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There have been plenty of cases of rape and torture within the military and "straight" soldiers. Is that kind of activity better than being gay? Here Gay Men Over 50 is a little reminder of why this county came to be: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. - Declaration of Independence
While this article has focused on the reasons to legalize gay marriage, I would like to recommend an even better alternative: no federal definition or involvement in marriage whatsoever. This would protect Gay Married Men everyone's rights and put everyone on an equal playing field. Marriage could still be dealt with through Contract Law; individuals would simply have to choose what type of contract they want to be bound by, if any. This would also satisfy the Christian's belief in the sanctity of marriage. No secular institution can sanctify marriage. Only God can do so.
Simply put, a gay blog is designed for use by people who Seeking Older Men are same sex sexually oriented. Gay bashings and politics do appear on some of these blogs. The variety of blogs out there for gay people are astounding. Gay people may have the same sexual orientation but they do not have the same interest. There are blogs online for people of every possible interest some are designed for heterosexuals others for homosexuals.
The Bible also shows us two other important points about sin. First, sin is not the issue in terms of where one spends eternity. According to Jesus, the only determinant of where one spends eternity is whether one has believed Him for eternal life (see John 3:18; also see John 3:16, 36; 5:24; 6:35-40, 47; 11:25-26; etc.). This is because Jesus has already Meeting Gay Men paid for all sins for all time (Hebrews 10:12; 1 John 2:2) and, thus, has removed sin as a barrier to receiving eternal life (John 1:29), which is life with God forever. Therefore, as Jesus clearly presents in the Gospel of John, eternal life is received simply-and only-by believing Jesus for it. (As part of the only condition for receiving eternal life, a form of the word "believe" is used 99 times in this Gospel. By this incredible repetition, God is seeking to drive home a point-believing Jesus' promise of eternal life results in the reception of eternal life. There is no other condition for it.)
There is a lot of noise around the issue of gay marriages and when I read a number of prominent comments by religious leaders I felt that their Men Seeking Men For Sex description and understanding of gay relationships do not deserve comments such as: "gay relationships are wrong because are not creative" or gay relationships are just "profound friendships."
It turns out that he was shouted down by a barrage of folks from the GLBT Community, who were "highly offended" by his comments. He answered back, and others started chiming in on the Christian political side of the fence and claiming that the "gay agenda" was too much. What did they mean by "gay agenda" the GLBT crowd wondered? Well, it turns out they were bothered by GLBT clubs on High School campuses where they kids went to school for one.
Finding gay love in a straight world can be anything but easy. Keeping it can actually be harder. This is especially true for guys who do not live in a well populated gay friendly area. Being a guy in today's world can be a highly conflicting and confusing endeavor. Yet those who find the gumption to really be Married Gay Men themselves are able to be strong and real.
Because homophobia and prejudiced attitudes are still more common than many may Gay Boy Men think, gay dating options for singles may be harder to come by, at least when it comes to actually finding a soulmate of the same sex. This is changing as more and more people in the gay community start to collaborate on projects that can make gay dating easier. To avoid all of this judgment and negative attitudes, gay men and women may find success in breaking out of their comfort zone and trying something less conventional, at least from the conventional dating standpoint.
More articles, poems and prose have been written about love than any other topic. William Shakespeare wrote hundreds of sonnets eloquently pining over his current amorous affair. Charles Dickens scribed a tale of selfless love during the French Revolution in A Tale of Two Cities. Jane Austen pioneered romantic fiction with her novels of love, sacrifice and heartbreak-with her trademark ambiguous conclusions. But love, you see, usually is ambiguous; there are no hallmark ideas that can be transcribed from one person to another.
We could go on and on. The U.S. government has gotten so big and so slow, just like Jabba the Hutt, that its many folds of skin hide waste, stupidity and the doubling back on itself, i.e. government laws and actions in conflict with itself or the desires of those running the government. We could go on and on about how slow, ineffective, and wasteful our Jabba is, about how our Jabba never solves a problem whether it is insecure borders, failing public schools, escalating health care costs, etc., how our Jabba wastes untold billions of dollars on earmarks, useless initiatives, and fraud-infested programs, or how our Jabba does not know how to regulate the economy, resulting in sky high national debt levels and a very creaky economic situation with low growth and high unemployment.
Gay men and women had to get savvy early on in regards to social networking. Homosexuality was Gay Older Men illegal up until the 1960s. But thanks to the Sexual Offences Act 1967 gay men could declare their sexuality and finally canoodle - if only in private.
Most proponents of anti-abortion legislation acknowledge that such laws will not stop the occurrence of abortion itself, or even slow it down very much if at all. Most understand that making abortion illegal will increase the frequency of botched surgery, terrible injury, and unnecessary death. Most acknowledge that only a serious change Meeting Gay Men in the cultural and moral climate can truly lower the frequency of abortion. A relentlessly pornographic media will continue to encourage unwanted pregnancies. A culture that entertains its children with constant persuasion to seek sex without responsibility will continue to encourage unwanted pregnancies. All of this has to change, and not by passing restrictive laws. The responsibility lies with us, with our own 'suggestibility', the astonishing ease with which we abdicate all efforts to think and reason and choose for ourselves, and believe and do whatever we are told to believe and do. It's not that the government isn't doing enough. It's that we are passive.
The genesis and purpose of the First Amendment, as it pertains to religion, was to protect people and churches from the State, not the other way around. But the Christian underpinnings of America can not be allowed to stand if the Left is going to reach its objective of making America a godless nation that places Gay Men man's baser instincts above the holy Word of God.
In Canada, it used to be the case that, as in America, the status Gay Men Over 50 of gay and lesbian civil unions varied from state to state. However, in 2005 the Civil Marriage Act was enacted, which meant that gay couples could get married and obtain exactly the same rights as those bestowed to straight, married couples, thus making Canada the fourth country in the world to legalize gay marriage nationwide.
Let us now rise and cry out to our Lord Jesus Christ to pour out on His Church a new anointing that would supernaturally convict homosexuals of their way of life and cure them of homosexuality from its root! This is already happening in several places, but we ought to make it our new central order. When there are no more professing homosexuals the demand for homosexual union will die naturally, and our endless fight against gayness and gay marriage will cease! However we cannot achieve this with our old strategies because they are all wrong!
Some politicians, including those New York state senators who changed their votes on the marriage equality bill, have admitted publicly that they were wrong. Doing so takes Gay Men Hook Up courage, however, that not all politicians can be expected to muster.
But people want same sex marriage to be recognized by the law and this means that other people have to accept the idea that a man can marry a man Mature Gay Men or a woman can marry a woman which to most people, on the face of it, is ridiculous. There is a difference with identifying your own relationship as a marriage and forcing other people to abide by that classification.
The most popular and most highly visited gay dating personal sites include Gayfriendfinder, MyPartner and Outpersonals for Meet Local Gay Men example. All of these gay sites are pretty much the same. In fact all dating sites in general are pretty much the same aren't they?
The United States is a country of individual rights and individual responsibilities. Though many have tried to pervert what the framers of the constitution meant, their main idea was that human rights come from our Creator, not from other people. In other words, the founding of this country had a religious and moral beginning and it is that idea that has been the backbone of the country's success. That success will not continue if we abandon those principles.
These little initiatives on the part of the government may lead the American people soon enough Gay Men Over 40 to be accepting and non-judgmental of boys' love. It will make them realize that there is nothing wrong with it and like all the rest, LGBTs have their rights too.
While working on an online hookup site, I've noticed an interesting occurrence of intergenerational gay dating. I'm Gay Men Over 40 not sure how many gay men are attracted to other adult men of significantly different ages. But I've definitely noticed that there are a lot of mature men seeking less mature men, and plenty of younger men who want to meet older men as well. Someone might have some data on how many men are into intergenational gay relationships, but through discussions and contacts, I've heard some very interesting insights.
Moving on, the next topic for discussion was a lack of erection at all. Of course, there can be many reasons for this - as we have learned in the recent past, many men suffer from ED (erectile disfunction). Hey, even Bob Dole went on the dole for the curing product. And even though they were clearly made for the heterosexual audience, didn't we get Local Gay Men a kick out of those commercials where Bob (not Dole) was grinning ear-to-ear because of the success he was having with his new medication? But seriously, we know also, these days, that penile issues are often harbingers of other health problems, so if your guy isn't as hard as he used to be as often as he used to be, saddle him up (oops...sorry) and get on down to the doctor's office for a checkup before it gets too late.
In Greek mythology (the originally Phoenician god) Adonis is the young and extremely sexy lover of Venus. She fell in love with his perfectly shaped and young athletic body, but their love was short lived. Adonis's perfect body was pierced by a wild boar while hunting. Venus heard his cries and came to her lover who unfortunately died in her arms. Just to let your gay-glands shiver a little bit more: Upon his death Venus sprinkled nectar over his blood and the combination produced the variety of Anemone flowers.
Issues of tradition, social cohesion and morality have been raised so far in the debate regarding same-sex marriage in Australia. However, money and particularly Christian principles seem to be at the core of the matter. The argument for promoting the economic benefits of same-sex marriage to our economy does not seem to having much effect. The government remains unconvinced. Understandably, in the current global economic climate, the government is constantly trying to find ways to cut its spending. One can only conclude that they perceive the change as an economic cost, not a gain. However, we should not underestimate the power of the Christian lobby. Raising the polygamy question strikes fear into the conservative family parliamentarian and threatens the values and the ethical standards believed to be required to sustain a thriving society. Threatening the future of the traditional family will not be tolerated. It seems that Christian morality and the public purse are the two elements which are preventing the progress for same-sex couples wanting marriage equality. However, we may have to concede that the effectiveness of the scare mongering rife in the religious community seems to be the barricade preventing any resolution on this issue for gay and lesbian people and their campaign for equal marriage rights.
Passion: Not only in the bedroom, kitchen, park, or on the train, but also in life. Passion is how that person views life and whether you are comfortable with their outlook. if you're not a pessimistic person and he is, this outlook may not bode well for you. Additionally, it is how he approaches life different from ambition. How many times has life knocked you down, and you got back up? Has your partner ever experienced anything like that?
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Teens Die in Highway Overpass Crash: The Dangers of Swerving in Traffic
02/03/2016 // 1-800-Car-Wreck // (press release)
Three teenagers were recently killed after their vehicle fell off an overpass in Richardson. The driver of the Chevrolet Tahoe reportedly swerved to avoid traffic that was slowing down and lost control of the vehicle.
Source: NBCDFW Report "3 Teens Killed After SUV Falls from Highway Overpass"
"Three North Texas teens were killed Saturday after their car fell more than 60 feet from a highway overpass onto a parking lot below, police say. According to Sgt. Lonny Haschel, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety, troopers responded to the crash on President George Bush Turnpike near the Highway 75 overpass in Richardson just before 7 p.m."
To read more visit http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/3-Killed-After-SUV-Falls-from-Highway-Overpass-365560961.html.
The Tahoe struck another vehicle before falling.
Reports also say that one of the passengers was killed on impact, while the other two died after being taken to a local hospital. The 28-year old driver of the vehicle survived, but suffered non-serious injuries. She is quoted as stating to the news source of the ordeal "We were on the George Bush Turnpike going up, and next thing you know cars are slowing down, so I swerved to avoid the cars. I didn't even know we went off a bridge until we fell. I was like, 'How did we get down here?' I was panicking. I was just trying to get everyone out of the car."
A spokesperson for the North Texas Tollway Authority has said that the accident is still being investigated by the Department of Public Safety and the NTTA would review the report after it has been completed.
Family members of the victims have reportedly set up a Go Fund Me page to help pay for funeral costs. A vigil was also held at the site of the crash.
Vigil Held For Three North Texas Teens Who Were Killed When SUV Plunged More Than 60-Feet From Highway Overpass
"According to NBC DFW, the four passengers were on their way home when the driver lost control of the wheel and plunged 60-feet off a highway overpass…The following day, a vigil was held for the car crash victims – Tyreana, Torneki, and Myah – just outside of the T.W. Browne Middle School where hundreds congregated to say a prayer for the victims as they held candles."
To read more visit http://www.inquisitr.com/2725138/vigil-held-for-three-north-texas-teens-who-were-killed-when-suv-plunged-more-than-60-feet-from-highway-overpass/.
When Sudden Maneuvers on the Road Lead to Serious Accidents
According to Dallas car wreck lawyer Amy Witherite of Eberstein Witherite LLP, sudden maneuvers in heavy traffic can have devastating consequences. Says the Dallas attorney "sudden actions on the road like swerving can constitute reckless driving depending on whether a driver did it without taking any precautions. When a driver swerves in a manner that was abrupt and without the use of signals, then not only are they putting themselves in danger, but others around them as well."
To help prevent related accidents the Dallas car accident attorney suggests that drivers:
- Always practice defensive driving – "Drivers should keep 100 percent focus on their driving at all times," says Witherite.
- Travel a safe distance behind other vehicles – Traveling too closely behind another vehicle can increase the chances that a driver will swerve in an attempt to miss a vehicle that stops suddenly.
- Don't speed – Speeding hinders one's ability to slow down fast enough to avoid an accident if an issue arises, and puts drivers and passengers in danger in other ways.
Media Contact:
Lucy Tiseo
Phone: 866-774-5410
Connect with Eberstein Witherite on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+
Media Information:
Phone: 1800-227-9732
Url: Dallas Car Wreck Lawyers – 1-800-Car-Wreck


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Catholic Charities of Central Colorado has a new website, a larger photography database and a growing social media presence all because of Stacy Sprewer, its communications and social media manager for the past three years.
Sprewer has lived in Colorado Springs most of her life, graduating from UCCS in 2014 with a bachelor's degree in communications and visual arts. She was still a student when she interviewed for an internship with the human services organization, and her nominator, Rochelle Blaschke Schlortt, said Sprewer immediately stood out.
"She was intelligent, poised and professional well beyond her years," she said. "From the very beginning, Stacy took on advanced responsibility, as she was more than capable of handling projects from start to finish."
It wasn't long until Sprewer was offered a full-time position with the nonprofit as communications coordinator, improving the organization's communication channels, particularly in the social media realm.
And soon, she was promoted to lead the organization's social media efforts entirely, Schlortt said.
"She has brought our social media presence to something in which we are proud," she said, adding, "Our Facebook likes have more than doubled and we now post daily on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn."
Artistic at heart, Sprewer serves as a board member for community arts organization Imagination Celebration, and in 2015 she participated in the Bike & Build fundraising event, riding more than 2,600 miles across the U.S. to raise funds for affordable housing.
"When I see someone following their passion, making a difference, or just being true to themselves, it inspires me to do the same," she said.
As a young professional, Sprewer said she is learning how to overcome her fear of making mistakes.
"I think everyone struggles with this and it's not something you ever truly overcome," she said. "But the more new things you try, the more mistakes you make and you learn to get past them. Sometimes failure can be a more valuable life experience than accomplishing a goal."
A fan of road biking, hiking and checking out local breweries, the 25-year-old said she hopes to develop a career in which she can combine her passion for socially engaging work with her creative skills and love for the outdoors.
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Not only does Sprewer have the skills to do well but she also has the passion needed for a career in the nonprofit world, Schlortt said.
"She cares passionately about our world, our agency and the people we serve," Schlortt said.


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A number of North Texans are headed to Washington, D.C. for rally for immigration reform.
Dallas, Texas (WiredPRNews.com) – Many are gathering in Washington, D.C. Sunday to rally for immigration reform in the country. As reported by CBS 11 News, approximately 300 individuals from North Texas are expected to join thousands of others seeking to remind President Barack Obama of reform promises made during his presidential campaign regarding immigration.
As noted in the report, the rally is set to take place on the day of the anticipated Congressional vote on sweeping health care legislation. Pastor Owen Ross of the Dallas based Christ Foundry United Methodist Mission is quoted in the report as stating of the cause, "This timing could not be better because all the Congressmen are going to be on Capitol Hill this weekend when we are… We're going to be there to say there are other issues affecting millions and millions of people."
WiredPRNews.com – The latest in Dallas News


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I just have to post this because it's such a shame to see all the forums and pundits out there do their best to inform us, but yet they miss the mark! In the name of winning, I thought I would write this. In addition to those forums and pundits… you should follow me: @Safepicks. If not, at least check out @Safepicks and see what I wrote, satisfy some curiosity — confirm the following for yourself. I don't tweet picks much, but when I do… well, you get the picture…
Saratoga, Travers Stakes (Saturday, Aug. 24, 2013) Race 12:
I tweeted my feel on the on #6 horse Moreno. 2 evenings… I studied the field. I felt the household names in the field were over-rated…. and then I used some other methods to my madness… which I won't bore you with. The pundits? Well we know who they were all over – the usual suspects (favorites like Orb, etc.).
I tweeted: do a TB of 2,3,5,6 and that… I had taken the beautiful #6 Moreno for the win.
Well what a race it was!! Moreno almost went W2W (wire-to-wire)… I did not get the WIN – but settled for a very decent Place/Show payout! Even better??? The TRI box came in at what? 5 – 6 – 2 for a near $2000 WIN!!!!
The most important thing… I hoped everyone that got my tweet cashed, ONLY ONE PERSON confirmed that they did. Shame. Yet, every forum/pundit I checked out had it WRONG. (Which is okay too). But follow me — let's connect as I am doing with a few in the twitter world. Collaboration is always good when it pays!
So this is all. GOOD LUCK HORSE PLAYERS! Love horse racing! Hitting WOODBINE RACETRACK this weekend for a track-side family affair! Feel free to follow me or not – and let's make some money together? Again, good luck and all the best!


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1/6th of recipe (about 3/4 cup): 211 calories, 1.5g total fat (0.5g sat fat),600mg sodium, 21g carbs, 2g fiber, 13.5g sugars, 26.5g protein -- PointsPlus® value 5* -- SmartPoints® value 3*
Get your sweet 'n savory on BIGTIME with this saucy, slow-cooked chicken...
1 1/2 lb. raw boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
3 cups chopped Fuji apples
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup BBQ sauce with 45 calories or less per 2-tbsp. serving
2 tsp. chopped garlic
1 tbsp. cornstarch
Season chicken with 1/4 tsp. each salt and black pepper and place in a slow cooker. Top with apples and onion.
In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix garlic into BBQ sauce. Pour sauce mixture over contents of the slow cooker, and lightly stir.
Cover and cook on high for 3 - 4 hours or on low for 7 - 8 hours, until chicken is fully cooked.
Turn slow cooker to low (if needed). In a small bowl, stir to dissolve cornstarch in 1 tbsp. cold water. Stir mixture into the contents of the slow cooker, along with remaining 1/2 tsp. salt.
Let sit, uncovered, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir and enjoy!


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|View Poll Results: Steins;Gate - Episode 24 (END) Rating
|Perfect 10
|9 out of 10 : Excellent
|8 out of 10 : Very Good
|7 out of 10 : Good
|6 out of 10 : Average
|5 out of 10 : Below Average
|4 out of 10 : Poor
|3 out of 10 : Bad
|2 out of 10 : Very Bad
|1 out of 10 : Painful
|Voters: 213. You may not vote on this poll
|Thread Tools
|2011-09-26, 11:39
|Link #181
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Uh, keep in mind that it's far easier to fake Kurisu's death than Mayuri's. At the time Okabe saw Kurisu's body, she was nothing more than a stranger. Okabe freaked out, ran away, and used his cell phone. Also, the only threat to Kurisu's life was one person -- her father who ran away anyway.
There is no way Mayuri's death can be faked. Not only is she a childhood friend, but she died in a confrontation where there were multiple people who could have killed her. Moeka wasn't the only rounder there. There is just no way Okabe could have mistaken Mayuri's death.
|2011-10-03, 12:32
|Link #182
Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Fantastic series, and I'm actually glad it had a happy ending. Too many anime out there with bitter sweet of just plain sad endings and honestly life can be depressing enough as it is there is no need to leave you with that void.
10/10, I hope they don't change the ending on the movie or the special.
|2011-10-05, 08:48
|Link #183
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
1. let assume it a plothole. or that the time machine is able to somehow able to re-establish itself in the universe he has not visited, unlikely but than the divergence meter shouldn't actually work if it could not maintain a "reference" universe. so there is something funny about the technology.
2. the difference is probably because Mayuri need to die because if she live, the device Makise build that depended on CERN's time travel experiment may not exist, because they were going to stop time travel from being developed. Makise is different because regardless of her living or dying, time travel would be developed. Okarin had to make sure HE would developed it if not her to break the parodox of dependency...
3. they did. the other him would still go to A line before catching up with them in B line. he must experience those 3 week and that was the point.
all in all it still a plothole that trouble me too, but I still enjoy it.
I think Okarin gave in because he fear losing her. that she did the most to try and help him, this guy got alot of gulit trip
|2011-10-14, 19:15
|Link #184
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Earth
Just finished this wonderful series! I'd probably be happier if the ending were a bit more intimate. The way how everything paused for a few lines they both said made it felt like they were conveying their thoughts to themselves rather than saying it directly to one another, which would have been sad if it turned out like that! But, great series overall. Easily my favourite one this year. ;D
Is anyone looking at Okabe's quote "bring chaos to the world" in new light by the end of the series? Suzuha has said that the Steins Gate world line is an unpredictable and unknown future that hasn't been seen by anyone, so I saw that as unorganized and chaotic (in the sense that its not predetermine). So, what Okabe has always been saying is, "I will save the world!" ;O
There is a part at the end of the series that's confusing for me, though, you can probably get away with it by saying its a slightly different world line. The part at the end where Okabe goes back and time, fails, and returns to get a call from his future self. That kinda implies that his future self has gone back in time and fails himself, so he has dedicated his life on coming up with a plan for his past self. That also means, Suzuha must have came back on that day for his future self in order for him to have known of his failure. The confusing part is that Suzuha knows that she has to go back on that day for the "present" Okabe because the "future" Okabe has told her to. But, why would Suzuha need to go back on that day for the "future" Okabe? Considering that the "future" Okabe failed, he didn't get any help like the "present" Okabe did.
2) Assuming that the world's goal is to make Okabe enter the beta world line at that point in time, it decides to kill Kurisu for that to happen. So, the important part is that Okabe saw Kurisu in a puddle of what he believes is her own blood and thinks she's dead. Therefore, everything he does afterwards would be the same, thus not changing the result of Okabe going to the beta world line and all the events that would happen afterwards. In Mayuri's case, maybe the world just wants her dead.
3) Mmm... I don't remember this part...
Last edited by Zefris; 2011-10-14 at 19:47.
|2012-04-03, 12:48
|Link #185
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Where the Sky Touches the Sea
Age: 26
|2012-07-15, 17:40
|Link #186
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Hello everyone; I've been a lurker for a while now, but after finishing Steins;Gate like the slowpoke I am, I joined the forums in order to make some comments and observations about the ending of this excellent series. Let me know if I'm on the ball here.
First, Steins;Gate seems to be unique in that it possesses two different mechanisms for handling time paradoxes; perhaps the most clever element of this show.
1) World lines/attractor fields. The rules of these are described in detail in the show and they resolve paradoxes for those who do not have Reading Steiner from the perspective of everyone (both those who do and don't have Reading Steiner). If the past is changed in a way that causes paradoxes, the world line simply changes. Dramatic changes result in world line shifts that change attractor fields, which result in a different set of "fated events".
Sensing a world line change can only be done by someone with Reading Steiner, and only through D-mails (that is, sending messages rather than YOURSELF) through time. As far as I know, time leaps and time machines do NOT change the world line due to the presence of fated events; they're just a way of buying more time.
2) Conventional time continuity, which only applies to those with Reading Steiner, namely Okabe. As a traveller of world lines that benefits from his experiences across time, Okarin's journey can be thought of as a single linear course across time and worlds. If Okarin were to affect his OWN past (his subjective past, not necessarily the objective past) as a time traveller, his own experiences would be erased (actually, we don't know how paradoxes of this type work, but this is what is implied). This is why it was so important that Past!Okabe believe Makise Kurisu was stabbed - because that caused him to send the D-mail that started this adventure in the first place. Otherwise, he would erase his own alpha worldline memories key to his desire of saving Kurisu in the first place.
In the penultimate episode, Future!Okabe sent a "D-video" to Present!Okabe, prompting him to rescue Kurisu and destroy her time travel thesis without violating his own continuity. He succeeds in doing this in the final episode, and Okabe traverses attractor fields to Steins Gate (but, I'd like to call it the "gamma attractor field" for the sake of clarity). In gamma world, the thesis is destroyed, WW III never happens, Kurisu and Mayuri are alive, and Suzu never goes back in time so she won't be around for another 7 years.
One point of confusion is the presence and disappearance of Suzu throughout all of this. Yes, she's present in beta world but gone in gamma world since she's no longer a time traveller. But, when did the world line transition actually occur? How did she rescue Okabe after he stabbed himself? The way I see it, capturing the metal Upa and tasing Kurisu were necessary to change the world line, but the act of Okabe leaving in the time machine was also necessary, destroying the possibility of type 2 conventional paradox. Only when the time machine blasted through time was the world line changed, and that's when Suzu disappeared from existence (until she becomes born in 7 years).
That being the case, I guess Okabe must have somehow landed in the future in gamma, with a cross-world line stab wound, and some passerby helped get him to the hospital? I'm still a little confused on that one, I guess.
A second question remains: WHICH Okabe made it to gamma world??? I would argue it is Future!Okabe who actually sent the "D-video", since this is the only mechanism we know of to change world lines. My hypothesis is that the second Okabe left that time machine and the world line changed, Future!Okabe took hold of his consciousness, now having transferred to gamma. If I'm right, I think that might be the most goddamn clever thing to happen in this show, nay, ever. But there was no indication of that in the ending, which is why I'm hoping to see if you guys agree or disagree with me.
Last thing - Okabe should have given the Metal Upa he absconded with to Mayushi after all of that. Would have been a nice touch
Well, that's my opinion on how all of these shenanigans worked out anyway. I thought this was a thrilling, thought-provoking, laugh-inspiring, heart-rending opus of a series with a lovable cast and stunning audio/visuals. Besides a few silly moves he made throughout the show, Okabe Rintarou might just be the best goddamn anime/VN protagonist ever. And even just the innovative way this series played with time and handled paradoxes is enough to awe and astound a sci-fi geek like me. I never played the VN, but from what I've read from others who have, all studios should take note - this is how you properly adapt a VN.
This concluding episode was a satisfying (if a little rushed) end, but it was really the emotional drama of Episode 22 (and I almost never care about romances, but MakisexOkabe was played so very well, best VAs ever) and the climactic turn brought with Episode 23 that topped the series for me.
So, I'll join the hordes of honorary Future Gadget Lab members in this thread and give this show a 10/10. El Psy Congroo.
|2014-05-05, 04:24
|Link #189
Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Lithuania
I really like the fact that this somehow follows a circular narrative. How it all came together in this episode. All the little details, which happened in episode 1, where brought up in this one as well. It really show how deeply creators of the plot worked on this. It's breath taking.
I am really glad I watched this show and I could easily call this one of the best animes I have ever watched.
|2015-01-19, 14:26
|Link #190
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
What happens to Kurisu from the Alpha line?
In order for okabe to save mayuushi he had to switch the world lines from the alpha line to the beta line. But as all of us who have finished the anime know that means that Kurisu will die. So when he switches the world line to beta what happens to kurisu from the alpha line? Does she cease to exist? Is she the same kurisu as the one who okabe saves from being stabbed?
|2015-01-19, 15:21
|Link #191
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
And don't forget to play the Visual Novel game, it have a lot more info
(all age version.)
|Thread Tools


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Closed Club · 8 members · Last activeHi, Monika here! Welcome to the Literature Club! It's always been a dream of mine to make something special out of the things I love. Now that you're a club member, you can help me make that dream come true in this cute game! Every day is full of chit-chat and fun activities with all of my adorable and unique club members: Sayori, the youthful bundle of sunshine who values happiness the most; Natsuki, the deceivingly cute girl who packs an assertive punch; Yuri, the timid and mysterious one who finds comfort in the world of books; ...And, of course, Monika, the leader of the club! That's me! I'm super excited for you to make friends with everyone and help the Literature Club become a more intimate place for all my members. But I can tell already that you're a sweetheart—will you promise to spend the most time with me? ♥
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Open Club · 1 member · Last activeNavigate this club by using the tabs above! The Dragonhearted is a guild independent of the factions and national interests dominating the land. Politics does not exist within areas protected by the Dragonhearted. The guild does not seek to assert power over other citizens of Everneth, nor their individual factions and governments. The Dragonhearted exist for one purpose only: To be the first and last line of defense for the peaceful villagers of Everneth. The guild is guided by six tenets that every member is expected to follow.
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S&W Seed Company (NASDAQ:SANW) Q4 2019 Earnings Conference Call - Final Transcript
Sep 18, 2019 • 11:00 am ET
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Mark Wong
were able to do all that at probably $0.30 kind of sales price versus what the assets have cost us if the company has not been in so much difficulty financially.
So that was a huge opportunity for us, which we were able to complete. It was a competitive process. So we had a big European company that we outbid for the asset. So we were very pleased to acquire those assets that I just summarized in the Chromatin acquisition.
In addition, I think we showed in 2019 that we were not just the guys who could buy things at the right price, but we were also people who understood how to sell things at a good price. And so, our second transaction was the sale of alfalfa assets that we had acquired about five years ago for under $30 million. We sold those back to the original seller that we bought from now reorganized into Corteva. Corteva decided they wanted to be back in the alfalfa business, so we cut a deal with them where we basically kept the production plant again and the research facilities and all of the germplasm so that we could restart our alfalfa business in the Americas and in the rest of the world. And what we sold back to them was really the remaining production years on our contract and the profits that would have been earned from that and a couple of research selections out of our existing research program. But there remains in that program plenty of new products for our own customers that will be different from the ones that Corteva is selling. And we basically sold them -- all of the inventory that they would need for the next three years. So, the sum total value of that transaction was about $70 million, $25 million in inventory and $45 million for the license varieties in the production contract.
It just appears to me that given that the market's -- given the market's valuation of the company that this was a tremendous sale by S&W, it allowed us to really finally get our debt paid off and give us some room in our balance sheet to make future acquisitions, which has always been our plan. And it left us also with all of the assets that we need to continue our alfalfa business all around the world and it allowed us to focus our alfalfa business at least in the Americas through a much improved sales and marketing organization that was part of the acquisition.
So, we were extremely pleased by both of those transactions, one buying assets, one selling assets. I just like to mention a third transaction that wasn't done in the 2019 fiscal year, but we've announced it on August 30th, 2019. We purchased the paid up -- exclusive paid up license, a 15-year license for wheat varieties in Australia from Corteva. It was a program that seven or eight years old probably has roughly $17 million


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1: The Garden of the Gods
A trip to Colorado Springs would not be complete without a visit to the Garden of the Gods. Garden of the Gods Park in Colorado is owned by the City of Colorado Springs. Annually, visitors from all 50 states and more than 60 countries discover the beauty and history of the 1,367-acre Garden of the Gods Park, which has been designated as a National Natural Landmark. The Park is a unique biological melting pot where the grasslands of the Great Plains meet the pinon-juniper woodlands characteristic of the American Southwest, and merge with the mountain forest of the 14,115-foot Pikes Peak – America's Mountain. The 300 million years of geological history of the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs reveal one of the most extensive pictures of earth history found anywhere in the United States. It is a true geological wonder.
In the Garden of the Gods, you can enjoy hiking trails, biking, guided horseback tours of the park, and even guided birding excursions. Its a great place to adventure alone or with friends and family.
2: Cheyenne Mountain State Park
Cheyenne Mountain State Park was actually the inspiration for the song "America the Beautiful." The park is home to a diverse mountain ecosystem, which can be explored on over 20 miles of hiking trails. If you love outdoor activties such as fishing, hunting, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, or are just looking for a great place for a day hike in the wilderness, look no further than Cheyenne Mountain State park in Colorado Springs. For more information, you can check out the State Park's website HERE
3: Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
Take a trip back in time at Florissant Fossil Beds. This incredible natural park is home to an ancient forrest made of petrified trees. These unique fossils provide us with a look back into the biological history of Colorado. View perfectly preserved specimens of plant and insect life that's thousands of years older than humanity itself. Florissant National park offers all sorts of educational courses, including a nigh sky viewing group, which is perfect for all of those night owls. For more information, you can check out the park's website HERE
4: Barr Hiking Trail – Pikes Peak
For the experienced hiker, we recommend an adventure along the Barr Hiking trail. This long and steep climb is not for the faint of heart! Journey along over 26 miles of mountainous trails to reach the summit of the Pikes Peak mountain. The journey can take 12 hours or more, so if you prefer to take the journey over 2 days, camping sites are also available. If you are looking for some serious outdoors time and a fun and exciting challenge, the Barr Trail is the place for you!
Information provided by: Visit Colorado Springs
Learn more about our truck toppers for Colorado Springs residents


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Only 35% of women with ovarian cancer are predicted to survive for 10 years or more. Clare Godfrey is one of the lucky few. As the 10-year anniversary of her diagnosis approaches, Clare explains how cancer helped her to re-evaluate her life, and why she's still as passionate as ever about raising awareness.
I met Nick in 1996 and in 2000 we got engaged. I'd always wanted to get married and have children before I turned 40, so when I turned 39 in 2002, I realised that we'd better start thinking about starting a family sooner rather than later.
Nick and I were married on the 14th June, 2003, and we quickly settled down to married life and began trying for a baby. I always knew that time was not on our side because fertility starts to decrease after the age of 30. Whilst having a routine smear in December 2005, a nurse suggested that we make an appointment for fertility testing.
We were given an appointment with the local hospital and – over the next few months – we both had tests to monitor ovulation and sperm count. Eventually I was booked to have an exploratory laparoscopy - a 20-minute keyhole procedure.
My surgery was scheduled for the 11th of July, and I arranged for a friend to pick me up afterwards and take me home. However, when I came around after the operation I realised that I was on a hospital ward. I knew something wasn't right and kept asking the nurse why I'd been taken to a ward. I was told the doctor would explain what was going on. I remained in hospital overnight, drifting in and out of consciousness.
The next morning a doctor appeared by my bedside and drew the curtain. He explained that surgeons were unhappy with what they had seen on the laparoscopy. After performing an emergency opening, they had taken a biopsy and sent this off for tests. I asked whether the biopsy was being tested for cancer and the doctor told me that it was.
That was the moment my whole world fell apart. Not only was I dealing with a cancer diagnosis but – as they would be performing a full hysterectomy - I would never be able to have children of my own. I would go into the menopause aged 42.
Learning to cope
I had my hysterectomy on 22 August 2006. Before the operation you're given all sorts of leaflets and disclaimers. The main thing that you're told is that you may have to have a colostomy bag. I remember feeling like my life could never be normal if this happened to me. I was in complete denial. Luckily, the first words I heard after my operation were "no bag".
I was scheduled to start chemotherapy on 5 of October. Three days later I felt as if I'd been dropped from a great height. I couldn't eat or sleep, and after one week I completely fell apart - I just cried hysterically. I was in a very black hole that I felt I would never come out of. Fortunately, with a lot of help from friends and family I got through the bad days. Week 1 was terrible but by week 3 I was able to plan things – like going out for a meal or a trip to the theatre. It gave me something to look forward to.
You only live once
One of the worst parts of treatment was losing my hair – especially as I'd always taken great pride in my appearance. It helped that I arranged to have a wig that was very similar to my own hair. I ended up naming my wig 'Sarah' and every time I was out of the house I'd ask whether Sarah was "okay". It was a great way of checking that my wig wasn't crooked in public!
Three weeks after finishing chemotherapy I went back to work. Finally, in 2012, I was told that I no longer needed to have any more check-ups.
Since my diagnosis people have asked me whether I had any symptoms of ovarian cancer. Looking back, I realise I had suffered stomach aches, bloating, and painful periods, but I'd always just put it down to my age. Perhaps if I had known the symptoms I'd have gone to the doctor sooner. I was lucky in some ways that this was found at all. It so easily could have been too late. If I'd never gone for those fertility tests, who knows where I would have been.
The 10-year survival rate for ovarian cancer is very low, and I know I'm one of the lucky ones. Early diagnosis is always crucial, but especially with ovarian cancer. I think part of the devastation of an ovarian cancer diagnosis is knowing you might never have children or grandchildren of your own. It's hard because a lot of my friends have grandchildren now.
Despite all that, life since my diagnosis has been good. I'm busy working full time, enjoying holidays, socialising and playing badminton - I've even won some trophies! You only live once and having ovarian cancer has forced me to re-evaluate things. I know I'm living a very lucky life.
Read More


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Chris Brown deleted his Twitter account on Monday following a vile war of words between himself and comedian Jenny Johnson. Horrifyingly, this move has encouraged Brown's fans to take to the social networking site and threaten to kill the comedian.
Comedian Jenny Johnson had decided to challenge the Kiss Kiss singer over his now-infamous 2009 assault of then-girlfriend Rihanna when Chris Brown tweeted that he looked "old as f**k."
"I know! Being a worthless piece of s**t can really age a person."
The furious singer reacted by slamming Jenny Johnson as a "ho", telling her to perform oral sex on him and threatening to defecate in her eye - in fact, his response was so vicious that it was dubbed as "verbal rape" by The View co-host Elizabeth Hasselbeck.
The rant culminated in Johnson posting Brown a link detailing the assault he made against Rihanna - to which Chris Brown responded, "Just ask Rihanna if she (is) mad??????"
Chris Brown then announced that he was leaving Twitter (although he was back by Monday evening), telling fans that he wasn't upset but needed to ignore the "ignorance" of some people:
"To teambreezy... Know that I'm not upset. Just felt like entertaining the ignorance. These b**ches (are) crazy."
In a sick turn of events, however, some of Chris Brown's staunchest supporters have come forward on Twitter to make disgusting threats towards Jenny Johnson, including this unbelievable tweet:
"@JennyJohnsonHi5 I'M GONNA F*CKING RAPE & KILL YOU OLD WHORE F*CK"
And: "@jennyjohnsonhi5 come on Breezy !!! let's kill this bitch out !! #Breezywantsthisbitchdead"
Or even: "@shanicepaige: If he don't ever come back to twitter I'ma hunt @jennyjohnsonhi5 down and kill her :)" I'll join with you! :)
It's absolutely unbelievable to think that people like this are out there, isn't it?
Jenny Johnson has responded to the threats calmly and collectedly:
"It's alarming how many death threats I'm receiving via @ replies. I encourage everyone, including @twitter to look through them. Not cool."
Once again, we can't believe how disgusting people's behaviour is on Twitter. How do you feel death threats via the social networking site should be prevented - or punished? Let us know below or tweet us at @COsmopolitanUK now.


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Hello people who are looking at this post
So I was wondering has anyone here actually bought a Kotatsu table from Japan and imported it overseas?
I was thinking of buying one but I don't know where I can get one shipped overseas, so yeah has anyone actually done this before?
Thanks in advance.


text: Professional Website Design Services in IndiaAs one of the top website design firms in Asansol, MeraHost understands the need for your website to be developed and designed on a trusted platform. We have managed to set ourselves apart from the other web development agencies due to the fact that we not only provide functional web design services but our websites are also robust in the sense that they are flexible and easily adaptable to the ever changing technological landscapes. Our team of talented web PHP developers will brainstorm and come up with customized strategic web development solutions that will meet the needs of your business. Included with All Our plans Free .in domain SSL Certificates Free Web HostingFree Business email 24/7/365 Premium SupportNeed a Custom Website?We develop fully customized unique website design for your business. Give a professional look and feel to your website with your customized requirements whether Corporate, Advanced or E-commerce. Share your expectations, and we will be able to craft a custom design for your business which every one will envy. Designing an impressive customized website is quite different from just designing a general website. It would be great if you could share your contact details, so that we can discuss about your Project. Request a FREE quoteNot sure where to start ? Support ticket Live Chat Call us Email us


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Holloway mugger of BBC man is jailed for four years
PUBLISHED: 17:32 10 September 2012
A masked teenager who mugged a BBC news correspondent at knifepoint yards from his front door has been locked up for four years.
Tom Symonds, 42, a home affairs correspondent, was approached by 19-year-old Jason Harewood from Holloway as he made his way home at 10.40pm on March 15 this year.
He later wrote an article on the experience, saying he "did the right thing" and handed over his phone and wallet, "desperately trying not to raise the temperature of the encounter" in Muswell Hill.
Knife-wielding Harewood, of Andover Road, left Mr Symonds frozen outside his front door by telling him not to call police because he had "got a mate watching where you live".
After weighing up the dangers to his wife and children for 30 seconds and deciding "he had to be bluffing", Mr Symonds dialled 999.
Within minutes Haringey's specialist plain clothes Q-Cars robbery squad arrived and drove Mr Symonds around looking for Harewood.
By coincidence the squad had received an iPad that day to help them find stolen phones installed with tracking devices, which led them straight to Harewood in Holloway.
He fled and threw the phone away, but was caught on a garage roof.
The phone was found nearby and, despite claiming he wasn't in Muswell Hill at the time, Harewood's Oyster card and bus CCTV proved he had been there moments before.
He pleaded guilty before the trial began and last Friday was sentenced at Wood Green Crown Court to four years' detention in a young offenders institution for robbery.
Thanking Mr Symonds for helping them "do what we like to do best" by installing and using a tracker app on his phone, Det Con John Martin, investigating officer of Haringey CID, said: "I am pleased that [Harewood] will not be walking the streets for a significant period of time."
The self-employed teenager had only been released on licence a couple of weeks before the robbery. He had served half of a two-year sentence for another knifepoint robbery that was also in Muswell Hill, he added.
If you value what this story gives you, please consider supporting the Islington Gazette. Click the link in the orange box above for details.


text: Leading Women Application 2020 Applications and up to three letters of recommendation are due by September 15, 2020. It's highly recommended that you submit at least two letters of recommendation (employer & community involvement) but it is not required. Applicants can turn 40 during 2020 to be considered for this award. Applicants cannot turn 41 during the calendar year. To be eligible for this award, the winner must live in or work in Maryland at the time of judging. Fields marked with a red asterisk (*) are required. Information provided on this form may be used by The Daily Record in the corresponding event publication. To view The Daily Record's privacy policy, visit https://bridgetowermedia.com/privacy-policy/. 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Study Music & Sounds Vol I - HIGH PERFORMANCE - Beta Waves / Alpha Waves
Resonance Space - Ivo Vossen
0:00 / 19:35
0:00 / 20:10
0:00 / 23:05
0:00 / 22:03
Improve Learning and Studying
Reduce Your Distractions
Increase Your Focus
Generate and sustain brain wave states of deep concentration, relaxation and inspiration.
HIGH PERFORMANCE - Beta Waves / Alpha Waves
Ideal for cognitive tasks, attentive, engaged in problem solving, judgment, decision making, or focused mental activity. Our music is blended with Beta Waves and Alpha Waves, encouraging a high level of focus to make the most of your studies and productivity.
DEEP CONCENTRATION - Alpha Waves / Theta Waves
Ideal for learning, memory, concentration and intuition. Contains beta, alpha and theta waves.
Simliar to Deep concentration but with a focus on your subconsciousness for creativity and intuition.
Our senses are withdrawn from the external world and focused on signals originating from within.


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Legal Wrap: Important Steps Toward Trans Inclusivity in Maine
A state court issues a landmark decision for transgender rights, while the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology lifts its ban on treating men.
Legal Wrap is a weekly round-up of key legal reproductive rights and justice news.
The legal landscape for the trans community is improving, albeit slowly. Last week, Maine's highest court handed down a historic decision in favor of transgender student rights when it ruled school officials discriminated against Nicole Maines, a transgender girl who was forced
to use a staff, rather than a student, bathroom. It's the first time a state's highest court has ruled on the question of bathroom access for transgender students, and while the federal courts have not yet ruled on the issue, the opinions piling up in favor of equality represents a crucial shift at the state level.
Here's another important shift when it comes to transgender rights: The American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology announced last week that it would lift a ban, imposed last September, that prevented its members from treating men. The shift is an important step in trans inclusivity and came after months of protest by both patients and doctors. As Molly Knefel argues here, these kinds of shifts are necessary because many transgender individuals continue to experience disturbing levels of discrimination from health-care providers.
This piece by Sofia Resnick detailing Americans United for Life's ties to the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) in pushing to end insurance coverage for abortion is an absolute must-read.
Sex. Abortion. Parenthood. Power.
The latest news, delivered straight to your inbox.
A suburban Cincinnati abortion clinic can stay open while it challenges state officials' attempts to close it under a new law that requires clinics to enter into transfer agreements with local hospitals.
In Alaska, reproductive rights advocates have challenged attempts to narrow Medicaid coverage for abortions in the state.
The University of Notre Dame has once again asked a federal court to block the contraception mandate, despite the fact that it is already receiving an accommodation from the Obama administration and does not have to comply with it.
At the Washington Post, Charles Krauthammer argues that to make big electoral gains Republicans should "debunk the war on women" by making later abortion bans a top priority. Um, OK.
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant apparently is on board with Krauthammer's strategy. During his "state of the state" address, he
announced his goal to end access to legal abortion in the state.
Ending on a good note, the New York State Assembly passed the Women's Equality Act. Emily Crockett has the latest on the legislation, which would, among other things, codify a right to choose an abortion and attempt to reduce gender-based pay discrimination.


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SSF has given its SSF Tag to restaurants who care about sustainability and have an eye on design. Plans are in the works for a SSF Pop Up Food Experience near you. The shot by famed photographer Tara Sgori for SSF.
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First Bites in Paris
By Robyn Lee | When one of my friends told me to eat a green macaron for her in Paris, she was probably referring to those of the pistachio flavored kind. Instead, the first green macaron I ate during my vacation was flavored with the fatty squeezings of olives and a hint of vanilla, borne from the incomparably distinctive kitchen of Pierre Hermé who I believe makes the best macarons in Paris. What did it taste like? Well...olive oil, if it had the texture of a solid, creamy ganache surrounded by lightly chewy macaron cookies. The first bite was oddly delicious, but after getting over the not exactly surprising shock of, "Oh my god, this reallllly tastes like olive oil," my tastebuds felt like they were hit by a bomb stuffed to 1000% capacity with olive-based fat. Unless you love olive oil to the point that you drink it straight, it's best to share Hermé's nugget of fat with another olive oil lover.
But you do have to try it. Don't be a wimp.
What's New On Serious Eats
Until additional gelato hunting tells me otherwise, my favorite gelateria in Paris is Pozzetto. My two friends and I each forked over 3€ for a small cone or cup (which they will fill with more than one flavor if you want, but considering the baby-fist size of the portion I'd stick to one or two) of their creamy and intensely flavored gelato. I immediately went for my favorite flavor, pistachio, while my friends chose the lighter pear and kiwi. The fruit flavors tend to be stronger than the nutty ones, but the cioccolato fondente is probably the most, "Ohhh baby, I need this now," inducing. Since they only carry 12 flavors at once it's easy to try all of them if you visit enough times and order large sizes, both of which I would recommend doing.
Pierre Hermé 72 rue Bonaparte, 6ème 185 rue de Vaugirard, 15ème
Pozzetto 39 rue du Roi de Sicile, 4ème 21 rue de Levis, 17ème
Robyn Lee is interning at Serious Eats for the semester. Like what you've read here? See more at The Girl Who Ate Everything.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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As I live my life, I keep learning and growing. I continue to evolve my understanding even in those areas in which I consider myself an expert. My relationships are one such thing. Recently, I became consciously aware of a new dimension of my marriage that has always previously existed, but I never really noticed. I wanted to share it all with you and explain the value that it adds to your life.
Let's start with how I came to this realization. Three weeks ago, I had a bit of a scare where I felt as if I was having a heart attack. And I don't mean that I thought I might be having a heart attack. I was certain this was a cardiac event. Chest pain, numbness in my left arm, jaw pain, the whole deal. So I went to the ER, and they said I was totally fine, and my heart was completely healthy.
The other thing they told me is that severe acid reflux can cause heart attack – like symptoms. I've had acid reflux for a while, but I've never had a fake heart attack. Of course, one of the best ways to address this type of thing is to eat better and lose some weight. I've gained about 20 pounds in the past year, so I decided to get on a keto diet to lose some weight. I've lost 15 pounds so far, but I don't know that I would have made this kind of progress without my wife. Let me explain.
Dieting, as any of you who may have tried it might know, is difficult. It requires a lot of willpower and discipline. Over the past three weeks that I've been doing this, I have had a number of different moments of weakness in which I've seriously wanted to break my diet. At those times, my wife has refused to allow me my indulgences. She does the grocery shopping for the house, so she makes sure we have a full stock of keto – friendly foods, and she constantly nags me about eating properly according to my diet. She has increased her frequency of cooking me breakfast while we're both home as well.
Until just yesterday, I had attributed her nagging to just that…nagging. But, it's actually so much more than that. You see, my wife knows and understands me. She knows my goals, and she understands what I want to accomplish. She decides, whether consciously or not, that she has to support these goals. The "so much more" part, though, happens when she decides to support my goals even when I don't want to strive toward them myself. She recognizes that my goals don't disappear just because I'm feeling lazy or indulgent. And that recognition is infinitely valuable.
It's so much easier for us to be accountable to other people than it is to be accountable to ourselves. You can easily convince yourself to cheat or forego something you should do, but it's far more difficult to do the same with someone else, especially a nagging wife. And while it's really easy for her to simply say, "Well, if you're not going to put in the effort, then I won't support you," she doesn't do that. It is a comfort to know that when I run out of willpower, I have another reserve in my partner to draw upon. Although I just recently became aware of this through my dieting, I've realized that she does this in all aspects of our life. If I have tasks to complete for any of my side projects, she'll nag me to finish them. If I tell her I need to be somewhere, she'll make sure I'm up on time even if I want to sleep in.
I've also recognized that I do the same for her, and I've been doing it unconsciously. When my wife is feeling lazy, I nag her to get her stuff done. When she wants to sleep in, I get her up to do what she needs to do. In this way, we strive to become the other person. My success is her success, and vice versa. That type of partnership is a rare thing because it indicates a much deeper level of commitment than simply supporting the other person with words of encouragement. It is an unconscious recognition that we are one.
This is a light bulb moment. Find yourself a partner that you can share the same sort of connection with, and your life will become infinitely easier and richer.


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by J.R. Miller
Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. 1 Peter 3:8
We should learn to look at the blemishes and faults of others only through the eyes of love, with sympathy, patience, and compassion. We do not know the secret history of the lives of others around us. We do not know what piercing sorrows have produced the scars we see in people's lives. We do not know the pains and trials which make life hard, to many with whom we are tempted to be impatient. If we knew all the secret burdens and the heart-wounds which many keep hidden beneath their smiling faces we would be patient and gentle with all people.
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12
So true, instead of focusing on myself, how I have been hurt by others-if I could change my lenses and know the unkind that came out of them was not truly toward me but the their pain inside. I will be rereading this post often….praying God will soften my heart to see others each day as He does. Thank you!


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With Canada Day celebrations approaching, Lacombe County reminds all residents that a fireworks permit is required if you wish to sell, purchase or set off fireworks within the province of Alberta.
"The use of fireworks is regulated under the Alberta Fire Code, and there are no exceptions to the rules spelled out in the code," says Drayton Bussiere Lacombe County Fire Chief. "If you plan on shooting off fireworks, regardless of the time of the year, a fireworks permit is required within Lacombe County."
Bussiere notes that conditions of having a Fireworks permit includes permission from adjacent landowners so it is important to discuss fireworks plans with your neighbors in advance. Fireworks can also not be set off from public lands or roadways, if there is a fire ban, or if wind exceeds 20 km/h.
Although the use of fireworks can be a safe practice, if all precautions are adhered to, people are reminded that they are responsible for any fireworks they have in their possession. Fireworks permits are free of charge and an application is available on the Lacombe County website www.lacombecounty.com or by stopping in at the front desk of the County administration office. It can take up to one week to process an application, so please do not wait until the last minute before the celebration begins.
For more information contact:
Drayton Bussiere Nicole Plewis
Lacombe County Fire Chief Communications Coordinator
Lacombe County Lacombe County
(403) 782-8959 (403) 782-6601


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Word on the street is there was a bad break-up. Somebody may or may not have been broken up with right before 6th period. All of a sudden my house is full of teenage girls in need of the only true cure for a broken heart.
It's been a truly busy month. Something about May with birthdays, graduations, and so on. We are 97% done with the kitchen remodel. We have helped my parents in downsizing to an apartment (and said a bittersweet goodbye to my childhood home). My daughter and I are off to a girls only weekend soon. And hopefully once school wraps up I will get back to some more regular posts. I've actually got a lot of projects in the works, just need to get them up on the blog. So I promise to be back very soon with some fun stuff. Have a great weekend!


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"The first interesting event is five minutes 46 seconds in. Someone says the word 'bastard' so straightaway the game has gone to a 12 certificate in my mind. Then at eight minutes and 28 seconds, Lara gets eaten by a wolf…"
I'm sitting with Jack Davies a games examiner at the Video Standards Council. Jack Davies is not his real name: apparently, if I use that, he'll be inundated with questions and complaints about previous Pegi ratings – and with only three dedicated game examiners here, that's the last thing he needs. He's picked Tomb Raider to show me the process the organisation goes through to rate games. Lara Croft's gruesome demise at the mouth of a lupine aggressor has just earned the game a Pegi 16 certificate. But there is more controversial fare to come.
Video game certification has always been a hot topic . From the very first BBFC rated title – the 1986 adventure Dracula – to the temporary banning of violent racer Carmageddon to the GTA: San Andreas 'Hot Coffee' scandal, gaming content has troubled censors, politicians and free speech campaigners the world over. Earlier this week, the Australian Classification Board announced that it had refused to grant the violent gangster romp Saint's Row IV a release license, effectively banning it in the country. The product was censored for its celebration of illicit drug use as well as "visual depictions of implied sexual violence which are not justified by context". Could something similar happen to this or any other controversial game in Britain?
Housed within an unremarkable modern office block, at the edge of a small business park in Borehamwood, the VSC was set up in 1989 to ensure that the film industry was abiding by the 1984 video recordings act. In 1993, however, it approached the UK games trade body ELSPA to suggest a voluntary ratings system for entertainment software in Britain. Then in 2001, a meeting of ratings boards throughout Europe led to the introduction of Pegi, the system that now controls the age rating of retail games in 31 countries around the continent. The VSC is one of two administrators, alongside NICAM in Holland, charged with carrying out the ratings process. Although the BBFC originally also examined games in the UK, the dual system was considered too confusing, and the Digital Recordings Act of 2010, enlisted Pegi as the sole arbiter of games classification.
Throughout Europe, Pegi is recognised as the standard rating for games, and in certain countries (including the UK and Netherlands) all titles are legally required to display a rating on their packaging. To submit their games for certification, publishers must become a member of the organisation. The first part of the process is an online questionnaire, which seeks to establish the product's content. Developers begin by answering questions relating to 18-rated content: does it contain graphic violence, violence toward innocent bystanders, or violence against vulnerable or defenseless characters? Is there sexual activity which shows genitalia? Is there rape? Is there glamorisation of illegal drugs? If all the responses are negative, the studio moves to the 16-rated questions, where less explicit forms of violence, sexual content or drug use are covered. And so on, down to Pegi 3, effectively the video game equivalent of a U certificate.
If the game warrants a 'yes' to any of the age rating questions, the process stops. The developer has to confirm that they have accurately represented all the content in the game and that they are aware of everything the player will see on the disk. The product is then put on to Pegi's online ratings system and the process of analysis and confirmation begins. If Pegi 18, 16 or 12 sections of the online form have been marked with a 'yes', the product comes to the VSC; the rest go to NICAM.
Hands-on evaluation
From here, developers have to send in a working copy of the game (a few bugs doesn't matter, but it has to feature all the content of the final release), as well as representational video footage. The latter must include all the cinematics and cut-scenes as well as what Davies calls, " a decent chunk of gameplay". "If it's something like a port of Street Fighter where the play is identical throughout, you only need 20-30 minutes of video," he says. "But with something like Tomb Raider or Bioshock Infinite, we'll need two or three hours of gameplay footage on top of all the cut-scenes. This will be used in 70-80% of the examination process."
The video is vital due to the time restraints of the process. Alongside the three full-time examiners, there are several staff who are trained up and can pitch in at busy periods, but even then there's a lot to get through. Out of the 1,813 titles rated by Pegi in 2012, 812 were handled here, so the team can't possibly play through dozens of 20-hour action adventures in their entirety. The video content can also be uploaded onto the Pegi system for all the country representatives to see and to provide lasting reference material. "On the system, we note all the sections of a game that would cause a particular age rating," says Davies. "That way, before we even play it we have a good idea of what it contains. Also we ask for video evidence of all the 'yes' answers from the questionnaire – that's useful so we can tell if the developer has misinterpreted any of the questions."
This is a key point. If a developer fails to declare adult content and is awarded a lower age rating, they've effectively broken the code of conduct and face a stiff fine – up to €250,000 (£212,000) for a first offence. "Along with that you have an illegal product on sale, so you're going to have withdraw all those boxes from the shelves," says Davies.
Although Pegi provides corporate training and e-learning to help developers with certification, there are often misunderstandings with some of the terms. Let's take the phrase 'realistic looking violence toward humans' for example. "The way we judge violence isn't really based around the quality of the graphics," explains Davies. "When we say we're looking for realistic-looking violence, it is about the reaction – the character has to react like they would in real-life. Also, it doesn't matter where the game is set – it could be space or medieval times – we don't take context into account. If a character gets punched and they respond by falling backwards, there doesn't necessarily have to be blood for a 16 certificate, they just need to respond realistically."
Games v movie ratings
Here, there's a crucial differentiation between game and movie rating. Films certification takes context into account – swearing is acceptable in a PG-13 release if it's used sparingly, for example, while extreme depictions of sex and violence may be justified in a 15 or 18 release if they're part of a strong narrative. In games, however, a single scripted swear word could be heard dozens of times by a player if they attempt the same section repeatedly, while story usually plays a more subordinate role to interactive action and therefore its contextual relevance is diminished. Everything that happens in a game is considered in isolation.
Another mistake developers often make when submitting gameplay footage is not considering elements of the content that sit outside the narrative action – the sorts of animations and interactions that examiners often only discover in a hands-on test with the code.
"The developer will often play through the game just to complete a level," says Davies. "They won't stop and see what every single weapon will do to a body. But I try all of them – sometimes explosive weapons will have different effects. I've tested games that have aimed for a 16 rating, but then I throw a grenade and sure enough there are arms and legs flying everywhere. I have to go back to them and say 'you didn't show me that."
While playing Tomb Raider, he shows me how he purposely exposes the lead character to fire, to test her reaction – if it's pain and distress, that affects the rating. "Obviously you're taking damage, but her skin isn't melting off – that's what I'm looking for," says Davies. He also checks for the ability to inflict post-mortem damage on bodies – smashing in a skull with a baseball bat, maybe. This could put it into 'gross violence' category. There's not much of this going on in the game we're playing.
So why was Tomb Raider an 18? Before the game's release last year, there was controversy over a single sequence, referred to in an interview with the game's executive producer, where Lara is tied up and sexually threatened by a male captor. It turns out, however, that by Pegi rating standards, the moment was so fleeting it didn't register. "I don't even think I marked it 16 for sexual violence," says Davies. "It just didn't go far enough". No, Tomb Raider received an 18 certificate thanks to a mere handful of gory death animations. "Most of the violence is 16-rated," continues Davies. "But there's a particular part where Lara goes down a zip wire and, if you fail to jump off in time, she is impaled through the abdomen and jaw by spikes. That counts as gross violence. It's basically anything that makes you go, 'eugh'".
According to Davies, developers are told which sequences of their game have earned a higher rating, and they are given the option to edit and resubmit. If they disagree with the judgement, there is an appeals process that may eventually end up with the Pegi complaints board, a pool of independent experts including child psychologists, media experts and legal advisers who'll decide on the case. This board responds to appeals from both developers and members of the public, but only two or three cases a year ever get to them. Often, it's publishers querying whether their game depicts the sort of 'gross violence' that earns an 18 rating. In 2011, Activision Blizzard successfully complained about the rating of Diablo III, contesting that although there is gore, it involves fantasy creatures and non-realistic reactions. The game was subsequently reduced from an 18 to a 16 rating.
Banning games?
So, back to Saint's Row IV. Could the game be banned in Europe under the Pegi system? The answer, for Britain at least, is effectively no. Pegi is a ratings system not a censorship board and has no remit to ban retail releases. However, in situations where a European member country has legislation that may be contravened in the product, Pegi will advise publishers that they may well be breaking laws.
"The Pegi system doesn't usurp national legislation," explains VSC communications officer, Gianni Zamo. "If a country has a particular piece of legislation that effects video games, then they may take action. The Italians were upset about Rule of Rose a few years ago, they felt it had child abuse elements, and were twitchy about that. But the Pegi system is not legally enforceable in that sense. Games can do anything as long as it's within the confines of the law."
In the UK, video game content is governed by the 1984 Video Recordings Act and its subsequent updates, which Pegi has to take into account when rating games. "We'd be talking about paedophilia, or any form of discrimination likely to incite hatred," says operations director, Peter Darby. "We've got a chair and vice-chair who are designated by the secretary of state to make a decision on whether a game should be given a certificate for release in the UK or not. Obviously that doesn't effect the rest of Europe, that's just for the UK. But that's the process we would use to effectively ban a game in the UK. There's quite a long process leading up to that, though. We have an expert panel that will look at it and advise on whether it breaches the law or could be deemed harmful. We have Tanya Byron and Geoffrey Robertson QC and the psychologist Dr Guy Cumberbatch – they wouldn't make a decision, but they'd look at the game and advise us on the sorts of things we need to take into account. Pegi is not a system that in itself bans games. But we will warn publishers to be careful where they release a title, because it could contravene laws."
So what happens in the event of a controversy? Does the government start trying to question the process? "The DCMS will never get involved in us coming to a rating decision," says director general Laurie Hall, a veteran of the home video business in the early 80s, when the video nasty controversy erupted. "If Keith Vaz raises a question in parliament or whatever, they may ring us to ask what we have to say about it; we'll say our piece and that may be their reply to Vaz in parliament. But they're at arm's length."
Online issues
But Pegi is facing new challenges all the time. While it has jurisdiction over all games sold via high street retailers and online giants like Amazon, emerging digital market places such as iTunes and Steam do not require developers to sign up to the Pegi code of conduct. We're well into a new era in which games are distributed across the internet to a global user-base. The VSC has noticed that the number of examinations in the Pegi 3, 7 and 12 categories have dropped in recent years as casual and family titles migrate to smartphone and tablet platforms. How can a ratings system keep up with that?
Right now, the body is developing 'Pegi For Apps' a streamlined voluntary version of the ratings procedure designed for smartphone developers who want to exhibit Pegi ratings with their digital products. There's currently no legal compulsion to do it, but Pegi's contention is it's better that publishers show they are being responsible, both to concerned parents and to governments who may well step in with mandatory classification systems if the digital gaming industry can't regulate itself.
Importantly, Pegi For Apps, doesn't just provide an age rating, it also introduces four new 'feature descriptors' – the icons that come with a Pegi rating that show the sorts of content a game includes: In-App Purchases, Social Interaction, Location Data Sharing and Personal Data Sharing. These could well be invaluable to parents who are becoming more concerned about the risks of giving kids free rein over handheld devices. "These descriptors won't affect the age rating, but we thought it was important to alert parents to these functions," explains communications manager, Dirk Bosmans. "It's a first step to more information. These descriptors could later be implemented with parental controls so a parent could ensure that if a game has in-app purchase functionality, the child cannot buy it."
More ambitiously, Pegi is also working on an international aggregation system for content classification, named IARC. It's an online questionnaire for developers that'll spit out ratings for a whole range of countries. Pegi is working with North America's Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) as well as ratings boards in Brazil, Australia, Singapore, Japan and Korea. "One global rating system is not possible, the standards are way too different – it would take us a century," concedes Brosmans. "But this is a fairly easy solution. We've been working on it for two years and we have a functioning model – there's a clear goal to implement it soon."
It's unlikely there will ever be a completely inclusive global aggregation body, however. "I don't think we'll get the Iranian system," says Davies. "It includes an age rating that goes up to '25 and married' – so there are certain games you can't play if you're 27 and unmarried. The country's trade body was at the Gamescom game conference last year – they had a big booth and they were giving out folders with all their content descriptors. They had one for 'hopelessness' …" Darby continues, "Russia is difficult to bring into IARC too because its ratings are culturally based. Will the game interfere with traditional family values? That's a problem we're facing with certain ratings bodies around the world."
But away from publishers failing to disclose adult elements, and the trials of introducing age ratings into the digital marketplace, there's one over-riding difficulty that Pegi faces. "Our biggest problem is getting parents to understand that these age ratings actually mean something," says Darby. "When we give a rating it is genuine, but parents see the word 'game' and to a lot of people that means it's for children. But it's not, many games are for adults. Personally, I think the problem is short-lived – there will come a stage where parents have grown up with games and will realise that some are unsuitable for young children."
It is extremely unlikely then that Saint's Row IV will be banned in Europe. Germany has its own supplementary body, the USK, which tends to be stricter than most other countries, but certainly in Britain, Pegi doesn't seek to censor in this way and will only raise the alarm if content actually breaks the law. The statement provided by the Australian Classification Board reads: "In the board's opinion, Saints Row IV, includes interactive, visual depictions of implied sexual violence which are not justified by context." However, as we have seen, context is irrelevant in the Pegi system. No doubt the examiners will have an interesting few days working their way through the game's crass and ridiculous litany of sexualised weapons and morally questionable cut-scenes. But the outcome is likely to be an 18 rating, and with a pile of other titles to get through, the focus will move swiftly on.
You can find out more about video game ratings at the Video Standards Council's dedicated website or at the Pegi home page. Britain's trade body UKIE also has a helpful site named Ask About Games, which is aimed at parents wanting to know more about age ratings, parental controls and safe family gaming.


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April 1, Launch of the 8th scientific conference at Ain Shams University entitled "Creativity ... Innovation ... Industry"
Ain Shams University believes in the importance of linking scientific research to the industry in the light of its strategy 2018/2023 and linking the university with the industry and consolidating the principles of intelligent management, therefore, the university will hold its eighth scientific conference entitled "Creativity ... Innovation … Industry" under the patronage of the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, under the chairmanship of the University President. The conference will be held from 1-3 April, and Saudi Arabia will be the guest of honor of the conference.
The conference will witness 28 meetings, with 244 participants: 108 speakers, 128 posters distributed across several sectors:
- Humanities and Social Sciences Sector (58 participation)
- Engineering Sciences Sector (28 participation)
- Medical Sciences Sector (82 participation)
- Agricultural Science Sector (10 participation)
- Basic sciences sector (58 participation)
- Science Park: A delegation of 2 Chinese experts.
Five foreign bodies will attend the conference: DAAD, Fulbright, Erasmus, the British Cultural Center and the Russian Cultural Center, as well as a high-level delegation from Saudi Arabia as a guest of honor.
The opening ceremony of the conference will also witness the awarding of the honorary doctorate to Prof. Dr. Ahmed Okasha.
This honor comes in the light of the keenness of Ain Shams University to honor its sons who have contributed so much to their country and society and to the prominent role played by Prof. Dr. Ahmed Okasha in the field of psychiatry.
It will be held on Monday, April 1 at 9:00 am at the University's grand conference hall next to the Faculty of Pharmacy.


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Setting the benchmark in the aviation industry, Malaysia Airports is ready to redefine the travel experience for passengers in the region with its Next Generation Hub concept. The purpose-built mega terminal dedicated for low-cost carriers, klia2, is built with the initial capacity to accommodate up to 45 million passengers annually and designed to allow expansion for future air travel growth trends and airlines' operational models.
klia2 is developed with robustness that will no doubt be able to cater the ever evolving and dynamic global aviation industry. State-of-the-art and modern infrastructure, world-class airport services, easy travelling processes and comfortable atmosphere at klia2 will ensure passengers' travelling needs are met. The new terminal is designed with flexibility to serve future variance of low-cost carrier models as well as capacity growth.
klia2 is located less than 2 kilometres away from KLIA, and is connected to KLIA via ERL's high-speed train, creating a highly touted feature of seamless connectivity between full service and low-cost airlines. A skybridge links the main terminal building and the satellite building at klia2, making it the first airport in Asia with a skybridge that will give the added advantage of greater aircraft manoeuvrability while providing a spectacular view of the airside to passengers crossing it. The terminal design meets the requirements of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Certification and Environmentally Responsible Interior Design (ERID), in line with Malaysia Airports' objective to create a green airport.
About 35,200 sq. metres of the terminal gross floor area of over 257,000 sq. metres is dedicated for retail, F&B and service spaces with multitude offerings for the benefit of both passengers and visitors. In line with the commercial strategies outlined in our 5-year Business Plan 'Runway To Success', klia2 will revolutionise the retail experience with various commercial offerings that offer travellers and visitors alike a diverse range of shopping and dining experiences. klia2 will also serve as a multi-modal transportation hub that provides facilities such as high-speed train, taxis and busses, extending the convenience to the passengers as well as the surrounding community. A new runway and air traffic control tower complements the terminal facilities for overall efficiencies of aircraft operations. In many ways, the new terminal will continue to support the low-cost travel sector's phenomenal growth that was initially facilitated by the opening of LCCT-KLIA.
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