Town and Country Living: Making a Choice for Health and Fitness

Lately I've been doing a lot of thinking about my health. No, there's nothing wrong ... at least, that I know of anyway. I've been exercising since my early twenties when I started havin' babies and I've kind of been slacking off since summer, running a few miles off and on but not running on a regular, disciplined basis like I normally do. I haven't been paying as close attention to what I put in my mouth, either.

The combination of not exercising regularly and not eating as good as I should

has left me feeling lethargic, sometimes irritable, and has even affected my ability to sleep well.

Well that's all about to change. Big Time! I just signed up to run a marathon.

I've already run a few marathons so it's not new territory for me.

But knowing that 26.2 miles lie ahead of you, you realize you can't be a slacker.

The training has to be done ... and your food needs to be healthy in order to support the training.

The best way I know to motivate myself is to sign up for a competitive event like this.

My daughter signed up with me and this will be her first marathon.

That may seem like a long time from now, but I need to train just to get ready for the training!

So this week I've gotten back into a running routine and am eating much better.

I do believe a lot of our health problems stem from poor choices we make with food and exercise.

So as I grow older, I'm ever more aware of choices that affect my health.

I need to lose at least 10 pounds before marathon day ... so the journey begins!

I'm sure I'll be writing about this from time to time on my blog between now and race day.

I'm looking forward to it and glad I made a healthy choice before the situation got out of hand.

Do you have any health or fitness goals this year? It's never too late to start!

Linking Up to ...

Source: http://townandcountryliving.blogspot.com/2013/01/making-choice-for-health-and-fitness.html

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PPA approved for California?s first large-scale solar plant with energy storage

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://www.pv-tech.org/news/cpuc_approves_amended_ppa_for_californias_first_large_scale_solar_plant_wit?utm_source=pvtech-feeds&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=news-rss-feed

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Shirley Hornstein Apologizes, Promises Change

Five months after we wrote about Shirley Hornstein and how she fooled a number of startups, Hornstein has responded in a blog post apologizing for her behavior and declaring that she has "made the decision to stop." My initial post included a legal complaint by Founders Fund against Hornstein alleging that she had been falsely claiming a connection to the venture capital firm and its partners, and I also posted as a number of images where Hornstein had Photoshopped herself next to celebrities. Other than that, I didn't delve into many specifics, instead outlining a pattern of behavior that I'd heard about from a number of sources, where Hornstein would get involved in startups by claiming important Silicon Valley connections and making big promises, then fail to deliver. BetaBeat went into more detail, describing allegations that included credit card fraud.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/pb8aFU44sAE/

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Shrewd Strategies On How To Deal With Hemorrhoids | Daily Health ...

Hemorrhoids

Dependent on the size and pain level of the hemorrhoid, you could attempt to gently return it to the inside of your body. Gently pushing them back inside the body can reduce hemorrhoid pain caused from sitting for prolonged periods, or from swelling due to irritation. If you decide to do this, be extremely gentle and don?t do anything to worsen the condition.

Undue strain in bowel movements is a normal contributing factor to the development of hemorrhoids. Increase the amount of water you drink and eliminate refined sugar from your diet to soften your stool. Squatting can also help in passing bowel movements without straining. When you are on the toilet, put a short stool underneath your feet. Interestingly, hemorrhoids don?t plague cultures for whom it is customary to squat while using the toilet to the degree that they plague those accustomed to the porcelain niceties.

You do not have to suffer needlessly through a bout of hemorrhoids with no relief at all. Try bathing the region with a sitz bath for 10 minutes several times throughout the day. You might also feel better if you apply cold compresses in the affected area.

If you think that you may have a hemorrhoid, schedule an appointment to see your doctor. It can be tricky to correctly differentiate between a polyp and a hemorrhoid, and this confusion can lead to unnecessary panic. Schedule a quick check-up with your doctor if you are concerned about any growth.

Caffeine will help keep you awake, and it can also help you with your hemorrhoids. Caffeine works in your favor as it will stimulate the bowels and help you avoid some of the issues related to hemorrhoids, such as constipation and hard stool.

Add more fiber in your diet if you have hemorrhoids. This can be brought on by straining while you are making a bowel movement. Avoid constipation by adding ample fiber to your daily diet, so that you will not aggravate your hemorrhoid condition. Staying regular will assist you in battling hemorrhoids.

If your target is to minimize hemorrhoids, see to it that you?re body is properly hydrated. To get loose and soft stools, you should drink at least eight glasses of water and beverages that do not contain alcohol every day.

If you are having hemorrhoid problems, there?s a simple remedy you can try. If you feel like you need to release some feces out of your body, don?t wait! A lot of people don?t know that they should defecate as soon as they feel the urge to when they have hemorrhoids, this is because your stool becomes harder the longer it stays in the large intestine, which makes it hurt when you go when you have hemorrhoids. Try not to strain during a bowel movement, as this aggravates hemorrhoids.

As has already been mentioned, there are all kinds of ways to treat hemorrhoids. If you tend to have problems with hemorrhoids, you should keep a good stock of supplies to treat your symptoms as needed. Use the information in this article and you will have more knowledge about hemorrhoids.

Source: http://dailyhealthboost.com/shrewd-strategies-on-how-to-deal-with-hemorrhoids/

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Chesapeake's embattled CEO McClendon to retire

Embattled Chesapeake Energy Corp. founder and CEO Aubrey McClendon will retire on April 1.

McClendon will step down even though Chesapeake says a review of his business dealings has not revealed improper conduct.

Chesapeake Chairman Archie Dunham said in a statement the company needs a new leader to help develop the oil and gas assets the company has amassed under McClendon.

McClendon, 53, founded the company 24 years ago and pushed it to acquire drilling rights to huge amounts of land. The strategy landed the company promising assets ? and enormous debt. A plan that allowed McClendon to invest personally in the company's wells came under renewed scrutiny last year, and he was forced to step aside as board chairman.

Chesapeake shares rose 9 percent in after-hours trading.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-01-29-US-Chesapeake-Energy-CEO/id-fb36f67f14cf4416968339f09a926241

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Does Heidi's Personal Video Make Her More Relatable?

Heidi Klum: She's just like us! Except prettier. And richer. And marries rock stars.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/heidi-klum-shares-personal-video-facebook-does-it-make-her-relatable/1-a-518695?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Aheidi-klum-shares-personal-video-facebook-does-it-make-her-relatable-518695

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Jane Austen tourism booms as 'Pride and Prejudice' turns 200

23 hrs.

A. Pawlowski , NBC News

When a classic love story has a big birthday, it?s time to have a ball ? literally.

Monday marks the 200th anniversary of the publication of ?Pride and Prejudice,? the Jane Austen novel that introduced feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet, seemingly aloof Mr. Darcy and a world of manor homes and grand estates that turned England into a dream destination for readers around the globe.

Balls, dances and other special events are taking place this year to celebrate the bicentennial as Austen continues to lure travelers.

?She?s hugely important,? said Meredith Pearson, a spokeswoman for VisitBritain. The country?s national tourism agency maintains a guide for fans eager to experience the "Pride and Prejudice" lifestyle.

?We found that, to this day, because of the popularity of those stories, it?s something that visitors really, really enjoy doing,? Pearson said.

Even if you haven?t read the book, chances are you?re familiar with the plot of ?Pride and Prejudice? after catching the recent film version starring Keira Knightley, seeing ?Bridget Jones? Diary????a modern reboot of the novel ? or watching the blockbuster 1995 BBC mini-series starring Colin Firth, which led to a huge surge in visitors, Pearson noted.

No wonder, then, tourism is booming along Austen?s trail in England, a path that traditionally takes visitors to the resort city of Bath, the verdant landscapes of Derbyshire and the village of Chawton.

The author lived in Bath from 1801 to 1806 and chose the city as the setting for two of her novels. Today, about 60,000 people a year flock to The Jane Austen Centre, which chronicles her Bath experience, said Jennie Rogers, general manager of the attraction.

Besides taking in the Centre?s permanent exhibition and sampling Georgian biscuits, visitors can also try on fashions from Austen?s era ? empire-waist dresses, bonnets, gloves and parasols for the ladies; waistcoats, coats and top hats for the gentlemen.

?Our visitors become overwhelmed when trying on our replica costumes,? Rogers said. ?(They) love the romance of Jane's novels and the way in which they can relate to her character's dilemmas and issues???even today.?

To celebrate the 200th anniversary of ?Pride and Prejudice,? the Centre is hosting an ?International Readathon? on Monday, when dozens of actors, authors and Austen experts will read the book aloud in its entirety during a 12-hour period.

The city of Bath has put together a suggested itinerary for Austen fans, including taking a walk along the Royal Crescent, where the author often strolled, and enjoying afternoon tea in The Pump Room, which was a popular gathering spot during Austen?s era.

If you?d like to dress up and party Austen-style, there?s the Jane Austen Festival Regency Costumed Summer Ball on June 22, which features Regency dancing???the intricate choreography that requires ladies and gentlemen to form lines and circles, and twirl around and bow to each other.

?We hope to dance Mr. Beveridge's Maggot???a dance made popular by the BBC 1995 version of ?Pride and Prejudice,?? said organizer Jackie Herring.

The novel is also the theme of this year?s Bath Jane Austen Festival, scheduled to take place Sept. 13-21, complete with a Mr. Darcy lookalike contest, a masked ball and workshops on how to perfect the Regency look.

Fans who want to stroll through grand estates and gardens featured in the novels should head to the Derbyshire region of England where many of the Austen movies and mini-series were filmed. The district maintains a list of all the locations used in the productions.

Pearson thinks U.S. visitors love the sites because they?re so uniquely British.

?It?s part of that fairly tale, in a way. Because (the U.S. is) such a young country comparatively, the fact that there are these gorgeous old manor houses and country houses ? it really takes people away and it really catches Americans? imagination,? Pearson said.

One such home is Chatsworth House, said to have inspired Pemberley, Mr. Darcy?s estate in ?Pride and Prejudice.?

To see where Austen created some of her characters, visit her former home in Chawton, now transformed into Jane Austen?s House Museum.

This is where the author spent the last eight years of her life and wrote ?Mansfield Park,? ?Emma,? and ?Persuasion.? To celebrate the 200th anniversary of ?Pride and Prejudice,? the museum is displaying first editions of the book, original illustrations and the table where Austen worked.

British tourism officials?? who are still giddy about the Queen?s Diamond Jubilee and all the other events that drew visitors to the region last year???are hoping Austen?s legacy will continue the momentum in 2013.

?It?s a great year to come over and experience all of the literary connections in the UK,? Pearson said.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/travel/itineraries/jane-austen-tourism-booms-pride-prejudice-turns-200-1C8091333

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The ?Manatee? Nebula

Even a Developer Can Love a Landmark

Developers of the Park Union, the condo conversion of a Beaux-Arts-style building, want to have it included in Park Slope?s historic district.

Behind the Wheel | 2013 Ford C-Max

Any Engine You Like, but Only if It?s a Hybrid

For the C-Max, Ford looked to Europe, where small cars are accepted realities of life. Then the company went ?all California,? making the car only a hybrid model.

New Cars Search

Used Cars Search

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Find the best job in the New York metro area and beyond.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/index.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

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CSN: Nationals add Taft to Presidents' race

The Nationals unveiled a new racing president Saturday afternoon, one with a built-in connection to baseball and the kind of physique that could provide some comedic value.

William Howard Taft "agreed to terms" to be the Nationals' fifth racing president, "pending a physical," the club announced Friday night. Apparently the rotund, 300-pound, 27th Commander-in-Chief was cleared by doctors, because he was unveiled to the public Saturday afternoon at NatsFest.

Taft joins George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt in the expanded racing presidents shtick, highlighted by the nightly race in the middle of the fourth inning. "Bill," as the mascot will be called, already has a built-in rivalry with Teddy, who in 1912 attempted to defeat his successor for the Republican Party nomination and ultimately chose to create the "Bull Moose" Party and run as a third-party candidate. (Both wound up losing to Democrat Woodrow Wilson.)

Taft also has a strong connection to baseball. On April 14, 1910, he threw out the first pitch before the Senators' game against the Athletics, the first president to perform that ceremonial task. Every sitting president since (except for Jimmy Carter) has maintained the tradition.

Urban legend also claims Taft inadvertently created the seventh-inning stretch on that same 1910 day at Griffith Stadium when bored with the ballgame he left his seat in the middle of the seventh inning and later returned. The crowd stood as one, believing the president to be leaving the game early, and thus by accident created one of baseball's greatest traditions.?

Source: http://www.csnwashington.com/baseball-washington-nationals/talk/taft-becomes-5th-racing-president

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AP Source: Titans interested in hiring Williams

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) ? Gregg Williams may be a step closer to returning to the NFL after being suspended indefinitely for his role in the Saints' bounty program.

Titans coach Mike Munchak has talked with Williams and is interested in adding him to his Tennessee staff, said a person familiar with the situation. The person spoke Sunday to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the Titans do not discuss personnel moves until they are finalized.

Before the Titans could hire Williams, he must be reinstated by the league. Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended him indefinitely for his role in the New Orleans Saints bounty program, and NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Sunday the league has not yet addressed Williams' potential reinstatement.

Munchak did not immediately answer a message left by the AP on Sunday. The Titans coach has not talked with the media about his team since the day after the season ended.

How quickly the league considers reinstating Williams may take at least a week with the San Francisco 49ers arriving in New Orleans on Sunday to kick off festivities leading up to the Feb. 3 Super Bowl.

Williams is the only coach or player who has yet to return to the NFL in the wake of the bounty scandal.

Goodell just lifted the suspension for New Orleans coach Sean Payton on Tuesday, nearly two weeks earlier than expected. Saints general manager Mickey Loomis was suspended for eight games and assistant head coach Joe Vitt for six. Four current or former Saints players were also suspended after an investigation found the club had a performance pool offering cash rewards for key plays, including big hits. The player suspensions eventually were overturned.

Williams was the Saints defensive coordinator from 2009-11 and was hired by St. Louis in January 2012 by former Titans coach Jeff Fisher before being suspended indefinitely in March 20112. Williams' son, Blake, also was on Fisher's staff as the Rams' linebacker coach ? but his contract was not renewed earlier this month.

Munchak has known Williams since 1990. Munchak was playing for the then-Houston Oilers when Williams became an assistant coach with the team. They also coached together with the Oilers; Munchak oversaw the offensive line starting in 1994 and Williams rose from defensive assistant to coaching special teams, then linebackers and finally defensive coordinator.

Williams left the Titans to become head coach of the Buffalo Bills in 2001 before becoming defensive coordinator with the Washington Redskins from 2004-07. He also was defensive coordinator in Jacksonville in 2008 before being hired by the Saints in 2009.

Williams also has a relationship with Munchak's current defensive coordinator, Jerry Gray. When Williams left for Buffalo, Gray went with him and served as Williams' defensive coordinator with the Bills.

Even though Gray currently has the job, the Titans' defense needs help and Munchak will be coaching for his job in 2013 after going 6-10 in his second season as head coach. One reason for the losing record was Tennessee's inability to stop anyone; the Titans set a franchise record allowing 471 points in 2012. The only change Munchak has made to his defensive staff was letting linebackers coach Frank Bush go and moving Chet Paralavecchio into the job from assisting with special teams.

In Williams' last season with the Titans, Tennessee ranked first in the NFL in fewest yards allowed, first in passing yards allowed and third in rushing defense. The Titans also set a franchise-record for fewest points allowed with 191 with an aggressive defense.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ap-source-titans-interested-hiring-williams-164240212--nfl.html

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Stan Musial remembered during funeral Mass

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Stan Musial was remembered during a funeral and memorial outside Busch Stadium on Saturday as a Hall of Famer and a St. Louis icon embraced by generations of fans who never had the privilege of watching him play.

Broadcaster Bob Costas, his voice cracking with emotion at times, pointed out during a two-hour Mass that in 92 years of life, Stan the Man never let anyone down.

Costas noted that even though Musial, who died Jan. 19, was a three-time NL MVP and seven-time batting champion, the pride of Donora, Pa., lacked a singular achievement. Joe DiMaggio had a 56-game hitting streak, Ted Williams was the last major leaguer to hit .400, and Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle soared to stardom in the New York spotlight. Musial didn't quite reach the 500-homer club - he finished with 475 - and played in his final World Series in 1946, ''wouldn't you know it, the year before they started televising the Fall Classic!''

''What was the hook with Stan Musial other than the distinctive stance and the role of one of baseball's best hitters?'' Costas said. ''It seems that all Stan had going for him was more than two decades of sustained excellence as a ballplayer and more than nine decades as a thoroughly decent human being.

''Where is the single person to truthfully say a bad word about him?''

There was enough room in the large Roman Catholic church for a handful of fans. One of them wore a vintage, No. 6 Musial jersey. Another clapped softly as pallbearers carried the casket from the church to the hearse to the tune of bagpipes.

Among those in attendance were baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, former St. Louis standout Albert Pujols and Hall of Famers Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, Ozzie Smith, Bruce Sutter, Whitey Herzog and 90-year-old Red Schoendienst, who once roomed with Musial. Joe Torre, a former MVP and manager in St. Louis, and Tony La Russa, who became close with Musial during his 16 seasons managing the Cardinals, sat near the front along with current manager Mike Matheny.

Pujols, who had been on track to challenge many of Musial's franchise records before signing with the Angels 13 months ago, exchanged hugs with Fred Hanser, a member of the Cardinals ownership team, before taking his seat.

Jim Edmonds, a star center fielder for two World Series teams in the 2000s, has the same last name as one of Musial's sons-in-law. He said Musial informed him that they were distant relatives, and greeted him as ''Hey, Cuz!''

''I thought he was kidding at first,'' Edmonds said. ''That's pretty cool.''

Jack Clark, a slugging first baseman for the Cardinals during the 1980s, said he perhaps respected Musial most for his decency during baseball's sometimes difficult period of integration in the 1940s and 1950s.

''Stan kind of crossed that color barrier. When people were getting on the African-American players, he stuck up for them. It was a time when you could kind of get your finger pointed at you for that stuff,'' Clark said. ''People loved him, and he loved them right back.''

Bishop Richard Stika, pastor at Musial's' church in suburban St. Louis for several years, speculated during the homily about why Musial was never ejected from a game during his career: ''I think deep down, that was because he didn't want to go home and face Lil.''

Musial's wife of nearly 72 years, Lillian, died last year.

Grandson Andrew Edmonds said the public Musial was no different from the private Musial, the grandpa who bought McDonalds for the family every Sunday. He recalled a fan telling him, ''Your grandpa's best attribute is he made nobodies feel like somebodies.''

Pallbearers included Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III, Musial grandsons Andrew Edmonds and Brian Schwarze, and the retired star's longtime business partner in Stan the Man Inc., Dick Zitzmann.

After the service, the hearse and vans filled with the Cardinals' delegation drove to Busch Stadium, where Musial's family laid flowers at the base of one of his statues - the one that made the move across the street from the old Busch - while being serenaded by ''Take Me Out to the Ball Game.'' Color guards from the city's fire and police departments flanked the statue, along with more than a dozen ballpark ushers. A single Clydesdale walked slowly down the street.

Cardinals closer Jason Motte shook his head.

''This is nothing like I've ever seen,'' he said.

During a funeral that was almost entirely upbeat, son-in-law Martin Schwarze got the biggest laugh when he recounted a 1995 radio interview with Jack Buck during which Musial was asked how good of a hitter he'd have been had he played in the modern era. Musial, who finished with a .331 career batting average, replied he probably would have batted about .275, and Buck said ''Whoa, whoa, whoa,'' that's way too low.

Then Musial added with a chuckle, ''Hey, Jack, I'm 75!''

Thousands filed through the Cathedral Basilica at Musial's six-hour public visitation on Thursday, and hundreds more attended the service.

Hundreds more were waiting at the more prominent of the two Musial statues outside Busch Stadium, where fans have gathered since Musial died after several years of declining health. Next to the statues were flowers, balloons, teddy bears, helmets, autographed items and a homemade sign that read ''Thanks for the memories. You live in our hearts, No. 6.''

''He's been a hero to us for four generations,'' Kathy Noorman of Wentzville, Mo., said, speaking near the statue. ''He was such a good man, somebody you can hold up to grandkids and your own kids as an example of who they should be.''

Mark Springman, 57, of Alton, Ill., brought a bottle of champagne to the statue shrine. He saw Musial play in 1963, Stan the Man's final season, and has been a season-ticket holder for about 15 years.

''He was more than a ballplayer,'' Springman said. ''He was the man.''

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/rss/top/SIG=12q7h360r/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/news/stan-musial-remembered-during-funeral-194847869--mlb.html

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Frecklebox: A Name To Remember - Happy Home and Family

Cute little children deserve only the cutest stuff and my little Sean is definitely one cutie who deserves to be showered with everything cute. That?s why I?m always on the lookout for sites that offer unique items. Well, what?s more unique than having your child?s name plastered on various items and written in books?

Frecklebox has a wide selection of personalized gifts for kids that range from books to puzzles to wall decors. Personalized gifts are one of the best gifts you can give to kids. Children love anything with their name on it as it makes them feel extra special to see their name printed on an item. Frecklebox makes choosing the perfect gift easier by categorizing their merchandise by occasion, by gender, by theme, and by age. Drop-down menus and filtering options facilitate faster selection of items.

If you?re purchasing a personalized book, you can preview the book and see how the child?s name appears on EVERY page before purchasing it. There?s also a host of funky designs for personalized kids? placemats that there?s definitely one your child will absolutely love.

Since Sean is so into cars these days, I decided to get him a Race Car Personalized Placemat ($9.95) in the hopes that he?d be encouraged to speed through his meals and not take forever to finish his food. I also got him a Race Car Lunch Box ($29.95) which has the same fierce race car design as the placemat. He?s not yet going to school though and wouldn?t need a lunchbox so this Race Car Lunch Box will be used to store mementos instead. To complete his race car collection, I?m also thinking of getting him the Speedy Race Car Coin Bank, Personalized Race Car Puzzle, and the fiery Flame Notebook.

?

If you?re looking for gift items for children or for awesome stuff for your own child, do check out Frecklebox. I guarantee that you?d find the perfect gift for any child. Their merchandise are so cute that you may even want to buy one for yourself. When you head over the site, make sure you read the FAQs. You may not have any Fun Awesome Question to ask but reading it is bound to make you laugh.

Follow Frecklebox on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest to get their promo updates.

Source: http://happyhomeandfamily.com/frecklebox-a-name-to-remember/

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Team Against Gotham

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

Owner:

Game Masters:

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

Topic Tags:

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

You may edit this first post as you see fit.

Sonohra

Member for 1 years

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

I should go.

Bromander Shepard

Member for 1 years

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

Applejaxc_

Member for 0 years

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

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

Sonohra

Member for 1 years

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Thousands march for gun control in Washington

Gun rights and gun control advocates demonstrate in the Pennsylvania Capital building Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, in Harrisburg, Pa. As a boycott continued to grow over a ban on assault weapons at next month's Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show in Harrisburg, gun rights supporters and gun control supporters held rallies at the state Capitol.(AP Photo/Matt Rourke);

Gun rights and gun control advocates demonstrate in the Pennsylvania Capital building Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013, in Harrisburg, Pa. As a boycott continued to grow over a ban on assault weapons at next month's Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show in Harrisburg, gun rights supporters and gun control supporters held rallies at the state Capitol.(AP Photo/Matt Rourke);

People walk from the U.S. Capitol to the Washington Monument in Washington, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013, during a march on Washington for gun control. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

People walk from the U.S. Capitol to the Washington Monument in Washington, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013, during a march on Washington for gun control. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

People walk from the U.S. Capitol to the Washington Monument in Washington, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013, during a march on Washington for gun control. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

People walk from the U.S. Capitol to the Washington Monument in Washington, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013, during a march on Washington for gun control. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Thousands of people, many holding signs with names of gun violence victims and messages such as "Ban Assault Weapons Now," joined a rally for gun control on Saturday, marching from the Capitol to the Washington Monument.

Participants were led by Mayor Vincent Gray and other officials Saturday morning, and the crowd stretched for about two blocks along Constitution Avenue. Police blocked off half the road.

Participants held signs reading "Gun Control Now" and "Stop NRA," among other messages. Other signs were simple and white, with the names of victims of gun violence.

About 100 residents were expected from Newtown, Conn., where a gunman killed 20 first-graders and six teachers at a school in December. The rally was organized in response to that shooting.

Once the crowd arrived at the monument, speakers called for a ban on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan told the crowd it's not about taking away Second Amendment gun rights, but about gun safety and saving lives. He said he and President Barack Obama would do everything they could to enact gun control policies.

"We must act, we must act, we must act," Duncan said.

Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D.C.'s non-voting representative in Congress, said the gun lobby can be stopped. The crowd chanted back, "Yes, we can."

Norton said the nation didn't act after previous mass killings, but she said "we the people," won't give up this time.

"We are all culpable if we do nothing now," Norton said

Participant Kara Baekey of Norwalk, Conn., said that when she heard about the Newtown shooting, she immediately thought of her two young children. She said she decided she must take action, and that's why she joined the march.

"I wanted to make sure this never happens at my kids' school or any other school," Baekey said. "It just can't happen again."

James Agenbroad, 78, of Garrett Park, Md., carried a handwritten sign on cardboard that read "Repeal the 2nd Amendment." He called it the only way to stop mass killings because he thinks the Supreme Court will strike down any other restrictions on guns.

"You can repeal it," he said. "We repealed prohibition."

Molly Smith, the artistic director of Washington's Arena Stage, and her partner organized the march. Organizers said that in addition to the 100 from Newtown, they expected buses of participants from New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia. Others are flying in from Seattle, San Francisco and even Alaska.

While she's never organized a political march before, Smith said she was compelled to press for a change in the law. The march organizers support President Barack Obama's call for a ban on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines as well as for universal background checks for gun sales. They also want lawmakers to require gun safety training for all buyers of firearms.

"With the drum roll, the consistency of the mass murders and the shock of it, it is always something that is moving and devastating to me. And then, it's as if I move on," Smith said. "And in this moment, I can't move on. I can't move on.

"I think it's because it was children, babies," she said. "I was horrified by it."

After the Connecticut shootings, Smith posted something on Facebook and drew more support to do something. The group One Million Moms for Gun Control, the Washington National Cathedral and two other churches eventually signed on to co-sponsor the march. Organizers have raised more than $46,000 online to pay for equipment and fees to stage the rally.

Lawmakers from the District of Columbia and Maryland were scheduled to speak Saturday. Actress Kathleen Turner was expected to appear, along with Marian Wright Edelman of the Children's Defense Fund and Colin Goddard, a survivor from the Virginia Tech massacre.

Smith said she supports a comprehensive look at mental health and violence in video games and films. But she said the mass killings at Virginia Tech and Aurora, Colo., and Newtown, Conn., all start with guns.

"The issue is guns. The Second Amendment gives us the right to own guns, but it's not the right to own any gun," she said. "These are assault weapons, made for killing people."

___

March on Washington for Gun Control: http://www.guncontrolmarch.com/

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-01-26-Gun%20Control%20March/id-137850fd94e54e0696e464e348c8dc5a

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Resentment runs deep in Azeri town hit by rioting

ISMAILLI, Azerbaijan (Reuters) - The charred remains of a hotel are the only overt sign of rioting that swept this small Azeri town this week, but the resentment that fuelled the violence is hard to miss.

The Ismailli riot was quashed as quickly by police as other protests in the former Soviet republic but sent a warning to President Ilham Aliyev: Patience is wearing thin with the huge wealth gap a decade after he succeeded his long-ruling father.

Ismailli, with its dreary one-storey Soviet-era buildings, shows no sign of benefiting from the vast oil and natural gas riches that have helped transform parts of the capital Baku into a showcase of shimmering glass and metal where luxury cars cruise next to the Caspian Sea.

Residents of the town of 15,000, about 200 km (125 miles) northwest of Baku, complain of corruption across the tightly controlled country of nine million, an overbearing government and a lack of jobs, money and prospects.

They said Thursday's rioting was spontaneous, caused by anger over what one called the "unacceptable behavior of rich guys from the capital" suspected of involvement in a car accident, but that passions were fed by deep-seated resentment.

"Their behavior was just the last straw and became a reason for the disturbances," said Mamed, a 50-year-old man who declined to give his full name.

Samir, a 26-year-old market stall holder, said: "The people in the leadership of our country care only about their own interests and forget about ordinary people like us."

Squeezed between Iran and Russia, mainly Muslim Azerbaijan is a transit hub for U.S. troops based in Afghanistan - a role its critics say limits Western powers' willingness to sanction Baku over human rights abuses and concerns about democracy.

Azerbaijan also supplies energy to Europe and Western oil companies who are involved in bringing Caspian oil through the Caucasus country would be concerned by any widespread violence and instability. But few would expect that to happen now, months before a presidential election due in October.

"I don't believe that this situation can spread to other regions as there is no basis for that," Ali Akhmedov, deputy chairman of the ruling Yeni Azerbaijan party, told a meeting with residents on Friday.

"And it's not linked to this being an election year. There are just some destructive forces inside the country who are interested in the destabilization of the situation, but they are weak."

STRUGGLE TO MAKE ENDS MEET

The Chirag Hotel was a target of the rioters because it was owned by the driver involved in the car accident. His wealth and brash behavior had long upset the locals, some residents said.

All that is left of the hotel now is some burnt black walls. It was set ablaze by a crowd of 3,000 after a mass brawl that started after the owner drove his car into an electricity pole and was suspected of being drunk.

Overt displays of wealth, common among the lucky few who have struck it rich across the former Soviet Union, breed discontent among those at the other end of the scale who are just struggling to make ends meet.

"Our main problem is unemployment. There are no jobs at all and local government does not do anything to help us," said a 57-year-old woman who identified herself only as Elmira.

She has made her living at the local fruit and vegetable market since the closure of the tobacco factory where she used to work.

Her state pension is 200 manats, 80 manats of which she pays for electricity and other public services. Her disabled husband receives a minimum pension of 70 manats, and her two sons are unemployed.

Samir, the market stall holder, said he used to work in a shop in Baku but had returned to his native town two years ago after losing his job in the capital.

"I earn about 300 manats ($375) each month, but how can you live on this money with wife and a kid," he says.

ALIYEV DYNASTY

Aliyev was assured of the presidency by being nominated as the ruling party's candidate by his father, Heydar, in 2003. Heydar Aliyev had ruled Azerbaijan as Communist Party chief in Soviet times and returned as president in 1993, two years after the Soviet Union collapsed.

Ilham Aliyev is expected to win a presidential election in October but, despite the lack of an obvious alternative, is sure to do his utmost to prevent protests spreading.

Young Azeri opposition activists posted a message via Facebook calling for a protest in Baku on Friday in support of Ismailli residents, but later postponed it until Saturday without giving a reason.

Mass protests are rare and are usually quashed quickly by police in Azerbaijan. Riot police also managed quickly to disperse a protest last March in the town of Quba, 170 km (100 miles) north of Baku, after several hundred residents demanded the resignation of its mayor.

Local authorities and officials who arrived in Ismailli from Baku met residents on Friday to try to keep a lid on discontent.

Nizami Alekperov, the local governor, dismissed calls for his resignation during this week's protests and made light of the rioting.

"Such incidents spoil the image of our region, which is becoming an attractive tourist destination," he said.

(Writing by Margarita Antidze and Timothy Heritage; Editing by Jon Hemming)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/resentment-runs-deep-azeri-town-hit-rioting-185130945.html

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New control strategies for 'bipolar' bark beetles

Jan. 25, 2013 ? Population explosions of pine beetles, which have been decimating North American forests in recent decades, may be prevented by boosting competitor and predator beetle populations, a Dartmouth study suggests.

Bark beetles are the most destructive forest pests worldwide. Management and climate change have resulted in younger, denser forests that are even more susceptible to attack. Though intensively studied for decades, until now an understanding of bark beetle population dynamics -- extreme ups and downs -- has remained elusive.

The Dartmouth-led study, published in the January issue of the journal Population Ecology, confirmed, for the first time, that the abundance of a certain animal species -- in this case the southern pine beetle -- fluctuates innately between extremes, with no middle ground.

"That is different from most species, such as deer, warblers and swallowtail butterflies, whose populations tend to be regular around some average abundance based on food, weather, and other external factors," says Matt Ayres, a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Dartmouth and senior author on the paper. "They don't appear and disappear in cycles. Rather, they exist in two stable equilibrium states -- one of high abundance and the other of scarcity." Once the population pendulum swings toward the high end, it won't quickly or easily swing back.

The new research by Dartmouth scientists and their forester colleagues could provide the means to limit this seemingly bipolar dynamic, keeping the bark beetles at the lower stable population level.

The studies identify the presence of bark beetle competitors and predators (specifically two other beetles) as the predominant limiting factor that can keep the bark beetles at a low, stable equilibrium. The authors suggest that the presence of these competitors and predators could be encouraged as a control strategy.

"The pine beetles produce pheromones, chemical signals, that attract enough competitors and predators to prevent outbreaks," says Sharon Martinson, a member of the research team and first author on the new paper. "Leaving more dead trees in forests can provide habitat for competitor beetles that rarely kill tree, and for predators that eat both beetle species."

The authors suggest that other pest species with catastrophic impacts may also have natural dynamics that include a tipping point between the bipolar population states. By learning what factors control those tipping points, impacts on ecosystems can be averted through monitoring and occasional intervention strategies.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Dartmouth College, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Sharon J. Martinson, Tiina Ylioja, Brian T. Sullivan, Ronald F. Billings, Matthew P. Ayres. Alternate attractors in the population dynamics of a tree-killing bark beetle. Population Ecology, 2012; 55 (1): 95 DOI: 10.1007/s10144-012-0357-y

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/NL3IkYDdu3I/130125104204.htm

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Best Online Website Promotion ? Dedicated Servers

Sharing knowledge on the web can be a very powerful way to establish your online presence and credibility. First, you write a thoughtful and informative article on an topic in your area of expertise. Then you submit it to e-zines to be read by the general public and possibly re-published on other web sites. Appended to the end of your article is a resource box containing a brief promotional message linking to your web site. Webmasters who wish to reprint your article on their sites are required to include your resource box along with any live links to your site. The benefit that you get from your article is two-fold. First, your article will be read by visitors to the e-zine site. If they find it helpful and interesting, they will likely visit your web site to see what else you had to offer. Second, webmasters who find your article useful to their visitors may re-publish it on their sites, giving your article additional exposure. Every time your article is re-published on a web site, you gain an additional one-way link to your site through the live link in your resource box. This adds to your link popularity and ultimately increases your search engine rankings.  As you can see, the true potential of your article lies in its ability to propagate virally in cyberspace. For your article to propagate virally, it should appeal to both readers and webmasters alike. Keep in mind that your goal is hold your readers attention long enough for them to get to the  resource box.  If your article is boring and uninformative, few people will read it beyond the first or second paragraph. Below are some pointers to consider when writing an article: 1. Give your article a catchy title. Your title is the first and often the only thing that visitors see when they skim through a list of articles on an e-zine page. Put some thought into coming up with a title that grabs the reader?s attention right away. Words like Secrets,Free, and Successful tend to attract more attention than others. 2. Your article should not read like an ad. Most people read articles to find information they can use, not to see a pitch about your products or services.  If they see your article as nothing more than a shameless act of self promotion, they?ll get turned off and hit the Back button right away.  Put yourself in the reader?s shoes. What benefits do you want to get out of reading an article?  Cater to your reader?s  interests rather than your own. 3. Offer lots of free, useful information. Following on the last tip, keep in mind that your readers are looking for specific how-to instructions to help them achieve a certain goal.  Offer lots of tangible information that is immediately useful to them. Do not lead them through hoops just to get to an order 4) Avoid gimmicks. While it may be true that a sucker is born every minute, most internet users are sophisticated enough to tell what?s legitimate and what?s not. Write with the intention of offering something substantial to the reader. Be honest and forthright. Your article should not cause the reader to think, What is this guy trying to sell me? 5) Be succinct. Get to the point quickly, preferably in the first or second paragraph. Avoid lengthy paragraphs. Use lots of white space to separate your paragraphs to make them easier to read. 6) Your article should not be too short. Certainly, it?s possible to write a good article packed with useful information using just a couple hundred words. If your article is too short, however, some webmasters may feel hesitant to reprint it on their sites. They may, instead, borrow your ideas and write their own articles, gaining authorship without having to give you credit for your ideas. How long should your article be?  I suggest at least 500 words, preferably longer.  Longer articles give webmasters the impression that you have put some time and effort into your work and, thus, are deserving of being reprinted on their sites. 7) Use live (clickable) links in your resource box. Many e-zines permit clickable links in  resource boxes. Yet, many authors forgo this privilege by simply spelling out their URLs. Whenever permitted, you should spell out your URL as well as make it clickable (e.g. http://www.nexcomp.com/weblaunch). The advantages of a clickable URL are, (1) readers can go to your site simply by clicking on it,  and more importantly, (2) search engines will be able to record the ezine page containing your article as a link your web site, adding to your link popularity and search engine rankings. Avoid hyping in your resource box. Your resource box, while promotional in nature, should be brief and tasteful. The purpose of your resource box is not to sell your readers something, but to lead them to your website which does the actual selling. Your resource box should contain your name, your company name, a brief description of your products or services, your web site?s URL, and a clickable link to your site. 9) Put some thought and effort into your writing. E-zines have varying standards for accepting articles, and some accept and publish all submissions without any human review at all. However, this does not mean you should write an article just for sake of having it published somewhere. If your article comes off as half-baked, readers may make a similar assumption about you and your business practices.

Best Online Website Promotion

Source: http://www.30amediagroup.com/dedicated-servers/best-online-website-promotion-4092

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Chameleon pulsar baffles astronomers

Public release date: 24-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Daniel Cochlin
daniel.cochlin@manchester.ac.uk
44-161-275-8387
University of Manchester

Using a satellite X-ray telescope combined with terrestrial radio telescopes the pulsar was found to flip on a roughly half-hour timescale between two extreme states; one dominated by X-ray pulses, the other by a highly-organised pattern of radio pulses.

The research was led by Professor Wim Hermsen from The Netherlands Institute for Space Research and the University of Amsterdam and will appear in the journal Science on the 25th January 2013.

Researchers from Jodrell Bank Observatory, as well as institutions around the world, used simultaneous observations with the X-ray satellite XMM-Newton and two radio telescopes; the LOw Frequency Array (LOFAR) in the Netherlands and the Giant Meter Wave Telescope (GMRT) in India to reveal this so far unique behaviour.

Pulsars are small spinning stars that are about the size of a city, around 20 km in diameter. They emit oppositely directed beams of radiation from their magnetic poles. Just like a lighthouse, as the star spins and the beam sweeps repeatedly past the Earth we see a brief flash.

Some pulsars produce radiation across the entire electromagnetic spectrum, including at X-ray and radio wavelengths. Despite being discovered more than 45 years ago the exact mechanism by which pulsars shine is still unknown.

It has been known for some time that some radio-emitting pulsars flip their behaviour between two (or even more) states, changing the pattern and intensity of their radio pulses. The moment of flip is both unpredictable and sudden. It is also known from satellite-borne telescopes that a handful of radio pulsars can also be detected at X-ray frequencies. However, the X-ray signal is so weak that nothing is known of its variability.

To find out if the X-rays could also flip the scientists studied a particular pulsar called PSR B0943+10, one of the first to be discovered. It has radio pulses which change in form and brightness every few hours with some of the changes happening within about a second.

Dr Ben Stappers from The University of Manchester's School of Physics and Astronomy said: "The behaviour of this pulsar is quite startling, it's as if it has two distinct personalities. As PSR B0943+10 is one of the few pulsars also known to emit X-rays, finding out how this higher energy radiation behaves as the radio changes could provide new insight into the nature of the emission process."

Since the source is a weak X-ray emitter, the team used the most sensitive X-ray telescope in existence, the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton on board a spacecraft orbiting the Earth. The observations took place over six separate sessions of about six hours in duration. To identify the exact moment of flip in the pulsar's radio behaviour the X-ray observations were tracked simultaneously with two of the largest radio telescopes in the world, LOFAR and the GMRT.

What the scientists found was that whilst the X-rays did indeed change their behaviour at the same time as the radio emission, as might have been expected, in the state where the radio signal is strong and organised the X-rays were weak, and when the radio emission switched to weak the X-rays got brighter.

Commenting on the study's findings the project leader Wim Hermsen says: "To our surprise we found that when the brightness of the radio emission halved, the X-ray emission brightened by a factor of two! Furthermore the intense X-rays have a very different character from those in the radio-bright state, since they seem to be thermal in origin and to pulse with the neutron star's rotation period."

Dr Stappers says this is an exciting discovery: "As well as brightening in the X-rays we discovered that the X-ray emission also shows pulses, something not seen when the radio emission is bright. This was the opposite of what we had expected. I've likened the changes in the pulsar to a chameleon. Like the animal the star changes in reaction to its environment, such as a change in temperature."

Geoff Wright from the University of Sussex adds: "Our observations strongly suggest that a temporary "hotspot" appears close to the pulsar's magnetic pole which switches on and off with the change of state. But why a pulsar should undergo such dramatic and unpredictable changes is completely unknown."

The next step for the researchers is to look at other objects which have similar behaviour to investigate what happens to the X-ray emission. Later this year there will be another round of simultaneous X-ray and radio observations of a second pulsar. These observations will include the Lovell telescope at Jodrell Bank Observatory.

###

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 24-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Daniel Cochlin
daniel.cochlin@manchester.ac.uk
44-161-275-8387
University of Manchester

Using a satellite X-ray telescope combined with terrestrial radio telescopes the pulsar was found to flip on a roughly half-hour timescale between two extreme states; one dominated by X-ray pulses, the other by a highly-organised pattern of radio pulses.

The research was led by Professor Wim Hermsen from The Netherlands Institute for Space Research and the University of Amsterdam and will appear in the journal Science on the 25th January 2013.

Researchers from Jodrell Bank Observatory, as well as institutions around the world, used simultaneous observations with the X-ray satellite XMM-Newton and two radio telescopes; the LOw Frequency Array (LOFAR) in the Netherlands and the Giant Meter Wave Telescope (GMRT) in India to reveal this so far unique behaviour.

Pulsars are small spinning stars that are about the size of a city, around 20 km in diameter. They emit oppositely directed beams of radiation from their magnetic poles. Just like a lighthouse, as the star spins and the beam sweeps repeatedly past the Earth we see a brief flash.

Some pulsars produce radiation across the entire electromagnetic spectrum, including at X-ray and radio wavelengths. Despite being discovered more than 45 years ago the exact mechanism by which pulsars shine is still unknown.

It has been known for some time that some radio-emitting pulsars flip their behaviour between two (or even more) states, changing the pattern and intensity of their radio pulses. The moment of flip is both unpredictable and sudden. It is also known from satellite-borne telescopes that a handful of radio pulsars can also be detected at X-ray frequencies. However, the X-ray signal is so weak that nothing is known of its variability.

To find out if the X-rays could also flip the scientists studied a particular pulsar called PSR B0943+10, one of the first to be discovered. It has radio pulses which change in form and brightness every few hours with some of the changes happening within about a second.

Dr Ben Stappers from The University of Manchester's School of Physics and Astronomy said: "The behaviour of this pulsar is quite startling, it's as if it has two distinct personalities. As PSR B0943+10 is one of the few pulsars also known to emit X-rays, finding out how this higher energy radiation behaves as the radio changes could provide new insight into the nature of the emission process."

Since the source is a weak X-ray emitter, the team used the most sensitive X-ray telescope in existence, the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton on board a spacecraft orbiting the Earth. The observations took place over six separate sessions of about six hours in duration. To identify the exact moment of flip in the pulsar's radio behaviour the X-ray observations were tracked simultaneously with two of the largest radio telescopes in the world, LOFAR and the GMRT.

What the scientists found was that whilst the X-rays did indeed change their behaviour at the same time as the radio emission, as might have been expected, in the state where the radio signal is strong and organised the X-rays were weak, and when the radio emission switched to weak the X-rays got brighter.

Commenting on the study's findings the project leader Wim Hermsen says: "To our surprise we found that when the brightness of the radio emission halved, the X-ray emission brightened by a factor of two! Furthermore the intense X-rays have a very different character from those in the radio-bright state, since they seem to be thermal in origin and to pulse with the neutron star's rotation period."

Dr Stappers says this is an exciting discovery: "As well as brightening in the X-rays we discovered that the X-ray emission also shows pulses, something not seen when the radio emission is bright. This was the opposite of what we had expected. I've likened the changes in the pulsar to a chameleon. Like the animal the star changes in reaction to its environment, such as a change in temperature."

Geoff Wright from the University of Sussex adds: "Our observations strongly suggest that a temporary "hotspot" appears close to the pulsar's magnetic pole which switches on and off with the change of state. But why a pulsar should undergo such dramatic and unpredictable changes is completely unknown."

The next step for the researchers is to look at other objects which have similar behaviour to investigate what happens to the X-ray emission. Later this year there will be another round of simultaneous X-ray and radio observations of a second pulsar. These observations will include the Lovell telescope at Jodrell Bank Observatory.

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Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-01/uom-cpb012213.php

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