22 Absolutely FREE things to do in DC

22 FREE things to do in DC:

1. Bureau of Engraving and Printing: You’ll see millions of dollars being printed during a tour of the Washington DC Bureau of Engraving and Printing. The tour features the various steps of currency production, beginning with large, blank sheets of paper, and ending with wallet-ready bills! The presses here print about $25 million every week day, although this amount can vary greatly. Other exhibits include ex-service currency, a collection of counterfeit currency, and a $100,000 bill.

2. Capitol Building: The majestic dome and Rotunda marking the heart of the U.S. Capitol Building not only symbolize the power of the legislative branch of the greatest democracy in the world, but also determine the coordinates of every street in Washington: every single address in the city is designated NE, NW, SE, or SW according to its relationship to the Rotunda. And since the Rotunda is not in the exact center of the city, the capitol’s four quadrants are disparate in size and shape.

3. Freer Gallery of Art: The Freer Gallery opened in 1923 based on the initial collections of Charles Lang Freer, who began collecting American art and then shifted his focus to works from across Asia. The gallery was the first Smithsonian museum with a focus on fine arts, and was established based on Freer’s request that he maintain full curatorial control over the collection until his death. Since that time, the collections have grown to nearly triple the original collection. Highlighting the Asian collection are Chinese ceramics and paintings, Korean ceramics, and pottery, Japanese folding screens, and Indian and Persian manuscripts.

4. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden: The Smithsonian Institution’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden had its beginnings in 1966 when Latvian-born Joseph H. Hirshhorn donated his huge collection of contemporary and modern art. The museum officially opened 1974, and was then the recipient of additional works bequeathed by Hirshhorn in 1981 at his death.

5. Library of Congress: Established in 1800 through an act of Congress, the Library of Congress originally held 3,000 volumes, and today it is the largest library in the world with more than 138 million items, and increasing by 10,000 more daily. The library is a phenomenal research resource and a compendium of amazing historical documents including a Gutenberg Bible purchased in 1930 and one of three perfect copies on vellum in the world. The library also contains first drafts of the Declaration of Independence and Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.

6. Museum of Natural History: The Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of Natural History opened in 1910 on the National Mall and was among the first Smithsonian buildings constructed exclusively to house the national collections and research facilities. Its exhibits range from dinosaur skeletons and an insect zoo, to rare gemstones including the famously cursed Hope Diamond.

7. National Air and Space Museum: The Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum is a goldmine for aviation enthusiasts, maintaining the largest collection of historic air and spacecraft in the world, including some of the most famous artifacts of all time: the Wright Brothers’ Flyer, Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis, and Apollo 11 – as well as the original Star Trek model of the Federation Starfleet’s Enterprise.

8. National Arboretum: Many of the best-loved shrubs and trees in America were developed at the nation’s premier horticultural research facility the National Arboretum, featuring 444 acres of demonstration gardens, greenhouses, and natural woods.Most famous is the azalea exhibit, the product of pioneering research of the first director after the arboretum was established in 1927. Many, many exhibits and plants have been developed since that time, however, among them an amazing array of new shrubs such as Crapemyrtles, hardy hibiscus, lilacs, viburnums, and many new tree varieties intended to adapt to various locales across the U.S., including a wide range of new red maples, magnolias, elms, and flowering cherries.

9. National Archives: Democracy starts here. That is the motto of the National Archives, created in 1934 to house the country’s most important historic documents and to centralize federal record keeping. Before that time, individual government agencies were in charge of maintaining their own records, many in disarray, careless stored, and damaged by fire, insects, heat, and just the vagaries of time. The first set of records to be archived, identified through an extensive survey in 1937, included 1,360,000 cubic feet of records, a figure which of course continued to increase, as New Deal and then World War II records poured in.

10. National Gallery of Art: The National Gallery of Art is comprised of two structures connected by an underground concourse: the marble neoclassical West Building, completed in 1941 and designed by John Russell Pope (architect of the Jefferson Memorial and the National Archives); and the triangular East Building, completed in 1978 and designed by I.M. Pei, of matching Tennessee pink marble and featuring glass walls and illuminating skylights.

11. National Museum of African Art: The National Museum of African Art was established in 1964 and became part of the Smithsonian Institution in 1979. It houses a wide range of ancient and contemporary art from Africa, and features a permanent collection of over 8500 works from all artistic genres including paintings, textiles, ceramics, furniture, tools masks, figures, musical instruments, and jewelry.

12. National Museum of American History: Originally opened in 1964 as the Museum of History and Technology, the National Museum of American History has become an important chronicler of the history of science and technology and its effects on the growth of American culture and society. Among the collection’s highlights is the original 30 ft x 34 ft Star-Spangled Banner, the flag viewed by Francis Scott Key during War of 1812 and on which he based the national anthem.

13. National Museum of the American Indian: The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian’s founding in 2004 completes the National Mall’s collection of museums and graces the mall with its warm sand-colored limestone, soft and light, with a shape evocative of nature’s continual movement and the indigenous peoples whose culture reflected a powerful natural connection. Its interior is even more stunning, featuring a rotunda representing the Potomac and acting as the main entrance to the museum as well as a venue for various events and performances.

14. National Museum of the Marine Corps: The National Museum of the Marine Corps, a new museum that opened in 2006, maintains a broad collection of poignant and fascinating artifacts and interactive displays on the Marine Corps and its members’ contribution to the nation. The museum is located on more than 135 acres adjacent to Marine Corps Base Quantico and encompasses approximately 118,000 square feet. Its iconic 210 ft. high stainless steel spire is intended to represent the famous image of the marines raising the American flag over Iwo Jima, as well as “ notions of swords at salute, aircraft climbing in to the heavens or a howitzer at the ready,” according to the museum’s introductive materials.

15. National Zoo: Created by Congress in 1889, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo is a standout zoo, well-known as the home to more than 400 species — including its most famous occupants, the giant pandas from China — as well as being a leader in the care, breeding, and exhibition of animals. The zoo encompasses 163 acres where it displays animals in their own natural habitat organized along three main paths, the Olmsted Walk, the Valley Trail, and the new exhibit as of 2006, the Asia Trail.

16. Smithsonian Institution Building: The world-renowned Smithsonian Institution is truly the largest museum complex and research organization in the world. Comprised of 17 museums and the National Zoo in D.C., as well as two more museums in New York, the Smithsonian exemplifies humankind’s search for reason and meaning through the arts, history, science, and technology.

17. Supreme Court: The U. S. Supreme Court, the highest body of the judiciary arm of the federal government, is housed in the Supreme Court Building, designed of Corinthian marble in a style to match other congressional buildings, and constructed in 1935. Before that time, the Supreme Court operated out of the Capitol Building. On the front stairway are two statues, the Contemplation of Justice and the Guardian or Authority of Law. Along the corridor leading to the Courtroom, known as the Great Hall, are busts of all former Chief Justices.

18. United States Holocaust Museum: The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s purpose is to ensure that we never forget, and never repeat, the atrocities of the holocaust, stimulating people to “confront hatred, prevent genocide, promote human dignity, and strengthen democracy,” according to the museum’s literature.

19. U.S. Botanic Garden: The oldest continually-operating botanic garden in the United States, the U.S. Botanic Garden is a showcase centrally located on the National Mall, and is nearly as old as DC itself. Its first greenhouse was built in 1842 and since 1849, it has been at its current location. Its charter, provided by Congress, is “… to collect, cultivate, and grow the various vegetable products of this and other countries for exhibition and display to the public…”, and it does indeed feature amazing plant diversity.

20. Washington Monument: The Washington Monument is a 555-ft. marble obelisk that stands as a sentinel and memorial to the nation’s first president. It is the most prominent landmark in Washington, D.C., and anchors the National Mall. The cornerstone of the monument was laid in 1848, but construction was not finished until 1884, as it was halted during the Civil War. In fact, astute observers can see a change in the type of marble at about the first third of the structure’s height, visible evidence of the changes that swept the country during the war.

21. Washington National Cathedral: Conceived in 1792 by Pierre l’Enfant as a “great church for national purposes,” actual planning and construction of the National Cathedral didn’t begin until a century later, and it was not until a century after that – 1990 – that the cathedral was completed.

22. White House: The White House, while planned by President George Washington and city architect Pierre l’Enfant, was never lived in by Washington, but has housed every single U.S. president since his successor John Adams moved in 1801. Originally called simply the Executive Mansion, the name the White House stuck after the building was whitewashed to cover the fire damage in 1814 during the War of 1812.

The Killer of our Country

Several years ago Gilette relocated their manufacturing to China because the cost of labor over there is so much less. They are also the makers of Duracell. Because of this thousands of US workers lost their source of income. Wal-Mart has been buying factories in china because they are figuring that their cost will go down and yet their profits will rise. When their suppliers get wind of this it will be like when Vidal Sassoon started letting sachem sell their product, no body else wanted to carry it after that. Outsourcing is going to be the number one killer of the economy in the US

There has been a lot of talk about the immigration problems over hear and how we need to strengthen our Border security but if the cost for labor over hear were the same as everywhere else then we would not have the problems of immigrants. The reason everybody wants to come to America is because of the higher wages. I once lived in Jaurez Mexico in a great apartment that only cost me $12 per month. Now I am paying almost $900 per month for my current residence.

One of the great things I have found out about a lot of the other countries is when you retire you make the same as your last job not like America where you work your whole life to retire on a small percentage in poverty. The reason immigrants do so well over here is because they take the jobs that us Americans don’t want. They then a lot of times eventually create a business from these what we call garbage jobs.

Here in the US we take too much for granted. If our air conditioning goes on the fritz we cry bloody murder where as in a country like India I’m sure that air conditioning is a luxury that they usually do without. Look at the selection of food that is available to us yet we will always find something to complain about. My brother is moving back out of this country because he has lived both in the US and abroad and he has decided that things are not a great over here. Sure he had to pay more of his income in taxes but as he has always said everything was taken care of for him and his family.

Instead of imposing all these penalties on immigrant workers we should penalize the companies that decide to move their operations to these third world countries. They are still keeping their corporations over here so we need to fine them if they move their production over to countries like China and India. We need to provide for our citizens not create jobs elsewhere.

I Think Gene Rodenberry was an unknown messiah because if we would follow the story of Star Trek and model our ethics, philosophies and everything else like Star Trek then we would be so much more wealthy at least spiritually. Eliminating poverty, greed, and war. How can we ever expect to meet visitors from another planet if there is so much fighting here on our planet. We have come so far over the last 100 years but we still have so much farther to go.

A Promising Future for an Invisible Man

The concept of a man becoming invisible was introduced by H.G. Wells over one hundred years ago. Through the years, science fiction has often used the idea of a fantasy cloaking device to provide object invisibility. In fact, it is a term that has become so common that it is found in the Star Trek Encyclopedia.

The Star Trek definition is “an energy screen generator used to render an object (typically, a starship) invisible to the eye and to most sensor systems. In recent fiction , Harry Potter used invisibility to his advantage to conquer the forces of evil in Hogwarts through the use of a cloaking device that he inherited from his father.

However, nobody has a device that can make things invisible in the real world today. It only exists in the creative mind and it still is only a Hollywood fantasy story line. Still, the day of making objects appear invisible may not be all that far away.

Consider that Liverpool mathematician Dr Sébastien Guenneau, together with Dr Frédéric Zolla and Professors André Nicolet from the University of Marseille, have proven, using a specially designed computer model called GETDP, that objects can be made to appear invisible from close range when light travels in waves rather than beams.

Dr Guenneau, at the University’s Department of Mathematical Science, explains: “The shape and structure of airplanes make them ideal objects for cloaking, as they have a fixed structure and movement pattern. Human beings and animals would be more difficult as their movement is very flexible.”

According to recent articles in the world’s two leading scientific journals, Science and Nature, researchers at the University of California at Berkeley, whose work is funded by the American military, have engineered materials that can control light’s direction of travel.

In fact, this material can bend visible light around objects. As a result of this breakthrough, light can be bent around an object and as a result, hide it. This breakthrough could lead to a device which would cloak anything from people to large military objects, such as tanks and ships, from the naked eye.

No such material occurs naturally and it is only in the past few years that nano-scale engineering, manipulating matter at the level of atoms and molecules, has advanced sufficiently to give scientists the chance to create them.

If you think making objects invisible is far fetched. Consider the words of Vladimir Shalaev, a professor of electrical and computer engineering and industry expert at Purdue University; “Cloaking is just the tip of the iceberg. With transformation optics you can do many other tricks, perhaps including making things appear to be located where they are not.”

Those science fiction episodes of Star Trek and Harry Potter will not look as far removed from reality to future generations of loyal fans as they have looked in the past to us. The real world is quickly catching up to science fiction. It may be a promising future for an invisible man but for many of us it is a most unsettling thought.

The truth is that soon we may not be able to see an object standing right in front of us but we could well see an object that looks like vivid reality but due to optical illusion is not. Indeed, what was once the effect caused by too much alcohol, will soon be called normal transformational optics on display in a nearby spot.

1960’s and 1970’s Science Fiction Halloween Costumes

There are a lot of wonderful costume ideas from the 1960’s and 1970’s in television and movie series.

A great number of high quality television shows and movies such as The Prisoner, The invaders, Marcus Welby MD, The Six Million Dollar Man, and much more, hailed from the 1960’s and the 1970’s. These series are an infinite source of inspiration for anyone who is looking for a Halloween costume. But the 1960’s and the 1970’s have been particularly productive in a brand new: they gave birth to the science fiction genre and made it accessible to the general public and especially to the entire family. Since cinema exists, a lot of sci-fi movies such as The War of the Worlds, were produced in Hollywood and had a huge success but during the 1960’s and the 1970’s, two series in particular helped to make science fiction a family genre.

The first one of these series is Star Trek, Gene Roddenberry’s brainchild. Star Trek was surely well known for things like the travel across the galaxy in order to discover life on other planets as well as intergalactic characters such as Mr Spock, but costumes worn by the crew of the legendary Starship Enterprise also helped make the series highly famous.

A great example is that if you are a Star Trek Communication officer Nyota Uhura from this time period, you would be wearing a uniform that involved a red dress as well as black shoes. Anyone who liked the Star Trek TV series will recognize right away recognize this kind of uniform. Alternatively, Star Trek was also famous for “redshirt syndrome”, in which a non-main character in a red shirt would beam down to a planet with the team and get killed. There are chances that wearing a costume inspired by the members of the USS Enterprise crew will earn you some cheers and congratulations from the party guests.

Star Trek was not the only science fiction franchise to get its start during these two decades however because a first episode of the Star Wars trilogy (subtitled later A New Hope) hit the box-office during this time frame. Star Wars was created by George Lucas and was a wholly different beast from Star Trek, involving Jedi Knights, The Force and some of the more memorable characters to ever come out of science fiction. The best examples of Star Wars characters are Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo and Darth Vader, and you could model your next Halloween costume after all of these characters. As a second example, there are Imperial stormtroopers, the rebel pilot Wedge Antilles in orange uniform and imperial soldiers in grey uniforms that anyone would recognize straight away.

There are many other choices in 1960’s and 1970’s science fiction genre, like The Twilight Zone, Logan’s Run or Planet of the Apes, for you to choose from, which makes it an inexhaustible source for Halloween costume ideas.

20th Century Genius Award Paper – Gene Roddenberry

20th Century Genius Award Paper – Gene Roddenberry

Researched and Authored by: Michael J. Spindler

The authors’ nomination for the 20th Century Genius Award goes to Gene Roddenberry. Mr. Roddenberry’s gift to the world is a message of the human condition and the endless possibilities that the human civilization holds in their own hands. Through the guise of a simple, low budget science fiction program, Roddenberry presented on a weekly basis, morality tales “using futuristic situations as analogies for current problems on Earth.”(Day, D) In a time when America was under going geopolitical, social, and political turmoil, Roddenberry gave his audience hope for the future and seamless direction on how to get there today.

Measuring the cultural and social impact of a TV show or event is never easy. But there are numerous indications that Star Trek has had an influence on many peoples’ lives. This can be seen in a variety of ways, from the inclusion in mass-market dictionaries of words and phrases originally invented for the show, to the testimonials of people who claim that their career and life choices were influenced by Star Trek. .(Day, D)

The reader does not need to be a connoisseur of science fiction, nor even have an appreciation for the television series Star Trek. Regardless, the readers’ life has been affected directly and indirectly by Roddenberry’s vision. “Star Trek also attracts and excites generations of viewers about advanced science and engineering, and it’s almost the only show that depicts scientists and engineers positively, as role models.” (Batchelor, 1993)

A generation of youth was inspired by the vision of “what if?” in the worlds of technology, astronomy, physics, engineering, etcetera. This inspiration led to an explosion in technological advances from cell phones to ion drive propulsion, now in use in interplanetary probes. From the 1970s to present, it was almost as if Roddenberry gave a glimpse of future technologies and how technological advances would help to push civilization forward in pursuit of a better world. Now the dream of “what if?” has become reality and new technologies come easier, faster, and by some coincidence in the direction for use as played out in Roddenberry’s television series.

Roddenberry’s intention was to use Star Trek as a platform to play out real life issues under the guise of entertainment. “Cultural output is thus seen as a mirror of social and political inputs—a reflection of sorts of the fears, dreams, and preoccupations of society.” (Brynen, 1999) Society as a whole may be unaware of the direction the people are taking in the world. That is until an artist holds a mirror to face of humanity, offering up a chance for self examination and reflection. By presenting this reflection to an audience that is caught up in the story and the interaction of characters, without even being aware of the message, the audience begins to transform ones own thinking about the world around them and their role in the world.

For example, perhaps one of the most carefully orchestrated relationships played out through many incarnations was an alien race known as the Klingons. The introduction of this alien species was an indirect representation of the real life cold war enemy the Russians and the communist fear. The 1960s had been a critical period for the entire world, as a constant nuclear threat was real and always present. Roddenberry’s development of the Klingons and the war like society they came from presented the main characters a challenge of tolerance and attempts at finding peaceable solutions to their mutually conflicting backgrounds and cultural mentalities. As in real life, there were the occasional military conflicts, but the continuing message was to continue working through cultural differences for an understanding and peaceful co-existence.

The author cannot say that Star Trek changed politicians thinking, logic, or motivations, but the impact on the social consciousness is evident as society began to evolve through the 1970s and on through to the collapse of the Soviet government. If the reader was to ask a young person about how the cold war affected his or her life, the author would venture to guess that the respondent would have to ask “What was the cold war?”. In the years leading to the days of the collapse of the Soviet Union, military tensions remained high between the United States and the Soviet Union, but society’s view of the threat diminished slightly over time through the decades that followed the 1960s. Was this because of a shared fear of a mutually assured destruction (MAD) and a developing understanding that the people of the Soviet Union were very much like the Americans in shared hopes and dreams? Could the people of Earth survived without one or the other, MAD or an understanding? In Roddenberry’s vision, both opponents, the crew of the Enterprise and the Klingons, were equally capable of destroying the other, possibly with significant losses in the process. But Roddenberry’s message was always one of finding a means to peace and celebrating shared commonality.

Prior to the 1960s, in the authors’ opinion, America might as well have been the poster child of white supremacy and ethnic ignorance. Again Roddenberry pushed for diversity in his vision of the future. A time in which people of all ethnic backgrounds would come together as equals in a pursuit of knowledge and exploration.

Roddenberry envisioned a multi-ethnic crew, including an African-American woman, a Scotsman, a Japanese American, and most notably, an alien, the half-Vulcan Mr. Spock. In the second season Roddenberry added a Russian crewmember at a time when the United States was engaged in a tense cold war with the Soviet Union. Blacks and women were also shown as scientists and doctors on the ship. (Day, n.d.)

A unique characteristic about ignorance; it can be coaxed out of existence through exposure to situations that would normally not be observed in common place. Roddenberry presented to families on a weekly basis, adventures and tales of survival so exciting, that people began to see beyond the ethnic representations of the characters and saw a team of people achieving the unbelievable.

Was this tolerance or acceptance by the common people of other ethnicities? Whatever the first step, society has continued to evolve. The abolishment of ignorance has transformed neighborhoods, the workplace, and every other aspect of life towards pure social integration. Just 25 years earlier, prior to the airing of Star Trek, Japanese Americans were sent to “camps” with no regard to their innocence or place in society. This action was based purely on a racist preconception by government authorities, who were a representation of the American people.

Perhaps more on the minds of outside observers was that the 1960s represented the birth of civil rights, woman’s rights, and other minority concerns at the time. In no other media outlet at the time was there a representation of ethnic diversity sharing equal and esteemed roles such as scientists, officers, doctors, and engineers. Added to the kettle of diversity was the weekly interaction with alien races. At times, there would be conflict or a shared hardship, but in the end, the message was the same, understanding and appreciation of the differences between the various races, could bring peace to what otherwise could have been a volatile situation.

The integration of ethnic and cultural diversity that the world now enjoys could never have been forced upon a society. Roddenberry’s genius was in his ability to present to the world a vision for a future based on changing how humans as a society interact today. “Gene Roddenberry once noted that his inspiration came from “concentrating on something about our world that annoys me—so that I get sufficiently moved, so that I want to write about how, in the Star Trek world, it’s done differently.”” (Brynen, 1999) As society continues to grow and celebrates the shared ethnic diversity, perhaps the advances in technology, that sparked the imagination of millions and changed our world, will help to advance the human race to the stars and beyond. But no one is going to the stars until society moves forward as one. “At its most basic level, Star Trek had a simple humanistic message: humanity will be okay.” (Day, n.d.)

References – Do Not Strip Article References

Batchelor, D. A. (1993). The Science of Star Trek. Retrieved January 29, 2008, from http://ssdoo.gsfc.nasa.gov/education/just_for_fun/startrek.html

Brynen, R. (1999, February 08;). Mirror, Mirror? The Politics of Television Science Fiction. Retrieved January 29, 2008, from http://www.arts.mcgill.ca/MEPP/exofile/sftv.html

Day, D. (n.d.). Star Trek as a Cultural Phenomenon. Retrieved January 29, 2008, from http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay

Researched and Authored by: Michael J. Spindler

Free to distribute – However- Do not strip Research Article References, remove the HTML if needed, but keep the URL text.

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Best Museums for Dinosaur Lovers and Paleontology Fans

There is certainly room for debate when building the definitive list of US museums for dinosaur lovers.  Diversity of species, number of specimens, presentation, architecture, accessibility and interactivity are all factors in the museum experience.  Fortunately, the United States offers a rich diversity of dinosaur museums sure to please everyone from the most casual dinosaur fan to the hardened paleontologist. 

These are the top five picks, plus some honorable mentions, from the staff at www.yourmuseumstore.com

American Museum of Natural History, New York

There is no greater city in the world than New York and any trip to the Big Apple should include a stop at its wonderful American Museum of Natural History (AMNH).  This museum has gained added notoriety due to the popular Ben Stiller comedy, “Night At The Museum.”  However, when it comes to dinosaur exhibits, the AMNH is definitely not kid’s stuff. 

Boasting wonderful diversity of specimens (over 100 on display in their Dinosaur Halls), the exhibits are structured to demonstrate the evolutionary connections between species, offering a different perspective than the more traditional “chornological order” structure most often seen in similar exhibits.  Highlights on your trip to the AMNH are the Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs where the T-Rex and Apotasaurus can be found and the Hall of Ornithischian Dinosaurs, home to the Stegosaurus and Triceratops. 

On the IMAX screen, the museum is exhibiting “Dinosaurs Alive!”  The 40-minute film follows AMNH paleontologists on an expedition to the Gobi Desert of Mongolia and to Ghost Ranch, New Mexico as they search for dinosaur remains.  Fans of this museum note good lighting in the dinosaur halls for snapping quality photos.  Detractors balk at the suggested donation of $15 for adults. 

Pros:  Rich specimen diversity, good lighting for pictures, the iconic T-Rex, Apotasaurus and Triceratops

Cons:  Can get very crowded, long lines for tickets

Tips:  For big families, the $15 price tag can be a strain but it’s only a “suggested donation.”  Let the ticket agent know you’d like to make a smaller donation that fits your budget.

 
Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, Washington D.C.

No visit to our nation’s capitol is complete without a trip to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History (NMNH).  The nation’s oldest dinosaur museum, the diversity of exhibits is on par with the AMNH, though vistors are sometimes disappointed with the poor lighting and sometimes confusing or missing labels and displays.  Still there is much to enjoy here, with both Saurishian and Ornithischian dinosaurs being well represented.  The vicious Allosaurus is quite popular along with the Triceratops, which was returned to exhibit after a recent restoration.  Ths free admission museum is just one of the Smithsonian’s many fascinating collections and a “must” for anyone exploring Washington D.C.

Pros:  FREE!  Other Smithsonian Museums are right nearby

Cons:  Poor lighting, expensive cafeteria, crowded

Tips:  Parking is a hassle so use the Metro, cafeteria prices are high so pack a lunch and save some cash      

Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago

Visting the Windy City?  Promising an awe-inspiring journey through 4 billion years of evolution, The Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago offers a wide variety of dinosaur fossils in its Genius Dinosaur Hall along with animated videos, hands-on interactives that tell the story of when dinosaurs ruled the Earth with their “Evolving Planet” exhibit. 

The McDonald’s Fossil Preparation Lab offers a unique glimpse into the behind-the-scenes work of the paleontologist.  Star of the show is “Sue” the T-Rex, a nearly complete specimen discovered in South Dakota in the 1990s.  Also of note is the rare Cryolophosaurus, the only dinosaur ever discovered in Antarctica. 

Pros:  Sue the T-Rex, up-to-date “Evolving Planet” exhibit, lots more to see beyond dinosaurs

Cons:  Noisy, steep ticket price ($15 for adults), closes at 5 p.m. every day

Tips:  Save the rental fee by downloading the audio tour from their website and add to your ipod before you go.

The Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh PA

The Carnegie Museum of Natural History boasts the third largest display of real mounted dinosaurs trailing only the AMNH in New York and the NMNH in Washington D.C.  With 19 dinosaurs on display in two halls, the “Dinosaurs in the Time” exhibit boasts a number of holotypes (considered the premier and defining fossil for a given specimen) including Diplodocus canegii, Apatosaurs louisae and Camtosaurus aphanoecetes.  Others specimens of note are the Stegosaurus, Allosaurus, and Camptosaurus.

Pros:  Recent renovations in 2007 and 2008 offer a more modern scientific view of dinosaurs

Cons:  High price tag, $15 for adults

Tips:  50% discount for military, museum open until 8 p.m. on Thursday

The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia PA

A thorough collection of fossils and replicas from the Mesozoic era with about 30 species represented, half being full skeletal mounts.  Popular attractions include the Big Dig, a hands-on exhibit for would be paleontolgists and the Fossil Prep Labs where visitors can view live demonstrations of fossil preparation.  A great stop for those in the Philly area.  Kids will especially enjoy the many interactive displays.

Pros:  A great diversion for kids who might be burned out on the history of our nation

Cons:  Lacks the depth and variety of the premier dinosaur spots

Tips:  Look into purchasing a Philadelphia City Pass for one admission to this museum along with trolley use, the aquarium, the Franklin and the Zoo

Looking for something off the beaten path?  These dinosaur exhibits and dig spots offer a more up-close-and-personal experience for those who want to get their hands dirty.

Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology, Alberta, Canada

Rivals any of the premier dinosaur museums in the US.  This museum located in the Alberta badlands is off on its own, but worth the trek for those with a keen apetite for all things Mesozoic.  With guided tours of the badlands, camps for kids and a rich collection of fossils on display, including 40 mounted dinosaur skeletons, this museum is a dinosaur fanatic must.

Wyoming Dinosaur Museum, Thermopolis Wyoming

With 60 mostly late Jurrasic active dig sites in a 500-acre region, this is a dinosaur lover’s paradise.  The museum offers 200 displays with 20 mounted skeletons in a 12,000 sq ft facility.  

Ruth Hall Museum of Paleontology, Abiquiu New Mexico

Home to the Triassic dinosaur, Coelophysis, the New Mexico State Fossil. Located in Ghost Ranch, this site is known in paleontologist cirles for its rich quarries of the Triassic era, 220 million years ago. 

Denver Museum of of Nature and Science, Denver Colorado

Regarded for their exhibits on Stegosaurus, Allosaurs and Edmontosaurus – a great family museum.

Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center, Woodland Park Colorado

A great collection from the Late Cretaceous period. 

Come back soon…

These museums are currently closed for renovation, but will be highlights for any paleontology enthusiast when they re-open.

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles California

Re-opening in 2011, this museum’s Dinosaurs Hall will return better than ever with a world-class collection of Mesozoic fossils.

Dinosaur Monument National Park, Dinosaur Colorado

While still open, the main visitor center and access to the “fossil wall” are not available right now.  Structural damage to the main visitor center has forced a closure.  A temporary center is available with limited displays and visitors can hike a short distance to see fossils, but the main attraction is unavailable at this time.

 

Top Five Cities to Visit on a Holiday in North Africa

Top Five Cities to Visit on a Holiday in North Africa

North Africa is a veritable treasure trove of amazing sights, sounds and situations for you to explore. From the shifting sands of the Sahara Desert to the crowded city streets of the area’s Kasbahs, there is no end to the wonders and excitement that you can discover. However, most people don’t have the time to spend experiencing the whole of the region (which would take a lifetime!), so how do you decide where to go? Well, to help narrow it down we’ve put together a list of the top five cities in that you can visit on your holidays to North Africa.

5.Marrakech

Marrakech is a hub of culture and tourism in Morocco. It also gives you a real taste of the region, offering the chance to barter in the largest souk (traditional market) in all of Morocco, and arguably the whole of North Africa. Holidays to the city are exotic, exciting and varied; you can spend your time there taking in the amazing monuments and buildings or relaxing in the gardens and courtyards. The city also has some amazing views of the desert and offers trips, treks and tours into and through the vast expanse of sand.

4. Tunis

Tunis has had an adventurous history through the ages – many armies have fought over the city, it has been a haven for pirates and buccaneers and has been bombarded by the British navy! There’s a real sense of excitement in the city, of barely contained possibility and adventure that any visitor on a North African holiday can’t fail to be caught up in. As the capital of Tunisia, the city is an administrative and cultural centre that offers a range of different experiences to suit all tastes; from Mediterranean cruises to Moorish treks, the city has something for every adventurer.

3. Alexandria

People searching for holidays to North Africa with a literary and historical bent should look no further than Alexandria. The city was home to the most advanced light house and one of the most wide ranging libraries in history – two of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Though these amazing structures were sadly lost to antiquity, the city continues to house some of the lesser wonders of the ancient world which are well worth a visit; Roman, Greek and Egyptian ruins mingle in an incredible city that is almost an open air museum in and of itself.

2. Casablanca

Casablanca is our second North Africa holiday destination that is in Morocco, and has a very interesting history. People may only know the glitzy, exotic Hollywood film idea of the city, but it’s actually not far off. You can wander down to Rick’s Café (a replica of the film’s café that’s popular with tourists), and walk in the city’s alleyways and streets surrounded by vendors. However, after independence the city has grown to accommodate both old and new influences, with top class hotels nestled comfortably in ancient streets. Spend even a little time on holiday in this North African city and you’ll feel the beginning of a beautiful friendship that will bloom over many such trips.

1. Cairo

Number one on our list has to be Cairo. The capital of Egypt provides everything you could want from a holiday in North Africa. Modern shopping complexes exist in harmony with traditional stalls; rustic rented rooms are available in the same city that has luxury five star suites; you can eat from local stalls or purchase the most exquisite cuisine money can by. The city has it all and caters to all tastes, but where it stands out is its surroundings. The Nile River, the endless desert and the towering monuments of the Pyramids at Giza make Cairo a city in its own league.

The Console MMO’s Are Coming – Part One

The biggest revelation of this generation from a console point of view has undoubtedly been online play.

From communication, to digital distribution, to online store fronts like the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live, to good old fashioned online frag-fests, Microsoft and Sony have put their online strategies at the front lines of the ongoing console wars.

And yet there’s something missing. Where are the MMO’s? With Sony Online Entertainment’s John Smedley admitting that MMO’s will become a selling point for the PS3, we decided to take a look at a few MMO’s desitend for consoles in the near future.

Star Trek Online:

Developer: Cryptic Studios

Release Date: March 2010

What is it?: It’s kind of remarkable that we haven’t already seen at least one massively multiplayer online game based on a franchise as big and as popular as Star Trek.

It’s true the franchise has suffered through some harsh times over the last decade or so, what with the lackluster critical and viewer reception of series like Star Trek: Voyager, and Star Trek: Enterprise, (the former of which inspired a couple of surprisingly good single player first person shooters) but it’s experienced a renaissance under the stewardship of Lost creator, J.J Abrams. No, the reason we haven’t seen a Star Trek MMO yet lies with a troubled development cycle that dates back to 2004, under the auspices of the new defunct game developer, Perpetual Entertainment.

In truth it’s a bit of a mystery how a relatively new upstart like Perpetual Entertainment, founded only two years prior in 2002, managed to get their hands on a license as massive as Star Trek, but they did.

In retrospect, development never seemed to be moving along smoothly at Perpetual. The company went through several rounds of layoffs starting in 2006, and while the company interacted well with the fan community on its message boards, the first screenshots of the game, indicating a more stylised, World of Warcraft-esque artistic direction, were met with a healthy dose of skepticism and some disappointment.

The layoffs continued into 2007, and it wasn’t long before Perpetual announced it was putting its other in-development MMO, Gods and Heroes: Rome Rising, on hold indefinitely while it concentrated production efforts and resources on the more lucrative Star Trek license. Shortly thereafter, Perpetual Entertainment closed it’s doors for good, enter; Cryptic Studios.

A veteran of the MMO genre having already produced City of Heroes and City of Villains for Korean publisher, NCsoft, Cryptic Studios snapped up the rights to develop Star Trek Online, as well as use much of the pre-production conceptual artwork created by Perpetual.

Cryptic’s plans for STO are ambitious, and the game’s development has moved at breakneck speed towards an early 2010 release date, but crucially, things seem to be coming together remarkably well… for the PC version of game at least.

You see, from the beginning Cryptic had planned to bring Star Trek Online to both the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360. They’ve noted that the game itself and the engine are currently running on both platforms, so what’s the stumbling block? In a recent interview with Eurogamer, STO executive producer Craig Zinkievich stated that he believes Sony and Microsoft simply don’t understand MMO’s:

“In terms of actually developing the game on the consoles?” asked Zinkievich. “I mean Champions runs on the console right now; Star Trek Online runs on the consoles right now; our engine – the Cryptic Engine – runs on the consoles.”

“So I can guarantee that internally I can have Star Trek Online running on the consoles because I know I can, and we’ve done it. But it’s that [business] side that I can’t speak for.”

Chances of it happening: Assuming Sony and Microsoft can sort out their issues with the business side of letting third party MMO’s on their platforms, the chances of seeing Star Trek Online on consoles are pretty good, just don’t expect to see a release alongside the PC version though.

The Agency:

Developer: Sony Online Entertainment

Release Date: 2010

What is it?: After a brief flurry of media activity following it’s announcement in 2007, SOE’s gone very quiet on its spy-themed multiplayer online shooter, opting instead to keep their heads down and show more when they feel the time is right.

Suiting up as a member of either the suave and sophisticated “United Network of Intelligence and Tactical Experts” (U.N.I.T.E) or the rough and ready “Paramilitary Global Operations Network” (ParaGON), players will be plunged into a world of secrets, subterfuge and stealth, heavily inspired by spy thrillers like James Bond, The Bourne series, and perhaps even a hint of Austin Powers.

In truth, SOE has been hesitant to label the game “an MMO”, preferring to use the tag of “an online persistent shooter”, mainly because while you’ll certainly be able to party with up to three of your best buddies on missions and instances, the game uses a “hub and spoke” based world design system, with designated public areas, rather than a massive open world as you might find in a game like World of Warcraft.

Gamers will be able to choose between a first and third person perspective, and embark on missions of varying types such as assault, patrol, delivery, cross-over objectives, assassination etc. and change “classes” on the fly by suiting up with different gear specific to the style of play they wish to engage in.

If you’re already having nightmare visions of rolling dice and bullets not hitting their targets despite the crosshairs being locked on, you needn’t worry, SOE Seattle’s Kevin O’ Hara, Senior World Designer has stated that “a headshot’s headshot”. While there will be certain RPG elements in the game (such as the inclusion of stat-bumping “Operatives”), the game will be primarily skill based, meaning even the greenest of recruits will be able to take down veteran spies… with a little luck.

Perhaps the best news to gamers ears though, will be that SOE is aware that “shooter gamers” and console gamers in particular just aren’t used to shelling out $15 a month to play a game, as such, SOE are looking to have some sort of free-to-play model in place, with revenue coming from in-game item sales and in-game advertising.

Since the relatively lackluster launch of Everquest II, and the subsequent mishandling of Star Wars Galaxies, it’s fair to say gamers have been guarded in their expectations regarding The Agency. That said, while the game does appear to be taking something of a PR backseat to the potentially more lucrative DC Universe Online (also in development at SOE), and barring the departure of a few high profile employees, development on The Agency would appear to be moving along rather well.

Chances of it happening: Following SOE’s recent inclusion as part of Sony’s Worldwide Studios (they were formerly, and quite bizarrely part of the motion pictures group) it would seem that The Agency is a definite lock for a simultaneous release on PlayStation 3 and PC at some point in 2010. The big question is, how will it fare?

Age of Conan:

Developer: Funcom

Release Date: TBD

You’ve never played a massively multiplayer online role playing game like Age of Conan… unless you’ve played Age of Conan.

It’s dark, bloody, violent, brooding and scandalously sexy. Funcom sought to differentiate itself from the average orc and elf infested MMO in every way imaginable, starting from a presentation standpoint, and continuing on to the very nature of it’s brutal and gory real time combo-based combat system. Age of Conan does everything to embrace the license it’s based on.

In development since at least 2003, anticipation for Funcom’s gorgeous looking MMO reached fever pitch as the games release was pushed back not once but twice.

These delays proved to do little for the stability of the games launch however, as large numbers of players reported major technical glitches including bugs and performance issues. Those that endured through the early hitches were severely disappointed once they reached the game’s high level areas, only to find that content rapidly evaporated, leaving them with nothing to do.

Despite selling an impressive number of copies and posting high initial subscriber figures, Age of Conan began to struggle shortly after launch as players fed up with the technical problems they encountered simply left. Drastic action was needed, and it came swiftly.

In a high profile move, Age of Conan’s game director, Gaute Godager resigned his post, and was replaced by community fan favorite, Craig Morrison.

Morrison quickly set about fixing many of the issues identified by himself and the community, and over the course of the following year, Age of Conan slowly turned things around. Bugs were squashed, massive patches infusing the game with high level content were added for free, and game systems deemed to largely be “broken” by the community were fixed or removed entirely.

Age of Conan isn’t the same game it was when it launched in May of 2008. It runs better, runs smoother, and has more than enough content to keep gamers happy for a long time, but what is it that makes AoC perfect for a console release? Combat. It’s violent, visceral, and bloody, and it’s like nothing in any MMO you’ve ever played.

Combat in Age of Conan is combo based, requiring the player to follow a series of timed directional button presses in order to maximise the amount of damage they deal. Battle stance is also far more important and intuitive than most MMO’s, as a player will take more damage if hit from the side or behind, and also if attacked from an angle he is not protecting, It forces a more desperate form of combat in keeping with the game’s world, and you’re occasionally rewarded with impressive kill animations that result in you stabbing, disemboweling, or decapitating your opponent in fantastically satisfying fashion.

Chances of it happening: It’s really hard to say, you can’t help but think Funcom need to ensure the continuing survival of the PC version, including the launch of its first expansion, Rise of the Godslayer, before dabbling in the fickle markets of the console world. That said, we keep hearing the Xbox 360 version is still in production despite Funcom having multiple opportunities to admit its cancellation, as such, we’re led to believe it’s coming at some point. Just don’t hold your breath.

My Trekking Experience – 26th to 28th Dec 08

 

I had been to trekking on 26th to 28th Dec 08 near Pune.

This was 10th trip in a row for this year. I have thoroughly enjoyed outstation trips this year to my heart’s content. In a way it was necessary since my MBA classes are starting from 2-Jan-09 with exams scheduled every quarter there would be no travel plans now till 2011. This year i visited following:

1) Jan – Ganpatipule & Ratnagiri

2) Jan – Pune

3) Feb – Dehradun (official outbound training)

4) March – Hyderabad (Office – Sales Meet)

5) April – Matheran

6) May – Bharuch

7) August – Sri Lanka

September – Shirdi

9) October – Bangalore, Mysore, Tirupati

I had gone with my school fren, who is a member of YHAI (Youth Hostel Association of India), he regularly goes on trek.

This trek was to Purandar, Vajragad forts with Jejuri and Prati Tirupati visits planned. We had 33 team members who were extremely supportive and sweet. In no time, did I gel so well with each one as if I knew them from ages!!! Surprisingly there were people in the age group of 11 till 50 years – Commendable spirit!!!

Details of the lovely memorable time spent follows:

26th December, Friday27th December, Saturday:

This year I was fortunate enough to visit Tirupati Balaji twice in a quarter. Once actual in Tirupati in Oct and second time on 26th Dec. I was just so happy and felt like someone so special and blessed!!!

I was almost 8th in the line and just couldn’t wait for the security guys to allow me inside. I started chanting “Hanuman Chalisa & shani shloks” (my favourite) to kill time and control my excitement. The darshan was toooooooo good with even Padmavati (Balaji’s wife) and Govindraja (Balaji’s brother) temples situated beside. Till you complete these three temples, the pilgrimage is said to be incomplete.

The temple guys gave us prasad khichdi and a sweet kinda dosa. Also one ladoo. Awesome!!

Later we all moved for Purandar fort. We started our trek around 12ish. We walked and climbed and clicked pictures, shared chocolates, traditional home made sweets, chewing gums on the way and laughed – Too good!!Purandar is about 40kms south-east of Pune and some 10kms south-west of Sasawad. Preched on a gigantic mountain mass, its height above sea-level is 1398 metres and about 700 metres above the plain at its foot. It really comprises two fortresses: Purandar, the stronger and more important of the two, and Vajragarh, small sister for t situated on a ridge running out east of it. Purandar has two parts: the upper or Balekilla with precipitous sides all around and the lower part or machi about 300 metres above the plain

The history of the Purandar fort goes back to the 13th century. The Bahamani Sultans in the 14th century built here some walls and bastions. From 1484 AD, for about a hundred years, the fort remained in the hands of the Nizamshahi rulers. In 1596 AD, the fort was given as Jagir to Maloji Bhosale, grandfather of Shivaji. However, Shivaji had to struggle very hard to establish his control over the fort in 1646 AD. In 1665 AD, Purandar was besieged by the mighty Mughal forces under the command of Jai Singh and Dilir Khan. In the ensuing battle Murar Baji Prabhu, the gallant commander of the fort, was killed.We reached the tip of a mountain at around 2ish which had a beautiful Shiv Temple. I was sooooo much happy to visit it since I am an ardent believer in Lord Shiv.

Then we visited another end of mountain top where Sambhaji (Shivaji’s son) was born.

Later at 3 we sat in a kinda ground and had lunch and laughed together, sharing from tiffins.

At 4:30 we started with the Vajragad trek. We reached at the top at around 5:30. We attempted to climb the small mountain cliffs with a feeling like that of conquering the world!!!. There again on mountain tip was Lord Shiv & Hanuman temple. The team members performed a small pooja and sang artis together during the sunset time – again an auspicious moment!!!

At 7:00 – 7:30 we were back at Purandar. We got our bags to a big hall. We were in a place with no electricity, no luxuries, no toilets – taking care of the baggages while the team, divided in small groups, had proceeded to have their dinners. We would be released when they come back.

But I just couldnt stop laughing at the funny things that we spoke and the lovely time that we had. Did not actually missed anything mentioned above!!

Keeping some team members inside the room, we went out for gazing at the clear sky with thousand beautiful twinking stars!!! (A treat to the eyes). My frens were explaining to me the constellations. I was listening to them and trying to understand at one moment and at the same time I was just wondering about the day spent – if someone had asked me to complete these mountains in say 7 hours I would have felt so helpless and frustrated but with proper direction, guidance, support of caring friends, trekking hand-in-hand, everything went so smoothly. Team work definately works wonders, dude!!! So is Life, if you are fortunate enough to have loving, caring, supportive members you rock, regardless of any struggles!!! And I just thanked God for giving me a bunch of such beautiful people in my life!!!

We had dinner which was kinda typical village food. Had camp fire, went to bed on the floor with 33 people scattered across the hall. I was a bit concerned about the insects, stray dogs and all the men snoring at their level best. When i think about it now, it seems to be soo funny!!!

28th December, Sunday:

(Murarbaji Deshpande (17th century) was a general in the early Maratha Empire during the reign of Shivaji. He is best remembered for his defense of the Purandhar Fort against Diler Khan, a Mughal general who accompanied Mirza Raja Jai Singh in the 17th-century siege on Purandhar

We clicked group fotos and proceeded towards Jejuri

Situated 48 kms away, Jejuri is known for its Khandoba deity and is considered a religious place by the Hindus

Khandoba, the deity at Jejuri is the fighter God of the Marathas. He is shown astride a horse and has a angry warlike look. This was reason enough for the Muslims to repeatedly destroy the temple. Even Aurangzeb attempted to destroy the temple a second time in 1690. He however was thwarted in this attempt when the Mughal soldiers while trying to attack the temple disturbed a nest of hornets. The hornets so harassed the besieging Mughal soldiers that Aurangzeb was forced to lift the siege and spare the temple.

The Bigoted but God-fearing Aurangzeb is said to have placated the angry bees by offering One Hundred and Twenty Five Thousand Silver Coins to the God Khandoba.

I returned home at 22:30 with amazing memories of the trip, new set of lovely friends rather comedy characters – they will just keeping talking and make you laugh till your intestine hurts!!!

 

Today morning, I was missing everything and when i slept last nite, i was just so thankful to God that this was just a one day privilege trip, after which i could enjoy all the luxuries again.

I never really thot everything was so valuable since i got them so easily. Sometimes even complained about life being so unfair!!

Now the same things meant too big to me & I have really started realising how lucky I am!!

Hope you have enjoyed the writeup

We woke up at 6. Freshened up, had tea & breakfast (i had got banana chips and soya chaklis, someone had got dates, oranges, cakes, biscuits). Everyone munched happily and moved to see Murar Baji’s statue, which was just few kms awayAround 5ish – Reached Narayanpur, Prati Tirupati (Replica of Tirupati Balaji). Had Suprabat Darshan (Wishing Good morning to God). This was my long wished desire to visit Tirupati Balaji and take morning darshan with the auspicious environment, sounds of shloks, ringing bells, arti, puja, rising sun, birds chirping, soothing winds, freshness around making it extremely pious – amazing!!!! I was just enjoying every moment there.: 23:50 hours – Left for Pune in a private hired small bus. It was a very comfortable, cute and cosy bus.

Clingons

You may call them by a different name but we have all met them. Clingons, not to be mistaken for Klingons for all those Star Trek dill holes that just got pissy about a spelling error, are those people who will never leave you the hell alone. You talk to them once and you are officially adopted as their “bestest friend in the whole wide world”. They track you down and suck your will to live. I think that they feed off your independence and in turn use it to fuel their ever incessant compilation of mix tapes defining your friendship. There are a few different types of clingons that I have had the displeasure to witness. They are as follows:

The People Pleaser Clingon: This one is mildly annoying. This is the absolute epitome of a kiss ass. They think that by doing everything they can to make you happy that you will want to be their friend. However it turns out that they just spend their time making you grumpy by always asking you if they can do something for you when you wish they would eat a stick of dynamite. The only way you can put a positive spin on the people pleaser is by exploiting their stupidity by making them do extremely stupid stuff for your own amusement. Some examples:

Running into walls
Juggling chainsaws
Eat a stick of dynamite
Pierce their eyelids shut
Amputate and appendage without anesthesia with a spork
(Insert additional amusing antics)

The Self-Involved Clingon: This one is a sneaky bastard. They lure you in by making you think that they are normal functioning friends and once they have you sitting comfy they spring the bitchfest on you. They don’t even say “Hi” to you anymore the first thing out of their mouth is something that is annoying them that day. “That guy didn’t call me like he said he would” Yeah because your smothering him with crazy. I have had the misfortune of coming across more than one of these characters in my life. The latest one which I will call Stalkerella has been on me like shit on Velcro for the last month. Not only have I been socially kidnapped by a nut job, she also insists on calling me at all hours of the night with an inane crisis that she feels is more important than me getting my full 9 hours of sleep. In the first place I don’t give a shit. In the second place I STILL don’t give a shit.

The Full Blown Stalker Clingon: The Worst. This moves beyond clingon and becomes fatal attraction. They act nice as pie when you give them the attention they are wanting but the moment you move on to another friend they see it as a competition for your soul.

Ways to tell if your friend is a stalker:

· They know your schedule. They show up mysteriously wherever you will be such as popping up in the bushes at your Grandma’s funeral.

· They insist on taking pictures of you constantly for the scrapbook (shrine in which to meditate, cast spells, obsess, and masturbate to) they are making to chronicle your friendship. They never let you see the pictures. Half the time you don’t know they are taking them. When you see weird flashes outside your bathroom window and hear “oh yeah that’s right, just like that”: be concerned.

· Your other friends get death threats in detail if they don’t stay away from you.

· They begin to look, act, and talk like you do. That favorite shirt you own they have it too; complete with your jeans, shoes, hair style, colored contacts, and a replica of the engraved gift your significant other gave you with YOUR initials.

Beware the clingon. Better yet be suspicious of every friend you ever make because they might one day try to steal your kidney while you’re sleeping and use it to clone you.

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