oil every night to have the truck ready for the next day's events which contributed significantly to their podium finish.
Paul Boundy earned himself the Long Distance Award at Top Truck Challenge this year. He drove out all the way from Canada logging about 2,800 miles one way!
Nolan and Tyler Skopliak took the much coveted Team Spirit Award at Top Truck Challenge this year. The Skopliak's battled through all the challenges with a never give up attitude. What really pushed them over the edge for this award was during the Hill Climb when Tyler got out to pull cable and ended up having to run all the way up the steep hill. Not only that but Tyler sprinted one of the steepest parts of the Hill Climb towards the end so his team could finish within the allotted time since both driver and spotter have to cross the finish line.
Glen Green and his big loud Ford were a real crowd favorite throughout the entire week at Top Truck Challenge. As such they earned the People's Choice Award from the rest of their fellow competitors as the truck they'd most like to go home with. With over 600 hp on tap, it's easy to see why everyone loved Glen's truck so much.
Pepe "Peps" Palomo finished the week with tons of great memories as well as the Judges and Editors Choice Award as the truck they'd most like to go home with, or as Editor Cappa would say, "... the truck we'd most like to steal." The little mean green Tacoma powered it's way through what was seemingly impossible and although it struggled at times, it was still a hell of a well built rig!
Not only did Paul Boundy earn the Long Distance award, he also ended up with the Hard Luck Award after encountering mechanical difficulties that would surely have detered many from attempting some of the challenges that he did. The front ring and pinion on his 2003 Chevy Silverado fell apart early on in the week forcing Paul to attempt all the first day's events as well as the Obstacle Course in two-wheel-drive. Paul did manage to get the truck back together for the Tank Trap but after wedging the truck in the rock wall canyon, the front driveshaft failed as well. Paul and his co-driver kept a great attitude throughout the week and kept working to fix their rig which is why they earned the Hard Luck Award.
Aaron Fava put on a hell of a show maneuvering his massive rear-steer Chevy Crew Cab truck through the tight technical trails. Fava was also the only competitor to actually finish the Tank Trap and his rear-steer skills really showed throughout the week, especially in the Tank Trap. It's no surprise then that Aaron Fava walked away from Top Truck Challenge with a whole lot of respect from his fellow competitors as well as the highly desired Elegant Driving Award.
Be sure to pick up the December 2013 issue of Four Wheeler Magazine to check out the rest of the TTC results standings!


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The Urban Dictionary defines "Man flu" as the condition shared by all males wherein a common illness (usually a mild cold) is presented by the patient as life-threatening.
The Urban Dictionary defines "Man flu" as the condition shared by all males wherein a common illness (usually a mild cold) is presented by the patient as life-threatening.
This is also known, according in the Urban Dictionary, as "Fishing for Sympathy" or "Chronic Exaggeration." When the patient is your husband, he will exhibit the standard symptoms (such as an overwhelming desire for compassion) while simultaneously rejecting any and all efforts you make to placate him.
The "man flu" descended on our household Monday, which started out bad to begin with.
After a sleepless night (not because of "man flu," Hubby just doesn't sleep anymore) Hubby huffed his way out the door before sunrise. He seemed fine, except for the giant bags under his eyes. But with only two hours of sleep under his belt I thought nothing of it.
He seemed especially quiet all day Monday, but I was busy enough and thought it must be the case for him as well.
By the time he got home Monday evening he looked like H-E-double hockey sticks.
"Cough, cough," Hubby greeted me.
I didn't respond.
"I SAID...COUGH, COUGH," he tried again.
"Are you sick?" I asked.
"Yes," he responded weakly.
"How can I help you?" I asked compassionately.
"You can't," he said barely above a whisper. "It's just a cold and in time it will run its course."
Yep, it will. But hopefully before my Florence Nightingale routine begins to wear thin.
Being a male, he decided that he needed to pick up the yard, weed the garden and take out the garbage before he could bring himself inside to lie down.
Let me just say, the tough guy routine can be as irritating as the "he is the only one who has ever had a runny nose, a soar throat or the aches...THIS BAD," routine.
Frankly, I'm not surprised he's sick. It takes work to be healthy and prevent illness. Regular sleep, exercise and a healthy diet can help. Hubby sleeps an average of four hours a night, his idea of exercise is when he jumps up and down and yells at the Viking's every Sunday and he's under the false belief that because potato chips are made from potatoes, they must be a vegetable group.
I've tried, I really have. I started us on a vitamin regimen at the first sign of cold and flu season. Except he "forgets" to take the vitamins I put beside his plate every night at dinner and in his lunch pail for work.
You can lead a horse to water...
I began concentrating my efforts more on myself and have been ingesting high doses of Vitamin C in addition to my regular vitamins, getting more exercise, washing my hands regularly, eating more fresh fruits and vegetables and sleeping seven hours a night routinely. It's not that I don't have time to be sick–I just don't want to be sick. Period.
But this really isn't about me.
After the third night of offering Hubby everything in the medicine cabinet from A to Z, I finally told him I was going out for decongestant and brandy to put in his tea. Instead I met my friends for a brandy and told him the decongestant he wanted was out of stock.
Don't judge me. Caregivers need a break every once-in-a-while too.
I could go on, but I'm writing this at home and Hubby just yelled from the bedroom. Night four of the "man flu" is giving him the chills and he needs a blanket and something to drink before the next episode of the Dukes of Hazard.
I think it's about time to go out for some more decongestant.


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They're back at the homestead; abandoned home-shell.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Song for Together
They're back at the homestead; abandoned home-shell.
5 comments:
- jim mcdonald said...
how nice it'd be to have these writings all bound up together. Surely I'd be not the only one to desire such a trove...
- March 11, 2010 at 8:35 AM
- Shamana Flora said...
love love love this!! You are gifted and such a gift girl!!
- March 11, 2010 at 8:52 AM
- The Plant Whisperer said...
Thank you so much dear ones :)
Jim, that means a lot to me ~ I'd like that one day and often ponder how to go about it. Part of my trouble is the pressure to "get it out" when it flows - and I wonder if I'm capable of not posting it right away :) and keeping it until it's published on paper.
- March 11, 2010 at 9:09 AM
- Sarah said...
Beautifully crafted, Ananda, and very thought provoking, as was your previous work. I think Jim's correct in asking for a collection of your work. It would have to be self published as it's like trying to find hens' teeth to discover a commercial publisher. Lulu.com or its derivatives are the easiest way to go unless you have a friendly calligrapher who might transcribe for you onto handmade paper and then produce pre-ordered numbers. Good luck!
- March 12, 2010 at 4:41 AM
- Irene Sturla said...
Very moving. Thank you. Irene
- March 31, 2010 at 3:43 PM


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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Georgia College softball team (1-3) picked up their first win of the season Friday afternoon against Queens University (N.C.) 8-0, before dropping the second game of the doubleheader 7-5.
Junior pitcher Sabrina Chandler (Covington, Ga.) got her first start of the season for the Bobcats, earning the win in a complete game shutout. She worked all five innings in the run-shortened contest, allowing just two hits and striking out as many.
GC really had it going offensively, pouring on eight runs in the first two innings of the game. Junior Haley Burnett (Columbus, Ga.) led the charge blasting two home runs, driving in four and scoring a pair. Fellow junior Maggie Davis (Roswell, Ga.) also chipped in two hits as she went 2-for-3 with a run.
A duo of freshman set the table for the 'Cats, as Alex Duvall (Douglasville, Ga.) and Whitney Okvist (Kennesaw, Ga.) combined to go 3-for-6 at the top of the lineup.
In game two, Georgia College was unable to rally back from an early 5-1 deficit. Freshman pitcher Chelsie Huffman (Powder Springs, Ga.) struggled in her first start as a Bobcat, going just three innings while allowing five runs and walking four.
Burnett and Caitlin Duvall (Douglasville, Ga.) threw the final three innings, allowing a combined four hits and two runs. Burnett contributed at the plate in game two as well, going 2-for-3 with a double and a pair of RBI.
GC rallied to tie the game at five in the top of the fifth, but a two run bottom for Queens proved to be too much to overcome, as Burnett (0-2) was saddled with the loss.
Following a poorly-fielded second game against Brewton Parker College Wednesday, Georgia College showed immediate improvement as they committed no errors in the pair of games tonight.
The Bobcats are back in action tomorrow, Feb. 12 at noon, traveling to Catawba College.
The Georgia College Department of Athletics, back-to-back winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup, sponsors 10 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' multiple appearances in post-season competition as well as documented academic success and community-service involvement. Sign up at www.twitter.com/GCSUBobcats for up-to-the-minute reports, and visit www.GCSUBobcats.com for more information, and to nominate your favorite former Bobcats and Colonials to the GC Athletics Hall of Fame.


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Blake Lively: Drawn to Art Portraying 'A Childish Imagination'
Blake Lively walks around the set of Gossip Girl on Thursday (December 1) in New York City.
The 24-year-old actress, wearing a black leather jacket and matching boots, got to work on The CW drama with co-star Ed Westwick.
Blake recently chatted with ArtLog about her extensive art collection, which features a mix of contemporary pieces with vintage black-and-white photographs, and even some prints from Urban Outfitters.
"I've found that I'm often drawn to pieces that portray a childish imagination with a malevolent undertone, like the moment on the boat in Willy Wonka when all the fantasy turns on itself into the unexpected. In every piece I own there is a sense of celebration, whether in image, context, or color," she explained.
Check out some of Blake's items over at ArtLog.com!


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After a nice summer break, it's back-to-school-time for area students, so police will be watching for speeders in school zones.
After a nice summer break, it's back-to-school-time for area students, so police will be watching for speeders in school zones.
On the first day of school last year, Shawnee police officers wrote 18 tickets for drivers speeding in school zones and even made one arrest. Many of those violations were by the Shawnee Early Childhood Center.
Shawnee Police Sgt. Dan Shumaker said officers are planning extra enforcement as the school year kicks off in efforts to help keep area children safe. Shawnee students return to class on Wednesday.
"We'll be out in force," Shumaker said. "We're really serious about children's safety."
The department also will utilize its speed trailer, which alerts drivers of their speeds in posted school zones while also keeping a record. The trailer will be rotated around town as drivers readjust to school zones.
Shumaker, who said the speed limit in most Oklahoma school zones is 25 mph or less, also reminds drivers it also is unlawful to drive around a stopped bus.
While speeding in school zones can net drivers hundreds of dollars in citations, failure to stop for a school bus can result in drivers losing their driver license altogether, he said.
"It's illegal to pass a school bus that's loading or unloading," he added.
Shumaker also reminds drivers to watch for children who may be walking to school.
He encourages parents to remind their children to never cross the street without looking both ways and to never run into the road.
Shumaker also offers the following tips for drivers:
• Always be alert, cautious and patient around children, crosswalks, bus stops, schools, school buses and school parking lots.
• When approaching a school bus that is stopped with its red lights flashing and its stop arms extended, motorists traveling in both directions are required to STOP in nearly every instance.
• Obey all traffic laws and speed limits, paying extra attention to the lower speed limits in school zones.
• Do not pass other vehicles in school zones or at crosswalks.
• Do not change lanes or make U-turns in school zones.
• Watch for and obey signals from school crossing guards.
• Do not text or use a cell phone while driving.
• Only drive or park in authorized areas to drop off or pick up children at school.


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Anniversary Special: All About Beer Magazine in our 25th Yearby various March 1, 2005 - - -
A silver anniversary is a great excuse for a big, blow-out celebration. Pour your favorite beer, cut yourself a slice of cake, and join us admiring the presents: a collection of amusements from some of our favorite beer scribes. Have fun, and Happy Birthday!


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Beautiful cotton, beautiful twist wrap-twice sinar tichel!
Stipes and a modern feminine floral pattern wraps up beautifully in this fun wrap!
This is a very beautiful tichel to pull your outfit together with beauty and style!
COLORS: blues, browns, cream, white
Sinar is the Hebrew word for apron. This style of tichel is traditionally called sinar apron as they are constructed like a small apron, with decorated ties that wrap around your head, creating the look of many scarves and headbands in one lig Ihtweight UNbulky tichel.
The special beauty about this type of tichel is that the tichel is designed with multiple fabrics, decorations and/or laces professionally sewn in place on one scarf. No more worries about matching up scarves and headbands and trying to position them straight.
Sinar tichels, as are square or rectangular scarves, are often wrapped around a volumizer cap that you wear underneath the tichel to provide some shape, so the scarf doesn't wrap around your head closely like a swim cap. Volumizers come in different shapes and sizes to suit your head shape and personal preferrences. I carry different shapes and sizes in my shop. They all come with built in nonslip headbands and Velcro attachments to create your own custom size.
First, place the volumizer cap on your head, tucking all hair inside.
Then take the sinar tichel and lay it over your head with the design side on top and the ties coming from the scarf near your forehead, as opposed to from the nape of your neck.
Tie the ties behind your head, at the nape of your neck. Gently pull at the ends of main body of the scarf so it lies nicely against your head, then tuck this material (not the ties!!!) behind your head under the volumizer cap.
Last step, lay one tie over your head and then the next from the opposite side, arranging them to your taste or as seen in the picture for the particular style tichel you purchased, and tie behind your head. You can tuck the ends if you like.
Wear it in good health!
1-3 business days
I'll do my best to meet these shipping estimates, but can't guarantee them. Actual delivery time will depend on the shipping method you choose.
Buyers are responsible for any customs and import taxes that may apply. I'm not responsible for delays due to customs.
Just contact me within: 3 days of delivery
Ship items back to me within: 14 days of delivery
Request a cancellation within: 12 hours of purchase
But please contact me if you have any problems with your order.
Because of the nature of these items, unless they arrive damaged or defective, I can't accept returns for:
Buyers are responsible for return shipping costs. If the item is not returned in its original condition, the buyer is responsible for any loss in value.
Please contact me if you have any problems with your order.
Nov 26, 2018
Pretty and summery cotton. Perfect to wear with a coordinating denim piece. Quick shipping. Personal contact. She stands behind her business.