Effective Level:9th
Skill Checks: 9
*Knowledge (the planes) DC 26, 2 success;
*Spellcraft DC 26, 1 success;
*Psicraft DC 26, 1 success;
*Perform (sing) DC 26, 5 successes
-For this incantation the spellcraft and psicraft checks are made by the additional casters while the Knowledge: the planes and Perform checks are made by the primary caster.Failure:All casters take 2d6 hp of damage and are exhausted. Smalljammer along with crew and cargo is planeshifted to a random plane within the originating multiverse and unable to take its first action for 1d6 rounds while the smalljammer attunes to its new spacetime coordinates. (i.e. You fail to make the jump from Realmspace to Urban Arcana, the ship and contents are planeshifted to the plane of Shadow and unable to move for 4 rounds while the ship recovers from the jump.)
Components: V, S, M, F, XP
Casting Time:< 9 hours
Range:Touch
Target or Targets:1 Smalljammer Class Ship with crew and cargo. While the ship's air envelope is affected as well, nothing more solid than a gas that is within the envelope but outside the Smalljammer's hull is. (While it is speculated that the incantation will work with any living ship there are no known instances of it being done.) For the incantation to work the smalljammer must be outside the orbit of the outermost planet in the system by at least 5,000 miles.
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw:Will negates (harmless) (DC 19 + caster's Cha modifier)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
Casting: The actual song portion of the incantation takes five hours. During that time the singing alternates with chanted components performed by the additionalcasters and, if they are successful, the Smalljammer as well.
Material Component: 5,000 gp Worth of exotic materials. The exact materials vary depending on what multiverse you are in and which one you wish to go to.In all cases the materials must come from three different planes in the starting multiverse.
Focus: An Organic, Living Spelljamming Helm
Backlash Component: Crossdimensional feedback. (planeshifted, exhausted, 2d6 hp damage)
Extra Casters: 2 backup chanters, 1 with Psicraft and one with Spellcraft. In addition the Smalljammer acts as an additional caster for a grand total of 3.
XP Cost: 200 xp from Primary Caster and 75 xp each from the additional casters.

Since the barrier between the Myriad Realms (i.e. d20 Modern, DragonStar, Call of Cthulhu, etc.) is vibrational in nature it stands to reason that one of the few ways of breaching the barriers between dimensions would involve sound. In this case the sound of song.

This nine hour ritual creates a breach in the barriers between dimensions allowing one ship to pass through. The first four hours are used in ritual preparation, attuning the ship and crew with the balance of arcane, psionic, and divine energies of their starting plane.

Some say that it was during the first performance of this Incantation that the Far Realm was first discovered. If there is truth to the theory held amongst some sagesthat the Far Realm fills the area between dimensions much like the Phlogiston fills the area between Spheres then this story may well be true.

As the silver light streams in through the windows Violetta feels momentarily light headed. While Xring tends the unconscious Ibid, Klasath explains that he is a pariah amongst his people and being on the Astral is a death sentence if they get caught. As they interrogate Moswen about what happened and discover she has no idea the githyanki explains some basics of the plane: lack of time, getting places by thinking about them, etc.

During the course of the conversation a change in Violetta's chain, as it now has the aspect of both being made of silver and being of githyanki craftsmanship. As Klasath asks her about it a figure comes into view in the distance. In short order it resolves into a strange looking cube, a cube with spindly chicken like arms and legs as well as a strange almost comical face. Larren identifies it as a Modron, native to the plane of Mechanus, a creature of pure Law.

In a strangely stilted prose the creature introduces itself as Individual 23 and, they think, inquires why they are there. Closer view shows the creature seems to be made of a an odd mix of metal, stone, and flesh. All in all it almost seems more of a construct than a creature of flesh and blood. Under its arm it carries a stone tile about a foot square and it holds a staff in its left hand.

After a brief and slightly confusing conversation the Modron asks, "Interrogative: Participate in game?" After a bit of conversation they agree and the Modron tosses the board out into the Silver Void where it rapidly grows to huge proportions.

Upon attaining full size the crew are transported to the surface of the board where they have taken the place of several pieces on the white side of the board. Surrounding them are living chess pieces, the Chaturani from Mechanus. The Modron sits on a raised dias at the other end of the board directing the black side's pieces.

A rapid, vicious game ensues. As the pieces move, animate, and fight Violetta feels a pulse at her temples and, suddenly released by the energies of the Astral, strikes out for the first time with an Ego Whip. As the strange, boxlike entity plunges headfirst into depressive lassitude Larren directs the game towards a rapid checkmate. In the course of the combat Lemmy had been "killed." At its end he appears on a dias opposite the Modron beaten but barely alive.

As a booming voice from above announces "checkmate," the black pieces defeated, including the checkmated King evaporate in amber light leaving behind three scrolls hanging suspended in mid air where they stood. Two are maps, in the same style as the map of Athas Violetta memorized a few weeks ago. One is labeled Dasaraches, The White Fortress. The other one is a city map emblazoned with the name Tyr.

In addition to the enigmatic maps is a scroll bearing a powerful incantaion, The Song of The Jammer. Combining elements of arcane, psionic and musical notation it seems to be a complex multi hour ritual that allows a smalljammer to breach dimensional barriers. At least that is the best they can gather from it.

After the game Klasath explains to Moswen how to rest in the Astral. Being a warlock she is unused to the energy draining effects of the helm. Being bereft of all her arcane abilities has rattled her a good deal. Individual 23 has, in the meantime, begun balling to himself while standing on the open deck of the Voidskimmer. He keeps saying that "Mad, mad, mad! Giotractuszeit mad will be," wringing his strange spindly hands.

Acting as the native guide Klasath finally suggest the best place to seek shelter would be Crosswinds Keep in the Elserryn Cluster. As a githyanki he would have to hide in the ship, his race are forbidden there and constantly attempt to breach the settlement's defenses.

He gives a detailed description to Xring and off they go. After five hours they come to a swirling array of color pools, portals to other planes that orbit in a complicated array much like and asteroid field. This is the Elserryn Cluster. Off on the other side of this maelstrom of color pools floats the enormous stone head of a dead god. Built o the back of the head is their destination, Crosswinds Keep.

As the smalljammer describes a sweeping arc around the swirling array a pair of seemingly normal hammerships move into view and hail them. A quick visit from the guards of the Lion Fleet allows them to be escorted inside the magical sphere of exclusion. Moswen immediately picks out the leader, Justin, and begins the now familiar batting of her eyes. Violetta rolls her own eyes and walks off. In short order the Voidskimmer is following the hammerships through the force shield and up to a dock on the side of the head.

While Klasath hides and the Modron sits in the hold talking to itself Ibid paces the perimeter keeping watch and guarding the ship. In the meantime the rest of the group make their way to the main keep where they are charged two gold to enter. After doing so they make their way to the common room and order a round of drinks.

I'd also like some people to host small get togethers in their homes.  Them, their family and friends, interested parties, and me... just to discuss issues, suggestions, and whatever else is on your mind.

Remember, I can't beat Singeal without support and not just voting.  If that's all you can manage I'll accept it with gladness in my heart.  If you can help out more, that would be great.

Walkabouts and promotional campaign material will start going up in September and early October depending on my finances.  Meet and greets, I'm available almost anytime.  I will take a few days vaction in mid-August, but that's about it.

The audio is a little tough to hear, so to clarify, McCain insisted that “we have succeeded” in Iraq. In fact, he said it multiple times:

“I am happy to stand in front of you to tell you that this strategy has succeeded. It has succeeded. It has succeeded.”

---Veritas

(from www.straightrecord.com)

==============<>===============

Saturday
10 a - 12 p Chet Neurocam
12 p - 2 p Miz Phobos
2 p - 4 p Sezmra Svarog
4 p - 8  p Madame Maracas (me)
8 p - 12 a TriNala (Trinity Serpentine & Nala Galatea)

Sunday
12 a - 2 a Brian Mason
2 a - 4 a Mabb Dilweg*
4 a - 6 a Predreus Twang*
6 a - 10 a Bearinthemorning Holmer*

Thanks again you all helped out so very much in all your different ways to help us help get rid of cancer!  Go Team RadioRadio!

SLURL to our campsite (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Heroes%2020/118/40/25) be sure to view other sites & Walk, Donate, Celebrate, Remember & Fight Back!

If you can't make it "in" to Second Life to visit the campsite but would like to contribute, or simply prefer to use a credit card to make your donation, here's a link to Team RadioRadio's handy dandy official page for donations!

The big problem I have now is that we might never even get to the end of Act II, so I was just thinking of making this adventure as epic as possible so that they'd be left with a feeling of satisfaction when they finish the last encounter.

As such, Chapter 4, The Seeds of Change, might really be the last. At least the campaign will end with a sense of closure. If we finish too early, I might run The Eyes of the Lich Queen instead.

In any case, The Black and the Purple has been very enjoyable thus far. I just wish we'd be able to finish it all the way to the very end, but that really seems unlikely.

Chaotic Evil

I was never really fond of Chaotic Evil villains. They just seem so unsubtle to the point of being predictable despite their chaotic nature. I always preferred Lawful Evil and Neutral Evil villains, as they are capable of depth and have plausible motives.

The typical D&D CE villain is short-sighted and uncoordinated, which leads to failures. He also likes executing his lackeys for no reason. He's also often a lumbering brute who simply tears stuff apart. There's no psychological depth, no pathos, nothing chilling or truly disturbing. As such I couldn't really appreciate Chaotic Evil villains.

That is, until I saw The Dark Knight. The Joker there is the embodiment of Chaotic Evil. He's without reason, without pity, without ideology or cause. He doesn't care if he dies, has nothing to lose, and is completely flexible. He's smart, and his plans are savagely unpredictable. His attacks are more psychological and strike a primal chord in the hearts of his victims, so much so that it's not his aggressiveness that makes him dangerous. It's his ability to rip apart the fragile worlds of his victims.

If I were to summarize his character into one sentence, it would be:

The Joker is so wrong as a person, but the things he says about human nature are so right.

As such, I award Heath Ledger's Joker this motivational poster:

Deputy Prime Minister Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega said the socialists wanted to draw on the "most innovative European laws governing circumstances and time limits."

Late last year Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who was re-elected in March 2008, ruled out any reform of the country's abortion laws although he said his administration was "open to reflection" on the issue.

Abortion has been de-criminalised in Spain, since 1985, in only three specific sets of circumstances: for rape victims (within 12 weeks); where there are foetal deformities (22 weeks); and when "the mother's physical or psychological health is in danger" (with no time limitation).

The vast majority of 91,000 abortions reported in 2005 were attributed to "psychological" health risk, sometimes performed after six, seven or eight months' pregnancy.

Meanwhile, the socialists also made it clear they were committed to strengthening secularism.

The party publicised its support for the "gradual disappearance of religious symbols and liturgies in public spaces and in official state proceedings," in a text broadcast on Saturday.

The move, aimed at amending a religious freedom law, risks a return to the confrontation between Church and government that marked Zapatero's first term.

One consequence of the party's proposals, if implemented, would be removal of crucifixes from public buildings, the daily El Pais said.

The text does not demand a revision of agreements between the Church and State but does ask for a rebalancing in favour of minority religions.

According to El Pais, the Spanish State indirectly subsidises the Roman Catholic Church and other Catholic organisations to the tune of more than four billion euros (6.3 billion dollars) a year.

Other religions, in particular Islam with some three million followers, barely receive three million euros a year.

Relations between the Roman Catholic Church and Zapatero's government remain strained following liberal social reforms including gay marriage and easier divorce.

The socialist government argues the promotion of secular values is key to the modernisation of Spain, which has become more multicultural and undergone a liberal transformation in the three decades since the death of right-wing dictator Francisco Franco.

The Church which was close to Franco's regime backed several large protests in defence of the family and just before March's general election Spain's bishops issued a note of "moral guidance" advising against voting for the socialists.

The Catholic Church remains influential in Spain, a country which is officially 80 percent Catholic but where only about 40 percent practise the religion.

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5j8PX2XW1H5UKZxV2dv3bUNgmsacA

Even though it is one of the most commonly performed medical procedures, and one of the safest according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), every day a staggering 219 women die worldwide from a botched abortion. Decriminalising abortion is essential in our struggle to stop these preventable deaths.

Over the last two decades, opinion in favour of a woman’s right to choose abortion has steadily increased.

A 2003 poll by the Australian Survey of Social Attitudes (AusSSA) found that more than 80% of people, and 84% of GPs, support choice. An Australian Election Study found that, in 2004, 54% believed “Women should to be able to obtain an abortion readily, when they want one”, up from 38% in 1987.

Interestingly too, AusSSA found that 77% of religious respondents supported a woman’s right to choose, and out of 1000 Catholics interviewed, 72% were pro-choice.

According to ProChoice Victoria, the Melbourne Anglican Church sent a submission to the Victorian Law Reform Commission this year supporting the “provision of safe and affordable abortions with appropriate safeguards for women who, for whatever reasons, request them”.

Less than 5% of the population opposes abortion, but this tiny minority enjoys a sympathetic ear from politicians and is over-represented in state and federal parliaments.

Anti-abortion crusaders are also influencing the increasingly socially conservative ALP. A recent example is the support the Health Services Union gave to the anti-choice Labor candidate, Marlene Kairouz, in the recent Kororoit by-election.

This year the Victorian parliament will vote to decriminalise abortion, and three models are being advanced by the Victorian Law Reform Commission.

Abortion is still legally a crime, but is lawful under the 1969 Menhenitt ruling if a doctor decides that continuing a pregnancy endangers the woman’s life or health. While abortion remains a crime, doctors are unable to provide the most appropriate medical care for fear of possible prosecution.

Out of the three proposals, only “Model C” gives women the decision-making power throughout her entire pregnancy. It recognises a woman’s authority over her body.

The Socialist Alliance rejects the argument being peddled by the anti-abortion lobby that Model C will encourage more women to have terminations because it implies that women don’t take responsibility for the choices they make.

There is also no evidence to suggest liberal abortion laws lead to higher termination rates. Sedgh, Henshaw, Singh, Ahman and Shah, in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet in 2007, found that “unrestrictive abortions laws do not predict a high incidence of abortion and by the same token, highly restrictive abortion laws are not associated with low abortion incidence”.

While it is critical to remove abortion from the criminal code, it is equally important not to put the “crime” of abortion back into the Health Act, by imposing complex restrictions on access to services based on age or gestation.

Regulating abortion differently to other medical procedures perpetuates the sexist assumption that politicians and the legal fraternity are better placed then women themselves to decide when or if to have children.

The Socialist Alliance supports Model C and agrees with 54% of Australians who believe in removing all impediments for women to access abortion services.

We believe that abortion should be part of a comprehensively funded reproductive health program, which includes extensive sex education and freely available contraception.

Victorian Premier John Brumby is ignoring the only option that offers real choice for women, believing the debate in the ALP should be between Models A and B.

This is not good enough. In 2006, the state ALP conference overwhelmingly voted in favour of a woman’s right to choose. But this vote is undermined by the ALP MPs’ right to exercise a “conscience vote” on this subject.

We urge people to pressure MPs to vote in favour of Model C and women’s reproductive rights. Let’s not let a tiny reactionary minority impose their repressive agenda upon us all.

[Helen Laxton is a member of the Victorian Socialist Alliance.]

http://www.greenleft.org.au/2008/757/39124

PETA is stirring up a little controversy with their new ad campaign, mostly because of how rampant teen pregnancy is today, but I totally dig their approach. Controversy = cool. The ad above shows the parents of a young teen encouraging their daughter to have sex (love the line: "if it's gotta pulse, you should be wrapped around it")  which is basially what a pet owner does when they decide not to spay or neuter their pets. This ad grabs the viewers attention, which is exactly what needs to happen because people need to stop overlooking this issue. They need to know that millions of animals are being put to death each year because people carelessly don't spay or neuter their animals (I know I sound like Bob Barker, but it's true). Cheers to PETA for putting this ad out there!

A 12,000-mile trip in the middle of an election campaign is an unusual choice for any candidate, but for Obama it's an attempt to demonstrate he has the necessary gravitas to maneuver through diplomatic minefields - especially in the volatile Mideast.

For those not familiar with the term gravitas, it means "weightiness" or "dignified demeanor". Rush Limbaugh had a lot of fun with the word during the 2000 presidential campaign after the MSM used it ad infinitum in it's analysis of George Bush choosing Dick Cheney as his running mate. Here are some examples from the transcript on Limbaugh's website:

HUNT: He is a man who meets all George W.'s weaknesses: lack of foreign policy experience, lack of gravitas. I think now when Gore is trying to make the case of lack of gravitas against George W. ...

WILLIAMS: Now we look and we see the son, who is seeking some gravitas, to say to people that he is an intelligent man...

SHIPMAN: There is a lot talk they are looking at older candidates, candidates with gravitas.

ROBERTS: He's had health problems, uh, he's worked for a Big Oil company, but he has the gravitas. You can sum it up in one word: stature.

FAZIO: I really believe that George W. Bush needed that perhaps more than anyone in recent memory because, if there is a rap about him, it may go to the gravitas issue.

GREENFIELD: If the question about Governor Bush was one of the weight, or to use the favorite phrase of the moment, "gravitas"...

ALTER: What he gets here is grav-i-tas, a sense of weight, competence, and administrative ability.

KERREY: I've gotta strengthen it in some fashion. I've gotta bring gravitas to the ticket.

KERREY: He does not need anybody to give him gravitas!

CARLSON: It means that Bush, you know, Gore has experience and gravitas.

McCURRY: I think he also needs to demonstrate some gravitas, too.

DONALDSON: ...that he was put on the ticket, but by former President Bush, to give gravitas to the ticket.

CLIFT: Well, Dick Cheney brings congeniality and he brings gravitas.

ISAACSON: He does seem to bring some vigor as well as gravitas and stature to the ticket.

HUNT: It's called "gravitas."

NOVAK: Right.

SHIELDS A little gravitas!

WOODRUFF: You certainly have gravitas tonight.

DONALDSON: Displayed tonight a certain gravitas.

The transcript doesn't do it justice -- you really have to hear the audio to get the full hilarious effect. But this should give a clue as to just how easily and willingly the MSM will take a buzzword fed to them by the Democrats and run with it.

We will most certainly be hearing this term more and more in association with Barack Obama -- but in a different way than with Bush. Don't be surprised when you start hearing reports about the strong impression Barry made in Jordan and Israel. And be prepared after his whirlwind tour overseas is finished to start hearing about Obama's "newly found gravitas"... the authority and presence he carried as he interacted with foreign leaders. How he behaved almost... dare we say... presidential.

We eagerly await the next montage...

In this campaign world it is not uncommon to hear somebody tell the story of how they saw a particular god appear in such and such a place; or for them to explain some event through an act of the gods.

The gods worshipped here are all the same ones detailed in the core books, with a couple of slight additions to their areas of command.  For the time being I'm going to only detail the Good or Unaligned gods, as these are the ones that you will have the most opportunity to interact with.  You will learn more about the other gods, but that will come through the game itself.

*EDIT* added the gods up to Melora.  I'll update the remaining 4 when I can.

Avandra

Avandra is pegged as being the god of Change, Luck, Trade and Travel - In this world many tradesman, especially smiths and potters, see him as their patron.  Although he has a human appearance, he is the brother of Bahamut.

It is said that he crafted Erathis' armour out of the body of an older god.  A clerics armour is almost always blessed by Avandra before being donned.

Bahamut

Bahamut is seen as the ruler of the gods, and when there is a disagreement between them, he is the adjudicator.   Justice, honour, nobility (especially Kingship), protection and fate are all under his purvey.  Stories are sometimes contradictory as to whether he can alter fate, or whether he simply knows all of it.

He is known to appear in many forms, human, ox, dragon and even a serpent, but the dragon is his most well known form.

Corellon

Corellon is the god of Magic, Spring, Beauty, the Arts, Virgins and all things related.  Allegedly Corellon was born from the spleen of an older god who died when the current gods came into power.

One interesting feature of Corellon is that she's sometimes considered a bit promiscuous, but can make her self a virgin again by bathing in a particular pool, allegedly in the Apricot Mountains.

Erathis

Erathis, in this world at least, is a woman.  She stands for justice, law, civilization and invention.  She is also the patron of Boetia's capital city, Erath.  Perhaps this is why the people of Boetia see themselves as the one true law of the land...

Ioun

The god of knowledge, prophecy, skill, music and healing.  Specialized workers such as 'doctors' or musicians sometimes claim Ioun as their patron.

Note that many areas covered by one of the gods overlap with those of others.  This is not uncommon, and does not present a problem for the believers - it's simply the nature of the gods.  Can't two people be interested in the same thing?  So why not the gods?

Kord

The god of Strength, Battle and powerful forces of nature on the land.  What else do I have to say?  He likes to kick ass!

It is believed that a great nation will be good at politics, trade and war.  Kord sees to his third of that, and leaves the rest to those who might be more interested.

Melora

Melora is mostly known as the god of the ocean and what dwells within it.  Travellers crossing the ocean are expected to make the appropriate sacrifices to Melora, or face the consequences! He (he is a he in this world) is also the god of horses, which puts him in charge of a lot of forms of non-magical travel.

Melora and Bahamut often have 'disagreements,' but Bahamut always gets his way.

[I'm going to edit in the rest of the gods soon, I'm just posting this so that there's SOMETHING up there]

]]> http://texashillblog.wordpress.com/?p=123 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 04:44:10 +0000 Texas Hill Country http://texashillblog.wordpress.com/?p=123 I read an article about Romney...  and it said that Romney had loaned his campaign $45 million dollars, which he is filing to change from a loan to a contribution, essentially forgiving the debt.

The article also said by doing this that he cleared the "legal deck" for him to be able to be a VP candidate...

Former Gov. Mitt Romney, who's increasingly visible on the campaign trail on behalf of the man who beat him for the Republican presidential nomination, Sen. John McCain, is about to forgive the $45 million he loaned himself for the primary struggles.

The legal move of filing papers with the Federal Election Commission re-declaring Romney's loans as contributions is imminent, according to a report by Michael Kranish on the Boston Globe website. It would clear the legal deck for Romney to become a candidate again as, oh, say, the vice presidential Republican running mate of McCain.

To be honest, I had not even thought about campaign debt being a roadblock on the path to the Vice Presidency in the legal sense...  I mean, I would have just thought it would have made that pick that much less attractive...  but a legal roadblock?  Wow, ok... 

So, anyway, I suspect that Hillary's pay off the debt effort is because she wants to clear her "legal deck" just in case...  especially given the fact that she is not asking for any of her personal loans to be paid back.  I suspect she will file similar paperwork to what Romney has soon. 

And that maybe it could be why Obama is draggin his damn feet, refusing to send an email blast on her behalf and "forgetting" to ask for people to help her?

He wants the reason she can't be VP because of a legal technicality so he doesn't have to take the blame perhaps?

I might just bet on it.

The fanatical right immediately jumped all over Obama for his pledge to remove U.S. combat troops from Iraq during the first 16 months of his administration.

Setting a timetable for withdrawal simply emboldens the enemy, according to some of the talking heads on Faux News and far-right talk radio.

I wonder how they'll react today after learning Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki said he supported Obama's 16-month timetable. Maliki says he wants U.S. troops out of Iraq, too; the White House insists it hasn't embraced the notion of a withdrawal timetable but has agreed with Maliki on a broader framework that pledges to have the U.S. forces leave Iraq at some unspecified date.

Obama also was criticized by the right-wing scream machine when he said the real war on terror should be taking place in Afghanistan, and his call to add an additional 10,000 to 15,000 U.S. troops to the Afghan front.

McCain immediately criticized the suggestion -- he said it was up to the United Nations to beef up troop levels. But now McCain's singing a different tune. He's echoed the call for more U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

Funny, but that's the same position being taken by U.S. military commanders, too.

It's unconscionable that we've allowed the Taliban to regroup. It's unconscionable that we've allowed the poppy crop to return to pre-2001 levels. And it's unconscionable that Osama bin Laden and his band of killers remain free.

Remember it was Bush who said at a news conference a couple of years back that he didn't spend much time thinking about bin Laden.

With Obama speaking out forcefully about our failed war on terrorism in Afghanistan, suddenly the White House is starting to pay attention, too.

Who's ready to lead now? Who's ready for that 3 a.m. phone call?

It's not McCain.

Scared of the needle ? I'm not.

The Japan Red Cross Society of the Chiba Port visits my campus about 3 times a year, to hold a one week campaign each time they do come, in order to collect blood from kind university students or staffs. According to them, their ideal target is to have 100 donors per day and reaching that target is not such a simple task for many are pretty selfish or just afraid of the thought of a big fat needle has to go through their vein which hinders them from intervening into the whole noble act. Anyway, I missed once last autumn so I was really eager to do it this time, the moment I noticed their tent was up to suck blood from fellow donors. I made my way to the tent, proudly slipped out my donor card from my wallet and got 400mL of my type A+ blood sucked out of my body after getting a simple blood pressure and blood concentration test.

Their tent has the words "Give Blood, Save Life" printed on it, although I think it should be more towards "Give Blood, Save Lives", but I guess saving one life is good enough as long as we have the heart for it. Well, let's say I am pretty much a frequent customer for it was my 7th time donating my blood here in Japan, wishing somehow my blood would be precious enough to actually save lives. I'm always happy whenever the nurses tell me that they really thank me on behalf of the people who were in need of it. Anyway, here in Japan, they will give you stuffs like instant noodles or snack bars as a token of appreciation for donating. This time I've got myself 3 bars of Soyjoy, a new snack bar made of soy beans and dried fruits, which is supposed to be some healthy diet snack (urm, they don't taste that good actually so I think it is healthy.)

Actually, I've bumped into an article by COLORS magazine a while ago while surfing the net (a multilingual quarterly magazine developed in Italy by Fabrica, Benetton's research center) on their latest issue #73 entitled "Money" and it is actually an interesting issue which is based on money, with sections divided by the different traces of materials found on paper money analyzed in a lab. Waste, blood, metal, ash, oil, cocaine, soil, skin, silicon, feces, plastic, cellulose, ink. Yes, among those it was the topic of blood, a common biological material that can be found on money. In this section, it touches on the blood black market issue in Iraq. Here's a transcript from one of the related websites, "In Baghdad, on the other hand, blood is lost in litres and replaced in cash - US$3,500 to be precise; the amount Sayef paid on the black market for his son's transfusions." Anyway, if you want to check on this section, there's a PDF version of it on this fantastic website version of the issue #73.

It's pretty ironic that certain people get highly paid or even have to pay a big lump some in Iraq for blood and here I am in Japan, willingly to give out my blood for free but I believe some people out there in the world who would really want my blood to actually exchange for money to survive in this expensive world we are in. I've done 7 blood donations, 6 times of 400mL and 1 time of 200mL (the first time when I was in Kumamoto did not worked well so they only took 200mL) which equals up to 2.6 litres and I really wonder how much that would worth in Iraq for blood transfusion. Anyway, the world is pretty much a wrecked up place where such illegal deals have to be done but I'm happy that I am just doing my share of what I can do here in the richer side of the world.

I know there are people who are afraid of the needle but am I weird to say that I kinda like blood donation a lot ? *hehe* Well, perhaps there is something fetish in me when it comes to blood donation. Anyway, I really am inclined to bloody matters nowadays because I am actually working on my research now to actually find a method to actually separate the digital image of your face into melanin and hemoglobin components. It is a method that many cosmetics companies would want to get their hands on as an invasive method to know the concentration of melanin (the pigment that makes your skin tan) and hemoglobin (in simple term, blood) in your skin in order to prescribe a good product for your skin. Anyway, those are the bloody matters that I've been linked to lately and thought of sharing them with you. Comment if you want to. Peace.

I had no intention of voting for Hillary Clinton, but I did feel a tug at my typically unemotional heartstrings when she exited the race.   I am no feminist, but there is something to be said for a woman who gets as far as she did in a man’s game.  Hindsight of course gives us the benefit of analyzing her missteps. 

As I questioned before, was her campaign technologically challenged? 

She cried - not once...

but twice...

She cackled...

She sat down with Bill O’Reilly...

Chelsea said that Hillary would make a better president than Bill…

Leaving hindsight behind, some speculate that she’s prepping for 2012.  That move wouldn’t surprise many – the Clintons are notorious for their planning, organization and ability to get what they want.

Despite what is going on behind the scenes with the Clinton campaign, she has decided to put the party first.  Not that she had a choice, but she has put her full support behind Obama.

Though there are dissenters, her supporters are largely following suit.  For example, Emily’s List, an organization “dedicated to building a progressive America by electing pro-choice Democratic women to office,” has now pledged its support to Obama. 

Where does Hillary go from here?  Maybe she’ll be Obama’s Vice Presidential choice.  Maybe she’ll choose to remain in the Senate.  But, like it or not, she’s has done the right thing for the party by endorsing Obama.   She really didn’t have a choice, especially if she plans to run again later.  She had to endorse Obama – for the party and for herself.  But I think that her legacy will be that she kept her chin up and did the right thing - for the Democratic party.  The rest is just speculation.  I’m also speculating that we haven’t seen the last of Hillary vying for the White House.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican John McCain launched a new television ad Friday that accuses presidential rival Barack Obama of switching positions on Iraq "to help himself become president" just as the Democratic candidate prepared to make a high-profile trip to Baghdad.

McCain's sharply worded criticism was not limited to the ad. He said Friday that Obama would be facing a far less secure Iraq "if we had done what he wanted to do."

The 30-second ad, running on national cable and in 11 battleground states, is the hardest hit aimed at Obama so far by McCain.

"Barack Obama never held a single Senate hearing on Afghanistan," the ad's announcer says. "He hasn't been to Iraq in years. He voted against funding our troops. Positions that helped him win his nomination. Now Obama is changing to help himself become president."

The ad suggests that Obama was placing politics ahead of the country's interests.

McCain could have let the Republican National Committee air the commercial, as it did with another critical portrayal of Obama. But McCain aides say Iraq and national security are issues that McCain is eager to debate with Obama and saw no reason to put distance between himself and the criticism.

Responding to the ad, Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton said: "Given his calls for a civil campaign, it's disappointing that Senator McCain has slipped so easily into the same, tired campaign tactics that have become so familiar to the American people."

The group is so sure of their new found truth that they are offering up a publicly held debate on the subject. The group who are the real numbers crunchers and model generators not social activists that that once called global warming unconvertible. Have new data according to APS forum editors, Jeff Marque, "There is a considerable presence within the scientific community of people who do not agree with the IPCC conclusion that anthropogenic CO2 emissions are very probably likely to be primarily responsible for global warming that has occurred since the Industrial Revolution."

[q url="http://www.dailytech.com/Myth+of+Consensus+Explodes+APS+Opens+Global+Warming+Debate/article12403.htm"]

The APS is opening its debate with the publication of a paper by Lord Monckton of Brenchley, which concludes that climate sensitivity -- the rate of temperature change a given amount of greenhouse gas will cause -- has been grossly overstated by IPCC modeling.   A low sensitivity implies additional atmospheric CO2 will have little effect on global climate.

Larry Gould, Professor of Physics at the University of Hartford and Chairman of the New England Section of the APS, called Monckton's paper an "expose of the IPCC that details numerous exaggerations and "extensive errors"

In an email to DailyTech, Monckton says, "I was dismayed to discover that the IPCC's 2001 and 2007 reports did not devote chapters to the central 'climate sensitivity' question, and did not explain in proper, systematic detail the methods by which they evaluated it. When I began to investigate, it seemed that the IPCC was deliberately concealing and obscuring its method." 

According to Monckton, there is substantial support for his results, "in the peer-reviewed literature, most articles on climate sensitivity conclude, as I have done, that climate sensitivity must be harmlessly low."

Monckton, who was the science advisor to Britain's Thatcher administration, says natural variability is the cause of most of the Earth's recent warming.   "In the past 70 years the Sun was more active than at almost any other time in the past 11,400 years ... Mars, Jupiter, Neptune’s largest moon, and Pluto warmed at the same time as Earth." [/q]

Unless there are industrialized nations on Jupiter or Pluto, Global warming could be called solar system warming and has very little to do with Human emissions.
The Politisite Bottom Line: (Opinion) Al Gore and other scientists while looking at data from the Earth and coming to the conclusion that the earth is on a warming trend. Coming to the conclusion that since industry has caused increased emission is th reason for the earth warming. What the scientists failed to see what due to the suns increased solar activity, other heavenly bodies where effected as well. most of the Planets with our solar system has increased in temperature as well.

Does this mean, stop conserving resources? We say no. We are on a better trend and n matter ones view of Al Gore, we have made our country better by following some of the environmental steps outlined by those who have blamed humans for the natural unfolding of our universe. So keep those energy efficient lights and keep recycling. Just don't go to therapy for ruining the world for driving your Hummer.

Link to the Denver group:

http://thedenvergroup.blogspot.com/

Donate so we can see some more of these thought provoking ads.

www.lobbydelegates.com

The site is set up for email (which is free) or faxing which costs $5. The superdelegates are broken down by states and then further divided by those declaring support for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, those for Sen. Barack Obama and those that are uncommitted.  I write different letters depending on what category they are in. I send thank you letters for those supporting Hillary and ask them to stand strong for our candidate. To those uncommitted superdelegates I review that only Hillary can garner the 270 Electoral College votes to win over the presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain in November and restore a sane Democrat to the Oval Office. And for those superdelegates who have declared support for Obama, I remind them that it is not too late to change their minds, just as their candidate did on FISA and wiretapping, on public funding of the Presidential campaign and on troop withdrawals in the Iraq War. And since many of the superdelegates are also publically elected officials who may be up for re-election I like to mention that if Obama had agreed to public financing like he said he would, the DNC and down-ticket Democrats would be collecting a lot more money than they are now, since they have to compete with his campaign for those hard earned American dollars. There are about 800 superdelegates- see how many you can write to using this system. Post your results.

On the campaining video can you BELIEVE how much those voices sound like Hilary and Barack?  Lol, too awesome!!

If you don't know what the 2nd video is referencing, you're so out of the loop.

When finding a skull pick it up then drop it.  You can then get credit for it.

You can only find skulls when you start at the beginning of a level on Normal or higher.   They won't be available if you play on Easy or begin from a checkpoint.  After finding a skull Save your game, then Exit if you want to unlock the Effects. 

Collecting the Gold and Silver Skulls add points to your Meta-Game in the main Campaign.  If you activate the skulls it "ups" your Meta-score even more!  Higher Meta points unlock more game upgrades.

I would like to add that the solutions for finding skulls in the game were contributed by gamers who made posts in GameFAQ's.com and other sites.  I took the liberty of reformatting and rewriting a bit for clarity.  I hope I am not offending anyone by using their information.  Also, Gold and Silver skulls are combined in order for each level.  Please post if you find a mistake.  I am currently using this guide myself in Legendary to find all the skulls.  I hope this guide helps you.

Iron Skull

LEVEL- Sierra 117

EFFECTS- When either player dies in Co-Op on any difficulty both players will restart at last check point or in single player if you die you restart the level.

HOW TO FIND- In the area where you rescue the Sarge, behind the prison cell is a large ledge.  Go to the far right side and jump on top of the boxes, then onto the pipes to get up on a ledge.  Go to the far end of the ledge, turning two corners the skull is at the end.

Blind Skull

LEVEL- Sierra 117

EFFECTS- No HUD, No Gun on screen.

HOW TO FIND- Go to the area where you see the Phantom overhead then jump over the rocks and follow the path to the right.  Go to the cliff there will be a rock over on the side.  The skull is at the end of the rock.

Note: The skull has to be activated before you start a campaign.

Black-Eye Skull

LEVEL- Crow's Nest

EFFECTS- Melee hits recharges your shield.

HOW TO FIND- When you begin, go up to the higher level.  Go to the door with the red light, then turn around.  Jump onto the racks and the red metal light holders.  Next jump onto the vent tube.  You'll find the skull at the end of the tube.

Grunt Birthday Party skull

LEVEL- Crow's Nest

EFFECTS- Head shots on grunts cause heads to explode with confetti, kids celebrate!

HOW TO FIND- After the first objective, while en route to the barracks, you'll fall down onto a pipe.  At the end of the pipe look over the edge to see a small space a few feet below you.  You must drop over and as quickly as you can, pull back to land under the floor you were just on.  The skull will be at the end.