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The Kingdom of Wa???

The kingdom of Wa is located east of the Great Asian Ocean and centralized around Japan Lake. Its borders range from the northwestern tip of the Great Asian Ocean, to just above Taiwan Lake [North and South], and from the Eastern border of the Great Asian Ocean to the mountain boarders east of Japan lake [East to West]. Wa is written in a symbol meaning ?peace/peaceful or Harmony.?

Wa is a kingdom surrounded by waters and seafood is the main cuisine for the people of Wa. The terrain in mainly a mix between mountains, lakes, plains and forests. There are several places of note within the kingdom of Wa.

Kyodo

Kyodo is the capital of Wa and it is home of the Imperial palace and imperial family. It is one of the biggest cities in the Wa kingdom. Many merchants and Nobles live in the capital. The imperial palace is well protected there because it lies in the heart of Wa and it is backed by Japan Lake. Kyodo is heavily guarded by policemen and samurai alike. Kyodo in Wa?s cultural epicenter. It is also Wa?s political arena.

Gion

Immediately north of Kyodo is Gion, the pleasure district. Gion is home to many Okiya?s, tea houses, brothels, theaters, and many merchants. Gion also has schools that specialize in the arts. There are always festivals and parties being held in Gion. It serves as a getaway for many nobles. Geisha both male and female can be seen rushing to and fro from one party to the next at night. Young trainees and apprentices rush to practices and rehearsals in the mornings. Gion is the place to go for fun. Some of Wa?s most beautiful women and men live in Gion.

Izumo

West of Gion, Kyodo and Japan Lake is Izumo. Izumo is a quiet yet large region with many small villages and forests. There?re farmers and common people that live in this region. There are also many shrines and temples. The biggest shrine is the Izumo Grand Shrine. The area is a zone of natural beauty. There is something quite spiritual about Izumo. Izumo is the spiritual epicenter of Wa. There are several tombs and burial grounds in Izumo, being a sacred place. Most of the royal family is laid to rest in Izumo. The Izumo pass is the connector between Izumo and Gion.

Taketani

Taketani is the Samurai Village and general place of training. Samurai class families dwell here. This area is a bit separate from the laws and hustles of the capital, Kyodo. The Daimyo?s home residence is located in Taketani. Compared to the capital, Taketani is quiet and rural. The samurai train here and travel to the various parts of Wa for duty. After their duty is done, they are free to return to Taketani. Taketani is somewhat self-governed. Taketani is home to many farmers, warriors and common people. Many travel to Taketani to study the ways of the samurai. The Daimyo is required to spend equal time in the Capital, Kyodo, as well as Taketani.

Kobuchizawa

Kobuchizawa is the northern expanse of Wa. It is home to many monks the desire seclusion from mainstream society. Kobuchizawa is also a hub for agriculture and herding animals. Much of Wa?s richest produce is cultivated in Kobuchizawa. The terrain consists of plains, mountains, forests and beaches.

Wa is generally a secluded and peaceful kingdom. It has been involved in wars with neighboring nation over territory and boarder disputes but generally it has remained at peace. It?s defenses are very solid and it?s warriors skilled. The people of Wa generally speak Japanese however some are learned in the ways of various foreign speech. Wa is a highly cultured kingdom and it?s people are very hardworking in all that that do.

Years ago Wa had one major succession war that lead to a divide in the samurai class, and later the creation of the Daimyo ranking. This succession war was called the ?Jinrai- Mizuno Senzou?. The illegitimate son of an imperial family member and a noblewoman of the Jinrai household, claimed to hold the mandate of the heavens and challenged the upcoming succession of the present day emperor. Noblemen and samurai were split between serving the imperial family (Mizuno) or the Jinrai family during the time of turmoil. The current Daimyo, of the Shiraishi clan, was a part of the samurai that choose to serve under the Imperial Mizuno household and at the completion of the war, he and his household were granted favor. The Jinrai were defeated and cast into seclusion. Wa returned to its natural balance and all samurai under the mizuno banner were to serve under the Shiraishi samurai clan.

Wa(?)?s Sovereign Diety

The sovereign deity of Wa is Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess. It is said that she formed the Kingdom of Wa by raising it out of the sea. Her spirit is believed to be ever present in the land, it?s objects and people. The imperial family is believed to be direct descendants of hers. They are said to be demi-gods in the flesh. There are other demi-gods and nature spirits that are believed to dwell in the land and it?s objects.

(?)

Wa is a kingdom well in tune with nature and it?s spirits. Strange phenomenon has occurred due to heightened spiritual activity. Most people are very careful about appeasing the spirits and Amaterasu in return for blessed crops, business, and livelihoods. Many shrines and temples can be found throughout the Kingdom of Wa. Many people embark on pilgrimages throughout Wa to visit each shrine and temple, believing that they will receive a special divine blessing for themselves and their families upon it?s completion.

The Politics of Wa (?)

Wa is a kingdom generally run by males. It?s political structure is set up in a trinity format. The three major power holders are the imperial family, the daimyo, and the high priestess. The nobles are mainly the bureaucrats that hold political power to sway the decisions of the emperor and or the Daimyo.

Emperor and Imperial Family

The emperor of Wa is the supreme ruler of the kingdom. He generally has the most political say in the kingdom. His family is nearly equal in status to him. The nobles fall under the imperial family. The imperial family generally resides in the Capital, Kyodo. The imperial family is believed to be descendants of the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, the sovereign deity of Wa. Both the Daimyo and High Priestess must answer to the imperial family.

Male heirs are preferred for succession to the throne, however female heirs have been chosen to lead as empress only when there were no proper male heirs.

Daimyo

The second in political power is the Daimyo. The Daimyo is the lead samurai of the kingdom. He manages affairs relating to the defense of Wa from external forces. He oversees the rules and regulations for Samurai and samurai class families. All bushido answer to him. The Daimyo works closely with the emperor and must coordinate with him on decisions regarding the nation?s safety and the actions of the samurai. The samurai are a separate entity from the lands general law enforcement. They rank slightly higher than the general police officers (the difference between the military and the police force.) The Daimyo?s home lies is the region known as Taketani. The Daimyo makes frequent trips to the capital, for conferences and negotiations with the emperor, and to Izumo, to pray for the peace, good fortune and safety of his men and the Kingdom of Wa.

The High Priest/ Priestess [Queen of Wa (?)]

The High Priestess of Wa(?) is a person gifted with divine favor from the sovereign deity of Wa, Amaterasu the Sun Goddess. A person is chosen for this position upon a divine happening, generally during a person?s childhood blessing ceremony. The child is generally visited by Amaterasu and gifted with spiritual abilities, and divine authority. This person becomes in tune with nature and the spirit realm. They are brought to the capital and officially given the title of High Priest or Priestess. It is common that the goddess had chosen females for this position, than males, much to the dismay of some noblemen. The High Priest or Priestess has a small portion of political power but only in regard to situations that relate to the land and spiritual matters. The High Priest or Priestess is often time not a member of the imperial family or a noble.

The High Priest or Priestess performs ritual ceremonies and other spiritual tasks throughout the kingdom of Wa(?). The High Priest or Priestess hears directly from Amaterasu herself and reports to the imperial palace regarding spiritual matters; performing ritual blessings for land, communicating with the deities that inhabit the lands, objects, and forests. The High Priest also serves as a seer (A clairvoyant, prophet, oracle, or diviner) for officials and common people alike. All major decision regarding Wa must be discussed with the High Priest in an effort to gain approval from the divine on their decisions.

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Drone scientists hope to change public image

A U.S. Marine launches a surveillance drone near Bakwa, Afghanistan, in 2009. (John Moore/Getty Images

ATLANTA?As dozens of protesters waved signs proclaiming, ?Stop Assassinations: Ground the Drones!? outside the Grand Hyatt on Tuesday, a room full of scientists, oblivious to their demonstrations, raptly watched a 30-minute PowerPoint presentation about ?riparian vegetation,? ?river morphology? and the helpful qualities of beaver dams.

The researchers who came from around the world to attend the International Conference on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (a fancy term for ?drones?) in Atlanta this week say they are not interested in the remotely controlled predator drones that help the U.S. government track and kill suspected terrorists?and sometimes, by accident, civilians?without having to put a single U.S. service member at risk.

President Barack Obama defended the U.S. government?s use of the deadly, pilotless aircraft in a national security speech last week, though he suggested that drones might play less of a role in the war on terror in the years to come.

At this drone conference, however, scientists?and those who hope to profit off their research?pore over slides that show how small, light drones equipped with inexpensive cameras that can be purchased at Wal-Mart can take images clear and comprehensive enough to help farmers design irrigation systems for their crops, or create the most efficient system for fighting a wildfire, or conduct search-and-rescue missions. The camera-equipped drones are also useful for determining the health of a river?s vegetation or finding out how much of a wetlands area is destroyed after a new road is built.

?We want them to help people, not kill people,? Dr. YangQuan Chen of the University of California, Merced, one of the conference?s organizers, told the researchers at his workshop on Tuesday morning.

Many of the conference attendees are hyperaware of the perception that drones are primarily used in warfare or by local police for covert surveillance or spying. (Chen's former student lamented during his presentation that drone researcher is considered "the opposite of sexy.") This year alone, these concerns have spurred dozens of states to consider legislation limiting the use of drones. It?s a rare issue that?s attracted bipartisan support?everyone from Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, to Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., has raised the specter of a drone-filled America devoid of privacy.

The furor has left many of these scientists confused. They see drones as ?co-scientists,? as Chen put it?friendly and reliable tools that can gather data efficiently and quickly in places scientists just can?t get to.

When Colin Brooks, a scientist at Michigan Tech Research Institute who uses drones to find potholes and other problems in the state's roads, read about his state lawmakers considering a bill to limit the police use of drones in Michigan a few months ago, he was baffled.

?When I read the state legislature bill, I was like, ?What? I just want to look at potholes!?? he said. ?They think killing people in Afghanistan or spying in grandma?s window is the only application. That?s not the story.?

Brooks? drones can tell him exactly how many potholes are in a stretch of road and how deep each of them is. The drones do the tedious work in a matter of hours that otherwise would have to be conducted on the ground by a team of workers over days. He doesn?t understand why these less glamorous but helpful civilian uses of drones don?t get attention from politicians or the press. (Despite their concerns, at least one poll by Monmouth University suggests most Americans approve of using drones for civilian purposes such as search-and-rescue missions. Nearly two-thirds of Americans support the use of drones in killing suspected terrorists, meanwhile, as long as the killing doesn't take place on U.S. soil.)

Civilian uses of drones are sure to get a lot more attention in the next few years when the Federal Aviation Administration must lift its ban on the commercial uses of drones. Last year, Congress directed the FAA to open the airspace to drones by October 2015. The agency has allowed only very limited, noncommercial use of drones. For public use, researchers must submit stacks of paperwork to certify their drones, a bonding subject at the conference.

?Today we worry about getting arrested or put in jail, but after 2015 the national airspace must be open,? Chen joked.

The researchers hope for an era of ?file and fly,? when anyone can file some paperwork and launch their own personal drone. Drones could be controlled by smartphones, and become nearly as popular, Chen thinks, saying the personalization of drones will be the next big tech breakthrough, on par with the development of the personal computer. The drone industry shares his optimism: An industry report estimates the devices will create 100,000 jobs and generate tens of billions of dollars in revenue in the first 10 years after the FAA allows their commercial use. (Much of that revenue might come from agribusiness, given the enormous cost savings that could be garnered by using a small drone instead of satellite or manned aircraft to survey crops. Some researchers were skeptical that police departments will become a big source of business, given state and local budget crunches.)

It remains to be seen whether regular people will want drones, however, or how they will develop once they are less regulated. But some people attending the conference are already hoping to break into the nascent industry. Alice Sheplar, a former chief information officer for a military hospital at Fort Stewart, Ga., is halfway through gaining her certification at the Unmanned Vehicle University, an online academy founded by a retired Air Force colonel that teaches students to create and pilot drones. As part of her courses, Sheplar must assemble her own drone from parts that are mailed to her.

Sheplar brought her daughter, Lauren Shepler, along to the conference, to try to persuade her to switch from teaching to the field. Lauren said she remained skeptical about drones' ability to replace human pilots, especially for longer flights, though she is remaining open to the idea. (Her father flew Apaches for the Army.) Alice said she wants to open her own drone business once the FAA approves commercial drone use, but that she doesn?t want to control the device. She?d rather deal with the marketing side of the business. ?Maybe you could be the pilot,? she said to her daughter, who laughed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/drone-scientists-hope-change-public-image-124633937.html

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Musk: $35,000 Teslas might be three years away, will be 20 percent smaller

We can't argue that the Tesla Model S is not only a great achievement in the EV industry and a looker as well, but there are still a lot of people unconvinced by the $70,000 sticker price ($60k, if you count the tax credits). CEO Elon Musk is definitely aware of that particular concern, and stated tonight at D11 that there's a very good chance we'll see Teslas in three years for half the price -- and 20 percent smaller, to boot. Speaking with Kara Swisher and Walt Mossberg, Musk mentioned he started the company with a three-step strategy to get to mass market, with the Roadster and Model S being the first two steps. The third step, naturally, would be to offer options that are more affordable: according to Musk, "I think every major product needs at least three iterations to get to the mass market -- I know cellphones have had much more than that." While we wait for 2016-17, we'll start saving some of our pennies, but fortunately we may not have to pinch all of them.

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