Diablo 3

Diablo III is an action role-playing game similar in style to its predecessor, Diablo II. The proprietary engine will incorporate Havok physics and feature destructible environments with an in-game damage effect. The developers are aiming to make the game run on a wide range of systems, and have stated that DirectX 10 will not be required. Diablo III will use a custom 3D game engine in order to present an overhead view to the player, in a somewhat similar way to the isometric view used in previous games in the series. Enemies will utilize the 3D environment as well, in ways such as crawling up the side of a wall from the depths into the combat area.

As in Diablo II, multiplayer games will be possible using Blizzard's Battle.net service, with many of the new features being developed for StarCraft II also available in Diablo III.Players will be able to drop in and out of sessions of co-operative play with others.

An enhanced quest system, a random level generator, and a random encounter generator are slated for use in order to ensure the game provides different experiences when replayed. Overall, the game will include both static and randomly generated levels. Additionally, there will be class-specific quests to go along with the main storyline quests.

Story

The game takes place in Sanctuary, the dark fantasy world of the Diablo series. This world was saved twenty years prior by a handful of unnamed heroes in Diablo II. Warriors that survived the onslaught of the armies of the Burning Hells have gone mad from their ordeals, and it is up to a new generation of heroes to face the forces of evil threatening the world of Sanctuary. Players will have the opportunity to explore familiar settings such as Tristram.

The only confirmed NPC is Deckard Cain, who has appeared in both of the previous games. Cain's journal on the official site brings players up to speed on the events of the first two games.

World's First Computer Rebuilt, Rebooted After 2,000 Years

A British museum curator has built a working replica of a 2,000-year-old Greek machine that has been called the world's first computer.

A dictionary-size assemblage of 37 interlocking dials crafted with the precision and complexity of a 19th-century Swiss clock, the Antikythera mechanism was used for modeling and predicting the movements of the heavenly bodies as well as the dates and locations of upcoming Olympic games.

The original 81 shards of the Antikythera were recovered from under the sea (near the Greek island of Antikythera) in 1902, rusted and clumped together in a nearly indecipherable mass. Scientists dated it to 150 B.C. Such craftsmanship wouldn't be seen for another 1,000 years — but its purpose was a mystery for decades.

Many scientists have worked since the 1950s to piece together the story, with the help of some very sophisticated imaging technology in recent years, including X-ray and gamma-ray imaging and 3-D computer modeling.

Now, though, it has been rebuilt. As is almost always the way with these things, it was an amateur who cracked it. Michael Wright, a former curator at the Science Museum in London, has built a replica of the Antikythera, which works perfectly.

In the video from New Scientist below, Wright shows how the machine works.

In short, Antikythera's user interface is deceptively simple, operated by a simple knob on the side. This conceals the intricacy within, amounting to a complex mathematical model, tracking the movements of planetary bodies and incorporating a series of submechanisms to account for the eccentricities of their rotation.

A dial on the faceplace featured the Greek zodiac and an Egyptian calendar; pointers showed the location of the moon and the five planets known at the time. On the machine's back, an upper dial shows a 19-year calendar (matching the solunar cycle) and the timing of upcoming Olympic games. A lower dial shows a 76-year cycle (when the Olympic and solunar cycles coincide) and indicates the months in which lunar and solar eclipses can be expected.

According to New Scientist, this is the first working model of the Antikythera computer to include all of the device's known features. And, like the original machine, it has been built of recycled metal plates. That's right: The Antikythera mechanism is not only the world's oldest computer, it's also the world's first green computer.

Antikythera: A 2,000-year-old Greek computer comes back to life

Banned Commercials

Supposedly the most expensive commercial ever made

(the commercial of Pepsi)

the only funny FedEx commercial ever

(the commercial of FedEx)

Funny Commercial

(Milwaukee Heavy Duty)

Swing Spontex Commercial

Hymenoplasty

Hymenoplasty

This article on hymenoplasty (reconstruction of the hymen) appeared in the Wall Street Journal. Written by Amy Chozick.

Virgin Territory:
U.S. Women Seek A Second First Time

Hymen Surgery Is on the Rise
And Drawing Criticism;
A Radio Station Giveaway

(Dec. 15, 2005) -- For her 17th wedding anniversary, Jeanette Yarborough wanted to do something special for her husband. In addition to planning a hotel getaway for the weekend, Ms. Yarborough paid a surgeon $5,000 to reattach her hymen, making her appear to be a virgin again.

"It's the ultimate gift for the man who has everything," says Ms. Yarborough, 40 years old, a medical assistant from San Antonio. (Ms. Yarborough is a patient of Dr. Hailparn's. Watch Ms. Yarborough, her husband, another patient and Dr. Hailparn discuss hymenoplasty, labioplasty and laser vaginal rejuvenation.

Hymenoplasty, a controversial medical procedure known mostly for its prevalence in the Middle East and Latin America, is becoming popular in the U.S. Although there are no hard data, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons says vaginal surgery, including hymenoplasty, is one of the industry's fastest-growing segments. Gynecologists are marketing hymenoplasty in magazines, local newspapers and online. They report business is booming.

Restoring innocence this way has sparked criticism. Religious groups that value abstinence until marriage say hymen repair is a deception. Some feminists liken hymenoplasty to female genital mutilation. In addition, hymen repair, unlike other types of reconstructive surgery, isn't taught in medical residencies. Some medical associations worry that surgeons might be improperly trained.

Ridgewood Health and Beauty Center, a spa and cosmetic-surgery center in the New York City borough of Queens does "Revirgination". To promote the procedure, the center's owner, Cuban-born Esmeralda Vanegas, has given away hymenoplasties on a Spanish-language radio station. She also promotes them in her eponymous magazine, Esmeralda.

Ms. Vanegas isn't a doctor and doesn't perform the procedure. Instead, she leases space to five plastic surgeons. Luis Palma, a doctor at Ridgewood, went to medical school in his native Argentina and was a resident at the Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, Mass., among other places. Dr. Palma says he performs about five hymen repairs a month at Ridgewood, almost double the number of five years ago.

Ms. Vanegas says many of her patients risk disgracing their families if they're not virgins on their wedding night. Many are Latin American immigrants. "Losing your virginity is like losing a member of your family," Ms. Vanegas says. "We can make it seem like nothing ever happened."

Marco Pelosi II, an obstetrician and gynecologist in Bayonne, N.J., has been performing hymen repair since 1975 but started marketing the procedure only a year and a half ago. He now performs up to 10 repairs a month, compared with just two annually a decade ago.

"No one used to talk about it, but that's changing," Dr. Pelosi says. "Really, it's not like a heart transplant -- it's like a very simple procedure."

Dr. Pelosi says an increasing number of patients are trying to "improve their sex lives" by combining hymen repair with an operation to tighten their vaginas. He says one patient did it to surprise her husband on a second-honeymoon cruise. Another patient, a 51-year-old Manhattan attorney and mother of three, had him reattach her hymen and tighten her vaginal walls in 2003. "I thought it would add that extra sparkle to our marriage," says the woman.

Named after Hymen, the Greek god of marriage, the vaginal membrane has since primitive times been a marker of virginity, even though it can be ruptured by nonsexual activity, such as athletics. At one time, a bride's intact hymen was considered the only way to be certain about the paternity of any ensuing children. A small number of traditional cultures still require brides' hymens to be examined.

Hymen repair has just as long a history, says June Reinisch, director emeritus at the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction in Bloomington, Ind. Ms. Reinisch says midwives used to disguise a broken hymen with a needle and thread, sometimes using membrane material from goats and other animals.

The modern version of hymenoplasty requires a local anesthetic and no hospitalization. A doctor uses dissolvable stitches to reconnect the skin membrane that once partially covered the opening to the vagina. Intercourse will tear the membrane causing pain and bleeding.

Recovery from hymen surgery takes about six weeks. The risk of fever and infection is low, says V. Leroy Young, a St. Louis plastic surgeon who also heads the American Society of Plastic Surgeons' emerging-trends task force.

On the other hand, Dr. Young says, "it's a pretty expensive thing to do for one night."

Once reserved for problems such as injuries related to childbirth, vaginal surgery is now being used for cosmetic purposes, as well as to avoid social disgrace. Women can even redesign the look of their private parts. It's part of the overall boom in the plastic-surgery business. Last year, 9.2 million cosmetic procedures were performed in the U.S., 24% more than in 2000, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Troy Robbin Hailparn, an obstetrician and gynecologist, advertises vaginal cosmetic surgery on 23 billboards around San Antonio. Edward Jacobson, a Greenwich, Conn., OB-GYN, offers vaginal-makeover packages for international patients that include airfare, limousine travel and hotel accommodation. Dr. Jacobson says he has advertised in Glamour, Harper's Bazaar and Allure magazines. Last year, David Matlock, an OB-GYN in Los Angeles, discussed his "Laser Vaginal Rejuvenation" practice on "Dr. 90210," a reality show on the E! cable network.

The ethics committee of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, concerned about the marketing of revirgination, sent a letter to several cosmetic gynecologists in June 2004 voicing its unease. The college, which hasn't taken a formal position on the matter, said it worried that doctors may not be able to fully inform their patients about the procedure because it doesn't appear in the medical literature.

Thomas G. Stovall, a recent president of the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons, a top professional body, says "hymen repair is a totally bogus procedure." In general, he says, surgery marketed to improve one's sex life rarely works. As for hymen replacement, "most importantly, it doesn't make you a virgin again."

A 26-year-old Latin American woman who lives in New York's Queens had a hymen repair in 2001 and says it took almost two months for her to feel comfortable again. It took even longer for her to enjoy sex.

The married mother of two says she's glad she had the surgery nonetheless. She says her husband wanted to experience intercourse with a virgin. "If a woman isn't a virgin when she gets married, a man can always put her down for that," says the woman, who does part-time clerical work for Ms. Vanegas's Ridgewood clinic.

Such attitudes irk feminists, who say hymen repair is a manifestation of bigger social pressures that keep women subservient to men. "It comes with a whole set of norms of a macho culture," says Silvana Paternostro, Colombian-born author of "In the Land of God and Man: Confronting Our Sexual Culture."

Devout Roman Catholics prize virginity because sex before marriage is a sin. Hymen replacement is "misleading and misguided," says Kathleen Raviele, vice president of the Catholic Medical Association in Needham, Mass., and a gynecologist. "The best thing is to remain chaste until marriage and then have that genuine experience on your wedding night."

For many Muslims, sexual purity is a way of maintaining the sanctity of the family. But Islamic law also prohibits lying and frivolous cosmetic surgery, says Uzma Mazhar, a St. Louis psychotherapist known for her Web site, CrescentLife.com, which provides Islamic perspectives on Western issues.

"What people forget is that Islam teaches us to be honest and fair," Ms. Mazhar says. "A family should think about this before they present a woman as a virgin when she's not."

Ridgewood's Ms. Vanegas concedes her business is based on deception. But she says hymen repair is no different than other cosmetic procedures -- from waxing to Botox injections -- that women use to impress men.

"I'm a feminist," Ms. Vanegas says, "but there's a need for this and someone has to provide it."

Your Guide to the Archangels.

An angel can be your best friend. Angels have been known respond to prayers that contain the phrase "Hey, somebody, anybody up there HELP!!!" but they come quickest when addressed politely by their Christian names. Like a friend, as opposed to a servant, an angel also doesn't like to be bossed around. Angels are to be treated like guests who are invited into your heart...like most guests they tend to leave or ignore environments that are filled with aggression, anxiety anger and hostility. So before you call on an angel, it is important to meditate, and picture your own heart as a soft, tender and heavenly place ... a place you'd want to visit if you were a astral being. So before you call on an angel to do you a favour, it is important to meditate and maybe light a candle that is attractive to that particular being. So the first thing you must do, when you call upon an angel, is prepare your heart to receive its presence. Speak the angel's name out loud. Talk to the angel like you would a treasured friend .. not like a withholding parent or an evil fairy that won't grant your wish. Don't demand immediate gratification and don't be so rude as to interrupt if you start to hear a message. If you are silent, respectful, fervent and loving, an angel will always give you the answer you need to solve your problem. You wouldn't ask a plumber to fix your car, so it is important to know which archangel is best at fixing which kind of problem. Each angel has a job, and exist on astral planes that correspond to different light rays. Make your request specific, and visualize what you would like if you can, but don't be attached to the outcome. Angels are agents of the Lord and like God, they work in mysterious ways...

Here is the list of the Seven Archangels,their functions and corresponding light rays:

The Archangel Michael is the Angel of Protection and corresponds to the colour blue.Practically, you can ask him and his legions for protection from any kind of physical danger, accidents and attacks of all kinds including traffic accidents, stalkers, robbers, as well as protection from astral attacks, witchcraft and the evil eye. Spiritually he can help restore your faith in God and free you from fear and self-doubt. He also protects soldiers and the leaders of government.

The Archangel Jophiel is the Angel of Illumination and corresponds to the colour yellow.This angel can help free you and loved ones from addictions, improve your memory, help you pass tests and retain information and knowledge. Spiritually he can help you connect with your higher self and show you the way when it comes to make difficult decisions. This is the angel who exposes secrets and lies and helps fight pollution on the planet.

The Archangel Chamuel is the Angel of Love and corresponds to the colour pink.
This is the angel of compassion, mercy, forgiveness and understanding. This angel helps you repair damaged relationships and make new friends. Pray to this angel if you need to find a lost object or find a new job. Chamuel's pink ray can also help dissolve feelings of self-condemnation, guilt and low self esteem.

The Archangel Gabriel is the Angel of Guidance and corresponds to the colour white.
This angel can help you organize and streamline your life, as well as provide you with advice to your education and career. This is also the angel you pray to if you need a item for your home, such as a stove or a fridge. Spiritually, Gabriel helps you find your life purpose and replaces feelings of discouragement with joy and fulfilment.

The Archangel Raphael is the Angel of Healing and corresponds to the colour green.
Raphael is responsible for the healing of body, mind, soul and spirit and can help put your daily bread on the table. Pray to Raphael when you are in need of clothing, food or shelter. Raphael can also help your doctor make the right decision and aspiring musicians make beautiful music. Spiritually, this angel repairs broken spirits and helps you accept the truth.

The Archangel Uriel is the Angel of Peace and corresponds to the colours purple and gold.
Uriel resolves all problems in personal, social and professional relationships and helps to create harmony in your life. He is the angel of nurses, doctors, counsellors and teachers. He can help you to let go -- of bitterness and resentments. He renews hope in hearts that have lost faith. He is also the angel who manifests divine justice in courtrooms.

How to Prevent Computer Viruses

A computer virus can wipe out everything you've worked hard for including your identity. We pay thousands of dollars a year in insurance to protect us, our home, our cars and even kids. But how many of us take the easy steps to protect all of those things by protecting our computer.

Things You’ll Need:

• Computer
• Internet Connection
• Patience
• Willingness to Learn

Step1

Realize how important your computer is! Remember that everything about you is probably on your computer. If you access your bank account online, pay bills online, buy things online, e-mail people, or download anything you are at risk. Should you stop using the Internet, of course not, just realize how much of your life could be exposed if you don’t protect it.

Step2

What happens if you get a virus! Some viruses are relatively harmless they just make pop-up ads appear and slow down your computer. Others can “hijack” your computer and use it for illegal activities like hacking, spamming, or even identity theft.

Step3

Learn how to use the Internet Safely! The internet is an unbelievable tool that can really make your life a lot easier especially if you use it safely. Make sure you not to download anything from any website you don’t know and trust. Do not open e-mail attachments from people you don’t know and be careful even if it is someone you know. If there computer was taken over they could send the virus to you. Don’t put disks or thumb drives into your computer if you not positive they won’t have viruses. Also not all “anti-virus” programs are safe make sure you research them(Google them and look for reviews). Some "anit-virus" programs are just basically viruses hidden in a nice package.

Step4

Just to make this sink home here is an example of what can happen. Jon was looking for a particular video of the newest RVs. He found one that looked good, but it wouldn’t display unless he downloaded an “Active X” file, this had happened before so he downloaded it. The video never worked and an hour later his internet speed plummeted. Anytime he went to any site it wouldn't load. He ran virus scan after virus scan and everything showed clean. He happened to use his laptop to check his bank account and it said his account was locked from failed password attempts. Now he was really scared so he started getting more virus programs and basically 3 days later for 4 additional “virus” programs he got it cleaned up. Meanwhile he lost not only potential money from being able to use his computer, but also all those hours of his life.

Step5

Prevention – OS Updates – One way to protect your computer is to make sure your operating system has the latest updates. The manufacturer of the operating system should be sending out regular updates which include security updates. These try to fix any holes or security risks in the software, it’s very important to keep this up-to-date. It is your first line of defense. For detailed instructions check out the E-How article on Windows Updates listed below.

Step6

Prevention – Anti Virus – The next few steps will cover how to prevent viruses. You should have at least one Anti-Virus program (see the resources for a list of programs). Make sure you keep it up-to-date, new viruses come out every week. You also want to set it up to scan your computer once a week. If you’re familiar with computers you may even want to install two anti-virus programs since they may catch different viruses, although this can cause problems so only do this if your comfortable troubleshooting.

Step7

Prevention – Spyware – Some viruses are called spyware and they reside on your computer and may be used as key loggers, which track what you type-in on your keyboard in hopes of getting a password or other information. To prevent these there are some great tools like www.spybot.com and Spyware Blaster(see resources). Spybot locks down your registry(think of the registry as the backbone of your operating system) so that viruses don’t have a chance to latch onto your computer. However, this also means you will have to approve registry changes anytime you install new software. Spyware Blaster works well at preventing spyware, adware and hijackers.

Step8

Prevention – Adware – Some viruses are called adware these are the viruses that cause you’re computer to always have pop-up advertisements or may slow your connections because they re-direct you to a site of thier choice as opposed to the site you tried to reach. One of the best tools to prevent this is Ad-aware(see Resources) which will help you prevent and clean up any adware viruses.

Step9

Prevention – Maintenance – All the “virus” programs in the world are useless if you don’t keep them up to date and run scans regularly. When you install any of these I recommend that you setup an automatic scan for times when you won’t be normally using the computer. Remember that if your computer goes to Standby mode the scans won’t run.

Step10

If the worst happens – If you get a virus then the best resource especially if you have an additional computer that’s virus free is the internet. Do some searches for that virus if you know its name or by the symptoms you’re computer is showing (slow, re-direct different site, etc.). One hint is you can even search IP addresses if you need to. Check out these E-how articles on Cleaning Viruses and Clean Virus Manually(see resources).

5 Dirtiest Foods

The dirty food list, according to AOL Health include the following:

Eggs: While most eggs aren't going to make anyone sick, experts estimate that more than 2 million germy eggs (as in Salmonella infected) get into circulation each year, sickening 660,000 people each year and killing as many as 300. Um, maybe we should think twice about eating that cookie dough (or, judging by our conversation on Vitamin G, perhaps you'd rather take your chances?). How to buy cleaner eggs? Make sure the carton says they're pasteurized and never buy a dozen that contains any obvious cracks or leaks.

Peaches: They're pretty, but that's just skin-deep. Health experts warn that peach skins are doused in pesticides before they make it to grocery store to prevent blemishes. On average, a peach can contain as many as nine different pesticides, according to the USDA. This is one fruit you might want to buy organic (which may have blemishes, but won't have pesticides).

Pre-packaged salad mixes: Surprise! "Triple washed" doesn't mean germ-free say experts. Pathogens may still be lurking so be sure to wash your greens before tossing in your salad bowl.

Melons: Get ready to be grossed out. According to the article, "when the FDA sampled domestically grown cantaloupe, it found that 3.5 percent of the melons carried Salmonella and Shigella, the latter a bacteria normally passed person-to-person. Among imported cantaloupe, 7 percent tested positive for both bugs." Ewww. Your best bet: Scrub your melons with a little mild dish soap and warm water before slicing.

Scallions: Blamed for several recent outbreaks of Hepatitis A, and other bugs like the parasite Cryptosporidium, Shigella and Salmonella, scallions present a food safety problem because of the way they grow (in the dirt) and lack of proper washing. While you can't control what happens in restaurant kitchens, you can give them a super-duper washing at home before cooking with.

Twilight Books (Twilight, New moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn & Midnight Sun)

Plot summary

Isabella "Bella" Swan moves from sunny Phoenix, Arizona to rainy Forks, Washington to live with her father, Charlie. She chooses to do this so that her mother, Renée, can travel with her new husband, Phil Dwyer, who is a minor league baseball star. Even though Bella never had many friends in Phoenix, she attracts much attention at her new school in Forks, and is quickly befriended by several students. Much to her dismay, several boys in the school compete for shy Bella's attention.

When Bella sits next to Edward Cullen in biology class on her first day of school, Edward seems utterly repulsed. He moves as far away from her as possible. He even attempts to change his schedule to avoid her, which leaves Bella completely puzzled about his attitude towards her. Shortly after he disappears for a while, Edward begins to talk to Bella, having seemingly forgotten their unfriendly first encounter. One day, Bella looks at Edward, who is far away, in the parking lot. Oblivious to her, a student (Tyler Crowley) had lost control of his vehicle, and it was rapidly progressing in her direction. Bella realizes this at the last moment, thinking she is dead. However, Edward appears and stops the oncoming car completely with one hand, leaving a dent, and shocking Bella with his speed and strength.

During a trip to the La Push reservation, Bella tricks a family friend, Jacob Black of the Quileute tribe, into telling her the local tribal legends. Jacob mentions the Cullens, and says that they are vampires. During a trip to Port Angeles, Edward rescues her again, this time from a band of thugs. Bella asks him if what Jacob said about his family is true. Edward admits that he and his family are vampires, but says that he and his family only drink animal blood to keep themselves from turning into the monsters that many other vampires are.

Edward and Bella's relationship grows over time, and they fall passionately in love. Their foremost problem is that to Edward, Bella's scent is a hundred times more potent than any other human's, making Edward struggle to resist his desire to kill her. However, despite this they manage to stay together safely for a time.

The seemingly perfect state of their relationship is thrown into chaos when another vampire coven sweeps into Forks and James, a tracker vampire, decides that he wants to hunt Bella for sport. Edward's family plan to distract the tracker by splitting up Bella and Edward, and Bella is sent to hide in a hotel in Phoenix. Bella then gets a phone call from James in which he says that he has her mother, and Bella is forced to give herself up to James at her old dance studio. Upon meeting him, Bella discovers her mother wasn't at the dance studio and was safe all along. James attacks Bella, but Edward, along with the rest of the Cullen family, rescue Bella before James can kill her. James is subsequently ripped apart and burned by Emmett Cullen, one of Edward's brothers. Bella recovers in a hospital.

Once returning to Forks, Bella goes to the prom with Edward, where she expresses her desire to become a vampire, which Edward refuses to let happen.

Plot summary

In the beginning of the book, Bella is very upset that it is her birthday. Much to her dismay, the Cullen family throws her a birthday party. She then receives a present from Alice and Edward where she gets a paper cut and Jasper almost attacks her.

Edward leaves the small town of Forks in an attempt to keep Bella safe from a world of vampires. Bella enters a deep depression, becoming a zombie with no friends and no life. She seeks comfort with Jacob Black, an old family friend who clears the haze of Bella's pain.

Jacob soon finds out that he is a werewolf, a secret that had always been in his family's genetics but revealed itself only when the Cullens, the werewolves' natural enemies, return to Forks. It is a secret he tries desperately to keep from Bella at first, but he eventually reveals as much as he can without betraying his clan. Bella and Jacob spend more and more time together, and Bella soon discovers that the rush of adrenaline present when she places herself in dangerous situations stimulates a hallucination of Edward's voice, telling her to get back home, to safety.

Bella begins doing dangerous things, such as motorcycle riding, to keep Edward's voice with her. Cliff-jumping, a recreational activity participated in by Jacob's friends in his hometown of La Push, is one way she seeks consolation. However, Bella becomes impatient and refuses to wait for Jacob to jump safely. She falls into a riptide in the water, but Jacob rescues her and brings her to safety.

At the same time, Alice Cullen, Edward's vampire "sister" who has visions of the future, has a vision of Bella jumping. However, werewolves are the one flaw in her ability, and she does not see Jacob rescuing Bella. Presuming Bella is dead, Alice rushes to Forks to check on Charlie, Bella's father, after his daughter's supposed death, while Edward calls her home. Jacob picks it up and informs Edward that Charlie is "at the funeral." Jacob is speaking of the funeral for a man in town (Harry Clearwater) who had a heart attack, but Edward draws the conclusion that it is Bella's funeral. Desperate after Bella's death, Edward flees to Italy to see the Volturi, peace-keeping vampires who would be able to kill Edward, having lost the will to live, granting him leave of a world without Bella.

Bella and Alice rush to Italy to stop Edward, and it is almost too late. Edward is stopped, but now all three of them are brought before the Volturi for judgment. Aro, the more exuberant of the Volturi, was very curious about Bella and her power to block Edward's mind reading. So he set up tests for her, and finds out that neither he nor Jane can affect her. Aro is very excited about this and asks if she wants to join the Volturi, but she refuses along with Edward and Alice. The Volturi say that Bella must be killed because she knows too much about vampires and could be a threat to their secrecy. The three escape, on one condition: Bella must be turned into a vampire, and soon.

When they all return to Forks, Bella wakes up to see Edward and believes she did drown or is dreaming and starts going into hysterics. Edward tells her what he was doing before he heard about her dying, but she still believes that he is a dream. He finally manages to make her believe he is real by kissing her. She is happy to have him back, but he kills her mood when he says that he won't damn her soul, by turning her into a vampire. She then tells him that she is going to ask his family to vote on the matter. Everybody says yes to her being a vampire except Edward and Rosalie (who then says, "Let me explain, I dont mean that I have any aversion to you as a sister. It's just that...this is not the life I would have chosen for myself. I wish there had been someone there to vote no for me."). Edward takes Bella home, and tells Bella he will turn her himself, if she will marry him first.

The book ends when Bella, being grounded, hasn't gone to La Push again. Jacob, thinking that Edward was keeping Bella away, dropped off the motorcycles at her house, which makes Charlie furious. When Bella and Edward come back and find this out, Jacob confronts them. Bella explains that she didn't go to see him because she was grounded, and Jacob reminds Edward that if he or any of his family bites a human, their treaty with the werewolves is broken. Jacob is also surprised that Bella wants to become a vampire.

Plot summary

SPOILER ALERT!! The story begins with the revelation that Seattle is being plagued by a string of unsolved murders, which Edward suspects to be the cause of a newborn vampire that is unable to control its thirst. Edward and Bella fill out college applications, while Bella explains to Edward her desire to see Jacob, her werewolf friend, again. Meanwhile, Alice Cullen has a vision that Victoria, a vampire that is hunting Bella, is back in town. Although Edward fears for her safety, Bella insists that Jacob and the rest of the werewolf pack would never harm her, but Edward is still not convinced. Bella escapes to La Push to see Jacob while Edward is away, and arrives afterwards at the her house unharmed. This convinces Edward that the La Push werewolves are harmless to her and he allows Bella to visit Jacob once in a while, as long as she keeps a phone with her at all times. During a trip to La Push, Jacob confesses that he loves Bella and forcibly kisses her. Bella punches him which breaks her hand. When Edward finds out, he threatens to hurt Jacob if he ever kisses Bella without her consent again.

A few days later Bella tries to get Edward to make love to her before turning her into a vampire. Edward initially refuses, explaining to Bella that he could very easily kill her. Eventually, upon realizing how much it means to Bella, he says that he is willing to try in the future as long as they are married first. Despite having an aversion to marriage, Bella realizes that spending eternity with Edward is more important to her than anything else and accepts his proposal.

Bella and the Cullens realize that the murders in Seattle are being committed by Victoria and an "army" of newborn vampires. The Cullen family, abandoned by the Denali Coven, joins forces with the werewolf pack in order to combat this threat. As everyone else prepares for battle, Edward and Bella camp up in the mountains, where they are later joined by Jacob and Seth Clearwater, a young member of the werewolf pack, to wait out the fight.

In the morning, Jacob overhears Edward and Bella discussing their engagement and becomes very upset. He threatens to join the fight and get himself killed because Bella doesn't love him. When Bella begs him not to, Jacob insists that he will unless she asks him to kiss her. Furious, she does so, and while kissing him she realizes that she is in love with him as well. Edward finds out about this, but isn't angry. Bella realizes that she loves Edward more than Jacob.

Victoria eventually finds Bella's hiding spot, but Edward kills her while Seth kills her partner Riley. The Cullens and werewolves, meanwhile, destroy her "

army", though Jacob is injured when saving Leah Clearwater. He heals swiftly under the supervision of Carlisle. Several members of the Volturi arrive to destroy Victoria's army, and end up only killing the one newborn who surrendered. They are also told that while Bella hasn't become a vampire yet, the date for her transformation has been set.

Bella visits Jacob in his home to tell him of her choice, and Jacob decides to stop trying to come between her and Edward. Bella then goes back to Edward. They go to Alice, who already knows they're getting married. Alice has already made a number of plans for the wedding, but Bella edits some of them. After this, they go to Edward's meadow. Edward says that they can make love before marrying if she wants to, but Bella has decided to do things the right way: marriage, making love, and then becoming a vampire. They then decide they need to tell Charlie about their engagement.

The epilogue is told from Jacob's point of view. Despite agreeing to let Bella stay with Edward, Jacob is suffering from a broken heart. He recieves an invitation to Bella and Edward's wedding. Inside it is a letter from Edward, thanking him for "everything," and saying that if Jacob didn't want to come, he didn't have to. Jacob, after reading the letter, runs away in his wolf form to escape the pain he feels.

Plot Summary

Book One

Spoiler Alert!! After Bella's pickup dies a natural death, Edward buys Bella a Mercedes Guardian. It is his feeling that because of her propensity for danger, Bella needs this armored sports car to keep her safe. Bella and Edward tell CharlieRenee consents to it. Bella and Edward's wedding goes according to plan and is as extravagant as Alice's other parties. The wedding has a minor disturbance during a confrontation between Jacob, Bella, and Edward. Not wanting to spoil her wedding day, Bella puts aside her disappointment in Jacob's unpleasantness. Edward and Bella soon depart for their honeymoon. Edward takes her to Isle Esme off the coast of Brazil. Edward then fulfills Bella's wish and makes love with her. The next day they argue because Edward's passionate love making left dark bruises all over Bella's body. Although Bella doesn't care about the injuries, he refuses to make love with her again until she has become a vampire. In Edward's attempt to dampen Bella's sexual appetite and energy, they engage in physically exhausting outdoor activities day after day on the island. Bella begs Edward to make love to her once again; Edward continuously refuses, as he does not wish to injure her further. Later, however, he succumbs to her. They make love cautiously and Edward does not inflict any bruises on Bella. Then, she has a recurrent dream of a small, green-eyed boy that she feels compelled to protect. Bella also finds herself constantly hungry and sick. Upon seeing a box of unused tampons, she realizes that her period is late and she is pregnant. Though Bella has not longed for a child, she becomes immediately attached to her baby when she becomes aware of its existence. Edward, however, is only concerned for her health. After hearing stories from a local woman (who suspects that Edward is a Vampire) of similar situations that resulted in the mothers' deaths, Edward wants to be rid of the baby. Book 1 ends as Edward prepares to bring Bella home where it's presumed that Carlisle will "take care of it." Although it's clear that Bella doesn't want to lose the baby, she doesn't yet voice her objections. She secretly calls Rosalie for help. about their engagement. Charlie doesn't show that he disagrees with it, instead saying Bella will have to tell her mother. But

Book Two

Spoiler Alert!! The book is then told from Jacob's perspective, as he receives news of Edward and Bella's return. Carlisle has advised Charlie that Bella cannot receive visitors because she has contracted a rare disease in South America, and is quarantined. Jacob assumes that Bella has been bitten and transformed. He is upset when Sam Uley, acting Alpha of the pack, declares that the pack will not retaliate.

Jacob, full of anger, decides that if the pack will not retaliate collectively, he will act singly. Formulating strategies of attack, he runs to the Cullen house. When he arrives, however, he discovers that things aren't as he expected. Bella, as opposed to being a newborn vampire, is already heavily pregnant with Edward's child. Everyone realizes that the child's rapid growth is starving Bella. She cannot digest her food as she vomits after eating. Tension runs high in the Cullen household as Rosalie steadily supports Bella's decision to have the baby and aids her in every way possible. Edward is furious at Rosalie and the family is divided.

When Jacob returns to the pack, he inadvertently informs them of Bella's state. This causes fear and anger among the werewolves; they don't know how the child might act since the child is an offspring of a vampire. Sam commands the pack in the double timbre of the Alpha, to obey his decision to destroy Bella and her unborn child. Jacob, who still loves Bella, disagrees, revolts, assumes his inherited Alpha position and leaves Sam's pack. Seth, then Leah Clearwater, soon join Jacob and the threesome form a pack with Jacob as Alpha. It is discovered that the collective minds of the two packs are separate; members of each pack cannot hear the other pack's thoughts as Jacob and Sam are distinct Alphas. Jacob, Leah and Seth patrol the Cullen's territory to forewarn them of any impending werewolf attack. Esme gratefully provides them with food and clothes (since their clothes are too often destroyed during phasing). As the werewolves spend this time together, Jacob and Leah learn to tolerate each other, as each forms an understanding of the other. The revolt, and the idea of fighting their own kind, dissuades Sam and his pack from attacking Bella while Jacob's pack is aiding the Cullens.

Knowing that this pregnancy is endangering Bella's life, wanting to terminate this pregnancy and not wanting to deny Bella the experience of childbirth and motherhood, Edward asks Jacob to conceive a child with Bella. Jacob is shocked and although he doesn't really want to, attempts at suggesting it. For the most part, Bella doesn't realize what he means. When she does, he realizes it doesn't matter because she already loves this baby and continues her pregnancy.

As the fetus continues to develop at an alarmingly accelerated rate, Bella's health worsens. Her stomach is bruised in multiple places from the baby's movements. Two of her ribs crack, her pelvis is almost broken, and her pallor is unhealthy. Her body continues to reject human food, and Jacob sarcastically thinks about the "creature" craving for blood. Edward overhears this thought, and the Cullens allow Bella to sample human blood. To Bella's surprise, the blood smells and tastes appealing, and revives her to an extent. During Bella's pregnancy, Edward realizes he can read the child's mind, and is astonished to discover that the baby already loves Bella and doesnt mean to hurt her like it does. As he hears his child's thoughts, Edward begins to love the baby as well. This leaves Jacob feeling betrayed, as he was counting on Edward to hate the baby more than he.

Jacob struggles with his feelings for Bella. She is outrageously happy every time she sees him and this confuses him. At first, he says to Leah that he doesn't want his feelings to just disappear. Eventually things become too difficult for him to handle. He attempts to imprint on random girls he sees in a park named Lizzie(who appeals to him because of her niceness and knowledge of cars), but nothing happens.

Bella goes into labor approximately a month after the honeymoon. The hard placenta that surrounds the child cracks; Bella begins vomiting blood. The child breaks free and Bella is very near death. Edward delivers the baby, a girl, and begins to transform Bella into a vampire. He injects his venom into her heart and bites her in several places. Jacob and Edward perform CPR to try to keep Bella's heart beating.

Believing that Bella is dead, Jacob leaves the room and goes on a rampage to find the baby whom he holds responsible. He finds her in Rosalie's arms and looks into the baby's eyes. They are exactly the same shade of brown as Bella's. Jacob suddenly forgets all of his anger towards Renesmee (the baby) and the only thing that he cares about is making sure that Renesmee is happy. In other words Jacob imprints on Renesmee.

Book Three

Spoiler Alert!! The book returns to Bella's perspective. She has just given birth to her daughter, and is now experiencing the painful transformation from human to vampire. After receiving an injection of morphine to mitigate the pain, Bella is unable to move. As the effect of the morphine diminishes, Bella consciously remains as still as possible to alleviate Edward's guilt and agony over the discomfort of her transformation.

When she opens her eyes, she feels a warm hand on her. She is startled and moves instinctively to a defensive position. She realizes that Edward now feels relatively warm to her, and that she has become a vampire. The Cullens are wary of Bella as newborn-vampires are volatile. Yet, Bella manages to demonstrate some self-control unseen in most newborns. She wishes to see her daughter, Renesmee (pronounced "ruh NEZ may"), whom she named after her mother, Renee, and Edward's mother, Esme. Since Renesmee is part-human, the family believes Bella will be unable to deny her newborn thirst if she sees the child so soon without first hunting.

Edward takes Bella on her first hunt to ease her thirst. Before they leave, Alice shows Bella her reflection. She has transformed into a stunningly beautiful woman with flawless skin and newborn-vampire red eyes. Bella experiments with her new body on the hunt. She is now graceful, strong, and fast. While hunting, she accidentally crosses a human scent. However, she resists the urge to kill and runs away to avoid bloodshed. Edward is astounded, as newborns hunting shouldn't be able to deny their instincts.

Upon returning, Bella is allowed to see her daughter because of her demonstration of self-control in the woods. Because Renesmee is growing at an astonishing rate, she looks older than her calendar age. Bella learns of Renesmee's gift - the ability to communicate by sending images to people's minds through touch. Bella is infuriated when she learns that Jacob has imprinted on Renesmee. She forces Jacob out side, and says "I've held my daughter all of one time and you already think you have some sort of wolfy claim over her?" Jacob than replied "I'm willing to share" Her self-restraint is tested when she learns that Jacob has nicknamed her daughter "Nessie." Bella despises the name because it alludes to the the Loch Ness monster. She loses her self-control and tries to attack Jacob. Seth steps into the way to defend his new Alpha. Bella acidentally breaks Seth's collarbone and shoulder when he steps between the two. She then manages to calm down.

Bella and Edward receive a cottage for Bella's birthday from the Cullens. That night, Bella and Edward make love for the first time since Bella's transformation. They find it very difficult to fully satisfy their sexual desire for each other. At first, sexual thirst cannot be satisfied. Edward tells Bella that this is normal for vampires when they begin a physical relationship. Satiation usually takes years to attain..

Renesmee matures quickly and soon is able to speak, walk and hunt. The baby also leads to a truce between the Quileutes and the Cullens because of Jacob's imprinting. Differences between Sam and Jacob's packs are soon settled as well and they become co-existent Alphas. Meanwhile, Jacob learns that the Cullens plan to move away from Forks. Thinking that Charlie is the reason, he phases into his wolf form in front of him and tells Charlie about Bella's change & Renesmee (though he doens't say she has become a vampire). Bella was initially furious, thinking that Charlie would now have to become a vampire or die. But Charlie told both Jacob and Bella not to tell him anymore than he needed to know. This allows Bella to keep Charlie in her new life and allows Charlie to go on with his life.

Unfortunately for the Cullens, the Volturi has made its decision to visit them. Irina, a vampire from the Denali clan, sees Renesmee and mistakingly informs the Volturi that Renesmee is a forbidden immortal child, that is, a child that has been turned into a vampire. Forbidden immortal children have been purged from the world long ago, due to the mass havoc they can wreak. The Cullens understand that Irina is mistaken and they decide the only way to enlighten the Volturi is to present Renesmee with a large group of reliable witnesses.

After leaving a note with Sam Uley from the copyright page of Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, Alice and Jasper suddenly leave the Cullens. Since the couple does not provide a warning or reason, the Cullen family does not know why the couple has fled. Since it was her copy of the book, Bella perceives this as a sign from Alice. She returns to the cottage and she finds that Alice has written a name and address on another page of the book. When Bella goes to the address, she finds that it leads to the office of a lawyer who can forge documents. Bella requests documents for Jacob and Renesmee, should they need to escape if a fight ensues with the Volturi. Meanwhile, nomadic, vegetarian, and clans of vampires arrive on the Cullen's land after the family begins to seek their friends' to assistance with the Volturi. Most of them are enthralled by Renesmee, and almost all agree to bear witness to the Volturi that she is not an immortal child.

Bella also discovers that her power of mind-privacy has a shielding effect and she wonders if she can extend this protection to others. During the month of preparation for the Volturi, several of the vampires with quantifiable supernatural talents teach Bella how to expand the barrier. When the Volturi and Irina finally arrive, all of the vampires and the werewolves meet in a clearing in the forest. The Volturi discovers that it has been misinformed and immediately executes Irina for her mistake. However, the Volturi is not satisfied to leave because the Volturi wants the exceptionally gifted vampires to join its group. Bella's gift disables the Volturi's offensive fighters, Alec (who causes one to lose all their senses, much like numbing someone) and Jane (who creates the illusion of pain in the victim), when she shields everyone on her side. Aro, Caius and Marcus decide to vote on whether or not Renesmee will be a danger to the vampire world when she attains maturity. Just before Aro can cast his deciding vote, Alice and Jasper return with another half-human, half-vampire named Nahual from South America who is about one hundred fifty years-old. He and his three half-sisters (who are also half-vampire, half-human) are the children of a vampire who is creating a "super race." They have never caused any danger to the vampire world. Facing no other choice, Aro chooses to give up the fight, and the Volturi flees. However, before the group leaves, it reveals that the so-called werewolves are not actual werewolves, but rather "shape shifters", who can adapt only into wolf forms. The "shape shifters" and vampires celebrate their victory in successfully protecting Edward and Bella's child.

After leaving the Cullens' home for their own, Bella and Edward tuck Renesmee into her bed and proceed to their bedroom arm-in-arm. Bella tells Edward she wants to try something with him. She places her hands on his face and tries to push away her shield. She has been secretly practicing for this moment. She conjures her special memories that she wants to share with Edward. He is finally able to see for the first time just how deeply she loves him. Edward is unable to control himself; he starts kissing her and breaks her concentration. She stops. However, she tells him that now he knows that no one loves anyone else as much as she loves him. He asks her if she would try again. Bella acquieces. Once again abandoning restraint, Edward kisses her passionately. This distraction closes Edward to Bella's mind .. She wants to open the barrier for Edward so he can access her mind. She says that they have only forever for her to perfect it. The Twilight Series closes with And then we continued blissfully into this small but perfect piece of our forever.

Midnight Sun (click here)

(click the above link to enter the author's website and then click the Midnight Sun Chapter 1 below the article.)

Note:
This is the partial draft of Midnight Sun which was illegally posted and distributed. The same story of Twilight BUT this time it is in Edward's perspective.

Yamaha Motorcycles

2009 Yamaha TMAX Base Specifications

Model Type
Touring Scooter
BASE MSRP(US)
$7,999.00

Dealers
Yamaha Dealers

Warranty
12
Engine Type
Parallel Twin
Cylinders
2
Engine Stroke
4-Stroke

Cooling
Liquid

Valves
4
Valves Per Cylinder
4

Valve Configuration
DOHC

Compression Ratio
11.0:1

Starter
Electric

Fuel Requirements
Regular

Fuel Type
Gas

Transmission Type
Continuously Variable (CVT)

Primary Drive (Rear Wheel)
Belt

Front Tire (Full Spec)
120/70 R15

Rear Tire (Full Spec)
160/60 R15

Front Brake Type
Dual Hydraulic Disc

Rear Brake Type
Hydraulic Disc

Wheelbase (in/mm)
62.2 / 1579.9

Fuel Capacity (gal/l)
4 / 15.1

2009 Yamaha Zuma 125 Specifications

Model Type
Scooter

BASE MSRP(US)
$2,999.00

Dealers
Yamaha Dealers

Warranty
12
Engine Type
Single-Cylinder

Cylinders
1

Engine Stroke
4-Stroke

Cooling
Air

Valves
4

Valves Per Cylinder
4

Valve Configuration
SOHC

Compression Ratio
10.0:1

Starter
Electric

Fuel Requirements
Regular

Fuel Type
Gas

Transmission Type
Continuously Variable (CVT)

Primary Drive (Rear Wheel)
Belt

Front Tire (Full Spec)
120/70 R12

Rear Tire (Full Spec)
130/70 R12

Front Brake Type
Hydraulic Disc

Rear Brake Type
Drum

Wheelbase (in/mm)
50.8 / 1290.3

Fuel Capacity (gal/l)
1.6 / 6.1

2009 Yamaha Majesty 400 Specifications

Model Type
Touring Scooter

BASE MSRP(US)
$6,099.00

Dealers
Yamaha Dealers

Warranty
12

Engine Type
Single-Cylinder

Cylinders
1

Engine Stroke
4-Stroke

Cooling
Liquid

Valves
4

Valves Per Cylinder
4

Valve Configuration
DOHC

Compression Ratio
10.6:1

Starter
Electric

Fuel Requirements
Regular

Fuel Type
Gas

Transmission Type
Continuously Variable (CVT)

Primary Drive (Rear Wheel)
Belt

Front Tire (Full Spec)
120/80 R14

Rear Tire (Full Spec)
150/70 R13
Front Brake Type
Hydraulic Disc

Rear Brake Type
Hydraulic Disc

2009 Yamaha V Star 950 Tourer Specifications

Model Type
Cruiser

BASE MSRP(US)
$8,990.00

Dealers
Yamaha Dealers

Warranty
12

Engine Type
V Twin

Cylinders
2

Engine Stroke
4-Stroke

Cooling
Air

Valves
4

Valves Per Cylinder
2

Valve Configuration
SOHC

Compression Ratio
9.0:1

Starter
Electric

Fuel Requirements
Regular

Fuel Type
Gas

Transmission Type
Manual

Number Of Speeds
5

Primary Drive (Rear Wheel)
Belt

Front Tire (Full Spec)
130/70 R16

Rear Tire (Full Spec)
170/70 R16

Front Brake Type
Hydraulic Disc

Rear Brake Type
Hydraulic Disc

Wheelbase (in/mm)
66.3 / 1684

Fuel Capacity (gal/l)
4.4 / 16.7

2009 Yamaha Raider Base Specifications

Model Type
Cruiser

BASE MSRP(US)
$13,790.00

Dealers
Yamaha Dealers

Warranty
12

Engine Type
V Twin

Cylinders
2

Engine Stroke
4-Stroke

Cooling
Air

Valves
8

Valves Per Cylinder
4

Valve Configuration
OHV - Pushrod

Compression Ratio
9.5:1

Starter
Electric

Fuel Requirements
Regular

Fuel Type
Gas

Transmission Type
Manual

Number Of Speeds
5

Primary Drive (Rear Wheel)
Belt

Front Tire (Full Spec)
120/70-21

Rear Tire (Full Spec)
210/40-18

Front Brake Type
Dual Hydraulic Disc

Rear Brake Type
Hydraulic Disc

Wheelbase (in/mm)
70.9 / 1800.9

Fuel Capacity (gal/l)
4.2 / 15.9