Riddle of Steel http://riddleofsteel.net Balance, Karma, Extremes, Change Cotonti Sun, 05 Feb 2012 17:56:19 -0500 "Replay" Self-Guided Bullet self-guided dart-like bullet able to strike a target more than a mile away.

The self-guided 4-inch bullet prototype has been successfully tested in both computer simulations and field testing -- where bullet speeds have reached 2,400 feet per second. The bullet differs from missile technology, in that the self-guided bullet has an optical sensor that can detect a laser beam on a target,
which allows the bullet to steer toward a target.
In one field test, researchers attached a tiny light-emitting diode, or LED to the bullet to tract its path and researchers found the "battery and electronics could survive the bullet's launch," Sandia Lab reported.

The bullet is still a prototype, but if it passes further testing conducted by a private firm, the bullet will be accessible to recreational shooters, law enforcement and the military. Lockheed Martin assisted Sandia Lab's research and has worked with the military to develop a self-guided bullet over the years.
"While engineering issues remain, we’re confident in our science base and we’re confident the engineering-technology base is there to solve the problems,” Sandia researcher Red Jones said in a statement.]]> Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:17:00 -0500 School of War Nightclub

Light show to Party Rock Anthem by LMFAO
Light Effects orchestrated and run by Seto
Visit us at: www.schoolofwar.net

Jedi Knight III: Jedi Academy

We're SoW, we have no lead in our zepplin.]]> Fri, 06 Jan 2012 07:38:24 -0500 Server Status Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:39:00 -0500 HAPPY NEW YEARS 2012 SCHOOL OF WAR! Above all remember that your time is short and counting down, so live now and dont wait for a day that may never come. Sifu.]]> Sat, 31 Dec 2011 22:10:00 -0500 School of war
The Following is in effect:

We are going back to the time tested model that martial artist have used for thousands of years.

Titles:
are gone,
if you are a personal student of mine you may where the plus to show me alone you are a student.

Teaching:
if you have learned the entire tool list you may teach what you have learned to the students with the understanding it should be reviewed by Me.

New hopefuls: will be told they must stick around learn and in time they will be accepted as a student.

any questions feel free to ask me.]]> Wed, 21 Dec 2011 01:18:00 -0500 Happy Thanksgiving From The School of War
Or Else i will send my army of samurai turkeys to slay your family's gobble gobble.]]> Thu, 24 Nov 2011 11:54:00 -0500 The only living master of a dying martial art

The basis of shastar vidya, the "science of weapons" is a five-step movement: advance on the opponent, hit his flank, deflect incoming blows, take a commanding position and strike.

It was developed by Sikhs in the 17th Century as the young religion came under attack from hostile Muslim and Hindu neighbours, and has been known to a dwindling band since the British forced Sikhs to give up arms in the 19th Century.

Nidar Singh, a 44-year-old former food packer from Wolverhampton, is now thought to be the only remaining master. He has many students, but shastar vidya takes years to learn and a commitment in time and energy that doesn't suit modern lifestyles.

"I've travelled all over India and I have spoken to many elders, this is basically a last-ditch attempt to flush someone out because if I die with it, it is all gone."

He would be overjoyed to discover an existing master somewhere in India, or to find a talented young student determined to dedicate his life to the art.

Until he was 17 years old, he knew little of his Sikh heritage. His family were not religious - he wore his hair short and dressed like any British teenager. He was a keen wrestler, but knew nothing of martial arts.

He spent his childhood between Punjab and Wolverhampton and it was on one of these trips to see an aunt in India that he met Baba Mohinder Singh, the old man who was to become his master.

Already in his early 80s, Baba Mohinder Singh had abandoned life as a hermit in a final effort to find someone to pass on his knowledge to.

"When he saw my physique he looked at me, even though I was clean-shaven and he asked me: 'Do you want to learn how to fight'," recalls Nidar Singh. "I couldn't say no."

On his first day of training, the frail old man handed him a stick and instructed Mr Singh to hit him. When he tried, the master threw him around like a rag doll.

"He was a frail old man chucking me about and I couldn't touch him," he says. "That definitely impressed me."

]]> Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:49:00 -0400 Happy Halloween!! ]]> Tue, 25 Oct 2011 22:27:44 -0400 TS

TS IS FOR STUDENTS ONLY

]]> Sun, 16 Oct 2011 17:59:00 -0400 Walking the dog...
]]> Sun, 16 Oct 2011 00:24:22 -0400 Down with the Damiyo 9.15.11
10pm EST, 9pm CST, 8pm MST, 7pm PST


All Students of the School of War are invited to take part in one of the most complex events we host.

In order to participate in this event, you -MUST- be on Teamspeak while you are in the server (if only just to hear instructions). There will be a brief review of the rules for the event and some special qualifications.

Also, you will need to downloaded the Rodian Hunting Grounds map from our Downloads section found HERE.

If you have not already done so, it would also be wise to download the Samurai Vs. Ninja skinpack that we have HERE

The Weapons pack is not entirely necessary, but it is strongly recommended and can be found HERE. The katana for the weapons pack that we use is /saber single_221]]> Wed, 14 Sep 2011 21:21:00 -0400 Beta Testing
Also I need something for those last two slots... give me some ideas]]> Wed, 24 Aug 2011 22:09:00 -0400 SoW

Watch at 720p...

Would you guys mind something like this being the new site?

]]> Tue, 23 Aug 2011 20:32:00 -0400 Learning from the Game

"We’re seeing more and more people getting their entertainment needs from videogames. And even though conventional wisdom suggests otherwise that video games don’t seem like a primary source for any of the wisdom we find in many books and sometimes movies, videogames do have a couple of important life lessons to teach you in the process of playing them."

Ever since the dawn of the Atari, and DOS computer games, the thoughts about the culture of gaming have been widespread and varied. Though it seems a commonality that games are nothing more than a way to pass time, relax, escape reality, or just have fun. They are not so much looked upon as having any more meaning or purpose. Most of the culture in today's time are geared with the belief that games are not to be taken seriously, and thus those who game are also high in speculation of having any real purpose. This is quite the disparaging view, and has lead to quite a bit of false accusations without a truly deeper look into the mindset of what is gaming. Can we even benefit from it?

Vlad Micu is an aspiring game professional from the Netherlands. He possesses a Bachelor in Communications and recently finished a Masters degree in New Media and Digital Culture at the University of Utrecht.
In 2007, he founded his own company; VGVisionary to build up is contacts and experience within the industry. During that time, he has had the opportunity to travel the world and attend numerous trade shows, as well as work on several video games.

Vlad has put together a few key points to look at when viewing gaming and how you can learn from the lessons hidden inside the pixel-ized environment.

Man, I need to hit the gym
Imagine you were expected to run and jump as much as most videogame protagonists. It’s tiring just to think about it, but today most people perform almost no physical effort at all. All the popular videogame characters have a perfect physique, so use that as a reminder that you can be as healthy and fit if you are willing to put the effort into it! It’s just like with Role Playing Games (RPGs). Leveling up takes time, but if you put in the effort in real life like you do your virtual avatar, you will be rewarded.

People can be very predictable, so try not to be!

In any competitive game, ranging from shooters to strategy games, I often find myself picking easy targets because most people simply walk the same line every game. The only thing I have to do is wait for the other players to make the same mistake. This might sound stupid, but even I still lose a couple of games that way. If you’re doing something competitive in the real world, it is the same way. Varied tactics result in a stronger chance of success. Don’t do the same thing every time. Shake things up!

Practice in order to succeed

I’ve had my share of professional gaming in the early days, and it has taught me a couple of important lessons. Even though E-sports has never officially become acknowledged as a sport (except in South-Korea, perhaps), the people that have become professional gamers (like Jonathan ‘Fatal1ty’ Wendell) always radiate an important lesson: if you want to be the best at something, practice, practice and practice even more. It is the same way with real life skills. If you want to be good at something you need to practice. A lot.

More on Vlad's article HERE

Games not only give us life lessons though, but they help develop certain aspects of our personality and life through the various aspects found in most every game.

Character.

Videogames need active participation. You need to work to beat them. Playing videogames will teach you concentration, perseverance, dedication, commitment, patience and personal drive. All of which are qualities which would look great on your resumé.

Skill.

Videogames improve your hand-eye coordination and reaction time. You'll learn skill and dexterity, to think on your feet, to manipulate controls with precision and confidence. Can you imagine somebody getting behind the wheel of a car without those skills? You don't have to: millions of people already do.

More than that, playing cooperative multiplayer videogames in, for example, a clan, will teach you invaluable lessons in teamwork, leadership, efficient communication, and sportsmanship - because if it doesn't, you'll get left behind!

A brain.

Videogames make you think. Videogames are often very difficult, and not in the sense of requiring hundreds of hours of continuous/repeated effort to succeed. Videogames contains puzzles and puzzles force you to think to complete them. Your problem-solving skills, perhaps the best benchmark for intelligence, will be improved, as will your imagination and creativity. That's to say nothing of the undeniable real-world value of being able to figure out what a confusing set of buttons does from scratch.

Entertainment.

And there's this one! People always seem to overlook this when they dismiss videogames as a waste of time. Videogames are their own reward. Playing a videogame is as entertaining as watching the television - and considerably better for you. Just look at all the benefits listed above - you won't get any of THEM while slouching inertly in front of the idiot box. Videogames are better than TV.

Author and Gamer; Jane McGonigal explains how she had come to take a stance on gaming that not everyone understands.


]]> Mon, 08 Aug 2011 09:13:00 -0400 Admin..
The new system will be as follows:

Three levels of admin.

1 - Administator (green)

2 - Administator (yellow)

3 - Administator (red)


Green is for most Artists and a select few students.

Yellow is for most Artisans and a select few Artists.

Red is for a select few artisans.


You may be wondering "What does this mean and how does it affect me?" Well, I'll break it down by title for you.

If you are a Student and you already have admin you will either:
A)-Lose admin for now.
or
B)-Keep admin and have some new commands you can use.

If you are an Artist then your admin abilities will either:
A)-remain the same
or
B)-they will increase

(current Artisans will have no change)

This is the new system and those who will be receiving admin will be informed via a PM of their new password. We hope this new system will benefit the school and make it easier to maintain. Thank you.]]> Fri, 05 Aug 2011 00:52:00 -0400 21 years ago.. ]]> Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:06:41 -0400 38 years ago.

R.I.P.



27 November 1940 – 20 July 1973

"The key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering." — Bruce Lee

]]> Thu, 21 Jul 2011 20:00:00 -0400 Happy 30th Birthday Red Dawn! Let us take this time to congratulate our founder and friend Mr. Red Dawn on his 30th consecutive trip around the Sun. A warrior philosopher gaining another year on the path to enlightenment. Congratulations Red Dawn, Flow with what is, and enjoy the celebration. Much love, deep respect.
]]> Sat, 16 Jul 2011 05:49:00 -0400 Top 10 Things to do before you Die. My Personal Top Ten List.

10. Base Jump.
9. Sky Dive.
8. Swim With Sharks.
7. Back pack around the world.
6. Learn to surf.
5. Ride across the United States on a Harley Davidson.
4. Engage in open combat.
3. Build the Body to peak levels.
2. Train my martial art.
1. Find "Enlightenment".

Whats yours?]]> Sun, 03 Jul 2011 15:39:39 -0400 Happy Birth Day !!! Few have the natural insight and cunning as this person and few are as sharp nor quick as me.

He is as the shark silent gracefull intellegent and skilled at making the Kill,
wise beyond his years in some ways for the worse....

+The Great White Talac+


Students of War please Join me in wishing this shark many more Fish.

Happy birthday Artist+Talac]]> Fri, 17 Jun 2011 23:21:40 -0400 Important + Announcement

Please Read

It has been decided that the SoW will be re-instituting the + (plus) title that we once used for people who are interested in joining. what this means is when a person is interested in becoming a student of the School they need only add the single + onto the front of their name. They then continue visiting us and they will be observed. The individuals that we observe showing an active interest in training here will later become students.
Please share this information with any visitors who inquire about how they can join the school.


Also please note...
TeamSpeak is still for students and up only.

Some downloads will be for students and up only. (map)

+'s may occasionally be permitted to participate in the more basic events such as LWS but not complex events that generally require a presence in TeamSpeak.
(+'s participation in the basic events is at the discretion of the event holder and they may choose to restrict participation to students and up only.)]]> Sun, 12 Jun 2011 19:38:00 -0400 SOW Map Party: Hangover

so.... can these rings hold 20 students?



The First Meeting of the Students of the Round Table.


great......... stuck in a elevator with 10 guys on a junk food diet......


After the party ended i went to the mess hall for a beer, only to find a debate in progress.....
Seto: so you see Asti, cooking is about science not flavor......
Asti: but i like salt....
Seto: No Ms Dash is far superior.
Asti: But...
Seto: I Invented Salt. and Have a Masters in Saltology.

School of War: Debating the Topics of our time........]]> Wed, 08 Jun 2011 18:11:00 -0400 SCHOOL OF WAR: TRAINING COMPOUND

Seto, Inc. presents...


A PyROtech Industries production...


Based on the original FFA3 by Ravensoft




A total expansion of FFA3

by >PyRO< and Seto





SoWTC offers a never-before seen experience in Jedi Academy: a dual server and client map modification. It is the first total implementation of brush modifications in a map mod ever in JKA. This mod has two parts: a serverside map mod and a clientside map plugin. The serverside part is always active and allows anyone who connects, regardless of what downloads they have, to enjoy an enhanced experience at the School of War beyond what the basic FFA3 map offers. The clientside plugin is what you, the client, can download to totally transform the map experience. This plugin unlocks the ability to see and experience totally new rooms, areas, and features of the map that would otherwise be unavailable. Downloading the plugin is like downloading a brand new map, only it replaces an existing map in the game. As such, the plugin is fully compatible with the original FFA3 on any server and will not hinder your experience should you go elsewhere. While on the School of War server, however, you will be able to experience all of the expanded content to its fullest.

In short, this mod is an optional download that does not prevent visitors from joining the server, but gives you access to amazing new features.

FEATURES:

  • Map space has been more than doubled.
  • Over a dozen new areas.
  • Custom textures and models.

We can neither confirm nor deny the existence of secrets.

Powered by Seto, Inc. technology, engineered by PyROtech Industries.

DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS:


Download the client plugin here!

Installation is the same as any downloaded map: place the pk3 in your base folder while JKA is not running, then start up the game and connect to the server.

NOTE: This map is not designed to be hosted on any other server, nor played in a solo game. Attempting to do so will result in a crash.]]> Sat, 04 Jun 2011 06:47:00 -0400 Corporal Dipprasad Pun Corporal Dipprasad Pun, 31, said he thought he was going to die and so had nothing to lose in taking on the attackers who overran his checkpoint.



He was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross (CGC), which is given in recognition of acts of conspicuous gallantry during active operations against the enemy.
Pun fired more than 400 rounds, launched 17 grenades and detonated a mine to repel the Taliban assault on his checkpoint near Babaji in Helmand Province, southern Afghanistan, last September.
Surrounded, the enemy opened fired from all sides and for 15 minutes Pun remained under continuous attack, including from rocket-propelled grenades and AK47 guns.
At one point, unable to shoot, he used his machine gun tripod to knock down a militant who was climbing the walls of the compound.
Two insurgents were still attacking by the time he ran out of ammunition, but he set off a Claymore mine to repel them.
Pun was given his medal in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace in London on Wednesday.
The CGC is second only to the Victoria Cross -- the highest honour for bravery in the face of the enemy.
"There wasn't any choice but to fight. The Taliban were all around the checkpoint. I was alone," he said.
"I had so many of them around me that I thought I was definitely going to die so I thought I'd kill as many of them as I could before they killed me.
"After that I thought nobody can kill us now -- when we met the enemy I wasn't scared."
Britain's Major General Nicholas Carter, who was commander of allied forces in southern Afghanistan during Pun's deployment, praised his efforts.
"The CGC does not get handed out lightly. It was a most remarkable achievement," he said.]]> Fri, 03 Jun 2011 15:14:00 -0400 HAPPY BIRTH DAY!

Students of the school of war please join me in wishing Artisan+Anshin and Artist+Sanjou a Very Happy Birthday
these two have been here from the start, they are the First two students of the school of war and my comrades.

Happy 23rd birth day gents and many more.]]> Thu, 26 May 2011 18:13:00 -0400 Pic of the Week: Clash of Titans

Artisan+Anshin: Red Saber
Artisan+RedDawn: Jade Saber
Taken on Rift Rings
Director: Student+Doven
Photography: Artist+Key]]> Tue, 24 May 2011 15:18:00 -0400 Happy Birth Day!!!!

students of the school, one of our brothers made it around the sun again, join me in wishing
Artisan Lucky and day to remember and a ticket for another ride.

Mr Lucky Happy Birth Day.]]> Mon, 16 May 2011 13:01:12 -0400 Brains of Buddhist monks scanned in meditation study

The study peers into brains of monks

In a laboratory tucked away off a noisy New York City street, a soft-spoken neuroscientist has been placing Tibetan Buddhist monks into a car-sized brain scanner to better understand the ancient practice of meditation.

But could this unusual research not only unravel the secrets of leading a harmonious life but also shed light on some of the world's more mysterious diseases?

Zoran Josipovic, a research scientist and adjunct professor at New York University, says he has been peering into the brains of monks while they meditate in an attempt to understand how their brains reorganise themselves during the exercise.

Since 2008, the researcher has been placing the minds and bodies of prominent Buddhist figures into a five-tonne (5,000kg) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) machine.

The scanner tracks blood flow within the monks' heads as they meditate inside its clunky walls, which echoes a musical rhythm when the machine is operating.

Dr Josipovic, who also moonlights as a Buddhist monk, says he is hoping to find how some meditators achieve a state of "nonduality" or "oneness" with the world, a unifying consciousness between a person and their environment.
Zoran Josipovic looking at brain scans on a computer The study specifically looks at the default network in the brain, which controls self-reflective thoughts

"One thing that meditation does for those who practise it a lot is that it cultivates attentional skills," Dr Josipovic says, adding that those harnessed skills can help lead to a more tranquil and happier way of being.

"Meditation research, particularly in the last 10 years or so, has shown to be very promising because it points to an ability of the brain to change and optimise in a way we didn't know previously was possible."

When one relaxes into a state of oneness, the neural networks in experienced practitioners change as they lower the psychological wall between themselves and their environments, Dr Josipovic says.

And this reorganisation in the brain may lead to what some meditators claim to be a deep harmony between themselves and their surroundings.
]]> Sun, 24 Apr 2011 17:50:00 -0400 Happy Late Birth Day!!!

ladies and gentlemen this man has been a pain in my ass for many years.........,
the man i said "fuck it run the school im done" the one the only Pyro born 1987 on APR 17th.

Join me in wishing Mr Pyro many many more happy birthdays.]]> Tue, 19 Apr 2011 15:11:16 -0400 2045

Raymond Kurzweil takes up to 200 supplements and pills a day to maintain his health. Although he is 62 years old, he estimates that his intense regiment has made him physically 20 years younger. He's not pursuing a good lifestyle to stay fit forever. He just wants to survive until the Singularity, the event where our technology far exceeds the limitations of our human knowledge, rendering us unable to predict our own machine run future.



It may sound a bit too science fiction to seem real - after all the plot of The Terminator series among others follow this scenario - but Kurzweil and his fellow Singularitarians believe this distant future could be as soon as 2045. With the progress we're making with artificial intelligence, they hope that someday well be able to transfer our knowledge into the far sturdier computers and robots that can withstand more damage than our frail human frames


Read more: http://techland.time.com/2011/02/11/immortality-only-a-few-decades-away-thanks-to-singularity/#ixzz1JoKlqtLy]]> Sun, 17 Apr 2011 20:39:52 -0400 Happy Birth Day !!! S.E.T.O would you like to play a game Dave?


Well we have another "person" to wish a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to and that my dear students is Mr Seto our very own artificial life-form built by the crazy scientists here at SOW.

So HAPPY BIRTH DAY SETO!!! now go defrag or assimilate something. just not us.....]]> Sat, 16 Apr 2011 13:21:00 -0400 Phasers on Full Fire !!!


The test demonstration, which took place off the Southern California coast near San Nicholas Island, could mark a new era in Naval weaponry, officials said.

“This is very important to the Navy’s future weapon systems,” said Rear Adm. Nevin Carr, chief of the Office of Naval Research. “By turning energy into a weapon, we become more efficient and more effective.”

Built by Northrop Grumman Corp. in Redondo Beach, the laser system could be used to blast apart incoming cruise missiles, zap enemy drones out of the sky or possibly even shoot down ballistic missiles one day, Carr said.

“In the distant future, I can envision a day when this technology is outfitted on cruisers and destroyers,” he said.



The laser’s power can be also “scaled down,” offering the Navy a non-lethal alternative to ward off threats such as pirates, terrorists and smugglers, Carr said.

In the test, which took place last week, the laser gun was mounted to the deck of the retired Naval destroyer Paul Foster and fired on a small target vessel.

A video of the test, released by the Office of Naval Research, shows a spark on one of the boat’s motors as it bobs in the ocean and, within seconds, is engulfed in flames. It was a milestone, because all previous tests of the laser were on firm ground, Carr said.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rzr7dD-4wk
The video does not show the laser or how far it was from the target because of security concerns, Carr said. But he said the laser beam was “baseball-sized” and the distance could be measured in “miles, not yards.”

Carr indicated that the technology was still years away from being used in combat.

For years, technical challenges have plagued scientists’ weapon development of a solid-state laser. Northrop has worked to develop the laser system at its Space Park campus in Redondo Beach under a $98-million contract that it won in July 2009.

The campus is also the site where Northrop engineers have worked on the Airborne Laser Test Bed, a missile defense program that involves a massive laser gun outfitted on a heavily modified Boeing 747. It has taken nearly 15 years and at least $4 billion to develop the chemical laser technology.

Space Park was built during the height of the Cold War and has been the development site of some of the nation's most complex weapon systems, including the Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile. Scientists there took up laser research in the 1960s and became the first laboratory to develop a weapons-grade chemical laser]]> Tue, 12 Apr 2011 04:08:00 -0400 Happy Birth Day !!!

Well ive known this student for a long time, and he is a jolly good fellow Happy big 20th !!! MATE.
may the next 20 be as grand as your last. have a old fashion English breakfast minus the black pudding crazy Englishmen........ and dont drink to much mckie.]]> Sun, 10 Apr 2011 20:34:00 -0400 All about the BOW
The bow is long regarded as one of the most diverse and widely used social gestures in our world. Interrupted around the world in literally hundreds of different ways, the bow itself is a topic of rich history, and tradition. The origins of bowing are sketchy, and have been proposed to be from the early hunters of the first civilization, lowering themselves to larger predators to appear as non-threatening for survival sake.

The bow itself holds different meanings for the type, use, location, and subject of which the bow is performed. For instance, a bow of humility and service went from the slave to the master in obedience. While another type of bow would be of prostration in prayer to a deity. There are also bows that indicate social status, and in general good behavior and manners. The most famous of the locations in which a bow is commonplace are that of the Asian countries like Japan or China. In these countries and other places around the world, the bow is a sign of respect and honor to the subject of which the bow is given. As well there are often times where a bow is a gesture of greeting or the physical catalyst to an apology. ]]> Tue, 05 Apr 2011 08:14:00 -0400 SOW MAP PLUGIN!!! ITS OUT NOW! for the past few weeks Seto and I, with the help of Vedran and Iceman, have been working on some amazing mods to the FFA3 map and finally we've gotten to a point where we can release it to the school to enjoy.
we are the first server in jka do do this and its quite amazing..
without any more delay here here you go!!


CLICK HERE

]]> Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:57:00 -0400 Wild Life in Arizona

Arizona is part of the arid Sonoran Desert which extends thoughout Arizona/New Mexico/California/Mexico...and as such you can expect that everything, including plants...have developed some sort of defense mechanism to survive in this harsh landscape.

The most dangerous animal to any human in this hostile climate is the the unprepared person...any good desert guide or survival manual will give you tips on how not to die...along with much more information about beneficial and hazardous plants, and wildlife, most of which is nocturnal.

Rattlesnakes like the Western Diamondback are venomous and dangerous due to their large size, and corresponding larger venom dose...while the smaller Desert Sidewinder delivers a smaller but still painful injection.
confirmed seen with own eyes "had to kill a few"

The rare Mohave or "Mohave Green" pit viper is extrememly venomous, delivering a powerful neurotoxin, but like all snakes will not strike unless provoked or surprised.
Large non-poisonous snakes like the King are beneficial...eating rodents, birds and smaller rattlesnakes...but they do have an incredibly painful non-toxic bite.
confirmed seen with own eyes killed one.

The light tan Bark Scorpion, while one of the smallest, is also North America's most venomous and painful...it generally lives under cardboard, old wood/plants, and rocks...as thier primary prey of crickets and roaches live there also. They can be easily seen at night as they phosfluoresce under an inexpensive handheld UV light.
confirmed seen them with own eyes

The Arizona Giant Centipede is a regional version of the red-headed centipede...with a light tan to orangish segmented body up to 12"...and black head and rear. The bite is actually a pinch...and it is toxic and very painful.
confirmed seen them with own eyes ]]> Sun, 27 Mar 2011 19:07:00 -0400 The Dalai Lama announced Thursday his plan to retire
The Dalai Lama announced Thursday his plan to retire as political head of the exiled Tibetan movement, saying the time had come for his replacement by a "freely elected" leader.

The Dalai Lama, whose more significant role is that of the movement's spiritual leader, said he would seek an amendment allowing him to resign his political responsibilities at the next session of the exiled Tibetan parliament in March.

"My desire to devolve authority has nothing to do with a wish to shirk responsibility," he said in an address in Dharamshala, the seat of the Tibetan government-in-exile in northern India.
]]> Sat, 19 Mar 2011 10:43:00 -0400 A Message from Red
For a long time now I have been considering my own role and position within the School of War, and today I have reached an important decision that I must share with you. From now on, I will not be acting as an administrator or policy official in the School and will not be a member of the Board of Education.

I am not leaving. On the contrary, I make this decision because I feel a strong calling to focus my attention solely on training, both for the other Students of the School and for myself. I simply no longer wish to be any kind of authority when it comes to making the policy decisions of the School and thus relinquish this power entirely. For this reason, I make my last administrative act as the School's founder and primary authority to be the public appointment of what will be the final authoritative incarnation of the Board of Education.

I have given great thought on who I want to control the School's future, and decided in the end that seven people - no more and no less - will comprise the Board of Education. The following individuals are your final Board of Education:

Iceman
Anshin
Panvo
Seto
Lucky
Na-dhan
and Chairman of the Board: Pyro
]]> Wed, 16 Mar 2011 06:07:00 -0400 Tag Policy The board of education has discussed this and, together with Reddawn, wishes to make the following clarifications regarding tags to all members of the SOW:
TAGS

While in server members should have their tags on at all times, but when not on our server, we being not a clan, dont care what you put in your name. If we know you are a member you should be in tags during any event you wish to participate in.

Individuals choosing not to wear tags will not be banned from the server for making that choice, however they will not be able to participate in events unless their appropriate tags are put on.

Remember, those who take part in our events represent the SOW and for that should be of a solid skill level and be in tags.

If a member is in a clan, and that clan tells them they cant be in our tags while at our school:

1.They should find another clan
2.they will not be taking part in school events.

We hope this clears up any confusion on this matter. Thank You.
(disclaimer: these rules are not open to individual interpretations)]]> Thu, 10 Mar 2011 16:40:00 -0500 One step closer to zombie apocalypse LiveScience.com Wed Mar 2, 6:20 pm ET

The world just got a little weirder: Scientists have identified four new species of brain-controlling fungi that turn ants into zombies that do the parasite's bidding before it kills them.

Identified from samples collected at two sites in Brazil's tropical rain forest, each of the four species specializes in controlling a different species of carpenter ant.

The original zombie-ant fungus, Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, was first identified in 1865, and it seems to exist around the world.

"So we knew, right off the bat, there was a range of other species within that," said study researcher David Hughes, an entomologist at Pennsylvania State University. "I think it will turn out to be in the hundreds."

Once it infects an ant, the fungus uses as-yet-unidentified chemicals to control the ant's behavior, Hughes told LiveScience. It directs the ant to leave its colony (a very un-ant-like thing to do) and bite down on the underside of a leaf — the ant's soon-to-be resting place. Once it is killed by the fungus, the ant remains anchored in place, thanks to its death grip on the leaf.

Ultimately, the fungus produces a long stalk that protrudes from the ant's head, shooting spores out in the hopes of infecting other ants. Two of the four newly discovered species also sprouted smaller stalks elsewhere, including from the victim's feet and lower leg joints – the equivalent of knees.



The spores of the four species also had distinct features and germination processes.

Hughes is concerned that one of the four fungus species, O. camponoti-novogranadensis, may not be around for much longer. During their visits to Brazil, Hughes and his colleagues saw that the high-elevation site where the species was found had become markedly drier and hotter. Hughes attributed the change in conditions at the Parque Estadual de Itacolomi, which is near the World Heritage Site Ouro Preto, to global warming.

The ants can survive this shift in the local climate, but "the fungus can't," he said. "What we think we will see is the extinction event of the fungus we just managed to describe." (Hughes said fungi are essential aquatic organisms living in terrestrial environments, making them extra-sensitive to a drying climate.)

The research by Hughes and colleagues Simon Elliot and Harry Evans appears online today (March 2) in the journal PLoS ONE.

You can follow LiveScience writer Wynne Parry on Twitter @Wynne_Parry.]]> Thu, 03 Mar 2011 17:25:22 -0500