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Creation 24(1):7–9, December 2001
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Focus: news of interest about creation and evolution
The latest twist in evolutionary thinking is that elephants (thought to be closely related to manatees and dugongs) evolved from aquatic creatures.
Evolutionists note that elephants can stay underwater by breathing through their uplifted trunks, which they use like a snorkel.
Unlike most mammals, elephants do not have a pleural cavity (a fluid-filled space between lungs and chest wall)—which is just as well, for otherwise the pressure gradient when elephants are snorkelling could burst small blood vessels in the pleural membrane, proving fatal.
This feature, say evolutionists, 'fits neatly with the idea that elephants were once water babies.'
New Scientist, 8 September 2001, p. 17.
But this adds an additional snag to an already unbelievable tale in an already over-compressed timeframe.
The evolutionary path would be sea creature (fish) >> land mammal >> back to the sea (proposed ancestor of elephants and dugongs) >> back to land (elephants).
'Young' moon
The lunar landscape shows that the moon may be much younger than is commonly believed, according to one researcher.
Signs of possible volcanic activity in the Northern lunar hemisphere would indicate the moon formed 'just a few million years ago'—i.e. about 0.1% of previous 'billions of years' estimates and radiometric 'dates'—or else it would have 'cooled off' more.
New Scientist, 9 June 2001, p. 13.
The true age of the moon (<7,000 years) fits comfortably within this revised maximum age of a few million years. See also The Moon: The light that rules the night
Long-life blood platelets
Inspired by a trick used by hardy organisms to survive dehydration, researchers have developed a technique that might end the constant shortage of blood platelets (essential for blood clotting) for transfusion.
Until now, blood platelets could only be stored for up to five days. But researchers have found that by incubating blood platelets for several hours in trehalose (a sugar found in many drought-resistant organisms) followed by freeze-drying, platelets can be stored at room temperature for long periods (so far, seven months). When rehydrated, 85% of the platelets proved healthy—'better than most blood banks provide after only five days' storage.'
This breakthrough means that platelets could now be stockpiled in blood banks and transported to remote locations. People could even set aside some of their own platelets— minimizing the risk of diseases.
New Scientist, 28 July 2001, p. 19.
The sugar trehalose is found in tardigrades, one of the organisms featured in Life at the extremes on p. 40.
T. rex, the scavenger
Paleontologist Jack Horner thinks the popular view of T. rex as the ultimate predator is wrong, with mounting evidence suggesting it was a scavenger.
The first obstacle to being a hunter, Horner believes, is that T. rex couldn't run, as its thighbone was longer than its shinbone. This is probably just as well, because if it had tripped, its spindly little arms could do nothing to break the fall, 'and tons of dinosaur would crash to the ground amid snapping bones.'
Studies of T. rex skulls show, while it had a very small optic region (so probably couldn't see very well), it possessed a huge olfactory lobe similar to that of vultures, which can detect carrion from 40 km (25 miles) away. And its teeth appear better suited to a scavenger's diet of bone and cartilage than to fresh meat.
Dinosaur Magazine , <www.dinosaurmag.com/t_rex_the_scavenger.htm>, 26 September 2001.
Originally, of course, all dinosaurs were vegetarian, along with all other animals, as well as people (Genesis 1:29–30).
Ancient Mayans tracked Mars
The ancient Mayans of Central South America are renowned for their meticulous time-keeping abilities; e.g. they knew the solar year to be 365.2420 days long (see Amazing Story). Now analysis of the pre-Columbian Maya book, the Dresden Codex, shows that they not only knew the Mars synodic period (i.e. the Martian orbit as seen from Earth) to be 780 days (modern astronomy says 779.94 days), but were also interested in its sidereal motion (i.e. relative to the Sun), which is not directly observable.
While modern astronomers addressed the sidereal problem of Mars by proposing an elliptical orbit (686.98 days), the 'equally ingenious' Mayan astronomers discovered two Martian cycles hitherto unknown to western astronomy: a more frequently occurring long cycle (702 days) that includes a retrograde loop and a less frequently occurring short cycle (approx. 543 days) that excludes it. Not only does this accurately describe the planet's motion, but the Mayans could also relate Martian cycles to terrestrial seasons as well as the movements of other planets (e.g. Venus).
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 13 February 2001, pp. 2107–2110.
The ingenuity of ancient man continues to surprise evolutionists and delight creationists.
Dinosaur skin
Paleontologists have made the 'startling' discovery of fossil skin impressions on a crested hadrosaur skeleton being excavated in Utah.
Patterns of thumb-sized impressions of fossil skin were evident on the tail and pelvic areas.
Other dinosaur skeletons with skin preserved have previously been found in Montana, Wyoming, Canada and Australia (pictured).
Bureau of Land Management Utah News, <www.ut.blm.gov.NewsReleases/nrmay17/.html>, 30 July 2001.
Preserved impressions of intact skin implies that these dinosaurs must have been buried quickly (not over millions of years)—e.g. in the worldwide Flood of Noah's day.
Ancient society cared
Anthropologists report that pre-Neanderthal society cared for the elderly and disabled. The discovery of a human jawbone scarred by severe gum disease indicates that its toothless owner survived by being fed soft food.
The jawbone, estimated to be 200,000 years old, is four times older than previous [evolutionary] estimates of when 'this level of social awareness' first appeared. As one archaeologist said, 'It suggests pre-Neanderthals had significant elements of fully human behaviour.'
In contrast, studies of monkeys and apes show no such level of social care, as individuals starve after losing their teeth.
Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences USA, 25 September 2001, pp. 11097–11102.
Nature Science Update, <www.nature.com/nsu/010913/010913-9.html>, 26 September 2001.
Humans were created 'fully human' on Day 6 of Creation Week (<7,000 years ago), with suffering and death coming into the world later, i.e. after Adam sinned. Misguided notions that 'God used evolution' to bring man into existence, over millions of years, put suffering and death before sin, thus undermining the whole basis for the Atonement .
The 'walkie-talkie' theory
According to a [evolutionary] developmental neuroscientist, humans must have started walking upright before they developed speech.
He noted that when quadrupeds run they must take a breath with each step, making it impossible to develop the sophisticated respiratory control necessary for talking.
Therefore, walking on two legs, which allowed redirection of breathing for sound-making, was, this researcher maintains, 'the key event in human evolution necessary for the emergence of speech.'
Science, 29 June 2001, p. 2429.
In contrast to the above, Genesis 2:19–20, 23 make it clear that the first man, Adam, created in the image of God, was capable of fully developed, complex speech from the outset.
On cannibalism
Tom White, Professor Emeritus of Ecology at Adelaide University, South Australia, has criticized biologists who consider cannibalism among humans to be an abhorrent and unnatural aberration. Many scientists today say anthropophagy (man-eating) is brought on only in times of extreme stress or deprivation.
Saying his colleagues 'should know better', Professor White highlighted the strategic evolutionary survival benefits of cannibalism, referring to a 1974 study of isolated people groups in Papua New Guinea which showed that cannibalism contributed 10% of the dietary protein intake. In Professor White's own words: 'surplus young male humans were recycled'.
ABC Radio National, 'Ockham's Razor', <www.abc.net.au/rn/science/ockham/stories/s360370.htm>, broadcast 9 September 2001.
Dr White is at least consistent; his evolutionary belief system says we simply result from differential survival of genes, so with that mindset, how can one say that anything is 'wrong'?
Carbon dating rethink
British and American scientists have demonstrated that past carbon dating reports could be wrong by thousands of years.
Originally, carbon dating results were based on the assumption that the ratio of carbon-14 and carbon-12 in the atmosphere stays constant.
But now, comparison of carbon dating against a newer uranium dating technique shows that there must have been 'extremely large' variations in atmospheric carbon-14 in the past.
Science, 29 June 2001, pp. 2443–2444, 2453–2458.
All man-made dating techniques are fallible and dependent upon assumptions about the past.
Every matter ought to be established on the testimony of witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15; 2 Corinthians 13:1), so we should look first to the eyewitness account in the Bible, rather than dating methods, for the true history of the Earth.
Arctic was not always icy
The recent discovery of stone tools along with wolf, reindeer and horse bones in northern Russia shows the region may not always have been covered in ice, say archaeologists.
Considering these artifacts from the dig at Mamontovaya Kurya to be the oldest documented evidence of human activity so far north, scientists are unsure who the mystery Arctic inhabitants were.
'Either the Neanderthals expanded much further north than previously thought, or modern humans were present in the Arctic only a few thousand years after their first appearance in Europe,' they said.
Reuters, <http:www.enn.com ewswire-stories200199072001 eu_44865.asp>, 26 September 2001.
Nature, 6 September 2001, pp. 33–34, 64–67.
These findings fit what many creationists have been saying about population dispersal after the Flood and Babel, and the climatic conditions during the Ice Age—see interview with Michael Oard in Creation 19(1):42–43, and his book, An Ice Age caused by the Genesis Flood , ICR, California, 1990.
Still buzzing over flies
Flies should not be able to fly—at least, that's what conventional theories of aerodynamics said until 1996, when a new theory was proposed to explain the hovering flight of insects (see Insects: Defying the laws of aerodynamics?, Creation 20(2):31).
However, now a team of researchers using a scaled robotic 'insect' has shown an error in that theory, which held that flapping insect wings generate a spiral vortex similar to that of delta-wing aircraft such as the supersonic Concorde.
Instead, the researchers demonstrated that a whirl of air like a little tornado sits on top of the wing, creating a region of low pressure that sucks the fly upwards.
Nevertheless, some of the new ideas are subject to further testing, as the researchers admit they cannot yet explain all the complexities of insect flight.
Nature, 16 August 2001, pp. 688–689, 729–733.
The sophistication of insect flight is such that man still has trouble explaining it, let alone duplicating it—testifying to a Master Designer.
Fast-growing dinosaurs
Analysis of dinosaur bone tissue has overturned traditional ideas that dinosaurs were typical slow-growing (large) reptiles.
Instead, dinosaurs had growth patterns similar to today's birds and mammals, rapidly attaining their adult size in growth spurts.
The researchers report that a 26–tonne (28 ton) Apatosaurus could have exhibited growth rates up to around 14 kg (30 pounds) per day, while a 100–tonne (110 ton) Argentinosaurus could conceivably have grown at around 55 kg (over 120 lbs) per day.
Nature, 26 July 2001, pp. 405–408; 429–433.
If correct, this negates arguments about young (i.e. small) dinosaurs coming off the Ark being vulnerable to other, faster-growing animals.
Shetland-Zebra hybrid
A Shetland pony surprised its UK owners by giving birth to a half-zebra foal. They had earlier purchased the pony from a wildlife park, where it had shared a field with a male zebra.
Such hybrids have an interesting genetic heritage, as horses have 64 chromosomes, zebras 44, so this foal would have an intermediate number of chromosomes.
BBC News, http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1408000/1408717.stm, 9 July 2001.
The fact that hybrids between zebras and horses (zorse) and zebras and donkeys (zeedonk, zonkey, zebrass) readily occur indicates that horses, asses and zebras (all of them species of Equus) are the descendants of one created kind which left the Ark (see Ligers and wholphins? What next? Creation 22(3):28–33 and Sheep-Goat hybrid 23(2):5).


The Stroller Caddy is the newest innovation here at Valco Baby. This great accessory is ideal for all seasons.
It features two large insulated pockets to keep food or drink bottles cool or hot.
There is also a central mesh pocket for a drink bottle, a little mesh pocket for small items such as house keys or mobile and a generous mesh net bag great for toys, nappies or blankies.
The Stroller Caddy comes with two bonus Freezer Gel Packs, which fit neatly at the bottom of each insulated pocket.
This accessory is universal and will fit on most prams and strollers.


Tom Morgan is a 35-year veteran of the world of interactive services and digital media. For the past 15 years Mr. Morgan's efforts have centered on the business development of On-Demand and Internet based Television, with a particular focus on the new advertising models for DVR's, VOD, and Broadband TV. Mr. Morgan's to focus on the business development issues of Digital Television, especially the new program licensing and ad models required for the new world of IP based Television.
MediaD.tv is Media Development Consultancy dedicated to the creation of new revenue streams and television functionality. Focus is development of better Advertising Monetization Models and new Enhanced TV feature sets for both live linear TV and new forms of commerce based TV Services.
Net2.tv is a CloudTV Program packager and distribution company focusing on the "Free to Net" Ad Supported OTT Television Market. Net2.tv is the first OTT Distributor deploying the Active Video Network H5 System to Smart TV's and other connected devices.
Virgin TV USA, was a development initiative funded by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Management Group Ltd (VML). VTV USA was being developed as a Premium Over the Top (OTT) Television Service providing integrated Live Linear and On-Demand Television targeted at Smart TV's, Tablets, and other connected devices. Tom recruited the initial team, lead the development of the Business Plan, and managed year long discussions with Major US Broadcast / Cable Networks, and select TV Studios. Mr. Morgan also identified and recruited a U.S. based strategic partner for the funding and launch of the proposed service. Relations between Virgin and strategic partner broke down in December 2011, causing VML to withdraw from supporting VTV in the U.S. Market.
Move Networks was the technology platform behind ABC.com, Fox.com, ESPN360, and other Internet Television based sites. At Move, Mr. Morgan focused on the development of Internet Television revenue sources including new ad inventory and carriage models that allowed TV Networks reach economic parity of traditional TV.
Mr. Morgan was a Co-Founder of the DiMA Group, a Digital TV Consultancy and Research Firm targeting On Demand Cable Television. He was responsible for managing a cross industry initiative called the Innovation in Digital Advertising (ID!A) Project which explored the development of new business practices in the world of DVR & VOD based television. Over 50 companies are represented in the project, including the major cable MSO's, television and cable networks, and a group of large television advertisers and their agencies. The DiMA Group also operated AdLab, a consumer research project investigating consumer response to new forms of On-Demand TV ads. The DiMA Group was acquired by BlackArrow in 2004.
Mr. Morgan's early industry positions included serving as the first Vice President of Business Development and West Coast General Manager for America Online where he led the initial product launch in partnership with Apple Computer, and developed the first pricing strategies for AOL. Mr. Morgan was a founding Officer and EVP of Business Development for BroadVision. Tom's work at BroadVision resulted in the company's focus on systems based 1:1 marketing.
In 1995 Tom was recruited to serve as President of IDG Interactive Services, where he conducted early development work in the areas of innovative advertising, e-commerce and personalization systems. In 1997 Mr. Morgan led a spinout of a portion of his IDG division into a separate venture-funded organization called NVolve. NVolve was funded by Broderbund and the Mayfield Fund and focused on the issues of online youth. In 1999, NVolve was acquired by MTV/Nickelodeon where Tom served as West Coast VP/GM and worked on Kids' Internet concept.


Staph infections are often localized in the body, yet can be very difficult to treat both invasively and using antibiotics. Now researchers from Tufts University and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have developed an implantable electronic device that is able to kill a staph infection and then dissolve into the body once its job is done.
The chip is made out of a silk protein substrate with a magnesium heating element in between. The element is energized externally using a wireless transmitter, heating up and raising the temperature of the tissue around enough to kill bacteria. The treatment time can be controlled by deciding for how long to deliver the RF energy and the silk substrate can be manufactured to dissolve at different rates to allow the implant to be tailored for different applications. In a study on mice, the device worked extremely well in treating staph infections and dissolved completely within about two weeks.
The device can be also tailored to carry a drug payload the release of which can also be externally triggered.


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Today St George's Church
Home » Groups » Bell Ringers
The bells of St George's can be heard ringing over Beckenham for services on Sundays, for practice on Thursdays and at other times for weddings, funerals and special occasions. The tower of St George's Church has ten bells which are hung for English-style change ringing. In change ringing the bells, starting mouth up, swing through 360° and then back again, sounding once in each direction. This allows for more accurate timing than swing chiming, as used on the continent.
The eight largest bells date from 1902 and were cast from the metal of the previous ring of bells, the oldest of which was dated 1624. The two smallest are dated 1934. The same bells are chimed by the tower clock every 15 minutes.
The bells are rung by the St George's Beckenham Guild of Bellringers, which was founded in 1904. We have members ranging from 10 to 75 years old. The members are very dedicated and the standard of ringing is good, although we do not always get it right! We use mathematically derived patterns rather than music to produce different "tunes". These range from very simple to extremely complicated and consequently provide a lifetime of learning challenges.
Bellringing is an absorbing and enjoyable hobby. If you're interested in learning to ring church bells please do get in touch to arrange some lessons.
Read more about the fun and friendship of ringing in this article from The Telegraph – the author learned to ring at St George's.
Find out more about the history of the bells, clock and tower. The short clip below is the bells being rung in October 2016.
http://stgeorgesbeckenham.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/beckenham.mp4
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1) Never experiment or practice with magickal applications, symbols, or systems that you do not FULLY understand. If you do not know the full gambit of what you are doing, Do Not Do It. Retribution and causalities can be far reaching and abound in more ways than you can imagine.
2) Do not link money with your magick. It will effect the outcome and the caster. Reimbursement for supplies, time, and effort is acceptable but, never demanded.
4) Do not scare or threaten others with magickal intimidations or the like. We are Witches, not thugs. Remember the Law of Three.
7) All things that are -bad- in your life are most often the result of low self-esteem or negative self-think, not bad luck.
15) Do not do something that will bring about conflict with the law of the land. Do mind your beliefs, the beliefs and laws of your Coven, and the beliefs and laws of your Clan - above all others.
17) Perform all magick within the circle. This is especially true for beginners. Only those of great experience and ability may work outside of the circle.
18) Do Nothing to bring Shame to yourself, your coven, and your clan. We, as Witches, have a responsibility that others only speak about but, never fully practice. Each of us is a direct representative of our religion and the Craft, as a whole.
20) Never shed blood in circle . The God and Goddess do not want us to waste their creations and their children in such a manner. All things are of the God and Goddess. Respect theirs and ours. Killing is for defense and survival -only.
24) Do not cast spells while sick, ill, or under the influence of drugs or heavy medication. The results can and probably be extremely baneful. Always be in complete control of yourself.
25) Do not let anyone tell you that what you believe in - the Craft- is wrong, evil, or bad. This is a trick to persuade you to be a puppet of another.
27) Do not mock the way of others. For they may know something you may not -and you might not realize it ...yet.


"W końcu możemy odetchnąć z ulgą. Wielu pacjentów będzie miało szanse na skuteczne leczenie nowotworów, uważanych do tej pory za wyrok śmierci" – tak najnowszą decyzję Amerykańskiej Agencji Żywności i Leków (FDA) komentuje, w rozmowie z "Nowym Dziennikiem, dr Stanisław Burzyński, autor nowatorskiej metody leczenia raka.
"We can finally breathe the sigh of relief. Many patients with cancers seen as the death sentence until recently, now will have a chance of successful treatment" - said Dr. Burzynski after the recent decision of the FDA.
The article also states that a new drug has been approved by the FDA, and it will treat some ailments of the liver, certain kinds of brain tumors and leukemia.
I was not able to find anything on the FDA site, nor on the Burzynski Clinic web site. Both of them have numerous mentions of the current clinical trials, but no mention of the upcoming drug release. Also, the NIH's Cancer site does not have any mention of a new drug from Burzynski's clinic.
As I said before, I hope this pans out, but I don't hold my breath for some breakthrough, and I certainly hope this is not yet another publicity stunt to get more desperate patients onto the clinical trials that never end.
This time it's an invitation to a conversation with Dr. Burzynski, published in the weekend print edition of the newspaper.
"Mam nadzieję, że dokonamy rewolucji w medycynie, przede wszystkim ze względu na nasze leki, jeden z nich już wkrótce trafi do aptek. Oprócz tego, w czwartek (10 lipca) przekazaliśmy cztery artykuły do specjalnego wydawnictwa, a dwa następne trafią tam za tydzień (17 lipca). Chcemy, by zostały one w najbliższym czasie opublikowane w specjalnych pismach medycznych. Jeśli to się uda, to – po pierwsze – już na zawsze skończą się ataki na nas i naszą klinikę, bo każdy lekarz będzie mógł stosować tę metodę i coś, co jest teraz absolutnym wyrokiem śmierci, już nim nie będzie. Pytanie tylko, kiedy lekarze wprowadzą nasze sposoby leczenia do swoich praktyk. Mam nadzieję, że się odważą, a to z kolei spowoduje przewrót w medycynie" – mówi doktor Burzyński.
"I hope the we can revolutionize medicine, first of all, because of our new drugs, with the first one to be available in pharmacies very soon. In addition, on Thursday, July 10th, we submitted four research papers to a special publisher, with the next two articles to be submitted on July 17th. We would like them to be published in the near future in special medical publications. If we succeed, the attacks on our clinic will stop, because every physician will be able to use our methods, and what is a death sentence for some now, will cease to be. The question is: when will the doctors incorporate our methods in their practices? I hope, they will be brave enough, and that will cause the real breakthrough in medicine." - says Dr. Burzynski.
The article on line, and probably the one in print seem the be just "infomercials" for Dr. Burzynski. The above quote is full of "if's" and "but's" and conditional statements, that do not mean much in the greater scheme of things. I remain skeptical, hopeful to be proven wrong (but I don't hold my breath).
Dr. Mehmet Oz, host of "The Dr. Oz Show," was grilled Tuesday by senators on Capitol Hill about the promotion of weight loss products on his show.
Yes... he is a peddler of nonsense and just pure crap. Whether he is just a "cheerleader" for his crowd (see above), or he really believes in what he preaches, is irrelevant. As a doctor, he should know better how to tell real science from woo-woo.
If Poland is in your vacation plans, make sure you visit your trusted doctor first, stock up on medicine and hope (dare I say, pray) that nothing happens to you, when you are there.
Why? Because faith healing seems to be gaining popularity in that country (full disclosure: I was born there and spent the first 19 years of my life there) and I would not want to be caught sick there, knowing that depending on the doctor you end up with, your therapy might be prayer.
To give you more detail, while the health care is considered to be free and widely available in Poland, the quality is lacking and the availability is restricted by long wait times (months) and extensive restrictions on residency. To top that off, recently, with a strong backing of the very powerful Catholic Church, the doctors there were asked to sign a "Declaration of Faith", which basically gives them a way out of any modern standard of care, based on their "conscience". While signing of this document was voluntary, given the pressure coming from the Church and the local communities, I suspect there will be more and more doctors, who are afraid of performing some controversial procedures, even though they are medically viable and legal under the local law.
While the majority of discussions around this topic were focusing on abortion, it also affects other reproductive rights and many "end-of-life" issues. The problem here is not with anyone's faith, conscience, or anything in between. The problem is with a very personal decision by a someone who should be following scientific knowledge and who is expected to do so in the best interest of a patient. How do we decide where that "freedom of conscience" ends for a given set of beliefs? Is it only abortion, contraception, blood transfusions, separation of men and women in health care, prolonging unnecessary treatments, or refusing some others? Where and how that thin line is drawn? Who makes that decision?
I, for sure, would not want to end up under care of someone who thinks he (or she) knows better, based on their faith and not reason and science. So, if you are going to visit Poland anytime soon, make sure your are healthy, or your best bet might just be to pray (literally).
... or live in, for that matter.
Unfortunately, my native Poland is on the list of countries with an active blasphemy laws. Not only it has that law on the books, but it is used pretty often to silence people from expressing their views. The cases are numerous: here, here and here (in Polish).
Blasphemy laws are just a way to limit free speech, and there are no excuses for them in civilized countries. We all should have complete freedom of discussion of any topic, as that's the only way to ensure that all ideas have a chance to be heard. Bad ideas and crazy beliefs should be eliminated from the public forum, buy showing their weaknesses, not by legislating them out of existence.
So, after a brief hiatus on my part, with too many projects to complete to count, I have time to brows the news from time to time again.
And, after my last post, I have another depressing news item to share from the "what's the harm?" department.
There are news links in Polish here and here (sorry, I could not find an English version).
A six moth old girl was found dead a few weeks ago in the town of Brzezna in the south of Poland, while in care of her parents. It was determined that she had died as a result of malnutrition. After some initial investigation, it was also determined that the parents started using a "natural" approach for the baby's care, including refusal of any vaccines, lack of medical care and a whole bunch of holistic feeding techniques. They attempted to follow advice from a faith healer, who allegedly told the parents to use skim milk and herbs as the baby's diet staple. The healer, called "God's Man" in the area, is well known for advocating abandoning regular medical care and using herbs, fasting and prayer as remedies for any ailments (including cancer!!!).
This case is not the first one for the supposedly "godly" man. A few years ago it was alleged that he had caused a death of a five year old boy, who had kidney problems. After initial, positive reactions to the standard, hospital medical care, the mother took the boy to the healer and believed in his "miraculous" approach, which ultimately resulted in boy's death.
Those two cases are clear answers to the argument for the alternative medicine that I hear very often: "what's the harm?". The answer is very simple, the harm is in believing that unproven, often completely nonsensical treatments can and do work. When someone abandons reason and critical thinking in small cases, it is easy to do the same in cases that can cause harm, death and destruction. Belief in miracles, prayer, alternative medicine (like homeopathy, chiropractic, acupuncture, etc) when your life, or life of your loved ones, is at stake, can really be deadly.
That's a question I hear a lot when discussing alternative medicine and all the included disciplines, like chiropractic, homeopathy, naturopathy, traditional "medicine" (including Chinese medicine), acupuncture, and many others.
I always point out that the harm comes from two sides. One side is the actual lack of medicinal and therapeutic value in all those alt-med offshoots. The other side is the fact that when we suspend our critical thinking in one area, we tend to stop using our brains across the board, and that can lead to more problems with rational decision making.
From time to time I catch a news on the interwebs, that illustrates the first issue so clearly, it is hard to read.
which means: "A six year old undergoes a surgery after being treated by a naturopath" (I'm not sure if there is a better word in English than naturopath).
In the town of Toruń, in central Poland, a local court ordered a naturopath to close down his "bioenergy" therapy business and pay a fine, after he treated a six-year old for a cold. After the initial session, in which he diagnosed the child with pneumonia, he continued to treat her for a month and a half, prescribing strong steroids (which he's not allowed to do) and treating her fever over the phone. When the parents noticed a large lump between the girl's ribs, they finally took her to a hospital, where she had to have a major surgery to treat her deteriorated lungs and where she spent more than five weeks, some of it in the intensive care unit.
The judge also said that she is planning to bring the case against the parents for failing to provide adequate care to their daughter, which seems to be reasonable, as they refused to take the child to a real doctor for weeks and almost killed their daughter in the process.
Unfortunately, one thing that bothers me is the fact that the naturopath is only required to close down his business for three years! Since the article mentions that he's been doing it for 20 years and that his mother was also a "famous" healer, I bet he'll be back treating people with magic and woo in no time.
Another point that stands out from this article is the fact that the guy has a "bioenergy healer" license. There is a lot of discussion in various states in the US about licensing alt-med "doctors". The opposition usually brings up one great point: any kind of license, legitimizes the profession, which, in case of alt-med is based on magic, wishful thinking and general woo-woo. For a lay person, a license makes the potential therapy look real and puts it on the same level as evidence-based medicine. Licensing alt-med scams might be a way to earn some extra tax dollars, but it creates a false sense of security for the general public.
I have never understood creationism... it is so out of touch with reality and so disconnected from any logic that it defies any explanation. Yes, it might have been somehow compelling 500 years ago, when scientific evidence for pretty much anything around us was scarce, but by the last century, there were no reasons to stick with it. One has to have some really strong cognitive dissonance going in order to remain in the pure creationism camp (the earth being 6000 years old, geological strata deposited by a great flood, etc). Even the newer incarnation of creationism, Intelligent Design (ID), does not pass logical and scientific analysis, because it bases itself on faulty understanding of physics and biology.


India, You will meet her, not in newspapers nor in a movie, not an idea or fantasy, not in her texts nor what the journalist, moviemaker nor prejudice says, not in fables or documentaries.
You will meet her on the open road, where magic, beauty and dust from the earth, whirl up to collide. You will meet her in conversation with her people.
You won't find her solely in her famous crowded cities, nor in the disparity of poverty and wealth upon her land, nor in the strange blend of ignorance and knowledge.
You will meet her in the fiery strength that hides in the weakness. In an unknown face that walks in an unknown village in a staggering mountain, deep in the desert wind, by her verdant forest, gushing rivers and her endless ways.
You will meet her if you forget everything you've been told she is.


text:
Sunny Breaks
17 years up and still rolling!
coal in, ghost out
What have I been doing this weekend? Studying for a Research Methods mini-exam … battling Tukey and his totally honest mate significant difference F-test?
Well, kinda. But also slapped together a new site design and switched to a full fresh copy of Pivot and changed where it resides. Lately I hadn't relished the thought of major messing with CSS, but actually it wasn't too much of a hassle. But then (as is becoming the unhealthy norm.) I haven't had a look at it on Internet Explorer, or mac.
I haven't puked in 6 years, but a couple of things that've popped up recently are giving the boat a shake:
1) Movies with Freddie Prinze Jr. in.
2) This picture. Ay carumba! Imagine using that for your website's wall paper.
url: please don't eat me!
date: 2003-08-31-19-57
Oh wow, it's so bright.
I like it though, the pictures at the top really cinch the deal.
Nice to see you didn't let those web designers and their so called conventions of good taste guide you!
yak sox
Hehe, thanks I think. 😉
But you're right though – 'organic' I call it – ie. thinking up the colours myself,a dn not worrying too much about symmetry or "style".
Author yak soxPosted on August 31, 2003 Categories multigrainLeave a comment on coal in, ghost out
what LiveJournal's like
A while back i said I wanted to have a go of LiveJournal to see what it's like. I did, but not much. So this isn't very comprehensive: I did it here.
The interface that i type into, called Drivel, is pretty simple. Compared to things like Pivot here and MT – it feels like it'd be a lot less self-conscious way to go about recording thought into an online depository. One could use the drivel everyday and not ever actually look at their site. Of course that could be done with other mechanisms too, but it seems much more of an obvious possibility with LJ.
I can take or leave the little 'iMood' things, but I do like the 'what song i am listening to right now' bit. Because the Linux version of Drivel is Gnome-grouped, it picked up what XMMS (X MultiMedia System) was playing no probs.
It'd be neat if that could be added to Pivot.
I did have a look at how to go about modifying the look of the page, but I kept getting error pages when attempting to load that page, which isn't very good.
Song I'm listening to right now: The Breeders – Iris [live]
A couple of tribesmen from my old northcote tribal days came to visit today. It was good. I was kind of thinking I'd have little in common with them now, but not so. Went trawling some of the 2nd hand bookshops geelong has to offer. There's one that I just wouldn't normally go into (nad hadn't in ages) because it's almost impossible to come out not holding a book. Uni has taken much of the joy out of reading. I don't think I've read anything longer than a medium sized magazine article in one go, off my own bat, since January. But maybe I'm not trying hard enough. But then, I do a lot of reading online – that I don't give myself credit for. Whatever.
I bought a collection of 3 Woody Allen books rolled into one, one of which I've read – Without feathers – which was a lotta fun eg. "Should I marry W.? Not if she won't tell me the other letters in her name. And what about her career? How can I ask a woman of her beauty to give up the Roller Derby? Decisions…".
Author yak soxPosted on August 29, 2003 Categories computerLeave a comment on what LiveJournal's like
2.5 days' worth of crap
– Say what you want about them Nigerian scamsters, but when they start a letter, "I crave your indulgence…", at least you know they're trying to keep their material fresh.
– The best explanation I can come up with as to why they call that bar on men's bikes the 'sissy bar' is that it can turn a man into sissy if he has an accident on it badly enough. And this isn't a very good explanation. It took significant time pondering why a men's bike would have it and not women's when, on a relative scale, such a thing would sure be more injurious to a man. Then I rememberd the whloe clothing thing.
But surely metalurgy has come far enough that NO bike need a bar there anymore. I ride the so called 'woman's bike' and am damn proud of it. Damn. Plus the seat is way more comfy.
– The best way I can describe the living situation I'm at here is with a 'Magnum P.I.' analogy. TiJ owns the property and lives in the main house — she is like Higgins. I live in a smaller dwelling on the property and rent it off Higgins. I am Magnum, except that instead of it being a guesthouse, it's a bungalow, and instead of driving a Ferrari GTO I ride a pushbike and have no moustache:
TiJ has RSI and so has a cleaner clean her joint. In the 9 months I've been living back here, she's gone through at least 6 cleaners. I can't explain it because it's not like she's a dragon… it's more like her house is a Bermuda Triangle, except for cleaners. I always end up meeting them briefly. Sometimes TiJ introduces me to them so they don't freak out when they see someone walking around the backyard (i.e. me).
I always say hello and how' d' do, and yesterday I met the newest, and for the first time, when i looked at them I thought, there's not much point being nice because you won't be around long. Not because you seem like a particularly hopeless cleaner, but because the odds are stacking up against you, bigtime.
Probably like meeting people in war.
-They must have pirates working at channel 7 because they're doing a great job at hiding and burying the good stuff. King of the Hill: 11:30pm one night, same for Futurama on the next — with The Lone Gunmen after that at midnight. Lone Gunmen's okay I suppose… at least it has a freaking plot.
– Who I want to be this week: Leaping Larry L — He gets to write a collumn for the Age once a week making fun of commercials. I do that anyway. I didn't, but I was going to mention those Brand Power commercials here, before he wrote about them. except I was just going to say that I want Brand Power Woman's job. Walking around the supermarket, picking up stuff and talking about it — I can do that.
Notice that the brand power women doesn't walk, she glides. I suspect she is on a skateboard.
url: the spork
"Say what you want about them Nigerian scamsters, but when they start a letter, "I crave your indulgence…", at least you know they're trying to keep their material fresh."
That line *so* cracked me up =)
Author yak soxPosted on August 28, 2003 Categories multigrainLeave a comment on 2.5 days' worth of crap
m to the k to the b to the c
A heads up, thumbs up and what's up? and then eventually a peace out to the Mary Kostakidis fan site that links back to here.
Author yak soxPosted on August 27, 2003 Categories multigrainLeave a comment on m to the k to the b to the c
Continuing the music from the invisible – The Go! Team – Ladyflash, at short fuse. I'm diggin' that Archie Bell n' the Drells sample.
Author yak soxPosted on August 27, 2003 Categories consumption and other diseasesLeave a comment on yay team
"I Childproofed My House, But They Still Get In!"
Bob has stuck up a couple of Morcheeba acoustic+live tracks here. I've never really listened to morcheeba, but that song 'the sea' is very recognisable. Recorded somewhere in western europe and I wouldn't be surprised if it's difficult to get here.
Meanwhile, I've Gone to Find Myself. If I Get Back Before I've Found Me, Please Keep Me Here.
Author yak soxPosted on August 26, 2003 Categories consumption and other diseasesLeave a comment on "I Childproofed My House, But They Still Get In!"
recurring red, white, blue
This is in part a test if the backpack trings feature of Pivot. But I also have to say about a little of this post of jon's at the Spork — the movie The Italian Job – I haven't seen it, and wondered about how much to it there could be if they use footage from the same car chase scene *twice* in the one 15-20 second tv commercial. 🙂
I haven't bothered to look it up, but this must be another remake a la Ocean's Eleven. I remember at some point in kidhood seeing this Brit movie about a bank job or heist or something, and the criminals/heroes getting away in a trio of mini minors, red white, blue. A big chase scene – through giant stormwater tunnels, just like the ad. for this current movie.
The thing about that bit of old footage is that it's the only example of 'sampling' in tv/film I've seen. That whole car chase was reused in an episode of McGuyver. I'm sure the ideas and technical set ups for action scenes are borrowed all the time but this was completely lifted.
Didn't seem to backtrack but oh well =). The italian job feels like it could be a remake of Oceans Eleven – only that the inherent Calm/Coolness of George Clooney isn't there. It says at imdb that Ed norton did this movie "under duress" .. it sure looks like that.
Yeh – I meant Ocean's eleven was a remake of a 60s movie, same as this probably was.
I'd heard it said that Ed Norton was one of the few lucky actors have not been in a dud movie to date — but maybe this was his first.
Will have to notify the coders of the t/b glitch.
Author yak soxPosted on August 25, 2003 Categories consumption and other diseasesLeave a comment on recurring red, white, blue
anybody get the license plates?
Recently seen number plates and one-word opinions on them:
URMYHO … classy
TAXDOJ …forthright.
Author yak soxPosted on August 25, 2003 Categories local and/or generalLeave a comment on anybody get the license plates?
planes in spain fall mainly on the runway
Had a nice weekend- little contact with computers. I could get huffy and prideful about how being a Linux user exempts from all this email virus hoo-haar but it makes zip difference if the ISP's machine is grinding along, which it has been.
Lot of rain which is great, but I was couped/cooped up inside because of it. I seriously think it rains more down there.
The last two times I've headed down — hitching — has ended up being with 'furriners', as they say, – a polish guy, and then a timorese or indonesian couple. And both times on the eastern approach to Colac they've looked to the right, seen the Colac lake and said 'wow that's some big damn'. I don't know if it's significant but it's funny. Funny odd, not funny ha-ha.
This sign is a hark-back to the days when the Romans over-ran the Western District. Hey where the hell else did ya think Highway 1 came from?
Speaking of ancient Rome, I think we're taking this whole bulgy architecture a bit far. I'm talking about that thing they figured out with one of the temples, the optical illusion thing where if they made the columns bulge just a little in the middle, then from a distance they would appear to be perfectly straight.
That's fine in the case of the first temple it was used on because it's managed to be distinct enough not to have other buildings spring up around it, thus ensuring that it can actually be seen from a distance.
Such techniques weren't meant to be used on buildings that are positioned on modern cramped streets — as is the case with the Geelong Hall of Justice (or whatever it's called …. where the councillors hang out) – it just looks dippy. Maybe they got the bulge proportion wrong – too bulgy.
I even saw it on the front of a house the other week, which is kookoo.
There is nothing like going to sleep when its raining. I wish I had one of those little rain noise maker machines. Better then Valium.
Very true. I wonder why is that.
Author yak soxPosted on August 25, 2003 Categories local and/or generalLeave a comment on planes in spain fall mainly on the runway
somebody call for a crudlinger?
I had a thought while walking around this funny little backwater called Colac today – 'they' should make a digital camera that has all its drivers built into a small portion of its storage capacity. Most of the storage is in the flash cards these days, but I don't see why there couldn't be a little of the internal memory housing drivers for the major releases of windows like 98, 2000 whatever. You slot your trusty usb cable into whatever machine you come accross when you're on the road, the camera swings into action by setting up a way for it to talk to the computer, so that you could d/load the images to the machine which could be then sent to wherever — storage space, emails.
This'd help a lot with windows machine that currently need a cd rom to get the two things co-operating, while OS X and Linux are more conveniant in that they have the drivers built in, OS X moreso because they employ people to write the drivers that hardware companies should but aren't.
I think that in hell, the devil tortures some of the people by giving them computers with dodgey mice that work some of the time – just enough to not throw them through the window.
I'm down here hangin' out with my mum for a day or two. My brother's computer is disgustingly grubby, and I'm getting some kind of karma payback — he's a closet ciggarette smoker and now that I'm not smoking I can tell that everything reeks… there's probably a lot of people out there in the past that I put this on too. The bugger's on gurnsey island and he's still getting me riled.
Author yak soxPosted on August 22, 2003 Categories computerLeave a comment on somebody call for a crudlinger?
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text:
Q: How to request Wi-Fi be turned on? How do you prompt the user to turn on WiFi?  I understand how to force WiFi to be turned on, as in this example, but my goal is to have the user be able to choose.
I have search the WiFiManager class and other similar classes with no luck.  Thanks in advance!
Example of my goal, as done in Bluetooth
Intent enableBtIntent = new Intent(BluetoothAdapter.ACTION_REQUEST_ENABLE);
startActivityForResult(enableBtIntent, REQUEST_ENABLE_BT);

A: Hmm.. Why not Create a alert box with two buttons? Based on what the user chooses you could either enable or do nothing with the WIFI.
Like this
    AlertDialog.Builder builder = new AlertDialog.Builder(this);
    builder.setMessage("Do you want to turn WIFI ON?")
       .setCancelable(false)
       .setPositiveButton("Yes", new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {
       public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int id) {
       WifiManager wifi = (WifiManager) getSystemService(Context.WIFI_SERVICE);
       wifi.setWifiEnabled(true); // true or false to activate/deactivate wifi
           }
       })
       .setNegativeButton("No", new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() {
           public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int id) {
                // Do Nothing or Whatever you want.
                dialog.cancel();
           }
       });
    AlertDialog alert = builder.create();
    alert.show();

Hope that helps. My goal here was to replicate the Bluetooth alert box somewhat.

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17 Aug PUERTO RICO'S STUDENTS FLED IN HURRICANE'S WAKE, MIAMI WELCOMED THEM
Posted at 20:43h in Blog	by	Betty Cortina-Weiss 0 Comments
In the midst of a crisis that looms larger than life, what seems minor can make a major difference.
Take, for instance, the Puerto Rico high school senior who, last fall, found herself attending Miami Edison Senior High School. One of the hundreds of students forced to evacuate hurricane-battered Puerto Rico and temporarily resettle in South Florida, she had to navigate a different school system, enroll in new classes, take state exams and submit college applications, all while trying to graduate on time. Add to that the more ordinary, but no less important, elements of being a student – the book bag, the quiet place to study, the pop quizzes – and it amounts to a nearly insurmountable challenge.
Enter Communities In Schools of Miami, a county-wide program that helps at-risk students stay in school and succeed in life. The local nonprofit stepped in to help meet the needs of some 50 student evacuees from Puerto Rico who landed in Miami-Dade County Public Schools after Hurricanes Irma and Maria swept through the island. "What we do is surround the children with support," said Elyssa Linares, president and CEO of Communities in Schools and a 2016-2017 Miami Leaders class member. "We look at them holistically, try to truly understand what they need, everything from little items like supplies to big stuff like meeting new academic requirements. We follow them and become their advocates."
The program is one of various initiatives and organizations that received grant dollars from the Knight Puerto Rico Fund for Hurricane Relocation, set up last year at The Miami Foundation to help Puerto Rico residents who came to South Florida, either permanently or temporarily, re-establish and rebuild their lives.
Last year's brutal hurricane season pummeled Puerto Rico. First came Hurricane Irma, which left 1 million people without power. Just two weeks later, Hurricane Maria plowed through, sinking the island and its 3.4 million inhabitants into an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. While 200,000 Puerto Ricans fled the U.S. territory and resettled on the mainland, an estimated 11,000 of those were students who transferred to a Florida public school, 600 in Greater Miami alone. "When we saw what was happening," Elyssa said, "we knew we had to do something."
Her organization moved quickly to secure funding to hire site coordinator Sharlene Castella to work one-on-one with each of the students arriving from Puerto Rico, making sure they got the help and attention they needed. "In some cases, the kids were here without their parents and staying with relatives," Sharlene explained. "It's a traumatic experience and they just need support." One of her biggest challenges, she said, was that senior who came to Miami Edison because. "We just had to make sure she got to graduation. We did not want her to fall behind."
They even helped her get to prom. "We helped her get her dress and her hair and make-up done," she said. "It's important…and she looked beautiful." The student not only graduated with a 4.0 GPA, she also nailed her SATs and got accepted to Miami Dade College's honors program.
Today, on the eve of the storms' one-year anniversary, most of the students from Puerto Rico who Communities In Schools helped have returned to the island – and to school. And that, says Sharlene, is what success looks like. "I consider them my children, all of our children. It's up to us to do the best we can to help them and love them," she said. "To get them all the tools they need." And when that happens, no storm can throw off their education.
Betty Cortina-Weiss is a Miami-based journalist, storyteller and content producer.
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Tax Preparation: What Estate Planning Attorneys Need to Know | training seminar events by NBI Inc.
This basic-to-intermediate level seminar is designed for attorneys. It may also benefit trustees, accountants and CPAs, personal representatives, and paralegals.
In the turmoil of the recent tax regulation, it's hard to keep clear sight of what all the changes mean to your clients right now and in the foreseeable future. This course offers the latest tax updates and combines the legal and taxation expertise to help you work more effectively with your fiduciaries in complying with the law and minimizing tax burdens. Register today!
Understand the reporting end of tax planning and learn to collaborate more effectively.
Analyze how TRA 2010 affects your practice and advise your clients on recent and coming changes.
Explore common attorney-fiduciary miscommunications that lead to flawed returns.
Take full advantage of available deductions and accurately reflect them in periodic tax returns.
Find out what documents best prove that generation has been skipped in GST tax reporting.
Learn what supporting documents tax preparers need for impeccable record-keeping and auditable returns.
Avoid tax planning mistakes that can lead to unfavorable tax allocation and/or trigger audits.
Walk through key steps of IRS appeals procedure and get tips for resolving tax disputes.
Current IRS Regulations – What Will 2013 Bring?
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TWO holidays will be celebrated at Dr. Cheryl Doyle's house in Brooklyn next week: Christmas, for her Christian roots, and Kwanzaa, a nonreligious cultural observance, to pay tribute to her African-American heritage.
Dr. Doyle, a pediatrician, said the Kwanzaa celebration was meant mostly for her and her husband, William Hilton, a psychologist. Christmas, she said is for their 5-year-old son, Glenn, who is not yet prepared to forsake traditions like Santa Claus bringing gifts to good little boys and little girls.
For years, black Americans have sought to reconcile what W. E. B. Du Bois called "two thoughts, two unrecognizable strivings, two warring ideals in one dark body." But a growing number of black Americans have found ways to merge the holidays, affirming their identities as Africans and Americans.
Kwanzaa began as an African-American alternative to Christmas observed primarily by black nationalists and it has gradually evolved into a holiday enjoyed in various degrees by about 13 million blacks.
Kwanzaa, Swahili for "first fruits," was initiated in 1966 by a civil-rights leader, Maulana Karenga, who is now a visiting lecturer at the University of California at Riverside. He is also the author of "The African-American Holiday of Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Family, Community and Culture" ( University of Sankore Press , 1989).
"The idea was for blacks to come together to celebrate their history and their culture and focus on values that would be beneficial in their development," said Subira Kifano, a spokeswoman for Dr. Karenga, who is traveling and unavailable for comment.
"There is no conflict in celebrating both Kwanzaa and Christmas," said Mrs. Kifano, vice chairwoman of the Us organization, which Dr. Karenga began in 1965 to provide cultural and educational services to blacks.
The holiday is a seven-day observance, Dec. 26 through Jan. 1, with feasts and the giving of simple gifts. Each day the celebrants light a red, black or green candle in a holder called the Kinara and interpret one of the Nguzo Saba, Kwanzaa's seven principles.
They include such values as collective work and responsibility (Ujima), creativity (Kuumba), faith (Imani) and unity (Umoja), as well as principles like self-determination (Kujichagulia), purpose (Nia) and cooperative economics (Ujamma), including the support of black-owned businesses.
In Celeste Morris's home in Brooklyn, Kwanzaa has shared a special place alongside Christmas for 12 years. Guests find a Christmas tree next to the Kinara and mantles and doorways adorned with red, black and green -- incorporating the colors of African nationalism and Christmas.
"We definitely had to come to terms with Kwanzaa," said Ms. Morris, the mother of a 21-year-old son and 16-year-old daughter. "It was easier when the kids were younger because they didn't really grasp the full meaning of the holidays. As they got older, they wanted Christmas. Kwanzaa was good food; Christmas was toys."
For years, many blacks felt that the only way they could be true to the spirit and principles of Kwanzaa was by abandoning all the trappings and traditions of Christmas. Those with children often gave up on the idea of observing Kwanzaa, convinced that it could not compete with Christmas and Santa Claus.
Still other blacks wanted to embrace a more Afrocentric way of life but were bothered by the holiday's militant beginnings and connotation.
"Kwanzaa had what I referred to as a 'culture club' connotation, that if you were not carrying a spear or had a bone through your nose, you weren't down," said Cedric McClester, author of "Kwanzaa: Everything You Always Wanted to Know but Didn't Know Where to Ask" ( Gumbs & Thomas Publishers, 1990). "A lot of blacks didn't want to get involved because they thought we were asking them to give up Christmas to celebrate some pagan African holiday."
Seven years ago, Mr. McClester, the spokesman for the New York Urban Coalition, began what became an annual series of Kwanzaa activities co-sponsored by his nonprofit service organization and the American Museum of Natural History. The observance, at the museum at 81st Street and Central Park West, attracted 85,000 people last December.
This year's program, scheduled for Dec. 27 and 28, includes music, other arts and a lecture exploring the significance of Kwanzaa.
Elsewhere, several urban agencies, schools, churches and community centers in various parts of the nation are holding Kwanzaa services.
The growing acceptance of Kwanzaa by individuals and institutions has made it more palatable to blacks of all ages and backgrounds. Indeed, more blacks are celebrating Kwanzaa at home with family and friends. Among new celebrants this year are G. Douglas Pugh, chairman of the New York State Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board, and his wife, Dr. Clementine Pugh, a retired college professor.
"I don't have any kind of confusion or ambivalence about it," Mr. Pugh said. "Our kids are grown and out of the way now. This will be our first Kwanzaa celebration and we're going to do it to death."
Mr. Pugh asked Paul deCroon, a jewelry designer, to make a special wreath, using Afrocentric materials, for the Pughs' Kwanzaa celebration at home in Riverdale, The Bronx.
The broad appeal of Kwanzaa is evident in other ways. Kwanzaa cards are now sold at major stationery stores. Catalogues carry the Kwanzaa symbols, from the Kinara to the Kikombe Cha Umoja, the communal unity cup, which is passed among celebrants to honor ancestors and promote the spirit of oneness. Coloring books, games, buttons and cards marking the holiday are sold at museums' gift shops -- the museum of natural history, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington and the Studio Museum in Harlem.
"I'm creating a character that will bridge the gap between Christmas and Kwanzaa," Mr. McClester said. Nia Umoja, his new character, is described as an ancient African storyteller whose spirit appears at harvest time. exhibiting traits similar to those of Santa Claus. He is kind and fond of children, and smiles favorably upon youngsters who adhere to the Kwanzaa principles. Such efforts are attracting more and more children to the celebration.
But with dual celebrations growing in popularity, long-time celebrants of Kwanzaa express concern that merging the holidays distorts the meaning of Kwanzaa.
"In the same way that Christmas can be overcommercialized, I believe Kwanzaa can be commercialized," said Martia Goodson, an instructor at Baruch College who has held a Kwanzaa celebration with her two children for seven seasons.
"Everybody's being black now and doing Kwanzaa," said her daughter, Jaime Goodson, a 15-year-old student at the Horace Mann School. "There will be those who will commercialize it and turn it into a fad. Once something becomes popular, everybody wants to cash in on it."
Jaime recalled a time when she and her brother, Malik, now 13, were "uncomfortable about losing Christmas." They say they are beyond that now. They have shed the ghosts of Christmas past: decorating the tree, hanging the stockings, staying up all night to see their gifts. In their dreams, they said, the spirits of Christmas future show a vision in which not only African-Americans but people of African descent throughout the world celebrate Kwanzaa.


Our concertina counters made one of their first appearances on the UK event scene and were a big hit amongst the attendees (and it's easy to see why from the photographs!) alongside our ghost chairs for the stage and vinyl branded hightowers with direction markers.
Owners, senior directors and managers from the Scottish meetings, incentives, conferences and conventions industry and supplier companies associated with these businesses were all in attendance and both Cameron Presentations and All Event Hire were there to assist with the audio visual, sound and furniture requirements that really elevated the event and gave it a modern twist.


It is highly recommended that observer band(s) are secured during your online registration process. Dupree Dance reserves the right to cut-off the sale of additional observer bands at any time.
A $25.00 observer band (pre-secured rate) is required for each observer age 7 and older in the Phaze 2, 3 & 4 Ballrooms. At-the-door observer bands will cost $35 and will be available for sale beginning at 8:30 AM on the first day of our event only if space permits. Phaze 1 Ballroom observer bands are free and will be provided by Dupree Dance (limit of 2 Phaze 1 bands per each registered Phaze 1 dancer) but also must be secured during the online registration process. The only time that Dupree Dance will not monitor for Observer Bands at each event is during our Kick Off, competition and also at the Dancers Showcase, Faculty Show and Scholarship Presentation on Sunday that begins between 2:30-3 PM. You can read more about our Observer Bands under the Convention Information page.
Teachers who do not wish to take classes at any time may choose to forego the teachers convention registration, but must secure a paid observer band for themselves in order to watch classes in the Phaze 2-4 rooms. Observer bands do NOT gain access to the Teachers ballroom at any time. Only registered Teachers and Assistant Teachers are permitted in the Teachers ballroom.


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text:
KNIGHT: Vote suppression, real and imagined
European observers to look in all the wrong places
By Robert Knight - The Washington Times - Friday, October 26, 2012
Did you know that the uberclean United Nations, whose blue-helmeted troops have been charged with everything from rape to theft in Third World countries, is going to have an affiliate help us run our elections?
That's right. Forty-four international observers will monitor America's Election Day on Nov. 6. On the bright side, that's at least 44 people who won't be busy undermining free speech by trying to stamp out anything remotely critical of Islam, such as Internet videos or cartoons. It won't stop Hillary Rodham Clinton, of course, but let's deal with one scold at a time.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights began monitoring U.S. elections in 2002. In March, several left-wing groups went to Geneva to complain to the UN that new state laws requiring photo IDs for registration or voting constitute "suppression" of minority voters. Complaining about America to the likes of Russia, China and Cuba over elections is like whining to Don Corleone over possible cheating in a poker game down at the firehouse.
Liberal activist charged in Capitol riot is released on house arrest
The NAACP, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) followed up the Geneva trip with a letter this month to OSCE, charging that there is "a coordinated political effort to disenfranchise millions of Americans."
The disenfranchisement and suppression themes are patently false. The U.S. Supreme Court dispatched those notions in no uncertain terms in 2008 when upholding Indiana's photo ID law. Minority voting actually increased in two elections following passage of Indiana's law and a similar one in Georgia.
In July of this year, the Heritage Foundation released a paper, "Lessons From the Voter ID Experience in Kansas," in which Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach reported that just 32 of the state's 1.7 million voters requested free IDs from the state so they could vote in this year's elections.
None of this has stopped liberals from chanting the suppression mantra loud enough to reach across to Switzerland, or at least to the U.N. headquarters on New York's Upper East Side, where America's sins edge out Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's anti-obesity edicts as the favored topic at wine-and-cheese parties.
Along with the suppression nonsense, prominent Democrats continue to insist that vote fraud is rare or nonexistent. This is the party, you understand, that runs Chicago's vote-rich graveyards and handed Al Franken a U.S. Senate seat in 2008 through multiple recounts in Minnesota that included ballots found in a car trunk.
If vote fraud is so rare, why is it that you can't watch or read the news each day without learning about a new incident?
In Virginia, conservative video sting artist James O'Keefe on Oct. 8 captured on tape Democratic U.S. Rep. James P. Moran's son Patrick Moran discussing with an undercover reporter ways to get around Virginia's new voter ID law. Within days of the video's release last week, Patrick Moran resigned as his father's field director.
Ironically, James Moran is one of three Virginia congressmen who signed an Oct. 23 letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. asking for an investigation of Strategic Allied Consulting and its subsidiary, Pinpoint, which has Republican clients and is being investigated in Florida for 200 counts of potential registration fraud.
Also in Florida, the FBI is investigating a series of letters sent to citizens in at least 23 counties advising them that they may be ineligible to vote. A Florida TV station opines that because the recipients are "mostly big-hitter Republicans," this may be Democratic payback for Republican Gov. Rick Scott's ongoing campaign to clean up the state's voter rolls.
Meanwhile, in Bridgeport, Conn., Mayor Bill Finch was caught on tape on Oct. 12 arguably boasting that he would guarantee Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Chris Murphy enough Bridgeport votes for Mr. Murphy to win in November:
Mr. Murphy: "Big turnout in Bridgeport?"
Mr. Finch, laughing: "Big turnout in Bridgeport, always, always. We may come in a couple of days late. But you can be guaranteed you're going to get the vote."
This might be dismissed as a joke if Mr. Finch, a Democrat, had not been at the center of an election storm in 2010. Bridgeport's vote totals "came in" three days after the election, reversing the statewide result in the governor's race.
Prior to Election Day in 2010, the media reported widespread "chaos" with ballot shortages because Bridgeport officials only ordered ballots for a third of the city's registered voters. Other election irregularities included "photocopied ballots, altered hours at polling places, a mysterious bag of votes and Mr. Finch's abuse of the city's emergency notification system to increase turnout on Election Day," according to the Weekly Standard.
So, when Mr. Finch jokes about vote fraud, it's time to stop the laugh track and send in investigators. To that end, American Civil Rights Union Chairman Susan A. Carleson wrote to Mr. Holder on Oct. 24, asking him to look into the Bridgeport situation:
"Recently, your department monitored polling places during elections in Florida and Wisconsin, as explained in an August 13, 2012 Justice Department press release: 'Each year, the Justice Department deploys hundreds of federal observers from Office of Personnel Management, as well as departmental staff, to monitor elections across the country.'
"In light of Bridgeport's history in the last election, and the nature of Mr. Finch's remarks, due diligence calls for the Voting Section of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division to make inquiries, and for the Department itself to monitor the voting process in Bridgeport from now until Election Day."
Given the sworn testimony from former Justice Department civil rights attorney J. Christian Adams that Justice Department employees have been told to ignore complaints from certain quarters, it will be instructive to see what kind of response Mr. Holder gives to the three congressmen — and to Mrs. Carleson, who is not holding her breath.
Inquiring men in blue helmets want to know.
Robert Knight is a senior fellow with the American Civil Rights Union and a columnist for The Washington Times.


Кунг-фу ( Стиль Змеи ).
Про Руфуса мало известно до событий Street Fighter IV, за исключением того, что он познакомился со своей девушкой Кэнди, побив официанта, который преследовал её. Это событие упоминается в победной фразе над Роуз: "Я никогда не забуду того, как впервые встретил свою девушку. Это был дождливый октябрьский день и я шёл домой с битвы. Внезапно, эта цыпочка появилась из ниоткуда и такая типа "Помогите!" Я подумал, что она не заплатила за еду и убежала. Что ж, я побил официанта, который гнался за ней. Руфус заинтересовался в боевых искусствах после того, как посмотрел много фильмов про кунг-фу в детстве, что побудило его к путешествию на мотоцикле по Китаю, где он обучался у разных мастеров. Также известно, что он является легендой мира байкеров, но это не сильно его волнует.
После прочтения заметки о том, что Кен стал обладателем титула лучшего бойца Америки, Руфуса поразил шок. Кэнди предложила ему победить Кена перед зрителями, чтобы показать, кто лучший.
Во время пути на турнир, Руфус и Кэнди едут через пустынные земли и он задумывается, правильной дороги ли он придерживается и решает, что Кен должно быть заблудился. Все же он каким-то образом находит место проведения турнира и Кена. Исход битвы неизвестен. После Руфус и Кенди покидают турнир, обгоняя Кена и Рю. Но у них кончается бензин и им приходится толкать мотоцикл. Позже Кен догоняет парочку и предлагает подбросить их. Руфус отклоняет помощь Кена, сказав, что толкание мотоцикла - часть его тренировок. К счастью они добираются до заправки. Из-за сильной жары Кэнди предлагает Руфусу ехать на северный полюс, с чем он соглашается.
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Rufus (ルーファス, Ruufasu?) is a video game character from the Street Fighter series, first appearing in Street Fighter IV. He is an obese American kung-fu fighter and self-professed rival to Ken Masters, despite the latter's unfamilarity with him.
Rufus' concept art was a complete opposite from his final. Designed by Daigo Ikeno, one of his original concept artworks (as seen in his gallery) had him as African-American, thin, muscular, and bald. He also had a sense of fashion, as he was drawn with a furred karate Gi (which would later be used for Ken as his alternate costume), and his name was originally King Cobra.
His fighting style was intended to be "breakung-fu", mixing elements of kung fu with breakdancing, which the Street Fighter IV development team perceived as a fad in the United States at the time, and Ikeno developed the character's concept around it. Midway through the process of recording the character's lines, however, art director Takashi Kamei proposed that they have the character be overweight, an idea Ikeno agreed with.
As a result, Rufus was gradually changed completely, becoming more obese and turned into a blonde, long-haired white male, a design which Ikeno later admitted was in fact rushed. Rufus's final appearance was chosen over his initial design because the developers felt he would "freak people out". Street Fighter IVs executive producer Yoshinori Ono likened his inclusion to that of Blanka in Street Fighter II, noting that Rufus' "over-the-top" design was intended to help set the game apart from the "really cool-looking but ultimately bland" characters of Tekken and Virtua Fighter.
The final concept art of Rufus seems to be inspired by Chris Farley's caricature in "Beverly Hills Ninja" and Bruce Lee's yellow jumpsuit from "The Game of Death". His overall appearance and concept (that of an overweight guy with long, blond hair, a beard and a love for motorcycles) could've been inspired by Michael Teutul from the reality show "American Chopper". One of Rufus' concept drawings in Street Fighter IV shows him with his hair down, bearing quite a resemblance to Michael's appearance. Another possible inspiration could have been MMA fighter Roy "Big Country" Nelson, who is also a trained American kung fu fighter known for his long hair, beard and a big belly.
Similar to how Dan is a parody of Ryo from SNK's Art of Fighting series, Rufus seems to be similar to Bob from Namco's Tekken series, a point emphasized in Street Fighter X Tekken (explained below). Both are obese American martial artists with blond hair, have small amounts of facial hair, are incredibly fast for their size, have similar move sets and each a master of their respective fighting styles (self-taught kung-fu based on Snake style in the case of Rufus, freestyle karate in the case of Bob). Rufus' Messiah Kick and its mix up properties are exactly the same as one of Bob's attacks. However, their personalities are opposites, as Rufus is an opprobrious, aggressive, and impatient man who just wants to show America he is the best, while Bob is calm, serious, and thoughtful, and intentionally put on weight. In Tekken 7: Fated Retribution, Bob's Rage Art has a slight resemblance to Rufus' Ultra Combo attack Space Opera Symphony.
When asked about comparisons between Rufus and Bob, Ono emphasized that the characters were different in many regards and while Bob represented a "cool fat guy", Rufus represented a "weird fat guy".
Rufus's basic appearance is that of a tall, fat man with blond hair in a yellow and black jumpsuit and black short-necked combat boots.
For Super Street Fighter IV, a third outfit intended to resemble the Chinese Jiang Shi was included, consisting of a long Chinese robe, black hat with his ponytail extruding from the top, yellow and black striped pants, and a yellow strip of paper meant to represent a sealing charm extending from the front of the hat and over his face.
The developers considered to have the charm able to be knocked off by an opponent's attacks, and as a result alter his attack patterns and power; however, they felt this overcomplicated the character, and instead abandoned the idea. Assistant producer Natsuki Shiozawa cited the outfit as one of her five favorites in the game, feeling that design suited his body well.
In his Street Fighter V profile art, the colors of his outfit are switched (black and yellow), he has orange goggles on his head and yellow gloves.
Rufus is a loudmouthed, vituperative, and temperamental master of Kung-Fu, hailing from the U.S. Believing himself to be the strongest in America, he develops a personal hatred for Ken Masters, who carries that title officially. He notably tends to call Ken by his full name. He is often seen riding his motorcycle with his girlfriend, Candy, an attractive (but not very bright) brunnette woman with a notably tacky fashion sense who seems to adore him and agree with his beliefs. Rufus is very combative, destructive, forceful, hasty, impatient, cantankerous, and quarrelsome, constantly jumping to conclusions to reach a goal, which often results in him sacrificing accuracy for speed. Rufus can be seen as Guile's opposite in representing Americans: albeit both display very muscular builds, Guile is generally more intelligent, delighted, certain, positive, patriotic, satisfying, trustworthy, enthusiastic, chivalrous, and athletic, while Rufus is loud, obnoxious, and argumentative.
Rufus is prone to loudmouthed rambling, often spouting off at the mouth continuously until someone cuts him off. Said rambling is usually about trivial things he notices about the characters, doting over Candy, giving random anecdotes, or mistaking several members of the cast for Ken Masters (including Cammy, Guile and Ryu). In fact, his win quotes are so long they're normally impossible to read completely before the game transitions to the next screen. He's also prone to saying whatever random thoughts come to his mind, regardless of how rude they are (i.e. asking Dhalsim if he is an alien because of his Yoga power, and then giving his personal view of aliens before Dhalsim cuts him off). Most of the other fighters object to his constant talking whenever they defeat him, with some people getting annoyed of how much he speaks (i.e. Fei Long says: "No need for words. In fact, shut up already, will ya?").
Despite his goofy appearance and personality, he is a highly skilled and influential master of Kung-Fu, which even surprises several of the other characters. In fact, he actually gives some good advice to Fei Long in his win quote about being more calm and stoic in his movements while using Kung Fu instead of shouting with flashy moves (not that he practices it that much himself). He also seems to know quite a bit about sumo wrestling rules, and not just stereotypical rules, as he is the only one that actively points out that sumo is done in the ring, and what E. Honda is doing is against sumo code.
Rufus also attributes his skills and fighting prowess to 'Mojo' and 'Charisma', two things he believes are required of a good fighter and that he claims to have ample of. His intelligence is questionable because of his odd conclusions that he is quick to jump to; additionally, Rufus has a terrible sense of direction, but always somehow reaches his destinations regardless as seen with him reaching both the South and North Pole ("I can be both on the top and the bottom of the world!"). In spite of this, he does have good instincts and insights, making him akin to a boastful but well-meaning fellow: many of his compliments in his win quotes are based on qualities he believes he has that he sees others have too, such as Zangief (the closest thing to a friend he has).
Rufus has a loud mouth and rude attitude, and therefore, he does not have many friends.
Rufus despises Ken because he is listed as America's Best Fighter. He and Ken run into each other and fight, but he is defeated. Rufus has a tendency to blame his misfortunes on Ken.
After seeing Dhalsim float doing yoga, they fight due to a misunderstanding with Rufus presuming he is an alien and Dhalsim resigning himself to a match to move ahead without further distractions. Rufus is the only person to make Dhalsim visibly annoyed.
After Rufus meets Dee Jay, he assumes Dee Jay wants to be his new apprentice and fights to test him.
Dudley stated that Rufus' loud mouth insulted his gentlemen status.
Not much is known about Rufus' past before the events of Street Fighter IV, except that he met his girlfriend Candy by beating up a waiter who was chasing her. Rufus describes this event in a win quote to Rose; "I'll never forget when I first met my girl. It was a rainy day in October and I was on my way home from a fight. Suddenly, this chick came outta nowhere an' was all like 'Help!' I guess she pulled a dine an' dash, so I beat up the waiter that was chasin' her!".
Rufus first became interested in martial arts after seeing an abundance of kung-fu flicks in his youth; this prompted him to take correspondence courses, and later ride his motorcycle around China, studying under various masters. Also, Rufus is apparently a legend in the biker world, a fact he feels indifferent about.
After reading an article praising Ken's status as America's best fighter, Rufus is, naturally, insulted. Candy suggests that he defeat Ken in front of an audience, making it clear who the best is. Rufus smiles and accepts his girlfriend's suggestion. He eventually finds the tournament and Ken, although the results of the fight are unknown. It is likely that Ken won the fight.
After the tournament, Rufus and Candy zoom past Ken and Ryu in the wasteland, stopping briefly for an insult. Not too long after, however, he's seen pushing his motorcycle, as it's run out of gas. Ken rolls up to him in his stylish SUV with Candy's hat, offering a tow. Rufus proudly turns the offer down, stating that the pushing was part of his training. Ken shrugs it off and drives away. Candy offers to help push, but Rufus insists that she stay put, cursing Ken for his misfortune.
On their way to the tournament, Rufus and Candy ride through a wasteland with very little signs of life. Rufus wonders whether he's headed the right way, and decides that Ken must have somehow set him astray.
Rufus and Candy eventually reach a gas station, where Candy gets the attendant to fill the bike while Rufus cools off by emptying an entire tank of water upon himself. Setting out on the road again, Rufus asks Candy where they should go next. Candy suggests that since they're far too hot in this desert, they should head for the North Pole. Rufus enthusiastically agrees.
Rufus appeared in UDON's Street Fighter IV comic which focus on the game's newcomers (himself included).
Rufus appears as a playable character in Street Fighter X Tekken. His tag partner is Zangief.
In one of the game's trailers, Rufus and Bob meet in a bathroom in one of Marshall Law's restaurants, with Rufus mistaking Bob for Ken, starting a fight between the two. As they fight, their tag partners, Zangief and Julia respectively, are attempting to enjoy a meal despite the intrusiveness of the brawl. At one point, Rufus is trapped in a barrel, which Bob capitalizes on by throwing plates at him, eventually sending the barreled Rufus flying. While in midair, he passes by Ken and Ryu, who are coincidentally eating on the roof.
In the game's storyline, after having apparently gone to the North Pole with Candy, Rufus enters the North American Martial Arts tournament and wins. Unfortunately for Rufus, the media's attention was solely placed on Pandora, a mysterious fragment from outer space that landed in the South Pole. Because of this, Rufus' victory was largely ignored, which infuriated him to no end. Zangief, who was given a mission by his motherland to search for the box, needed a strong partner to go with him, so he called out to Rufus, who agrees because he wanted to put the box behind him and everyone else. They set off, with him dubbing their duo "The Space Cyclones".
During their journey, Rufus and Zangief encounter Julia and Bob. Because of Bob's blonde hair, Rufus mistakenly believes him to be Ken Masters. A confused Zangief corrects him, and points out Bob is far too overweight to be Ken Masters. As Rufus and Zangief discuss amongst each other, Bob and Julia overhear them, and challenge them to a fight.
After fighting their way to the South Pole, Rufus and Zangief at last reach Pandora's Box. Suddenly, a light flashes from the box and coats the heavyweight duo leaving them confused until a blinding flash occurs that mysteriously strips them of all their girth. Rendered skinny and weightless, the two fighters cry out in despair. This ending mirrors Bob's ending in Tekken 6, where he loses his weight and becomes skinny under mysterious conditions.
Returning home, Rufus feared Candy would no longer be able to recognize him in his skinny body; to his surprise, she did, and thought him to be even cooler because of his sleeker look. With the knowledge that Candy will always love him, Rufus calls up a depressed Zangief and gives him an offer to train together and rebuild their beloved bodies. His drive invigorated, Rufus returns to training for the title as best in the world.
Throughout the years, Rufus has managed to create his own style of kung-fu; despite his rotund shape, it is surprisingly effective. It is revealed from one of his win quotes that his technique stems from years of studying various kung-fu books and movies, as well as many years of studying in China, reinforcing what he had taught himself. His fighting style takes advantage of his extreme weight, strength, and surprising agility. Despite his devastating ability, it seems that he has not yet gained the respect of his peers: Ryu, for example, considers his style "interesting, but too flashy to be effective".
Rufus is a heavily offensive rushdown character with high stamina, high-damaging combos, and above-average mobility. His special attacks can be used to overcome his lack of range, as some of them can bypass enemy projectiles and close the distance between Rufus and his opponents. Though his normal attacks also have decent range, they lack power, and Rufus players may find themselves in trouble against similarly built characters with better attack reach, among others. Despite appearing easy to pick up, his dive-based mix-up game, combined with the combo/comeback potential of his first Ultra Combo, make him tough (but worthwhile) to master.
Rufus' command normals include the diving Falcon Kick, the powerful Fragrance Palm, the tricky Glory Kick, and the Vulture Kick.
Rufus also possesses the Galactic Tornado, a spinning palm strike that can bypass projectiles and draw foes closer. His Messiah Kick is an overhead kick that provides followups with varied height and startup. The Snake Strike gives Rufus an anti-air option that can be used to score several hits.
Rufus' Super Combo is the Spectacle Romance, a three-hit combo that finishes with a double-palm strike. His first Ultra Combo, the Space Opera Symphony, is a combo of strikes that launches a foe and finishes off with a double-palm strike to the airborne foe's back. His second Ultra Combo, the Big Bang Typhoon, is a powerful Galactic Tornado that can draw foes into a multi-hitting storm of strikes.
According to the Super Street Fighter IV blog, Rufus was born on July 30, and one of his special skills is karaoke.
Rufus also shares the same birthday as Laura.
Rufus is one of the eleven playable Street Fighter characters who are in a romantic relationship or are married.
Rose's winquote against Rufus also states that he "is destined to be with Candy".
Wyzen, a character from Capcom's 3D action beat em' up game Asura's Wrath, shares some similarities with Rufus, possessing a similar bodybuild and tendencies to talk a lot.
Out of all the other characters, Rufus has the longest Super Street Fighter IV prologue in arcade mode; spanning over two minutes. This is due to his talkative nature, prolonging the duration.
Strangely enough, despite wearing a gi, Akuma isn't one of the many characters Rufus mistakes for Ken.
In the parody fighting game Divekick, a character named "Mr. N" is a parody of Rufus.
Apparently, Candy likes Rufus' big stomach. This is heard in one of his win-quotes.
Про Руфуса мало известно до событий Street Fighter IV, за исключением того, что он познакомился со своей девушкой Кэнди, побив официанта, который преследовал её. Это событие упоминается в победной фразе над Роуз: "Я никогда не забуду того, как впервые встретил свою девушку. Это был дождливый октябрьский день и я шёл домой с битвы. Внезапно, эта цыпочка появилась из неоткуда и такая типа "Помогите!" Я подумал, что она не заплатила за еду и убежала. Что ж, я побил официанта, который гнался за ней. Руфус заинтересовался в боевых искусствах после того, как посмотрел много фильмов про кунг-фу в детстве, что побудило его к путешествию на мотоцикле по Китаю, где он обучался у разных мастеров. Также известно, что он является легендой мира байкеров, но это не сильно его волнует.
Руфус очень силен. У него есть множество способов засетапить свою чрезвычайно дамаговую ультру. Он очень быстрый и является одним из самых лучших атакующих персонажей в игре. Плюс ко всему у него есть пара хороших защитных опций. Возможно толстяк немного и уступает самым сильным персонажам в игре, но в прямых руках он определённо опасен.
У этого приёма есть 3 продолжения, lk - сальто (джагл), mk — подсечка, hk — оверхед. Для выполнения фоллоуапа (продолжения) следует просто нажать соответствующую кнопку в конце удара.
Комбится только сальто, у двух других версий слишком большой стартап, однако они образуют довольно таки неплохой хай/лоу миксап.
После сальто можно выйти на ультру с помощью FADC.
Отличается от обычной версии количеством хитов и долгим инвулом на стартапе. Один из немногих способов встать.
Очень полезный приём, т.к. им вы можете ломать атаку противника и к тому же сетапить ультру.
Во время этого приёма Руфус крутится вокруг своей оси несколько раз и в конце бьёт рукой.
На блоке сейф. Так же этот приём поглощает фаерболы.
Если во время выполнения средней и сильной версии наживать вперёд, то Руфус будет двигаться к противнику пока не отпустите кнопку.
Эта версия удара засасывает/притягивает противника, так что попасть по нему становится значительно легче.
В прыжке Руфус бьёт много много раз. Наносит приличный дамаг.
Можно использовать в качестве анти эйра.
НАМНОГО более дамаговая версия приёма. Противник подумает дважды, прежде чем прыгнуть, если у вас есть метр.
Комбится из огромного множества ударов (Торнадо, cr.lp cr.lk и т.д.), но хорошие игроки никогда не используют её, т.к. предпочитают сохранять метр для ex.ss и FADC.
Ульра входит после Галактик Торнадо (в углу), а так же ещё кучи других приёмов и сетапов.
Наносит приличный урон, в том числе и по блоку, имеет свойство притягивать/засасывать протиника, так что можно использовать как АА.
Хорошая ультра, однако в сравнении с первой проигрывает (из-за большого количества сетапов), так что большинство игроков предпочитают брать У1.
Хорошая пока. Быстрая и далёкая. Может перебивать начисто некоторые штуки вроде бланкаболла.
Ещё один лаунчер после которого можно комбить Ультрой. Делать только на дальнем рейндже, вблизи лучше юзать таргет комбо.
На удивление хороший АА — коих у Руфуса очень мало. Если вы предугадаете противника и будете находится в нужном месте, то сможете его сбить.
Основной инструмент футсиса, чтобы держать оппонента подальше от себя. Можно комбить в ЕХ торнадо.
Очень важный удар против игроков, которые не любят прыгать, а предпочитая вести бой на земле, т.к. вы можете их нормально закомбить с помощью дайв кика. Именно благодаря этому удару Руфус обладает поистине сильной прессинг игрой. Дайв кик весьма тяжело сбить, из-за чего Руфус может уже на средней дистанции начинать действовать противнику на нервы. Этот мув можно выполнять над сразу землей. Прессинг становится ещё опаснее, если миксовать дайвкик с фрейм трапами, бросками и прочими миксапами. Старайтесь попасть как можно ниже во врага, в таком случае будет проще продолжать комбу и безопаснее на блоке. Не оверхед.