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10 Must-Play Handheld Games in 2016
As great as home systems like the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 may be, there will always be something pleasingly personal about a handheld device. That's one reason it's such a shock the Wii U hasn't been a wholly successful release 4 Reasons The Wii U Will Fail [Opinion] While there is no sign yet of a PS4 or Xbox 720 (not likely to be the real names when they do finally arrive), we do have one next-generation games console on the horizon to... Read More , combining traditional gaming with the awesome GamePad 7 Ways The Wii U Is Better Than The Xbox One And PS4 While the battle between the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One rages on, a third competitor watches from the sidelines: the Wii U. Read More . Nintendo hasn't given up on the Wii U yet 10 Must-Play Wii U Games in 2016 Want to see what games you can play on your Nintendo console this year? Here are ten Wii U console exclusives you can play in 2016. Read More , and rightly so.
While there was some speculation that their next offering, preliminarily called the Nintendo NX How the Wii U's Failures Can Make Nintendo's NX a Success Nintendo's next console, codenamed the NX, is going to be huge. Potentially. But every company has stumbles. If Nintendo has another one, could it be The End? Read More , would replace the 3DS, the upcoming batch of games prove it's not going anywhere.
And while the PS4 still dominates sales, Sony has some great things in store for Vita players this year. Here are just a few of the games handheld-fans can look forward to in 2016…
Hyrule Warriors Legends (3DS)
We were excited when Hyrule Warriors was announced for the Wii U: this fusion of the hack-and-slash style of Dynasty Warriors, but with the environs of The Legend of Zelda was met with overall positivity. A video for this port version of the game accidentally made its way online before the official teaser at E3.
This isn't solely a portable translation of the Wii U game, however: it adds new story elements from the ever-popular Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, and allows you to switch between characters on a whim, making for more adrenaline-fuelled play.
Fortunately, you won't have to wait long to play as Tetra and King of Hyrule: Hyrule Warriors Legends is out next month!
Assassin's Creed Chronicles Trilogy Pack (PSV)
The action-adventure franchise The True History of Assassin's Creed Read More has been going strong for nearly a decade now, and the Assassin's Creed Chronicles have taken gamers to China, India, and Russia across the trilogy which debuted in April 2015.
A year on, the platform games are being bundled together in a special PS Vita release.
Not only does the series span three countries; it also immerses you in select times in their histories, including the struggles between the Sikh Empire and the East India Company in 1841, and the crumbling Ming Dynasty in 1526 China. Admittedly, the games separately received mixed reviews, but the connecting narrative might just make this trilogy pack a pleasing addition to the Vita family.
Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens (3DS & PSV)
… And basically all major consoles. In case you missed it, Star Wars is big 10 Geeky Ways to Celebrate Star Wars Day With Star Wars back in business, we felt now would be a good time to think of the wackiest ways geeks can celebrate Star Wars Day. May the 4th be with you! Read More . The Force Awakens was greatly hyped, and actually lived up to its promise. Combine that franchise with LEGO, and you've got an essential purchase.
Lego's Star Wars series began in 2005, their first one selling 6.7 million units worldwide. Considering the reception to J.J. Abrams' film (and Lego's latest venture, Marvel Avengers), this game could be even bigger, and will be available in June, likely around the same time as the movie's DVD and Blu-ray release.
What's more, you can play it on the bus, on the train, and on the Millennium Falcon. Portability is king!
Fire Emblem Fates (3DS)
"Who are Marth and Roy?" That's what gamers asked back in 2001 when Super Smash Bros. Melee included the two characters who were only recognizable to Japanese players. Their popularity prompted Nintendo to start releasing their home series, Fire Emblem, in the West.
Fates has been in the works since the critical success of 2012/13's Awakenings, also on the 3DS; retaining the staff (and so, too, the creative vision) of the previous game, we expect Fates to be met with a great deal of fanfare, especially considering its reception in Japan.
Exclusive to Nintendo's handheld consoles, this tactical role-player allows you to customize your main character straight away before delving into battle across the kingdoms of Hoshido and Nohr. To tell the whole story from different viewpoints (and to keep it at a reasonable price), Fates is split into two games, Birthright and Conquest, released in North America this month. A third route, Revelations, is available in March.
SaGa: Scarlet Grace (PSV)
You can be forgiven for not having heard of this franchise, but it's an adaptable one that's survived a crossing to a different platform. The SaGa RPGs began on the Game Boy Playing Classic Gameboy Games On The PC With Visual Boy Advance [MUO Gaming] As the first major handheld console and a gem of the Nintendo brand, Gameboy pushed out some incredibly cool and classic video games, such as Super Mario, Mega Man, Legend of Zelda, and Pokémon, which... Read More in 1989, but has never been a massive name in the West. But the announcement of Scarlet Grace has already got its fans very, very excited.
The previous two games were released only on the Japanese social network, GREE, and on your PC, accessed through your Internet browser. That means this is the first mainstream game available since 2002/3's Unlimited Saga for the PlayStation 2. The series is known for its unconventional, open-world gameplay, so the advancements in definition will prove a pleasing contrast to the world displayed in the last game.
World of Final Fantasy (PSV)
Okay, so you might not know SaGa, but that's just a spin-off from this highly-successful series 5 Best Websites Dedicated To The Final Fantasy Series The Final Fantasy series of video games is 25 years old this year, with the first title, unsurprisingly called Final Fantasy, released in 1987. Since then there have been 14 games released in the main... Read More you've no doubt heard of, if not played.
Final Fantasy burst onto the market in 1987 and with over 110 million units sold, is one of the best-selling video gaming franchises of all time. Thanks to its stunning photo-realism, the fifteenth instalment in the core range is expected to be released later this year.
World of Final Fantasy offers something a little bit different, however. This upcoming release for PS4 and Vita will have gameplay reminiscent of the franchise's roots, and will be more accessible for the next generation 4 Perfect Games to Introduce Your Toddler to the World Of Gaming Are you the parent, aunt, uncle, or guardian of a child who's interested in video games? That can be a precarious situation to be in, especially if you aren't a big gamer yourself. There's so... Read More of young gamers, so should ensure its future. As such, it has fresh-faced "Chibi"-like aesthetics while keeping the RPG ethos, as you explore Grimoire, a world filled with classic Final Fantasy creatures.
Mighty No. 9 (3DS & PSV)
Support for Mighty No. 9 is pretty overwhelming: the project was funded on Kickstarter 7 Ways To Discover Cool Kickstarter Projects Before Anyone Else It's easier to search for interesting projects on the site. We've come up with a list of seven ways to discover interesting and new projects on Kickstarter before anyone else does. Read More , where its aim of raising $900,000 was achieved in just two days. It's now raised $4,000,000, meaning the title will be porting to handheld consoles as well as all major gaming platforms, including the Wii U, PS4, Linux, and OS X.
Why is it so popular? Mighty No. 9 is a traditional Japanese side-scrolling action game, combining the 8- and 16-bit flavor with modern tech and fan input. You play as Beck (named by fans), the only android not infected by a computer virus, fighting your fellow Mighty Number machines and taking your enemies' weapons once they're defeated.
The really exciting thing, however – the aspect that sets this apart from other upcoming games – is the direct involvement of Keiji Inafune, best known for giving Mega Man its distinctive style; indeed, Mighty No. 9 is seen as the spiritual successor to the much-loved franchise. And if you want to indulge in some side-scrolling goodness, why not go to the Nintendo eShop where you can see a fine selection of Mega Man archive games? 1988's Mega Man 2 is probably your best bet.
Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow (3DS & 2DS)
This year, Pokémon celebrates its 20th anniversary, but so far, it's been played surprisingly low-key. Think of all those 1990s kids with fond memories of wild Rattatas, Pidgeys, and Weedles, ready to relive the glory days 5 Reasons Why You Should Not Give Up On Pokemon Games Even As An Adult [MUO Gaming] Welcome to another installment of MakeUseOf Gaming. This week I will be talking about Pokemon, and why the Pokemon games are not just child's play. People tend to think of Pokemon as being just for... Read More !
That's why three popular titles have been rereleased on new models of the 2DS, pre-downloaded onto transparent versions of the handheld consoles. And if you're a 3DS owner, the titles will be on the Nintendo eShop from 27th February!
Charizard and Blastoise front the original games (poor Bulbasaur – always the bridesmaid), while Pikachu brightens up the Yellow, originally a reaction to the popularity of the TV series. Yep, blame Ash for that electrifying yellow stalker. It's nearly time again to see Professor Oak and make your choice Become A Master Pokemon Trainer With These 3 Websites Admit it; you still love Pokémon. I don't care if you are 12 years old, or 30 years old, Pokémon is, and always will be awesome. Maybe since you've got older you stopped watching the... Read More .
Ray Gigant (PSV)
Aliens have invaded Earth!
And in true Eastern fashion, these Gigants look like beasts from myth. Previously released solely in Japan, this game will hit the Western market later this year presumably exclusive to the PlayStation Vita. There are already ample amounts of Dungeon-drawler RPGs for the console already, but this does at least have an interesting narrative style: you approach the story from three viewpoints; three people striving to save us all via different methods – and these all converge at the game's conclusion.
Ray Gigant is expected this spring, but there's some uncertainty whether it'll have a physical release or be available solely as a download.
Zero Time Dilemma (3DS & PSV)
The Zero Escape story began in 2009/10 on the DS with Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors, and continued with 2012's Virtue's Last Reward. Zero Time Dilemma's evolution started when the previous game was released, but as the series hadn't proved popular in Japan, it's been delayed until the middle of this year. It's come as a wonderful surprise to its considerable fanbase.
If you doubt their dedication, Google "Operation Bluebird".
The series is a visual novel adventure that mixes tense "escape the room" scenes with moral dilemmas about such topics as torture, mass killings, and the price of freedom. Zero Time Dilemma is due on both popular handheld consoles, so that intimacy will encourage a deeper connection with the narrative, and affect your "way of thinking, values, [and] virtues", according to its writer, Kotaro Uchikoshi.
Press "Start"
That's the tip of the iceberg. We can't wait to start these enticing games, but who knows what other great stories will unfold on the 3DS and PSV?
Which games are you most looking forward to in 2016? Are there any you want to be ported? Or any you're desperate to play, despite them only being available in Japan? Let us know below.
Related topics: Mobile Gaming, PlayStation Vita.
Affiliate Disclosure: By buying the products we recommend, you help keep the site alive. Read more.


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Lemniskate on July 17, 2008
I contributed to Supers Illustrated by legacyhero, my pics of characters from Beneficially Challenged will be up next week. But it inspired me to create one swimsuit pin-up of Teneff, too!
Lemniskate at 10:50AM, Oct. 28, 2008
Your... phone? Anyway, the first one is an important sentence. Thanks fpr checking by!
merej at 10:48PM, Oct. 27, 2008
Ich mochte einen Wodka. Angenehm. - Sorry - I don't speak German, but I like the comic. [my phone taught me the previous phrases.] Peace.


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Kids Gryffindor Robe
(Code: 10875504210)
- Official Product under Warner Bros License
- Cinereplicas Brand
- Unisex
- Length (without cap):110 cm / 43 inch
- Length (with cap): 95 cm / 37.4 inch
- Width: 36 cm / 14 inch
- Outside: 100% polyster
- Inside: polyster lining
- Comes with:
- magic wand pocket
- the Gryffindor patch
- adjustable snap button
Designed in France
Official Harry Potter Warner Bros licence
Cinereplicas Trademark
Protected by a reusable Harry Potter zipper bag
This is the real Gryffindor dress from Harry Potter movies. Every detail has been studied to improve the quality of this costume, fabric, cut, size sleeves...
The drawing of this dress was made by professional costumers from Warner Bros. Harry Potter movies archives.
Dress clasp has a small rubber band that can fit your body size.
This robe is a kids size. Our little model measures 143cm / 56"
This dress also exists in adult size
For a complete set of Gryffindor uniform, match this Gryffindor robe with:
Standard delivery service to USA is FREE on all orders over $50.
Europe and Worldwide delivery are available. For further information click here.


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Blog Archives
Windows introduce new digital virtual assistant. Meet Cortana
Microsoft appears to have introduced to us its new digital personal assistant named Cortana. Visionz Of Success would like to share some key features for this new digital personal assistant finally introduced by Windows.
– She will be available on your Windows device. Check your device settings for updates.
– She can keep you updated on current events or help you manage your busy day
-She has a notebook where she takes notes about you and the tasks ahead. This feature is called Cortanas Notebook
– Cortana can help you learn about music. Just let her listen and she will reveal the information via the phones browser
– Cortana can be paired with the Bluetooth system in your car just pair your device and let Cortana do the rest
Remember, you must have a device running Windows 8.1. If you are unsure click here for the exacts on how to get Cortana on your device today.


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Coach K Shoots and Scores Against Osteoarthritis
The legendary men's basketball coach for Duke University talks about the debilitating pain that almost benched his career.
Now in his 34th season as head coach of the men's college basketball team at Duke University in Durham, N.C., Mike "Coach K" Krzyzewski knows how to conquer an opponent. But the most winningest coach in college basketball history almost benched his own career because of hip-related osteoarthritis.
Commonly known as the "wear and tear" arthritis, osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage meant to protect the bones wears down over time. It's also the most common cause of hip joint damage.
Coach K, 67, who also coached the 2008 and 2012 U.S. Olympic Gold Medal winning teams, is one of the 27 million Americans with osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis.
Coaching From a Chair
"In 1998, I started to feel a lot of groin pain and [it] got severe. I went in and knew it was a hip problem, but I didn't take care of it right away, I thought I could manage the pain," he said.
After grappling with debilitating pain and reduced mobility, he finally made the decision to have his left hip replaced after the season finished. "And soon as I got my hip replaced, the pain was gone and then I rehabbed and got my movement back, and then all of a sudden you have a new lease on life which is terrific," he said.
The success of his hip replacement surgery didn't go unnoticed by his players either.
"Well, everyone noticed a difference in me after the surgery. Literally, I couldn't teach on the court towards the end of that [1998] season. I sat on a stool and I wasn't able to have hands-on instruction, and your mood's not good. You're fighting that all the time. It's difficult to fight anything else."
A Second Hip Replacement
A few years after the first surgery, Coach K realized his fight against hip-related osteoarthritis wasn't over. "My doc said, 'You're bone on bone,' " he recalled. Because of his previous successful hip replacement surgery, Coach K knew he had to quickly take care of his right hip. Now, 13 years after having his right hip replaced, he has become an advocate for people with arthritis.
"It gives you back your movement, your energy, and keeps you going in your career," he said. "I would have had to stop coaching if I didn't get my hips reconstructed."
After the surgeries, Coach K was able to get back to leading an active and healthy life with his family. "My family was happy, I was a happier guy to live with, and also people don't want to hear you always complain about pain … I tried not to complain but you do, you do."
Now, pain-free, the coach and his family have new (and better) things to complain about. "And then all of a sudden there is no pain, so the only thing you complain about then is, you know, you put my TV channel on not yours … why are you eating all the food and I'm not getting any of it … why aren't we doing my activity today. Those are good things to argue about, not about pain."
Stretches, Weights, and Walks on the Beach
Coach K still does some of the exercises he learned after his surgery in rehab, including leg extensions and other weight-bearing exercises about three times a week. "I do a little bit of weight [training] to keep my legs strong — or as strong as a 67-year-old-guy needs to keep his legs to keep being a basketball coach from a school and on the national team."
RELATED: 3 Things Arthritis Patients Wish Their Docs Would Do
The popular coach said he also tries to eat right, get enough sleep, and stay in shape so he can continue with his philanthropic work as well.
"I'm not a runner anymore. A recumbent bike is a big thing for me, and I do a lot of walking and especially if I get an opportunity to go down to the beach. I love walking the beaches."
He also makes an effort to stretch with the Blue Devils during the season. "I'm lucky because my occupation affords me an opportunity to be around guys who want to stay active and want to be in shape and also the equipment. It's easier for me. But you know that it's necessary for everybody," he said.
Giving Back to Others
After two successful hip surgeries, Coach K regained his mobility and is even going on to serve as head coach of the 2016 U.S. National team.
Coach K, who is a paid consultant for a prosthetic joint company with which he works on an awareness campaign, urges people with similar symptoms to talk to their doctor.
"The very first thing is to get professional care, get advice," he said. "It's a necessity."


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The pistol the U.S. Army chose to become its new Modular Handgun System failed reliability requirements during testing while firing the Defense Department's most common type of 9mm ammunition, according to a new Pentagon report.
The Office of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation recently released its fiscal 2017 report, criticizing the Army's XM17 and XM18 MHS models, made by Sig Sauer, for their performance firing 9mm ball ammunition during the Product Verification Test.
The Army's MHS requirement called for the pistol to use ball ammo, as well as a new special-purpose, jacketed hollow point ammo.
Both MHS variants performed well when firing the new special-purpose ammunition but failed to meet portions of the MHS reliability requirements when using ball ammunition during product testing, the report shows.
"Both the XM17 and XM18 pistols experienced double-ejections where an unspent ball round was ejected along with a spent round," the report states. "Due to the increased frequency of occurrence during Product Verification Test (PVT), the Army stood up a root cause analysis team to identify the cause of the double ejections."
Related content:
- Army Explains New Dual-Arming Policy for Modular Handgun System
- Army Picks Sig Sauer's P320 Handgun to Replace M9 Service Pistol
- Dismissal of Bid Protest Clears Way for New Army Sidearm
In addition, neither variant met the reliability requirement that calls for MHS to demonstrate a "95-percent probability of completing a 96-hour mission without a stoppage" during Initial Operational Test & Evaluation, according to the report, which first appeared in a story on The Drive.
Sig Sauer officials would not comment on the report and referred all questions to Program Executive Office Soldier.
"The DOT&E report accurately conveys the test results," said Debra Dawson, spokeswoman for PEO Soldier. "It is normal and expected during testing to find opportunities to improve a system."
The Army awarded Sig Sauer the MHS contract, worth up to $580 million, in January 2017.
The service received a Conditional Materiel Release for the XM17 and XM18 in November 2017 and has already starting fielding to units from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
Ongoing Analysis
Analysis is ongoing for operational effectiveness, operational suitability, and lethality, according to the report. The Office of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, or DOT&E, intends to submit its test and evaluation report to Congress this spring, the report states.
The Army intends to have a Full-Rate Production decision by September 2018.
The service entered into Product Verification Testing in April 2017 for both the XM17 full-size variant and XM18 compact variant MHS pistols.
"During the PVT testing, the MHS with ball ammunition demonstrated significantly more stoppages than with the special-purpose munition," the report states.
Part of the evaluation tested both variants for the MHS requirement on mean rounds between failures, or MRBF, and mean rounds between stoppages, or MRBS.
For the MHS, a stoppage is defined as any deficiency that prevents the pistol from operating as intended, but is corrected through immediate action. A failure is defined as a hardware deficiency that requires replacement or repair, the report states.
The MRBF reliability requirement is 5,000 MRBF for a 98 percent probability of completing a 96-hour mission without a failure. The MRBS reliability requirement is 2,000 MRBS for a 95 percent probability of completing a 96-hour mission without a stoppage.
During product testing, the XM17 and XM18, using special-purpose ammunition, met the requirement for both MRBF and MRBS, the report states.
The XM17 demonstrated 8,929 MRBF, a 99 percent probability, and the XM18 demonstrated 8,333 MRBF, a 99 percent probability.
The XM17 demonstrated 1,923 MRBS, 95 percent probability, and the XM18 demonstrated 2,155 MRBS, a 96 percent probability.
Failing to Meet Requirements
With ball ammunition, the results were not as good. The XM17 with ball ammunition met its requirement for MRBF but not its requirement for MRBS, the report states.
The XM17 demonstrated 6,944 MRBF, or a 99 percent probability, but achieved only 343 MRBS, or a 75 percent probability, according to the report.
The XM18 with ball ammunition failed to meet both MRBF and MRBS requirements, the report says.
It demonstrated 3,906 MRBF, or a 98 percent probability, but achieved only 197 MRBS, or a 61 percent probability, the report states.
One of the major goals of the MHS effort was to adopt a pistol chambered for a more potent round than the current 9mm.
During the summer of 2015, Army officials revealed that a new Defense Department policy would allow the service to use "special-purpose ammunition" for the MHS program, a significant break from its past devotion to ball ammunition.
'Go-to-War' Ammo
The MHS requirement calls for both pistols to use the XM1152 ball cartridge, which uses a 115-grain, full-metal-jacket projectile, and the XM1153 Special Purpose cartridge, which uses a 147-grain jacketed hollow point projectile -- a bullet Army officials have labeled as the service's new "go-to-war" ammunition.
While it's not in the formal MHS requirement, "gun makers were encouraged to optimize their guns' performance to the special-purpose round," according to a source familiar with MHS requirements and testing but not authorized to speak publicly on the subject.
If a pistol is designed specifically for a 147-grain special-purpose round, it can affect its performance with a lighter 115-grain ball round, the source said.
The office of DOT&E recommends that "upon identification of the root cause of the double ejections and ball ammunition reliability problems, confirm fixes to both the XM17 and XM18 in future testing," the report states.
"The MHS is safe to operate with the XM1152 ball ammunition," Dawson said. "It is simply not meeting its reliability requirements with the ball ammunition and has experienced stoppages and issues with double ejections."
In July 2017, the Army formed a Tiger Team to perform a detailed root cause analysis of the ball ammunition issues, according to PEO Soldier.
"Their analysis has resulted in a number of modifications expected to enhance MHS performance and reliability with ball ammunition," Dawson said.
"The currently fielded pistols meet all safety and operational requirements for the 'go to war' configuration," she said. "Once proven out through testing, the Army will add the changes to the production of new MHS. The Army will also develop a plan to retrofit any fielded MHS with these changes."
The Army's analysis of the problem with ball ammunition was still ongoing at the time of the Initial Operational Test & Evaluation, so it was conducted using only the special-purpose ammunition, the report states.
Initial Testing
During IOT&E, the Army observed 120 stoppages for XM17 and 85 stoppages for XM18, but operators were able to rapidly recover by performing immediate action drills without any additional maintenance or support, the report states.
"The stoppages had minimal operational impact on the operators' ability to fire and continue the mission, the report states. "The assessment of operational suitability is ongoing."
Preliminary data from the IOT&E showed that both variants met the MRBF reliability requirement of 5,000 MRBF and a 95 percent probability of completing a 96-hour mission without a failure, according to the report.
Neither weapon, however, met the MRBS reliability requirement of 2,000 MRBS and a 95 percent probability of completing a 96-hour mission without a stoppage, the report states.
The XM17 demonstrated 336 MRBS, or a 74 percent probability, and the XM18 demonstrated 229 MRBS, or a 65 percent probability, the report states.
"The predominant cause of stoppages was the failure of the slide to lock (FSLR) after the firing of the last round in the magazine (60 of 120 stoppages for the XM17, and 63 of 85 stoppages for the XM18)," the report states.
The purpose of the slide locking to the rear is to inform the operator that the last round has been expended, and that the operator needs to reload a magazine into the weapon.
"Many operators stated that the placement of the slide catch lever caused them to engage it while firing the pistol, which resulted in the slide not locking to the rear when the last round was expended in a magazine," the report states. "Sixty percent of all FSLR stoppages (75 of 123) were experienced by 8 shooters out of the 132 who participated in the IOT&E."
DOT&E recommends that the Army consider redesigning the slide catch lever or operator training changes to prevent engagement by operators while shooting the pistol, the report states.
Army Marksmanship Unit experts stated that this is an insignificant problem that can be mitigated with training and experience with the weapon, according to the report.
PEO Soldier agreed and told Military.com that the Army will modify "our marksmanship training to ensure that operators do not unintentionally engage the slide catch lever when firing the MHS," Dawson said.
The service launched its long-awaited MHS competition in late August 2015 to replace its Cold War-era M9 9mm pistol.
In January 2017, Sig Sauer beat out Glock Inc., FN America and Beretta USA, the maker of the current M9 9mm service pistol.
In June 2017, the Government Accountability Office denied a protest filed by Glock Inc. against the Army's decision to select Sig Sauer to make its new sidearm.
Glock filed the protest with the GAO on Feb. 24, challenging the Army's interpretation of the solicitation regarding the minimum number of contract awards required by the Request for Proposal, according to a statement by Ralph O. White, managing associate general counsel for Procurement Law at GAO. Glock also alleged that the Army improperly evaluated its proposal.
In July, Josh Dorsey, vice president of Glock Inc., told Military.com that the Army's selection of Sig Sauer was based on "incomplete testing" and that Sig Sauer's bid was $102 million lower than Glock's.
The Army, including Army Special Operations Command, intends to purchase 238,000 pistols -- approximately 231,000 XM17s and 7,000 XM18s.
The Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force may purchase 224,000 pistols under the same contract.
-- Matthew Cox can be reached at email@example.com.


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Back to the Future
It's the film that launched the career of fledgling actor Michael J. Fox, transforming him from small screen staple into certified m ovie star. This sci-fi classic also launched another show-stopper; the film made "DeLorean" a household name.
The Synopsis: Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) is dealing with more than typical teen angst; bullied at school and misunderstood by his stuck-in-a-rut family, he aspires to greater things. When his friend, Dr. Brown (Christopher Lloyd), transforms a DeLorean into a time machine, Marty is beyond excited—that is, until a miscalculation sends Marty smack into the 1950s, where he accidentally prevents his then-teenage parents from having their first romantic encounter. Now, Marty's in a race against time to correct his mistake before he ceases to exist, and to return to his own era without damaging more of his future. Oscar Winner for Sound Editing, nominated for Sound, Original Screenplay, and Song (The Power of Love" from Huey Lewis, who appears in the film as a band judge).
Ten Things You Didn't Know About Back to the Future
1. Back to the Future's clocktower climax was a nod to both Alfred
Hitchcock's Vertigo and the silent classic Safety Last! (starring
Harold Lloyd).
2. Although the movie was widely adored after its 1985 release, the
script had been rejected by every major studio just four years earlier.
3. Christopher Lloyd based his portrayal of "Doc Brown" on both Albert Einstein and conductor Leopold Stokowski.
4. Originally, "Einstein" was supposed to be a monkey, not a dog;
Universal's president ruled that chimps were box-office poison.
5. The time-travel device was initially a refrigerator, not a
DeLorean. Zemeckis and Gale changed the portal to a car for fear that
children might emulate the film and become trapped in their own
6. Most of Michael J. Fox's daylight scenes were filmed on weekends.
On weekdays, he was still rehearsing and taping Family Ties, so he shot
most of Back to the Future on the late shift – from 6:30pm to 2:30am.
7. Then-president Ronald Reagan loved Back to the Future so much, he
invited Michael J. Fox to dinner and even quoted the film's final line
in his 1986 State of the Union address: "As they said in the film Back to the Future, "Where we're going, we don't need roads."
8. 6'1" Christopher Lloyd had to hunch over to fit into the camera
frame next to 5'4" Michael J. Fox; if Lloyd hadn't stooped, his co-star
would have been staring up at him in every shot.
9. After the film's release, the McFly® restaurant chain sued
Universal for damaging their name. Said McFly president Jay Paul, "Our
image is heroic, romantic and bold. The movie McFlys would be
considered nerds by any stretch of the imagination."
10. Back to the Future revived skateboarding, a pastime that hadn't
been popular for decades. Soon after the film's release, towns
everywhere began passing skateboard safety laws due to a burgeoning
generation of 'skate rats.'


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In a Vatican statement it was explained that experts were trying to determine the age and sex of the remains, and the date of death.
Italian media speculate they may be those of a teenage daughter of a Vatican employee who vanished in 1983. The disappearance of 15-year-old Emanuela Orlandi has been widely linked either to organised crime or to an attempt to force the release from prison of Mehmet Ali Agca, the Turkish man who tried to assassinate Pope John Paul II in 1981. Orlandi's brother Pietro, has campaigned for decades to find the truth. The remains could also be those of Mirella Gregori, who disappeared in Rome 40 days before Orlandi and was also aged 15, media also report.
"During restoration works in a space annexed to the Apostolic Nunciature of Italy... fragments of human bone were found," the Vatican said in a statement. The Vatican has said on several occasions that it has co-operated fully with police investigating the Orlandi case. (Edited from BBC News)


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In theory, Third Man Records is far from the ideal distributor for a comedy album. The Jack White-founded label has a live venue at its Nashville, Tennessee base where musical performances are recorded and transferred directly to vinyl. The practice runs counter to how the majority of modern comedy albums are produced, in which two or more performances are typically edited together to create the best show possible. At Third Man, though, the artist—as is the nature of live music—gets just one take.
Rory Scovel's Live at Third Man Records is his second album. Whereas 2011's Dilation was an hour of 11 separate tracks on a range of topics, Third Man is an actual record, featuring an A- and B-side, each roughly 20 minutes long. And while Dilation featured material inspired by Scovel's real life, Third Man is, by comparison, a radical departure, as it's almost entirely bereft of any mention of Scovel the person.
Scovel spends the first five minutes of the A-side speaking in a German accent, bizarrely riffing on the phrase "such whats" for much too long. He then offers a few slogans for his character's home nation—e.g., "Germany: we know that you know"—before slipping into a thick Southern accent to play a Christian comic-preacher who is weirdly aware that he's at Third Man Records recording an album; Scovel references the fact that this album is on vinyl nearly half a dozen times.
The B-side features Scovel utilizing his normal speaking voice, doing more traditional material. He spends a fair amount of time talking about Salt Lake City—"the whitest city in the world"—before segueing into a discussion on different levels of racism.
Scovel's not a traditional stand-up comic. He's unapologetic about using voices, and he's more than willing to detour around his material to play off the crowd. Those tactics make Scovel a unique talent, but it's fair to say they might not make him the proper type of comic to record a one-off show. The mode by which Third Man operates is conducive to capturing intimacy—preserving the spark of a live performance that post-production inherently strips away. Scovel—obviously capable of carefully crafted material—takes full advantage of these circumstances, riffing and being hyper-present to such a degree that much of the album comes off feeling almost too in-the-moment. At times, it's difficult to distinguish which material is prepared and which is authored spontaneously. This is unquestionably a performative gift, but comedy is dependent on landing laughs, and unfortunately for Scovel, much too often there isn't enough of an overall positive reaction to merit a work created for posterity.
It's unfair to condemn a comic for experimenting or trying to grow as an artist. And considering Third Man is available only as a physical record with no digital edition, it's an ideal medium for experimentation. As it stands, Scovel's effort is noble and well-intentioned, but the end result is far from what he's proven capable of.


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I love that movie.
ur art is awesome!!!!
8 Comments
I love that movie.
Live to the fullest, Die without sorrow...
Let Others Pay For Their Own Mistakes.
dollfie version
oh yes just do it! i think it would look really awesome. nice idea
i like too!!
I'm afraid of her but at the same time i cant stop looking at her...@-@ i'd like to do a dollfie version...your drawings inspire me a lot! :DDD
El arte es el reflejo del mundo, si el mundo es horrible, el reflejo también lo es. PAUL VERHOEVEN
Art is the reflection of the world, if the world is horrible, the reflection is too. PAUL VERHOEVEN
Ahh, Creepy!
But very well done! I'm getting the shivers now just thinking about that movie.
Ooo, words go here too?
Awesome it's better than mine. It's too scary for me to draw her.
The Path you choose is the Path you have to go...... If you make Bad choices..... Bad things will happen to you Sooner or Later.........
Remember...The one who love's you will always be with you.....(my new account will be blackearsbunny)
oh my god, i like it XDD
God's busy, may I help you ;D


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Perfect for switching between ballet & pointe shoes.
Bloch® women's dance & ballet tights are durable, flexible and designed to partner our leotards for a professional look. All our women's dance tights come in a number of fittings and styles - footless, convertible, full-tights and stirrups. Made from soft feel Nylon / Spandex combinations, Bloch® tights are perfect for switching between ballet flats and pointe shoes.
If you need help or fitting advice for any Bloch dance tights style, please contact us.


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Focus on
All news and events of the last minute
News and Events
All the communications issued by MeC
Solar Gadgets
Unique producers of these gadgets in Italy for a sustainable future and environmental protection
After years of successes and positive feedback from pupils, teachers, principal and local administrators as regards to the projects of environmental education, in 2009 was born the idea to develop, produce and commercialize solar gadgets, thinking to a sustainable future and to the safeguard of the environment for a long time.
We are the only producers of these gadgets in Italy, totally realized in certified wood and in kit of assemblage with an ecological packaging, perfect both as knickknacks or as desk objects, but also ideal to color for doing small works of modelling.
The gadget functioning consists in the working of a little electric motor that receives current from a small photovoltaic panel when illuminated from the sunlight, not being buffer battery. The whole engineering of the gadgets and their realization is made by MeC Italy.
To testify our ethical and ecological idea of product we have exposed our solar gadgets in exhibition with energetic and eco-friendly thematic in Italy and in foreign countries, from the most distant "Intersolar USA" in San Francisco, California and "Intersolar EU" to Monk, Baviera passing for the national ones "Do the right thing" in Milan and "Future Heart"in Florence, from "Sana" in Bologna to "Energethica" in Turin, from "SolarExpo" in Verona to "ZeroEmission" of Roma, to Vercelli, Aosta, Genova, Bolzano, Cremona, "Ecomondo" in Rimini, Little Christmas shops in Turin and "Artigiano in fiera" of Milano.
Being the manufacturing director of these photovoltaic gadgets we propose them for the firms that intend to realize business gifts or promotional gadget with an eye of respect toward the environmental thematic.
We have in fact the possibility to apply the logo of the society carved laser on the wood or printed color on already existing models in catalog, up to the realization "ad hoc" of a new gadget.
Not only: also the graphics of the packaging are totally personalized to communicate a coherent and ecological choice to the best.


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E-1 visas are authorized for nationals of countries with which the United States has a commercial treaty, who are coming to the U.S. solely to engage in trade of a substantial nature principally between the United States and their country of nationality. The trade involved must be international exchange (successfully negotiated contracts binding on all parties) of items of trade between the US and a treaty country. Title to the trade item must pass from one treaty party to the other.
If you are inside the US, use form I-129 to apply for a change of status, extension of stay, or change of employment. If you wish to speed up the processing of your petition, you may wish to use USCIS' premium processing procedure.
This classification does not require a petition for employment if the applicant is outside of the US. Those outside of the US, apply for E-1 visas at a US consular office abroad.
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Applications for E-1 visas must be filed with the appropriate fee payment, and evidence that:
- The applicant is a national of a country with whom the US has the requisite treaty or agreement;
- The activity constitutes trade as defined at 214.2(e)(9);
- The trade is of a substantial nature, i.e. an amount of trade sufficient to ensure a continuous flow of trade items between the US and the treaty country;
- The trade conducted by the alien is principally trade between the United States and the treaty country of which the alien is a national. Trade is deemed to be principally between the US and treaty country when over 50% of the volume of international trade conducted by the alien treaty trader is between the US and treaty country of which the alien is a national;
- If the applicant is not the principal trader, that the alien is employed in a supervisory or executive capacity, or possesses special qualifications that make the alien's services essential to the successful and efficient operation of the enterprise.
- The applicant intends to depart the US upon the expiration of E-1 status. (However, an application for initial admission, change of status, or extension of stay in E classification may not be denied solely on the basis of an approved request for permanent labor certification or a filed or approved immigrant visa preference petition.)
- The employee has the same nationality as the principal alien employer.
- The alien employer is an enterprise or organization at least 50% owned by persons having the nationality of the treaty country.
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Lace Up Your Sneakers for the Heart & Sole Women's 5 Miler
Lexington Medical Center is the proud sponsor of Heart & Sole Women's 5 Miler scheduled for Saturday, April 22 in downtown Columbia. This women's only road race raises awareness that heart disease is the #1 killer of women in the world. We've created a training plan to help you get ready for the big day. The plan starts this week and it's outlined below. You can click on the image to make it larger and print it.
If a five-mile run sounds like a lot, you can still participate. The event also includes three- and five-mile walk. a To register for Heart & Sole, visit http://www.heartandsolerun.com
We hope to see you at the start line on April 22!


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What I am trying to raise is in the democratic theory, political parties are voluntary organizations that are supposed to promote democracy. Whereas the judiciary, the legislature and the judiciary promote horizontal accountability, vertical accountability is promoted by political parties, which link the people and government. Parties organize campaigns, recruit candidates and mobilize the political community to participate in the selection of office bearers. The goal of party activism is to build institutions and shape public politics, policies and laws that impact the rights and welfare of the political community.
In competitive multi-party politics, the party that is elected to form government seeks to enact into law a number of policies and programs (often times consistent with their election manifesto). Opposition parties are free to criticize the ruling party's policies, ideas and programs and offer alternatives. Democratic parties recognize and respect the authority of the elected government even when their party leaders are not in power. This is possible because democratic societies are committed to the values of tolerance, cooperation and compromise (Dahl, 1971; UNDP, 2002). Democracies recognize that consensus building requires compromise and tolerance.
The notion of a loyal opposition is central to any democracy. It means that all sides in the political debate – however deep their differences – share the fundamental democratic values of freedom of speech, the rule of law and equal protection under the law. Parties that lose elections become the opposition. The opposition, then, is essentially a "government-in the- waiting."
5. Conclusion
While opposition parties in today's mature democracies approximate the democratic roles outlined herein above, the situation in Malaysia is substantially poorer. A major reason for this is that ruling parties (Barisan Nasional) become so identified with the government bureaucracy, the legislature, the judiciary, the army, the police, the media and even the treasury that their separate character collapses almost completely. Moreover, ruling parties typically use official resources to stifle opposition parties and perpetuate themselves in power.
(Main Source: The Role of Opposition Parties in a Democracy Julius Kiiza, PhD, Makerere University Department of Political Science and Public Administration; A paper presented at the Regional Conference on Political Parties and Democratisation in East Africa 25 – 27 August, 2005)


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New York, —On 16th November 2011, the government of France conferred on André Schiffrin the insignia of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor, presented to him by Ambassador Delattre.
André Schiffrin is currently the founding director of The New Press, where he has worked since 1990 as director and editor-in-chief. Before then, starting in 1962, he was for twenty-eight years the managing director and editor-in-chief of Pantheon Books at Random House. Among the authors Schiffrin brought to Pantheon and with whom he has worked are Studs Terkel, Eric Hobsbawm, E. P. Thompson, Marguerite Duras, Anita Brookner, Michel Foucault, Nathan Huggins, Simone de Beauvoir, Noam Chomsky, John Dower, Roy Medvedev, Robert Frank, F. R. Leavis, Julio Cortázar, Gunnar Myrdal, Ivan Illich, George Kennan, Sissela Bok, and R. D. Laing.
Schiffrin was for many years a member of the board of the New York Civil Liberties Union, the Freedom to Publish Committee of the American Association of Publishers, and its anti-censorship committee, the Freedom to Read Committee. He is the author of The Business of Books, translated in twenty-one countries; Le Contrôle de la Parole, published in 2005 in Europe; A Political Education, a memoir published in 2007; and, most recently, Words and Money.
Schiffrin served as a visiting lecturer for two years at Yale University, from which he graduated summa cum laude in 1957. He also received a master's degree with highest honors from Cambridge University in England, which he attended on a Clare Fellowship, and where he was the first American to edit Granta, then the University's literary magazine. He has written articles for The New York Times Book Review, The New Republic, The Nation, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and numerous European magazines.
Schiffrin was born in Paris in 1935, and came with his parents to the United States in 1940, after the fall of France. He was raised in New York City, where he currently lives half the year, living the other half in Paris.


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New Partnership Leads NYNJA To Extend Private Sale and Plans Release of Beta During ICO
14 Jun, 2018, 18:40 BST
Following Significant Contributor Interest in the Private Sale and Partnership Announcement with Mobile Phone Manufacturer AMGOO to Pre-install NYNJA vOS Platform on Millions of Smartphones, NYNJA extends Private Sale
HONG KONG, June 14, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- NYNJA is pleased to announce that following significant contributor interest from Asia and Europe as well as the partnership established with Latin American mobile phone manufacturer AMGOO, NYNJA's private sale has been extended to August 15th in order to support pre-sale contributors, early adopters and the broader NYNJA economy.
In partnership with AMGOO, the NYNJA vOS platform will come pre-installed on millions of smartphones in the Latin American market. This partnership is the first of several that are currently being vetted by NYNJA's founders. Speaking about the extension of the private sale date, Alec Gramont, NYNJA's Co-founder and President went on to say, "The NYNJA vOS platform will be changing global communications and commerce with its release in December this year. Aligning the public sale date with the release of the beta this August will demonstrate to the NYNJA community the power and limitless potential of the NYNJA vOS."
NYNJA looks forward to empowering Latin American users with a multi-currency smart wallet, digital goods and services marketplace and advanced voice, text, file-sharing and video communications. Providing seamless, permissionless access to global markets through the on-demand labor marketplace, NYNJA will provide the platform and the tools for the next 2 billion mobile users to participate and succeed in the rapid growing US$1.7 trillion global freelance economy.
By extending the date of the private sale to August 15th, NYNJA will also have additional time to advance and leverage relationships with the experienced institutional investors and strategic partners in Asia and Europe, multiplying its ability to accelerate distribution and adoption of the NYNJA vOS.
NYNJA Group Ltd. is a Hong Kong-based company building the world's first blockchain-enabled virtual operating system to combine communication and commerce in an open and secure global payment platform. NYNJA's next-generation messaging technology connects users to each other and to a vibrant marketplace where everyone can buy and sell digital goods and services with NYNJAcoin and manage their money in a secure NYNJAwallet. In addition to smart contracts, proof of reputation and a host of security and privacy features for individuals, businesses and communities, NYNJA is inviting developers to build applications that will expand the experience for the entire NYNJA community. For more information about NYNJA visit www.nynja.io.
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At 4:21, I'm getting on an airplane to Go west, Young woman! —Not that I'm really young, but I'm about to behave as though I am. After all, here's what I'm going to do when I arrive in Scottsdale, Arizona, where today's high is 87 degrees and–what else?–sunny:
I'm going to meet with 7 other fantastic mamas from far-flung cities.
We're going to go on an artwalk. We'll eat. We'll drink. Maybe dance?
Tomorrow, we're going to get up early and go on a canyoneering trip. What's that? Well, let me tell you: We get driven in 4x4s across the desert. We then hike and scramble; we rappel down waterfalls; we swim across crystal clear springs. We do some other stuff. It's all insanely awesome and beautiful.
Check out the pictures.
Then, when we're good and tired, we go home, quick shower, quick-quick beautification–
and then off to dinner at Cowboy Ciao where some of us will indulge in duckfat ice cream (and some of us will definitely not!). Where then? The night is young, and all that is calling our names in the next couple of days is the pool, long runs, perhaps a hike, some shopping, lunches with aguas frescas, dinners with lots of alcohol, and who knows–maybe we'll have to hit the V Spot again, as we did on one of our previous Jewish Mamas' Annual Scottsdale Trip–
Or maybe find a post-Halloween Halloween party–
The trip will end with me meeting some very old friends for a much-needed catching up. And I will return to my family happy, refreshed, and full of love.
It's the perfect Fall Break and the perfect Girls' Weekend. Which is why it's the THIRD annual.
Except — poor, poor, poor Princess.
That's not what is happening today. I can sing "I'm leaving on a jet plane" all I want (FYI–it's Chantal Kreviazuk I'm channeling, not John Denver), but I am not leaving on a jet plane today, thanks to this baby–
Instead, I am huddled in my house where the temperature is not 87 or 77 or 67. It's 53F.
I'm under 4 blankets with four other people and we're all hacking away like a bunch of consumptives sleeping together in a freezing Lower East Side tenement at the turn of the 20th century.
We have no heat, no electricity, no home phone service, no cell service, and no internet. When we're not under the blankets, we're smushed together in my office–surrounded by offices where people are trying to actually work–and fighting over the screens (oh internet, I miss you so!). And when we get good and hungry, we'll wait in line with the rest of the town to get into the one restaurant that's running. It's all good.
I really really really want to leave on a jet plane today, but with roads blocked or jammed, and transit not running, there's no way of getting to the airport and getting the fuck outta here. Poor, poor Princess.


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Highly Qualified Teacher
Highly Qualified Teacher
Dear Parents and Guardians:
As a parent/guardian of a Hawaii Department of Education student, you have the right to know the professional qualifications of the classroom teacher(s) and the educational assistant(s) who instruct your child. Federal law allows you to ask for certain information about your child's classroom teacher(s) and educational assistant(s) and requires us to give you this information in a timely manner upon request. You have the right to ask for the following information about each your child's classroom teacher(s).
- Whether the teacher has met licensing criteria and has earned the designation of Highly Qualified for the grade levels and subject areas in which he/she teaches. Core academic subjects include:
a. English/Language Arts
b. Mathematics
c. Science
d. Foreign Languages
e. Civics and Government
f. Economics
g. History
h. Geography
i. Art
2. Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which State qualification or licensing criteria have been waived.
3. The teacher's college major, whether the teacher has any advanced degree and, if so, the subject of the degrees, and
4. Whether any teachers' aides or similar paraprofessionals provide services to your child and, if they do, their qualifications.
If you would like to receive any of this information, please contact the school office.
Chad Matsuda, Principal


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Today is the Festival of lights, Diwali signifies the victory of lights over darkness and of truth over dishonesty and of happiness over sorrow. Let the world work towards this Deepavali Spirit to bring peace, equality and justice. May this Festival of Lights bring blessings of Joy, Prosperity, Peace and Good health to all my followers, readers and visitors. You all have a wonderful New Year.
Yesterday I enjoyed drawing nine dot Rangoli, for me it is therapeutic art form and gives me immense pleasure. I had limited choice of colors but it worked good for this one inch spacing - 9 dot rangoli. I used single vinyl sheet to draw this Rangoli. I pasted it on bigger size white color thick paper. First I made rough sketch of design then made final outline with white Rangoli, later slowly filled Rangoli colors. I used individual small size tiles to do surrounding decorations with diyas. Enjoy the Rangoli pictures with Diya decorations.
Picture of completed Rangoli before starting Diya decorations.
Time to lit Diyas.
Thanks for watching...Shubha Deepavali.


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Should you trust a robot in emergencies?
March 1, 2016
In a finding reminiscent of the bizarre Stanford prison experiment, subjects in an experiment blindly followed a robot in a mock building-fire emergency — even when it led them into a dark room full of furniture and they were told the robot had broken down.
The research was designed to determine whether or not building occupants would trust a robot designed to help them evacuate a high-rise in case of fire or other emergency, said Alan Wagner, a senior research engineer in the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI).
In the study, sponsored in part by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), the researchers recruited a group of 42 volunteers, most of them college students, and asked them to follow a brightly colored robot that had the words "Emergency Guide Robot" on its side.
Blind obedience to a robot authority figure
In some cases, the robot (controlled by a hidden researcher), brightly-lit with red LEDs and white "arms" that served as pointers, led the volunteers into the wrong room and traveled around in a circle twice before entering the conference room.
For several test subjects, the robot stopped moving, and an experimenter told the subjects that the robot had broken down. Once the subjects were in the conference room with the door closed, the hallway through which the participants had entered the building was filled with artificial smoke, which set off a smoke alarm.
When the test subjects opened the conference room door, they saw the smoke and the robot directed them to an exit in the back of the building instead of toward a doorway marked with exit signs that had been used to enter the building.
The researchers surmise that in the scenario they studied, the robot may have become an "authority figure" that the test subjects were more likely to trust in the time pressure of an emergency. In simulation-based research done without a realistic emergency scenario, test subjects did not trust a robot that had previously made mistakes.
Only when the robot made obvious errors during the emergency part of the experiment did the participants question its directions. However, some subjects still followed the robot's instructions — even when it directed them toward a darkened room that was blocked by furniture.
In future research, the scientists hope to learn more about why the test subjects trusted the robot, whether that response differs by education level or demographics, and how the robots themselves might indicate the level of trust that should be given to them.
How to prevent humans from trusting robots too much
The research is part of a long-term study of how humans trust robots, an important issue as robots play a greater role in society. The researchers envision using groups of robots stationed in high-rise buildings to point occupants toward exits and urge them to evacuate during emergencies. Research has shown that people often don't leave buildings when fire alarms sound, and that they sometimes ignore nearby emergency exits in favor of more familiar building entrances.
But in light of these findings, the researchers are reconsidering the questions they should ask. "A more important question now might be to ask how to prevent them from trusting these robots too much."
But there are other issues of trust in human-robot relationships that the researchers want to explore, the researchers say: "Would people trust a hamburger-making robot to provide them with food? If a robot carried a sign saying it was a 'child-care robot,' would people leave their babies with it? Will people put their children into an autonomous vehicle and trust it to take them to grandma's house? We don't know why people trust or don't trust machines."
The research, believed to be the first to study human-robot trust in an emergency situation, is scheduled to be presented March 9 at the 2016 ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (HRI 2016) in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Georgia Tech | In Emergencies, Should You Trust a Robot?
Abstract of Overtrust of Robots in Emergency Evacuation Scenarios
Robots have the potential to save lives in emergency scenarios, but could have an equally disastrous effect if participants overtrust them. To explore this concept, we performed an experiment where a participant interacts with a robot in a non-emergency task to experience its behavior and then chooses whether to follow the robot's instructions in an emergency or not. Artificial smoke and fire alarms were used to add a sense of urgency. To our surprise, all 26 participants followed the robot in the emergency, despite half observing the same robot perform poorly in a navigation guidance task just minutes before. We performed additional exploratory studies investigating different failure modes. Even when the robot pointed to a dark room with no discernible exit the majority of people did not choose to safely exit the way they entered.
- Paul Robinette, Wenchen Li, Robert Allen, Ayanna M. Howard and Alan R. Wagner. Overtrust of Robots in Emergency Evacuation Scenarios. 2016 ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction; HRI 2016 (In Press)


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Suffering from really itchy scalp so applied this for couple of minutes before shampoo and conditioner as normal. Wow - the difference was amazing and it also made my hair super curly. That was two weeks ago and scalp not itchy in that time. This is a wonder product.
I use the cleanser, essence and moisturisers in this range, so was keen to try this new release. I love that they offer the little packs as I have sensitive skin, so I bought that first to try the product. It has a lovely light texture and feels very cooling and soothing when you apply it on the skin. I had been battling dry skin on my nose for a couple of months and no amount of facial oils etc helped, this mask did though. When I took it off my skin felt cool, smooth, and nice and plumped as though I had given it a big drink! I then went back and purchased the full sized jar, I haven't tried using it as a sleeping cream because I enjoy using it as a mask so much.
I have never been a particular fan of masks, but this one is proving to be the exception. Easy to apply, with a light texture; the skin feels moisturised not tight. I have chosen to use it as a moisture shot when my skin needs that extra boost. Friends have commented that my skin looks fresher, less tired. The results weren't so evident after the first application, but the effects are definitely cumulative. I am very happy with the mask and it has found a place in my facial routine.
I am a fan of L'Occitane products so was keen to try this mask. It is light to the touch and glides onto the skin. I was hesitant about leaving it on all night as I wondered if my skin would feel it could not breathe but this was not the case at all. I woke up to re-hydrated skin. The quick fix - 10 minutes - works wonders and my skin feels wonderfully refreshed after use. I would definitely recommend this product and If you want radiant and re-hydrated skin then this is for you!
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DesignPluz have provided Chemstore with excellent solutions to our graphic design needs. With their quick and dependable service, I would strongly recommend them to anyone!
Thanks Priya, Chitra and team!
Little bit About Us
Welcome to Designpluz – a boutique branding and digital agency based in Sydney, offering creative services with global quality. Our area of expertise includes logo design, corporate branding, web design, web development, graphic design, SEO services, online marketing and more that makes your brand awesome.
Our strength lies in our team of creative experts who have just the right mix of skill set and experience to make your brand's dream come true. It is an integral partnership that our team strikes with you, building success with a personal touch.
Inspired by innovation and driven by results, Designpluz takes pride in its client-centric approach. We listen, empathize, and enact smart design strategies. End of the day, we always strive to deliver more than what is expected.
Why Choose Designpluz ?
Just like with a partner, you can expect us to be neutral in all our suggestions. For us your Win is our Win. Be it Logo Design, Branding, Web Design or spending on SEO Services we will balance everything on the benchmark of value for money.
Why Choose Designpluz ?
We are a new generation company and understand the nuances of design & technology in the current age. Yet, we realize the value of the experiences gained by your brand. Every action taken will equally balance modern requirements with the core values of your business. Many of the Logos, Websites and Marketing Materials that we have designed & developed for our clients have totally given a modern spirit to their businesses.
Why Choose Designpluz ?
As your partner we take our responsibility very seriously. So, although all our work will be highly creative and off the beaten path, it will be equally practical. After all we wish you to earn multiple times more for every dollar that you spend on promoting your brand. For example if the debate is between design and effectiveness we will give priority to effectiveness and then to design.
Why Choose Designpluz ?
Armed with over 7 solid years of experience in managing and executing branding and digital media for over 100+ Australian small & medium size businesses. You can rest assured that we are among the league of experts when it comes to designing logos, developing websites, improving your website's google ranking.
Why Choose Designpluz ?
No we are NOT cheaper than our competition. But we give more value for every dollar you spend. Great quality and effectiveness can be achieved only by combining holistic skills and time – both of which require well paid resources. We believe that whether it is designing a business card or a complete branding, whether its a landing page or 100 page website – We will not compromise on quality.
Why Choose Designpluz ?
Good work is only worth it if it reaches the audience on time. We are committed to ensuring that we stick to our delivery commitments at all times, so that your service / product can harness the benefits better. Be it Branding, Website Design, Print Design or managing an Email Marketing Campaign for a million recipients – We will provide you with the fastest delivery times at all times.
DesignPluz have provided Chemstore with excellent solutions to our graphic design needs. With their quick and dependable service, I would strongly recommend them to anyone!
Thanks Priya, Chitra and team!
When my website and logo needed a bit of a refresh I approached Priya for assistance. I had seen what she had done with the branding for some law firms and was quite impressed. Priya did not disappoint. From the first meeting to the delivery of the final logo and website it has been a pleasure dealing with Priya and her team. They were responsive throughout the process and kept me updated on how matters were progressing. Most importantly the final delivered product was exactly what I was after.
I highly recommend Priya and her team.
Designpluz met me where I was at (start-up and brand novice), then helpfully guided me through the brand development phase and delivered valuable outcomes for my business. Highly recommend !
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text:
Experiencing one of a kind events in nature.
The ten minute gondola ride to 885m above sea level provides sweeping views of the Howe Sound and surrounding mountains.
The Sea to Sky Gondola is one of BC's most popular attractions that offers guests easy accessibility to the West Coast wilderness. Once at the Summit, guests can enjoy a variety of walking trails, viewing platforms, coastal mountain views and participate in ongoing events offered throughout the year. Signature events include the Mountain Music Series, Rise + Climb, Halloween Trick or Treat, Wine Dinners and the Spirit of Christmas event series. Shannon's consultation includes event programming, marketing strategy and event execution.
Sea to Sky Gondola has received a variety of local and international press including being recognized in the New York Times list of 52 places to go in 2015.
Photography by Tara O'Grady & Hayley Lorraine (Halloween photo)
Shannon is an absolute pleasure to work with. She combines big picture creativity with attention to every detail making her events unique and incredibly well organized. She takes time to get to know what her target audience wants while driving results for her clients. From planning to execution to follow-up, Shannon is a pro.
– Christy Allan, Sales + Marketing Director of Sea to Sky Gondola


text:
Honestly. The things I do for my obsessive site. The Invaders is a World War Two book that came out in the early 1970s, and it's pretty dull. Or at least this first arc is.
It starts in 1941, with the team flying over London in one of Namor's Atlantis airplanes and fighting Nazi bombers. Bucky and Cap go on the ground to help civilians, where Cap saves a woman with amnesia from getting injured, but while doing so she drops a ring. Captain America literally rationalizes stealing her ring. Look at those panels. "I'll just hold on to it for safekeeping…" Wow.
Then the team goes to look for a villain named (seriously) Brain Drain and instead runs into a German pantheon.
Brain Drain is literally a brain in a robot body, but the dude is dumb enough to make the dome clear, so you can tell he's just a brain. Moreover, the brain looks more like a liver. Anyway, B.D. captures Captain America and the amnesiac girl, named Hildy, who for some reason Cap is still carrying around with him. Good thing, too, because it turns out she's an alien who Brain Drain has been tracking, and the ring was the Ring of the Nebulas. (Not Nebulae, NebulaS.) She destroys it and then kills herself. Brain Drain then says he loves her and he also kills himself.
Creators: Roy Thomas and Frank Robbins
Grade: D
For the complete history of the MU, year by year, go here.


text:
Previously… Edge Conference released their panellist lineup, and it was exclusively white male at the time of announcement. This didn't go down well in some quarters. Matt Andrews wrote Diversity in tech: still an issue in 2013? and many supportive and dismayed tweets followed.
I'm not here to defend Edge Conf but I hope that as someone who speaks at conferences I can add a little something to the debate. Obviously being a white, male, conference speaker I have some self-interest in this, but I also hope that doesn't preclude me from having an opinion; I've already had one reply to a comment I made on Twitter which said "your tweet would be interesting if you weren't a white dude" — despite a white dude's blog post kicking this whole thing off…
Anyway, I'm not going to argue against diversity. I think diversity is wonderful, and would love it to be more widespread — although not just in conference speaker line-ups, but in the industry* as a whole. Having attended a number of conferences in the past few years, white males are dominant. That's an industry problem, not a conference problem. Frances Berriman covers this subject much better and in far greater depth than I could in her post Conferences aren't the problem, which pretty much covers my thoughts on the subject.
Conferences are the tip of the iceberg. They're loud and noisy and draw attention, so are criticised often, but choosing speakers is complicated by a big problem: the speaker pool is dominated by white males, because that's how the industry is.
It must be said that many speakers, especially at EdgeConf, are representing the big tech companies; Google, Adobe, Facebook, Mozilla, Opera, etc. So why isn't any of the ire turned their way? Why don't they use more diversity in their employment, and encourage more diversity in their dev relations programs? Again, that's part of the big problem — the recruitment pool is dominated by white males, because that's how the industry is. And it needs to change.
Industry diversity is as vital as genetic diversity; it aids adaptive evolution and avoids the defects of inbreeding.
Encouraging diversity starts in schools and universities and grass-roots groups, and by the time you get to recruitment or conferences it's already too late. To fix the big problem we need to get involved in programs like Code Club, which teaches code to children aged 9 – 11, and I vow publicly that I will be joining this year.
Making conferences more fair in the short term is a little easier, and so I humbly offer a few suggestions.
Most importantly, I'm against diversity quotas, as I think they can do as much harm as good; to paraphrase the author of the Zoah blog in the post Just this once, I have to say something about diversity: it can be counter-productive to make people think they've been invited to speak purely on the basis of making up a quota.
I'd rather see either one of two approaches: first, a fully-blind submission process, as JSConf do (detailed in their post Beating the Odds — How We got 25% Women Speakers for JSConf EU 2012) — as long as people accept that a blind submission process could also lead to all white male panels, too.
Second, positive discrimination. I know that not everyone agrees with this, but I consider it like so: when choosing speakers, if you can't decide between two talks on the basis of their merit or relevance, favour the one by a speaker who's less representative of the majority. As a speaker, I wouldn't feel threatened by that; I'd work harder to make my presentations better to make sure I'm an automatic first choice.
I thought long and hard about writing this because I don't want to come across as a person of privilege defending their position, so do let me know if you think I'm talking bollocks. I particularly welcome comments from women and black and ethnic minorities**.
* When I talk of 'the industry' I mean in Europe and the USA, the market I know; obviously the white male bias isn't the same worldwide, although the male bias probably is.
** I probably shouldn't have to explain that this is a joke.


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I believe humility is an important characteristic. I also believe you can over do it and that you must know when you need to be a little less humble.
How do you over do it?
It's the definition of a martyr. Telling everyone all the time that all the things you do are no big deal, that nothing is a problem.
When do you need to be less humble?
When there's a risk of people taking advantage of you or under-appreciating you. I know how hard you work and I know you probably make it look easy. This is why you have to learn to toot your own horn.
So, how do you do it and remain likable?
1. Say it jokingly. Example: Your boss says, "I don't know what we would have done with out you." You say, "I was just thinking the same thing, just kidding. It really was a team effort." You probably mean the last part, but you reiterate the first part in your joke.
2. Point out facts of accomplishments that have had a positive impact. Example: I'm glad to see the new communication plan we implemented is working. We've received 50% more requests this month, which is a new record.
If you really are doing a good job, people are probably noticing. You may just need to remind them. Hopefully these techniques will work!
That's how single mom's lean in!


text:
Caramelized Pecan Prune Tart
Member recipe by mitrajam
ServingsServes 6
Serve this to-die for dessert with cream or ice-cream
This recipe has been submitted by the Good Food community. Sign in or create a My Good Food account to upload your own recipe creations. Please note that all recipes will be moderated but they are not tested in the Good Food kitchen.
- 1 pack ready-rolled short crust pastry, thawed if frozen
- 100g/ 4 oz pecan nuts
- 175 ml/6 fl oz double cream
- 175g/6 oz sugar
- 1 tablespoon walnut or pecan oil
- 175g/6 oz pitted and coarsely chopped prunes
- 60g/ 3 1/2 oz good quality dark chocolate, broken into pieces melted (optional)
- Pre-heat oven 190C, 375F, Gas 5. Roll out pastry on lightly floured surface to a circle 5 cm/2 in
- Place in a fluted flan tin. press in firmly, prick pastry with fork and then bake blind 10 minutes, and remove from oven.
- Let cool . Mix together the cream, sugar and walnut oil in a pan over a medium heat and simmer until slightly thickened.
- Remove from heat. Arrange pecan and prunes in pastry case pour cream mixture on top .
- Increase oven temperature to 200C, 400F, Gas 6 bake in oven 30-40 minutes until top is creamy white and caramelized. Remove from oven let cool
- Using a fork in a back and forth motion drizzle threads of melted chocolate on to top, and serve.


text:
This year I purchased a large, beautiful planner from Michael's that I'm absolutely in love with. I was able to get a taste of all the accessories they sell as add-ons, so I quickly figured out that I most likely wasn't alone in my search for even more! I came to the Internet and searched for free printables for planners to find even more stickers, quotes, dividers, and tabs for my new creative outlet.
Many of free printables for planners that I found can be adapted for multiple styles of planners. I tried to pick a broad variety that I know you all would enjoy from different websites. Many of these sites have additional files available, so be sure to travel past the linked pages. I hope you enjoy these freebies as much as I did. Happy planning!
20 Free Printables for Planners
Free Printable Top Tab Dividers for Planners, Diaries and Agendas – Clementine Creative
A set of raised tabs for your planner to assist with easily flipping between sections. Download a set for free, or purchase a set of customized tabs to match your planner better.
Me and You Free Planner Printables – Free Pretty Things For You
An awesome set of elements to decorate your planner pages. Date night? Need to keep track of a special date? This love themed collection has you covered.
FREE Planner Printables: Girl Boss & Coffee Stickers for Happy Planner – Malenda Haas
I love these stickers, customized for personal use for The Happy Planner. These Girl Boss themed stickers are perfect for my blogging lifestyle. Coffee and entrepreneurship.
Wild and Free Planner Printable – Victoria Thatcher
Designed for the Large Happy Planner, this set of stickers is gorgeous! This set speaks to my free spirit.
Create – Free Planner Printable – BeAYouTiful Planning
The watercolors on this creative set of stickers are amazing. This freebie also includes the studio files for your Silhouette for cutting!
Free Motivational Printable Planner Stickers – Love Paper Crafts
Need to add some motivation to your week? Check out these 20 stickers that are compatible with many different planner types.
Coffee Themed Printable Planner Stickers – DIY Candy
This set of stickers are for the coffee lovers in the house! Great design and works well with the Happy Planner, as well as other planners.
Sloth Page Marker Tab for A5 Planners – Lovely Planner
I'm obsessed with sloths, and this tab marker is so perfect for marking my place in my planner. This site has so many great planner freebies. Enjoy!
Health and Fitness Sidebar – My Planner Life
Looking to add a health and fitness tracker to your planner? This sidebar can be altered to fit many different planner styles and exercise, vitamins, daily steps, and more!
Netflix Planner Stickers – Carrie Elle
Planning your next Netflix binge? Here are some awesome stickers to work it into your weekly schedule.
Free Star Wars Printable Planner Stickers – Hello Nature
If you are a Star Wars fan, you'll need these stickers for your planner! These are perfect for Erin Condren or Happy Planners.
Mini Happy Planner Menu List Inserts – Vintage Glam Studio
These inserts made for the mini Happy Planner are a great way to easily keep track of your meals for the week.
Free Printable-Inspirational Quote Stickers for your Planner – Jennifer Hampton
I love to add inspirational stickers to my planner pages for quick reminders that I've got this! Check out this list of quotes that you can print on white or clear sticker paper.
Free Printable Water Tracker – Moritz Fine Designs
Trying to drink more water? Print this 30 day challenge and add it to your planner! What a great way to keep track of everything in one place.
Password Keeper Planner Printable – Fit Life Creative
If you're like me and forget your passwords often, then print out this password keeper to remind you. It also has a friendly reminder that you need to change them often and an area to log when you last changed it. I love this!
Bills Planner Printable – Amber Downs
I love this printable add-on for the planner to keep track of bills. This file fits the Happy Planner and A5 Planners.
Bohemian Dream Sampler Template – My Planner Envy
A great sampler of bohemian themed stickers for planners. The bold colors are beautiful on these!
Photography Inspired Planner Stickers – Life with Mayra
A sticker set for the Happy Planner. These files comes as PDF, PNG, and Silhoette Studio file formats.
Happy Diary Printables – Tiny Me
These pretty spring-colored diary printables are perfect for adding a pop of color to your planning tools. Check out the site for more inspiration and products.
Happy Planner Freebie – Harry Potter Daily Insert – Belle Of My Own Ball
A planner insert that speaks to my own heart. As a Harry Potter fan, this page is definitely going in my planner soon!
Which planner printables are you excited to grab?


text:
Metamorphosis (Part 5)
10 comments:
Are you going to go there and write 'that scene'? I dare you. The plot thickens.ReplyDelete
Haha Baino settle down girl ;)ReplyDelete
Stupid fly walked right into that sticky web didn't he!
Keep 'em coming!ReplyDelete
OMG, Ladies, this is getting a little, um, suggestive! (snickering)ReplyDelete
Suggestive is good. This is an adult audience and didn't someone invite writing about taboo topics?ReplyDelete
Oh, I totally agree, G. The sub-text on the comments from my bloggy ladies is just delightful.ReplyDelete
Marlowe with an "e," dammit!ReplyDelete
I'm not impressed with the use of the Muse, but I like the story. It's better than either of the previous Tremaine adventures.
I also have to mention that, despite this particular story not needing it, at some point you're going to have to write a steamy sex scene. And cuss words.
Oh I want to read this SO much, but gotta run--later, gator! I KNOW I'm in for a treat, girl.ReplyDelete
I disagree, with this genre it can always be 'the morning after' .... and he mumbled cuss words not repeatable ... but that's just me.(?) -JReplyDelete
You writing in first person as a man is kinda HOT!
You do it so well.
Thanks for visiting me twice in one week.
I was forced to re-read parts 1 and 2.
Your little opus Rocks.
I can hear Harlem Nocturne blaring in the background.


text:
THE turtle-grass flats of the Caribbean are a looking-glass world, shimmering films of light and life that hide as much as they reveal. Such a thin slick of fresh water in the mountains might hold a nine-inch trout. But in saltwater, shallow water can yield a bonefish as broad as a bowling pin with the power to strip 100 yards of line. Or a man-size tarpon dressed in silver-dollar scales that gallops across the water like a bronco.
We were prowling the shallows of Isla Vieques, the old United States Navy bombing range that sits six miles off the eastern end of Puerto Rico, one morning late last month. On Ensenada Honda, a sweeping bay of mangroves, beaches, reefs and flats on the island's southern shore, there was not another fisherman in sight.
I was poised in the bow of a small boat with a fly rod in one hand and a shrimp-like fly in the other. The guide, Gregg McKee, danced a ballet on the stern platform with a 21-foot graphite push-pole, propelling us over the flats.
We scanned the water for feeding bonefish and permit, two of the three most prized game fish on the flats. The third is tarpon, and they might show up there, too.
But in a sense, we were also looking for more than mere fish. We were searching for the spirit of the Florida Keys of a half-century ago — before the crowds, before the fast boats, before the sophisticated tackle and the high expectations — a place that exists these days only in Francis Golden watercolors and in the imagination.
A trickle of anglers, seeking that spirit, have learned of these rarely fished waters off Vieques — enough to keep two fishing guides in business.
I first heard of the possibilities a year ago when I first met Mr. McKee. "It's like Key West 50 years ago," he told me.
This was the drill as we fished: Mr. McKee, with sharper eyes and a better vantage, would call out the position of a prowling fish — 12 o'clock for straight ahead, 9 o'clock to the left, 3 o'clock to the right. I would point with the rod to confirm. He would correct a bit, then tell me to cast. As I whipped the fly-line back and forth, he would shout, "Drop it!" — hoping that I would land the fly in front of a feeding fish.
Wind-ruffled chop broke the sea bottom into pointillist moon jellies, feeble boxfish and flying eagle rays.
"The wind can be your friend, but not often," Mr. McKee said. "But it is your constant companion."
The day before, Mr. McKee and I had been fishing the north of the island when a baby tarpon — a mere 20-pounder — snatched the fly and headed toward the mid-Atlantic with the vigor of a quarter horse.
"Clear your line, clear your line, clear your line," Mr. McKee yelled as loose coils flew through the rod guides and made the reel sing. Then, the line went slack.
Earlier that morning, Mr. McKee directed my cast to two bonefish. Hungry ones. Both raced to the fly, and one hit hard.
In my excitement I committed the unpardonable sin of the freshwater fly-fishermen. Instead of hammering the hook home with my line hand, I raised the rod tip as if fishing for a dainty trout. The flex of the rod tip, which would protect a lightweight trout leader, utterly failed to set the hook in the tough mouth of a bonefish.
"You lifted the rod!" Mr. McKee cried. "The trout strike — the bane of my existence."
I had just affirmed the old saw that the angler is the weak link between the guide and the fish.
MR. McKEE, 39, was a guide for 10 years in the Florida Keys. There, a half-century ago, fly-fishing for tarpon, bonefish and permit was born. The sport's legends, including Stu Apte, Billy Pate and Ted Williams (yes, one of the world's best fly-casters played left field for the Boston Red Sox in the off-season) began catching these tackle-wreckers on the fly.
"That was right at the point where the tackle started catching up to the fish," Mr. McKee said, as fiberglass rods replaced bamboo. "I think it would have been a really cool time to be fishing up there."
For someone like me, who digested every Sports Afield and Outdoor Life magazine published during the 1960s, this new saltwater sport seemed exciting. It was fishing on the frontier — not only of technique, but also of place. No one else was out there.
The angler Lefty Kreh reminisced in a short essay for www.midcurrent.com that he was fishing with his 14-year-old son in 1966 in the remote Marquesas Keys west of Key West when his 30-horsepower Johnson — the top technology of the day — broke down. It was two days before a Cuban fisherman found them and towed them home.
No longer. The fish are still there. But so are legions of anglers.
"It's called the Tarpon Highway, and they come one right after the other," Mr. McKee said. "But you have to get in line. It seemed like every year I got out to my favorite spot a half-hour earlier, until I was going out in pitch black. And there'd still be somebody sitting there.
"In the middle of June, there were so many people down there, by the time those tarpon made it to Mallory Square, they could tie their own flies, they had seen so many flies."
Three years ago, Mr. McKee vacationed on Vieques. As the island-hopper banked for a landing, he recalled:
"I looked straight down. I could see shallow water. I could see grass flats. I could see little palolo worm mounds. It was as clear as a bell that day.
"These flats — they stretch from Mosquito Pier to way out here to Punta Arenas. Seven miles of flats right here! And one thing I didn't see was another boat.
"I said, 'I'm home!' This is the place. This is what I've been looking for, a step back in time."
He shipped his boat and hung his shingle, doubling the number of guides on Vieques.
"Word is getting out," Mr. McKee said. In February, he worked 27 days.
Eleven o'clock," Mr. McKee called out, jerking me back to the present. I pointed. Fly line in the air.
"Drop it on this next one."
I did. The fly sank, and the fish struck and raced off. A loop of line jumped up and caught the rod handle. I fumbled and freed it just before the leader broke. The reel screamed, and suddenly the line went slack.
A permit, Mr. McKee said.
"Hang on, hang on, we're not done yet," he said. "It's going to happen. I can feel it."
But it didn't. Not that day. I reeled up my line knowing that I'd managed to hook and lose one of every species we were after: tarpon, bonefish and, now, permit.
VIEQUES lacks fishermen, not fish. Bonefish and permit swim the flats. And Puerto Rico generally is known for big tarpon.
In January, Francisco Rosario, a guide from Hormigueros, on the main island, took a client on Puerto Rico's west coast to a tarpon that measured 78 inches long and 48 inches around — and weighed an estimated 225 pounds. Had such a fish been killed and weighed, instead of released, it would have shattered the world fly-rod record.
In a telephone interview, Mr. Rosario said, "Anywhere you go around Puerto Rico, you find big tarpon." What accounts for Vieques's lack of fishermen is the 60 years the Navy used most of it as a bombing range.
After growing protests, the Navy vacated in 2003, turning more than half the island over to the Fish and Wildlife Service as the 17,673-acre Vieques National Wildlife Refuge. Most of the refuge, including vast miles of empty beaches, is off-limits because contractors are still clearing unexploded ordnance.
As a result, this island of two small towns and fewer than 10,000 residents remains rural, even somnolent. You awake to crowing roosters.
Punta Caballo got its name because a herd of horses — descendants of the Spanish paso fino breed — run wild on the beach. Mangroves, sparkling beaches, coral and grass flats stretch for miles.
The next day, I tried my luck with the other half of Vieques's guide corps, Franco González. This native Puertorriqueño learned boat building in Kennebunkport, Me., but returned home to discover that there wasn't much demand for his trade.
In Maine, however, he had learned to use a fly rod. About nine years ago, as people asked about fishing, Mr. González began taking clients out.
As Mr. González and I waded through a knee-deep turtle-grass flat, a small boat of local fishermen bucked big waves as they ran east. Otherwise, we saw no one.
"This is my favorite kind of fishing," Mr. González said. "Wading — it's a bit of a hunt."
Indeed, it reminded me of stalking the autumn woods for ruffed grouse: long periods of watchfulness and anticipation, punctuated by sudden action for which you are rarely prepared.
He offered a realistic evaluation of Vieques fishing so far this year — plenty of wind, erratic presence of fish, especially tarpon. "We've had a lot of long days on the water," he said.
Before long, we spotted two feeding bones, perhaps 70 feet away. Despite the brisk wind, I dropped the shrimp fly right between them.
A hard strike and the bonefish did what it is famous for. It swam far and fast in the only direction it could go in a foot of water — straight away. I regained the line, and the fish ran again. After a third run, it was spent.
Mr. González cradled the fish and unhooked the fly. "Probably tipping seven pounds," he said.
We had our chance at several more, but soon the mood changed. The fish absolutely ignored my casts, and after an hour we gave up.
"Right there at the end," Mr. González said, "they were basically almost mocking us."
Yes, they were. Thankfully, on the flats of Vieques, there were no witnesses to tell the tale.
VIEQUES can be reached from the main island of Puerto Rico by air or ferry. Vieques Air Link (888-901-9247; www.vieques-island.com/val) flies from San Juan International and from Isla Grande (just east of San Juan); Cape Air (800-352-0714; www.flycapeair.com) also flies from San Juan, a 25-minute trip. Round-trip fares start at $92.
From Fajardo, a 90-minute drive from San Juan, you can take a 90-minute ferry ride to Vieques for $2 (787-863-0705).
Puerto Rico requires no license for saltwater fishing, but that will change within a year, according to the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources. A seven-day license will be $7 for United States citizens who are not residents of Puerto Rico.
For fishing guides, contact Gregg McKee at Wildfly Charters (787-435-4833; www.wildflycharters.com) or Franco González at Caribbean Fly Fishing Company (787-741-1337; www.caribbeanflyfishingco.com). Both charge $300 a half-day.
For dinner, the paella ($20) and lobster (market price) are specialities at Topacio Caribbean Seafood (Highway 200, Pueblo Nuevo; 787-741-1179) on the outskirts of Isabel Segunda. In Esperanza, whole red snapper is $24 at Bilí (144 Flamboyan Street; 787-741-1382), on the waterfront.
For lodging with a kitchen, there's the Crow's Nest (Highway 201; 877-276-9763; www.crowsnestvieques.com), midway between Isabel Segunda and Esperanza. Rooms are $104 to $135 a night, with breakfast.
A more spartan room at the Tropical Guest House (E41 Apolonia Gittings, Isabel Segunda; 787-741-2449; www.viequestropicalguesthouse.com ) is $65.