An Essential Field Guide to North American Earthquake Beasts

?It is not good that these stories are forgotten. Friends, you are telling them from mouth to ear, and when your old men die they will be forgotten. It is good that you should have a box in which your laws and your stories are kept. My friend, George Hunt, will show you a box in which some of your stories will be kept. It is a book that I have written on what I saw and heard when I was with you two years ago. It is a good book, for in it are your laws and your stories. Now they will not be forgotten.?
American anthropologists Franz Uri Boaz in a letter to the Kwakiutl Indians of British Columbia, April 1897

Myths and legends maybe represent the oldest efforts to record and deal with geological phenomena.? The Japanese Namazu-myth is one of the most popular and remembers the tragic connection between society and earthquakes. However many other societies incorporated earthquakes into their culture and often the terrible forces shaping the earth appeared in animal disguise.

According to legends of the Duwamish people of the Cascade Range, some large boulders along the shores of the Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the area surrounding the city of Seattle are haunted by terrible ?A?yahos?. A?yahos were shape-shifter sprits, appearing in our world sometimes as large snake, other times as double-headed snake with horns or in their preferred shape with the body of a serpent and the antlers and forelegs of a deer. They were very powerful and easy to enrage entities and young hunters were warned by elder ones not to approach an A?yahos dwelling place, as it would shake the earth and sea, generate large waves and throw large boulders to kill the foolish intruder.
Only experienced shamans could dare to catch a glimpse of an A?yahos appearance and only the most powerful could harness the A?yahos strength during a holy ceremony, when a fetish of an A?yahos was violently shaken to request spiritual assistance.

Fig.1. An A?yahos could cause earthquakes and trigger landslides if disturbed, however this supernatural spirit displays an ambivalent nature ? like many real natural phenomena ? as its powers could also used by shamans to cure people. All the Earthquake Beasts as envisaged by artist and illustrator Tricia Arnold , images used with permission.

The Quileute people of western Washington know a similar dangerous entity, the ?T?abale?, and the Kwakwaka?wakw (or Kwakiutl) of Vancouver Island tell stories about the double-headed water serpent ?Sisutl?, which apart shaking the earth would also capture the souls of the people.

Many myths along the shores of Washington narrate the furious battles of A?yahos or related spirits with other mythical animals. According to the Suquamish Tribe

?Long ago, when this land was new, the area we know as Agate Pass was much smaller than today. ? There lived in this ? body of water a ? Giant Serpent.
The Double Headed Eagle flew over the pass and the Giant Serpent came up very angry. The two began to fight, and the earth shook and the water boiled ? the people began to scream and cry until it was as loud as thunder.
Then, as if the earth was going to be swallowed by the waters, they began to boil and churn. Then, the Double Headed Eagle exploded out of the water and up into the sky with the body of the Giant Serpent in its claws. The Double Headed Eagle flew back into the mountain and behind him was left the wide pass ?. ?

The powerful ?Thunderbird? plays also an important role in other earthquake-myths.
Like serpent-spirits also Thunderbird was easy to enrage and it was better to avoid him when he flew above the sky to cause the thunder of the storm, but deep inside he was a friendly spirit.
Long time ago the monstrous Whale killed all the animals in the sea and the fishermen of the Quileute Tribe returned to the shores with empty baskets. Thunderbird noted that the people were starving and decided to interfere. He plunged from the mountains into the sea and a terrible battle arouse between him and Whale.

Fig.2. The mythical battle between Thunderbird and Whale is described in many myths from British Columbia to California, suggesting that earthquake and tsunami effects were widely recognized along the entire western coast of the U.S.

Waves devastated the shorelines, many canoes were catapulted into the air and people killed. Whale seemed too strong to be defeated, but Thunderbird eventually succeeded into lifting Whale out of the sea, carrying it high into the air and then dropping it onto the land. The earth trembled and cracked under the ongoing battle. Finally Thunderbird, assisted by Wolf and Serpent, succeeded to drag Whale back to the bottom of the ocean.

In other versions of the story it is Thunderbird starting the battle by attacking Whale, which supports earth on his back, with his sharp claws. Whale, in a desperate struggle to overcome Thunderbird, shakes the entire earth.

All these myths seem to possess some kernels of truth in geological reality. In 1985 seismologist Ruth S. Ludwin noted in an article published in the ?Seattle Weekly?, describing a ?spirit boulder? located west of Seattle, the similarities between the environmental effects of an earthquake, like a tsunami or landslides, and the actions of an A?yahos: ?At the spot where A?yahos came to a person the very earth was torn, landslides occurred and the trees became twisted and warped. Such spots were recognizable for years afterward.?

Ludwin mapped various cursed boulders and recognized a connection between the dwelling places of A?yahos and the alignment of various shallow faults, most notably the east-west striking Seattle Fault Zone.

Fig.3. Locations of supposed A?yahos dwelling places after local lore and simplified tectonic setting of? the area of Seattle; shallow faults in red, other faults in orange (True Marble Global Dataset, modified after various references, image in public domain).

The city of Seattle was never struck in historic times by a major earthquake and the fault zone was considered almost inactive. However the myths of A?yahos often refer to historical figures and probably date back only some generations. Also geological evidence and dated archaeological sites provided compelling evidence that eastern Washington was struck by stronger earthquakes in a not so remote geological past.

The mythical battle between Whale and Thunderbird also remembers the environmental effects of a tsunami, maybe as generated by seismic activity of the Cascadia Subduction Zone. Earthquakes generated by this large fault zone could also explain the presumed existence of another mythical being along the western coast of North America.
The bay of Lituya in Alaska is a narrow, only 2 kilometer wide, but 11 kilometer long bay open towards the Pacific Ocean. A legend of the native Tlingit Indians tells about? a cave, deep in the underground, inhabited by a spirit, similar in appearance to a great toad or frog. If someone dares to disturb the tranquillity of the bay (and presumably the slumber of the toad) this spirit will shake the earth and rip apart the sea to catch the intruder.

Fig.4. Don?t disturb a sleeping toad as toads and earthquakes seem to have a deep connection?.

Maybe the tale of this malevolent sprit was influenced by ancient eyewitness testimony of an exceptional geological event. July 9, 1958 an earthquake triggered a landslide with an estimated volume of 40 million cubic meters along the steep cliffs of the bay. The landslide caused a 524 meter high wave ? the largest wave ever to be documented in historic times and maybe not the first in the land of the Earthquake Beasts.

Bibliography:

KRAJICK, K. (2005): Tracking Myth to Geological Reality. Science Vol. 310: 762-764
LUDWIN, R.S.; THRUSH, C.P.; JAMES, K.; BUERGE, D.; JONIENTZ-TRISLER, C.; RASMUSSEN, J.; TROOST, K. & de los ANGELES, A. (2005): Serpent Spirit-power Stories along the Seattle Fault. Seismological Research Letters Vol.76(4): 426-431
LUDWIN, R.S.; DENNIS, R.; CARVER, D.; McMILLAN, A.D.; LOSEY, R.; CLAGUE, J.; JONIENTZ-TRISLER, C.; BOWECHOP, J.; WRAY, J. & JAMES, K. (2005): Dating the 1700 Cascadia Earthquake: Great Coastal Earthquakes in Native Stories. Seismological Research Letters Vol. 76(2): 140-148
LUDWIN, R.S. & SMITS, G.J. (2007): Folklore and earthquakes: Native American oral traditions from Cascadia compared with written traditions from Japan. From PICCARDI, L. & MASSE, W.B. (eds.): Myth and Geology. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 273: 67-94

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=7f15c9721bc893b041452a035361ae6f

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Mental Health 101: One woman's search for peace | Health X Pert ...

Sometimes nights out lead to mornings filled with dietary regret. If that?s the case, then you?ll want to help undo the bad with a healthful breakfast made of detoxifying foods. With chilly mornings a near certainty for the next few months, a breakfast that warms you while helping you get off to a good start is in order, so here?s a warming detox breakfast to make the next time you feel bloated and blah from the night before. Oatmeal with fresh fruit: Whole grains help regulate your digestive tract, a major key in a detoxifying diet. Choose a bowl of natural, plain oatmeal ? not the prepackaged sugary kind ? and add slices of apple or another Fall fruit. Fresh fruit contains high levels of antioxidants and fiber, which help flush toxins from your body. Get more healthful oatmeal recipes here . Green tea with lemon: Green tea contains high levels of catechins , which speed up liver activity and promote the production of detoxifying enzymes. Add a squeeze of lemon for an alkalizing kick. Ginger green juice: Need extra detoxifying help? Whip up this spicy green juice ; while it?s served cold, the addition of ginger to the simple recipe warms your body, and the lemon, ginger, and parsley in the juice all help your body detox. Make this in the morning, and take it along with you to work in a mason jar for a midmorning pick-me-up. Photo: Jenny Sugar

Source: http://healthxpert.org/mental-health-101-one-womans-search-for-peace/

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How Can I Win Her Love Back - 5 Strategies To Win Back Lost Love

Dear Kurt

How can I win her back?

Here's what happened. We'd been going out for about 6 months and everything was going smooth and our relationship was starting to get a little more serious.

Then out of no where she broke up with me. I was totally shocked and didn't know what to do. She said it was because we fought too much and that we were getting too serious too soon. I really care about her and want to get her back. Is there anything I can do?

- Broken Hearted

Dear Broken Hearted:

Out of all the emotions that we have, love is the strongest and most powerful one so when a relationship endsit stands to reason that it's going to hurt quite a bit. Now despite the pain that you're going through there are things you can do to win back the one you love but you need to know what to do and how to do it properly.

When it comes to getting someone back after a breakup, the most important thing you can do is to get them looking your way and thinking about you again. This article will give you five strategies you can use that will help get your ex thinking about you again and hopefully get you back together again.

1. The first thing you need to do is be honest with yourself about the relationship and the part you played in the breakup. I know it's not pleasant but it needs to be done. Your girlfriend said she broke up with you because you fought all the time. If this is true then it needs to be addressed by you. This is not the time to point fingers and lay blame, instead use your time apart to analyze the relationship. In fact I recommend that you get a pen and paper and write it out. List all the things things that might have contributed to the breakup and see which ones you can change. If you want to get her back you need to address this before you do anything else.

2. The next thing you need to do when it comes to getting your ex' attention again is to be dependable. Even though you've broken up you still need to be there when and if she needs you. Just be her friend and show her that you're someone that she can depend on and in return she'll start to see you as someone worth being with. Now this doesn't mean that you're going to get back together right away, but being depandable lays the ground work and the foundation for restoring the relationship you once had.

3. The third thing you should do if you want to get your ex to start thinking about you again is to encourage and support them. One of the things that people miss most during a breakup is the support they got from their significant other so if the opportunity arises, be her personal cheerleader. For example, if she's got a job interview, send her a quick 'good luck' email or something along those lines. Either way you want to show her that you've got her back and have her best intetests at heart.

4. Listen to her. Chances are she's going to call you at some point, especially if you've cut off all contact with her. When she does call, make sure you listen to what she is saying and VALIDATE her concerns. Not feeling validated or understood is the leading cause for fights in a relationship and since this was her main concern with you during the breakup it's something that you need to focus on here. Listen to what she is saying and take some mental notes and get your foot in the door.

5. Get a life. Don't sit around and sit on the sidelines. Instead get out there and live it up. Go out, have fun and rediscover yourself. This accomplishes 3 things. First it gives you self confidence which makes you more attractive to your ex. Second it reverses depression by taking your mind off things by keeping you busy. Third is that it gives you peace of mind by giving you both space and time which are key elements when it comes to dealing with your emotions after a breakup.

The Bottom Line

The key to win her back especially when she's dumped you is to get her looking your way and thinking about you again.

If you follow the 5 points in this article you will greatly increase your chances of getting back together because you will have improved as a person since the breakup which will make you more attractive to her.

Source: http://www.streetarticles.com/reconnecting/how-can-i-win-her-love-back-5-strategies-to-win-back-lost-love

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UM Canes coach Golden today: RB Duke Johnson practices, QB ...

Hurricanes coach Al Golden spoke to us on the ACC Coaches' Teleconference Wednesday afternoon and offered up some positive news:

* Running back Duke Johnson, Golden said, "practiced today. The X-Rays were negative. Was he 100 percent? No. But he was certainly over 90, enough to practice.''

?? Keep in mind that Johnson had a foot examined during the FSU game, and that Golden reminded reporters on Sunday that it was a separate injury from his turf toe. "I'm not sure if it's an ankle or a foot,'' Golden said Sunday. Today, Golden did not talk specifically about the turf toe, just that Duke seems to be much better regarding the most recent injury.

?? Reporters have no access to practice through at least Friday (another day off on Friday), so we're not sure if Johnson wore a yellow jersey (limited) or was full-go.Today was UM's first day of practice since its loss to FSU.

* The update on Stephen Morris' sprained left ankle is also positive.

?? Golden was asked if Morris is "still in a boot and still sore.'' His response: "No, he's doing better. Sunday, Monday and Tuesday helped him a lot. It's not like we're asking him to run the ball a lot or scramble today. It's mostly pocket stuff or handing the ball off or play-action. He did fine. I just think the combination of those three days and another day off Friday and a fairly light practice on Saturday should get us to where we want to be for game week.''

An interesting factoid in advance of the UM-Virginia Tech Thursday-night ESPN game Nov. 1:

The Hurricanes, according to ACC associate commissioner for football communications Mike Finn, have posted a 15-3 record -- .833 winning percentage -- in ESPN Thursday-night games, the best of any ACC school with five or more appearances.

SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN

Source: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/umiami/2012/10/um-canes-coach-golden-today-rb-duke-johnson-practices-qb-morris-ankle-better.html

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Where to buy new windows and doors

Posted on: 23rd October 2012

With winter drawing nearer and temperatures dropping many households may now be realising that their old doors and windows are letting in draughts and are a route for heat to escape which can only mean increased energy bills as the central heating system is left on longer or at a higher temperature to heat the house.

For those homes in Aldershot, Basingstoke, Berkshire, Camberley, Farnham, Fleet, Frimley, Guilford, Hampshire, Reading, Surrey, Twyford and Wokingham, there is only one company to call for replacement windows and doors and that is the friendly professional team at Brackenwood Windows.

Established for over 25 years with many valued customers recommending their home improvement services, customer care and workmanship, Brackenwood Windows will design and install the perfect windows and doors to enhance your home and improve its kerb appeal.

Brackenwood offer a full range of replacement windows and doors with a vast selection of colours and designs to choose from that will complement you home as well as being robust, durable, low maintenance, energy efficient and of course enhancing security with strengthened glass and modern secure locking systems.

For your replacement windows and doors simply give the friendly professional team at Brackenwood Windows a call today on 0800 25 35 45.

Source: http://news.brackenwood.com/2012/10/23/where-to-buy-new-windows-and-doors/

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Drinking As A Couple: Do Or Don't? | YourTango

Do you drink on all of your dates?

When does alcohol stop being a social lubricant and start hurting your relationship?

I knew my one-and-a-half year?relationship was "for real" when alcohol stopped being a regular part of our dates.?

More from YourTango: 'Manopause': 8 Signs Your Guy's Biological Clock Is Ticking

The first few dates are always a little awkward, so there's no harm in a glass of wine or two?? plus, it gives you some ready-made conversation topics: "I love this cocktail! Want to try it?" "Hm, it's okay, but I think I like mine better..." But after you've been dating a few months, is it normal to still be drinking every time you see each other? Not so much, I think. A glass of red wine with dinner is okay, but if you're getting tanked on the regular, you're probably uncomfortable or have something to hide.

Most people I know follow this general pattern: Drink while they're still getting to know each other, then slowly slip into a pattern of no longer needing alcohol to relax or be happy. Yes, there are definitely exceptions, and I have watched relationships disintegrate and fights occur because of someone's drinking. But on the whole, the more stable the relationship, the less alcohol.

Some sources, though, suggest this is far from the truth. A?recent study shows that married women drink more than their single, divorced and widowed friends. Married men, on the other hand, drink much less than single men. Perhaps by the time they're married?? rather than in a long-term relationship?? people let down their guard once again??

More from YourTango: 4 Romantic Dinners To Make At Home [PHOTOS]

We want to know: Since you started dating your current partner, has your drinking together increased or decreased? Why do you think this is?

More juicy content from YourTango:

Source: http://www.yourtango.com/2012163867/drinking-couple-do-or-dont

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Earliest primate had tree-climber ankles

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Early Days

Skeletal fossils of the North American ancient primate Dryomomys szalayi indicate its shape (reconstruction shown) and suggest what its older relative Purgatorius may have looked like.

Doug Boyer, Duke Univ.

RALEIGH, N.C. ? Finally, the earliest known primate has more than a mouth. Several 65-million-year-old fossil ankle bones found among unsorted bits from excavations in Montana belong to a tree-dwelling species of Purgatorius, Stephen Chester of Yale University announced October 19 at the annual meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology.

The first signs that Purgatorius existed came from fossil teeth unearthed nearly half a century ago at an excavation site in northeastern Montana not far from where the first Tyrannosaurus rex was found. Paleontologists named two species of what they called Purgatorius. William Clemens of the University California Museum of Paleontology and his colleagues described more teeth and some bits of mouth bones since then, but nothing had turned up from the rest of the body.

?The teeth were so primitive we didn?t know much,? said Ken Rose of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, who heard the presentation at the meeting. Several lineages diverged early in the history of primates, and sorting out their relationships has been tricky.

On the off chance that some Purgatorius bit had been overlooked during Clemens? long-running excavations in Montana, Chester and paleontologist Jonathan Bloch of the Florida Museum of Natural History started looking through the vast stored trove of fossils that has yet to be classified. After about two days of looking, they found an ankle bone. Its form shares details with known fossils of the primate lineage, but Bloch recalled, they recognized what it was as soon as they saw it. ?You know a Picasso when you see one,? he said.

No other animal known from the excavation could have had an ankle like that first find or several later specimens, Chester said. Also the size calculations put the creature in the same range as the size predicted by the tooth analysis. The shapes of the two components indicate that the ankle would have moved easily in many directions, perfect for scampering through the complex angles and knobs of trees.

The identification convinced anthropologist Daniel Gebo of Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. ?A type of slam dunk,? he said of linking the ankle bone to what are called plesiadapiforms, very ancient primatelike creatures. They didn?t have all the traits of primates known today, though, so he doesn?t call Purgatorius a true primate.

W.Clemens and G. Wilson. Pattern of immigration of Purgatorids and other eutherians into the northern North American western interior. Annual meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Oct. 19, 2012.

S. Chester, J. Bloch and W. Clemens. Tarsal morphology of the oldest plesiadapiform Purgatorius indicates arboreality in the earliest primates. Annual meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Oct. 19, 2012.

Source: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/346001/title/Earliest_primate_had_tree-climber_ankles

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Obama says Romney always wrong on foreign affairs as rivals clash in final presidential debate

BOCA RATON, Fla. - President Barack Obama sharply challenged Mitt Romney on foreign policy as the two presidential rivals squared off in their third and final debate with the race in a dead heat two weeks before Election Day.

Obama used Monday night's debate to criticize Romney's support for beginning the war in Iraq, for opposing his plans to withdraw troops from Iraq, for inconsistent stances on Afghanistan and for opposing nuclear treaties with Russia.

"Every time you've offered an opinion, you've been wrong," Obama said.

Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, responded that "attacking me is not an agenda" for dealing with a dangerous world. He accused Obama of sending the wrong signals to Iran's leaders by showing weakness in the Middle East.

"We're four years closer to a nuclear Iran," he said. Still, Romney stressed that war is a last option to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon, softening the hawkish tone that had been a hallmark of his campaign.

If and how the debate would affect the Nov. 6 presidential election was not clear. Foreign policy, the theme of the debate at Lynn University, in Boca Raton, Florida, has not been a major issue in a race centred on the U.S. economy. But both candidates were determined to appear to be strong leaders, rallying their supporters and winning over the remaining undecided voters.

There was none of the finger-pointing and little of the interrupting that marked their debate last week, when Obama needed a comeback after a listless performance in their first meeting on Oct. 3. Still, the two men frequently sniped at one another.

Romney, though, was more measured than Obama, agreeing with the president on a number of issues, perhaps seeking to appear more moderate to centrist voters who may determine the election's outcome. He barely mentioned what has become the hottest foreign policy issue in the campaign: the Obama's administration's handling of the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, that killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans.

Obama, from the opening moments, wasn't as subdued. He said Romney would reinstate the unpopular foreign policies of President George W. Bush. He accused him of frequently changing positions on how he would have handled Iraq and Afghanistan and jabbed at Romney's comments during the campaign that Russia is the United States' No. 1 geopolitical foe.

"Governor, when it comes to our foreign policy, you seem to want to import the foreign policies of the 1980s, just like the social policies of the 1950s and the economic policies of the 1920s," Obama said.

Romney said that despite early hopes, the ouster of despotic regimes in Egypt, Libya and elsewhere over the past year has resulted in a "rising tide of chaos." He said the president has failed to come up with a coherent policy to grapple with change sweeping the Middle East.

Romney described an Obama trip to the Middle East early in his presidency as an "apology tour" that bolstered U.S. adversaries while bypassing close ally Israel. Obama called that accusation the "biggest whopper" of the presidential campaign.

After Romney, criticizing the administration's defence budget, disapprovingly said the U.S. Navy has fewer ships than at any time since the end of World War I, Obama mockingly accused his rival of not understanding how the military works. "We also have fewer horses and bayonets because the nature of our military has changed," he said. "We have these things called aircraft carriers where planes land on them."

Foreign policy is generally seen as Obama's strength and he highlighted two of his campaign's main points: that he gave the order leading to the killing of terrorist leader Osama bin Laden and fulfilled a promise to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq. Romney, a multimillionaire businessman, has little foreign affairs experience.

Romney congratulated Obama "on taking out Osama bin Laden and taking on the leadership of al-Qaida." But he added, "we can't kill our way out of this mess. ... We must have a comprehensive and robust strategy."

With polls showing few voters likely to be swayed by foreign affairs, the candidates repeatedly turned the discussion back to the slowly recovering U.S. economy.

Both talked about being tough on China's trade practices they see as hurting U.S. businesses. That's a big issue in the industrial swing state of Ohio. The election is a state-by-state contest and the outcome in a small number of states that are not predictably Democratic or Republican, including Ohio, will determine the winner.

Romney repeated his threat to designate China a currency manipulator and punish it for intellectual property theft. He said China can be a partner, but "that does not mean they can just roll all over us and take our jobs."

Obama described China as both an adversary and a potential international partner. He defended his record in addressing China's trade violations, saying his administration had brought more cases than George W. Bush had in two terms.

There were several areas of agreement. Romney backed Obama's decision to remove support for Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Both also said they oppose sending U.S. troops to Syria where opposition groups are fighting to topple President Bashar Assad's regime.

Romney said the 2010 surge of 33,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan was a success and asserted that efforts to train Afghan security forces are on track to enable the U.S. and its allies to put the Afghans fully in charge of security by the end of 2014. He said that U.S. forces should complete their withdrawal on that schedule; previously he has criticized the setting of a specific withdrawal date.

Both candidates underscored their support for Israel against a threat from Iran. "If Israel is attacked, we have their back," said Romney ? moments after Obama vowed, "I will stand with Israel if Israel is attacked."

The debate was moderated by veteran newsman Bob Schieffer of CBS News.

With the final debate behind them, both men are embarking on a two-week whirlwind of campaigning. The president is slated to speak in six states during a two-day trip that begins Wednesday. Romney intends to visit two or three states a day.

Already four million ballots have been cast in early voting in more than two dozen states.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-says-romney-always-wrong-foreign-affairs-rivals-045832542.html

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Video: Devastating Defense Cuts Coming?

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

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/49511183/

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The Ohio State University Marching Band Goes ?Out of This World?

Laughing Squid is an online resource for interesting art, culture & technology.

Laughing Squid is also an independently owned and operated web hosting company. For more info visit Laughing Squid Web Hosting.

Laughing Squid was founded in 1995 by primary tentacle Scott Beale (@ScottBeale). As Editor-in-Chief of the blog he is joined by Managing Editor Rusty Blazenhoff, writers EDW Lynch and Justin Page, as well as the occasional guest blogger. Check out our FAQ for more info.

Source: http://laughingsquid.com/the-ohio-state-university-marching-band-goes-out-of-this-world/

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Apple's Oct. 23 'iPad Mini' event: What to expect

5 hrs.

Rosa Golijan , NBC News

The rumors surrounding Apple's press event, scheduled for Oct. 23, are deafening. Will the Cupertino-based company announce a smaller iPad? (It had better.) Will the company offer up a 13-inch MacBook Pro with a Retina display? (Very likely!)?How about an?Apple-branded coffee maker? (No.)

We'll find out for certain which rumors are true?at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET on Tuesday,?when NBC News' tech/sci editor?Wilson Rothman will be inside the event, covering it live here (and tweeting at @wjrothman).?For now, let's?sort?through the latest gossip and making our best guesses. Here's what Apple might announce:

iPad Mini (or is that "iPad Air"?)
We suspect that the smaller iPad will be a 7.85-inch device. This particular size has been floating around for over half a year, since a report in the Wall Street Journal suggested that Apple is testing a device about eight inches in size. Since that time, we've heard various other outlets cite their own anonymous sources in order to back up these measurements and narrow them down to the?7.85-inch point.

Odds are high that the smaller iPad will not have a high-resolution Retina display like the iPhone 5 or the third-generation iPad. A Bloomberg?report suggests?it will use a slightly lower resolution display and be priced to compete with Google's Nexus 7 tablet (and other lower-cost tablets such as those made by Amazon or Barnes & Noble).

According to Apple watcher John Gruber, the smaller iPad may look a lot like a large iPod Touch, rather than any other current Apple device, and have a somewhat smaller bezel. Simple logic suggests that the device will have a Lightning connector, just like the iPhone 5 and the latest iPod touch devices. Rumors regarding the guts of the so-called "iPad Mini"???or "iPad Air,"?as some rumors suggest it will be called???have been scattered and leave us hesitant to hazard many guesses about that aspect of the device.?(Most of the noise is around an A5 processor and 512MB of RAM, for what it's worth ? about the same specs as an iPad 2.)

As far as the price goes though, it's all about educated guesswork.?As our own Wilson Rothman pointed out, $249 would be the magic price tag for this tablet.?"I think that $249 is the 'all other tablets are dead' price, and $299 is the 'Apple keeps its market share?while making a comfortable profit' price. Anywhere over $300 is a "not good" price," Rothman concludes. "Not in today's market, not with a full-sized iPad 2 selling for $400 and a Retina-display iPad selling for $500."

That pricing logic may not win out, however. As 9to5Mac reported, Apple's smaller iPad may be priced at $329, in order to sit somewhere between the $299 iPod Touch and the $399 iPad 2.

13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display
According to multiple reports, both from?purportedly?"reliable sources" cited by 9to5 Mac's Mark Gurman and analysts cited by CNET's Brooke Crothers,?Apple will show off a 13-inch version of the MacBook Pro with Retina display.?This laptop will supposedly be "sold in two configurations, with differing processors and storage, and will be available for purchase soon after introduction," Gurman explains.

A report by the 9to5 Mac staff additionally suggests that the new laptops will start at around $1699. This price tag would belong to the base-model, according to the report, and a higher end version of the laptop would cost about $200 or $300 more.

This new laptop is expected to co-exist with its larger siblings, so don't worry that the current MacBook Pro with Retina display models will disappear from shelves.

A new?new?iPad
The folks at 9to5 Mac call attention to a photo allegedly showing a device which appears identical to the third-generation iPad, except for one small change: It has a Lightning connector instead of a 30-pin connector. One could speculate that the device will see a minor refresh, though it's questionable what sort of other changes might be made, beyond the connector.

Would Apple be crazy enough to refresh the third-generation iPad after just seven months? It would be unprecedented, but not totally outside the realm of possibility.

The other little things
It wouldn't be surprising if Apple were to announce some minor refreshes to its iMac and Mac Mini lines.?According to MacRumor's handy-dandy buyer's guide, both of the product lines are certainly due for some changes.?While the New York Times' David Pogue, citing an Apple exec, did peg a Mac Pro refresh for 2013, there seems to be wiggle room on the?arrival date of a new iMac.

As a French Apple blogger discovered, there's also?a chance that we'll also see some news related to ibooks, Apple's ebook software. After all, there appear to be apps referencing iBooks 3.0 already.

Oh, and let's not forget about the obligatory iTunes update. What would an Apple event be without one of those?

Want more?tech news or interesting?links? You'll get plenty of both if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on?Twitter, subscribing to her?Facebook?posts,?or circling her?on?Google+.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/apples-oct-23-ipad-mini-event-what-expect-1C6577381

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needed 2 writers | Article Rewriting | Articles | Copywriting ...

• Project ID:

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Project Description:

I am looking for two writer/writers for writing fresh content assignments (from any country) for various projects. You can bid as long as your English is fine. Rate is $1.1/500 words and $0.9/500 words rewrite . I want only those article writers, who can give me quality, plagiarism free and error free articles. Please understand, that I am very concerned about the quality, so if you do not have perfect English, please do not take the pains of bidding. Location is no problem, however you must promise to not 'disappear' after granting the project. Please write 'I am responsible' while bidding so that I know that you have read this. Do not bid above $40.

Please bid only if

1) You are absolutely fluent in English
2) Know what content writing is (plagiarism, importance of timely delivery, keywords usage etc.)
3) Can handle at least 2000 words per day

While bidding please send me the answers to the following questions in PM

Please answer these questions so that I can evaluate you as a content/article writer. Please submit the sample along with the information. Please do so fast as I need to select writers asap

1) How many years have you been speaking and writing English?
2) How many months/years have you been working as a content writer/editor/proofreader?
3) Which plagiarism checker do you use? If you don?t, how do you check for plagiarism
4) Where are you from?
5) Educational background/work experience (if any)
6) Can you please submit a 100 words article on security alarms? It should be plagiarism free and naturally error free!! The copyrights for this 100 words article are yours, I simply want to see your writing, that?s all!!

Bid without the answers to the above questions will be rejected. Thank you
Thanks for bidding. I look forward to choose the best among you

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Source: http://www.freelancer.com/projects/Copywriting-Ghostwriting/needed-writers.html

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In campaign of memorable debates, Obama and Romney face off again (reuters)

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Steve King: Comparing Immigrants To Dogs Was 'A Compliment'

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) on Sunday stood by eyebrow-raising comments he made in May, insisting that he was praising immigrants when he compared selecting visa recipients to choosing a "good bird dog."

"It was a compliment ... They knew it was a compliment, they turned it into an insult because they're professional hyperventilators," the immigration hardliner said in an interview on Des Moines NBC affiliate WHO-TV, posted by a site run by the campaign of his Democratic opponent, Christie Vilsack.

King said at a town hall earlier this year that when picking a good bird dog, it is important to avoid choosing "the one that's sleeping in the corner." He then added that immigrants to the United States should be looked at in the same way.

"You get the pick of the litter and you got yourself a pretty good bird dog. Well, we?ve got the pick of every donor civilization on the planet," King said at the time. "We?ve got the vigor from the planet to come to America."

The WHO-TV anchor also asked about other controversial comments King has made, such as saying in July that President Barack Obama's mother "might've announced [his birth] by telegram from Kenya" to Hawaii, where Obama was born and a birth announcement appeared -- essentially an endorsement of the idea that the president might not have born in the United States.

King said Sunday he never claimed Obama wasn't born in the United States, and that he was simply repeating the concerns of others. Still, he didn't fully disavow birtherism.

"I don't know where he was born, but I don't see the indication that he was born anywhere else," he said.

King also stood behind claims that Huma Abedin, a top aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, may have ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.

"If you look at her family connections and the family orientation, I think it's very clear," he said. "I don't have all her family committed to memory and the family tree, but there's a strong connection that's there, it does exist. ... It appears to be the objective truth."

The WHO-TV anchors went on to ask King about his views on contraception and abortion. He said he has no opinion on whether states should be able to ban contraception -- although he has spoken before about why they may be constitutionally allowed to ban it. He said that he was simply relaying one side's argument, but he also did not say he disagrees with it. King said he has "not taken a position on the sale of contraceptives at all."

On abortion, he said he would consider supporting exceptions for incest and statutory rape. He previously said he hasn't heard of anyone getting pregnant from such situations, and currently supports federal funding for abortion only after "forcible" rape.

"I would be open to discussion, I have not considered it," he said of allowing abortion funding in cases of incest and statutory rape. "The subject had never been brought up to me in all my public life before that interview. And when I say that I'm open to discussion, I'm open to discussion, but I'm not coming to a conclusion."

King currently leads Vilsack by four points, according to an estimate from HuffPost Pollster.

Watch the interview:

Also on HuffPost:

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/21/steve-king-immigrants-dogs_n_1998007.html

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Refresh Roundup: week of October 15th, 2012

Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!

Continue reading Refresh Roundup: week of October 15th, 2012

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Mobile

Refresh Roundup: week of October 15th, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 21 Oct 2012 20:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/21/refresh-roundup-week-of-october-15th-2012/

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Tribal court disputed in Grand Canyon bridge fight

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? The jurisdiction of a Native American tribal court was challenged Friday by the developer of a popular glass bridge over the Grand Canyon who has been locked in a multi-million dollar contract dispute with an Arizona-based tribe.

David Jin's lawyer, Troy Eid, told a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that the Las Vegas businessman should not have to fight his legal battles in the Hualapai (WAHL'-uh-peye) tribal court system, saying it lacks authority to hear the case.

Eid also said the tribal court is not giving his client a fair shot to protect his financial stake.

Jeffrey Gross, an attorney for the tribe, denied the allegations and told the panel that Jin signed a contract allowing the operation of the Skywalk to be governed by Hualapai law. Gross argued that Jin first must exhaust his legal options in tribal court before turning to federal courts.

The fight between Jin and the tribe could be worth tens of millions of dollars and stems from a disagreement over management fees and an incomplete visitor center.

The dispute prompted Hualapai leaders to sever Jin's contract. They say he is owed $11 million for fair market value of the Skywalk. Jin, however, says his rights are worth closer to $100 million. He has alleged in lawsuits that his constitutional rights are being violated.

The Grand Canyon Skywalk extends in a horseshoe shape from the canyon's edge on tribal land in western Arizona, giving visitors a view of the Colorado River 4,000 feet below. Jin invested $30 million to build it.

It's unclear when the panel will rule in the dispute over jurisdiction.

The judges said they understood the claims and are aware of the financial stakes. They also said they realize both parties are anxious for a resolution.

The judges also asked Gross half-heartedly if they would see the parties back again for another possible round of appeals.

"Or not," Gross said. "Because we don't know what's going to happen in tribal court and that's the whole point of exhausting the administrative remedies in tribal court because that process may prevent us from coming back."

There is an exception to exhausting tribal court remedies if Jin's attorneys can prove that the tribal court ? not the Tribal Council ? has acted in bad faith. He's been unsuccessful so far.

The federal district court repeatedly has said that the tribal court has the first right to hear the case.

The two sides don't agree either on an arbiter's decision to award Jin more than $28 million in the contract dispute. The tribe pulled out of the proceeding by the American Arbitration Association once it cut Jin out of the contract.

___

Staff Writer Felicia Fonseca in Flagstaff, Ariz., contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/tribal-court-disputed-grand-canyon-bridge-fight-002645529--finance.html

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Can Contact With Other Groups Reduce Prejudice? | Psychology ...

Since the 1940s and 1950s psychologists and sociologists have been interested in what?s become known as the ?contact hypothesis," the deceptively simple notion that increasing contact between groups (e.g., the French and the English; racial groups in the US) can reduce prejudice toward an outgroup. On the one hand, this seems very likely to work. In fact it may seem obvious, perhaps leading you to claim ?my grandmother could have told you that!? On the other hand, contact can be fraught with tension, anxiety, conflict, and mismatched goals. After all, there are plenty of examples where groups experience considerable contact (e.g., the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Northern Ireland ?Troubles?) and yet outgroup strife is rife. Consider also that men have plenty of contact with women yet still sexism remains a very real problem in society.

What does the psychological record have to say about this phenomenon? Fortunately, Pettigrew and Tropp (2006) conducted a very extensive and exhaustive review of the empirical contact literature, including surveys, experiments, and longitudinal analyses (i.e., considering contact effects over time). Across methodologies, and across different types of contact, they found that there was a clear meta-analytic effect across the 500+ studies examined: increased contact results in a relatively small but very reliable reduction in prejudice. The researchers uncovered several moderators of this effect (for instance, the effects are stronger among the dominant majority group than among the disadvantaged minority, and stronger for contact with sexual minorities than for contact with the elderly).

The moderator I find most interesting concerns the fact that contact effects on prejudice are stronger when interactants have no choice but to participate (relative to when they are free to engage in contact or not). For this reason, I decided to examine contact in several prisons (Hodson, 2008). The results were clear: the more contact White inmates experienced with Black inmates, or the more positive the contact, the more positive their attitudes toward the Black inmates. These results held in 2 different prisons, and are quite remarkable considering that prisons are contexts rife with dominance and conflict (hardly the hallmark of ?idealized? contact settings).

But it goes without saying that contact is no panacea for prejudice (Hewstone, 2003; Hodson & Hewstone, 2013b). Indeed, researchers (e.g., Dixon et al., 2005) have begun to question whether the field has been too quick to embrace contact as a solution to prejudice. Many of these criticisms are, in my opinion, valid and worthy of discussion. But increased contact, as a prejudice intervention, continues to impress and fascinate me. Perhaps most impressively, contact works well (if not best) among those people predisposed to be prejudiced in the first place (for summaries see Hodson, 2011; Hodson, Costello, & MacInnis, 2013).

You can learn more about intergroup contact, and its potential to reduce prejudice, in a new book that I recently co-edited with Professor Miles Hewstone at Oxford (for links, see URL and URL) called Advances in Intergroup Conact (see below for reference).

You can also follow the interesting Psychology Today column published by one of the top contact researchers, Professor Richard Crisp.

References and Suggested Readings:

Dixon, J., Durrheim, K., & Tredoux, C. (2005). Beyond the optimal contact strategy: A?reality check for the contact hypothesis. American Psychologist, 60, 697?711.

Hodson, G. (2008). Interracial prison contact: The pros for (socially dominant) cons. British Journal of Social Psychology, 47, 325-351.?

Hodson, G. (2011). Do ideologically intolerant people benefit from intergroup contact? Current Directions in Psychological Science, 20, 154-159.

Hodson, G., Costello, K., & MacInnis, C.C. (2013). Is intergroup contact beneficial among intolerant people? Exploring individual differences in the benefits of contact on attitudes. In G.?Hodson & M. Hewstone (Eds.), Advances in intergroup contact (pp. 49-80). London, UK: Psychology Press.?

Hodson, G., Harry, H., & Mitchell, A. (2009). Independent benefits of contact and friendship on attitudes toward homosexuals among authoritarians and highly identified heterosexuals.? European Journal of Social Psychology, 39, 509-525. . DOI: 10.1002/ejsp.558

Hodson, G., & Hewstone, M. (Eds.) (2013a). Advances in intergroup contact. London, UK: Psychology Press. Paperback: 978-1-84872-114-2; Hardback: 978-1-84872-054-1

Hodson, G., & Hewstone, M. (2013b). Introduction: Advances in intergroup contact. In G. Hodson & M. Hewstone (Eds.), Advances in intergroup contact (pp. 3-20). London, UK: Psychology Press.

Hewstone, M. (2003). Intergroup contact: Panacea for prejudice? The Psychologist, 16,?352?355.

Pettigrew, T. F., & Tropp, L. R. (2006). A meta-analytic test of intergroup contact theory.?Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 90, 751?783.

MacInnis, C.C., & Hodson, G. (2012). ?Where the rubber hits the road? en route to intergroup harmony: Examining contact intentions and contact behavior under meta-stereotype threat. British Journal of Social Psychology, 51, 363-373.?

Source: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/without-prejudice/201210/can-contact-other-groups-reduce-prejudice

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Love and the Painful Drug that it is.

4 relationships that aren't going very well. They cause the people in them to worry and feel nothing but grief. They don't want to cry anymore but can things get better? Can they MAKE things better?

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No. 3 Florida drubs No. 9 South Carolina 44-11

Florida linebacker Jelani Jenkins (3) goes airborne after assisting on a tackle on South Carolina's Kenny Miles (31) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Florida linebacker Jelani Jenkins (3) goes airborne after assisting on a tackle on South Carolina's Kenny Miles (31) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

South Carolina quarterback Connor Shaw scrambles out of the pocket as his pressured by Florida defensive back Dante Fowler Jr. (6) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

South Carolina running back Kenny Miles (31) is tackled by Florida linebacker Jon Bostic (1) after a short gain during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Florida's Quinton Dunbar, right, breaks away from South Carolina linebacker DeVonte Holloman (21) on a 13-yard touchdown pass play during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012, in Gainesville, Fla.(AP Photo/Phil Sandlin)

Florida's Chris Johnson, left, runs the ball to the 1-yard line in front of South Carolina's Justice Cunningham, right, after recovering a fumble on a kickoff during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2012, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) ? Florida went 0-for-October last season, with humbling losses to Alabama, LSU, Auburn and Georgia.

It bothered coaches and players for a year.

It motivated them, too.

A year later, the Gators have a chance to end the month with a division title.

"I like this better," coach Will Muschamp said. "So does everybody else."

Jeff Driskel threw four touchdown passes ? three of them after turnovers ? and the third-ranked Gators matched their win total from 2011 with a 44-11 drubbing of No. 9 South Carolina on Saturday.

The Gators avenged consecutive losses to the Gamecocks, including one a couple of years ago that ended with Steve Spurrier and his players celebrating a division title in The Swamp.

"We remember the feeling, how bad it hurt," center Jon Harrison said. "We even had guys getting emotional over it. We just used that as pure motivation to come out here and completely dominate this team."

Florida's latest whatever-it-takes win kept Muschamp's team undefeated and put it on the cusp of the Southeastern Conference's Eastern Division title. The Gators (7-0, 6-0 SEC) can clinch a spot in the league's championship game by beating No. 13 Georgia next week in nearby Jacksonville.

Florida won this one with turnovers, stellar defense and more halftime adjustments ? the kind of successful tweaks that are making Muschamp and his staff seem like the right fit in Gainesville.

The Gators finished 7-6 last season, barely avoiding the program's first losing season since 1979. The struggles had outsiders questioning whether Muschamp could get Florida back to national prominence.

He's got the team there now ? even if it hasn't always been pretty.

The Gators managed just 29 yards and two first downs in the first half against South Carolina (6-2, 4-2). But they led 21-6 thanks to three turnovers.

Loucheiz Purifoy knocked the ball out of Connor Shaw's hands on the first play. Lerentee McCray recovered, giving Florida the ball at the 2-yard line. Driskel hooked up with Jordan Reed on third down, putting the Gators up early.

It also was a sign of things to come for the Gamecocks, who had trouble holding onto the ball all afternoon.

Ace Sanders fumbled on a punt return that led to Driskel's second TD pass. He found Quinton Dunbar for a 13-yard score. Dunbar spun out of DeVonte Holloman's grasp before coasting across the goal line.

On the ensuing kickoff, Solomon Patton forced Damiere Byrd to fumble. Chris Johnson picked it up and nearly scored. He was stopped at the 1, setting up Driskel's third TD pass to Reed. Driskel faked a handoff and found Reed alone in the back of the end zone, which made it 21-3.

"I'd rather have 1 yard in front of me than 75," Driskel said.

South Carolina failed to generate much offense. In fact, the Gamecocks managed two field goal in the first half thanks to penalties and returned a blocked extra point for two points in the third quarter.

Shaw completed 9 of 20 passes for 72 yards. He was benched in the second half, replaced by Dylan Thompson. Thompson completed 8 of 20 passes for 83 yards, with an interception.

"Coach Spurrier told me at halftime we were going to make the change," Shaw said. "He told me I wasn't getting the job done. I was completely supportive of him. Bottom line today, we just didn't execute."

The Gators put the game away by scoring on all three possessions in the third quarter, getting a 6-yard TD run by Omarius Hines, a field goal and a 6-yard pass from Driskel to Frankie Hammond Jr.

They made South Carolina's defensive front, which dominated in the first half, look suspect. They also better controlled standout end pass-rusher Jadeveon Clowney, who gave them fits early. And they kept South Carolina off balance with creative play-calling that included tight end Trey Burton in the wildcat.

"It was embarrassing for us, very embarrassing to lose," Spurrier said. "We've got to reevaluate a lot of our personnel and get players out there who really want to play for South Carolina. Two weeks ago, I wouldn't have thought this. We had a bad one today. LSU was bad (last week). This one was worse. We've got to regroup somehow."

Driskel completed 11 of 16 passes for 93 yards. Mike Gillislee ran 19 times for 37 yards. Reed caught four passes for 44 yards.

Florida's defense and special teams were much more impressive.

The Gators held South Carolina to 191 yards, including minus-1 in the third quarter. Marcus Lattimore, who didn't start because of a hip injury, ran just three times for 13 yards. And Florida dominated every aspect of special teams. In addition to the two forced fumbles, Kyle Christy had seven punts of at least 50 yards.

"We're on our way to being what Florida used to be, what Florida's known for," Harrison said. "We hope to accomplish that this season."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-10-20-FBC-T25-South-Carolina-Florida/id-f8151b8c40614bbb8fa10c76acebe466

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