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0.024352 | <urn:uuid:1a1c4f51-54af-47dd-a767-75dd2f16b1ba> | en | 0.960117 | Chuck Hagel survives
WASHINGTON -- After all the thunder and lightning signifying nothing but more Republican obstructionism, former Sen. Chuck Hagel has taken over at the Pentagon, vowing a realistic approach to America's military role in the world.
Not surprisingly, he indicated he will pursue President Obama's course of selective engagement, in contrast to the interventionism of the previous Republican administration, although he didn't specifically mention its war of choice in Iraq and other misadventurism.
"We can't dictate in the world," Hagel told Department of Defense employees, "but we must engage with the world." And, he added, "the resources that we employ on behalf of our country and our allies should always be applied wisely."
That view coincided with the first major challenge he faces, in the sharp budget cuts in military spending involved in Obama's tug-of-war with Republican congressional leaders over deficit reduction vs. higher taxes on the rich.
Before Hagel's nomination was confirmed by a 58-41 Senate vote, the narrowest endorsement of a cabinet officer on record, vocal critics in Congress and in the conservative blogosphere had predicted he would lose. Having erred in that wishful thinking, some have continued to warn he will be severely crippled as Pentagon chief.
If so, they will be able take some credit. They turned his confirmation hearing into a star-chamber proceeding on Hagel's past observations on the war in Iraq and pressures from the pro-Israel lobby. In the weeks thereafter, they continued a drumbeat aimed at creating a public impression that the Nebraskan was a gone goose. It reached the point where Sen. John McCain, leading the charge, flatly called Hagel unqualified to run the Pentagon, before finally acknowledging he would be confirmed.
Throughout that strong Republican effort to derail his nomination, Obama remained committed to get the man he wanted at Defense. In the end, his choice of a Republican didn't help him much with Senate Republicans, many of whom considered Hagel an unreliable cousin.
Obama got an independent thinker whose own decorated combat service in Vietnam made him sympathetic to the military, but not a knee-jerk advocate of all its budget demands.
Undoubtedly, as Hagel tackles the task of taming Pentagon spending, those critics disappointed at his confirmation will recall that he once talked about a "bloated" defense establishment. But within a reshaped second-term Obama administration, he seems a good fit with Obama and others determined to scale back the U.S. engagement abroad.
Hagel was an old ally of Vice President Joe Biden when he was chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In the first Obama term, Biden had the president's ear on critical decisions involving the military. He counseled him to tread cautiously in urging more American troops into Afghanistan, and in monitoring their phased withdrawal from there and from Iraq.
Hagel joined Biden and then Sen. John Kerry, now Obama's secretary of state, on committee fact-finding tours of Afghanistan, India, Turkey and Pakistan. In 2002, he joined Biden and Republican Sen. Richard Lugar in 2002 in a resolution that would have limited President George W. Bush's invasion of Iraq as a last resort for disarming the country of its alleged weapons of mass destruction. Bush saw to it that the resolution went nowhere.
After the war started, Hagel joined Biden and Lugar in a trip to Iraq and later with them cosponsored a resolution opposing Bush's plans to put in 20,000 more American troops to deal with disintegrating internal security. And he strongly urged Obama's decision to choose Biden as his running mate.
Whatever the Senate Republicans and other GOP critics think now of their old colleague taking charge at the Pentagon, he can count on strong administration backing in one of its most challenging tasks -- maintaining a credible defense posture abroad while wrestling with shrinking resources at home.
At the same time, considering what often appears to a paranoid determination of a disappointed Republican Party to make Obama's second term a failure, Chuck Hagel can expect to remain a prime target of his former colleagues. To many of them, he's now RINO -- a Republican In Name Only.
| http://www.mcall.com/opinion/national/sns-201302281600--tms--poltodayctnyq-a20130301-20130301,0,316494.column | dclm-gs1-273770002 | false | false | {
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0.159492 | <urn:uuid:25c02b9f-0bca-4d4f-995c-57f5a3e547d8> | en | 0.855023 |
Posts Tagged ‘Dan Harmon’
‘Breaking Bad’ Mapped as Dan Harmon Story Circle
Community creator Harmon writes using a story circle, making sure that every script meets his eight steps of a satisfying story. As you can see by the chart embedded above (filled with spoilers), Breaking Bad contained all eight elements and can help aspiring storytellers master the elegant structure. Here’s more from Wired about Harmon’s method:
So he watched a lot of Die Hard, boiled down a lot of Joseph Campbell, and came up with the circle, an algorithm that distills a narrative into eight steps … Harmon calls his circles embryos—they contain all the elements needed for a satisfying story—and he uses them to map out nearly every turn on Community, from throwaway gags to entire seasons. If a plot doesn’t follow these steps, the embryo is invalid, and he starts over. To this day, Harmon still studies each film and TV show he watches, searching for his algorithm underneath, checking to see if the theory is airtight.
Mediabistro Course
A Thank You From MediabistroEDU
Dan Harmon Shares Story-Breaking Advice
How do you map out ideas before starting a story?
One reader asked Community creator Dan Harmon to explain his personal process of “story-breaking,” or how he brainstorms his way into a script. Harmon’s long and idiosyncratic explanation of his creative process might help you chart out your next story, novel or script. Check it out:
Start with random IDEAS. Ideas can be anything – Poop is an idea, America, pickles, the number six, a raccoon, anything. Some ideas will reveal related ideas, i.e. you may think, upon thinking about raccoons, that you have more than one thought about raccoons. Clouds of related ideas that your mind recognizes as related in any way are potential story AREAS. Look for areas that make you laugh and cry. Draw a circle to symbolize your area, because your story will take the “reader” through related ideas in a path around a central idea.
(Link via; photo via) | http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/tag/dan-harmon | dclm-gs1-273780002 | false | false | {
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0.026037 | <urn:uuid:2eff3cc7-dacb-4399-af98-09bbc513e9be> | en | 0.972262 | User Score
Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 975 Ratings
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1. Feb 13, 2013
2. Feb 13, 2013
The so called "Professional Reviewers" Are FAR to harsh with this game. Okay Granted it has its flaws (The AI is Wonky in Single Player) Yet the campaign is still rich and engaging within the Aliens Universe. Its a Blast to walk around famous scenes from the movie with a Pal or two and Blast some Xenos into next week. Multiplayer IS fun and refreshing from other games out there (This one isn't some COD rip off Thank god!). People need to give this game a break, and give it credit where credit is due, not just look at its flaws and say its terrible. Unfortunately since I don't get paid to write articles about "How my opinion is better than everyone else's" This truthful review will be buried by hate and not see the light of day. At least I don't have my head up my ass... Expand
3. Feb 13, 2013
First off I enjoyed this game to a point, there are however some glaring problems that just should not have made it through to the final product. AI dropping off completely, this happens all the time. A team member will randomly just stand around doing nothing; enemies will walk straight past them as they stare off blankly into space. Aliens will find a spot to zone out and wait for you to shoot them. This can be a problem if you are required to kill everything in some points of the game to progress onwards, it did not happen to me but if it does happen it will be game breaking.
Textures, there are so many bad textures, Gearbox are terrible for this, optimisation is no excuse on a PC version of a game. In 2013 I should not be looking at textures in a game that aren’t even up to par with the original Alien vs. Predator. That is where my complaints end, I didn’t notice any kill streaks or such garbage during my play through, the story had decent pacing and some decent elements and a few good twists to the Alien creature itself that made for some good reference material when thinking back to the movies. There are a few eye roll moments and some small plot holes, that don’t have much of a negative impact on the plot. It is a big fan service, and people who aren’t diehard fans of the franchise will be left feeling a bit ripped off.
The gun play was quite good, the sound assets were brilliant, there could however be a bit more kick to the rifles, all they do is spread. The old pulse rifle needs to have a bit of jump to it and the fact that the grenade launcher by default is the “f” key makes for some frustrating moments as being used to other games that the use key is f will get you killed in a close quarters situation, like trying to open a door. It’s an easy rebinding, but still a pain that it was not really well thought out.
Overall I give AcM a 6/10, it definitely needs work. Hopefully the modding community will get on top of a texture pack, and Gearbox will patch the godforsaken AI. It’s not going to be for everyone, and I can understand the disappointment in it, saying to go in without expectations for the canonical sequel to one of the best sci-fi movies ever made is stupid, I would say that diehard fans should check it out when at the very least a decent patch comes out. Shame on you Gearbox, you can do so much better.
4. Feb 13, 2013
5. Feb 13, 2013
I'll try to be short and sweet with my review. I'll start by saying that this is a game that will not win any GOTY awards, however it's not nearly the train wreck that some people have made it out to be. Also I've heard alot of complaints on how easy the game is. Set the difficulty at hardened or greater and you should get a good challenge.
Audio 9
Overall the game has great audio,
well done and authentic sounds from the movies .
Graphics- 7
I'd say that the graphics on this game are average to good for this console generation, that being said on PC, it would be nice to really be able to max everything, although the PC graphics are better than the console versions.
Well, they tried, unfortunately trying doesn't guarantee success. With some professional writers and a bit more thought and time they could have made a very compelling story, but they didn't
Ok, so the single player campaign isn't the best, and if this were a single player only game, that would warrant a 3 out of 10. But there is also a multiplayer element to this game that I find very entertaining and addictive(although the marines seem a bit more overpowered than the aliens, but it could be because my alien toon is low level. If they continue to develop multiplayer maps and features, then this game could turn out rather well. Let's be honest, no one is buying COD black ops for the single player, and if they did, they would be pretty disappointed. I would compare aliens CM to COD Black ops in that respect. Sure the single player is mediocre at best, but the multiplayer can pick up the slack.
6. Feb 13, 2013
7. Feb 13, 2013
The trouble I find with a game like this is everyone has such high expectations and only seems to like to pick out the bad bits, completely forgetting the rest.
It's an Aliens game, its going to be limited in what it can do without destroying it's own universe (you may think all the AVP films and games did that, but lets forget those never happened), throw in that any high budget game is
nearly always made for the console then ported to the PC and you have another issue, technology limitations. So why expect something that it never will be?
Starting with the good:
- You got to be a fan of the film, not the franchise, just the film. I mean the sort of fan that will watch it a few times a year and can recite most of the quotes. If you're not then you'll probably just think of it as a generic shooter. Which I am!
- Sounds and music are great, it really does sound like a pulse rifle and motion tracker, and lets face it you'll pretty much just be using those the whole game.
- Some nice touches re-creating the Aliens scenery, finding the med bay, the room where Burke let a facehugger loose on Ripley and Newt, and even the trike you see at the beginning of the directors cut.
- First time around it's great to shoot up a load of Aliens, hordes of them and even the single hunters that hide and wait for you. Can get old fast with the AI Marines with you though.
- Fun coop on Ultimate Badass mode, provided you haven't played the single player yet. "You go first", "No YOU go first"
The no so impressive side:
- Buggy AI, seems to get stuck sometimes and teleport in front of you. Not sure what that's about but there has been worse around. Give it a rest.
- Can't use the motion tracker to find enemies in the next room until you open the door and get attacked. Maybe they're just not moving, it is a 'motion' tracker and not a 'stationary' tracker after all.
- Fight too many humans, a little was fine but bleh, it's called Aliens so should have lots of them!
- Checkpoints seem to make things behind you disappear, leaving no reason to watch your six.
Non-Issues, things people whine about because they can:
- Graphics look a bit flat, but it doesn't struggle. The Sulaco and Hadleys Hope wasnt exactly build with textured wallpaper.
- Story and Voice acting. It's not the best but it's about as annoying as being forced to cut your toenails once in a while. It's minimal and you just deal with it.
- Marines get a boost in multiplayer just by playing the campaign making being an alien rather difficult to begin with.
That's all, now please stop whining.
8. Feb 13, 2013
Graphics- 6
Sound- 10
Gameplay- 7
Replay- 7
9. Feb 13, 2013
Yes, this game is arguably underwhelming from the expectations that everybody had set for it but then, what did you expect? The game has spent 7 years in development accumulating hype from a fan-base in what I call the Duke Nukem Effect. The game spent a good portion of it's development indefinitely postponed, and when it came to fixing it up, there really hadn't been 7 years of development put into it. Maybe two at most.
However, this doesn't mean it's a bad game. Sure, the AI is a little dumb and the graphics are mediocre, but then games with similarly poor graphics never really receive the abuse that this has. Campaign wise, yes, the story is... way off for an Aliens game, but that doesn't mean it's not enjoyable if you forget the game's relation to its source material.
There are also loads of little references to the film that are nice for fans, and the atmosphere is quite well done the lighting in this is excellent, as is the fact that you can see your own feet and shadow really adds to the immersion.
A:CM is not perfect, by any stretch of the imagination, but if they can sort out the AI, it'll at least be respectable. It deserves more than it got, but less than the game should've achieved.
10. Feb 13, 2013
11. Feb 13, 2013
12. Feb 13, 2013
13. Feb 13, 2013
2003 AI сложности).
Не AlienBreed 20го DeadSpace1-2 высер!
14. Feb 13, 2013
OK. so I've played the first 3 or 4 missions of Aliens: Colonial Marines and I love it!!! The enemy A.I. can sometimes be a bit thick and I've seen some small glitches that maybe a brand new game should not have. The Aliens in multiplayer are extremely hard to use and will need a lot of practice before I can get more than 2 kills. The marines are awesome and have access to full customization. The weapons sound like they are straight from the movie and you can play as Hudson, Hicks, Apone and Drake, who all have the original voice talent from the movie. I think it's awesome and anyone who loves the Alien franchise would be able to overlook the odd glitch and the odd dodgy choice of cover by the A.I.. I think it was well worth the money. I am a big fan of Aliens and to be able to explore locations from the movie is awesome. Don't listen to these negative reviews, It's brilliant. Expand
15. Feb 13, 2013
GOOD -Up to 4 player co-op -Xeno 3rd person perspective -Interesting multi-player modes -level up system for xenos -Customization of your guns BAD -Graphics are a bit rough -Alien AI is sketchy -More action less atmosphere in single player -Overall Polish -No dedicated servers? -It lets you carry too many weapons -Limited online functions (eg cannot search a game by ping) Matchmaking only
-No real feeling of terror in single player, multi player can make you fear the aliens though playing as a marine.
I don't think any parts of it are terrible (pc version) but there are plenty of things which could be improved. Which is why it was panned so bad I think, it being Alien franchise it has a lot to live up to. It being in development for 6 years is a joke really.
I would describe the game as a pick up and play decent budget game.
16. Feb 13, 2013
17. Feb 13, 2013
18. Feb 13, 2013
Thoroughly enjoyed this game and can imagine myself playing it for a few months to come.
Take this game on its own merit and ignore a few flaws and you're bound to get dragged into the atmosphere of the game.
But truthfully was any title going to live up to the mighty aliens movie? this could have been the best game ever released but a combination of a long waiting time and being part of
one of the most successful movie franchises ever, this game was never going to start any fires no matter who developed it. Expand
19. Feb 13, 2013
After laying multiplayer some more and get some more control of the alien im adding 3 points to this game review it will even go to an 8 if most problems will be adressed and when there will be new (usefull) content.
At first it was horrible now its just a game that just lacks love from the developers.
Alien controlls still are clunky but manageable.
Campaign is quite the generic walk d
own a hallway and shoot stuff but gets you special guns.
AI is just silly voice acting could be good only its to repetetive and should change during the campaign levels.
Graphics are okay its not bad and it isnt marvelous either.
server browsing should be added it is one of the things that keeps multiplayer alive.
Servers should be able to migrate host to counter abrupt game endings and need to search a new game again.
marine weapons feel alright altough a little overpowered in escape mode (my opinion).
weird friendly fire system no damage from bullets but explosions do so it should be changed to on or off.
Overall fun to play online, campaign could be fun on hardest dificulty.
20. Feb 13, 2013
21. Feb 13, 2013
22. Feb 13, 2013
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24. Feb 13, 2013
25. Feb 13, 2013
The short version is that IT'S NOT THAT BAD!
Main problems are it's too simplistic and lacks polish. But it's no worse than all the others games based on this franchise. There is enjoyment to be had here, but no more so than with your latest Cowadooty game. I'd give this mid-60's rather than mid-40's. It really doesn't deserve the slating it's taken, although it can mostly blame itself
for raising expectations so much at E3. Expand
26. Feb 13, 2013
Oh my, I don't understand wave of hate for this game. The single-player campaign is mediocre I guess, if you playing on ultimate badass mode it's pretty hard, and tense, but I've expected more. And there are bugs, lots of them, poor graphics, AI, clipping issue and so on, nothing game breaking though.
For SP I would give 6/10. But here comes the meat which is MULTIPLAYER!
Hell yeah, mul
ti is GREAT! It's one of very few games that requires actually thinking and strategy! When you rush marines up front you will die! Fast. Maybe that is the reason for many raged cod-kids for their 0/10 reviews, because they can't win in this game. But there are also flaws in MP like lack of dedicated servers and no host migration. So for awesome MP I'm rating this game as 8/10! Since day 1 GBX is patching this game, so there's hope for bugs being ironed out soon!
PS: Hunting in pack as aliens for piss-scared marines is badass!
27. Feb 13, 2013
And now the real deal:
28. Feb 13, 2013
29. Feb 13, 2013
30. Feb 13, 2013
31. Feb 13, 2013
Where to begin?
ll of not knowing if an alien will attack is gone.
Shooting through your team-mates as if they weren't there.
Aliens literally going through platforms, as if they weren't there.
32. Feb 13, 2013
I was a bit skeptical when i saw all harsh reviews, but then i played a the game, its true that the graphics are dated, but that's not the straw that broke the camel's back (straws in this case), it doesn't feel like an aliens game, or a horror movie for that matter, the Xenos come at you in plain sight, and you have more than enough ammo to gun them down, the game suffers from broken AI, quirky animations, forgettable characters, You'll find yourself stepping right through some debris, and chunks of alien organic materials found on the ground while walking around like its not there, i haven't tried the multiplayer yet, so i have no opinion on that. if you're a fan of movies, you might tolerate some of the inconveniences that i've mentioned, or you'll just rate it harshly out of bitter disappointment like all the 1's and 2's found on here, as a for me i feel like i flushed my money down the toilet. Expand
33. Feb 12, 2013
Is Aliens: CE a great game? Not even kinda. However, if you were to ask me if it were a bad game...well then the answer is no, not really. In my opinion, the honest truth is that Aliens: CE is just an average game with an Aliens brand, and perhaps that's why it's being trashed. So lets examine the game's faults right away. First and foremost, the graphics are mediocre to downright bad. I've run the game on max settings and I'd be a colossal liar if I said it compared to the other 2013 titles. The dated look instantly made me think of Duke Nukem Forever. Up second is the AI, which isn't too bright either. Under the most ideal circumstances, there was one or two times where the Aliens made a maneuver that I didn't expect, but sadly the majority seemed content to just rush you from different angles. Granted, I myself could get past these issues fairly easily, but what really keeps me from loving Aliens: CE is the single-player campaign, which considering its title as a true canonical sequel, should be one of the most important aspects. Instead, single-player quickly becomes a shooting gallery of great set-pieces brought down by average fight sequences. Furthermore, the campaign is just too easy for any terror or tension to really emerge. I myself played on the Hardened difficulty, where the enemy could three-shot-kill-me, as it should be, but the dull AI and never ending discharge of bullets wrecks the atmosphere. That said, the campaign isn't a total miss, there are plenty of homages and tributes to the film, as well as some decent setpieces, but ultimately the atmosphere these things are trying to create just never really happens. Finally, several technical bugs have been reported in the game, though I myself have not run into any of these, it certainly isn't doing the game any favors.
And yet, Aliens: CE isn't a total loss, which is why I'm so reluctant to be complacent with a 4.5 average score. As said before, the environments and game entities have some tender love and care, and are accurate recreations of the sets from the films. At times the game is absolutely brimming with fan service, such as collecting weaponry used by the cast of the Aliens movie, or scouring the game for secrets and achievements named after movie events. All the iconic weaponry handles well enough (minus the half-baked cover system), and some of the action sequences started to make me feel like a bad-ass. Multiplayer, assuming it doesn't die in the next few weeks, was actually quite a satisfying experience and is where the game really shines. A good variety of modes, a solid mix of weapons, and some great tactics that only emerge when humans are at the wheel instead of AI's gives a pleasant glimpse into what the game should have been. In the rounds I played it was enjoyable to see xeno players find ways to lure and trick opponents, while marine players would develop strategies for staying safe and well protected. The multiplayer is also packed with customization options to fine-tune your playstyle with gun accessories, perks, armors, and plenty of cosmetics for both humans and aliens.
After six years in development, its understandably depressing that your patience has been rewarded with rather unremarkable sci-fi horror corridor shooter that sometimes grasps for greatness, and oftentimes falls flat on its face. And yet despite all the flaws, there's just enough gory, acidic goodness in the game to give me hope that an amazing aliens video game is not quite as impossible as it might seem.
34. Feb 12, 2013
I have played for about 3 hours and I would score it about 55/100. Graphics are at least 5 years out dated, You don't get any advantage using a 120hz monitor as the game runs at 60fps doesn't matter if vsync is on or off. So I don't see any reason spending $120 USD on this game.
35. Feb 12, 2013
I guess people needs to be less fan-boys. Yes this game isn't the same as previous games, it's more like action game. Graphics are good, really not bad. So I don't get some people saying that graphics are outdated. AI? I don't know... I didn't encountered stupid AI, but I'm playing on bad ass difficulty, so maybe there's no time for them to act stupid, because they kill me in one or two hits. This game is not bad and it didn't disappointed me. Expand
36. Feb 12, 2013
37. Feb 12, 2013
38. Feb 12, 2013
My collectors edition arrived today when i opened box i was happy. Collectors edition looks very nice but when i installed the game... I started playng with friend and from the begining i had problem is black screen (bug) i sorted out using forum. When we was playng for few hours i decided this game looks boring for me all the time waves of aliens incoming you just shoots them, balistic looks like in COD very close to it and i didnt like it. I used max setting on video but graphic looks like 4 years old comepletly horrible comparing to new games. I didnt try multiplayer atm but what i can say i expected much more from gearbox. Borderlands series is awsome but making aliens and stoping project then continue again.... in my opinion this project isnt finished yet. They also should add more staff or items better costumization. This game will become borring very soon!!! Collapse
39. Feb 12, 2013
40. Feb 12, 2013
Ok for a start this game has terrible AI and its very much noticed on Mission 2 the most(1 mission out of 11). The games Graphics are Fine..Omg the amount of people moaning about the damn graphics its sending me crazy.(GFX are about the same as COD on the PC).
I have have played upto Mission 6 and i'm super enjoying it for sure i can not see what the problem is. The multiplayer is truly
fun (team Death-match and survivor). Marines play completely fine to me but the Aliens are very clunky BUT after a few hours you do start to get a hang of it (upgrades help alot with speed and power)
What im tryin to say is i cant see what the problem is with this game apart from Bad AI and OK graphics and a 7hour Single player. The reviews have been well to harsh i say. My score 6.8/10
41. Feb 12, 2013
42. Feb 12, 2013
Is it GOTY material? no.. is it better than Farcry 3? no.. is it a decent satisfying game experience set in the ALIENS universe? yes.
The hate-fest is silly and doesn't reflect reality at all. its a 7/10 game, no less and no more.
43. Feb 12, 2013
After 1,5 hours of playing i can say that this game is sadly not a horror game I was really hopped for a great horror/shooter. They made the shooter part well, but not the horror part. The story is so typical, a ship send out a distress signal, marines roll in much of the squad gets killed in the first few minutes and only you remain to save everyone ass. The graphics are fine, not to shiny not to rusty. The gameplay is just a go from A to B and meanwhile kill Xenos. Expand
44. Feb 12, 2013
It's sad when a beloved franchises gets the "EA" treatment. I might be embellishing a bit, but it's understandable since i used to be a fan. The game is, for lack of a better word, "MEH". I didn't get to play much since i did so at a friend's house, but what i did get to play kind of left me wanting. What the hell was i playing? It certainly didn't feel like an "Aliens" game. Somewhat Clunky and Heavily scripted, the purpose of which, i'm guessing, is inspiring suspense, but it doesn't really matter because it fails to do so in any other way except for those moments of eerie silence when you're walking alone And those are nothing new. Outside of excluding the Predators as a playable race, and adding some menial reward mechanisms you see in EVERY OTHER FPS out there, i don't see how this can be viewed as anything other than a dumbed-down AVP3 clone. The optimization itself seems to be horrendous, as the already non-stellar gameplay suffered almost omnipresent lag spikes. IN SINGLE PLAYER. How the hell does that happen? This might be a huge issue with paying customers, since some of them coughed up quite a sum by pre-ordering. One other thing that seems to follow every game of late like the plague, is the over-dramatization of already "dramatic" events. I don't understand what the issue is there, and why does it happen so often, but it sucks to see marines acting as if this is some Aliens soap opera. How, in their right mind, would anyone take this game seriously after that fact is beyond me. I should have known, after seeing Randy Pitchford's smug little face on the trailers, that this game is going to bomb. The AI is pathetic. I've seen better enemy reactions in Wolfenstein. I give it a 5 out of sheer devotion to the franchise, nothing else. If this was any other generic fps, it wouldn't even sell at the bargain bin. My advice is, play something else. Until it gets a couple of well-deserved patches, you should forget that this "thing" even exists. Expand
45. Feb 12, 2013
Pretty solid if you're a fan of the series. It's basically just a fan service game layered over a mediocre cover shooter. But it's not that bad, and it has Steamworks integration, co-op, and some novel multiplayer modes. I wouldn't drop $50 on it, but it's easily worth $20 or so.
Sound is dead on for rifles, xenos, etc. Voice acting is good.
Environment/atmosphere. They really c
aptured the visuals from Aliens 2.
Steamwork integration party system.
FoV slider unlike many ports brought to PC.
Limited graphical options, relatively poor quality for a 2013 release.
Occasional animation bugs.
Extremely stupid AI (both friendly and hostile)
Most exciting moments are scripted.
Very easy even on hardest difficulty. ("Ultimate Badass" is about where normal should have been.)
46. Feb 12, 2013
Don't believe the trolls, the game is good. I have been playing it for hours. It looks very nice. I play it on a 50" tv at max with a gtx 680..The co op is a lot of fun as well. i took HD screenshots in steam to disprove the lairs calling ti ugly.. Believe me, they are liars.. The co op and the multiplayer is fun. Gearbox is already on DAY 1 patching issues.. Who gives that kind of support? No one.. I am having a blast and if you don't buy it I feel sorry for ya.. Because you let troll cry babies ruing a good game for you. I don't trust meta critic anymore.. Their reviewers are mostly just trolls now a days it seems.. Crying constantly in every forum they can find as if it will save their life.. The game is good.. I like it.. Period.. Expand
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48. Feb 12, 2013
49. Feb 12, 2013
I'm the sort of Aliens fan that corrects the quotes of other Aliens fans. If you're after "the latest game" whose graphics have 13% more zing than your last latest game, your review will probably use harsh language. If you want another glorious day in the Corps, you came to the right place. You don't have to be an AvP marine on some dumbassed mining planet or a forest anymore, you get to step onto the Sulaco and creep through the remains of Hadley's Hope.
The writing does a good job of making the pieces fit (eg why the Sulaco is back over LV-426), but opts for an in media res approach instead of building the tension. I expected to stumble out of cryo and into a training tutorial (hell, I even hoped for cornbread), but instead you get a quick cutscene and find yourself at the airlock with your pulse rifle and shotgun. Your first xeno is a scant five minutes away, and I wasn't sure if your marine knew what they were beforehand or not.
The biggest complaints I heard have been (with my response):
1) Graphics not up to par: Yeah, I guess if picking over graphics is your thing. If you've been fighting xenos since Aliens Doom, they're fine. Around the level of the last AvP.
2) Squad AI is bad: They take cover, flank and they don't hang around waiting for you to take the lead. Haven't had a problem with them getting stuck or anything.
3) Guns are inaccurate: No, actually they feel more real. Play ArmA sometime.
4) Alien AI is bad: Yes, the one you are shooting at is running right at you. But y'know how right after that you fought another one point blank? Well, it wasn't. And I love how they sometimes stop and hiss.
5) It's too easy: If only they developed some kind of game mechanism where you could make it more difficult...
All in all, a fun romp. Doesn't live up to the "canonical sequel" tag. But honestly, how could it?
50. Feb 12, 2013
let's start off by saying that I've actually played through the entire campaign and spend several hours in multilayer. having said that, here's my honest opinion.
The game looks like an Alien movie, the amount of details spend in the environments is great, and you'll recognize a lot from the alien movies, but the graphics themselves are actually not up to par with recent games. if this
game would have come out 2-3 years ago, it's graphics would have been good, now, not so great.
The music, voice acting, sfx sounds are all good though annoying at times, beep beep beep ).
The story feels like a decent alien story, nothing to over the top, and actually believable if you know the franchise. it tries to fill some gaps between movies and does a decent but not great job of doing so. in comparison to recent fps games coming out this was one of the better stories.
but this is where most of the praise ends.
The guns feel to strong most of the time I would heavily advice you to play on harder or impossible difficulty the aliens while decently strong please note that this is written after a harder play-through
now the game play, this is where the game doesn't hold up to expectations. there's some scare moment, but far to little for an alien game. it's not uncommon to slaughter a lot of them for as long as you have ammo. while ammo isn't infinite there's definitely enough around to play out the game with 3-4 different guns only. and there's about 12 of them depending on how you count aliens leap but rarely hits, when they attack they stand still for a moment, allowing an easy melee to stun/stop them or just blast them into heaven(?). the game feels easy and you feel like a super soldier half of the time. and while there's plenty of variety in your weapons, the aliens lack strategy and diversity.
the human characters seem to lack all facial expressions except for eyes and mouth movement, aliens move sporadically between you and your ally(s) and often only target 1 at a time. and it's not uncommon to see an alien forget you after it walks past you.
missions and area's are diverse enough that they won't bore you through the campaign. but instead of feeling like the ultimate deadly enemy humans not included they feel rather simple and dumb.
you carry all your unlocked weapons with you, and you can select 2 main, a side-gun(pistol) and a grenade at a time, and you can swap between them in real time by opening up the real time weapon menu.
you gain levels as you kill aliens which grant you unlocks to upgrade your weapons and load-out. you have an armor which you have to replenish by finding armor pieces, and a health bar which is put into 3 parts. and you generate a bar as long as it isn't fully replenished.
I actually like these systems, the game feels more like an older fps where you have to be careful with your health and armor then the modern day shooters where you regenerate your arm every 30 seconds.
for the multilayer you keep the weapons/unlocks that you build up in single player, unfortunately there's no alien single-player, so your heavily behind in as alien as you start in MP. aliens feel underpowered, and lag is a huge issue all auto matching, expect half your matches to be to bad to play still it has it's fun moment, and if you do get a good kill it feels rewarding enough to keep going.
the game has a lot of potential, and it's unfortunately that gearbox did as much perfectly right, as that there lacking in parts. it also definitely needs some balance issues for pc. i can only hope they can fix this with some patches/dlc.
good atmosphere, but mediocre shooter with some decent alien mechanics. stands out above most modern mediocre fps due to a decent story and some more old-school mechanics.
if your an alien fan, try to buy it at a discount. if your just an average fps player, i don't advice you to buy this.
51. Feb 12, 2013
I totally LOVE the Alien movies, and I think this game will recive a open heart from us. For the rest of you guys that Isn´t that in to the movies, I´m sure you will find a hard time with it. Sure, they got some stuff they could have tweeked here and there, bit I´m enjoying it, and that´s what counts.
52. Feb 12, 2013
53. Feb 12, 2013
This game is not bad i see that is better on the pc because the pc versions do not have problems whit graphic.The gameplay is ok you will get scared sometimes and if you play it on a harder difficulty the game gets harder and better.My biggest issue is the stupid friendly AI it is just stupid it lets the xenos kill you without helping but they still help sometimes.The game does not deserve 1 and 4 it deserves a 7 or a 6.6 out of 10 if you do not like aliens you will not like this game a lot but if you like aliens and you have friends that have time to play co-op whit you than thee game gets better.My final verdict is a 7/10 Expand
54. Feb 12, 2013
55. Feb 12, 2013
56. Feb 12, 2013
57. Feb 12, 2013
The campaign doesn't have the most cinematic quality nor does it's story seem genuinely riveting. It suffers from poor facial animations and has some low rez graphics but it is still a lovingly crafted Aliens game which is telling in it's set design, accurate to the movies and it's enemy AI and animation. NPCs are underdeveloped but this still has some of the best Alien animation, AI and avatars I've seen in any official game from the franchise. The bravado of the marines may seem distasteful or unrelated to the franchise at first but for real die-hard fans of the movie it's quite humorous and almost self-referential. The guns in this game are well crafted, compared to previous AVP outings, and feature the original sounds as well as a ton of customization.
The multiplayer looks promising, being based on asymmetrical games Like L4D and allows you the opportunity to play as a Xeno in 3rd person.
58. Feb 12, 2013
59. Feb 12, 2013
There are so many problems with this game that it's not even funny. The story is so bad it's good, there are parts of the levels that are so unpolished it's embarrassing and there's too much time shooting other humans rather than hunting bugs. As a single player game, it's a dead loss. If you stop to examine it, it's really stupid on many levels.
If you want an Aliens game, as a
Marine, no Predators around, you and your mates shooting aliens for about seven hours, it's okay. I mean it's not brilliant but it's a fun, reasonably challenging cooperative shooter and there aren't many of those around for the PC. I enjoyed the coop campaign in ACM more than I enjoyed my first play-through of Left 4 Dead or the Syndicate coop missions and it had a much smoother process to set it up than the latter.
It's a long way from polished but I think it offers something that is all too rare on PC, a solid coop first person shooter experience. I got seven hours out of it, which isn't much for a full price game, but they were seven good hours, so I don't think it's that bad. Wouldn't recommend getting it except on sale though really. But just to reiterate, it's only saving feature is the coop, it does that well enough to be worth a dip into a bargain bin.
60. Feb 12, 2013
Well this is a game i have been waiting for a long time. And, truth be told, it's not great. First of all, the grafics are "ok" on the pc version. Not great, but ok. But they are not the problem with this game. First, the campaign is just bad. From the first 10 minutes into the game, it felt really wrong. If this is suppose, to be a direct and legit sequel to aliens, well... It sucks. The characters are all forgetable. I cared for none of them. NONE. They are a generic copy and paste from old school action game characters with no personality. If you liked Hudson, Hicks Vasq, drake, ect... None of the marines in this game come even close to them. You just DON'T CARE!!! The story was meh, the missions on the Sulaco were forgetable, but it gets better once you get to Hadley's hope. And the ending is just terrible. The campain is just 5 hours long give or take. Now... some of you might not care about the story. You just want the atmosphere and tensions from the movie right? Did gearbox pull it off? Well... To be fair, sound is good, music is accurate and yes Hadley's hope is very detailed and looks very accurate to the movie. But here is the thing where GBX messed up... And it's no small issue. The ALIENS... My god... the Aliens! They walk and move around like retards, they don't scare you, they just pop at you in (badly)scripted events. Think it stops there? I am just getting started... The AI is... It's..... I can't describe it. But Half-life 1 had a better AI then this piece of crap. Yes. HL 1, a game that came out YEARS ago, did better. ALIENS ARE RETARDS in this game. And don't think that they get smarter at higher difficulty setting... They don't, they just hit you harder. Like the motion tracker? don't bother using it! Aliens just pop in front you and try to give you a hug. What happened to the most feared monster in the galaxy? They just run at you like retarded zombies. I never felt ANY tension during the campain. (Well, except the stealth level, the only good moment in the campain). The AI is by far the kiss of death of this game. This migh just be a zombie game, it wouldn't make any difference. Co-op is a welcome addition and will definitly spice-up the experience. Provided that you set the difficulty level up, as the game dosen't scale according to the number of players in co-op. Multiplayer is probably the only enjoyable part of this game. Escape mode is fun to play as a marine as FINALLY you are facing Xenos with BRAINS. The motion tracker is usefull again. So yes it's fun and i can see myself playing it for some time... BUT........ playing as a xeno is... HORRIBLE! Wall climbing is by far the worst in ANY alien game i have seen so far. IT'S USELESS! You can't aim properly and perform attacks while you are on the wall. This is THE important part of being an alien, BEING ABLE TO ATTACK FROM ANY ANGLE!!!!! Why choose to make a 3rd person view to avoid people getting sick while wall climbing if wall climbing is broken in the first place? Screw the multiple alien races, an alien that can't climb on the wall properly is a dead alien. In short, they got the alien COMPLETLY wrong. Both in the Campain (Bad AI) and the multiplayer (Wall climbing+ attack is not much of an option). I used to have a lot of trust in gearbox games. But Duke Nukem forever, and now THIS! You have the greatest franchise of all TIME to toy with and this is what you DO with it? I swear, GBX needs to pull itself together. Expand
61. Feb 12, 2013
62. Feb 12, 2013
63. Feb 12, 2013
64. Feb 12, 2013
Enjoying myself fully after 3-4 missions in the cinematic single player part of this game. Not as scary as the earlier AvP games but a solid SP experience. So far my only real complaint is the scripted pauses where the tracker is not accessible. The unlocks and leveling feels well integrated and solid and adds more game within the game.
Good: gfx, sound, control
Not as good: Scripted,
interrupting pauses, tracker feels a bit scripted Expand
65. Feb 12, 2013
66. Feb 12, 2013
67. Feb 12, 2013
I wasn't sure what to expect with this game before release, I pre-ordered it, which is something that I rarely do, and desperately hoped that it wasn't ass. Usually I will wait for the game to be released, have a look at the general consensus of online opinion, and then buy the game if I feel it's worth it. But I'm glad I didn't wait, because my opinion of this game is very different from the consensus so far and in hindsight it would have been a shame to miss out on it. Graphically, the game is solid, if a little dated at times. There is some evidence of console-porting in that the items that matter (guns, creatures, characters) are highly detailed and look pretty damn good, but many incidental environmental textures, such as certain switches, signs, monitors are quite low-res, presumably to save memory usage. At first I was a little disappointed but it stopped bothering me very quickly as the overall atmosphere, look and feel of the game drew my attention. I hope that perhaps there will be a high-res pack for PC users released as there was for Crysis 2 and Skyrim, but even if there isn't, it still looks pretty awesome. The sound design is simply amazing, weapon and creature sounds, music, and almost everything else that you can think of is taken straight from the films, and serves to completely immerse the player in the world. The sound of a battle of Xenos vs. pulse rifle-wielding marines really got my heart racing many times. While the story leaves a bit to be desired, I didn't find that a hinderance to my enjoyment. The game was rather well paced, with moments of high-tension interspersed with action setpieces at complimentary intervals. I was constantly excited to see where we were going next, what locations we would discover, and frankly, I didn't want the game to end. Complimenting this are some spectacular moments, e.g. a space battle between two FTL ships, your first sight of Hadley's Hope as rain pelts you sideways and debris falls from the sky, the eerie silence of the ruined corridors when you first set foot inside the colony, and the enormous interior of the derelict ship. Lastly, the voice acting is full of emotion and truthfulness (the only exception I felt was, surprisingly, one of the original film's actors, who sounded rather dead a lot of the time). I found all this was enough to keep me eagerly moving through my 6-hour completion time of the campaign. Now if you are inclined to complain about the length of the campaign, I ask you to think of any of the modern CoD games, which all can be completed in 6 hours or less. I'm not implying that this is a virtue, but merely offering a comparison. For example, Modern Warfare 3 was repetitive, entirely derivative of its predecessors, and poorly paced with an overemphasis on mindnumbing and relentless action, and yet it gets 80% across the board and this gets 40%? Ridiculous. One more thing I'd like to mention is the MP. The MP aspect of the game is equally as rewarding as the single player campaign. It pits Aliens vs. Marines in alternating teams, in a number of nuanced, and varied locations. At first I felt that the teams were unbalanced, as I began as a Xenomorph and had trouble competing with a skilled group of marines hiding in a corner. But after a short while I came to see how deep and rewarding the combat system was Xenos must be cunning, finding ways to surprise Marines and force them to respawn whereupon they can be tracked down and taken on 1-on-1, while Marines must work together and cover each other, blocking each possible method of infiltration. The variety of Xeno classes allows varied tactical opportunities for the skilled player. Similarly, a strong sense of team-work and one eye on the motion-tracker is invaluable to a Marine. There are bugs, tow be sure the wall-climbing is not quite perfect, and my game locked up when I used the Lurker's pounce ability, but I have no doubt that a simple patch will fix that right up. All in all, I am loving this game. I can only imagine that the nay-sayers are playing on console, or held immense expectations. I however, found it to be as entertaining, and more immersive than I had anticipated, and the MP is truly enjoyable and compelling. Expand
68. Feb 12, 2013
Ahhh, Aliens. The series that everyone around the world has heard about. There have been numerous games over the years based on the Aliens franchise and to this day, none of them have quite managed to hit that 'sweet spot'. Aliens: Colonial Marines attempts to fix this by plunging you into a world or terror and action, allegedly providing the (quoted from the back of the box), "ULTIMATE ALIENS FIRST PERSON SHOOTER". Although Aliens: Colonial Marines does not quite live up to this expectation, after all, buggy AI and annoying multiplayer glitches have swarmed their way into the game which will hopefully be addressed in a patch soon to come.
Now with that out of the way, Aliens: Colonial Marines, on PC at least looks brilliant. Maybe not the best graphics you could possibly get today, but good, nevertheless. I feel that the game's main strengths come through the tension-riddled scary sequences, followed by the high-octane action sequences, both of which are incredibly well scripted and thought out. Your arsenal feels real both visually and through their sounds, adding to the dramatic feel of the game.
Overall, Aliens: Colonial Marines is a superb game, especially on the PC. It incorporates the tension of the Aliens movies as well as their thrilling action sequences. This game is well worth your money because although not being a particularly original or 'new' kind of game, it is EXTREMELY fun to play! ***RECOMMENDED***
Pros: Fun gameplay, excellent sounds/music and good level design
Cons: Lousy AI and bugs (both alien form and glitches)
69. Feb 12, 2013
Short review; If you want a generic run n' gun game that just happens to be set in the aliens universe, then this is the game for you. If you however want a suspensful scary gloomy game that will bring you back to Aliens (the first movie) fear levels Then this is not the game for you. PC graphics, while not stellar, is survivable. Gearbox has paid attention to detail when it comes to recreating Hadleys Hope as it was in the movie, but everything else is lackluster, 5/10 from me. Expand
70. Feb 12, 2013
A fun game I enjoyed my time with it and the coop is solid however the inescapable fact is that the campaign was only 3-4 hours long which is just unacceptable from a full price game. I do not pay £40 for a well dressed up teaser trailer for DLC it's a despicable trend and is utterly pathetic.
71. LMW
Feb 12, 2013
Played it for 3 hours in 4 people coop mode on Ultimate Badass. 6 11 missions accomplished. What can I say? What I like:
- 4 people coop makes game a lot better. While not perfect, you have sort of cooperation and tactic while killing stuff.
- Sounds and music are not bad at all. Weapons, well-timed music and big booms are all there.
- Weapons. While there are basically 3 categories
(rifles, shotguns and pistols), all of them have their own style and feel.
What I didn't like:
- Story. Story is meaningless. It doesn't make you care about key figures. Who was that guy over the radio? Who cares, let's move, aliens won't kill themselves.
- Aliens and enemy soldiers AI. Well, nothing much to say here they are just plain stupid. The only way they can attack you is by jumping straight at you. Oh, they can also just stand and watch you killing them (or just running around waving their claws). And yes, they die A LOT. Packs and packs run at you and you just shoot them in the face. No challenge. Easy as that.
- Level design is lackluster. Corridors over corridors, watered with boring cut-scenes, where developers try to make you care about characters around you. Nothing spectacular here, at least so far.
- Almost no challenge. Yes, we died several times during these 6 missions only because we were running straight ahead almost all the time, shooting stuff without any problems (I did check our difficulty level twice I still can't believe it is so easy to play on the Ultimate Badass), but nothing really challenging. Aliens die in a matter of seconds, almost without any effort from our part.
As it was said before, game feels like another generic FPS. There is nothing special about this title whatsoever. Is it fun? If you play it not alone maybe, but I can't imagine playing it myself all alone (I did finish 2 missions alone, by the way). And yes, graphic is not that terrible. Of course it is quite outdated, but not that bad as many people state. While not at Far Cry or Crysis level, it doesn't make you puke either.
Overall, 5.5 (maybe 6.0) out of 10 for me.
72. Feb 12, 2013
Season Pass:
73. Feb 12, 2013
Quite frankly not good enough.
74. Feb 12, 2013
Oh how I wanted to love this game. The campaign for the most part is a soulless, standard FPS with wildly inaccurate guns which make trying to kill mercenaries in cover a chore. The low res textures make the game look dated, attempts are generating atmosphere are a bit hit and miss, the dialogue is nothing special, and the multi-player is a guilty pleasure, but I got to the point where all I wanted to do was play the xenomorphs and got bored whenever I was forced to play as the marines. Leaping around the arenas and crawling across ceilings and walls is mighty good fun, but often the game can't understand exactly what you're doing due to the complex nature of the terrain and your character will start doing donuts a wall or something. At least I managed to pick it up fairly cheap. Meh. Expand
75. Feb 12, 2013
76. Feb 12, 2013
77. Feb 12, 2013
78. Feb 12, 2013
I would rate the first part of the game below average, That part is set on a space ship, and this is where you encounter human enemies besides aliens. The main problem of the game is the DUMB AI. This ruins the fight with human enemies, but ultimately ruins every part of the game where you are teamed up with human npcs. Team mates get stuck frequently, they are left behind, stay in front of you at the wrong times (basically they are useless and annoying...I would rather go alone, than with a marine that is not good for anything...). The second part is set on LV-426 (Aliens took place here). I would rate this part of A:CM average, with some better than average parts. It was fun to encounter the sets of Aliens (especially if you love the universe of the movies). Here the game focuses on the aliens. There is also a mission where you need to rely on stealth (it was a highlight of the game, with creepy lighting and sounds). There are some tense moment in the game, but I never felt scared (There were some intense moments, but I felt the game is lacking tension). The movement of the enemies felt clunchy. This is probably due to the small and closed spaces where most encounters with aliens took place. Many time they are spawned behind the player or just running around. Weapon customisation was a nice addition. The story is average, while characters are very "two dimensional" (with many cheesy dialogues....). Overall the game felt like a generic shooter, set in the Aliens universe, which would deserve a better game than Aliens: Colonial Marines. Expand
79. Feb 12, 2013
80. Feb 12, 2013
Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 40 Critics
Critic score distribution:
1. Positive: 1 out of 40
2. Negative: 23 out of 40
1. Jun 10, 2013
2. Mar 15, 2013
3. Mar 12, 2013 | http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/aliens-colonial-marines/user-reviews?sort-by=date&num_items=100&dist=neutral&page=2&user_review_id=2949778 | dclm-gs1-273820002 | false | true | {
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0.040566 | <urn:uuid:582ae642-a1d1-4be9-ba82-ae85a6deaf33> | en | 0.927913 | Tales of Monkey Island Chapter 2: The Siege of Spinner Cay Image
Generally favorable reviews - based on 10 Critics What's this?
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Mixed or average reviews- based on 5 Ratings
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• Summary: [WiiWare] Guybrush's adventures continue on the high seas as pox-plagued pirates lay siege to the innocent Mer-People. In between defending the Mer-People and dodging the persistent pirate hunter hot on his trail, Guybrush manages to catch up to his beloved wife and despised arch-nemesis -- but their reunion is short-lived. Now Guybrush must focus on eradicating the Pox of LeChuck before more harm can be done. And as the Mighty Pirate draws closer to a cure, the waters will only grow murkier in this thrilling chapter of the epic saga. [Nintendo] Expand
Score distribution:
1. Positive: 7 out of 10
2. Negative: 0 out of 10
1. 90
If you enjoyed Launch of the Screaming Narwhal, then The Siege of Spinner Cay is an essential purchase.
2. So far, the story is great, the puzzles are wonderful, and the script represents some of the best writing in the industry.
3. Exploring multiple island locations is a natural progression, and the action continues unfettered.
4. The Siege of Spinner Cay feels better than the first chapter in nearly every aspect, so even if it still has its problems, fans should give it a try.
5. The Siege of Spinner Cay will tide you over, but it won't blow you away.
6. The Siege of Spinner Cay feels like a rerun of the first chapter. It's not better or worse and the principle and tone are comparable. The third chapter at last promises a twist, at least that's what the closing scene shows. And that's a good thing, because five times the same thing would get tedious.
7. 69
Telltale has another solid outing in this episode, and it's cool to see the story start to come together. Plus, the next episode looks to have a completely cool and unexpected setting, so we're looking forward to seeing where this all goes. It's just too bad Telltale can't get these games running well on the Wii.
See all 10 Critic Reviews
Score distribution:
1. Positive: 0 out of
2. Mixed: 0 out of
3. Negative: 0 out of | http://www.metacritic.com/game/wii/tales-of-monkey-island-chapter-2-the-siege-of-spinner-cay | dclm-gs1-273830002 | false | false | {
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0.323686 | <urn:uuid:111b74bc-d305-4b2f-ab63-8275a5cbe959> | en | 0.94512 | Mixed or average reviews - based on 17 Critics
Critic score distribution:
1. Positive: 4 out of 17
2. Negative: 5 out of 17
1. It's hard to argue with graphics and sounds of this quality.
2. 89
The game really has it all. From perfect physics to great graphics, TP2002 is a solid, well-developed title.
There are no user reviews yet. | http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox/triple-play-2002/critic-reviews?dist=positive | dclm-gs1-273840002 | false | false | {
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0.043721 | <urn:uuid:9dc1489e-ee65-4d50-9f99-7ecc654e550b> | en | 0.945433 | Universal acclaim - based on 34 Critics What's this?
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Universal acclaim- based on 15 Ratings
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Score distribution:
1. Positive: 33 out of 34
2. Negative: 0 out of 34
1. 100
These astronauts are still alive, but as long as mankind survives, their journeys will be seen as the turning point -- to what, it is still to be seen.
3. I came out giddy, feeling lighter--by about five-sixths--than I did when I went in.
4. Reviewed by: Gianni Truzzi
By 2020, when NASA's Orion lunar spacecraft is scheduled to launch, it's unlikely that any Apollo veterans will still be alive. Sington has done us a service in helping preserve their memories.
5. In the Shadow of the Moon is such a morale booster. The power of its archival images hasn’t diminished with familiarity.
6. The astronaut interviews are fun and occasionally moving, but the real reason to see this is the remastered archival footage, some of it previously unseen and all of it spectacular.
7. 58
There's none of the poetry of "For All Mankind," just visual support for a meat-and-potatoes recap of events that have already been chewed over plenty.
See all 34 Critic Reviews
Score distribution:
1. Positive: 4 out of 4
2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
3. Negative: 0 out of 4
1. KevinC.
Sep 7, 2007
I know it's easy to give out absolutes -- 10 or 0 -- but in this case, just trust me. This film, without narration, isn't a documentary. It captures so much about what makes us Americans, what makes us humans. There's so much nuance here, you're generously rewarded for paying attention, I'm not sure even the Astronauts knew what the filmmakers were putting together. No SFX will ever match the Saturn-V ignition or Buzz Aldrin being the first human to pee on the Moon. It's inspiring, touching and crisp enough to never be boring. Spellbinding. Expand
2. PatriciaB.
Sep 8, 2007
One of the best documentaries I've seen since One Day in September. Of course, the feeling this film leaves you with is completely the opposite of that one - this movie is so uplifting and powerful. Even for someone who wasn't alive at the time when landing on the moon was a miraculous event - this film captures that time, that excitement.... it transports us back to the early days of the space program and moved me to tears of joy! The filmmaking is excellent. The director wisely lets the spectacular images and the succinct storytelling of the astronauts do all the work. A great movie for families. The audience I saw it with applauded several times. Pretty impressive given that we all know how this one ends! Expand
3. Apr 3, 2013
This is easily the best documentary on the moon landings, and probably one of the best space documentaries in general. Instead of focusing too much on technical details or basking in nationalism, this film puts you in the astronaut/cosmonauts' shoes and explores the human experience of being on the frontier of exploration. Forget the trivia e.g. about the apollo investments paying for themselves several times over or whatever else of that sort. Rather, this film truly conveys the innate and thus self-justifying human desire to explore--something which transcends all of the supposedly necessary economic motivations (and is unfortunately often not realized without experience).
I can't even begin to imagine what it would have been like to participdate in such a thing--or even to be alive during that time (if I had been, I certainly would have taken interest in the sciences at a much younger age), but this film gave me a glimpse of it and also of what our future *could* be.
4. JayH.
Feb 7, 2008
Awesome documentary, fascinating from start to finish with excellent interviews. It is very well edited, never sluggish and frequently thought provoking. A wonderful and educational experience. Collapse | http://www.metacritic.com/movie/in-the-shadow-of-the-moon?user_review_id=178543 | dclm-gs1-273850002 | false | false | {
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0.24326 | <urn:uuid:e65e2748-6594-436e-aebf-9af99ce4597e> | en | 0.936419 | Mixed or average reviews - based on 19 Critics
Critic score distribution:
1. Positive: 5 out of 19
2. Negative: 3 out of 19
1. 75
Griffiths is one of the most intensely interesting actresses at work today.
2. At heart this is a thoughtful, well-made movie about something serious.
3. 70
Karmel delivers feminist fun even a guy can get.
4. Likely to provide many points of identification for many women.
5. Far too self-absorbed a picture.
6. Takes a look at the bumpy path to self-discovery.
7. Reviewed by: Jay Carr
A comic vehicle for that valuable Australian export, Rachel Griffiths.
8. 50
If you were watching it at home you wouldn't feel compelled to pause the film before going into the kitchen to fix a snack.
9. Rachel the best reason, nay, the only reason to pay attention to Me Myself I.
10. Ambitious in scope and humble in execution.
11. Reviewed by: Ernest Hardy
Though the film is generally weak, treading very familiar ground, those dashes of insight and humor - along with Griffiths' performance - pull you into the film.
12. Griffiths' Pam holds your attention without any gratuitous mannerisms or broad asides. It's a sleek, rangy performance that all but redeems the hackneyed familiarity of the premise.
13. A sugarcoated romantic comedy that is just clever enough to make you wish it were three times as smart and only a third as sweet.
14. Easy to take but ultimately rather aimless.
15. 40
A feel-good, fatalist placebo.
16. Reviewed by: John Hartl
The script is a minefield of ideas that need more work.
17. A fascinating contrast in lifestyles.
18. It's bad enough that Australian writer-director Pip Karmel feels she must attempt the alternate-reality gimmick.
19. 20
Despite this chance to experience something thrilling and new, her life is just as dull the second time around.
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0.033927 | <urn:uuid:b1428fc5-b9f2-4cea-b605-cdbf4702b85d> | en | 0.94156 | Production - Mirwais
Production Image
Generally favorable reviews - based on 11 Critics What's this?
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Universal acclaim- based on 5 Ratings
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• Summary: 'Production' is a solo album from the French producer best known for his work with Madonna (who returns the favor by adding vocals to one track here).
Score distribution:
1. Positive: 8 out of 11
2. Negative: 0 out of 11
1. For all its irrepressible sonic whimsy, Production also reveals quite a bit of unexpected depth.
2. A collection of songs that are as clever and intelligently crafted as they are danceable.
3. It's all remarkably effective. In capturing "the ghost in the machine," Mirwais has made a most warm and humane album.
4. Production is a dance record, but Mirwais is no mere slave to the rhythm. While other artists keep the BPM pumped up, the songs here drift and simmer. "V.I. (The Last Words She Said Before Leaving," for example, creeps along at a funereal pace for more than six minutes and doesn't catch much of a beat until four minutes in.
5. 70
Unrestrained by the limits of producing a radio-friendly album, Mirwais produced an excellent album that can be appreciated by both fans and critics of Madonna. [Apr 2001, p.92]
6. Something of a mixed bag, "Production" teeters between grating aimlessness and uniquely dark, claustrophobically compressed runs through the Vocoder-happy lands of French house music.
7. What could have been a huge breakthrough instead sounds staid, as if he were so used to rocking the house that he didn't want to risk rocking the boat.
See all 11 Critic Reviews
Score distribution:
1. Positive: 2 out of 2
2. Mixed: 0 out of 2
3. Negative: 0 out of 2
1. JeanR.
Oct 21, 2001
One of the best albums of 2000! Each song symbolizes something special in its own way! Brilliant sound effects and PRODUCTION!
2. teop
Nov 28, 2005
the best album of 2001 | http://www.metacritic.com/music/production | dclm-gs1-273910002 | false | false | {
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0.019059 | <urn:uuid:63ee8a1b-89ae-4d97-a5db-a473b0a14872> | en | 0.978178 | This Means War - Attack Attack!
Mixed or average reviews - based on 6 Critics
Critic score distribution:
1. Positive: 3 out of 6
2. Negative: 1 out of 6
1. 30
A deluge of whining that's lyrically incomprehensible and becomes sonically dull after one song.
User Score
Mixed or average reviews- based on 7 Ratings
User score distribution:
1. Positive: 3 out of 5
2. Negative: 1 out of 5
1. Apr 26, 2013
Possibly the worst album to come out of metalcore, Attack Attack! released "This Means War" last year to keep themselves relevant amongst the scene. This album was recorded and mixed by frontman Caleb Shomo who definitely can prove the young can produce quality music on projects that are NOT Attack Attack! The problem with "This Means War" lies with the sole fact that the album feels like it's looping constantly. You will often find yourself thinking you've already listened to the song you are, over and over. Breakdown after breakdown with soul vocals during the chorus, song after song, it gets tiring. The objective of this album was to prove relevance, but instead, killed Attack Attack, showing that open Drop-C breakdown after breakdown isn't whats in anymore. Full Review »
2. May 23, 2012
Attack Attack! have had a difficult past, dealing with hater. they have since matured, and outdone themselves with this epic album.
they have
now lost most electronics, and autotune, and are now a pure mainstream metalcore band! Calebs new screams will sound strange at first, but they really do grow on you! and his cleans are the best the band have seen to date!
this album may be plainer and less creative than their previous work, but is their most lyrically strong album, and was all produced by one young 19-year old boy called CALEB SHOMO. truly shows what you can achieve at such a young age.
Full Review »
3. Mar 9, 2012
Attack Attack! has stepped out of their realm of cute, poppy techno metal with this one. While they got a lot of hate for that style from a large faction of the metal community, they might have been better off to stay there. Personally, I've always found their music a bit fun to listen to, but not anymore. It seems like they're trying to evolve in a way that I'm not comfortable with. They don't belong in the drop H flat (or whatever) guitar tuning club. And yet they showed up anyway, looking like Michael Jordan retiring from being a superstar champion/god to venture into professional baseball. You have to give them kudos for trying to mix up their sounds, though. When it comes to drum and guitar sounds, Attack Attack! is starting to step on the toes of a completely different set of bands. Let's just say that there are going to be a lot of Djent junkies who are downright offended by Attack Attack!'s new guitar tones. On the flip side, fans of Attack Attack! are going to have to brush up on Defend Defend!ing their favorite band on Youtube. I hate those pointless genre wars as much as the next guy, but that's the long and short of it. Flame war commence... Whether Attack Attack! is accommodating their new sounds with different writing or vice versa, it doesn't quite work for me. Full Review » | http://www.metacritic.com/music/this-means-war/attack-attack!/critic-reviews?dist=negative | dclm-gs1-273920002 | false | false | {
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0.160594 | <urn:uuid:835c1b8d-ecec-47c0-91c3-ef469a89a4ac> | en | 0.964223 | Varcharz - Mouse on Mars
Varcharz Image
Generally favorable reviews - based on 10 Critics What's this?
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Generally favorable reviews- based on 5 Ratings
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• Summary: This more typically abstract effort for the German duo is their first release for Ipecac and their first album since 2004's poppier 'Radical Connector.'
Score distribution:
1. Positive: 7 out of 10
2. Negative: 0 out of 10
1. Jagged, fractured, splintered, and downright violent-sounding, it's easily the most extreme music the duo has made.
2. A much more serious, often less danceable, instrumental effort.
3. This is an impressive record in many respects, and its hooks and patterns only emerge after many plays, but it's also an oddly distant one.
4. In the end, Varcharz feels like an in-betweener album, where the duo hasn't quite figured out which direction they want to move in next.
5. None of the really experimental stuff is so egregious to mar the album; it’s just fairly disposable after one keen listen. On the other hand, the good, funky stuff isn’t quite as good or funky as it has been in the past.
6. 60
The saturation bombing technique is only partly successful. [Nov 2006, p.123]
7. Two of the last tracks, “Bertney” and especially “Retphase,” end up succeeding where most of the album is lacking in finding the perfect balance between left-field beats and compulsive rhythms. Too bad the rest of the album doesn’t hit the same mark. [#15]
See all 10 Critic Reviews
Score distribution:
1. Positive: 2 out of 3
2. Negative: 0 out of 3
1. amcc
Oct 6, 2006
I dont see how anyone can make claims that MoM are being to experimental on any album. Saying something like that is nearly contradictive to the very being that is MoM. I perhaps like this record better than the last if only for the very fact that it uses much of the same sound and style for its basis but takes it further leftfield. Expand
2. PaulH
Oct 2, 2006
I think they made exactly the record they wanted to, and did a damned good job of it. It is certainly more abstract than their last outing, but retains their love for beats and song. Ironically, that is what probably got "Radical Connector" accused of being "poppy." Expand
3. mikes.
Sep 26, 2006
Alright, I'm biased as a hardcore mouse on mars fan. However, I'm disappointed with this release. It is a mess, and sounds dated. This mouse on mars album was recorded at the same time as their previous album. But its the exact opposite of their last album, not catchy, and way too experimental. Sounds like something that might of been good if it was released in 2000 or 2001, but times have changed, and so has electronic music, mouse on mars you need to evolve ur production skills r weak. Expand | http://www.metacritic.com/music/varcharz/mouse-on-mars | dclm-gs1-273930002 | false | false | {
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0.155074 | <urn:uuid:4896acf7-0b39-489d-8f93-88db2891bab3> | en | 0.967851 | Motortopia: Where your passion parks
Motortopia: Where your passion parks.
1. cars
2. bikes
3. boats
4. planes
Cars > Nebraska2000ES’s Garage > Blog > The real reason you're broke
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Nebraska2000ES’s Blog Posts 1 – 5 of 12
The real reason you're broke
By Nebraska2000ES
By Liz Pulliam Weston
Americans are spending more on their vehicles than ever before -- more than $8,000 a year on average -- and it's driving some to the breaking point.
Credit counselor Bill Thompson of Jacksonville, Fla., estimates that one out of every four clients his agency sees has overspent -- sometimes dramatically -- on a car.
"They may be spending 15% to 20% of their (take-home) pay on just the car payment," said Thompson, who supervises credit counseling for the nonprofit Family Foundations, "and that doesn't include insurance, gas, maintenance and all the other costs of owning a vehicle."
And sometimes there's more than one whopping payment. Sandra McGeary, a counselor at Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Western Pennsylvania, says she regularly sees middle-class families struggling with two payments in the $400 to $500 range. The burdens are so big that it doesn't take a major disaster, like a job loss, to send them over the edge.
"This fall they started coming in saying, 'We were doing so well. We don't know what happened,' " McGeary said. "I'll ask, 'Where did you cut back in your budget when gas prices went up?' and they'll usually say, 'What budget?' . . . A lot of times they don't know how much they can really afford, and they didn't cut back elsewhere" when their transportation expenses rose.
Once they've bought, they're stuck.
With most other areas of the budget, you can find ways to trim. You can eat out less and shop more carefully to reduce your food bill. You can lower utility bills by adjusting the thermostat. You can cut your entertainment budget by canceling your cable service and borrowing movies from a library. You can even reduce your shelter costs by taking in a roommate or moving to cheaper digs.
Once you've committed to a car payment, though, your options are few, particularly if your loan is greater than the car's value. Whether you drive it or not, you've got to make the payments, and you've got to insure it.
We're prolonging the agony
The signs of vehicular overspending are everywhere:
Average transportation spending grew more than 12% between 1999 and 2005, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, at a time when median income growth was basically flat. Even when adjusted for inflation, we're spending more: 8.3% more in 2005 than in 1995, with people in the lowest and highest income brackets accelerating their spending the most.
More than 80% of car loans are for terms longer than four years (which, a couple of decades ago, was considered a long loan). The average loan term has grown from just under four years and seven months in 1990 to over five years and four months in 2006. Longer loan terms mean that people build equity in their car more slowly, which in turn means that borrowers will be "upside down" on their vehicles -- owing more than they're worth -- for three years or more on the typical purchase.
One out of four -- 25.6% -- of cars that are financed include debt rolled over from a previous vehicle, according to vehicle research site By the end of last year, the average amount of negative equity in these deals was more than $4,000.
Rolling debt from one car to another is, in case you didn't know, a terrible idea. You'll pay higher interest rates because so much of what you owe isn't secured by the car itself.
And being "upside down" can really leave you up a creek if the car is totaled or stolen. You can protect yourself somewhat with so-called gap insurance, which covers the difference between what you owe and what you get from your insurer, but that's another hit on your wallet.
What's going wrong
So why are so many people messing up so badly on such a basic purchase? There are plenty of reasons, including:
Viewing cars as a need rather than a want. Transportation is, indeed, a real need. We have to get to the grocery store and to work. But many of us have plenty of options, from our own feet to public transportation to car pools to shared car arrangements (read "Should you share a car?" for more details).
Owning a car does get pretty close to a need in rural areas without public transport or when your job doesn't allow for car-pooling. But you never "need" a new car. That's a luxury, not a need. There are plenty of safe, reliable, gently used cars on the market.
There's also no requirement that you get rid of your current car once it's hit a certain mileage milestone. Today's cars are better built and more dependable than ever, which means that unless you've got a real lemon you could keep driving it past 200,000 or even 300,000 miles.
Treating cars as a status symbol. You can't watch television for long without being bombarded by car commercials, and many of us have absorbed the idea that we are what we drive. It's complete BS, of course, but some people have been so brainwashed that they literally drive themselves into bankruptcy.
Failing to consider the overall costs. When buying or leasing a car, many people consider nothing more than the monthly payment. They're not seeing the whole picture -- far from it.
Once you factor in insurance, gas, maintenance, repairs, taxes, depreciation and other costs, most cars will set you back at least twice the initial purchase price over five years.
(Depreciation, by the way, is just a fancy word for the steady, day-by-day drop in the value of your car. You don't pay for it as it happens, but you do pay eventually, when you go to trade in your car for another.)
The auto association estimates the typical passenger vehicle costs 52.2 cents a mile to operate, or $7,834 a year assuming 15,000 miles driven annually. The estimate is based on fuel prices of $2.40 a gallon and finance charges of $716 a year, based on a five-year loan at 6%. Your costs may well be higher; for example, bad credit can send your finance costs soaring. ( said the average car loan last year carried a 7.38% interest rate.)
Assuming they can afford a payment simply because a lender approved it. Thirty years ago, there was some truth in the idea that a lender wouldn't let you get in over your head. No longer. Not only are lending standards much looser, but many auto finance companies make loans knowing that a substantial portion of their borrowers will miss payments or default altogether. Lenders count on high interest rates to cover their risks. In short, they don't really care if you can afford the payment or not -- they're gambling on making enough from the loan that they'll profit either way.
Acting like a lamb before the slaughter in car dealerships. If ever a transaction were designed to soak the consumer, it's the typical car purchase. Car dealerships are experts at getting people to pay too much for cars or financing, and often both. The savvy consumer does plenty of research, gets detailed car price reports from Consumer Reports, MSN Autos or other sources, knows her credit scores and arranges financing in advance -- in other words, not at the dealership. She also knows the tricks of the car sales trade and how to negotiate a good bargain. As any car salesperson will tell you, this describes a pretty small slice of the folks who actually buy cars. Many people wander onto the lot with little information, fall for the salesperson's assurances that they're about to miss out on a great deal, have no idea what interest rates they should qualify for and accept whatever payment the dealership gives them.
What to do?
Options? You've got only a few:
You may be able to sell the car if you have some equity in it or can come up with extra cash to pay off the loan -- or if you can persuade the lender to let you pay off the remaining debt over time. Read "How to sell a car you don't own" for details.
You may be able to refinance if you bought the car new, made payments for a few years and have a lender who is willing to extend your loan term. For used cars, you'll need to have some equity in order to be able to refinance.
You can let the lender repossess the car. This option should be avoided if at all possible because repossession, voluntary or otherwise, trashes your credit and usually leaves you with substantial debt besides. You'll still owe the difference between your loan balance and whatever the car brings at auction, plus substantial repossession and auction fees.
You can drive out of the loan. This is usually the best solution for a too-expensive, upside-down car. Trim other areas of your budget so you can make the payments and keep driving the car until it's paid off . . . then keep driving it until you've saved up enough to buy another car or at least make a substantial down payment.
You also can try to reduce your transportation costs by driving less, raising your insurance deductibles and maintaining your car properly to avoid big repair bills.
Next time, think smart
Use a bad car ownership experience as motivation for change. The next time you're in the market for a car:
Rethink the whole thing. Isn't there something else on which you'd rather spend $8,000 a year? With that as your motivator, you may be able to find a way to live without a car, or with one less car if yours is a multiple-vehicle family, or to keep the car you have going for a little longer. Maybe not, but it's worth thinking about the options before you commit yourself to another payment.
Figure out what you can actually afford. Thompson, the Jacksonville credit counselor, says total car costs -- including car payments, fuel, insurance and maintenance -- shouldn't top 20% of net (after-tax) income. McGeary's Pennsylvania agency uses a slightly different rule of thumb: Total car costs shouldn't exceed 19% of gross (pretax) income.
These are only guidelines. If you don't have other large expenses, you might get away with higher car costs. If you've got a big mortgage or child-care bills to pay, you might need to spend less.
I like the overall budget guidelines in Elizabeth Warren's book "All Your Worth." The Harvard University professor and bankruptcy researcher recommends that all your basic expenses -- shelter, food, insurance, child care, transportation and minimum loan payments -- total no more than 50% of your after-tax income. That ensures you'll have enough left over for variable expenses like clothing and vacations (30% of after-tax pay) as well as giving you room to pay off debt (20%) and save adequately for retirement.
You might not be anywhere close to these guidelines, but they're something to shoot for as you get your finances in order. In the meantime, you can simply double your projected car payment and see how well that fits into your budget. If it doesn't, look for a cheaper car.
If you must borrow, stick to loans of 48 months or less. If the only way you can afford a car is with a longer loan -- or worse yet, by leasing -- then you really can't afford the car at all. A loan of four years or less will help keep you from overspending and allow you to build equity in the vehicle faster.
Own your cars longer. This one move can save you literally hundreds of thousands of dollars over your lifetime. Keep your cars for at least a year or two, if not longer, after you've paid them off. Set up an automatic savings plan so that the money that used to go for payments goes instead into a high-rate savings account (ING Direct and are two options). Use the money to help pay for your next car. The longer you save, the less you'll have to finance.
Try to pay cash for your vehicles. In general, you don't want to borrow money to pay for assets that lose value, like cars, if you can possibly avoid it. You might not be able to pay cash for your next vehicle, but you certainly could for the one after that. Finance it for four years or less, keep it for another four years after you've paid it off, bank the payments and voila: You have cash for your next car.
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Cars > Nebraska2000ES’s Garage > Blog > The real reason you're broke
Print your passion at ( | http://www.motortopia.com/car-blogs/the-real-reason-youre-broke-2749 | dclm-gs1-274020002 | false | false | {
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0.082098 | <urn:uuid:4fbd0bdf-226e-427f-8e51-6c6d7bf8b985> | en | 0.963384 | Democrats Seeking "Middle Ground"?
But the Times' idea of "governing from the center" includes minimum-wage hikes and increasing education aid.
Robin Toner, who often writes about social issues for the Times, centers the new Democratic-controlled Congress in Tuesday's front-page "In This Turn at the Top, Democrats Seek the Middle on Social Issues."
But Toner's definition of centrism certainly sounds a lot like liberalism: "The promise may not outlast their political honeymoon, but Democratic Congressional leaders say they are committed to governing from the center, and not just on bread-and-butter issues like raising the minimum wage or increasing aid for education. They also hope to bring that philosophy to bear on some of the most divisive social issues in politics, like abortion."
The next part doesn't pass the laugh test (devout Catholics for abortion on demand?), but Toner lets it slide.
"'We, for a very long time, left the definition of ourselves as Democrats to others,' said Representative Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, an abortion-rights supporter and one of 55 Catholic Democrats in the House who signed a Catholic Statement of Principles last year, essentially saying that their faith involved more than their position on abortion. 'But I think people finally felt enough. Enough. It's about who we are, where we come from, what our culture and environment has been.'
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0.180198 | <urn:uuid:942b62f0-41bc-492d-b0b9-2e4c461f9f1d> | en | 0.946527 | Reply to a comment
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tootsie writes:
Can you imagine unknowingly offering food and a bed... and having a mass killer spend the night in your home? And then having a army of police come at you to pick him up? What a horror for the lady of the house!
I am sure I would throw out the bed he slept in... and probably anything else he touched ! How do you clean away the essence of a mass baby killer?
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0.373857 | <urn:uuid:095fe968-2211-463e-9d95-f010fc9bfcf4> | en | 0.976699 | Reply to a comment
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NaplesNewsJunkie writes:
in response to nancy6021#262804:
Funny how this tower wasn't installed on the school's NW or SW property lines, which would have put it farthest away from kids and houses...but oh no, that would have caused a problem with the Grey Oaks neighbors...or maybe it was considered and shot down? How would we know? As a past Poinciana parent, still active there in 2011, with friends on SAC, I can assure you not one of us remembers this issue being mentioned at any meetings at PES...there has to be some legal recourse here!
According to the article, it was placed at that location because that's where there was already an existing communications pole, which eliminated the need for a new permit to erect the new tower. So why was the original communications pole placed at that location? Who knows. Most likely for technical and/or logistical reasons.
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0.024372 | <urn:uuid:4f875a62-8b03-4bba-8397-cc8023146744> | en | 0.962598 | Bush Holds Firm on Iraq as War Enters Sixth Year
On the fifth anniversary of the start of the Iraq war, President Bush acknowledged Wednesday that there is "understandable debate" over the conflict. But the president said he would reject any additional troop withdrawals that could jeopardize security on the ground.
Speaking at the Pentagon to the military's top brass, soldiers and diplomats, Bush said increasing the pace of withdrawal could be a setback to progress made since the so-called "surge" — an infusion of 30,000 additional troops last year.
"Having come so far and achieved so much, we are not going to let this happen," he said, referring to a wider troop drawdown.
The president admitted that "there's an understandable debate over whether the war was worth fighting, whether the fight is worth winning, and whether we can win it.
The speech to a largely sympathetic audience marked the fifth anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, a conflict that has lasted much longer and cost more lives than most administration officials and the American public had expected.
Nonetheless, Bush said, "The successes we are seeing in Iraq are undeniable."
Coalition forces have "removed a tyrant, liberated a country and rescued millions from unspeakable horrors," he said.
Democrats, however, used the anniversary to reassert accusations that the administration launched the Iraq invasion based on faulty intelligence, mismanaged the war and failed to put together an exit strategy.
So far, the war has cost about $500 billion, killed tens of thousands of Iraqis and nearly 4,000 American soldiers.
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0.024551 | <urn:uuid:92754b52-21c2-4719-87fa-8a9748f10dce> | en | 0.966463 | Though the record of the 98th Congress's first session was gratifying, President Reagan said yesterday, everything ''was not all roses.'' Gratifying was also a word House and Senate leaders used, as Congress went home for a two-month vacation last week. But they weren't throwing any bouquets either.
The week stood as a symbol of the year, starting and finishing with the national debt and passage, in the last hours Friday, of an increase in the ceiling on Government borrowing to $1.490 trillion from $1.389 trillion. On matters of policy and politics, there was also a representative mix.
* The Constitution. In the House, A Democratic leadership power play on the proposed equal rights amendment left only the party's political strategists happy. The measure failed by six votes. But the party got a list - ''a pretty good list,'' the Speaker of the House called it - of Republican targets for 1984. A solid number of the 109 Republicans and four of the 38 Democrats who voted ''nay'' said they did so because the suspension of normal rules of debate to force a straight up-and-down vote made mock of the Constitution.
* Energy and the environment. The country got a new Secretary of the Interior, but not a new natural gas policy. Holdouts from both parties gave up insisting that the vote on former national security adviser William P. Clark's nomination be preceded by a vote on a resolution advising him to reverse Federal land sale and development policies pursued by former Interior Secretary James G. Watt. Mr. Clark was confirmed, 71-18. On natural gas, bills tightening controls and taking them off altogether made progress because no one dared be obstructionist, but utimately failed because the gap between pro- and antiregulation forces was too big to be bridged.
* New weaponry. The Administration lost its $124 million bid to resume production of nerve gas, for which the Defense Department has been pushing since 1973. But it won a potentially greater victory in a $19.4 million go-ahead to begin testing an antisatellite missile that is technologically only a distant cousin but is conceptually close to the antiballistic system President Reagan has said he wants. All in all, the Pentagon got $249.8 billion to spend in 1984.
* The cities. The nation's mayors' worst fears - that they would end up without any no-strings Federal dollars through revenue sharing - were allayed when House members of a conference committee compromised by yielding $450 million in response to Senate reminders that any more than the current spending level would be vetoed. The program was continued for three years, at $4.57 billion a year. But once again the Administration had less luck with its cherished ''enterprise zone'' plan. Three Cabinet officers got a mere polite reception from the House Ways and Means Committee when they testified to the virtues of setting up tax havens in the central cities.
* Trade-offs. The example of the week came on an issue of the year, loans to near-bankrupt developing countries. The Administration has fought for months for an $8.4 billion increase in the United States contribution to the International Monetary Fund. It finally got it, but only by agreeing to put the Federal Government back in the business of building housing for the poor. Promoters of that measure gave too. The $615 million they won as part of a $15.6 billion housing bill will construct 30,000 rental apartments, half the number originally proposed.
photo of House-Senate conferees meeting | http://www.nytimes.com/1983/11/20/weekinreview/the-nation-congress-leaves-a-representateive-week-behind.html | dclm-gs1-274260002 | false | false | {
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0.057539 | <urn:uuid:8dff3b7e-9fa0-4065-b101-a5dbbced872c> | en | 0.971485 | Soviet Author's Humor Has a Bitter Aftertaste
Published: November 28, 1989
Vladimir Voinovich, standing a bit uncomfortably in front of a camera, gently reprimanded himself for smiling. ''Satirists should be gloomy,'' he murmured in his Russian-accented English. ''Gogol,'' he said, his smile disappearing, ''was gloomy.''
Mr. Voinovich is not gloomy. Indeed, he is amiable, self-effacing and good-humored, a bit like the discreet narrators of his sharp and funny novels of life in the Soviet Union, novels like ''The Life and Extraordinary Adventures of Private Ivan Chonkin,'' which first brought him success in the West.
Mr. Voinovich was in New York for a couple of days recently to promote his latest book, ''The Fur Hat,'' which seems likely to enhance the Soviet author's reputation for satire.
Yet he says he never particularly wanted to be a satirist. He wanted merely to describe society as it was, he said, going on to describe his discovery of the obvious: that realism and satire are one and the same. In any case, gloomy or not, he has emerged among the most celebrated contemporary incarnations of Gogol, whose dead souls seem like precursors of the hypocrites and cynics that populate Mr. Voinovich's farcical, comedic pages. All Too Human
Mr. Voinovich's ''Fur Hat,'' translated from the Russian by Susan Brownsberger and published by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, is, like his ''Ivan Chonkin,'' funny, seemingly lighthearted, insouciant, its characters not so much cruel or monstrous as all too humanly selfish, incompetent, solipsistic.
Then the bitterness begins to seep upward. Mr. Voinovich pours a sweetish liquor laced with a caustic grit that sticks in the throat.
''It's very interesting: Russians and Americans read my books in very different ways,'' Mr. Voinovich said in an interview during his New York visit. ''Americans usually say they are funny. Russians say, yes, they are very gloomy, dark.''
''In 1975,'' he said, evoking a painful period in his own life when, as an outspoken advocate of human rights, he was subjected to police harassment, ''I was poisoned by the K.G.B. It was a terrible story and I wrote it. I met an American editor and she told me, 'Oh, I read the story about how you were poisoned by the K.G.B.,' and I asked her, 'What do you think about it?' She said, 'Oh, it's very funny,' but I didn't consider it to be a funny story.''
''I believed, and not only I, other Russian satirists believed, that we were not satirists,'' Mr. Voinovich said. ''When I first started publishing prose, the critics said, 'Voinovich uses a method that is very alien to us, depicting reality as it is.' '' Mr. Voinovich laughed at the absurdity of that remark.
''I say now that Soviet reality is a satirical reality. For example,'' he said of his latest novel, ''it's a real story. You can consider it without any exaggerations.'' Based on Actual Incident
In fact, ''The Fur Hat'' does include some exaggeration, like the lunatic anti-Semitic writer who believes that in order to save himself he has to join forces with what he sees as the Yiddish Masonic conspiracy. Nonetheless, Mr. Voinovich says, the main incident in the book - a decision by the Soviet writers' association to offer all of its members' winter hats - did take place, and with many of the consequences described with hilarity in the novel.
The problem is that not everybody warrants the same type of hat. There are gradations of fur, from reindeer fawn at the top of the scale to fluffy tomcat at the bottom. The story tells how the Jewish writer Yefim Rakhlin strives, with ever-intensifying desperation, to upgrade himself from tomcat to at least rabbit, if not something better. | http://www.nytimes.com/1989/11/28/books/soviet-author-s-humor-has-a-bitter-aftertaste.html?src=pm | dclm-gs1-274270002 | false | false | {
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0.018475 | <urn:uuid:ca7d4dd7-b8e5-4ff3-aab6-fd8dedd88b5b> | en | 0.901896 | Message Her
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30 / F / Straight / Single
Whittier, California
Her Details
Last Online
Yesterday – 10:17pm
5′ 8″ (1.73m).
Body Type
Mostly anything
Atheism and laughing about it
Pisces and it’s fun to think about
Graduated from masters program
Less than $20,000
Doesn’t have kids
Likes dogs and has cats
English (Fluently), Spanish (Okay)
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My self-summary
I'm originally from the Bay Area, but I've lived near Lake Tahoe, in Riverside, Orange County, Santiago Chile, West Philly, and Chicago. Now I'm back in Cali and ready to meet some new people. I'm either looking for some cool people to be friends with, or someone who is interested in a relationship. What I'm definitely NOT looking for is a casual hookup. If you're just looking for a friends with benefits situation, please look elsewhere.
I am adventurous, sarcastic and compassionate.
What I’m doing with my life
I just finished my masters at the University of Chicago. I was studying human development and focusing my research on sexual violence in various cultural contexts. Eventually I'd like to work in public policy, but I expect that I'll end up working for some kind of women's advocacy organization.
I’m really good at
Advice and being a smartass.
The first things people usually notice about me
My personality. I'm not a big fan of bullshit, and I can be brutally honest when I need to be. I'm not the friend that girls go to if they don't want to be told they look fat in those jeans.
Favorite books, movies, shows, music, and food
This is by far not a complete list of favorites, but rather just whatever I copied off my facebook page (yeah, I copy and paste, and I'm not ashamed of it).
Favorite books: The House of the Spirits, The Giver, Dreaming in Cuban, A Clockwork Orange, Water for Elephants, Chronicles of a Death Foretold, Skull Wars, 1984, Fahrenheit 451, The Hobbit, Lord Of The Rings, Wicked, Harry Potter, A People's History of the United States, The Joy Luck Club, The Bonesetter's Daughter, The Dark Tower Series
Favorite movies: Brief Interviews with Hideous Men, Monty Python's The Meaning of Life, Zombieland, Pan's Labyrinth, The Devil's Backbone, The Orphanage, Ghost World, Labyrinth, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Million Dollar Baby, BASEketball, Pulp Fiction, Girl, Interrupted, Big Trouble in Little China, Meet Me in St. Louis, Donnie Darko
Favorite musicians: Aretha Franklin, Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles, Nine Inch Nails, John Legend, Billie Holiday, Pink Floyd, Tupac Shakur, Ice Cube, Bob Marley, Marvin Gaye, Queen, Kanye West, John Lennon, Manu Chao, Buena Vista Social Club, Maná, Alicia Keys, U2, Al Green, David Bowie, Bob Dylan, Belanova, Barry White, The Cure, Elton John, Dr. Dre, Led Zeppelin, Snoop Dogg, Shakira, Eric Clapton, Run–D.M.C., Alejandro Sanz, Johnny Cash, Compay Segundo, Julieta Venegas, The Temptations, B. B. King, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone
Favorite t.v.: The Wire was the best tv show ever made. Law & Order: SVU, It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, Monty Python's Flying Circus, South Park, 30 Rock, Bones, Family Guy, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, Anthony Bourdain, How I Met Your Mother, Criminal Minds (Shemar Moore is my secret lover), NCIS, Spaced, The I.T. Crowd, Community
Favorite food: Sushi, Mexican, Thai, pupusas, but I love anything delicious.
The six things I could never do without
1) Motown
2) Rainy days
3) Travel
4) My top 5 best friends
5) Compassion
6) My family (sometimes. Love them, but they can drive me crazy)
I spend a lot of time thinking about
my purpose in life, my research project, eating strange animals, how annoying jerry seinfeld's voice is, why this website doesn't show people that I'm a smoker, how i should be writing things down more, how incredibly awesome and exploitative national geographic is, that science is an ideology just like religion, anything involving chile or mexico, where i'll be 5 years from now and what i'll end up doing with the rest of my life, what lessons i can learn from my past, all the places i want to explore, playing with furry animals of all shapes and sizes, buddhist and taoist doctrines, evidence of continued american imperialism around the world, how much walmart sucks, awkward encounters on public transportation, squirrels, the sad state of mental health care in our country, whether or not i've forgotten to respond to letters/emails/texts, if i'm using the semi-colon correctly, the fact that every coldplay song sounds exactly the same, what kind of hidden treasures i have in my music collection, porque i can't pensar en ingles all the tiempo, if learning to dance salsa or swing would significantly change my life, why itunes has an "urban" genre, why a restaurant would want to have a character named "Grimace", whether or not Clapton really is God, and more random things.
On a typical Friday night I am
I don't know what to write, so here are some of my favorite quotes:
"...Which brings us once again to the urgent realisation of just how much there is still left to own. Item six on the agender: the meaning of life. Now, uh, Harry, you've had some thoughts on this." "That's right. Yeah, I've had a team working on this over the past few weeks, and, uh, what we've come up with can be reduced to two fundamental concepts. One: people are not wearing enough hats. Two: matter is energy. In the universe, there are many energy fields which we cannot normally perceive. Some energies have a spiritual source which act upon a person's soul. However, this soul does not exist ab initio, as orthodox Christianity teaches. It has to be brought into existence by a process of guided self-observation. However, this is rarely achieved, owing to man's unique ability to be distracted from spiritual matters by everyday trivia." "What was that about hats again?" - Monty Python and the Meaning of Life
The most private thing I’m willing to admit
that everyone in my family thought I'd end up a lesbian. Also, I snore a little bit. Not like a grizzly snoring, but more like a dog or cat snoring.
I’m looking for
• Straight guys only
• Ages 25–38
• Near me
• Who are single
• For new friends, long-term dating
You should message me if
You've got something to say.
You feel like we'd have fun hanging out.
You're not a complete douche-bag or asshole. I have a low douche-bag/asshole tolerance.
You have a suggestion about a cool and inexpensive place to visit here in LA. | http://www.okcupid.com/profile/anthro_chica | dclm-gs1-274340002 | false | false | {
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0.023921 | <urn:uuid:46d9061f-d3b7-48ef-ae41-35d7fb88e21f> | en | 0.976927 | Udaipur is famous for many reasons. To those in the west it is mostly known for its gleaming white Jag Niwas hotel found in the middle of one of its many lakes. To the Indians themselves is it known as a home of the great Maharana family. To the travellers, who could never afford a night in such a famous hotel and are relegated to simply looking at it, Udaipur is mainly known for a very special ceremony involving unmarried women and coloured hats.
Udaipur was the first stop for us into Rajasthan. We had heard so much about this part of India and were looking forwards to our visit with relish. The historic capital of the former kingdom of Mewar in Rajputana Agency, Udaipur’s fierce independence had successfully led it into the modern world almost untouched. This is in part due to its mountainous region being unsuitable for heavily armoured Mughal horses; Udaipur remained unmolested from Mughal influence in spite of much pressure.
We had already experienced a “preview” of what we could expect while in the colourful southern city of Mysore, with its grand palace covered in bulbs, culture revolving around the charismatic power base of the Raja’s and incredible local markets.
We arrived, as ever, by train. It remained the quintessential method of transport across India, but its routes into Rajasthan were not all going to where we wanted and so we were soon going to abandon the train for buses and other methods of transport. But, for now, we caught a tuk tuk to the “travellers” centre. The city is built up around lakes and almost everywhere we went overlooked them somewhat. [pullquote sid="pullquote-1310222606" align="right"]The city is built up around lakes and almost everywhere we went overlooked them somewhat.[/pullquote] For Indian cities, Udaipur is fairly well off and the buildings are all brightly painted and shining in the vast amount of sunlight. In the distance, over the almost endless roof-top gardens and restaurants, are the majestic rolling Aravali foothills.
MG 2736 thumb1 Udaipur
The huge visible distance lends an ambiance to the city. However, when we arrived it was very early and still dark. We had called ahead and booked our room at Anjani hotel, an old royal Haveli Anjani Ji converted to hotel which is situated near to the Pichola-Lake. It’s bright White frontage and views over the lake made it a great choice and not too expensive. We walked up a steep alley to the hotel front and entered the foyer.
MG 2013 thumb1 Udaipur
There was no-one in sight and the lights were all off. Cesca called out into the dim room and three men, obviously sleeping behind the counter rose and bid us welcome. They certainly went from sleeping to working quicker than I can manage, however they made the mistake of trying on a little room gouging with Cesca first thing in the morning. After twenty minutes she had not only got us the original rate back, but also double upgraded to an incredible suite overlooking the lake. It had a four-poster bed and was quite wonderful. We then went to the rooftop restaurant for breakfast.
[pullquote sid="pullquote-1310222606" align="left"]I looked out into the lake and could see that it was very low at the moment.[/pullquote]
IMG 1006 thumb1 Udaipur
The hotel floating in the center had originally been a palace for the local Rana of course, but now was a playground for the western rich. Those that don’t stay at the other great hotel locally: the Oberoi. That hotel was outside of town and hidden from view around the lake edge. It was even more exclusive. I wondered how much it cost to stay there.
We spent the next day exploring Udaipur and considering the purchase of silk bed covers as gifts for those back home. We also perused the local cafes and partook of the local foodstuffs, or at least the tourist versions of same. The best place we found was a German style bakery serving up all sorts of wonderful delicacies.
Then we decided to visit the great City Palace built in 1559 and overlooking the lake from atop a nearby hill. Walking up to the grand ‘Bara Pol’ (Great Gate) entrance was to experience the brilliant architecture of India.
MG 2018 thumb1 Udaipur MG 2021 thumb1 Udaipur
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We were learning that Rajasthan had not lost any of its classic beauty compared to the, obviously, war-torn southern cities. How could this be? The story goes that the invading Marathas tormented the Udaipur rulers for years until the British came to their rescue in exchange for becoming a British territory. A wise choice as the southern states that fought against the empire suffered greatly against the most formidable army of that time. Indeed it would only be the great peacemaker Gandhi (a hero of mine) who could break the British will, well that and WWII having bankrupted it. After independence, the “princes” here lost those rights in the change to democracy, but kept their palaces which are now run as trusts.
[pullquote sid="pullquote-1310222606" align="right"]Blocked and guarded in here, the Rana could survive anything their local enemies could throw at them.[/pullquote] Like all Maharanas palaces this one was a monument to pure familial power and a building to inspire a cultural influence. Gleaming white buildings with gigantic doors, designed to defend against elephant attack, protect the entrances to the palace proper. Clearly this was more of a castle than just palace. It had the winding corridors and courtyards, the guard rooms and barracks of a major civic administrative centre.
MG 2192 thumb1 Udaipur
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Interestingly the title of “Maharana” is that given to a military warrior ruler not a king (“raja”). Hence they are “princes” of their domains.
Inside the giant doors was the armoury and guard-room. This was a highlight for me and I stood amazed at the superlative inventiveness of the Indian’s methods of waging war. Swords and spears were only the beginning. Almost all the beautifully inlaid weapons also had a hidden pistol somewhere in the structure. I saw axes with pistols in the top, swords with pistols in the handles, even pens that could fire a bullet.
MG 2237 thumb1 Udaipur IMG 0997 thumb1 Udaipur
IMG 0994 thumb1 Udaipur IMG 0996 thumb1 Udaipur
These were not even the most incredible weapons, for the Indian’s also used arms I had never seen before. Such as a very long sword built into a gauntlet so that the four-foot blade protruded from the fist like a giant punch dagger. It was stiff and with the gauntlet coming quite far down the arm meant that the warrior would not be able to use his wrist to “roll” or turn the blade and would have to swing his whole arm using his elbow as the main joint. It must take an amazing amount of training to use effectively not to mention a lot of space on the battlefield.
Once through the armoury we entered the maze of rooms, hidden gardens, jewelled chambers and throne rooms of the palace proper. These were all still intact and had not been looted. Stained glass and brightly coloured artworks adorned all the Walls. One motif I noticed regularly was the visage of a Rajasthani man, all round-faced and with the traditional moustache of the region.
MG 2312 thumb1 Udaipur
I realised that the Ranas had built up quite a cult of personality here in their power base. This revolved around their ability to “protect” the local population from the assignations of invading hordes from the north. Much was made of the Ranas personal prowess in battle – not surprising if he had so many hidden pistols to fire – and how this leant itself to the divine right of warriors to rule. [pullquote sid="pullquote-1310222606" align="right"]This palace exuded power and influence from every window and in every piece of “branding”.[/pullquote] There is a lot of is sort of thing in all monarchies, but it is only when seeing it not directed at oneself that you can see it for what it really is: a method of keeping a family line in power. As the Patrician of Ankh Morpork says, “people mostly want tomorrow to be just like today”.
IMG 1032 thumb1 Udaipur
That is not to say I didn’t find it alluring and beautiful, quite to the contrary; I thought it magnificent and a stunning artistic marvel. I wondered how anything I would go on to see in Rajasthan could compete. Little did I know that this palace was the standard of this area of India, and each city-state had an equally or better edifice to the past.
IMG 1022 thumb1 Udaipur MG 2447 thumb1 Udaipur
One thing I do remember well was the very high quality audio tour that spoke at length about the legends and history of the building, something that would be difficult to discern without local assistance.
MG 2381 thumb1 Udaipur
After a few hours we returned to our hotel and met the owner. She and Cesca got on very well and we were presently surprised when she offered Cesca a job renovating the hotel. We seriously considered it and I wonder now what would have become of us had we relented to the temptation.
That night we ate out in a roof top restaurant and spoke with the waiter who, as it turned out, used to work in the mysterious Oberoi.
“How much is a room for a night?” I asked.
“$2000 a night,” he said, “but it doesn’t really have rooms”.
“What do you mean?”
“The hotel is like nothing else. You get your own wing, your own cook, your own staff and your own pool. You basically get your own hotel”.
“Wow!” Cesca exclaimed.
The waiter smiled and filled our glasses.
We had a few days until the festival we had come to see, and I would like to say we spent it exploring the countryside and many temples, but the room was so nice and the heat so high that we mostly spent it exploring each other. Not to say I didn’t learn new things!
In the mornings Cesca would go and do some yoga at the local school, and then we would explore the cafe’s (of which there were many, usually filled with too-loud Americans yelling into their phones and sipping lattes). After that it would be some shopping and then back to the room.
It was great to relax and Udaipur was just the place.
Eventually the night arrived and we had the opportunity to see one of the strangest festivals in all of India. Down by the steps to the Gangaur Ghat a large crowd of very brightly dressed Indians all milled around as though waiting for something.
MG 2753 thumb1 Udaipur
They were mostly middle-aged women and children. They didn’t have long to wait. Amidst much fanfare the first younger girl came into view. She was dressed in very fine and colourful garments and on her head was a large pointed puppet. There were two types, one male and one female.
MG 2768 thumb1 Udaipur MG 2769 thumb1 Udaipur
They were made to look like they were dressed up for something as well. The girls’ numbers swelled to a dozen full casts for Punch and Judy. They all seemed happy, but ever so slightly embarrassed.
MG 2834 thumb1 Udaipur
I learned that they were all unmarried women and that this ceremonial procession was to ask the Gods for aid in finding them a partner. Cesca and I decided that it was all very sweet really.
MG 2865 thumb1 Udaipur MG 2851 thumb1 Udaipur
We spent a couple of hours paying with the hordes of local kids who had come for the colourful spectacle being played out by their sisters and aunts, but found the two Westerners an unexpected bonus.
MG 2895 thumb1 Udaipur MG 2916 thumb1 Udaipur
We had quite a flock demanding money, photos and school-pens following us until the festival ended and we went for a drink.
As we sat on yet another rooftop bar, ruminating on the night’s brightly lit strangeness and the phenomenon of unmarried sisters; I noticed something on the hills in the distance:
They were on fire.
A large fire was burning over the brow of the hill. Judging by the distance to the glow it was a dangerous size and I briefly wondered about it coming down to threaten the city itself. Over the next hour i watched it out of the corner of my eye as it swept along the hill-side.
Eventually we turned in. The next day we booked a hire car to take us to Jodhpur and we left Udaipur behind. It had been a very relaxing and pleasant city area to visit with some incredible architecture and that amazing palace. I still remember it very fondly.
Our hire car drove us through the countryside towards the great city of Jodhpur and we watched the beauty pass us by in happy, if warm, contemplation.
About half way through our journey we stopped at the enormous Jain temple of Ranakpur, near Sadri town, in the Pali district of Rajasthan.
IMG 3100 thumb1 Udaipur
It is acclaimed world-wide for its intricate and architectural style and one of the five major pilgrimage sites for the Jain faith. [pullquote sid="pullquote-1310222606" align="left"]The guide-book wrote that the “temple is wholly constructed in light coloured marble and comprises a basement covering an area of 48000 sq. feet. There are more than 1400 exquisitely carved pillars…”[/pullquote]
MG 3126 thumb1 Udaipur MG 3115 thumb1 Udaipur
The sign outside asked menstruating women to refrain from entering and so I went in alone. Inside, the temple’s complex chambers with carved pillars the interesting geometry threw me for a moment; it was incredible. I heard later that it was seriously considered as one of the new “wonders of the world”.
MG 3121 thumb1 Udaipur MG 3140 thumb1 Udaipur
The Jain cult is not well known outside of India, but it is as ancient as Buddhism and not dissimilar. Certainly much ink has been spilt in claim and counter claim of who came first between them. Suffice to say, they are both of importance. Both are concerned with spiritual release through discovery of the nature of the “self” and the veneration of those who have achieved this release in the past. Given that Buddhism has splintered into such variant churches, the fact that Jainism remains almost unchanged after 2000 years is quite an achievement.
Then a smiling man in a robe approached and introduced himself as the High Priest and would I care to make a donation? I should have known what was coming next as I had been in umpteen Indian temples by this point: he was going to “spot” me.
In India, the spot of paint on the forehead means that one has attended temple that day. They come in all colours and guises, but Cesca and I had decided to avoid them. It seemed to me that it’s unfair to appropriate beliefs you don’t hold or to “fake” as such. For example I hate it when politicians claim affiliation to a cause they don’t actually support, such Tony Blair wearing a “Drop the Debt” wrist band at the G8; as if he really cared for that.
As I leant in to pass the note into the man’s proffered pot I suddenly felt the unmistakable strike of a fingertip just above my eyes. He had got me!
“Oh!” I said startled, “You got me!”
He just smiled the smile of the believer and moved on. His job done.
I took some photos and left to show Cesca, who informed me that the bright blue mark was very becoming while trying not to laugh out loud at my unimpressed expression!
We got back in the car and returned to the road.
“Are you not going to wipe that off?” Cesca asked.
“No,” I replied, “it was a very relaxing and impressive temple so I think that the priest earned a little blue spot from me today.”
We huggled up and as the car drove into a valley we watched as the countryside slew past and the sun started to dip over the horizon. | http://www.outsidecontext.com/2011/07/09/udaipur/ | dclm-gs1-274390002 | false | false | {
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0.022039 | <urn:uuid:2ca699e6-76c8-417b-805b-aa94b9997b7a> | en | 0.754221 | Beefy Boxes and Bandwidth Generously Provided by pair Networks RobOMonk
go ahead... be a heretic
Re: html into an array
by davidrw (Prior)
on May 20, 2007 at 15:03 UTC ( #616449=note: print w/ replies, xml ) Need Help??
in reply to html into an array
Not sure exactly what your input/output is, but you might mind HTML::TableExtract very handy as a potential alternate approach to your problem.
Comment on Re: html into an array
Re^2: html into an array
by jZed (Prior) on May 20, 2007 at 16:55 UTC
And if your data is in an HTML table, you can get your array in a single line of AnyData code. AnyData uses both LWP and HTML::TableExtract under the hood:
use AnyData; my $arrayRef = adConvert( 'HTMLtable', # input is an HTML table 'http://host/path/foo.html', # input comes from a remote file 'ARRAY', # output is an Array reference '', # output not sent to file {count=>1} # HTML::TableExtract flags );
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Comment on
Just giving you an idea
Assuming you files are text files
1.Opening the directory which contains your 300 files using the opendir() function
#!/usr/bin/perl use strict; use warnings; my $dir_path="Your Directory Path"; opendir (DIR, $tmp_dir) or die $!;
2.Open the destination file with the appending modeopen() function
open (MYFILE, '>>data.txt');
3.Reading each files using the readdir function. readdir returns the name of each file or directory in the opened directory in turn when used in scalar context, or a list of the names of all files and directories in that directory when used in list context.
while (my $file_name = readdir(DIR)) {print "$file_name\n";}
4.Within this loop open each file in read mode and do another loop to each all the content and check for whatever the word match you need with regular expression. If matches write that content into the "data.txt" file as print MYFILE $file_content; Once each file completes close each file respectively close (MYFILE);
use the function closedir function to close the opened directory
In reply to Re: Copy rows of file to new document by vinoth.ree
in thread Copy rows of file to new document by phineas629
and: <code> code here </code>
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0.056474 | <urn:uuid:5a60933c-13ec-40eb-bad1-cfb91b9246cf> | en | 0.92133 | previous next
I ask of you now, O Hortensius, with which of these classes you are going to compare the conduct of Verres? With those, I suppose, who, influenced by their own kindness, have granted, as a favour and as a convenience to the cities, permission to give money instead of corn. And so I suppose the cultivators begged of him, that, as they could not sell a modius of wheat for three sesterces, they may be allowed to pay three denarii instead of each modius. Or, since you do not dare to say this, will you take refuge in that assertion, that, being influenced by the difficulty of carriage, they preferred to give three denarii? Of what carriage? Wishing not to have to carry it from what place to what place? from Philomelium to Ephesus? I see what is the difference between the price of corn at different places; I see too how many days' journey it is; I see that it is for the advantage of the Philomelians rather to pay in Phrygia the price which corn bears in Ephesus, than to carry it to Ephesus, or to send both money and agents to Ephesus to buy corn.
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0.03355 | <urn:uuid:91913ace-056c-4eae-a85b-f2ffaec14399> | en | 0.920849 | GoPro Camera HD HERO3: Silver Edition
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Tracked this down to GBP179.99 much cheaper than elsewhere.You know what they say about something being too good to be true?I can only conclude this came from a Friday afternoon shift.The quality of stills from the camera was worse than from a 2 mega pix camera phone and it didn't seem to turn off completely so the battery drained continually.Sent back for a quick refund.
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0.066276 | <urn:uuid:d2e82332-d7ba-496c-976d-43e662cafcc3> | en | 0.79307 | (31-oct-1989 / Co.Galway, Ireland)
What do you think this poem is about?
Part One
Your beauty made my heart skip a beat
From the very first time we meet
Your beauty comes from the smile on your lips
Down to the curve of your hips
Your beauty lights up the room and brightens my day
Your beauty has an affect on everything i could say.
Submitted: Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Edited: Friday, April 29, 2011
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0.018542 | <urn:uuid:816bd5f7-e100-477c-9b51-666c7ad68219> | en | 0.978325 | January 21, 2012
'Red Tails': One who lived it sees truth in film
A local member of the history-making Tuskegee Airmen gives the movie a qualified thumbs-up.
By Ray Routhier rrouthier@pressherald.com
Staff Writer
SOUTH PORTLAND - In the new film "Red Tails," about the pioneering Tuskegee Airmen of World War II, a chief mechanic is often seen comically complaining about pilots getting bullet holes "in my beautiful airplanes."
click image to enlarge
James Sheppard of South Portland, one of the Tuskegee Airmen, went to see “Red Tails,” a fictionalized account of his all-black fighter group’s heroics and the racism they faced, as the film opened on Friday at the Cinemagic Grand at Clarks Pond in South Portland.
John Ewing/Staff Photographer
Weathers died of pneumonia at age 90 on Oct. 15 in Tucson, Ariz., and was buried Friday at Arlington National Cemetery. His burial coincided with the official opening in theaters of “Red Tails,” a George Lucas-produced movie retelling the story of the Tuskegee Airmen who debunked widely held beliefs that black pilots were incapable of flying in combat.
“He would talk about his hard trials and tribulations to others, to children, because he never wanted us to feel like this (racism) is a reason we couldn’t make it,” said Weathers’ daughter, Trina Weathers Boyce, in an interview Thursday. “He would tell us nothing good comes easy. He’d say there are going to be barriers … and you can overcome them.”
– The Associated Press
Watching the film Friday at Cinemagic Grand was James Sheppard of South Portland, who was a mechanics' crew chief with the Tuskegee Airmen, stationed in Italy. And while Sheppard thought some of the film's romantic fiction was a little unnecessary -- "They had to throw in that girlfriend business I guess," he said -- he thought its main points were accurate.
And he said there was a lot of truth in the chief mechanic's crusty demeanor when it came to taking care of planes.
"Oh, I said some things like that to the pilots. I used to tell my pilots not to shoot their guns because then we'd have to clean them," said Sheppard, who's 87.
The film follows the story of the nation's first all-black unit of fighter pilots, named for the city in Alabama where they were trained.
In 2007, Sheppard was at a Congressional Gold Medal ceremony for surviving Tuskegee Airmen in Washington, D.C., when President Bush remarked, "Even the Nazis asked why African-American men would fight for a country that treated them so unfairly."
For instance, in one scene, a pilot is seen attacking a German destroyer, and sinking it in a flurry of spectacular explosions. A pilot from the 332nd Fighter Group, of which Sheppard was a part, did sink a German destroyer off Italy. But the ship didn't sink until three days after the attack, when its crew decided it was too badly damaged and scuttled it.
"So it didn't happen exactly that way, but it did happen," said Sheppard. "All the events (in the film) were real, but that personal stuff about the pilots, they made up."
Some of the "personal stuff" included a pilot falling in love with an Italian woman and proposing marriage to her. But even some of the fiction was based in reality, Sheppard said.
"We did have some boozers, but you always will," said Sheppard. "It's human nature."
"Red Tails" finally made it to the big screen after a 23-year effort by its executive producer, "Star Wars" creator George Lucas.
Lucas has said he was unable to get studio backing for so long in part because the film basically has an "all-black cast," with no white stars. The biggest-name actors to have major roles are Terrence Howard, who was nominated for a best actor Oscar in 2006 for "Hustle & Flow," and Cuba Gooding Jr., a supporting actor Oscar winner for "Jerry Maguire."
(Continued on page 2)
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0.026271 | <urn:uuid:f6b13e27-e997-4e85-a920-3d6ec7a4a802> | en | 0.903415 |
The Shack by Jess Meacham
I love old buildings like this. They’re so cool. This was taken with a Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS70.
old, house, building, antique, earthy, sepia, wood, rocks, stones, window, perspective, shapes, square, angle, glass, pane, shadows, brown, spring, summer, fall, winter, texture, odd, interesting, vintage, old time
My passion in life is to create art that pulls the viewer into a place where they are able to take a moment and simply, enjoy. Each piece is an escape into another world, another perspective, a view of things sometimes overlooked. Please remember to take time each day and just find joy in it no matter how small or large, no matter how cheap or expensive, please just find time to enjoy the little things.
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0.022962 | <urn:uuid:1d3e0373-957c-496f-8c07-f68752a0556b> | en | 0.955508 | Swiss govt to decide soon whether to keep seeking US tax deal -top diplomat
BERN Mon Aug 26, 2013 3:22pm EDT
BERN Aug 26 (Reuters) - Switzerland will decide soon on whether to keep pursuing a tax agreement with the United States, an outgoing top diplomat said on Monday, or risk extending a long, costly dispute over banks that shelter tax evaders.
The Swiss government is keen to reach a deal that satisfies U.S. demands for data to help catch tax cheats and end a long-running dispute that has seen a handful of Swiss banks come under U.S. investigation, while dozens more firms could find themselves in the spotlight for similar transgressions.
But there is a risk the talks could fall through, if Switzerland refuses to accept what sources told Reuters are further U.S. demands, after Swiss lawmakers in June voted down a law that would have eased the transfer of client data for the entire industry.
That would prolong a scandal that has already cost the Swiss banking sector billions of francs in withdrawals and raise fears in Switzerland of further indictments like the one that felled Wegelin, the country's oldest bank, earlier this year.
"A decision will be made shortly," Michael Ambuehl, Switzerland's top negotiator on tax matters, said on the sidelines of his last press conference on Monday.
"Both sides are trying to reach a deal soon."
The 62-year-old Ambuehl, who is leaving the civil service to become a university lecturer on conflict management at the end of this month, didn't elaborate except to say Switzerland would not enforce any emergency law to reach a deal or change its secrecy laws retroactively.
Ambuehl's departure comes as Switzerland moves away from a "cherry-picking" strategy of striking individual deals, such as ones with Great Britain and Austria, in favour of broader ones.
For example, the Swiss government will work with other nations in developing an international standard for sharing data on foreign depositors, a move which would lift the last vestige of its tradition of banking secrecy.
Current talks with U.S. officials centre on roughly a dozen banks under investigation, including Credit Suisse, Julius Baer, the Swiss arm of Britain's HSBC, privately held Pictet and state-backed regional banks Zuercher Kantonalbank and Basler Kantonalbank.
The Swiss government has said it will grant these banks permission to hand over data to the United States that will allow them to avoid charges as they cut individual deals.
While the two governments wrangle over the terms of an overarching accord, Swiss banks not yet under investigation find themselves in legal limbo. They are keen to cooperate with U.S. prosecutors to avoid an indictment, such as that which led to Wegelin's demise, but they are unsure what information they can hand over.
A source at one bank targeted told Reuters last week that talks between the banks under investigation and the U.S. Department of Justice are at a standstill because the DoJ cannot conclude an agreement without a legal framework for the entire Swiss banking industry.
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In 1897 London, something not quite human is about to awaken When mechanical genius Emily is kidnapped by rogue automatons, Finley Jayne and her fellow misfits fear the worst. What's left of their archenemy, The Machinist, hungers to be resurrected, and Emily must transplant his... read more
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0.048348 | <urn:uuid:154f7971-c273-4d7d-a7ae-b29ca3727451> | en | 0.952509 | Wyo Legislators Respond to SOTU | SheridanMedia.com
Wyo Legislators Respond to SOTU
Sen. John Barrasso
Sen. John Barrasso
Wyoming's delegates in Washington each released statements Tuesday night in response to President Barack Obama's State of the Union Address.
Obama's speech focused on economic growth and job creation the same day Wyoming legislators called out democrats marking the 1,000th day since the Democratic Senate majority has passed a budget. Rep. Cynthia Lummis.
Sen. John Barrasso appeared on Fox News Tuesday before the president's speech, the 1,000th day, and the third time Democrats had delayed a release of a budget on the Senate floor. In his statement following the SOTU, Barrasso says the American people appreciate good speeches, but they want results.
President Obama touched on limiting Wall Street to reduce the deficit and on overall economic revival, saying he is working to address the need for skilled workers. He also asked for higher taxes on the wealthy.
Wyoming Legislators, and Republicans across the country, in response to Obama's points on economic growth again questioned the President's decision against the Keystone XL Pipeline. There has been talk of Canada working with Chinese buyers for the pipeline since its denial last week, and Obama said last night that he would not surrender energy projects to countries like China or Germany.
Bella Bling
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0.081085 | <urn:uuid:61974637-7aa0-4925-b7c2-c8374fa32208> | en | 0.991216 | THE ECSTASY OF TRAL-GOTHICA Copyright © 2012 Victor Hadnot and Amanda Travis “She dances the dance of ages, that sensuous witch of Valgra, to which the dance enthralls.” The Burning Tales 1. The Cottage on the Glen 2. The Hand that Feeds 3. Divide and Conquer 4. The Witch’s Way 5. Seek Those Things 6. The Red Skies 7. For Love of Profit 8. The Natives of Tral-Gothica 9. With Spells and Bells 10. The Dandelions of Tral-Gothica I CAN'T SWALLOW I’m sorry babe for the long wait The things we do to make it all work You sink into me and I feel your life Take my pussy and I give you my show I’m ok with that my babe Just do it slow so I can feel it all You take my asshole and I feel the pain I let you because you say you need it I feel it as it grows But I'm ok with that too because I love you And I want you to love me back I kiss your head and it enters my mouth I feel your throb as I love you Babe I can enjoy you even with that But my dear I just can't swallow THE COTTAGE ON THE GLEN “Deep in the brightness of thy skies.” William Cullen Bryant It was a transitional time for Stella as she leaned over a large wooden bucket, washing some of her things. A few of her rather finer items of clothing, might not be deemed that way, but, to her, they were the very nicest that she had. Her long orange-red hair tied back, and the sleeves of her blouse pulled back, she scrubbed away. It was a warm day, unusual for that time of year, a trickle of sweat crossed her perfectly formed rectangular face, while her bright green eyes glanced up as a distant craft crossed the slightly clouded skies. She stopped from what she was doing for a second, realizing that it had been quite some time since she had seen a spacecraft racing across the sky. Long time ago, when colonization was beginning, it wasn’t unusual to see all sorts of manner of craft, darting about, busy going about heir business. After awhile, as people settled in and the work began in earnest, there was less and less of travelers coming from the sky. Stella straightened up, her back hurt just a bit from all that bending over the laundry. She was tall and well proportioned. The dress she worn might have been mistaken for rags in some other context, but for her, it was comfortable and durable, and that was the key to it all. On Tral-Gothica, that which worked is that which is kept. The old folks used to utter to the youngsters. It was strange, growing up on a planet that was a hundred light years from Earth, in a newly discovered solar system that had not one but three planets that could support human life. Tral-Gothica happened to be the one that held the most promise. The planet was slightly larger than Earth, but it’s core was less dense, which made for the gravity being similar to Earth. It took six months for the planet to orbit around it’s primary star, a secondary star was far enough from them to appear at night as only a sparkle in the sky. The planet enjoyed three moons, which were named the Three Sisters. She took her clothes on to the clothes line and hung them. When she finished she went on into the cabin where supper was cooking slowly and her aged father and mother sat listening to the colony news of the day. Stella stopped at the entrance to the kitchen, they looked so cute, sitting there, each one telling the other one what seemed important in relation to the day’s news. Colonization on Tral-Gothica hadn’t been easy on either one. They came with the first group, before any transdoors had been built. The first colonist as they were considered were in many ways revered and held in esteem, because without their hard work and perseverance, there wouldn’t be any colony. Stella went on into the kitchen where an old broken down robot named Patty was busy fixing supper. “Stella, are you still planning to attend that town meeting this week?” The robot asked her, but was also reminding her. Stella nodded as she grabbed a bowl and began to assist the robot. “Yeah. I think I will. Thanks.” Domestic robots were indispensable appliances on Tral-Gothica. Colonization could not have taken place as it did, without them. While humans did work very hard, specially in those early years, when it all began, decades later, it was safe to say that mankind had a foothold on the planet. And it had a great deal to do with the fact that robots could work around the clock, if called upon to do so, and they were, in those early days. Tral-Gothica’s orbit around the primary sun took six months and there were about six days in a week and six weeks in a month. The planet was the sixth planet from the sun, with two more orbiting that could maintain human life. Mining was the primary source of income for most settlers. The super-corps which they were called, the businesses that financed ninety percent of the space exploration, seeking ever greater gain and profits, only sent people that were willing to make the planet their permanent home. They needed a civilization to carry out their strategic plans. While the government regulated all extraterrestrial colonization, it was up to those super-corps to implement the actual colonization. Population on the planet started out not being watched that closely, in the beginning, as can be imagined, the goal being to colonize the habitable areas of the planet. There were all sorts of obstacles to overcome, not withstanding, on Tral-Gothica, the planet was basically free from disease. Mankind brought with him a whole host of biologically unwelcomed guest, even with close inoculations, humans were a very dirty species. In the virgin environment of Tral-Gothica, some bacteria and virus’ flourished, mutating in the alien ecosystem. The new settlers had to overcome all that as well as weather that they were not used to. The tilt of Tral-Gothica was less than that of the Earth, which meant that while there were seasons, they were not as severe, however, weather isn’t just caused by the tilt of the planet’s axial rotation. Atmospheric composition, the electro-magnetic fields of the planet, along with a host of other factors, both subtle and large, all contributed to the planet’s character, as Stella’s parents liked to call it. After dinner, Stella decided to take a long bath. She laid out a fresh clean robe for bedtime. There was one poorly lit lamp in her room, as she went about her pre-ath routine, she undressed in front of a large vanity mirror. Letting her dress drop to the ground revealed an ivory skinned young woman, very beautiful. She let all of her orange-red hair down, as some of it draped across her voluptuous breasts. As she moved about, they seemed to dance with each other, their movements complimenting one another. She got out of her undergarment, revealing her hourglass waist, firm tummy and well rounded hips. As she turned, her nipples were perked up, as she inspected her butt and thighs. Years of hard work had rendered Stella in excellent shape. Her buttocks was tight and firm, rising above her long thighs, which led to her well formed calves. She put on her robe and took her bath kit into the bathroom, where Patty had already ran her water. She proceed to set her things out and took another look at herself in a smaller mirror in the bathroom. Stella held her stomach for a moment then pulled out an enema kit. She’d had been feeling slightly constipated over the last few days and decided that while she was taking her bath, she’d enjoy a nice anal cleansing. This was something that she did, maybe once or twice a week. Some times out of necessity, and sometimes out of pleasure. She filled the bulb was warm soapy water, connected the bulb to the six inch shaft, then lifted one of her legs onto the edge of the tub and began to insert the enema into her tight pink asshole. The lubricant allowed for it to slide into her butt smoothly. She liked the feeling as each inch made its way into her ass. Her big boobs dangled as she adjusted herself, sliding every inch of the enema syringe into her body. Once inside of her, she squeezed the bulb, releasing the warm soapy mixture into her ass, it felt so wonderful. Stella liked a good anal cleansing from time to time. It was her private time, to just relax from a hard day’s work. She could hold four of them in her lovely curved butt, but tonight, she only repeated the ritual twice. After cleaning everything and putting it away, she gracefully got into the tub of warm water and began to soak, holding the essence of her enema as her butt cheeks contracted. She settled in and closed her eyes. Her insides feeling the sensations of the enema as she enjoyed each and every sensation. Finally it was time for her to get out and she immediately went to the toilet and sat down on it. She waited for it, contracting her butt hole and then relaxing it. Finally a flood of shit came flying out of her body. Oh, that was the feeling that she liked, She loved taking a shit, specially, it was her quiet time, when she could just think, her insides being loved and cleaned, the sensations of her bowels passing out of her with such force. Oh, oh, she just loved the feel. So nice. The shit... After having a nice bath and a sensual bowel movement, she gathered her things, put on her robe and proceeded to her room. She passed her mother headed for her parent’s bedroom. “Night, mom.” Stella whispered. “Night, dear. You have sweet dreams.” Her mother told her as she entered into her bedroom where her father was already inside awaiting. Even at their age, they both had a happy and healthy sex life. Stella passed by Patty. “You are all finished bathing, Stella?” “Yes, Patty. Please take care of everything in there.” “Did you enjoy you bath?” The robot enquired. Stella had a crooked smile on her face. “Oh, yes. Yes, it was just what I needed to unwind.” At that, the robot proceeded towards the direction of the bathroom. Stella went into her bedroom and de-robed for bed. Once in bed she turned on some quiet and soft music and began to roll herself some homegrown that she had gotten from a neighbor, the next farm down. Simon and Stella had grown up together. Their parents, like most of the people, were friends, having to depend on one another during the trying times. Life could be hard in a new settlement and people had to know how to work together in order to survive. She finished rolling the joint and then began to smoke it, taking small puffs, resting back in her bed. Then, the call-all sounded and she sat up, placed the device on her bed and a holographic image of Simon engaged. “Hi.” Stella uttered. Simon seemed to be somewhere where there was lots of talking and laughter and music and drinking, going on in the background. “Oh, did I wake you?” She shook her head and smiled. “No, babe. I just got through taking a bath.” “Oh, nice, I wish I was there. It would have been fun.” “Yeah. But, it wasn’t too bad without you.” “Oh, that hurts, Stella.” Simon returned. He was a rugged man, around her age. Dark hair, black and slightly long. Stella thought that it might be time for a haircut, but what the fuck, he looked so cute with it that way, it really didn’t bother her. “So, what are you doing?” Stella followed up. “I’m in town, there was a small fair, took some of the good stuff, sold it to some buyers from off world.” When he said that, she thought about the spacecraft she had seen earlier in the day. “Oh, well that is good. Hope you didn’t let them cheat you down. You know, this season’s crop is pretty good. I’m smoking it right now.” She took a puff. “Cool. I’m glad you liked it. Blow me a puff.” And with that Stella took a puff and then blew it at the tiny holographic image that was above the call-all. The POV changed and now it was a closeup of his face as he shared a puff with her. “Thanks. Are you going to go to the town concert this weekend?” “If you are going.” She responded. “Yeah. I just have to finish selling my crop and then I’ll buy us tickets.” “Babe, you might want to buy an extra pair.” Simon ruffled his brow. “Really? Why?” “I think my mom and dad would like to see the headlines.” “Oh. Ok, when I pick up ours I’ll get an extra pair.” “Great, and I’ll pay you when I see you.” “What? That’s crazy, Stella. I’ll just get them. I’m pretty sure I’m going to make a good profit off my crop.” “Are you sure?” Her big green eyes expressed. “Yeah, I’m sure. Look, I gotta go.” “Ok, Babe, you be careful for me, okay?” And with that, she held up the call-all and they kissed, then the device went silent and dark. She put it away and just rested back, listening to the music on the radio. The DJ was talking about a student protest that was suppose to be getting ready to happen. They were looking for anyone who felt that the system was failing them to join. Stella listened to various people talking about the way that humans were treating the indigenous population that was on the planet before it was colonized. The protest was suppose to be held in several towns, linked and meant to send a signal to the government, that oppressing the natives of Tral-Gothica was morally wrong. She really didn’t know where she came down on the subject. At some point she decided that those people were just trouble makers, some of the more well to do, children of the colony, that had way too much time on their hands. They bitched about the cost of an education, that it should actually be free. Education, she thought, people like her and Simon, had to be home schooled, as did most of the kids who lived in the rural areas. The young people who lived in the urban areas, their lifestyles were very different. They had lots of things that they took for granted. So, Stella was having a hard time relating to some spoiled rich young people, calling for change, when they had it made. They were the privileged ones. What were they bitching about? Still, as she listened and in between neo-hippy talk and the great music being played, she began to wonder if some of the people, who were protesting against the oppression of the indigenous beings, didn’t in some way have a point. It was that she had been brought up a certain way. Colonization had to succeed at all cost, the very survival of the human race depended on mankind’s ability to re-allocate the natives, for their own safety. After all, the many different kinds of machines that people used to mine the planet and extract natural resources, resources, which by the way was the main reason that the colony was created in the first place, the machines of mankind could do serious damage to the simple mined natives of Tral-Gothica. As she finally wandered on off to sleep, she wondered what it might have been like, if humans had just tried to work with the inhabitants of the planet. The next day was anything but routine. As she was doing her routine, a group of military vehicles came close by several of the farms, as they headed on into town. Stella had never seen military combat robots up close. Fact of the matter was that most people had never had anything to do with the military operations of colonization. “Why are they headed into town?” asked Stella’s mother, as they all stood and watched the spectacle. Her father uttered. “I don’t like it.” “Why?” asked Stella. “You are too young to remember, but way back in the day...” oh, here we go again, dad is going to be going down memory lane, “...and a little less than half the young men and women were drafted into the service.” Stella’s mother said, “Honey, maybe they are just coming to town for some kind of a parade or something. You know, every once in a while, the government likes to remind us of how it is still on top of everything.” Her dad shrugged, “Maybe you are right. There is nothing out here but farms. All the massive mining is hundreds of miles away. And that goes for the other natural resources as well, that they drill for.” Stella shocked her parents by saying. “You ever think that maybe the native Tral-Gothican’s should be allowed to profit from the immense wealth that we generate from their planet?” Her mother and father stopped what they were doing and studied their daughter for a moment. “Honey, we are as liberal as the next family. But the natives of this world, while not exactly stupid, don’t have the mental capacity to fully understand the complexity of who we are and where we came from.” “Mom, Dad, that sounds prejudice.” Stella retorted. “I know it sounds harsh, sweetie, but it is the truth. They thought we were some kind of gods, when the first colonist arrived about a hundred years ago. We tried to teach them our ways, but they were never able to adapt to our way of life. So, it is better for them and us, that the two species don’t mix.” Stella said, “I know what we’ve been taught. But, seriously, there has to be some other way. I mean, they didn’t do anything, they were here first. Crimes against humanity...” “That is the whole point, dear. They are not human. They are more animal than intelligent being. Genetic testing has confirmed. They are about three fourths as good as us.” Stella’s mother said. Her dad spoke. “No, I think it is more like two thirds, hon.” And with that they walked on a little closer to the military spectacle passing on down the road. Stella pulled her long pretty wavy red hair back. Tied it and then, started on back. As she walked down the path, she came across Patty, who was also watching the spectacle. Patty questioned. “Trouble, Stella?” Stella stopped and studied the robot. Now if Patty had enough sense to wonder what was going on, and she was just an appliance, how much more intelligence did the native Tral-Gothicans possess? THE HAND THAT FEEDS “Never question what is wrong, you already know what is wrong, question rather, what is right.” Catherine Xio It was a nice drive into town. If one chose to use an aircar, you could be there in no time. But aircars were very expensive and a good old truck got you there in a reasonable period of time. Stella took the family truck into town where she was suppose to meet her boy friend Simon. He’d been there for a few days taking care of business. Most of the farmers grew two types of crops, one that could feed and one that produced cash. Even on the farm where Stella and her parents lived, the same was true. The drive would take her through several small patches, where there were mom and pop stores, nothing really fancy, just practical. Like the people who lived in the farming sector. The land had been partitioned off into purposes. There was a section for farming and a section for cattle and livestock, orchards and vineyards. Just depended on who you were and what you were good at doing. That was how it all started, but over the decades, children were born and after awhile, things were just the way that they were. Stella’s dog, Bark, came along for the ride, he liked to travel when ever someone would let him. Bark stuck his head out of the window, on the passenger’s side of the truck. Stella had loud music playing and she would try and sing along whenever she felt the need. She wasn’t a good singer, but she could hold a tune when she had to. Most of the time her singing was kept to singing at church. But, there was the occasional fair and other opportunities that presented itself. She wasn’t fooling herself, she knew that there was only so many ways to get out of the rut that most young people found themselves in, back on the farm. You hear about all sorts of things that go on in the city, then you look at your life in contrast, watching things grow very slow, it was like time almost stood still. She passed by a small outdoor store that was selling fresh fruit, supposedly from the farm that sat way back down a small road. She and Bark got out of the truck and went over to the two kids that were sitting comfortably under the shade of the stand. “What kind of fruit do you have?” asked Stella, picking up something that looked like an apple, but wasn’t. The teenage girl answered, “Most of the fruit comes from our farm. Here try this, it’s something that my paw and maw developed.” Developed was the key word in what the teenager said. Even though they were miles away from real civilization, science was deeply ingrained in everything that people did on Tral-Gothica, even when it appeared to be backwards and ignorant, which for the most part, happened all the time. It wasn’t that the people were backwards or ignorant, for the most part traveling from Earth to a distant star took all sorts of technology. But, over the course of time, after settling in, people began to form clans and develop notions and ideas. It wasn’t long until a small copy of Earth’s prejudices and morality, or lack thereof began to dominate and dictate who they were. The teenaged boy, who was remarkably ordinary studied Stella, then uttered, “You are pretty.” Stella and presumably his sister bother fixed their eyes on him. “Thanks for the fruit.” Stella turned to the girl, flatly ignoring the boy. As Stella and Bark went back to the truck, she could hear his sister scolding him, as to how to properly treat customers. After all, it wasn’t like there were a whole flock of people traveling down the single lonely road. After having left in the morning, Stella and Bark arrived in town by evening. The truck ran on hydrogen, which was stored in a perfect form, water. Because water was the natural way to store hydrogen, the truck’s engine was designed to take the water, run a small electrical current through it, which would dislodge the oxygen from the hydrogen, send it into the combustion chambers, where the hydrogen and oxygen were reintroduced, and finally, converted back into water. In a semi-closed system like that, one could technically go forever, without ever needing to stop, to refill, and if you did, it was water. That magical element that could be used to save lives, and power cars and other craft. For just decades the super-corps went around buying up patents that had anything to do with water powered vehicles, after all, what good was a clean, green-friendly method of transportation, that didn’t require that you visit the pump to refuel? There was no money in it, the public couldn’t be held hostage to Central Oil and Public Co., all mega oil companies that owned the rights to every oil and gas discovery on Earth. The problem began when those patents all began to expire and their patent attorney’s were severely hampered by the Trilberg-Aven decision, which in effect said that oil companies couldn’t oppress progress for gain. That opened up a floodgate of lawsuits, where small companies and inventors, began to sue and win in court, decisions that would allow fair competition. If you could make a product that didn’t destroy the planet, and got the job done equally and in most cases, better, then, you were free to explore the market. And because the same applied to the oil companies which in turn, owned the big pharmacy companies, cures that were before touted as being impossible to find, suddenly emerged, some being a century old in its discovery. Rich people had sat on cures for cancer, Aids, cerebral palsy, Alzheimer’s, you name it, even the common cold. Why? Why was this going on? Because a few super rich families managed to create an aristocracy. Thy believed that their wealth and survival, was more important than the well being of the planet. And even when the first colonizations began to take place, the Moon, Mars, and other places within the solar system, which eventually led to the technology to colonize on other worlds beyond Earth’s solar system, the greed and immorality of oppression prevailed. The government simply didn’t really exist anymore, if it ever did. Wealthy people began to leave their wealth to their clones instead of their children, to which it might have been debatable if that would have made any difference, because each child that inherited rarely did anything to make it better. But with the ability to will your entire wealth and legacy to yourself, well, there went any kind of illusion that human society hadn’t reached a point of decay and depravation. The old adage, “Fuck the poor”, really rung true. Things seemed to work for them, until, intelligent life was found on most of the so called inhabitable planets. And the very wealthy wanted to get as far away from Earth as they could, having turned it into something, less that the jewel it once was. The water was polluted beyond repair. The air was corrupted beyond repair. The ground was polluted beyond repair. And like rats abandoning the ship before it sank, so were the super wealthy. However, on distant worlds, you need people, populations, the natives don’t want you there, killing and polluting, corrupting. We didn’t belong there, we had managed to destroy our once beautiful world, and now, we were doing the same to everyone else’s. Stella found Simon in a pub doing backdoor deals. He was very skilled at the art of selling and buying. When he saw her he motioned her over with a smile on his face. “Hey, babe, when did you get into town?” he asked, while some of the people he was with, made room. “Just got in about an hour ago.” She uttered and kissed him. “Good. Well, let me finish up here. A couple of the people here are off world, they want to buy some of my crop for medical uses.” “Why don’t they just grow it on their own world?” “Not every planet’s ecology is suited for optimal production. Tral-Gothica just happens to grow some of the best industrial and medal grade hemp. Some of their stuff just doesn’t have the same properties of mine.” It was true, one of the big problems was that the soil on a lot of planets that were now inhabited with colonies from Earth, wasn’t exactly compatible with the planet life on Earth. The discovery that Earth had planet specific traits, that allowed plant-life to flourish, didn’t translate too well on other worlds, where their was already a complex ecosystem. Soil composition, air, weather, climate, some plants did well, most could not make the adjustment, while others went through all sorts of strange and harmful mutations. Take the lowly carrot for example. On Earth, it was a nutritious vegetable. On some other planet, it mutated to the point, that one bite was so poisonous it could kill a man almost instantly. Colonization was far more complicated than what might have been imagined, or scientifically anticipated. Each world had its own set of rules, its own origins. You go to that world, you have to learn to play with that world’s rules. And that is what made Tral-Gothica such a wonderful place for mankind to naturally settle. For while it did have its own indigenous population, for which humans oppressed and in some cases, enslaved, having not learned anything from Earth’s past history about what happens when you enslave and oppress, conduct genocide; the very rich only caring about the bottom line. It was the history of making money that only mattered to them, and, they’d crush you or anyone else that got in their way. But, people had a way of surviving and fate had a way of foiling the mighty and the powerful. It turned out that those planets that had sizable populations of humans, ranging in the millions, did better than those whose population, for whatever reason, never grew beyond the thousands. So, as much as they didn’t want to do it, super-corps needed the little guy, in order to further their agenda of stellar conquest. After Simon was finished with business, they went to someplace quiet and had a nice little romantic dinner. Then they went to his hotel room, where they settled in for the night. Simon and Stella began to make out almost from the moment they had privacy. They slowly and sensuously removed each other’s clothes, tossing them wherever, and they fell on the bed. Simon was very handsome and rugged looking. He didn’t look like a model, he looked like the kind of guy that Stella liked, strong features, toned body, a type of seductive musk about him. Simon kissed Stella slowly as he moved down towards her voluptuous breasts, kissing them and sucking her tits. She shifted and moaned as he touched her. She ran her hands in his thick locks, pulling him back up so she could kiss him, then pushing him back down to the pleasure. She could feel his teeth as they lovingly pinched her nipples, her nipples was so puffed up from arousal. His seriously hard cock was involuntarily rubbing against her body. Oh, she could feel his inches as they grew. He made love to her breasts for awhile then slowly moved on down to her pussy. Oh, yes, that was what she wanted, as she felt his tongue slowly enter into her hole. Oh, yes, he began to lap her cunt like a dog laps water, licking up her wet pussy juices. She was hot now, breathing heavy, as she held his face to her cunt, letting her strong legs coral him there. Fuck me! Her thoughts raced. Simon began to alternated from his skilled tongue to his rough manly fingers, sticking them in her body, rolling then around inside of her. Then, he rolled her over on her stomach, she stuck her butt up slightly, as he cracked open her butt cheeks and began to lick her tight wanting asshole. Oh, that’s it, baby. Her mind raced with pleasure and passion. She felt his tongue entering her butt hole, darting in and out, oh, the tension and passion of the feelings. Then she lifted herself up, her butt sticking up even more, as she positioned some pillows under her pelvis. “Take it, babe!” The words slipped out of her breathless mouth. And he did, as she felt his big juicy cock. That thick throbbing wand of pleasure, as it entered into her asshole. Oh, damn! It was so good! Every inch of dick finding it’s way up her butt. But, he didn’t stop there, he began to rock in and out, roll it around in her body, exploring her insides. That led to a serious anal pounding, as his balls slapped against her pussy and his dick, drilled her asshole. Then, she rolled over and he cracked open her legs and pushed them all the way to her shoulders, exposing her wet dripping pussy. He began to lick it some more, slurping up her cunt juice. She violently shifted around, not able to stand it anymore, and took command of his cock, that wonderful cock of his, and she began to suck and roll and gnaw on it, like the love bone that it was. His cock swollen in her mouth, throbbing and erecting, it was alive with little gestures and pleasure in her throat. Mmmm, how she liked to suck dick. Her tongue teased his dick head. Swirling around his cock head, then she would violently force as much of his dick into her mouth as she could. Simon always had a rather meaty dick, a nice ten inches of pleasure, hung nicely, she always considered it to be a pretty dick. Some men might has a big dick, but it wasn’t pretty. Simon’s cock was beautiful and she sucked it so hard, rolling and slurping and licking that thing, trying to tame that which refused to be tame. She could feel him tense up, he was almost there, but she selfishly want him in her pussy. So, she backed off, and positioned herself, as he shifted on top of her, with her legs cracked wide open, he held each one, as his cock entered into her pussy hole, with command and importance. “Take it, babe! Violate the hell out of it!” she commanded him. And he began to bang the fuck out of her. Going in and out, dick flying inside of her, giving her such wanton pleasure. And then, just when she thought she couldn’t stand it anymore, he switched to her exposed asshole, and began to finish it off. Oh, the sheer size of his dick and the massive length, it fitted just right inside of her asshole. Then, he began to shake and utter, as he began a long series of cum. It was so intense, that he spread her legs out to the point that she was doing a v-shaped split, his cock stuck firmly inside of her wanton asshole. She took hold of his face and looked him in the eyes as her own cum sequence began. She held his face so hard that it began to turn colors. And then, with one found swoop, they both came and collapsed in ecstasy. They just lay there, two young people, breathing heavy and sweat covering their bodies. At one point, she licked her lips and tasted her own shit, from his dick, she took a little on her finger and inserted it into his mouth and sealed it with a long wet kiss. “Taste like chocolate...” she uttered while trying to catch her breath. After a long time, and a little post-play, they took a shower. Cleaned up nicely, kissed one another and spooned, as they went to bed. It was a nice evening. Romantic dinner. Hot nasty sex, which was how she liked it. Simon had been trained by her, because when they first made love, when they were much younger, just teenagers, he had all sorts of hangups on how it should be done. She on the other hand, had needs, she wanted pleasure, having explored those parts of her body that demanded attention. So, they slept and Stella dreamed. She dreamed that she was standing on the glen, and someone was busy eating her out down there. She had a golden plate in her hand, and when the passion reached a certain point, she put the plate behind her, under her butt hole and began to shit onto the plate. After she pooped, she raised the plate up and began to eat her own shit. The man who was eating her out, she couldn’t quite make out who he was, but he spoke in a strange language that she could not understand. This went on for awhile and then she woke up. She looked around the darkroom, Simon was sleeping next to her. She kissed his lips and kissed his now very relaxed penis, and rolled over and went back to sleep. Then, she had a second dream. A man was busy sucking her breasts ever so wonderfully. In her hand was a golden plate. She placed the plate under her butt hole and pooped onto it. Then, she took the plate full of poop and began to eat it again. Her poop tasted very sweet to her, but again, she liked the taste of poop, specially her own. This time, she awoke, and behold, it was just a dream. So, she shifted her position and fell asleep again. And this time, she dreamed that a man was talking to her in a language that she clearly did not understand. And again, she had a golden plate. She placed the plate under her asshole, and began to take a serious shit, onto the plate. She brought the plate up and this time, the man wanted to share with her, but she was selfish, and would not share her nice moist shit with him. It was all hers and she stood there, eating her bowel movement in front of him. When she awoke this time, it was morning. Simon had already gotten up and had left her a sweet and loving note. He had further business to deal with. She got dressed and left the hotel and went to her aunt Jenny’s house, which was situated at the end of town, just on your way out, back to Stella’s parents farm. Aunt Jenny was younger than Stella’s parents. And while Stella’s parents were obviously neo-hippies, Jenny was just the opposite. They hadn’t seen one another in awhile and her aunt was very happy to see her and they enjoyed the visit. They talked, the kind of talk that is reserved for face to face, not the kind that often happens over the call-all. There was something more personal about spending real time with someone, specially someone that you loved. And Stella loved her aunt Jenny. Jenny was raised differently from Stella’s parents, she was raised in the city, and it was only when Stella’s grandmother died that Jenny came to live in the farming sector. There was no secret that Jenny would much rather return to the city but in her grandmother’s will, a family member had to actually live in the wonderful pseudo-Victorian home. Often, buildings and houses were fashioned off of period’s from Earth. It was a way of helping to adjust to the sometimes obvious fact that people didn’t actually belong on Tral-Gothica. And no matter how much humans took over the planet, often like an infestation. The planet would rebel, as if, because the original people, the natives, could not. Maybe it was a way of the universe fighting back? Jenny, unlike Stella’s parents, didn’t like the way that humans treated the natives. She tried time and again to tell Stella about the oppression and depravity of the colonization programs. Not just there on Tral-Gothica, but elsewhere as well. But, this time as Jenny was doing her usual thing, the two women were having coffee and cakes. Stella surprised her. “Tell me more about how the colonist mistreat the natives?” Stella looked up. Jenny was taken aback. “Really?” “Yes.” “I don’t understand? What has brought this sudden change?” “I don’t know, Aunt Jenny. I guess I’ve been listening to the radio, to all the protest planned. I was actually planning on attending one. You know, to see what all the fuss was really about?” Stella expounded. Jenny smiled. “I can do you one better.” “What? I don’t understand?” “There is a big event taking place in the city. Do you want to come?” For some reason, Stella became all excited at the prospect. “Oh, I’d love to. But won’t that sort of thing be dangerous? I mean, there are smaller protest...” “Ah. But the ones in the city are the ones that really matter. That is where the eyes and ears of the world will be focused on.” Jenny sipped her coffee, like the sly old fox that she was, she could see that a seismic shift had happened in Stella’s thinking. For whatever the reason, Stella was now ready to question the authority that put everyone there, on Tral-Gothica. DIVIDE AND CONQUER “You speak in tongues and write in riddles, you sly old dragon, from Kwani Quittle.” Ploaskus The big city was more than what a country girl like Stella had ever seen, except in pictures and on the call-all. Aunt Jenny had promised Stella’s parents that she would take special care of their only child. The trip took a few hours by air-rail, which was an airtrain traveling along a transport laser track. Once they arrived Jenny quickly made calls and arrangements. Jenny had a flat on the upper eastside, it was there that Stella and Jenny were to stay. The door robot carried in their things and set them where they wanted them. After that, Stella flopped onto a plush sofa and gazed out onto the amazing view. The contrast from what she was used to was like the difference in night and day. How backwards things seemed to her now, living on that farm, doing those chores, some by hand. And while she loved the family domestic robot Patty, the robots she was seeing in the city, were the most advanced domestic robots that people used to serve them, made poor Patty look like a pile of scrap. “Aunt Jenny, this is so wonderful.” she told her. Jenny smiled, “The city can be a wonderful place, Stella. But, it can also be a very dangerous place. I want you to promise me that you will be careful.” Stella nodded, but, Jenny knew that Stella wasn’t used to the more sophisticated ways of city dwellers. The two-sidedness of its population, how lacking in decent feelings the average person could be. Stella said, “I’ll be careful. And I want to thank you again, for letting me come to live with you. I won’t let you down.” Jenny sat across from her niece, “Baby, I’m not worried about you letting me down. I’m worried about me letting you down.” And with that, Jenny kissed her on the forehead and after giving the domestic robot instructions as to how she was to treat Stella, she left. Stella spent the rest of the day watching the call-all, a much larger version than the small ones that people used. Finally, Stella turned to the domestic robot whose name was Fifi. “I want to see the city.” Stella said. Fifi answered. “There are many ways to see the city, Miss Stella.” “Don’t call me Miss Stella. Just call me Stella.” “Yes, Miss Stella.” “Didn’t I just...never mind, forget it. I think I need to go shopping.” “Miss Jenny has provided you with an account. Where would you like to go?” “I don’t really know. They all look so amazing. Where does my aunt go shopping?” “Your aunt enjoys many places, but she has a passion for Izods.” “Hmm? Let’s go there, I need a few things so I won’t look so backwards.” There was a real cultural clash between rural and urban Tral-Gothica. The two, headed on out and Stella managed to find a few things that looked good on her. After that minor transformation, Stella became interested in seeing what a city night club was like. Fifi didn’t want to take her to any, something about having received specific instructions from Jenny. Stella said, “Aunt Jenny isn’t here! It is you and me, the night life, the excitement.” Fifi uttered, “Miss Stella, you don’t know your way around the city. It can be fun, if you are used to it, it can be very dangerous, if you are not. And you are not...” “If you don’t want to go with me then just go back home. I’m fine. I can find my way back to Aunt Jenny’s.” “I can’t do that. I have orders to watch over you. To keep you out of harm’s way.” Stella approached the robot. “Well, I order you to go back to Aunt Jenny’s apartment. I’ll be fine.” The robot stood there for a long moment, as if it were trying to resolve the conflict it was now presented with. It knew that Jenny’s commands were paramount, however, Stella’s orders were more immediate. Fifi struggled to figure out how to carry out both of them at the same time. Orders that she had to obey, but conflicted to the point, then finally, Fifi resorted to default. The robot simply walked away out of Stella’s sight. And with that, Stella was glad, after all, she was not a little girl, she was a young woman. Capable of making her own decisions. She caught an aircab and asked to be taken to the nearest and best nightclub. She ended up a Garrio’s, one of the hottest upscale clubs in the upper eastside. Once she went through all the bullshit to get inside, the ambiance was striking. The music pounded, the press of the people was something that Stella had never experienced. She managed to find a spot at the bar. “What will you have?” came a rather flamboyant robot bartender. She studied the machine for a moment, the said, “I’ll take something really light. Not too strong.” “Like what?” the machine stared at her. “I’m not sure...” she responded. Just then, a tall and extremely handsome man cut in, “She’ll take what I’m having.” The robot acknowledged the order and started on it. The young man fixed his eyes on her confidently and said, “I’m Markus...” Stella didn’t say anything for a moment, then responded. “Oh, I’m sorry, I’m Stella.” “Nice to meet you Stella.” “Thanks.” “You are new here?” “Er. Yes. How did you...” “Know? You just seemed a little out of place. Most of the people who go here, already know what they are going to order when they sit at the bar. You seemed shocked when the bartender asked you what you wanted.” He smiled at her. He was very good looking and Stella found herself being extremely attracted to him. Gosh, he smelled so good too. “So, you want to find a table?” Markus asked her, as he grabbed her finished drink. “Er. Sure. Sure, I’ll just follow you.” They moved through the press and eventually after a few confusing moments, she saw Markus as he sat down. She followed him and joined him. He placed the drink in front of her and she took a sip, basically trying to fit in. The darkness contrasted with the lights and the loud sounds, the music that she had rarely ever heard. The whole thing was somewhat overwhelming. “So, let me guess, first time in a club?” “Yes. I don’t usually do this sort of thing.” “What thing is that?” “You know, this...” “Oh? Where you from?” Stella just responded. “I’m rural.” He acted like he didn’t need to know anymore than that. “Dance?” Stella looked out at the couples on the floor. She had no idea what type of dancing they were doing. She watched, some were moving in strange ways, others were engaged in extreme gestures and postures. Finally she said, “Yes.” They moved out onto the dance floor, the excitement and the press made her heart pound. She watched him as he began to move to the very loud music, lights flashing, things swirling. She began to try and mimic his gestures and then she began to mimic other people’s gestures, and at some point, she found herself dancing. This went on for awhile, the pace driving her to explore movements that she had never done. He was so interesting, his eyes so fixating. Markus was everything that Simon wasn’t. Simon was fine, she loved Simon. But, Marcus was spontaneous, tall dark and oh so handsome. He held her close, she could feel his body as they moved to every note of music playing, it seemed. They danced together so well, it was like he could anticipate her every step, her every gesture. Finally, he took hold of her hand and led her back to their tiny table. She was almost out of breadth, while he seemed so in control. She was thirsty, she finished off her drink and would have asked for another one... Markus leaned forwards her. “You want to get out of here?” That came as a shock to her. She was enjoying being there, but she looked at him, smiling in such a charming way. “Er. Sure, where are we going?” “A friend’s place. There is a really nice party going on right now.” Stella was so caught up in everything, she didn’t even ask herself the question, if there was this great party going on, then, why wasn’t he there, instead of here? Maybe it was the drink, it tasted very good, fruity, but it must have packed quite a punch, because she was starting to feel something. Her head was ever so light and the loud music and flashing of lights and color. He took hold of her hand and guided her out of the press, through the faces and smells and loud music. Finally, she found herself in an aircab headed towards the end of the city, towards the suburbs. Or, so she thought. She was just a little winded, perhaps from the dancing, after all, she’d never danced like that before. So, she rested her head on his strong shoulders. Stella found herself butt naked and in a room moderately filled with other people who were also totally naked. Some of them were talking and drinking while others were engaged in various levels of sexual activity. She didn’t remember how she got there as she sat up on the sofa. Where are my clothes? Why does my pussy feel so warm and wet? Thoughts rushed through her head. Off to one side, she saw a tall man slowly walk by some women, his cock was so long it almost reach the floor. She reacted with shock. She’d never seen a cock that long on a human being. The women around him, where he strolled, from one room to another, would reach over and kiss his dick, which hung so proudly aa he strolled. Then out came Markus, equally naked and went over to her. “I was wondering when you were going to wake up, babe.” He extended his and she wilfully took hold of it. They went into the room that he had just come out and inside was a nice round bed. The bed dominated the room with the lights turned down super low. The window curtains were turned back so the view of the heights could be seen. All those city lights that Stella only read about in magazines. They got onto the bed. It was surprisingly firm to her. It was at that point that she felt Markus’ enormous dick rub up against her thigh. She looked down and was taken aback at the sight hung down there. Markus’s dick was a good 13.5 inches long and had to be almost three inches in diameter. Oh my goodness! She thought as he began to kiss her lips. She could feel the mere weight of his cock as he rested his body weight on top of hers. They kissed, their tongues rolling inside of each other’s mouths. Then he went down to her boobs and began to suck them ever so wonderfully. Her hand meandered down to his dick and touched it. It was as if she wanted to make sure she wasn’t imagining that thing. He realized that she wanted it so he laid on his back and settled in. She kissed him all the way down to his cock. The wonderful musk smell of his dick region made her head spin and she began to get even wetter in her pussy. She told herself that she would play it cool and that she would be rewarded with all that dick, though, how was she suppose to fix that much cock inside of her pussy? Ah...her wanton asshole could take it she was sure. But, for the moment, she just moved about the area kissing and licking, then she began the journey that she was seriously drawn to, his massive penis. She took some of it in her hands, oh wow, that thing was so thick and weighty. She began to kiss the shaft of his cock, moving down slowly, licking her was to the excitement, his dick head. Markus’ cock was wonderful and proud as her mouth finally reached the head. There was a slight sexual twitch as her wet mouth went around his dick head, completely covering it with her love. Oh no! She thought, his cock head alone was filling up her mouth, what was she going to do? She so much wanted as much cock in her mouth at one time as she could handle. But, Markus’ cock was so powerfully large, that it was going to prove to be a challenge. So she began to suck his dick the best way that she could. She sucked and slurped his cock, occasionally going for air all the while kissing the big thing. Oh, and how tasty was this man’s dick. Oh, Markus, she thought. Each man’s dick tastes a little bit different. If she were blind folded, she could suck cock and just by the taste alone, tell who’s cock it was. And she knew that she was never going to forget Markus’ big juicy pipe of joy. She rolled as much dick as she could in her mouth. Sucking and slurping that thing like a wild woman. Her orange-red hair draping over the area. At some point, he began to moan. And that was when she knew it was time for her to try and ride that thing. She shifted around and straddled his cock, taking her hands and slowly guiding this enormous dick inside of her wet and wanting pussy. Oh my goodness! As it went in, as if it were not possible, he actually began to grow inside of her. Oh, his cock was already so huge, but now, it was firming up inside of her pussy. She then began to try and hurry, to get as much of him inside of her before it was too late and his dick expanded beyond her ability to take him. Stella began to rock and roll his cock inside of her body as best as she could. Still, vast amounts of cock was exposed and just wouldn’t fit inside her cunt, but she was determined to tame that thing, if she could just get enough of it in her. She fucked it hard and long, he was enjoying her feminine ways and her pussy manhandled his cock. But after a while, he was starting to expand even more. Oh my goodness, he was a good three inches wide when she first put him inside of her. She pulled off of him and turned around, sticking her beautiful butt up in the air. “Do what ever you want...” voiced Stella. She felt him shift around as she took a pillow and rested it under her thick red hair. She closed her eyes and readied herself for it. And sure enough, there it started. She felt his fucking huge dick head, as it slowly began its journey inside of her love hole, her hot wanton asshole opened up for this man, and denied him nothing. One inch, with his girth, she was already feeling it, what about the other twelve inches? And the parade continued on, each inch posing its own special challenge. However, unlike her pussy which could only handle so much, she finally felt his balls slap up against her pussy. There he rested for a moment, as if it had been work for him too. “Fuck me!” Stella commanded him. And with that, Markus aimed to please. He slowly began to move on her, his colossus moving in and around, of her seriously stretched wide asshole. But, she was taking it, all of it, in fact. That thick juicy cock just telling her butt hole what to do and who was boss. He was! And she knew it as a few tears of joy began to run down her face because of the sheer joy and pleasure he was willing to share with her. Oh, thank you, Markus! She thought, as his cock began to build up stream and roll around in her ass. She felt her anal muscles stretching and relaxing, they had to in order for her to take him all in and keep that perfect cock there. That is it, you found a new home! She thought. Yes, his dick was now moving at a nice rhythm, in and out and out and in, rolling and twisting. Teaching and re-educating her asshole. Then came the moment when he was full blown fucking her asshole. That dick of his was not playing around. It knew what it had to do and it was doing it ever so well. All that man’s cock just filled Stella was ecstasy. Oh yes! Her thoughts raceed as this man that she barely knew, was making love to her as if her ass had belonged to him forever. And in fact, she had managed to relax and let her ass muscles stretch to the point that forever felt wonderful. Stay! She thought to herself. Never leave my warm ass cave. And Markus was in complete control as he hammered and pounded her lovely butt. She could hear the slapping of their bodies as their skin slipped together, his balls striking her pussy in just the right way. Oh the sheer pleasure of this man’s penis in her body was making her feel like a new woman. Whatever shit she had up her butt was being punished. His dick was pulverizing her poop and training her butt as to who was the master. Yes, ass master! She thought. Finally they found themselves moaning and groaning with each thrust of the cock. Then, she began to shake and he let out a groan, his cum was gushing down that long 13.5 inch cock, right inside of her body, where she wanted it. “Oh, yes, Markus! I love how you make me feel!” She just blurted out as they both tensed up, she grabbing whatever part of his body she could find. Him rising up on her asshole, is if to fire the final gun of cum, and he did. But, at that moment, his cock grew even bigger and she suddenly felt is if she was going to crack wide open. She buried her face in the pillow and just yelled at the top of her voice. Then it was over, and he began the long journey, of pulling his love snake out of her asshole. He rolled over breathing very hard. She just remained in the same position. Her butt cocked up in the air, her asshole now gaped open a good four inches diameter. Stella couldn’t believe it, Markus’ cock actually widened as he was shooting his cum. She finally moved one of her legs a bit. She could feel air drifting inside of her asshole, the damn thing wouldn’t or couldn’t close. What was she to do? Markus had wrecked her rectum! Oh, you bad boy, you certainly taught me a lesson! She found herself thinking. Finally she rolled onto her said, trying to give her butt hole some comfort. Then, cum and feces began to flow out of her ass. She wanted to stop it but her asshole was no longer under her control. She wondered if she would ever be able to make sweet noise again, when she would fart? As more shit found its way out of her asshole, mixed with a really large amount of cum, she realized, would she ever be able to just walk, without having her bowels just drop right out of her? Her butt hole had been permanently altered. Oh, she was sure, that in time, some of her ass tone would come back, but there was a fair amount of it that was just gone. She reached up and kissed him on the lips. They smiled at each other. She moved down, and began the good part, licking the remaining cum and feces from off his penis. Yum! She thought to herself. This was her reward for allowing him to mount her and her taking in all of this man’s dick. She got to lick and slurp and suck until there was not one trace of shit on his dick. He laid back, enjoying the post-suck, and finally fell asleep. She got up and went out into the main room, there were still various people engaged in various acts of sex, all about. She noticed that she was going to have a problem because her asshole was still stretched to the max. Feces was still running out of her but and down her leg. At that moment, as he headed for the bathroom, a woman came over to her, kissed her and then went in back of her and began to crack her butt cheeks open and lick and slurp her asshole. Stella braced herself by the window, holding onto the seal. The woman was very good at eating ass and licked until there was no more shit flowing down, out of Stella’s asshole. Then the woman stood up, took hold of Stella and kissed her. Her mouth and breath tasting and smelling like fresh shit. The woman finally opened her eyes and stared into Stella’s. She kissed Stella’s enormous breasts and then just went on to someone else. THE WITCH’S WAY “Comfort and fun are for those who do not sleep.” The Talisman’s Voodoo The days that went by were fairly uneventful. That was actually very good, because Stella needed time for her asshole to gain it’s composure. Aunt Jenny noticed that her niece was walking kind of funny, but decided not to inquire seeing that Stella never said anything about it and Fifi never mentioned anything unusual. Finally, Jenny took Stella to one of the closed meetings. The Take Charge Movement, which was what they were calling it in the city, had to meet in secret. While it was a democratic society on paper, Tral-Gothica had Global laws against certain acts of insurrection, and at any time, demonstrating in large numbers could be twisted in meaning that the crowd was trying to overthrow the government. Nothing could have been further from the truth, Jenny assured Stella. And they went. The place was located in the back alley’s of the city. They all kept secret where the meeting would be, by letting members know at the very last moment. Thus, severely cutting down on the amount of time the feds had to organize and attack them. It was late at night when they all got together. Different groups of people had different tasks to perform. All the while, there was a center theme and guest speakers, talking to them while they all worked. Stella was assigned to the communications group. It was their job to get the word out to the other members and to generate excitement about what The Take Charge Movement was all about. They were constantly getting new members and sadly, they were also losing members. This was the subject at the meeting and keynote speakers talked about it. John was one of the speakers and also the team leader for communications, in that particular group. After he gave his speech he joined Stella and the group he was in charge of. “Do you really think that the people that are going missing are being taken by the government?” Stella questioned. John was a short man, friendly looking and strong manly featured. He spoke, “Yeah. In fact, we do have some evidence to suggest that. But, it is very hard to prove it. If the feds want you gone, then, they have all sorts of ways to do that.” “Then we are all subject to the same treatment?” “I don’t know about that, Stella. So far, the people that have gone missing have been kind of high up. You know, the ones that plan and make strategies.” “Do you think some of them will talk?” John took a seat next to her and helped her with her project. “I sure hope not. But, the government uses torture. So, anything is possible.” “Oh my goodness. Are you serious?” “I’m afraid it is true. You see, our protest organization seek to threaten the super-corps. They see us as interrupting their business model. They get richer and gain even more influence and control. What do you think about our government that is run solely by big business?” “I don’t know.” “Fascism. The people no longer have a say in how their lives are run. Corporations tell the politicians what to do and what to say and what to vote on and how to vote. The illusion of democracy is just that, an illusion.” “John. We all have a right and a duty to vote. In fact, it is mandatory. Once every ten years we all get to vote on everything.” John laughed slightly. “Stella, if it is mandatory that everyone vote, against the law not to vote, then, it is not freedom!” “I don’t understand? If we all can vote, then we are free...” “No you are not! If you vote and nothing changes after you vote, then it is an exercise in futility! The super-corps are just using the deeply ingrained notion that voting equals freedom and democracy. Maybe centuries ago, it did, when each person’s vote mattered. But the big business’ figured out a way to give the masses the illusion of freedom, all the while, controlling those things that really matter.” “I just can’t understand you.” “Okay, voting here on Tral-Gothica, is like getting to pick the curtains, while having someone else tell you where you have to live.” John looked at her for a long moment. “We have freedom to pick and choose, but, not the things that matter!” John smiled. “Now you get it. Jenny said that her niece was smart. Glad to have you onboard, Stella.” After working on her project for awhile, Stella found Jenny. “This is exciting, Aunt Jenny.” Jenny smiled, “You just wait until we all join the other groups and we take to the streets in peaceful protest.” “But, aren’t you afraid of the police and the government, destroying the protest?” Stella said. “You have to be brave, Stella. If you believe in the things that we stand for. True freedom. One vote, one person, not the electoral facade that the super-corps’ use in order to insure who gets elected.” “Why do they use that?” “Because there are more middle class and poor people, than there are rich. Yet, in order for the rich to hang onto power, they have to have a system of government, that favors the rich and the wealthy. So, no matter how you vote, at the end of the day, the super-corps can twist and distort the results to favor whomever they want.” Jenny explained to her niece. “Then we don’t have a true democracy.” “Oh, we have a democracy alright. It just doesn’t have any effect. We can vote and pick and campaign all we want. At the end of the day, the super-corps will make the final decisions for all of our lives.” “Then we will just tell everybody what is really going on.” Stella blurted out naively. “My dear girl, you try and take these people on by yourself, and, well, you end up missing!” “That is not the society that we learn about in school.” Jenny nodded. “No. It isn’t. They feed us a bunch of bullshit, tell us that we are free, all the while, they are the ones who are really free. The super-corps. When people went out to colonize the planets in different stars systems, they traded their freedom.” Just then, John came running to them, a serious expression on his face. “We gotta go now!” Jenny reacted. “Why? What is wrong?” “It is a raid! Someone has set us up. The police and the feds know where we are and they are going to be attacking our spot in a minute now!” John took Jenny by the hand and started to guide her away. Stella followed. Then, unexpectedly, Jenny broke away. “Go on ahead. I’ll catch up with you! I forgot some vital data. We can’t let the feds get hold of it!” Stella yelled. “Aunt Jenny!” But, John grabbed Stella’s hand and pulled here on. People were running and grabbing whatever they could. Then, as warned, the police and feds burst into the building. There were all sorts of police robots, grabbing people and doing all sorts of damage. John and Stella and a few other people all managed to evade the police robots. Once they were a distance away, they all stopped and looked back. The building was actually on fire and they could tell that some of their friends, were being beaten and some killed even. The small group of survivors, hid, watching in horror, as they could hear screams for help and cries for mercy, all of which went unheaded. The super-corps used police robots without, the clear presence of human supervision, that way, if word got out, they could say that it was some kind of malfunction, of the police robots. But, as Stella and John watched in horror, they all knew, that the super-corps were behind this. They held all the power players on the chessboard, the regular people, they were the pawns. Then Stella yelled, “Aunt Jenny!” Days went by with Stella and John and the others hold out in some poor area, in the underside part of the city. They’d get word every once in a while as to the fate of some of the others, but there was nothing about Stella’s aunt. One day Stella stood at an open window in a rundown abandoned factory that they were hold out in. She’d been expressing her sadness for the whole week. John came over to her and started to comfort her. He stood in back of her and began to rub her shoulders. Stella reacted passively to his gestures. He then began to slowly kiss the back of her neck and she began to relax and she moaned. This was just what Stella needed, a distraction from her worrying. John then began to massage the small of her back and moved on down to her butt. Her nice juicy buttocks that stuck out so profoundly. Stella was a very voluptuous woman, with curves to die for. She tossed her orange-red long hair as she felt his hands do magic on her hot ass. He then slowly began to feel her up in her crotch. She slowly slipped out of her shirt and shimmed out of her tight fitting pants. He took the cue and undressed as well. Then she returned to her original position, looking out the window. John went down and began to kiss and lick Stella’s buttock. Oh yes! She thought as she felt his amazingly long tongue find certain secret places on her butt and inside of the back of her crotch. That’s it lover, right there. Her mind began to wander. John opened up her sizable butt cheeks and exposed her juicy asshole. He began to lick her asshole as his tongue raced about the hole giving Stella pleasure. This made her stick out her butt all the more so that he could have full access to her wanton asshole, which quivered with every lick of John’s skilled tongue. He cracked open her two butt cheeks as wide as he could as he licked and slurped her asshole. She tensed up for just a moment and let out a cute little fart which told John that she was ready. He moved up and kissed her bare back, moving her hair out of the way. Then she felt his stiff pleasure as it entered her hungry asshole. Oh, yes! Yes! She thought as his dick slowly and skillfully entered inside of her ass. Her butt wiggled just a bit, so that his cock could have help entering her body. She grabbed hold of part of his dick, and encouraged it to go further inside her warm butt hole. Then, she braced herself, holding the window seals, then John’s cock found encouragement from her, and he slipped it all inside, letting his balls slap against her cunt. “Just fuck me, sweetheart!” Stella told him. And with that John had the full go ahead to make it happen. He grabbed hold of Stella’s small waist and began to move in and out, taking her asshole and teaching it what it should know. Stella moaned because of the wonderful pleasure John’s dick was giving her. He began to rock and roll his cock inside of her asshole and then he began to bang her butt really good. With each stroke she felt his love gun harden inside of her wanton ass cave. It was sheer pleasure as John’s stiffness found her secrets and her asshole responded with his reward. John skillfully moved his dick to all the right places, pounding her big juicy butt with every stroke. Nailing her tight ass with his pleasure tool. Stella wiggled with every stroke, responding to his profound dick, as it began to violently take control of her asshole. That’s it, teach this filthy bitch’s asshole a lesson! Stella thought, as she moaned with every slap and bump and grind. She held her head down and closed her eyes as he totally commanded her love hole, fucking the shit out of her ass. That’s it, right there, fuck it! Stella thought to herself, as John seemed to instinctively find every spot within her love cave and let her have it. His hot balls flapping up against her pussy, spanking her twat, and showing her who was in command. Her breathing began to mixed with pleasure and ecstasy. Time seemed to just melt away and there was only the ass teaching that this man was bringing to her. John’s cock pounded Stella’s butt hole, educating her ass as to how it should be. Oh, yes, right then, right there! Stella’s mind raced with the pleasure that John’s cock gave her. His dick moved one way, then it moved another. Her butt hole begged for more from the master of her asshole. Teach me the ways! Stella’s mind seemed to just turn off. All she could feel and all she could think about was how this man was controlling her wanton asshole. Oh, it was so juicy, John’s delicious cock, as he worked it’s magic and controlled Stella’s every desire. She pushed out her butt even more as her back arched under and he had a perfect grip, as to jump fuck her butt hole. And he did! His weight slammed against her butt cheeks, making a loud slapping noise as each thrust told the story, of pleasure and fulfillment. Oh, you have it, baby! Stella’s mind gave in. “Take my asshole, John!” Stella finally yelled, short of breath. John shifted just a bit, as to angle his dick ever so much. That one little shift, sent ripples of pleasure racing through Stella’s body, as she received and accepted his pleasure, that he so willfully gave to her. With each stroke, his pelvis spanked her hind-side. Oh, teach me, darling! Stella thought to herself. John, as if he could read her mind, did exactly that. He began to re-educate her wanton asshole, teaching it who was boss and how it was going to be, with each stroke, claiming the command. He pulled is dick out of her asshole, and she began to moan. “No, babe, stick it back in!” And back in it went. But, this time, with a force and a vengeance that left Stella weak in the knees. His weight fully distributed on her hindquarters, he super fucked her butt hole. This time, the strokes came at an amazing pace. One bang, forced her to cry out loud with pleasure. Another bang, made her moan with total satisfaction. Still another and another, they were coming so quickly that she could hardly keep her legs underneath of her. John then moved about, from one spot to another, aiming his love rod in just the right way as to bring out sensations that Stella hadn’t experienced before. Oh, you found it! Stella thought with pleasure racing about her mind. John’s sizable balls broke new records, as they banged against her cunt. Her cunt which was wet and dripping with pussy juice. Her pussy wanted some of that action, but she wanted John, to stay right where he was. She was in need of the sensations that John was giving her. He dicked her butt so good. It was like his cock was talking to her wanton asshole and they were telling each other what they both needed and wanted. She felt her ass muscles as they groped and took hold of John’s dick. She had such beautiful control of her butt hole, she could play catch and grab with John’s beautiful cock, as he entered her warm darkness that gave him pleasure as well. But, Stella shifted and wiggled just a little more, and that slight movement, increased the pleasure that they both we feeling, as he rode her butt like there was in a race to the finish line. Oh, but Stella did not want John reaching the finish line just yet. There were more regions of her internal asshole in which to explore. She rested her head on her shoulder and slightly opened her eyes, everything was blurry. She could feel all the heat and pleasure racing from her ass. This man was totally committed to make her naughty asshole his, and at that moment, she was willing to allow it. Her butt hole twisted and grabbed, as his cock flew inside her tunnel of love. She grabbed his dick with her ass muscles, as he pulled it back, only to repeat the motion again. She could feel the pleasure that his cock was giving her. John wanted Stella’s naughty butt hole to know who was inside of it and that this man, was not afraid to command respect. Stella’s asshole tried to resist his powerful thrusts, as he opened her butt hole up with every stroke. Her back arched down now even more, make her butt stick up and out as they began the final sexual ass dance. John sensed her willingness to let it all go and he just rocked her asshole with every slam and bump. Her ass banging was so profound that the noise of the slapping of the hot wet flesh made echoes in the empty area. It was just her and him and the cool air, drifting in through the open window. Then his cock found a new spot, just above her pussy, and it fucked her asshole even more. In and out and round and sideways, John’s dick commanded new respect out of Stella’s naught butt hole. Stella used one hand as she grabbed his body, as if to tell him, now! Now was the time for them to both drive it on home. With every strike her butt matched his rhythm. Finally both of them were rocking and rolling, her asshole wiggling about as his cock chased and found her hole each and every time. John moved about and anchored his legs, now with mighty thrusts, he challenged her asshole to take it. But, Stella wasn’t having any of that. Her butt hole opened wide and grabbed his dick. He cringed with pleasure. Then she began to bump his dick with her ample butt cheeks, she had been waiting for this moment. John’s cock was now swelling from the pleasure that Stella’s asshole gave him. She tightened down on his cock with her trained ass muscles. Now she had him. Oh, there you are! Stella thought. John tried to evade, but Stella’s butt hole knew what to do. She began to wiggle and hop her ass about, Trying a strangle hold on John’s dick. She squeezed his dick so hard with her butt as she left out a moan of ecstasy. While John’s cock was teaching her butt hole respect, it was her turn, to teach his dick, humbleness. She held tight on the window seal and let out a loud yell of sheer pleasure. As they both started down the home stretch. John banged her butt so hard that his balls seemed to flap and slap her cunt with each and every shift in weight. Then he nearly climbed on her, humping her butt hole so proudly. She had to nearly support his weight and hers. John humped her asshole so proudly and with such authority. Yes, darling. You own this bitch now! Stella thought, as she steaded herself, feeling this man inside of her, she knew that the end was coming. And it was, as John wrapped his arms around Stella’s waist and placed her his on her back. Now came the final rapid fire strokes that happened before an explosive cum. He finally let out a gut filled groan and she could feel his stuff explode inside of her wanton asshole. Her butt hole began to drink up each and every bit of cum that gushed from John’s cock. She tightened down on his dick with her strong ass muscles. She felt his kiss on her back. Then she released him, and allowed him to pull out, grabbing just once more to let him know, who was boss. SEEK THOSE THINGS “If I offer you pleasure, will you offer me delight?” The Tantric Chronicles Stella managed to get away and made her way back to her aunt’s upscale apartment. She hadn’t seen her Aunt Jenny in weeks. At first Stella was paranoid, because of the things that she had seen the authorities do to the would be protestors. Stella thought, if the government was willing to risk it and attack innocent people who had just gathered, what might they do to the protestors that actually managed to assemble and walk the streets in peaceful protest? After a few days a man and a woman came to the apartment. They were from the government. Agent Frost and Agent Payne, questioned her about her aunt’s whereabouts. Frost said, “How long has it been since you’ve seen your aunt?” Stella sat in a comfortable chair across from them. “Hmm. I last saw her maybe a few weeks ago. Why?” Payne uttered. “Nothing very serious. We were just wondering where we might be able to find her.” “What does the government want with my aunt? Is she in some kind of trouble?” Stella asked. “Well. There are a few things that we need to clear up with her.” Frost stated. “Like what?” Stella insisted. “What do you know about The Take Charge Movement?” came Payne. Stella didn’t bat an eye. “The what movement?” Frost said, “Of course you wouldn’t know anything about it. We just thought, that since you are the only one living here. You might have heard something.” “You think my aunt has something to do with this Take Charge Movement?” Stella voiced. Payne spoke. “Do you know what the people who are in that movement stand for?” “You have to forgive me. I’m just a simple country girl. Born and raised in the rural sections. All we ever do is farming and light herding, mostly try to grow and raise enough to feed the people of Tral-Gothica.” Stella acted really country. “Of course. We know that you have just arrived in the city. Your aunt is involved in a serious insurrection ring. They mount big protest against our government. They have no respect for the colonization. They side with the natives. The Native Tral-Gothicians.” said Frost. “Really! I just can’t believe it.” Stella exasperated. Frost rubbed his moustache. “You seem like a bright young woman. You wouldn’t even think about getting involved with something like that, would you?” Stella looked at Frost and Payne. “I wouldn’t even know how.” “Right then. You see, these people, they hate the government. We try to provide a good way of life for the entire people of Tral-Gothica. You know, food and medicine and work. Land, as in your case, living in the rural sections. All the government asked for in return, is loyalty.” Stated Payne. “I totally understand. Like, I’m a Tral-Gothician, born here, after the colony had settled in. I love this planet. It is my home. I’d do anything to protect it.” Stella expounded. Frost smiled. “Now that is the kind of talk that we like to hear. Specially from young people. You’d be surprised as to how many of the young like yourself, take for granted, the wonderful things that Tral-Gothica has to offer. I mean, we actually have closed the entering of new people. Immigration to Tral-Gothica has been closed for a long time now, because a lot of people wanted to come here, for our way of life.” “Well. We have to protect what is ours, don’t you think?” said Payne. Stella looked at the woman. “Well. Yes. And I do understand. Letting in too many people can cause all sorts of problems. People from other worlds, with their strange ways and ideas. They are not like us.” Frost smiled. “Exactly. You know, I was telling Agent Payne, that I just knew that you were a good egg! There was no reason to suspect that you’d had anything to do with these terrorist!” “Terrorist? Oh my goodness, no! I didn’t know that there were any kind of terrorist on Tral-Gothica.” Stella saw the seriousness of the charge. “Yes. Protesting against the government is considered an act of terrorism. The only legal gatherings are those for edification of the government’s plans.” said Payne. Stella cocked her head. “How might one get involved in serving Tral-Gothica?” At that, both Agents smiled. “You can become a member of the Pro-Tolerate Movement. It is a movement created by the government for the young people. Patriots! Those who understand that the super-corps are our friends. They allowed us all to come to this wonderful planet and to build a new and better life. Farming. Cattle. Mining. Drilling. All the rich and wonderful jobs that lead to a good strong Middle Class.” Stella said, “Yeah. Fuck the poor!” Frost clapped. “Exactly! The poor are lazy. They don’t want to work. They don’t want to contribute to society! They are like weeds that must be plucked out of the field. They are like disease that must be cut out of the body, in order to save the person! Here are the forms, just sign right there and you will be considered for the Pro-Tolerate Movement.” “There are all sorts of young people involved.” said Payne. “I’d like to meet new people, specially people my age. Who are involved in protecting our way of life.” Stella sounded off. “Yes. Of course you would! And we have sections that are dedicated to controlling the natives. To make sure that they stay in their place. After all, Tral-Gothica is our planet. We colonized here. We have the advanced technology, in order to exploit the planet’s natural resources. The stupid natives were sitting on trillions of gems worth of money, in the form of natural resources. They are a stupid folk. They don’t understand.” voiced Frost. “Yes. They don’t understand.” And with that. Stella joined the Pro-Tolerate Movement. The membership was immediate as the uplink took place. Payne explained. “You’ll be contacted in a few days. You’ll be given a uniform and instructions as to where to go so that you can be indoctrinated.” Stella nodded. “Yes. I’ll be glad to get trained.” “You see, it is all for the good of the planet.” Frost told. “I can see it now. We need to protect our way of life.” Stella echoed. “Now. These filthy Take Charge Movement fellows. If you ever suspect that someone is part of that movement. Your first duty is to report them.” Payne explained. “I will hunt them down and kill them!” Stella’s eyes flared. Frost shook his head. “No! You are to report them only. We have special squads that hunt them down. Often, they have information that we can make use of. And if nothing else, from time to time, we make an example of one or two of them, with a televised hanging or drowning.” “I see. Drown them. Hanging isn’t as horrible as drowning!” Stella agreed with the two agents. Payne uttered. “I can see that you are going to make an excellent new recruit.” “Yes. I sure hope so.” Stella said. “Once you put on that uniform You’ll be joining the proud ranks of our military and police auxiliary.” said Frost. “Yes. You’ll be an official member. And if ever you decide to join the police or the ranks of Tral-Gothica’s military, you’ll have a leg up on someone who just joined off the streets.” told Payne. “I will?” Stella expressed. Frost nodded. “You’ll be given junior rank over the ones off the streets.” Stella smiled. “Oh. Then I’ll do an extra fine job serving the super-corps.” “Yes. That is good. Because the super-corps are the government. The government are the super-corps. They funded the exploration and paid for all the things that made it possible for us all to live and work on Tral-Gothica. And let us face it, our planet comes closest to providing with everything needed to sustain human life.” Payne uttered. Stella stood. “Thank you.” Frost spoke. “Do you know where the hand shake came from?” Stella shook her head. “No, sir, I do not!” Frost was seriously impressed with Stella. “Oh, I just love your snap, young lady! You are going to go far in the Pro-Tolerate Movement. I can see you joining the military and quickly gaining rank. Anyway, the hand shake symbolized, that you have no weapon. Do you?” After the agents had gone and Stella reviewed what had just happened, she realized that the government had Aunt Jenny. It was probably more likely that her aunt wasn’t talking and that was why they sent agents to her apartment. Obviously they didn’t have enough on Stella to arrest her and what had just happened was all part of some charade, to try and see where she stood. Lucky for Stella, she was considered country and backwards, having lived on the farm all her life. They didn’t get much serious resistance from the rural communities. Most folks in those sectors were too busy trying to make a living from the natural ways of Tral-Gothica. Stella made a few encrypted calls on her call-all, and then decided to take a bath. She went into the bedroom and got undressed. Her voluptuous body revealed in from of the mirror. She noticed a few bruises, nothing that was a big deal. They would heal. She turned and examined her lovely and juicy buttocks. Then she went into the bathroom and turned on the shower. She got in and began to wet herself down good and soap herself. She cleaned her pussy and her asshole. Then she soaped her boobs. After doing all of that, she looked around and saw a figure standing outside of her shower. She was shocked as she opened it and found Agent Payne, standing there, all butt naked. The thing that really shocked Stella was that Payne was a shemale, with a rather hefty cock, sticking straight up at Stella. Payne had nice boobs and a pretty face. “What are you doing here?” asked Stella. Payne grinned. “There is a lesson you need to learn. Before you can become a member of the Pro-Tolerate Movement, Stella. And I’m here to teach it to you!” Stella wondered if they were onto the secret transmission that she had made earlier, after they had left. Stella looked about. “Where is Agent Frost?” “Oh, he’s not here. It’s just you and me.” Payne slowly got into the shower with Stella. The two began to kiss. Their lips locking as the water flowed gently over their hot naked bodies. Stella could feel Payne’s blistering hard cock rub up against her wet body. Stella was a little hesitant at first, because she had never been with a shemale. She had heard about the strange creatures, but had never actually seen one up close, let alone share a show with one. Payne’s tongue rolled around inside of Stella’s mouth and their lips sealed as Stella’s tongue danced with Payne’s. She felt Payne’s hands as they slowly and skillfully moved across Stella’s wanton body. Then she felt Payne’s fingers as they found Stella’s pussy. Payne’s fingers went up inside of Stella’s hole and began to roll about. Fingering Stella ever so slowly and then there was a deep thrust. Stella moaned as Payne’s fingers found the right points of her pussy and started to give Stella pleasure. Stella moved her hand to the unusual feature of the seemingly woman who was now making love to her, as Stella’s hand found the rock hard cock, that protruded from Payne’s crotch. Payne obviously was moved as Stella’s hands wrapped around her dick. The shemale moved a bit as to allow Stella greater access to the pleasure that Stella was now providing. Then, Payne slowly kissed her way to Stella’s voluptuous breasts. The shemale licked Stella’s nipples paying extra attention to the crown of her nipples. Oh, yes! Stella thought. As Payne paid homage to Stella’s ample breasts. Then Payne went down, to Stella’s, always hungry pussy, and the shemale began to lick Stella’s pussy, licking and slurping and even sticking her fingers deep inside of her cunt. Stella shifted and slid down to the base of the shower and then opened her legs so that Payne could do her, right. Payne cocked open Stella’s legs so that she could have full access to Stella’s pussy. And then Payne began to mouth the pussy real good. Payne’s tongue was educated in this thing as the shemale licked every inch of Stella’s pussy hole. Oh, that is it, just lick me!” Stella thought. As Payne went to town on Stella’s cunt, showing it how it must be. Stella let out several moans as Payne found those secret spots inside of her pussy and made sure that her pussy knew who was sending her the pleasure. Then the two shifted and Stella took hold of the shemale’s cock and began to suck on it. At first Stella was a little taken back, she’d never sucked a dick on what appeared to be a woman before. But, once Payne’s cock was in Stella’s mouth, it was business as usual. Stella tasted the shemale’s dick and it was nice and tasty. Payne’s cock was of a nice size. Not too big and not too small. One thing was for sure, Payne’s cock was hard and ready. Another thing that threw Stella about Payne’s anatomy, was the lack of balls under Payne’s cock. There were no balls and there was no nut sack. It was just a smooth procession of cock. This made Stella think that Payne was a natural and not a manmade shemnale. Stella couldn’t be sure and frankly, she didn’t give a damn. All she knew was that she was sucking a nice juicy dick. Payne moaned for pleasure as Stella’s mouth rolled all over Payne’s cock. The shemale’s dick reacted as Stella worked her magic on the dick head, kissing it and licking it, and then, slurping up dick inside of her mouth. Then, Stella moved and got in a postition so that Payne could make use of that hard extra appendage, and Payne did just that. Payne slowly slipped her shemale cock inside of Stella’s body. It went right on inside of Stella’s pussy. Funny, it doesn’t feel any different. Thought Stella. Some how Stella was expecting Payne’s shemale cock to feel different than a regular cock. But it did feel wonderful as it slipped inside of her body. Payne’s dick was strong and powerful. It entered Stella’s cunt and immediately commanded respect. Payne began to slowly pound and grind Stella’s wanton cunt. Oh, yes, sweetie! Stella thought, as Payne began to give Stella lots of pleasure. Payne began to fuck Stella with authority. Banging Stella’s cunt and forcing lots of dick into her pussy. The water continued to flow over both of their bodies. One could think, to cool down a hot situation, but, it didn’t, that just made the sensations all the more pronounced. Payne took charge as she grabbed hold of Stella’s legs and opened and held them just right, fucking the shit out of Stella. Stella angled her legs just a bit so that Payne could find the right places in order to give Stella even more pleasure. Payne’s pelvis thrusts was powerful, as skin slapped up against skin, and Stella’s pussy was opened up to Payne’s shemale cock. Stella could feel Payne’s nice sized boobs, as they rubbed up against her body, as Payne jump fucked Stella all the more. At one point they both lost traction because of the water and soapy floor of the shower, so they stood and Stella surrendered to the dominance of Payne, she turned her back to Payne and braced herself, as Payne slipped her shemale dick into Stella’s pussy from the rear. Payne pounded and banged Stella’s pussy hole with force and commanding diligence. Rocking and rolling Stella’s hole at every chance. Stella moaned, as Payne showed Stella’s cunt a good time. The shemale’s dick was in her then it was out of her and then, back in her again. Thrusting and stroking inside of Stella’s insatiable pussy. Oh, how Stella loved a good dicking, just to put her in her place, and remind her that she was loved. And Payne was not about to disappoint Stella, as Payne’s shemale cock found new ground and just worked at it. The two were moaning and grunting with every thrust and every shift of their wet hot bodies. Then, Stella shifted around and went down on Payne and began to suck the hell out of Payne’s lovely cock. There was something special about Payne’s shemale dick, for while it was definitely a dick, there was something very feminine about it as well. It was an enigma. A woman with a big beautiful dick. The very best of both worlds. Payne had wonderful breasts that were filled with lust and passion. Then, she had that outrageous cock that Stella was having such a good time sucking. Payne grabbed hold of Stella’s wet hair and guided her head to the place where Payne’s cock needed the attention the most. Stella’s head moved all about Payne’s cock, just a sucking and loving the dick. And what a tasty dick it was indeed. Plenty hard enough and it fit just right in Stella’s mouth. It wasn’t too small and it wasn’t too big. Payne had just enough shemale dick to satisfy. And satisfy she did. Payne’s shemale cock stuffed Stella’s mouth as if she were stuffing a turkey. Payne occasionally made an involuntary thrust as Stella’s educated mouth found all the right places on Payne’s cock. You could hear Stella as she slurped and sucked and rolled that wonderful flavored shemale cock in her mouth. Payne moaned and let out a scream as the tension began to mount. That was it! Stella thought to herself. She knew she was getting to Payne who was now receiving maximum head from Stella. The water continued to flow over their bodies as Stella masterfully gave Payne head. Stella’s mouth rolled around on Payne’s dick. Stella’s tongue found the right places and Payne moaned, because such sweet and juicy head was being given to her. Then, Stella took hold of both of Payne’s butt cheeks, and began to move her head back and forth, her lips opening and closing rhythmically, everything moving in union, as great and wonderful sensations of dick to mouth loving was going on. Stella was now in her zone as she sucked the hell out of Payne’s dick and was seeking the reward that came with giving someone that level of head. Payne was now in a wonderland of lust as she felt the sensations that Stella was pronouncing on her shemale cock. Then, with little warning, Payne tensed to the point that she yelled with a loud voice, and rivers of cum began to flow from her shemale dick. As Stella willfully began to drink Payne’s pleasure juice. At first, Stella was shocked as to how much cum was flowing out of the woman’s shemale cock, because there were no visible signs of balls. But after a moment, Stella just did not care, as the pure pleasure of draining the shemale was all that Stella cared about. Perhaps Payne’s balls were up inside of her body. Or, maybe what she was so graciously ejaculating into Stella’s mouth was just the fluid without the obvious seminal feed. Whatever Payne’s physiology truly was, it was obvious that the shemale could cum and cum big time. Stella couldn’t remember swallowing that much cum, even from a straight guy with a big dick. So, Payne was doing just fine, as Stella held Payne’s cock to the fire, pulling in Payne’s dick inside of her mouth, by grabbing hard, Payne’s buttocks and forcing Payne to stay. Yummy! THE RED SKIES “Tell next day, there she lay, in the Bay of Biscay. ” Andrew Cherry Stella wasn’t prepared for what came next, as she entered into basic training for the Pro-Tolerate. It was in fact, an offshoot of the military. Basic training was very tough as she trained with the Marines for a few weeks and then with the Army for the same length of time, then the Navy and finally, the Air Force. When she inquired as to why all the branches of the military, with the exception of the Coast Guard, they told her that she was training to be part of an elite team. Lucky for Stella, she was from the rural section, where life was very hard and things did not come easy. Was she a little rough around the edges, yes. And for some reason, that made things that much better. Because she adapted to the quick changes, from one way of training to another. She started out with a hundred recruits in her party. By the end of training which took four months, a month for each branch, there were only twenty five of them, that actually got to keep the uniform. One day, during training, it would later become Stella’s defining moment. She saw that one of the people that was going through the training with her, was going to falter, and falter badly, it was during live rounds training, where they shot live fire at you, in order to get you used to being shot at. A frail man, he honestly didn’t belong there, but, his parents had money, so they arranged for him to be there. While money got him into training, it wasn’t going to get him through it. At some point, he freaked out, as the live fire zipped by and the bombs were going off. He panicked, stood up and began to run in the opposite direction. This pissed off the T.I.’s who then began to target the deserter. Stella saw all of this and had compassion on the man and began to run after him. She was able to save his life. Her actions, as a result of that were greatly rewarded, as they made her squad leader. Eventually, everyone in the squad would turn to her for advice and for comfort, during those trying days. Finally, after what seemed like forever, graduation day came. And they all marched in a parade before the Base Commander and faculty and staff. And then, basic training was over. They all, one by one, person by person, hugged and shook hands, they were off, to receive technical training. Stella had scored very high on all her tests and she was picked to be in Intelligence. Her training would last the longest because it was the highest of all the training that was given. When she got to her new assignment, she found out that Frost and Payne had given her a glowing recommendation. This went far towards establishing Stella as a team leader. As Stella rounded the corner, one of her classmates, Falco caught up with her. Falco said, “Hey, wait up for me.” Stella looked around and smiled. “Oh, hi. How are you doing?” “I’m doing good. I have a question.” Falco was a handsome young man, about Stella’s age. His black skin shown and expressed his rugged features and his military haircut made him look even more bad-ass. Obviously, Stella was smitten with him, but did a good job of not letting on. “What can I do for you, Falco?” “The physics test that is coming up...” “Ah, yeah, what about it?” “Well. Everybody seems to have paired up, to study. I don’t have anyone paired with me, so I was wondering?” Stella stopped suddenly and it startled Falco. She said, “I’d love to, Falco. Fact of the matter is, I don’t have anyone to study with either.” As quickly as they stopped, they began walking again. Falco uttered. “Great. It’s not that I don’t understand the material. It’s just that, with help, we both can pool together our notes and ace the test.” Stella giggled. “Ace the test? Hell, I just want to pass the damn thing. I’ll take a C.” “Oh, no. You and I have a future here, with the Pro-Tolerate. In the military. Me, I want to make Colonel one day. How about you?” “Hmm. I hadn’t really given it much thought.” “Seriously?” “Why. Yes. I mean, I suppose it might be nice to have a career. To know where your next mean is going to come from. I guess it would be nice. And the jobs that they have in Intelligence. Well. They do seem interesting and challenging.” “Then what is holding you back?” “I don’t know.” “Stella, are we friends?” Stella glanced at him and shot him a dreamy look, then, realized it and changed it. “Well, I guess we can be considered friends. I mean, we haven’t had to kick each other’s ass or anything just yet.” “Even if we had to, I’d let you win. I’ll let you win all the time, Stella.” It was so obvious that Falco had serious feelings for her. “Well, I really don’t want you to do that, Falco.” “Do what?” “I really don’t want you to let me win, if indeed, you can beat me!” Falco frowned. “But I...” “But you what?” she gazed at the young man. “Falco, I’ll be your partner, ok...” The time went by and one day Stella and Falco were finally matched for a series of special combat training. The instructors were simply pairing them together, like they paired any of the others, because the students, by then, had naturally paired themselves up, and were studying and operating, in such a way. So, there was nothing special or different about Stella and Falco being paired together. The fighting finally began. Stella was a strong woman, voluptuous, yes, but well proportioned, so that she could move quickly and agilely. Falco fought with her throughout the training and finally, it came down to the finals. At the finals, it was to be part of their permanent grade, how they worked together and how they fought each other. When Stella found out that this was a part of their final grade, she objected to fighting Falco. “Why don’t you want to fight your partner?” ask a female T.I. “Stella couldn’t really think of a good reason, she was feeling rather emotional about the whole thing. “I just think I might do better fighting someone else.” It was stupid, what she said. The T.I. studied Stella for a moment. “You think you are the first woman to come through here that has feeling for her partner?” “What? No! I don’t have feelings for Falco. He’s just my friend. I mean, we are paired to work together. That is all, Ma’am!” The T.I. talked rough to Stella. “Really? You think I am stupid, Recruit? I can see the mussy lovesick way you two look at one another! You think you can spare him by fighting someone else. You don’t want to fight your little boyfriend?” “Please, Ma’am! It is not like that.” “Why do you think we encouraged you maggots to pair up? It was so, at the end of the course, you could turn on one another! It is part of your spy training, maggot! There may come a time, when you’ll have to kill the person you are working with. It is part of being a spy!” Stella was totally caught off guard. “What? I don’t want to harm, Falco. He’s my partner, we’ve been together all this time. We work together. We are...he is my friend!” “Oh, he’s your little friend is he?” “Yes he is. And you are being cruel for no reason!” “Oh I am, am I? Imagine that you are out in the real world. Your cover has been blown. You have vital information that the government and the super-corps can use to defeat the enemy! The only way that you can get the information to the right people is to sacrifice your partner! What are you going to do?” The T.I. was now yelling at Stella, as she was ordered to stand at attention and just take it. “With all do respect, Ma’am! I’d never sell out my partner. I don’t give a damn how important the information was.” “Oh you wouldn’t would you?” “No, Ma’am! Some things are just too important! Like loyalty. Truth. Justice. The sense of Good verses Evil!” Stella insisted, but very weakly, the T.I. had psychologically beaten her down. “Well, looky here, what do we have? A little bleeding-heart liberal! You believe in all of that bullshit, maggot! The only thing that matters here, is your orders. You will fight your partner, and whoever wins, moves on, the loser, washes out!” Stella knew that and that was why she didn’t want to fight Falco. She knew how much the military meant to him. “Then I guess I’ve washed out!” Just then a group of top ranking Training Officers came around the corner, they’d been monitoring the whole thing. One of them said, “Stand down, Sergeant! Stella, this was your final test! Loyalty! You refused to turn against your partner. So, did he! You both pass, congratulations! We don’t want intelligence officers who just follow orders. We want them to think!” It was at the last week of technical training. Stella and Falco had started there walk back from the Officer’s Club on base. The night air was warm and the stars filled the night sky. It was a nice little walk back to their barracks. This took them around an area where there was nice groomed foliage. Falco and Stella began to kiss and one thing led to another, finally the two of them were naked out in the open, in the night air, and they were kissing and rubbing their hands across one another’s nude bodies. Falco kissed Stella’s neck softly. She let out a sweet moan and wrapped her arms around him gently. Their lips met once more. She looked into his eyes, and without speaking, told him that she was ready. They both went down to the ground, where they had made a blanket of sorts, with their clothes spread out. Falco slowly moved about Stella’s hot wanton body, as he kissed and sucked her big juicy breasts. His lips found her right nipple and began to caress the crown of her boob. He licked her tit ever so well, tasting the hotness of her tit. His mouth moved over her boob and he began to suck her tit just the right way. Oh, yes! Stella thought. As Falco’s mouth paid homage to her right boob, kissing it and sucking it and licking it, in the way that she wanted. Finally, he moved over to the left boob and began to lick it. It tasted good to him and he explored her second breast with as much enthusiasm as he had the first one. By kissing her nipple and then letting his tongue roll all over her boob, with passion and conviction. She felt his teeth as they playfully bit her nipple. Oh, that is it, baby! Stella’s mind was now starting to race. He then began to move down even further, kissing her naval, licking it, loving her curvy warm body, in the heat of the night, where the stars shone so bright. His kisses began to move even further, as his mouth found her pussy. His tongue licking the area ever so wonderfully. Just licking and slurping her cunt with passion and pleasure. She felt his tongue as it entered her pussy hole, rolling around inside of there. Oh, dammit, that is right, do it! Stella was thinking. She felt his finger as it entered into her hot pussy. It rolled around and banged her cunt with love and affection. She moaned all the more as finger and tongue traded places, over and over again. Then he shifted his weight and she felt his nice thick juicy cock as it touched her body, as if for the very first time. Oh, he is so hard! Falco didn’t have a really long dick, just some six inches or so, but it was nice and fat. Stella liked fat cock. She felt him as he rubbed his dick around her pussy area. Teasing her with every slide and slip of his cock against her flesh. Her body was now almost vibrating with sensation and anticipation. But she wanted that manhood inside of her mouth, so she shifted position and let it go inside of her hungry mouth. She slurped and sucked his dick with passion and conviction. Falco’s cock was just right for Stella’s mouth as she forced as much of his fat cock as she could inside of her wanton mouth, sucking and licking and kissing dick. She pulled up and kissed his dick head. Loving the cock, kissing the dick, licking the wonderfulness of penis. His cock hardened even more as she placed it in her hands and began to give him a hand job, just a stroking it. She would kiss it every once in a while, just to let it know, that is was loved, and her hand did a wonderful job of moving up and down, alternating for hand job to blow job, to just licking and kissing his really hard black dick. Hmm. So tasty! Stella thought. As she sucked Falco’s dick with commanding control. His cock stood up at attention as she wagged it a bit, playing with it, spanking it with her tongue, and then kissing the head and then diving down on it, as if to swallow the whole thing, only to kiss it and start the entire process all over again. Falco let out a little moan, and then she knew that he was ready. She shifted around and open her legs, with him laying down, face up to her. She got on top of him and let his dick slide effortlessly inside of her pussy, which was wet and hot and in need of good dick loving. She rested on top of him and leaned over him and they kissed, with his rock hard cock, deeply implanted inside of her cunt. As they kissed, she held his face in her hands and kissed him passionately. Their eyes met and she began to rock ever so slightly, feeling his penis react to her body, as he fucked him in just the right way. Her pelvis moved in a rhythmic way, taking in his dick. Yes, your nice big dick! Stella thought. As it pumped and angulated, his cock finding special places inside of her body. Her pussy opening and contracting, grabbing his dick as it made love to his penis with passion and authority. Then she began to rock ever so much move. Her butt cheeks spread over his pelvis, his cock, moving in and out of her pussy hole, once it actually slipped out, and she quickly lifted up and slammed that big thing back inside of her where it belonged. Oh, you are not getting away from me so easily! She thought. As she fucked him now with total passion and banged up and down on him. Their bodies making contact every second, with a loud slapping sound, as her pussy met his dick, and they both agreed, to have it out. The battle was on, to try and make the other cum first, though, Stella was in complete control as she rode Falco’s cock like she was riding a rodeo. His juicy cock was the bull and she was the one that was going to tame it right then and there. But just then, Falco’s cock showed her something, From inside, she could feel him actually growing larger. Oh, that came as a surprise to her, because she felt that she had it all under control. But, she was wrong. Falco’s dick had a mind of it own, and his cock wasn’t going to go down without a fight. That now big brute was packing it in. Fucking the insides of her wanton pussy with the power and authority that a gorgeous cock like he had commanded. Stella moaned with pleasure and surprise. As Falco’s dick found a new spot inside of her and then wasted no time exploiting the situation. Pounding thrust, both pelvises approaching one another, each one trying to be the boss of the other, her big juicy tits rocking and bobbing about on his chest as she leaned in for a quick kiss, which became a passionate mouth lock as their tongues exchanged rolling contact. She then quickly shifted up and just began to pounce up and down on his dick, without any regard. Her fucking became almost violent as she closed her eyes and just rode that dick as if she were trying to break it. Having given up on her fancy idea that she could tame his cock, she now sought to try and destroy his penis with her pussy. She leaned back, grabbing his legs and holding on tight. Bam and bam, the thrust of love continued from both of them. Their bodies now slapping against one another, the sound was beyond obvious. Again she rode him so hard that his cock slipped out. “Put it back in dammit!” Stella yelled. But before he could move, Stella’s hand had found it and slammed it back inside of her cunt hole. Then teach you a lesson! Stella thought. The sweat poured down Stella’s hot smoking body and dripped onto his. It was like the entire night was on fire now. She closed her eyes so that she could concentrated on that rather large protrusion that was occupying her pussy at the moment. Fuck, it is so hard and fat! Stella thought. As she rock and rolled that dick for all it was worth. Inch by inch she could feel his cock finding new places and re-visiting old ones. Her dick then did something unexpected, it twitched and jolted forward, this time it was tired of her shit! She felt his hands rubbing her big hot sweaty boobs and his cock told her who was the boss of this thing. But her pussy fought back, opening as if to give up and then fooling his dick, as it convulsed on his cock, with pleasure. Slap and slap. Then bam and bam. His body were like a heated rocket, and they fucked the hell out of one another. Her tits began to flap around from the force of fucking him, asymmetrically. One tit would flop this way while the other was completely out of synch with the other. She could feel it, she was losing control, she wanted to teach him a lesson that he would never forget but Falco’s cock had risen to the challenge. It wasn’t about her setting the stage, because his cock had changed the rules. You fucking with me? Stella thought. As she closed her eyes again, and just let her full body weight, slip and pound on top of his dick. At this point, she didn’t care if she hurt him or not. She contracted her pussy muscles so that each time she slid down on his cock, the tension would be tremendous. Flap and bam, the two of them fucked. Crash and slap, their skin reacted to each others, in a tug of sexual war, between Falco’s challenging cock and her accepting pussy. The final rounds had begun. As Stella thought she had this thing all wrapped up and she was the victor. But, no! Falco shifted at the last moment, and he rolled on top of her, slamming her to the ground and kissing her moist lips. Now she could see the stars, as she lay on her back. She felt his cock almost fly inside of her pussy. “Oh! Fuck it so hard!” Stella cried out into the night. And fuck her he did. Falco began to bang and pound Stella’s pussy. And the commanding authority, that she had thought she had rid him of when she was on top of him? Hmm, she was wrong! His pelvis slammed up against her’s as they found new fields of pleasure. Banging and grinding one another. His full body weight resting squarely on hers, they faced each other, as she closed her eyes and warped her arms around his body. Oh, yes, fuck me so well, my darling! Stella thought. His hips rose and then descended with an awesome force as he pounded her cunt hole. Her vagina felt like it was going to melt as his fat cock stuffed her hole with pleasure. She tried to relax her pussy so that the impact of his cock could resonate, but she found herself playing that same old game, of opening as he went up and contracting and grabbing wherever she could, still trying to be stubborn, thinking that she could conquer his cock, but Falco was proving to have an unconquerable dick. It knew what it wanted and it knew how to go about getting it. What was Stella to do? She wanted so much for Falco to be pussy whipped at the end of their love making, it wasn’t fair that she was being dick whipped instead! Her thoughts raced. Then at the last moment, an idea. She was just about to execute it when they both began to cum, in total ecstasy. FOR LOVE OF PROFIT “Tist better to have served and died than to have died and never served.” Beatrice Cummings The area was crawling with police and military. Defense robots were patrolling the parameter. The heavily armed suspects were suppose to be barricaded inside of the building. Stella was with her pack, as she observed paramilitary spy machines, called Snoops, as they flew by on their way to the building to see what they could find. Sella glanced over the obvious chaos and sew civilians, looking on, some with cameras talking pictures of what was happening. It had long since been a law of Tral-Gothica that civilians could not film military or police as they carried out their job. The politicians tried to put a spin on it, but the truth was that, if civilians filmed the police or the military doing something illegal, the government could get sued. It was totally unconstitutional. People had a right to film in public places. Think of the mom and pop photos in the park. The pretty girl walking down the street. The social event. Basically citizens had a right to freedom, and that freedom included taking a picture. But the super-corps, which were the government, decided that only the military or the police could film or photograph, when it pleased themselves. What was once a democracy on Earth, became Fascism throughout the colonies. Oh, the politicians who were bought and paid for through lobbyist money and super-corps funds, tried to tell everyone that the original Constitution, was the ultimate word. But everyone knew that was a crock of shit. The only rights people really had, were the rights that the super-corps so gracefully bestowed upon them. Which we not very much. The situation was tense, as Stella had her weapon out. A sergeant came to her. “We might have found a way in, Lieutenant.” Stella looked about. There was weapon fire all over the place. Police and military were shooting into the building without regard to civilians. They considered collateral damage. As she rounded the bend, she spotted a group of police and military watching the real time surveillance of the Snoops, that she had earlier watched fly in. Stella asked. “What have we got?” Someone answered. “Three targets, like we suspected. Two men and a woman.” Stella was shocked when she saw who the woman was. “Aunt Jenny?” she whispered under her breath. Someone else said. “These three have escaped from a maximum security prison. They are terrorist. Armed and dangerous. We are to use lethal force. The super-corps don’t want them talking to the press or regular civilians.” Stella said. “These people were just part of The Take Charge Movement?” Someone said. “The Take Charge Movement is a terrorist organization.” “They are just civilian protestors.” Stella countered, trying to figure out a way to save her aunt. A superior ordered. “You all have your orders. You know what to do. No one leaves that building alive. Kill them all!” The rest ran off to their respected spots. Stella moved on but didn’t return to point. Instead she reasoned about and figured out a way to enter the building. She went on in. Weapon fire was all around. Mostly the paramilitary firing at the so called terrorist. She managed to breach a few barricades that the so called terrorist had put up. And after awhile, she found herself, in the room with her aunt. Aunt Jenny quickly recognized her niece. The two women hugged. Then Stella said, “I’m going to get you out of this.” Jenny uttered, “My, my, how you have evolved, Stella. You are working for the opposite side now?” Stella countered. “Don’t let this uniform fool you. I was forced to accept it. When you first went missing. They came to your apartment while I was there. Two spooks. I had no choice, Aunt Jenny.” Jenny nodded. “I understand. You had to do what you had to do in order to survive.” “I’m not very proud of myself right now.” “No. You be. You have managed to infiltrate their ranks. Lieutenant is it? I am the one proud of you. You can effect change from within. You can’t fight city hall from without. But you can win from within.” Jenny looked at Stella with pride. “Well. Right now I have to get you out of this alive.” “We can just give up and come out with you?” Stella shook her head. “They have standing orders to kill the three of you on sight. No one is to leave this building alive.” Jenny frowned. “Is that right? One floor down, there are old people and young women and children. They were trapped, when the shooting started.” Stella was confounded. “Dammit! The military and police don’t give a shit about their lives. They are collateral damage.” Jenny spoke. “Then you know what you have to do. Their lives are the reason why I am doing all of this. It is the everyday civilian who matters. Not the super-corps. Save those people.” Stella shook her head. “Aunt Jenny, I can’t. You are my flesh and blood. In order to save them, I’ll have to abandon you.” “I know, dear.” The two women just stood there for a moment, looking at each other, as if to say goodbye. Stella reasoned. “Maybe I can save all of you, if I get you to them.” “No! Why do you think that we are up here? In order to save then if possible. If we are with the civilians, they will surely kill them too. You must save the innocent.” “But I can’t.” “Oh, yes you can and you will. Those little children deserve a chance at life. Why should their little lives be forfeited, in order so that I may live? When it is they, who are our hope. Just like you were mine.” “I was your hope?” “Yes. And you still are. I’m very proud of you Stella. You stay in there and make it a career. You convince them that you are one of them. And, whenever you can, you make a difference.” “Make a difference?” “Yes.” “But I don’t understand.” “You’ll have to do what they tell you to do, but, there will come times, when you can temper their orders. Believe me, saving even one person from the super-corps, is a monumental accomplishment.” Stella uttered. “So few?” “Without you, my dear. There would be none.” Stella nodded. “I tell you what. I’ll go and get the civilians to safety. The three of you keep your head’s down low. After I get them out to safety, I’ll come back in and free the three of you. I can’t let you die here, Aunt Jenny.” Jenny saw that the young woman was determined. “Ok. You do your best. We’ll hold down the fort.” And with that, Stella kissed her aunt and went off. The weapon fire had actually increased. As the paramilitary honed in or the so called terrorist. Stella, undergoing great peril. Managed to slip down a floor and find the civilians huddled up, frightened beyond belief. Stella looked up, and there were military and police infantry drones, marching up the building, tearing up everything they touched. Big massive machines, very scary, very strong, and deadly. Stella managed to evade the killing machines, and took the civilians out of the building as a group. As she turned back, to go and get her aunt and the others, she witnessed a full on assault. By now, it was very obvious that the paramilitary robots had found Aunt Jenny’s hiding place. Heavy weapon fire was all over the place. This was overkill, taken to a science. The super-corps had something to hide, and by taking out Stella’s aunt, they thought that they would succeed. Stella yelled in protest, as she quickly began to run back into the building. Just then, there was a vacuum pop, a twirl, then the entire building exploded. Kicking Stella back out of it with violent force. It all happened so quickly, the situation deteriorated so rapidly. Stella’s brain experienced time slowing down. It was a physiological phenomenon, that people reported, when traumatic things happened to them, like in an accident. Time, for Stella, had slowed down so much, that she could see each and every event as it unfolded around her, her body being blown back out of the building with violent force. In that moment, she saw her Aunt Jenny, standing next to her. But, it really wasn’t her. It was more like an after image of her real aunt. The woman wore a smile on her face. Stella heard her words, or perhaps psychically experienced some kind of phenomenon, “I’m very proud of you, Stella. Save all that you can. You are not alone, dear. There are others, in diverse places, at diverse times. I love you...” And with at, real time kicked in. Stella went flying out onto the asphalt, rolling around like a rag doll. Then she slowly lost consciousness. It was an extended recovery, from all of what landed Stella in the hospital, and then in the recovery facility, where people go to get well. Seeing that there was a prevailing philosophy. Well people stay away from hospitals, unless you want to get sick. Hospitals were viewed as a place to go and to die. If you had to go to one, there was a 51/49 percent chance that you might not come back. So, most people did everything they could to stay away from them. It was late at night, Stella was sitting on the toilet, having a hard bowel movement. Some of it was coming out, but just little hard nodules. Kevin, a male nurse had been taking an interest in Stella. There was some serious sexual chemistry. He happened to pass by the area and spotted Stella sitting on the toilet, straining to get some poop out of her asshole. She was sitting on the toilet, completely naked. This sight, aroused Kevin, who finally got up the nerve to go other to her. “You need an enema?” Kevin asked, with the preparations in hand. Stella looked up and smiled. Then she noticed the bulge in his crotch. “Hmm. I could use a good dick enema. You know, get it all out of me.” Kevin put down the enema kit and closed the curtain so they could have some privacy. He moved closer to Stella who began to take off his clothes, all the while she kissed him in sensuous spots. Finally, he was standing there, naked, with that gorgeous cock, all sticking out. Hmm. She was going to have to do something about this. This man’s dick needed serious attention and her mouth needed serious cock inside of it. So, Stella kissed his cock head, loving it ever so slightly, then, she slipped his honking cock inside of her wet wanton mouth. Mmm. She thought to herself. As the big fat dick entered her mouth. She could just taste all of the various flavors, that dick always has. Stella loved to suck cock. The fatter and the bigger, the better. And she was not about to let Kevin’s cock leave her mouth until she taught it a serious lesson. Imagine that. Kevin’s dick had the nerve to just stick out there, like nothing was going to happen to it. Seriously? Stella thought. She was just a sucking and slurping on his dick. Taking it all in. Inch by inch, she was letting nothing go to waste. Kevin placed his hands on Stella’s orange-red hair, as she moved back and forth, letting the dick bulge her cheeks. Oh, that was some nice juicy cock. Stella thought. As she sent to town on his dick. Swirling around, cherishing every sensation of nice juicy dick in her mouth. She slurped and sucked and gasped for air, as more and more dick banged inside of her mouth. Finally the two had a rhythm going, he was fucking her face and she was fucking his dick. She’d open her mouth to take it in, then close around the shaft, as she pulled back. The two would do the cock to mouth dance all over again. The intensity of the dick sucking was wild. As Stella rolled the man’s cock around in her wanton mouth, her lips grasping the beautiful prick, her tongue rolling around the cock head. It slipped out of her mouth. She grabbed his butt cheeks and drew it back inside of her mouth. Oh, no, mister! Your cock is all mine. She thought, as she fucked his dick with her experienced mouth. Cock sucking was something that relaxed her and she loved the musky smell of cock and the delicious taste of the dickness, as it raced around inside of her mouth and down her throat. A few times, Stella gagged, because the dick was rather massive and she was just plain old greedy. Was she going to just sit there on the toilet, with a hard turd hanging inches out of her asshole, refusing to budge? What the fuck was that? They went to the cool tile floor, Kevin on his back and Stella above him. She sucked his cock so good. Her butt was in the air, with the big fat turd sticking out of her asshole. But at that moment, it wasn’t the pain of the turd, it was the sensations of the cock in her mouth that caught her attention. Her head went up and down, covering the man’s dick like it was fine treasure. And it was, because cock sucking turned Stella on so much. She could feel Kevin’s cock as it twitched and expanded in her hot wet mouth. Spit dripped all around his dick, as she just let that big old hard thing have it. Oh, yes, you have been a bad boy. Stella thought. As her hungry lips found the right places to send him into total submission, as she just fucked his dick with her mouth, in such a wild way. At one point, the sound of cock sucking seemed to reach about the area. But, Stella didn’t care. All she wanted and needed in order for her to feel better was for Kevin to keep his cock extended inside of her throat, as she swirled her head around his dick. Giving him such wonderful pleasure. Kevin’s cock was pounded by Stella’s triumphant blow job, as she kissed his dick head and she began to work his dick with her hand, stroking it and holding such massive amounts of dick in her hands. The man’s dick didn’t know what had hit is, as Stella dove down on his cock, with her mouth finding a new spot in order to play. Then she came up and down, her hand loving some more. Stroking his dick better than he could ever imagine, even when he was masturbating. How could this beautiful woman, know how to beat him off so well? But, Stella was just getting started. She kissed the dick and licked the shaft. She went down to the musky balls and began to suck them. Kevin had nice sized balls. They were tasty as she licked and kissed and sucked them, placing one at a time in her wanton mouth, and just sucking the hell out of them. Kevin moaned, as Stella found a spot where his balls needed attention. All the while his erect cock, was banging her forehead, jealous, because the dick itself wanted the attention. Don’t you fret, my love. Stella thought. As she slowly moved back up to his cock, kissing it one inch at a time. Finally, she found the proud dick head. She kissed it. Licked it. Tasted the meatiness of his cock. Then, without warning, she dove onto his cock, and began to suck and fuck it like there were no tomorrow. Kevin’s dick stiffened up as she did this. Stella’s educated mouth was not going to settle for anything other than pure perfection. She knew how to work a dick and she was not going to settle for anything less. He shifted his body just ever so slightly, so that Stella’s dick sucking would be even more effective. The turd which was still sticking halfway out of Stella’s asshole seemed to move just a bit. This might have been because Stella was now able to relax her asshole muscles, because she was getting and giving such pleasure from sucking Kevin’s cock. His dick rose to the occasion, as he expanded inside of her hot mouth. Stella could taste it all, she knew because of this, that she was going to have a serious case of dick-breath. But, she liked dick-breath, it meant that she had just had some mighty tasty cock inside of her hungry mouth. Stella felt Kevin’s cock as it found a new depth of her throat. She held her breath as the dick slid down inside of her, and then just settled there. What the hell? Am I going to choke on this man’s enormous dick inside of my mouth? Stella thought. But, Stella had experience, she know how to handle situations like that. She began to twist and roll his cock inside of her mouth and finally she broke free of his dick siege. Oh no! His cock was not going to win! Stella had already decided that one. Did this man actually think that his big juicy deliciousness was just going to sit inside of there, resting? Hell, no! Stella thought. She began to move up and down on the man’s penis. First slowly. Just trying to adjust to the sear girth of the man’s dick. As she would move down on him, her mouth would have to open up more, because the fatness of his cock, was in the middle. Making it harder for her to tame his cock. But, fuck that! Stella was going to make this man know that she was in charge. When his dick was in her mouth, she was the one in charge! And in charge she was as she fucked the hell out of Kevin’s penis. He sat back, as if to finally realize that he was not going to walk away from the viciousness, no, Stella was going to make him pull the trigger, and cum all inside her wanton mouth. So, she worked his cock all the more. Her lips covering as much of it as she could at any given moment, rolling around, pulling back and then, sliding down on the shaft, it’s massiveness, expanding even as she controlled his cock. It was all hers, to win or to lose and Stella did not like losing to a dick. One, she knew that she had what it took inside of her to make this man cum, Johnny! A cum Johnny was when there was a massive explosion of cum, in which the man became so weak in his knees that he could not walk away, right away. All of his strength, he had given to the woman, who totally drilled for cum and struck the mother load. And the nice sticky creamy goo was what she was mining for, as she rocked back and forth, on his cock. Kevin by now was moaning so hard and loud, that Stella was almost suce that they were going to get caught. But, to hell with it! If she was going to be discovered, she was going to have something to show for it. All the while that turd was moving ever so slightly out of her butt. She really didn’t notice it at this point. It was the cock that held all of her attention, as the dick rose to the point, that she was sure it was going to blow up. Kevin’s cock was so hard that you could hit a home run with it. Batter up! Stella thought. Her mouth taking in dick like there was going to be a serious shortage on cock on the planet. This dick was hers now, she owned him and he was being naughty. Stella knew that Kevin should have cum by now, he was trying everything he could to defy her. That bastard! I dare you defy my womanly ways! Stella thought. Then it was time. It was in the bottom of the ninth. Three runners on base. Stella was now the designated hitter. Either this man had superhuman strength, and could control his cumming, or he was just one hard nut to crack. But, crack his nut she was determined to do. Then it began to happen, as his cock convulsed, with him trying to delay it. But, Stella has tasted victory. He finally began to cum! Oh, it started out with just a little stream. Maybe a trickle. But, then, he moaned so loud, as his cock gave in to Stella’s womanly ways, as his dick just let all that sticky goo flow. The poor thing was actually crying as his cum flowed with explosive convulsions, inside of Stella’s wanton throat, as she drank it all. Then, she discovered that he was a massive cummer. There was now too much cum firing inside of her throat, she was choking from all the goodness. But, she was determined, and she drank it all. Just then, that naughty old turd flew out of her asshole, and she just began to shit all over the place, as cum went in, and shit came out. She was in ecstasy and so was he. THE NATIVES OF TRAL-GOTHICA “A gracious coach, the root of an old oak, whose branches yield it moss and canopy.” William Gilmore Simms The rain was pouring down fiercely. In the distance the sound of an engine, aerojet engines, as they powered an airskiff which was racing over the jungle canopy of Tral-Gothica. There were all sorts of native animals living below. Alien exotic birds and other sorts of creatures hovered close to the top of the giant canopy. It was really a wonder to behold, the diverse life that was original on the planet, but was now in danger of being wiped out, all so that the super-corps could make a profit. Was The Take Charge Movement so wrong, to want what was best for the planet? Did mankind have the right to go out amongst the stars, and pillage the galaxy? Look what had happened to poor Mother Earth? Once the crown glory of her solar system, rendered poison and polluted. So much so, that Mars actually looked better, with its on going colonization over the last century or so. The airskiff finally landed at a facility, deep within the jungle. The hatch opened and out walked Stella in full uniform, she had recovered from her injuries nicely and on her shoulder, she bore the rank of captain now. She had been promoted, because from her superior’s point of view, her bravery and obvious cunning, managed to kill the so called terrorist, poor Aunt Jenny and her group, and save a whole bunch of civilians, which the government could exploit, to their advantage. In short, they thought that Stella’s quick thinking, gave them the propaganda they needed. Touting Stella as a hero, so they could say that the paramilitary, one of their young officers, risked her life to save a group of hostages. They made a big deal of it and gave her a promotion. Now Stella was being courted by a sector of the government paramilitary called Rule 37. As she entered the facility she was met by a tall good looking man named Ewin. “Welcome. It is a pleasure to have such a famous patriot visit our humble facility.” Ewin said. It was an understatement. The Rule 37 facility was the biggest on the planet. It was a processing facility which turned out product better than the other facilities of its kind. “I came to get a first hand inspection of what goes on here. These are my orders.” And with that she transferred her orders to the right person. They then began the long walk down a maze of corridors. Littered about them, was all sorts of machinery and advanced technology. “You are free to inspect any area of the complex.” Ewin told her. “What is the primary purpose of this facility, Ewin?” Stella started off. The man glanced over at her. “We slaughter the intelligent natives of Tral-Gothica. Process their flesh for consumption, and ship it off to various planets. There meat is considered a delicacy. It is actually quite good. Tonight, in honor of your visit. Because we really don’t get many visitors at all, specially of your caliber and fame, amongst the Pro-Tolerate, so we’ve prepared a special feast of all the best parts of the natives. Their flesh taste specially good. Best meat in this sector of the galaxy.” The man had a proud expression on his face. So, this was why Aunt Jenny was fighting and this is why she was killed? She must have known all along, that the super-corps, brought the colonist to Tral-Gothica, not just to mine and pillage the planet, but to enslave it’s indigenous intelligent population, and to add insult to injury, slaughter them like life stock, and cut them up into pieces, then sell them to other worlds, as meat product. The thought almost made her throw up right then and there, but, she kept it together. Stella was determined to finish what her Aunt Jenny started with her, to somehow, draw attention to the horror and crimes against sentient beings. It was like crimes against humanity. There were no Statutes of Limitations on such crimes. And then, the obvious genocide that was taking place on the planet. Stella couldn’t believe what they were so willfully showing her. The pride that she saw on everyone’s face, like a work well done. Stella finally said. “You must be making billions.” Ewin smiled. “Try trillions. The government, super-corps, found this planet about a century ago. While it has lots of natural resources. The most lucrative resources are the indigenous population. They breed very quickly. Grow rapidly, and their flesh is some of the finest tasting. On some planets, their bones are considered an aphrodisiac. So, you can see the gross value of our colonization. With what we have set up, we can go on forever, breeding, corralling, slaughtering and selling. The processing of meat is the big business on Tra’Gothica.” Stella couldn’t help herself. “What of the moral issues? The Natives of Tral-Gothica are intelligent. Some might even say advanced?” “Ah. But not as advanced as the super-corps, who have colonies all over the galaxy. They have managed and acquire technology, one way or the other, from every planet that they have colonized.” Ewin expressed. “You mean, they have gone to war and stolen what they could.” Stella spoke out, perhaps unwisely, because it made some of the officials with her uncomfortable. But, what could they do, she was the golden girl? And Stella intended to used her new fame and power, to her advantage. They went into another area of the facility, and it was even more heavily guarded by paramilitary infantry drones. She glanced up and spotted a few Snoops passing by. This was an all out top secret facility. Perhaps, the government didn’t want the civilian public getting wind of what they were really doing here, on Tral-Gothica? After all, the greater majority of the population were good moral people, no matter what they believed in, they surely wouldn’t put up with this. It was immoral, by anybody’s standards. All, but the military. Stella headed off tour, towards a different area. “What is this section?” Robotic guards quickly overtook her. Ewin caught up. “Sorry, Captain. This area is restricted.” What in the hell could they be doing that was more horrible than killing and eating sentient beings? It was as if the super-corps were killing and eating people, humans. It would not be tolerated. “I have top security clearance. I’m with Tral-Gothica Intelligence. You already have my orders.” They all looked nervously at one another. Finally Ewin said, “I’m sorry, Captain. I have my orders, too.” Stella didn’t want to push it. She turned about, taking one last glance at the sealed area. Whatever the hell was going on in that section, was far worse than what they were willing to admit to her, which was an abomination and an affront to everything moral and ethical and sane. If the general public ever found out about this facility and what the super-corps were really doing here on Tral-Gothica, there would be an all out revolution. Stella said, “Ah, there is so much that I need to see and inspect. I suppose I should be glad that I don’t have to inspect that.” And with that, they all laughed, the tension quickly dropping back to the level of excitement, in having a celebrity visiting their humble facility. “We are just glad to have you here. Make sure to tell Headquarters that we were very accommodating, please Captain.” Ewin spoke. Stella nodded. “Oh. I am very impressed!” In hearing that, everyone relaxed and showed her all sorts of top secret things. Machines and inventions and all sorts of apparatus. Finally, Stella was shown to her quarters, where she settled in. At the dinner, there were all sorts of people roaming about. Mostly all military, dressed in dress uniform. It was like they rarely got a chance to unwind and celebrate anything, so they all were very happy to get out and just party, to the best that they could, within the limitations of military protocol. Stella appeared at the event, which was in her honor, wearing a dress white uniform. She looked very beautiful and professional, all at the same time. As the events unfold, something unexpected happened. She was approached by a civilian attendee. “My name is Finch. I’m a lab scientist here at Rule 37.” The man was young and good looking. Stella noticed that he seemed a little apprehensive. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Finch.” “It is Dr. Finch. And I work in the area that they wouldn’t allow you to see.” he whispered. Stella didn’t react at all, she had been well trained, and tested under real civilian combat. “Now that is very interesting.” Stella laughed, as if the man had told her something funny. Overhead, Stella noticed a Snoop taking an interest in them. “So, Dr. Finch. Would you like to dance?” The young man was obviously not an operative. He seemed confused by Stella’s performance. But, decided to go along with it. “Yes. Yes, I’d love to dance. I don’t get much chance to dance with a woman as pretty as you are, Captain.” Stella smiled. “Well now. Don’t you have a silver tongue.” And with that, they began to take to the dance floor. They didn’t say anything about the top secret area at Rule 37. Stella kept an eye on the Snoop above, it had been joined by another one. Was it her? Or was it him? That they were spying on. Maybe it was both? It didn’t matter, because they spent the rest of the night, just having small talk and drinking too much champagne. They were in her room when the first kiss landed. There was soft jazz, instrumental music playing. One kiss led to another and they began to remove each other’s clothing. Through the dominant glass windows that reached from the ceiling to the floor, distance facility and power plant lights glimmered. They managed in their ecstasy to reach the bedroom. Stella flopped on the bed, followed by Finch. They kissed even more as he began to kiss Stella’s warm skin. Moving down ever so slightly, until he reached her nice voluptuous breasts. He sucked one of her boobs. Just licking and kissing and sucking that nice big juicy tit. Stella moaned as his lips attacked her breasts. Finch moved over to her other boob and did it equal justice. Sucking her rather large nipples and kissing and playfully biting the crown of her nipples. Her nipples were big and hard because of her obvious turn on, and Finch was just the guy to make her tits take notice. He didn’t move away from her breasts for a good long time and Stella was glad of that, because so often, men just paid her tits little attention, and moved on down to her lady cave. Oh, she didn’t mind if they went there, no, she loved a good eating out. But, he was just taking his time, sucking her boobs. Going from one boob to the other. Her chest meat responding to his every advance. Then, she felt his tongue as it rolled about her wanton breasts. She shifter her body so that he could gain better access. At one point she found herself holding his head to her tits as he made love to her breasts. She just exhaled with hot pleasure, as the man took care of business. Sucking on her boobs with a kind of passion and respect that she adored. Yes, yes, suck them, darling. Stella thought. As the passion and ecstasy built up in her body. She then became aware of his hard steel. It was rubbing against her skin and it seemed to be begging for action. She moved her hand around and took hold of his cock. Oh, it was so hard and fierce. Thought Stella. At that, she kissed him all the more, drawing him up from her prize boobs. They both shifted around and then Stella went down to his cock and began to suck on it. Just a sucking his dick. Sucking on it good. She kissed his cock head, loving it ever so well. His cock tasted so good, as she slowly let it slip into her wanton mouth. Oh, she loved to suck dick. She kissed the head and licked it, then she let her whole mouth slip on down on top of it for just a second. Teasing his dick and making it stiffen up. Then, she began to suck his dick in earnest, sucking and slurping and licking that hard mighty cock. Yes, that is it, baby. Stella thought, as she mouth fucked the man’s dick with such passion. The taste and feel of prime dick meat in her mouth made her feel so hot and wet. She began to roll her head about, letting her mouth roll his cock with it. Them suddenly, she dove again on his dick, just a sucking that wonderful beautiful dick. Her head bobbed up and down and all around, as she just tore that dick up. Sucking on it with such passion and genuine conviction. His body tensed as her cock sucking reached new heights. Then she pulled back, with his dick sliding out of her well trained mouth. She lifted up her legs and rested her buttocks down, striding him ever so well. She reached her hand around and guided his cock inside of her already wet pussy. Oh, yes, such cockness as that was. Stella thought. Finch’s dick slipped deep inside of her body. It was nice and rock hard. The stiffness made Stella shiver with lustful pleasure. She looked down at him, their eyes locked, then they intertwined their hands, as she began to just gently ride his dick. Oh, such cock in me! Stella thought. As Finch’s dick moved in and out of Stella’s pussy hole. It was just wonderful. Stella could feel his cock as it hardened inside of her wet and warm body. She could feel his dick head, as he rubbed up against her pussy walls. Hmm. Yes, your meaty dick! Stella thought to herself. Her pelvis was just rocking and rolling as she fuckhed his cock for the goodness of the dicking. His dick just popped up and down, as she moved in all sorts of ways, fucking his cock. They both were gaining heat as they fucked ever so harder. Just fucking all the way. Stella’s butt cheeks slapping down on Finch’s pelvis, rocking and twisting and just plain old bumping and grinding. The passions rose, as Stella’s butt jiggled about because of her ferocious fucking. They both moaned and groaned, with every blast of their body’s sexual expression. Stella tilted her head back, as she enjoyed the on top experience. Then, she leaned forward and rested her hands on his well formed chest. By now, Stella was in charge. She was riding his cock with the skill of a rodeo cowgirl. His cock was a bad horsie that needed to be taught a lesson. And teach it one, she was going to do. She shifted her body, so that his dick could gain even move maximum dicking of her. Oh, just let me fuck it! Stella was thinking. As she rode his dick with almost superhuman precision and passion. Stella’s big voluptuous buttocks banged and slapped about, the sounds of their body striking, was like music to their ears, as their fucking got kicked up and notch or two. Now, Stella was just a bouncing up and down and back and forth, she was working his cock. Letting her wise pussy, put it though it’s paces. She then began to ride him like she was riding a horse, her efforts were seriously exacerbated. She fucked him so hard and violently. She didn’t care about the man’s dick anymore, if she ever did, it was just her own pleasure that she was looking for. Fucking Finch like he had never been fucked before. Her hot pussy knew every move, every trick, she had perfect control of her twat. It would open up on the way down and then grab his shaft on the way up. Driving him wild. Finch didn’t know what to do, he tried to find something to hang on to, as this sexually crazy woman, fucked him like she was going to pussy kill him. And she was killing his dick with her wanton pussy. Stella’s cunt knew how to get what it wanted from a man. And as much as Finch thought that he wanted to cum, Stella’s pussy was there to educate him. And give him a proper education in fucking, she did, with her powerful legs controlling where they tilted and where they lunged forth. Bam and slap, with her butt cheeks on his pelvis, her cunt hole swallowing his dick, then just as suddenly, pulling on it as she rose up, all the while to repeat the love making motions. She fucked him so hard that at one point he forgot himself, and cried out with lustful pleasure. Stella knew that she had him then, it was time to send him to seventh heaven, and she did, as she shifted some more, grabbing hold of his bare shoulders, her ass hovering inches above his pelvis, with part of his dick inside of her. She then began to violently fuck his dick. She banged up and down so hard that Finch was convinced that he’d be black and blue the next day. But, for now, her ass moved like a motor, whamming all about his cock. Was he even going to be able to cum? Stella had such control over his cock, that Finch couldn’t even command his own dick to fire it’s wad, no, even that was controlled by Stella who dominated his body like a lustful mistress. And Mistress Stella was going to tell him when and what he could do. Stella was dripping with sweat and it ran all down Finch’s face and chest, her orange-red hair draped down over him, as her ass worked it’s magic. Just a fucking and just as humping and a bumping. Bam and bam slap, went their skin, their bodies enthralled with ecstasy and pleasure. Pleasure that Stella was determined to control. She shifted once more and slammed down on top of his cock. At that, he moaned, because the pressure was gaining and he really couldn’t contain himself anymore. He took hold of her wet sweaty hair and pulled her into himself. They kissed as they continued to fuck each other’s brains out. He moved his hand around her big ass and found her asshole. It was contracting with every thrust. He stuck his finger into Stella’s asshole and it sent new sensations throughout her wanton behind. He began to roll his finger in her butt hole as she rode him so expertly. Stella’s fucking was making Finch, who was until now, rather conservative, kind of wild and filled with abandonment. He was enjoying how she fucked him and she was enjoying his beefy cock inside of her pussy hole. Their crotch joined together in order to celebrate the sexual banging that they both were putting forth. Her ass wiggled as she went up on his dick, shifted and then violently came down on his dick. She was going to beat the hell out of his cock, with her pussy, as her butt found his balls and slapped them so hard that he yelled with pleasure, because her ass was so loving of his dick and crotch. They fucked and they fucked hard, as she shifted so that his cock could jimmy it’s way into her cunt hole and send pleasure waves thought Stella’s body. Oh, yes, that is it, fuck me, Finch! Stella thought to herself. Her ass muscles flexed as she rode Finch’s cock. She let out a lustful cry as his dick did pleasurable fuck damaged to her hungry pussy. Stella shifted around, so that her voluptuous legs could have better control, as she humped his cock, and slipped all around his man pole. Taking in every inch of his dick with mighty thrusts as she sat on top of his cock and would not allow him the change to seek even a moment of rest from her ferocious fucking. She took it all inside of her body as she felt his inches grow and stiffen into a mighty piece of fuck meat. Oh, yes, that is it, you just bang me, baby. Stella let her thoughts run wild as she did whatever she wanted to the poor man’s dick. He finally managed to grab Stella’s curvy waist and held on, as Stella began her final decent. Now, with every massive jolt of her pelvis, flesh slapping up against naked flesh, she showed him who was the boss of this fucking. She was, with her cunt groping for every piece of cock it could get. She leaned forward and kissed him on the lips as her big boobs grazed his chest. Then, she leaned back and let out a loud sign of pleasure as her body began the cycle of orgasm that she so much needed and wanted. But, even as she was cumming, her pelvis fucked his dick all the more. As that all began, Finch was finally able to release and he did. Stella could feel his cock as it reached its point of no return, and cum burst inside of her wanton pussy. Oh, the pleasure. Oh, the lust. Oh, the feel of hot cum shooting up inside of her as she cum also, they both letting out sounds of joy and pleasure as they fucked so hard, that they could hardly catch their breath. Stella hand one more trick up her sleeve, as she leaned to the side, with super swift gyrations of her pussy pelvis, slammed into Finch’s cock with such force and precision, that he actually yelled as even more cum erupted out of his solid dick. Then Stella screamed with pleasure. WITH SPELLS AND BELLS “To know the answers to questions not spoken, is the true test of a wise man.” The Sisco Chronicles It was late in day when Stella was awoken. Finch was gone. She went to the door wearing pretty much nothing but her skin. As she opened it, Ewin stood there with several security infantry drones. She showed them in and went to her bedroom to find a robe. She came out, looked at the man and started to make herself coffee. “Want some?” she asked, obviously hung over. “No thank you. I’ve already had breakfast. You have a nice view of the facility.” He stated matter-of-factly. “Yes. I suppose I do.” Stella came back into the room, sipping a hot cup of coffee. “What can I do for you?” Ewin turned to her. “When was the last time you saw Finch?” Stella found a seat and offered one to him, but he declined. She studied the paramilitary drones. “What is the maximum number of infantry drones an operator can control?” Ewin said, “A hundred, if they are certified. Our operators are not that extremely certified. Five maybe.” “So. Basically. For every five infantry drones, there is one operator?” “Pretty much. Answer the question.” Ewin voiced. Stella had asked the question, staling for time, as she assessed the obvious situation. “I saw him last night. He and I got romantically involved. Why do you ask?” “Because he was found dead, earlier today.” The man studied Stella’s expression. It didn’t change. “Was it empty sex?” Stella tossed her beautiful long orange-red hair, then said, “It always is, isn’t it?” “Right then. Did he stay all night?” She shook her head. “I don’t think so. I fell asleep after sex. I just woke up when I heard the bell, and saw it was you. How did he die?” “Murder. When you finish, can you come to my office? You can sign a statement.” “I haven’t given you a statement.” Ewin gestured. “The infantry drones have been recording everything that has been happening.” Stella raised an eyebrow, “Really? How convenient.” “Yes. Well. That is how they work. Everything they encounter, becomes evidence. No margin for error, corruption, misconduct.” He headed for the door, the drones following. “Why would someone want to kill Finch?” Stella called out to the man as he left. As the door closed. “Precisely...” Stella quickly showered, dressed and started towards Ewin’s office. An older man approached her. “My name is Powers. I was a friend and lab partner of Finch. Is it true what they say?” The man was older, semi-good looking, obviously worked up. Stella stopped. “What was Finch and you working on in there?” “I can’t tell you. They monitor everything in the facility and power station. Even the crew’s quarters.” he told her. Stella responded. “Then, they must know who killed Finch?” “Oh. You damn right they do! They even spy on you when you take a shit.” The man was serious. “So. Last night, when Finch and I were...” “They were watching.” “Hmm. Interesting.” Was all Stella said, and then started off. “We can talk later, I have an appointment.” Inside Ewin’s office, when Stella came in, there were a few officials, head’s of departments. A holographic conference using a large call-all, Stella’s superior was on it. “Admiral, how are you?” Stella said as she found a seat. “Very good, thank you Stella. I’ve been briefed on the situation at the facility. I can’t stress how important Rule 37 is, as you well know. Your mission, is to find out who killed Finch. If it is the work of The Take Charge Movement. Expose them and put an end to their disruption. You have full authority to solve this murder, Stella.” Stella looked around at the others, then turned back to the admiral. “Will do, Ma’am!” and with that, the call-all went off. She looked at the people seated at the table with her. “I need to see the security footage of Finch.” Someone answered. “That is where the problem is. There is none.” Stella leaned back in her chair. She looked at everyone, locking her eyes on Ewin. “Seriously? You’ve got to be kidding me? With all the security that is in this facility. I don’t think a person can fart without it being recorded. What happened to it?” Ewin cleared his throat. “It is just gone. We have no explanation as to how it happened.” “When was the last time Finch was seen on security monitors?” Another person answered. “Shortly after he left your room, Captain. It goes for awhile. Then, there is no sign of him. He just drops off our radar.” Stella knew that there might be a very good reason that Finch dropped off their radar. He was a Take Charge spy. As she was. So, she really didn’t want to push that issue, but, she had to make things look good. “What about the footage that the Snoops got. I saw at least one of then outside my window, the whole night.” “Like we said, Finch just drops off our radar, after he left your room. It is like he became a ghost.” Ewin spoke. Stella began to wonder about Powers, that she had met in the corridor, before she came here. “So, you are telling me. That in a maximum security facility, a man just vanishes. And then, hours later, he’s found dead.?” Ewin nodded. “Exactly. Luckily for us, you are here, will you help us solve this?” Stella said, “Well. As much as I was planning to leave today, seems like I don’t have a choice. I’ve been ordered to help. Not that I want to. This is your mess, Ewin! All of this is going down in my report!” Ewin was obviously opposed to that. “But wait!” “Yes?” Stella was cold and insensitive. “Up until now. It has been a picture perfect official visit. Isn’t there some other way?” “You must be joking? Are you?” She looked at each one of there faces. No. They were not. “I am with the Pro-Tolerate! I am an intelligence officer. There is no way in hell this is going to be swept under the rug! Do you understand?” Stella was very adamant, as she stood, obviously assuming command. Ewin pleaded with her. “You must be reasonable!” But she was already headed out the door. Ewin caught up with her down the hall, as she walked. “What is it, Ewin?” Stella said. “Please you have to reconsider! We are up for a serious increase in funding. Something like this could derail the who project.” Ewin seem unusually desperate. “Money? A man has been murdered. Seemingly without cause, no footage of the crime, in a maximum security facility, hell, Ewin, they are watching us right now, as we speak.” “I know it all sounds a bit crazy. But, can’t this be put off, until after we get approval? Come on, Captain. You are a hero, you know how these things work. Politics.” The problem was that Ewin was right. Politics ran everything. From interstellar governments, to what happened in the so called privacy of the bedroom. The Dragon was everywhere. “The Beast sees all, knows all!” Stella finally said. “Yes. But this is very important.” “Really. More important than the life of a man?” “Frankly. Yes!” Stella stared at the man. “Oh. Don’t pretend that you cared about the guy. He was just a one night stand! Empty sex was what it was.” Ewin stated. “Your point?” “All we need is three days. That was the whole point of having you come here. To highlight our facility. Go back. And give a wonderful report. We’d get the funding we want. Everybody would be happy.” Stella shook her head. “Is there nothing for sale in life anymore? Can everything be bought, for a price?” “It is the price for success, Captain. You should know this! Just look how quickly you’ve risen through the ranks? Everyone knows of your success. Let us have some success, too.” Ewin told. Things quickly began to get out of hand after that. There was communication from Headquarters that they were going to reconsider the funding that Ewin and the other heads of departments wanted. The investigation took one turn after another, and finally Stella found herself and Powers trying to escape killer infantry drones, set out to take them out of the picture. Stella reasoned that the murder was done by an infantry drone. That would explain why there was no trace of a killer, because the killer was a machine, that was suppose to be guarding the facility. It had the ability to switch on and off monitors and other surveillance at will. Stella and Powers were hold out in an abandoned part of the power facility which was connected to the main complex. That part of the facility had no active monitors, because all the equipment had been either shut down or decommissioned and removed. The daylight had just broke when Stella and Powers found themselves sharing the same bunk bed. One thing got started and then another and before they knew it, they were kissing and in each other’s arms. Powers kissed Stella’s neck softly. She felt the touch of his lips as he moved about her shoulders and then went back to her lips. Their eyes met and then they strongly embraced. Powers kissed Stella’s chest and moved on down to her ample breast. Along with her well formed butt, her breasts were her best assets. He began to suck her big titties, one at a time. Sucking her breast with such softness and passion drove Stella to feel the pleasure that this man could give her. She needed the sexual diversion, it helped her to think about something other than the problems that she was now facing. He moved over to the other breast and gave it the same attention. His lips rounded the crown of her nipples and she let out a gasp of pleasure. Oh, yes, right there! Stella thought. She took her hands and guided him to the spot that was sending her the most pleasure and his mouth gave homage to her voluptuous breasts. Powers sucked and slurped on her chest meat for a good long time. Giving her sensations of pleasure and making her feel the heat of the moment. Then he began to move on down to her navel, where she could feel him kissing her there and his tongue rolled around and about as he kissed her on her belly. The sensations were dominant as she pushed his head on down to her wanton pussy. Ah, right there Stella’s mind wandered. Then Powers began to lick the fire-crotch, which was her pussy. Her dark red hairs, of her cunt being inspected by his tongue and he kissed her pussy and licked it. She felt his tongue enter her warm body as the man gave her even more pleasure. Her pussy warmed up fast as his tongue controlled her womanhood, She shifted her body so that he could have better access to her hungry cunt. She felt his finger enter into her pussy hole and it sent shockwaves of pleasure up and down her body. His finger knew what it was doing as he found the spots that mattered, just a rolling around inside of her body. Making her hot and making her all the more horny. Then, he opened up her legs and squarely planted his face inside of her crotch as he slurped and kissed and licked her super wet pussy. She moaned with pleasure as he kissed her cunt and licked the hairs of her pussy. His finger slipped around her ample buttocks and found its way up inside of her butt hole. Oh, yeah, now you got it. Thought Stella. As Powers expertly licked Stella’s pussy he also rolled his finger inside of her asshole. It felt really good and she loved the feeling that she was getting from his sexual explorations. Finally, after a good time of sending her pleasurable sensations, he rolled her over, so that he could do her fine and sweet asshole, the honor that it deserved. He began by just a licking her perky asshole. It was tight and pink and ready to receive some serious action. Stella rested her head on a pillow as she let Powers explore her anal region. It was nice how he took care of her butt so well. Just a kissing it, as she felt his lips kissing one butt cheek and then another. Oh, it felt so good and relaxing. Stella let herself think. Powers cracked open her butt cheeks, exposing maximum asshole-age, as his tongue licked every part of the territory. She tightened up for one moment, and cutely farted in his face. He moaned as he smelt the essence of her wanton asshole, then he stuck his finger inside of her asshole and pullled it out, then tasted her sweetness. Powers went back to slurping and kissing and licking for a good long time, really enjoying eating her ass. Then, Stella shifted her butt, as to signal that she was ready for the next stage of this three act play, as her butt stuck up in the air, in the receiving position. Powers opened the twin cheeks and slowly began to descend his dick inside of Stella’s warm and anticipating asshole. It felt so good as his dick went inside of her warm body. Oh, baby, stick it in me! Stella thought. As his cock slipped slowly into her ass-pussy, ever so slowly, inch by inch, sending her pleasure. Finally, Stella felt his balls rest gently against her pussy, and he began to grind on her hungry asshole. He moved out just and bit, as if to tease her, but she took one hand and pulled his cock back inside of her asshole, grabbing him by the butt. This guy was going to finish what he started, there was not going to be any fucking around, now, she wanted a good old fashion butt fucking, and Powers was going to have to teach her asshole some respect. Stella would expect and demand nothing less. Power’s pelvis began to just a rocking and rolling, as he slowly began to butt fuck Stella, ever so well as it was. Her asshole opened up just enough to let him descend and then it closed tightly on his cock’s way up. The dance went on and on, as the man gave Stella the comfort and pleasure that a good and loving butt fucking can do. Then the pace picked up some and skin began to slap up against skin. They were now fucking hard and the sweat and pleasure that they were giving each other was more than obvious, as Stella moaned each time his dick crashed into her hot butt, and he grunted, with pleasure as his hotrod dick dove inside of her body. Bam and bump went the entering in and out of their lovemaking. He held onto her butt cheeks and grabbed her waist, trying to control her ass as it crashed into his pelvis. Stella was not a passive player in this sexual dance, no, not at all. She seriously loved anal sex and it gave her such pleasure to have a nice beefy man inside of her hole. It made her feel loved and cared for, ass fucking made Stella happy. And happy she was as Powers’ man meat found the points of her butt in which to make her shake and shiver with pleasure. The thorough ass pounding, was just what the doctor ordered, and she was the doctor ordering it. By now, Powers was seriously ass pounding Stella’s butt. She shifted a bit, so that he could have better traction in order to angle his dick, ever just so rightly, in order to give her the pleasure that she both wanted and demanded of him. His cock was swollen with excitement, as it expanded inside of her asshole, rolling around and poking in and out, it was a naughty big-ass cock, and it was going to be tamed by her asshole, if Stella hand anything to say about it. The ass fucking went on and on, with now, loud slaps and grunts, from both of them, as flesh pressed against flesh, and then, emotions melted and excited and exploded, then the dance repeated itself. She could feel Power’s strong hands, as they grabbed her butt, trying to control the motions of her educated ass, but, she knew that the only way she was going to win, was to take charge of the sexual mating, and make him want more and more, until he could not stand it and he had to surrender. But, Powers had thoughts of his own, as he ass pounded her tight butt hole, sending shivers of pleasure up her spine and her warm body reacted with convulsive pleasure. Pop, slip, went the flesh, rocking and rolling her booty, which was ever so large and needed a good education in manners and respect. Imagine that, Stella’s asshole actually thought it was in control, when in fact, it was the victim of a good old ass fucking, all of which, Stella totally enjoyed. Power’s dick dominated Stella’s asshole. Controlling the force and the timing and the flow of motion. Stella found herself grabbing the pillow and firmly placing her face in it and just screaming as loudly as she could with pleasure, as his cock took full control, and commanded her asshole to surrender. And surrender her asshole did, she knew that this man was a serious ass master, and that she was going to have to let the pleasure just flow as it wanted to flow. Powers mounted her butt for the final act of the three act play, Stella grabbed hold of the bed, as she felt him plow her a new asshole. Oh, yes sweetness! She thought. As Powers fucked her butt crazy. He began to actually jump her butt and make is surrender to his awesome butt fucking. The heat was on as they both were reaching the point of no return, Stella was almost senseless as her pleasure and emotion of such expert loving, sent sensations of wonder throughout all of her body. Powers was getting in those precious final moments before his cock exploded with cum, he knew he was just moments away. But, just then, as if sensing that his dick was going to blow, Stella shifted her body, angling her asshole in a new place, and that sent the sensations out of the roof. Stella lifted up her head for a brief moment, and yelled for pleasure as she began to orgasm. Powers almost crippled his dick, as it began to cum violently in her wet and warm asshole. They both groped each other lovingly, as they could not control the pleasure and sensations that they were both experiencing. The two had actually managed to fuck each other to the point of equals. Oh, such pleasure. Oh, such happiness. Oh, such cum and exhaustion. They were both so weak from the awesome fucking that each awarded the other. So nice! Stella thought. As she rolled over and they began to kiss each other’s lips. Then, Stella had a little business to finish taking care of, as she moved on down to Powers’ dick and began to suck it. She licked it ever so gentle, cognizant of how his dick must feel, after such an expert and skilled ass fucking. He tried to relax and catch his breath, but Stella was still in a naughty mood, as her ass stuck up in the air, cum dripping from it, and she sucked the dick that did that. Stella’s mouth wrapped around his cock, she began to roll his man-meat in her mouth. She loved the taste of cock and shit, her shit, as she licked it ever so goodly. Just a licking and a sucking and a kissing of the dickness, as she made love to his cock with her mouth. Hmm. Such loving and tasty cock! Stella thought. As she licked the shaft. Tasty indeed. THE DANDELIONS OF TRAL-GOTHICA “The line of blazing villages, red in the midnight sky.” George Croly All hellfire had broken loose. Stella had ordered Powers to gather up as many of The Take Charge Movement spies as he could and mount an attack against the main facility. She finally realized that they were never going to have another chance to deliver a blow to the government, the super-corps, like the opportunity that presented itself now. The Rule 37 facility was a sophisticated slaughtering house. They had seemingly countless Native Tral-Goticians, housed up in there, ready for the slaughter, like livestock. It was an abominable sight to behold, as Stella and the others freed them and led them into the nearby forest. When Stella and some of the others, were sure that the Native Tral-Gothicans were going to be able to fully escape, she turned back and went back to the Rule 37 facility. There was heavy fighting still going on. They had managed to get word to nearby Take Charge members, who quickly formed groups and attacked the facility, including the power station. Stella and a young man named Zendi, a higher up in the chain of command in The Take Charge Movement, managed to get to the critical part of the power station. Infantry drones had them trapped at the moment, as they shot it out with them. Zendi leaned back on a wall, he’d been slightly injured. “This doesn’t look too good, Stella.” Stella was dressing his wound. “Oh. You’ll live. I’ve seen worse and had worse done to me.” “No. I don’t mean this. I’m talking about our mission, to disrupt the operations at Rule 37.” Stella leaned back on the wall, after dressing his wound. “Well. Let’s see. We are trapped on all sides, as it would seem. There are infantry drones firing upon us. Snoops are spying on us, and I’m pretty sure that Ewin and the others were embezzling money from Rule 37. That was why they so desperately needed the new influx of cash. In order to try and coverup what they were doing over here.” “I thought they were up really high in rank?” “Think on it. Who better to steal from the government, the super-corps, than those who control the purse strings?” Zendi nodded. “You have a point.” “Yeah. I started to get suspicious when Finch was murdered. He must have caught on to what was going on. But the poor bastard was so paranoid, he didn’t quite know who he could trust with the information. I mean, if he went to Ewin, well that was like telling the devil that he is evil. He’d just smile and tell you thanks.” “Then Finch had no one that he could turn to for help?” “Well. He started to try and trust me. On the day of his death, before he left my room, he managed to leave several clues on my call-all. I finally found them, though by then, I was wrapped up in his murder investigation. Ewin and the others, who were involved in the embezzling scheme, tried to run an interference. Thinking that they could control every aspect of the investigation. They hadn’t counted on the Admiral assigning me in charge of the murder investigation. At that point, they had to play along, thinking they could steer me down dead ends. They didn’t know that Finch had managed to leave me clues as to what was really going on here.” Stella expressed. “So, when Ewin found out that you were onto him, one thing led to another, and here we are. Going to die and no one is ever going to know the truth.” Zendi stated. Stella looked at the ruggedly handsome man. “No. No, it can’t all end here. The coverup about the slaughtering of the natives, how they corral them and slaughter them like cattle, selling their flesh to other planets. That needs to come out into the light of day. It is nothing less than immoral and genocide!” Zendi added. “Slavery! Like what happened back on Earth, hundreds of years ago. Crimes against humanity have no Statutes of Limitations and can not be dismissed by passing laws, in order to cover up the crimes.” Stella grinned and nodded. “Finally, a student of history. Very intellectual, Zendi. And here I thought that you were just a good looking guy stuck in a bad situation with me.” They both laughed briefly. But, then the weapons fire broke out even more, to put a damper on the lightness of the moment. Stella figured that Ewin was probably behind the attack, knowing full well that if Stella was allowed to live, that she would turn him into the authorities, and he’d be summarily executed, him along with the others who were involved. Though, by now, it was a good bet that most of them had passports ready, and were already leaving the planet. Zendi sighed. “I don’t know, Stella. Looks pretty bleak to me. What do we do, make our last stand here?” Stella examined their resources. “Well. We have enough explosives, so that if one of us can make it to the main power core, we can blow the entire facility to Kingdom Come.” “Hmm. I’m injured, I’ll try and hold them off. You are the strongest of the two, there is a trap door, down the hallway. If you can manage to get to it, while I lay down cover fire, keeping the infantry drones occupied, you might have a run of it.” Zendi checked and reloaded his weapon. “It is suicide. If I leave you here, they will eventually overcome you. Those infantry drones have no mercy. No conscience. They just kill!” Stella studied the man’s face for weakness and found none. Zendi answered. “We all knew what we were getting ourselves into, when we joined The Take Charge Movement. Social injustice, corrupt politicians, even more corrupt judges and police officials. Tral-Gothica doesn’t have to be like this. It is high time that the people took back their pride and their dignity! We don’t have to live like this. Slaves to big business. The super-corps, the government, which is owned and controlled by the super-corps.” Stella uttered. “You got family?” “Yes. That is why I am doing all of this. So that my sister and parents, can have a better tomorrow.” Zendi voiced. “And if we both fail, what then?” “Stella, we’ve all been watching you, how you’ve rose through the ranks of the enemy, all the while, never truly giving into the corruption of the super-corps. Most people would have been seduced by money and power. But, not you. No, you just keep on going, trying to do whatever little you can. And it is the little things that lead to big things, I was taught as a child. So, if we die today, and it really looks that way, then, we would have done all that we could, and, for all the right reasons.” Zendi expounded. “And you are pretty sure you can hold them off long enough for me to reach the trap door?” “I’ve studied this facility for months. I know the area pretty well. I’m sure it is there.” “And what if you are wrong?” “If you doubt me, I’ll go, and you can stay and try and hold them off.” “No. It is going to require someone in the best of shape. Getting pass the infantry drones here, is just part of it. I’ll have to manage to make my way across the flat area, totally exposed, and then get to the power core. Plant the explosives, and then, blow the place to hell.” Zendi spoke, “You forgot something.” “What is that?” “The part where you come back and we both save ourselves. We live to fight the good fight, another day.” Zendi grinned, knowing the odds of that happening. “Yeah. What do you think history will say about this day?” “Well. If the super-corps are the ones writing it, that we were terrorist, and that we killed lots of people. They will conveniently omit the fact that they were practicing genocide for profit against the natives of this planet. It’ll be a coverup. Just like they always do.” Zendi reasoned. “Then, just maybe, we need to live. So that the truth can to told about this day. This day, when the people of Tral-Gothica, along with its indigenous population, struck a blow for freedom and morality, and what was right!” Stella expressed. “So. We make a pact.” “Okay. What do we agree to?” “We agree to live.” Zendi said. “To live?” Stella repeated. “Yes. You said it yourself. This day will be twisted and corrupted in its interpretation, unless, some of us, manage to escape and to live to tell the story. We’ll start with the young, who have a future.” Zendi uttered. “We’ll tell it in the rural areas, spread the knowledge, that no matter how backwards they might consider themselves to be, that everyone counts. Everyone can make a difference, when it comes to doing what is right. Killing and selling the natives for food, sentient beings, is wrong!” Stella and Zendi began to carry out their plan. While Zendi laid down cover fire, Stella was able to escape and make her way to the power core. She encountered Snoops along the way, which she managed to shoot out of the air, with one of them, escaping, badly damaged. Stella got to her point of destination, set the charges, and left the facility. Along the way, she managed to circle back around, and take out the remaining infantry drones. They we not expecting her to double back after having gone through so much to escape. She and Zendi struggled, but were able to get as far away from the facility as possible, when it began to blow up. They found a small hut along the way. It had the basics in it, it looked like it was an old abandoned sentry post, now left to rot and ruin. However, for their purposes, it was perfect. They settled in for the night, the sight of the Rule 37 facility in flames in the distance, cheered them up, because they knew, at least for the time being, The Take Charge Movement, had dealt the super-corps a decisive blow. There was a radio in the small hut and Stella got it to work, she put out a call to her fellow Take Charge operatives and they told her that they’d be sending help in the morning. There was no way that the super-corps were going to be able to hide this incident, however, the spin-doctors and talking heads, of the super-corps owned media, were already playing the story as, a terrorist attack by The Take Charge Movement. After Stella dressed Zendi’s wound again, they both settled in for the night. Their need for comfort led to them kissing at first. Then, they slowly and lovingly began to undress as passion took over. Zendi took off his shirt and then kissing Stella’s voluptuous body, slowly removed Stella’s. He kissed her neck and ear. Oh, yes, babe. Thought Stella. As they both finished undressing and lay down on a make shift bed. She felt his lips as they explored her neck, kissing it, licking it, loving it. Then their mouth’s met and their tongues rolled and embraced inside each other’s mouths, exchanging wet pleasure and excitement. Zendi began to move down to Stella’s ample breasts. Her big juicy tits stood up, crying out for his attention and he did not disappoint. Zendi kissed one nipple and then the other, he went back and forth like that for a good while, just a kissing and licking, sending shivers of pleasure across her naked hot sweaty body. She felt his mouth try and surround one of her boobs, as he sucked her boobs. She could feel his tongue as it licked around her erect nipples. Oh, yes! Stella allowed her mind to think. All the while Zendi was making tender love to her. He then moved over to the other waiting boob and paid his respect to it, for is demanded attention. Stella moved her hand down his rock hard body and found his cock. It was blistering and firm and filled with cock juice. Slowly Zendi kissed on down to Stella’s orange-red fire crotch, licking her pussy hair, ever so nicely and sweetly. His tongue raking over her pussy with passion and tenderness. Them without warning, his tongue darted inside of her cunt hole. Once inside of her body, Zendi’s educated tongue knew how to send her pleasure as it rolled around and about. His wet tongue sliding in and out of her wanton pussy. She took hold of his head and guided him to where she wanted him to be, between her legs, buried there, as he licked her cunt real good. Just a licking and a slurping and cherishing her pussy very well. The pleasure that this man was sending was so wonderful and she so much need a good fucking just then. Then he shifted over and she felt his finger as it slipped inside of her tight wet pussy. His finger was rough and manly, it excited her as it rolled around inside of her pussy. Zendi began to alternated between his finger fucking her and his tongue licking her, it felt so good, as Stella tensed with wanton pleasure. They both re-positioned themselves and he spread open her beautiful legs, pushing them back to near her shoulders, just opening her up good. All her pussy was wide open now, spread out just so good, and ready, ready to get a good dick fucking. And Zendi was not afraid to do just that, as she felt his big thick juicy cock descend inside of her cunt hole. Ever so slowly, it went in, and it was a good massive dick it was. Lots of cock veins and other dick features, all of which tickled her pussy as his cock slid in and out of her pussy. Her tight pussy taking in all of him. Holding onto his cock as it went up and opening as it went down. Her cunt rhythms coincided with his fine fucking. Zendi’s dick opened up Stella’s pussy, as it rounded about her hole. Slipping in and out, fucking her ever so wonderfully. Her legs were up by her cheek, as his weight was fully upon her, just like she liked it, she loved to feel the heat and strength of her lover as he fucked her hell out of her. And that was exactly what Zendi was doing, as his pelvis slapped up against her pelvis, his cock drilling her hole with pussy love. She moaned with pleasure as his dick explored her cunt with passion in an expert way. She could feel his gorgeous dick head as it poked in and out of her cunt. She was very wet and it had no trouble sliding in and out of her hole. Bam and slap, went their skin against each others. Their pelvis moving and grinding, his dick met pussy, and neither was willing to surrender, no, not just yet. They shifted around and Stella was now in an indignant position, that yielded such angled passion of his cock, as it blasted her pussy. His balls slapped up against her perky asshole, as his dick found the right places inside of her body, to send her sensational pleasure. He moved on top of her and they kissed each other’s lips, then he took hold of her voluptuous breasts and she could feel his lips sucking her very erect nipples. He rocked on top of her, both of their bodies straining to gain the advantage, but Zendi was dominating her cunt hole, with total command. As she felt his big burley cock jab inside of her hole with force and precision of dickedness. Oh, yes, fuck me! Stella thought. As he just kept on pounding her pussy. There was the sound of several farts that came from Stella’s asshole, as the man forced her body into total ecstasy, just a fucking her, ever so good, ever so lovingly. She could feel his big strong arms as they moved her body about, in order to get even better position. His big juicy balls patting her tight asshole, which was jealous of her pussy. Them Zendi moved her over and she rolled onto her stomach. His dick was dripping wet with her cunt juice and he was just getting started. Zendi cracked open her butt cheeks, revealing a tight and pink asshole, all ready and waiting. Stella rested her head on her crossed arms, and stuck out her wanton butt, signaling that she wanted everything that he had to give. She shook with pleasure when she first felt his tongue as it licked her asshole. Oh, yes, right there! Thought Stella. His tongue licked and rolled and slurped her asshole ever to wonderfully. Just a licking and a slurping and sending waves of pleasure throughout Stella’s body. Then, without warning, she felt his finger enter into her nasty part. It explored the possibilities, as it rolled around inside of there. He pulled out his finger and offered it to Stella who was glad to lick her own shit. Then, he lovingly kissed her on the neck and with that, she felt every inch of this man’s massiveness, as it slid inside of her asshole. Oh, it opened up her butt real good, and finally, he rested on her backside. His dick, thoroughly embedded inside of her asshole. Her butt muscles contracted as he slid his cock up, and then they relaxed as he slid his cock, down. This action went on and on, as Zendi butt fucked the hell out of Stella’s ass real good. She shifted just ever so much, so as to allow him better access to her wanton asshole, which clamored for pleasure and sensations of joy, as his dick found new territory inside of her hungry asshole. Her hungry butt ate his dick with total amounts of pleasure, as it opened up and just sucked in every inch of this man’s mighty cock. Stella let out another fart, in between the dicking, he was fucking the shit out of her asshole, almost literally. Bump and bam and slap, went their flesh, as her dicking became even more pronounced. With each thrust she moaned and he grunted, as they fucked each other with a mighty mission to eventually make each other cum. He grabbed hold of her ample buttocks, and gripped tight, as he shifted and angled, so that is dick could travel better, going in and out of her wanton hole of shit. Yes, my hole of stinky. sweet, shit needs you, darling! Stella thought. And as if he could read her mind, his cock totally took charge as it banged the hell out of her butt hole. Stella turned her head to the other side, out of the window she could see the facility as it still burned. Her vision kind of blurry, due to the excellent dick fucking of her hungry asshole. Now the pressure was on, because she could feel his dick beginning to swell inside of her asshole, as if that were even more possible, because Zendi’s dick was ever so wide already. Her butt muscles would grab his dick as it went out and then, open up as it forced it’s way down gravy lane. He took hold of her waist and hugged her tight as he positioned for the final rounds, his weight totally upon her butt, as he shifted to bear him, slap and pow, went their flesh, as his ass fucking reached new heights. By now, Stella was moaning and screaming with pleasure as she felt her asshole gain a new and profound education. How could this be? Stella thought. She had always envisioned her asshole as being well educated, in fact, she thought her butt was the one in charge. But Zendi’s cock had street education. His dick opened up he butt so much that at one point she even yelled: “I love you!” Now his cock was in total authority. The tremendous ass fucking had reached a point where it just could not be denied. Then, Zendi groaned as enormous amounts of cum flowed inside of her asshole. She felt the eruption of cum and it triggered an orgasm. She loved to be fucked in the butt. It made her feel so warm and loved. Finally, the two rolled over and rested, or so he did, breathing hard. Stella quickly went down on him. Sucking him ever so well, licking and slurping and rolling his cock in her mouth. Tasting all of her sweet shit, that was on his dick, and she didn’t stop until his cock was squeaky clean. The next day, when they awoke, to the sound of an air-transport, landing to take them out of there. Stella and Zendi kissed just one more time inside of the hut. She quickly kissed his big juicy cock as he put on his pants, and then they both went out to meet the vehicle. A thought crossed her mind, after all of the good sex she had experienced. “Am I walking funny?” . | http://www.smashwords.com/books/download/177796/6/latest/0/0/the-ecstasy-of-tral-gothica.txt | dclm-gs1-274880002 | false | true | {
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0.041423 | <urn:uuid:efc015ed-cec8-4bd1-ad2c-3fd9481ba9e3> | en | 0.935898 | Emily Metzloff
Emily lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras where she worked on various youth development projects. Upon completion of her service, she and fellow Peace Corps volunteer, Sarah Ansari, rode their bikes back to the US. Emily completed a Masters in Teaching at WNMU, and has taught in the classroom for five years. She continues to enjoy touring, mountain biking, and trail running.
Where to find Emily Metzloff online
By Emily Metzloff
Bicycle Voyages: Elements of a Successful Cycling Tour
By Emily Metzloff
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0.019323 | <urn:uuid:c01cbf6f-e4bb-4e41-b424-7e91ab0ba2de> | en | 0.966681 | Gavin Floyd Gets Completely Lossed
Gavin Floyd threw the White Sox 10th consecutive quality start, but one poor inning was enough make him the 3rd Sox starter of the month to get hung with the dreaded complete game loss. The Sox have thrown 3 complete games this season, all losses, during which the offense has plated a total of 4 runs.
Floyd had no-hit stuff early in the outing Friday night -- He threw about the nastiest changeup I've ever seen in the 4th -- and carried another no-hitter into the 5th inning. But he grooved a first-pitch fastball to Torii Hunter, who promptly gave the ball a one-way ticket to section 159. And then Gavin got wild, really wild.
Mike Napoli walked on 4 pitches. Robb Quinlan hit an innocent enough looking first-pitch single into left field. 5 more pitches to Sean Rodriguez, 4 more balls. Now Floyd was in trouble with the bases loaded and no concept of how to get a pitch into the strike zone.
When Floyd threw the first pitch to Maicer Izturis in the opposite batter's box, AJ pointed to his shoulder to indicate he was flying open. Floyd over-corrected and threw a meat-seeking fastball to plate another run. Since he was no longer able to get the fastball over, AJ called for the slider to Gary Matthews. Mistake. Another HBP, another run.
The inning was ended mercifully by Vlad Guerrero, who swung at the first pitch from a pitcher who walked two and hit two batters with 2 outs. Two of Floyd's previous 13 pitches went for strikes, yet Vlad was hacking first pitch. That's a special kind of stupid in the batter's box, but Vlad's a special kind of batter so he can get away with it.
Floyd would rebound to allow just one baserunner over the last 4 innings, but the offense couldn't get anything started against Joe Saunders after a mild first inning threat. The Sox first two batters of the night reached base (on a walk and bunt hit), but the 3-4-5 hitters repeated their 0-3 w/RISP of Thursday's first inning, minus the sacrifice fly.
3rd inning .067/.200/.067
4th Inning .194/.275/.222
5th Inning .194/.256/.306
As has become habit over the last 10 games the Sox bats fell silent in the middle innings. During that stretch, the Sox have posted the following lines (see table at right), which generally represents the second time through the order. During their 8 game winning streak, they scored just once in those innings. Combine that with tonight's blanking and they've scored 1 run in their last 27 3rd-5th innings. That's a special kind of consistency.
The offense made a charge late, which has also become a habit lately. But it was too little, too late, as Jim Thome and Joe Crede each struck out while representing the game-winning run in the 9th.
I'll reserve making any rash statements about the offense until they get shut down by Jered Weaver again Saturday. Ah what the hell, let's have one shot at the offense. Carlos Zambrano had as many hits as the White Sox Friday night.
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0.070655 | <urn:uuid:65aea85a-28d4-4ddf-b568-d15cac46b13b> | en | 0.9562 | Rotel RB-960BX power amplifier Page 2
I should put this into perspective, though. If you're more accustomed to the higher-end gear in Stereophile's "Recommended Components," you'll be far more sensitive to what both the Adcom and Rotel amps "do" to the sound of a hi-fi rig than most entry-level audiophiles. But you also probably won't be shoppin' for no $350 amplifier, neither!
On the other hand, if you're movin' on up from a cheap mid-fi Japanese receiver, you'll probably find that either of these amps sounds vastly better than what you've been listening to music with. Of course, then you'll be off'n'running down that long, strange High End Trail, but there are plenty of worse ways to spend your time while waiting to die. (Such as writing angry letters to Stereophile's editor demanding to know why a bunch of repressed, middle-aged white guys don't review Public Enemy and Ice Cube.)
The Rotel's mellower balance really gave it the edge when it was inserted into the Real World system. The budget-king CD players—even the cool-man JVC—have at least a trace of hardness and grit to their sounds, and the 960BX was of great help in smoothing out this tizz. Standing in the Safety Zone sounded much smoother and more natural via the Rotel, and while the individual voices weren't as clearly focused as with the Adcom, the overall sound was much more enjoyable and musical. I found that I could, and did, spend long listening sessions with the Rotel, in either the Real World system or the He-Man rig, without the urge to switch back to a "real" amplifier. I usually got that urge when spending time with the Adcom GFA-535 II.
The Rotel had a faster, more rhythmically involving bass range. It wasn't a serious threat to the Aragon and Muse brutes, but the Rotel's low end was really deep and grooving for such a cheap amp. Whether driving the Spicas or even the big NHT 3.3s, the Rotel was consistently more comfortable with groove-heavy music than the Adcom. Neither amp would probably make Martin Colloms shake-it-till-he-break-it, but in the context of a budget system, the Rotel was more than up to the hardest-rocking music I could throw at it.
The Rotel also did a fine job of throwing up a good-sized soundstage with more than a hint of real depth. I hate myself for listening to it each time I grab it off the rack, but Roger Waters's Amused to Death does have the widest, most vividly detailed soundstage of any CD in my collection—it's got QSound processing splashed all over it with about as much subtlety as I displayed when splashing on the Old Spice at age 15. With the Rotel, the razor-sharp imaging I'm used to hearing from this disc was dulled a bit, blurring the image outlines together to make for a less distinct sense of soundscape. But in terms of sheer size, the Rotel had a much bigger sound than the Adcom GFA-535 II, which tended to flatten image depth. Neither amp could really do justice to real spacemeisters like the Ry Cooder/Vishwa Bhatt A Meeting by the River CD, but the Rotel did enable the Real World system to approximate the sheer size of the soundscape that I hear from my He-Man rig, if not the image focus.
The Rotel's ability to render the somewhat black'n'blue sound of my budget system into a listenable, enjoyable rig was far and away its most important achievement. I repeat: This was hardly the most accurate amplifier I've ever heard, but the RB-960BX had a rather soft-focused sound that, while not really reminiscent of classic tube gear, was laid-back and relaxed. The Rotel's tendency toward softness could really spell the difference between a low-budget system you gotta force yourself to like and one whose musicality surprises you every time you sit down to listen.
Incidentally, using the McCormack Line Drive improved the sound vastly more than two entry-level solid-state preamps Rotel sent me to try, the RP-960BX and RP-980BX. I highly un-recommend that you go the route of assembling a Real World system around the inexpensive Rotel preamps, which pretty much obscured component differences when used in my Real World system. I'll be the first to tell you about a sub–$500 preamp that doesn't muck up the sound, but, so far, it ain't got here.
Because the Rotel allows for bridging operation into a 180W mono amp, I tried two of them in bridged mode to drive the NHT 3.3s.
Forget it. Yes, the power went up and the amps played louder, but the sound pretty much fell apart, especially in the bass. Overall, the sound got more congested, with an added bit of wiriness on top that isn't there in standard stereo operation. I wasn't nearly as impressed with the Rotel in bridged mode as in its normal stereo configuration—if you need more power than the 960BX's 60W, I strongly recommend that you go ahead and buy Rotel's 100W RB-980BX (footnote 1) instead of using two 960s in bridged mode. I got a much more coherent and convincing sound from the 980 than with the bridged 960s, and the single 980 is even a little cheaper to boot.
Overall Conclusions
The Rotel, however, sounds wisely rolled-off on the top, and as a result doesn't get into as much trouble with less-than-perfect ancillary gear.
The Rotel is not the amp to buy if you're trying to go for a really analytical, high-rez budget system. It did not resolve the last snippet of detail from my records and CDs when compared with good mid-priced amplifiers like the $1200 Muse Model One Hundred or the $995 Acurus DIA-100 integrated amp. No, the Rotel is for the budget-minded music lover who wants a good, solid little amplifier that's not going to make listening to music a trying experience. And for $370, that's a pretty fair trick.
Footnote 1: Favorably reviewed by Thomas J. Norton in Vol.15 No.11, p.171. I second his emotion that the Rotel 980 is a really good amp for $600.
Company Info
Rotel of America
P.O. Box 8, 54 Concord Street
North Reading, MA 01864-0008
(800) 370-3741
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Posts by 888style
When will you have the Fillis 1 1/4" width back in stock as the word "temporarily" in the below statement get's to be a more permanent status.... "The Fillis is temporarily unavailable in 1 1/4" width - why not try the 1 1/8"?"
If in 8.5UK I would have gladly taken them off the market.... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/John-Lobb-shoes-prestige-/120769255234?pt=UK_Men_s_Shoes&hash=item1c1e689742
A 5 months wait and then being disappointed like this....... Not a really good recipe for creating a repeat customer.
+1 on contacting them. And the customer is always right, so if you're not happy with the product received express those concerns. More people like you and they hopefully get their act together.
Right side of picture can also be found in my rotation. Regular "wow" comments when wearing my brown/suede Archdales. What's up with the fat and ugly shoe laces in the pair below? Would like to add a pair of Lancers to my...
What Scarf is Justin wearing in the Givenchy Ad. Close comes Drake's, but it has finer print: http://www.drakes-london.com/scarves...lar-silk-scarf
Tim and Fiona Slack (T&F Slack)
Does anyone know who makes this type of lock. Hard to read the print in the picture. Seem to remember a link to similar type lock was posted a while ago. Can't find it. Thx.
Find yourself an American local who forwards it on marked as: *gift *returned from repair *product sample, no commercial value *declares value under the customs threshold Simple as that.
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G.I. Joe Set Visit: Ray Park is Snake Eyes
July 30, 2009
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From Darth Maul and Toad to G.I. Joe
Ray Park, who played Darth Maul in the first "Star Wars" prequel, uses his martial arts expertise to fight for the good guys in Paramount Pictures' G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. The Scottish born actor is Snake Eyes, the mystifying black-clad mute ninja who battles along side the Joe's. Hype! caught up with the star on set and chatted with him about the challenges of playing such a mysterious character.
Q: Can you talk about the training you went through for the film.
Ray Park: On training, I'm always training anyway. Especially for something like this to come up unexpectedly, but when I started my initial training for "G.I. Joe" and Snake Eyes, I just pumped up and just concentrated on what I can do on a skill level with my weaponry, my sword work and my gymnastics. I've been training for 27 years in Shaolin, martial arts and Wushu and gymnastics. Really just getting into the character, I did a lot of research, bought a lot of comics, got as many old and new cartoons as possible about Snake Eyes. Snake Eyes is a character that I've grown up with. It was something that I'm very familiar with in the beginning. I just wanted to be prepared and be strong for any sort of unexpected challenges. In the beginning I was doing a lot of boxing, kick-boxing, I was wearing a sauna suit everyday, I was wearing ski goggles, I was wearing gloves. I was trying to put myself through the worst condition ever. On most training sessions I was puking up.
Q: So you're wearing all that during the training?
Park: Yeah, during my training and I was wearing a few layers and I was wearing a hoodie. So I was like boxers would do. I was wearing many layers and I was trying to lean up and wearing my weight vest and just making everything hotter for me. So when it came to doing the shoot it was going to be a walk in the park really.
Q: How different of a fighting style do you want to make Snake Eyes compared to say, how you did the Darth Maul character?
Park: Well Snake Eyes is straight up my alley to be honest with you because the style that I use the Katana swords, I get to play with ninja styles and I used to do that as a kid anyway. I was a kid in the park thinking he was a ninja. So I got to be that sort of be that kid again in Snake Eyes. Darth Maul is a little bit different because it was a bow staff and it wasn't so much of the Wushu style that I was showing. With Snake Eyes I'm working with the Fire Ranger and the stunt boys. We wanted to show a big range of martial arts they use my style to get to where we were going to get to so we combined all different types of styles of a hybrid. It's not a new style. We're just using everything. Kicking, punching, and especially when it came to the weaponry and the sword work I give my flair. Because that's what I love doing, I love playing with swords, I love spinning swords, I love jumping with swords, and they just left it up to me when it came to the swords because they knew that I was going to add a little twist and a little spin here and a little twirl there. It was very different to work on than before.
Q: Your fight scenes with Storm Shadow, are they going to be a lot more weapons-based or would you rather do more hand to hand?
Park: It's everything. Hand to hand, there's weapons, we introduce an old traditional weapon, but made it more hyper, more modern. I'm not too sure what I can tell you about it, but we're showing something new that you've never seen, I think you've never seen on screen before with myself and Storm Shadow. Especially with me I had to...
Q: Did you do a new kung fu / martial arts move or something?
Park: No, it's not a new martial arts move. I'll give you the basis, I use tonfas in one of the fight scenes. I've never used tonfas in my life so I had to learn how to use tonfas for this.
Q: Can you explain what these are?
Park: They're like a police weapon. It's got the handle and then the stick, so to use it in the martial arts sense in the Japanese martial arts sense, I've never done that before so I panicked a little bit, bought myself a pair of tonfas and just put it in my Wushu flair. The stunt guys taught me what to do, the little tricks, what you can do with a tonfa and then I just went away and just locked myself in a room and started playing them.
Q: Does Storm Shadow have these as well or is he battling with something else?
Park: He has what you expect Storm Shadow to use. He has his swords.
Q: Are the fighting sequences going to be more flashy or do you want it to be a bit more stiff?
Park: It's going to bring out the best in both fight characters, these fight scenes. It's going to show strength of both characters, flamboyancy, and also skill and style and speed. The crew was pumped up when we're doing fight scenes a few weeks ago. We did a whole five days of fights. I lost about fifteen pounds in a few days, it was unbelievable.
Q: Any injuries?
Park: No injuries. Touch wood.
Q: One of the few redeeming things of "Star Wars: Episode I" was the Darth Maul character and the fight scene between Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan; compare the fight scene, like the light saber fight scenes, how different are they?
Park: The fight scene that I've done with Storm Shadow is a lot different than what I did in "Phantom Menace." There's two different movies. We've got light saber and a "Star Wars" movie. In the fight scene that I have with Storm Shadow of course I'm using katana swords, there's hand to hand, there's gymnastics involved. I even put a bit of humor into it, ya know me being a big fan of Snake Eyes, there's a moment that I wanted to give something to the fans and I wanted to have, in the old cartoons Snake Eyes does a little break dancing and so I wanted to have a touch of that in the fight scenes so Stephen [Sommers] gave me that opportunity to do that without over-selling, being too cheesy. I had a brief moment...
Q: Celebrating a victory or something?
Park: It was just a moment in the fight, in the laser room, I worked within the fight scene and it worked within that room. That it wasn't a case of me doing it for the sake of doing it. I did it to get out of a situation and I wanted to do that, and I wanted to do it in a smart way so hopefully it comes across really well.
Q: Do you find it tough as an actor that you're stuck behind a mask and have no dialogue?
Park: This one was tough because with anything else I've done you see my face whether it's in make up or not, so I can show expression and emotion. With this, it was really all body language. Whatever I was thinking and feeling, I had to show through my body and whether it be small little gestures with my fingers or something small and interacting with the other actors, bringing myself into the scene without speaking was a challenge. When I auditioned for this, I cleansed for five days and thanks to Robert here he's the reason that I found out about that they were casting a martial artist for the role of Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow, so it got me on that I wanted to play this character and because of the fans telling me for the last four years, "You'd be a great Snake Eyes." It really plants a seed in my head and so when I heard about it, I jumped on it. I did whatever I could to be Snake Eyes and everything fell into place and I was able to go down and do a screen test and audition and I had fun with it.
Q: Are you prepared for going to like a Comic-Con and being the face of the "Star Wars" character, the face of a "G.I. Joe" character, and a "X-Men character?
Park: You know, I'm really looking forward to it because I've met so many fans over the years some of them have become really good friends of mine and I actually look forward to sharing my stories because it's really because of the fans and going to Comic-Con and going to conventions its really kept me going as an actor to want to do more creative roles.
Q: When is your next romantic comedy?
Park: I don't know. I'm Peter Pan all the way, I'm the boy that doesn't want to grow up. I love doing these types of roles. I don't care if I never speak again in my life. It's good because my wife would be happy about that.
Q: How restrictive is the suit though?
Park: I want to say, to be honest with you it was really, really hard. It felt heavier than what it is because of how it fits on me. It was hard. Now when I get into it, it's second nature, but in the beginning I freaked out. Having something on my face, not being able to see, not being able to move and freaking out I'm thinking, "Wow, they really hired me because I can do this stuff. I'm not going to be able to show this." [They] let me take one and practice with it and luckily the training I did before with the sauna suit on and the weighted vest and everything else prepared me for that and I always know that being on the set and doing what you can do in the gym… nothing prepares you for the set. Last week we did an awesome scene where a tons of water was being blown up behind me, I had to come through rain showers and take out two Vipers, jump down three steps and save Scarlett and run while there's like tons of water around me. I mean, you don't prepare for that in training. [We did] it once in rehearsal and I was like, "Alright, I'm going to do that again." And it was funny. That's where I really enjoy doing what I'm doing because I get to do the stuff that I grew up watching my idols did as a kid and I'm getting to live out my childhood dreams.
Q: Do the restrictions of the suit require that they change any of the fight choreography?
Park: I worked through it. I knew with the suit and the way it worked, being enclosed, it wasn't going to work. So to my advantage being a Wushu guy, because Wushu's all about this. So rather than being like a fighter I can be the Wushu guy and show off the muscles and show off the suit and having that suit and taking it home, I did my own little film test on my camera. Went home and went, "No, that doesn't work, I need to do this, I need to change this." And had the stand-by's film it for me and so that helped me because feeling it and doing it and actually seeing it are two different things and I wanted it to be all about showing the suit off and showing what I can do off as well. And for the fans to go, "Yeah, that's Ray." Because of the style that I do.
Q: Scarlett and Snake Eyes have a whole romantic thing going on, right? Or romantic back story at least?
Park: There is in the comics, there's something there, but Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow in the movie are very close. In the sense, like Rachel says, Scarlett is there for Snake Eyes and speaks for Snake, because she knows how Snake thinks. So there is a close relationship between the two of them.
Q: But not necessarily a romance or anything like that?
Park: Not in this one. Maybe in the sequel.
Q: I'd like to see that love scene. You obviously have a big battle or two, or three, or whatever, but how many days did you train for these sequences on film and overall, how many days have you been filming all these battles?
Park: The main battle with Storm Shadow took about five days to film, we did it few weeks ago. I started training in January with the stunt guys and the fight team and I was training with them on a fitness level working that out, the weapons I might be using. The sword work, I can do in my sleep, it's something I've done ever since I was a kid. We got into about a month of training with the guys and we had a few sequences tied down and a few fight scenes locked down and then I had about six weeks of a gap because I was working on the set I had no time to train with the guys so I had to come in at three in the morning before I was pulled in on the set and do my training when I got home at eight o'clock at night, so it was really full on for me because I wasn't getting to work with the stunt team so when it came to going on set it was literally a half an hour before filming, I had to have a re-cap and a revision of what we had to do and a lot of stuff had changed because things evolve and change with the story and the fight scene. I was basically learning some of the stuff as we were doing it so that's where a test of my training came in hand. It's basically like dancing and remembering your steps with your partner.
Q: Can you talk about walking across the floor on your finger tips, how'd you pull that off?
Park: My fingers are still killing, and my forearms are still killing me from that. I mean, they're really sore.
Q: So it's for real? You can really do that?
Park: I can walk on my hands, but I can't walk on my fingertips no.
Q: So is someone like holding your feet like wheelbarrow style?
Park: No, we had a bit of system with wire, but the thing I was talking to my wife about, she's a gymnast and I said to her, "I shouldn't be in pain at all." I really should have let the wire do the work, but what I had done, I wanted to do it, so I was actually putting the pressure on my hands to make it feel more believable that I was doing it and it killed me, but I'm so glad I did it and I said to Stephen, "You know what you've done to me? Now you're going to make every kid in the world ask me, "Hey, show us the finger walking hand stands!" So, now I'm going to have to start practicing the hand stands with fingertips. I know it can be done because I've seen one of my masters in China do it, he's done a two finger hand stand and he used to do a press-up. So, I know, he showed me and he picked up and he was on his fingers, so it can be done. It's whether or not I want to break my fingers or not is a different story. I don't know if my fingers are strong enough for it. There's a lot of this type of training for that, a lot finger press up.
Q: Wow, if they need Snake Eyes' dad for the next movie, get that guy.
Park: There you go.
Source: Heather Newgen
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0.024609 | <urn:uuid:c001c030-3759-4287-82d3-f0fd1349ec79> | en | 0.816326 | Thread: Grrr Functions
View Single Post
Old 03-10-2008, 06:46 PM #2 (permalink)
The Acquainted
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 154
Thanks: 31
SOCK is on a distinguished road
How are you including those two files?
It should work like so:
PHP Code:
Is that what you're doing?
Something else to consider, you really shouldn't allow your function to use echo and actually display something to the page. The idea of functions is to create a module or engine that you can plug some value into and have another value spit out the other end. For maximum flexibility, you should do
PHP Code:
function title$sitename$page ) {
$sitename ' - ' $page;
'<title>'title$siteName'Home' ) .'</title>'
This way you're not tied into using HTML in the function output, and you've just let yourself build a function that can be used in just about any instance. Of course with something so finely grained that it's only job is to output the page title, this may not be the best example, but when you start building more advance functions (and eventually classes) you'll see the difference. Just my opinion, YMMV.
The last thing to consider is continuity across file names, variables, etc. I notice two things in the code you provided; one, you have conf_global.php and core.func.php. Two naming conventions for include files. I would suggest keeping them the same, i.e. rename the functions definitions file to core_func.php (or of course, the other way around). The second thing is similar, in your naming of $siteName and $sitename. It's so easy to get those two mixed up. When I build a function, I use a totally different name for the argument than the actual variable going into it, e.g.
PHP Code:
function doSomething$s ) {
"Here we're doing something with {$s}";
Absolutely no ambiguity as to what value is passed vs. the internal value.
I reject your reality, and substitute my own.
SOCK is offline
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0.870366 | <urn:uuid:943335ae-3689-451d-8408-b25dba990798> | en | 0.971577 | Reply to a comment
Reply to this comment
MichaelGoodfellow writes:
in response to Middleman:
The absurdity of this post is in a word, epic.
It's people like you who are actively hurting, and will most likely eventually cost conservatives the election. The only people who care about being "true conservatives", are other "true conservatives" and there just aren't enough of you around to win anything. That's why after the unstoppable force that is the Tea Party, Mitt freakin' Romney is going to be the "true conservative's" nominee.
Desperation is an uncomfortable thing to watch. However, when people are as despicable as this it becomes sort of amusing.
Man it's going to be fun to see how people like you react if Obama wins reelection. Record it for us.
Surely as fun to see how people, like you, react if Obama is defeated.
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0.073781 | <urn:uuid:3e7a565f-9e72-4ced-ad28-1c72e85b50a8> | en | 0.974009 | Gossip Girl
The Wild Brunch
Episode Report Card
Jacob Clifton: A+ | Grade It Now!
Take Your Broke Ass Home!
Blair and Chuck go back to fuming about Serena and Dan, how they told them to stay away! And yet they did not. Chuck asks if B's worried about Nate or something, just as a shot in the dark, and then -- I can't tell if he knows what he's doing, but I hope so -- passes Blair his other suite key, telling her to try and lock it down with Nate again. "The key to my suite, Nate's heart, and your future happiness." How horrifying. She takes it, and he smarms, "I'm honored to be playing a small role in your deflowering." Luckily she didn't eat at brunch, or she'd be barfing now; instead she calls him disgusting, he agrees, and asks her to report back with details. Blair heads out Nateward, getting crazy on him immediately, all, "What are you doing right now? How about me?" He hesitates, due to his meeting with Serena, but it's too late: "Better offer, or...?" Of course not, he says, and she drags him off toward the room. Chuck...ugh...watches them leave. They mack in the elevator, and then she pushes him into Chuck's suite, where S of course is mighty confused: "Nate?" Blair can only respond with a bewildered, grossed-out "Serena?" Not so tongue-tied is our Girl, who hits a motherfucking hat trick with this one: "Spotted: N and B, hot and heavy in the halls of the Palace Hotel...only to find S already waiting! Sparks were flying for sure, but will it be a three-way? Or D-Day?" Gossip Girl, marry me.
S, N, and B face off. Nate stutters at length about how he's only meeting Serena upstairs to talk about why he's not allowed to talk to her anymore, which of course sets Serena off, because who does that, and Blair's like, "Fuck all of yous, I'm out," and Serena steps. "No, I'll go," she hisses. "Let you get back to your quickie." Well, Blair is not having that, and gets up in her face about how actually, sex is a big deal to some people. Serena laughs nastily, because clearly: "In Chuck's bed? Classy." Then Blair does this awesome thing where she talks as she's backing toward the door, all sneaky and spicy, "I bet your new friend Dan would love to know how classy you are!" She jumps backwards through the door so fast and evil I thought she was going to, like, bounce around the walls like some wicked parkour speedball, vanishing all awesome. Serena and Nate stare blondly at each other. Serena's so shocked she actually asks if Blair's going to do it. "It's Blair," says Nate succinctly. "Shut Up & Drive" starts playing again as they chase after her, Serena haranguing him all the way about how there's nothing wrong with keeping secrets, if it's just going to hurt someone. They debate this philosophical point at length, as they run and run, back to brunch.
The song fades out for a moment to check in with Dan, who's creeped and getting some air. He stumbles onto Lily and Bart Bass, discussing their affair! Oh snap! You go, dude we just met five seconds ago who doesn't know the difference between black tie and business casual! Snag that babe! Lily's complaining because she doesn't really want to keep their relationship a secret, but she also doesn't want to be one of many: "Tell your harem of shopgirls and models that you're seeing someone!" He whines that those kinds of conversations take time, but she's all, "They've got nothing but time, Bart! They're twenty-five!" As she smiles to herself about this awesome line, she spots Dan. He is rooted to the spot in terror. "Excuse me," says Lily, "I gotta go kill a motherfucker. Air kiss!"
Gossip Girl
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0.024175 | <urn:uuid:12b52566-c26d-4695-8f65-bdb8b9503c54> | en | 0.974071 | Farepak victims in plan to sue parent company's directors
People who lost their Christmas savings in the Farepak collapse are planning a legal action against directors of the defunct firm.
They are hoping to bring a test case against board members of European Home Retail (EHR), Farepak's parent company, which would open the door to claims from up to 150,000 people who lost their money when the Christmas club folded two months ago.
Savers, many living on low incomes, lost more than £40m in a collapse that prompted questions in the House of Commons. The controversy led to severe criticism of HBOS, Farepak's principal lender, as well as of the company's former directors, including former CBI boss Sir Clive Thompson.
Last week Cameron Fyfe, a prominent Scottish advocate, confirmed he was advising Farepak's victims on the 'likely' possibility of an action against EHR's directors in the new year. Separately, Louise McDaid, who lost £400, is being advised on a possible lawsuit. All EHR's directors strongly deny misconduct.
Jim Devine, a Labour MP who has campaigned on behalf of the victims, welcomed news of the legal action. 'My colleagues and I will ensure that this issue does not go away until we have an explanation as to why savers were punished when this company went into receivership,' he said.
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0.919443 | <urn:uuid:7600ad16-05ed-4877-b1dc-64a15260e575> | en | 0.926907 | Daniel Hannan: 'Farage is genuinely not like other politicians '– audio
Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan argues that while Ukip are an attractive proposition in mid-term elections, its best chance of achieving the party's goal of Britain's withdrawal from the EU is through a deal with the Conservative party
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0.039732 | <urn:uuid:e9923550-a82a-4091-a311-a290a1c9d46c> | en | 0.991676 | Why I had to reject Hollywood
Piper Laurie was abused by Ronald Reagan, bedded by Mel Gibson and turned off by the Oscars even though she was a nominee three times. She tells Nicki Gostin about her life as a disillusioned movie star
By the age of 17 Piper Laurie had achieved her childhood dreams of movie stardom. She was awarded a seven-year contract with Universal Pictures which entailed chaperones, a beautiful wardrobe, leading roles opposite stars like Tony Curtis and Ronald Reagan, and participating in publicity stunts concocted by the studio, such as the bizarre "Piper Laurie - eats nothing but flowers," which involved her giving interviews while noshing on a plate of prettily arranged petals.
But Laurie discovered that the roles offered to her were flimsy and shallow. Six years into the contract she was sent a script for a Western starring World War II hero Audie Murphy. The female part was a "prop and just barely that, possibly the worst part they had ever handed me", she recalls. It was the final humiliation and Laurie did the unthinkable. She broke the contract and moved to New York in the hope of working on stage and performing in substantive material.
This journey is recounted in Laurie's memoir entitled, Learning to Live Out Loud. It is a deeply honest look back at her life, including love affairs, an illegal abortion and the sacrifices she made to follow a career on her own terms.
Laurie was born Rosetta Jacobs in 1932, the grand-daughter of Russian- and Polish-Jewish immigrants to the United States. She laughs now at how non-Jewish her screen name sounds but says that a name change was something any aspiring star might have to accept in 1950s Hollywood.
"Besides, I never really liked Rosetta," she adds. "I thought it was very old fashioned. Today it seems ridiculous that I changed my name to Piper Laurie, but in those days it didn't."
She grew up in a traditional Jewish home with Hebrew lessons at the synagogue, although Laurie admits she does not attend anymore. "I'm observant in my own way at home; sometimes I light candles on Friday night."
For a large chunk of her early childhood her parents placed her and her older sister in a children's home, which they both despised. "I never did find out why they sent us there," she says. "I could only surmise. I think they were under a lot of pressure, no money, and my sister was sick all the time. I think they just saw it as an opportunity to get a rest for themselves. It caused me to go deeper into myself to find things, to survive emotionally. It helped my imagination to flower which ended up being a gift."
Still a teenager she was cast as Ronald Reagan's daughter in Louisa. Desperate to appear experienced and worldly she agreed to a date with her older co-star which resulted in him taking her virginity. It was, to put it mildly, a disaster. Reagan accused the 18-year-old of being "abnormal" because she didn't have an orgasm. "There's something wrong with you that you should fix," he said harshly.
"It was absolutely stupid of him," says Laurie. "He was ignorant of the fact that it was my first time. I wanted to be so sophisticated. Everyone was a virgin in those days till they got married, but I was adventurous and I was infatuated and I didn't want to say I was a virgin."
After the momentous break with the studio Laurie moved east and began appearing on live television shows and on stage. Eventually she landed a role opposite Paul Newman in The Hustler, which resulted in an Academy Award nomination. The nomination, however, was "meaningless" to her. She did not even attend the ceremony. "I was angry at the whole system," she says.
While she was living in New York she became pregnant. "It was terrifying," she concedes. "I thought my life was over. I couldn't talk to my parents, they would have disowned me. I think if I'd had the baby my life and my career would have been over."
Eventually she found a sympathetic doctor who agreed to perform an abortion in a hospital. Interestingly, the event was so traumatic Laurie cannot remember where it happened. "I have erased in my mind where that place was," she says. "It's gone from my conscious mind."
Once again she was unhappy with the roles being offered so she basically quit acting, moved to Woodstock in upstate New York with her husband, Newsweek writer Joe Morgenstern (the two met when he was assigned to interview her) and their baby daughter Anna. She became an accomplished sculptor.
But a serious back operation caused her to re-evaluate her life and she decided that it might be "fun" to give acting a try again. That is when director Brian DePalma called offering her a role in a new horror film he was directing called Carrie. Laurie recalls: "I was just laughing between takes. It was fun to play so mean."
It was an amazing comeback movie that garnered another Oscar nomination although the paycheck was small - $10,000 dollars (the film has grossed around $34 million). Laurie claims that it has never bothered her except on one occasion. "I do remember picking up my daughter from a play date with the daughter of the producer of Carrie. He invited me into his mansion and said: 'Let me show you the home that your wonderful performance built'. That annoyed me."
Other juicy roles followed including one opposite a very young Mel Gibson in his first movie, Tim. The two played lovers and one night after production wrapped Gibson knocked on his older co-star's door and the two shared a passionate night together.
Laurie sounds mystified when discussing Gibson's travails - his troubles with alcohol and allegations of antisemitism. "It's very sad and I can't really believe it," she exclaims. "I don't know where that came from - some naughty spirit. It's like he wanted to be a bad boy but I can't explain it. It's not the person I knew. The alcohol or drugs must have released something. It's very hard for me to believe that's who he really is."
In 1981 Laurie got divorced and relocated to Los Angeles. She received her third Academy Award nomination for Children of a Lesser God in 1986. A slew of TV appearances followed in shows like Twin Peaks, Frasier and ER playing George Clooney's mother. She describes Clooney as "completely charming. I thought he would have a big career but I didn't know how big. That was a delightful surprise."
Today she still enjoys working but admits the roles offered are again boring and one-dimensional. Asked to choose her favourite movie, she demurs. "It's impossible to choose," she protests. "I guess the ones that allowed me to do my work fully. Those are my favourites."
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0.028386 | <urn:uuid:1123f70b-1b4e-4445-917b-bdbd639db022> | en | 0.92485 | The Register® — Biting the hand that feeds IT
Winfrasoft touts pattern-based password alternative
Sudoku for secure remote access
Disaster recovery protection level self-assessment
UK software developer Winfrasoft is pushing visual patterns as an alternative to traditional passwords.
Users would select, or be allocated, a pattern of squares on a six-by-six grid. Each time they logged onto a system, they would be presented with a grid of numbers (as illustrated here), from which they would have to enter the digits that correspond to their memorised visual pattern.
The numbers in the grid users are offered changes every 60 seconds, while the position of the squares in their memorised pattern remains the same. Winfrasoft execs said people find patterns easier to remember than PINs and passwords, which seems plausible enough, even though the firm wasn't able to point to secondary evidence in support of this point. "Lots of people are visual and remember patterns better than password or code," Steven Hope, a director at Winfrasoft told El Reg
The firm says the system offers a defence against phishing, pattern-cracking, screen-scraping or replay attacks, without the need for expensive hardware tokens or card readers. "An eavesdropper would have no idea of the pattern a user had selected even if they shoulder surfed," Hope added.
Winfrasoft is initially targeting the remote access market with its matrix-pattern authentication technology, via a product called AuthCentral and a corresponding mobile phone login appliance sibling, dubbed ActiveSync Gateway. At launch, this mobile technology only works with Windows-based mobile phones but the firm is also working on versions that support iPhone, Blackberry and Android.
The technology comes in various flavours and configurations. The basic 6x6 matrix can be extended to 10x10. The technology can be used as a web-based login system or, for added security, logins can be made only via a pre-authorised device. In addition, AuthCentral offers a static PIN option, which allows users to increase security by inserting an additional fixed PIN code. This PIN number can be inserted either before or after they input the numbers corresponding to their matrix pattern.
We're assured some fiendishly complicated sums are involved in making sense of this at the server end.
This pin+ technology appears to us to be the main difference between Winfrasoft and GRIDsure, another UK developer that has also been targeting the remote access market with an alternative to passwords. In GRIDsure's case, this entails a memorised pattern mapped onto a grid of numbers and letters. GRIDSure also offers its technology as a means for secure logins for Windows machines onto intranets, a market not currently on Winfrasoft's roadmap.
Winfrasoft's tech plugs into Microsoft UAG (Universal Access Gateway) while GRIDSure also supports SSL VPN platforms from the likes of Juniper.
Winfrasoft's main business involves developing security add-ons for Microsoft server-based security products.
Winfrasoft has applied for a patent for its technology and hopes to create an "eco-system of pattern-based authentication". In particular, it wants to license its technology to software-as-a-service outfits, which would re-sell it to businesses for secure access to Exchange email servers or SSL VPNs, for example. ®
Quick guide to disaster recovery in the cloud
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0.035258 | <urn:uuid:10e17c6d-f38b-4082-933b-3a7da436a214> | en | 0.972136 | I'm wondering something...
So for those of you who have previously believed (I mean really believed) in God, how long does the guilt last after you no longer do? You know what I mean right? That guilt feeling that the decisions you are making are suddenly "against God's will..."
I have an example in my own life that I'm willing to share as a jumping off point but don't let this derail the thread into something else...I want to know about "GUILT" specifically...there are TONS of other examples but this one is perhaps the one that's driving me nuts the most...
My example: I got a divorce. I left my marriage that was already broken. I'm moving on with my life...
I have a lot of internal thoughts about things like, "God hates divorce..." or "If he decides he wants to reconcile it is God's will to do so." or "marriage is a commitment before God."
These guilty feelings have not prevented me from starting a new life. I am attending a support group, and I'm taking really really good care of myself for a change instead of catering to the needs of a person who does not respect me. Now that he sees how well I'm doing by myself I can see that HIS abusive tactics are changing and he's trying to reel me in to go back to him. I'm not stupid. If I were stupid enough to go back to his ass he would be "nice" for about a week until the next abusive go-around. So NO I'm not going back to my ex-husband. But I feel guilty because of the internal conflict that I've recently figured out goes back to my former views on marriage, commitment, and how the Bible says that if a spouse wants to reconcile you should do so...when research clearly indicates that an abusive person doesn't change overnight if ever at all unless there is professional and intense intervention. So I'm choosing between the research, vs. the Bible...the research wins. But my guilty conscience is driving me fucking NUTS!!! Those crazy voices inside my head are not going away and I want it to just STOP already!! It's frustrating!!!!! Not to mention confusing.
I think I'm doing everything right to be able to move on. My heart has moved on and I am no longer the same person I was when I was married to him. But the guilt I have towards "God" for becoming a divorcee is driving me fucking crazy.
When does it get better? How long?
Make it stop please!!!! I wish somebody could.
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Perhaps it would help you to mull it over from time to time :)
I like that idea.
I see this sort of thing a lot and not just in abusive relationships--though they are definitely the most extreme example.
There are people out there who get off on goading others and enjoying the reaction when they finally snap back. (Or sometimes it's a more passive aggressive thing, they want to paint you as the bad guy.)
They apologize, you make up, renew the friendship. And they just do it again. A much smaller version of the same mess you were in. But the similarity is they are using their apologetic manner to simply snare you back to where they can pull the same shit again.
Forgiveness to me comes about when people actually mend their ways, not just using an apology to suck you back into the same situation as before. I've lost a few "friends" because of this, but I am better off for it. And you lost a "husband" because of it... and you are better off for it.
Thanks for this Steve, very well put as usual. I'm plagued by one of these pricks at the moment.
These people are nearly always weak, and if they're not actual cowards, then I consider this behaviour weak in itself. It's weak not to deal with your own crap. Strong people don't cause problems in this way.
This also partly explains the macho mentality, specifically the part that tries to hide weaknesses by seeming strong in some other way. Like when an animal fluffs up its fur to appear larger. This is especially true in the animal kingdom wrt male behavior. But humans in particular can learn to amplify, or diminish such posturings, and behavior.
If you have to prove it - then you're not it.
Strong people try to control themselves, weak people try to control others.
Simon, I agree. Will you venture to identify the underlying need(s)?
I will if you will.
@Tom - I really am not sure. I can't see a direct simple causal link. But then, life's complicated sometimes. The two just seem to go together, and if it's not weakness as such, then it's fecklessness - being too pathetic to hold down responsibilities and make a decent job of your life even though others depend on you.
I do believe that "self-control is the highest form of strength", but I am unable to justify this fully.
I certainly think that we can never truly control another person, we can only truly control ourselves.
The function of "control" is one of the jobs of the ego, and the ego can become unbalanced and out of control (ironically), looking for solutions to discomfort in the wrong places.
It takes courage to control ourselves - to accept vulnerability, pain, and responsibility for our actions - but any coward can control other people if they've got a mind to. It's really a very easy thing to do, if you haven't got a life.
There seem to be a lot of men around who had over-controlling fathers, and these men are often troubled with distressing rape and murder fantasies, and they have been known to act on these. (This isn't me I'm talking about - thank God.) ;-) They think "control" is how to be a man, when they are just pussies.
Simon, the words "Strong people try to control themselves, weak people try to control others" stirred two images.
The first was of people seeking safety, which most human beings do. It was with this image in my mind that I replied. The need I had identified was a need for safety in an unsafe world.
The second image became clear hours later. It was of a philosophically-inclined person congratulating himself for not seeking safety in the turmoil of politics.
Explaining one of those images, I'm not sure which one, will require an essay.
Justifying "self-control is the highest form of strength" would require me to say that during twelve years in Catholic schools I heard the words self-control often. Nuns and priests described it as being necessary to resist temptation.
In quitting Catholicism I read of other world religions, and some Asian religions spoke of the necessity to give up desire. A person without desire for wealth or power might seem strong, but I was young and with things I wanted to do. I wasn't ready to give up desire.
Regarding "...we can never truly control another person,...."
Decades in politics persuaded me that some people actively seek to be controlled and others will accept control when it's imposed.
Allow my inner Machiavelli a few words: Controlling others is more fun than controlling myself. It's even exciting, but it requires attention.
"Decades in politics persuaded me that some people actively seek to be controlled and others will accept control when it's imposed." -
Good point. The issue of control over one's environment is actually fundamental to people's wellbeing, and if it goes wrong - if someone does not have a healthy sense of control over their environment - then the consequences can be serious.
Yes! The consequences of a lack of control over the environment can be serious. Perhaps a heart attack.
The first time I was a club president I didn't delegate the work and burned out. It wasn't pleasant, but I had liked the ease with which I met people and set out to learn how to delegate. Presiding became fun.
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Britney Patches Things Up with Her Kids
10/24/2008 10:14 AM PDT BY TMZ STAFF
Britney Spears spent some quality time at a pumpkin patch yesterday with her lil' pumpkins, Sean Preston and Jayden James.
For Halloween, Britney is going as a healthy mother of two.
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You all are missing the point. Britney looks well, seems to be doing the right things, and I for one am proud of her. I know first hand how important it is to stay on your meds. It's life changing.
1881 days ago
WTF?! Why is her son still on a pacifier? I thought that there was an age limit on the pacifier....aren't Britney and Katie worried that their childrens' teeth will come in crooked? Oh yeah - I forgot - this is the generation of "Oh what the hell, I can always pay for their dental work when they are older." *rolls eyes*
1881 days ago
I'm just saying is all.....
Hey #14, I so agree with #11 MM you B***H just to B***H, so what a typo. WHO CARES if that is ALL you took from what I had to say as the wonderful "JJ" put it in post # 8, "Go blow it out your A**!" If all you have to do is sit on this site and correct a person's spelling on a gossi[ website, GET A LIFE. At lest Britt is out there living her life and you have nothing better to do that sit at your computer and correct my spelling, WOW! I almost feel sorry for you, ALMOST. Well, I like to come here and laugh at the gossip once a day, (you see I HAVE a life #14 and whoever else wants to bad mouth me) and sometimes make a post, ONCE a day not my whole life as some do.
1881 days ago
So is the child addicted to the pacifier or the parent? Not only does it damage the child's teeth, but it also hampers his speech development.
The ones on here saying that there is nothing wrong with, are either not parents or are probably parents that have trouble saying no to their kids.
Looks like the cons out weight the pros on this one.
1881 days ago
Obama Hussein Barak is the Anti-Christ
LOL - the debate begins ... pacifier, no pacifier ... walk or be held? I say Britney looks fantastic and happy, has been working hard on her recovery, on her career and on being a good mother, the kids look like they are having a very nice day with their Mom. I really don't see a downside here.
1881 days ago
Remember how bad she wanted to be a mother??? What the hell is the point of a nanny???? I couldn't imagine having all these different people handling my children like that for real.
1881 days ago
Children who suck on pacifiers are more prone to ear infections. If they are older infants, they are more likely to have speech problems. Many parents become so reliant on pacifiers because it tends to be the easiest way to appease a child. Basically it's like Pavlov's dogs, children are being conditioned by the comfort of pacifiers, and it becomes an addiction. One suggestion is to not introduce a pacifier at all and introduce some other type of comfort for the child (ie. a blanket). I'm not saying pacifiers are wrong, but I can definitely see why people see a point to mention the issues with a 3 year old sucking on a pacifier.
And JJ, regarding your "ok fine he might need braces when he grows up". Lets compare: thousands and thousands of dollars for orthodontics versus the free version of just weening him off. Yeah, they can afford it, but why not do the healthier thing? As for his being through so much this year, I really doubt that this year was a huge emotional overload for him and his brother. I guarantee his family did a fantastic job of shielding him from everything.
1881 days ago
just shut up about britney!!
it could also be a candy pacifier idiots!! just because tmz snaps a shot of a pacifier doesn't neccessarily mean that the toddler is ALWAYS on a pacifier! and also, holding your toddler when you have crazy, loud, rude papps around is prob. safer than letting the kids walk around in public places where they can be ambushed!! and also, lots of people have nannies, doesn't mean they're bad parents.
1881 days ago
First of all, Jayden James is the one with the pacifier. He just turned 2. Sean Preston is the one with the darker hair and he'll be 3 in December. If they don't give it up between 9 to 12 months they should by 3 or 4. See below:
How can I get my child to stop using a pacifier?
If pacifier use has been restricted to times you are holding your child, he will usually lose interest in it by 9 to 12 months of age. If he has been allowed to use it frequently and is very interested in it, your child will usually agree to give it up completely by the age of 3 or 4 years. Pick a time to give it up when your child is not coping with new stresses or fears. Sometimes giving up the pacifier on a birthday, holiday, or other special occasion is easier for your child.
Make the transition as pleasant as possible. You may need to offer incentives. If your child is strongly attached to a pacifier, offer to replace the last nighttime pacifier with a new stuffed animal or encourage him to trade it for something else he wants. Never use punishment or humiliation to force your child to give up the pacifier.
Give your child the choice of throwing the pacifier away or leaving it out to be picked up (for example, by Santa Claus or the "pacifier fairy"). Putting the pacifier away somewhere in the house is usually not a good idea, because your child will be more likely to ask for it during times of stress. At such times, comfort your child with cuddling instead. Help your child talk about missing the pacifier. Praise your child for this sign of growing up.
1881 days ago
She looks great. Glad she finally got it her body back, her life is no longer in shambles, and a great single out. Oh, and who cares if her son has a pacifier! What a petty thing to pick at.
1881 days ago
Thumb, Finger and Pacifier Habits
A: This type of sucking is completely normal for babies and young children. It provides security. For young babies, it's a way to make contact with and learn about the world. In fact, babies begin to suck on their fingers or thumbs even before they are born.
Q: Are these habits bad for the teeth and jaws?
A: Most children stop sucking on thumbs, pacifiers or other objects on their own between two and four years of age. No harm is done to their teeth or jaws. However, some children repeatedly suck on a finger, pacifier or other object over long periods of time. In these children, the upper front teeth may tip toward the lip or not come in properly.
Q: When should I worry about a sucking habit?
A: Your pediatric dentist will carefully watch the way your child's teeth come in and jaws develop, keeping the sucking habit in mind at all times. For most children the AAPD recommends encouraging these habits cease by age three.
Q: What can I do to stop my child's habit?
A: Most children stop sucking habits on their own, but some children need the help of their parents and their pediatric dentist. When your child is old enough to understand the possible results of a sucking habit, your pediatric dentist can encourage your child to stop, as well as talk about what happens to the teeth if your child doesn't stop. This advice, coupled with support from parents, helps most children quit. If this approach doesn't work, your pediatric dentist may recommend a mouth appliance that blocks sucking habits.
A: Thumb, finger and pacifier sucking all affect the teeth essentially the same way. However, a pacifier habit is often easier to break.
1881 days ago
I'm just saying is all.....
Let us all dwell on the fact that the child has a pacifier and get away from the FACT, let me say again, FACT that Britt is doing so much better and out with her children getting pumpkins and OH NO! the children are being carried!! Let us now discuss the FACT there are probably SEVERAL photags surrounding Britt and the Nanny so the SAFEST place for the children would be in the arms of an adult. Did you ever think that the Nanny is probably with her because she actually NEED TWO PEOPLE to carry the TWO CHILDREN for the saftey of the children. WOW GIVE HER A BREAK if you would leap out of computerland where you rule and seem to be the best at parenting and EVERYTHING else that revolves around you, you would see the obvious. If I made any typos, SO WHAT!!! Get off your A** there is a whole world out there LIVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1881 days ago
let me guess: you are one of those parents that still have their kid in a stroller even though they just turned 8 years old,lol.
1881 days ago
Amen, Posted at 11:26AM on Oct 24th 2008 by OMG!!!, AMEN........
1881 days ago
Brittany Selcer
I love Britney. She is so talented. Even though she's had a rough year I think she's doing way better than she was. I have always been a Britney fan. I know that she can get through anything. Her kids are sooo adorable. Go Britney!!
1881 days ago
Around The Web | http://www.tmz.com/2008/10/24/britney-patches-things-up-with-her-kids/2/ | dclm-gs1-275350002 | false | false | {
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Game Suttering for Eternity!
Last response: in Video Games
Alright, so, I've dealt with this stuff for nearly a year now. It's driving me crazy, and I've had 8 system replacements --literally! I've went through Dual HD 5970's, Dual HD 6950's, Dual HD 6990's, and finally land on Dual HD 590's.
All the demanding games I play receive some form of stuttering effect.
•Alienware Area-51 ALX
•6GB 1866MHz DDR3 Kingston Tri-Channel Memory
•Intel Core i7 980x Extreme Six Core Processor (3.33GHz, 12MB Cache)
•Dual NVIDIA GTX 590 SLI Enabled
•512GB Raid 0 (2x 256GB Samsung Solid State HDDs)
•Windows 7 Home Premium
•Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium
•Alienware TactX Mouse
•Alienware TactX Keyboard
•Alienware AW2210 OptX Full HD Gaming Monitor
Problems persist on:
Metro 2033
Crysis 2
Dead Island
Battlefield 3
The Witcher 2
It's always the same, too! No matter the system, or combination. Single GPU or Dual! It's driving me friggen crazy! Even menial games, such as WoW have problems, the only problem, currently is some flickering on unit frame images (the picture of each player's head in a frame).
Please, someone solve this stuttering, it's driving me mad!
Edit: Should probably mention that I've tried dozens of drivers, also...
OsirisEG said:
Please help! >_<
Well that beast of a computer should run every FPS game to date with 100+ fps.
I notice you always have SLI/CF configurations.. After years of reading about SLI/CF there seems to be this so called "micro stuttering" that only persists on dual GPU configurations, I'm sorry but I can't verify this because I have never gone the SLI/CF way.
Have you tried removing one of those 590's and only use one?
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wow, if I may ask how much did all that cost?
afaik, micro stuttering happens on any dual gpu setup and only way to fix it is drivers and vsync. and even then it's not a 100%.
what resolution are you running your games in?
does it happen regardless of res and game gfx settings?
$7,000 give or take, including warranty. (I'm aware of the hefty premium due to brand name --still looks bad ass)
Another person believes it's due to graphics being throttled by heat. That may be the problem, however, the fix is a difficult one. Alienware/Dell in all their 'genius', decided on a mobo with 2 x16 PCI-E slots, and one x8 slot. Too bad the x16's are sandwiched together, allowing very little ventilation.
I already purchased a seperate rear-case fan and installed it so that it would blow air OUT of the case, but it still must be getting too hot.
Here is the video I posted on youtube showing my problem:
Due to not having the full version of Fraps it's only a 30 second video. Imagine, about 30 seconds before that, I had no stuttering, and no lag --and then BAM!
You can read more about my problem along with GPU-Z displays on this forum.
I appreciate all feedback, even if it's just theorycrafting! :)
Well if your cards are running 85+ it's definitely a cooling issue then. sorry to hear, but I assumed with such expensive setup cooling wouldn't be an issue.
For desktops you don't want to run above 75 at stock clocks,
looking at those GPU=z shots you got the card at 30% load and it's hitting 85, that's no good at all.
also how are you taking those screen shots? by tabbing out of the game? that's not good enough, set it to log to file.
as far as why dell used only 2 slot mobo, to save money of course.
First, i have not attempted to run them outside of RAID 0. Not sure what that would do, but, after setting both the GPU fans to 100% and the PCI-E slot fans to 100%, and tested games for 2 hours. Turns out the GPU's were downclocking themselves which caused the stuttering. Because after that, I had zero stutters.
However, that is unacceptable, and now I have to look to either air or liquid cooling. I would prefer air, but, I heard air is much more expensive than liquid. As much as I wish I could claim that I could set up either of them, I do not know how. So, I'd end up having to take it to a PC specialist to have them do it.
The reason I want air is because you don't really have to 'maintain' air, the way you'd have to maintain liquid cooling (I.E. changing the coolant).
It all really comes down which is better for my rig.
Are there any liquid cooling kits that would fit in my PC? (Alienware Area-51 ALX)
Could you guys recommend me any solutions? (I don't want to hear about changing GPU's or eliminating one of them)
I seem to remember there being issues a while back with some SSD's causing stuttering which is why I asked about the raid.
For a cooling solution we need to know your full load temperatures.
Download, install and run SpeedFan, then post the results here.
umm, not only that don't forget the fact that you have zero space between the cards, where do you plan to put your cooling?
ps> air cooling isn't much different than what you got right now
Please, someone solve this stuttering, it's driving me mad!
I have a thought that I don't see from speed reading the thread (sorry at work)
I bought a Dell XPS without reading the small print (really stupid I know), I spec'd it how I wanted but failed to pay attention to the stock mother board and power supply.
With my i7, raid drives and a single 5770 I've been having ongoing stuttering problems after playing MW2Crysis 2 for any length of time, I'm convinced that the poxy dell 350watt power supply is the culprit, not sure what's in the alienware version, but more dell cost cutting wouldn't suprise me - so might be worth investigating an upgrade - I'd have though with your beast of a rig you'd be looking for >800 watts.
I've ordered an Antec Truepower new 650 to arrive this week (hopefully in time for MW3), I'm praying this fixes is
Yes, that looks very familiar. But, I don't have very many options. I might have to use the PCI-E x8 slot at the bottom if I want space. :(
That's kind of a downer. | http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/114796-13-game-suttering-eternity | dclm-gs1-275360002 | false | true | {
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Hp pavilion dv9000 will not power did a hard start
Hi, Have a HP laptop dv9000 and did a hard start held the power button down for 30 seconds. Plugged the power supply in the blue light comes on when plugged in. Held the power button down but nothing lights up by the lock down caps and numbers. Any suggestions?? Harry | http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/82558-35-pavilion-dv9000-power-hard-start | dclm-gs1-275370002 | false | false | {
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0.021973 | <urn:uuid:510a5f84-b5c9-48be-96de-38def9f5e135> | en | 0.978208 | bugatti type 41 royale picture
Bugatti Type 41 Royale
Inline 8-cylinder
Horsepower @ RPM:
The automobile was not even thirty years old when racing had taken a firm hold on enthusiasts. Enzo Ferrari was driving his performance cars to championships all over the world and others wanted in on the action. Ettore Bugatti was one of these men and he decided to take on Ferrari Ferrari in a very different way than the others. He initially started with smaller, lighter, and less powerful cars than the Ferrari racecars of the time. This allowed the cars to be more nimble on the track and even finish second behind Ferrari in the Grand Prix du Mans of 1911.
This major accomplishment gave Ettore Bugatti the supporters and money necessary to continue his small operation in Molsheim. He began to produce stronger competitors and won more races every year. By 1920, Bugatti had its own Grand Prix championship under its belt and was ready to expand the company into different areas.
Ettore was a very respected man and ran his company with an iron fist, Le Patron as he was known, acted as a member of the upper crust and often invited them for factory tours and extravagant meals. According to Bugatti lore, at one of these dinners a woman remarked, “Everyone knows you build the greatest racing cars in the world. But for a town carriage of real elegance, one must go to Rolls-Royce or Daimler, isn’t that so?” This statement must have enraged Ettore, whether he showed it or not to his guests, he knew this was true. His company had been one-dimensional for many years and it was time to take some risks in the public sector. What came next is one of the most revered luxury automobiles ever made, the Royale.
Hit the jump for more details on the Bugatti Royale.
Bugatti Type 41 Royale
One must realize that cars were built in a much different fashion during this time. Assembly lines cranking out one after another of the exact same car were few and far between and no luxury coachbuilder was doing things in this fashion. The celebrities and music stars of today buy Rolls-Royce Rolls-Royce s and Maybach Maybach s as status symbols, but in the past these cars were hand-built for Kings and royalty of a country’s true elite.
Ettore designed a magnificent vehicle that stretched nearly 15’ long and sat on 24” wheels. The car was to be so exclusive that only 25 editions were planned and only 6 actually built. The great depression began at the beginning of production for the Royale. Nonetheless, Bugatti offered the car as a chassis-only setup, assuming that his clients would be able to pay for their own coachbuilder on top of the already high price. By the time you were done actually building your Bugatti Royale it would have cost $40,000 or half a million dollars today. Rolls was offering a fully built car from the factory for around $25,000.
Of the six cars built, Bugatti chose who would be allowed to buy the car. Being named Royale one would expect some royal monarch to be offered the car and the first was King Alphonso XIII of Spain. It took Bugatti four years before the first car was ready to be delivered and by that time Alphonso had already been deposed, this is the closest that a Royale car would come to being owned by royalty.
For the other cars built it is relatively hard to describe their complex lives in detail. We know that chassis number 41111 started life as a roadster and is today seen in Coupe de’Ville bodywork. This is also the car that won the 1966 Pebble beach Councours d’Elegance.
Chassis 41121- This car was built by a designer in Munich and sports a two-seat cabriolet setup. The car is displayed at the Henry Ford Museum.
Chassis 41131- This Royale was the Royale Park Ward Limousine. Built in London as a six-window model featuring one of the longest cabs on any of the cars, it has only had one body in its life. The car had several features not found on other Royale’s including side mount spare tires. This car is on display at the French Museum.
Ettore’s daughter L’Ebe owned chassis 41141- The Kellener Coach. Eventually it was sold to an American collector, and once again to a British collector for nearly $10 million. The Bugatti family had owned two of the cars and even stored one of them behind a false brick wall to avoid detection of it during the war.
Bugatti Type 41 Royale
Chassis 41150- This car has one of the most odd histories and body styles. It is known as the Berline de Voyage. It cabriolet/limousine bodywork is similar to that of the Coupe De’Ville which was owned by Ettore himself. It never made it to its intended owner and during the war was stored in the sewers of Paris. Undeterred by that disgusting fact, the car was sold to Tom Monaghan along with one of the others for a multi-million dollar price tag.
Engine and Chassis
Bugatti Type 41 Royale
To put it simply the engine of this car was huge. Displacing over 12-liters and weighing over 750 lbs, the straight eight was a force to be reckoned with. In the end, Bugatti actually sold more of these engines to French Railroad companies than Royale owners. Every part of the engine was on a grand scale and the two-piece crankshaft weighed 220 lbs. The SOHC straight eight put out around 200hp @1,700-2,000rpm allowing the big car to reach 100mph.
In order to support the large engine and overall weight of these land yachts, the chassis was a pressed steel unit that featured 10-inch cross-sections. Being delivered as a car without a body, the setup must have looked something like a freight car being delivered on top of a freight car. Much like trucks today, the suspension used semi-elliptical leaf spring to hand the weight. By having the leaf springs connected to the chassis loosely, it provided a type of independence that gave the car a better and more stable ride.
The transmission was a 3-speed unit that transmitted power all the way to the rear wheels through the flywheel underneath the passenger compartment. The length of travel was so long that the brakes for the car, drums integrated into the wheels, were operated by cables stretching from the front and rear axles into the cabin.
Royale Fit For A Royal
Bugatti Type 41 Royale
This car was stern departure from anything Bugatti had made in the past and thus it was not as important to him to create a drivers car. You were meant to be seen in this car, meant to show it to all your friends, not race around the French countryside. By designing a car so unique and rare, Ettore Bugatti had succeeded in eclipsing his rivals in terms of all-out luxury. Rolls Royce still remained the choice of royals like the monarchs of England, but today those cars are worth nowhere near the money that a Bugatti Royale Bugatti Royale demands. Even the 57c model, often revered as the most beautiful Bugatti, was derived from some of the ideas and lessons learned in the Type 41 Royale.
- Ultimate Exclusivity
- No Two Cars Alike
- Legendary Straight 8 Engine
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- Too Large To Drive Around Town
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Posted on 12.9.2012
When I saw this car, well it was breath-taking! This vintage car is special and one-og-a-kind! I want to have this kind of vintage car and see many amazed people’s face as I drive myself to town.
Posted on 10.21.2011
The highlight of this car is partly been in the history. As what I know only rich and famous people own this kind of car. Now I see how Bugatti came out into more elevated and high-end cars.
Posted on 10.4.2011
Wow! the transmission was 3 speed unit and every part of the engine was on a grand scale and 2 piece crankshaft weighed 220 lbs.
Posted on 09.1.2011
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Picture Gallery (23)
• 1926 bugatti type 41 royale 1
• 1926 bugatti type 41 royale 2
• 1926 bugatti type 41 royale 3
• 1926 bugatti type 41 royale 4
• 1926 bugatti type 41 royale 5
Picture Gallery (23) | http://www.topspeed.com/cars/bugatti/1926-bugatti-type-41-royale-ar105278.html | dclm-gs1-275390002 | false | true | {
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0.059321 | <urn:uuid:f01788bf-9af3-4e82-90ef-acd9b0298093> | en | 0.941141 | This restaurant in South Korea is a geek paradise that also allows you grab some food at the same time.
The Cinema World (CW) restaurant in Daegu, South Korea has one of the largest collection of nerdy memorabilia in the world, which you can enjoy while grabbing a coffee or a meal at the same time. The geek paradise has endless rows of display cases featuring memorabilia from Star Trek, Star Wars, Alien, Predator, Terminator, Robocop and way more.
The restaurant is spread across three levels: a lobby, the second-floor eatery/cafe and the third-level house is owner Woong Cho’s impressive collection. The collection is so impressive that a middle-eastern businessman offered Cho a million dollars for it, which he politely turned down. | http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/geek-paradise | dclm-gs1-275400002 | false | false | {
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0.045315 | <urn:uuid:6c1416a6-416b-4590-840f-73d0379c0192> | en | 0.930294 | In this crossover-crazy world, makers of old-school SUVs are feeling the pinch to get with the 21st century and class 'em up. Ditch the truck frames, polish up the interior, and make it ride nicer. Give it a shave and a haircut, and perhaps even some "man-scaping."
Even a bad boy can clean up occasionally, and Dodge has taken this middle-ground approach with the new 2011 Dodge Durango. Yes, the ladder frame is gone in favor of a unibody borrowed from the Jeep Grand Cherokee that's been stretched out a bit. Sure, the suspension is now fully independent, and the four-wheel drive is actually all wheel-drive, but there's still plenty of traditional SUV DNA under the new makeup.
Spend a few moments with your right foot buried in the Pentastar's throttle and you begin to question why they even offer a V-8 variant. This V-6 is not only more engine than most seven-passenger SUV buyers will ever need, but will obviously be the volume motor. Towing is one reason why you might opt for the V-8, as the bigger engine can tow 7,400 pounds. Though Dodge was quick to point out that the V-6 is capable of lugging 6,200 pounds around -- not bad at all. | http://www.trucktrend.com/roadtests/suv/163_1011_2011_dodge_durango_first_drive/ | dclm-gs1-275420002 | false | false | {
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0.022461 | <urn:uuid:39b6872a-29ee-4003-8403-be7a44e208d0> | en | 0.973161 | Subscribe Feedback English
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1 definition by MurdochT
A religion that has risen up in the past century to define "proper behavior" as the influence of Christianity has waned.
Like other religions, it has little scientific support, but makes bold pronouncements about who is "good" and who is "bad."
Its sacred texts include the Diagnostics and Statistics manual as well as works by Rogers, Freud, Beck and others.
Cultish mind control behavior can be found in some practitioners who will attempt to keep "clients" in harmful therapy by convincing them that "you have to feel worse to feel better" or "your resistance represents your unwillingness to face your problems."
Client: "I have been in therapy for four years now, but I'm still depressed and obsessive compulsive. I don't think this psychology is working."
Psychologist: "I sense that you are very frustrated. However, clearly, we just have not yet uncovered the root of the problem yet."
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1 definition by The Originator of Greta Garbo
In addition to being a somewhat famous singer, it is also a new slang term (code) for instructing someone to pick up a "gar" (dutchmaster, philly, swisher, etc.). It originated in Miami and is slowly gaining steam across the country.
Greta Garbo = "Get a 'gar, bro!"
::ring ring::
Person A: Hey, you around? Let's burn!
Person B: Sure. Greta Garbo.
Person C: Heard! I'll stop by the gas station.
dutchmaster swisher sweet white owl cigar burning
by The Originator of Greta Garbo April 13, 2011 add a video add an image
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0.037388 | <urn:uuid:1262f3de-bda4-4f75-b97f-b4bca8fd0ae4> | en | 0.82417 | Subscribe Feedback English
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1 definition by nicesht
When a man cums in the woman's nose and it hangs out her noseholes like snot. Like little babies but with cum.
If sniffed can cause retardation.
"Ummmm... i love when skeet snot leaks from my nose all the way to my tongue!! fuck !"
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0.9378 | <urn:uuid:bb64d013-601f-48af-8abb-8c03a367d4b2> | en | 0.864473 | Subscribe Feedback English
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1. Bastige
Name used to describe someone extremely annoying but not worth wasting foul language on.
That boy is one cock-eyed bastige
by DuT July 31, 2004 add a video add an image
2. Bastige
A screaming, gasoline-drenched, blood-sucking, bat-winged cabbage that screeches and swoops down out of trees at night and either,
1) Rips off your head and drains your body of all fluid via the newly created wound, or
2) Misses the intended target horribly (usually you) and plows into the ground, pops like a grape, and spews flaming ooze everywhere. Neither have very high survival ratings.
Holy shit, its a bastige, run!
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0.078604 | <urn:uuid:afac8b96-d092-4f3a-8de0-9a1f829a83e7> | en | 0.969787 | Subscribe Feedback English
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8. Diana
"That's Diana..."
"Oh, that explains a lot!"
9. Diana
A really sweet, caring girl. Always smiling, even when she isnt happy, just to make other happy. Has the best friends in the world, and is gorgeous. She feel very self concious about her body, but in reality she is perfect the way she is. Funny, and always in a good mood, loves to watch movies with her friends. Has one really good guy friend, usually a very sweet guy, but also has plenty of great girl friends. She's the kind of person that you just want to be around. usually brown eyes and dark brown hair.
guy1: woah, look at her!
guy2: who, diana?
1: yeah, shes so pretty.
2: yeah dude, shes a real catch!
10. Diana
somebody who extremly good looking and usually goes to a weird type of school (eg. a private school with boys and girls). a diana ALWAYS has loads of friends and bestie who knows her exreeeemly well. also has beautiful blonde hair which looks great in any other colour because it always shines, too. likes rock, metal, and many other......stuff and is occasionally obsessed with making earrings... unlike her earlier days when she was ALWAYS obsessed with making earrings. PLUS dianas most commonly have purple rooms and are way more awesome than ALL of you!
Guy 1: hey you see that girl over there?
Guy 2: the hot one with the awesomly shiney hair listening to her iPod? with the black top??
Guy 1: yeh her, thats Diana
Guy 2: damn shes beautiful!!
Bestie: back off you perverted freaks why dont you go look at eachother instead of staring at people who are WAAAY out of your league, JEEZ!
Guy 1&2: aaarrrrghh help scary hot chick!! run away!!
11. Diana
she is the one you have in the back of your mind no matter how many other females you talk to or converse with. every female you see her face pops into your mind.,. it drives you crazy but yet you still love the girl.!
shes the diana i want
12. diana
a tall, beautiful, smart but slow at times, energetic, funny, and cool girl. always there for you no matter what but also needs you alot when there is a problem. if you get on her bad side then you are bassicaly stuck there. she will do anything to protect the people she loves. she has alot of friends and when she is around you she triggers your craziness and you can not help but laugh whenever you are around her.
girl: hey
diana: hey ma ninja
girl: (laughs)
diana: xp i no im funny
13. Diana
One of the best girls you will ever meet. She is pretty and confident. She will be somewhat shy at first, but when you meet her you will see she is very loud.
She is also very smart. Any guy would like to have her.
She usually falls for a Joseph though.
Guy 1: You see that chick over there?
Guy 2: Yeah, the one with the orange top?
Guy 1: That's Diana. She's really hot, too bad she is dating Joseph...
14. Diana
Diana is a wierd random girl. She has big ass and boobs. Has really big gorgeous eyes that are brown and sparkle so bright. She is someone you can always count on no matter what. And her smile i beautiful and makes you want to smile.
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0.483054 | <urn:uuid:5e7bc90b-9783-4fdb-aec3-7df9b8521973> | en | 0.899194 | Subscribe Feedback English
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1. Shiznizzle
1. better than "the shit"
that chicken was the shiznizzle!
by anonymous October 15, 2003 add a video add an image
2. Shiznizzle
A combination of the word "shit" and "nizzle" (slang for business) to form it's compound fusion, Shiznizzle; used to describe anything which has affectively impressive qualities.
Friend of Laid Guy: Yo dude, how was the sex last night with that 10 babe?
Laid Guy: Bro... Last night was th Shiznizzle...
3. Shiz Nizzle
Galactic Pimp. Known for being a short black man with a huge afro. Shiz is the pimp with the most.
Shiz is the Pimp. He is the Star Wars Galaxies equivalant of pimpness.
4. shiznizzle
adj. without a doubt the best ever; unmistakenably the greatest of all time entirely be owned in the most embarresing way
adj. that cheese cake was the shiznizzle at christmas
v. jan got shiznizzled when bob pants her in front of shery
by poop April 08, 2005 add a video add an image
5. Shiznizzle
oi, u iza wanka hoe!
shiznizzle pizzle fizzle
by Kevin Fraser September 08, 2003 add a video add an image
6. Shiznizzle
Something you say when you have no comments available.
Also a term commonly used by Shawn.
'Look at that fatty'
by Kris April 02, 2003 add a video add an image
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0.671191 | <urn:uuid:2d247667-d026-4466-8cc3-2f7cd4d5175b> | en | 0.928787 | Subscribe Feedback English
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1. Tokey Pokey
The act of doing the "Hokey Pokey" but instead singing the lyrics to stoner music with a group of people while passing the weed.
You should have came to the kick back last Saturday, we did the Tokey Pokey all night long.
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0.113831 | <urn:uuid:871abd82-4fa9-47c0-a15a-d4ad664e1ef9> | en | 0.886765 | Subscribe Feedback English
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12. ass cock
THat suked ass cock! Ass means donkey, u retard!
by Tweemo February 23, 2003 add a video add an image
1. ass cock
A very small penis. So small it's only good to use in the ass.
"He had a total ass cock."
2. asscock
From the movie "Jay and Silent Bob strike back" Means Donkey Penis.
I need to log on every day just to make sure you two arent taking a mouthfull of ASSCOCK to pay the rent.
by Darcy January 14, 2005 add a video add an image
3. asscock
The reproductive organ of a male donkey.
The wildlife marshal arrested the man for chugging asscock.
by Will Lenholly October 14, 2002 add a video add an image
4. ass cock
A dumbass action or person who does a completely idiotic to do; a dick.
Justin: I rocked you in the game of bball son.
Alex:Yeah, almost as hard as I rocked your mom last night.
Justin: You ass cock!
5. asscock
Another word for the donkeys reproductive organ.
"Those chicks chug much asscock. What? Ass is just another term for donkey." -Jay, from Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
by Matt August 20, 2003 add a video add an image
6. asscock
"Ass" is another word for donkey
Jay and Silent Bob might take a fist-full of asscock in the mouth if they were strapped for cash.
7. asscock
An insult or exclamatory remark.
You are such an asscock.
Fucking asscock!!
by crashdown December 16, 2003 add a video add an image
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0.927096 | <urn:uuid:2672446a-5718-4201-aba4-3642e4f245c3> | en | 0.933625 | Subscribe Feedback English
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1. birdseye
To pleasure a women with one's hands.
i.e. 'Birdseye Fish Fingers', a popular source of protein in the UK.
"Dude I totally birdseyed Stacy last night!"
"I didn't feel like going all the way with Thomas so I just had him give me a birdseye"
2. Birdseye
A term used to describe a woman who very much like the known frozen food brand has been processed over and over again.
The same woman will no doubt be pumped full of chems to preserve and maintain/nourish her figure and just to be safe, it's best to microwave her minge longer.
E.g. 1.
Guy 1: "She's fine mate! I'm gonna fuck her good tonight!"
Guy 2: "She's birdseye man, her minge is already like a bobsledge track"
E.g. 2.
"Yo bruv, don't tap that slag man, she's like birdseye init, bare brethren handled that blud!"
3. birds eye
this is a definition when a guy has fingered a girl birds eye fish fingers
guy" would u let me go south and give you a birds eye"
4. birds eye
birds eye is a form of rhyming slang used alot in the 1980's an australia, it is a term used to describe a meat pie. there are other that ars used as rhyming slang including words like "Captain Cook" which means to have a look and "rubbity-dub" which means pub
hay mick chuck us a "birds eye"
hay mick chuck us a "meat pie"
5. birdseye
means you are chatting waffle. you are chatting birdseye is another way of saying bullshit
I got a million pounds in my pocket, birdseye
6. bird's eye
Another term for a fermata.
When you see a bird's eye above a note, be sure to watch the conductor.
by redhed311 August 30, 2005 add a video add an image
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0.99553 | <urn:uuid:17a899be-d733-42c1-a516-291bea4b475d> | en | 0.945584 | Subscribe Feedback English
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1. digilog
is used to describe a product that is older than a new version of said product. analog is older than digital and the term is made from a combination of these words. this term is used despite the fact that a product line may be entirely digital or analog.
Melanie always considered the original iPod to be digilog compared to the newest models.
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0.88897 | <urn:uuid:a27b174f-2ce0-4506-b4cf-58241c0c9797> | en | 0.87191 | Subscribe Feedback English
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1. Manstar
An original word meaning:
1) A Gay Person who is a "gay pornstar" and makes gay videos hence "Man" star.
2)Anyone Just downright Gay
Yo, John is a freakin manstar on!
by Striker7x February 02, 2005 add a video add an image
2. man star
A hairy or hairless male anus or asshole. The exterior part of the anus where the brown comes from.
1. I've shit so much today my man star is sore from wiping.
2. My man star is on fire from eating all those peppers.
3. Ryan didn't need a telescope to explore Chad's man star.
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1. shoed
1. verb
to throw shoe(s) at someone in disgust and to show disgrace.
2. noun
a dirty hoe that will do anything for you for FREE that is usually frowned upon except by those who she is servicing.
Bush got shoed during a press conference in Iraq.
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1. Sorry mate!!!
Baldie's apology when he almost comes within 10 feet of bumping into someone walking the other way. The words are preceded by a sudden and dramatic halt in which Baldie assumes the petrified stance of a person about to be run down by a tank: leaning back with hands up in a "please don't shoot, I'm an unarmed queer" gesture. This pathetic and unnecessary posture is made more ridiculous still by a facial expression of sheer terror, such as one might display when confronted by a rabid rhinoceros that has just eaten one's children.
Just saw Baldie in the corridor.
Did you talk to the twat?
No. He was about 20 metres away but appeared to believe he'd just knocked me over. He froze and shouted "Sorry mate!!!"
Fucking bent loser.
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0.033071 | <urn:uuid:3f0023b0-7f67-4b72-8b0a-2844fe3f11ed> | en | 0.948912 | Samuel L. Jackson, a.k.a. Nick Fury, releases confidential Elizabeth Olsen news: She's joining "The Avengers" sequel.
Samuel L. Jackson does play S.H.I.E.L.D. honcho Nick Fury. So why shouldn't he be breaking casting announcements for The Avengers sequel?
Jackson let slip to The Wall Street Journal that Elizabeth Olsen would be joining the cast of The Avengers: Age of Ultron.
"I don't think we begin shooting before March of next year. I know we're shooting in London, that James Spader is Ultron and going to be the bad guy, and that we added Ms. [Elizabeth] Olsen, but I don't know what she's doing, if she's on the inside or the outside. I haven't seen a script," said Jackson.
The Internet has been buzzing ever since, seeing this as confirmation that Olsen will play the long-discussed role of Scarlet Witch in the sequel to the superhero hit.
It's another big role for indie-fave Olsen, the younger sister to Mary-Kate and Ashley, who also stars in the much-anticipated Godzilla remake due out in 2014.
Jackson, who was discussing his Nick Fury cameo on ABC's Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., did not confirm who would play Scarlet Witch's mutant brother Quicksilver, long rumored to be Kick-Ass star Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Perhaps the Journal can throw in a follow-up question. | http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2013/10/03/samuel-l-jackson-elizabeth-olsen/2915307/ | dclm-gs1-275650002 | false | false | {
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0.120086 | <urn:uuid:4245b556-09b7-4350-bf63-c259f62696f3> | en | 0.958967 | Tug of War Over Gitmo
Key cases this week signal the strain over prisoners' rights
November 30, 2007 RSS Feed Print
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Guards guide a shackled captive at Gitmo's prison.
Guards guide a shackled captive at Gitmo's prison.
The day may be remembered for launching two legal showdowns that could transform the fate of Guantánamo's detainees—and of the secretive prison itself. On December 5, after nearly six years in U.S. custody, Salim Hamdan—a Yemeni man charged with aiding al Qaeda as Osama bin Laden's driver—will appear inside a courtroom at Guantánamo Bay. If all goes as planned, his hearing could lead to the first trial of a detainee by military commission, a special court created last year to try terrorism suspects held at the prison.
At nearly the same hour on the same day, the Supreme Court will be listening to arguments in two cases that could give detainees the right to challenge the fairness of the system that holds them.
It's an odd convergence. That the government would press ahead with a military commission hearing in the face of a major legal test highlights the confusion clouding the rights of Guantánamo's remaining 305 prisoners, nearly all of whom have been held for years without any official charges. Even today, only three men, including Hamdan, face formal charges.
This week's Supreme Court cases consider whether detainees have a constitutional right to challenge their imprisonment in federal court through a habeas corpus petition, guaranteed for anyone inside the United States but denied to Guantánamo's prisoners. It's the fourth time the justices have heard appeals by detainees. If the court leans in their favor—as it largely has done the three previous times—it could shatter the government's ability to shield proceedings from greater scrutiny.
That's the sort of oversight military commissions have been designed to avoid. Fear of increased scrutiny has reignited internal government discussions about closing Guantánamo's prison before a ruling threatens its legitimacy. "No matter what happens, there are still significant battles on the horizon," says Geoffrey Corn, a professor at the South Texas College of Law.
Gitmo's legitimacy has long been controversial. The prison was established after 9/11 to hold detainees suspected of terrorism. The Bush administration chose the base in Cuba in part so prisoners—who the government claimed were captured in Afghanistan and affiliated with al Qaeda—would not be entitled to key constitutional rights guaranteed to anyone on U.S. soil.
Initially the government barred detainees from any legal rights, such as access to a court, the ability to file habeas petitions, or the right to a lawyer. That wall began to crumble in 2004, when the Supreme Court held that Guantánamo was not entirely free from oversight by federal courts, giving detainees access to lawyers and prompting a flood of habeas petitions from men saying they were innocent.
New tack. The Bush administration wasn't happy, so it attempted to create an alternative system of justice. It began closed-door hearings for all prisoners to determine whether they were in fact "enemy combatants." Critics called the process a sham, in part because detainees were often not allowed to see all government evidence against them. The administration also officially charged 10 detainees—including Hamdan—in a new military-commission system.
In 2006, Hamdan took his case to the Supreme Court, which ruled that the executive branch did not have the power to create military commissions without congressional backing and counter to international law. In response, the administration turned to Congress and pushed through the Military Commissions Act, creating a revamped system with more protections but far short of what many critics wanted. The act also barred detainees from filing habeas petitions for their release. In effect, then, they could not question their imprisonment but only the government's determination of their status as an "enemy combatant." And they could appeal only to a single forum—the conservative U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
This legal tug of war takes a twist this week in the high court. Detainees' lawyers will argue that their clients are protected by a basic constitutional guarantee and that without it the government has virtual carte blanche to hold prisoners without charge indefinitely. Indeed, one of the cases involves six Algerian-born men who had been arrested in Bosnia on suspicion of a terrorist plot. Though that nation's highest court ordered them released for lack of evidence, the men were immediately transferred to Guantánamo in January 2002. They've been held ever since.
Bush administration lawyers contend that Guantánamo's detainees should not fall within the reach of the Constitution and already "enjoy more procedural protections than any other captured enemy combatants in the history of warfare."
A legal win for the detainees could still be problematic. The justices could grant them more protections without granting full habeas rights, for example. Certainly, any favorable ruling would require a change in the current legal system. Some experts suggest creating a special national-security court in the United States to deal with criticisms of the military commissions. Others go further, recommending that Guantánamo be closed. (The government has already released more than half of the 770 detainees without charge.)
The president publicly supported that idea last year. But closure comes with its own contentious problems. A key sticking point: Some prisoners most likely would be transferred to a facility inside the United States, such as a military brig or a maximum-security prison. "A critical factor" in moving detainees to the United States "is can you do so in a way that is both legally durable and doesn't pose a major security risk," says Matthew Waxman, a Columbia University Law School professor and former deputy assistant secretary of defense for detainee affairs.
For now, the government is moving ahead with Hamdan's case. Regardless of the Supreme Court ruling, his lawyers are gearing up to challenge the equity of the military commission system, particularly its use of evidence—such as classified information and material derived from coercion—that would not be permitted in federal court. As for Gitmo's immediate future, it seems likely to remain in legal limbo.
Supreme Court,
national security terrorism and the military,
Guantánamo Bay
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0.031992 | <urn:uuid:16810034-939c-4f5b-b51c-731272e711a1> | en | 0.976442 | Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Nation & World
A Q&A with the FBI's data czar
By Chitra Ragavan
Posted 6/9/05
Page 6 of 7
A: I would say the Aerospace Report [an independent evaluation] probably sealed it for everyone . . .
Q: Which came when?
A: January 21st this year.
Q: So, up to then, he was pretty much hoping that it was . . . ?
A: Everybody was, OMB was, DOJ was, everybody was hoping, except for people who were doing software engineering. Cause everyone was like, "Who's going to maintain 730,000 lines of code?"
Q: So where do you go from here?
A: Oh, we have a number of strategies. . . . It's very close held, mainly because it's procurement sensitive because we have outlined the timeline across the technology . . . everyday, I get asked that question, "What are you doing?" And we're sort of tight-lipped about it. Make sure that the people have a fair advantage when the contract goes out. But the bottom line is . . . I don't want people to wait for the mother lode, because by the time we get the mother lode there may be already a change in the technology anyways. I'd rather give them the capabilities that they need right now and it's more critical and important to them . . . I mean, there are certain things that we have to do and we have to right, for example, this whole data transition. I mean, how we going to get our data out of the legacy system?
Q: How much is it?
A: It's about 30 million documents I think, sitting in ACS. Nobody has been successful to do that kind of transition.
Q: The director's pretty savvy about these things . . . one of the things about him is that he's really very . . . pretty sophisticated about computers. So, did it raise red flags with him when SAIC offered this deal where they would make this complete transition from one system to the other?
A: I would say, that piece of it requires a different skill set and that's purely software engineering. I mean, the director is very sharp, he knows his data bases, he knows some of the technology but when it comes to legacy systems, you know, he knew that we had a data base, which is pretty old, but the pieces that probably were not explained to him, is that our security mechanism are coded in natural language, in database, okay. Now, remember what I mentioned about the supervisors, how they have these rights. Think about if you have 100 supervisors, they have been coded for security a hundred times in the system. Then if we have 200 different types of cases, every one of them has been coded separately for security. Now to map this kind of world, into something that is more manageable, that's not an easy task. I don't think . . . I'll be honest with you, I don't even think SAIC had thought about that.
Q: The security needs of . . .
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0.018988 | <urn:uuid:5076bc7c-133f-4044-ae59-ee233f5476d1> | en | 0.902977 | Thighs Wide Movies 2005
by Best Week Ever
The Thighmaster saw a butt-load of movies this year (yeah, that’s right, I said butt-load) so you didn’t have to. Now that Awards season is upon us, the man has compiled a list a thousand times better than anything the Academy could ever come up with. Check it out here– everything from the bestest to the wurstest to the Worlds Most Pointless Movie About Sewing. Everything’s accounted for. Thank you Thighmaster. Thank you. | http://www.vh1.com/celebrity/2006-01-16/thighs-wide-movies-2005/ | dclm-gs1-275710002 | false | false | {
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0.18515 | <urn:uuid:a5cf3f41-e37e-477b-9e3c-0223907dfbe4> | en | 0.936096 | New law allows for more pharmacy-based immunizations
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Starting July 1, Hoosiers can bypass the doctor's office and get more immunizations at drug stores and pharmacies than ever before.
For the last few years, pharmacists could only give flu shots and shingles vaccinations without having a prescription from the patient.
Now they can give four more vaccinations: pneumonia, HPV, meningitis and Tdap (for tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis/whooping cough).
However, there are a few restrictions.
Anyone receiving the pneumonia vaccination must at least 65 years old. Everyone else will need a prescription.
Recipients of the HPV, meningitis and Tdap vaccinations must be at least 11 years old.
For children receiving school vaccinations, the pharmacy will let the child's doctor know the child has received the vaccination. Parents will also be given a record sheet for the school.
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More Headlines | http://www.wane.com/news/indiana/new-law-allows-for-more-pharmacy-based-immunizations1372688957925 | dclm-gs1-275750002 | false | true | {
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0.02184 | <urn:uuid:396a2776-c388-4421-a620-0e86af72ac99> | en | 0.9428 | League of Legends' Newest Champion: Lucian, The Purifier
| 9 Jul 2013 20:46
LoL Lucian
League of Legends' newest champ is a highly mobile AD carry.
Riot Games just released the first info on LoL's newest champion, Lucian, the Purifier. Lucian is a pure attack-based hero. His straight-line damage, mixed with some great movement spells, will allow him to destroy enemies quickly and brutally.
Lucian's passive doubles his next basic attack after he uses an ability. This will encourage players to get a good amount of mana so they can spam abilities. Because his active abilities are freaking sweet.
Piercing Light is Lucian's first ability, which simply does damage in a straight line. His second spell, Ardent Blaze explodes in a star, damaging and marking enemies. Marked enemies take extra damage and grant Lucian movement speed.
Relentless Pursuit is a blink ability that removes slows from Lucian. If Lucian kills an enemy champion, it removes the cooldown on Relentless Pursuit. This means Lucian could flash under a turret to kill a champ, and upon killing him, blink back away immediately. Damn.
League Of Legends
categories: moba
League of Legends files the sharp corners off of the notorious MOBA genre into something that's both approachable, yet challenging. Persistant character development lets you develop your strategies over time and build up your summoner profile, while runes can grant you the edge. The community is both highly competitive, yet well-policed. Think you have what it takes to compete in the League of Legends?
Finally, Lucian's Ultimate, The Culling, is one of the simplest in the game. The Culling is just a basic skill shot in one direction that does tons of damage with a short cooldown. These spells make it clear that in chasing or running, Lucian is going to be nigh unstoppable. For the more initiated League folks: He will be most at home as an AD Carry bottom or mid, as his harass potential will allow him to stay in lane and gank unsuspecting champs.
Lucian's lore also provides further insight into the game's world, Runeterra. The new champ was once a guardian of the undead who lost his wife's soul to another LoL champ, the undead nightmare, Thresh. After this, Lucian set out to purge the undead from the world of Runeterra. His released lore wraps up with a quote from the champ: "Be grateful. By slaying you now, I spare you an eternity of torment."
LoL's newest champ doesn't have a release date yet, but expect one soon. Also, don't be surprised if his doomed wife Senna is a champ soon as well.
Source: League of Legends Website
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categories: 3d, fantasy | http://www.warcry.com/news/view/125817-League-of-Legends-Newest-Champion-Lucian-The-Purifier | dclm-gs1-275760002 | false | false | {
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0.033995 | <urn:uuid:102d01ee-8bc9-4cd6-a84a-2021d70a55e2> | en | 0.978039 | Mother describes accident that killed son in DUI case
Maria Chavez walked into a courtroom Tuesday morning with the aid of a cane, then began describing the January death of her only child, who was killed as they walked to a mall playground in Alexandria. Police say Victor Aldana was drunk when his car jumped a curb, flew across the grass and plowed over them.
Aldana and Chavez casually knew each other before he was charged with wounding her and killing Brian Hernandez Chavez, who was 8. On Tuesday in Alexandria Circuit Court, they appeared to avoid each other’s eyes. He stared ahead, blinking, as she testified.
(Alexandria police) - Victor Aldana.
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“All of a sudden, a car coming from Duke Street made impact with our bodies,” Chavez said in a soft voice. “. . . Brian was standing to my side. I was holding my son’s hand.”
Before the crash, Aldana lived in an apartment on the same street as Chavez, 31, and her son. Aldana and Chavez worked near each other, she as a hotel housekeeper, he as a cashier at the fast-food restaurant next door. Sometimes, he would serve her chicken.
The morning of the Jan. 15 crash, he was at home and drank two 23-ounce cans of the alcoholic drink Four Loko, which he bought the previous night, according to police. He left his apartment to get food, he told police. Mother and son were walking to Landmark Mall to go to the indoor playground at about 2:30 p.m. when they were hit on Duke Street near Interstate 395.
Aldana didn’t realize whom he had hit until hours after the accident, when an Alexandria police officer showed him pictures of Chavez and her son.
“When he saw her photograph, his eyes started to water and he avoided eye contact,” police Officer Diana Barrett testified. “When he saw a picture of Brian, he became visibly upset.”
Public defender Jasmin Mize called the crash an accident.
“Mr. Aldana is on trial for something he never intended to happen,” Mize said. “This case is a tragedy, but not every tragedy is a crime.”
Mize said driving mistakes such as Aldana’s are common.
“We get distracted, we miss a turn,” Mize said. “Sometimes, our cars become something we can’t control.”
Chavez broke both her legs and a hip in the crash. She spent weeks in a hospital and months in a wheelchair.
Susan Coronis testified that she pulled over to the side of the road and ran over to Maria Chavez to help when she saw what had happened. Chavez was panicked and asking for her son, who was lying in the grass nearby, Coronis testified.
Because Chavez couldn’t move, the two women said the Lord’s Prayer together — Coronis in English and Chavez in Spanish.
It wasn’t until Chavez got to the hospital that she was told her son was dead.
Aldana, 22, is charged with manslaughter while driving under the influence, maiming, reckless driving and operating a vehicle without a license. Four hours after the accident, Aldana had a blood alcohol content of 0.15, almost twice the legal limit for driving, according to court testimony.
Aldana declined a jury trial, so the case is being heard by Alexandria Judge James C. Clark.
“We ask that he be held accountable for his incomprehensible actions that afternoon,” said Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Jessica Best Smith.
Read what others are saying | http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/mother-describes-accident-that-killed-son-in-dui-case/2012/06/05/gJQAHca3GV_story.html | dclm-gs1-275790002 | false | false | {
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0.068955 | <urn:uuid:40cec4ce-ab9c-4368-9d4f-04fd98e81da2> | en | 0.961706 | Page is a not externally linkable
- WebmasterWorld
-- Ecommerce
---- Major Third Party Sellers Drop Out Of Amazon Marketplace
jwolthuis - 6:01 pm on Feb 18, 2011 (gmt 0)
you are paying Amazon to compete with Amazon on Amazon's home turf.
I sell a hundred-or-so products on Amazon, and a thousand-or-so products on my stand-alone site. (I also sell on eBay, Sears, Bonanza, etc).
Of those hundred products, about half have other sellers, either Amazon or third-party, a mix of Prime and non-Prime.
Although Amazon is technically "competing against me", and I'm "paying them" a commission, I justify that payment based on the customers they bring to me. They run a very fast, popular website that gets a ton of traffic, and that's certainly worth my commission payment.
What's the downside? They sell a few more widgets than I do. I didn't incur an expense because someone bought from Amazon instead of me. It costs me nothing to list with them (I'm not a Pro-Merchant). In fact, the sales and profits I get from Amazon make it worth the trouble to list products with them. I make money.
If Amazon can put a few thousand in my pocket, I'll forgive them for competing with me, thank them for their high-traffic website, and take my wife out for a nice dinner tonight, paid for with my Amazon profits.
Anyway, that's my view of Amazon.
Thread source::
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0.242909 | <urn:uuid:49be50bd-22be-4125-946c-9fcf2e49dad8> | en | 0.916882 | recent on-air advertisers
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0.054089 | <urn:uuid:630ac49a-38d2-4dfc-b858-7043fc60b855> | en | 0.835157 | SGD Paper Help
Bode HP, et al. (1995) Iron sequestration by the yeast vacuole. A study with vacuolar mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Eur J Biochem 228(2):337-42
Abstract: To investigate iron uptake by the yeast vacuole, we examined iron accumulation and subcellular distribution in two Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant strains with distinct alterations in vacuolar morpholgy and functions, the vacuolar protein targeting mutants vpt13 and vpt16. The mutant vpt13 is deficient in vacuolar acidification but possesses a morphologically normal vacuole, whereas vpt16 is devoid of any vacuole-like structure. The vacuole-lacking mutant vpt16 displayed reduced iron accumulation at high and low extracellular iron concentrations. Iron accumulation by vpt13 was not reduced at low extracellular iron concentrations, and only slightly reduced at high external iron. Subcellular fractionation of vpt13 after iron loading confirmed the vacuolar localization of the accumulated iron. Vacuolar iron sequestration thus is not dependent on vacuolar acidification, in contrast to vacuolar uptake of other metal cations such as calcium, strontium, manganese, and zinc. Conclusively, the vacuolar iron-uptake mechanism is different from the cation-proton exchangers mediating uptake of these other metal cations. Regarding the lacking dependence on vacuolar acidification as well as the high amounts of iron accumulated by the vacuole, vacuolar iron uptake could be mediated by an iron pump similar to the known ATP-dependent mechanisms of active transport.
Status: Published Type: Journal Article PubMed ID: 7705347
Topics addressed in this paper
Number of different genes curated to this paper: 2
Topics Genes
Alias blue ball blue ball
Function/Process blue ball blue ball
Mutants/Phenotypes blue ball blue ball
Primary Literature blue ball blue ball
Regulatory Role blue ball
Strains/Constructs blue ball blue ball
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3. (3) Click to implement | http://www.yeastgenome.org/cgi-bin/reference/reference.pl?dbid=S000049923 | dclm-gs1-275940002 | false | false | {
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0.022332 | <urn:uuid:49c6d4dd-c49a-44ad-b278-d3a698271800> | en | 0.853598 | SGD Paper Help
Choy RM, et al. (2009) Localization and orientation of the gamma-tubulin small complex components using protein tags as labels for single particle EM. J Struct Biol 168(3):571-4
Abstract: Gamma-Tubulin Small Complex (gamma-TuSC) is the universally-conserved complex in eukaryotes that contains the microtubule (MT) nucleating protein: gamma-tubulin. gamma-TuSC is a heterotetramer with two copies of gamma-tubulin and one copy each of Spc98p and Spc97p. Previously, the structure of gamma-TuSC was determined by single particle electron microscopy (EM) at 25A resolution. gamma-TuSC is Y-shaped with a single flexible arm that could be the key to regulating MT nucleation. EM gold labeling revealed the locations of gamma-tubulin at the top of the Y. In vivo Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) suggested the relative orientations of Spc98p and Spc97p but did not distinguish which large subunit formed the flexible arm. Here, using fluorescent proteins as covalently attached tags, we used class averages and 3-D random conical tilt reconstructions to confirm the in vivo FRET results, clearly demonstrating that the Spc98p/97p C-termini interact directly with gamma-tubulin. Most significantly we have determined that the flexible arm belongs to Spc98p and our data also suggests that the N-termini of Spc98p and Spc97p are crossed. More generally, our results confirm that despite their small size, covalently-attached fluorescent proteins perform well as subunit labels in single particle EM.
Topics addressed in this paper
Number of different genes curated to this paper: 3
Topics Genes
Additional Literature blue ball blue ball blue ball
Protein-protein Interactions blue ball blue ball blue ball
Protein/Nucleic Acid Structure blue ball blue ball blue ball
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0.041928 | <urn:uuid:b6b50318-b111-4ae3-bf22-504f5bfd0c01> | en | 0.960196 | The Beehive
Southernhay, Basildon, Essex, SS14 1DQ
• Tel: 01268 273394
1. 23/09/2008 by
This pub is the complete opposite to the moon on the square which is located opposite funnily enough. walk in and within a short space of time you are served by friendly staff. The bar is clean the pub is clean and the beer is clean although prices are the highest in the 3 pub area it is worth the little extra for a much better service. Also this pub being one of the few that sell guinness red a damm good beer. Food is great also with some fantastic value food for example a gammon steak for only 2.99 amazing the only downside to this is that food is stopped being served at 4pm.
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0.07092 | <urn:uuid:7c612ff6-3083-4811-8f14-083041c7baa5> | en | 0.931796 | Shortlists on
What is a shortlist?
Our shortlist functionality allows you to create a list of 10 businesses for you to save and refer to later. You could use this to simply list a number of suppliers for a specific job, to plan an event or even just to make a list of the top ten restaurants in your area.
You can share this list by emailing it to one, or many friends, or by posting it on Facebook or Twitter.
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We are currently building that feature and it will be live on the site in early June. | http://www.yell.com/help/shortlists.html | dclm-gs1-275980002 | false | false | {
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0.019986 | <urn:uuid:bcd3e4ec-3222-4b9c-8ca8-f6f2eb41bb2c> | en | 0.970629 | Advertisement weblogs honeychild's blog
Sebelius on Leno
Did you catch it? I just happened upon it... Was waiting for Leno to go off and the news to come on. Anyway, he asks a different famous person 10 random questions every night and this time it was our esteemed former governor.
Hopefully this link will work. I can't access youtube at work. ;P
Help me out if you can put up a better link...
Anyway, I thought she was pretty deadpan (as usual), BUT i really liked her answer to the question about keeping our children safe-- She actually was pretty funny w/ her response. I also liked her answer when asked who would in in a game of horse, Kathleen or Obama.
fishcat 4 years, 2 months ago
I liked her statements about being a secretary, and a madam
Mel Briscoe 4 years, 2 months ago
yeh, sometimes it bothers me how bland her delivery is but she does carry herself in a way that doesn't make us kansans ashamed-- considering how some politians are, that is a big time plus!
somedude20 4 years, 2 months ago
"Sebelius on Leno" gross sounding headline...hope they used lotion
kcgregory 4 years, 2 months ago
she was way better there than on the Daily Show awhile back
Mel Briscoe 4 years, 2 months ago
somedude... i expected that from you.
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0.024444 | <urn:uuid:3c29749e-c918-4505-99aa-c677a88b939f> | en | 0.988832 | Delhi gang-rape: Woman's friend left for hometown Saturday night
New Delhi: The gang-rape victim's male friend, who had been assaulted by the rapists Dec 16, did not attend the funeral of the woman and left Saturday night for his hometown in Uttar Pradesh, police sources said Sunday.
"The man and his family did not attend the cremation, the reason for that is not known," a police source told a news agency.
"They left last night by Lucknow Mail," the police source said.
The young man and his family, who were in Delhi till Saturday evening, had told a news agency that they would be attending the funeral.
Police called his family members early Sunday for the funeral, but no one turned up, said the source.
"They gave no reason for not attending the funeral," said the police source.
The victim was cremated secretly in the capital's Dwarka area at 7:30 am Sunday.
According to a family source of the dead woman, her male friend had visited their home near Dwarka a few times and was acquainted with her two brothers and mother. The source discounted media reports of any impending marriage between them.
The 23-year-old trainee physiotherapist and her male friend were assaulted by six men on board a moving bus Dec 16. The woman was gang-raped and brutally attacked, leading to grievous injuries and to her death early Saturday morning.
The six men then raped, robbed and stripped the woman and also stripped and assaulted the young man and dumped them by the wayside. The six have been arrested and now face murder charges.
The young man has identified the rapists during the test identification parade held by police. | http://zeenews.india.com/print.aspx?nid=819724 | dclm-gs1-276050002 | false | false | {
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0.033319 | <urn:uuid:0faa606f-7aa5-49e9-b140-343d55be2822> | en | 0.943266 |
VIDEO: ABC News Luis Martinez breaks down the cost of U.S. military intervention.
U.S. ships and submarines in the Mediterranean have launched at least 191Tomahawk cruise missiles from their arsenals, costing $268.8 million, the Pentagon said.
"Each sortie, even if it drops no munitions, is very pricey," said Winslow Wheeler of the Center for Defense Information. "These airplanes cost us tens of thousands of dollars to operate per hour, and the fancier you get in terms of planes, the costs get truly astounding."
So far the Pentagon has financed the mission to take out Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's air defenses and disrupt his attacks on opposition forces using money in its existing budget, which has room for unanticipated military actions. The White House has not been forced to ask Congress for additional funds for the campaign.
While many Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill have questioned President Obama's constitutional authority to engage in Libya without their consent, some are voicing concern about the effect on the skyrocketing federal deficit.
"We have already spent trillions of dollars on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, both of which descended into unwinnable quagmires," Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio wrote in a letter to colleagues last week. "Now, the president is plunging the United States into yet another war we cannot afford."
Kucinich: Cut Off Libya Funding
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have together cost more than $1.2 trillion so far, excluding troops' pay, medical costs and interest payments on debt incurred, according to the National Priorities Project, a nonprofit budgetary research group.
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0.042887 | <urn:uuid:d58e25ad-05a2-43ba-b93f-037e840d0cfd> | en | 0.984536 | x Reliable Sources
x boston
Set Clip Length:
"the boston globe" and others doesn't charge anything. there's no pay wall. does that have to change at some point. >> that's not for me to say. that's for the people on the business side to say. i'm sure they've looked at it closely. i imagine they're continuing look at it. so far they've decided not do that but i don't what they're going to decide in the future. >> the print edition of the post which i still read every morning brings in 75% of the revenue even though everyone talks about digital and clicks online but that recovers a sizeable staff to cover it, not just the district of columbia but virginia. is it important to protect that local franchise even though it's a national news organization? >> absolutely. i mentioned it has a variety of coverage including its own community. it has to cover its own community. it's a local as well as a national paper. >> how do you keep morale up when people are seeing some of their friends leave and seeing the ambitions curtail and the globe used to do more national reporting than it does now. it's become more of a local paper. does that t
Excerpts 0 to 1 of about 2 results.
(Some duplicates have been removed)
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English 21
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. >> why is it many of the best companies in america the googles and deloittes and so many others treat interns as an investment. they pay their interns they hire an overwhelming number of them. >> that's their right. >> you are taking the longer view. >> who are we donto decide for of them. what about voluntary contracts between two people student and the company. if they both agree what business is it of government to interfere? >> the same law that protects interns is also the one that got 14-year-olds out of the coal mines? was that freedom of contract? there has to come a point where you have to understand what are the -- >> coal mines, 14-year-olds? >> this is the 21st century. >> i don't see what century matters. if you volunteer to go to the coal mines and your parents are okay isn't that part of freedom. >> i grew up as less liberal. i have become a libertarian democrat. there are about 6 of us libertarian democrats. i used to be the press secretary for the democratic party. i understand the argument how we are exploiting workers of the world and they need to unite and have the
down their debt. google glass. we have heard a lot about this recently. it is not even out yet. it is already facing a possible ban. the lawmaker introducing the bill says the glasses are an extension of texting and driving. dagen: i see you wearing a marked sanchez jersey before i see you wearing a pair of those. connell: definitely not while driving. dagen: i struggle to not look like a major loser every day. i do not care if it transport me into next year. snow days. the cleanup keeps piling up. connell: board commercials in india that are raising some eyebrows. as you can see here, we will get into it later. let's get a look at the oil market. tom kloza is coming on to talk more about it later. we will be right back. ♪ it's monday. a brand new start. your chance to rise and shine. with centurylink as your trusted technology partner, you can do just that. with our visionary cloud infrastructure, global broadband network and custom communications solutions, your business is more reliable - secure - agile. and with responsive, dedicated pport, we help you shine every day of
with the google voice search. the droid razr maxx hd by motorola. droid recognition. droid powerful. >> thanks for watching "fox & friends" ts rning. tomorrow, the creators of the "the bible" mini series are going to join us, controversial, and don't want to miss that. >> jesse, you're here tomorrow. >> jesse: am i coming back tomorrow? >> see what the bosses say. see you tomorrow. >> brenda: game on! march madness taking over. no, not on the court, in d.c. with pork, congress passing a bill to keep the government funded for another six months and it's chockful of pork goodies like watershed rehe billtation, environmental medication programs, whatever all that means. so, is this the march maddening group that will never get spending under control? hi, everyone, i'm brenda buttner, this is bulls and bears. let's get to it. the bulls and bears, gary b smith, tobin smith, jonas max ferris. and john, is this madness? lawmakers are fighting over what to cut, they're reallocating funds for all that pork. >> yeah, this shows exactly how bad of a character our lawmakers have in d.c. look, we have no e
in the middle east? let's bing it on. [fight bell: ding, ding] how many here are google users? what if i was to tell you that you would actually like bing way more than google when it came to the results? prove it. let's look up some taco places. i like the left side. yeah? okay, do we need to find out what the waves are like down at the beach? what side do you like better? i like the results on the right. i'm gonna go with the one on the left. oh! bing won! people prefer bing over google for the web's top searches. don't believe it? go to bingiton.com and see what you're missing. like other precious things that start off white, it yellows over time. when it comes to your smile, if you're not whitening, you're yellowing. crest whitestrips whiten as well as $500 professional treatments. guaranteed. crest 3d white whitestrips. guaranteed. do you guys ride? well... no. sometimes, yeah. yes. well, if you know anybody else who also rides, send them here -- we got great coverage. it's not like bikers love their bikes more than life itself. i doubt anyone will even notice. leading the pack in m
has got. when you look at the client list, that's impressed and it's badda bing. facebook, google, yahoo! , japan, and if you're an advertiser. and we'll ask the ceo about the net loss for 2012 and the 60 million in revenues. remember 7 million shares was the initial price share range. 7 1/2 is what they ended up at and 11 to 13 was the price talk and opening at $19 and friends and families, these lovely ladies and gentlemen standing around here. $15 was the price talk and it was what it priced at and it opened at 1450 and that would be the first one this week that would open below its price and right now it is trading at $19.71 and you can see people with their families all standing here and the ceo and here are the kids and families standing around here. marin brought all of their family down here and it's been very nice. i've been talking to a lot of wonderful people here in the last 20 minutes. >> we'll talk to the ceo coming up. looking forward to that. >> up next on "squawk on the street." that will happen, and he'll talk about the company's wall street debut. >>> marin sof
businesses. >> and you got significant competition in marketing. you looked at google, oracle, sales force, even ibm jumping in there. and they're coming at it from different entrenched spots in the enterprise, in retail. what's your pitch for how you beat those guys? because they've got a lot of cash and they do a lot of acquisitions. >> well, i think we're the leaders, john, and we have to continue to innovate. but i think, you know, the affinity that marketers have for adobe, we're such an entrenched part of the content life cycle, and so as they're creating these campaigns, we think that's the on-ramp from all of this digital spend. google's actually a partner, because we allow marketers to spend more money on surge, but there is social, there is display, there is video. and i would say that oracle and ibm come at it more from the point of view of i.t. we focused on the marketer, we believe we have the most comprehensive solution. and, you know, we're clearly in the lead. >> i know we're almost out of time, but i notice that you guys also put out a release saying kevin lynch, the chief
. >>> tom carney and cindy berman both have house envy after watching those house segment. google owns youtube and now says more than a billion people visit that online video site each month, noting that if the website was a country, they'd be the third largest in the world after china and india. youtube's pop later keeps -- if i was a country -- i don't know. where's the revenue, john? are they making any money? >> we don't know how much money they make. i suspect they can make significant amounts of revenue. just browsing through their top videos today, i saw a lot that had advertisements on it. i think youtube and google is not being very open about how much money they're making from youtube, but they might have good business for doing that. >> do they need to be that open? they don't want to tell everybody. >> look at the stock price. it doesn't look like investors care that they are just closing that. but it really is interesting. if you look at the earnings record, the word youtube isn't even mentioned in there. and some on wall street speculate they don't want to close youtube r
... we're making it. neil: drones over your house. it is weird, but okay. google snapping pictures of your house. annoying, but that's okay. tracking your purchases online, have always been happening. okay. but the government scanning internet traffic and getting into cahoots with phone companies to help police say, no, that is not okay. the former white house individual on snooping. what do you make of this? what is going on here? >> it is just not the online retailer that most of us know about. but they are very proficient about the ability to leverage the infrastructure and provide data services whereas in the past we have had her own data3 centers and staff them with her own i.t. people. part of those services consistent with the government plan, in other words, don't build new data centers, don't expand once you have up there. outsource it. that is effectively, if those reports are true, that is what sound like is going on. they are saying that we will buy those from you and put the services of ourselves. >> they are working for the government to spy on their customers? >> onc
an it specialist. somebody from silicon valley will come and show them ou to work the googles and twitters. they will look at trying to shape up their technology and really important stuff in terms of the primaries. try to make the calendar a little bit shorter. move the conventions from august perhaps to as soon as june, and then for those who remember the 23 debates that the country watched in the republican primaries of 2012 they would cut that by perhaps as two-thirds, to seven or eight debates. a lot of big changes coming to the republicans. jenna: and you remember every single one of those debates because you were there, right, carl? >> reporter: yeah, fondly too. jenna: no comment. >> reporter: sometimes good but that was an awful loft it. jenna: 23, that is for sure. great to see you as always, thank you. jon: a leading republican lawmaker is raising serious questions about the obama administration's handling of the benghazi terror attacks and the aftermath. senator lindsey graham accuses the white house of telling injured survivers of those attacks to quote, be quite and not share
or google documents of the variety of services we have now. how the statute applies, will have to decide what are you when you are an electronic communications services provider. if you figure that out, you have to go through a complicated matrix to seagram how the statute applies. it was passed for a time when there were not so many hybrid communication services. with thething to do statute is to reform and update it. ecs and rcs stand for electronic communications services and remote communications services. senator lady has been focused on changing the requirements -- senator lady -- leahy has been- focusing on changing the requirements. when information is stored in the statute allows the government to get access to it without a search warrant. the only person who might get notices the service provider. wants to get a .earch warrant the federal law says investigators can gain access of any e-mail older than 180 days without a search warrant. why 180 days? death-bang xliv question. when the statute -- excellent question. the idea was that people might have abandoned their interest in
.c. arguing google and microsoft having a hard time finding qualified workers because of visa restrictions. >>> the "los angeles times," jeff basa has recovered some of the f-1 engines to bring "apollo" to the moon. he recovered them after three weeks at sea working miles below the atlantic ocean. >> obviously, that is great news. >> yeah. >> like an explorer. >> the baton rouge advocate has nothing about chasing down rocket engines from 1969. the library of congress sound of satellite news center by simon and garfunkel and the twist by chubby checker. you are my sunshine by jimmy davis. it was chosen on local and artistic importance. >> workers must report their weight and body fat or face 600 dollars in terms of health insurance premiums. >> let's go to happier news. did you see this, mike? >> i'm not sure that's fair. >> how about that? so "the tonight show" is coming to new york city. >> coming home. >> it is coming home. jimmy fallon is going to be taking over. >> they are building a larger studio firm upstairs in the studio that johnny carson performed in and the great steve allen. >
's a small island close to greece and turkey. thank gosh we have google maps to show you what's going on. it's become a haven for money. this is a country that despite it wanted to be a financial center so it tried to attract deposits in very large scale with low corporate tax rates and discretion. in other words, they would look the other way when it comes to monte laundering, tax evasion, et cetera. they bought a lot of greek debt if banks in cyprus. and they went bust because of it. now they need a bailout. here's are where things stand. over the weekend they said, this bailout, we're going to start taxing depositor, even insured deposit depositors. now we are wait for another another plan to emerge where perhaps the small insured depositor doesn't get hit but we haven't seen the details yet. a waiting game there. we are told that perhaps when they finally have a plan, parliament might vote tomorrow. parliament was supposed to vote sunday, today and now saying that maybe parliament votes tomorrow. we are still waiting for the banks to reopen. atms, i am told, are being topped off and prov
: when you look up, when you google repeal obamacare, for example, the paid sponsors that come up at the top the first one is the heritage foundation. the petition to repeal obamacare by the heritage foundation. the washington post, the most recent one, lots of americans still want to repeal obamacare. that's the title of the story. lots of americans still want to repeal obamacare. ok. it's hilarious. the chart they have, and it's 35%, this is the lots. how many self-identified republicans do you think there are in this country? somewhere between 32% and 35% of the electorate. that has not changed for all practical purposes. people now identify themselves as independents because of the iraq war even though they vote for republicans every time, for bush twice voted against obama because of things like this, they still identify them. you're going to find go across the board women's rights, you know choice legislation obamacare, all these things, your number's going to be about 32% to 36% that's the number. that is exactly the number of people who want to repeal obamacare. i guarante
device. it has been eclipsed by apple's iphone and google's android. analysts say it will be tough for blackberry to regain their former prominence. >>> the taste will be the same, but pepsi's bottles are going to get a new look. the first redesign for its plastic bottles in 16 years. a little blockier and easier to hold. new bottles go into production next month. it will take a while to convert all those bottling plants. pepsi has been losing market share to coca-cola in recent years. >>> let's take a check of the friday weather. it will feel a lot like winter in most of the nation. atlanta rain, snowy mix. and there will be rain from little rock to new orleans. blustery air around washington, d.c. >> temperatures in the northeast, 10 degrees colder. new york in the mid 40s. denver in the 60s. will see 40s today. pleasant and warm in the southwest. >>> listen to this one, we mention the drug sniffing dogs earlier. well this is a dog story of a totally different scent. this one involves dogs and dog poop. just going to say it. >> more and more apartment complexes it seems are signi
in europe. >>> google's eric schmidt making a rare visit to myanmar. he's pushing for a free and open internet in a country that's just now emerging from decades of military rule. internet access in myanmar very rare. only a small amount of people there, small number of people there have cell phones. the trip comes just two months after he made a controversial journey to north korea. >>> good news, fewer americans have debt. that's right. 69% of people are in debt or have debt. that's compared to 74% in 2000. a big reason why, people are laying off the credit cards. but for those who do have debt, they have a lot more of it. $70,000 on average compared to $52,000 back in 2000. bearing the brunt of it, seniors. people over 65 saw their debt load double. seniors are less likely to own their own homes outright, and these days are also more likely to have unsecured debt, that includes things like student loans and medical bills. surprising news about debt ahead on "starting point" we're going to continue with who's got debt, why they have debt and how to get over it. we're going to do tha
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(Some duplicates have been removed)
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0.082452 | <urn:uuid:5a6263a2-2915-4924-829c-980e247fcff7> | en | 0.902116 | 1. Autos
How To Replace Spark Plug Wires
3 of 5
Disconnect the Air Box
Removing the air box to facilitate spark plug wire installation.
Remove the airbox to free the intake plenum for removal. Spark plug wires hide beneath!
photo by Adam Wright, 2010
If you've made it this far, you have an engine that makes it very difficult to change your plugs and wires. Don't sweat it. Your day may be longer, but take it step by step and you won't have any problems.
The first step is to remove the air box. The air box contains your air filter, and connects to the large intake plenum that you can see is hiding the rest of your spark plug wires. If you have a large flexible hose connecting the air box to the plenum, you can remove the clamps that hold the hose on each end, and remove the hose, leaving the air box in place. If your air box and hose are one unit, you'll have to unbolt the entire box. Before removing the hose or the box, check to see what electrical connections you may need to disconnect first.* *If you want to be sure you properly reconnect your electrical plugs, take a digital photo of the air box setup before you remove anything, or draw a diagram to aid your memory.
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0.04954 | <urn:uuid:72a1318c-f4fe-4783-9d70-fbfc6bad5f1c> | en | 0.967407 | Imagine being able to rock a pair of sneakers as a way to showcase your WWE fandom.
WWE sneakers wouldn't have the street cred that Air Jordans have, but they could be fun additions to a WWE fan's memorabilia collection. Design them well enough and even non-WWE fans may slip a pair on.
The sports entertainment company already sells T-shirts, baseball caps and wristbands with pro wrestlers' names and likeness on them, so why not join the shoe-selling fray?
Shoes associated with athletes is big business. reported that Michael Jordan earns "more than $60 million annually" in royalties. SportsOneSource reports (via that LeBron James' signature shoes "generated $300 million in U.S. retail sales in 2012."
Doug Pensinger/Getty Images
LeBron signature shoes. A few tweaks here and there and you have a Dolph Ziggler shoe.
Of course, even WWE's biggest stars aren't as famous as either James or Jordan, but there's clearly money to be made here. There's no chance the lesser-known Justin Gabriel is going get his own shoe, but WWE's biggest stars could bring in some added cash for the company and themselves (via royalties) by adding Superstar shoes to WWE Shop's inventory.
A key difference between NBA players and WWE Superstars is that basketball players wear the shoes they're selling on the court while wrestlers generally wear wrestling boots. Still, fans will still want to buy a shoe that showcases the colors, logo and name of their favorite ring vet.
What do you buy a John Cena fan who essentially already has the WWE champ's entire merchandise collection? Fit him with a pair of signature Cena shoes that feature his "10 years strong" logo.
These ugly kid shoes don't count either. WWE has to create a shoe design that will get collectors to take notice and adults to wear them proudly.
WWE, you can do better than this. (Photo from
With as often as Cena changes color schemes, there are sure to be a multitude of opportunities to put out a new Cena shoe. Cena's the perfect star to begin the trend with as well as he actually wears sneakers in the ring and used to pump up his Reebok's during matches.
WWE could design a CM Punk shoe that includes the Chicago flag as many of his T-shirts do. Dolph Ziggler's shoes could rock his old pink and blue color scheme or else a show-stealing blue and yellow design.
Nike has already made a sneaker with Hulk Hogan's trademark colors and one inspired by the Macho Man Randy Savage. WWE should tap into that market as well.
Hulk Hogan edition Nikes (Photo from
The company can continue in that retro direction by creating Bret Hart or Roddy Piper-inspired shoes. Folks who were fans when they were kids and have since stopped watching the product could be moved by nostalgia to don some Hulkamania shoes.
WWE can also avoid some of the pitfalls Nike has encountered.
WWE will want to avoid the violence and crimes too often associated with overzealous shoe fans that Jemele Hill wrote about in this piece. The fact that young men like Joshua Woods have been shot over a pair of Air Jordans should force WWE to tread carefully upon entering the signature shoe market.
Not charging $180 a pair is a great start. WWE shoes should be something families can afford to buy their kids. They should just be another item to grab up at WWE shows.
In entering the customized sneaker game, WWE can extend and profit from Superstars' brands. For fans, it simply means a fun way to add to their wardrobe, WWE style. | http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1700903-wwe-should-get-into-the-signature-sneaker-game | dclm-gs1-276360002 | false | false | {
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0.021079 | <urn:uuid:fc2b4656-44d7-4223-add1-c7ef1aed65f2> | en | 0.955367 | From NBA Playbook – A Closer Look at the Knicks’ Last Second Defensive Block
On, Sebastian Pruiti writes and diagrams how The Knicks Use Defense To Get A Win:
The title of this post isn’t a joke, as one would assume. The Knicks were up by 1 with the ball and about 20 seconds left, but they turned it over. The Hawks were now breaking down the court with the chance for a win. How did the Knicks stop them? Let’s look:
Wilson Chandler meets Josh Smith at the top of his dunk attempt and gets the block. Now, his physical ability is what allowed him to get the block, but Chandler used his basketball IQ to get himself in position to let his physical tools take over.
As Crawford brings it upcourt he uses a smooth behind the back move to put Toney Douglas on his hip, Crawford gets himself into the lane. Al Harrington (Al Horford’s man) steps up to greet him in the paint. Also arrowed is Wilson Chandler, the man who ends up making the block to save the game.
Jamal Crawford makes a jump stop, and as David Lee starts to focus on him, Josh Smith actually makes a terrific backdoor cut. However, the most important movement off of the ball is coming from Wilson Chandler. Notice how he came down all the way into the paint, leaving his man and getting ready to rotate over.
Smith makes the catch and gets ready to take off for the dunk. As this happens, Wilson Chandler loads up to challenge the dunk attempt.
Topics: Al Harrington, Al Horford, Atlanta Hawks, Jamal Crawford, Josh Smith,, Sebastian Pruiti, Toney Douglas
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0.122424 | <urn:uuid:8dc8fd8d-e077-47d6-99cd-2da43e2eb0b7> | en | 0.862817 | Missed Connections
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0.068442 | <urn:uuid:c4233ab2-7608-480f-845d-0e955489dd76> | en | 0.976798 | Did it ever occur to you that I might be the one who deserves your confidence and your trust, not your sons? Not Jaime or Tyrion but me. Years and years of lectures on family and legacy. The same lecture really, just with tiny, tedious variations. Did it ever occur to you that your daughter might be the only one listening to them, living by them? That she might have the most to contribute to your legacy that you love so much more than your actual children?
They will not have my dragons, Dany vowed. They will not.
i like how when people say “i love couples with size difference” they mean tiny girls with waists so thin the large men they are dating can put their entire hand around them and by love i mean where the FUCK are my tiny vain princes and their huge muscular knight women who don’t put up with any of their shit and hoist them over their shoulders and walk off when they’re having a princely temper tantrum your all WEAK
A song of ice and fire + quotes
A Song of Get the Fuck Over Yourself
You are the moon of my life. That is all I know, and all I need to know. And if this is a dream, I will kill the man who tries to wake me.
Tywin seems a hard man to you, but he’s no harder than he’s had to be. Our own father was gentle and amiable, but so weak his bannermen mocked him in their cups. Some saw fit to defy him openly. Other lords borrowed his gold and never troubled to repay it. At court they japed of toothless lions. Even his own mistress stole from him. A woman scarcely one step above a whore, and she helped herself to my mother’s jewels! It fell to Tywin to restore House Lannister to its proper place. Just as it fell to him to rule this realm, when he was no more than twenty. He bore that heavy burden for twenty years and all it earned him was a mad king’s envy. Instead of the honor he deserved, he was made to suffer slights beyond count, yet he gave the Seven Kingdoms peace, plenty and justice. He is a just man. - Kevan Lannister (A Storm Of Swords).
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0.089592 | <urn:uuid:e4434265-f87a-4a5e-8cfd-1ad21bc76b3d> | en | 0.832223 | 2 Attachments
4 Responses
1. Piotr_Kojtek Piotr_Kojtek
Approaching birthday, I would like to invite you for a slice of cake :)
PS. Check out the animation.
4 months ago
2. Moran Goldstein Moran Goldstein
You may want to use the animation itself as the shot, especially if you managed to compress it down to less than 8Mb. Also, when you post an animation, it's often beneficial to add a "motion graphics" tag, to appear in more search results.
4 months ago
3. Mariusz Mariusz
fajny gif! ;)
4 months ago
4. Igor Igor
Great animation!
4 months ago
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0.093744 | <urn:uuid:72090212-467d-4acb-a85c-589389076f40> | en | 0.978695 | Al Bundy
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Al Bundy
Al Bundy.jpg
Al Bundy
First appearance "Pilot"
Last appearance "How to Marry a Moron, Part 2"
Created by Michael G. Moye
Ron Leavitt
Portrayed by Ed O'Neill
Gender Male
Occupation Women's shoe salesman
Family Father (deceased)
Mother (died during series)
Spouse(s) Peggy Bundy (married in 1971)
Children Kelly Bundy (daughter, eldest child)
Bud Bundy (son, youngest child)
Relatives Jimmy (nephew)
Uncle Stymie (uncle)
Seamus McBundy (ancestor; deceased)
Eugene Bundy (cousin)
Uncle Joe (uncle)
Cousin Sheila
Al Bundy is a fictional character and the essential protagonist of the U.S. television series Married... with Children, played by Ed O'Neill.[1] He is a beer-loving, indebted, misogynist American father of two portrayed as both a comic and a tragic figure. Though poverty-stricken, unsuccessful, lustful, unhappy except while watching John Wayne or American football on television, and quite often even portrayed as downright scheming - he nevertheless stands by his family, displaying wit and self-sacrifice and resilience in crisis. He and his fictional wife Peggy Bundy were rated the 59th best characters on television by Bravo.
Character history[edit]
Al is a simple man, forever regretful of the turns his life has taken since the end of high school, when marriage and a broken leg prevented him from playing college football.
Al Bundy is married to Peggy, whom he mistakenly asked to marry while drunk. He has two children: Kelly, a promiscuous dumb blonde, and Bud, an intelligent but perpetually horny and unpopular schemer named after a brand of beer. Al lives in a suburb of Chicago and is the proud owner of a 1970s Dodge automobile (although the model shown occasionally on-screen is a Plymouth Duster, it is referred to throughout the series as "The Dodge"). He works as a shoe salesman at the fictional Gary's Shoes and Accessories for Today's Woman in the fictional New Market Mall. Al hates his job, loses it several times throughout the series, yet always ends up coming back to it. There is a running joke throughout the show that Al makes minimum-wage, however Al states that he earns a 10% commission on each sale. The family also brought in income through game-shows, theft, various absurd schemes and mooching off of next-door neighbors' Steve and Marcy Rhoades wealth throughout the series.
Throughout the series, Al is continually saddled with massive debts caused by everything from the various disasters he becomes involved in to his wife's extravagant spending habits. However, he never appears to miss a mortgage payment or file for bankruptcy. The "Bundy Will", passed down from generation to generation as a punishment, indebted the "benefactor" with these debts that Al Bundy has incurred. In the episode "England Show I," it was stated that Al's ancestor, Shamus McBundy insulted an obese witch, and brought a curse upon the fictional Bundy ancestral town of Lower Uncton in England.
Most of the show's running gags concern Al. Aside from his bad luck, Al also maintains a "do-it-yourself" attitude whenever something in the house needs repair. Combined with his creativity, poor judgment, and lack of skill, this usually produces absurd results, and often involves physical injury to Al. Al is also frequently described as being careless about hygiene: he is often told he smells bad. He is often seen leaving restrooms, even public ones, with a newspaper tucked under his arm, to the sound of a toilet flushing. A running gag is that Al showers and brushes his teeth as rarely as he has sex, which is extremely infrequent, as he continually rejects and avoids Peggy's advances.
Al is disliked by his neighborhood. In "Route 666" Marcy (now Rhoades-D'Arcy) said that when they thought Al had died, they all started dancing and singing "Ding Dong, the shoe man's dead" and called it a "cruel, cruel hoax" when they learned it was a false alarm — as usual, Al had survived his latest misadventure. Other people pay little to no attention to him and, as a result, his name often ends up misspelled on paychecks, reserved parking spots, etc. (e.g., "Bumby", "Boondy" or "Birdy").
Despite being a somewhat phlegmatic and slow person, Bundy has a sarcastic and cynical sense of humor; he also has a definite love for his family. Examples can be seen on the rare occasions when he enjoys luxury and money; one episode where Peggy and Al receive free first-class plane tickets to New York City from Marcy shows them sipping champagne together and singing "I Got You, Babe". In another episode, Al's Dodge turns up missing and the only reason he wants it back is to recover an item in the trunk. The item turns out to be a family photo of Al, Peg, Kelly and Bud together. This suggests that his distaste for them is spawned merely by his disappointment in his extremely poor quality of life.
Al dislikes fat women and repeatedly insults them to their faces with one-liners, a behavior he has engaged in since he was a child. He also hates his job, the prospect of having sex with his wife, his feminist neighbor Marcy D'Arcy, and the French. He loves nudie magazines, free beer, bowling and "nudie" bars, and often cherishes the glory moment of his past: scoring four touchdowns "in a single game" while playing for the fictional Polk High School Panthers in the 1966 city championship game versus fictional Andrew Johnson High School, including the game-winning touchdown in the final seconds against his old nemesis, "Spare Tire" Dixon (played by Bubba Smith in the episode "All-Nite Security Dude"). Another episode "Damn Bundys" featured Al selling his soul to the devil (played by Robert Englund) in order to lead the Chicago Bears to the Super Bowl[2] as the oldest rookie in NFL history; Al scores the touchdown and ends up in hell with his family and neighbors for 300 years. (In real life, O'Neill, a college football standout, tried out for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1969, the first season of Hall of Famers Chuck Noll and "Mean Joe" Greene, but was cut in training camp, leading to O'Neill re-enrolling at Youngstown State University and starting his acting career there).[3] In the season 8 episode "Dud Bowl II", a scoreboard at Polk High's football stadium was to be dedicated to Al, but Marcy had it arranged for it to instead be named after Terry Bradshaw (who says later in the episode that he never played football while attending Polk High) out of malice; but after hearing from Kelly how much it would mean to her father if the scoreboard honored him, Bradshaw decides to let the scoreboard to be named after Al. Al did not know this and arranged to have Jefferson and Bud blow up the scoreboard.
In season 8, Bundy and his friends found NO MA'AM, the "National Organization of Men Against Amazonian Masterhood". Its "political goals" are to fight the increasing power of women all over society, but the organization tends to just be a social club for several neighborhood men to bond: consume beer, indulge in pornography, bowl, visit strip clubs, watch sports, complain about their wives, etc. However, there have been instances of actual "political activities" such as kidnapping Jerry Springer; countering a breast-feeding sit-in organized by Marcy with a Beer Belly dance-off; causing a riot over a proposed beer tax; going to Washington to appeal to Congress when Psycho Dad is canceled; and even forming a short lived misogynistic religion, whose chief theology is blaming all the world's problems on Eve, making it mostly a sect, rather than a proper religion. Al shows great leadership skills, being the lead organizer/instigator of many of NO MA'AM's activism and authoritatively ending NO MA'AM members' squabbles with "Focus gentlemen, focus!"
He is a fan of oldies music, and a fan of westerns. His favorite movie in particular is Hondo (which he missed once in the episode "Assault and Batteries", after having been knocked unconscious when a cash register he threw at an automatic door in frustration over being locked in a store bounced off the door and hit him in the head), and his favorite sitcom is the fictional Psycho Dad (he led an unsuccessful protest to have the show put back on the air after it was canceled due to its violent content, leading Al and his NO MA'AM organization members to go to Washington, D.C.). Politically, Al appears to have mixed views with somewhat of a conservative outlook (various episodes depict him as mocking Rush Limbaugh, whereas others show him as a huge fan of John Wayne, an ardent admirer of President Dwight D Eisenhower, and he often battles his feminist neighbor Marcy, but later in an homage to his time as Al Bundy, Ed O'Neill reprised the role of Al showing his support for the then-candidate, Barack Obama's tax plan. The plan was said to give "Al the Shoe Salesman" a $1,000 federal tax break. In several episodes, Al is shown to be tolerant of gays, including Marcy's cousin Mandy). Bundy's favorite magazine is Big'uns,, though an early episode used an issue of Playboy instead. He enjoys watching sports and adult movies on television, with his right hand tucked into his waistband (he switches to his left hand on Sundays). Though he almost always resists Peggy's frequent amorous advances, he is shown to have a particular fondness for her breasts, which she refers to as "the guys."
Al's talents include bowling (he is an extremely gifted bowler), barbecueing (while wearing an apron that says "Kiss the Cook, Kill the Wife"), and getting into and winning fistfights. He can survive incredible injuries ranging from falling off his roof while installing a satellite dish, getting shocked by that same dish, and being pulverized by a massive woman wrestler (Big Bad Mama from Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling) in Las Vegas, to jumping from an airplane without a parachute, getting sat on by six massive women, and surviving a huge explosion when he accidentally detonates dynamite in his own yard trying to kill a rabbit who has been eating his vegetable garden. Al also has an encyclopedic knowledge of sports trivia, which usually demonstrates how he has little interest in anything else. He does however serve his country by joining the U.S. National Guard in which Al receives the 'Bronze Dumpster' for service during a garbage strike.
Since there was no final-episode special to provide an epilogue, it is unknown what would happen to Al in the end. However, his guardian angel (Sam Kinison in the 1989 episode "It's a Bundyful Life, Part 2") mentions that at age 60 his stomach gets very ulcer-ridden, possibly resulting in his death. According to his family funeral plans in the episode "Death of a Shoe Salesmen", he would be buried next to his favorite television actor Fuzzy McGee. When his wife Peggy dies, due to a loophole in his original burial plans, she will be stacked face-down on top of him, much to his dismay. In the episode "I Who Have Nothing," [4] according to his will, he'd be buried with all his prized football possessions, leaving just his worthless Joe Nuxhall baseball card to his only-begotten son Bud. To the rest of his family he'd leave a picture of him, posing in his jersey with his football, that would read "To My Beloved family, have a nice life!". The final episode he appeared in was "How to Marry a Moron part 2". Al Bundy is the only character to appear in every episode.
Al Bundy had a mostly positive reception.[5][6] Al and Peg were named the 59th best TV characters by Bravo.[7]
1. ^ Mosley, Walter (2003-02-16). "I'm Still Living in Al Bundy's America". The New York Times. Retrieved 2011-01-15.
2. ^ "Best pop culture moments in Chicago Bears' history". Retrieved 2012-09-13.
3. ^ "Ed O'Neill Biography". Archived from the original on 19 November 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-09.
4. ^ ""Married with Children" I Who Have Nothing (1991)". Retrieved 2009-10-29.
5. ^ "Profile : 'Al Bundy' Gets Serious : Actor Ed O'Neill Sheds 'Married' Character for ABC Dramatic Movie". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2012-05-11.
6. ^ "I'm Still Living in Al Bundy's America". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-05-11.
7. ^ "Bravo > 100 Greatest TV Characters". Bravo. Archived from the original on July 16, 2007. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
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0.130961 | <urn:uuid:f3b5a922-c8e0-4607-ba9a-4c4aa6b3d6a8> | en | 0.984907 | Benjamin Forsyth
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Benjamin Forsyth was an American officer of Rifle troops in the War of 1812 between Britain and America.
Originally from Stokes County, North Carolina, he obtained a lieutenancy in the U.S. 1st Rifle Regiment when it was formed in 1808. By the time the War broke out, he had risen to the rank of Captain and commanded a company.
Based at Ogdensburg, New York during the autumn and winter of 1812, he led the successful Raid on Gananoque and other attacks across the Saint Lawrence River, which threatened the British supply lines to their forces in Upper Canada. In February 1813, the British used a temporary superiority in strength to drive Forsyth from his positions at the Battle of Ogdensburg.
Forsyth's company was ordered to join the main American force at Sackett's Harbor rather than reoccupy Ogdensburg. They led the American assault at the Battle of York, and played a major part at the Battle of Fort George.
Later in the year, Forsyth (now a major) and his men took part in the campaign aimed at capturing Montreal, but were not present at the Battle of Crysler's Farm. Forsyth was promoted to brevet Lieutenant Colonel the following winter. He was active in skirmishing and patrolling north of Lake Champlain in the late spring and summer and was killed in June 1814 in a clash at Odelltown.
His death made him a hero to the people of North Carolina, who named Forsyth County after him. In addition, the state General Assembly paid for his son's education through special legislation and gave him a jewelled sword. Forsyth Street on Manhattan's Lower East Side is also named for him. | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Forsyth | dclm-gs1-276750002 | false | false | {
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0.258776 | <urn:uuid:3e657f89-cd51-49b5-8238-64770876789d> | en | 0.929564 | From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Daozang (Chinese: 道藏; pinyin: Dàozàng; Wade-Giles: Tao Tsang), meaning "Treasury of Dao" or "Taoist Canon", consists of around 1400 texts that were collected circa C.E. 400 (after the Dao De Jing and Zhuang Zi which are the core Taoist texts). They were collected by Taoist monks of the period in an attempt to bring together all of the teachings of Taoism, including all the commentaries and expositions of the various masters from the original teachings found in the Tao Te Ching and Zhuangzi. It was split into Three Grottoes, which mirrors the Buddhist Tripitaka (three baskets) division. These three divisions were based on the main focus of Taoism in Southern China during the time it was made, namely; meditation, ritual, and exorcism.
These Three Grottoes were used as levels for the initiation of Taoist masters, from lowest (exorcism) to highest (meditation).
As well as the Three Grottoes there were Four Supplements that were added to the Canon circa C.E. 500. These were mainly taken from older core Taoist texts (e.g. [Tao Te Jing]) apart from one which was taken from an already established and separate philosophy known as Tianshi Dao (Way of the Heavenly Masters).
Although the above can give the appearance that the Canon is highly organized, this is far from the truth. Although the present-day Canon does preserve the core divisions, there are substantial forks in the arrangement due to the later addition of commentaries, revelations and texts elaborating upon the core divisions.
1. The First Daozang
• This was the first time an attempt was made to bring together all the teachings and texts from across China and occurred circa C.E. 400 and consisted of roughly 1,200 scrolls
2. The Second Daozang
• In C.E. 748 the Tang emperor Tang Xuan-Zong (claimed to be a descendant of Laozi) sent monks to collect further teachings to add to the Canon.
3. The Third Daozang
• Around C.E. 1016 of the Song dynasty, the Daozang was revised and many texts collected during the Tang dynasty were removed. This third Daozang consisted of approximately 4500 scrolls.
4. The Fourth Daozang
• In C.E. 1444 of the Ming dynasty, a final version was produced consisting of approximately 5300 scrolls.
Many new Daozang were published.
Constituent Parts[edit]
Three Grottoes (sandong) 三洞 C.E. 400[edit]
1. Authenticity Grotto (Dongzhen) 洞真部: Texts of Supreme Purity (Shangqing) tradition
• This grotto is concerned mainly with meditation and is the highest phase of initiation for a Daoist master.
2. Mystery Grotto (Dongxuan) 洞玄部: Texts of Sacred Treasure (Lingbao) tradition
• This grotto is concerned mainly with rituals and is the middle phase of initiation for a Daoist master.
3. Spirit Grotto (Dongshen) 洞神部: Texts of Three Sovereigns (Sanhuang) tradition
• This grotto is concerned mainly with exorcisms and is the lowest phase of initiation for a Daoist master.
Each of the above Three Grottoes then has the following 12 chapters[edit]
1. Main texts (Benwen) 本文類
2. Talismans (Shenfu) 神符類
3. Commentaries (Yujue) 玉訣類
4. Diagrams and illustrations (Lingtu) 靈圖類
5. Histories and genealogies (Pulu) 譜錄類
6. Precepts (Jielu) 戒律類
7. Ceremonies (Weiyi) 威儀類
8. Rituals (Fangfa) 方法類
9. Practices (Zhongshu) 像術(衆術)類
10. Biographies (Jizhuan) 記傳類
11. Hymns (Zansong) 讚頌類
12. Memorials (Biaozou) 表奏類
Four Supplements C.E. 500[edit]
1. Great Mystery (Taixuan) 太玄部: Based on the Dao De Jing
2. Great Peace (Taiping) 太平部: Based on the Taiping Jing
3. Great Purity (Taiqing) 太清部: Based on the Taiqing Jing and other alchemical texts
4. Orthodox One (Zhengyi) 正一(正乙)部: Based on the Way of the Celestial Masters (Tianshi Dao) tradition.
External links[edit] | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daozang | dclm-gs1-276760002 | false | false | {
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0.021649 | <urn:uuid:4e6b1973-d0d6-470a-b93d-c56e8bc561ce> | en | 0.923755 | From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Donets'k (Донецьк)
Donetsk (Доне́цк)
Coat of arms
Map of Ukraine with Donetsk highlighted.
Map of Donetsk's city center
Country Ukraine
Oblast Donetsk Oblast
Raion Flag of Donetsk.svg Donetsk Municipality
Founded 1869[1]
City rights 1917
• Mayor Oleksandr Lukianchenko
• City 358 km2 (138 sq mi)
Elevation 169 m (554 ft)
Population (1 July 2011)
• City 975,959
• Density 2,700/km2 (7,100/sq mi)
• Metro 2,009,700[2]
Time zone EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST) EEST (UTC+3)
Postal code 83000 — 83497
Area code(s) +380 622, 623
Licence plate АН
^ Donetsk was founded in 1869 as Yuzovka.
^ The population of the metropolitan area is as of 2004.
Donetsk (Ukrainian: Донецьк Ukrainian pronunciation: [doˈnɛt͡sʲk], translit. Donets’k; Russian: Доне́цк, tr. Donetsk, IPA: [dɐˈnʲet͡sk]; former names: Yuzovka, Stalino, see also: cities' alternative names), is an industrial city in eastern Ukraine on the Kalmius River. Administratively, it is a centre of Donetsk Oblast, while historically, it is the unofficial capital and largest city of the larger economic and cultural Donets Basin (Donbas) region. The city of Donetsk is adjacent to another major city of Makiivka and along with other surrounding cities forms a major urban sprawl and conurbation in the region. Donetsk is a major economic, industrial and scientific centre of Ukraine with a high concentration of companies and a skilled workforce.
The city was founded in 1869 by a Welsh businessman, John Hughes, who constructed a steel plant and several coal mines in the region; the town was thus named Yuzovka (Юзовка) in recognition of his role in its founding ("Yuz" being a Russian or Ukrainian approximation of Hughes). During Soviet times, the city's steel industry was expanded. In 1924 it was renamed Stalino (Сталино), and in 1932 the city became the centre of the Donetsk region. Renamed Donetsk in 1961, the city today remains the centre for Ukraine's coal mining and notable steel industry centre.
Donetsk currently has a population of over 982,000 inhabitants (2010)[1] and has a metropolitan area of over 2,000,000 inhabitants (2011). According to the 2001 Ukrainian Census, Donetsk is the fifth-largest city in Ukraine.[2]
Donetsk was one of the Ukrainian host cities for the UEFA Euro 2012.
Donetsk is nicknamed "The City of a Million Roses".[3]
Donetsk was founded in 1869 when the Welsh businessman John Hughes built a steel plant and several coal mines in the southern part of the Russian Empire at Aleksandrovka (Ukrainian: Олександрівка). The town initially was given the name Hughesovka (Yuzovka; Russian: Юзовка; Ukrainian: Юзівка).[4] By the beginning of the 20th century, Yuzovka had approximately 50,000 inhabitants,[5] and had attained the status of a city in 1917.[6] The main district of "Hughezovka" is named English Colony, and the British origin of the city is reflected in its layout and architecture.
In 1924, under the Soviet rule, the city's name was changed to Stalin. In that year, the city's population totaled 63,708, and in the next year, 80,085. In 1929-31 the city's name was changed to Stalino.[7] The city did not have a drinking water system until 1931, when a 55.3 km (34.4 mi) system was laid underground. In July 1933, the city became the administrative center of the Donetsk Oblast of the Ukrainian SSR.[6] In 1933, the first 12 km (7 mi) sewer system was installed, and next year the first exploitation of gas was conducted within the city. In addition, some sources[which?] state that the city was briefly called Trotsk—after Leon Trotsky—for a few months in 1923.
In the beginning of World War II, the population of Stalino consisted of 507,000, and after the war, only 175,000. The Nazi invasion during World War II almost completely destroyed the city, which was mostly rebuilt on a large scale at the war's end. It was occupied by Nazi Germany between 16 October 1941 and 5 September 1943.
The territory of Donetsk at the time of the Nazi German occupation consisted mainly of a Jewish ghetto, in which 3,000 Jews died, and a concentration camp in which 92,000 people were killed.[8] During the war, a collective responsibility system was enforced. For every killed German soldier, 100 inhabitants were killed, and one for every killed policeman.[citation needed]
In 1945 many forced labourers, young men and women aged 17 to 35, were interned into reparation servitude from the Danube Swabian communities Schwowe of Yugoslavia, Hungary and Romania (the Batschka and Banat) and worked under extreme hardship to rebuild Stalino and to labour in its mines. Many died from disease and malnutrition.[9]
During Nikita Khrushchev's second wave of destalinization in November 1961 the city was renamed Donetsk, after the Seversky Donets River, a tributary of the Don[6] in order to distance it from the former leader Joseph Stalin.
In 1965, the Donetsk Academy of Sciences was established as part of the Academy of Science of the Ukrainian SSR. In 1970, Donetsk was recognised by UNESCO as the cleanest industrial town of the world. Donesk was granted the Order of Lenin in 1979.
After experiencing a tough time in the 1990s, when it was the centre of gang wars for control over industrial enterprises, Donetsk has modernised quickly in recent years, largely under the influence of big companies.
Local graffiti saying: "Donbas is us" (Ukrainian).
Residents of the city tend to be conservative in their political beliefs. This came out during the 2004 presidential election, in which the city mostly voted for candidate Viktor Yanukovych, which had been announced as the winner of the election by the Central Election Commission. The vote was later revoked by the court. This led to an election re-run, thus making Yanukovych lose the election. During the 2006 Ukrainian parliamentary elections, the Yanukovych-led Party of Regions also won most of the votes from the region.
Geography and climate[edit]
The spoil tips near the Kalmius. On a background - Chervonohvardiyskyi raion of Makiivka
Donetsk lies in the steppe landscape of Ukraine, surrounded by scattered woodland, hills (spoil tips), rivers and lakes. The northern outskirts of the city are mainly used for agriculture. The Sea of Azov, 95 km (59 mi) south of Donetsk, is a popular recreational area for those living in Donetsk. A wide belt of farmlands surrounds the city.
Donetsk's climate is moderate continental[10] (Köppen: Dfb). The average temperatures are−5 °C (23 °F) in January and 18 °C (64 °F) in June. The average number of rainfall per year totals 162 days and up to 556 millimetres per year.[10]
Climate data for Donetsk 1981–2010
Record high °C (°F) 12.2 16.0 21.3 31.0 34.6 38.0 37.8 39.1 33.9 32.7 20.5 15.0 39.1
Average high °C (°F) -1.3 -0.9 5.3 14.5 20.9 24.8 27.3 26.8 20.7 13.1 4.7 -0.3 13.0
Daily mean °C (°F) -4.1 -4.1 1.3 9.4 15.4 19.3 21.6 20.8 15.1 8.5 1.6 -2.9 8.5
Average low °C (°F) -6.7 -7.0 -2.1 4.6 10.0 13.8 15.9 15.0 10.0 4.5 -1.1 -5.4 4.3
Record low °C (°F) -32.2 -31.1 -21.0 -10.6 -2.4 2.1 6.0 2.2 -6.0 -10.0 -22.2 -28.5 -32.2
Precipitation mm (inches) 37 32 34 38 46 65 51 37 36 37 38 41 492
Avg. rainy days 11 8 10 13 13 14 11 8 11 11 13 11 134
Avg. snowy days 17 17 10 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 8 16 72
% humidity 87 84 77 66 62 66 64 60 67 76 86 88 73
Government and administrative divisions[edit]
Raions of Donetsk on the territory of the Donetsk City Municipality:
Bydionivskyi Raion
Voroshylovskyi Raion
Kalininskyi Raion
Kyivskyi Raion
Kirovskyi Raion
Kuibyshevskyi Raion
Leninskyi Raion
Petrovskyi Raion
Proletarskyi Raion
# Raions Ukrainian Area Population
1 Budionivskyi Raion Будьонівський район 25 km² 100,300
2 Voroshylovskyi Raion Ворошилівський район 10 km² 97,300
3 Kalininskyi Raion Калінінський район 19 km² 109,700
4 Kyivskyi Raion Київський район 33 km² 143,700
5 Kirovskyi Raion Кіровський район 68 km² 171,700
6 Kuibyshevskyi Raion Куйбишевський район 51 km² 120,800
7 Leninskyi Raion Ленінський район 37 km² 107,800
8 Petrovskyi Raion Петровський район 57 km² 88,600
9 Proletarskyi Raion Пролетарський район 58 km² 102,800
See article: Russians in Ukraine
Historical population
Year Pop. ±%
1897[12] 28,100 —
1926[13] 106,000 +277.2%
1939[14] 466,300 +339.9%
1959[15] 699,200 +49.9%
1970[16] 879,000 +25.7%
1979[17] 1,020,800 +16.1%
1989[18] 1,109,100 +8.7%
1998[19] 1,065,400 −3.9%
2006[20] 993,500 −6.7%
While the majority of people in central and western Ukraine speak Ukrainian, the completer majority of the residents of Donetsk are Russian-speaking Ukrainians and ethnic Russians. According to 2001 population census,[21] Ukrainians are 56,9% of Donetsk oblast and Russians are 38,2%. The Russian language is dominant in Donbas: even the ethnic Ukrainians consider Russian as their first language.
In 1989 there were no Ukrainian language schools in Donetsk.[22][dubious ]
The actual nationality structure of the Donetsk City Municipality is as follows:[23]
1. Russians: 493,392 people, 48.15%
2. Ukrainians: 478,041 people, 46.65%
3. Belarusians: 11,769 people, 1.15%
4. Greeks: 10,180 people, 0.99%
5. Jews: 5,087 people, 0.50%
6. Tatars: 4,987 people, 0.49%
7. Armenians: 4,050 people, 0.40%
8. Azerbaijanis: 2,098 people, 0.20%
9. Georgians: 2,073 people, 0.20%
10. Other: 13,001 people, 1.27%
Total: 1,024,678 people, 100.00%
In 1991 one-third of the population described themselves as Russian, one-third as Ukrainian while the majority of the rest described themselves as Slav.[22]
Congress Hall.
Donetsk's economy consists of about 200 industrial organizations that have a total production output of more than 50 billion hryvnias per year and more than 20,000 medium-small sized organizations.[25] The city's coal mining industry comprises 17 coal mines and two concentrating mills; the metallurgy industry comprises 5 large metallurgical plants located throughout the city; the engineering market comprises 67 organizations, and the food industry — 32 organizations.[25]
Donetsk Zasyadko coal mine, infamous for its mining accidents.
After the fall of the Soviet Union, Donetsk and other neighboring cities of the Donbass suffered heavily, as many factories were closed down and many inhabitants lost their jobs.[26] However, in spite of the difficult economic situation in Ukraine, Donetsk is a developing city.[25] About 412,000 square metres (4,434,731 sq ft) of living space, 7.9 km (4.9 mi) of gas networks, and 15.1 km (9.4 mi) of water supply networks were constructed in the city during 1998–2001.[25]
The city also houses the "Donetsk" special economic zone.[25][27] Donetsk currently has nine sister cities.[28] The German city of Magdeburg had economic partnerships with Donetsk during 1962–1996.[clarification needed]
The airline Donbassaero has its head office on the property of Donetsk International Airport.[29]
In 2012, Donetsk was admitted as the best city for business in Ukraine by Forbes. Donetsk topped the rating in five indicators: human capital, the purchasing power of citizens, investment climate, economic stability, as well as infrastructure and comfort.[30]
The image shows the stadium from the inside on its opening night. The stadium is full and the name of the city is spelled out with an arrangement of people wearing orange standing on the pitch. The stadium is illuminated with green, blue and orange lights.
Donbass Arena in the centre of Donetsk on its opening night, 29 August 2009
Donetsk is a large sports center, has a developed infrastructure. Donetsk has repeatedly held international competitions - Davis Cup, UEFA Champions League. Representatives of the city are the leaders in Ukraine in sports such as football, boxing, tennis, athletics and others.
But the most popular in Donetsk is football. Three major professional football clubs play in the city, which include two clubs in the Ukrainian Premier League and one in the Ukrainian Second League: Shakhtar Donetsk, which plays at the Donbass Arena, Metalurh Donetsk, which plays at the Metalurh Stadium, and FC Olimpik Donetsk. Shakhtar Donetsk won the Ukrainian Championship and Ukrainian Cup multiple times. In 2009, they became the second team from Ukraine (after FC Dynamo Kyiv) to win a European competition, the UEFA Cup, beating Werder Bremen in the final. This also made them the last UEFA Cup winners before the tournament was rebranded as the UEFA Europa League. Shakhtar is now one of the most well-known clubs in Europe. The women's footballWFC Donchanka is one of the most titles clubs in the Ukrainian Women's League.
Donbass Arena was opened on 29 August 2009 and became the first stadium in Eastern Europe designed and constructed according to UEFA standards for stadiums of "Elite" category.
Donetsk is home to HC Donbass, Ukrainian national champions, and the only elite level team in the country. After playing a single season in the Russian Major League, the club upgraded its arena to Kontinental Hockey League regulations, and joined the league in 2012. When moving to internationally, the club created a local farm club to play in the Ukrainian Championship under the name HC Donbass-2, which won the 2012 and 2013 national titles. In 2013 Donetsk was hosting the IIHF Continental Cup 2013 ice hockey Super Final, which HC Donbass won, and the 2013 IIHF World Championship Division I - Group B, where Ukraine finished 1st and earned promotion to Group A (both were hosted at the Druzhba Arena). Because of Donbass, Donetsk is also home the organization's hockey school program, and additional infrastructure Donbass is investing in the city, including the upcoming Kalmius Arena.
The MFC Shakhtar Donetsk club won the Ukrainian futsal championship five times. The team was dissolved in January 2011 mid-way through the season. VC Shakhtar Donetsk were the last team to win the Soviet Volleyball Championship, in 1992. The city also has a team in the Ukrainian Basketball Super League, BC Donetsk, winner of Ukrainian Superleague (2012).
In Donetsk, the USSR Tennis Championship took place within the city in 1978, 1979 and 1980 near the Donetsk Railroad tennis courts. Some tennis matches of the Davis Cup took place in Donetsk in 2005. In Donetsk, the Soviet Championship on Light Athletics in Youth took place in 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1984. A monument to famous pole vault athlete Serhiy Bubka is installed in the city.
Donetsk annual held "Pole Vault Stars".
In the city, sailboat championships take place on the city's Kalmius River.
When the joint bid for the UEFA Euro 2012 was won by Poland and Ukraine, Donetsk's Donbass Arena was chosen as the location for three Group D matches, one quarter-final match, and one semi-final match.[31] The RSK Olimpiyskyi Stadium was chosen as a reserve stadium.[32]
Main Sights[edit]
First Line Avenue (Artema Street)[edit]
Statue of Artem (Fyodor Sergeyev)[edit]
This imposing six-metre statue on Artema Street is a tribute to one of the Soviet’s most celebrated politicians and adopted son of Joseph Stalin. He died in the Donets Basin in 1921.
Donetsk Opera & Ballet Theatre[edit]
Built in 1936, the Donetsk Opera & Ballet Theatre, is a gem of a theatre with an elegant exterior and world-class performances inside.
Donetsk Opera Theatre, 2002
Donbass Palace[edit]
Donbass Palace in 2008
Pushkin Boulevard[edit]
Monument to John Hughes[edit]
This 2001 statue located in front of Donetsk National Technical University honours the hard work of Welsh city founder John James Hughes. He was responsible for the city’s Yuzovka Steel Plant that gave Donetsk its industrial history.
Forged Figures Park[edit]
Rose - the symbol of Donetsk City, Forged Figures Park
Donetsk Aquapark "Royal Marine" was opened in Scherbakova Park in early winter 2012 and, according to experts' estimates, is one of the top aquaparks in Europe. The free-standing dome, made with OpenAire’s exclusive, maintenance-free aluminium truss structure, will be 26m / 86’ high with a diameter of 85m / 278’, and feature a unique retractable design that slides open in a smooth rotating motion, opening up to 50% of the structure to sunlight and fresh air. The 61,000 sq ft (5,667 m2) Aquatoria, slated to become the largest retractable aluminium-domed indoor waterpark in the world, is being built by Canadian company OpenAire, Inc., a premier designer, manufacturer and installer of retractable roof enclosures and operable skylights.[33]
The VelikoBritaniya hotel is one of the oldest buildings in Donetsk, constructed in 1883.
Donetsk, at the time Yuzovka, was divided into two parts: north and south. In the southern part were the city's factories, railway stations, telegraph buildings, hospitals and schools.[34] Not far from the factories was the English colony where the engineers and the management lived. After the construction of the residence of John Hughes and the various complexes for the foreign workers, the city's southern portion was constructed mainly in the English style.
These buildings used rectangular and triangular shaped façades, green rooftops, large windows, which occupied a large portion of the building, and balconies.[34] In this part of the town, the streets were large and had pavements. A major influence on the formation of architecture in Donetsk was the official architect of a Novorossiya company — Moldingauyer.[34] Preserved buildings of the southern part of Yuzovka consisted of the residences of John Hughes (1891, partially preserved), Bolfur (1889) and Bosse.
In the northern part of Yuzovka, Novyi Svet, lived traders, craftsmen and bureaucrats.[34] Here were located the market hall, the police headquarters and the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of Jesus. The central street of Novyi Svet and the neighbouring streets were mainly edged by one- or two-story residential buildings, as well as markets, restaurants, hotels, offices and banks. A famous preserved building in the northern part of Yuzovka was the Hotel Great Britain.
The reconstructed Cathedral Transfiguration of Jesus in Donetsk.
Donetsk's residents belong to many different religious bodies: Eastern Orthodox[35] Greek Catholic, Protestant, and Roman Catholic, as well as Islamic Mosques and Judaic synagogues. The largest religious body with the most members is the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) and Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
Five television stations operate within Donetsk:
• TRK Ukraina (Ukrainian: ТРК Україна)[36]
• KRT, Kyivska Rus' (Ukrainian: КРТ, Київська Русь)[37]
• First Municipal (Russian: Первый муниципальный)[38]
• Kanal 27 (Russian: 27 канал)
• TRK Donbass (Russian: ТРК Донбасс)
Famous people[edit]
Donetsk is home to about 140 museums. Among them, two large regional museums - Donetsk Region History Museum and Donetsk Regional Art Museum.
Local transport[edit]
Tram LM-2008.
The main forms of transport within Donetsk are: trams, electric trolley buses, buses and marshrutkas (private minibuses). The city's public transport system is controlled by the united Dongorpastrans municipal company. The city has 12 tram lines (~130 km), 17 trolley bus lines (~188 km), and about 115 bus lines.[40] Both the tram and trolley bus systems in the city are served by 2 depots each.[40] Another method of transport within the city is taxicab service, of which there are 32 in Donetsk.
The construction of the metro system in the city, begun in 1992, was recently abandoned due to the lack of funding. No lines or stations has been finished[41]
Donetsk's main railway station, which serves about 7 million passengers annually,[40] is located in the northern part of the city. There is a museum near the main station, dealing with the history of region's railways. Other railway stations are: Rutchenkovo, located in the Kyivskyi Raion; Mandrykino (Petrovskyi Raion), and Mushketovo (Budionivskyi Raion). Some passenger trains avoid Donetsk station and serve the Yasynuvata station, located outside the city limits. Although not used for regular transport, the city also has a children's railway. (As of September 2009) a new railway terminal facility that will comply with UEFA requirements (since Donetsk is one of the host city's for UEFA EURO 2012) is planned.[42]
Road transport[edit]
Air travel[edit]
In addition to public and rail transport, Donetsk has an international airport.[43] It was constructed in the end of the 1940s to the beginning of the 1950s. The whole airport complex was finished in 1973. The city-based DonbassAero airline operates the airport.
The most important and prominent educational institutions include Donetsk National Technical University[44] ("Donetsk Polytechnical Institute" in 1960–1993), as well as the Donetsk National University[45] which was founded in 1965. The National Technical University held close contacts with the University in Magdeburg. Since 1970, more than 100 students from Germany (East Germany) have completed their higher education at either one of the two main universities in Donetsk.
Footnotes and references[edit]
1. ^ a b
2. ^ a b "Results / General results of the census / Number of cities". 2001 Ukrainian Census. Retrieved 28 August 2006. [dead link]
3. ^ "The City of a Million Roses". AdorableLand. Retrieved 2013-03-26.
4. ^ Yuz is a Russian or Ukrainian approximation of Hughes
5. ^ The population included mostly migrants from neighbouring Russian territories
7. ^ The history of the city of Donetsk
8. ^ a b "Was there a ghetto in Donetsk?". Newspaper "Gorod" (in Russian). Retrieved 7 May 2007.
21. ^ "Results / General results of the census / National composition of population / Donets'k region". 2001 Ukrainian Census. Retrieved 28 August 2006.
25. ^ a b c d e
34. ^ a b c d e f "Архитектура Донецка". Russian Wikipedia (in Russian).
36. ^ "Main Page". TRK Ukraina (in Russian).
37. ^ "Main Page". Kievska Rus (in Russian).
38. ^ "Main Page". Pervyi munitsipal'nyi kanal (in Russian).
41. ^ У Донецьку припиняють зводити метро (Ukrainian)
43. ^ "Service Center, International Airport "Donetsk"". VIP-Terminal (in Russian/English). Retrieved 6 March 2007.
• Kilesso, S. (1982). Donetsk. Architectural-historical summary. Kiev: Budivelnyk. p. 152.
External links[edit] | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donetsk | dclm-gs1-276770002 | false | true | {
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0.126745 | <urn:uuid:a0cc9b89-dbf9-4c8c-acdc-c4a2f08a2fcf> | en | 0.926399 | From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Earphone)
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Headphones (or "head-phones" in the early days of telephony and radio) are a pair of small loudspeakers that are designed to be held in place close to a user's ears. They are also known as earspeakers, earphones[2] or, colloquially, cans.[3] The alternate in-ear versions are known as earbuds but also can be referred to as earphones.[2] In the context of telecommunication, a headset is a combination of headphone and microphone. Headphones either have wires for connection to a signal source such as an audio amplifier, radio, CD player, portable media player, mobile phone, electronic musical instrument, or have a wireless receiver, which is used to pick up signal without using a cable.
Brandes radio headphones, circa 1920.
Headphones originated from the earpiece, and were the only way to listen to electrical audio signals before amplifiers were developed. The first truly successful set was developed in 1910 by Nathaniel Baldwin, who made them by hand in his kitchen and sold them to the United States Navy.[4][5]
Some very sensitive headphones such as those manufactured by Brandes around 1919 were commonly used for early radio work. These early headphones used moving iron drivers, either single ended or balanced armature. The requirement for high sensitivity meant no damping was used, thus the sound quality was crude. They also had very poor comfort compared to modern types, usually having no padding and too often having excessive clamping force to the head. Their impedance varied; headphones used in telegraph and telephone work had an impedance of 75 ohms. Those used with early wireless radio had to be more sensitive and were made with more turns of finer wire; impedance of 1000 to 2000 ohms was common, which suited both crystal sets and triode receivers.
In early powered radios, the headphone was part of the vacuum tube's plate circuit and had dangerous voltages on it. It was normally connected directly to the positive high voltage battery terminal, and the other battery terminal was securely grounded. The use of bare electrical connections meant that users could be shocked if they touched the bare headphone connections while adjusting an uncomfortable headset.
In 1958, John C. Koss, an audiophile and jazz musician from Milwaukee, produced the first stereo headphones. Before that, the headphones were used only in industry by telephone operators and the like.
Sennheiser HD555 headphones, used in audio production environments (2007)
Headphones may be used both with fixed equipment such as CD or DVD players, home theater, personal computers and with portable devices (e.g. digital audio player/mp3 player, mobile phone, etc.). Cordless headphones are not connected via a wire, receiving a radio or infrared signal encoded using a radio or infrared transmission link, like FM, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. These are powered receiver systems of which the headphone is only a component. Cordless headphones are used with events such as a Silent disco or Silent Gig.
Wired headphones are attached to an audio source. The most common connectors are 6.35 mm (¼″) and 3.5 mm phone connectors. The larger 6.35 mm connector tending to be found on fixed location home or professional equipment. Sony introduced the smaller, and now widely used, 3.5 mm "minijack" stereo connector in 1979, adapting the older monophonic 3.5 mm connector for use with its Walkman portable stereo tape player. The 3.5 mm connector remains the common connector for portable application today. Adapters are available for converting between 6.35 mm and 3.5 mm devices.[citation needed]
Electrical characteristics[edit]
Electrical characteristics of dynamic loudspeakers may be readily applied to headphones since most headphones are small dynamic loudspeakers.
Headphones are available with low or high impedance (typically measured at 1 kHz). Low-impedance headphones are in the range 16 to 32 ohms and high-impedance headphones are about 100-600 ohms.[2] As the impedance of a pair of headphones increases, more voltage but less current is required to drive it, and the loudness of the headphones for a given voltage decreases. In recent years, impedance of newer headphones has generally decreased to accommodate lower voltages available on battery powered CMOS-based portable electronics. This results in headphones that can be more efficiently driven by battery powered electronics. Consequently, newer amplifiers are based on designs with relatively low output impedance.
The impedance of headphones is of concern because of the output limitations of amplifiers. A modern pair of headphones is driven by an amplifier, with lower impedance headphones presenting a larger load. Amplifiers are not ideal; they also have some output impedance that limits the amount of power they can provide. In order to ensure an even frequency response, adequate damping factor, and undistorted sound, an amplifier should have an output impedance less than 1/8 that of the headphones it is driving (and ideally as low as possible).[6] If output impedance is large compared to the impedance of the headphones, significantly higher distortion will be present.[7] Therefore, lower impedance headphones will tend to be louder and more efficient, but will also demand a more capable amplifier. Higher impedance headphones will be more tolerant of amplifier limitations, but will produce less volume for a given output level.
Historically, many headphones had relatively high impedance, often over 500 ohms in order to operate well with high impedance tube amplifiers. In contrast, modern transistor amplifiers can have very low output impedance, enabling lower impedance headphones. Unfortunately, this means that older audio amplifiers or stereos often produce poor quality output on some modern, low impedance headphones. In this case, an external headphone amplifier may be beneficial.
Sensitivity is a measure of how effectively an earpiece converts an incoming electrical signal into an audible sound. It thus indicates how loud the headphones will be for a given electrical drive level. It can be measured in decibels of sound pressure level per milliwatt, or dB SPL/mW, which may be abbreviated to dB/mW. The sensitivity of headphones is usually between about 80 and 125 dB/mW.[8]
Headphone sensitivity may be measured in dB/mW or dB/V.[9] These are dB SPL (sound pressure level) measured in a standard ear for a 1 kHz sinusoidal headphone input of either one milliwatt or one volt. One can convert between these two units if the impedance of the earpiece is known.
Headphone size can affect the balance between fidelity and portability. Generally, headphone form factors can be divided into four separate categories: circumaural, supra-aural, earbud, and in-ear.
Circumaural headphones have large pads that surround the outer ear.
A pair of supra-aural headphones.
Circumaural headphones (sometimes called full size headphones) have circular or ellipsoid earpads that encompass the ears. Because these headphones completely surround the ear, circumaural headphones can be designed to fully seal against the head to attenuate external noise. Because of their size, circumaural headphones can be heavy and there are some sets that weigh over 500 grams (1 lb). Ergonomic headband and earpad design is required to reduce discomfort resulting from weight.[10]
Supra-aural headphones have pads that press against the ears, rather than around them. They were commonly bundled with personal stereos during the 1980s. This type of headphone generally tends to be smaller and lighter than circumaural headphones, resulting in less attenuation of outside noise. Supra-aural headphones can also lead to discomfort due to the pressure on the ear as compared to circumaural headphones that sit around the ear. Comfort may vary due to the earcup material.
Open or closed back[edit]
Both circumaural and supra-aural headphones can be further differentiated by the type of earcups:
Open-back headphones have the back of the earcups open. This leaks more sound out of the headphone and also lets more ambient sounds into the headphone, but gives a more natural or speaker-like sound and more spacious "soundstage" - the perception of distance from the source.
Closed-back (or sealed) styles have the back of the earcups closed. Depending on the model they may block 8-32db of ambient noise, but have a smaller soundstage, giving the wearer a perception that the sound is coming from within their head. One reason for this is that there are sounds reflected back towards the ear.[citation needed]
Ear-fitting headphones[edit]
Earbuds/earphones sit in the outer ear
In-ear monitors extend into the ear canal, providing isolation from outside noise.
Earbuds refer to very small headphones that are fitted directly in the outer ear, facing but not inserted in the ear canal. Earbuds are portable and convenient, but many people consider them to be uncomfortable and prone to falling out.[11] They provide hardly any acoustic isolation and leave room for ambient noise to seep in; users may turn up the volume dangerously high to compensate, at the risk of causing hearing loss.[11][12] On the other hand, they let the user be better aware of their surroundings. Since the early days of the transistor radio, earbuds have commonly been bundled with personal music devices. They are sold at times with foam pads for comfort.
In-ear headphones[edit]
In-ear headphones, in-ear monitors(IEMs) or canalphones, (also earbuds by some manufacturers.[13]), are small headphones with similar portablity to earbuds which are inserted in the ear canal itself. IEMs are higher quality in-ear headphones and are used by audio engineers and musicians as well as audiophiles.
Because In-ear headphones engage the ear canal, they can be less prone to falling out and they block out much environmental noise. Lack of environmental noise is an important safety consideration when operating near hazards such as approaching vehicles.
Generic or custom fitting ear canal plugs are made from silicone rubber, elastomer, or foam. Custom In-ear headphones use castings of the ear canal to create custom-molded plugs that provide added comfort and noise isolation.[11]
A typical example of a headset used for voice chats.
A headset is a headphone combined with a microphone. Headsets provide the equivalent functionality of a telephone handset with hands-free operation. Among applications for headsets, besides telephone use, are aviation, theatre or television studio intercom systems, and console or PC gaming. Headsets are made with either a single-earpiece (mono) or a double-earpiece (mono to both ears or stereo). The microphone arm of headsets is either an external microphone type where the microphone is held in front of the user's mouth, or a voicetube type where the microphone is housed in the earpiece and speech reaches it by means of a hollow tube. Some headsets come in a choice of either behind-the-neck or no-headband design instead of the traditional over-the-head band.
Telephone headsets[edit]
Telephone headsets connect to a fixed-line telephone system. A telephone headset functions by replacing the handset of a telephone. Headsets for standard corded telephones are fitted with a standard 4P4C commonly called an RJ-9 connector. Headsets are also available with 2.5 mm jack sockets for many DECT phones and other applications. Cordless bluetooth headsets are available, and often used with mobile telephones. Headsets are widely used for telephone-intensive jobs, in particular by call centre workers. They are also used by anyone wishing to hold telephone conversations with both hands free.
Ambient noise reduction[edit]
Among different types of headphones, in-ears are good at noise reduction.(earbuds from Arctic)
Interference from external sound can be reduced either by active noise cancellation, or by attenuating noise getting into the ear (passive noise cancellation). The two headphone types that do this attenuation best are in-ear canal headphones and closed-back headphones (both circumaural and supra aural). Open-back and earbud headphones provide some passive noise isolation as well, but to a much lesser extent than the closed-back and in-ear. Typically closed-back headphones block 8 to 12 dB and in-ears anywhere from 10 to 15 dB.
Transducer Technology[edit]
A typical moving-coil headphone transducer
Electrostatic loudspeaker diagram
Electrostatic headphones are powered by anything from 100 V to over 1 kV, and are on the user's head. The usual method of making this safe is to limit the possible fault current to a low and safe value with resistors.
An electret driver functions along the same electromechanical means as an electrostatic driver. However the electret driver has a permanent charge built into it, where electrostatics have the charge applied to the driver by an external generator. Electret headphones, like electrostatics, are relatively uncommon. They are also typically cheaper and lower in technical capability and fidelity than electrostatics.
Balanced armature[edit]
Balanced armature transducer with armature balanced and exerting no force on diaphragm
Balanced armature transducer with armature torqued and exerting a force on diaphragm
The JH Audio JH16 custom in-ear monitor utilizes 8 balanced armatures in a triple crossover configuration (4 low/2 mid/2 high). Multiple balanced armatures are often used to provide a higher fidelity sound.
Today they are typically used only in canalphones and hearing aids due to their diminutive size and low impedance. They generally are limited at the extremes of the hearing spectrum (e.g. below 20 Hz and above 16 kHz) and require a seal more than other types of drivers to deliver their full potential. Higher end models may employ multiple armature drivers, dividing the frequency ranges between them using a passive crossover network. A few combine an armature driver with a small moving-coil driver for increased bass output.
The earliest loudspeakers for radios used balanced armature drivers for their cones.
Thermoacoustic technology[edit]
Thermoacoustic effect describes a sound generation mechanism originating from the audio frequency Joule heating of the conductor, which has the merits of not-magnetic and not-vibration of the speaker. In 2013, a carbon nanotube thin yarn earphone based on thermoacoustic mechanism was demonstrated by a research group in Tsinghua University.[14] The as-produced CNT thin yarn earphone has a working element called CNT thin yarn thermoacoustic chip. Such a chip is composed of a layer of CNT thin yarn array supported by the silicon wafer, and periodic grooves with certain depth are made on the wafer by micro-fabrication methods to suppress the heat leakage from the CNT yarn to the substrate.
Other transducer technologies[edit]
Transducer technologies employed much less commonly for headphones include the Heil Air Motion Transformer (AMT); Piezoelectric film; Ribbon planar magnetic; Magnetostriction and Plasma-ionisation. The first Heil AMT headphone was marketed by ESS Laboratories and was essentially an ESS AMT tweeter from one of the company's speakers being driven at full range. Since the turn of the century, only Precide of Switzerland have manufactured an AMT headphone. Piezoelectric film headphones were first developed by Pioneer, their two models both used a flat sheet of film which limited the maximum volume of air that could be moved. Currently TakeT produce a piezoelectric film headphone which is shaped not unlike an AMT transducer but which like the driver Precide uses for their headphones, has a variation in the size of transducer folds over the diaphragm. It additionally incorporates a two way design by its inclusion of a dedicated tweeter/supertweeter panel. The folded shape of a diaphragm allows a transducer with a larger surface area to fit within smaller space constraints. This increases the total volume of air that can be moved on each excursion of the transducer given that radiating area.
Magnetostriction headphones, sometimes sold under the label of "Bonephones", are headphones that work via the transmission of vibrations against the side of head, transmitting the sound via bone conduction. This is particularly helpful in situations where the ears must be left unobstructed or when used by those who are deaf for reasons which do not affect the nervous apparatus of hearing. Magnetostriction headphones though, have greater limitations to their fidelity than conventional headphones which work via the normal workings of the ear. Additionally, there was also one attempt to market a plasma-ionisation headphone in the early 1990s by a French company called Plasmasonics. It is believed that there are no functioning examples left.
Benefits and limitations[edit]
Two Sony MDR-V6 headphones; one folded for travel
Headphones may be used to prevent other people from hearing the sound either for privacy or to prevent disturbance, as in listening in a public library. They can also provide a level of sound fidelity greater than loudspeakers of similar cost. Part of their ability to do so comes from the lack of any need to perform room correction treatments with headphones. High quality headphones can have an extremely flat low-frequency response down to 20 Hz within 3dB. Marketed claims such as 'frequency response 4 Hz to 20 kHz' are usually overstatements; the product's response at frequencies lower than 20 Hz is typically very small. [15]
Binaural recordings use a different microphone technique to encode direction directly as phase, with very little amplitude difference below 2 kHz, often using a dummy head, and can produce a surprisingly lifelike spatial impression through headphones. Commercial recordings almost always use stereo, rather than binaural, recording, because loudspeaker listening has been more popular than headphone listening.
Headsets can have ergonomic benefits over traditional telephone handsets. They allow call center agents to maintain better posture without needing to hand-hold a handset or tilt their head sideways to cradle it.[17]
Dangers and volume solutions[edit]
Using headphones at a sufficiently high volume level may cause temporary or permanent hearing impairment or deafness. The headphone volume often has to compete with the background noise, especially in loud places such as subway stations, aircraft, and large crowds. Extended periods of exposure to high sound pressure levels created by headphones at high volume settings may be damaging;[18][19] however, one hearing expert found that "fewer than 5% of users select volume levels and listen frequently enough to risk hearing loss."[20] Some manufacturers of portable music devices have attempted to introduce safety circuitry that limited output volume or warned the user when dangerous volume was being used, but the concept has been rejected by most of the buying public, which favors the personal choice of high volume. Koss introduced the "Safelite" line of cassette players in 1983 with such a warning light. The line was discontinued two years later for lack of interest.
The government of France has imposed[21] a limit on all music players sold in the country:[21] they must not be capable of producing more than 100dBA (the threshold of hearing damage during extended listening is 80dB, and the threshold of pain, or theoretically of immediate hearing loss, is 130dB).[22] Motorcycle and other power-sport riders benefit by wearing foam earplugs when legal to do so to avoid excessive road, engine, and wind noise, but their ability to hear music and intercom speech is enhanced when doing so. The ear can normally detect 1-billionth of an atmosphere of sound pressure level,[23] hence it is incredibly sensitive. At very high sound pressure levels, muscles in the ear tighten the tympanic membrane and this leads to a small change in the geometry of the ossicles and stirrup that results in lower transfer of force to the oval window of the inner ear (the acoustic reflex).[24]
Listening to music through headphones while exercising can be dangerous.[25] Blood may be diverted from the ears to the limbs leaving the inner ear more vulnerable to damage from loud sound.[26] A Finnish study[27] recommended that exercisers should set their headphone volumes to half of their normal loudness and only use them for half an hour.[26]
See also[edit]
1. ^ Kadner, Noah (2009). Red: The Ultimate Guide to Using the Revolutionary Camera. Peachpit Press. p. 93. ISBN 0-321-61768-1.
2. ^ a b c http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/earphone
3. ^ Stanley R. Alten Audio Basics Cengage 2011 ISBN 0-495-91356-1 page 63
4. ^ The Early Radio Industry and the United States Navy
6. ^ "Headphone & Amp Impedance". Retrieved 31 May 2012.
7. ^ Siau, John. "The "0-Ohm" Headphone Amplifier". Retrieved 26 June 2012.
8. ^ "Understanding Earphone/Headphone Specifications". Shure Customer Help. Shure. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
9. ^ http://gilmore2.chem.northwestern.edu/tech/dbohn1_tech.htm
10. ^ Name (required). "Headphones | AudioBoost - Audio Review, Headphone Review, Amplifier Review, Music Album Review". AudioBoost. Retrieved 2013-09-06.
11. ^ a b c Time magazine: custom-made headphones
13. ^ The box for the "J2" from jbuds say they're noise isolating soft silicone earbuds with the latest cutting edge In-Ear design. Also, Koss' The Plug is "a stereo earbud" that "features ... a tubular port structure that is inserted on a soft expandable cushion into the ear canal." Skullcandy also sells "in-ear earbuds" - http://www.skullcandy.com/shop/skin/frontend/default/skullcandy_main-v3/images/ninjistics/in-ear.png
14. ^ Yang Wei; Xiaoyang Lin, Kaili Jiang, Peng Liu, Qunqing Li, and Shoushan Fan (2013). "Thermoacoustic Chips with Carbon Nanotube Thin Yarn Arrays.". Nano Letters. doi:10.1021/nl402408j.
15. ^ cnet reviews: Headphone Buying Guide "Even the flimsiest, cheap headphones routinely boast extremely low bass-response performance—15 or 20Hz—but almost always sound lightweight and bright."
16. ^ "Define headphones | Dictionary and Thesaurus". Headphones.askdefine.com. Retrieved 2013-09-06.
17. ^ United States Department of Labor. Occupational Safety & Health Administration. Computer Workstation. Checklist. Accessed February 2, 2009.
18. ^ Ashaorg
19. ^ NIH.gov
20. ^ Audiologyonline.com
21. ^ a b Europa.eu. Consumers: EU acts to limit health risks from exposure to noise from personal music players
22. ^ "Medical Information Search (Cochlea • FAQ)". Lookformedical.com. Retrieved 2013-09-06.
23. ^ A standard threshold of hearing at 1000 Hz for the human ear is 2 x 10-5 Pa (Marsh, Andrew (1999). "Human Ear and Hearing". Online Course on Acoustics. The School of Architecture and Fine Arts, The University of Western Australia. Retrieved 23 August 2010. ); Standard atmospheric pressure is 101,325 Pa. 2 x 10-5 / 100,000 = 0.2 x 10-9, a ratio of less than a billionth.
24. ^ GSU.edu
25. ^ Greenfield, Paige (25 June 2011). "Deaf to Danger: The Perils of Earbuds". ABC News. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
26. ^ a b Headwize.com. Preventing Hearing Damage When Listening With Headphones
27. ^ Airo, Erkko; J. Pekkarinen; P. Olkinuora. "Listening to music with earphones: an assessment of noise exposure," Acustica–Acta Acustica, pp. 82, 885–894. (1996)
External links[edit] | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earphone | dclm-gs1-276780002 | false | false | {
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0.031102 | <urn:uuid:55948422-f598-4a54-aa3e-cbd926c98069> | en | 0.918927 | USB flash drive
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Flash drives)
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SanDisk Cruzer Micro, a brand of USB flash drives
A Kingston card reader which accepts Micro SD memory cards (Transcend card shown inserted) and acts as a USB flash drive, resulting in a size of approximately 2 cm in length, 1 cm in width and 2 mm in thickness
A USB flash drive is a data storage device that includes flash memory with an integrated Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface. USB flash drives are typically removable and rewritable, and physically much smaller than an optical disc. Most weigh less than 30 grams (1.1 oz).[1] As of January 2013, drives of up to 512 gigabytes (GB) were available.[2] A one-terabyte (TB) drive was unveiled at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show and became available later this year.[3] Storage capacities as large as 2 TB are planned, with steady improvements in size and price per capacity expected.[4] Some allow up to 100,000 write/erase cycles, depending on the exact type of memory chip used, and a 10-year shelf storage time.[5][6][7]
USB flash drives are often used for the same purposes for which floppy disks or CD-ROMs were used, i.e., for storage, back-up and transfer of computer files. They are smaller, faster, have thousands of times more capacity, and are more durable and reliable because they have no moving parts. Until about 2005, most desktop and laptop computers were supplied with floppy disk drives in addition to USB ports, but floppy disk drives have been abandoned due to their lower capacity compared to USB flash drives.
USB flash drives draw power from the computer via the USB connection. Some devices combine the functionality of a digital audio player with USB flash storage; they require a battery only when used to play music.
Patent controversy[edit]
USB flash drives were invented by Amir Ban, Dov Moran and Oron Ogdan, all of the Israeli company M-Systems, who filed US patent 6,148,354 in April 1999.[8] However, the patent describes a product that has a cable between the memory unit and the USB connector.[citation needed] Released later the same year, IBM Patent Disclosure RPS8-1999-0201 from September 13, 1999 by Shimon Shmueli accurately describes the USB flash drive.[citation needed] IBM partnered with M-Systems to bring the product to market. Shmueli was later an expert witness for M-Systems and as part of his testimony in the Singapore court presented the IBM disclosure and evidence to the fact that he invented the USB flash drive.[citation needed] M-Systems' product, developed by a team led by Dan Harkabi and named the DiskOnKey, was announced in September 2000.[9]
Competing claims have been made by Singaporean company Trek Technology and Chinese company Netac Technology,[10] but these claims are based on patents that post-date M-Systems'. Both Trek Technology and Netac Technology have tried to protect their patent claims. Trek won a Singaporean suit,[11] but a court in the United Kingdom revoked one of Trek's UK patents.[12] While Netac Technology has brought lawsuits against PNY Technologies,[13] Lenovo,[14] aigo,[15] Sony,[16][17][18] and Taiwan's Acer and Tai Guen Enterprise Co,[18] most companies that manufacture USB flash drives do so without regard for Trek and Netac's patents.
Pua Khein-Seng from Malaysia claims to have incorporated the world's first single chip USB flash controller. He is currently the CEO of Phison Electronics Corp, which is based in Taiwan.[19]
First commercial product[edit]
Second generation[edit]
In 2013, most USB flash drives have USB 2.0 connectivity. USB 2.0 the Hi-Speed specification has a 480 Megabit per second (Mbit/s) upper bound on the transfer rate, but after protocol overhead, that translates to only 35 Megabytes per second (MB/s) effective throughput. The fastest USB 2.0 flash drives approach that speed. That is considerably slower than hard disk drive or Solid-state drive can transfer through a SATA interface.
File transfer speeds vary considerably. Speeds may be given in megabytes (Mbyte) per second, megabits per second (Mbit/s) or optical drive multipliers such as "180X" (180 times 150 Kibibyte(KiB) per second). Typical fast drives claim to read at up to 30 megabytes/s (MB/s) and write at about half that speed. This is about 20 times faster than USB 1.1 "full speed" devices, which are limited to a maximum speed of 12 Mbit/s (1 MB/s with overhead). The speed of the device is significantly affected by the access pattern. For example small writes to random locations are much slower (and cause more wear) than long sequential reads.
Third generation[edit]
Like USB 2.0 before it, USB 3.0 offers dramatically improved data transfer rates compared to its predecessor. It was announced in late 2008, but consumer devices were not available until the beginning of 2010. The USB 3.0 interface specifies transfer rates up to 5 Gbit/s (625 MB/s), compared to USB 2.0's 480 Mbit/s (60 MB/s). All USB 3.0 devices are backward compatible with USB 2.0 ports. Computers with such ports are becoming very popular and common. Many newer laptops and desktops have at least one such port. USB 3.0 port expansion cards are available to upgrade older systems, and many newer motherboards feature two or more USB 3.0 jacks. Even though the interface allows extremely high data transfer speeds, as of 2011 most USB 3.0 flash drives do not utilize the full speed of the interface due to limitations of their memory controllers (though some four channel memory controllers are now coming to market).
Storage capacity[edit]
The first USB-stick appeared on the market in late 2000 and had a storage capacity of 8 MB.[22][23] After this, the maximum available storage capacity gradually doubled (16 MB, 32 MB, 64 MB, 128 MB, 256 MB, 512 MB, 1 GB, 2 GB, 4 GB, 8 GB, 16 GB, 32 GB, 64 GB,[24] 128 GB,[25] 256 GB) to reach a capacity of 512 GB[26] by January 2013. A 1TB Kingston DataTraveler HyperX Predator came out in 1st quarter of 2013.
Design and implementation[edit]
On a USB flash drive, one end is fitted with a single Standard-A USB plug. Inside the plastic casing is a small printed circuit board, which has some power circuitry and a small number of surface-mounted integrated circuits (ICs). Typically, one of these ICs provides an interface between the USB connector and the onboard memory, while the other is the flash memory. In October 2013, PKparis claims the launch of the world's smallest USB 3.0 flash drive.[27]
Usbkey internals.jpg
Internals of a typical USB flash drive
1 USB Standard, Male A-plug
2 USB mass storage controller device
3 Test point
4 Flash memory chip
5 Crystal oscillator
6 LED (Optional)
7 Write-protect switch (Optional)
8 Space for second flash memory chip
Two SanDisk flash drives: a Cruzer Slice and Extreme Contour 16 GB
Flash memory combines a number of older technologies, with lower cost, lower power consumption and small size made possible by advances in microprocessor technology. The memory storage was based on earlier EPROM and EEPROM technologies. These had limited capacity, were slow for both reading and writing, required complex high-voltage drive circuitry, and could only be re-written after erasing the entire contents of the chip.
Essential components[edit]
There are typically four parts to a flash drive:
• Cover - typically made of plastic or metal - to protect the electronics against mechanical stress and even possible short circuits
Additional components[edit]
The typical device may also include:
• Jumpers and test pins – for testing during the flash drive's manufacturing or loading code into the microprocessor.
• LEDs – indicate data transfers or data reads and writes.
• Some drives offer expandable storage via an internal memory card slot, much like a memory card reader.[28][29]
Size and style of packaging[edit]
Flash drives come in various, sometimes bulky or novelty, shapes and sizes, in this case ikura gunkan-maki
A USB Drive in the shape of a key
USB flash drives have been integrated into other commonly carried items, such as watches, pens, and even the Swiss Army Knife; others have been fitted with novelty cases such as toy cars or LEGO bricks. Particularly in the Far East bizarre USB flash drives with images of dragons, cats or aliens are very popular.[32] The small size, robustness and cheapness of USB flash drives make them an increasingly popular peripheral for case modding.
File system[edit]
Most flash drives ship preformatted with the FAT32, or ExFat file systems. The ubiquity of this file system allows the drive to be accessed on virtually any host device with USB support. Also, standard FAT maintenance utilities (e.g., ScanDisk) can be used to repair or retrieve corrupted data. However, because a flash drive appears as a USB-connected hard drive to the host system, the drive can be reformatted to any file system supported by the host operating system.
Defragmenting: Flash drives can be defragmented. There is a widespread opinion that defragmenting brings little advantage (as there is no mechanical head that moves from fragment to fragment), and that defragmenting shortens the life of the drive by making many unnecessary writes.[33] However some sources claim[34] that defragmenting a flash drive can improve performance (mostly due to improved caching of the clustered data), and the additional wear on flash drives may not be significant.
Hard Drive: Sectors are 512 bytes long, for compatibility with hard drives, and the first sector can contain a master boot record and a partition table. Therefore, USB flash units can be partitioned just like hard drives.
The memory in flash drives is commonly engineered with multi-level cell (MLC) based memory that is good for around 3,000-5,000 program-erase cycles,[36] but some flash drives have single-level cell (SLC) based memory that is good for around 100,000 writes.
Fake products[edit]
Fake USB flash drives are sometimes sold, claiming to have higher capacities than they actually have. These are typically low capacity USB drives which are modified so that they emulate larger capacity drives (e.g., a 2 GB drive being marketed as an 8 GB drive). When plugged into a computer, they report themselves as being the larger capacity they were sold as, but when data is written to them, either the write fails, the drive freezes up, or it overwrites existing data. Software tools exist to check and detect fake USB drives.[38][39] In some cases it is possible to repair these devices to remove the false capacity information and use them normally.[40][41]
File transfer speeds[edit]
USB flash drives usually specify their read and write speeds in megabytes per second (MB/s); read speed is usually faster. These speeds are for optimal conditions; real-world speeds are usually slower. In particular, circumstances that often lead to speeds much lower than advertised are transfer (particularly writing) of many small files rather than a few very large ones, and mixed reading and writing to the same device. In a typical well-conducted review[42] of a number of high-performance USB 3.0 drives, a drive that could read large files at 68MB/s and write at 46MB/s, could only manage 14MB/s and 0.3MB/s with many small files. When combining streaming reads and writes the speed of another drive, that could read at 92MB/s and read at 70MB/s, was 8MB/s. These differences differ radically from one drive to another; some drives could write small files at over 10% of the speed for large ones. The examples given are chosen to illustrate extremes.
Personal data transport[edit]
Secure storage of data, application and software files[edit]
Application carriers[edit]
Computer forensics and law enforcement[edit]
Booting operating systems[edit]
As of 2011, newer flash memory designs have much higher estimated lifetimes. Several manufacturers are now offering warranties of 5 years or more. Such warranties should make the device more attractive for more applications. By reducing the probability of the device's premature failure, flash memory devices can now be considered for use where a magnetic disk would normally have been required. Flash drives have also experienced an exponential growth in their storage capacity over time (following the Moore's Law growth curve). As of 2011, single packaged devices with capacities of 64GB are readily available, and devices with 8 GB capacity are very economical. Storage capacities in this range have traditionally been considered to offer adequate space, because they allow enough space for both the operating system software and some free space for the user's data.
Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8 ReadyBoost[edit]
In Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8, the ReadyBoost feature allows flash drives (from 4 GB in the case of Windows Vista) to augment operating system memory.[46]
Audio players[edit]
Media storage and marketing[edit]
Artists have sold or given away USB flash drives, with the first instance believed to be in 2004 when the German band WIZO released the "Stick EP", only as a USB drive. In addition to five high-bitrate MP3s, it also included a video, pictures, lyrics, and guitar tablature. Subsequently, artists including Nine Inch Nails and Kylie Minogue[48] have released music and promotional material on USB flash drives. The first USB album to be released in the UK was Kiss Does... Rave, a compilation album released by the Kiss Network in April 2007.[49]
In the arcade game Dance Dance Revolution X, an exclusive USB flash drive was made by Konami for the purpose of the link feature from its Sony PlayStation 2 counterpart. However, any USB flash drives can be used in this arcade game.
Brand and product promotion[edit]
Ubuntu-branded USB flash drive and lanyard.
Flash drives can be set up to automatically launch stored presentations, websites, articles, and any other software immediately on insertion of the drive using the Microsoft Windows AutoRun feature.[51] Autorunning software this way does not work on all computers, and it is normally disabled by security-conscious users.
• The drives are less fragile mechanically and magnetically than tapes
• Flash drives are cheaper than many other backup systems
Flash drives also have disadvantages. They are easy to lose. And it may be easy for unauthorized people to make backups. A lesser setback for flash drives is that they have only one tenth the capacity of hard drives manufactured around their time of distribution.
Operating system installation media[edit]
Some operating systems can be installed from a flash drive instead of a CD or DVD. Such operating systems include some Linux distributions, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Mac OS X. In particular, Mac OS X 10.7 is distributed only online (through the Mac App Store) or on flash drives. If one has a MacBook Air with Boot Camp and no external optical drive, they can use a flash drive to install Windows.
Security systems[edit]
Windows Vista uses flash drives as certificate carriers for BitLocker encryption on system drives, on systems which do not support TPMs. Some software uses flash drives with hidden data as an offline activation method.
Advantages and disadvantages[edit]
Like all flash memory devices, flash drives can sustain only a limited number of write and erase cycles before the drive fails.[54][unreliable source?][55] This should be a consideration when using a flash drive to run application software or an operating system. To address this, as well as space limitations, some developers have produced special versions of operating systems (such as Linux in Live USB)[56] or commonplace applications (such as Mozilla Firefox) designed to run from flash drives. These are typically optimized for size and configured to place temporary or intermediate files in the computer's main RAM rather than store them temporarily on the flash drive.
A few USB flash drives include a write-protect mechanism consisting of a switch, on the housing of the drive itself, that prevents the host computer from writing or modifying data on the drive. This feature is becoming less common. Write-protection makes a device suitable for repairing virus-contaminated host computers without risk of infecting the USB flash drive itself. A write-locked SD card in a USB flash card reader adapter is an effective way to avoid any writes on the flash medium. The SD card as a Write Once Read Many device has an essentially unlimited life.
USB flash drives are more expensive per unit of storage than large hard drives, but are less expensive in capacities of a few tens of gigabytes as of 2011.[57][58] Maximum available capacity is increasing with time, but is less than larger hard drives. This balance is changing, but the rate of change is slowing.
Most USB-based flash technology integrates a printed circuit board with a metal tip, which is simply soldered on. As a result, the stress point is where the two pieces join. The quality control of some manufacturers does not ensure a proper solder temperature, further weakening the stress point.[59][60] Since many flash drives stick out from computers, they are likely to be bumped repeatedly and may break at the stress point. Most of the time, a break at the stress point tears the joint from the printed circuit board and results in permanent damage. However, some manufacturers produce [61] discreet flash drives that do not stick out, and others use a [62] solid metal uni-body that has no easily discernible stress point.
Comparison with other portable storage[edit]
The applications of current data tape cartridges hardly overlap those of flash drives: on tape, cost per gigabyte is very low for large volumes, but the individual drives and media are expensive. Media has a very high capacity and very fast transfer speeds, but store data sequentially and is very slow for random access of data. While disk-based backup is now the primary medium of choice for most companies, tape backup is still popular for taking data off-site for worst-case scenarios and for very large volumes (more than a few hundreds of TB). See LTO tapes.
Floppy disk[edit]
Optical media[edit]
Flash memory cards[edit]
External hard disk[edit]
Obsolete devices[edit]
Encryption and Security[edit]
As highly portable media, USB flash drives are easily lost or stolen. All USB flash drives can have their contents encrypted using third-party disk encryption software, which can often be run directly from the USB drive without installation (for example, FreeOTFE), although some, such as TrueCrypt, require the user to have administrative rights on every computer it's run on.
Some manufacturers have produced USB flash drives which use hardware-based encryption as part of the design,[66] removing the need for third-party encryption software. In limited circumstances these drives have been shown to have security problems, and are typically more expensive than software-based systems, which are available for free.
Security threats[edit]
In 2005, Microsoft was using the term "USB Flash Drive" as the common name for these devices when they introduced the Microsoft USB Flash Drive Manager application.[68] Alternative names are commonly used, many of which are trademarks of various manufacturers.
Current and future developments[edit]
The internals of a 32 GB Toshiba USB 3.0 Flash Drive. The USB 3.0 standard is becoming increasingly popular. This drive has a write speed of 60 MB/s and a read speed of 120 MB/s, making it faster than the USB 2.0 standard.
Lexar is attempting to introduce a USB FlashCard, which would be a compact USB flash drive intended to replace various kinds of flash memory cards. Pretec introduced a similar card, which also plugs into any USB port, but is just one quarter the thickness of the Lexar model.[69] Until 2008, SanDisk manufactured a product called SD Plus, which was a SecureDigital card with a USB connector.[70]
See also[edit]
3. ^ Cuala, Angel. "1TB flash drive unveiled at CES 2013, Kingston DataTraveler HyperX Predator 3.0, world’s largest capacity USB". Batangas Today. Retrieved 2013-01-09.
7. ^ USB flash drives allow reading, writing, and erasing of data, with some allowing 1 billion write/erase cycles in each cell of memory: if 100 uses per day, 1 billion cycles could span 10,000 days or over 27 years. Some devices level the usage by auto-shifting activity to underused sections of memory.
8. ^ "Patent US6148354 Architecture for a universal serial bus-based PC flash disk Amir Ban et al".
9. ^ "History of USB".
12. ^ "Patent decision".
13. ^ Netac Timeline Netac Official Website
14. ^ Netac And Huaqi Settle Suit JLM Pacific Epoch
17. ^ Flash memory disk market under fire. English October 17, 2006.
18. ^ a b "Gathering Storm". Netac Official Website
21. ^ "8MB USB Memory Key – Overview".
22. ^ "8MB USB Memory Key - Overview".
23. ^ "8 MB USB Memory Key - User Guide - First Published December 2000".
24. ^ "Kingston Technology Boosts DataTraveler 150 Capacity to 64GB". 19 november 2008.
25. ^ "Kingston Technology First to Market with 128GB USB Flash Drive". 15 juni 2009.
26. ^ "Kingston Digital onthult nieuw design 512GB USB flash drive". 7 januari 2013.
27. ^
30. ^ USB 1.0 Spec Position on Extension Cables and Pass-Through Monitors
31. ^ USB 2.0 Specification Engineering Change Notice (ECN) #1: Mini-B connector
32. ^ Bizarre USB flash drives from the Far East (german), t3n (2012-03-07). Retrieved on 2012-03-17.
35. ^ TN-29-42: Wear-Leveling Techniques in NAND Flash Devices
38. ^ USB Flash Tools,, retrieved November 16, 2010
40. ^ "Detect Controoler PenDrive",, retrieved May 25, 2013
42. ^ Tom's Hardware: Nine USB 3.0 Flash Drives For Road Warriors, 26 April 2011.
50. ^ USB flash drive preload configurations
51. ^ USB flash drive auto run setup, article from
53. ^ testing removable media on the Gadget Show.
55. ^ What is flash drive wear leveling[dead link]
56. ^ Mass Storage Devices. Retrieved on 2011-05-18.
57. ^ Flash Memory vs. HDD – Who Will Win? – article on STORAGE search .com
58. ^ Future pricing.
59. ^ Wikipedia entry "Soldering Defects in Electronics
60. ^ Wikipedia entry "Processes – Electronic Components (PCBs)"
62. ^ "solid metal uni-body"
63. ^ A million cycles in trade adverts
65. ^ "MobileMate Memory Stick Plus 4-in-1 Reader". Sandisk Corporation. Retrieved 2009-04-08. [dead link]
66. ^ Hardware Encrypted Secure USB Flash Drive
67. ^ Access to protected data areas without the right fingerprint
69. ^ Pretec i-Disk Diamond (the smallest USB flash drive)
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0.234628 | <urn:uuid:961e71d6-70e3-4b41-800f-1026c5281167> | en | 0.686932 | Help:IPA for Icelandic
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
The charts below show the way in which the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) represents Icelandic language pronunciations in Wikipedia articles.
See Icelandic phonology for a more thorough look at the sounds of Icelandic.
IPA Examples English approximation
c gys skew
kær cute
ç hjá hue
ð verða[1] weather
f pka, f fun
ɣ laga[1] (like Spanish trigo or amargo)
h hús hop
ʰ þakka, tappi, stutt (an h sound before [p, t, c, k])
j jú, lagi, éta yes
k göng sky
hver[2], krakki kite
l líf leap
stelpa (voiceless, like hl)
ɫ sigldi wool
ɫ̥ siglt (voiceless)
m miði moon
lampi (voiceless, like hm)
n níu noon
hnífur (voiceless, like hn)
ɲ lengi canyon
ɲ̊ banki [ˈpauɲ̥cɪ] (voiceless, like hny)
ŋ ungs sing
ŋ̊ þungt (voiceless, like hng)
p böl, nafni spy
páfi pie
r rós ring (trilled)
hreinn (voiceless, like hr)
s saga sing
t dagur, galli, seinna sty
tvær tie
θ þ think
v afi, verk[1] very
x sjúkt, sagt Bach
hver[2] why
IPA Examples English approximation
Vowels (all examples are long)
a raka between fat and father
ai æfing pie
au páfi pow
ɛ nema pet
ei heim pay
i líf, pea
ɪ yfir, vita pick
œ öl (like French eu or German ö)
øi auga roughly like Louie
ou kólna Poe
ɔ von pore
u núna poodle
ʏ kul (like French u or German ü)
ʏi flugið (ʏ before j)
Other symbols used in transcription of Icelandic pronunciation
IPA Explanation
ˈ stress (placed before the stressed syllable),
langur [ˈlauŋkʏr̥]
ː long vowel,[3]
1. ^ a b c The [ð, ɣ, v] are very light, i.e., they are more like approximants than fricatives.
2. ^ a b The word "hver" (everyone) is realised differently across dialects.
3. ^ Vowels are long when stressed and followed by no more than one consonant double consonant, although exceptions abound. | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_Icelandic | dclm-gs1-276830002 | false | false | {
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0.020772 | <urn:uuid:1c4bf9ef-60d5-4a05-affe-f327bb928717> | en | 0.963399 | Hermann von François
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Hermann von François
General Hermann von François
Born (1856-01-31)January 31, 1856
Died May 15, 1933(1933-05-15) (aged 77)
Allegiance German Empire German Empire
Service/branch Army
Years of service 1875-1918
Rank General of the Infantry
Commands held Hessischen-Brigade, I Corps
World War I
Other work memoirist, historian
Hermann von François (January 31, 1856 – May 15, 1933) was a German General der Infanterie during World War I, and is best known for his key role in several German victories on the Eastern Front in 1914.
Early life and military career[edit]
Born in Luxembourg to a noble family of Huguenot extraction, François was exposed to a military life from an early age. His father Bruno von François was a Prussian general and commander of the 27. (Preußische) Infanterie-Brigade. He was killed in action leading his men during the Battle of Spicheren on 6 August 1870, only a few days before the Battle of Sedan.
François, who had enrolled as an officer cadet, was by 1875 based in Potsdam as Leutnant of the 1.Garde-Regiment zu Fuß. From 1884 - 87, he attended the Military Academy at Berlin, and by 1889 had been promoted to Hauptmann (Captain) and had joined the General Staff.
By the early 1890s, François was posted to the XV Corps as a general staff officer based in Strasbourg. After a brief stint as company commander in 151. Infanterie-Regiment of the 31st Division, François devoted all his energies to the General Staff. In 1894 he was promoted to major and transferred to the 8. Division in Mannheim. By 1899, François was the Chief of Staff for the IV Corps, commanded by General der Infanterie Paul von Hindenburg and based in Magdeburg.
In 1901, François's mother, Marie took the family to German South-West Africa to follow her youngest son, Hugo von François who was a Hauptmann (Captain) in the Colonial Army. The family was based in the region during the Herero Wars, in which Hugo fought. François' other brother, Curt von François, was a well known scientist and researcher specialising in Africa.
In 1908, François was promoted to Generalmajor and placed in command of the Hessischen-Brigade in Darmstadt. François was promoted to Generalleutnant in 1911 and given command of the 13. Division for a brief period before his promotion to General der Infanterie and posting to command of I Corps under the 8th Army based in Königsberg.
World War I[edit]
François began the war stationed in the province of East Prussia, where he was commander of the I Corps of the German Eighth Army. His task was to defend the easternmost regions of East Prussia against a Russian attack directed at the key city of Königsberg. The Eighth Army would be expected to hold out against significantly larger Russian forces until it could be reinforced by troops coming from the west after the expected quick defeat of France, in accordance with the Schlieffen Plan, which would guide German forces in the opening phase of a war in which Germany faced both France and Russia.
When war broke out in August 1914, François' corps faced the right wing of a two-pronged Russian invasion of East Prussia, led by Paul von Rennenkampf's Russian First Army. On August 17, the overall German theater commander, General Maximilian von Prittwitz, nervously eying the advance of the Russian left wing far to the south, ordered Von François to retreat while under heavy attack from Rennenkampf.
François, reluctant to surrender any of his beloved Prussia, and naturally pugnacious, also felt breaking off while engaged would be deadly, and so he ignored Prittwitz' order, responding with the famous reply "General von François will withdraw when he has defeated the Russians!" He counterattacked Rennenkampf's massive army, bringing on the Battle of Stalluponen, and won a surprising victory while inflicting 5,000 casualties and taking 3,000 prisoners.
After winning the battle, François obeyed Prittwitz's order and withdrew 15 miles (24 km) to the west, where three days later he fought Rennenkampf to a draw at the Battle of Gumbinnen. Von François' aggressiveness resulted in the cautious Rennenkampf halting his advance westward.
In the aftermath of the Battle of Tannenberg, General von François (with his back to the camera) greets General Nikolai Klujev, commander of the Russian XIII Corps, who has been taken prisoner by Francois' troops.
Following that battle and a change of overall commanders (Prittwitz was judged to have lost his nerve by the German High Command), François' corps was transferred by rail to the southwest, to confront the Russian Second Army advancing into southern East Prussia under the command of General Alexander Samsonov. Although not trusted by the new German commanders Paul von Hindenburg and Erich Ludendorff due to his previous disobedience, François played the decisive role in the upcoming Battle of Tannenberg. On August 27, François attacked the lead elements of Samsonov's army and began to make steady advances into their rear. Ludendorff, fearing a Russian counterattack by Rennenkampf, now ordered him to break off the advance. However, François twice ignored his direct orders and played a decisive role in the following encirclement and defeat of Samsonov's army.
When Hindenburg and Ludendorff went south to lead the 9th Army in Russian Poland, François remained with his corps in East Prussia and led it with much success in the First Battle of the Masurian Lakes the following month. When General von Schubert, the new commander of the 8th Army, ordered him to retreat, he dispatched a telegram to the OHL describing his success and stating "the Commander is badly counselled." The telegram impressed the Kaiser so much that he immediately relieved Schubert and, on 3 October, gave von François the command of the 8th Army. He did not hold it for long. When Hindenburg and Ludendorff prepared their counter-attack from Thorn in the direction of Łódź, François was reluctant to send the requested I Corps, sending badly trained and ill-equipped XXV Reserve Corps instead. That was too much for his superiors. In early November 1914 von François was removed and replaced by General Otto von Below.
After some time spent "on the shelf", François received the command of the XXXXI Reserve Corps[1] on 24 December 1914, and after a spell in the West, he returned to the Eastern Front in April 1915 where he took part in the Spring Offensive that conquered Russian Poland. He continued to distinguish himself. He won the Pour le Mérite, Germany's highest military decoration, on 14 May 1915 for his performance in the breakthrough at Gorlice, and had the Oak Leaves attached to it in July 1917, for outstanding performance during the Battle of Verdun. In July 1915 he was transferred back to the Western Front to take command of the Westphalian VII Corps in France, and in July 1916 Meuse Group West in the Verdun sector. However he never received any further promotion or serious commands under Ludendorff, and gave up his command in July 1918 and was placed on the standby list until October 1918 when he retired.[2]
After the war ended, François returned home and wrote several books on military history, including the best-seller (in Germany) Marneschlacht und Tannenberg in 1920.
1. ^ In German military nomenclature, "41" is expressed as "XXXXI" rather than the more normal "XLI".
2. ^ The Kaiser's Warlords: German Commanders of World War I, Ronald Pawly, Patrice Courcelle, 2003, p 45.
• The Kaiser's Warlords: German Commanders of World War I, by Ronald Pawly, Patrice Courcelle, 2003.
Military offices
Preceded by
General der Artillerie Richard von Schubert
Commander, 8th Army
9 October 1914-7 November 1914
Succeeded by
General der Infanterie Otto von Below | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermann_von_Fran%c3%a7ois | dclm-gs1-276840002 | false | false | {
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0.061082 | <urn:uuid:24562f3c-05ef-44e0-b825-601fec302642> | en | 0.924474 | Rurik dynasty
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House of Rurik
Country Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Lithuania
Founded 862 – Rurik
Current head
Dissolution 1598 – Feodor I
Cadet branches As well as several other extant and extinct branches.
The Rurik dynasty or Rurikids (Russian: Рю́риковичи, Ukrainian: Рю́риковичі, Belarusian: Ру́рыковичи) was a dynasty founded by the Varangian[1] prince Rurik, who established himself in Novgorod around the year 862 AD.[2] The Rurikids were the ruling dynasty of Kievan Rus' (after 862), the successor principalities of Galicia-Volhynia (after 1199), Chernigov, Vladimir-Suzdal, and the Grand Duchy of Moscow, and the founders of the Tsardom of Russia. They are one of Europe's oldest royal houses, with numerous existing cadet branches.
The Rurikid dynasty was founded in 862 by Rurik, a Varangian prince. The apocryphal story tells of the Finnic and Slavic tribes in the area calling on "'the Varangians [i.e. Scandinavians], to the Rus' … The Chud, the Slovenes, the Krivichi and the Ves said "Our land is vast and abundant, but there is no order in it. Come and reign as princes and have authority over us!"' Three brothers came with 'their kin' and 'all the Rus' in response to this invitation. Rurik set up rule in Novgorod, giving more provincial towns to his brothers. There is some ambiguity even in the Primary Chronicle about the specifics of the story, "hence their paradoxical statement 'the people of Novgorod are of Varangian stock, for formerly they were Slovenes.'" However, archaeological evidence such as "Frankish swords, a sword chape and a tortoiseshell brooch" in the area suggest that there was, in fact, a Scandinavian population during the tenth century at the latest.[3] The "Rurikid Dynasty DNA Project" of FamilyTreeDNA commercial genetic genealogy company reports that Y-DNA testing of the descendants of Rurikids suggests their non-Slavic origin.[4]
Evolution and end of the dynasty[edit]
Rurik and his brothers founded a state that later historians called Kievan Rus'. By the middle of the twelfth century, Kievan Rus' had dissolved into independent principalities, each ruled by different branches of the Rurik dynasty. The dynasty followed agnatic seniority and izgoi principle. The Rurik dynasty went into major schizm after the death of Yaroslav the Wise and was divided in three ways according to the three ruling Grand Princes: Izyaslav (senior), Svyatoslav (middle), and Vsevolod (minor). There also was a line of Polotsk princes who assimilated themselves with princes of Lithuania. In the 10th century the Council of Liubech made some amendments to a succession rule and divided the Ruthenia into several autonomous principalities that had equal rights to obtain the Kiev throne.
Vsevolod line eventually became better known as Monomakhovychi and was the predominant one. The line of Svyatoslav later became known as Olegovychi and often laid claim to the lands of Chernihiv and Severia. Izyaslavychi who ruled Turov and Volhynia were eventually replaced by other Monomakhovychi branch.
"The Rurikid dynasty… attempted to impose on their highly diverse polity the integrative concept of russkaia zemlia ("the Rus' land") and the unifying notion of a "Rus' people." But "Kievan Rus' was never really a unified polity. It was a loosely bound, ill-defined, and heterogeneous conglomeration of lands and cities inhabited by tribes and populous groups whose loyalties were primarily territorial." This caused the Rurik dynasty to effectively dissolve into several sub-dynasties ruling smaller states in the 10th and 11th centuries. These were the Olgoviches of Severia who ruled in Chernigov, Yuryeviches who controlled Vladimir-Suzdal, and Romanoviches in Galicia-Volhynia.[5]
Gold coin of Vladimir the Great
Descendants of Sviatoslav II of Kiev[edit]
The Olgoviches were the offsprings of Oleg I of Chernigov, who was a son of Sviatoslav II of Kiev and grandson of Yaroslav the Wise. They continued to rule until early 14th century when they were torn apart by the emerging Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Grand Duchy of Moscow. The line continued through Oleg's son Vsevolod II of Kiev, grandson Sviatoslav III of Kiev, great-grandson Vsevolod IV of Kiev and great-great grandson Michael of Chernigov, from whose sons the extant lines of the Olegoviches are descended, including the Massalsky, Gorchakov, Baryatinsky, Volkonsky and Obolensky, including Repnin.
Descendants of Vsevolod I of Kiev[edit]
Vsevolod I of Kiev was the father of Vladimir II Monomakh, giving rise to the name Monomakh for his progeny. Two of Vladimir II's sons were Mstislav I of Kiev and Yuri Dolgorukiy.
The Romanoviches was the line of Roman the Great, descended from Mstislav I of Kiev through his son Iziaslav II of Kiev and his grandson Mstislav II of Kiev, father of Roman the Great. The older Monomakhovychi line that ruled Principality of Volhynia, they were eventually crowned kings of Galicia and Volhynia and ruled until 1323. Romanovychi displaced the older line of Izyaslavychi from Turov and Volhynia as well as Rostyslavychi from Galicia. The last were two brothers of Romanovychi, Andrew and Lev II, who ruled jointly and were slain trying to repel Mongol incursions. The Polish king, Władysław I the Elbow-high, in his letter to the Pope wrote with regret: "The two last Ruthenian kings, that had been firm shields for Poland from the Tatars, left this world and after their death Poland is directly under Tatar threat." Losing their leadership role, Rurikids, however, continued to play a vital role in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the later Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Most notably, the Ostrogski family held the title of Grand Hetman of Lithuania and strove to preserve the Ruthenian language and Eastern Orthodoxy in this part of Europe. It is thought that the Drutsk and related princely families may also descend from Roman the Great.
The Rostislaviches was the line of Rostislav I of Kiev, another son of Mstislav I of Kiev, who was Prince of Smolensk and a progenitor of the lines descending from the princes of Smolensk and Yaroslavl.
The Yuryeviches were founded by Yuriy Dolgorukiy, the founder of Moscow and spread vastly in the north-east. Yuri's son Vsevolod the Big Nest was Prince of Vladimir-Suzdal, a precursor state to the Grand Principality of Moscow and thus of the Russian Empire. Vsevolod's son Konstantin of Rostov was Prince of Rostov and the progenitor of various "Rostov" princely lines. Another son, Ivan Vsevolodich, was Prince of Starodub and progenitor of a number of extant lines, most notably the Gagarin line.
Vsevolod's son Yaroslav II of Vladimir was the father of Alexander Nevsky, whose son Daniel of Moscow sired the ruling house of Moscow until the end of the 16th century.
Beginning with the reign of Ivan the Terrible, the Muscovite branch used the title "Tsar of All Russia" and ruled over the Tsardom of Russia. The death in 1598 of Tsar Feodor I ended the rule of the Rurik dynasty. The dynasty was briefly revived in the person of Vasili IV of Russia, a descendant of Shuyskiy line of the Rurik dynasty, but he died without issue. The unstable period known as the Time of Troubles succeeded Feodor's death and lasted until 1613. In that year, Mikhail I ascended the throne, founding the Romanov dynasty that would rule until 1762 and as Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov until the revolutions of 1917. Tsar Mikhail first wife Maria Dolgorukova was of Rurikid stock but their marriage produced no children. It was until the reign of Peter III in 1762. Emperor Peter III and his wife Catherine the Great were both descended from the Rurik dynasty. Historian Vasily Tatishchev and filmmaker Jacques Tati were descended from Rurik.
In the early days of the Rurikid dynasty, the Kievan Rus' mainly traded with other tribes in Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. "There was little need for complex social structures to carry out these exchanges in the forests north of the steppes. So long as the entrepreneurs operated in small numbers and kept to the north, they did not catch the attention of observers or writers." The Rus' also had strong trading ties to Byzantium, particularly in the early 900's, as treaties in 911 and 944 indicate. These treaties deal with the treatment of runaway Byzantine slaves and limitations on the amounts of certain commodities such as silk that could be bought from Byzantium. The Rus' used logs floated down the Dnieper River by Slavic tribes for the transport of goods, particularly slaves to Byzantium.[6]
Skirmish with Byzantium[edit]
One of the largest military accomplishments of the Rurikid dynasty was the attack on Byzantium in 960. Pilgrims of the Rus' had been making the journey from Kiev to Constantinople for many years, and Constantine Porphyrogenitus, the Emperor of the Byzantine Empire, believed that this gave them significant information about the arduous parts of the journey and where travelers were most at risk, as would be pertinent for an invasion. This route took travelers through domain of the Pechenegs, journeying mostly by river. In June 941, the Rus' staged a naval ambush on Byzantine forces, making up for their smaller numbers with small, maneuverable boats. Interestingly, these boats were ill-equipped for the transportation of large quantities of treasure, suggesting that looting was not the goal. The raid was led, according to the Primary Chronicle, by a king called Igor. Three years later, the treaty of 944 stated that all ships approaching Byzantium must be preceded by a letter from the Rurikid prince stating the number of ships and assuring their peaceful intent. This not only indicates fear of another surprise attack, but an increased Kievan presence in the Black Sea.[7]
Russian and Ukrainian historians have debated for many years about the legacy of the Rurikid dynasty. The Russian view, "resting largely on religious-ecclesiastical and historical-ideological claims and on political-juridical theories [was] formulated in Moscow between the 1330's and the late 1850's," and views the Principality of Moscow as the sole heir to the Kievan Rus' civilization. The Ukrainian nationalist view came into being somewhat later "between the 1840's and the end of the 1930's," and views the Ukrainian descendants of the Rurikid dynasty as its only true successors. The Soviet theory "allotted equal rights to the Kievan inheritance to the Three Slavic peoples, that is the Russians, the Ukrainians, and the Belorussians."[8]
Genetic studies of Rurikids[edit]
According to the FamilyTreeDNA Rurikid Dynasty DNA Project, Rurik appears to have belonged to Y-DNA haplogroup N1c1, based on testing of his modern male line descendants.[9] But while genetically related to the later Baltic Finnic peoples, the Rurikids do not possess the DYS390=24 mutation associated with the Finnic languages, theirs remaining the ancestral DYS390=23, with the Rurikid haplotype itself (all values considered) more closely associated with [North] Germanic speakers (Varangians).[10]
Further genetic studies seem to indicate the existence of two major haplogroups among modern Rurikids: the descendants of Vladimir II Monomakh (Monomakhoviches) and some others are of N1c1 group (130 people or 68%), while the descendants of a junior prince from the branch of Oleg I of Chernigov (Olgoviches) and some others (total 45 peoples or 24%) are of R1a and R1b haplogroups typical for Slavic, Germanic and Celtic peoples.
Family tree (Rurik through Vladimir)[edit]
Igor of Kiev
Olga of Kiev
Malk Lubchanin
Sviatoslav I
Yaropolk I
Anna Porphyrogenita
Vladimir the Great
Rogneda of Polotsk
Konstantin Dobrynich
daughter of Bolesław I Chrobry
Sviatopolk I
8 issues (see below)
Dobrynich line
Main line (from Vladimir to Yaroslav)[edit]
Olof Skötkonung
Estrid of the Obotrites
Rogneda of Polotsk
Vladimir the Great
Saint Anna
Yaroslav the Wise
Izyaslav of Polotsk
Mstislav of Chernigov
10 issues
Polotsk line
Vladimir's Czech wives[edit]
Vladimir the Great
Vladimir's other wives[edit]
granddaughter of Otto the Great
Vladimir the Great
Maria Dobroniega
Casimir I
Edward the Exile
out-marriage daughter
Margrave Bernard
Yuryevichi (Yuri the Long-Arm)[edit]
The following image shows the descent of the leading, or historically most powerful branch of the Rurikids, the descendants of Vladimir II Monomakh through his sixth son Yuri Dolgorukiy:
See also[edit]
1. ^ Rurik (Norse leader) Britannica Online Encyclopedia
2. ^ Rurik Dynasty (medieval Russian rulers) Britannica Online Encyclopedia
3. ^ Franklin, Simon, and Jonathan Shepherd. The Emergence of Rus 750–1200. Harlow, Essex: Longman Group, Ltd., 1996. pp. 38–39
4. ^ Family Tree DNA's Rurik Dynasty DNA Project
5. ^ Pelenski, Jaroslaw Pelenski. The Contest for the Legacy of Kievan Rus'. New York: Columbia University Press, 1998. p. 4
6. ^ Franklin, Simon, and Jonathan Shepherd. The Emergence of Rus 750–1200. Harlow, Essex: Longman Group, Ltd., 1996. pp. 27–8; 127
9. ^ Rurikid Dynasty DNA Project – News
10. ^ Stratification of Y-haplogroup N1c, Jaakko Häkkinen. August 5, 2010. University of Helsinki.
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0.045846 | <urn:uuid:0b84163c-5252-4962-ae26-39df664a4e60> | en | 0.926834 | International relations (1814–1919)
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This article covers worldwide diplomacy and more generally the International relations of the major powers, 1814–1919, with links to more detailed articles. The era covers the period from the end of the Napoleonic wars and the Congress of Vienna (1814–15), to the end of the First World War and the Treaty of Versailles (1919). Important themes include the rapid industrialization and increasing power of Europe (as well as the United States and later Japan). This led to imperialism and colonialism, as well as the informal economic network that, combined with the Royal Navy, made Britain the most influential nation during the era. The entire era was generally peaceful in Europe and the Americas. The period ends in the Great War; in between the largest war was the American Civil War (1861–65). In Europe wars were much smaller, shorter and less frequent than ever before. The quiet century was shattered by World War I (1914–1918), which was unexpected in timing, duration, casualties, and long-term impact.
1814–1830: Restoration and reaction[edit]
The Congress of Vienna (1814–1815) dissolved the Napoleonic world and attempted to restore the monarchies he overthrew, ushering in an era of reaction. Under the leadership of Metternich, the prime minister of Austria (1809–48) and Castlereagh, the foreign minister of Great Britain (1812–22), it set up a system to preserve the peace. Under the Concert of Europe (or "Congress system") the major European powers, Britain, Germany, Prussia, Austria and (after 1818) France, pledged to meet regularly to resolve differences. This plan was the first of its kind in history, and seemed to promise a way to collectively managed European affairs and promote peace. It was the forerunner of the League of Nations and the United Nations.[1]
It resolved the Polish–Saxon crisis at Vienna and the question of Greek independence at Laibach. The following ten years saw five European Congresses where disputes were resolved with a diminishing degree of effectiveness.[2]
The main goal for Czar Alexander I of Russia was to form a league that could intervene and stop revolutions against monarchies and traditionalism; he had in mind the French Revolution of the 1790s. The British refused to cooperate in a scheme not directly related to British interests. As a result by 1822, the whole system collapsed.[3]
British policies[edit]
British foreign policy was set by George Canning (1822–27), who avoided close cooperation with other powers. Britain, with its unchallenged Royal Navy and increasing financial wealth and industrial strength, built its foreign policy on the principle that no state should be allowed to dominate the Continent. It wanted to support the Ottoman Empire as a bulwark against Russian expansionism. It opposed interventions designed to suppress democracy, and was especially worried that France and Spain planned to suppress the independence movement underway in Latin America, and put Bourbon kings on the thrones of Mexico, Columbia, Chile, Peru and Buenos Aires (Argentina). Canning cooperated with the United States to promulgate the Monroe Doctrine to preserve newly independent Latin American states. His goal was to prevent French dominance and allow British merchants access to the opening markets.[4]
Slave trade[edit]
An important liberal advance was the abolition of the international slave trade. It began with legislation in the United States and Britain in 1807, as enforced more and more rigorously by the British Royal Navy. The result was a reduction of over 95% in the volume of the slave trade from Africa to the New World. About 1000 slaves a year were illegally brought into the United States, as well as some to Cuba and Brazil.[5] Slavery itself was abolished in northern states of the United States (1777–1804), and in the British Empire in 1833.[6]
Britain continued as the most important power, followed by Russia, France, Prussia and Austria. The United States was growing rapidly in size, population and economic strength, especially after its defeat of Mexico in 1848. Otherwise it avoided international entanglements as the slavery issue became more and more divisive. The Crimean War was the most important war, especially because it disrupted the stability of the system. Britain strengthened its colonial system especially in India, while France rebuilt its empire in Asia and North Africa. Russia continued its expansion south (toward Persia) and east (into Siberia). The Ottoman Empire steadily weakened, losing control in parts of the Balkans to the new states of Greece and Serbia.[7]
British policies[edit]
From 1830 to 1865, with a few interruptions, Lord Palmerston set British foreign policy. His goal was to keep Britain dominant by maintaining the balance of power in Europe. He cooperated with France when necessary, but did not make permanent alliances with anyone. He tried to keep autocratic nations like Russia and Austria in check; he supported liberal regimes because they led to greater stability in the international system. However he also supported the autocratic Ottoman Empire because it blocked Russian expansion.[8]
Belgian Revolution[edit]
Ottoman Empire[edit]
Greek independence[edit]
In 1821, the Greeks rose up against the Ottoman Empire. The prolonged revolt forced the Great Powers (Britain, France and Russia) to recognize the claims of the Greek rebels to separate statehood (in the 1827 Treaty of London) and intervene against the Ottomans at the Battle of Navarino. Greece was initially to be an autonomous state under Ottoman suzerainty, but by 1832, in the Treaty of Constantinople, it was recognized as a fully independent kingdom.[9]
Serbian independence[edit]
Crimean War[edit]
The Crimean War (1853–56) was fought between Russia on the one hand and an alliance of Great Britain, France, Sardinia, and the Ottoman Empire on the other. Russia was defeated.[10][11]
In 1851 France under Napoleon III compelled the Sublime Porte (the Ottoman or Turkish government) to recognize it as the protector of Christian sites in the Holy Land. Russia denounced this claim, since it claimed to be the protector of all Eastern Orthodox Christians in the Ottoman Empire. France sent its fleet to the Black Sea; Russia responded with its own show of force. In 1851, Russia sent troops into the Ottoman provinces of Moldavia and Wallachia. Britain, now fearing for the security of the Ottoman Empire, sent a fleet to join with the French expecting the Russians would back down. Diplomatic efforts failed. The Sultan declared war against Russia in October 1851. Following an Ottoman naval disaster in November, Britain and France declared war against Russia. Most of the battles took place in the Crimean peninsula, which the Allies finally seized. London, shocked to discover that France was secretly negotiating with Russia to form a postwar alliance to dominate Europe, dropped its plans to attack St. Petersburg and instead signed a one-sided armistice with Russia that achieved almost none of its war aims.
Diplomats at the Congress of Paris, 1856, settled the Crimean War; painting by Edouard Louis Dubufe
The Treaty of Paris signed March 30, 1856, ended the war. It admitted the Ottoman Empire to the European concert, and the Powers promised to respect its independence and territorial integrity. Russia gave up a little land and relinquished its claim to a protectorate over the Christians in the Ottoman domains. The Black Sea was demilitarized, and an international commission was set up to guarantee freedom of commerce and navigation on the Danube River. Moldavia and Wallachia remained under nominal Ottoman rule, but would be granted independent constitutions and national assemblies.[12]
New rules of wartime commerce were set out: (1) privateering was illegal; (2) a neutral flag covered enemy goods except contraband; (3) neutral goods, except contraband, were not liable to capture under an enemy flag; (4) a blockade, to be legal, had to be effective.[13]
The war helped modernize warfare by introducing major new technologies such as railways, the telegraph, and modern nursing methods. In the long run the war marked a turning point in Russian domestic and foreign policy. Russian intellectuals used the defeat to demand fundamental reform of the government and social system. The war weakened both Russia and Austria, so they could no longer promote stability. This opened the way for Napoleon III, Cavour (in Italy) and Otto von Bismarck (in Germany) to launch a series of wars in the 1860s that reshaped Europe.[14]
Moldavia and Wallachia[edit]
Moldavia, Wallachia and Transylvania in 1812. In 1859 Moldavia and Wallachia formed Romania, and acquired Transylvania in 1918
In a largely peaceful transition, the Ottoman provinces of Moldavia and Wallachia broke away slowly, achieved effective autonomy by 1859, and finally became officially an independent nation in 1878. The two provinces had long been under Ottoman control, but both Russia and Austria also wanted them, making the region a major cockpit for wars in the 18th century. The population was largely Orthodox in religion and spoke Romanian, but there were many minorities, such as Jews and Greeks. The provinces were occupied by Russia after the Treaty of Adrianople in 1829. Russian and Turkish troops combined to suppress the Wallachian Revolution of 1848. During the Crimean War Austria took control. The Powers decided on independence for a buffer state, between the Ottomans, Austrians and Russia. It took effect in 1859 as United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia (renamed of Romania in 1862).[15] Romania officially became independent in 1878, but focused its attention on Transylvania, a province of Hungary with about 2 million Romanians. Finally when the Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed at the end of the First World War, Romania obtained Transylvania.[16]
1860–1871: Nationalism and unification[edit]
Despite his promises in 1852 of a peaceful reign, Napoleon III could not resist the temptations of glory in foreign affairs. He was visionary, mysterious and secretive; he had a poor staff, and kept running afoul of his domestic supporters. In the end he was incompetent as a diplomat.[17] Napoleon did have some successes: he strengthened French control over Algeria, established bases in Africa, began the takeover of Indochina, and opened trade with China. He facilitated a French company building the Suez Canal, which Britain could not stop. In Europe, however, Napoleon failed again and again. The Crimean war of 1854–1856 produced no gains. War with Austria in 1859 facilitated the unification of Italy, and Napoleon was rewarded with the annexation of Savoy and Nice. The British grew annoyed at his intervention in Syria in 1860–61. He angered Catholics alarmed at his poor treatment of the Pope, then reversed himself and angered the anticlerical liberals at home and his erstwhile Italian allies. He lowered the tariffs, which helped in the long run but in the short run angered owners of large estates and the textile and iron industrialists, while leading worried workers to organize. Matters grew worse in the 1860s as Napoleon nearly blundered into war with the United States in 1862, while his Mexican intervention in 1861–1867 was a total disaster. Finally in the end he went to war with the Germans in 1870 when it was too late to stop German unification. Napoleon had alienated everyone; after failing to obtain an alliance with Austria and Italy, France had no allies and was bitterly divided at home. It was disastrously defeated on the battlefield, losing Alsace and Lorraine. A.J.P. Taylor is blunt: "he ruined France as a great power."[18][19][20]
The stages of Italian unification during 1829–71
The Risorgimento was the era 1830–1870 that saw the emergence of a national consciousness. With French help Italians achieved independence from Austria and from the Pope, and secured national unification.[21][22]
The papacy secured French backing to resist unification. Pope Pius IX, fearing that giving up control of the Papal States would weaken the Church and allow the liberals to dominate conservative Catholics.[23]
United States[edit]
During the American Civil War (1861–1865), the Southern slave states seceded from the Union and set up an independent country, the Confederate States of America. The North would not accept this affront of American nationalism, and fought to restore the Union. British and French aristocratic leaders personally disliked American republicanism and favoured the more aristocratic Confederacy. The South was also by far the chief source of cotton for European textile mills. The goal of the Confederacy was to obtain British and French intervention, that is, war against the Union. Confederates believed (with scant evidence) that "cotton is king"—that is, cotton was so essential to British and French industry that they would fight to get it. The Confederates did raise money in Europe, which they used to buy warships and munitions. However Europe had a surplus of cotton in 1862; stringency did not come until 1862, and meanwhile Britain depended heavily on American grain. France would not intervene alone, and in any case was less interested in cotton than in securing its control of Mexico. The Confederacy would allow that if it secured its independence, but the Union never would approve.[24] Washington made it clear that any official recognition of the Confederacy meant war with the U.S.
Queen Victoria's husband Prince Albert helped defuse a war scare in late 1861. The British people, who depended heavily on American food imports, generally favoured the United States. What little cotton was available came from New York City, as the blockade by the U.S. Navy shut down 95% of Southern exports to Britain. In September 1862, during the Confederate invasion of Maryland, Britain (along with France) contemplated stepping in and negotiating a peace settlement, which could only mean war with the United States. But in the same month, US president Abraham Lincoln announced the Emancipation Proclamation. Since support of the Confederacy now meant support for slavery, there was no longer any possibility of European intervention.[25]
Meanwhile the British sold arms to both sides, built blockade runners for a lucrative trade with the Confederacy, and surreptitiously allowed warships to be built for the Confederacy.[26] The warships caused a major diplomatic row that was resolved in the Alabama Claims in 1872, in the Americans' favour.[27]
Schleswig and Holstein[edit]
A major diplomatic row, and several wars, emerged from the very complex situation in Schleswig and Holstein, where Danish and German claims collided, and Austria and France became entangled. The Danish and German duchies of Schleswig-Holstein were, by international agreement, ruled by the king of Denmark but were not legally part of Denmark. An international treaty provided that the two territories were not to be separated from each other, though Holstein was part of the German Confederation. In the late 1840s, with both German and Danish nationalism on the rise, Denmark attempted to incorporate Schleswig into its kingdom. The first war was a Danish victory. The Second Schleswig War of 1864 was a Danish defeat at the hands of Prussia and Austria.[28][29]
The two victors then split control of the two territories. That led to conflict between them, resolved by the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, which Prussia quickly won. Austria now dropped to the second rank among the Great Powers.[30] Emperor Napoleon III of France could not tolerate the rapid rise of Prussia, and stated the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 over trivialities. The spirit of German nationalism caused the smaller German states (such as Bavaria and Saxony) to join the war alongside Prussia. The German coalition won an easy victory, dropping France to second class status among the Great Powers. Prussia, under Otto von Bismark then brought together all the German states (excluding Austria) into a new German Empire. Bismarck's new empire became the most powerful state in Europe down to 1914.[31]
The Berlin Conference (1884) chaired by German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck regulated European imperialism in Africa
Most of the major powers (and some minor ones such as Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark) engaged in imperialism, building up their overseas empires especially in Africa and Asia. Although there were numerous insurrections, historians count only a few wars, and they were small-scale: two Anglo-Boer Wars) (1880–1881) and (1899–1902), the Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895), First Italo-Ethiopian War (1895–96), Spanish–American War (1898), and Italo-Ottoman war (1911). The largest was the Russo-Japanese War of 1905, and it was the only one that saw two major powers fighting it out.[32]
French Empire in Asia and Africa[edit]
France seizes Mexico[edit]
Napoleon III took advantage of the American Civil War. Spain, Britain and France, angry over unpaid Mexican debts, sent a joint expeditionary force that seized the Veracruz customs house in Mexico in December 1861. Spain and Britain soon withdrew after realizing that Napoleon III intended to overthrow the Mexican government under elected president Benito Juárez and establish a Second Mexican Empire. Napoleon had the support of the remnants of the Conservative elements that Juarez and his Liberals had defeated in the Reform War, a civil war of 1857–61. Thus began the French intervention in Mexico in 1862. Napoleon used his French army to install Austrian archduke Maximilian of Habsburg on the throne in Mexico. Juárez rallied opposition to the French; Washington protested and refused to recognize the new government. After its total victory over the Confederacy in 1865, the U.S. sent 50,000 experienced combat troops to the Mexican border to make clear its position. Napoleon III had no choice but to withdraw his army. Juarez regained control and executed the hapless emperor Maximilian.[33][34]
Scramble for Africa[edit]
Areas of Africa controlled by colonial powers in 1913, shown along with current national boundaries.
Independent (Ethiopia and Liberia)
In the "scramble for Africa," Britain and France, as well as Germany, Italy and Portugal, greatly expand their colonial empires in Africa. The King of Belgium personally controlled the Congo. Bases along the coast become the nucleus of colonies that stretch inland.[36] In British colonies, workers and businessmen from India were brought in to build railways, plantations and other enterprises.
Tensions between Britain and France reached tinder stage in Africa. At several points war was possible, but it never happened.[37] The most serious episode was the Fashoda Incident of 1898. French troops tried to claim an area in the Southern Sudan, and a British force purporting to be acting in the interests of the Khedive of Egypt arrived to confront them. Under heavy pressure the French withdrew securing Anglo-Egyptian control over the area. The status quo was recognised by an agreement between the two states acknowledging British control over Egypt, while France became the dominant power in Morocco, but France suffered a humiliating defeat overall.[38]
The Ottoman Empire lost its nominal control over Algeria, Tunisia and Libya. It retained only nominal control of Egypt. In 1875 Britain purchases the Suez canal shares from the almost bankrupt khedive of Egypt, Isma'il Pasha.
The experience of Kenya is representative of the colonization process in East Africa. By 1850 European explorers had begun mapping the interior. Three developments encouraged European interest in East Africa. First, was the emergence of the island of Zanzibar, located off the east coast. It became a base from which trade and exploration of the African mainland could be mounted.[39] By 1840, to protect the interests of the various nationals doing business in Zanzibar, consul offices had been opened by the British, French, Germans and Americans. In 1859, the tonnage of foreign shipping calling at Zanzibar had reached 19,000 tons. By 1879, the tonnage of this shipping had reached 89,000 tons. The second development spurring European interest in Africa was the growing European demand for products of Africa including ivory and cloves. Thirdly, British interest in East Africa was first stimulated by their desire to abolish the slave trade.[40] Later in the century, British interest in East Africa was stimulated by German competition, and in 1887 the Imperial British East Africa Company, a private concern, leased from Seyyid Said his mainland holdings, a 10-mile (16-km)-wide strip of land along the coast.
Germany set up a protectorate over the Sultan of Zanzibar's coastal possessions in 1885. It traded its coastal holdings to Britain in 1890, in exchange for German control over the coast of Tanganyika.
In 1895 the British government claimed the interior as far west as Lake Naivasha; it set up the East Africa Protectorate. The border was extended to Uganda in 1902, and in 1920 most of the enlarged protectorate became a crown colony. With the beginning of colonial rule in 1895, the Rift Valley and the surrounding Highlands became the enclave of white immigrants engaged in large-scale coffee farming dependent on mostly Kikuyu labour. There were no significant mineral resources—none of the gold or diamonds that attracted so many to South Africa. In the initial stage of colonial rule, the administration relied on traditional communicators, usually chiefs. When colonial rule was established and efficiency was sought, partly because of settler pressure, newly educated younger men were associated with old chiefs in local Native Councils.[41]
Following severe financial difficulties of the British East Africa Company, the British government on 1 July 1895 established direct rule through the East African Protectorate, subsequently opening (1902) the fertile highlands to white settlers. A key to the development of Kenya's interior was the construction, started in 1895, of a railway from Mombasa to Kisumu, on Lake Victoria, completed in 1901. Some 32,000 workers were imported from British India to do the manual labour. Many stayed, as did most of the Indian traders and small businessmen who saw opportunity in the opening up of the interior of Kenya.[42]
Portugal, a small poor agrarian nation with a strong seafaring tradition build up a large empire, and kept it longer than anyone else by avoiding wars and remaining largely under the protection of Britain. Energetic explorations in the sixteenth century led to a settler colony in Brazil. Portugal also established trading stations open to all nations off the coasts of Africa, South Asia, and East Asia.. Portugal had imported slaves as domestic servants and farm workers in Portugal itself, and used its experience to set up to make slave trading a major economic activity. Portuguese businessman set up slave plantations on the nearby islands of Madeira, Cape Verde, and the Azores, focusing on sugar production. In 1770, the enlightened despot Pombal declared trade to be a noble and necessary profession, allowing businessman to enter the Portuguese nobility. Many settlers moved to Brazil, which became independent in 1822.[43][44]
After 1815, the Portuguese expanded their trading ports along the African coast, moving inland to take control of Angola and Portuguese East Africa (Mozambique). The slave trade was abolished in 1836, in part because many foreign slave ships were flying the Portuguese flag. In India, trade flourished in the colony of Goa, with its subsidiary colonies of Macau, near Honk Kong on the China coast, and Timor, north of Australia. The Portuguese successfully introduced Catholicism and the Portuguese language into their colonies, while most settlers continued to head to Brazil.[45][46]
Leaders of the new nation of Italy were enthusiastic about acquiring colonies in Africa, expecting it would legitimize their status as a power and help unify the people. In North Africa Italy first turned to Tunis, under nominal Ottoman control, where many Italian farmers had settled. Weak and diplomatically isolated, Italy was helpless and angered when France assumed a protectorate over Tunis in 1881. Turning to East Africa, Italy tried to conquer independent Ethiopia, but was massively defeated at the Battle of Adwa in 1896. Public opinion was angered at the national humiliation by an inept government. In 1911 the Italian people supported the seizure of what is now Libya.[47]
Italian diplomacy over as twenty year period succeeded in getting permission to seize Libya, with approval coming from from Germany, France, Austria, Briatain and Russia. A centerpiece of the Italo-Turkish War of 1911–12, came when Italian forces took control of a few coastal cities against stiff resistance by Ottoman troops as well as the local tribesmen. After the peace treaty gave Italy control it sent in Italian settlers, but suffered extensive casualties in its brutal campaign against the tribes.[48]
Japan becomes a power[edit]
Starting in the 1860s Japan rapidly modernized along Western lines, adding industry, bureaucracy, institutions and military capabilities that provided the base for imperial expansion into Korea, China and islands to the South. It saw itself vulnerable to aggressive Western imperialism unless it took control of neighboring areas. It took control of Okinawa and Formosa. Japan's desire to control Taiwan, Korea and Manchuria, led to the first Sino-Japanese War with China in 1894–1895 and the Russo-Japanese War with Russia in 1904–1905. The war with China made Japan the world's first Eastern, modern imperial power, and the war with Russia proved that a Western power could be defeated by an Eastern state. The aftermath of these two wars left Japan the dominant power in the Far East with a sphere of influence extending over southern Manchuria and Korea, which was formally annexed as part of the Japanese Empire in 1910.
The island of Formosa (Taiwan) had an indigenous population when Dutch traders in need of an Asian base to trade with Japan and China arrived in 1623. The Dutch East India Company (VOC) built Fort Zeelandia. They soon began to rule the natives. China took control in the 1660s, and sent in settlers. By the 1890s there were about 2.3 million Han Chinese and 200,000 members of indigenous tribes. After its victory in the First Sino-Japanese War in 1894–95, the peace treaty ceded the island to Japan. It was Japan's first colony.[49]
Japan expected far more benefits from the occupation of Taiwan than the limited benefits it actually received. Japan realized that its home islands could only support a limited resource base, and it hoped that Taiwan, with its fertile farmlands, would make up the shortage. By 1905, Taiwan was producing rice and sugar and paying for itself with a small surplus. Perhaps more important, Japan gained Asia-wide prestige by being the first non-European country to operate a modern colony. It learned how to adjust its German-based bureaucratic standards to actual conditions, and how to deal with frequent insurrections. The ultimate goal was to promote Japanese language and culture, but the administrators realize they first had to adjust to the Chinese culture of the people. Japan had a civilizing mission, and it opened schools so that the peasants could become productive and patriotic manual workers. Medical facilities were modernized, and the death rate plunged. To maintain order, Japan installed a police state that closely monitored everyone. In 1945, Japan was stripped of its empire in Taiwan was returned to China.[50]
Dividing up China[edit]
British policies[edit]
In Britain the Liberals were not so naive and idealistic as to reject the imperial heritage; many Liberals such as H. H. Asquith became active imperialists. Liberal Party policy around 1880 was shaped by William E. Gladstone as he repeatedly attacked Disraeli's imperialism. On the other hand national interest was always paramount, and the Liberals were quick to seek common ground with the Conservatives in regard to the Berlin Treaty, in which the party lost the moral high ground as a critic of imperialism.
Free trade imperialism[edit]
In 1890-1902 under Salisbury Britain promoted a policy of Splendid isolation with no formal allies.[53]
The Eastern Question[edit]
The "Eastern Question" involved the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire, the rise of nationalism in the Balkans, and the general issue of alliances in Eastern Europe. In the 1870s the "Eastern Question" focused on the mistreatment of Christians in the Balkans by the Ottoman Empire, and what the Christian great powers ought to do about it. Britain, France, and Austria opposed the Treaty of San Stefano (March 1878) because the Ottoman Empire gave to Russia too much influence in the Balkans, where insurrections were frequent. War threatened. After numerous attempts a grand diplomatic settlement was reached at the Congress of Berlin (June–July 1878). The new Treaty of Berlin revised the earlier treaty. Germany's Otto von Bismarck (1815–98) presided over the congress and brokered the compromises.[54] One result was that Austria took control of the provinces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, intending to eventually merge them into the Austro-Hungarian Empire. When they finally tried to do that in 1914, local Serbs assassinated Austria's Archduke and the result was the First World War.[55]
British policies[edit]
British stayed aloof from alliances in the late 19th century, with an independence made possible by its island location, its dominant navy, its dominant position in finance and trade, and its strong industrial base. It rejected tariffs and practiced free trade. After losing power in Britain in 1874, Liberal leader Gladstone returned to center stage in 1876 by calling for a moralistic foreign policy, as opposed to the realism of his great adversary Benjamin Disraeli. The issue drew the party line between Gladstone's Liberals (who denounced the immoral Ottomans) and Disraeli's Conservatives (who downplayed the atrocities and supported the Ottoman Empire as an offset to Russian power). Disraeli had threatened war with Russia on the issue and Gladstone argued he was wrong. Liberal opinion was convulsed by atrocities in the Balkans, in particular the massacre of more than 10,000 Christian Bulgars by Turkish irregulars. Gladstone denounced the Turks as "abominable and bestial lusts ... at which Hell itself might almost blush" and demanded they withdraw from European soil. The pamphlet sold an astonishing 200,000 copies.[56] The climax was his "Midlothian campaign" of 1880 when he charged Disraeli's government with financial incompetency, neglecting domestic legislation, and mismanagement of foreign affairs. Gladstone felt a call from God to aid the Serbians and Bulgarians (who were Eastern Orthodox Christians); he spoke out like some ancient Hebrew prophet denouncing tyranny and oppression. The real audience was not the local electorate but Britain as a whole, especially the evangelical elements. By appealing to vast audiences denouncing Disraeli's pro-Turkish foreign policy, Gladstone made himself a moral force in Europe, unified his party, and was carried back to power.[57]
German policy 1872-1890[edit]
Chancellor Bismarck took full charge of German foreign policy from 1870 to his dismissal in 1890. His goal was a peaceful Europe, based on the balance of power; his policy was a success.[58][59] Germany had the strongest economy on the Continent and the strongest military. He made clear to all that Germany had no wish to add any territory in Europe, and he tried to oppose German colonial expansion. Bismarck feared that a hostile combination of Austria, France and Russia could overwhelm Germany. If two of them were allied, then the third would ally with Germany only if Germany conceded excessive demands. The solution was to ally with two of the three. In 1873 he formed the League of the Three Emperors, an alliance of the kaiser of Germany, the czar of Russia, and the emperor of Austria-Hungary. Together they would control Eastern Europe, making sure that restive ethnic groups such as the Poles were kept in control. The Balkans posed a more serious issue, and Bismarck's solution was to give Austria predominance in the western areas, and Russia in the eastern areas. The system collapsed in 1887. Kaiser Wilhelm ousted Bismarck in 1890 and developed his own aggressive foreign-policy. The Kaiser rejected the Russian alliance, and Russia in turn turned to an alliance with France.[60]
Balkan Wars[edit]
The continuing collapse of the Ottoman Empire led to two wars in the Balkans, in 1912 and 1913, which in turn was a prelude to world war.[61] By 1900 nation states had formed in Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro and Serbia. Nevertheless many of their ethnic compatriots lived under the control of the Ottoman Empire. In 1912, these countries formed the Balkan League. There were three main causes of the First Balkan War. The Ottoman Empire was unable to reform itself, govern satisfactorily, or deal with the rising ethnic nationalism of its diverse peoples. Secondly the Great Powers quarelled amongst themselves and failed to ensure that the Ottomans would carry out the needed reforms. This led the Balkan states to impose their own solution. Most important, the members of the Balkan League were confident that it could defeat the Turks. Their prediction was accurate, as Constantinople called for terms after six weeks of fighting.[62][63]
The First Balkan War broke out when the League attacked the Ottoman Empire on 8 October 1912 and was ended seven months later by the Treaty of London. After five centuries, the Ottoman Empire lost virtually all of its possessions in the Balkans. The Treaty had been imposed by the Great Powers, and the victorious Balkan states were dissatisfied with it. Bulgaria was dissatisfied over the division of the spoils in Macedonia, made in secret by its former allies, Serbia and Greece, and attacked them in order to force them out of Macedonia . The Serbian and Greek armies repulsed the Bulgarian offensive and counter-attacked into Bulgaria, while Romania and the Ottoman Empire also attacked Bulgaria and gained (or regained) territory. In the resulting Treaty of Bucharest, Bulgaria lost most of the territories it had gained in the First Balkan War.
The long-term result was heightened tension in the Balkans. Relations between Austria and Serbia became increasingly bitter. Russia felt humiliated after Austria and Germany prevented it from helping Serbia. Bulgaria and Turkey were also dissatisfied, and eventually joined Austria and Germany in the First World War.[55]
Military alliances leading to World War; Triple Entente in green; Central Powers in brown
Coming of World War[edit]
The main causes of World War I, which broke out unexpectedly in central Europe in summer 1914, included many factors, such as the conflicts and hostility of the four decades leading up to the war. Militarism, alliances, imperialism, and ethnic nationalism played major roles. However the immediate origins of the war lay in the decisions taken by statesmen and generals during the Crisis of 1914, which was sparked by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand (the Archduke of Austria Hungary) by a Serbian terrorist organization, the Black Hand.[64][65]
By the 1870s or 1880s all the major powers were preparing for a large-scale war, although none expected one. Britain focused on building up its Royal Navy, already stronger than the next two navies combines. Germany, France, Austria, Italy and Russia, and some smaller countries, set up conscription systems whereby young men would serve from 1 to three years in the army, then spend the next 20 years or so in the reserves with annual summer training. Men from higher social statuses became officers. Each country devised a mobilisation system whereby the reserves could be called up quickly and sent to key points by rail. Every year the plans were updated and expanded in terms of complexity. Each country stockpiled arms and supplies for an army that ran into the millions. Germany in 1874 had a regular professional army of 420,000 with an additional 1.3 million reserves. By 1897 the regular army was 545,000 strong and the reserves 3.4 million. The French in 1897 had 3.4 million reservists, Austria 2.6 million, and Russia 4.0 million. The various national war plans had been perfected by 1914, albeit with Russia and Austria trailing in effectiveness. All plans called for a decisive opening and a short war.[66]
In an effort to isolate Germany, France went to great pains to woo Russia and Great Britain, first by means of the Franco-Russian Alliance of 1894, then the 1904 Entente Cordiale with Great Britain, and finally the Anglo-Russian Entente in 1907 which became the Triple Entente. This alliance with Britain and Russia against Germany and Austria eventually led Russia and Britain to enter World War I as France's Allies.[69]
British-German naval race[edit]
The British Dreadnaught (1906) made all battleships obsolete because it had ten long-range 12-inch big guns, mechanical computer-like range finders, high speed turbine engines that could make 21 knots, and armour plates 11 inches thick
After 1805 the dominance of Britain's Royal Navy was unchallenged; in the 1890s Germany decided to match it. Grand Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz (1849 – 1930) dominated German naval policy from 1897 until 1916. Before modern Germany formed in 1871, Prussia never had a real navy, nor did the other German states. Tirpitz took Empire's modest and turned it into a world-class force that could threaten the British Royal Navy. The British responded with new technology typified by the Dreadnaught revolution, and remained in the lead.[70]
Tirpitz was thus not strong enough to confront the British in World War I; the one great naval Battle of Jutland failed to end Britain's control of the seas or break the stifling blockade it imposed on Germany. Germany turned to submarine warfare, which antagonized the largest neutral power, the United States.[71]
The Participants in World War I. Those fighting alongside the Triple Entente are in green, the Central Powers in orange, and neutral countries in grey.
The Great War[edit]
The Great War, later called World War I (or First World War in Britain), was a global conflict that lasted from 1914 to 1918. It saw the Central Powers (Germany and Austria-Hungary, later joined by the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria), fighting and defeated by the "Entente" or "Allied" powers, led by Britain, France, (and Russia until 1917), later joined by Italy, and many other countries. The United States, initially neutral, tried to broker a settlement but in April, 1917, it declared war on Germany. The U.S. cooperated with the Allies but did not formally join them, and it negotiated peace separately. The Central Powers collapsed in November, 1918; Germany accepted an "armistice" that in practice was a total surrender.[72]
Paris Peace Conference[edit]
Detail from William Orpen's painting The Signing of Peace in the Hall of Mirrors, Versailles, 28th June 1919, showing the signing of the peace treaty by a minor German official opposite to the representatives of the winning powers.
The world war was settled by the victors at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919. Two dozen nations sent delegations, and there were many nongovernmental groups, but the defeated powers were not invited.[73][74]
The "Big Four" were President Woodrow Wilson of the United States, Prime Minister David Lloyd George of Great Britain, George Clemenceau of France, and, of least importance, Italian Prime Minister Vittorio Orlando. They met together informally 145 times and made all the major decisions, which in turn were ratified by the others.[75]
The major decisions were the creation of the League of Nations; the five peace treaties with defeated enemies (most notably the Treaty of Versailles with Germany); heavy reparations imposed on Germany; the awarding of German and Ottoman overseas possessions as "mandates", chiefly to Britain and France; and the drawing of new national boundaries (sometimes with plebiscites) to better reflect the forces of nationalism. In the "guilt clause" (section 231), the war was blamed on "aggression by Germany and her allies." Germany only paid a small fraction of the reparations before they were suspended in 1931.[76][77]
See also[edit]
1. ^ Heinz Waldner, ed. (1983). The League of Nations in retrospect. Walter De Gruyter. p. 21.
2. ^ Roy Bridge, "Allied Diplomacy in Peacetime: The Failure of the Congress 'System,' 1815-23" in Alan Sked, ed., Europe's Balance of Power, 1815-1848 (1979), pp 34-53.
3. ^ Henry Kissinger, A World Restored: Metternich, Castlereagh and the Problems of Peace, 1812–22 (1957).
4. ^ Boyd Hilton (2006). A Mad, Bad, and Dangerous People? : England 1783-1846. Oxford U.P. pp. 290–93.
7. ^ Orlando Figes, The Crimean War: A History (2010)
8. ^ David Brown, "Palmerston and Anglo–French Relations, 1846–1865," Diplomacy and Statecraft (2006) 17#4 pp 675-692
9. ^ Paul W. Schroeder, The Transformation of European Politics 1763-1848 (1994) pp 647-41
10. ^ A.J.P. Taylor, The Struggle for Mastery in Europe: 1848-1918 (1954) pp 62-82
11. ^ A.J.P. Taylor, "The war that would not boil," History Today (1951) 1#2 pp 23-31.
12. ^ Harold Temperley, "The Treaty of Paris of 1856 and Its Execution," Journal of Modern History (1932) 4#3 pp. 387-414 in JSTOR
13. ^ A.W. Ward, G.P. Gooch (1970). the Cambridge history of British foreign policy 1783-1919. Cambridge U.P,. pp. 390–91.
14. ^ Stephen J. Leem Aspects of European History 1789-1980 (2001) pp 67-74
15. ^ Keith M. Hitchins, The Romanians, 1774-1866 (1996) online
16. ^ Keith Hitchins, Rumania, 1866-1947 (1994) online
19. ^ Taylor, Struggle for Mastery, pp 171-227
21. ^ Martin Collier, Italian Unification 1820-71 (2003)
22. ^ Taylor, Struggle for Mastery pp 99-125
23. ^ E.E.Y. Hales (1954). Pio Nono: A Study in European Politics and Religion in the Nineteenth Century.
24. ^ Lynn Marshall Case and Warren F. Spencer, The United States and France: Civil War Diplomacy (1970)
28. ^ A.J.P. Taylor, Struggle for Mastery of Europe: 1848-1918 pp 171–219
29. ^ J. V. Clardy, "Austrian Foreign Policy During the Schleswig-Holstein Crisis Of 1864: An Exercise in Reactive Planning and Negative Formulations," Diplomacy & Statecraft (1991) 2#2 pp 254-269.
30. ^ Geoffrey Wawro, The Franco-Prussian War (2003) excerpt and text search
31. ^ A.J.P. Taylor, Struggle for Mastery of Europe: 1848-1918 pp 171-219
32. ^ John W. Steinberg and David Wolff, eds. (2005). The Russo-Japanese war in global perspective: World War Zero. Brill. p. 88.
36. ^ Thomas Pakenham, Scramble for Africa: The White Man's Conquest of the Dark Continent from 1876-1912 (1991)
37. ^ T. G. Otte, "From 'War-in-Sight' to Nearly War: Anglo–French Relations in the Age of High Imperialism, 1875–1898," Diplomacy & Statecraft (2006) 17#4 pp 693-714.
39. ^ Robin Hallett, Africa Since 1875: A Modern History, (1974) p. 560.
40. ^ Hallett, Africa to 1875, pp. 560–61
41. ^ R. Mugo Gatheru, Kenya: From Colonization to Independence, 1888–1970 (2005)
42. ^ John M. Mwaruvie, "Kenya's 'Forgotten' Engineer and Colonial Proconsul: Sir Percy Girouard and Departmental Railway Construction in Africa, 1896–1912." Canadian Journal of History 2006 41(1): 1–22.
43. ^ A.R. Disney, A History of Portugal and the Portuguese Empire, Vol. 2: From Beginnings to 1807: the Portuguese empire (2009) excerpt and text search
44. ^ Charles Ralph Boxer, The Portuguese Seaborne Empire, 1415-1825 (1969)
45. ^ H. V. Livermore, A New History of Portugal 1966 pp 299-306
46. ^ Gervase Clarence-Smith, The Third Portuguese Empire, 1825-1975: A Study in Economic Imperialism (1985)
47. ^ Giuseppe Maria Finaldi, Italian National Identity in the Scramble for Africa: Italy's African Wars in the Era of Nation-Building, 1870-1900 (2010)
48. ^ William C. Askew, Europe and Italy's Acquisition of Libya, 1911-1912 (1942) online
49. ^ Jonathan Manthorpe, Forbidden Nation: A History of Taiwan (2008) excerpt and text search, Ch. 10–12
50. ^ Manthorpe, Forbidden Nation: A History of Taiwan (2008) ch 13
54. ^ Taylor, Struggle for Mastery pp 228–54
55. ^ a b Matthew S. Anderson, The Eastern Question, 1774-1923 (1966)
56. ^ Gladstone, Bulgarian Horrors and the Question of the East (1876) online edition Disraeli wisecracked, of all the Bulgarian horrors perhaps the pamphlet was greatest.
57. ^ M. A. Fitzsimons, "Midlothian: the Triumph and Frustration of the British Liberal Party," Review of Politics (1960) 22#2 pp 187–201. in JSTOR
58. ^ William L. Langer, European Alliances and Alignments, 1871-1890 (2nd ed. 1950) p 459
59. ^ Rene Albrecht-Carrie, Diplomatic History of Europe Since the Congress of Vienna (1958) pp145-206
60. ^ Raymond James Sontag, European Diplomatic History: 1871-1932 (1933) pp 3-58
61. ^ Margaret Macmillan, The War That Ended Peace: The Road to 1914 (2013) ch 16
62. ^ Ernst C. Helmreich, The diplomacy of the Balkan wars, 1912-1913 (1938)
63. ^ Richard C. Hall, The Balkan Wars, 1912-1913: Prelude to the First World War (2000) online
64. ^ Henig (2002). The origins of the First World War. London: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-26205-4.
65. ^ Christopher Clark, The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914 (2012) excerpt and text search
66. ^ F. H. Hinsley, ed. The New Cambridge Modern History, Vol. 11: Material Progress and World-Wide Problems, 1870-98 (1962) pp 204-42, esp 214-17
67. ^ Margaret Macmillan, The War That Ended Peace: The Road to 1914 (2013) ch 6
70. ^ Margaret Macmillan, The War That Ended Peace: The Road to 1914 (2013) ch 5
71. ^ Michael Epkenhans, Tirpitz: Architect of the German High Seas Fleet (2008) excerpt and text search, pp 23–56
72. ^ John Horne, ed. A Companion to World War I (2012)
73. ^ Margaret Macmillan, Peacemakers: The Paris Peace Conference of 1919 and Its Attempt to End War (2002)
74. ^ Robert O. Paxton, and Julie Hessler. Europe in the Twentieth Century (2011) pp 141-78 excerpt and text search
75. ^ by Rene Albrecht-Carrie, Diplomatic History of Europe Since the Congress of Vienna (1958) p 363
76. ^ Sally Marks, The Illusion of Peace: International Relations in Europe 1918-1933 (2nd ed. 2003)
77. ^ Zara Steiner, The Lights that Failed: European International History 1919-1933 (2007)
Further reading[edit]
• New Cambridge Modern History (13 vol 1957-79), old but thorough coverage, mostly of Europe; strong on diplomacy
• Bury, J. P. T. ed. The New Cambridge Modern History: Vol. 10: the Zenith of European Power, 1830-70 (1964)
• Crawley, C. W., ed. The New Cambridge Modern History Volume IX War and Peace In An Age of Upheaval 1793-1830 (1964)
• H. C. Darby and H. Fullard The New Cambridge Modern History, Vol. 14: Atlas (1972)
• Hinsley, F.H., ed. The New Cambridge Modern History, vol. 11, Material Progress and World-Wide Problems 1870-1898 (1979)
• Mowat, C. L., ed. The New Cambridge Modern History, Vol. 12: The Shifting Balance of World Forces, 1898-1945 (1968)
• Albrecht-Carrié, René. A Diplomatic History of Europe Since the Congress of Vienna (1958), 736pp; basic survey
• Anderson, Frank Maloy, and Amos Shartle Hershey, eds. Handbook for the Diplomatic History of Europe, Asia, and Africa, 1870-1914 (1918), highly detailed summary prepared for use by the American delegation to the Paris peace conference of 1919. full text
• Bartlett, C. J. Peace, War and the European Powers, 1814-1914 (1996) brief overview 216pp
• Black, Jeremy. A History of Diplomacy (2010)
• Figes, Orlando. The Crimean War: A History (2011) excerpt and text search
• Gildea, Robert. Barricades and Borders: Europe 1800-1914 (Short Oxford History of the Modern World) (3rd ed. 2003) 544 pp excerpt and text search; online 2nd ed, 1996
• Kennedy, Paul. The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers Economic Change and Military Conflict From 1500-2000 (1987), stress on economic and military factors
• Kissinger, Henry. Diplomacy (1995), 940pp; not a memoir but an interpretive history of international diplomacy since the late 18th century
• Langer, William. An Encyclopedia of World History (5th ed. 1973); highly detailed outline of events
• Langer, William. European Alliances and Alignments 1870-1890 (1950); advanced history
• Langer, William. The Diplomacy of Imperialism 1890-1902 (1950); advanced history
• Rich, Norman. Great Power Diplomacy: 1814-1914 (1991), comprehensive survey
• Schroeder, Paul W. The Transformation of European Politics 1763-1848 (1994) 920pp; advanced history and analysis of major diplomacy online
• Seaman, L.C.B. From Vienna to Versailles (1955) 216pp; brief overview of diplomatic history online
• Sontag, Raymond. European Diplomatic History: 1871-1932 (1933), basic short summary
• Taylor, A.J.P. The Struggle for Mastery in Europe 1848–1918 (1954) 638pp; advanced history and analysis of major diplomacy
1909 cartoon in Puck shows (clockwise) US, Germany, Britain, France and Japan engaged in naval race in a "no limit" game.
Coming of World War I[edit]
• Clark, Christopher. The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914 (2013) excerpt and text search
• Horne, John, ed. A Companion to World War I (2012) 38 topics essays by scholars
• Kennedy, Paul M., ed. The War Plans of the Great Powers, 1880-1914 (1979)
• MacMillan, Margaret. The War That Ended Peace: The Road to 1914 (2013)
• Neiberg, Michael S. Dance of the Furies: Europe and the Outbreak of World War I (2011), on public opinion
Primary sources on coming of the war[edit]
• Collins, Ross F. World War I: Primary Documents on Events from 1914 to 1919 (2007) excerpt and text search
• Mombauer, Annika. The Origins of the First World War: Diplomatic and Military Documents (2013), 592pp;
• Aldrich, Robert. Greater France: A History of French Overseas Expansion (1996)
• Baumgart, W. Imperialism: The Idea and Reality of British and French Colonial Expansion 1880-1914 (1982)
• Betts, Raymond F. Europe Overseas: Phases of Imperialism (1968) online 206pp; basic survey
• Cady, John Frank. The Roots Of French Imperialism In Eastern Asia (1967)
• Conklin, Alice L. A Mission to Civilize: The Republican Idea of Empire in France and West Africa, 1895-1930 (1997) online
• Hodge, Carl Cavanagh. Encyclopedia of the Age of Imperialism, 1800-1914 (2 vol., 2007)
• Manning, Patrick. Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa, 1880-1995 (1998) online
• Pakenham, Thomas. The Scramble for Africa: White Man's Conquest of the Dark Continent from 1876-1912 (1992)
• Stuchtey, Benedikt, ed. Colonialism and Imperialism, 1450-1950, European History Online, Mainz: Institute of European History, 2011
• Bartlett, C.J. Defence and Diplomacy: Britain and the Great Powers 1815-1914 (1993) brief survey, 160pp
• Bourne, Kenneth. Foreign Policy of Victorian England, 1830-1902 (1970)
• Cain, P.J. and Hopkins, A.G. "The Political Economy of British Expansion Overseas 1750-1914", Economic History Review, (1980) 33#4 pp 463–90. in JSTOR
• Chamberlain, Muriel E. Pax Britannica?: British Foreign Policy 1789-1914 (1989)
• Gallagher, John and Robinson, Ronald. "The Imperialism of Free Trade", Economic History Review (1953) 6#1 pp 1–15.
• Goodlad, Graham D. British Foreign and Imperial Policy 1865-1919 (1999) excerpt and text search
• Hyam, Ronald. Britain's Imperial Century 1815-1914: A Study of Empire and Expansion (3rd ed. 2002) excerpt and text search
• Lowe, C.J. The reluctant imperialists: British foreign policy, 1878-1902 (1969) 257pp plus 150 pp of documents
• Lowe, C.J. and Michael L. Dockrill. Mirage of Power: 1902-14 v. 1: British Foreign Policy (1972); Mirage of Power: 1914-22 v. 2: British Foreign Policy (1972); Mirage of Power: The Documents v. 3: British Foreign Policy (1972); vol 1-2 are text, vol 3 = primary sources
• Lowe, John. Britain and Foreign Affairs 1815-1885: Europe and Overseas (1998) excerpt and text search
• Mulligan, William, and Brendan Simms, eds. The Primacy of Foreign Policy in British History, 1660-2000(Palgrave Macmillan; 2011) 345 pages
• Ward, A.W. and G.P. Gooch, eds. The Cambridge History of British Foreign Policy, 1783-1919 (3 vol, 1921–23), old classic; vol 2 and 3 cover 1815 to 1914
• Webster, Charles. The Foreign Policy of Palmerston (1951) online edition; covers 1830-1865
• Weigall, David. Britain and the World, 1815-1986: A Dictionary of International relations (1989)
Primary sources for Britain[edit]
• Wiener, Joel H. ed. Great Britain: Foreign Policy and the Span of Empire, 1689-1971: A Documentary History (4 vol 1972) vol 1 online; vol 2 online; vol 3; vol 4 4 vol. 3400 pages
• Eyck, Erich. Bismarck and the German Empire (1964) excerpt and text search
• Kennedy, Paul. The Rise of the Anglo-German Antagonism 1860–1914 (1980) excerpt and text search
• Padfield, Peter. The Great Naval Race: Anglo-German Naval Rivalry 1900-1914 (2005)
• Scheck, Raffael. “Lecture Notes, Germany and Europe, 1871–1945” (2008) full text online, a brief textbook by a leading scholar
• Steinberg, Jonathan. Bismarck: A Life (2011), most recent scholarly biography
• Stürmer, Michael. 'Bismarck in Perspective," Central European History (1971) 4#4 pp. 291–331 in JSTOR
• Jelavich, Barbara. A Century of Russian Foreign Policy 1814-1914 (1964)
• McMeekin, Sean. The Russian Origins of the First World War (2011) excerpt and text search
• Ragsdale, Hugh, and Valeri Nikolaevich Ponomarev eds. Imperial Russian Foreign Policy (Woodrow Wilson Center Press, 1993) excerpt and text search
• Reynolds, Michael. Shattering Empires: The Clash and Collapse of the Ottoman and Russian Empires, 1908-1918
• Seton-Watson, Hugh. The Decline Of Imperial Russia, 1855-1914 (1958)
• Seton-Watson, Hugh. The Russian Empire 1801-1917 (1967) excerpt and text search
United States[edit]
• Beisner, Robert L. ed, American Foreign Relations since 1600: A Guide to the Literature (2003), 2 vol. 16,300 annotated entries evaluate every major book and scholarly article.
• Brune, Lester H. Chronological History of U.S. Foreign Relations (2003), 1400 pages
• Burns, Richard Dean, ed. Guide to American Foreign Relations since 1700 (1983) highly detailed annotated bibliography
• Deconde, Alexander, et al. eds. Encyclopedia of American Foreign Policy 3 vol (2001), 2200 pages; 120 long articles by specialists.
• DeConde, Alexander; A History of American Foreign Policy (1963) online edition; university textbook
• Findling, John, ed. Dictionary of American Diplomatic History 2nd ed. 1989. 700pp; 1200 short articles.
• Herring, George. From Colony to Superpower: U.S. Foreign Relations since 1776 (Oxford History of the United States) (2008), 1056pp, general survey
• Hogan, Michael J. ed. Paths to Power: The Historiography of American Foreign Relations to 1941 (2000) essays on main topics
• Lafeber, Walter. The American Age: United States Foreign Policy at Home and Abroad, 1750 to Present (2nd ed 1994) university textbook; 884pp online edition
• Paterson, Thomas, et al. American Foreign Relations: A History (7th ed. 2 vol. 2009), university textbook
• Akagi, Roy Hidemichi. Japan's Foreign Relations 1542-1936: A Short History (1979)
• Beasley, William G. Japanese Imperialism, 1894–1945 (Oxford UP, 1987)
• Bosworth, Richard. Italy: The Least of the Great Powers: Italian Foreign Policy Before the First World War (1979)
• Bridge, F.R. From Sadowa to Sarajevo: The Foreign Policy of Austria-Hungary 1866-1914 (1972)
• Hale, William. Turkish Foreign Policy, 1774-2000. (2000). 375 pp.
• Hsü, Immanuel C.Y. China's Entrance into the Family of Nations: The Diplomatic Phase, 1858–1880 (1960),
Primary sources[edit]
• Cooke, W. Henry, and Edith P. Stickney, eds. Readings in European International Relations Since 1879 (1931) 1060pp | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_relations_(1814%e2%80%931919) | dclm-gs1-276870002 | false | false | {
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0.02665 | <urn:uuid:11113c6a-f551-4814-9047-83e8a07567f0> | en | 0.901681 | Hans Pirkner
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Johann Pirkner)
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Hans Pirkner
Personal information
Full name Johann Pirkner
Date of birth (1946-03-25) 25 March 1946 (age 67)
Place of birth Vienna, Austria
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position Striker
Youth career
SC Simmering
Floridsdorfer AC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1966–1967 Admira Energie
1967–1968 Austria Klagenfurt
1968–1969 Admira Energie
1969–1971 Schalke 04 47 (8)
1971–1974 Alpine Donawitz 52 (31)
1974–1978 Austria Wien 128 (62)
1978–1980 First Vienna FC 49 (11)
National team
1969–1978 Austria 20 (4)
† Appearances (Goals).
Johann "Hans" Pirkner (born 25 March 1946 in Vienna) is a former Austrian football forward.
Club career[edit]
Pirkner played for several clubs, including Schalke 04 (1969–1971), Austria Wien (1974–1978) and First Vienna FC. When at Schalke, he was fined for two years due to his involvement in the 1971 Bundesliga scandal. The ban was however lifted by the ÖFB after a year. He ended his professional career after the 1978 World Cup Finals.
International career[edit]
He made his debut for Austria in September 1969 against West Germany and was a participant at the 1978 FIFA World Cup,[1] where he was the oldest squad member.[2] He earned 20 caps, scoring four goals.
1. ^ Hans PirknerFIFA competition record
2. ^ "Austria's World Cup squad 1978". Planet World Cup. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
3. ^ "Österreichs Torschützenkönige". www.oberliga-a.at. Retrieved 14 August 2008. [dead link]
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0.030512 | <urn:uuid:0bc5ba3e-c21e-4b8a-9060-23b7df629984> | en | 0.955071 | Lake Henry Township, Stearns County, Minnesota
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Lake Henry Township, Minnesota
Lake Henry Township, Stearns County, Minnesota is located in Minnesota
Lake Henry Township, Minnesota
Location within the state of Minnesota
Coordinates: 45°27′49″N 94°49′58″W / 45.46361°N 94.83278°W / 45.46361; -94.83278Coordinates: 45°27′49″N 94°49′58″W / 45.46361°N 94.83278°W / 45.46361; -94.83278
Country United States
State Minnesota
County Stearns
• Total 35.6 sq mi (92.1 km2)
• Land 35.5 sq mi (91.8 km2)
• Water 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2)
Elevation 1,283 ft (391 m)
Population (2010)
• Total 278
• Density 7.8/sq mi (3.0/km2)
Time zone Central (CST) (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
FIPS code 27-34496[1]
GNIS feature ID 0664681[2]
Lake Henry Township is a township in Stearns County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 278 at the 2010 census.[3]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 35.6 square miles (92 km2); 35.5 square miles (92 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2), or 0.31%, is water.
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 330 people, 101 households, and 83 families residing in the township. The population density was 9.3 people per square mile (3.6/km²). There were 103 housing units at an average density of 2.9/sq mi (1.1/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 100.00% White.
There were 101 households out of which 38.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 76.2% were married couples living together, 1.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.8% were non-families. 14.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.27 and the average family size was 3.67.
In the township the population was spread out with 31.8% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 7.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 121.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 134.4 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $42,188, and the median income for a family was $47,500. Males had a median income of $29,250 versus $21,250 for females. The per capita income for the township was $15,036. About 6.4% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over. | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Henry_Township,_Stearns_County,_Minnesota | dclm-gs1-276910002 | false | false | {
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0.021482 | <urn:uuid:1218996f-fd2d-46b5-bf21-6a63d59a4cee> | en | 0.95016 | New Soviet man
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The New Soviet man or New Soviet person (Russian: новый советский человек novy sovetsky chelovek), as postulated by the ideologists of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, was an archetype of a person with certain qualities that were said to be emerging as dominant among all citizens of the Soviet Union, irrespective of the country's cultural, ethnic, and linguistic diversity, creating a single Soviet people, Soviet nation.[1]
From the early times, ideologists of Communism have postulated that within the new society of pure communism and the social conditions therein, a New Man and New Woman would develop with qualities reflecting surrounding circumstances of post-scarcity and unprecedented scientific development.[2] For example, Leon Trotsky wrote in Literature and Revolution about the "Communist man", "man of the future":[3]
As Wilhelm Reich wrote: "Will the new socio-economic system reproduce itself in the structure of the people's character? If so, how? Will his traits be inherited by his children? Will he be a free, self-regulating personality? Will the elements of freedom incorporated into the structure of the personality make any authoritarian forms of government unnecessary?"[4]
Author and philosopher Bernard Byhovsky, Ph.D. writes: "The new man is endowed, first of all, with a new ethical outlook." [5]
The three major changes postulated to be indispensable for the building of the communist society were economical and political changes, accompanied with the changes in the human personality.[citation needed]
The New Man[edit]
The Soviet man was to be selfless, learned, healthy and enthusiastic in spreading the socialist Revolution. Adherence to Marxism-Leninism, and individual behavior consistent with that philosophy's prescriptions, were among the crucial traits expected of the New Soviet man. This required intellectualism and hard discipline.[6] He was not driven by crude impulses of nature but by conscious self-mastery – a belief that required the rejection of both innate personality and the unconscious, which Soviet psychologists did therefore reject.[7]
He treated public property with respect, as if it were his own.[8] He also has lost any nationalist sentiments, being Soviet rather than Russian, or Ukrainian, or any of the many other nationalities found in the USSR.[9]
His work required exertion and austerity, to show the new man triumphing over his base instincts.[10] Alexey Stakhanov's record-breaking day in mining coal caused him to be set forth as the exemplar of the "new man" and the members of Stakhanovite movements tried to become Stakhanovites.[11] Literature filled with "positive heroes" that were frequently extremely tedious.[12]
Worker and Kolkhoz Woman commemorated in a stamp
This could also be a new woman; Pravda described the Soviet woman as someone who had and could never have existed before.[13] Female Stakhanovites were rarer than male, but a quarter of all trade-union women were designated as "norm-breaking."[14] For the Paris World Fair, Vera Mukhina depicted a momentual sculpture, Worker and Kolkhoz Woman, dressed in work clothing, pressing forward with his hammer and her sickle crossed.[14]
Aleksandr Zinovyev put forth the satiric argument that a new kind of person was indeed created by the Soviet system, but held that this new man - which they call Homo Sovieticus - was in many ways the opposite of the ideal of the New Soviet man.[15]
Among the major traits of a new Soviet man was selfless collectivism. The selfless new man was willing to sacrifice his life for good causes.[16]
This trait was glorified from the first Soviet days, as exemplified by lines from the poem Vladimir Ilyich Lenin by the Soviet poet Vladimir Mayakovsky:
Who needs a "1"?
The voice of a "1"
is thinner than a squeak.
Who will hear it?
Only the wife...
A "1" is nonsense.
A "1" is zero.
Fictional characters and presentations of contemporary celebrities embodying this model were prominent features of Soviet cultural life, especially at times when fostering the concept of the New Soviet man was given special priority by the government.
Pro-natalist policies encouraging women to have many children were justified by the selfishness inherent in limiting the next generation of "new men."[17]
Psychological consequences[edit]
Igor Kon has studied the psychology of "Soviet man" (or "Sovki" (scoops, in Russian), as the Soviet people used to semi-jokingly call themselves sometimes) extensively.
One of his most important insights is that the "negative selection", including various types of visibly oppressive treatment of those whose thinking doesn't fit the "party line" leads to development of "acquired helplessness syndrome".[18]
According to Kon,
"The lack of individual responsibility is a product of decades of living under limited freedom. People get used to oppression. This has always happened with totalitarian regimes. I remember, I was greatly surprised to meet people with a similar mentality in East Germany, a country that has always been very different from Russia. This happened during the unification of the East and West Germany. I saw fright in the eyes of the East Germans, the same reaction as I see here in Russia – people do not know what to do. There is a psychological term for this – the acquired helplessness syndrome. The syndrome is usually manifested in social pessimism and lack of self-confidence. The acquired helplessness syndrome is the main feature of Soviet mentality and unfortunately it is prevalent among senior citizens."
New Soviet Woman[edit]
What the October Revolution gave to the female worker and peasant. 1920 Soviet propaganda poster. The inscriptions on the buildings read "library", "kindergarten", "school for grown-ups", etc.
In the 1920s and into the Stalinist era the concept of the “New Soviet Woman” served alongside that of the “New Soviet Man.” Her roles were vastly different than that of her male counterpart; she was burdened with a complex identity that changed with ideology shifts in the party doctrine toward more conservative notions of the role of the family and the mother in the Soviet system. The New Soviet Woman was a Superwoman who balanced competing responsibilities and took on the burden of multiple roles — Communist citizen, full-time worker, wife and mother.[19]
The New Soviet Person was generally characterized as male. In propaganda centered on the New Soviet Person, it was standard for men to be depicted as the primary actors, either battling opponents of the Marxist revolution or rebuilding the world. Women, on the other hand, were often portrayed as “backward,” passive beneficiaries of the revolution rather than its securers. This was so not least because the proletarian movement was organized and fought by the working class, which by and large consisted of men.[citation needed] Thus, propaganda often equated male domination with proletariat domination. Although the party leadership claimed the sexes enjoyed equal status under the law, not an insignificant accomplishment in itself, men remained the measure of worth.[20]
This marginalization of women in the newly developing civil order made it difficult for women to find a place among the proletarian class for which the revolution was fought. Due to regulations during the NEP period on the extent to which women could work in dangerous conditions, how many hours they could work in a shift and the kinds of special care they received during maternity, many factory owners reluctantly hired women, despite the Commissariat of Labor’s requirements that women be given equal access to employment.[21]
There were gains made in combating illiteracy and promoting education for women during the 1920s. Soviet policy encouraged working-class women to attend school and develop vocational skills. There even existed opportunities for women to participate in politics, become party members and vie for elected and administrative positions. Access to the political sphere, however, was extremely limited.
Joseph Stalin’s policies on women were more conservative than that of his predecessor Lenin. Because he was concerned with a declining population rate, Stalin de-emphasized the Marxist feminist view of women in society, which necessitated the emancipation of the woman from the shackles of her doubly binding oppression, patriarchy and capitalism. In keeping with the party line, Stalin reasserted the importance of women in the workforce and female education, primarily literacy, although he began to emphasize the role of mother in a way that differed from more radical notions of the early 1920s. The “withering away” of the family was no longer a goal of economic and political progress. The new party line was that the family, like the state, was to grow stronger with the full realization of socialism. Massive propaganda campaigns linked the joys of motherhood with the benefits of Soviet power.[22] Soviet ideology began to argue that women’s public roles were compatible with her roles as wife and mother. In fact, that the two reinforced one another and were both necessary for real womanhood.[23]
The New Soviet Woman differed greatly from the conceptions of revolutionaries preceding the 1930s. Instead of being freed from domestic concerns, she was bound to them. Though she now filled the role of man’s peer in the workplace, she was also obligated to devote herself to being his helpmate in the home.[19] One of the primary roles of the New Soviet Woman was that of mother. This role became of great importance in the wake of population decline beginning in the 1920s. War and revolution had decimated the population. Legislation legalizing abortions and the increasing use of contraception—though still not that widespread—in the 1920s also contributed to the lower population numbers as women began to work more and give birth less. As a means to combat that trend, propaganda placed a new emphasis on the female’s role as the perpetuator of the Communist regime in their ability to produce the next class of healthy workers, a policy called pronatalism. Propaganda postured pronatalism, a means to encourage women to bear children, differently to urban working-class women than to rural peasant women. Propaganda designed for an urban audience linked healthy female sexuality with reproduction while medical information to peasant women positioned conception as the purpose of sexual intercourse.[24]
The new ideal Soviet woman appealed to many Soviet women. Many had found Marxist feminism difficult to swallow and preferred their traditional female roles.[25] Although these women drew satisfaction from their role as mothers, they appreciated the opportunity afforded them by the Communist ideology to dismantle the oppression that often went hand-in-hand with domestic life. With husbands that often beat, abused, and abandoned them and a society and government that looked down on them as intellectually and ideologically inferior prior to the Stalinist era, many women welcomed the ability to cast aside the stigma that came with their role as mother while retaining the status as an equal participant in society.
During the 1920s and into the Stalinist era, Soviet policy forced women to curtail their professional aspirations in order to fulfill their dual role as worker and housewife. Competing requirements of family life limited female occupational mobility. Women managed the role strain experienced during the Stalinist era either by either a restriction of professional aspirations or by limiting family size. Despite pitfalls, unprecedented opportunities were available to lower-class women during this time. Women now had a voice in debates and the Zhenotdel, the women’s section of the Central Committee from 1919–1930, made strides during its operation to increase political, social and economic agency of Soviet women.[26]
See also[edit]
1. ^ Nikolay Ustryalov, From NEP to Soviet Socialism (1934) (text online) (Russian)[page needed]
2. ^ "The origin of Russian communism" by Nicolas Berdyaev, p. 182
3. ^ "Ch. 8 ''Revolutionary and Socialist Art"". 2007-01-06. Retrieved 2012-08-18.
4. ^ Wilhelm Reich, The Mass Psychology of Fascism, Chapter 8, Masses and the State[page needed]
5. ^ Bernard Bykhovsky, The New Man in the Making (Moscow: Novosti Press Agency Publishing House)[page needed]
6. ^ B. R. Myers, The Cleanest Race, p 81 ISBN 9781933633916
7. ^ Richard Overy, The Dictators: Hitler's Germany, Stalin's Russia, p258 ISBN 0-393-02030-4
8. ^ "1917-1987: Unsuccessful and Tragic Attempt to Create a “New Man”"
9. ^ "Glossary -- Soviet Union"
10. ^ B. R. Myers, The Cleanest Race, p 86 ISBN 9781933633916
11. ^ Richard Overy, The Dictators: Hitler's Germany, Stalin's Russia, p258-9 ISBN 0-393-02030-4
12. ^ R. H. Stacy, Russian Literary Criticism p224 ISBN 0-8156-0108-5
13. ^ Richard Overy, The Dictators: Hitler's Germany, Stalin's Russia, p259 ISBN 0-393-02030-4
14. ^ a b Richard Overy, The Dictators: Hitler's Germany, Stalin's Russia, p260 ISBN 0-393-02030-4
15. ^ "Soviet-era satirist Zinovyev dies". BBC News. 2006-05-10.
16. ^ Richard Overy, The Dictators: Hitler's Germany, Stalin's Russia, p301 ISBN 0-393-02030-4
17. ^ Richard Overy, The Dictators: Hitler's Germany, Stalin's Russia, p257 ISBN 0-393-02030-4
18. ^ Alexander Astafyev (2000-04-03). "Promoting Russia's new psychology". The Russia Journal. Retrieved 2012-08-18.
19. ^ a b Barbara Evans Clements, Daughters of the Revolution: A History of Women in the U.S.S.R. (Illinois: Harlan Davidson, Inc., 1994), 73.
20. ^ Barbara Alpern Engel, Women in Russia: 1700-2000 (Cambridge University Press, 2004), 150.
21. ^ Barbara Alpern Engel, Women in Russia: 1700-2000 (Cambridge University Press, 2004), 153.
22. ^ Gail Warshofsky Lapidus, Women in Soviety Society: Equality, Development, and Social Change (University of California Press, 1978), 112.
24. ^ Barbara Alpern Engel, Women in Russia: 1700-2000 (Cambridge University Press, 2004), 161.
25. ^ Barbara Evans Clements, Daughters of the Revolution: A History of Women in the U.S.S.R. (Illinois: Harlan Davidson, Inc., 1994), 74.
26. ^ Barbara Alpern Engel, Women in Russia: 1700-2000 (Cambridge University Press, 2004), 165.
Further reading[edit]
• Kheveshi M. An Explanatory Dictionary of the Ideological and Political Terms of the Soviet Period (Хевеши М.А. Толковый словарь идеологических и политических терминов советского периода.) Moscow, Mezhdunarodnye otnosheniya (2002) ISBN 5-7133-1147-3 (Russian)
• Herschel and Edith Alt, The New Soviet Man. His Upbringing and Character Development, New York: Bookman Associates, Inc., 1964 (from a review: "The aim of the Alts' study was to portray the impact upon the character of the individual of the entire Soviet system, of which child rearing and education are a part.") | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Soviet_man | dclm-gs1-276950002 | false | false | {
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0.026233 | <urn:uuid:872664b3-5449-4515-b985-d036b96da886> | en | 0.968363 | Oldsmar, Florida
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Oldsmar, Florida
Aerial view of Oldsmar from the east
Motto: Where Business Meets Prosperity
Location in Pinellas County and the state of Florida
Coordinates: 28°2′31″N 82°40′35″W / 28.04194°N 82.67639°W / 28.04194; -82.67639Coordinates: 28°2′31″N 82°40′35″W / 28.04194°N 82.67639°W / 28.04194; -82.67639
Country United States
State Florida
County Pinellas
• Total 10 sq mi (25 km2)
• Land 8.7 sq mi (22.5 km2)
• Water 1.0 sq mi (2.5 km2)
Elevation 7 ft (2 m)
Population (2010)
• Total 13,591
• Density 1,400/sq mi (540/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 34677
Area code(s) 813
FIPS code 12-51350[1]
GNIS feature ID 0288131[2]
Website www.myoldsmar.com
Oldsmar is a rural city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The population was 13,591 at the 2010 census.[3]
Oldsmar's history dates to 1913 when automobile pioneer Ransom E. Olds purchased 37,541 acres (151.92 km2) of land by the northern part of Tampa Bay to establish "R. E. Olds-on-the-Bay". The name was later changed to Oldsmar, then to "Tampa Shores" in 1927, and finally back to Oldsmar in 1937. Ransom Olds named some of the original streets himself, such as Gim Gong Road. Currently Oldsmar's downtown is being developed which its promoters hope will bring back the "old Florida" feel to the city. Oldsmar celebrates its history every year with Oldsmar Days and Nights, where residents and visitors take part in parades, car shows (featuring the Oldsmobile) and carnival rides.
Notable Oldsmar businesses include the nearby Tampa Bay Downs, the production office of Nielsen Media Research, and Children's Charity Kids Wish Network.
Oldsmar is located at 28°02′31″N 82°40′35″W / 28.042061°N 82.676350°W / 28.042061; -82.676350.[4]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.7 square miles (25.0 km2). 8.7 square miles (22.5 km2) of it is land, and 0.97 square miles (2.5 km2) of it (9.83%) is water.[5]
There were only a handful of settlers in the area in 1913 when Ransom Eli Olds decided to purchase 37,541 acres (151.92 km2) on the northern tip of Tampa Bay from Richard Peters in what is the present-day Oldsmar. At the age of 52, the inventor of the Oldsmobile and REO cars embarked on a grand undertaking, turning the untamed land in northern Tampa Bay into a bustling community. He paid $400,000 for the land: $200,000 in cash, $75,000 in bonds and a $125,000 apartment house in Daytona Beach. The town was originally named R. E. Olds-on-the-Bay. The name was later changed to Oldsmar. In 1927 the name was changed again to Tampa Shores, and finally in 1937 it was changed back to Oldsmar.
The early settlers had to contend with water from cisterns and individual wells. Cheesecloth was used to sieve the mosquito larvae out of the water. The city built a water tower in the 1920s, and water was pumped into it every morning; sulfur water flowed from the taps. Somehow a faucet with St. Petersburg water was installed by the railroad tracks, and everyone brought jugs to fill for drinking water. The nearest stores were in Tarpon Springs and Dunedin.
Strategically situated between Tampa and St. Petersburg, Oldsmar was ripe for development. The long bridges across the bay had not yet been built, and the shortest way from Tampa to St. Petersburg was through Oldsmar. Olds designed a community for working people rather than for the wealthy. He used engineers and surveyors from Boston to design a well-platted community, modeled after Washington, D.C., with tree-lined boulevards leading from the bay to downtown. A power plant that served parts of Safety Harbor, Dunedin, and Clearwater was constructed. The streets were paved with oyster shells obtained nearby. R. E. Olds named many streets himself. Woodward, Jefferson, and Congress reminded him of Detroit. Olds named Gim Gong Road after a Chinese American horticulturist from DeLand, Florida. Gim Gong was working on developing frost-resistant citrus crops. The streets of Oldsmar were unusually wide, and more than 20 miles (32 km) of sidewalk were installed. Over the years much of the sidewalk was buried under a layer of sand.
Advertisements glorifying the virtues of Oldsmar were placed in the Detroit papers. He used the slogan "Oldsmar for Health, Wealth and Happiness". He tried to entice Northern companies to move their businesses to Oldsmar by offering cheap labor. Olds spent $100,000 drilling the infamous oil well that yielded water, not oil. It has been said that oil was poured into the well each morning to make it look like they had struck black gold. The oil well is now capped and sits on the grounds of the Tampa Bay Downs racetrack. (There were three other oil wells in Florida, one in Sarasota and two in the Panhandle, but none of them possessed the technology to drill through the Florida aquifer).
Special excursion trains ran from Detroit. The first regularly scheduled commercial passenger flight in the United States began operation in 1914 between Tampa and St. Petersburg. A yacht serving liquor from the islands would bring prospective home owners over from St. Petersburg. A 60-room hotel, the Wayside Inn, was constructed in 1921. It was a lively place catering to tourists. The bottom floor housed a grocery store, drug store and a hardware store. R. E. Olds encouraged workers in his Michigan plant to move to Florida. Olds built primitive shacks without proper sanitary facilities for his employees. R. E. Olds was not a particularly well-liked man.
The first library in Oldsmar was started by the Woman's Club in 1919. In 1977 the Oldsmar Library was donated to the city and moved from the Woman's Club building to State Street in the City Hall Annex. At this time the Friends of the Library was established to help promote the library. The first school in town was located in a church at the intersection of Buckingham and Jefferson avenues. Another early school had one room for first, second, third and fourth grades, a second room for sixth, seventh and eighth grades, and high school was in the hall. The post office was downtown in the middle of an animal display park featuring alligators. During the 1921 hurricane, all the alligators escaped.
Original plans for Oldsmar included a golf course and a luxurious hotel on the bay, but neither ever materialized. A sawmill and foundry that made cast-iron engines for tractors and grove heaters became established. The mill produced the Olds Chair (also called the Oldsmar Chair), a sturdy chair made out of either yellow pine or cypress. The Olds Chair was similar to the Adirondack chair, and it was sold throughout the United States.
Olds provided financial backing for Kardell Tractor and Truck Company to move into town. Renamed Oldsmar Tractor Co., Olds was hoping they could devise a machine to cut through the palmetto roots. Building roads and clearing land was frustrating and expensive in Florida. The palmetto roots were impervious to bulldozers and other northern machines.
Oldsmar had dairy farms and farms of peppers, tomatoes, corn, gladioli and grapes. In the early days, it was not uncommon for cattle and hogs to run loose through town. A huge banana plantation was established on the bay, but the winters were too harsh for it to flourish for long. The waters at the northern end of the bay were clean during the 1920s and '30s. Fishing, oystering and crabbing were wonderful. Townspeople could take their catch to the Rex Cafe to be cooked. Big fish fries and dances were a weekly event.
A casino was constructed by the bay, and busloads of people from Tampa and Pinellas County would flock to the Oldsmar Casino to spend the weekend. The Oldsmar pier stretched out a thousand feet into Tampa Bay, and during Prohibition, boats loaded with coconuts would arrive at the end of the pier with bottles of rum hidden in with the coconuts. The pier was so sturdy and wide that two cars could drive side by side all the way to the end to pick up cargo. The Oldsmar Casino later changed its name to the Two Bits Club.
Oldsmar sits like a plateau where the land elevation never rises higher than 20 feet (6.1 m) above sea level. In 1921, the town was hit by a devastating hurricane. Large pine trees were uprooted and most of the town flooded by water levels 14 feet (4.3 m) above normal. Some of the oldest homes built in Oldsmar remain on Park Boulevard. Many homes still standing after the hurricane were moved by barge to St. Petersburg during the 1920s and 1930s.
Olds had over 4.5 million dollars invested in the community in 1923. When he realized Oldsmar was not growing as he had anticipated, he started liquidating his assets. He started selling the unplatted parcels of land. The racetrack was nearly completed when he traded it for the Fort Harrison Hotel in Clearwater. The rest of the land was traded for the Belerive Hotel in Kansas. Ransom E. Olds left the town of Oldsmar after suffering a financial loss of nearly $3,000,000. Olds envisioned a city of 100,000. The population of Oldsmar was only about 200 when he left.
Harry A. Prettyman, a St. Louis promoter, and his associates continued to sell lots in town after Olds left. Prettyman staged promotional gimmicks like Gold Rushes where pieces of gold were buried on a vacant lot and everyone got to dig for it. In 1927 Prettyman was caught selling underwater lots. To avoid scandal, the town of Oldsmar was renamed Tampa Shores. It wasn't until 1935 that the last of the property owned by R. E. Olds was finally sold.
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 11,910 people, 4,536 households, and 3,329 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,335.9 inhabitants per square mile (515.5/km²). There were 4,839 housing units at an average density of 542.8 per square mile (209.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 90.44% White, 2.96% African American, 0.29% Native American, 2.80% Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 1.29% from other races, and 2.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.67% of the population.
There were 4,536 households out of which 37.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.9% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.6% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.6% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 35.2% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $50,354, and the median income for a family was $53,142. Males had a median income of $37,083 versus $30,329 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,671. About 2.8% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.6% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.
Oldsmar hosts an office of Nielsen Media Research. Most of the employees of Nielsen Media Research work in Oldsmar, and the company's media measurement work originates from the office. The Associated Press said that the Oldsmar building, with a cost figure of $80 million, was "its so-called nerve center." In 2003 the company moved into its Oldsmar complex and consolidated its employees there, with workers from Dunedin and other areas in Pinellas County moving into the Oldsmar building.[6]
Pinellas County Schools operates public schools.
3. ^ "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (DP-1): Oldsmar city, Florida". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
5. ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Oldsmar city, Florida". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
6. ^ "Univision sues over Nielsen's meters." Associated Press at the St. Petersburg Times. June 11, 2004. Retrieved on August 28, 2011.
(Excerpted from Reflections of Oldsmar, 1996)
• Ransom Eli Olds and the American Dream contributed by Ann Liebermann
• Modern Oldsmar: Rediscovered at Last contributed by Paula Geist
External links[edit] | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldsmar,_Florida | dclm-gs1-276970002 | false | true | {
"keywords": "mosquito, promoter"
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