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Friday, May 31, 2013
Look Inside BMW's Ultra-Green i3 Factory
BMW claims its i3 electric vehicle, which debuts at the end of the year, is the world's most sustainable car. That big boast hinges on another claim: that the wind-powered, carbon-neutral production plant near Leipzig, Germany, is the world's most sustainable car factory.
Razer reveals the Blade Pro and 14-inch Blade gaming laptops (update: $999 Pro for indie game devs)
Razer promised it was aiming to iterate its Blade gaming laptop on a yearly basis, and despite the company's recent focus on tablets, it appears to be keeping its word. Today, a mere eight months after releasing the second-gen Blade, Razer unveiled two new members of the Blade family: the 17-inch Blade Pro and its 14-inch sibling. As you might expect, the Pro tops its elders with new silicon and storage options. It's exchanging third-gen Intel Ivy Bridge silicon for a fourth-gen Haswell chip and upgrading from an NVIDIA GTX 660M to a GTX 765M GPU. Oh, and Razer's nixed the HDD options from the big Blade's menu -- the Pro packs a 128GB SSD standard, with optional upgrades to 256 or 512GB. That new hardware is evidently smaller than what it's replacing: though the Pro shares the same size chassis as its predecessor, it packs a 74Wh battery (the older Blade has a 60Wh cell). Other than that, the Blade Pro comes with Razer's Switchblade interface, a trio of USB 3.0 ports, 802.11 a/b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0 and a 1920 x 1080 display, just like the prior Blade.
Meanwhile, the new 14-inch Blade will come with mostly the same hardware as the Pro, meaning it's got a Haswell chip and GTX 765M graphics along with a buffet of SSD choices. Those components are stuffed inside a chassis that measures 13.6 x 9.3 x 0.66 inches, and weighs 4.13 pounds. Naturally, given its smaller size, it lacks the Switchblade LCD and buttons, has a 1.3 megapixel webcam (as opposed to the Pro's 2 megapixel unit) and a 14-inch 1600 x 900 display. And, despite its relatively svelte dimensions (for a portable gaming rig), the baby Blade still has a 70Wh battery inside. The Pro starts at $2,299, or $200 less than prior Blades and the 14-inch model will set you back a minimum of $1,799. Each will be available in North America in Q2, with a worldwide rollout of the Pro coming sometime later this year.
Update: Good news, Indie game developers! Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan just announced that those devs with a successfully funded Kickstarter can get a new Blade Pro for just $999.
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Sharks worth more in the ocean than on the menu
May 30, 2013 ? Sharks are worth more in the ocean than in a bowl of soup, according to researchers from the University of British Columbia.
A new study, published today in Oryx -- The International Journal of Conservation, shows that shark ecotourism currently generates more than US$314 million annually worldwide and is expected to more than double to US$780 million in the next 20 years.
In comparison, the landed value of global shark fisheries is currently US$630 million and has been in decline for the past decade. An estimated 38 million sharks were killed in 2009 to feed the global fin trade alone.
"The emerging shark tourism industry attracts nearly 600,000 shark watchers annually, directly supporting 10,000 jobs," says Andres Cisneros-Montemayor, a PhD candidate with UBC's Fisheries Economics Research Unit and lead author of the study. "It is abundantly clear that leaving sharks in the ocean is worth much more than putting them on the menu."
"Sharks are slow to mature and produce few offspring," says Rashid Sumaila, senior author and director of UBC's Fisheries Centre. "The protection of live sharks, especially through dedicated protected areas, can benefit a much wider economic spectrum while helping the species recover."
The research team from UBC, the University of Hawaii and Universidad Aut?noma de Baja California Sur in Mexico examined shark fisheries and shark ecotourism data from 70 sites in 45 countries. Almost $124 million in tourism dollars were generated annually in the Caribbean from shark tourism, supporting more than 5,000 jobs. In Australia and New Zealand, 29,000 shark watchers help generate almost $40 million in tourism expenditure a year.
Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/Ih8nHeJunM4/130530192429.htm
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The 10 Best (And Most Affordable) School Districts In The Country
LilSugar:
Whether you're planning a move or just want to check out how your region ranks, ZipRealty has compiled its first-ever list of the country's top school districts in areas with the most affordable housing.
Read the whole story at LilSugar
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Would You Live in a Home that was the Scene of a Crime ...
This is a popular question in the game of "Would You...?" Would you knowingly live in a house where a murder or other violent crime took place? Or where you knew someone had died tragically?
A morbid topic to be sure, but an interesting real estate dilemma nonetheless. If you decided to buy a home with such a past, what would it take? A drastically reduced price? A difficult housing market??Does it matter if it was an unknown suicide victim, or the home of an infamous serial killer like John Wayne Gacy? Do you have a threshold for creepy?
Odds are good your prospective property is free of the more dramatic stories. However, especially if you live in an older home, chances are very good that someone died in your house at some junction. (Growing up in Vermont, my bedroom had what was affectionately called a "coffin window" ? rumored as a means to get pine boxes around narrow stairs and out of the house.)
Depending on the state you live in, realtors may or may not be required to tell you the so-called psychological history of the house. If you want to ward off the heebie jeebies, do some research before you sign any contract. At the very least:
- Google the address: If Charles Manson was up to no good in your house, the Internet will surely tell you.
- Ask the neighbors: Never a bad idea anyway, but you definitely want to watch for any pained expressions on their faces when you tell them you're interested in the house next door.
Happy house hunting!
(Image: Shutterstock,?Wikipedia)
Source: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/would-you-live-in-a-home-that-was-the-scene-of-a-crime-190242
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Like humans, apes throw temper tantrums, too
Alexandra Rosati
A bonobo at the Lola ya Bonobo Sanctuary in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
By Stephanie Pappas
LiveScience
Chimpanzees and bonobos have temper tantrums when their decisions don't play out as they'd hoped, hinting that humans aren't the only species to let emotions influence their choices.
These non-human apes pout, whimper, scratch themselves and bang on things when a risky choice fails to pay off or when they have to wait for a desired reward, according to new research published Wednesday?in the journal PLOS ONE.
"Even though animals don't engage in economic behavior like humans with money, the psychological skills that humans bring to the table when making economic decisions seem to be shared with animals," said study leader Alexandra Rosati, a postdoctoral researcher in psychology at Yale University. [8 Humanlike Behaviors of Primates]
Emotional choices
Humans have the power of logic, but that doesn't always mean they use it. Multiple studies of decision-making have found that emotions play a big role in choices, particularly when information is complicated or incomplete. Humans also anticipate their own emotional reactions to various outcomes when making choices, Rosati told LiveScience. For example, people who know they'll feel great regret if they lose at gambling tend to gamble less than those who don't feel the pain of loss as keenly.
Rosati and her colleagues wanted to know how far back this emotional decision-making evolved. As humans' closest living relatives, chimps (Pan troglodytes) and bonobos (Pan paniscus) were the perfect places to look. Evidence of emotional decisions in these apes would suggest humans share this tendency with other primate relatives. If the apes were unemotional decision-makers, however, it might suggest emotional decision-making evolved later in the human lineage.
The researchers set up two experiments at the Tchimpounga Sanctuary for primates in the Republic of Congo and Lola ya Bonobo sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Both sanctuaries care for chimps and bonobos orphaned by the illegal bushmeat and pet trades.
Alexandra Rosati
Chimpanzees at the Tchimpounga Sanctuary for primates in Pointe Noire, Republic of Congo.
In the first experiment, 23 chimps and 15 bonobos were given the choice between immediately getting a small reward (bananas for the chimps, apple slices for the bonobos) or waiting one to two minutes to get a reward three times the size. [See Video of a Bonobo's Decision-Making Angst]
Both species chose to wait more often than not, though chimps exhibited more patience, the researchers found. In one-minute-delay trials, chimps chose to wait and receive the larger option 64 percent of the time; in two-minute-delay trials, they picked the larger option almost 55 percent of the time. Bonobos waited for the larger option 55 percent of the time when they knew it would only take one minute, and chose it 47 percent of the time in the two-minute-delay trials.
Both species, however, exhibited emotional behaviors while waiting: They scratched themselves, a sign of anxiety, and banged on their enclosure walls or the table, a sign of anger. Chimps were more vocal in their impatience than the bonobos, whimpering, screaming and moaning 46 percent of the time compared with only 5 percent of the time in bonobos. (The animals could leave the experiment whenever they wanted, so their participation was voluntary.)
Risks and regret
In the second experiment, 24 chimps?and 13 bonobos were shown a small pile of food under an overturned bowl and then given the choice to eat either that pile or another, unknown pile under a second bowl.
The foods varied in deliciousness, at least from a primate perspective. The researchers determined that chimps preferred bread and bananas above all else, while bonobos loved apples and bananas. Chimps were least excited by papaya and cucumber, while bonobos cared least about peanuts and lettuce.
The visible bowl contained middle-of-the-road foods for both species: peanuts for chimpanzees and papaya for bonobos. The apes could chose this so-so food or decide to take a risk and pick the unknown food under the second bowl, which might be a delicious banana ? or a boring scrap of lettuce.
The results revealed that chimpanzees were bigger risk-takers than the bonobos. Chimps picked the unknown, risky option 65 percent of the time compared with 39 percent of the time for bonobos. Again, both species got irritated when those risky choices failed to pay off with a favorite food. They banged, vocalized and scratched. The apes even showed a behavior that looked a bit like regret. After choosing the unknown bowl and finding a disliked food, the animals frequently tried to change their choice to the other bowl.
Primate psychology
These findings confirm that humans aren't the only primates that get upset when their decisions don't pan out, Rosati said. The discovery that chimps were more willing to wait than bonobos and that they took more risks is also important, she said. In the wild, chimpanzees tend to live in areas where food is seasonal and hard to find, while bonobos have an easier time foraging. The difference could explain why chimps are more patient and more willing to take risks for a good payoff than are their bonobo cousins.
"The kind of economic biases we see in different species, including humans, might really have a biological basis in terms of these species being prepared for different environments," Rosati said.
Now that researchers know the apes do show emotional reactions to unwanted outcomes, scientists hope to find out how those emotions might influence decisions, Rosati said. The study turned up a few hints that this kind of influence does indeed operate in apes. For example, bonobos who tried hardest to switch their choice after an unwanted outcome in the food bowl experiment were also the least likely to take risks in the first place. That finding is very similar to the observation that people who most regret gambling losses take fewer risks, Rosati said.
Apes "seem to have a really rich set of psychological skills for making their foraging decisions," she said.
Follow Stephanie Pappas on Twitter?and Google+. Follow us @livescience, Facebook?and Google+. Original article on LiveScience.com.
Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic now available on iPad for $10
The iPad is no stranger to nostalgia-filled gaming sessions, and today Apple's platform is welcoming yet another popular OG title into its hefty ranks. More specifically, we're referring to Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, a game which will surely bring a great deal of excitement to those who were avid fans of the original BioWare RPG back in the day. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is up for grabs now, but be prepared to pay a slight premium for it, since the near-2GB App Store download costs a cool 10 bucks. But hey, not too bad if you'd like to use an iPad to show your custom-made character what life was like before the Galactic Empire even existed.
Filed under: Gaming, Tablets, Software
Source: App Store
Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/8NgeE9n0wH4/
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Apple: 100 million iPod touches sold since 2007
Following the launch of its newest iPod earlier today, Apple has announced that it's sold over 100 million iPod touches since they first went on sale back in 2007 -- in fact, as noted in last year's earnings call, the touchscreen models make up half of all iPods sold. For nostalgia's sake, we've added the touchscreen media player's debut ad after the break so you can see where it all began.
Filed under: Portable Audio/Video, Apple
Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/Gcj08GcYxLA/
UK consumer morale hits six-month high in May
By David Milliken
LONDON (Reuters) - British consumer sentiment hit a six-month high in May, and a leading business association revised up its growth forecasts for the first time since the financial crisis, adding to hopes that a tentative recovery is underway.
Soft data from retailers and manufacturers in the past two weeks had suggested that growth in the second quarter of 2013 might be weaker than initially thought.
But Friday's survey from polling company GfK offered cautious grounds for optimism, with consumer sentiment at its strongest since November, when it spiked to an 18-month high.
GfK's consumer confidence barometer jumped by 5 points to a higher-than-forecast -22, as households became less gloomy about the economy and their own finances.
"There are now some real signs that consumers, while hardly confident, are moving out of the feeling of despondency that the country has been mired in for the last year or so," said Nick Moon, managing director of social research at GfK.
Britain's economy contracted for part of 2012 but grew a stronger than expected 0.3 percent in the first three months of 2013, and purchasing managers' surveys at the start of May pointed to further expansion in the current quarter.
The British Chambers of Commerce - which represents firms employing more than one in five private-sector workers - revised up its quarterly economic forecast on Friday for the first time since Britain entered a recession in 2008.
It now expects growth of 0.9 percent in 2013 and 1.9 percent in 2014, 0.2-0.3 percentage points higher than previously forecast and slightly above the average forecast of economists polled by Reuters earlier this month.
The Bank of England has also revised up its growth forecasts and lowered its inflation outlook for the first time since before the financial crisis.
Both the BCC and GfK warned that the economy remained vulnerable to setbacks.
"Economic growth is still too weak, and the pace of recovery will remain unduly slow for a while yet. We are still a far cry from getting the economy fully back on track," said BCC director-general John Longworth.
Later on Friday, the Bank will release April consumer and business lending data, which is forecast to show a small rise in mortgage approvals, in line with last week's figures from the British Bankers' Association.
GfK's survey was conducted between May 3 and May 19 on behalf of the European Commission.
(Reporting by David Milliken; Editing by Catherine Evans)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/consumer-morale-hits-six-month-high-may-231146656.html
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Newly discovered hormone makes ovaries grow
May 30, 2013 ? A newly discovered hormone produced by the eggs of human females may improve the effectiveness of current fertility treatments for women and possibly lead to entirely new treatments altogether. According to new research published in the June 2013 issue of The FASEB Journal, researchers from Stanford and Akira University in Japan identified a new hormone called "R-spondin2" that promotes follicle development and stimulates ovary growth.
"The finding of a new ovarian hormone produced by the oocytes capable of stimulating ovarian follicle growth could lead to new infertility treatments," said Aaron J. W. Hsueh, Ph.D., a researcher involved in the work from the Division of Reproductive and Stem Cell Biology in the Department of Obstetrics and Genecology at Stanford University Medical School in Stanford, California.
To make this discovery, Hsueh and colleagues analyzed all the proteins likely made by the eggs, and discovered a previously unknown hormone, called R-spondin2. The researchers then replicated this new hormone in test tubes and injected it into mice. The hormone stimulated growth of mouse ovarian cells, leading to the generation of mature eggs. These eggs were fertilized and led to successful pregnancies and the delivery of healthy pups. Then, human ovarian tissue was grafted into mice, and this also grew after treatment with this newly identified ovarian hormone, suggesting that the hormone could work in humans. The researchers speculate that when used in conjunction with the traditional Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), this newly discovered ovarian hormone could lead to new infertility treatment options for those not responding well to FSH treatment alone.
"Infertility can be very frustrating for couples who have been trying to conceive for a very long time. The discovery of this new hormone is a potential game-changer in human fertility treatment," said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal, "but further research is needed to determine its efficacy and safety in humans."
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
- Y. Cheng, K. Kawamura, S. Takae, M. Deguchi, Q. Yang, C. Kuo, A. J. W. Hsueh. Oocyte-derived R-spondin2 promotes ovarian follicle development. The FASEB Journal, 2013; 27 (6): 2175 DOI: 10.1096/fj.12-223412
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/Fx-uhzGIQxA/130530111149.htm
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China says it has no need to steal U.S. military secrets
BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Defense Ministry dismissed as ridiculous on Thursday a U.S. report that Chinese hackers have gained access to designs of more than two dozen major U.S. weapons systems, saying the country needed no outside help for its military development.
The Washington Post cited a U.S. Defense Science Board report as saying that the compromised U.S. designs included those for combat aircraft and ships, as well as missile defenses vital for Europe, Asia and the Gulf.
Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng dismissed the report, which the Pentagon and other U.S. defense officials have downplayed as outdated and overstated.
"It both underestimates the Pentagon's defensive security abilities and the Chinese people's intelligence," Geng told a monthly news briefing, according to a transcript on the ministry's website (www.mod.gov.cn).
"China absolutely has the ability to build the weapons needed for national security," he said. "Recently China's aircraft carrier, new fighter jets and transport aircraft ... have clearly shown this."
China routinely denies hacking allegations leveled at it.
President Barack Obama will discuss cyber security with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting in California next week, as Washington becomes increasingly worried about Chinese hacking of U.S. military networks.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Robert Birsel)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/china-says-no-steal-u-military-secrets-080434318.html
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RolePlayGateway?
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.
Source: http://feeds.feedburner.com/RolePlayGateway
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