NEWS -2.9 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE STRIKES NEAR HARRAH, OKLAHOMA

2.9-magnitude earthquake strikes near Harrah, Oklahoma

A 2.9-magnitude earthquake struck Saturday morning 26 miles northeast of Oklahoma City, about 10 miles northeast of Harrah, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake hit about 7:45 a.m., the USGS said.

 

BY STAFF REPORTS | Published: April 21, 2012

NEWS - SMALL EARTHQUAKE RECORDED IN OKLAHOMA COUNTY

Small earthquake recorded in Oklahoma County

The 2.3 magnitude quake was centered about 3 miles northeast of Luther in Oklahoma County.

 

From Staff Reports | Published: April 9, 2012    9

LUTHER — A small earthquake was recorded shortly before 10 p.m. Sunday in central Oklahoma, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.
The 2.3 magnitude quake was centered about 3 miles northeast of Luther in Oklahoma County, and 6 miles west of Wellston in Lincoln County..
It was about 2.5 miles below the surface, the survey reported.

NEWS - SMALL EARTHQUAKE REPORTED NEAR PITTSBURG OKLAHOMA

Small earthquake reported near Pittsburg, Oklahoma

A small earthquake has been reported in eastern Oklahoma. No damages or injuries reported Tuesday

 

FROM STAFF REPORTS | Published: April 3, 2012    

PITTSBURG – A small earthquake has been reported in southern Pittsburg County, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The 4.0 magnitude quake was reported at 1:33 a.m. Tuesday 2 miles southeast of Pittsburg located south of McAlester.
No injuries or damages were reported.
The quake was felt as far away as the Tulsa area.

NEWS - COMEDIAN GALLAGHER TO RETIRE FROM PERFORMING LIVE

Comedian Gallagher to retire from performing live

  

MARION, Ohio (AP) — The comedian Gallagher says he's had his fill of performing live onstage and is retiring after 32 years.
The Los Angeles-based comedian, whose full name is Leo Anthony Gallagher, told an Ohio radio station on Thursday that his retirement plans include posting his writings online and possibly appearing at private parties.
Gallagher is known for smashing watermelons with a sledgehammer. He had a heart attack March 14 before a performance at a suburban Dallas bar. He came out of a medically induced coma this week and was released from a hospital Wednesday.
He told Scott Spears of WDCM in Marion that it sometimes didn't matter how clever his jokes were if the audience couldn't hold their liquor. He said the job is like "baby-sitting people who can't handle alcohol."

HUMOR - CATS GUIDE TO CARING FOR YOUR HUMAN

*Cat's guide to caring for your human.*

Cats are beautiful, sophisticated, intelligent creatures. And with a little love and caring, they can keep a human being alive for upwards of seventy to eighty years. If you follow these simple instructions, you can have your human housetrained in no time.

CLEANLINESS: For some reasons, humans seem to enjoy immersing themselves in running water. Attempts to get humans to lick themselves clean have proven interesting, if unproductive.

COMMUNICATION: Humans are unable to speak a proper language. Therefore, you should communicate a point loudly, repeatedly, and if at all possible, at about three in the morning. Any attempts at human-to-cat communication can be dealt with by simply ignoring it until it stops.

FEEDING: Morning feeding should start promptly when your human is fast asleep, preferably three or four minutes before the alarm is supposed to go off. Recommended methods of waking your human include: sitting on its face, screaming in its ear, and biting its hair.

MATING: Human mating behavior is fascinating. Unfortunately, humans tend to get easily spooked by prolonged study of courtship rituals, and resort to shoe-throwing behavior.

TOILET TRAINING: A human's natural tendency is to not change your litter box. Although experts in human behavior believe it can be attributed to the "laziness reflex," this can be easily corrected through what is called "shoe therapy." Just remember that a human shoe looks a lot like a human toilet, and you should be fine.
Following these simple tips is the first step towards a long and productive cat/human relationship.

NEWS - 'STAR WARS' DESIGNER McQUARRIE DEAD AT AGE 82

'Star Wars' designer McQuarrie dead at 82

 Ralph McQuarrie, the cinematic designer known for the famous "Star Wars" characters such as Darth Vader, Chewbacca and R2-D2, has died at age 82, his website announced Sunday.

McQuarrie, who died Saturday, collaborated with George Lucas on the original "Star Wars" trilogy in the 1970s and with Steven Spielberg on films including "E.T," and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind."
He also was part of the team with director Ron Howard which made "Cocoon," a 1985 production which won an Oscar for special effects.
"Ralph was a very special person for many more reasons than his undeniable brilliance with a brush," said a statement posted on the website.
"His influence on design will be felt forever. There's no doubt in our hearts that centuries from now amazing spaceships will soar, future cities will rise and someone, somewhere will say... 'that looks like something Ralph McQuarrie painted.'"

NEWS - SMALL EARTHQUAKE NEAR WELLSTON IN CENTERAL OKLAHOMA

Small earthquake near Wellston in central Oklahoma

 

 

Published: February 29, 2012

WELLSTON (AP) — The U.S. Geological Survey has recorded a small earthquake near Wellston in central Oklahoma.
No injuries or damage are reported.
The U.S.G.S. reports the magnitude 3.0 quake occurred about 4:20 p.m. Wednesday and was centered about three miles southwest of Wellston — near the Lincoln-Oklahoma County line. The area is about 30 miles northeast of Oklahoma City.
A dispatcher with the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office says the office received no calls from the public about the earthquake.
Geologists say earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 to 3.0 are generally the smallest felt by humans.

NEWS - FORMER MONKEE BAND MEMBER DAVEY JONES DIES AT AGE 66 IN FLORIDA

Former Monkee Davy Jones dies at age 66 in Florida

 

By Piya Sinha-Roy and Steve Gorman

LOS ANGELES | Wed Feb 29, 2012 4:35pm EST

(Reuters) - Davy Jones, a onetime teen heartthrob as a member of the 1960s made-for-television pop band The Monkees, died on Wednesday after suffering a heart attack near his home in Florida, according to his longtime publicist. He was 66.
Jones was stricken while attending to horses he kept in Indiantown, Florida, about halfway between the Atlantic coast and Lake Okeechobee, spokeswoman Helen Kensick said. He had lived with his third wife, Jessica Pacheco-Jones, in Hollywood, Florida, in recent years, she said.
She gave no further details of his death.
Born in Manchester, England, Jones was the lone British member and principal teen idol of the rock quartet featured for two seasons on the NBC comedy series "The Monkees." The prime-time hit was inspired in part by the Beatles film "A Hard Day's Night" and ran from the fall of 1966 to August 1968.
Although not allowed to play their own instruments on their early records, Jones and his three cohorts -- Micky Dolenz, Mike Nesmith and Peter Tork -- had several hits that sold millions of copies, including "Last Train to Clarksville" and "I'm a Believer."
Jones sang lead vocals on hit singles "Daydream Believer," "A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You," and "Valleri."
Jones got his start as an 11-year-old actor on the still-running British soap opera "Coronation Street" before landing a role as the Artful Dodger in a West End production of "Oliver!" He went on to originate that role for the Broadway production and earned a Tony nomination.
But Jones gained wider stardom after answering a casting call for a TV series being created about the zany misadventures of four Beatles-like rock musicians called the Monkees. Two members of the group, Nesmith and Tork, were musicians with performing and recording experience, while Jones and Dolenz were primarily actors who more or less dabbled in music.
According to Jones, the four were selected largely on the basis of their physical chemistry.
"We looked for different types of guys to be part of this idea," he recalled in an account posted on his website. "Micky, Peter, Mike and I were put together in one scene and everyone said, 'That's it ... magic! We'll use you four."
ADEPT PERFORMERS
Although disparaged by critics as the "Pre-Fab Four" for the manufactured way in which the band came together, the group proved to be adept performers who were eventually given control of their own recordings.
Veteran label executive Don Kirshner, the show's musical coordinator, was ultimately fired from the series when producers sided with the stars in a standoff over their musical autonomy.
The TV series, introduced by its catchy theme, "Hey, Hey, We're the Monkees," debuted as an immediate ratings hit weeks after the group's first single, "Last Train to Clarksville," had topped the pop charts in the autumn of 1966.
The group collaborated early on with some of the major songwriters and session musicians of the day, including Neil Diamond, Carole King, Glen Campbell and Hal Blaine.
The Monkees' self-titled first LP topped the album charts that October, and the popularity of the group generated a wave of merchandising, including toys, games and lunchboxes. But their only feature film, "Head," was a box-office flop.
After their fifth album, the group began to splinter, releasing two more albums as a trio without Tork and one last LP as a duo following Nesmith's exit in 1969.
Jones went on to pursue a less-heralded solo career and appeared as himself in a popular 1971 episode of the hit sitcom "The Brady Bunch," in which the show's character, Marcia Brady, was president of a Davy Jones fan club and tried to get the singer to perform at her school prom.
He made another cameo as himself in the 1995 "The Brady Bunch Movie."
Three members of the Monkees, Jones, Tork and Dolenz, teamed up for a 20th anniversary reunion tour in 1986 and regrouped again for a tour three years later. A final reunion album by all four original Monkees, "Justus," was released in 1996, in conjunction with a TV special.
A 45th anniversary tour, again without Nesmith, was launched last year.
In addition to his wife, Jones is survived for four daughters from two previous marriages.
(Additional reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy and Christine Kearney; Writing by Steve Gorman; Editing by Cynthia Johnston and Philip Barbara)

HUMOR : UNCLE TOBY

Workin' on the Railroad

Benny wanted a job as a signalman on the railways.
At his interview, the inspector asked him this question:
"What would you do if you saw 2 trains heading for each other on the SAME track?
Benny replied," I would switch the points for one of the trains."
"Good. But what if the lever broke?", asked the inspector.
"Then I'd run down to the signal box", said Benny, "and use the manual lever there."
"What if lightning struck it?' asked the inspector.
"Then..." Benny continued, "I'd run back into signal box & phone the next signal box."
"What if the phone was engaged?"
"Well.....in that case," persevered Benny, " I'd rush down out of the box & use the public emergency phone at the level of the crossing up there..."
"What would you do if THAT was vandalized?"
"Oh, well then I'd run into the village & get my Uncle Toby."
This bizarre response puzzled the Inspector, so he asked, "And just why would you do that??"
"Because Uncle Toby... He's never seen a train wreck!!"

HUMOR - LAWS OF COMPUTING

Laws of Computing

* When computing, whatever happens, behave as though you meant it to happen.
* When you get to the point where you really understand your computer, it's probably obsolete.
* The first place to look for information is in the section of the manual where you least expect to find it.
* When the going gets tough, upgrade.
* For every action, there is an equal and opposite malfunction.
* To err is human . . . To blame your computer for your mistakes is even more human, it is downright natural.
* If at first you do not succeed, blame your computer.
* A complex system that does not work is invariably found to have evolved from a simpler system that worked perfectly.
* The number one cause of computer problems? Computer solutions offered by family members.
And if I may add - The best line I have heard when trying to explain to new computer users why something is happening that you don't understand is:
"I think you have a problem with the interface between the chair and the keyboard."

NEWS - EATHQUAKE RECORDED NEAR PADEN, OKLAHOMA

Earthquake recorded near Paden

A 3.1 magnitude earthquake was recorded six miles from Paden on Tuesday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey reports.

FROM STAFF REPORTS  

Published: February 7, 2012

PADEN — An earthquake hit near Paden on Tuesday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The 3.1 magnitude quake struck six miles from Paden about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday. Its epicenter was seven miles from Boley and 55 miles from Oklahoma City.
The quake was recorded about 15 minutes after a regional drill was conducted to practice earthquake safety.

ARTICLE - A FATEFUL JOURNEY DURING CIVAL WAR

A fateful journey during Civil War

 

Sunday, January 29, 201

By John Punola
For the Salisbury Post
On July 15, 1864, a train carrying more than 800 Confederate prisoners of war destined for the Union camp at Elmira, N.Y., was involved in a head-on crash near the sleepy town of Shohola, Pa.
The collision of the two trains on the Erie Railroad along the bank of the Delaware River resulted in the deaths of a large number of Confederate prisoners and Union guards.
As a historian and writer from Madison, N.J., I visited the site after learning of this tragic piece of history. There, I found out about two Confederate lads who died in the crash and were buried in a nearby cemetery.
With a great deal of research, their stories emerged, and the long hidden graves were found. As a result the train wreck becomes a personal story about two soldiers named Johnson, one from Anson County, N.C., and the other from Petersburg, Va. Both served in N.C. regiments, the 8th and 31st. To pay respect to them, my wife, Nancy, and I have taken the role of caretakers and faithfully place the Confederate flag on the gravesites.
The story begins two years earlier, in 1862, when it became apparent the war was going to last longer than anticipated, and both sides were faced with the problem of housing an increased number of prisoners. The Union and Confederacy decided to work out a prisoner exchange plan.
On July 22, 1862, Union Colonel John Dix met with Confederate Colonel Daniel Hill at Haxalls Landing, Va. They signed the prisoner exchange called the Dix–Hill Cartel. Under the terms, exchanges would take place after a battle and could involve the transport of prisoners to a temporary holding camp. The agreement stipulated the exchanged troops would be pardoned and eventually sent home; they were not supposed to return to duty with their former units.
From the beginning, the agreement was flawed. Southern troops, upon release, were eager to rejoin the fight and promptly headed back to their units, while Union troops languished in holding camps awaiting paperwork to send them home.
The Dix-Hill Cartel remained in effect until April 17, 1863, when President Lincoln under the advice of General Grant and Secretary of War Stanton canceled the plan, believing the war could end sooner if the Dix-Hill Cartel was rescinded.
Grant felt that by holding large numbers of Confederates, it would create a problem for General Robert E. Lee to replace them. Grant also felt the Union could afford to lose more men as casualties and prisoners than the South.
Lincoln also believed the South would not be able to care for and feed the Union prisoners. Grant and Lincoln proved to be correct.
As the war continued, the Confederacy made repeated pleas to reinstate the prisoner exchange but Lincoln steadfastly refused. In the end, the “total war” concept did hasten the end but at a horrible cost in human lives, both military and civilian.
During 1864, the Union Army under Grant went on the offensive, waging a ruthless “war of attrition” in hopes of shortening the conflict. This resulted in a high casualty rate plus a large number of prisoners taken by both armies. Neither side had sufficient prisoner camps to handle the volume of prisoners.
The Union camp at Elmira, N.Y., a former induction center, had been converted to a holding camp, and the flow of Confederate prisoners to the camp commenced in July 1864. Recent heavy fighting at the battle of Cold Harbor, Va., killed a huge number of Union soldiers, and a large number of Confederates were taken prisoner. The Confederates, mostly new recruits, were destined for delivery to the new Elmira camp, traveling via rail from Maryland to Harrisburg, Pa., then to Jersey City, N.J., and finally to Elmira.
Many of the prisoners arrived at Point Lookout, Md, early on the morning of July 15, 1864, where they were transferred to the Erie Railroad, destined for Port Jervis, N.Y., and the final stop, Elmira.
The train bearing the prisoners, Locomotive 171, was designated as a special “extra,” meaning it was to run behind a regular passenger Train 23, which would display warning flags giving the right of way to Locomotive 171 and its load of prisoners. The train consisted of l7 cars, a mix of passenger and freight cars, plus locomotive and caboose. All told, it carried 833 Confederate prisoners and 128 Union guards, with some of the latter stationed at each end of the cars.
The westbound Train 23 left that morning on time. But because of a faulty drawbridge, there was a delay in the prisoner train’s departure, and Locomotive 171 was four hours behind schedule when it arrived in Port Jervis.
On that sunny July 15, Locomotive 171 departed Port Jervis at 1 p.m. It looked like a routine trip as it headed into Pennsylvania, with the train moving along at about 20 mph along a single track section that contained sharp curves as it ran along the Delaware River.
Ahead at Lackawaxen, Pa., was a junction with the Hawley branch, a spur line connection to Honesdale, Pa. At this junction was a telegraph operator named Douglas “Duff” Kent. Earlier that day, Kent had noted the regular West 23 train passing by, going west, with the warning flags indicating an extra train was following behind.
At approximately 2:30 p.m., coal train Erie 237 arrived at the Lackawaxen junction pulling 50 cars laden with coal from Hawley, Pa., destined for Jersey City. Kent mistakenly gave the all clear sign, and the switch was thrown. The Erie coal train then sped eastward for its fateful collision with the trainload of Confederate prisoners.
The trains collided at “King and Fuller’s Cut.” This section of track included a blind curve, with only 50 feet of forward visibility. The collision was a scene of horror, death and destruction. Union guards and Confederate prisoners alike died on the spot or soon after. Both groups were hastily buried there in a shallow grave between the track and the Delaware River.
The Confederates were buried four per casket, crudely constructed with wood from the wreckage. Coffins arrived the following morning for each of the 17 dead Union guards. Overall, 48 Confederates perished in the wreck. Five Confederate prisoners managed to escape during the early hours after the wreck. Despite extensive searches, they were never found, having melted into the countryside.
The surviving prisoners were taken to Shohola, Pa., and housed in local railroad buildings. The injured were taken to homes of local citizens for care and medical attention. Two of the prisoners, John Johnson and Michael Johnson (no relation), were taken in by the Hickock family. Both soldiers died soon afterward.
It was said the Hickocks — reminded of their own sons in the Union Army — took a liking to the young Confederate soldiers and decided to give them a Christian burial. The two bodies were taken across the Delaware River to the Congregational Church in Barryville, N.Y. They were buried in unmarked graves so the Union guards would not find them.
Later, when Union officers came to take the Johnsons, they demanded to know the location of the graves, but the Hickocks refused to divulge it.
Despite many years of visits from Union officials, the Hickocks never revealed the grave site. Once the Union officers stopped their inquiry, a single stone grave marker was erected, and it’s still in good condition.
On June 11, 1911, the guards and prisoners buried at the scene of the crash were disinterred and taken to the cemetery at Elmira Woodlawn National Cemetery. A single monument marks the burial site. It contains two bronze plaques, one facing North for the Union troops and one facing South for the Confederates.
Regarding the two Johnsons still buried at Barryville, they are visited each year on or close to the July 15 anniversary. There is a brief ceremony at the gravesites with both Union and Confederate re-enactors present, and occasionally, an ancestor of the Johnson boys.
When we learned of the two young Confederates buried in the nearby country cemetery, we set out to find the gravesites. This proved a real challenge since the original Congregational Church had been abandoned for decades. In fact, the Barryville, N.Y., post office could not tell us where the church was located.
Finally, we visited the old United Methodist Church in Barryville, and while talking to some ladies there, we asked about the old Congregational Church. One of the ladies pointed to a structure hidden in the trees on a gentle hill. We walked to the old building, and right behind it was the old cemetery. After a close search of the grounds, we found the Johnsons buried under shade trees along the edge of the cemetery. My wife Nancy said we must pay respect to the young Confederates and decided to decorate the gravesite.
Days later, we purchased a dozen Confederate flags and placed two of them at the gravesite. We kept the remaining flags in reserve, and every time we are in the area, we plant new flags. We have been doing this for the past seven years and will continue as honored caretakers of the gravesites as long as possible.
Further research revealed that the two Johsons buried at Barryville are not related. John D Johnson was from Anson County, N.C., and served with Company B, NC 31st infantry Regiment. Michael Johnson was from Petersburg, Va., and was with Company I, NC 8th Regiment. Both held the rank of private when captured on June 1, 1864 at the battle of Cold Harbor.
During this period of honoring the memories, heroes and sacrifices of the military men of the War Between the States, both Union and Confederate, my wife and I are honored and proud to have contributed our time and thoughts toward the rememberance of two young Confederates buried so far from home and friends, and we will continue to honor them. They are Americans just like us.
• • •
Editor’s note: An official inquest jury in Pike County was impaneled to investigate the accident and found Douglas Kent negligent (and, in some accounts, inebriated). However, Kent had apparently fled the area the day after the collision.

NEWS - TWO EARTHQUAKES RECORDED NEAR PRAGUE OKLAHOMA

Two earthquakes recorded near Prague

The U.S. Geological Survey reports that two quakes hit near Prague about 5:30 a.m. Sunday. The earthquakes were about 43 miles from Oklahoma City.

 FROM STAFF REPORTS  

Published: January 29, 2012

Two earthquakes were recorded near Prague Sunday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
A 2.7 magnitude quake hit six miles from Prague about 5:30 a.m. Sunday. The quake's epicenter was seven miles from Meeker and 43 miles from Oklahoma City.
About the same time, a 2.4 magnitude earthquake also was recorded five miles from Prague, eight from Meeker and 43 miles away from Oklahoma City.

NEWS - ROBERT HEGYES, 'EPSTEIN' FROM "WELCOME BACK KOTTER" DIES.

Robert Hegyes, Epstein from ‘Welcome Back Kotter’, Dies

 

By Associated Press | January 27, 2012

(METUCHEN, N.J. ) — Robert Hegyes, the actor best known for playing Jewish Puerto Rican student Juan Epstein on the 1970s TV show “Welcome Back Kotter” has died. He was 60.
The Flynn & Son Funeral Home in Fords, N.J., said it was informed of Hegyes’ death Thursday by the actor’s family. A spokesman at JFK Medical Center in Edison, N.J., told the Star-Ledger newspaper that Hegyes, of Metuchen, arrived at the hospital Thursday morning in full cardiac arrest and died.

Hegyes was appearing on Broadway in 1975 when he auditioned for “Kotter,” a TV series about a teacher who returns to the inner-city New York school of his youth to teach a group of irreverent remedial students nicknamed the “Sweathogs.” They included the character Vinnie Barbarino, played by John Travolta. The show’s theme song, performed by John Sebastian, became a pop hit. Hegyes also appeared on many other TV series, including “Cagney & Lacey.”
He was born in Perth Amboy and grew up in Metuchen, the eldest child of a Hungarian father and Italian mother. He attended Rowan University, formerly Glassboro State College, in southern New Jersey, before heading to New York City after graduation. He returned to Rowan on several occasions to teach master classes in acting, a university spokesman said Thursday. “He was a good friend to the university,” spokesman Joe Cardona said.
Hegyes continued to act after “Kotter” and was a regular on “Cagney & Lacey.” He also guest-starred in shows including “Diagnosis Murder” and “The Drew Carey Show.” On his website, Hegyes wrote that he was inspired by Chico Marx, whom he had played in a touring production of a show about the Marx Bros. He also recalled how his mother encouraged him to get involved in theater as a teen.

NEWS - EARTHQUAKE REGISTERED IN OKLAHOMA COUNTY

Earthquake registered in Oklahoma County

The quake was centered about 3 miles northeast of Choctaw, 3 miles southeast of Jones and 5 miles east of Nicoma Park in Oklahoma County.

 

From Staff Reports 

Published: January 8, 2012

An earthquake in Central Oklahoma that registered 2.7 magnitude was measured Sunday evening, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.
The quake was centered about 3 miles northeast of Choctaw, 3 miles southeast of Jones and 5 miles east of Nicoma Park in Oklahoma County.
There were no immediate reports of damage.
For more information about earthquakes, go to neic.usgs.gov

NEWS - 2 SMALL EARTHQUAKES RECORDED IN OKLAHOMA

2 small earthquakes recorded in Oklahoma by USGS

PRAGUE — Two small earthquakes have been recorded in Oklahoma by the U.S. Geological Survey.
No injuries or damage are reported.

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Published: January 6, 2012

PRAGUE — Two small earthquakes have been recorded in Oklahoma by the U.S. Geological Survey.
No injuries or damage are reported.
The U.S.G.S. says a 2.8 magnitude quake was recorded at 10:02 p.m. Thursday near Prague — about 43 miles east of Oklahoma City. It followed a 1.9 magnitude quake that was recorded Thursday morning about 6 miles east of Oklahoma City.
Geologists say earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 to 3.0 are generally the smallest that are felt by humans.

HUMOR: WEATHER FORCASTER

Weather Forecaster

To tell the weather, go to your back door and look for the dog.
If the dog is at the door and he is wet, it's probably raining.
But if the dog is standing there really soaking wet, it is probably raining really hard.
If the dog's fur looks like it's been rubbed the wrong way, it's probably windy.
If the dog has snow on his back, it's probably snowing.
Of course, to be able to tell the weather like this, you have to leave the dog outside all the time, especially if you expect bad weather.

Sincerely, The CAT

EARTHQUAKE

Magnitude 3.2 - OKLAHOMA

2012 January 03 10:56:57 UTC 

 

Earthquake Details

• This event has been reviewed by a seismologist.

Magnitude	3.2
Date-Time	Tuesday, January 03, 2012 at 10:56:57 UTC Tuesday, January 03, 2012 at 04:56:57 AM at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location	35.550°N, 96.728°W
Depth	4.9 km (3.0 miles)
Region	OKLAHOMA
Distances	30 km (18 miles) NE of Shawnee, Oklahoma 69 km (42 miles) SSE of Stillwater, Oklahoma 70 km (43 miles) W of Okmulgee, Oklahoma 72 km (44 miles) E of OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma
Location Uncertainty	horizontal +/- 6.5 km (4.0 miles); depth +/- 3 km (1.9 miles)
Parameters	NST= 55, Nph= 85, Dmin=5.6 km, Rmss=0.72 sec, Gp= 22°, M-type="Nuttli" surface wave magnitude (mbLg), Version=6
Source	Magnitude: USGS NEIC (WDCS-D) Location: USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
Event ID	usc0007fu7

2012 NEW YEARS DAY BREAKFAST

 morning weight: 263

craig and i went out for a breakfast on New years..
went to IHOP, because i wanted eggs and some meat like bacon, sausage, or the like.
i ended up with the lowest calorie egg omelet they offer (320 cals): Spinach/Mushroom/Tomato NO meat...
and water (blah!) to drink.
oh and a side of fresh fruit.
the grapes..OMG! i had forgotten how good they are! lol

youll note..my omlete has onions on it, NOT part of it, they just included them..they were pretty good...gave the omelet some flavor, i also used craigs salsa as my 'sauce'
if you look at the top of the pic, you can see craig had a colorado omelet (a whopping 1120 cals!)

yes, part of the new year is my concentration on what i put in my body, as well as exercise.

breakfast was very good, i was stuffed from my smaller omelet...but it did the trick.

MICHELLE

GAME - THE DELIGHTFUL, FREE DOCTOR WHO VIDEO GAME MAY BE BIGGEST DOCTOR WHO THING EVER

The Delightful, Free Doctor Who Video Game May be the Biggest Doctor Who Thing Ever

 

It's a good time to be a Doctor Who fan. Along with the recently announced PlayStation-exclusive Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock, this week we'll see the launch of a public preview for Doctor Who: Worlds In Time, a browser-based, free-to-play MMO developed by Puzzle Pirates studio Three Rings Design.
I've seen it in action.
As a lifelong fan of the BBC's long-running science-fiction series, I was offered an early peek at the Flash-based Worlds In Time ahead of this week's public debut, courtesy of BBC Worldwide Digital Entertainment and Games EVP Robert Nashak and Senior Product Manager Max Engel.
"Doctor Who is not about violence, it's about wit," Nashak said of the game's approach to the Doctor Who universe, which he described as "a blend of narrative gameplay and puzzle gameplay."
For those who are still a little shaky as to what all this "Doctor Who" stuff is about, the basic premise of the series is actually fairly simple: The Doctor is a brilliant, occasionally reckless member of an alien race known as Time Lords, who travels through time and space in a ship that looks like an old British police call box (essentially, a blue phone booth). He's frequently accompanied by human (and sometimes alien) companions who join him on adventures as he rights wrongs and protects the universe from all manner of threats.
As Nashak indicated in his description of the series, The Doctor shies away from using traditional weapons against his enemies, preferring to outsmart them and use the power of his centuries-old, but rather eccentric, intellect.

 It's no secret that Doctor Who has a spotty history in the gaming world, with developers often struggling to translate the show's unique flavor to the interactive medium. However, with Doctor Who popularity at an all-time high these days, there's no small amount of reward—and risk—that accompanies the notion of a Doctor Who MMO.
In Doctor Who: Worlds In Time, players begin the game when they're recruited by The Doctor and tasked with recovering the "shards of time" that are scattered throughout the universe.
"There's been an explosion in the time vortex that created shards across time and space," explained Engel. "The Doctor knows something nefarious is going on, and you need to piece time back together."

 Players can choose their avatar's gender and species from four alien races: the reptilian Silurians, the feline Catkind, the insectoid Malmooth tree-like Cheem, or for those who want to stay in their comfort zone, human. Additional customization options allow for changing your character's facial structure and other attributes.
As you can see from the screen caps, the game's art style is the sort typical for Flash-based environments, with a simple, cartoon-like character design and a bright color pallete. Since the actor portraying The Doctor has changed numerous times throughout the series' 50-year run, the BBC made a point of noting that the iteration of The Doctor appearing in Worlds In Time is based on the likeness of current star Matt Smith.
"At times you'll be in a social space that could be filled with 30 people, so it's important that you have the ability to quickly recognize yourself," said Engel of the range of customization options.
While your character begins the game in pajamas—fans of the series know The Doctor has a nasty habit of dropping in unannounced—Engel indicated that a long list of customization options will open up as the game progresses, with players able to collect more clothing during missions or through in-game purchases. (The game's opening is also a subtle nod to The Doctor's first meeting with his current companion on the series, Amy Pond, who spent much of her first episode in pajamas.) In my brief walkthrough of the game, there was a wide range of character designs represented, with some sporting iconic items culled from the show's long history, such as The Doctor's favorite Stetson.
Once your avatar is created and you've been introduced to The Doctor, the remainder of the game is set in the TARDIS (The Doctor's ship) or on one of the 10 worlds players must traverse to find the lost "time shards." Each player receives their own private room on the TARDIS that serves as a home base and can be visited by other players and customized with items (trophies, furniture, decorations, etc) collected during the game.
A room I visited during the walkthrough contained statues of an Auton and a Weeping Angel, two alien races from the series.

 "Everyone has their own room, and with the concept of the interior spaces, part of the fun is being able to customize your room and what's in it," said Engel. "For instance, do you actually have a swimming pool in your room inside the TARDIS? Being able to visit your friends and see what they've done is also part of it."
Gameplay in Worlds In Time consists of visiting each of 10 planets that have been invaded by creatures from the series. My walkthrough had us visiting London during an invasion by the Autons (a race of featureless creatures that look like mannequins), but I also received glimpses of Sardicktown (the setting of last year's Christmas episode) populated by clockwork robots from the episode "The Girl in the Fireplace," and the planet of New New York during an invasion by the creepy, tentacled aliens known as Ood.
On each world, the landscape was filled with evidence of each invaders' presence, from the "eggs" that spawn the Autons, to floating clockwork structures and—in the case of the Ood—a layer of ice over every surface.
"Different invading forces will come and impact the visual style of the game on each world," explained Engel. "It could just as easily be Dalek architecture in London. It's going to be a lot of fun when you return to a planet [after recovering a shard] and now there are Weeping Angels or one of the other monsters there."
The social element of the game primarily comes into play during each mission to the planets—or "interventions" as they're referred to in the game—as you can team up with other players to accomplish the tasks required to recover that planet's shard. Each intervention is made up of several puzzle-style quests that involve everything from picking locks and hacking a computer to repelling an enemy or convincing an NPC character of something. Communication between characters is conducted via in-game chat, and players can invite friends to join their mission using in-game options.
"[The missions] are unique to each player's narrative," said Engel. "It's all about balancing the narrative with the game elements, so players who are big Doctor Who fans will get the great narrative they expect from the show, but players who are new to Doctor Who should also be able to come in and be welcomed into the universe."
During my walkthrough, our quartet of players—one controlled by Engel, the rest computer-controlled—were tasked with picking a lock while keeping a group of Auton soldiers at bay. While one player worked on the lock puzzle, the rest of the group were occupied with a different type of puzzle representing their interaction with the Autons. Over time, troubles with solving the lock puzzle prompted more Autons to show up, giving the whole ordeal a sort of frantic, tense tone.

 According to Engel, a story engine created for Worlds In Time allows for a long list of intervention permutations that match a world with an invading force, a set of missions required to locate the shard, and various items to be found on each planet. As players accomplish each world's intervention, the environment changes to reflect the dwindling presence of enemies or other conditions brought about by the mission.
A player's ability to handle the tasks required by an intervention is determined by both puzzle-solving skill and certain customizations made to the character over time. Along with all of the clothing, appearance, and room options, each player is equipped with a "gadget"—a customizable tool similar to The Doctor's all-purpose "sonic screwdriver" that can be tailored with certain "charges" to increase certain player attributes and abilities.
For example, the gadget wielded by Engel's character was equipped with an "Eloquent Charge" that made it easier for his avatar to talk his way into—or out of—certain problems.
"Much like every Doctor has their own sonic screwdriver with unique styles, so to can every player have their own gadget that reflects their personality," he explained, adding that if a player is good enough, his or her gadget becomes the equivalent of The Doctor's own sonic screwdriver.
Players will be able to form in-game guilds. Engel indicated that in addition to the solo story offered in the game, there will be some additional elements for guild-based play once the solo narrative is completed.
"We're looking at this as a multi-year effort, and to really get that attachment, guilds will be a critical component," he said. "Which guild can excel at being the best at saving the universe? Who's best at repelling forces or collecting the chronons from each world?"
The "chronons" Engel mentioned are the in-game currency, and are used to embark on interventions or purchase items. They're also expected to be the chief source of revenue for Worlds In Time.
"Players receive a daily allotment of energy that they can use," explained Engel. "When you come into the game, you'll have your daily allowance, and you can use that energy to travel with the TARDIS and go on interventions. That acts as the turnstile fee that you'll use when you're going through the narrative."
"You'll use this free energy to go on missions, and you'll also be able to use it for virtual items—customizing your gadget, items for your personal space, and so forth," he continued. "Down the road, we're also looking at opportunities for collaborative purchasing for guilds, too."
While Engel and Nashak weren't able to provide specifics on how much the typical player will be able to do in an average day before running out of chronons, they stressed that the game is envisioned as more than just a short daily diversion—and players' allowance of chronons will be an aspect they keep a close eye on during the public preview. The pair were quick to indicate that neither in-game purchases nor multiplayer cooperation would be required to complete Worlds In Time.
"We were committed to making this game completely playable and finishable," said Nashak. "We'll obviously grow it, but you can play through the whole game as it launches without paying a penny. . . Chronons just allow you to get through missions faster, customize your avatar more robustly, or create environmental contraptions in your home space."
As for the need to recruit other players to get through the game, Engel said the presence of non-player characters will enable players to take a more lone-wolf approach to Worlds In Time

 "We made sure that NPCs can come in and help you when you need it," he explained. "If you want to come in and be a solitary hero, you can totally do that and have a rewarding experience, and in addition there will be the chance to have supporting characters—non-playable characters—that you can develop a relationship with, just like when The Doctor makes a friend within the context of an episode and then has someone on a planet that he goes back to in later episodes. You can have that same relationship in the game."
Finally, with Worlds In Time going public just a week after The Eternity Clock was announced, the BBC team offered some clarification about the two projects and how they'll differ.
"The Eternity Clock is a hyper-realistic, cool platformer that's downloadable on Sony devices," clarified Nashak. "Worlds In Time is a community experience. Basically, we're trying to create the largest online Doctor Who community ever created."
While I wasn't able to go hands-on with Worlds In Time, it certainly appears to offer a nice entrance point for anyone new to the Doctor Who universe, and plenty of elements to appease longtime fans. While the cartoony, anime-influenced style of animation could take some getting used to, what I saw of the game indicates that the developer's done a great job of capturing the series' quirky tone in its character interactions (all text-based, sadly, so you won't be able to hear Matt Smith giving you your orders).


The customization options—both for characters and each player's room in the TARDIS—clearly received a lot of attention from the Three Ring team, and combined with the depth of the narrative, make the project appear to be a far cry from typical Flash-based browser games.
Doctor Who: Worlds In Time begins its public preview this week and should be playable on all Flash-enabled browsers, with the official launch scheduled for March 2012.