Sunday, October 28, 2012

New Pakistan outreach could aid Afghan peace deal

FILE - In this Aug. 5, 2012 file photo, Pakistani Taliban patrol in their stronghold of Shawal in the Pakistani tribal region of South Waziristan. Pakistan has stepped up outreach to some of its biggest enemies in Afghanistan, a significant policy shift that could prove crucial to U.S.-backed efforts to strike a peace deal in the war-torn country.The target of the diplomatic push has mainly been non-Pashtun political leaders who have been at odds with Pakistan for years because of the country's historical support for the Afghan Taliban, a Pashtun movement. (AP Photo/ Ishtiaq Mahsud, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 5, 2012 file photo, Pakistani Taliban patrol in their stronghold of Shawal in the Pakistani tribal region of South Waziristan. Pakistan has stepped up outreach to some of its biggest enemies in Afghanistan, a significant policy shift that could prove crucial to U.S.-backed efforts to strike a peace deal in the war-torn country.The target of the diplomatic push has mainly been non-Pashtun political leaders who have been at odds with Pakistan for years because of the country's historical support for the Afghan Taliban, a Pashtun movement. (AP Photo/ Ishtiaq Mahsud, File)

FILE - In this Monday, May 14, 2012, file photo, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, talks to reporters in Islamabad, Pakistan. Pakistan has stepped up outreach to some of its biggest enemies in Afghanistan, a significant policy shift that could prove crucial to U.S.-backed efforts to strike a peace deal in the war-torn country. The target of the diplomatic push has mainly been non-Pashtun political leaders who have been at odds with Pakistan for years because of the country?s historical support for the Afghan Taliban, a Pashtun movement. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed, File)

FILE-In this Nov 4, 2009 file picture Abdullah Abdullah, former Afghan Foreign Minister, gestures during a press conference in Kabul, Afghanistan. The influential politician, who was runner-up to Afghan President Hamid Karzai in the 2009 election, said Pakistani intelligence officials contacted him in previous years, but he refused to speak with them because he did not believe communication should be carried out in secret. Pakistan has stepped up outreach to some of its biggest enemies in Afghanistan, a significant policy shift that could prove crucial to U.S.-backed efforts to strike a peace deal in the war-torn country. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus, File)

FILE-In this Nov 4, 2009 file picture Abdullah Abdullah, former Afghan Foreign Minister, gestures during a press conference in Kabul, Afghanistan. The influential politician, who was runner-up to Afghan President Hamid Karzai in the 2009 election, said Pakistani intelligence officials contacted him in previous years, but he refused to speak with them because he did not believe communication should be carried out in secret. Pakistan has stepped up outreach to some of its biggest enemies in Afghanistan, a significant policy shift that could prove crucial to U.S.-backed efforts to strike a peace deal in the war-torn country. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus, File)

(AP) ? Pakistan has increased efforts to reach out to some of its biggest enemies in Afghanistan, a significant policy shift that could prove crucial to U.S.-backed efforts to strike a peace deal in the neighboring country.

The target of the diplomatic push has mainly been non-Pashtun political leaders who have been at odds with Pakistan for years because of the country's historical support for the Afghan Taliban, a Pashtun movement.

Many of the leaders fought against the Taliban when the fundamentalist Islamic group seized control of Afghanistan in the 1990s with Pakistan's help, and have accused Islamabad of maintaining support for the insurgents following the U.S.-led invasion in 2001 ? allegations denied by the government.

Many experts agree that Pakistan continues to see the Taliban as an ally, albeit a shaky one, in countering the influence of archenemy India in Afghanistan. But they also say Islamabad no longer believes the insurgents can take over the country or wants them to, a common misperception in the West.

"A Taliban victory on the other side of the border would give a huge boost to domestic militants fighting the Pakistani state," said Zahid Hussain, a journalist who has written extensively about Islamabad's war against the Pakistani Taliban.

Pakistan is also worried that unrest in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of most foreign troops in 2014 could provide the Pakistani Taliban with greater space to establish sanctuaries across the border.

The Afghan and Pakistani Taliban are allies but have focused on different enemies. The Afghan Taliban battle local and foreign forces in Afghanistan, while the Pakistani Taliban mainly wage war against Islamabad.

These concerns have led Pakistan to the conclusion that a peace agreement that includes all Afghan groups is in its best interests, and contact with its traditional foes among the non-Pashtuns is necessary to achieve that goal, said Moeed Yusuf, South Asia adviser for the United States Institute of Peace.

"I think the fundamental point here is that there is a serious realization among some people who matter in Pakistan that they can't continue to put all their eggs in the Taliban basket because it is too shaky," said Yusuf. "This is a major shift, and a shift that I think everybody should welcome."

The outreach comes as Pakistan, Afghanistan and the U.S. have stepped up efforts to breathe new life into the Taliban peace process, which has been hamstrung by distrust among all the parties involved.

The U.S. and Pakistan recently set up working groups to identify which Taliban leaders would be open to reconciliation and to ensure those holed up on Pakistani territory would be able to travel to the site of talks. Pakistan and Afghanistan have been in discussions to revive a joint commission set up to discuss the peace process.

Pakistan is seen as key to a peace deal because of its ties with the Taliban, and there is hope that Islamabad's increased engagement with non-Pashtuns in Afghanistan will facilitate the process.

"I think one of Pakistan's realizations is that if you want to play a bigger role to reconcile all these groups, you need to reach out to every group," said Rahimullah Yousufzai, a Pakistani journalist and expert on the Taliban. "They will be pushing the Taliban to share power with all these people, but it won't be easy because the Taliban aren't known to share power and the U.S. doesn't want to give them a major share."

Islamabad's historical support for the Taliban and other Pashtuns in Afghanistan, who make up about 40 percent of the population of 190 million, is partly rooted in the sizable number of Pashtuns who live in Pakistan. The ethnic group has always been seen as the best bet for furthering Pakistan's interests in the country.

Pakistan first advertised its overtures to non-Pashtuns in Afghanistan in February when Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar met with a range of ethnic Tajik, Uzbek and Hazara leaders during a visit to Kabul. Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf followed suit in July when he traveled to Afghanistan and invited the group to the opening of the new Pakistani Embassy in Kabul.

There have also been less publicized contacts by Pakistan's ambassador to Kabul, Mohammad Sadiq, and the country's army and intelligence service, according to Pakistani and Afghan officials.

Khar said the policy shift had been in the works for a while but was like a steering a large ship in a new direction.

"You're not able to do it immediately," said the foreign minister.

Pakistan's powerful army is the true arbiter of the country's Afghan policy, but experts expressed doubt that the Foreign Ministry would have pushed ahead without the support of the generals, who have historically had the closest relationship to the Taliban.

One key Afghan leader who has met with the Pakistanis, Abdullah Abdullah, said he appreciated the country's recent attempt to reach out because it was done publicly. The influential politician, who was runner-up to Afghan President Hamid Karzai in the 2009 election, said Pakistani intelligence officials contacted him in previous years, but he refused to speak with them because he did not believe communication should be carried out in secret.

"I see a lot of good in reaching out, in engagement, in dialogue," said Abdullah, who is half Pashtun but draws much of his support from the Tajik community.

The outreach has rattled the Taliban, who have warned Pakistani officials that they can't trust the non-Pashtuns, Yousufzai said.

Pakistan will have to overcome significant distrust among the non-Pashtuns. The government has old ties to some of the leaders, who worked with Pakistan in the 1980s to push the Soviets out of Afghanistan, but Islamabad's subsequent support for the Taliban created a huge amount of bad blood.

Despite that, the Pakistanis are hopeful.

"The Pakistani side's view of Afghan negotiations is that you kill on one day and kiss on the next, so while this will be very tough, they think that it's not entirely out of the realm of possibility that they may actually get somewhere," said Yusuf, the South Asia analyst.

____

Vogt reported from Kabul, Afghanistan.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-10-27-Pakistan-Afghan%20Outreach/id-1c9f588defa14ae5b7cdfe76e211de85

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Physical Fitness and Health Practical Tips | Bodybuilding ...



When it comes to health and physical fitness you can,

Start Small or Start Big, but Start Something!

Are you ready to get fit?

There is a constant clutter of health and fitness information supplied every day that can be frustrating for a beginner. Many people know nothing about health and physical fitness when they start.

What Will I Learn on this Site?

I started this site because I made a lot of mistakes when I began trying to improve my fitness. It was difficult to cut through the clutter and know what was effective.

?

At times the information can be overwhelming, trendy, or confusing. One day coffee is bad for you and the next day studies suggest it may prevent diabetes. What information should you trust?

There is a lot of good information out there on being healthy and more physically fit. I believe simplicity is the key. The information here isn?t complicated, untested, or the latest fad.

Many people want to start living healthier. Unfortunately, people either don?t know what to do or they are afraid of drastically changing their lifestyle. The good news is there is plenty you can do. Implementing even the simplest of changes can have dramatically positive effects on your body.

The best way to use this site is to to pick out a few suggestions provided and make them a habit.

Many people start small and get the ball rolling. Once the ball starts it becomes harder and harder to stop and before you know it starts growing and people start adding and changing their routines.

The ideas are endless!

Find something you can implement immediately to improve your health and physical fitness. Habits are the key to enjoying the price of good health.

This website contains information on personal health, exercising, fitness tips, nutrition, stress, and sleep. All of which are important to living well.

No matter your age or gender the information here can benefit you. To find out all that is available on this site take a look at the at the Navigation Bar on left or the links below. Please enjoy and come back again soon.

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Proficiency And Success - Internet Home Based Business Ideas

Exposure and recognition is essential for your company. It doesn?t really matter regardless if you?re involved in promoting something or offering a service, what really matters is your end users know your organization is available. So you?ll commit a great deal on advertising and campaigns. Luckily you don?t need to be associated with costly advertising campaign by means of well-known mass media because right now your company can rely on the growing power of the World Wide Web. How does PPC campaign management figure into your web-based marketing?

PPC, or pay-per-click, is just one among the many ways your business can drive traffic towards your site. You market on a different website, often known as the publisher, and whenever the publisher?s site visitor clicks your ad, they are directed to your site. It?s like promotion on TV or print media in that you?ll only buy airtime or space from well-known TV programs or magazines and catalogs. Naturally, you?ll also want to specifically target your market so you?ll exclusively promote on TV programs or magazines that bring in your market segment, regardless if it?s stay-at-home mums or youthful, upwardly mobile professionals. To really receive good outcomes from your PPC campaign, you should be sure that the website you?re promoting on does indeed push the ideal quantity of website visitors to your website and that such site visitors will translate into real client.

You?ll find PPC management tools you could benefit from for you to sort through click-through rate (CTR) and quality scores, each of which help you determine if you?re running a high-performing ad. A PPC management tool can also help you mass edit if you need to tune several advertisement promotions, even on different search engines, helping you save time and effort from dealing with all of your current advertisements. A management tool would certainly be a lot easier to effectively run your PPC campaigns but opting for the help of a PPC consultant will be the smarter strategy to be certain that your promotions get the ideal website traffic.

Having a PPC expert will free you up to better control your enterprise and to care for other aspects meant for running it smoothly. A PPC expert will develop the most suitable strategy that works well for your organization and aims your target market proficiently. It can optimize your keywords, your landing pages, and your total marketing campaign. It will conduct the mandatory trials needed to make sure that the PPC campaign you?ve got will give you results. It will increase your click-throughs and conversion rates. In other words, it can simplify your Pay Per Click management to ensure that your advertising campaigns become efficient and profitable.

There are lots of opportunities for your enterprise to acquire maximum exposure and reputation these days. With a pay-per-click campaign, along with your other online marketing campaigns, you?ll have a good probability of acquiring more visits to your company website. By using PPC professionals, you do not simply ensure you receive those visits but you?ll also see those traffic turn into paying customers.

Discover more ideas on internet and online applications and pay per click traffic for your online business? success, browse through Erika West?s site for your reference.


For more information...

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Saturday, October 27, 2012

Video: Manhunt on for possible serial shooter

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

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/49582231/

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Training for U.S. "green jobs" falls far short of goals-watchdog

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A $500-million "green jobs" program to train U.S. workers for new jobs and help spark recovery from the great recession has fallen far short of its goals, according to a report from the Labor Department's internal watchdog released on Friday.

As of June 30, fewer than 31,000 people who went through training programs got green jobs, only 38 percent of what had been projected, the department's Inspector General said in the report.

Of those workers, less than 12,000 kept these jobs for more than six months, a mere 16 percent of what organizations that got grants had targeted when they were awarded the money.

"The impact of the Recovery Act Green Jobs training program has been limited in terms of reported employment outcomes," the report said.

The Labor Department said it disagreed with the conclusions. "This report does not take into account that nearly half of the grants are still active and thousands of workers are still participating in the program," a spokeswoman said in a statement.

The department said its own early analysis showed that most program participants who obtained jobs by December 31, 2010, had kept them. For 13,000 workers who completed training by June 30, 2011, 57 percent had obtained jobs, it said.

The department's $500-million training program was part of the $90 billion earmarked for clean-energy spending in the 2009 economic stimulus package.

The administration of President Barack Obama had aimed to create more than 700,000 jobs while spurring development of renewable power and making buildings more energy efficient.

The Obama administration's clean-energy spending has been pilloried as wasteful during the presidential campaign, with Republican challenger Mitt Romney often brandishing the example of bankrupt solar company Solyndra that received a government loan of more than $500 million.

The Inspector General's audit was requested by Darrell Issa, the Republican chairman of the House of Representatives Oversight Committee.

Issa, a frequent critic of Obama's green-energy spending, said in a statement that the report showed the program was "poorly thought-out, mismanaged and dysfunctional."

PROVIDE WORKERS WITH USEFUL SKILLS

The goal of the training program was to arm workers with new skills such as retrofitting buildings. Nearly $330 million of the program funds have been spent as of June 30, the report said.

Some 81,354 people had completed training programs by that date, most of which lasted five days or less.

The Inspector General took a closer look at eight organizations that received grants and said poor record keeping made it difficult for programs to substantiate how many workers got jobs as a results of the training.

"The inability to document program outcomes raises questions about what was achieved with the significant investment represented by this program," the report said.

Republican Senator Charles Grassley said the report shows the program did not work and wasted tax dollars.

"It's important to have this documentation of low success rates the next time someone advocates for an expensive federal stimulus program," Grassley said in a statement.

The Labor Department said it would conduct its own studies after the program officially ends in September using unemployment insurance and federal employment data.

"This program and other administration investments have supported hundreds of thousands of workers and helped to build new industries," the department's spokeswoman said, noting wind and solar power generation has doubled during the past four years.

(Editing by Philip Barbara)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/training-u-green-jobs-falls-far-short-goals-233606354.html

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Online Communication And Advertisements With the Email ...

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Sometimes life offline would reflect what it is online; people do converge in groups. The business email list contains contacts who are gathered in an assembly; getting in touch with these contacts are much easier when they are grouped together. It provides a good niche for the company to send their emails and advertisements more accurately and without too much hassle. The instant community of customers and clients would work well in exploring and promoting products and services. Online markets should never forget that getting subscribers are one good way of getting good feedback from them; it greatly helps in getting information on how they should strategize their next advertising campaign.

All businesses have goals for their company. Effective advertisements and relationships with clients and customers beget good revenues and success. The email marketing services provide effective and easy way to achieve marketing goals. By utilizing emails, messages to customers are quick and easy. It also helps build relationships with customers and clients for the mails are tailored for each and messages are relevant. Marketing through emails are advantageous for it is the best and easy way to distribute the message to numerous people. It is also used in promising high relationship values between the business firm and the customers.

Source: http://www.business2community.com/online-marketing/online-communication-and-advertisements-with-the-email-marketing-list-0311245

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Samsung says to book patent provisions after U.S. ruling

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Friday, October 26, 2012

Need help exploding giant robots (Gundam RP!)

Roleplay Posted Here!
TL;DR Version
1) What is your roleplay about?
It's a Gundam roleplay, so the very casual side of "realistic mecha" anime. Blasting the crap out of Nazi-like Zeon robots with your own giant robots, while racking up points and kills to put all sorts of ungodly customizations on them as the RP goes on.

2) Why is your idea so much better than the rest?
Gundam has a very rich and established background, while being relatively easy to approach compared to a lot of other mecha-oriented stuff out there like Macross, Armored Core, Front Mission, and Battletech. Plus Gundam itself is designed to have leeway with stuff like realism and technicality. It's flexible and fun. Yeah, there are several Gundam RP's out there, but most lack the customization and upgrade aspect that makes the models and the games fun.

3) What do you want from potential roleplayers?
Communication. Let me know if you can't post or have trouble writing. I really don't mind, but we have to be on the same page to get stuff done. That aside, an eye for detail and creativity are nice, too.

4) Who are you?
RP Gateway hermit. On and off, only as my RP's require me to be around. I am always available by email or one of my IRCs, though.

This is a work in progress! Any feedback is very welcome.

?I've got this shit!? Allevy grinned as he gripped the boost controls. He braced himself as he gunned the thrusters, sending his GM Sniper II rocketing into the air. While it wasn't made for sustained flight, thankfully enough ground units could muster up enough propulsion to send them flying pretty high. Looking at the display, he found his target, an old Zaku II reloading its ammo behind a low cliff. While he couldn't blame the guerillas for their lack of budget to purchase newer mobile suits, Allevy could just about swear that attempting any sort of warfare with something so outdated was tantamount to suicide. Although that said, his and all the other various retrofitted GM's still around weren't much better, but at least they were specialized for something right?

?Sorry, but it just wasn't your day!? Once again, Allevy gunned the thrusters, sending him quickly back towards the ground, although more accurately, he was headed straight for the Zaku II below.

?Ultimate....?

?...What the?? The Zaku II turned up just in time to see the GM Sniper II falling towards it. The pilot panicked, reloading its machine gun quickly to shoot Allevy out of the air.

?GM....?

?Ah....?

?KIIIIIIIICK~? Allevy yelled as his GM Sniper II drop kicked the Zaku II, ripping straight through it as it skidded to a halt on the ground, the shock absorbers and hydraulics working overtime from the impact, letting out a cloud of steam around it.

?Heh. Doesn't matter how thick your armor is, I need only kick through it...?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Reality ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

?I...Am...Invincible....? Allevy groaned, apparently having a dream while unconscious. He was sprawled out on the ground in the middle of the desert, just a little bit away from the base with an overturned military car next to him and another man unconscious just a few feet away. Miraculously, the two were unscathed from rolling the car and being forcibly shot out of it.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Sure you'll fit in there?"

"Mm hmm." Farin set the ball into a coast, using just a bit of rotational thrust to reverse the pod before it sunk into the safety net. "What about you?"

"Make room for me, Chief! The pilot rolled her eyes at the newbie's enthusiasm. There was a jolt as the hangar locks fell into place, and then several of the deckhands drifted from the scaffolds, attaching a number of hoses to the pod's prominent powerpack. Others stripped the expended magazines from the recoiless cannons and replaced the many banks of solid fuel thrusters. The hangar crew was good. Really good. They were almost done by the time Lambert clumsily thudded into the safety net. "How was that, Chief?"

"To be frank..."
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Enemy mobile suits! It's an ambush! Do we retreat!?"

"What're you, twelve? Grow a pair, stand your ground and fry them," Bishop said dismissively as her Stark Jegan slowed to cruise speed. "Or you can just stand and watch..." In the displays, a dozen red symbols came up, marking the myriad mobile suits inbound on their position. She expertly let fly with bursts from the vernier thrusters, slipping through the wall of incoming beam fire. There was a long beep as the weapons confirmed a lock, and a wicked smile came to Bishop's pale features.

The bulky mobile turned into a small sun as the antiship rounds ignited and lanced through space. She fired what rockets were left, then jettisoned the racks and maxed the power on the main thrusters. It was silent for the briefest of moments before the massive nuclear engine came to life, and a familiar weightlessness came in as Bishop's mobile suit closed the distance at breakneck speeds. The missiles detonated moments before she arrived, turning the vacuum into a roiling sea of fire that swallowed debris and mobile suit alike.

Naturally, the antiair came in thick, and Bishop went into a gut-wrenching role before materializing behind a Geara Zulu. The crimson mono-eye scanned and saw the Stark Jegan just as its beam rifle impaled the Zeon suit, crushing the cockpit and killing the pilot instantly. Bishop kicked away from the now-lifeless suit with a bitter laugh, and finished it off with three shots to the reactor. When she turned back to face the three or four left, they were in full retreat.

But they weren't going to get away. She ignited a beam saber and took off at full speed, a murderous light in her eyes.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Gameplay


Bipedal machines called "mobile suits" are the primarily method of combat in the Gundam verse. Everything from conventional grenades and machine guns to advanced particle-cannons and beam sabers are utilized by these machines in a variety of environments. The characters might get deployed on Earth, navigating through jungles, deserts and cities, or space, where an entirely different type of combat comes into play.

Getting hit by a beam rifle is bad news. Reactors might explode. Getting "lost" is almost certain death if you're in space. Gundam is considered to be one of the first "real robot" shows so it is primary rooted in a sense of realism, if sometimes contrived. Ultimately, the writing is for fun so a level of handwaving and stuff that doesn't make complete sense are acceptable.

Writers get their pick of mobile suit, a second-rate unit initially. As writers rack up kills and uncover more of the plot, they get points that can be spent on upgrades and eventually new suits. The fact that the unit is essentially disposable means the players frequently run into powerful, experimental mobile suits, getting the chance to sometimes capture and even make use of them.

Go to the Store for a detailed explanation.

You can also stay in touch at the IRC Chatroom.

As for what fighting is like? Check out some videos:
Stark Jegan vs Kshatriya
The Battle of Dakar
The Battle of Palau

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Universe
Image
This RP is set at the very end of the "Universal Century," just after Char's Counterattack - UC 0095. It's a time where some of the designs that started the Gundam series are just beginning to fade away, and new elements are seeping in. The "Universal Century" is where the series started, and the use of supernaturally strong Gundams and abilities is limited comparatively. The biggest factor now is psycho-technology taking advantage of the "Newtypes" that occasionally appear in space.

The events of "Gundam Unicorn" are just around the corner and the system is rife with the conflicts of the Neo-Zeon faction and the Zeon remnants. The characters are part of a second-line reserve unit, often sent into situations they're ill equipped and trained to handle. However, the brutal experience comes in handy as war returns to Earth and the "spacenoid" colonies of Neo-Zeon.

Plenty of information can be found on the "Mecha Anime HQ" and "Gundam Wikia," among other places.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Customization

Part of the inherent appeal of the genre is working with stuff and making your robots better and cooler-looking. Thankfully, this is probably the most technical aspect of the RP, so your knowledge of the Gundam genre only comes into play when dealing with nitty-gritty like this.

Players earn Points that the GM tracks during the course of the RP. They spend their points here on new Mobile Suits, upgrade kits and equipment to enhance their unit.

Players can store items using their character profile as an inventory of sorts. They can also sell back their items here, though it will be half price rounded down. (ex: Beam Spray - 1 point.) You cannot sell a weapon built into the suit (beam sabers, vulcans, etc.)

There are several important values to take into account.

Compatibility - Some weapons and equipment only work on specific mobile weapons.

Power - "Extra Power Use" on a mobile suit's information states how much extra power is pulled from the systems, on top of it's basic, baseline setup. Power is important for running built-in weapons and beam weaponry.

Tonnage - "Extra Weight" is a self explanatory stat for the mobile suits. Some equipment does not use up energy, but is very heavy, so once must balance power against weight constraints.

To customize your mobile suit:
1.) Find something you need / like.
2.) Put a post on this thread with exactly what you are buying.
3.) Take the power and weight requirements of your equipment, then add them to your suit.
4.) Add the equipment to the bottom of the mobile suit data in your profile, and add to "optional weapons" and "equipment" in the suit's profile.
5.) Eventually, upgrade kits allow you to add to the suit's baseline stats.

Image
Model: MSA-003 "Nemo"
Unit Type: Mass Production Mobile Suit
Manufacture: Anaheim Electronics
Operator: Earth Federation Forces, Anti-Earth Union Group
Layout: Single-Seat; 19.5m Tall
Armor: Gundarium ? Alloy
Stock Weight: 36.2 Metric Tons
Powerplant: Minovsky Type Ultracompact Fusion; 1620 kW Output
Propulsion: Thrusters: (2) 18,000 kg, (2) 13,800 kg, (12) Vernier
Performance: Max Acceleration 1.15G, 180-degree turn time 1.8 seconds, run speed 110 KPH
Electronics: Sensors w/10,200m Range

Description: A development of the GM II design by Anaheim Electronics, the Nemo saw extensive use with AEUG forces against the Titans and fought through the first Neo-Zeon war. Earth Federation Forces eventually absorbed surplus numbers of the mass-produced suits into their ranks for rear line duty, even after Char's Counterattack and the Axis incident. Though undisputably outdated, the stalwart protection as well as flexible weapon options make the Nemo a quite workable suit in the hands of a good pilot.

Fixed Weapons: (2) 60mm Head-Vulcans (100 rounds per), (2) Waist-mounted beam saber (0.4 MW)
Optional Weapons: Beam Rifle
Add. Thrusters: (4) Vernier Thruster
Equipment: Medium Shield
Other: GM-II Service Overhaul

Extra Power Use: 670 / 820 kW
Extra Weight: 12 / 29.4 Metric Tons

[GM-II Service Overhaul] 20 Points
Description: Improved drive systems, armor panels and a reinforced chassis allows these mobile suits to bear more weight than their original design. More efficient electronics free up some extra reactor power as well.
Compatibility: GM-II Derivatives; GM-II, Nemo, GM Sniper II, GM Cannon II, Jeddah.
Modifications:
*Weight Capacity +8 Tons (+11 for GM-II)
*Power +100 kW (+300 for GM-II)

[BOWA?BR-S-85-C2 Beam Rifle ] 8 Points
Image
Description: Standard-issue beam rifles for the EFF from the GM-II onwards. Capable of a 1.9 mW burst, they have ten shots to a single E-Pac. Solid punch paired with a fast projectile speed makes these good all-around weapons.
Computability: Standard EFF & Zeon attachment points.
Ammo: 16-shot E-Pac Removeable Battery
Power Drain: 270 kW
Weight: 3 Tons

[Medium Shield] 4 Points
Image
Description: Developed for the RX-78-2 Gundam and issued to the RGM-79 series, this shield is designed to stop a variety of explosives and kinetic projectiles. An anti-beam coating is standard, though it wears off after several hits. Several magazines for weapons can be carried within it. Large enough to cover most of the mobile suit during an advance, and standard equipment for GM variants.
Computability: Standard EFF & Zeon attachment points.
Weight: 6 Tons

(4) [Vernier Thruster] 4 Points
Description: A Vernier thruster is not designed to propell a unit to combat speed, but to rapidly change altitude and heading. Designed for maintaining orbit with a spacecraft, mobile suits use Veniers to rapidly alter their headings and rapidly brake.
Computability: Standard EFF & Zeon attachment points.
Power Drain: 100 kW
Weight: 1 Ton

Note the sections in red are where the information was changed.

Every stat has some sort of correlation, but it just means you can make stuff like this:

Image
Model: RGM-89S Stark Jegan 70 Points
Unit Type: Mass-Produced Assault Mobile Suit
Manufacture: Anaheim Electronics
Operator: Earth Federation Forces, Londo Bell
Layout: Single-Seat; 20.4m Tall
Armor: Titanium / Ceramic Composite / Gundarium Alloy
Stock Weight: 28.4 Metric Tons
Powerplant: Minovsky Type Ultracompact Fusion; 1870 kW Output
Propulsion: Thrusters: 53,000 kg, (2) 7,250 kg, (2) 5,500 kg, (36) Vernier Thrusters
Performance: Maximum Acceleration 3.50G, 180-degree turn time 0.8 seconds, run speed 110 KPH
Electronics: Sensors w/16,800m Range

Description: The immensely powerful Stark Jegan prototype, while carrying an unprescedented amount of weapons and allowing great flexibility with its two-seat arrangement, had a number of serious flaws. The armor was too thin for its medium-range, mostly stationary assault role, the thrusters were underpowered for such a heavy mobile suit. Its close range weapons were lacking due to less-than ideal location. Based upon the improved RGM-89D model of Jegan, the final production Stark quickly became a popular, well-respected assault suit.

The second seat was deleted in favor of heavier armor on the essential torso components, and much-needed reinforcement was added to the shoulder weapon mounts, forearms and now-jetisonable leg thrusters. In fact, everything but the chest armor and thruster units could be ejected when needed for extra speed. The AMBAC fins from the previous model now incorporated their own vernier thrusters, and more were added to the expanded leg units.

Downgraded electronics allowed use of the traditional head-mounted vulcans, while the wrists were used to mount swiveling beam saber racks and a grenade launcher on each arm. Without the second seat for a gunnery officer, the NE missiles were removed as a permanent weapon, the EFSF favoring modular mounts for different weapons on a given mission.

Fixed Weapons: (2) 60mm Head Vulcan (200 rounds per), (4) Beam sabers on double wrist racks (0.4 MW), (2) Large Missile Pod (3 Missiles Per), (2) Single-Barrel Grenade Gauntlets (5 Rounds Per)
Optional Weapons: (2) 60mm Vulcan (150 rounds per), (2) Large Missile Pod (3 Missiles Per), (2) Small Rocket Pods (20 Rockets Per), Beam Rifle, 360mm Hyper Bazooka
Add. Thrusters: Thermonuclear Thruster Conversion (38,000kg)
Equipment: Multilauncher Module
Other: N/A

Extra Power Use: 870 / 870 kW
Extra Weight: 28 / 33.4 Metric Tons

[Multilauncher Module] 6 Points
Description: A versatile launcher mounted in the chest armor of some mobile suits. Ammunition can include blinder rockets, smoke / ice screen shells, as well as typical antitank warheads.
Compatibility: Standard EFF & Zeon attachment points.
Power Drain: 50 kW
Ammo: (8) 90mm Rockets
Weight: 2 Tons

[BOWA?BR-S-85-C2 Beam Rifle] 8 Points
Image
Description: Standard-issue beam rifles for the EFF from the GM-II onwards. Capable of a 1.9 mW burst, they have sixteen shots to a single E-Pac. Solid punch paired with a fast projectile speed makes these good all-around weapons.
Compatibility: Standard EFF & Zeon attachment points.
Ammo: 16-shot E-Pac Removable Battery
Power Drain: 270 kW
Weight: 3 Tons

[360mm Hyper Bazooka] 6 Points
Image
Description: An extremely powerful recoiless weapon frequently used by both EFF and Zeon / Remnants forces. Can easily destroy a mobile suit in a single hit, given the slow projectile doesn't miss. With a very slow and difficult reload, these weapons are typically abandoned after they run empty in a combat situation.
Compatibility: Standard EFF & Zeon attachment points.
Ammo: 6-shot Magazine
Power Drain: 50 kW
Weight: 6 Tons

(2) [60mm Vulcan] 2 Points
Image
Description: Standard on EFF mobile suits, the low-velocity vulcans cannot damage the main armor of mobile suits, but can compromise sensitive electronics, joints and weapons. They are also useful groundside against light vehicles and infantry. Due to their relatively low power requirement, some mobile suits are festooned with several vulcans. Common locations include the chest, head, shoulders and arms.
Compatibility: Standard EFF & Zeon attachment points.
Power Drain: 30 kW
Ammo: 150 Round 60mm Feed
Weight: 1 Tons

[Thermonuclear Thruster Conversion ] 12 Points
Description: This conversion modifies the reactor to feed a large rocket engine in the backpack. A relatively efficient and low-cost way to give a mobile suit more thrust, its primary downside is a huge decrease in power output for the other systems. Unlike an external system with its own reactor, this system doesn't create many additional weak spots. Rated for 38,000 kgs of thrust.
Compatibility: Standard EFF & Zeon attachment points.
Power Drain: 370 kW
Weight: 3 Tons

(2) [Large Missile Pod] 5 Points
Image
Description: Essentially up-scaled anti-suit missiles, these have extremely powerful warheads capable of damaging small capital ships, while retaining the speed for mobile suit work. Bulky, so typically mounted to the shoulders. Notably used on the "Stark Jegan." Can be manually jettisoned. Single unit (two must be purchased for a complete pair.)
Compatibility: Standard EFF & Zeon attachment points.
Power Drain: 15 kW
Ammo: (3) 380mm Missile
Weight: 4 Tons

(2) [Small Rocket Pod] 4 Points
Description: A miniaturized rocket pod designed to add extra firepower when space and power is tight.Though not compact enough to be mounted to a mobile suit's waist armor, shoulder and thigh mounts are common. Very inaccurate at anything longer than close range, but a full barrage will heavily damage, or at least disrupt most mobile suits. Can be manually jettisoned.
Compatibility: Standard EFF & Zeon attachment points.
Power Drain: 20 kW
Ammo: (20) 70mm Rockets
Weight: 2 Tons

Its all good fun. Try not to go overboard, though...

Fuck. So many weapons. So many beautiful tools of carnage. So many things that could make my suit so much better at fucking shit up. So little room for them all. Why, it practically makes the heart weep to think of them going to waste.

Well, I do kinda dig the big-ass gatling gun thingie...that could fuck some major shit up... Wait no, that'd make my GM look too much like one of those gay 'lil guntanks with their dumb little gatling gun arms n shit. Except without the gay-ass treads. But isn't that pretty much what makes those 'lil turds so fuckin' gay? Argh, focus on the weapons of mass destruction, Jack. Hm. How 'bout that hyper bazooka? No idea how it's any different from a plain ol' bazooka, but it has hyper in it, so it's obviously better. Probably makes a bigger boom, and ain't that the whole point of a bazooka? On the other hand, my GM could use some of the boring shit...smoke grenades and decoys and whatnot....ha! Shit, for just a second there I was just about to be smart about this. Fuck that.

Whoa, wait a sec, I just had the greatest idea ever devised since the jackass who thought up the mobile suit. Or the jackass who invented alcohol. Or the jackass who invented triangles. Triangles are pretty gay, though. Seriously, the fuck is their goddamn deal? Wait, shit, what was I just thinking of...OH YEAH. What if I just blew all my points on like two hundred beam sabres? Holy shit, I think I'm onto something here. Two hundred beam sabres? I'd be kicking ass and takin' names, baby. The fuck you mean, it's impractical? Beam sabres are badass, right? So it stands to reason that two hundred of them would be like...two hundred times more badass. It's basic fuckin' algebra or geography or whatever. Don't need to be no goddamn Einstein to fi...wait. Wait a second. FUCK. How can I hold two hundred beam sabres if my GM only has two fucking arms? This is BULLSHIT. Where can I buy more arms for my su--THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN I CAN'T PUT TWO HUNDRED ARMS ON MY MOBILE SUIT. Well FINE. FUCK YOU. I'm gonna take my GM and just go over here. Fuck all your shit. All's I need is a single beam sabre to kick ass. Don't need none of your fancy ass knick knacks. I'll show you assholes who...

...then again, I wonder how many of those missile launchers I could fit...

^Courtesy of ThePainkiller. Thanks to him and Blazewind for allowing me to use their writing along with mine for the previews.

EDIT: I forget to mention, but whoever joins now gets free grenades!

[Three-Slot Grenade Rack] 2 Points
Image
Description: A very traditional weapon, upscaled versions of hand grenades are commonly used by mobile suits when standard weapons fire cannot get the job done. They are extremely powerful at close range and can do serious damage to shields. EFF grenades can be timed or set to detonate on impact. Standard equipment on Jegans, mounted to the hip armor.
Compatibility: Standard EFF & Zeon attachment points.
Ammo: 3 Hand Grenades
Weight: 2 Tons

"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.? Albert Einstein

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/ymsIGo8ZIaU/viewtopic.php

brown recluse spider wiz khalifa taylor allderdice eddie royal iditarod nfl free agents 2012 encyclopedia brittanica nfl free agency

Opinion: Standardized tests breed schools for scandal - Alpine Daily ...

  • West Texas Food Bank

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    704 Sul Ross Ave. Alpine, TX 79830 www.alpine.esc18.net/ Mission: to provide our children with learning experiences to be responsible, productive and successful citizens of an ever changing world. Contact: Marsha Roach, 432-837-7700

  • Alpine Humane Society

    PO Box 1464 Alpine, TX 79831 www.ci.alpine.tx.us/humanesociety.html Mission: to shelter homeless and abused animals, operate a progressive adoption program, investigate abuse cases, and encourage the spay/neutering of animals in order to control overpopulation. Contact: George Bradley, gbradley1938@gmail.com

  • Alpine Chamber of Commerce

    106 N. 3rd St Alpine TX, 79830 www.vistorcenter.alpinetexas.com Mission: to promote, develop, and unite the business community in and around the Alpine area to accomplish economic growth. Contact: J.R. Smith, 432-837-2326; visitalpine@alpinetx.com

  • Alpine Ambassadors

    PO Box 1341 Alpine, TX 79831 Purpose: to support and promote the Alpine community and its businesses, provide ribbon cuttings for new and existing businesses, support business activities as called upon, act as hosts for various community activities and act as good will ambassadors for the Big Bend Region of West Texas Contact: Mary Jane Morgan, 837-5739; mjmorgan@mztv.net

  • Aliviane, Inc.

    500 W. Avenue H, Ste. 115 Alpine TX 79830 Mission: to provide a comprehensive and integrated continuum of high quality behavioral health interventions, treatment, and education services Contact: Nadine Mata, 432-837-3215; nmata@aliviane.org

  • Pilot Club of Alpine

    PO Box 1404 Alpine, TX 79831 Mission: to provide volunteer community service that contributes to the quality of life in the Big Bend Region Volunteer Opportunities: Meals on Wheels, Family Crisis Center, Alpine Public Library, Sunshine House, Lifeline Contact: Liz Jackson; 837-8143; ejackson@sulross.edu

  • Source: http://alpinedailyplanet.typepad.com/alpine-daily-planet/2012/10/opinion-standardized-tests-breed-schools-for-scandal.html

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    Thursday, October 25, 2012

    Patricia Heaton Talks About The Middle's Halloween Episode ...

    Actress, Patricia Heaton, stars as Frankie Heck in the television sitcom, The Middle, a show that finds the humor in the real struggles and situations that families go through every day.

    Frankie Heck (Patricia Heaton), is a middle-aged, middle class, Midwestern working mother who uses her wry wit and sense of humor to get her quirky family through each day. Forget about athletes, movie stars and politicians. Parents are the real heroes?but Frankie Heck must be some kind of superhero.

    Have U Heard spoke with Patricia about her role as Frankie and about motherhood in general. ? It?s no surprise to learn that it doesn?t matter if you live in Hollywood, the mid-west or any other part of the world, being a mother is both a challenging and fulfilling role that woman can definitely bond over.

    We asked Patricia what was her best advice for real life moms? She responded by saying,

    ?Well, I think we have to stop striving and it?s taken me a very long time,?but my advice would be to slow down and let go of some of the activities. It?s hard when?you have kids.? she continued,??But I really would simplify things. And if that means three nights a week you?re picking up already cooked chicken from the grocery store or something to give yourself a?break, that?s what you need to do. You need to just relax and still try to enjoy?life as opposed to kind of getting through it.?

    The Middle Halloween Episode Synopsis:

    As Halloween approaches, the Hecks get quite the scare when Sue receives her learner?s permit, and it?s time for Frankie and Mike to teach her how to drive. Meanwhile. Axl looks forward to voting in his first election, and Brick undergoes an unexpected transformation when he eats too much Halloween candy.

    As expected it?s funny to watch Frankie try and deal with her three children and the trials and tribulations of being a mom.

    We would love to hear your feedback on the episode and can you relate? Frankie is not motivated for Halloween this year?how do you as a parent get into the spirit for your kids? ?What are the candy rules in your house when the kids are done trick or treating? Do you have a funny ?Driver?s Ed? story?

    Join One2One Network?s #TheMiddle live Twitter Viewing Party on October 24th, beginning at 7:45 ET

    Join the Halloween chit chat during our Twitter Viewing Party! We?re giving away Amazon gift cards :-) RSVP link to?the Twitter Viewing Party: http://www.o2oblog.com/2012/10/the-middle-and-suburgatory-live-viewing-party/

    I participated in this sponsored post campaign for One2One Network. All opinions stated are my own.

    Source: http://haveuheard.net/2012/10/patricia-heaton-talks-middles-halloween-episode-motherhood/

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    Helping Student Veterans Succeed in the Classroom | Faculty Focus

    October 25, 2012

    By: Mary Bart in Faculty Development

    Student veterans bring to the college classroom a distinct set of strengths, including a level of maturity, experience with leadership and teamwork, familiarity with diversity, and a mission-focused orientation. While these strengths have the potential to help them succeed academically, many student veterans are also at risk due to unique physical, mental, and social needs.

    A 2011 national study published in Professional Psychology: Research and Practice explored the psychological symptoms, symptom severity, and suicide risk of 628 student veterans. The study found that 24 percent of the sample experienced severe depression, 35 percent had severe anxiety, and 36 percent experienced significant symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In addition, 7.7 percent have made an attempt to take their own life and 46 percent said they?ve thought about suicide.

    The recent online video seminar From Rucksack to Backpack: Ensuring Student Veteran Success, featured three presenters; all with deep experience working with student veterans and students with disabilities. During the seminar Bruce Kelley, director of the Center for Teaching & Learning at the University of South Dakota, Justin M. Smith, the Fides Program coordinator at the University of South Dakota?s Center for Teaching & Learning, and Ernetta Fox, the director of Disability Services at the University of South Dakota, shared some proven ways you can better serve the veterans in your classroom and at your institution as a whole.

    Fox explained how faculty needs to be aware that student veterans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan often have ?signature disabilities? that affect their cognitive abilities. Traumatic brain injury, concussive brain disorder, depression, and pain are common and may manifest as a variety of acquired learning disabilities, including dyslexia, dysnomia, audio or visual processing disorders, reading comprehension difficulties, and short- and long-term memory issues. It?s important to work with the institution?s disability services office to provide the appropriate accommodations that allow students with disabilities an equal opportunity to learn and show what they learned, Fox said.

    When designing your courses, Kelley said there are a number of significant factors to consider related to student veterans. In many cases, these things you do to support student veterans will benefit all your students. For example, chain of command is very important in the military. If you teach large classes with TAs, then it?s helpful to explain in the syllabus who students should see if they have a question about a specific assignment, an exam grade, an excused absence, and so on.

    In terms of learning activities, Kelley encourages faculty to precisely define criterion by which assignments will be evaluated and to assess frequently?formatively and directly.

    ?It?s very interesting that best practices in higher education coincide to a very close extent with best practices in the military when it comes to assessment,? said Kelley. ?The military puts a lot of thought and a lot of value in assessment. It?s a part of every type of training exercise; and the goal of training and the goal of assessment in the military is to help units and personnel improve. They provide clear goals in terms of what the purpose of the mission or activity is, and we in higher education should do the same. Assessment is frequent and it?s immediate, and that should also happen in higher education.?

    Reference:
    Rudd, D., Goulding, J., & Bryan, C. (2011). Student Veterans: A National Survey Exploring Psychological Symptoms and Suicide Risk. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 42(5), 354?360.

    Tags: helping veterans succeed in college, student veterans



    Source: http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/faculty-development/helping-student-veterans-succeed-in-the-classroom/

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