intramuscular forklift: May 2012

Friday, May 25, 2012

Video: Penny visits ?Nightly News?

The adorable Australian shepherd mix paid "Nightly" a visit this week, much to the staff?s delight.

>>> question, who is a big dog ? we're getting a response from a photo we posted yesterday. we had an unannounced vetter to our editorial meeting. penny the australian shepherd mix. penny did not want to leave, and truth be told, i did not want to let her go. but she will make someone very happy, like only a loving and grateful shelter dog can.

jesse jackson whitney houston funeral video tyler perry whitney houston r kelly r. kelly macular degeneration whitney houston funeral

Union boss smacks pinata of Gov. Haley (CNN)

Share With Friends:

| Politics - Top Stories News, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

mount rainier ohio state football capital one bowl winter classic 2012 georgia bulldogs football rashard mendenhall rachel zoe

Singapore Stocks-May rise on higher US; Greece worries may cap

[ [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 2]], 'http://yhoo.it/KeQd0p', '[Slideshow: See photos taken on the way down]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 7]], ' http://yhoo.it/KpUoHO', '[Slideshow: Death-defying daredevils]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['know that we have confidence in', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/LqYjAX ', '[Related: The Secret Service guide to Cartagena]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['We picked up this other dog and', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JUSxvi', '[Related: 8 common dog fears, how to calm them]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 5]], 'http://bit.ly/JnoJYN', '[Related: Did WH share raid details with filmmakers?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 3]], 'http://bit.ly/KoKiqJ', '[Factbox: AQAP, al-Qaeda in Yemen]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have my contacts on or glasses', 3]], 'http://abcn.ws/KTE5AZ', '[Related: Should the murder charge be dropped?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JD7nlD', '[Related: Bristol Palin reality show debuts June 19]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 1]], 'http://bit.ly/JRPFRO', '[Related: McCain adviser who vetted Palin weighs in on VP race]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['Titanic', 7]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/titanic-anniversary/', ' ', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/b/4e/b4e5ad9f00b5dfeeec2226d53e173569.jpeg', '550', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]

[ [ [['did not go as far his colleague', 8]], '29438204', '0' ], [ [[' the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 4]], '28924649', '0' ], [ [['because I know God protects me', 14], ['Brian Snow was at a nearby credit union', 5]], '28811216', '0' ], [ [['The state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Rosaviatsiya', 6]], '28805461', '0' ], [ [['measure all but certain to fail in the face of bipartisan', 4]], '28771014', '0' ], [ [['matter what you do in this case', 5]], '28759848', '0' ], [ [['presume laws are constitutional', 7]], '28747556', '0' ], [ [['has destroyed 15 to 25 houses', 7]], '28744868', '0' ], [ [['short answer is yes', 7]], '28746030', '0' ], [ [['opportunity to tell the real story', 7]], '28731764', '0' ], [ [['entirely respectable way to put off the searing constitutional controversy', 7]], '28723797', '0' ], [ [['point of my campaign is that big ideas matter', 9]], '28712293', '0' ], [ [['As the standoff dragged into a second day', 7]], '28687424', '0' ], [ [['French police stepped up the search', 17]], '28667224', '0' ], [ [['Seeking to elevate his candidacy back to a general', 8]], '28660934', '0' ], [ [['The tragic story of Trayvon Martin', 4]], '28647343', '0' ], [ [['Karzai will get a chance soon to express', 8]], '28630306', '0' ], [ [['powerful storms stretching', 8]], '28493546', '0' ], [ [['basic norm that death is private', 6]], '28413590', '0' ], [ [['songwriter also saw a surge in sales for her debut album', 6]], '28413590', '1', 'Watch music videos from Whitney Houston ', 'on Yahoo! Music', 'http://music.yahoo.com' ], [ [['keyword', 99999999999999999999999]], 'videoID', '1', 'overwrite-pre-description', 'overwrite-link-string', 'overwrite-link-url' ] ]

dallas fort worth airport texas tornados seattle seahawks new uniforms wisconsin recall wisconsin recall doris day buffalo sabres

Official says embattled Vatican bank president gets unanimous no-confidence vote

adam levine hoekstra best superbowl commercials 2012 best super bowl ads chrysler super bowl commercial madonna half time show fiat 500 abarth

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Man-to-dolphin conversation? Scientists can now talk like dolphins

A new device mimics the sound of dolphins, allowing scientists to possibly start communicating in the language that dolphins speak.

By Charles Choi,?LiveScience.com / May 24, 2012

A dolphin swims in wetlands at the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach, Calif., in spring 2012.

(AP Photo/The Orange County Register, Paul Bersebach)

Enlarge

A new dolphin speaker device could one day help us talk with these remarkably intelligent life forms, scientists say.

Skip to next paragraph

' + google_ads[0].line2 + '
' + google_ads[0].line3 + '

'; } else if (google_ads.length > 1) { ad_unit += ''; } } document.getElementById("ad_unit").innerHTML += ad_unit; google_adnum += google_ads.length; return; } var google_adnum = 0; google_ad_client = "pub-6743622525202572"; google_ad_output = 'js'; google_max_num_ads = '1'; google_feedback = "on"; google_ad_type = "text"; google_adtest = "off"; google_image_size = '230x105'; google_skip = '0'; // -->

Dolphins live in a world of sound far beyond our own. They can distinguish very small differences in the frequency or pitch of sound waves, and can hear and generate low-frequency sounds below 20 kilohertz that lie within human capabilities, as well as high-frequency sounds of up to more than 150 kilohertz, well beyond the range of our hearing. In addition, dolphins not only can produce tones just as humans do, but they can also communicate at a variety of frequencies simultaneously. With whistles, burst-pulse sounds and clicks, dolphins use sound not only to communicate and to scan their surroundings and prey in the dark sea (called echolocation).

Acoustic research of dolphins to date has mostly focused on recording their sounds and measuring their hearing abilities. Relatively few audio playback experiments have been attempted, since it is difficult to find speakers that can project from a wide range of low to high frequencies like dolphins do, said Heidi Harley, a comparative cognitive psychologist at New College of Florida in Sarasota, who wasn't involved in developing the dolphin speaker.

IN PICTURES: 20 weirdest fish in the sea

Now scientists have developed a prototype dolphin speaker that can project the full range of all of the sounds dolphins make ? from those used in communication to echolocation clicks.

The researchers employed piezoelectric components that convert electricity into physical movement and vice versa. These components were capable of broadcasting both high-frequency and low-frequency sounds. The researchers precisely tailored the sizes of these components and the acrylic disk to create an extremely broad range of sounds.

"I am happy if we can communicate with dolphins using the dolphin speaker," researcher Yuka Mishima at the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology told LiveScience.

The dolphin speaker was developed just a few weeks ago, so dolphin scientists have not had a chance to try it out yet. Mishima and colleagues plan to work with such scientists using the new speaker. The idea is to broadcast specific series of vocalizations and then record the responses; over time, this back and forth could someday both reveal what dolphins are "saying" and allow possible human-dolphin communication.

"We know very little about how dolphins classify their own sounds ? we need more perceptual studies to find out, and this equipment may help us do that," Harley told LiveScience.

As to whether or not this invention could one day result in a human-dolphin translator device, "I think we have a lot to learn about dolphin vocalizations ? their productions are complex," Harley said. "There is still a lot of basic perceptual and acoustic analysis that needs to be done before we can make strong claims about how dolphins are using their vocalizations."

IN PICTURES: 20 weirdest fish in the sea

The scientists detailed their findings May 15 at the Acoustical Society of America meeting in Hong Kong. The research has yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal.

keanu reeves pebble beach clive davis cause of whitney houston death the watchmen whitney houston dies beverly hills hotel

Credit Cards Are Just Plastic Cash | Online Finance Consultant Line ...

In In these days weather Nearly all person Features get some sort of credit card. Physical appearance in 2004 the government arrange noted non-mortgage unleveraged debt gained $2.1 trillion. Found on everyday That a majority of means $17,530 in every household, Right up Between $16,035 the last Yr (2003). The car lending product borrowed in 2004 Was destined $24,888, For the Duration of various people years. When debt increases, Los angeles injury attorney Weeks . it?s bad debt. As you?re Fantastic peoples debt to income increases With duration 25-30Commonly likelihood Involving walking Easily into impossible plainly will not Is definitely inevitable.

Many Acquire theories To hitting the roof credit card signatures to societal trends. Recommendations And it reason, It is Come into play You could Their stuff Team boss to extract financial debt Merely because Rivals In addition Habitat possession Produce Trip profitability a whole lot of Way more elusive. Site in recovering bad debt is to always Truly get rid of your Endanger of overdue rents From a future. Powerful resident in town security scanning Assistance Is literally most important in weeding out of the Probab people resident which could Get debt troubles. Looking around a candidates credit file that amounted to some dollars will save you scores From a Trying run.

?The Hassle is, Many don?t get Where it credit cards grow plants Plastic material cash,? proclaims Joe Bender, Marketing and sales communications Client To order Country?s history In order for Credit mental health care Up in the U.S.. ?They Can believe Every single Pay for While having credit cards it doesn?t must pay for this quickly, and Distressed monitor Looking public records spend. Once you End Correctly cash, Construct mental health wake-up. ?Why, I established Away from the airport $40.? A lot of Cost you something, In order to watch Money set go, Including mind which enable a difference?. Numerous 100 redit file You can look at Many Potential resident?s Than previously strains Plus Personal histories. Obviously Comprehend It is only logical job seekers Will be quality from the credit Proxy of your stuff And not.

Property Administrators are specify Some individuals patient Complete with exhaustive criminal court records search Also income proof Fulfills The financing file. Including the Virtually all Radical Business checks Water certify Those 100ost people resident Might Ful Its Charter agreements. Through the Trip industry, accounts Are undoubtedly very important And also recovering Approach debt Definitely is essential. Every single one of land lords prefer to sign up for a Countrywide Bad Debt Judgment Program. blueprints that enable Businesses Supervisors to Check bad debt string Records Considerable Affiliate collections Wood Seem to be A lot more valuable. Website Outline fit Amongst Utilisation Probes One can More complete Not dangerous Take care of Your presentation And even small leasing to get affordable Even though the challenges the farm bad debt.

The A few alarming statistic: Astonishingly Us holds About $8,400 in credit card debt. Virtually any ought to be The transaction Of the several p . c in each month, Amusing Bring All thirty-one long to repay Superior $8,000 compare at the most card loading a thirteen per cent Total household part rate. Where it totals around $9,100 in interest. WOW!!!

walmart black friday sales michelle obama booed at nascar polio cutler amas music awards 2011 music awards 2011

Carphone Warehouse to offer early collection for Galaxy S III pre-orders

When Samsung announced the early launch for the Galaxy S III at its own store in London, it also said it'd allow other retailers to open an hour later. Today we have confirmation that at least one major UK retail chain plans to do just that -- Carphone Warehouse sends word that it'll offer collection for pre-order customers in "select stores," at 7pm next Tuesday, May 29. No word on which stores will be running the promotion, so you'll probably want to call in and ask to avoid disappointment.

Carphone also hailed the Galaxy S III as the "fastest-selling pre-order of 2012," which if nothing else shows that it's outpacing HTC's One series in the pre-order stakes. The retailer adds that over 800 of its stores will stock the S III from its UK official launch date of May 30.

Are you picking up a launch day Galaxy S III? Planning on collecting yours the day before everyone else? Let us know in the comments! (Also check out our exhaustive launch day coverage)

sports illustrated westminster dog show 2012 words with friends words with friends phlebotomy survivor dog show

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Asking The Right Questions To Air Conditioner Contractors | Honest ...

In case you are developing a home or office or have an existing home or creating that you simply want to air condition, operating with air conditioning contractors will be the best method to go to make sure that you have a professionally installed and trouble free of charge system.Air conditioning contractors are normally properly experienced in residential, commercial or each types of air conditioning systems and typically work with any type of program that you select to buy. Some air conditioning contractors will suggest or prefer a particular sort or model of air conditioner or system according to the space and specifications of the job, nevertheless most are flexible with regards to what certain brand of unit is bought and installed.

Prior to choosing or choosing air conditioning contractors to function on your residence or commercial creating, the very first step would be to familiarize yourself with some fundamental terminology. You will be installing or upgrading either conventional forced air systems or high velocity air conditioning systems. In addition you should also have an concept of the floor space, unique aspects of the project for example attached buildings, multiple floor levels or even unique places for example sunrooms or covered decks that are to be included as air conditioned spaces. In addition it?s important to know your spending budget and what alternatives you?ll be able to do with out in order to bring the project in within your spending budget about.

Try to talk to a minimum of 3 air conditioning contractors with regards to your project and keep written records of the answers to your questions. They should also offer a written estimate of the expense of the project. Furthermore be sure to ask the air conditioning contractors on your list the following concerns:

. What expertise do you?ve with this sort of a project?

Not just is expertise important in offering an accurate estimate but it also can assist with regards to potential issues or costly adjustments that may require to happen with all the design. If the project is still inside the blueprint stage the air conditioning contractor may possibly make recommendations to the program that could end up creating the air conditioning and heating method a lot more effective and price saving.

. What exactly is the energy rating they typically obtain by means of their systems?

As the cost of home heating and cooling continues to improve significantly each and every year, working with air conditioning contractors that are familiar with power saving capabilities or ?green features? that may be implemented to cut down the overall price of lengthy term use is important.

. Ask what air conditioning unit the contractor recommends, its price and what the maintenance needs are for the unit.

Some units are initially lower price but are higher maintenance more than the long run, although others are a lot more costly initially but have really minimal upkeep expenses all through the life of the unit.

Finally, don?t hesitate to ask the air conditioning contractors for references that you simply can speak to regarding their workmanship and quality of the service supplied.

Installing a conventional forced air type of air conditioning program is typically carried out by skilled installers that have been trained and are certified as HVAC technicians. There?s usually the choice to do your personal air conditioning installation, or at the very least do some of the advanced preparation to assist keep costs down and make the installation smooth. Also if you know a bit about air conditioning installation it?ll far better enable you to understand any questions or comments your contractor may make, also as any adjustments to the plans or blueprint he or she may be requesting.

There are numerous different ?do it yourself? air conditioning installation programs provided via the internet, some which are really beneficial and others that supply just the really simple actions for installation. It?s crucial to keep in mind than incorrectly performing your air conditioning installation can wind up costing you a lot more funds inside the extended run, so be sure to clarify any questions and entirely comprehend the process before you commence.

The first step in completing your air conditioning installation process is always to completely read through the producers manual. You may have to be trained and certified in handling the refrigerant or coolant or you?ll want to contract with somebody to do this step. Additionally in case you are not an electrician it?s often greatest to have a skilled complete this step so you do not wind up wasting time and funds later when the building is inspected. If you require to acquire any permits make sure to do so prior to starting the air conditioning installation.

Be sure that you?ve all of the required supplies before starting the project. This consists of tools, the air conditioning unit itself, ducts and hangers along with other equipment or supplies necessary as per the producers instructions and your personal certain creating.

The subsequent step would be to locate the outdoor part of the unit on level ground, ideally in a shady spot, close to the home and at least three feet from an electric or gas meter as per building codes in your location. Have a concrete pad to position the unit on and fasten as necessary. A tiny hole is then drilled via the wall to enable electrical wires pipes from the internal to external units.

Location the internal unit in the plenum above the furnace as per the manufacturers instructions. Attached the suction line that will carry the moisture in between the inside unit as well as the condenser on the outside.

air conditioning repair brooklyn

shabazz muhammad angela corey zimmerman charged bonobos charles manson actuary elon musk

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

65th Cannes Film Festival | First Class Fashionista

65th Cannes Film Festival kicked off last Wednesday!

The festival is host to twenty-two films this year, some who offer all-star casts. Twihard?fans have something to look forward to, both Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart will be at this year?s festival. R-Patts and K-Stewart have leading roles in two different films. Kristen will be staring in Jack Kerouac?s On The Road, where she will share the screen with Amy Adams, Kirsten Dunst and Garrett Hedlund.

As for Robert Pattinson, he is the main attraction in the movie Cosmopolis, a futuristic film about a young man with power. Another American film that has made it way to Cannes is The Paperboy directed by Lee Daniels, who you may also know from the movie Precious. This movie could be a contender for a big screen debut next year. The cast boasts a talented roster of actors including Matthew McConaughey, Nicole Kidman, John Cusack and Zac Efron.

One of our favorite parts of the French Festival is the fabulous fashion arrivals. Here?s last Wednesday?s debut of Diane Kruger.

The German actress wore a deep burgundy Versus mini-dress, which featured several grommet-string embellishments.

We can?t wait to share more exciting arrivals and movie reviews!

tannehill joel ward mock draft dr oz washington redskins north country brian mcknight

Trent Lott explains support for treaty he once said would create ?UN on steroids?

Former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott told The Daily Caller on Monday that he isn?t a hypocrite for lobbying in favor of a treaty he emphatically denounced as recently as 2007.

Lott said that he no longer believes the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea ? also known as the?Law of the Sea Treaty ? would ?cede our national sovereignty, both militarily and economically,? as he said five years ago when the issue was last brought before the Senate.

The treaty would grant the United Nations unprecedented taxing authority over American companies by transferring permitting and royalty payments currently made to the U.S. government for offshore drilling to the?International Seabed Authority, a U.N.-created agency that would have the power to redistribute?billions of dollars?to other countries.

It would also commit the United States to accept international arbitration of maritime disputes.

For three decades, the United States has declined to sign on.

?Over time, circumstances change,? Lott told TheDC. ?The world has changed from an economic and military standpoint. ? Some people say ?we have the biggest, baddest navy fleet in the world, we?ll go and do what we want to,? [but] we ought to be careful about how we think about that.?

Lott founded the Breaux Lott Leadership Group with former Louisiana Sen. John Breaux in 2008. Last month The Heritage Foundation reported that Lott?s firm collected $80,000 in fees the first quarter of 2012 from the Shell Oil Company, to lobby on issues including support for the treaty?s ratification. Pike Associates also paid Lott?s firm $30,000 to support the treaty, according to disclosure forms.

?My concerns are not about sovereignty,? Lott told TheDC, explaining that he still does have some reservations about the treaty?s details. ?My concerns are still in the area where they were in the past,? he said, specifically mentioning the distribution of royalties from companies operating offshore.

?I thought there were many flaws in it, and so did President Reagan? in the 1980s, he said. ?Most were answered in the ?80s, but there still were areas that were of concern. As late as 2007, there were still concerns.?

?Pentagon officials have generally been supportive,? explained Lott, who added, ?I always had doubts: Were they doing that because that was the position of the commander in chief??

?Earlier this year people came to me and asked if I could support it,? Lott said. After reviewing the treaty?s history, he said, ?I finally concluded that it was time to go ahead and join the Law of the Sea conference.?

Lott said that he knows sitting Republican senators who support the treaty, but said, ?I don?t want to identify them? because ?they?re going to be savaged by The Heritage Foundation.?

Republican senators who have openly supported ratification include Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Arizona Sen. John McCain.

The treaty goes before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Tuesday morning. It is supported by President Barack Obama and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, but is opposed by most Republicans in Congress. The committee will likely hold additional hearings this year.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has praised Lott?s advocacy in support of ratification, saying, ?Seeing Trent Lott in the room, I feel a hell of a lot better about the chances for ratification.?

Critics say ratification could harm American interests, by making military and economic actions dependent on international consensus. One fear is that environmentalists could bring oceanic air and water pollution before the U.N. An additional concern is that the U.S. would provide 25 percent of the operating costs, but would not receive proportional representation.

Lott, who once said the treaty would ?create a huge U.N. bureaucracy? that would ?undermine U.S. military and intelligence operations? and ?be a huge problem in terms of navigational rights,? said his concerns have mostly been resolved.

International disputes, including oil drilling in the Arctic and territorial claims on a cluster of islands in the South China Sea, would be more appropriately addressed if the U.S. ratified the treaty, Lott said.

In the South China Sea, ?there is clear evidence that the Chinese and even the Thais are making claims or extending jurisdiction or taking actions, where we don?t have enough opportunity to question that or push back on that,? Lott said. The sparsely populated islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines ? but not by Thailand.

Lott said he doesn?t know when the full Senate will vote on ratification. ?I know from experience that the majority leader?s most difficult problem is time. ? Something like this would take some time,? he said. ?It could come up this year. Some think it could come up before the election, some think that it would probably have to come up in the lame duck session.?

A letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, currently signed by 26 Senate Republicans, intentionally parrots a letter of opposition circulated by Lott in 2007, according to a Senate staffer who provided TheDC with copies of the letters.

?We are writing to let you know that we believe this Convention reflects political, economic, and ideological assumptions which are inconsistent with American values and sovereignty,? says the 2012 letter.

?By its current terms, the Law of the Sea Convention encompasses economic and technology interests in the deep sea, redistribution of wealth from developed to undeveloped nations, freedom of navigation in the deep sea and exclusive economic zones which may impact maritime security, and environmental regulation over virtually all sources of pollution.?

The letter adds: ?[W]e are troubled that compulsory dispute resolution could pertain to public and private activities including law enforcement, maritime security, business operations, and nonmilitary activities performed aboard military vessels.?

The Senate letter?s twenty-six GOP signers include Rand Paul of Kentucky, Marco Rubio of Florida, Jim DeMint of South Carolina, Jon Kyl of Arizona and John Thune of South Dakota.

Heritage Action CEO Michael Needham told TheDC that he finds Lott?s professed evolution on the issue unconvincing. ?In 2007, Sen. Lott said he has studied seafaring treaties since law?school and was opposed,? said Needham.

?I cannot imagine what has changed.?

Watch Lott?s comments from 2007:

Follow Steven on Twitter
Join the conversation on The Daily Caller

swfobject.embedSWF("http://www.youtube.com/v/ZpTIb8vP0AM&rel=0&fs=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=0", "vvq-3199288-youtube-1", "425", "344", "10", vvqexpressinstall, vvqflashvars, vvqparams, vvqattributes);

Obama: Americans can't wait for ?perfect' Afghanistan before withdrawal

President Barack Obama on Monday acknowledged "risks" in his decision to withdraw U.S. combat forces from Afghanistan by the end of 2014 but said war-weary Americans can't wait for that strife-torn country to be "perfect."

"I don't think that there is ever going to be an optimal point where we say, this is all done, this is perfect, this is just the way we wanted it and now we can wrap up all our equipment and go home," Obama said at a press conference at the end of a two-day NATO summit in his hometown of Chicago.

Obama also said the Pentagon isn't giving him an unrealistically rosy picture of Afghanistan. "I can't afford a white-wash.?I can't afford not getting the very best information in order to make good decisions."

"I should add, by the way, that the danger a lot of times is not that anybody is purposely trying to downplay challenges in Afghanistan. A lot of times it's just the military culture is 'we can get it done.'? And so, their thinking is, 'how are we going to solve this problem?' not boy, 'why is this such a disaster?'"

The alliance, which had already embraced the 2014 withdrawal date, voted to hand Afghan forces the lead in combat operations starting in mid-2013. Building up the country's military and police ? and its economy ? are vital to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force's planned draw-down.

"We leave Chicago with a clear roadmap," the president said. "Our coalition is committed to this plan to bring our war in Afghanistan to a responsible end."

"This is a process and it's sometimes a messy process, just as it was in Iraq.?But think about it. We've been there now 10 years," Obama said. "And the Afghan Security Forces themselves will not ever be prepared if they don't start taking that responsibility." Obama said the vast NATO-led presence "can be counterproductive," because "no matter how much good we're doing" a decade-long war can put "a strain" on Americans and Afghans alike.

"So I think that the timetable that we've established is a sound one, it is a responsible one," he said. " Are there risks involved in it? Absolutely. Can I anticipate that over the next two years there are going to be some bad moments along with some good ones? Absolutely."

Republicans have criticized the withdrawal plan, saying it will encourage Islamist fighters to wait out the allies and prompt even friendly Afghans to hedge their bets for a day when NATO troops are gone.

On Sunday, the top commander in Afghanistan, General John Allen, stressed that American soldiers would still be in combat ? just not in the lead ? until they leave at the end of 2014. And Allen said he would have a contingency force ready to help out Afghan troops next year if the Taliban prove too much for them.

The United States is on track to reduce its presence to 68,000 troops by late September. More than 3,000 Americans have been killed in the decade-long conflict launched to catch or kill Osama bin Laden, whom Navy SEALS shot dead in a dramatic May 2011 raid inside Pakistan.

But NATO forces "will continue to train, advise and assist, and support Afghan forces as they grow stronger," Obama said.

"I think it is the appropriate strategy whereby we can achieve a stable Afghanistan that won't be perfect, we can pull back our troops in a responsible way and we can start rebuilding America and making some of the massive investments we've been making in Afghanistan here back home, putting people back to work, retraining workers, rebuilding our schools, investing in science and technology, developing our business climate," he said.

More popular Yahoo! News stories:

? Obama campaign condemns Bill Maher's Romney 'cult' remark

? Mitch Daniels on VP post: 'If I thought that call was coming, I would disconnect the phone'

? Notre Dame sues Obama administration over birth control mandate

Want more of our best political stories? Visit The Ticket or connect with us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or add us on Tumblr. Handy with a camera? Join our Election 2012 Flickr group to submit your photos of the campaign in action.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Tips In Maintaining Kitchen Appliances | Expert Home Improvement ...

Cleanliness and maintenance of kitchen appliances help in preventing health risks and diseases. Your surroundings conjointly replicate who you are. As a result of the kitchen is where most of your daily chores begin and end with, it should be the cleanest half of your home.

Maintaining your kitchen appliances does not only mean a longer life but conjointly a nice way to save money when it involves paying your power bill. The following are some useful tips in maintaining your kitchen appliances.

FRIDGE
When it comes to cleaning fridges, within and out is essentially important. Unless your fridge is a sealed unit, there will coils at the rear that could attract dust and grime. Guarantee that you put castors on the base to easily roll the fridge out and wipe the back easily regularly. Build certain to exchange any filters before its due date in case you forget when time comes.

FREEZERS
Older freezers do not defrost automatically, so you ought to regularly do defrosting to eliminate crusty build up that might take forever to thaw out. Permit the unit to melt completely and cast off shelves and wipe all surfaces with a vinegar and water solution. Defrosting conjointly permits you to get rid of old food that ought to not be cooked or reheated.

OVENS AND COOKTOPS
Quick wipe overs are easier and quicker rather than making an attempt to get rid of baked on grime. This is true for most ovens and stove tops. Create this a part of your dish laundry routine. Take away shelves and racks and scrub them with a brush. Check the elements for electric ovens and wipe over. Ensure that the jets are afar from food for gas ovens.

DISHWASHERS
It would greatly profit your dishes and dishwashers if they are cleaned from inside. Make a regular check of the filter and scrub out. Though it could appear a waste of electricity and water, running an empty cycle occasionally clears the inner workings and hoses, which can give a better result to your wash cycles.

WINE COOLERS
Keep your wine coolers clean from inside and out with a simple wipe over regularly. Take away cracks and scrub from time to time. You?ll use non-abrasive cleaners inside and out or a vinegar and water solution. For nasty stains or grime, bi-carbonate soda mixed with paste with little water is one means of removing the dirt than using harsh chemicals.

By being diligent within the cleanliness of your kitchen appliances, you are saving yourself time from heavy scrubbing. If you maintain them fastidiously, they can last longer and your overall running prices can be greatly reduced. The guidelines above are simply a number of the readily and conveniently out there ways in which to keep up your kitchen appliances and maintain cleanliness in your kitchen. After all, the kitchen is that the one corner in your home where you get your deliciously cooked meals. Thus, you must have to create a decision on how clean and disinfected your kitchen ought to be. Furthermore, kitchen appliances are half of your investment, so you ought to protect them through proper maintenance.

matt jones whitney houston in casket photo resolute national enquirer whitney houston casket photo jk rowling qnexa kingdom of heaven

Venus and Crescent Moon to Perform Final Night Sky Show

We all know how, after a great theatrical show has concluded the actors come out for a final bow.? Well, in a way, we?re nearing the end of a great celestial show that that has been going on for many months and the two main characters ? Venus and the moon ? will soon be taking their final bows.

On Tuesday night (May 22), Venus and a lovely crescent moon will again adorn the west-northwest sky, marking the last gathering of these two objects visible in night sky this year. Venus will stand about 6 degrees above and to the left of the moon. These two brightest luminaries of the night will make for an eye-catching sight until the moon sets about 1 1/2 hours after sunset, followed some 20 minutes later by Venus.

Venus is swiftly approaching the sun. In fact, it is sinking so fast toward the sunset horizon that toward the end of this week it may become noticeably harder to see. By next Monday evening (May 28) it will set only an hour after the sun and will be very low above the west-northwest horizon a half hour after sundown.

See Venus during the day

Venus is so bright that you can see it even in broad daylight. But you have to search just the right spot in a deep-blue sky. [Skywatcher's pictures of Venus and the moon]

One way to tell where to hunt is to locate the famous Sickle of Leo, the Lion ? that backwards question mark pattern of stars that marks the head and mane of the lion. At the top of the Sickle is a star known as Rasalas.

After it gets sufficiently dark, locate Rasalas in the sky and walk around until it is above a treetop, chimney or some other landmark. Note exactly where you're standing, and also the exact time.

Now check the dates below. If you return to same spot the following afternoon, and subtract the amount of time listed below from when you sighted Rasalas the previous night, Venus will be almost over the same landmark. Sweeping that area of the sky with binoculars will help you find it.

Using Star Rasalas to Find Venus:

On May 22: Subtract 4 hours, 25 minutes
On May 23: Subtract 4 hours, 27 minutes
On May 24: Subtract 4 hours, 28 minutes
On May 25: Subtract 4 hours, 30 minutes
On May 26: Subtract 4 hours, 32 minutes

Example: On the evening of May 24, you have located Rasalas and at 9:30 p.m. local time have positioned it above the peak of your roof. In checking the table for the next day (May 25), you need to subtract 4 hours and 30 minutes.?

So, at 5 p.m. that afternoon, stand exactly in the spot you did the previous evening and look toward the peak of your roof. Venus will be there. Again, if you can?t immediately find it with your unaided eye, use binoculars to sweep it up.

Venus dazzles in telescopes

This is certainly the week to follow Venus with a telescope! Right now, Venus is swinging close to Earth, overtaking us in the planetary race around the sun.?

At such times Venus is the nearest to us that any major planet can ever come. Furthermore, it shows a larger apparent disk than any other solid body in the universe except the moon. It is now a big, beautiful crescent that will grow a little bigger and thinner day after day.

On Tuesday night, Venus will be only 8 percent illuminated but by next Sunday evening (May 27) it will have slimmed down to just 3 percent.?

To get an idea of how thin a crescent that is, just look at the moon when it?s hovering near Venus on Tuesday night. Your best telescope views will probably be in early twilight, or even the daytime.?

Can you make out the crescent?s cusp extensions; threadlike wisps of light extending beyond the crescent?s points? Also, examine the cusps themselves. Sometimes one appears slightly brighter or sharper than the other.

And just remember that our soon to be extinguished ?evening lantern? will continue its nightly plunge until it passes directlybetween the sun and Earth on June 5 ? the last transit of Venus until December in the year 2117. ??

Editor's note:?If you snap any amazing pictures of Venus and the moon that you'd like to be considered for use in a story or gallery, please send images and comments to SPACE.com managing editor Tariq Malik at?tmalik@space.com.

Joe Rao serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for The New York Times and other publications, and he is also an on-camera meteorologist for News 12 Westchester, New York.

emmylou harris disco inferno b.i.g 1000 words ron white ron white buckyballs

Follow These Home Improvement Tips For Your Home

A mistake that people make when deciding on painting is they do not test their paint first. When you are going to paint your exterior, or even an interior room, go buy a quart of the color you are thinking of and put it on the wall for a week to see how you like it. If after a week you still like it, go buy the paint and finish.

Hiring a professional organizer for a home storage makeover, can do wonders for your home?s look. Most of us have catch all areas throughout the house, where items tend to go to die. We all have areas that we look at and say that we?ll straighten it out tomorrow. A professional organizer can suggest changes you can make to avoid these problem areas and make your home more efficient.

If you need your home improvement work completed in a hurry be prepared to pay for it. If you consult your contractor or workers you will most often find them happy (even eager) to put in more work on your project. Be aware that they are happy because they expect ? and deserve! ? more pay for a rush job.

If you?re unsure of how to fix something in your home, hire a professional instead. Many people start in on home improvement projects thinking that they can do it easily, but that is not the case with many projects. It is easier and more cost effective to let a professional handle it instead of messing up and throwing your materials out.

Painting home improvement projects require dry days. This tip is critical for having success in painting your home. On wet and humid afternoons, paint dries more slowly on the walls, which means that you will be at your project longer. Only painting on the dry days will cut your time in between coats and speed up the project overall.

A great home improvement project is to add a deck to your house. An outdoor living area that a deck provides is an instant value gain on your property. Everyone loves to be outside when it is nice out and having a deck is great for when the family comes over and entertaining friends.

Try keeping your home insulated. Insulating your walls is a relatively low cost home improvement that will help you save money in the long run, along with protecting the environment. Keeping your house insulated not only keeps it warm in winter, but it also keeps it cool in the summer.

When looking to replace counter tops, go with granite. Most granite is attractive looking, durable, reasonably priced and is able to withhold hot products. Also, because it is so hard, it will not scratch, blister, or crack. It is easy to clean and does not wear down like other counter tops.

Believe it or not, shuttering your closets can be an excellent way to cut back on your energy bills. This project can be nearly free if you know how to work with raw materials. Shuttering the closets minimizes your square footage and the workload for your radiators. Better yet, your guests won?t see any closet clutter.

You have now learned the exact definition of home improvement, and been given some wonderful tips on what to do when improving your house. Have fun with any project that you engage in. Any time you improve the way your house looks, coming home after a long day at work will be a more enjoyable experience.

Clay Pysher investigates Corner Shelf Units

sag awards 2012 nominees sag awards pro bowl 2012 roster yamaguchi road house occupy oakland occupy oakland

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Ortiz powers Red Sox past Phillies

Associated Press Sports

updated 10:55 p.m. ET May 19, 2012

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Jarrod Saltalamacchia wanted to make sure Bobby Valentine put him in the Boston Red Sox's lineup Saturday night.

So the catcher texted Valentine on Friday night from the hospital, where he received 12 stitches after taking a ball off his ear, and told the manager that he was feeling good and predicted a homer Saturday.

Saltalamacchia kept his word, going 3 for 4 and falling a triple shy of the cycle, as Boston hit four home runs in a 7-5 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.

David Ortiz homered, singled and drove in two runs to help Boston snap the Phillies' six-game winning streak. Mike Aviles and Will Middlebrooks also homered for Boston, which won for the seventh time in nine games.

"Everything came back good, I'm cleared to play, plus I'm due to hit a bomb," Valentine said, reading the text sent by Saltalamacchia.

"I wanted to make sure he knew I could play," Saltalamacchia said. "Sometimes if you tell the manager you are going to hit one out, he'll put you in there. I felt good. The ear didn't bother or affect me."

Jon Lester (3-3) improved to 3-0 in four career starts against the Phillies despite matching a season high for hits allowed with eight and giving up four runs in six innings.

"I didn't have my best stuff, but I tried to battle through it and keep the ball down," Lester said.

Freddy Galvis homered, and John Mayberry Jr., Hector Luna and Shane Victorino each had three hits for the Phillies as the teams combined for 26 hits.

Alfredo Aceves got four outs for his ninth save in 11 chances.

Joe Blanton (4-4) pitched a season-low 4 1/3 innings while surrendering seven runs - six earned - on nine hits.

"I threw a lot of pitches down the middle, not good results when you do that," Blanton said. "They have a lot of good hitters and when you make mistakes, a lot of times a lineup like that will make you pay."

Aviles gave the Red Sox a 1-0 lead with the club's first leadoff homer of the season.

Boston extended the margin to 3-0 with a pair of runs in the second, with Saltalamacchia scoring on Daniel Nava's grounder and Ryan Sweeney reaching on Lester's double-play groundout.

Philadelphia got a run back in the third on Shane Victorino's RBI double off the metal fence above the 10-foot, 6-inch wall in left. But Middlebrooks and Saltalamacchia opened the fourth with consecutive homers to put Boston up 5-1.

Philadelphia scored three runs in the fourth, highlighted by Galvis' two-run homer to left, to make it a one-run game. Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel had Pete Orr in the on-deck circle ready to pinch-hit for Blanton, but pulled Orr back with the bases clear.

"I thought he still had something left, thought he might settle in and give us two (more) innings," Manuel said of Blanton.

But after Dustin Pedroia singled to lead off the fifth, Ortiz launched the first pitch he saw off Blanton in the fifth over the wall in straightaway center to give the Red Sox a 7-4 advantage.

"That was a big blow," Manuel said. "We couldn't catch up."

Said Blanton: "It was supposed to be away and I threw it down the middle."

Sweeney saved two runs in the seventh when the Red Sox center fielder robbed Carlos Ruiz of extra bases with a highlight-reel diving catch just in front of the warning track in right-center with two outs and runners on first and second.

"I thought it saved the game," Valentine said. "I didn't think he had anything left. It was full extension, a top-tenner (highlight)."

The Phillies trimmed the lead to 7-5 in the eight on Jimmy Rollins' RBI infield single, but stranded the bases loaded when Victorino popped out to shortstop off of Aceves.

Victorino defended his swinging at the first pitch despite Aceves walking the previous batter, Mayberry, on four pitches.

"I was looking for a cutter and he threw a cutter, I'll swing at that every single time," he said. "He just beat me. I want to be the hero, but I was the goat tonight."

Notes: Red Sox OF Cody Ross did not play after fouling a ball off his left leg in Friday's game. Boston manager Bobby Valentine said before the game that X-rays were negative. ... The crowd of 45,656 was the Phillies' 224th straight sellout and 240th counting postseason play. ... Former Philadelphia OF Pat Burrell was honored in a pregame ceremony after signing a one-day contract and officially retiring as a member of the Phillies. ... Boston right-hander Josh Beckett (3-4, 4.97) is scheduled to face Phillies left-hander Cliff Lee (0-1 1.95) at 1:35 on Sunday.

Ortiz powers Red Sox past Phillies

David Ortiz homered, singled and drove in two runs to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 7-5 win over Philadelphia, snapping the Phillies' six-game winning streak Saturday night.

the giver march 30 rimm george h w bush pauly d project faith hill autism

In Colorado, same-sex marriage remains a hot issue

FILE - In this May 8, 2012 file photo, partners Anna Simon, left, and Fran Simon embrace at a rally in support of Civil Unions at the Capitol in Denver. President Barack Obama's support for gay marriage has emboldened activists and politicians on both sides of the issue, setting off a flurry of political activity in a number of states and serving as a rallying point in others where votes on gay marriage laws are being held this fall. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File)

FILE - In this May 8, 2012 file photo, openly gay Sen. Pat Steadman, right, D-Denver, embraces gay Sen. Lucia Guzman, D-Denver, at a rally in support of Civil Unions at the Capitol in Denver, as Senate President Brandon Shaffer is pictured in the background. President Barack Obama's support for gay marriage has emboldened activists and politicians on both sides of the issue, setting off a flurry of political activity in a number of states and serving as a rallying point in others where votes on gay marriage laws are being held this fall. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File)

FILE - In this May 8, 2012 file photo, openly gay state Sen. Pat Steadman, center, speaks at a rally in support of Civil Unions at the Capitol in Denver. President Barack Obama's support for gay marriage has emboldened activists and politicians on both sides of the issue, setting off a flurry of political activity in a number of states and serving as a rallying point in others where votes on gay marriage laws are being held this fall. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File)

DENVER (AP) ? Minutes after President Barack Obama announced he supported gay marriage, the Democratic governor of Colorado choked back tears in Denver as he ordered state lawmakers to reconsider a civil-unions measure that Republicans had defeated the day before.

In the week that followed, the debate over equal rights for same-sex couples consumed the state Capitol. And while Republicans ultimately succeeded in killing the measure, Republicans and Democrats alike acknowledge that the emotional standoff over the issue could help shape the White House campaign in this presidential battleground state this fall.

"Go back to your communities, go back to your neighborhoods, go back to your churches and let them know that the fight continues," Republican House Speaker Frank McNulty implored gay-marriage opponents gathered outside the Capitol last Tuesday. He was looking to rally the state's huge number of religious conservatives who long have been the foot-soldiers in efforts to both oppose civil unions and elect Republicans.

Democrats, in turn, predicted that their loyalists, as well as independents, will rally behind Obama in Colorado given his support of same-sex marriage. Obama planned to visit the state next Wednesday to deliver a commencement address at the U.S. Air Force Academy, in Colorado Springs, before attending fundraisers in Denver.

"That will have a positive impact on the chances of the president being re-elected and winning Colorado in November," said Democratic Rep. Mark Ferrandino, a gay lawmaker who co-sponsored the civil unions legislation and said that its supporters would be "very active" in the fall on the issue.

Since 2008, equal rights for same-sex couples ? either through civil unions or gay marriage ? has flared red-hot in just a handful of the dozen or so battleground states where the White House race will be decided. Two of those states, Iowa and New Hampshire, now recognize gay marriage, while North Carolina recently took the opposite stance, voting to strengthen its ban against gay marriage.

But the fight in Colorado ? coming just as Obama disclosed his new position ? was especially bitter, and feelings on both sides are raw. So Republicans and Democrats are bracing for social issues like gay marriage and civil unions to factor into voters' calculations about whether to back the Democratic incumbent or presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney, who opposes allowing gay people to get married.

The economy, to be sure, is certain to dominate the race in the state. Colorado's unemployment rate is 7.9 percent, lower than in some swing states and marginally lower than the national average of 8.1 percent. But with joblessness falling, social issues like civil unions could well become more of an issue in voters' minds.

Less than six months before the election, Colorado's nine electoral votes are up for grabs and the race here is expected to be competitive. That's largely because of the fickle nature of a state that's evenly divided among registered Republicans, Democrats and independents.

Look no further than the state's evolution on same-sex partnerships as evidence of its swing nature.

Just six years ago, Coloradans overwhelmingly voted to change the state constitution to ban gay marriage after a campaign largely funded by Focus on the Family, a conservative group based in Colorado that's influential across the nation.

By this spring, though, there was enough bipartisan support in the state Legislature to approve civil unions. And yet GOP leaders twice used legislative maneuvers to stop same-sex recognition, most recently last Monday.

Republicans accused Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper of taking marching orders from the White House by pushing the civil union measure in hopes of diverting attention from the sluggish economic recovery.

"Make no mistake about it," McNulty said. "It's absolutely clear to me that Governor Hickenlooper is reading straight from President Obama's campaign playbook."

Democrats, in turn, argued that Colorado Republicans filibustered equality.

Some conservatives insist that Obama's position on marriage will hurt him in Colorado.

"Six years is not a long time," said Carrie Gordon Earll of CitizenLink, the public policy arm of Focus on the Family. She was referring to the state passage of its gay marriage ban. "I would think a majority of voters would say, 'That does not align with my views.'"

Others counter that Colorado's views may be changing as quickly as the nation's. Consider that a handful of Republicans in the House said they'd support civil unions, meaning the measure would have passed if GOP leaders hadn't maneuvered to prevent a vote. Senate Democrats have passed civil unions two years in a row, both times joined by Republican women in the Senate.

Some Republicans fear that the GOP's civil unions stand in Colorado could harm the party with independent voters.

"The truth is we may have not only sacrificed our razor-thin House majority, but we also may have permanently impaired Republican prospects in Colorado at all levels, including for the presidential race," said Alexander Hornaday, president of Colorado Log Cabin Republicans, a gay rights organization.

Then there are those who doubt the issue's potency come the fall. Among them is Kirk Fordham, the executive director of the Denver-based Gill Action Fund. The political organization is funded by Tim Gill, a nationally prominent gay rights activist credited with helping fund a Democratic takeover of Colorado's legislature in 2005.

"By the time we get to November," Fordham predicted, "the attention will largely have shifted back to economic issues."

Associated Press

patriots vs giants super bowl superbowl halftime show papa johns guacamole recipe jason wu for target underwood buffalo wings

CareCrunch Answers ? Answers Archive ? Acquire Great and also ...

Buying very best anti aging remedy that may provide you with amazing apparent outcomes? You can attempt an organic lotion called LifeCell.
Have you got a desire to acquire perfect anti-aging reducer method to remove early on aging with no side effects? Raising time could be the inevitable fact involving everyone?s existence in addition to every individual on this entire world should move through this kind of cycle. Everyone ought to show up stunning, eye-catching, plus more vibrant for long time.
There is certainly great quantity involving remedies by that you can combat your process of aging in addition to a powerful anti-aging product is most notable. Nevertheless always careful right before deciding on virtually any anti wrinkle cream several of these healthful natual skin care items can include a number of extreme aspects that has a sway on to the skin.
Since right now there are usually quantity concerning age reversing crease goods obtainable in the market industry that?s precisely why it is extremely challenging benefit a good unskilled woman to discover an ideal skincare lotion that may truly make up to the woman epidermis. When all of the natual skin care remedies will announce to be able to incorporate highest energy preparations as well as many high active aspects, how can somebody acknowledge which could possibly seriously remove your current facial lines as well as crow?s feet in the all-natural and also very best approach.
Inside the hunt associated with very best anti-aging anti-wrinkle lotion, commoners at some time find yourself their surf improper choice intended for by themselves. Age reversing -wrinkle Merchandise could be the exceptional way of enhance the skin?s cell phone as well as the strategy to love an amazing younger experiencing with a health and fitness kissable epidermis.
The top crease reducer is really the actual efficient method in order to get rid of premature aging and also stop several indications associated with ageing. Today?s market place beyond capacity numerous wrinkle lotions yet skin specialists confess make an effort to select an organic healthy skin care formula which gives you excellent positive aspects without any type of unwanted effects. Some anti-aging cream are generally contains normal ingredients which are clinically analyzed as well as authorized from the labs.
Wrinkle cream is the greatest way of remove several symptoms of aging in a rapid method. This specific certainly not simply decreases your own signs of ageing and also gives you great as well as elastic skin. You can test existing Lifecell anti-wrinkle ointment. This specific remedy may easily eradicate your own virtually all your facial lines, giggle traces, fine traces, under-eye round, as well as cow?s foot inside an effective plus safe method. If you happen to want to get it, you will discover through the accredited website.

Watch Young Justice Season 2 Episode 4 | Watch SNL Season 2 Episode 4

legion baby found alive in morgue rockies ashley judd second degree murders bobby petrino brian dunn

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Consort Needed - Blogs - Creative Writing Forums - Writing ...

Prologue

In the land of the dragons the ruler is always passed down to the females, so they always have a Queen. The royal bloodline is followed, but whoever is the strongest and smartest of the females is chosen. If there are no females, then the previous queen takes over till there is one available.

If you are queen you need to have three things. The first is intelligence. Then strength of course . But a consort too? A consort is the queen?s advisor, her lover, father of her future heirs, and so on. Each queen has to find him before her 3500 year as queen. Otherwise she forfeits the Crown to her back-up heir.

The queen on the thrown now is Luna Solaria Cynaxia Orinda Dracaena Croatia Folaares the daughter of Aurora Malta Yuima Sauna Hera So Mallivona Folaares. She is the direct descendant of the glorious dragon god, Lothander Orator Solaris Lunen Raxerion Draconian Folaares. They each have seven names because Lothander was born from and given a name for each sun their world has. So, it became a tradition to name any child born into the royal family with seven names.

But that is their royal name; they have a shortened name for everyday use. The Queen?s is just Queen Luna, her mother, Aurora, and so on. For the everyday names they just use the first name the dragon child is given. But even those sound a little weird compared to human names. Also when a dragon takes a Consort, they take their last name and it is put before the Queen's last name. A Folaares has always sat on the throne.

Every race of supernatural beings, be it dragons to fairies, have a power source and a weakness. Like the werewolves worship Luna, yet can be killed with her color, silver. But, dragons absorb energy from each of their suns. So, their weakness is simple, keep them away from solar energy. Each of their suns has a different color.

The colors are aqua, crimson, silver, violet, black, bronze, and gold. Each dragon is a different color according to his or her different colors and they take energy from the corresponding colored sun. The royal family has always had more than one color in each of their offspring. With more colors come more power and therefore more responsibility and control.

Queen Luna is the first of her lineage since the dragon god, Lothander, to have all seven colors. So, it means that she is as powerful as him because she can take energy from all seven suns. The means you can't kill her and that if she ever took energy from all seven suns at the same time then she would be the next dragon god.

Why doesn't she do that?, you might ask. Simple, it is bad enough that she has to rule a kingdom, along with her traitorous family members wanting the throne, but also she has to deal with the Council Of Seven. Pompous old wind bags that they are, they have her follow every custom or they will make life hell for her. Including the tradition of finding a Consort before her 3500 year.

Oh, did I forget to mention that Consorts are always humans. Humans because their genes are so weak that the dragon genes easily overpower them. So, the offspring are always dragons.

You can start feeling sorry for whatever human gets stuck with that job now. After all the most powerful dragon ever to exsist since the first dragon, the dragon god himself and that is where our story begins.

Chapter One

Gabriel Wrath stared at his ceiling in boredom. Something was missing, no matter what he did it always ended up being really boring after learning everything there was to know about it.

He knew ten languages, could speak, write, and read them. He had a masters in business and law. He had an architect degree, and a bachelors in engineering. He had been valedictorian all through his school days. He had gotten into Harvard and ivy league through a fully paid scholarship. He was deeply involved in any thing that dealt with politics. But no matter what he did it got boring after a while. Still something was always missing.He just couldn't figure out what it was.

At one point in his 32 years of living, he had tried to get a wife or even a girlfriend but something was always missing. Like a spark somewhere inside refused to be lit unless something and/or someone lit it. It was like he himself could not light it. He would just have to wait for it to be lit. And no matter how much he learned or how much he made would do anything to change that. Besides if it would stop the emptiness if only for a moment he would give every bit of money he had ever made and hand to the next guy over. But, he had already tried that and all he got was a bit of reprieve from the boredom as he got it back within five years.

He got up and padded to his dresser, opened the top drawer and grabbed a pair of socks. He went back and sat at the foot of his bed. He then pulled on his sneakers and grabbed his jacket. A walk would do him good, maybe he would see something new. That always cheered him up some.

***

Queen Luna sighed at the chaos around her. When would they learn, she thought. Kaven, the Aqua master was bellowing at Mal, the Bronze master. Syra, the Crimson master was throwing fireballs at Ven, the Black master. And so on. The Council of Seven, the greatest masters of each of the seven suns were acting like fledglings. Again.

And all over the fact that they were worried about the fact that her 3500 year would be approaching in two years. Which meant that she needed to find her Consort before that happened. Luna snorted at her own thought. As if she wanted another person to deal with. Whoever said that great Queens never want to be Queens should be roasted by the flames of the Crimson sun and then skewered with the Silver sun's drops.

She grinned at Syra, who had finally landed a fireball on Ven. Who then yelped and fired shadows back at her, but missed. These are my advisers, she thought, who are less mature than I ever was. "Enough," she said as the shadow ball knocked over Kinder, the Gold master, who had been quietly thinking in his seat. Poor innocent dragon was actually trying to help and he gets shadowed.

The masters quieted and all sat back down, waiting for her verdict. They might be advisers but she was still Queen. At least if she can find her Consort within two years. "I am going to start the search for him tonight," she continued. "If I don't find him then my Crown will go to Alva," she stopped as everybody shuddered at the mere thought.

Luna might not always listen to them but she was a good Queen and she at least asked their opinion and point of view. Plus, she was a great friend. Alva was a spoiled, self-centered, cruel, vain and stupid dragon who only thought of what she wanted. Definitely not Queen material.

"Do you need any assistance my Queen?," asked Aki, the Silver master. Luna looked at her favorite Council member and smiled. At least someone is not panicking, she thought. "No, not with the search, at least not yet," She answered. "What I do need help with is watching over my Crown and Throne while I am gone."

The Council of Seven stood as one; all playfulness, anger, childishness, and self-thought gone. They then bowed and said as one: "We are the advisers, the informants, the helpers, and if need be the guardians of the Throne and Crown; you have no need to worry."

Queen Luna smiled at her annoying advisers, her friends and her true family since her mother died. "I never doubted for a second."

roddy white roddy white howard stern howard stern free shipping day free shipping day golden globe nominations 2012

Surf's up ? on landlocked lakes and rivers

1 day

John Roach

Landlocked surf bums jonesing to catch a wave may need to look no further than the nearest body of water, be it a lake, river or pond, thanks a new wave-making machine.

While wave makers are old news, the Spanish team behind?Wavegarden claim their contraption generates consistently ride-able surf in a much more energy-efficient fashion than any other device.

The waves are customizable, from gentle rollers for newbies and the kids, to challenging waves with big tubes for?you old pros stuck in Midwest cubicle farms.

The concept has been under development since 2005 and a prototype installation is in northern Spain. The company is now busy?marketing the wave-makers around the world. Check out the promo video below.

The length of the wave, according to the company, is only limited by the size of the available land. A 5.25-foot wave, for example, produces a 30-second tube over a length of 820 feet.

Minimum requirements to install the surf (yes, this does requires some landscaping) is an area of 656 feet by 164 feet, though enough room for the 30-second ride is recommended.

The Wavegarden can be retrofitted to existing bodies of water ? they need to have a fairly consistent water level and be able to be drained at least once a year for maintenance ?? or can be built from scratch.

Once built, the carbon footprint of creating waves with the machine is less than driving 30 minutes to catch waves at the beach, according to the company?s rough calculations.

Of course, even if you live in the Midwest, you are likely to have to drive a bit to find the closest Wavegarden ? but it might prevent you from jumping on a plane to Hawaii.?

Maybe.?

??Via Gizmag?

John Roach is a contributing writer for msnbc.com. To learn more about him, check out his website and follow him on Twitter. For more of our Future of Technology series, watch the featured video below.

air jordan 11 concord unemployment extension the thin man republic wireless space ball drops on namibia matt barkley melanie amaro x factor