Smog: The Administrator

"The machines... Spewing poison... The very clouds that sheltered us from the great emptiness beyond this place are now nothing more than a harbor for the penalty of our inherited knowledge."

Owner:

Game Masters:

This topic is an Out Of Character part of the roleplay, ?Haze: The Administrator?. Anything posted here will also show up there.

Topic Tags:

Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.

---

---

I've seriously seen this RP some where..

Capra

Member for 0 years

---

All original content, friend~

xArmageddon

Member for 1 years

---

---

Whaaaaaaaaaaaat? No way :c
That's a really shitty coincidence ^^;
The title might not be original, but the story is~
I had no idea that other RP existed >>;

xArmageddon

Member for 1 years

---

Don't mind it, it was a accident :I

Capra

Member for 0 years

---

Oh shit, that's YOUR RP >>;
I had no idea, I swear...
I could change the title if you'd like? ^^;

xArmageddon

Member for 1 years

---

Hey! This looks like a great roleplay and I would like to create a character. :) I would like to make a female, and is it okay if I add and spruce up the character design? Or do you want me to stick strictly to the one you gave.

"A stupid man?s report of what a clever man says can never be accurate, because he unconciously translates what he hears into something he can understand."

O.O

Akantha

Member for 3 years

---

---

Post a reply

RolePlayGateway is a site built by a couple roleplayers who wanted to give a little something back to the roleplay community. The site has no intention of earning any profit, and is paid for out of their own pockets.

If you appreciate what they do, feel free to donate your spare change to help feed them on the weekends. After selecting the amount you want to donate from the menu, you can continue by clicking on PayPal logo.

Who is online

Registered users: 0neTailedf0x*, Adantas*, Aftershock*, Akantha, Alasund De'astio*, Alexa [Bot], alice_the_strange, AliceTheDark*, Alise120*, Anastasia's Arrow, ArgoYamato, Asher MstrImmortalis*, Asper, AsuraDeWinters*, AugustaBlaze, AugustArria*, AuthorAnnon*, Avelyne, AzricanRepublic*, bandgeek*, BikerAngel*, birthstone_spirits*, Blackbird26*, blacksky, bladewolf175*, BleachFan95, BleedingLover, BlueFlower33, BlueWind_22, BumbleDrop*, Canibelle*, Castella, ceh12, Celedia, cha-kun*, ChaosxChild13, ChaoticMarin*, Chari*, CharlotteV*, CherryRed, Cheshire_Cat, Chocolate~Pyrus*, chrono*, Comrade*, CookieRaiderEng*, CptxMorgan*, CrashQueen, create_something, CriminalMinds*, CrimsonQueen*, Crooked Thoughts, Curtsive*, CuteAsKaylah, Daakukage*, DarknessToDeath23*, DarkOne, DasNaisa, Daxion*, dealing with it, Deallo*, deathrisesagain*, demented-tiger, desire99600*, Diarmuid O'Dyna, Digital_Muse*, DocBlargle*, DontBeMad*, Dragon*, DreamerOnTheStars*, DuBois_Scarlett*, Dude, duramon*, Eddy V. Sovorov*, Elemenopee*, Elrith Eldwind*, emjajoas, Eos*, Epicnukeguy*, Essence, EverFidelis*, evolutionofshadow*, Exabot [Bot], Fabricator*, FairestInVerona*, fate0013*, Fearful-lover*, finalfantazoid*, Finalhazard3*, FireandRain*, FizzGig*, flying monkey child, Forget~Me~Not*, Frozen Soul*, Furry Dragon, FyreT1ger*, gaiadarkstar*, Game Master Zero, Genesis Rhapsodos*, Google [Bot], Google Adsense [Bot], Google Feedfetcher, Gypsy123, Heather1205, heldenautie, HitoriRaven*, Hoofprintsonmyheart_*, Horseygirl*, hxcdreamer, Igari*, Imagine That!, Insomniatic*, Izzyvamp*, Jadebud98*, Jaffersin*, Jakuri-chan*, JEDH3*, JGamer502*, KameJLa, Karu*, Katherinana*, Killa*, KiraArsenic, kissmekillme, Kiyokojordie, Kohananinja, Korrye, Krisuvial*, Kura Ravengade*, Kuroe, Kurokiku*, Kuukakulily*, kylewolfblade*, Lady Scarlette*, Lainpinky131*, legacy14*, Lifecharacter*, listentothetimpani, lita-bug*, LittleMissGeorgia, Lobos*, Lost Whisper, lostamongtrees, LostRiver*, lovechanningforever, LuckyNumber24*, Luna Shade*, Luv-is-a-Bug*, Majestic-12 [Bot], MaliceInWonderland, Marco Chain*, Marcus*, masato22, Mathew Littlepaw, megadonkey30*, MegaKooala12*, MelodyAce*, Messages, mgoodwin2*, Miss_Dreamer, mkiyogawa*, Modesty, Monroe, Morgan, Mr_Doomed, MSN [Bot], MSNbot Media, Negative Bowser, Nemo, Nevan*, Nikolai*, OtakuD1213, OurStars*, pandalover, Patcharoo*, Peachyllion, peachyme123, pepperx3*, pieluver, pkDragonbutt, placevalue, Polarisbear12*, Porecomesis*, PrinceSakuma, Princess Awinita*, Protoman X, PsychicBastard, punkwithflute*, Pure Excellence, Purpl3_Flam3s*, qbsuperstar03*, RacoonMoon()*, RainyDay2000*, rariszoo*, Ravenesque, rdaydreamer, Reaper2707*, Rem?us*, remy6archer, RenderedHarmless, Rhevonette, RichterGotz*, RoseAmedori*, Rougeshadow*, RPgamergirl, Rulke*, Runika*, Ryuu Takeshi*, Saarai*, sabrinalove3001, Saferia*, Sage Akia*, Sapphire Tears*, SarcasticIrony*, Savader*, Saviarre*, Scorpion01, Script, Selmaina*, shadow_raiken, ShadtheWerepire, Shaodow*, Shiva, Shpleem*, Sicariius*, SilverStar89, SkullsandSlippers, Skwidge*, SlightlyInsane*, Sneakyrio*, Sonata*, Sonohra, Sovereign*, spayce*, SRincarnate*, Starlight77, Stella11*, Stilts, StitchSaysHi*, StuckInThe80s*, SuperQ19*, supertoastgirl, Sweet Angel Jocelyn, SylentStand, Talisman, TaniaSoulEater, Tanman*, Tearen Wover*, tearsofblood#*, Tessla*, The Harbinger, The Writer's Voice*, thebagel264*, TheEclips3*, TheFirstFist, TheFlag, TheNoremac42, ThrillerNight, Thundergod1020*, Tigarus*, Tiko*, TnevdaNai*, Towels0, True Grave, Tsukiakari*, TurtleSoup, udontwannaknow94, umbra Alastor, unseenshadow2, usernamesareadrag*, utahann*, Vexilous, ViceVersus, vilevixen*, Vinno1234*, VitaminHeart*, Vizcious, Wake, WalterF*, WaltJRimmer*, WhatsUpWazza, whymymothergoose, Wild1*, WinterWhisperz, Wolflover2217, wolfoftheage*, xArmageddon*, xDarkTiger Rose*, XShishioX*, XxsamXxtwilight*, Yahoo [Bot], YellowGrand*, Yolo, YOUAINTABOUTDATLIFE, ZacharyTC*, Zentose*, Zitacamron95*, zomgitsmarisa

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/xMsUwnNajuA/viewtopic.php

downton abbey nhl jillian michaels Freddy E NHL lockout Honey Boo Boo pirate bay

Can kids outgrow autism? | MNN - Mother Nature Network

Is it possible for children to outgrow autism?

?

Autism has always been considered a lifelong diagnosis, but a new study might just refute that claim.

?

According to a study published recently in the?Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, some young children who were diagnosed as autistic might outgrow both their symptoms and their diagnosis as they get older. The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health included children, teens, and young adults who were diagnosed as autistic as children but then moved off the autism spectrum as they grew older. ?

?

For the study,?Dr. Deborah Fein from the University of Connecticut and her research team evaluated 34 children who had been diagnosed with autism in early childhood as well as 34 other children in their classes at school. These children were then compared with?another group of 44 children who were the same age and sex and had the same non-verbal IQ scores but were diagnosed as having "high-functioning" autism, in other words, they were less severely affected by their condition.

?

Using both cognitive and observation tests, researchers found that children who were originally diagnosed as autistic no longer had distinguishable symptoms of the condition. These children showed no sign of problems with language, face recognition, communication or social interaction.

?

So, did these children outgrow autism? It's possible, but researchers urge caution when interpreting these results. Another possibility is that the children had learned how to expertly compensate for their autistic symptoms.

?

In either case, it's potentially good news for children who are diagnosed with autism, and the families who love them.

?

Source: http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/blogs/can-kids-outgrow-autism

Presidential Polls California Propositions Electoral College chuck pagano A Gay Lesbian daylight savings time 2012 Where To Vote

What is it? Social Cells

Social cells: The slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum spends much of its time as an apparently typical microscopic single-celled amoeba, oozing around in wet soil as it grazes on bacteria. Something truly odd happens, however, when the food runs out. Starving D. discoideum band together to form a conglomerate organism. A multicellular slug of sorts, the group grows into a spore-making tower, a beacon for sending amoebae out to richer grounds. The sudden lifestyle change is interesting enough, but the real evolutionary puzzle is the cells that make up the delicate stalk. They die without reproducing, which means cells at the top of the tower can turn into more effective spores. This form of altruistic sacrifice has fascinated biologists for decades. (It appears that related amoebae are more likely to group together, so even the dying cells get to pass on their genes.) Here is an organism that is both solitary and fully, suicidally social, a nearly perfect model creature for understanding how multicellular life emerged from the amoebae. In this shot, a slice through a culture dish, you can see a progression of slugs into towers.

Image: Alex Wild

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=5aaee825badb0427cbd537b354208560

gainesville 2012 royal rumble the grey machine gun kelly saul alinsky annapolis wwe royal rumble

Team Against Gotham

Time for Batman to return to his heroic place as Gotham's Dark Knight! (plot inside)

Owner:

Game Masters:

This topic is an Out Of Character part of the roleplay, ?Team Against Gotham?. Anything posted here will also show up there.

Topic Tags:

Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.
This is the auto-generated OOC topic for the roleplay "Team Against Gotham"

You may edit this first post as you see fit.

Sonohra

Member for 1 years

---

---

Hey I would like to reserve Nightwing but I have one question first, any chance of you allowing Batman's bets buddie Superman in this thing? :]

I should go.

Bromander Shepard

Member for 1 years

---

Will there be a posting order? Will other Batman-comic heroes be open?

Applejaxc_

Member for 0 years

---

@Bromander. If someone wants to play superman, then sure. That might be fun. I personally don't like superman, but his relationship with batman is priceless. They somehow understand each other.

@Applejax. Posting order? Like what? And if you want another batman hero, which one of them? Depending on who, I might say yes, no, or that the other spots need to be filled first.

Sonohra

Member for 1 years

---

---

Post a reply

RolePlayGateway is a site built by a couple roleplayers who wanted to give a little something back to the roleplay community. The site has no intention of earning any profit, and is paid for out of their own pockets.

If you appreciate what they do, feel free to donate your spare change to help feed them on the weekends. After selecting the amount you want to donate from the menu, you can continue by clicking on PayPal logo.

Who is online

Registered users: 0neTailedf0x*, 21005taytay*, AceofSpade*, Adantas*, Ahri*, Alexa [Bot], alexkirby12*, Alise120*, americanqh*, Areomancer*, Armageddon, Asher MstrImmortalis, Ashes-6695*, AsuraDeWinters, AugustaBlaze*, AuroraDawn*, Avelyne, AzricanRepublic*, bambi_xrave*, bandgeek*, BeautifullyBroken*, Blackbird26*, blacksky, bladewolf175*, BleachFan95, BleedingLover*, bluebirds -- bb, BraceBlaze*, breezeblocks*, Bromander Shepard, Calvazara, Canibelle*, Carlos_Joaquin, CassandraElyonill, ceh12*, Celedia, cha-kun*, ChaosxChild13, ChaoticMarin*, Cherrylyn*, CherryRed, Child of the Winged, Cienpher*, Circ*, cirrus_sd*, CKTheHappyPig, Cloasse*, cmpuncle, CNAGamer, ColeMaibara*, Colonel_Masters*, Comrade*, Constellations*, CookieCupcake, CookieRaiderEng*, CrashQueen*, create_something*, Curtsive*, CuteAsKaylah*, Daakukage*, Dalmar*, DarknessToDeath23*, Daxion*, dealing with it, Deallo*, deathrisesagain, DreamerOnTheStars, DuBois_Scarlett*, Dude, ebon15, Ecila, Eddy V. Sovorov*, ElRey, Elrith Eldwind*, ElvenEllis*, emjajoas*, emogirlrockz11, emotionless, EmperorCaesar, Eos, EverFidelis*, Exabot [Bot], Fabricator*, FairestInVerona, Fearful-lover*, finalfantazoid, Finalhazard3*, FireandRain, FizzGig*, Floorgan, Forensic_Anthro, Forget~Me~Not*, Fox in a Lab Coat, Fredalice*, FrozenShard*, Furry Dragon, FyreT1ger*, Geekly, Ghost_Scar, Google [Bot], Google Adsense [Bot], Google Feedfetcher, Gwenlover24942*, Harlequin Smile, Himekura*, HitoriRaven*, Hoga*, HOLYCRAPAGHOST, HolyEssence*, IAmAlien, Igari*, Imehal, Izzyvamp*, Jaffersin, Jakuri-chan*, JEDH3, JimiComix*, Jo_Tunn*, JokerofSpades, Kai, KameJLa*, Karu*, kexia, Killa*, koalaking555, Kohananinja, Kossokei, KulasLightShadow*, Kura Ravengade*, Kuroe*, Kuukakulily*, Lady Inali, Lady Scarlette, LadyNightshade*, Lainpinky131, Last*, legacy14*, Lenyx*, Leon Redfield, Leon21, Linnea*, listentothetimpani*, lita-bug*, Little Fox, littleblueclover*, LittleMissGeorgia*, LostRiver*, Mahmoud Schahed*, Marco Chain*, marksmanoftruth, masato22*, MaskedCity, Masque, MaximumSimplicity*, MegaKooala12*, Mela, Merusagon*, miz_reichul, Modesty, Monroe, Moonbow, mummydove, NasiaWords*, nazerathe, Nevan*, No-one-special, Once-Ler_Fangirl, OverTheRainbow*, pandalover*, Patcharoo*, peachyme123, pepperx3*, Phidius, pieluver, Planet Killer*, Polarisbear12*, Porecomesis*, Princess Awinita*, PsychicBastard, punkwithflute*, Pure Excellence, Qaida*, qbsuperstar03*, Quitelovely487*, RedRedReggie, Rein_13*, Rem?us*, remy6archer*, RoseAmedori, Rougeshadow*, rpannier*, Rrj250, Rulke*, Rydan Allivitiar*, Saarai*, Sage Akia*, Saika*, sammy132, SarcasticIrony*, Savader*, Script*, Seirei*, Shadetree76*, Shiki29, Shpleem*, Sicariius*, silver0lilly*, SilverStar89, SkullsandSlippers*, Skyeblueme3*, slcam*, Slendyman, Sneakyrio*, snowwinter486*, SolidSnacks*, Sonohra*, Sorella, Spiritum Liberum*, SRincarnate*, Starlight77*, Stella11*, StitchSaysHi*, SuperNinjaRoo*, Sweet Angel Jocelyn, sweetgal, Tainted Twinkee, Talisman, TaniaSoulEater*, Tanman*, Tash, tearsofblood#*, teffi90*, Temple*, Tessla*, tezza*, thebagel264*, TheFlag*, TheMaster*, TheNoremac42*, Thirion1850*, ThrillerNight*, Tiko*, Travis_black, TrueNarnian*, Tsukiakari, TurtleSoup*, twi-twi, UCTigerette, vilevixen, VindicatedPurpose, Vinn, Vinno1234, viper45*, VitaminHeart*, ViviOrunitiaFF9, Vizcious*, WalterF*, WaltJRimmer*, warthog*, WhiteTiger08*, WinterWhisperz*, wolfoftheage*, Wssl, XandraT8, xDarkTiger Rose, xXRawrDarkWolfXx*, Yahoo [Bot], Yolo, ZacharyTC, Zentose*, Ziddie*, zomgitsmarisa

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/DrZ6Z34LFXo/viewtopic.php

superbowl 2012 kickoff time what time is the super bowl 2012 nfl mvp lana del rey snl performance nick diaz sheryl sandberg superbowl recipes

NASA sun close-ups, 'never-before-seen'

Using a relatively small telescope, NASA scientists were able to capture images of an active region of the sun. Other telescopes focus on larger swaths of the sun, while this one zoomed in on 'real fine structure'.?

By Clara Moskowitz,?SPACE.com / January 23, 2013

The Hi-C instrument on the integration table at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Using this technology, scientists were able to capture previously unseen images.

NASA/MSFC

Enlarge

While many NASA space telescopes soar in orbit for years, the agency's diminutive Hi-C telescope?tasted space for just 300 seconds, but it was enough time to see through the sun's secretive atmosphere.

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 = "on"; google_image_size = '230x105'; google_skip = '0'; // -->

Subscribe Today to the Monitor

Click Here for your FREE 30 DAYS of
The Christian Science Monitor
Weekly Digital Edition

Designed to observe the hottest part of the sun ? its corona ? the small High-Resolution Coronal Imager (Hi-C) launched on a suborbital rocket that fell back to Earth without circling the planet even once. The experiment revealed never-before-seen "magnetic braids" of plasma roiling in the sun's outer layers, NASA announced today (Jan. 23)

"300 seconds of data may not seem like a lot to some, but it's actually a fair amount of data, in particular for an active region" of the sun, Jonathan Cirtain,?Hi-C mission?principal investigator at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., said during a NASA press conference today.

The solar telescope snapped a total of 165 photos during its mission, which lasted 10 minutes from launch to its parachute landing.

Hi-C launched from White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico?atop a sounding rocket in July 2012. The mission cost a total of $5 million ? a relative bargain for a NASA space mission, scientists said. The experiment was part of NASA's Sounding Rocket Program, which launches about 20 unmanned suborbital research projects every year. [NASA's Hi-C Photos: Best View Ever of Sun's Corona]

"This mission exemplifies the three pillars of the [sounding rocket] program: world-class science, a breakthrough technology demonstration, and the training of the next generation of space scientists," said Jeff Newmark, a Sounding Rocket Program scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Hi-C?used a modified Cassegrain telescope with a 9.5-inch-diameter mirror to take close-up images of an active region on the sun, achieving a resolution equivalent to sighting a dime from 10 miles away.

While NASA already has telescopes in orbit constantly monitoring the whole?surface of the sun, such as the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), the Hi-C mission allowed scientists to focus in on a smaller region than SDO is able to.

"SDO has a global view of the sun," Newmark said. "What this research does is act like a microscope and it zooms in on the real fine structure that's never been seen before."

The next step, the researchers said, is to design a follow-up instrument to take advantage of the new telescope technology tested out by Hi-C, to observe for a longer period of time on an orbital mission.

"Now we've proven it exists, so now we can go study it," said Karel Schrijver, a senior fellow at the Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center in Palo Alto, Calif., where the instrument was built.?

Follow Clara Moskowitz on Twitter?@ClaraMoskowitz?or SPACE.com?@Spacedotcom. We're also on?Facebook?&?Google+.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/science/~3/yB8rmxJw1rw/NASA-sun-close-ups-never-before-seen

Colorado Springs pga tour Nora Ephron mario balotelli mario balotelli espn3 kevin youkilis

HTC-made au Infobar A02 launches in Japan, wraps unique Android UI in trippy body

KDDI's funky au Infobar is back! Once again designed by the famed Naoto Fukasawa, this A02 -- co-developed by HTC -- brings the series up to date with Qualcomm's 1.5GHz quad-core APQ8064 (but with just 1GB of RAM), 4.7-inch 720p display, 16GB of storage, microSD slot, 2,100mAh battery, LTE radio (800/1500) and Android 4.1. Better yet, this phone also supports both CDMA2000 800/2100 and WCDMA 850/1900/2100, making it a great global phone. Judging by one of the demo clips after the break, it seems that this Infobar's 8-megapixel main imager (with F2.0 lens) and 2.1-megapixel front-facing camera take advantage of HTC's ImageSense chip for speedy burst shots. Likewise, you'll find Beats Audio built into the system. As per typical Japanese mobile phone, the usual NFC (with Osaifu-Keitai mobile wallet), 1seg TV tuner and infrared are also packed inside the 9.7mm-thick, 147g-heavy waterproof (IPX5 and IPX7) and dustproof (IP5X) body.

We're already fans of the iconic nishikigoi (meaning "brocaded carp") color scheme as pictured above, but what really caught our attention this time are the fluid animations and uniqueness of the "iida UI" 2.0 (iida stands for "innovation," "imagination," "design" and "art") by interactive designer Yugo Nakamura. As you'll see in the video clips after the break, the home screen here shares some similarities with Windows Phone 8's counterpart -- in the way items snap to grid and resize, even though the former is enhanced by plenty of bouncy animation, more colors and funny sounds (designed by Japanese musician Cornelius). Expect this A02 -- which is also available in blue or gray -- to hit the Japanese market in mid-February.

Gallery: HTC-made au Infobar A02 launches in Japan, wraps 4.7-inch screen and quad-core chip in funky colors

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, HTC

Comments

Via: Engadget Japanese

Source: KDDI (Japanese)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/25/htc-au-infobar-a02/

the shore meryl streep oscar wins sasha baron cohen oscars oscar winners the artist sacha baron cohen oscars the old curiosity shop

The Early History Of The Ear Piercing Gun | BME: Tattoo, Piercing ...

This morning I was reading old patents (yes, this is what I do for entertainment) and came across an interesting one from way back the last time piercing was ?berpopular over 130 years ago ? filed May 10 and patented July 13, 1880 by Edward Seyfarth in Illinois (US Patent #240,073). As you can see, the design is not that much different from the piercing guns used by disease spreading hacks ^H^H^H^H nostril mutilating morons ^H^H^H^H I mean beauty salon ?piercers? even to this day. The patent application reads in part,

?Be it known that I, Edward Seyfarth, of Lanark, in the county of Carroll and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ear-Piercers ? The object of this invention is to furnish ear-piercers so constructed that the puncture can be made in exactly the desired spot and so quickly as to be painless ? The invention consists in constructing an ear-piercer of a pair of bars hinged to each other at one end and provided at their other ends with sockets to receive blocks to be pressed against the ear, the tube having a cap upon its outer end, the needle having a disk and a notch, the spiral spring, and the catch for holding the needle when drawn out, so that the ear may be pierced while being compressed.?

?In using the piercer the blocks (D) are placed upon the opposite sides of the lobe of the ear in such a position that the hole through the blocks (D) will be directly over the spot where it is desired to puncture the ear. The arms (A and B) are then pressed together to numb the part of the ear between the blocks (D). The catch (K) is then drawn back to release the needle (G), which is forced forward to make the puncture by the elasticity of the spring (H), thus making the puncture without causing pain. The needle (G) is then drawn back, the instrument is removed from the ear, and a wire or thread passed through the puncture in the usual way.?

I?ve often heard the urban myth that the ear piercing gun is directly based on or evolved from the tool that places tags in animal ears ? it wouldn?t surprise me if I?ve even written that at times. Even the extremely qualified and knowledgeable Elayne Angel says this in her recent book on the subject ?The Piercing Bible? (which reminds me, check out her excellent piercing blog at that link), writing ?these gadgets were originally invented for tagging cattle and other animals, and later adapted for use on humans?. But it seems this is a misleading statement, arguably false ? at best the two tools co-evolved. More likely when we?re talking about piercing tools of the ?gun? type that?s most common, one should more accurately argue the evolutionary process is actually the other way around, with a number of patents for animal tagging tools going to far as to explicitly refer back to this very ear-piercing gun patent by Edward Seyfarth! On the whole though I think it?s more realistic to say that the vast majority of animal tagging tools come from the same design family as modified pliers like riveting tools and leather punches, without that much overlap with the design of piercing guns (with a number of notable exceptions). But I?m beginning to digress.

Speaking of ear piercing guns that look more like animal tagging tools, there?s Francis X. Xavbet?s ?ear piercing pliers? filed December 3rd, 1880 (US Patent #250,121 issued November 29, 1881), a simple clamp-like device. Xavbet?s design, unlike Seyfarth?s which only creates the hole, uses sharpened jewelry to accomplish the process in a single step as the tool places the ring. His patent reads in part,

?The object I have in view is to produce simple and convenient means for piercing ears, in which the ear-ring itself can be used as the piercing-point, and will be released by the instrument when the hole is formed, so as to remain in the ear till healed.?

?The ear-ring (F) ? has a sharp-pointed wire (g). It is grasped by the clamp (A), in the position shown in Fig. 1, the plate (E) is then pushed toward the socket (D), and the lobe of the ear is introduced between such plate and the point of the ear-ring. The pliers are then forced together and the ear pierced, when the chain (B) draws back the dog (B) and the clamp is released. The instrument can now be removed from the ear and leave the ear-ring in position. The sharp point of the ear-ring can then be cut off; but this is not necessary, if the ear-ring is provided with a closed keeper, such as is used on safety pins.?

?When it is desired to place in the ears earrings not provided with sharpened points the removable cutting-points (h), Fig. 6, are used. These can be detached from the wires of the ear-rings after the holes are formed.?

I want to mention one other piercing tool that I dug up, filed just after the Seyfarth design by James McAlpine, on May 20, 1880 with the patent issued November 30th (US Patent #234,881). It deserves mention because it?s by far the simplest ? not much more than a holder to help shove a short needle through the lobe with your thumb ? he even suggests piercing both ears at once, as the tool is designed to be one-handed. The patent reads,

?The invention consists, mainly, in certain peculiarities of construction ? [a] means of which the instrument is adapted for use with one hand, in consequence of which it is possible, by applying an instrument to each ear and operating them simultaneously, to pierce both ears at the same time.?

?The operation is substantially as follows: The jaws having been opened, the set-screw being loose, the bearing-faces may be adjusted to the lobe of the ear, and then be held in the proper position simply by tightening the set-screw. By means of the stop projection and pin the jaws are prevented from being brought together too closely. An instrument being thus attached to each ear, as indicated in Fig. 7, and the piercers being inserted in the tubes, the operator, by means of his thumb and finger, simply presses the piercer toward the button, in consequence of which the lobe is pierced. The hands being used simultaneously, both ears are pierced at once.?

?Some of the advantages are as follows: The use of two instruments at once for simultaneous action is desirable, because, first, a saving of time is effected, and, second, the pain and difficulty resulting from two distinct operations are avoided.?

The above designs are some of the earliest piercing tools of their respective families that I have been able to find to date ? although I?m still searching and I strongly believe there are earlier ones in the patent archives that are still to be dug up. I don?t know for certain whether the first one is the earliest patent on a ?true piercing gun? and whether Mr. Seyfarth can be credited as the concept?s overall inventor (I doubt it), but it?s certainly very early and you can still see its influence in ear piercing guns in use around the world.

As you may have noticed from these three Victorian patents, at this point there wasn?t a standardized design for the initial jewelry such as the ubiquitous butterfly-back that is still common today. However, browsing other early patents you start to see hints of this line of thinking, and definite precursors of designs that are still in use. From left to right below are US patents 216,954 (filed May 1, 1879 by Lois Heckman), 269,383 (May 8, 1882 by John Caldwell), and 320,991 (May 1, 1885 by Charles Westcott) ? what is it with piercing inspiration and the month of May by the way?

All three of these designs use some variation on the backing lightly clamping into place on the bar, the first two being aesthetically closest to modern salon-style jewelry. The third one caught my eye though, because although it is functionally similar to the first two, visually it is identical to the barbell jewelry popularized in the body piercing world by Jim Ward in the 1970s?

When I have more time I will do additional patent research on this subject, both on the early history of body modification, and on some of the more recent patents, which have the advantage of being far more hilarious. For example, I was just reading a silly patent on a line of tongue piercing jewelry that contains a receptacle to release ?a substance such as a chemical, breath freshener, pleasant flavor, or medication into the mouth of a wearer? (US Patents 6,675,613 and 8,006,516). The concept works just as you?d expect ? a hollow bar to hold the substance, which is then released through holes in the beads. Anyone who has ever brushed plaque off of a tongue barbell can imagine just how disgusting this jewelry has the potential of becoming!!!

Source: http://news.bme.com/2013/01/26/the-early-history-of-the-ear-piercing-gun/

denver news frozen planet creighton new smyrna beach st. joseph puerto rico primary manning

Lance Armstrong Sued For Selling "Fiction" as Memoir

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/01/lance-armstrong-sued-for-selling-fiction-as-memoir/

cujo karen handel hangout todd haley kareem abdul jabbar miramonte elementary school mark jenkins

AT&T gains customers in 4Q, posts big loss

NEW YORK (AP) ? The launch of the iPhone 5 helped AT&T attract more new customers in the holiday quarter than it has in three years, but the company posted a big loss because of an annual adjustment to its pension obligations.

AT&T Inc. on Thursday said it added a net 780,000 new phones and other devices on contract-based plans from October to December, its best result in three years. It activated 8.6 million iPhones in the quarter ? a record for any company. AT&T was the first company to introduce the iPhone in 2007, and has more iPhone users than any other U.S. carrier.

AT&T's push to expand its market by getting non-phone devices connected to its network also helped, as nearly half of the new contract devices, or 380,000, were tablets.

However, AT&T remained well behind Verizon Wireless, the country's largest cellphone company. It added 2.2 million devices on contract-based plans to its network in the quarter, extending its lead.

Dallas-based AT&T's quarterly loss was $3.86 billion, or 68 cents per share. That compares with a loss of $6.68 billion, or $1.12 per share, a year earlier, also caused by an adjustment to pension and retiree benefit obligations.

AT&T provides benefits to about 360,000 retirees. Two years ago, it started accounting for its retirement benefit obligations with an annual fourth-quarter adjustment. That produces wild swings in fourth-quarter net income that don't relate to the company's underlying business, but do illustrate its large obligations to retirees.

Excluding the pension adjustment and some of the cost of repairs from Superstorm Sandy, AT&T earned 44 cents per share, 2 cents short of the average analyst estimate as polled by FactSet.

Revenue was $32.6 billion, up a hair from $32.5 billion a year ago. It slightly exceeded analyst estimates of $32.2 billion.

For the full year, AT&T said it was looking at expanding revenue by more than 2 percent and earnings per share by a "high single-digit percentage." The revenue forecast was slightly higher than analysts expected.

AT&T shares fell 2 cents to $33.73 in extended trading, after the release of the results.

The Wall Street Journal reported last week that AT&T was considering the possible purchase of a European cellphone company to take advantage of depressed prices and perhaps boost results by bringing U.S. business formulas to the continent. On a conference call with analysts, CEO Randall Stephenson neither supported nor ruled out the idea, but suggested that the company is looking at other types of international ventures, like partnerships and roaming agreements. He also noted that the company is licensing its Digital Life home security and automation technology to European carriers.

For all of 2012, AT&T earned $7.3 billion, up 84 percent from $3.9 billion in 2011. Revenue rose 0.6 percent to $127.4 billion.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/apdefault/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2013-01-24-Earns-ATandT/id-32819fabb1b84eee8fc8a3acb4264ae4

breaking dawn part 2 trailer mississippi state chris carpenter chris carpenter dick cheney hcg drops reason rally

L.A. teacher accused of sex abuse of up to 20 kids

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Los Angeles police say a fourth-grade teacher in the classroom for nearly 40 years has been arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing 20 students and one adult.

Police said in a statement that Robert Pimentel of Newport Beach, a teacher at George De La Torre Jr. Elementary in the Wilmington area, was arrested Wednesday and was being held on $12 million bail.

Police say he's been charged with 15 felonies, and is expected to be charged with misdemeanors for the remaining incidents.

The Los Angeles Unified School District said in a statement that when the investigation began last March, Pimentel was immediately removed from campus and parents and state credentialing authorities were informed.

The district says Pimentel retired before he could be fired. He had worked for LAUSD since 1974.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/la-teacher-accused-sex-abuse-20-kids-042102094.html

instagram facebook mike wallace mike wallace chicago cubs split pea soup recipe the client list yahoo.com/mail

Hurricane sound waves could aid forecasting

Hurricanes generate sound waves detectable through the air thousands of miles away, which could be a good way to measure the wave conditions near these storms, a new study suggests.

Such findings could help improve models to predict and prepare for dangerous storms, the scientists behind the study said.

Hurricanes can generate winds of more than 160 mph (250 kph), whipping up the sea surface to waves up to 70 feet (20 meters) high. When one such ocean wave slams into an equally tall wave traveling in the opposite direction, the collision results in low-frequency sound waves in the atmosphere that scientific instruments can hear thousands of miles away. These infrasound signals are known as microbaroms.

1. Science news from NBCNews.com

   1. Neanderthal baby spawns viral video

      Science editor Alan Boyle's blog: The gang at Taiwan's Next Media Animation is having a little fun with a Harvard geneticist's recent comments about the prospects for cloning a Neanderthal baby.

   2. How dogs adapted to our starchy diet
   3. Wind passes record in 2012, stinky 2013 feared
   4. Real-life love potion identified

"Signals of ocean waves were first observed in seismic records in the early 1900s and were considered noise to their earthquake signals," said researcher Kwok Fai Cheung, an ocean engineer at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. "In the 1940s, articles were published in scientific journals tracing the signals recorded in the middle of North America to marine storms. This is reinforced by a paper published by Russian scientists in the 1990s that traced the origin of infrasound signals recorded in Siberia to the hurricanes in the Pacific."

As hurricanes move, past studies revealed, waves they generated earlier in time will interact with ones they generate later. This produces a strong microbarom signal in the storm's wake. Indeed, it is possible "to hear storms making waves halfway across the globe," said researcher Justin Stopa, an ocean engineer also at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Storms signals
In principle, listening to microbaroms can help researchers continuously monitor ocean wave activity and track marine storms. "The strongest infrasound signals come from the storm center, which is the most dangerous portion of the hurricane," Stopa told OurAmazingPlanet.

However, regular surface ocean behavior generates microbaroms as well, including ocean swell, surface waves and other kinds of storms. To see if they could tell the difference between microbaroms from different sources, researchers used an International Monitoring System infrasound sensor array in Hawaii to monitor signals generated during the passage of Hurricanes Neki and Felicia in 2009. Neki peaked as a Category 3 tropical cyclone with maximum sustained wind speeds of 120 mph (194 kph), while Felicia peaked as a Category 4 tropical cyclone with maximum sustained wind speeds of 129 mph (208 kph). (Tropical cyclone is the generic term for hurricanes, tropical storms and typhoons.)

Using modeled wind speed data, the investigators simulated wave conditions during the hurricanes. These estimates served as the basis of an acoustic model to calculate microbarom activity.

The research team's predictions matched the microbarom signals the Hawaii sensor array detected. In fact, the scientists note the microbaroms from the hurricanes drowned out the much weaker signals from other phenomena.

Understanding hurricane behavior
The researchers are now extending their study to storms across the globe with the aid of French colleagues and are also investigating whether they can analyze extratropical storms and large-scale weather patterns in addition to hurricanes. (Extratropical storms are powered by the temperatures differences across a frontal system, whereas tropical storms are fueled by convection and warm tropical waters.)

"This combination of observations and simulated data will enable better understanding of marine storms, including hurricane behavior and our climate," Stopa said. "This will enable better models that have the ability to predict and mitigate hazards harmful to humankind." [ In Photos: Notorious Retired Hurricane Names ]

The models need further refinement, however, the researchers noted.

"There is much more work that needs to be done before infrasound measurements can be used as a forecasting tool," Cheung told OurAmazingPlanet. The atmosphere is a difficult environment to model how sound travels due to rapidly changing conditions there, which affect the density of air and thus the speed of sound through it. These new findings "represent a first step of this long process," Cheung said.

Stopa, Cheung and their colleagues Milton Garc?s and Nickles Badger detailed their findings in the December issue of the Journal of Geophysical Research-Oceans.

Follow OurAmazingPlanet on Twitter @OAPlanet. We're also on Facebook and Google+.

? 2012 OurAmazingPlanet. All rights reserved. More from OurAmazingPlanet.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/50566950/ns/technology_and_science-science/

fab melo google glasses kim kardashian and kanye west henrik stenson jobs act greg mortenson jim marshall died

Timely Speed Networking for Busy Business People | Indo American ...

By Jawahar Malhotra

HOUSTON: The Indo American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston (IACCGH) has started out on its events calendar for 2013 with a bang, with two different programs spread out within days of each other. Last Saturday, January 19 it held a seminar explaining the aspects of the Affordable Healthcare Act and then followed it up this past Tuesday, January 22 with a Networking event at Bombay Brasserie restaurant

In what must be the equivalent of speed dating, just over 80 people got a chance to speak for 60 seconds on themselves and their business, followed with a short description of the work that the Chamber has done since it was first started in 1999. The Chamber?s long term Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia, in his usual cheerful and casual style, explained some of the Chamber?s achievements and nudged on the new attendees to join and enjoy the benefits that come with it.

Mahesh Shah of GOPIO and Madras Pavilion restaurant gave glowing testimony to how his association with IACCGH has enlightened him personally and benefitted his business. ?Without them, I would never have gotten the chance to cater at the Convention Center when Microsoft held its meeting there,? he said by way of example.

The new Chamber President Pankaj Dhume, who was instrumental in founding the organization, explained what his goals were for the year-long tenure he will have. He was excited at the prospect of expanding community outreach and helping businesses grow.

Networking events will feature as a big part of that effort for the Chamber, and judging from the way this one went, several attendees made good connections and struck up deals to collaborate further. This form of speed dating certainly seemed to have made its mark!

?

Short URL: http://www.indoamerican-news.com/?p=14127

Source: http://www.indoamerican-news.com/archives/14127

lupus iCarly banana republic gap Victoria Secret Bath And Body Works Dicks Sporting Good

Students treat robo-dogs at high-tech veterinary school

6 hrs.

Devin Coldewey , NBC News

Cornell University's Veterinary Center?is combining forces with their Center for Advanced Computing to create a powerful, futuristic simulated vet environment ? complete with robot dogs and cats. Students monitor, diagnose?and treat the robo-pets in a hands-on experience critical?for aspiring vets.

Anyone who has taken a first?aid course knows that simulated humans are a common thing, and there are similar practice?models for pets. But there's a difference between a rubber model you can do CPR on and something that behaves like a real person ? or dog.

That's what Cornell's?Dr.?Daniel Fletcher and his colleagues are attempting to do ? and not just with a better dog surrogate, but with a fully-functional model vet's office.

"The idea is to bridge preclinical lecture learning and actual clinical experience, letting students practice applying what?they've?learned in a safe setting before the stakes get high,"?explained Fletcher in a news release describing the research.

Over the last two years, the Veterinary Center has put together what must be the most sophisticated simulated vet's office in the world. Students can use real vet's tools to check the pulse, breathing, and other vital stats on a robot dog and cat (Robo-Jerry and Robo-Fluffy), and can practice doing injections and inserting catheters. Their work is recorded from multiple angles and can be reviewed later by professors and classmates.

As helpful as all this is, it's still only a fraction of the everyday duties and risks of a veterinarian. Fletcher told NBC News in an email that the current robo-dog is valuable but rudimentary. "It currently can't move to respond to stimulation, it can't bite to simulate a frightened pet for handling practicing, and has only simple physiologic feedback."

That's why he's working on Butch, successor to Robo-Jerry and bearer of many improvements. Fletcher says Butch will have more realistic skin and blood vessels, an improved airway, more space inside for electronics to simulate conditions, and articulating joints for a more authentic dog-like feel. It will also be based on cheaper, off-the-shelf components.

Inside, it's governed by a new open-source software system they call URSULA, which stands for Universal Realistic Simulation of a Living Animal. It will allow for more accurate simulation of animals' symptoms and response to treatments ? earlier software was based on human models, which were better than nothing but, as one might expect, highly inaccurate in some ways.

Fletcher cautioned that the vet center's?scope is limited:?"We're a small academic group, so progress is slow since we all have our regular responsibilities and are doing this as a side project."?

So while a robo-pig or robo-cow might be useful, don't expect one next year. But?the plan is to make the system publicly accessible, both so it can be used and so other academics can contribute. "We're really hoping that the open-source model will help move this along," Fletcher wrote ? "Only time will tell!"

??via Robots.net

Devin Coldewey is a contributing writer for NBCNews Digital. His personal website is?coldewey.cc.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/futureoftech/students-treat-robo-dogs-high-tech-veterinary-school-1C8088356

oscar nominations C7 Corvette tom brady bradley cooper denver post Beasts of the Southern Wild Scandal

New York Review Finds DNA Evidence Was Mishandled in 26 Rape Cases

[unable to retrieve full-text content]The review has so far found 26 cases in which a lab technician failed to detect biological evidence when it actually existed.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/11/nyregion/new-york-reviewing-over-800-rape-cases-for-possible-mishandling-of-dna-evidence.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

London 2012 Soccer dwight howard Olympics closing ceremony PGA Championship 2012 John Witherspoon george michael usain bolt

Profile: Kassie Jones continues family holiday tradition ...

by Shantel Pettway at January 10th, 2013 8:39 PM

Kassie Jones (12) started a tradition with her family in 2007 that gives back and shows the warm spirit of the holidays. Jones and her family open their home to foreign students whose families?aren?t?in the city to celebrate with them. The tradition was brought on when Jones sister, Kristen Thoni, was in junior college and had two close friends who?didn?t?have a place to celebrate the holidays. Thoni brought her friends back to the Jones household. ?It was a little weird having that many people in the house, when we already have five family members living there,? Jones said.

Thrown off by the first visit of these foreign friends, the Jones adapted to this tradition and truly picked up on it in 2012. Jones?s sister lived in Sudan adopting different customs, bringing those customs and more people back home with her. Kassie was excited hearing the news preparing her household for the new friend Thoni would bring back with her. ?It?s an awesome feeling to open our home to a variety of people,? Jones said.

This Christmas, Jones and her family were blessed with the opportunity to spend the holidays with Thoni?s friend from China. Her name is Victoria, she is a student at the University of Louisville.

Kassie was more than excited to host more people for the holidays. She began to clean around the house, and get items from the grocery that her family would need to prepare to eat. With her new foreign friend coming, Jones and her family thought it would be best to get food her family and the foreigners were accustomed to. Jones and her family members believe that accommodating the taste pallet of the foreigners showed a form of respect and concern. ?We had common ground and decided to get Turkey and we had plenty of vegetables those of American custom and different ones that Victoria would like,? Jones said.

Christmas morning Jones and her family filed out of their rooms in their festive pajamas and began to eat breakfast while others attacked their presents. The traditions that Kassie and her family took part in were all new to Victoria. ?Victoria never celebrated with her whole family (in-laws included) so that was shock to her,? Jones said.

Kassie soon contracted Acute Tonsillitis (the inflammation of your tonsils) and her?Christmas?plans were affected, as she could no longer go to eat at her grandparents home, instead eating dinner at her household.

Though Jones did have this minor break in tradition, her family still participated in their ornament tradition. The ornament tradition is when all the grandchildren have a special ornament hidden on the Christmas tree. Kassie?s grandmother thought it would be sweet to put an ornament on the tree for Victoria. When she found her ornament on the tree, it was an Uncle Sam ornament. ?She loved her ornament, it was something she would remember years after,? Jones said.

When the Christmas day came to a close, Jones observed as Victoria sat and watched ?A Christmas Story? the movie with her grandfather. Jones, Victoria, and her grandfather chatted about final scene of the movie in the Chinese Restaurant. ?Me and my grandfather questioned her about the ?Chinese Turkey? they talked about most in that final scene. Victoria expressed how humorous it is how America depicts the Chinese culture,? Jones said.

Source: http://www.manualredeye.com/2013/01/10/profile-kassie-jones-continues-family-holiday-tradition/

derek fisher lyrid meteor shower hippocrates andrew breitbart red wings penguins the band

New Japan PM: China's island dispute moves 'wrong'

TOKYO (AP) ? Reaffirming his hawkish stance on China, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Friday that Japan will not negotiate with Beijing over a contested cluster of uninhabited islands and that China was "wrong" for allowing violent protests over the territorial dispute.

Abe, who took office just over two weeks ago, had much warmer words for South Korea, despite strained ties with Seoul over a separate territorial spat and other issues. Abe said he hoped to establish a trusting relationship with President-elect Park Geun-hye as soon as possible.

"Both nations share liberal and democratic values, and have respect for basic human rights and the rule of law," Abe said.

He spoke as U.S. officials prepared to visit Japan and South Korea to ensure the key American allies are committed to mending their relationship.

Abe, who has declared economic growth to be his top priority, made the comments at a news conference at which he announced more than 20 trillion yen ($224 billion) in new stimulus to jumpstart Japan's anemic economy.

The aim is to boost growth by 2 percent and create 600,000 jobs, he said. Tensions with China ? Japan's top trading partner ? are likely to complicate that task.

A decision by the Japanese government to buy a group of tiny islands in the East China Sea from their private Japanese owners in September set off protests in China that damaged Japanese-owned factories and stores around the country.

Boycotts of Japanese products in China have hurt Japan's exporters and added to uncertainties over their extensive investments in mainland China. Toyota and Nissan have seen vehicle sales in China drop sharply in recent months.

Asked how he could maintain his staunch stance on the East China Sea islands, called Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese, while protecting Japan's substantial business interests in China, Abe blamed Beijing for any deterioration in business ties.

"It was wrong for China, as a country responsible to the international community, to achieve a political goal by allowing damage to Japanese-affiliated companies and Japanese nationals that have made contributions to Chinese economy," Abe said. "I want to clearly state that."

Abe warned that such an approach would not only hurt bilateral ties but also negatively affect China's own economy.

"A relationship based on common strategic interests requires mutual respect," he said, referring to China. "It is that kind of relationship based on common strategic interests that I want to restore."

China's Foreign Ministry rejected Abe's characterization of last year's violence and the dispute over the islands, saying tensions were solely Japan's fault. Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the islands belong to China, and thus over-flights by Chinese airplanes amounted to normal patrols.

"The current severe difficulties in Japan-China relations are completely of the Japanese side's making. We ask the Japanese side to face reality and to show sincerity so as to make concrete efforts to resolve the relevant issues properly," Hong said at a daily media briefing in Beijing.

China's Defense Ministry also said it had sent two fighter jets near the disputed islands on Thursday after a Chinese surveillance plane reported being closely followed by two Japanese F-15s. No contact between the sides was reported.

Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera said there have been increasing numbers of patrols by Chinese planes and ships in the area in recent weeks.

Abe's stimulus package includes plans to raise military spending for the first time in a decade ? an increase partly aimed at beefing up monitoring and defenses around the disputed islands. Chinese vessels have frequently ventured into areas near the islands.

The top U.S. diplomat for East Asia, Kurt Campbell, said Thursday the U.S. will urge "care and caution" in the East China Sea dispute.

Senior officials from the State Department, the Pentagon and the White House will travel to South Korea and Japan next week. Bumpy relations between the two U.S. allies are a source of concern for the U.S. as it makes a "pivot" toward the Asia-Pacific, shifting diplomatic and military attention from Iraq and Afghanistan.

In June, a planned intelligence-sharing pact between Japan and South Korea was derailed. Then in August, a visit by South Korea's outgoing President Lee Myung-bak to small islands claimed by both nations led to angry exchanges between Tokyo and Seoul.

Perceptions in Seoul that Abe wants to minimize or whitewash Japan's wartime past also threaten to undermine the relationship. Abe has suggested that Japan's landmark 1993 apology for the suffering of World War II sex slaves, many of them Korean women, needs revising.

Campbell said the visit by U.S. officials was to ensure both governments are committed to "rebuilding" their ties.

Signaling Tokyo's determination to expand its trade and investment with other Asia-Pacific nations, Abe dispatched his foreign minister, Fumio Kishida, on visits to the Philippines, Singapore, Brunei and Australia this week.

Abe himself will be making his first trip abroad next week to Southeast Asia, with plans to visit Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand to strengthen ties already growing as Japanese manufacturers boost investments and marketing in the region.

"These three countries are engines for growth of the world economy," chief government spokesman Yoshihide Suga told reporters Thursday. He deflected suggestions that Tokyo was seeking to counterbalance China.

"I don't view respecting relations with the rest of Asia as a countermeasure against China," he said.

____

Associated Press writers Christopher Bodeen in Beijing and Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/japan-pm-chinas-island-dispute-moves-wrong-053127744--finance.html

dystonia tourettes gonzaga rosie o donnell soda bread recipe vanderbilt evan mathis