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Forensic Science
Shodor > SUCCEED > Curriculum > Workshops > Forensic Science

Handwriting Analysis

Objective: Students will learn about the forensics of handwriting analysis while using a graphics program to compare two handwriting samples.

Materials: Each student will need

  • A sheet of tracing paper
  • A computer with GIMP and handwriting samples saved on the Desktop.

Explorations questions for students:

  1. Questions that will drive students towards what they are supposed to learn from this section.

Elements of Handwriting

  1. There are four general categories by which handwriting can be analyzed and compared:
    • Form: The shapes, curves, and angles of the letters themselves.
    • Line Quality: How hard and steadily the pen is pressed on the paper.
    • Arrangement: The spacing and formatting of the words within the paragraph.
    • Content: The spelling, grammar, and sentence formation. People usually repeat spelling and grammatical mistakes.
  2. According to research done with a very large sample of writers, none were identical in all of these characteristics.
  3. So our handwriting is as unique as our fingerprint. So why is handwriting analysis questioned as a legitimate type of forensic analysis? Forgery.

How to Verify a Signature

  1. Put a sheet of tracing paper over the real and questionable signatures.
  2. Make marks at the top of each letter and draw a line connecting the dots.
  3. These lines show the slant of the signatures. Compare the slants. Can you tell if the signatures were done by the same hand?

Comparing Handwriting Samples Using GIMP

  1. Open GIMP and go to File: Open as Layers. Select the two handwriting samples you would like to compare.
  2. You should have two toolbars: "Layers" and the toolbox. If one of these is not open, go to Windows: Recently Closed Tabs and open it.
  3. Look at the "Layers" toolbar. You should have two layers, one named background. Try clicking the eye next to the background layer. If you click the space where it was it should come back. Now try clicking the eye next to the other layer. Your other text should appear. This is how you know that you have two layers.
  4. Click the layer that is not your background layer. You know that you have highlighted it because the strip will turn blue. Now anything you do will edit that layer.
  5. Look at your two writing samples. Pick a letter or a word that appears in both. We are going to cut out that letter from the non-background layer and pull it over the background layer to see if the letters match in all the characteristics we talked about earlier.
  6. Open the toolbox. If you hover over the icons in the toolbox they will tell you their names. Find the gray rectange called the "Rectangle Select Tool". Select this tool. You may have to click multiple times to select it.
  7. Select your letter/word by clicking once on the layer(make sure you have the right layer) and then clicking and dragging the rectangle across the page until it surrounds the word. Once the text is selected, go to Edit: Cut. The word should disappear from the page.
  8. Now we want to paste the text into a new layer so it is by itself. Go to Layer: New Layer. Press enter and select the new layer. Then click Edit: Paste. If you click away the visibility(the eyes) of each of the other layers, you should see the text you pasted surrounded by a checkerboard of black and gray squares.
  9. To take away the white area around the text, click on the Fuzzy Select Tool in the toolbox. It looks like a sparkler. This tool selects the areas near it that have the same color. When you click on the white space around the word, it should look like this: Then if you click Edit: Clear, all the white space should go away and you should be left with just the text.
  10. Now we are going to compare the piece of text to the original writing sample. Click the eyes so that only the new layer you just made and the original writing sample are visible. Select the new layer.
  11. You should see the original sample with your piece of text on top of it. Now you are going to use the Move tool in the toolbox. Click and drag the text above the original sample. You can put it over each individual letter and compare much more closely than if you were to just look at the handwriting samples on paper.


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The High Commissioner of Pakistan, Dr. Shahid Ahmad Hashmat met Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya today.During the meetings, the current political situation in Sri Lanka was discussed. The High Commissioner reiterated Pakistan’s support for continuation and consolidation of democratic process in Sri Lanka.He expressed the hope that the ongoing political situation will be overcome peacefully and amicably in accordance with the constitution and aspirations of Sri Lankan people. (Colombo Gazette)

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SIMBAD references

2012ApJ...756...43V - Astrophys. J., 756, 43 (2012/September-1)

A public set of synthetic spectra from expanding atmospheres for X-ray novae. I. Solar abundances.

Abstract (from CDS):

X-ray grating observations have revealed great detail in the spectra of novae in the Super Soft Source (SSS) phase. Notable features in the SSS spectra are blueshifted absorption lines, P-Cygni line profiles, and the absence of strong ionization edges, all of which are indicators of an expanding atmosphere. We present, and make publicly available, a set of 672 wind-type (WT) synthetic spectra, obtained from the expanding NLTE SSS models introduced in Van Rossum & Ness with the PHOENIX stellar atmosphere code. The set presented in this paper is limited to solar abundances with the aim to focus on the basic model parameters and their effect on the spectra, providing the basis upon which abundance effects can be studied using a much bigger non-solar set in the next paper in this series. We fit the WT spectra to the five grating spectra taken in the SSS phase of nova V4743 Sgr 2003 as an example application of the WT models. Within the limits of solar abundances we demonstrate that the following parameters are constrained by the data (in order of decreasing accuracy): column density NH, bolometric luminosity Lbol, effective temperature Teff, white dwarf radius R, wind asymptotic velocity v, and the mass-loss rate {dot}M. The models are also sensitive to the assumed white dwarf mass MWD but the effect on the spectra can largely be compensated by the other model parameters. The WT spectra with solar abundances fit the data better than abundance optimized hydrostatic models.

Abstract Copyright:

Journal keyword(s): novae, cataclysmic variables - radiative transfer - stars: individual: V4743 Sgr - X-rays: stars

Simbad objects: 3

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SIMBAD references

2016ApJ...819..168H - Astrophys. J., 819, 168 (2016/March-2)

Growing white dwarfs to the Chandrasekhar limit: the parameter space of the single degenerate SNIa channel.

Abstract (from CDS):

Can a white dwarf (WD), accreting hydrogen-rich matter from a non-degenerate companion star, ever exceed the Chandrasekhar mass and explode as a SN Ia? We explore the range of accretion rates that allow a WD to secularly grow in mass, and derive limits on the accretion rate and on the initial mass that will allow it to reach 1.4M–the Chandrasekhar mass. We follow the evolution through a long series of hydrogen flashes, during which a thick helium shell accumulates. This determines the effective helium mass accretion rate for long-term, self-consistent evolutionary runs with helium flashes. We find that net mass accumulation always occurs despite helium flashes. Although the amount of mass lost during the first few helium shell flashes is a significant fraction of that accumulated prior to the flash, that fraction decreases with repeated helium shell flashes. Eventually no mass is ejected at all during subsequent flashes. This unexpected result occurs because of continual heating of the WD interior by the helium shell flashes near its surface. The effect of heating is to lower the electron degeneracy throughout the WD, especially in the outer layers. This key result yields helium burning that is quasi-steady state, instead of explosive. We thus find a remarkably large parameter space within which long-term, self-consistent simulations show that a WD can grow in mass and reach the Chandrasekhar limit, despite its helium flashes.

Abstract Copyright:

Journal keyword(s): binaries: close - novae, cataclysmic variables - white dwarfs

Simbad objects: 9

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The Cycle of Hate

The movie Incendies is about two siblings discovering the past of their mother and lost brother. One of the major themes of film is the cycle of hate that is revolves around the conflict between the Muslims and the Christian groups. The two groups try to seek revenge on each other for acts that they did in the past, which keeps the cycle of hate going.  This same theme can be seen in the conflicts between Frankenstein and his creation with opportunities to break the cycle not being taken.

An anti-war poster that shows the cycle of hate.

The cycle begins with the mistreatment of the monster by Frankenstein and other people. After creating the monster, Dr. Frankenstein along with the other humans despise him (Shelly 105). In retaliation, the monster kills William and frames it on Justine, which results in her execution(154). This is the start of the cycle of hate that will continue throughout the book. By loving the monster instead of hating it, Dr. Frankenstein could have prevented the all of the terrible events that came after this and would have made the book a lot less depressing.

Later in the story, Dr. Frankenstein is given the perfect opportunity to break the cycle of hate. After the monster telling him the story of his life, the monster gives him the offer to end the conflict if Victor will create a female monster for him, so that he will not have to live a miserable life alone. Initially, Victor agrees, but later breaks his promise because of is hatred of the monster(159,181). This was a missed opportunity to bury the hatchet and to prevent the body count from rising. If he just looked at the facts instead of his feelings, he would have seen that following through was better in the long run.

The cycle ultimately ends with a disappointing outcome. On the death bed of Dr. Frankenstein he says that, “I feel that burning hatred and ardent desire of revenge I once expressed… The task of his destruction was mine, but I have failed”(235). This shows that even on his death bed, he still desired revenge against the monster that he had created.

It is disappointing to see two people waste so much time and cause the deaths of many people just to seek revenge on each other.  At multiple points it was possible to break the cycle if the two would forget the past and get along with each other, but hatred prevented this. If there is anything to take away from this it would be that getting your revenge is not always the best idea and it would be better to forgive the person and move on with life.

Works Cited

“Bomb Science 101.” Peninsula Peace and Justice Center, Peninsula Peace and Justice Center, 7 Dec. 2015,
Villeneuve, Denis, director. Incendies. micro_scope, 2010.

Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft. Frankenstein, or, The Modern Prometheus. Penguin Group, 2013.

Posted in Uncategorized.

Built for Survival

During the monster’s narration in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, the monster travels the over 600km journey from Ingolstadt to Geneva, all on foot.  During this time, he had to survive against the harsh elements and terrain, while also collecting food. Looking at the conditions of which he had to face will allow one to tell how well Dr. Frankenstein has built the monster for survival.

One of the things to look at is the climate. From the book, one can find that the monster throughout his journey has lasted about year (Shelly 142). This shows that he had to endure all the seasons of the year. Additionally, one  can predict what he is wearing. In the book, the author wrote, “I had covered myself with some clothes, but these were insufficient to secure me from the dews of nights” (109). From this, it can be determined that he is not wearing any heavy clothing in order to stay warm during the cold nights. He is probably wearing a basic shirt, pants and maybe a light coat. The start and end point are already known, showing that the monster experienced the climates of Switzerland and southern Germany. Annual temperature data from the Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology shows that the climate is more mild in the north of the country and can get quite cold in the mountains and in the south of the country (“The Climate of Switzerland”). This show that through the worst parts of the monster’s trek through the mountains, he had to deal with freezing temperatures. All of this shows how remarkably the Frankenstein monster has been built to handle cold climate. The most likely way of doing this would have been done by giving the monster a good amount of insulating body fat.

Another thing to look at is the physical geography. The area is very mountainous with there being the Jura mountain range in the north of Switzerland and the Alps covering in the south (Briney). This troubling terrain would have made it challenging if it were not for the fact that he is very strong. Dr. Frankenstein said that ”another flash discovered him to me hanging among the rocks of the nearly perpendicular ascent of Mont Salêve… He soon reached the summit and disappeared” (71-80). This demonstrates the monster’s strength and courage to be able to climb up the perpendicular side of the mountain and reach the top without any climbing gear. Dr. Frankenstein must have given him some big muscles and hands that were capable of gripping rock to be able to complete that feat.

A photo of the Swiss Alps by Steve Evans.

An additional thing to check would be his food source. Frankenstein says that “I abstained and satisfied myself with berries, nuts and roots” (118). This gives an insight into the typical diet of the Frankenstein monster. To look at the nutritional value of this diet, the wild blueberries that grow in Switzerland will be used as an example (Misicka). The amount of calories in 100g of blueberries is 57 (Palsdottir). The average adult male needs around 2500 calories daily(Gunnars). Doing some math shows that the monster would have to find and eat around 4.4kg of blueberries to get enough calories in a day. Although this would not paint the whole picture,  since he would be burning a lot more calories exercising and he would be eating a variety of different things, this does show that he would need to spend a large portion of his day just looking for food. Because he spent more of his time doing things other than scavenging for food, Dr. Frankenstein probably gave him a low metabolism. This would have allowed him to need less energy in order to operate and therefore less food that he had to eat.

This what Dr. Frankenstein might have done to make the monster fit for survival. This makes the monster quite similar to the super mutants of the game Fallout. The reason for that being that the two were created by humans, could survive in their environments very well, and were not appealing to the eye.

“Annual Course Series for Temperature-Sunshine-Precipitation.” MeteoSwiss, Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss, 1 Nov. 2018,

Briney, Amanda. “Switzerland: History, Economics, Geography.” ThoughtCo, ThoughtCo, 9 Apr. 2019,

Evans, Steve. “Swiss Alps 003.” Wikimedia Commons, 3 Jan. 2012,

Fallout. PC, 1997.

Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft. Frankenstein, or, The Modern Prometheus. Penguin Group, 2013.

Gunnars, Kris. “How Many Calories Should You Eat Per Day to Lose Weight?” Healthline, Healthline Media, 6 July 2018,

Misicka, Susan, and Ester Unterfinger. “A Sweet Treat for Hunter-Gatherers.” SWI, Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, 15 May 2017,

Palsdottir, Hrefna. “Blueberries 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 20 Feb. 2019,

“The Climate of Switzerland.” MeteoSwiss, Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss, 1 Nov. 2018,

Posted in Uncategorized.

Frankenstein – The Sci-Fi that’s Nothing Like a Sci-Fi

One of the first stories of the sci-fi genre was the iconic Frankenstein by Mary Shelly. Since its creation in 1823, around 200 years has past and the genre as a whole has changed a lot. Now, Frankenstein does not share a strong resemblance with the science fiction of today.

One of the biggest changes in the genre was its focus on scientific and technological advancements. The book mainly focuses on the advancements in biology through the creation of the monster. Dr. Frankenstein discusses how he collected parts of animals and humans (Shelly 55). When bringing the creature to life he describes it by saying that, “His skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath”(58). This shows Dr. Frankenstein focus on advancing the science of biology. This quite different from modern science fiction since it focuses on the advancement of technology and physics. A perfect example of this is the popular franchise Star Wars where one sees space ships traveling at the speed of light, robot armies and guns that use lasers instead of bullets. These are some of the many advancements of technology and physics that are seen in today’s science fiction. As one can see, the difference creates a large contrast between the focus of scientific advancements in Frankenstein and modern science fiction.

Another interesting difference between the two is the time where everything takes place. In modern science fiction, most of the stories take place far into the future. For example, the video game series, Halo takes place in the twenty second century. Occasionally, there are stories like Back to the Future where characters travel between points of time. The interesting thing about Frankenstein is that it takes place in the past. In the letters that Robert Walton wrote to his sister, he wrote that the year was “17–” (10). This shows that the story was set sometime in the eighteenth century making it take place in the past, since the book was published in 1823.

The City of Cologne in the 18th century.

The City of Coruscant.

The difference in time also changes the effects of setting in the story. In Frankenstein we expect to see the 18th century towns made of stone and wooden buildings and a dirt or stone road. They are also void of electricity or plumbing. In the country side of Europe, one sees flat fields, large forests and tall mountains. In contrast, movies like Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones contain densely packed cities fill with massive metal sky scrapers and flying cars.  There are also the varying landscapes of the distant planets (Lucas). These two setting are very different and both contain their own atmosphere and style.

This is what makes Frankenstein nothing like the newer stories in the science fiction genre. It really demonstrates how the genre has changed over the years.

Works Cited
“Galactic Backpacking, Part 6: Visiting Real-World Coruscant and More.”, Disney, 4 June 2015,

Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Xbox one, 2014.

Lucas, George, director. Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones. 20th Century Fox Film Corp., 2002.

Shelley, Mary Wollstonecraft. Frankenstein, or, The Modern Prometheus. Penguin Group, 2013.

“Wikimedia Commons.” Wikimedia Commons, 13 July 2013,
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Ukraine Hotels and Bars

Ukraine Hotels and Bars

In Ukraine, when it comes to barbershops, they have many varieties. As the nation is regarded as one of the most cosmopolitan countries in the world, there are quite a few other ways to get a good hair salon.

A few years ago, Kiev was considered as the nation’s capital and there were many shops and restaurants located in the city. They are out of the hotels and parks have replaced them. People are more inclined to stay in the areas and they are keen on finding a local barbershop to get the best service.

Some of the destinations in Ukraine that offer great Holidays are Zhelezhnosti, Chernihiv, Chernivtsi, Zaporizhia, Poltava, Kharkov, Kherson, Kyiv, Chernigov, Odessa, Dnipropetrovsk, Lviv, Lutsk, Kherson, Chernobyl, Zaporozhye, Lviv and Kyiv. Of course there are more.

Ukraine has been a hotbed of Movie production, with popular films like Born to be Wild, Cinderella Man, The Firm, Babylon A.D., Days of Heaven, Godzilla, Jurassic Park, Dark Knight, Ocean’s Eleven, Star Wars, The A-Team, Braveheart, and Titanic, among others. There is plenty of scope for entertainment that is great as well as the sights of Kyiv, such as the Opera, the Maydan Lake and Ballet Theater

, the International Museum of Modern Art, and the Exhibition Center of the Ukrainian Institute of Design.

People in Kyiv will enjoy shopping in the city center, when they see their neighborhood. They will have the ability to observe the bustling streets and see the various boutiques and restaurants. Zaporizhia’s town, known for its flower market, is also one of the best tourist places in Ukraine. There are some good beaches inKyiv and the Maidan Nezalezhnosti Beach is among the best.

The tourist destination in the east of the nation is Zhelezhnosti if you want to visit Ukraine’s other side. It is a little village with an ancient monastery and cemeteries. The city is filled with pubs, bars, cafes, churches, and even the Kiev Astronomical Observatory.

If you’re looking for something more interesting and different , another location you may like to visit is Kyiv. There are tons of restaurants and shops that serve food and beverage. Some of the restaurants here are Thomas, Prince and the Pauper, Baroque, and Velikiy, a French restaurant.

If you decide to stay in Kiev, you might be interested in visiting the Jewish tradition, the St. George Synagogue, or the synagogue of Glady. The Ukrainian Holocaust Memorial another major landmark in the city.

If you don’t like modern architecture, and if you like history, you may want to visit the Maritime Museum that is Ukrainian. Or you could walk across the ancient fortress. It’s located on the river, and you might go to the ruins in case you have the time.

Kyiv has one of the oldest on the planet, a National Theater. This place when they go to the city is visited by many people. There are many places of interest in Kyiv, such as historic monuments, archaeological sites, and a shipwreck museum.

You may want to consider using the yellow pages to find a salon. They have a listing of salons and barbershops in Ukraine. It is an easy way to get the barbershop.


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The importance of anchor text with respect to a linking strategy cannot be overstated. Back-links are a huge part of the search engine algorithm. When initiating a linking […]
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Comic 616 - Page 519

29th Aug 2017, 10:09 AM in Case 17: The Prophet's Paradise
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DarkmasterN 29th Aug 2017, 10:09 AM edit delete
It'll be back to one page a week for a little while due to the upcoming donation drive I'll be doing on DA sapping most of my time.

Abbas reveals more information. He is a spy, but who's side is he really on?

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OLD NEWS: 2010

DOS Freeware: Sango Fighter (Fighting) November 7, 2010
Another game that I had never heard of until recently, Sango Fighter is your standard fighting game, but with a historical spin. It takes place during the Three Kingdoms period of ancient China, and all of the available fighters are all historical figures. In 2009 the rights to this game were purchased by Super Fighter Team, and the English and Chinese versions were released as freeware.
DOS Freeware: Tyrian 2000 (Shooter) November 5, 2010
I had heard of but never actually played Tyrian 2000 until last week. The gameplay is what you would expect from your standard flying/shooting game, but the ability to modify your craft as you progress adds something that enhances the overall appeal. This game was released in 2004 as freeware.
DOS Freeware: Iron Seed (Strategy/RPG) August 25, 2010
Today we bring to you an unbelievably fun game, Iron Seed. Pick a ship, pick your flight crew, and be on your way! This game is similar to Elite, Space Trader, and other open-ended space transport games. This game has vast replay value because the planets and encounters are randomly generated. Along the way you will upgrade your ships, weapons, and artifacts. Welcome to nerd heaven.
DOS Freeware: Jetpack (Platformer) August 21, 2010
This small but fun platform game from Adept Software, Jetpack allows you to build your own levels, in addition to the levels that are provided. Over 1,000 levels have been developed for this game, so if you are looking for some long-lasting entertainment, download and give it a try.
DOS Demo: Space Quest 6 (Adventure) July 5, 2010
From our old friends at Sierra On-Line, Space Quest 6 is one of my favorite adventure games from my younger days. In this demo you are able to explore the interstellar cruiser on which Roger Wilco works. The game features the return of our favorite narrator, Gary Owens. This demo runs well in DOSBox.
DOS Freeware: Dark Ages (Platformer) July 4, 2010
The storyline of Dark Ages is hardly original, but then again neither are most platform games from the MS-DOS era. You play as Garth, a prince whose land was usurped by an evil wizard. This game is from Apogee, so the controls are clean and you can count on the game being entertaining, even if it is a bit dated.
DOS Freeware: Cybersphere & Cybersphere Plus (Ball & Paddle) July 3, 2010
Today's update, Cybersphere, is your standard Arkanoid clone, but it is notable for its nice graphics and gameplay. There are powerups, bonus gems, and also invisible blocks that only appear after being hit, making for a very enjoyable ball and paddle game experience. I have also added the sequel, Cybersphere Plus, which is essentially an expansion pack for the first game.
DOS Freeware: BC Racers (Racing) June 25, 2010
The third game in the Chuck Rock series, BC Racers is a fun, if not a bit unusual, racing game from the now defunct Core Design. Basically you physically assault other racers, and do your best to make it to the finish line using power boosts and jumping over ramps. You know, the usual.
DOS Freeware: Heartlight (Puzzle) June 21, 2010
In this puzzle game you control an elf who must collect hearts while strategically avoiding boulders and other objects that succumb to gravity once your character has destroyed the natural environment on each level. Well, perhaps that is a bit too dark of a description, after all, Heartlight can be a lot of fun for you puzzle fans.
Windows/Mac Freeware: Drascula: The Vampire Returns (Adventure) June 20, 2010
In Drascula you play as real estate agent, John Hacker. On a trip to Transylvania to close a sale of some land to Count Drascula, John falls for a girl that he meets. When she is kidnapped by a vampire, the mystery of the small town beings to unravel. You must use ScummVM to play this game.
DOS Freeware: Electro Man (Platformer) June 19, 2010
The third update for today is Electro Man, a short yet challenging 2D Platformer that was developed in Poland, and later published by Epic MegaGames. As you might suspect, your character must harness the power of electricity in order to make his way through 8 very challening levels.
DOS Freeware: Traffic Department 2192 (2D Shooter) June 19, 2010
Today's second addition is a top-down multi-directional shooter game. Originally released in 1994, Traffic Department 2192 is set in a dystopian future, which gives the rather basic arcade mechanics a dark menacing overtone. If you are a fan of cyberpunk games, or a fan of space shooters, give this one a shot.
DOS Shareware: Math Rescue (Platformer/Educational) June 19, 2010
I am a big fan of the Apogee educational games. Math Rescue is essentially the Duke Nukem of educational games. You must collect treasures like any other platform game, but you must also solve math problems along the way.
DOS Freeware: Adventures of Robbo (Puzzle) June 18, 2010
A challenging and unique puzzle game, Adventures of Robbo is as addicting now as it was in 1994 when it was originally released. You control a robot who must collect batteries, bolts, and other essential parts in order to make his way through various mazes and puzzles. This game was released as freeware in 2006.
DOS Freeware: TerraFire (2D Shooter) June 17, 2010
For your entertainment we present to you; TerraFire. This seemingly mild-mannered shoot-em-up game can be difficult at first, but once you are used to the controls you are in for fun. Originally released in 1997, it has since been released as freeware. The odd thing about this game? No bosses!
DOS Freeware: Boppin' (Puzzle) June 16, 2010
In Boppin' you throw blocks at other similar blocks. The blocks that you throw bounce, and sometimes break the other blocks, releasing monsters in the process. You receive points for the monsters that you release. There are more complicated features as well, but this is the basic idea.
DOS Freeware: Monuments of Mars (Platformer) June 15, 2010
Don't let the graphics of this game fool you, Monuments of Mars is a fun platform game published by Apogee Software. You play as an astronaut who must make his way through the Martian landscape, activating switches and avoiding aliens and traps. All 4 episodes have been released as freeware.
DOS Shareware: Paganitzu (Action/Adventure) June 14, 2010
Another classic from Apogee Software, Paganitzu is an Action/Puzzle game. You play as Alabama Smith, who has entered an Aztec temple and must solve various puzzles in order to make your way through the temple. All three episodes of this game are still for sale, so we have provided a download of the shareware version.
DOS Freeware: Donald Duck's Playground (Educational) June 13, 2010
In Donald Duck's Playground you control Donald and his nephews, and must play games in order to earn money to buy items for the playground. Is it just me, or does this sound like a Sims game? According to the author, the legendary Al Lowe, this game is free to download.
DOS Freeware: Nibbles (Action) June 12, 2010
The update today, Nibbles, was included with MS-DOS as an example of the capabilities of the Q-Basic programming language. You must run the game through QBasic, which is included in this download. This also allows you to modify the game as you see fit, assuming that you have the knowledge to do so. The game itself is a version of Snake, which is available on many cellular phones.
DOS Freeware: The Black Cauldron (Adventure) June 11, 2010
Another classic adventure title has been added. The Black Cauldron is a game from Sierra that is based on the movie of the same name. It was designed by the creator of Leisure Suit Larry, the great Al Lowe. You play as a pig farmer who discovers that one of his pigs has mystical powers, and must subsequently keep her from being used by the Horned King in his quest for world domination.
DOS Freeware: Flight of The Amazon Queen (Adventure) June 8, 2010
We have a treat for you today. Flight of The Amazon Queen is an adventure game that is reminiscent of Indiana Jones, if only in the sense that you play as a cocky adventurer who must make his way out of the jungle after his plane crashes. (It also reminds me of Romancing the Stone). Both versions of this game must be played using ScummVM, which is available on the Emulators page. This game was released in 2004 as freeware by the publisher.
DOS Demo: Commander Keen 7 - Keen Dreams (Platformer) June 7, 2010
This is the seventh and final episode in the Commander Keen series. After playing the first level of Episode 7 - Keen Dreams, there is a good chance that you will hate potatoes. This is a great platformer, worthy of being the final title in the Commander Keen series.
DOS Demo: Commander Keen 6 - Aliens Ate My Babysitter (Platformer) June 5, 2010
The sixth and final official episode in the Commander Keen series, the Episode 6 - Aliens Ate My Babysitter demo allows you a few more levels of fun with Keen and the pogo. These games are still sold (as of 2010), so if you enjoy playing them, go purchase the other episodes!
DOS Freeware: Stargunner (2D Shooter) June 4, 2010
In 1996 Stargunner was released by Apogee Software. Sadly, it was the final game released under the Apogee title. While it may seem trivial, I was delighted to learn that 3D Realms in 2008 decided to revive the Apogee name. In honor of one of game companies that I respect the most, I have added their final game from 1996, Stargunner, which is a lovely and well crafted side-scrolling shooter game.
DOS Freeware: Skyroads & Skyroads X-Mas Special (Driving) June 1, 2010
In 1993 Bluemoon Interactive released Skyroads as a shareware title. You move a vehicle along a track with obstacles, holes, and tunnels. It was an innovative game, and it still can be fun. They also released the Skyroads: X-Mas Special a few months later, which basically was an expansion pack for the original. Both full version games have been generously released by the developer.
DOS Freeware: Beneath a Steel Sky (Adventure) May 30, 2010
As far as non-Sierra or Lucas adventure games go, Beneath a Steel Sky, is the among the best. Particularly if you like cyberpunk games or dystopian futurescapes. In this game you travel around a futuristic city with a small robot that assists you with your tasks. You will have to use the ScummVM emulator, which can be found on our Utilities Page.
DOS Freeware: Lure of the Temptress (Adventure) May 29, 2010
Today's update is an adventure game originally released in 1992. In Lure of the Temptress you play as Diermot, a peasant who at the start of the game must break out from prision with the help of a serf named Ratpouch. Through the rest of the game you ask ratpouch to perform tasks for you. An innovative concept, which allows for interesting logic puzzles.
DOS Freeware: The Elder Scrolls: Arena (RPG) May 28, 2010
The Elder Scrolls: Arena is the game that started a spectacular RPG franchise. If you have played Daggerfall, Morrowind, or Oblivion then you know just how much fun it can be to run the entire world map from the start of the game. I've only played Oblivion on my PS3, but I was overjoyed to find that the first two titles in the series are now free from the publisher. I will be adding Daggerfall soon, but for now go enjoy Arena, it is good for hours of fun.
Windows 95 Freeware: Dope Wars (Strategy) May 26, 2010
My friends and I discovered Dope Wars back in 1999 when it was first generously released by Ben Webb. Ever since then numerous clones have emerged, some of which have the audacity to charge a fee to play their (always inferior) version of the game. Ben's version is and always will be free, and is the best version anyway, with free online play via the dopewars servers.
DOS Freeware: The Settlers of Catan (Strategy) May 23, 2010
I have to thank my friend Katie for introducing me to The Settlers of Catan. This board game has become increasingly popular in Silicon Valley recently. This freeware version for DOS, released back in 1998, was one of the first computer ports of the game. You can also Play Online for free.
DOS Freeware: Heros I: The Sanguine Seven (Platformer) May 22, 2010
I had never heard of Heros I: The Sanguine Seven until now. It is a platformer in which you control one of seven characters (you can switch between each of the 50 levels), such as the Flying Squirrel, the Drip, the Flea, Leadman, Gumwad, Rocketress, and Spaced Cadet.
Windows 95+ Freeware: Mutant Chicken Races (Simulation) May 21, 2010
In Mutant Chicken Races you have been sent to try to save your dear relative's farm by breeding and racing chickens. The less desirable chickens are mutants, just like KFC serves to their unsuspecting patrons.
DOS Freeware: Xargon (Platformer) May 20, 2010
Today's addition is a gem from Epic MegaGames. In Xargon you play as archaeologist Malvineous Havershim, trapped in an evil world ruled by who else but... Xargon. Overall a fun sidescroller with nice graphics and gameplay.
DOS Freeware: Thor's Hammer (FPS) May 19, 2010
A fantasy-style first-person-shooter, Thor's Hammer is a 3D dungeon crawler that is good for hours of fun. Fight monsters with magic, weapons and armor. The game has been released as freeware.
Windows 95 Freeware: Railroad Tycoon Deluxe (Simulation) May 18, 2010
Sid Meier and MicroProse make an excellent team when it comes to really hardcore simulation games. Railroad Tycoon Deluxe is no exception, and it has been generously released as freeware. If you like this game, there are three sequels you can seek out.
DOS Freeware: Arctic Adventure & Pharaoh's Tomb (Platformer) May 17, 2010
In 1992 Apogee released Arctic Adventure, which is a sequel to Pharaoh's Tomb. You play as archaeologist Nevada Smith, who is searching for a Viking treasure in the Arctic, and in an Egyptian Pyramid respectively. Both games have been released as freeware by the publisher.
DOS Freeware: Caesar (Strategy) May 14, 2010
With the upcoming release of Caesar IV, the original title in the series is now starting to feel slightly dated. Nonetheless, Caesar is still a fun strategy title, and it has now been released as freeware.
News: DOSBox 0.74 Released (Utility) May 13, 2010
Great News! DOSBox Version 0.74 has been released. We have versions for Windows and OS X available to download.
MS DOS Freeware: Alien Carnage (Halloween Harry) (Platformer) May 12, 2010
The shareware for Alien Carnage, (a.k.a. Halloween Harry) was already on our site, but 3D Realms was kind enough to release the game as freeware, so we have uploaded the Full Version of this classic game for you to enjoy.
Welcome Back To The Site: After 1 1/2 Years of Down Time May 12, 2010
No new updates, but the site is now back online!


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Erykah Badu Nude Window Seat Video Prompts Disorderly Conduct Charge

Dallas police have decided to charge singer Erykah Badu with disorderly conduct for stripping her clothes off in Dealey Plaza last month as part of a video shoot. In the “Window Seat” video uncut version, Erykah Badu takes off her clothes while walking toward the spot where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. A rifle shot sound is edited in over the video and Badu collapses to the ground naked.

Erykah Badu in 'Window Seat' video (YouTube screenshot)
Erykah Badu in 'Window Seat' video (YouTube screenshot)

The video was shot in one take on March 13 and shocked bystanders who watched Badu strip and had no idea what was going on. One witness to the event told police she “observed Ms. Badu remove her clothing on the public street. The witness had two small children with her and was offended.”

Dallas city officials say Badu did not acquire proper permits to film the video and the singer will be issued a citation for disorderly conduct over the incident.

Badu said Monday the video was meant to be viewed as a “protest” and convey the feeling of “liberating yourself.” Well, we guess running around naked in public probably is pretty liberating. Weird. Disturbing to others. Maybe cold. But yeah, liberating and all that.

>> Previously:Â  Tiger Woods Kindergarten Teacher Says He Lied About Racist Attack

American Idolâ€™s Jennifer Hudson New Weight Watchers Spokeswoman

American Idol alumni and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson announced Thursday on Good Morning America that she will be the newest spokeswoman for Weight Watchers. Hudson gave birth to son David Jr. seven months ago and said she has taken off all the extra baby weight and more thanks to the weight-loss program.

Jennifer Hudson on 'Good Morning America' (ABC)
Jennifer Hudson on 'Good Morning America' (ABC)

“No one recognizes me anymore,” Jennifer Hudson said in her Good Morning America interview. “I wanted to go in a different direction and find a better lifestyle.” Hudson said she decided to join a weight-loss program after her son was born to get back into shape post-pregnancy. “I decided to do Weight Watchers,” Hudson said. “I feel like I’ve conquered the world.”

“I feel empowered with what I’ve learned â€“ everything from portion control to what foods will help keep me satisfied,” Hudson said. Now Hudson will be sharing her story of getting healthier as an official Weight Watchers spokeswoman, following on the heels of previous celebrities like Jenny McCarthy and Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson.

Although a much skinnier Jennifer Hudson is proud of her weight loss, she said she was “very comfortable with myself before” and has previously been vocal about loving her curvy body. Hudson said, however, that she has “a child now and I want to set a great example for him. Make better life choices, health choices, and just create a good example for him growing up.”

Bravo Jennifer, we love you curvy or skinny, as long as you are healthy, happy and keep on singing!

>> Previously:Â  American Idol Fans Dump Didi Benami, Keep Tim Urban Again

Mindy McCready Threatens Porn Company Over Baseball Mistress Sex Tape

Country singer and Celebrity Rehab star Mindy McCready is threatening to pursue legal action against porn distributor Vivid Entertainment if they release a sex video featuring her and a boyfriend.

Mindy McCready (publicity photo)
Mindy McCready (publicity photo)

On the sex tape, Mindy McCready dishes in detail about her alleged affair with Red Sox pitcher Roger Clemens and discusses her other celebrity bedmates, including ex-fiancÃ© Dean Cain. Vivid Entertainment plans to release the tape on April 19. A teaser clip of the Mindy McCready video features “some NSFW sex, screaming and traces of nudity,” according to the Huffington Post.

McCready’s lawyer has hit Vivid Entertainment with a cease and desist letter demanding they “destroy” any copies of the tape in their possession. “We can confirm that any illegally- obtained property, and/or fabricated footage, and the release thereof, will be dealt with swiftly following proper legal procedure,” McCready’s lawyer said in a press statement Tuesday.

So far, Vivid Entertainment has no plans to cease and desist putting out Mindy McCready, Baseball Mistress for all the world to see as scheduled.

>> Previously:Â  Right Now In Nashville: Mindy McCready Attempts Suicide

Ricky Martin Comes Out of the Closet at Last

Well, it’s about damn time. Latin singer Ricky Martin has come out of the closet at last and officially confirmed what most of the world pretty much already knew. Yep, Ricky Martin is gay. Or, as he puts it, a “fortunate homosexual man.”

Ricky Martin - will a gay pride parade be next? (Photo: Brian - Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Ricky Martin celebrates Puerto RicanÂ prideÂ - will a gay pride parade be next? (Photo: Brian - Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Ricky Martin posted the not-news of his gayness on his official website on Monday and blasted a link to the news to fans via his Twitter account. “Today is my day, this is my time, and this is my moment,” Martin said. “These years in silence and reflection made me stronger and reminded me that acceptance has to come from within and that this kind of truth gives me the power to conquer emotions I didn’t even know existed.

Martin ended his post by writing he is “proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am.” Well, yeah, it would suck to be an unfortunate homosexual man we guess.

If most of you out there hadn’t already guess Ricky Martin was gay by now, we wonder what dark rock you were hiding under. The fact that he went and had twin kids via a surrogate should have been the glaring gay clue.

“This is just what I need, especially now that I am the father of two beautiful boys that are so full of light and who, with their outlook, teach me new things every day. To keep living as I did up until today would be to indirectly diminish the glow that my kids where [sic] born with,” Martin wrote in his website blog post.

Looks like Ricky Martin is now “Livin’ La Vida Loca” out and shaking it for all the public to see now. Good luck with your now official proud gay self Ricky!

>> Previously:Â  Brigitte Daguerre Claims Place in Jesse James Mistresses Count


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My WordPress Blog

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  • What Exactly Are Various Industrial Chemicals as well as their Uses

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Sunday, August 31, 2008

Fun with scissors

Well, pruners, actually. What I thought would be a quick snip here and there on my waning tomato plants turned into a two-hour project.

I got rid of lots of dead and/or unhappy parts and am now left with a rather cartoonish group. I don’t really know if this is the “proper” thing to do, but I do know that I got rid of a bunch of wooly aphids and other nasties.

I also reclaimed our cat’s favorite flower pot and planted in it some jalapeno pepper seeds. I know it’s a little late, but, what the heck? I added the paint sticks for cat deterrence, plus I really did leave those beautiful Boggy Creek Farm-grown organic jalapenos out for a little while as inspirational role models for the new not-yet-seedlings.

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Persevering tomatoes

Besides compulsively trying out new exterior house paint samples, I actually have been doing other things, like thinking about which Fall veggies I want to plant and where to try them. Beets will go in the ground (yet unprotected by any dog barrier) next to the still-producing tomato plants. I can’t believe these Little Porter plants are still going.

Lettuces, broccoli, and carrots will go in the (dog-fenced) raised bed. That’s as far as my Fall planning has gone so far. It’s still too hot to be very enthusiastic.

Friday, August 29, 2008

Now, if we can just settle on the purple painters!

Although these are now the absolute three finalists, we’re virtually positive that the bottom left purple paint is our final pick. I also changed the primary trim color to a slightly warmer ivory.

Here are some third accent color experiments:

The current metal awning frames, which will be replaced with new beige/canvas-colored cloth with simpler lines (no scallops) and no side draping, will be painted the third accent color. The doors or screen doors will contain that accent color, too.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Picking purple paint: the three finalists, I think

It's warts and all in this first photo (taken a little over an hour ago), but I think it's easier to assess the three purples from this view. We still haven't made a final decision on our carpenter, whose work must be completed before painting can begin, but I'm still obsessed with trying to settle on the colors!

slightly overcast

slightly overcast

full sun with encroaching shade

Monday, August 25, 2008

I think this may be a sign my fledgling summer tomato adventures are waning

A few leaf-footed stink bug nymphs insist on attacking this group of tomatoes, although I just recently dunked their grandparents in soapy water to their deaths. Also, some woolly aphids are now happily gathering on the middle plant. I feel lucky we harvested our weekly fill of small tomatoes from these plants all summer, so I’m going to trim them back and (while planning the Fall veggie plantings) hope for the best at this point!

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Butterflies’ color preferences

I just finished chasing these butterflies around the front yard to illustrate what I’ve been told: purple-blue flowers are the most attractive to butterflies. Could it be because violet and yellow are complementary colors?

Friday, August 22, 2008

This morning’s tomato carnage

During all those super-hot, rainless days, the squirrels never stole my tomatoes. Some stealthier ones now seem to have moved into my neighborhood.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Yogurt Shop murders: today’s somewhat feisty hearing, part 2 of 2

Defense attorney Carlos Garcia wants to provide prosecutors a list of all alternative suspects to date, including Kenneth McDuff and Hank Worley, and wants to know if the state plans to compare those suspects’ DNA profiles to the Y-STR results received in March. “If they don’t, we’ll have to ask for money from the taxpayers to do it (DNA comparisons) ourselves," Garcia said.

Prosecutor Efrain De La Fuente did not say whether they were planning to do those comparisons but objected to the defense’s characterization of evidence contamination because the evidence was not always in their control, e.g., when items were in the possession of the defense for testing.

Ron Lara’s PowerPoint presentation came up yet again. Garcia still wants to see it, as well as some accompanying charts. Prosecutor Gail Van Winkle responded that she had just recently provided a copy to Judge Lynch and that it’s lengthy. She said that if, during trial, an officer relies on the PowerPoint when testifying, the defense will then see it. At the June 11th hearing, prosecutors said they couldn’t find this PowerPoint presentation. Garcia said one of the charts he wants to see is one of original defendant Maurice Pierce “with little bolts going from him to other people.”

Lynch ordered the state to provide the defense a full inventory of the physical evidence, including evidence not introduced at the last trials. The hearing concluded with Lynch’s recounting what he will be ruling on: the motion to remove the protective order and whether the PowerPoint presentation is discovery material.

Out in the hall after the hearing, defense attorneys for Michael Scott and Robert Springsteen addressed reporters. When asked if evidence had been contaminated, Garcia said, "I don't know if it was, but I think you certainly have to question the DA's intent. When you've got two seasoned prosecutors in open court handling evidence without gloves on, when they do it in every other court in every other courtroom, tells you they're trying to make some sort of point so that they can go to a jury months later and argue it could have been contamination. It doesn't take five seconds to put a glove on."

Springsteen's attorney Joe James Sawyer said, "I think the state is going to have be dragged out kicking and screaming in the light of day to tell the truth. One of two things is true--when they came out here and said we know whose DNA it is, only one of two things can be truth--they either lied directly to the public or they are wallowing in ignorance, and I think both are unacceptable. Sawyer continued, "Those DNA swabs match and they exclude all four of those boys, and if that doesn't scream innocence, then I want to know what does..."

Asked about the possibility the state will test DNA profiles of other possible suspects, Garcia said, "The DA is not going to test any alternative suspects that they've added in the last 17 years. That is not their plan. Their plan is to do everything possible to convict two innocent boys. That's the plan: it's not about justice. It's about getting a conviction."

The next hearing is scheduled for September 17.

Yogurt Shop murders: today’s somewhat feisty hearing, part 1 of 2

Defense attorney Joe James Sawyer got things rolling in today’s joint hearing by complaining that the Court’s gag order deprives his client of his first amendment rights and should be dissolved. Judge Lynch quickly made it clear he prefers the term “protective” to “gag” order. Sawyer said that defense attorneys would not have agreed to the amended limited protective order had they known that prosecutors would violate it, in this case by promising the public they knew whose (recently retested) DNA had been discovered on Amy Ayers.

Defense attorney for Michael Scott, Carlos Garcia, added that the “state says the DNA belongs to a boyfriend when it doesn’t.” The defense teams believe they should have the opportunity to publicly respond but can’t as long as the protective order’s in place. Prosecutor Efrain De La Fuente objected to having the order lifted. After some argument, Judge Lynch said he would read the case law Sawyer cited and suggested that Sawyer provide him with a record of the statements to which he objects.

Garcia told Lynch that the “government had 19 (DNA) results when you asked them if they had any and they remained silent.” After more argument, a slightly exasperated Lynch pointedly asked the prosecution, “Are you obeying my order to turn over results?” De La Fuente said yes, although his answer was not that short.

Garcia argued that a special master needs to be appointed to protect the physical evidence from being mishandled. When Lynch said he didn’t have the authority to assign a special master, it was Garcia who seemed more than exasperated. He continued, “Efrain De La Fuente and (prosecutor) Darla Davis deliberately opened evidence without gloves”, contaminating it. Lynch said that although he wouldn’t appoint a special master, he could put in a protective order about handling evidence.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Yogurt Shop murders: another pretrial hearing I plan to attend

Another hearing in the retrial of Michael Scott is scheduled for tomorrow. I think it’s a joint hearing with Robert Springsteen because of similar issues involving his retrial.

Currently in Judge Lynch’s 167th District courtroom, visiting state District judge Jon Wisser is presiding over the cold-case murder trial of Alberto Garcia, so I’ll have to figure out which courtroom Judge Lynch is currently borrowing for tomorrow’s Scott/Springsteen hearing. Darla Davis, who is one of the prosecutors in the current Garcia trial, was also one of the prosecutors in the original trials of Michael Scott and Robert Springsteen.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Purple paint progress

I’ve been sweating like crazy the past few days, painting various sample colors in my quest for a new exterior house paint color. Paint chips definitely don’t translate well. I started with these:

Now we’ve narrowed it down to these two shades of the same basic color and are heavily favoring the deeper shade (lower half.) The following two photos were taken less than an hour ago during—gasp—cloud cover. But in full sun, the (top) lighter shade is just too blinding. Among other repairs, the tattered awnings will be replaced, probably with metal ones. I didn’t scrape off any of the old paint for this experiment because it will ultimately all be powerwashed.

Also, the new paint will be a totally flat, matte finish, unlike these satin-finish samples. And there will be door/screen-door accents in the worlds of deep burgundy and mustard. Hmmm...dinner ideas.

Friday, August 15, 2008

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day

These are today's bloomies at my house, most of which are native or adapted native and all of which are fairly drought tolerant. Still, they've all needed a little watering, considering yesterday was our 49th day of 100-degree-plus temperatures and we've had so little rain. Check out other people's selections at May Dreams Gardens.

purple skullcap

society garlic

purple ruellia

white ruellia

leadwort plumbago

mexican sage

lantana, but I think it's some new hybrid variety, not native

indigo spires

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Garden bloggers: a growing community

I’ve succeeded (so far) in staying one step ahead of the squirrels by picking my tomatoes a little green, grateful those plants are still plugging away in this heat and drought. Another group to whom I feel much gratitude, especially in this heat and drought, is Austin area garden bloggers, along with bloggers from other areas.

I've been regularly checking the following garden blogs: Cool as a Cucumber; Digging; East Side Patch; Garden Girl; Garden Rant; May Dreams Gardens; Rock rose; The Sun is Killing Me; The Transplantable Rose; Vert; and Zanthan Gardens. You can find even more garden bloggers on blotanical. I’ve learned so much from these people!

Last night, fellow Austin blogger Pam posted on her Digging blog that “Austin, Texas, has the highest percentage of residents who read or write blogs. In Austin, 15% of adults had read or contributed to a blog in the past 30 days.” Check out the whole story here.

Coincidentally, I just recently received some UK bloggers’ recognition from The Garden Monkey, (for having such a disparate combination of blogging topics), which then led to more attention from Emma T., whose Emsworth Village Show I’ve now submitted my six-tomato virtual entry (upon her invitation.) I’m quite flattered.

Friday, August 8, 2008

Pondering purple paint

We’re finally taking the plunge: tomorrow morning the first of several carpenters and painters is coming by to give us estimates on exterior wood framing, siding, and trim replacement. Then we can move on to new exterior paint, which at the moment is a horribly peeling light green with very old dark green trim.

I’m seriously considering something between periwinkle and lavender as the new main paint color with ivory trim. Most of the houses in our neighborhood were built between 1937 and 1947 and are painted various shades of green or beige, which is why I started thinking about different colors for our new paint.

Then I thought about how, especially during these interminable and hellish hot months--I think today makes the 44th day of triple-digit heat this year--I routinely peek out the window at my plumbago and feel happy.

So why not a whole plumbago-inspired house color? I haven’t quite convinced husband Kurt, but he’s more concerned about the rotted wood right now than putting the cart before the horse.

Monday, August 4, 2008

If it weren’t so hot, I’d try to fashion more proper stakes for these floppy tomato branches. But it is too hot, so I grabbed these old plant stands from the shack instead. Now their addition is kinda growing on me as the tomatoes are on them.


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Installing Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot on a MacBook Pro 8,2 (8,x)

Installing Ubuntu 11.10 Oneiric Ocelot on a MacBook Pro 8,2 (8,x)

Here's a quick warning: installing Ubuntu 11.10 on a new Macbook Pro 8,2 was an absolute nightmare. I've been using Linux for about seven years now.

  • MacOS is pretty particular, and I couldn't get it to boot from any USB disk, regardless of how I flashed it. unetbootin produces disks that don't work on Macs, so you'd better have some optical media around.
  • 11.10 doesn't recognise the superdrive after booting from a CD into the installer. Combined with the first issue, this is pretty bad. It fails at the Debian Installer stage. There's a fix in ubuntu-updates, but not on the ISOs. Only the netinstall (not even alternate in expert install mode) seems to let you download updated packages before loading the rest of the installer from the CD (which is fatal).
  • The default Ubuntu installs will assume you have a BIOS. You don't &endash Macs use EFI (a predecessor to the UEFI stuff you've been hearing about). From what I can tell, it'll gently caress the "hybrid MBR" in such a way as to make gptsync refuse to touch the disk ("Analysis Inconclusive, will not touch this disk"). Basically, your chances of getting a working boot are nil. I couldn't convince rEFIt to boot any install I did (and I did a few, including attempting to follow these instructions that don't seem to work on 2011 models &endash; they're a good read for clues anyway; Rod deserves a bit of coin).
  • Supposedly, the ISO images marked *+mac.iso are better at this partition table and bootloader stuff. But I've read things that say grub-install still won't install the EFI payload for you. And anyway, ubuntu-11.10-netinstall-amd64+mac.iso does not exist, so you'll be screwed by the first problem anyway.

Supposedly, the way to go is for a full EFI boot. This is getting easier with new versions of the kernel (you want at least 3.0 to avoid major headaches with hardware support). There's also the grub-efi-amd64 package. If it did what it should, it would install some sort of EFI payload (grub.efi?) that either MacOS (hold down alt/option) or rEFIt could boot. But there's no indication where this payload is, and I assume you'd have to manually move it to the HFS+ or EFI boot partition so that rEFIt/MacOS can read it. (Hell, all the older instructions say you'll be compiling it yourself.)

For now, I'm booting off an optical super grub2 disk and chainloading into my actual grub2.


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Friday, March 21, 2008

Update I Didn't Want to Do

This is another of those updates you'd rather not see.

In a perfectly Sonic world, it wouldn't happen. But here we go again, with another round of bootlegs and mutants!

This time, the mutant section is nearly 100% fueled by ToyNetwork dumbness. Horible holidays infest every season with their dumb looking plushes in lame themes. However, something unexpected has begun to happen with some of them. If you notice, they're not 100% bad. Or at least some of them aren't.

Using 'quality' and 'toy network' in the same sentance may break the internet, so I'll refrain, but some of the heads (lame costumes aside) are not awful. And it IS noted on gear. Yes, they could be putting their resources to better use in making things people actually want, but if they're not churning out a closet full of horrores every day, it is the least to do to notice a speck of progress.

The whole "Bootlegging" thing ties into this unfortunetely well.
While ToyNetwork is spamming out endless junk, the bootleggers are really stepping up their quality. This week has a warning in it about Zerotoys on ebay. They're making bogus Fangs, Creams, Cheeses and Chaos. The problem is, they're almost spot-on accurate (no tag, of course) and some of the details that are small (Fang is excessively happy and may be mis-colored on his nose) but this is good enough to trick most people just looking at a little photo wanting to snap up a bargain on Ebay.

If these things were going for a couple bucks whereas the real ones sold for over wouldn't be such a problem as it is, but they're going around $40 USD and up. As you can imagine, if you shell out that kind of cash, you're going to be upset when you wind up with a fake that has errors on it.

Which brings up the main point of the entire post:

"When a company fails to deliver...bootleggers will step in"

In this case, there's a horrible shortage of good Sonic plush. So who steps in? The bootleggers, to "Save the day" for frusterated parents and gift givers...even fans! You've been dying for this Chao for would look perfect in your room...but no, Sega won't let you have a real one. The opportunity to be bad here is just too good to pass up if you can clone plushes well.

The solution is to:
Make a different "Series" of plush so you don't devalue the collector's items, but give everyone a fair and square chance to get the plush they want without paying horrible amounts of money. What is the reason they dont? We may never know...

But the example is all over the place. Look at Nartuo.
That thing got out of hand so fast. At the start, the company in charge of him/it didn't really seem to realize how popular it was. As a result, the USA is well behind Japan in terms of "Released eps and books". But by nature it is a continuous and suspenseful story that people want to crave the next episode of. So because everyone would otherwise be forced to wait months while they play "Catch up", and plaster out re-runs or see the same books on the shelf....instead everyone reaches for the fansubs and fanscans.

Would they do this if the company was on top of it, and we were getting releases the same week, or even 2 weeks off?
Totally NO.
If you give people what they want legitamately, without a big hassle and at a FAIR price, you'll never have to fight bootlegers and fakers. There won't be any competition from stuff like that because there is no gap for them to fill.

Does this mean you won't get fanaitcs who just have to have 'jp voices'? No. You'll always get that, and people who need 'first run' plushes, and thats fine because they're a smaller portion of the fandom, and they can still be pleased as well.

A rather simple update spawns a rather complex post.


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Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Video Update Part 1

This update was a sort of 'secret' double update.
The main site was upgraded with some neat stuff for sure, but the store also (finally) got a huge boost. It took pretty much ALL Sat. to put that together too, so it is like a real double update, even though all it did was complete 1 page. But, it's important as well because someone has to clear up all those mistakes both by Amazon itself and by the video-box-cover-makers so that people can actually get the episodes they want.

I mean, mistakes like that won't baffle some hardcore fan who reads through everything, but any parent or gift-giving person would get wrecked by all the crazyness. (Yeah, put the SatAm lion/dog robot thing on a AOSTH collection...hmf) Plus, with most of that stuff out of stores like BestBuy and things by now, the internet is a prime place to look. The links should also remain intact for a VERY long time, as this type of stuff tends to just be stocked forever, which is also nice news.

What's next?
Clearly, the videos area isn't finished. It needs the "episodes" disks as well. These are the things that aren't box set or 1-offs, but just like a disk with 5 eps or something on it. People who already got 1 or 2 of these might not want to re-buy for a box-set, so having easily accessible "more episodes" would be a good plan. I, personally fall into this catagory as well, having bought up Sonic X before the "season sets" came out. Still, if any of the boxes had bonuses, I'd snap those up anyway.

As for the regular update, the fans continue to impress, and Japan got some all-right additions. Curiously its most notable item...whee was a note book. It seems like somehow ALL their stuff just screams quality for some reason. Why is it that over here all we get is cheapo garbage most of the time? The book (yeah its some disposable school notebook!) just had so many cool little extra touches. Did they HAVE to use 2 levles of watermarking? No. Did they NEED to hide little characters around on the pages? No. Did they have to pay attention to the actual game boxes and put a similar (But not stupid copy) of style on the book? No. But they did, and the care really shows.

Also finally got better pictures for Pale Sonic. One pic actually got replaced too, as it was just quite terrible. It's great to see a clearer shot at this rare and interesting doll. Another rare and interesting thing that may remain so, is the discovery of a Japanese Tails-devoted site that has a whole load of really good clear shots of tons of stuff Gear doesn't have. The problem is that it's not babel-fish-able and I'm not willing to rip the whole thing off. I need permission from whoever owns it, but how can that happen without babelfish?


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Monday, August 10, 2009

America Update 2 (other countries, where are you)

Usually enough of a variety of items come in that 2 updates of the same general theme don't get to show up right after eachother. This time was different though.

Another 'America Update' because that's pretty much all that came in stuff-wise. And where's Japan been in all this? Sure there were some clarifications done on a couple plushes a while back, but what everyone really wants to see are the UNIQUES the stuff that no one knew existed but is cool anyway. I do know that there's plenty more out there, thanks to some photos of things...that the photos can't be used so they're just sitting in storage waiting for someone to come up with a duplicate photo. Another boring snoring bootleg or some awesome item? The choice isn't hard but finding the images is.

The 'big deal' item of the week was the box mock up for the 10 inch Metal Sonic.
That thing is just SO WILD that any news at all, even something as small as an art of the box with some stock art shoved in there as a stand-in will generate buzz. That's how crazy it is. When the thing finally hits, who knows what's going to happen.

Curiosity Point:
DID the JUVI Metal Sonic ever sell out at the TRU exclusive sale? It was certainly predicted to, but I have not yet heard anyone complain about not being able to get one. Did they make enough for everyone or were they less popular than predicted? Everyone prefers to think the former, and really I never found anyone who didn't actually want this one, so I'd think it'd be just fine. Hopefully Jazwares has recieved once again the encouragement it needs.

The other updated thing of note was Metal Force got all the turn-arounds for the figures this week. It was a big job, but really, it needed doing. As you recall, Metal Force was the repaint edition of the nonsensical Space Fighters line, only this time without the odd helmets. If I had to choose, really I'd pick MF because if you're going to have space armor that never appeared in any continuity ever and never really made much sense in the first place...well it might as well be metallic.

Next Week:
Maybe a midweek shot with the long awaited new area. SonicGear has something like 943 pages. Did you know that? There's a website out there that will count the pages of a site. Hopefully it'll get another one soon. Items aren't showing any one trend or another, so it could be another 'random' update.


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sophie cookson source
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Sophie was photographed for Interview magazine and talks about ‘Gypsy’, now available on Netflix!

Studio Photoshoots > Outtakes & Sessions > 2017 > Session 006

INTERVIEW – Who are you when no one is watching? This is the question asked over and over by Netflix’s steamy new thriller, Gypsy, which follows Jean [Naomi Watts], a disaffected New York therapist, as she engages in increasingly erratic behavior. Among the riskier of Jean’s transgressions is her relationship with Sidney [Sophie Cookson], a havoc-wreaking siren determined to become a rock star.

For British actor Sophie Cookson, the duplicity of Gypsy’s characters posed new challenges. “I needed to sit down and work out what the truth was in what Sidney was saying and what she was projecting,” she tells us. And yet Cookson is old hat at playing mysterious, self-directed characters. Her first film out of the Oxford School of Drama was Matthew Vaughn’s Kingsman, where she played a tweed-wearing, gun-toting secret agent alongside Colin Firth and Samuel L. Jackson. It’s a role she will reprise in the second installment of the Kingsman franchise, out later this year.

Ahead of Gypsy’s release tomorrow, Cookson spoke to Interview from London about sex scenes with Naomi Watts, pretending to live in Bushwick, and her fascination with fear.

ELOISE BLONDIAU: How did you approach the challenge of playing such a complicated character in Sidney?
SOPHIE COOKSON: It’s really interesting. You first meet Sidney through her ex-boyfriend who’s in therapy. [Through him] you kind of get a sense of how nostalgic you can be for someone who’s just broken up with you. She’s a very enigmatic person. There’s no background on her. That was interesting for me—having to create that base, that story for myself. She’s definitely got a lot of layers, and for me it was about working out what she wants the world to see of her and what she actually is. I think she wants to come across as a super confident, really in-control person. But actually, she’s kind of a swan—gliding along but paddling fairly quickly underneath.

BLONDIAU: We see mostly see Sidney through the eyes of people who are obsessed with her. How did you dig underneath those perceptions?
COOKSON: Knowing so little about her, I focused on what made her tick. She’s passionate about music as an aspiring singer in a band, and she’s completely obsessed with Stevie Nicks—she names her dog after Stevie. So listening to a lot of Velvet Underground, Fleetwood Mac, that was pretty important. Also, in the script she’s always described in a feline way, so I tried channeling that tiger/lion aspect.

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Labels: Interviews, Photoshoots

Sophie is stunning in new photoshoot for Vanity Fair Italia, July 5 issue. Digital scans and outtakes have been added to the gallery!

Magazine Scans > 2017 > Vanity Fair Italia (July 5)
Studio Photoshoots > Outtakes & Sessions > 2017 > Session 004
Labels: Magazine Scans, Photoshoots

Sophie was interviewed for Wonderland magazine, featuring a gorgeous new photoshoot! She talks mostly about ‘Gypsy’, working with Naomi Watts and much more. Make sure to check the high quality pictures in our gallery and to read the article below!

Studio Photoshoots > Outtakes & Sessions > 2017 > Session 003

WONDERLAND – Securing her first major role in Matthew Vaughn’s explosive Kingsman: The Secret Service, Sophie Cookson’s arrival saw her burst straight out of drama school and onto the screens of film fans worldwide; a rapid rise beyond her own comprehension, the part put her alongside the likes of acting heavyweights Colin Firth and Samuel L. Jackson and she’s soon to star in the film’s second rising – Kingsman: The Golden Circle lands this September.

Undeniably a male-heavy cast, before her next foray into the world of undercover espionage, she will star alongside Naomi Watts in new psychological thriller Gypsy, a Netflix project written, directed and starring a predominantly female task-force.

The series sees Cookson take on the role of Sidney, a mysterious character and the focus of obsession for Watts’s Jean Holloway, a psychotic therapist who develops dangerous and intimate relationships with the people in her patients lives. Ahead of the show’s release, we sat down with with Cookson to find out more.

Do you want to start by telling what attracted you to the Gypsy role?
I mean it’s very rare that a script like this comes your way, and I think when you’re not working you hope that there’s a script somewhere out there that can speak to you, that you can click with, that you instantly want to be part of. As soon as I picked up Gypsy it was that script. Sidney is the same age as me, and it’s the first time I’ve ever played anyone my own age, and she’s just going through that thing which I think is quite typical of a 26 year-old, that kind of quarter life crisis; when you’re changing and really becoming the person you’ll be.

And how did you prepare for the role?
Sidney’s main passion and drive in life is music. She’s completely obsessed, Stevie Nicks is her icon; she’s even named her dog Stevie. So for me it was really getting a kind of feel for the music she likes. You know very little about her, there’s no real background story, so for me it was working out the kind of person she is, her interests: Fleetwood Mac were on repeat along with The Velvet Underground, which is a pretty good research topic.

She sings in the first episode, was that actually you singing live?
That was us in a studio before. We did some live takes as well which were so scary, I mean, I’ve always sung, but singing in front of a crowd of people, in that kind of setting is very empowering but terrifying at the same time, especially in the short shorts that Sidney has to wear!

Have you ever had to do anything like that before?
I used to do musical theatre when I was younger, but I think that’s such a different thing. It felt much more exposing, especially if you’re coming in it like, “This is Sidney’s song that Sidney has written”, it becomes a very personal thing. But it’s incredibly liberating once you get into it.

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Labels: Interviews, Photoshoots

I have added several new episode stills from the first season of ‘Gypsy’, coming June 30 on Netflix!
Thanks to my friend Emily for some of them.

Television Productions > Gypsy (2017) > Season 1 > Episode Stills
Labels: Gypsy, Television

Labels: Gypsy, Television

The first photoshoot of the year is finally here! Sophie was photographed for the Summer 2017 issue of Crash magazine and she looks great. Digital scans and outtakes have been added to our gallery. Enjoy!

Magazine Scans > 2017 > Crash UK (Summer)
Studio Photoshoots > Outtakes & Sessions > 2017 > Session 001
Labels: Magazine Scans, Photoshoots

I have added digital scans from the latest issue of STATUS magazine. Sophie and her upcoming projects (including more photos from ‘Gypsy’) are featured so make sure to check them out!

Magazine Scans > 2017 > STATUS (June)
Labels: Magazine Scans


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With the scant population of only 90 individuals residing in a total of 33 homes, the Indian Creek Village is renowned as one of the most exclusive and wealthiest neighborhoods in the entire world, and quite rightly so. Tucked away on a tiny island in the Biscayne Bay of Miami, Florida, the village is home to A-list billionaires and a few of America’s wealthiest business moguls.

The Indian Creek Village is largely occupied by extensive hectares of a lush green 18-hole golf course. However, given the heavily guarded sole entrance and frequent private police patrols, it is nearly impossible for you to sneak a peek inside this exotic ‘billionaire bunker’ of the elite.

The fact that the village is accessible only to the super models, world elite and business tycoons, well explains the median house price of a whopping $21.48 million. Sounds intimidating, doesn’t it! Some of the high profile folks that call the 8th highest-income place in the US their home sweet home include the likes of Adriana Lima, Enrique Iglesias, Edward Lampert, Don Shula, Jeffery Soffer, Charles Bartlett Johnson, Carl Icahn, Norman Braman, Beyonce, Jay-Z and so on.

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Reduce Stress: Five Boundaries You Must Set To De-Stress Part 4

13 December 2012 ~ 0 Comments

Hi again!  How are the holidays treating you?  Are you feeling Grinchy?  Do you want to hire a hitman for the crazy-making people around you? Guess what?  This blog post will help you NOT off your crazy-making cubicle mate, boss, spouse, or in-laws.   As much as we like you, no one wants to bring you chocolate chip cookies in prison, so read on!

This may sound as repetitive as  “The 12 Days of Christmas” but I can’t stress it enough: There are boundaries you must set in order to keep stress at bay.  Just follow my tips for setting boundaries and you won’t need to invest in a wig during or after the holidays.

My fourth tip in the five boundaries you must set to de-stress may sound odd, but trust me on this:  Make written agreements with your clients, your spouse, and even your kids.  Yes, especially your spouse and (other) kids.  We know everyone needs a set of rules.    And please note, I did say “WRITTEN agreements.”  Put each agreement in writing so that it will be clear and enforceable.

Why create agreements?  One of the most powerful actions any manager, supervisor, or parent can do is to hold a group meeting and create/agree upon a list of “Team Rules.”  Not only does this solidify you as the team leader and unify the group as a whole, but the participants will feel like they are helping run a well-oiled machine.

Whether we’re talking about a work team, focus group, or family, everyone needs to feel invested in the rules of conduct and the agreements about how team business is handled.

When people have participated in the creation of a new rule or guideline, they are more likely to follow it.  As you put the accountability back on them, this frees you up for your own life and affairs.  It makes them feel like they are a part of something bigger, even with tasks as simple as washing the dishes or tidying up after oneself at work. Team rules unify everyone for an epic outcome… the good kind that gives you the warm fuzzies rather than the creepy crawlies.

Remember, there’s no “i” in “team” (unless you write “TEAM” in caps and color in the “a-hole.”  Try it out!  Or if you’re feeling lazy, just click here and you’ll turn up pics of my  fabulous new “i in team” coffee mug.)

Go gather your awesome team together and come up with some written rules that make everyone happy and invested in the success of your team.

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1 Samuel

The events took place from the final days of the Judges (1120 BC) to the death of King Saul (1010 BC).
God had selected Judah to be the tribe of kings (Genesis 49.8-12). Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin (1 Samuel 9.1-2); David was from Judah (1 Samuel 16.1-13; Matthew 1.3-6).
The empires of the ancient Middle East had lost their overwhelming power and influence.

  • Hittites lost their significance.
  • Assyria was declining.
  • Egypt, through internal fighting, had lost its power
  • The Philistines became Israel’s greatest enemy.

  • Samuel, though not said to be the author, likely wrote much of the book or supplied the notes for the book. The book took its final form soon after the division into the northern and southern kingdoms (1 Samuel 27.6 and 18.16).
  • Jewish tradition says that Samuel wrote 1-24, and that Nathan and Gad finished 1 Samuel and added 2 Samuel.
  • Possibly, a later editor finalized the book under God’s inspiration.

History—The Book

  • Originally, 1 and 2 Samuel were one book. When the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek around 150 BC, the editors combined Samuel and Kings and it became the complete history of the Israelite monarchy—1, 2, 3, 4 Kingdoms.
  • Sometime later, editors followed the Greek pattern and separated Samuel and Kings into 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings.

Trace the Theme in 1 Samuel

  • First Samuel records the transition from the Judges period of history to the beginning of the monarchy and highlights the failures of the king and the nation because they reject God’s word to them.
  • The prophet, Samuel, is born to Hannah and Elkanah during the time of the judges (1.20). In Samuel’s old age the people of Israel demanded a king so they might be like other nations (8.4-9). Samuel told Saul (10.1) and the people (12.12-16) that Saul was to be the Lord’s king. But Saul soon acted foolishly before the Lord, so the Lord rejected him (13.13-14; 16.14) and chose David, a man after his own heart, to be the king in waiting (13.14; 16.11-14).
  • Saul became jealous of David (18.7-9). He spent the rest of his life, hyphenated with brief periods of remorse (24.16-20; 26.21-25), trying to kill David. David, though given opportunities, refused to strike the Lord’s anointed (24.1-7; 26.7-12). He spent this time trying to elude capture and death by Saul. Eventually, at Mt Gilboa, the Philistines killed Saul and his sons—they wounded Saul, so he killed himself (31.1-4).

Key Verse, 1 Samuel 13.14

  • 1 Samuel 13:14 "But now your kingdom shall not endure. The Lord has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has appointed him as ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you."

1 Samuel Theme: God’s King

  • Despite the fact that God allows Israel, by her free will and rejection of Him and his prophets, to prematurely chose a king, He, in His grace, accomplishes his plan to seat His chosen king over Israel.

1 Samuel Overview Outline

  • Samuel’s ministry, 1-8
  • Saul, Israel’s first king, 9-15
  • David, God’s king in waiting, 16-20
  • Saul pursues David, 21-31

1 Samuel Chapter Titles

Samuel’s Ministry, 1-8

  • Chapter 1: Hannah dedicates Samuel
  • Chapter 2: God will judge Eli’s family
  • Chapter 3: Lord established Samuel a prophet
  • Chapter 4: Philistines capture God’s ark
  • Chapter 5: God judges Ashdod, Gath, Ekron
  • Chapter 6: Philistines send the ark back
  • Chapter 7: Lord routs and subdues Philistines
  • Chapter 8: Appoint a king for us

Saul, Israel’s First King, 9-15

  • Chapter 9: Donkey chase leads Saul to Samuel
  • Chapter 10: Samuel anoints Saul at Mizpah
  • Chapter 11: Saul’s victory over Jabesh and Coronation
  • Chapter 12: Samuel introduces Saul and challenges Israel
  • Chapter 13: Saul acted foolishly
  • Chapter 14: Saul’s foolish oath; Jonathan’s honey
  • Chapter 15: Lord rejects Saul. "To obey is better than sacrifice."

David, God’s King in Waiting, 16-20

  • Chapter 16: Lord chooses David
  • Chapter 17: David kills Goliath
  • Chapter 18: Jealous Saul fears David
  • Chapter 19: Jonathan, Michal, and Samuel protect David
  • Chapter 20: Jonathan warns David by arrows

Saul Pursues David, 21-31

  • Chapter 21: David to Priest Ahimelech, then to King Achish of Gath
  • Chapter 22: Saul kills priests of Nob. Abiathar escapes
  • Chapter 23: Saul chases David at Keilah, Ziph, Maon
  • Chapter 24: Saul’s robe in the Engedi cave
  • Chapter 25: Samuel dies. Nabal, Abigail, and David
  • Chapter 26: Mt Hachilah, Saul’s spear and bottle

Saul Pursues David, 21-31

  • Chapter 27: David at Philistine Ziklag
  • Chapter 28: The Medium at Endor
  • Chapter 29: Philistine commanders reject David
  • Chapter 30: Ziklag, David, and Amalekites
  • Chapter 31: Philistines victory. Saul dies

Main People

  • Hannah was the mother of Samuel. God graciously answered her prayer for a son, and in response to God’s blessing she presented her son to the Lord so that he might serve Him (1 Samuel 1-2).
  • Principle: Mother’s faithfulness to the Lord, prayer for her children, and willingness for them to be in Christian service.

  • Eli was the priest at Shiloh (1 Samuel 1.3, 7, 9) at the time of Samuel’s birth (1.17, 24-28) and a judge (4.18). He was to serve as priest for Israel and to care for the ark (4.3). He was instrumental in the early training of Samuel (2.11, 18-21; 3). His sons, priests under him (1.3) were worthless rebels whom he failed to discipline and train (2.12; 3.11-14). The Lord, through the Philistines, struck his sons down (4.10-11). The news that the Philistines had captured God’s Ark caused Eli to collapse. He broke his neck in the fall and died (4.15-18).
  • Principle: Failure protect the priesthood by not disciplining and training his priest sons.
  • Principle: God graciously uses his people to bless others even though they have areas of failure.

  • Samuel was the son of Hannah and Elkanah (1). He was a Levite (1 Samuel 6.33-38), a prophet (3.20; 19.20; Acts 3.24), a priest (7.8-10), and the last judge (7.15-17; Acts 13.20). He was called to his ministry while a young boy, and he served Eli well during a time of national apostasy (2.11, 18-21). He anointed Saul (9.16; 10.1; 15.1) and David to be kings (16.3, 12-13). He was classed with Moses as a great believer and spiritual leader of Israel (1 Samuel 7.3-6; Jeremiah 15.1).
  • Principle: Faithful ministry during a time of national apathy, rebellion, and apostasy.
  • Principle: Strong spiritual leadership in the face of powerful opposition.

  • Saul was a Benjamite (1 Samuel 9.1, 21), who because of the rebellious demands of Israel (8.4-8), was chosen by God to become king of Israel (10.1). He had few successes (11.6-15; 14.47-48), and in negative volition he rejected God’s word and will (13.8-14; 14.24, 43-46; 15.16-26; 28.3-20). Due to his rejection of God’s word and desire for power and fame combined with great jealousy of David, he tried to kill David (20.33) eventually destroyed himself (15.27-28, 35; 18.5-12; 19.1; 31.1-5).
  • Principle: Great opportunity for service to Lord and Israel, but because he was preoccupied with with himself and details of life, and because he would not humble himself before the Lord, the Lord removed him from service and potential blessing.
  • Principle: Emotional repentance and spiritual inconsistency do not please the Lord. He wants consistent spiritual living.

  • Goliath, a nine and one-half foot champion fighter for the Philistines, challenged Saul’s army to send someone to fight him in personal combat. The outcome of this challenge would determine the winner of the battle (1 Samuel 17). David believed that God would defeat Goliath through him. David knew that the battle was the Lord’s. David killed Goliath. Israel then chased the fleeing Philistines, killing them and plundering the camps.
  • Principle: No enemy can withstand the Lord and the believer trusting the Lord and doing God’s will.

  • Jonathan was Saul’s son and heir to the throne (1 Samuel 13.16). He unknowingly disobeyed Saul’s vow by eating some honey, after which the Israelites would not allow Saul to execute Jonathan (14.24-45). He and David were very good friends (1 Samuel 18.1). He recognized God’s decision to make David king when he turned his robe, armor, sword, bow, and belt (1 Samuel 18.4; 23.16-17). Jonathan fell in battle against the Philistines at Mt Gilboa along with his brothers and his father, Saul (31.1-2).
  • Though Jonathan was Saul’s son and a soldier in Saul’s army, but did the right thing by protecting David from Saul (19.1-10; 20). Jonathan fell with Saul fell in battle with the Philistines (31.2-3).
  • Principle: First loyalty is to Lord.
  • Principle: Loyal friendship.

  • David, was the son of Jesse, a distant son of Judah. He was a shepherd whom God trained to be king over Israel. Samuel anointed him king of Israel. Discussion in the 2 Samuel study.

Key Words Used

  • King 92x. 2.10; 8.5, 6; 8.20; 10.19; 16.1.
  • Anoint. (verb and noun) 2.10, 35; 9.16; 10.1; 12.3, 5; 15.1, 17; 16.3, 6, 12, 13; 24.6, 10; 26.9, 11, 16, 23.
    • Cleansing, blessing, coronation, endowment, or the title of the one selected. Psalm 2.2
    • Noun jyvm mashiyach. Strong #4899, Anointed, Messiah. 39x in OT.
    • Verb jvm mashach. Strong #4886, To smear, anoint, spread a liquid. 69x in OT.
  • War, 8.12; 14.52; 17.20; 18.5; 19.8; 23.8; 28.1, 15. Strong # 4421 îÄìÀçÈîÈä milchamah. War was necessary because Israel’s enemies sought to destroy her.
  • Rejected, 8.7; 10.19; 15.23, 26; 16.1, 7. Israel rejected the Lord as king; the Lord rejected Saul from continuing as king.
  • Ichabod (no glory) 4.21. The glory left Israel because the Philistines took the Ark of God from Israel.

Key Doctrines

  • King of Israel. The monarchy became the political form for rule in God’s theocratic kingdom program (1 Samuel 2.10; 16.1; Psalm 78.70-72; Psalm 2). Jesus is the final and ultimate King of Israel and King of God’s entire creation (Matthew 2.2; Revelation 17.14; 19.16; Zechariah 14.9; 1 Corinthians 15.24-28).
  • God rules over all creation. The fall of Satan and man did not reduce God’s sovereign rule, nor did the unbelief and rebellion of Saul or any other Israeli king limit his authority. He will reestablish His rightful rule over creation and thereby demonstrate His unsurpassed authority, glory, and honor (Exodus 16.7; 24.16; Numbers 14.21; Psalm 19.1; Psalm 29; Ezekiel 3.12; Luke 2.9; Romans 9.23; 11.36; Ephesians 1.6, 12, 14; Revelation 4.11; and others).
  • God’s Plan to reestablish final rule. God pronounced judgment upon Satan after his rebellion (Matthew 25.41) and announced the means to defeat Satan and demonstrate his authority and honor through His redemptive program (Genesis 3.15). He worked through Abraham and his progeny (Genesis 12.1-3). The monarch form began with Saul (1 Samuel 10.1) and especially David (1 Samuel 16). This will find its ultimate form in King Messiah Jesus, the savior, priest, and ruling king in the Millennium (Zechariah 14.9; Matthew 1; Revelation 19.16; 1 Corinthians 15.24-28).
  • The battle is the Lord’s. The Lord fought for David and Israel against Goliath and the Philistines (1 Samuel 17, especially verses 26, 37, 45-47).
  • Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. God sent His Holy Spirit only to certain people in the time before the church age. The Holy Spirit’s job was to guide and give ability to the individual so that he could know and do God’s will (Saul, 1 Samuel 10.6, 10; 11.6; 16.14; 19.23-24; David, 16.13; Saul’s messengers, 19.20).
  • Obedience to God is more important than going through right religious activities (1 Samuel 15.22-23). Put another way, substance is more important than symbolism in one’s relationship with God. Reality is more important ritual.

Lessons For Us Today

  • God’s plan for Israel will be accomplished. Israel has a promised wonderful future.
  • The church does not replace Israel. The church has its own unique position and purpose in God’s plan. We in the church are part of God’s universal kingdom. He is our king by right of creation and union with Christ.
  • The day to day Christian life battle is the Lord’s battle. He works in us and through us.
  • In distinction from OT Israel, the Holy Spirit lives in every church age believer. Furthermore, God commands us to be filled with and to walk by means of the Holy Spirit.
  • God wants consistent Christian living based upon His word, His Spirit, and faith, not emotional highs and lows. He desires reality over ritual, substance over symbolism.

Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 1 Corinthians 10.12


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For information about purchasing a ranch property, contact Carlos Ordonez at Live Water Properties.

Email Carlos

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Woods Creek Ranch
Teton Valley near Driggs, ID

Woods Creek is a 160 acre ranch located in the heart of Teton Valley near Driggs, ID on the “quiet” western side of the famous Teton Mountain Range. The ranch offers a sizable wildlife and fisheries sanctuary and big mountain views of the world famous Teton Mountains and Big Hole mountain ranges. Set in one of the most scenic valleys of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, Woods Creek offers two professionally enhanced wetland complexes creating the ideal habitat for waterfowl. Eighteen tillable acres planted with barley and wildlife food plots provide a desirable habitat for deer and the abundant moose of the area that frequent the property. The uplands and grain also attract the native sharp-tailed grouse with healthy coveys found throughout the ranch.

The ranch contains roughly 1.2 miles of Woods Creek, a private spring creek ranging in width from 10 to 20 feet. Woods Creek serves as a spawning tributary for the Teton River located just a quarter mile downstream of the ranch. The creek holds ample numbers of Brook Trout and native Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout.

Woods Creek is located 3 miles west of Driggs, ID and 45 minutes from Jackson Hole, WY. Driggs offers every amenity including Reed Memorial, a full service FBO with a 7,300 foot runway and two highly publicized private golf courses, Teton Springs and Huntsman Springs. Teton Valley is also home to Grand Targhee Ski and Summer Resort. Grand Targhee consistently ranks as one of the top ski resorts in the country year after year and hosts several summer music festivals.

Woods Creek offers exceptional recreational opportunities including some of the best waterfowl hunting in the area, private spring creek fishing and excellent white-tailed deer hunting. Extensive wetland enhancement work has been completed, along with a 2.3 acre trout pond currently under construction and in-stream enhancement project scheduled to be completed by spring of 2015. The ranch is located in the heart of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and offers close proximity to some of the West’s most well know trophy trout streams such as Idaho’s Teton River, the Henry’s Fork, the South Fork of the Snake River and the world famous Madison River in Montana. The southwest entrance to Yellowstone National Park is 40 minutes from the ranch.


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Youth Development

youth-developmentWhile they’re playing, they’re learning.

SportsOhio youth programs develop not just the athlete, but the person. Our camps, clinics, academies, leagues and lessons provide a variety of sports to help kids grow & progress.

The sports programs provide fundamental tools that are useful in both individual and team environments. At SportsOhio, we create an atmosphere that encourages fortitude, focus and, most of all, fun. This includes:

  • Learn new skills
  • Discover their abilities
  • Develop a work ethic through training
  • Excel in a team environment
  • Acquire healthy habits that can last a lifetime

Clinics & Academies